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Japan House: Fifty Years Ago Today
Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., President and CEO, Japan Society This September we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Japan House, Japan Society's landmarked headquarters building. Let's jump in our time machine and go back to 1971, when Japan Society was only 64 years old. At that time, U.S.-Japan relations were deeply embroiled in trade frictions while the ending of the U.S. embargo of China had just begun to impact East Asia. 1971 snapshots In the United States: Richard M. Nixon is President; Apollo 14 lands on the moon; massive protests are held throughout America against the Vietnam War; Walt Disney World opens in Orlando, Florida; Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali in 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden; the first Starbucks opens in Pike Place Market, Seattle. In Japan: Eisaku Sato is Prime Minister; the U.S. and Japan sign an accord to return Okinawa to Japan; NHK TV implements colorization of all programs; Kamen Rider TV series begins broadcasting; the 48th reigning Sumo champion Yokozuna Taihō announces his retirement; McDonald's opens its first store in Ginza, Tokyo; Nissin creates the first "cup noodle." Japan House Meanwhile in New York City, Japan Society had occupied eight different locations since its founding in 1907, and by the mid-1960s, a dedicated building had become necessary to house the Society's rapidly expanding initiatives. Japan Society President John D. Rockefeller 3rd made a very generous pledge by donating the land for the building site and Japanese modernist architect Junzo Yoshimura was confirmed to design the building. On September 16, 1969, John D. Rockefeller 3rd and Japanese Foreign Minister Kiichi Aichi broke ground at a formal ceremony. Construction proceeded on schedule and staff moved in during the spring of 1971, with Executive Director Douglas Overton noting, "Each day we have found some new and delightful feature which has come off the drawing board as an unexpectedly brilliant success. Japan House will be a national important building worthy of its high purposes." Opening Week—five star-studded days of celebratory events—began on September 13, 1971 with Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Hitachi at the ceremonies. The Prince brought Japan's best wishes to the Society "for a new chapter, both rich in content and wide in scope." The Gallery opened its first exhibition, Rimpa: Masterworks of the Japanese Decorative School and the Tokyo String Quartet performed in the new auditorium. Junzo Yoshimura wrote about Japan House, "People the world over used to build their houses with local and traditional materials. Today, however, contemporary buildings all over the world use the same basic materials—concrete, steel and glass—yet different characters and nationalities can still be perceived among them. In designing Japan House I have tried to express in contemporary architecture the spirit of Japan." With the formal opening of the Society's headquarters a new era had begun. Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Hitachi and Japan Society chairman John D. Rockefeller 3rd view the first Japan Society Gallery exhibition Rimpa: Masterworks of the Japanese Decorative School. Photo © Thomas Haar. The next 50 years Fifty years later, we are at another inflection point. The novel coronavirus pandemic has taught us just how interconnected we are as a global community while placing new importance on our homes and transforming the nature of work. This unprecedented global crisis has also illuminated the strengths and weaknesses of our organization, providing new opportunities for envisioning the future. Just as the opening of Japan House shaped the Society's last 50 years, today we are reimagining how we use our space, from the physical to the digital, forging broader connections or kizuna for U.S.-Japan and for the world. We embrace our mission for the years to come, reaching out far beyond our building, to our city, country, and world as we seek to connect American and Japanese people, cultures, and societies through a global lens. Like a hike up Mt. Fuji, Japan Society’s nearly 115-year-long journey itself defines us far more than our current destination. Beginning in 1907, the first iteration of Japan Society focused on business relations between the U.S. and Japan. For its 1952 post-Occupation reconstitution under the leadership of John D. Rockefeller 3rd, the Society dedicated itself to arts, culture, and education, with an emphasis on supporting Japanese students in New York as well as spreading the word about Japan through significant cultural milestones such as partnerships with The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Lincoln Center, with traveling exhibitions and outreach on both sides of the Pacific. With the opening of Japan House in 1971, politics was reintroduced into the mix, the business and policy communities energized, and Japanese popular culture landed large—nearly 50,000 people came to the Grand Sumo Tournament at Madison Square Garden co-sponsored by Japan Society and the Asia Society in 1985! Today at Japan House we present Japan and U.S.-Japan as a way to engage with history and tradition, on the one hand, and innovation and the future on the other. As in 1971, the time to act is now and our opportunities are as great as the challenges of 2021. It's up to us to work together on new, critical connections to take us through the next 50 years. I'll be there with you. Joshua Walker (@drjwalk) is president and CEO of Japan Society. Follow Japan Society on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Timpson CEO joins Aston University as visiting professor
• James Timpson OBE has been the chief executive of Timpson since 2011 • He will work within Aston University’s College of Business and Social Sciences to develop connections in personal financial wellbeing and tax • Professor Timpson will engage with students about values in leadership and will deliver a public lecture on corporate kindness. The CEO of retail chain Timpson has joined Aston University as a visiting professor within the College of Business and Social Sciences. James Timpson will work closely with Aston University’s head of accounting to develop connections between Aston Business School and the tax and financial wellbeing industry over the next three years. In his first 12 months he will engage with both first year and pre-University students about University life, running a business and values in leadership and corporate kindness, delivering a public lecture around the latter reflecting Timpson’s work with ex offenders. He will also have the opportunity to talk to Masters students who have interests in corporate cultural development alongside Aston University’s Work and Organizations and Strategy departments and its MBA programme. Professor Timpson will also work with colleagues at Aston Business School to develop connections on his interests related to the University’s research agenda, such as TaxWatch, and connect Timpson with the student placements team to explore possible opportunities for student third year placements on MSc and MBA project work. Professor Timpson said: “I am excited to join Aston University as a visiting professor and to pass on some of the knowledge and connections I have built over the last 27 years in business. “I am looking forward to discussing the mechanisms of business with the business leaders of tomorrow at Aston University and about culture and corporate kindness at the University and its activity and plans in this area. “The Timpson Foundation specialises in the recruitment of marginalised groups within society as well as supporting numerous other socially minded projects. Approximately 10 per cent of our workforce is made up of people who have criminal convictions. We believe in giving people a second chance.” Professor Andy Lymer, head of accounting at Aston Business School, said: “I am really looking forward to working with James. “This well-deserved award recognises the distinguished contribution that he has made and continues to make to the business community. We are privileged to have a business leader of James' stature join our faculty. “As a university that values highly practical experience, his wide and varied track record at boardroom level will provide invaluable stimulus and advice for our students and staff alike.”
Media, gender and celebrity culture expert on Britney Spears news developments
Claire Sisco King, associate professor of communication studies, is available for commentary on the recent resurgence in media interest in Britney Spears's personal life, including the #FreeBritney movement and the pop star's recent engagement. Sisco King teaches about Spears in a celebrity culture class, as part of a discussion on gender and trauma as they relate to fame. She can discuss: Spears and the public’s emotional investments in the lives of celebrities The misogyny that often typifies celebrity culture Our culture’s general fascination with trauma
Baylor Expert: 9/11 Reshaped Every Aspect of American Life – Not Necessarily for the Better
English professor, culture expert says terror attacks damaged America, but it’s not too late to recover sense of purpose and generosity The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon continue – 20 years later – to have profound effects on everything from America’s political, religious and cultural polarization to American entertainment choices, said Baylor University faith and culture expert Greg Garrett, Ph.D., professor of English. “It shouldn’t surprise anyone that an event that shook our sense of security and our identity would be reflected in every aspect of American life,” Garrett said. “But what does surprise and alarm me is the degree to which 9/11 continues to shape our attitudes about race, religion, immigration and the Other, whether that Other is in Afghanistan or just across town. The United States initiated a perpetual war against terror in response to the 9/11 attacks, and the fear that took root in the American psyche has proven difficult to shake.” Garrett, author of more than two dozen books, is internationally recognized as an expert on faith, culture, race and story, and he argues that the reaction to 9/11 can be measured just as much through literature and culture as through accounts of executive orders and covert military operations. Country music, procedurals and reality TV after 9/11 “Initially, Americans supported the War on Terror across political, religious and cultural lines,” Garrett said. “Country musicians like Toby Keith leaned into militant songs about American greatness and righteous revenge. The top-selling act the Chicks (then the Dixie Chicks) was drummed out of country music for their public stand against going to war. The TV show 24 reflected the growing darkness of America’s extra-legal approach to that war—the willingness to use torture, rendition and the opening of a dark site in Guantanamo Bay to house suspected terrorists—and it actually shaped opinion and policy as it grew in popularity and influence.” Two other types of television shows became extremely popular as a result of 9/11, Garrett said. Procedurals (shows such as CSI, Law and Order and House, M.D.) gained a new popularity because they offered viewers something the ongoing War on Terror never could or will: closure. “A serious problem was introduced in every episode, grappled with and solved by the end of an hour,” he said. Another type of show that leapt in popularity in the months and years following the attacks – reality shows – offered “train-wreck escapism,” Garrett said. “The contestants on Survivor and The Bachelor, and the wayward souls on Jersey Shore and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, presented exaggerated versions of our present moment that allowed viewers to forget about the dark actuality of the times,” he said. Springsteen, Harry Potter and critiquing ‘moral failures of the War on Terror’ Not all popular culture offered reinforcement or escapism, Garrett said, adding that some of the most powerful pop culture from 2001 onward critiqued the “moral failures of the War on Terror and critiqued the American people for so readily accepting them.” “Punk rock, always a prime medium for protest, was one of the earliest forms of dissent,” Garrett said. Green Day’s 2004 album American Idiot reached the top of the charts in the United States and 18 other countries, ultimately selling 16 million albums. But mainstream acts like Bruce Springsteen also asked complicating questions about the attacks and their aftermath. “After primarily offering empathy and comfort in The Rising (2002), Springsteen realized that America had betrayed many of its most important ideals, as revealed by songs like ‘Your Own Worst Enemy’ on the No. 1 2007 album Magic,” Garrett said. “Later novels in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the most popular fictional narrative of all time, introduce questions of torture and terror, and powerful TV dramas like Battlestar Galactica and the British import Doctor Who also criticize the choices made by the American government and its allies.” Zombies and the Apocalypse Perhaps the most significant byproduct of 9/11 in our culture is the resurgence in apocalyptic stories such as 28 Days Later, Sean of the Dead, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, World War Z and The Road, Garrett said. Stories about the Zombie Apocalypse – whether in games, books, comics, TV or movies – asked serious questions about what it means to be human, and about what moral compromises a person might be willing to take to stay alive, Garrett explained. They also reflected the new 24/7 sense of encroaching menace that “seeped into our culture and lit up our phones at all hours of the day and night.” “You could fight all day every day against this menace, these creatures who look like humans but seek your destruction. And then the next morning, you still have to rise and confront it again,” Garrett said. ‘Not too late’ “People 20 years ago said that 9/11 changed everything, and so it did.” Garrett said. “But 20 years later it is not too late to recognize that the fears those attacks brought to the surface don’t have to be the way we continue to live. In my faith tradition, Jesus constantly admonishes his followers not to be so afraid. We make bad and selfish decisions out of fear. We abridge hospitality, compassion and liberty when we believe we are endangered. That’s not the America I grew up in, and it’s not the America in which I hope to die. That America, the light of the world, the city on a hill, Lady Liberty lifting her torch to welcome all, is the America that our founders dreamed, and that we can dream once again.” ABOUT GREG GARRETT, PH.D Greg Garrett, Ph.D., is a professor of English at Baylor University and Theologian-in-Residence at the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris. An award-winning professor, Garrett has written about 9/11 and its aftermath in a number of books, including One Fine Potion: The Literary Magic of Harry Potter (Baylor University Press), Living with the Living Dead: The Wisdom of the Zombie Apocalypse, and A Long, Long Way: Hollywood’s Unfinished Journey from Racism to Reconciliation (both Oxford University Press). ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 19,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments and eight academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit baylor.edu/artsandsciences.
Millennials at Work – Let our experts offer insight into the next generation of employees
Millennial workers now total 56 million, representing 35% of the total US labor force. How can organizations harness their unique talents and strengths? Goizueta Professor Andrea Hershatter recently joined the Goizueta Effect to explore this generation’s use of technology as a “sixth sense,” their inherent trust in organizations, and their tendency toward an extrinsic sense of fulfillment. In the interview Hershatter uses her expertise and years of experience to discuss a wide variety of topics such as: Defining Generations What Makes a Millennial? Exploring Boomers, GenX and Zoomers Millennials’ Relationship with Technology & Organizations How COVID-19 Has Impacted Millennials Dynamics & Interplay Between Generations The Next Generation and The Future Andrea Hershatter is Senior Associate Dean and Director of the BBA Program in Emory’s Goizueta Business School. She regularly provides consultation to corporations and academia on the Millennial generation and has been an outside expert to the Graduate Management Admission Council in enhancing undergraduate student outreach. She is a frequent presenter on the topics of entrepreneurship, generational workplace culture, and management education. Andrea is available to speak with media about this topic – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
The Olympics have come and gone. As the world watched top athletes from across the globe compete, one key takeaway was not a new world record or a perfect 10 on the floor – but that Black female athletes faced unfair scrutiny and an obvious double standard when it came to issues of stress and mental health, policies and protocol, uniforms and hair, and more. UMW Assistant Professor of Communication Emily Deering Crosby's previous research has focused on how the media has portrayed Black female Olympians like Lolo Jones and Gabby Douglas. Here's what she had to say: There were numerous instances this summer of world class women athletes being sexualized, penalized, mocked and dismissed for a variety of issues from uniforms to motherhood to naturally occurring testosterone levels to mental health to archaic policy. This was particularly salient for Black women athletes, which is worth highlighting, since racism and sexism often function in tandem ways that many people misunderstand as “normal” or “insignificant” since it can be pervasive. My work aims to root out, point out and amplify why these practices are wrong, why they keep women from being appropriately valued, and how sports culture can be better and thus enhance communication scholarship and everyday practices by media, fans and athletes themselves. The silver lining in the most recent Games is how digital culture, particularly social media, gives athletes themselves a voice. Further, fans and athletes alike are becoming more knowledgeable of these problematic policies and are bravely and creatively calling them out. Thus, athletes such as Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Sha’Carri Richardson, Allyson Felix, Norway’s women’s beach handball team, etc. are key case studies to understand these communication and structural phenomena more deeply and ultimately bring more critical awareness and justice to women’s sports.” If you’re a journalist looking to know more about this important topic – then let our experts help with your questions and coverage. Assistant Professor of Communication Emily Deering Crosby is a rhetorical critic of popular culture with research concentrations in feminist criticism – and she’s a go-to expert on this topic for national media. Dr. Crosby is available, simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Brexit: UK services are losing out to EU rivals – but Asia could be big winner
"Seven months after Britain’s exit from the EU, the chilly effects on UK trade are being felt. Total exports of UK goods and services were down by 13% (£36 billion) and imports down 22% (£66 billion) for January to May 2021 compared to the same period in 2019." Professor Jun Du, Aston Business School Singapore looks like one of the big winners from Brexit. joyfull In a separate new ONS report into UK services, exports and imports fell 12% and 24% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. To some extent this is due to the pandemic, but the decline with EU countries was more severe (exports down 15% and imports by 39%), which suggests Brexit was relevant too. The difference between services exports to EU and non-EU countries was particularly marked in sectors like construction (-43% vs +24%), maintenance and repair (-62% vs +11%), and manufacturing services (-40% vs -12%). It seems to confirm that the UK’s services offering has been made less competitive by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement hardly covering such business. This has left EU members free to decide whether to allow different UK providers into their markets. But as we shall see, other services exporting countries outside the EU may also benefit as a result. In our recent paper, Ireland looked like the big winner. It has probably benefited from firms relocating and business being re-routed from the UK, not to mention low corporation tax and a young well-educated workforce. Between 2016 and 2019, Ireland’s services exports rose 24% (that’s €144 billion or £123 billion), driven by financial services, IT and transport. Speculation still abounds about which other EU cities will benefit in the medium term. Amsterdam surpassed London as Europe’s largest share-trading centre in January by absorbing much trade in euro-denominated assets, though London has been back on top recently. Other potential winners include Frankfurt (banking), Luxembourg (banking and asset management) and Paris (financial, professional and business services). Even a less serious contender like Berlin can attract tech talents thanks to its culture clusters and affordability. On the other hand, most financial traders have so far remained in London. The city is still strong in hosting stock market flotations and other forms of capital raising. And the flow of financial jobs out of London has been a fraction of what remainers predicted. A four-year regulatory transition period for areas like data protection and electronic trade will undoubtedly be helping. London vs EU rivals is only half the story. James Padolsey/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Yet all this misses a bigger picture, namely that Europe’s ability to provide services may have been weakened overall. Imagine a group of US investors wants to invest £1 billion in European shares and other financial assets. In the past it might have set up a fund in London, making use of the city’s network of lawyers, accountants, bankers and other finance professionals, while filtering some of the work to specialists in, say, Paris and Frankfurt for issues related to France and Germany. But now Brexit means the fund can’t invest in certain EU securities from London. The investors would have to set up a second fund in, say, Dublin to get exposure to all the EU assets they want. The additional expense and time involved makes them decide it will be more lucrative to set up an Asia-focused fund in Singapore instead. When you multiply this effect across every sector, it is potentially huge. Certainly some investors will decide to either switch attention from the UK to EU countries, or to live with the extra cost of doing business across both the UK and EU. But others are deciding that an opportunity somewhere else in the world now looks more attractive. The danger is that this adds up to a global shift in economic weight over time. In fact, we could be seeing signs of this already. Winners and losers In follow-on research that we have yet to publish, we have been analysing the services exports of the major service providers in Europe and globally, using trade data jointly collected by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The data shows the UK was and is the biggest services exporter in Europe and second only to the US worldwide, but appears to have been losing ground since Brexit. Ireland and the Netherlands are the major growth stories in Europe, while China, India and Singapore are leading the way elsewhere. Services exports by country, 2019 vs 2015 Trends in services exports. Left: 2015 data in solid coloured bars; 2019 change in yellow markers. Right: Green bars represent accelerating service growth; red bars represent decelerating growth. BaTIS The UK’s services growth trend fell 11% in the 2016-2019 period compared to 2010-15. This backs up our recent published research finding that the UK’s global share of exported services fell from 8.9% in 2005 to 7% in 2019. Meanwhile, France, Spain, Italy and Belgium’s growth has also been declining, while Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria and also the US were static. Ireland was the fastest growing services exporter among all, but Singapore and India gained momentum too. Strikingly, we see increasing growth in Asia between 2016 and 2019 in sectors like travel, financial, IT and creative services. This includes extraordinary growth in Singapore in finance, business, insurance and pension provision, and also in China in numerous segments. It looks like nothing short of a boom. Shanghai has been on the up and up. Krzystsztof Kotkowicz, CC BY-SA This may partly reflect the industrial transformation taking place in the Asian developing world from manufacturing to services. It may also capture a long-term shift of services centres from the west to the east – a reshuffle on a truly global scale. But at the same time, it’s evidence that Brexit has weakened the UK as the European centre for services. Yes, business shifted to Ireland (and Luxembourg) to some extent, but that could be hiding a wider collective setback. The question for the years ahead, for the UK and its European services peers, is whether they can come up with arrangements that help maintain their collective strengths – and to what extent they can exploit opportunities elsewhere, particularly on developing countries, where US services providers have traditionally been far ahead. This article was co-written by Professor Jun Du and Dr Oleksandr Shepotylo.
How to find a job in Canada and position yourself as an ideal candidate
Whether you’ve just received your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) or have recently moved to Canada, finding employment and getting back in your field of work is always top of mind for many. As you begin your job search in Canada, there are a few things that are must-haves: A Social Insurance Number (SIN) – A nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits. Credential assessment for occupations such as teachers, accountants, medical professionals, engineers, social workers, etc. Credential assessment is a process through which you can get certified, registered, or licensed to practice your occupation in Canada. A Canadian-style resume and cover letter. Remember to customize your resume for each job application. Tip: To learn about the scope of your role in Canada and get deeper insights into specific job markets such as Information Technology (IT), Finance, Sales and Marketing, Project Management, Healthcare, Human Resources (HR), and others, download Arrive’s free guide for the Canadian job market. Once you’re equipped with these basic tools and resources, you’re ready to start looking for relevant opportunities. Here are a few ways you can get started with your job search in Canada. 8 ways to find a job in Canada 1. Browse job search websites Most job seekers use job search websites as the starting point while looking for opportunities. In Canada, many locally-popular sites provide more than just job listings. You can get access to employment trends, salary trends, career-planning tools, and industry information. The Canadian government’s Job Bank website is one such exhaustive resource. It is a job-listing aggregator so it pulls listings from multiple job sites which makes it convenient to browse opportunities. You can also check the provincial and territorial websites for more newcomer employment resources. What are the best job sites in Canada? Some popular job search websites are: LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed, Monster, Glassdoor, Workopolis, CareerBuilder, and SimplyHired. If you’re looking for freelancing opportunities or remote work, sites like UpWork, Fiverr, Jobboom, Jobillico, and Jobspresso are good options. 2. Network and volunteer One of the things to know as a job seeker is that Canada has a hidden job market. The hidden job market refers to positions that are filled without the employer advertising for it publicly. It is said that as much as 65-85 per cent of the jobs are not posted online. This is why networking is crucial to finding relevant opportunities – and LinkedIn is an excellent tool to get you started. You can use websites like Eventbrite and Meetup to locate industry-specific networking events near you. These events are excellent forums to find people from your field of work and strengthen your professional network. Giving back to the community (or volunteering) is usually well-regarded and valued in Canadian society. It can help you gain Canadian experience and learn the local culture and serves as a good way to meet other people and build your network. Tip: Volunteering can help you build your network and earn Canadian experience. To discover the importance of volunteering in Canada and learn how to find volunteering opportunities, read The benefits of volunteering as a newcomer in Canada. 3. Enrol with immigrant-serving organizations In Canada, there are various government-funded organizations such as ACCES Employment and COSTI that help newcomers find employment. Some are province and city-specific, so you can look up the government website to find one closest to you. These organizations help newcomers with a wide range of online and in-person career services such as resume building, interview preparation, language assessment, and finding a job. 4. Attend job fairs Many immigrant-serving organizations also organize job fairs. Some of these fairs are virtual and span a couple of days, while others are in-person events. Prepare for Canada, and JVS Toronto are organizations that do online job fairs periodically. One of the benefits of enrolling with a government-funded settlement organization is getting alerts for these job fairs. Following the social media channels for these organizations and browsing sites like Eventbrite and Meetup are also good ways to find upcoming job fairs. 5. Reach out to employment agencies and recruiters There are many employment agencies and specialized recruiters that can help you find a job in your field in Canada. These agencies and recruiters match jobseekers to employer positions. You can search for recruiters from your industry on sites like LinkedIn. Recruitment agencies in Canada may be nationally and/or internationally licensed. Those with a national license are only authorized to assist job seekers within Canada, while those with an international license can recruit overseas employees wanting to work in Canada. Who are the top recruitment agencies in Canada? Some popular employment agencies in Canada are Robert Half, Randstad Canada, and Hays Canada. Employment/recruitment/placement/staffing agencies cannot demand a fee from a jobseeker to help them find work. However, they can charge for additional services such as resume preparation, interview preparation, and job skills training. Tip: Beware of any employment agencies or recruiters asking you to pay a fee in exchange for a job offer, especially if you haven’t moved to Canada yet. Learn more about employment scams in Canada in the article, Common scams that newcomers to Canada should know about. 6. Browse career sections on company websites A good way to go about your job search is to make a list of organizations you would like to work at and then check the career sections on their respective websites. Most websites will let you send a job application for open positions directly through their site. Reach out to current or past employees through LinkedIn for a coffee chat to better understand the organizational structure and learn more about your desired role – this will also help you prepare for your interview. These conversations are also a great way to know about future job openings at the organization. Tip: Check out the list of top 100 employers in Canada and find organizations from your industry. 7. Enrol in bridging programs Bridging programs are designed for internationally-trained professionals and tradespeople who want to work in their field in Canada. They can help you get a licence or certification and integrate into the Canadian workplace. Some of the bridging programs’ services include courses, education and skills assessment, practical or workplace experience, exam preparation for licenses or certificates, language training, and action and learning plans to help you identify the training you may need. These programs may be virtual, or in-person or a combination of both. Usually, classroom training or work experience is part of the program. Depending on the bridging program you choose, there may be a fee associated with it. Contact a newcomer settlement agency near you or check local university or college websites to learn more about enrolment processes and eligibility criteria for specific bridging programs. 8. Look for a mentor Many Canadian professionals and industry leaders provide free advice and coaching to newcomers settling in Canada. This is a good way to learn how to adapt your skills and experience for the local job market and find relevant opportunities. You can look for a mentor through organizations like: Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC) Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) How to position yourself as an ideal candidate and get a job offer The job market in Canada is competitive. Once you’ve identified a job position that’s a good fit for your skills and experience, it’s time to stand out from the crowd and market yourself as the ideal candidate. Positioning yourself as a strong candidate to an employer begins with building your personal brand. Here are a few other aspects to keep in mind as you prepare for a job application. Be confident and tell your story Practise responses to basic interview questions and have an elevator pitch so you’ll be more confident during the interview. Elevator pitches are a good way to introduce yourself and make an impression at the start of an interview. They can also serve as an answer to the “tell me about yourself” question. Think of your achievements and use specific examples or stories to demonstrate how you are a good fit for the role. Job interview resources: How to prepare for a job interview 10 common job interview questions and how to answer them The interview process in Canada may seem nerve-wracking. Prepped is an excellent resource for you to practise your interview skills and confidently prepare for the interview process. 6 Tips for improving your job search in the Canadian market 1. Customize your resume and add a cover letter A generic resume and cover letter sent to multiple employers may not yield much success in your job search journey. Be sure to customize your resume to each position that you’re applying for by tailoring your work experience, skills, and any additional information to the role. The cover letter is a good way to justify any gaps in your resume or provide any additional info that your resume can’t. Adding a custom, well-written cover letter to your resume can make you stand out from the competition, thus improving your chances of being approached for an interview. 2.Research the company and the role Be sure to research the company you are interviewing with – this will help you have more meaningful conversations with the employer and ask relevant questions. Look up the company mission, vision, some of its history, and market standing. Align your responses to the organization’s goals. Candid reviews on sites like Glassdoor can help you get insight into the operations and culture of the company. Get the names and titles of people who will be interviewing you and learn a bit about their background – this information can come in handy while making small talk with interviewers. Network with current or past employees through LinkedIn to learn more about the company and identify their needs – it will help you suggest potential solutions during the interview. 3. Polish your LinkedIn profile In Canada, it is common for employers and recruiters to search your name online. Brush up and polish your LinkedIn profile so that it’s up-to-date with your experience and qualifications. Also, ensure your social media or blogs don’t raise any red flags about you or portray you in a negative light. 4.For virtual interviews: Check your connectivity and surrounding environment With the coronavirus pandemic, many organizations have their employees working remotely. There is also a growing trend of candidates being interviewed virtually or over the phone. With this new setup, it is essential to showcase soft skills such as self-motivation and communication and demonstrate your comfort level using technology to connect. Be sure to check your phone reception, internet bandwidth and hardware or software requirements to ensure a smooth audio/video call for your interview. Avoid taking such calls from a coffee shop or a place where background noise levels may be high. 5.Be punctual and dress for the job you want Whether it’s a virtual or an in-person interview, make sure you’re punctual and dress for the job you want. For in-person interviews, plan your journey beforehand and consider the traffic and weather conditions. With the dress code, you can never go wrong with formals – this applies to in-person as well as virtual interviews. 6.Follow-up after the interview After the interview, take the time to send a thank you note to each of your interviewers. While this reflects your enthusiasm for the position, it also ensures the interviewer remembers you while deciding whom to hire. Finding meaningful employment in Canada can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Preparation, persistence, determination, a positive attitude, and access to the right resources will help you find relevant opportunities. Original article located here, published by Arrive.
Coffee chats: Questions you should ask to network better
Networking is a way of life in Canada and is crucial to finding a role in your field of work. In the pre-COVID era, people usually networked at conferences, events or over in-person coffee chats or informational interviews. Today, due to the pandemic, networking has gone virtual. So, as a newcomer looking to build connections, whether you’re in your home country or Canada, it’s easy and convenient to set up virtual coffee chats or informational interviews with industry professionals. Sites like LinkedIn, Ten Thousand Coffees, Eventbrite and Meetup are excellent starting points for networking. Tip: For more helpful tips and advice to help you optimize your LinkedIn profile, and build your professional network strategically, read Top 10 tips to optimize your LinkedIn profile for job search in Canada and How to write compelling LinkedIn connection request messages. Networking offers many benefits: gain exposure to industry best practices, find a mentor, develop a rapport with an industry professional, find job leads, seek knowledge, etc. and happens in either a group setting (at conferences, events, etc.) or one-on-one meetings (coffee chats). In this article, we’ll elaborate on what a coffee chat entails and how you can prepare for it. You’ll also find some key questions to ask during your meetings to ensure you develop a meaningful connection. Networking offers many benefits: gain exposure to industry best practices, find a mentor, develop a rapport with an industry professional, find job leads, seek knowledge, etc. and happens in either a group setting (at conferences, events, etc.) or one-on-one meetings (coffee chats). In this article, we’ll elaborate on what a coffee chat entails and how you can prepare for it. You’ll also find some key questions to ask during your meetings to ensure you develop a meaningful connection. What is a coffee chat? A coffee chat, also known as an informational interview or coffee interview, is an informal, in-person or virtual meeting with an experienced professional to learn more about a specific company, an industry, or that individual’s career path and role. Coffee chats can also help you gain insights into the local job market and get accustomed to Canadian culture. Resources to help you learn more about coffee chats: How to build your network in Canada: The basics Where to build your network in Canada How to build your network: The coffee interview How to prepare for a coffee chat The key to a successful coffee chat is preparation. Research the person you’re meeting – look at their company website and go over their career path by visiting their LinkedIn profile, jot down some key questions you would like to ask, and bring a notepad and a pen to take notes. It is also recommended to have your elevator pitch ready – this will help you confidently answer the “tell me about yourself” question. If meeting in-person, plan your travel and be sure to get your guests’ phone number as trying to communicate via email in case of an unexpected situation while travelling can be tricky. Tip: If you’re meeting your guest at a coffee shop, offer to buy them a drink of their choice. It is awkward to have your guest pay for the drink if you’ve asked them to take time out of their schedule and meet you. To avoid confusion, you can email or message them prior to the meeting, specifying that you would like to treat them to coffee. What to ask during a coffee chat As you start your conversation, don’t be shy to make small talk – it’s part of Canadian culture. You can chat about the weather or your travel to the meeting location. If it’s a virtual meeting, the pandemic and related topics can be a good ice-breaker. Stay away from sensitive topics such as politics, religion, physical appearance, or age. If you’re ever stuck or feel lost or nervous during a coffee chat, here are some questions that you can ask to keep the conversation alive: 1. How did you get started in your career? I’d love to learn more about what you do and the core components involved. If you’ve done your research, you should have a few points to further personalize this question and make it specific. Listen carefully to the response and ask follow-up questions. Try to find mutual interests, connections, educational or work backgrounds, or locations – this will help you build deeper and more meaningful connections. 2. What does a typical day at [company] look like for you? What do you like most about your job? What’s the most challenging part of your job? These questions let you learn more about your guest’s role. It’s a good opportunity to get insight into how they manage their time and the key responsibilities they cater to. As a follow-up, you can ask questions about their career graph at the company and discuss how they’ve grown. It will help you get an idea of where you’ll need to start if you’re new to the field, how you could progress, and what to expect in a certain role. 3. What do you like most about working at [company]? (Or conversely) What are some less ideal aspects of working at [company]? These are good questions to get candid feedback about the company culture. Based on the responses, you can decide if the organization would be a good fit for you. 4. Are there any meetups or networking events that you would recommend? A valuable way to find out about important meetups, events, and conferences in your industry that you should attend to build your network. 5. What’s the next chapter for you in your career? This question can provide insight into typical career paths for professionals, such as yourself, in your domain. 6. Do you have any advice for someone like me – a newcomer who’s just getting started with their career in Canada? OR what skills do you think are most important for someone interested in a job like yours? Asking this question will help you understand the aspects and skills you should work on, and it will also help with level-setting expectations. 7. Do you have recommendations for anyone else I should talk to or resources I should explore? This is a simple, easy, and organic way to find your next guest for a coffee chat or an informational interview. And it also works well to get a list of websites you should be browsing or newsletters you should subscribe to. 8. Do you know anyone hiring that I should take a look at? Remember that a coffee or informational interview is not an opportunity to ask for a job, so be very careful how you phrase this question. It is OK to let them know that you’re looking out for career opportunities but do not directly ask for a job. Start your career in Canada with confidence! Download Arrive’s free guide on Starting your career in Canada to learn more about navigating a new job market while settling-in. Get information on topics like personal brand building, interview preparation, and accepting job offers that will help you make the most of opportunities. A coffee chat is not meant to be longer than 30 minutes. So pick and choose the questions that are most important to you (estimate five to seven minutes per question), and keep an eye on the time. After your coffee chat, be sure to send a thank you note – it goes on to show that you appreciate them taking the time to meet with you. Great coffee chats are a result of thorough research, preparation, personal enthusiasm, and gratitude – these qualities, combined with the right questions, can help you network effectively and grow your connections! Original article located here, published by Arrive.
How to rent an apartment with no credit history or job letter in Canada
For the first few months or even a couple of years, most newcomers moving to Canada consider renting accommodation versus buying property. As an essential and high priority task, this often turns out to be challenging as in addition to the rent deposit, landlords usually ask for an employment letter, a credit report, and references. And with just having moved to Canada, newcomers often aren’t able to meet these additional requirements. So, as a newcomer, how can you find permanent accommodation in Canada with no credit history and no job offer letter? In this article, we will share a few tips and workarounds on how to position yourself as a reliable tenant so you can find a suitable place for you and your family. Moving to Canada soon and looking for more tips on renting a place? See How to rent your first home as a newcomer in Canada. To build a stronger case as a reliable tenant, you can try combining as many tips as you can from the ones outlined below 8 tips to find a rental unit without credit history and job letter in Canada 1. Provide proof of savings from a bank account You can demonstrate your reliability as a tenant by showing proof of savings to cover a few months of rent. To do this, you don’t need to provide a detailed bank statement. Speak with your banking advisor to know your options; it may be possible to obtain a letter indicating that you are in possession of the funds to pay the rent. Moving to a new country comes with many challenges. Book an appointment with an RBC Advisor or call 1-800-769-2511 to find answers to any financial questions you may have. RBC’s phone services are available in up to 200 languages. Once you have your appointment booked, an advisor will reach out to check whether you’d like to meet via phone, video or in-branch. 2. Provide a local guarantor or co-signer A guarantor or a co-signer is someone who agrees to pay rent on your behalf if you are not able to. Being a guarantor or co-signer is legally-binding, and usually, only close friends or relatives will agree to act as a guarantor for you. You should also consider the impact on your relationship with them should you fail to hold up your end of the bargain. 3. Look for house-share or apartment-share arrangements You can try to find a shared accommodation by – Subleasing from an existing tenant; or Co-signing the lease agreement with a roommate who has a good credit history; or Leasing from a landlord who lives in the same apartment or house. What is a sublease? A sublease allows you to rent a room from the original tenant of an apartment. Rent payments are made to the existing tenant who, in turn, pays the landlord. Generally, rooms that are subleased by tenants don’t require you to provide a credit report or employment letter. This may differ from place to place and depends on the urgency of the tenant who is subletting. In Canada, many people seek out roommates for their living arrangements. Instead of signing a sublease with the existing tenant, you could explore the option of co-signing the lease with a roommate who has a good credit history, to meet the credit history requirement. Landlords renting out a room in their own house or apartment may be willing to overlook the requirement for credit history and/or employment letter. You can start your search by looking for shared accommodation listings on sites like Kijiji, Craigslist, and some provincially popular options like Home Zone on Facebook (for Toronto and GTA listings). Tip: Sites like Kijiji and Craigslist tend to have many scammers. If a listing seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Do not make any payments until you verify the place in-person and sign the appropriate paperwork. 4. If you can, offer more than expected deposit Each province in Canada has legal guidelines on rent deposit payments to be made by tenants before moving in. For example, in Ontario, renters are required to pay first and last month rent; there’s no security deposit. But in British Columbia, you will be required to pay a security deposit equivalent to half the monthly rent. In the absence of a credit report and employment letter, you can offer the landlord a few more months of rent upfront – this can be a huge incentive for the landlord to accept your application over another. Remember, the landlord cannot legally ask you for any additional amount beyond the specified norms. So be sure to check the guidelines for the province you are moving to and accordingly present your offer to the landlord. 5. Explore condos rented out by individual owners It can be relatively easier to find a condo or apartment that’s owned by individual landlords versus those that are owned by property management firms or large institutional investors. The application process for apartments located in rental buildings is usually very strict and offers little to no flexibility in terms of credit and employment verification. However, in a condo setting, most landlords are individuals and might be open to accepting you as a tenant, subject to your reliability. 6. Consider neighborhoods that are away from prime locations Finding a place in the heart of the city or the city centre is usually challenging even for those who have credit history and employment records to show. Broadening your search and considering the suburbs or neighbourhoods that are on the radius of the city may prove helpful in finding a suitable place. While you do this, if you don’t have a car, keep a close eye on public transportation and commute time to the city centre. 7. Book temporary accommodation for the first couple of months If you have friends or family already residing in Canada and they’re open to hosting you, it may be a good idea to plan your stay with them for the first few months. For those who cannot leverage this option, you can try booking long-term stays at an Airbnb, a hotel, or a hostel. Hostels in Canada are clean, secure, and extremely budget-friendly; some even provide free breakfast. Often, you’ll be able to choose between staying in a mixed dorm or a male or female-only dorm. Some hostels also provide private rooms at a higher cost. Try exploring sites like HostelWorld, HI Hostels, Booking.com, or Kayak to find good deals. If you are moving to Toronto as a single young professional, you can now skip the temporary accommodation part entirely and book a SoulRoom. Get a fully furnished room in one of the great locations in the city, at an affordable price. All rooms at SoulRooms come at a minimum six-month lease and are ready to live, equipped with high-speed internet, cable and utilities with shared living spaces. Just unpack your bags and be at home! Some landlords are willing to rent to tenants with a two or three-month credit history. Booking or arranging temporary accommodation for the first few months will give you a couple of months of time to build your credit. For a deeper understanding of how to build your credit, download Arrive’s guide onCredit and credit scores in Canada. How to obtain a credit report It takes at least a few weeks to a month for newcomers to receive their first Canadian credit card and a few additional months of credit transactions to generate a credit history. EQUIFAX and TransUnion are the two major credit rating organizations in Canada, and you can choose either one to get your credit report. Detailed instructions to obtain the report are available on the respective websites. 8. Take up a survival job and/or volunteer Survival jobs are lower-skilled jobs where significant education or extensive professional experience is usually not required. For example, working as a driver with a ride-sharing service, warehouse or factory worker, cashier at a grocery store, barista at a coffee shop, food delivery person, sales associate, telemarketing associate, cleaner, or a server at a restaurant. Volunteering is an integral part of Canadian culture, and giving back to the community is usually well-regarded and valued in Canadian society. It involves giving personal time freely for the benefit of another person, group, or cause. Both survival jobs and volunteering are good ways to earn Canadian experience, practice your language skills, build your network locally, and gather references for your rental application. Survival jobs will also provide you with an employment letter and cover basic living expenses while still allowing you to continue looking for your desired role. Helpful articles: Taking up survival jobs as a newcomer in Canada: All you need to know The benefits of volunteering as a newcomer in Canada Finding your first long-term permanent accommodation in Canada can be stressful and challenging. Following the tips outlined in this article will ensure you have a place to stay while you build your credit history and find employment. And over time, you will be well-positioned to find a place you can call home! Original article located here, published by Arrive.