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Career Coaching: Navigating Challenges and Inspiring Success

TalentEgg had the privilege of interviewing Shelly Elsliger, a seasoned Career Consultant/Coach. She has a rich background of 20 years in higher education career coaching at renowned university business schools like John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. DEI is an integral part of all her endeavours. When working with students, she diligently prepares them for interviews and addresses DEI-related inquiries.

Shelly’s Career Inspiration

We were curious to know what inspired Shelly to pursue career education, to which she responded, “I think Career Coaching found me.” She states how she checked out a local Youth Employment Services Center in Montreal during her early twenties. She spoke to the director and felt an immediate connection, promptly asking for mentorship. Her wish was granted, and she shadowed the director for months, quickly realizing she had found her passion and never looked back.

Shelly told us, “I find it a rewarding career that constantly changes and challenges me. I am always looking for ways to challenge students, build their confidence, and help them explore and find ways to design their career development process. I never just settle and always believe that there is always more I can do as a Career Coach.”

Shelly’s Greatest Achievements

When asked about her most significant achievements in her career, Shelly answered, “My greatest achievement must be my ability to help students understand professional branding .” She explained how many students face imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and FOMO to the point where they feel they can’t progress in their careers.

She harnesses her extensive knowledge in this field, offering valuable guidance to students. Shelly enables them to grasp the mechanics of LinkedIn algorithms and effectively construct their narratives as practical tools for in-person and online networking. When she sees that her work helps students transform and achieve this (she calls it an Oprah Ah-ha moment), it makes her “heart and soul full.”

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Among Students’ And New Grads’

As mentioned prior, DEI is a significant aspect of Shelly’s work. She touches on her qualifications and values, “I am certified in Leadership and Inclusion. When it comes to serving students, I place an important goal on making each coaching, workshop, or event experience as inclusive as I can. I have never been someone who treats students with a “buffet” style approach. I get to know students at a deeper level and always try to build their confidence and their sense of belonging.” Shelly adds that each student she interacts with is different from the last. She must wear a “different hat” for each student. 

Shelly’s diverse “hat collection” enhances her readiness to support students from various cultures and backgrounds. “I hope to model an important lesson for students: an understanding that fostering inclusive behaviours will help them be better in terms of individual, team, and organizational contributions when they move from the world of school to the world of work,” she concludes.

Mental Health Among Students’ And New Grads’

We wondered how mental health factors into what Shelly does. “Everyone has a story we know nothing about. I always keep that in mind when working with students. Knowing the signs and doing something about it is so important in the work I do. I got certified in Mental Health CPR from the Mental Health Commission of Canada and LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) so I can know the signs and lessen the barriers that exist,” she explains.

Shelly mentions that she provides a safe space for students, who can depend on her if they need help or just someone to talk to. She expands further, stating, “in some cases, a conversation and safe place to come is not enough. In some cases, students are experiencing thoughts of suicide, and it is part of my role to make sure they have the right resources available.”

Successfully Transitioning Students from School-to-Work

As a primary focus of her position, we asked Shelly how she helps students transition from school to the workplace, especially in the post-pandemic digital age. She responded, “There is still the catch-22 when it comes to experience, so incorporating different programs and offerings on campus to simulate real-world situations and build skills is important. I am a big believer that diverse experiences can help students grow in diverse ways. Students often lack confidence and confidence is key.” Shelly states it is important to stay outside the box when assisting in this area with services like workshops, guest speakers, coaching sessions, and more.

Students’ Biggest Pain Points

Shelly was kind enough to provide insights on the most considerable pain points her students often encounter in a job search in 2023. She highlighted eight:

  1. Branding and standing out for recruitment
  2. Interview tips and practice
  3. Job search and where to find diverse opportunities
  4. Navigating job search as an international student and what employers are open to hiring international students
  5. Lack of work experience
  6. The competitive and changing job market
  7. Knowing what jobs match their academic background
  8. Their approach to building relationships and approaching decision-makers

Shelly mentions that the prominence of technology has transformed the recruitment landscape, introducing ambiguity and a sense of unpreparedness due to constant change. This shift has heightened the need to anticipate the unexpected, creating a heightened sense of urgency. She adds that students perceive how technology poses new challenges. Previously, creating an attractive resume was difficult enough. Now, insecurity and frustration arise as they wonder if their resume will navigate the ATS pipeline and reach recruiters. “There is definitely an increased feeling of not ‘being enough’ or ‘having enough’ and this constant message and nagging of keeping up in terms of skill demands and expectations,” Shelly closes. 

How Employers Can Support Young Talent

Shelly shared her advice for employers on better supporting their student personnel. She advises employers to highlight expectations clearly; there should be no ambiguity. A thorough onboarding process is another suggestion, as well as ensuring students are accommodated for whatever they may need in their position. Furthermore, transparency, training, and collaboration are keywords she underscores as essential for employers to focus on when supporting students in the workplace.

How Employers Can Connect with Top Students

We were curious to know Shelly’s thoughts on the best ways for employers to connect with students. She mentions an on-campus presence is crucial. “This is a way to be involved in something unique and a way to stand out. My only suggestion is to put some thought and consideration into what you will do and how you will do it. Students want to show you what they have, and they want to know your ‘WHY,'” she explains. Employers must tap into what students are looking for and make themselves memorable. Info Sessions, workshops, and case competitions are all great ways to have a campus presence. She adds that free merch and food won’t cut it. Make your company feel meaningful, and do not waste the student’s time. Make a lasting impression.

Advice for Fellow Career Educators

We asked Shelly for advice she has for other career educators who are getting started in the field, as well as some guidance for the post-pandemic era. She provided five tips for career educators who are starting out:

  1. Take a coaching certificate; it will change the way you interact with students, support dialogue, and build trust
  2. Take time to figure out the lay of the land and set up times to meet people to gather perspective. Make sure to meet people beyond who you will directly be working with daily but the important folk involved in the student journey
  3. Be open to collaboration. Great things happen when diverse stakeholders work to create learning experiences
  4. Ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are the foundation of all you do so that every student feels like they belong
  5. Build your resource library so you always have more to offer

She adds five tips for career educators in the post-pandemic landscape:

  1. Understand that things are different and accept that adapting will take time. 
  2. Prepare to see some new graduates or even older alums return for career help due to layoffs, especially in tech
  3. Commit to understanding the new way of doing things and be up to date on trends like; recruitment strategies, the gig economy, the importance of networking, applicant tracking systems and resume development, virtual interviewing and virtual recruitment, micro-certifications, and ChatGPT to name a few
  4. Make sure you know where students can go for the right resources in case they need additional support in other areas, for example, mental health resources on campus
  5. Give students the opportunity and the space to explore and “develop many possible career selves” and provide support and insight into new career options

Conclusion

Shelly concluded our discussion by sharing her “quote of the day.” She mentioned that she has an “inspiration board” that always includes inspirational quotes for students. She stated that students had told her that her quotes had provided affirmation for them when they needed it most. She shared her quote with us from Thomas Edison, who stated, “If we all did the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”


Shelly Elsliger has been a Career Coach for more than 20 years. She has worked at both John Molson School of Business (Concordia University) and Rotman Commerce (University of Toronto). Currently, Shelly is a Consultant who now operates her own business, Linked-Express and is also a Senior Career, Leadership, and Inclusion Coach for CareerJoy.

Exclusive Insights: 2023 #TEAwards Survey

During our 2023 TalentEgg Virtual National Recruitment Excellence Awards & Conference, we conducted several live surveys – to try and gather insights relating to the workplace and recruitment trends. We surveyed over 90 attendees consisting of recruiters, career coaches and educators. Here are the trends we discovered and the insights you should note.

IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES IN THE WORKPLACE

In today’s world, the significance of mental health in the workplace cannot be overstated. When we asked attendees if their leadership could benefit from additional training in supporting employee mental health and wellness, an overwhelming 100% responded with a resounding “yes.”

This statistic shows that mental health initiatives are in high demand amongst working professionals and that employers, schools and career centers want to continue to grow their mental health initiatives and create a safe and welcoming environment for all students, new grads and working professionals. That’s why we created our new Mental Health & Psychological Safety In The Workplace Master Certificate Program on our TalentEgg eLearning Academy site. With these courses designed for managers and team leaders, you can build a psychologically safe workplace where employee mental health is a high priority.

This 10-course Master Certificate Program, developed by leading psychologists and mental health professionals, explores the many facets of workplace mental health. Clinicians will guide managers, leaders, and HR representatives on best practices and strategies for fostering psychological safety and well-being at work. The interactive modules explain the many aspects of workplace mental health, and clinicians provide clear guidance on optimally addressing these delicate and complex issues in a work setting.

Move your organization forward and build the foundation for a psychologically safe workplace where mental health and wellness are a core value and a lived experience for your employees.

EMPOWERING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE

Researching companies’ diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and initiatives before applying has become routine for students, recent graduates, and working professionals. That’s why it is essential for employers to invest in DEI initiatives like DEI training. We asked attendees, “Do you think more DEI training should be offered in your workplace?” 100% of the respondents said yes. 

This stat shows that there is an increasing demand for DEI training. That’s why we at TalentEgg have released our Diversity, Sensitivity, and Inclusion: Promoting Anti-Discrimination and Equity in the Workplace course on the TalentEgg eLearning Academy website.

We understand the importance of placing your brand at the forefront of all your endeavours. With this in mind, the TalentEgg eLearning Academy offers a white-label custom-branded version designed to seamlessly integrate into your existing onboarding training, reflecting your unique employer brand identity. Our comprehensive offering allows complete customization and branding of the courseware, ensuring a cohesive and tailored learning experience for your employees, putting your brand front and centre.

Once you invest in DEI initiatives, amplifying them is vital. That’s why we asked the question, “Do you think targeted DEI Eblasts sent to DEI student clubs and associations would support your diversity recruitment?” 93% of respondents said that DEI eblasts would support their diversity recruitment.

This statistic is the reason why we are rolling out our DEI Eblasts. Our specialized TalentEgg DEI Eblasts offer an even more focused approach to reaching the precise target audience of diverse young talent. By utilizing our extensive database comprising over 1000+ DEI clubs and student associations from 30+ universities and colleges across Canada, our exclusive and one-of-a-kind TalentEgg DEI Eblasts, allow your organization to strategically target specific equity-seeking or underrepresented groups, including 2SLGBTQ+, BIPOC groups, marginalized communities, women-led organizations, and disability-focused organizations. This focused approach ensures that your DEI messaging reaches the intended audience precisely and maximizes your promotional efforts’ impact while helping you accelerate your diversity hiring efforts! Inquire here to learn more.

SOFT SKILLS ARE CRITICAL SKILLS; DOES YOUR YOUNG TALENT HAVE THEM?

Our 2023 Guide to Recruitment highlights how imperative soft skills are for the career success of students and new graduates. When attendees were asked, “Do you think Soft Skills are critical for young talents in the workplace?” 100% of respondents agreed. When we asked them if they believed their company should invest in Soft Skills Training, 100% of the respondents also answered “yes.” 

The urgency to equip students and new grads with the necessary soft skills for the workplace is apparent. It is essential to take immediate action to secure career success for your young talent. That’s why we have continued to grow our TalentEgg eLearning Academy.

TalentEgg’s eLearning Academy offers courses that teach introductory workplace soft skills for students and new grads making the school-to-work transition to enter their first internships, coops or full-time jobs, and intermediate soft skills to help young working professionals thrive on the job and advance in their careers. With an investment in soft skills, you will gain better-prepared, more effective and confident employees while increasing employee engagement and reducing turnovers. It’s a win-win for both your young talent and your company. There is no better time to invest in your talent’s soft skills. Contact us to get your custom-branded version of the TalentEgg eLearning Academy soft skills courses to fit seamlessly into your other onboarding and professional development courseware to help your new hires and existing employees be the best career professionals they can be.

From our extensive experience working with employers, students, and recent grads, we learned there is frequently a skills gap in students leaving school to enter the workforce successfully. We help employers address this gap through two specialized TalentEgg Academy eLearning Programs: Backpack to Briefcase: Introduction to Workplace Soft Skills and Briefcase to Boardroom: Intermediate Soft Skills to Advance Careers.

VIRTUAL METHODS OF ENGAGING YOUNG TALENT

 

In the modern recruitment era, online and digital methods are crucial to bringing on young talent. During our “Students & Grads’ Career Wishlist for 2023” panel, we asked industry professionals and recruiters their most effective virtual methods of engaging with students and young talent. The most common responses were “Virtual Career Events / Info Sessions” and “Social Media.” 

In 2023, we found that 19% of students went to no virtual career events this year, and 30% went to zero in-person career events. We identified one primary reason for their limited attendance at career events.  They expressed a lack of interest and knowledge in the career fairs and events that were available to them.

This fact shows that marketing is vital to the success of your event. So it’s crucial to promote your events and publish them on as many websites and social media platforms as possible for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes and to expand your reach to as many students and new grads as possible. If you are having trouble getting Gen Z to sign up for your events, you should utilize our Unlimited Event Postings, included as an essential element of our TalentEgg Annual Campaigns.

The other most effective way to engage with students and new grads is through social media. At TalentEgg, we have invested substantially in the past year to enhance our follower count, increase impressions, and drive engagement to new heights. Using TalentEgg’s social media channels, followed by students and grads actively looking for jobs, is a great way to build your followers among your target candidates and support your campus recruitment outreach.

TalentEgg also offers various social media services to our clients that aid in boosting engagement and reaching Gen Z talent. These services include TalentEgg Social Media Takeovers for Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn, TalentEgg Shorts, TalentEgg Social Media Promotion, TalentEgg Social Media Ads, and more. Inquire here to learn more.

Providing Opportunities and Supporting Growth for Students and Grads at Worley

As the world continues to evolve, the demand and opportunities for new graduates and students with diverse backgrounds and skill sets in the workforce increase. Worley, a leading global provider of professional services to the energy, resources, and complex process industries, understands the importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders. We had the pleasure of speaking with Andria Matadial, the Campus Relations Lead at Worley, to learn more about the company’s initiatives and perspectives on various topics.

Career Initiatives at Worley

Andria expressed that her experience working as a Campus Relations Lead at Worley has been “delightful and rewarding.” She attributed her positive experience to the opportunity to work with a highly supportive Talent Acquisition (TA) Manager and team. Worley’s primary initiatives for students and new graduates looking to work within the industry are centred around learning, growing, and contributing to game-changing global projects. Recent graduates have the opportunity to take what they know and apply it to new initiatives, new ideas, and new teams. They also have a vast support network to help them succeed and build their careers.

When asked about international student opportunities at Worley’s Australian headquarters, Andria shared that the company had an International Transfer program until 2015. This program allowed a graduate to switch to another graduate at another location. For example, a student from Australia came to Edmonton for some time, and a graduate from Edmonton moved to Australia. Although this program is not currently offered, Worley would love to get it re-instated as it provides graduates with global experience.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial components of Worley’s culture. Andria stated that diversity of background, skills, thinking, and expertise helps the company thrive and develop, enabling it to meet future needs. When we respect, value, and support each other, everyone can participate fully and reach their full potential.

Opportunities & Growth

The company has a Global Graduate Development program to help students and new graduates get involved with opportunities at Worley. Worley supports and develops its graduates to set them up for success. Through a self-directed learning approach, Worley gives its graduates the freedom and flexibility to direct their career paths.

Worley provides various career paths that students and graduates can enjoy, including opportunities to work with a global organization and projects worldwide. The pandemic positively affected the company’s recruiting process by allowing the TA team to recruit more flexibly since the world moved to a virtual work environment. At the same time, the company has moved to a hybrid model or is still in a work-from-home state, depending on the location. The employees have adjusted well to this change, and the company mobilized its staff to work from home at a record speed in 2020.

Leading into the Future

Looking towards the future, Worley foresees continuous hiring within the new graduate area to develop future leaders. In terms of measuring success in the industry, Worley places a strong emphasis on its values:

  • Valuing life
  • Rising to the challenge
  • Being stronger together, and
  • Unlocking brilliance

The company believes that the most successful Worley employees exemplify these values.

Lastly, Andria mentioned that Worley is the “Coolest Company to work for” and is leading within the industry regarding remote work, flexibility, and engagement. Worley eliminates bias from its hiring process by ensuring bias-free postings and promoting “bias awareness” training to individuals involved in the hiring process.

To learn more about Worley and its career initiatives, check out its employer profile on TalentEgg!

How Workplace Culture and Recruiting Top Talent Go Hand-in-Hand. An Interview with Gaby Patenaude from Export Development Canada

Workplace culture is an important aspect of any happy and productive working environment. There’s something to be said, though, about organizations that go above and beyond to showcase what the culture in their workplace actually looks like. Students, new grads, and early career professionals are digitally savvy and do their research to find the best fit for them. Even if your workplace culture is out-of-this-world-amazing, are you telling your story effectively? Are young candidates seeing it, hearing about it, watching it? If they aren’t, there’s a chance that you’re losing top candidates to other employers who are taking the extra steps to highlight the quality of their teams, culture and why they are the best place to work.

Export Development Canada (EDC) is one of those employers who strongly supports employee culture while also showing it in an authentic and engaging way. We had the chance to speak with Gaby Patenaude from EDC who shares how their organization lives and breathes culture, community, personal growth, professional development and so much more to ensure that candidates know that they are working for one of the best employers in the country. Read the full interview below.

Meet Gaby

Gaby is the Campus Recruitment Program Lead at EDC and has been with the company for three and a half years. Starting as a new grad, Gaby knows first hand what it’s like to make that school-to-work transition. She also understands how important it is for employers to step up and showcase what it’s like to work at a particular organization. Gaby manages the whole student-employee lifecycle – from campus events, partnerships with schools and interviewing candidates, to providing programming, onboarding and support once students are in the door and on the payroll.

Go, Grow and Succeed’ at EDC

EDC’s culture is unique with a variety of inclusive employee-led committees, community giving programs, professional development workshops, and a “state-of-the-art gym” to support their employees — both in work and in personal growth. “As someone who was really actively involved in my university community, I really value the giving nature of EDC,” Gaby comments.

“Community involvement is embedded in everything we do, whether…when EDC employees worldwide take a day to do volunteer work with over 40 organizations or to our stellar CSR practices embedded into the business transactions we make every day. I think that kind of purpose is really what younger generations seek in an employer. Somewhere where their values can come to life at work.”

Having initiatives like employee-led committees also allows employees to connect with so many more peers and leaders that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. “It lets employees feel like they have a wide variety of what I like to call ‘work extracurriculars’ because there are so many ways for people to get involved at work outside of what is listed on their job description.”

“Through these committees and their events, I have met so many new people and flexed new muscles as I took on side projects totally unrelated to my role. That is so rewarding and definitely lends to an inclusive workplace culture. No matter where people are in the hierarchy, they can really make a difference.”

Shouting Out Your Culture To Top Talent

All of these amazing initiatives and activities that are ingrained in the culture at EDC would be lost on new candidates if their team wasn’t active both on-campus and online to spread the word. Gaby cautions employers not to completely limit themselves to one strategy or the other, but to really look for a balance. “It’s a balancing act of that digital side to reach broad audiences, but [also] creating a space for highly specialized, in-person interactions.” EDC has found that dedicating specific and targeted strategies to both digital and in-person experiences has been enormously beneficial in their overall recruitment and employer branding strategy.

“TalentEgg has been instrumental in us reaching broad audiences with country-wide digital campaigns with hot new tools like Instagram takeovers. The nice thing about digital content is that in most cases it is there to stay and you keep referring back to it if candidates want to do any self-led research. I think it’s important to have digital brand awareness about your employer.”

Striking that balance, Gaby found that the most success they’ve had is with smaller scale, highly specialized events.

“For instance, partnering with campus clubs and associations to host case competitions in topics where we want some fresh insight, or hosting career spotlight events where students come and experience what it’s like to work in a certain role or career.”

Tell Your Story Authentically 

While it’s vital to tell your employer story both in-person and online, Gaby stresses that it’s important to have authentic and transparent content.

“I think the more transparent the better! We’ve found the best success in our recruitment campaigns when we really connect with students. For example, during our Instagram takeover with TalentEgg, we let a student a day take over TalentEgg’s account and take us through a day in their life: from their walk to our downtown office, to their 1:1 with their leader, to their gym session at lunch, or lunch on our rooftop patio. This was a way better indication of their impact and life at EDC than any thoughtfully worded job poster.”

Gaby also stresses the importance of showing candidates that you truly care about them as a potential hire, that they aren’t just another number. EDC did this by hosting a TalentEgg Talks Live where students and grads asked Gaby live questions. She was able to give the audience across Canada a deep-dive 30-minute session about EDC instead of a quick 1-minute conversation at a career fair.

“Recruitment is all about allowing the candidate to really be able to picture themselves in a role and envisioning their happiness and success in that role. TalentEgg has been great in shining light on the new and upcoming strategies for things like social media recruitment marketing, mobile marketing, and others. This has also been proven in bringing students into our office and introducing them to employees. It allows them to put a face to a job and see what someone’s career path was to get to where they are.”

Advice for Fellow Employers and Final Thoughts

“It’s important as an employer to show that you are developing people and not just employees. It’s a two-way street – employees will invest more in their jobs if they know their employer is investing in them. The reality is that if you as a company aren’t staying up on trends, or putting in a caring approach to employees, those employees will go to the next employer down the street that is doing a better job. So I think employers really have an obligation to take their employees seriously and give them the best caring culture to support their best work.”

That’s one of the reasons why Gaby started her career with EDC. She emphasizes why it’s so important for young people to know that their employer will be there for them in the best of times to push them forward, but also on those not so great days.

It’s important to not only rely on being present online and on-campus, but also to tell your employer brand story, bringing it to life and helping future candidates see what their future could be like at your organization.

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