2022 Hiring Trends to Pay Attention To

Employment agency Canada | Nova Staffing

Are you looking for a new career or want to expand your team in the New Year? In order to have the most success, as both an employee or employer, it’s important to understand the latest hiring trends. Our recruitment experts at Nova Staffing explain some of the rising hiring trends you should pay attention to in 2022.

 

Virtual Recruiting is the New Normal

Before the pandemic, hiring agencies and companies were already conducting initial interview rounds over the phone or computer. When the pandemic struck, the entire hiring process turned virtual, and now that’s here to stay. Recruitment agencies have started expanding virtual hiring, hosting entire virtual events, multi-person remote interviews, and virtual workplace tours. It’s not unusual these days for someone to get hired without ever having met someone from the company in person. Virtual interviews will be around for a while, with only final-round candidates likely getting an in-person interview, so make sure you’re comfortable with video interviews. 

 

Employment Gaps No Longer Alarming

Gaps in employment history used to be a red flag for recruiters. Even if it didn’t prohibit someone from getting hired, it still raised questions. These days, companies and recruiters don’t care about employment gaps as much. Not only are companies eager to fill vacancies, but they also realize that the pandemic resulted in a loss of employment opportunities for people. The pandemic also saw a rise in burnout and mental health issues, which companies are more understanding towards. So if you have gaps in your employment, don’t expect to face as much of a stigma these days. 

 

Remote Working & Hybrid is Sticking Around

Although some industries and companies still require employees to come into physical workspaces, many companies are fully embracing remote working and hybrid work models. Not only is this better in the constantly changing COVID-19 landscape, but it’s also now the preferred work method for many employees. In fact, flexible working options are now a top criteria for candidates applying to jobs. 

 

“Onsite” is the New “Offsite”

Remember before the pandemic when offsite meetings and team events were a special treat? With the rise of remote and hybrid working, “onsite” is now the new “offsite.” Coming into the office to collaborate in person, touch base, or have team meetings will now be the rare, special event. Onsite meetings will now require the same planning and attention that offsite meetings used to have, especially with so many not used to commuting daily anymore. 

 

Are you looking for recruitment help? Our team of HR experts at Nova Staffing specializes in helping job seekers and companies with job vacancies. Contact us today or check out our online job board to get started today!  

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: November 2021

Healthcare staffing agency Toronto | Nova Staffing

Ontario’s employment improved again in November 2021, marking the sixth consecutive month that the province saw employment increase. This was likely due to Ontario being primarily free from COVID-19 restrictions, although proof of vaccination was mandatory. 

 

Here is a look at how employment in Ontario was impacted in November 2021, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government November 2021 Labour Market report. 

 

 

Employment Summary

In November, Ontario had 7.6 million employed individuals, up 68,100 jobs (0.9%) from October. This brought the province 113,700 (1.5%) above its pre-COVID-19 February 2020 levels. 

 

In November, unemployment also decreased, with 519,100 unemployed individuals, down 8.6% from the 567,900 unemployed people in the previous month. 

 

Employment by Age

Youth employment continued to be the most impacted in November. Youth employment (15-24) dropped by 11,600 jobs in November, after gaining 18,100 jobs in October. Unemployment for youths jumped to 11.4% from 9.9%. 

 

In November, adult employment (25-54) saw a major jump in employment, adding 63,800 new jobs. Unemployment for this age demographic dropped to 5.1% from 6.3% in October. After seeing no change the previous month, senior employment added 15,900 jobs in November, and unemployment for seniors dropped to 6.9% from 7.2%. 

 

Employment by Sector

Certain sectors continued to struggle to get to their pre-COVID levels. The sectors that saw the most employment loss were led by Accommodation and Food Services (-50.3K), Other Services (Except Public Admin) (-49.7 K), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-32.8K), Construction (-19.5K).

 

Industries that saw the greatest employment growth in November 2021 were led by Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+97.7K), Information, Culture, and Recreation (+46.5K), Wholesale and Retail Trade (+41.3K), and Finance, insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+32.3K).

 

Employment by Region

Thirteen of Ontario’s CMA’s saw employment growth in November. This was led by Toronto (+32.9K), and followed by Oshawa (+7.6K), Windsor (+7.1K), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+5.0K), London (+2.6K), Thunder Bay (+1.0K), Greater Sudbury (+0.9K), Barrie (+0.9K), Belleville (+0.7K), Kingston (+0.5K), Guelph (+0.4K), Peterborough (+0.3K), and Brantford (+0.1K)

 

The three regions that saw employment loss in Ontario in November 2021 were Ottawa-Gatineau (-3.4K), Hamilton (-2.9K), and St. Catharines-Niagara (-2.1K). 

 

Is your company looking for help hiring top talent or need staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing! Our team of employment experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.

 

Recruitment Agency Explains Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Employment agency Toronto | Nova Staffing

When recruitment agencies like Nova Staffing start looking for candidates to fill a job opening, we check to see if they have the practical knowledge to do the role. These are known as “hard skills.” While these are important, most people applying for a job all have the same technical skills, which is why employment agencies will turn to soft skills. But what exactly is the difference between hard and soft skills? Our hiring experts break it down for you.

 

Hard Skills Explained

Most people understand what hard skills are. They’re easy to define and measure. Essentially, a hard skill is a technical talent or ability that is usually specific to a certain job or industry. Hard skills can be learned through schooling or training. Most people list multiple hard skills on their resumes. These are things like certifications, specialty skills, or technical talents.

 

Examples of hard skills include:

  • Bookkeeping
  • Data Analytics
  • Foreign Language
  • Cloud Computing
  • Coding
  • Web Development
  • Driving Certificate
  • And more!

 

There are tons of hard skills applicable to different industries. When our hiring agents write job descriptions, we usually list which hard skills our clients are looking for in candidates. Just think of hard skills as job-specific talents like a commercial driver being certified for large trucks or a nurse knowing how to draw blood.

 

Soft Skills Explained

Soft skills are a little harder to explain and measure. These are interpersonal skills or abilities that help others get along and collaborate in the workplace. While soft skills can be taught and learned, a lot of it also comes down to personality and individuality. Recruitment agencies often include ideal soft skills for job positions, but since these are harder to measure, they’re more suggestions than requirements.

 

Examples of soft skills include:

  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Critical Thinking
  • Adaptability
  • Time Management
  • Multitasking
  • And more!

 

Soft skills aren’t as industry-specific as hard skills. These are abilities you probably naturally have or have unconsciously developed throughout your life. Don’t let the name fool you, though- for many companies’ soft skills are much more valuable than hard skills since they’re harder to teach. For example, in logistics, time management and multitasking are extremely valuable skills that can’t really be taught. If you don’t have them, you won’t thrive in the position, so be honest when you apply for jobs about whether or not you have the soft skills to succeed.

 

Final Thoughts

So, how can you easily remember the difference between hard and soft skills? Hard skills are technical abilities usually tailored towards a specific job or industry. Soft skills are interpersonal skills applicable across multiple roles and fields. Having the right hard skills on your resume might land you an interview, but it’s soft skills that our hiring agencies look for and that companies value the most. Including a good mix of both when you apply for jobs is the best bet.

 

If you’re looking for a job, check out Nova Staffing’s online job board or contact us today! Our team of HR experts is ready to help you start a new career.

Ontario Employment Outlook: October 2021

Healthcare staffing agency Toronto | Nova Staffing

Ontario’s employment continued to improve in October 2021. This was the fifth consecutive month that the province saw employment increase. 

 

Here is a look at how employment in Ontario was impacted in October 2021, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government October 2021 Labour Market report. 

 

 

Employment Summary

In October, Ontario had 7.5 million employed individuals, up 37,000 jobs from September, a 0.5% increase. Employment gains were likely due to COVID-19 restrictions further lifting, including capacity limits rising. 

 

The province’s unemployment rate also decreased in October. There were 567,900 (7%) unemployed individuals, a 4% decrease from September. This month, Ontario was above its pre-COVID-19 February levels by 0.6%. 

 

Employment by Age

Youth employment (15-24) continued to improve in October. Youth employment increased by 18,100 jobs, a 1.8% increase from the previous month. Unemployment for this demographic also dropped to 9.9% in October, down from 12.5% in September. October also marked the lowest youth unemployment rate recorded in Ontario since June 1990. 

 

Adult employment (25-54) also increased in October by 18,100 jobs, a 0.4% increase from September. Unemployed for adults decreased to 6.3%. Senior employment (55+) remained unchanged in October compared to September. Unemployment for seniors did increase to 7.2% from 6.6%.

 

Employment by Sector

Certain industries have seen employment gains at a slower rate than others. Those that saw the greatest employment gains were led by Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+87.4K), Information, Culture, and Recreation (+39.8K), Public Administration (+22.2K), and Wholesale and Retail Trade (+21.3%). 

 

Sectors that saw employment loss were led by Accommodation and Food Services (-40.1K), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (=-4.7K), Construction (-32.8K), and Other Services (Except Public Administration) (-29.4K). 

 

Employment by Region

In October, employment in most of Ontario’s. CMAs were close to or above pre-COVID levels. Those that saw the greatest employment gains in October were led by Toronto(+42.7K) and followed by Oshawa(+5.6K), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+4.6K), Windsor (+3.4K), London (+2.7K), St. Catharines-Niagara (+2.7K), Greater Sudbury (+1.1K), Kingston (+0.8K), Thunder Bay (+0.6K), Peterborough (+0.6K), Barrie (+0.5K). 

 

Regions that saw employment loss were Ottawa-Gatineau (-9.5K), Belleville (-2.5K), Hamilton (-0.9K), Guelph (-0.5K), and Brantford (-0.1K). 

 

Is your company looking for help hiring top talent or need staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing! Our team of employment experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.

 

7 Worst Resume Mistakes to Avoid According to a Hiring Agency

Healthcare staffing agency Toronto | Nova Staffing

Applying for jobs can be a daunting and stressful task. One of the most helpful things you can do to boost your prospects is applying to jobs with a stellar resume. A poor resume can be a huge hurdle to companies getting back to you. But what exactly makes a resume bad? Our hiring experts at Nova Staffing are going to explain some of the most common and most fatal resume mistakes you should avoid!

 

Spelling & Grammar Errors

This is probably the most obvious and common resume tip, yet you’d be surprised by the number of resumes we receive at our hiring agency that are riddled with them. While recruiters try to make allowances for people that aren’t native English speakers, it’s still important to try to reduce these are much as possible. There are a ton of online tools you can use these days to check spelling and grammar, so run your resume through one of these before sending it off. This is especially important if you’re applying to a job where speaking and writing skills are crucial.

 

Not Specific Enough

A common mistake people make is trying to make their resumes appealing to all sorts of companies and jobs, and this often results in it being vague and non-specific. Don’t simply list your past employment and experience- go into detail explaining what role you played, any specific tasks you managed, and skills you learned! The more details you put in, the more drawn in recruitment agencies will be.

 

Too Generic

Not all resumes are the same. In fact, every single one you send out should be slightly different! Resumes should be tailored towards each job and company you’re applying to. Generic resumes won’t catch anyone’s eye and will probably end up in the recycling bin. Employers want to feel you took the time to actually read the job posting and prepared for it- not that you job sent out the same basic resume for multiple jobs you stumbled upon. Take the extra time and customize your resumes to really wow them.

 

Wrong Length

If you Google “how long should a resume be,” you’ll get varying answers. Some industries just require more room to explain your accomplishments and skills. On average, resumes should be 1-2 pages. Don’t force yourself to cut important info about yourself to squeeze onto one page. Nor should you ramble on about everything you’ve ever done over five pages. When writing your resume, ask yourself, “will this help me land an interview?” A resume is all about selling yourself, so include info that helps you do that.

 

Poorly Formatted

This one is a bit more subjective, but formatting is important when it comes to resumes. Most hiring agencies only have a short window of time to review each application. You want your resume to stand out but also be easy to read. Resumes that are visually too busy with walls of text won’t be as appealing as ones clearly laid out with bullet points.  

 

Includes Incorrect Info

Above all else, your resume should be accurate and honest. Of course, there are ways you can take mundane jobs and tasks to make them sound more appealing. However, you should always be truthful. You might think fudging past experience will land you the job, but in our experience, it always comes back to bite people. You also want to make sure your contact info is correct. The last thing you want to do is apply for a bunch of jobs but don’t leave them a way to get in touch with you.   

 

Only Includes Hard Skills

Hard skills are abilities that let you tackle job-specific tasks. While these are great, and should absolutely be included, don’t forget about soft skills as well. Soft skills are non-technical skills that include things like critical thinking, time management, communication, etc. Chances are when you’re applying for a certain job, most applicants will have all the same hard skills. That’s why soft skills are so important- they’re what will set you apart. Our hiring experts at Nova Staffing often turn to soft skills when making final hiring decisions, so be sure to include them!  

 

Are you looking for a new career or job? Visit our online job board or contact us today! Nova Staffing has a team of hiring experts looking to fill job openings in various industries and can’t wait to hear from you.  

 

How Nova Driver Services Can Help Your Business

Staffing agency Brampton | Nova Staffing

The transportation industry is one of the most vital ones in Canada, especially with the holiday season coming up. Having the right drivers working for your company can make all the difference in your business’s success. Finding qualified drivers isn’t always easy, though. That’s where a driver recruitment agency like Nova Staffing comes in! Here are a few ways our hiring experts at Nova Driver Services can help your business thrive and grow. 

 

Recruitment Made Easy

Recruitment isn’t a simple thing, especially for driver positions. Canada is dealing with a driver shortage, and there are many qualifications commercials drivers need to meet. Most trucking companies just don’t have the time necessary to find quality candidates to meet their needs. That’s where a driver recruitment agency comes in. At Nova Driver Services, we take care of the entire recruitment process. We craft job postings, vet resumes, and create a list of candidates we think would be best for your company. This leaves you time to focus on running your business! 

 

Curate Quality Candidates

One of the most time-consuming parts of recruitment is sifting through resumes and applications to find qualified candidates. The transportation industry is heavily regulated in Canada, and commercial drivers have to meet specific qualifications in order to be eligible for the job. Ontario commercial drivers need specific types of licenses, clear a background check, and complete a certain number of training hours. Our hiring experts at Nova Driver Services are well versed in screening driver candidates in these things, as well as assessing whether someone would fit within your company culture. We have the tools and experience to curate a list of quality candidates to find you the perfect hire efficiently!

 

Focus on Flexible Hiring

The transportation industry ebbs and flows, certain times of the year are busier than others. As the holiday season ramps up, trucking companies aren’t always looking for long-term hires. They often need to fill short-term, temporary, or seasonal positions. Nova Driver Services can help you focus on flexible hiring, finding qualified drivers when the workload picks up or when your full-time drivers are unavailable. Flexible hiring means you’ll never have to worry about being short-staffed, especially at crucial times. 

 

Are you looking for qualified drivers in Ontario? Contact Nova Staffing Driver Services today! Our team of HR experts is experienced in staffing driver positions. We even have a dedicated team ready to help companies fill driver jobs with qualified candidates.

Everything to You Need to Know About the Recruitment Agency Process

Staffing agency Brampton | Nova Staffing

Finding and hiring new employees can be a long and daunting process, especially for businesses that don’t have staff dedicated to it. Working with a recruitment agency can take the pressure off you and allow you to focus on what you do best- running your business! If you’ve never worked with an employment agency before, you might not know what the process is like. Let our hiring experts at Nova Staffing break down everything down for you.

 

Staffing Requirements

Before we start the process, one of our experts will sit down with your business and carefully hear what you’re looking for out of new hires. We’ll take down your requirements such as experience, education, skills, and more. We’ll also take note of other details such as job position, salary, and benefits.

 

Job Posting

Once we know what you’re looking for, our team will create job postings to attract suitable hires. Our team has extensive experience creating clear, attractive job listings that will quickly get you a good pool of candidates to select from. At Nova Staffing, we also monitor these listings, updating them as needed so that you don’t have to worry about them!

 

Screening Candidates

After the job posting is up, the resumes start rolling in. That’s when our job at Nova Staffing really begins. We then start the tedious work of going through each application and shortlisting only the best for you. We’ll weed out those that don’t meet your requirements, sending only the best candidates your way.

 

Initial Interviews

At Nova Staffing, we can also conduct initial rounds of interviews to help you. Our team of hiring experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience, so you can trust them to send only the best of the best your way. This is an excellent option for businesses that don’t have the time to do multiple rounds of interviews.

 

Follow Up

Our job doesn’t end once you hire new employees. We’ll be here to follow up, ensuring you’re satisfied with your new hires and that they fit in nicely. If there are any issues that we can help you with, we will!

 

Whether you’re looking for permanent or temporary hires, Nova Staffing is here to help! Our recruitment agency has a team of hiring experts with over 200 years of combined experience and staff that are fluent in English, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Mandarin, Arabic, and Urdu. Contact us today to get started.

 

Workplace Etiquette Reminders Before Heading Back into the Office

Truck driver jobs Brampton | Nova Staffing

With vaccination rates on the rise, many companies are now looking at bringing employees back into offices and physical workplaces. The shift from work-from-home to back on-site may be challenging, but employers can help ease the transition by reminding employees of these simple workplace etiquettes. The workplace has evolved since the pandemic, so while some of this will be a quick refresher for employees, other tips may be new habits they’ll have to learn.

 

 Here are a few workplace etiquette tips for today’s workplace from our employment experts at Nova Staffing.

 

Dress Appropriately

What people wear while working will be one of the biggest changes people will have to adjust to when returning to the office. For many people, their work clothes have gone untouched in their closets for the past year. While rocking sweatpants and messy hair at home was fine, be sure to remind employees of the office dress code before they return. Now is the time to review dress expectations or create new ones if you feel your company culture has shifted.

 

Prioritize Personal Space

Personal space has always been important, but even more so since COVID. Employers should do what they can to ensure the workplace follows socially distancing guidelines, like moving desks further apart and organizing chairs in meetings so that they’re spaced out. Also, be sure to encourage employees to respect personal space and social distance. You can even try to develop a color-code system so that employees can signal how comfortable they are with physical contact.

 

Focus on Health

One of the biggest things employers should address about workplace etiquette is sickness. Employees are more concerned than ever about ill co-workers coming in at this time. Make sure you have clear guidelines on what they should do about physical health. It’s also important for your company to review and possibly revamp its sick policy. While it might have been okay for workers to come in and work while sick in the past, that isn’t acceptable anymore. Employees who are sniffling, have a fever, or have other contagious symptoms should stay home. The good news is that workers showed they can work from home effectively, so there are options!

 

Remember how to Socialize

It’s been so long since co-workers interacted with each other in person, many of them are probably out of practice. Consider hosting a social event prior to bringing everyone back into the office. This will give them a chance to reconnect without distracting them from work and give them a chance to remember how to socialize in a professional environment.

 

Establish Conversation No-Nos

Some things haven’t changed when it comes to the workplace. Certain subjects still aren’t good for work time discussions. Employers might not want to ban conversation, but it’s still good to remind employees that it’s unprofessional to discuss things like religion, money, sex, and politics while on the clock. That also goes for COVID-19. Opinions about origins, vaccinations, statistics, and others might cause rifts. Companies should be open to discussing employee concerns about working with unvaccinated co-workers and other health and safety guidelines.

 

If you’re looking for more employment tips or need to hire new staff, contact Nova Staffing today! Our team of staffing experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.