One of my past freelance jobs required me to check facts. I worked for a health magazine so we had to verify a lot of information that was quite sensitive and had to be based on scientific fact. In one article a writer interviewed a non-Western medicine doctor about a very controversial practice. Upon checking, this doctor turned out not only to have never gone to a medical school but he also never finished his area of studies.

From The Globe and Mail:

"Canada's science minister, the man at the centre of the controversy over federal funding cuts to researchers, won't say if he believes in evolution.

... A funding crunch, exacerbated by cuts in the January budget, has left many senior researchers across the county scrambling to find the money to continue their experiments.

Some have expressed concern that Mr. Goodyear, a chiropractor from Cambridge, Ont., is suspicious of science, perhaps because he is a creationist."

He is a creationist and a chiropractor. Why haven't they hired the person who writes horoscopes for this position? Shame.

ttyl

Jowita

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The other day I went to an information session about Katimavik. It is a national nonprofit organization for young Canadians aged 17 to 21, who get to travel to and work in one of 40 locations across the country. The purpose of this program is to improve second-language skills, immerse yourself in unique cultures, participate in group living and, most importantly, get invaluable work experience. On top of that, you might get a chance to actually try out your dream job.

The presenter at the information session, Liam, talked about how he worked in television -- originally his top choice -- as part of Katimavik and how he discovered that it was not what he wanted to do in the end. The next time he partook in the program, Liam got a chance to work with an NGO (Non Governmental Organization) that dealt with international development and politics -- this was how he discovered what really mattered to him.

Liam said that you not only get experience, great letters of recommendation and references from your project leader, you can also receive certificates from different workshops that you take while fulfilling your Katimavik term (for example, in conflict resolution).

The program lasts up to nine months and participants are with their group almost the entire time. There are 10 people in the group, guys and girls, and the only older adult in the house is a project leader. This is someone who is usually more than 21 years old and who is a paid employee.

In order to get in to Katimavik, you have to apply online and, once accepted, give your top three available job choices from the list on the site. Once you pick them, you meet with community members for interviews.

To find more information go to www.katimavik.org; also read our articles about internships and youth programs.

ttyl

Jowita

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It's been half a lifetime since I qualified as a young worker; still, the memories of being 22 and looking for work are fresh in my mind. I was living in New Brunswick at the time (before it became the call centre Mecca of the East), and you might say the job outlook was a little like the one faced by the Oshawa of today.

So, I can't say I felt like the world was at my feet when I graduated with my English Literature degree in 1984; dazed and confused described my inner landscape more aptly.

I gamely applied for the few jobs that came up, wrote a couple of (poorly paid) freelance pieces, and worked part-time at -– shudder -- Kmart of Canada. (If you're too young to remember those blue light specials, think a combination of Value Village and Bargain Harolds.) Working the cash register there was a grisly experience; I still remember the waves of shame as I rang up the men's acrylic sox, plastic plant holders and ubiquitous Cabbage Patch doll for my former Romantic Poetry professor.

I stumbled my way through that period, eventually moving to Halifax to take some practical training, and, despite a few glitches, I finally landed my first full-time job.

Although I landed on the road to employment I can't help thinking that it could have been easier if I had had some support and guidance back then -- maybe someone to help me with my resumé or to point out the skills I had or even just to let me know that I wasn't alone. But I simply didn't know about any youth employment programs when I lived down East – though I'm sure they did exist. Twenty-five years later I'm more than aware of the services for youth looking for work in Toronto. There's a lot out there, take advantage of it, I say. In a city like ours you can get all the help you need.

kathyo

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When I was younger I thought that writing a resumé meant that you had to come up with the most complicated way of saying the simplest things. So instead of simply saying: "Made sandwiches during busy periods," I could dress it up as: "Successfully completed production of edible materials for demanding clientele."

In fact, writing resumés means that sometimes you have to do the opposite -- use simple words or examples instead of meaningless empty phrases. So, for example, instead of writing something like: "Experienced working in fast-paced environment," you could use a much simpler language and illustrate this example with an actual story: "Regularly met shortened production deadlines to deliver the product on time." In the article 25 Words That Hurt Your Resumé, a number of "bad" words are mentioned that include some surprises (at least to me) such as: creative, detail-oriented, flexible and hard-working. It's not that these words are necessarily wrong to use in a resumé but it is better to use examples to illustrate them.

I know that I've been guilty of using all kinds of "bad" words in my resumé. In fact, after reading this article, I want to go back and see if I can make some small changes that would give my resumé an even clearer picture of my work history and experience.

ttyl

Jowita

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With all the news of failing industries these days, one can't help but hope that there is somewhere, somehow, a show of improvement.

Strangely enough, vinyl records, a business that only a few years ago people were assuming was about to join the dark ages (or perhaps more appropriately the old eight-track), has been experiencing a strong comeback.

With CD sales in steady decline and the downloading of music, whether legally or illegally, becoming the de facto norm for many consumers, vinyl saw, according to the figures gathered by Nielsen Soundscan, a shocking 90 per cent sales increase in 2008.

Perhaps people still need to make an emotional commitment to their music, wanting something that they can hold in their hands while they pore over the cover art. Maybe it's part of looking for something that seems to have some permanence and longevity -- I can't really see my kids looking through my hard drive to discover the sounds of my youth the way I did with my father's record collection. It could be the thrill of hunting through dusty stacks of records and finding a rare pressing that's never made it off vinyl. Maybe it's just nostalgia for a less uncertain era.

Tomorrow is Record Store Day. Over 1,000 retailers in 17 countries are participating with in-store concerts, special releases and more. A perfect day to go out, connect with some music and help support a local business on the road to a comeback.

Ian

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I have been spending quite a bit of time lately with a friend who's unemployed. On our long health walks (hey, free outdoor gym), she tells me about the latest library book she has read, interesting radio shows she has listened to on a library computer and readings she has attended -- you have guessed correctly -- at the library. And, all of this for free! I would say that public libraries are not only keeping her busy -- they are keeping her sane. Visiting the library may not have given my friend a job yet but it has kept her in good spirits for when the perfect job offer hits her door steps.

It's too easy to get depressed when unemployed. No money coming in, too much going out and having to deal with the feeling that you're the only person on the planet who doesn't have a job. The Toronto Public Libraries not only provide access to great reading, free Internet and free wireless access at some locations, they also offer many free programs and events that help keep your spirits up.

In April, the Toronto Public Library system features Keep Toronto Reading 2009 including a Lit Lunch series, where authors of books about food and wine are featured. You can bring your own lunch or buy the one on offer for only $5.

When I'm not busy I join my friend in her exploration of local attractions with the free museums and art passes that admit two adults and up to five children under the age of 18. So far, we've visited the Bata Shoe Museum on a cold and dreary spring day and we're looking forward to more great outings, thanks to our local Toronto Public Library branch.

Josée

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I've read Jason Luxton's story in the Toronto Star with great interest. He is a former automotive worker who decided to apply to the Ontario government's Second Career program to get retrained as a power-engineering technician. I had no idea that the process of applying to this program was so involved but I think that just shows that it is a serious process that -- hopefully -- ensures serious results. Luxton had to interview six potential employers about the field he was going to enter, he had numerous other interviews as well and had to write a test. He was, at one point, told that he may likely receive $28,000 to cover his tuition and expenses.

I won't give away how Luxton's story ends, but I have to say that I was really impressed with his persistence considering the circumstances. He has a family and has been out of work for six months -- it can't be easy for him to go through this. The few short-lived instances when I wasn't working, I recall as really stressful and full of unknown fears about the future. I am glad that there are people like Luxton in the world who show the rest of us that persistence pays off and that there are second chances ...

ttyl

Jowita

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Although not everyone is destined to work in customer service I think those jobs are an excellent preparation for the world in general. In my first customer service job I learned how to deal with unhappy people, go out of my way to "make nice," suggest alternative solutions, and so on. I also learned how to work on a team, which taught me how to count on others in difficult situations.

Over the years, I held a number of customer service jobs while I went to school, and I think they all shaped my approach to work and, most importantly, taught me how to be tough-skinned. That's right -- that was the biggest lesson of all. A screaming, abusive client on the other end of the phone line, an inappropriate remark from a patron in a restaurant ... all those negatives added to one big positive where I learned how to remain calm and really pick my battle. Also, I discovered that -- in many instances -- it was not so beneficial at all to pick them in the first place.

My younger sister started a job a few weeks ago. She works at a popular restaurant and is learning how to become a waitress. On her first day, she was serving a table full of people her age. She got almost the entire order right but had a little slip-up when she brought an extra guacamole. This made one of the patrons angry and she was rude to my sister. On top of that, when leaving, the customers at the table left behind pennies stacked one on top of another as a tip. Bad experience? My sister thought so, but her boss quickly made her laugh about it and told her not to worry -- it had nothing to do with her. She told her to just treat it as a lesson.

ttyl

Jowita

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At the end of this entry, I will let you in on a secret. It's really silly but it works (for me) and it has to do with dealing with anxiety. I was always an anxious person, worried about too much and stressing out even where there wasn't that much to stress over. In the past, I was terrified of job interviews, and I would often perform badly just because I couldn't concentrate on the questions and instead was thinking about how stressful the process was.

In the article Attacking Anxiety: How Worrying Can Be Helpful Or Get In the Way of Living Life, the author, Marilyn Linton, talked to experts who discussed differences between beneficial ways of worrying and harmful ones. It was found that people classified as "smart worriers learned 'self-talk' -- a kind of inner dialogue in which they talk to themselves the way a friend would, encouraging themselves and challenging extremes." Later on Linton writes, "Smart worriers imagine positive possibilities, limit their worries to worry places or diaries, identify worry triggers, rate their worries on a scale of one to ten, challenge their worries, and learn how to underreact."

I was lucky to find my own way of self-talking myself out of anxiety and worry. My partner once said to me, "Whenever the worry comes on, why don't you just tell yourself: 'I am not a plate of spaghetti and meatballs,' and repeat it a few times."

I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous but because it is ridiculous it sort of works. It makes me laugh to say this to myself (I try not to say it out loud -- can you imagine?) and that in itself relaxes me. Also, I know that I am not a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in the same way that I know I am not a failure during a job interview or that talking to a lot of people at a social event won't cause me to explode and so on. Hopefully you too can find your own plate of spaghetti and meatballs if you haven't already!

ttyl

Jowita

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Maybe you can relate. A couple of years ago I tried to print out my resumés and cover letters at home, from my desktop, only to get a mysterious message on my computer screen. I can't recall what the message said exactly but it was probably something along the lines of: This system is shutting down. Your data cannot be restored. This shutdown was initiated by NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Error: 1098000000074770098477622.

Of course! The error 1098000000074770098477622! Well, that certainly makes sense now that you told me, Mr. Computer. I understand. Sorry. I was just trying to print some stuff but I had no idea I pissed off the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. Please go ahead, lose my data. I'm fine.

In the article Thirteen Greatest Error Messages of All Time, the author, Harry McCracken, goes back to the early computer years and brings us some of the most hilarious error messages. One made me laugh out loud -- the mysterious string of numbers on the screen of the Commodore Amiga (mid-80's) that was preceded by the phrase: "Guru Meditation." The phrase had nothing to do with yoga or Om. It wasn't even suggesting to take your time in repairing whatever happened to break.

My favourite now is when I try to shut down my laptop and a message shows up saying: "Other people are logged onto this computer. Are you sure you want to shut down?" I am by myself in my office so ... Who are these people? Where are they? Why can't I see them? Seriously, if this abuse continues I may just complain to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM.

ttyl

Jowita

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