Archive for December 2019
There are a lot of jobs out there. Why won’t Canadians move to get them?
While lamenting in an interview last week about regions where Canadians are having trouble finding work, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz noted that in the country overall, demand for labour is booming. Some regions, in fact, are suffering from shortages of skilled workers. A bit of labour mobility, he suggested, could help smooth the…
Read MoreThe most fraught relationship of my life is with money
Editor’s note: With the holidays – and the New Year – right around the corner, we’re thinking about our resolutions for 2020. We want to hear from you. What are your personal and professional goals for the New Year? Send your response to amplify@globeandmail.com and it could be featured in a future edition. Everybody knows the rules…
Read MoreThe odd encounter that pulled Dad out of his Alzheimer’s fog
A few years ago, at a medical laboratory clinic in Waterloo, Ont., a tiny elderly Vietnamese lady sat poker straight on the edge of a waiting room chair belting out the tune, My Heart Will Go On. Other than a slight rhythmic rocking of her torso to the famous Titanic theme song, she was essentially motionless, with her eyes…
Read MoreInternational Human rights day
Today is international Human rights day. “Human Rights are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human behaviour and are regularly protected as natural and legal rights in municipal and international law.” (Wikipedia). “2019 Theme: Youth Standing Up for Human Rights – spotlighting the leadership role of youth in collective movements as a…
Read MoreCanadians are richer than they think
Americans don’t often talk about Canada, except when they need a foil in a political debate. Bernie Sanders has praised our health-care system. Gun-control advocates point to radically lower rates of firearms fatalities north of the border. Even President Donald Trump has praised Canada for elements of our points-based immigration system. But Americans seldom express…
Read MoreThe informational interview – your secret advantage for your next job
Whether you’re thinking about your next step in your current career, or have your sights set on new and exciting challenges elsewhere, informational interviews can be your secret advantage in the highly-competitive world of job searching. Part networking, part information-gathering, and part low-key self-promotion, an informational interview is a powerful way to position yourself as…
Read MoreSUVs are killing the planet – and pedestrians. Why do Canadians continue to drive them?
When I moved to Canada from Germany with my two-year-old, car-obsessed son, he was delighted to find himself in the garden of automotive delights. Not only did the range of brands extend well beyond the five he knew by heart from our cobblestoned Berlin neighbourhood, the Canadian vehicles were so much bigger. As he rightly…
Read MoreIs Canada’s economy keeping up with the Joneses? Unfortunately, the answer is no
David Williams is vice-president of policy at the Business Council of British Columbia. Jock Finlayson is the council’s executive vice-president and chief policy officer. It’s been about 12 years since the peak of the last business cycle in 2007. And as the 43rd federal Parliament sits for its first session, it’s a good time to…
Read MoreAre you constantly overwhelmed at work?
If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed at work, the culprit can seem to be the whole messy bundle of activity before you. But executive coach Rebecca Zucker says to gain a sense of balance you need to pinpoint the primary source of the overwhelm. That starts by asking: What one or two things, if taken off…
Read MoreWhat to do when an employee bursts into tears
The workplace is generally considered to be a setting where we keep strong emotions in check, so when an employee breaks the taboo and cries at work, many managers are at a loss for how to handle it. One manager I worked with had an Achilles heel when it came to crying. He couldn’t stand…
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