Advertising Copywriter (Toronto)

An exceptional opportunity for an intermediate copywriter. Requirements are a strong background in online content. While this will initially be the primary responsibility, opportunity to work on TV and radio do also exist. You should have examples of strong “call to action” creative as this agency is all about creating a behavioral change in the viewer/listener.

The agency is full service (ie: tv, radio, print, digital). They are smaller (30 – 40 people) and are some of the nicest people I’ve ever had as clients. They’re in downtown Toronto.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, please send me a resume and portfolio (or links). glenn@swanstaffing.com

Thanks Glenn

Glenn Swan

Swan Staffing – Fresh Ideas for Growing your Career

390 Woodgrange Ave | Pickering, ON L1W 2B3

416 898 0954 | glenn@swanstaffing.com

My PROFILE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/glennswan

My JOBS: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/

Digital Project Manager (Toronto)

I am looking for an Intermediate (5 years) digital (websites/email blasts/banner ads, etc) project manager. This is not for someone that has done software. Ideally, you have spent that last few years working at an advertising agency focused on data driven, digital projects. CRM analytic experience would be an asset. Technical background would be an asset. PMP/PMI certification would be an asset.

The agency is full service (ie: tv, radio, print, digital). They are smaller (30 – 40 people) and are some of the nicest people I’ve ever had as clients. They’re in downtown Toronto.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, please send me a resume. glenn@swanstaffing.com

Thanks Glenn

Glenn Swan

Swan Staffing – Fresh Ideas for Growing your Career

390 Woodgrange Ave | Pickering, ON L1W 2B3

416 898 0954 | glenn@swanstaffing.com

My PROFILE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/glennswan

My JOBS: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/

Research and Development Team Leader

As a member of the Actuarial Services Department, you will be part of a dynamic Research and Development team.  You will be responsible for utilizing various statistical techniques to explore and analyze large quantities of data to discover meaningful patterns and rules.  You will lead a team who will be responsible for creating predictive models in order to support the business decision-making process for our Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Claims Departments.

Specific Responsibilities:

* Coach a team of individuals who are responsible for creating predictive models for various business applications.

* Provide technical guidance to the staff in the area of predictive analytics.

* Performance management of staff including on-going feedback and support.

* Liaising with our internal business partners to understand their objectives and then work jointly with them to recommend predictive analytics solutions.

* Present numerical findings in a straightforward business setting.

Personal Characteristics:

* Ability to lead and mentor staff.

* Strong analytical abilities, especially in the area of numerical analysis.

* The ability to understand a business challenge or opportunity and then use statistical analysis to bring forth recommendations.

* Remain calm under pressure and perform well in a busy environment.

* Strong written and verbal communication skills.

* Team player

Qualifications:

* A university degree in Statistics or a related discipline.

* Prior work experience in the property and casualty insurance industry, using GLM’s for pricing or predictive modeling applications.

* Past experience in a leadership role.

* SAS programming skills.

* Preference will be given to candidates who:

* Are working towards a designation in the Casualty Actuarial Society.

* Have predictive modeling experience using SAS/EM or any other data mining tool related to the P&C industry.

Please send resume in confidence to me at: glenn@swanstaffing.com

Thanks Glenn

Glenn Swan

Swan Staffing – Fresh Ideas for Growing your Career

glenn@swanstaffing.com

My PROFILE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/glennswan

My JOBS: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/

Need Advice on WHERE to Target your Job Search? Want to know WHERE you have the Greatest Chance of Success?

A well thought out, concise Marketing Plan is an essential part of your successful job search!  A solid, detailed Plan forces you to focus and direct your job search, ensures that you are covering all methods, keeps you aware of how much work you have to do and evaluates the quality of your efforts.

Your Marketing Plan is a dynamic, action oriented plan that helps you set realistic and meaningful daily, weekly and monthly goals.

A Marketing Plan is critical to your Career Management Program.

STEP ONE – Define Your Target Market

1.       Industry

2.      Corporations in the Industry

3.      Services / Products of the Corporations

4.      Number of Employees

5.      Geographic Locations

6.      Corporations Net Worth

7.      Management Program

STEP TWO – Describe Job Functions You Desire

STEP THREE – Review Internet Ads for Sample Job Descriptions

STEP FOUR – Compare

1.       Skills

2.      Experience

3.      Education

4.      Background

Compare what you bring to the table in these areas compared to the specs of the job description.

STEP FIVE – Map Out Your Strategy with Research

STEP SIX – Compile Your Networking List

STEP SEVEN – Develop a List of Recruiting Firms that Specialize in your area of Expertise

STEP EIGHT – Organize Direct Mail Campaign

STEP NINE – Complete Resume and Other Marketing Materials

STEP TEN – Call Hiring Authorities to Schedule Interviews

STEP ELEVEN – Document Results

STEP TWELVE – Follow Up

It is important NOT to skip any of the STEPS listed above!

You have to think of yourself as a Product you are Responsible for Selling to a Prospective Buyer (the HIRING AUTHORITY).

Job Searches are difficult because you have to sell yourself. If you are not in the Sales Profession, it can be extremely uncomfortable – but it is necessary! If you were selling a product, you would identify “who” would be most likely to purchase your product. You must do that same type of methodical planning when you write the marketing plan for your job search. Compiling this plan will drastically REDUCE the time it will take you to find your next wonderful career opportunity!

If you want additional information on developing your Marketing Plan go to www.swanstaffing.com. If you want someone to guide you in the development of your Marketing Plan email me at glenn@swanstaffing.com

Article in Globe & Mail I was quoted in this week.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/making-job-compromises/article1306407/

Develop More Confidence in Your Resume! (Your Ticket to Getting Your Foot in the Door and Getting that Important Interview)

Where do you turn when you need to write a Resume?

If not writing from scratch, you should remember that it is important to ALWAYS update your resume so that this “ticket to an interview” is ready for use when an opportunity presents itself.

The Following Questions Will Allow you to Self Assess Your Resume:

1.       Does the layout invite attention?

2.      Are key words included in the top 30% of my Resume?

3.      Is it clear and easy to read with appropriate spacing?

4.      Did I list only my past 10 years of work experience?

5.      Did I list my education? High School? College? Trade School? Any job relevant? Professional courses? Any job relevant certification?

6.      Does my resume highlight my accomplishments and the impact they had on my prior employer?

7.      Did I list rewards/awards that set me apart from my past co-workers?

8.     Do I have a skills section that lists all career specific skills?

9.      Did I make it extremely easy to contact me to set up interviews?

10. Did I check my resume for 100% accuracy?

11.   Is my resume on one page (ideally one page, two is fine also)?

12. Does it include a clear-cut Objective or Summary of Qualifications?

13. Is my verbiage clear and professional (no jargon)?

14. Is my information honest and ethical?

15.   Does it grab the reader’s attention immediately?

16. Did I omit any personal information?

17.   Did I omit any reasons for leaving past jobs?

18. Did I omit any salary information?

19. Am I using strong impact statements?

20.  Are my responsibilities clear and understandable?

21. Did I avoid abbreviations?

22. Would my resume entice the Hiring Authority to select ME as one of their candidates to interview?

23. Did I offer to provide References at their request?

These are just the very BASICS as you review your RESUME.  Remember that your Resume is your “ticket to your interview.” Your interview is the main step to your Job Offer!

If you are submitting your resume and NOT booking interviews, you need to revise your resume. For more information on revisions you can make go to www.swanstaffing.com. If you would like someone to guide you through which revisions to make email me at glenn@swanstaffing.com

Thanks Glenn

Glenn Swan

Swan Staffing – Fresh Ideas for Growing your Career

glenn@swanstaffing.com

My PROFILE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/glennswan

My JOBS: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/

Manager – Products

My client is an FI leader in British Columbia.They take pride in their innovative products – many of which you won’t find at other Canadian financial institutions. As the Manager, Products you’ll be in charge of managing our products, product lines (e.g. retail banking, business banking, investment and insurance products) and product lifecycles to achieve maximum revenue, customer growth and customer satisfaction.

You’ll manage and monitor the performance of our existing products, as well as participate in teams to design and implement new groundbreaking financial products. You’ll be analyzing our products and identifying marketing opportunities with all those wacky folks in Marketing, so you’ll get the best of both worlds – number crunching and creative brainstorming all rolled into one job.
Who are we looking for? Our Manager, Products will have 7-9 years of job related experience, with 5 years product management experience, preferably in the financial services industry. You’ll be an expert at product planning and analysis and have experience working with various customer databases and statistical modeling programs to take products to the next level. We’d also like for you to have some experience managing direct reports and external suppliers.

You’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration, commerce, marketing or social sciences with a high level of math or statistical analysis; courses in marketing, product development, and marketing research are a bonus.
Who are we? We are Canada’s second largest credit union with over 50 branches across British Columbia and more than 1,900 employees. As one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, we’re growing fast. And that means the opportunities for advancement are growing too. If you want to work in place where innovation and creativity are strongly encouraged, send a resume in confidence to glenn@swanstaffing.com

Thanks Glenn

Glenn Swan

Swan Staffing – Fresh Ideas for Growing your Career

glenn@swanstaffing.com

My PROFILE: http://www.linkedin.com/in/glennswan

My JOBS: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/

Learn the Best-Kept Secrets About Resumes – Secrets Very Few Know!

It is important to ALWAYS Update Your Resume!

You never know when you will be asked to submit a resume. Obviously, if you’re in an active Job Search, you have an updated resume; but if currently employed, are you prepared to submit an updated resume if a promotion becomes available at your place of employment?

Even if needed on-the-fly, updating you resume is a process you do not want to rush. You also want to be prepared if an opportunity was presented to you that represented your next logical Career Move!

As you update your resume, remember these important tips – great nuggets of information that many do not know or tend to overlook, for these helpful tips may make the difference in securing a promotion or a new career altogether:

DO NOT MISREPRESENT FACTS

It’s easier than ever to confirm facts provided on a resume. Many Clients hire third party companies to conduct thorough reference checks. Dates, Salary Levels, Titles and Responsibilities can be verified. Errors on a resume can result in termination AFTER an offer is accepted or AFTER a person has actually begun employment. Conduct the research necessary to ensure that your resume is 100% accurate.

DO NOT HAVE A RESUME THAT IS MORE THAN ONE PAGE

Resumes are often the first step in the Screening Process. In the case of your resume, less is more. Your resume should peak interest, but not answer all questions. The goal of a resume is to be invited to an interview.

DO NOT HAVE A NARROW OBJECTIVE

Often hiring authorities read the first one-third of a resume. If you have a precise title in your job objective, you are greatly limiting your potential interviews. If you have answered an ad, make sure words used in the ad are included in your objective. If you are applying on-line it is important to include key words on the top one-third of your resume.

DO NOT KEEP REVISING YOUR RESUME DURING YOUR SEARCH

Do not change your resume except to correct an error or to add on a new skill or experience. Everyone who reviews your resume will have some suggestion for improving it: “Why didn’t you tell them that you had a scholarship?” or “Wouldn’t this look better in italics?” The time to consider those kinds of questions is before it is printed. Make sure another set of eyes reviews your resume to ensure 100% accuracy. Errors on a resume CAN eliminate you from an interviewing process.

DO NOT MASS MAIL OR EMAIL YOUR RESUME

Do NOT send out a mass mailing. If you send letters to 700 company presidents, you can expect a response from 1% to 2% and 95% of the responses will be negative. The shotgun approach is expensive; it takes time and costs money for postage and printing. You’ll get much better results if you are selective about where you send your resume. The important thing is to concentrate on the hiring authorities of your targeted companies. The same information holds true for mass emailing your resume.

When it comes to your career you want to be the person who Makes Things Happen. If you want more detailed information on how to position yourself in the Job Market please visit www.swanstaffing.com or contact me directly at glenn@swanstaffing.com.

SEM “Search Manager” – (Toronto)

Small to midsized direct to consumer advertising agency is looking to fill the following SEM position:

Search Manager (with online media buying if possible).

- We see this as a full-time employee role for the right person. We would also explore it as a full-time freelance role initially.

Description:

- Like all roles here, this is a very hands on role.

- Primary function is strategy, set-up, manage, monitor, analyze and optimize client SEM campaigns.

- Has to have practical Search experience.

- Our Search focus is high-end acquisition and lead gen for our corporate clients and not impressions. Experience in these types of campaign would be our preference.

- Other online media buying experience would be an asset.

- Must know Analytics and is extremely comfortable with numbers.
- Google is our primary SEM vehicle but experience with other search vehicles is an asset.

Please send a resume detailing your experience as it pertains to the above.
Thanks Glenn

glenn@swanstaffing.com
www.swanstaffing.com
MY JOB BLOG: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/

Corp. Communications Specialist (Toronto)

Work with client groups and other members of the Corporate Communications team to develop and implement communications initiatives that inform employees about company news and engage them in contributing to the organization’s success. Write and edit a wide range communications, and develop plans for upcoming communications campaigns.

Major Duties:
1.        Provide ongoing communications support to internal clients, including Senior Management, Human Resources, Compliance and others.
2.        Help the organization identify and act upon ways to take advantage of social media in its communications strategies and tactics.
3.        Contribute to the corporate intranet and wiki.
4.        Proofread and edit the copy of other members of the team.
5.        Other communications-related duties as required.

Qualifications:
¨      Bachelors degree
¨      5-8 years related experience
¨      Background in insurance or other financial services (not critical).
¨      Experience with web-based content and communications.
¨      Knowledge of how to use social media in a business environment.
¨      Comfortable working with a range of internal clients, including senior executives.
¨      Ability to develop communications plans, as well as to implement them.
¨      Comfortable with MS Office and Internet-related applications.
¨      Fluency in French would be an asset, but not critical.

Please send a resume detailing your experience as it pertains to the above.
Thanks Glenn

glenn@swanstaffing.com
www.swanstaffing.com
MY JOB BLOG: http://glennanddenise.wordpress.com/