Here comes the hiring spree! Canadian Online Job Postings Jump More Than they Have in 3 Years!

A study released today by the Conference Board of Canada said that online jobs climbed more in the month of August than they have since 2007! This means that as Canada emerges from economic uncertainties more & more employers are hiring again - better yet; companies are in growth mode again.

This is old news to us at CMS. Keep an eye on our Current Opportunities to see how frequently we're adding new positions, or follow us on Twitter to get informed of new jobs as they become available. If you see something you're interested in we encourage you to get in touch with one of our consultants to explore it further.

Alberta's Economy Is Drawing Canadians Back to the Province

StatsCan released their quarterly population survey today and Alberta is back on top of Canada as the fastest growing province. Experts say this is a sign the economy is growing again - and those who live in Alberta know that already!

In the first quarter of 2010 barely 300 people came to the province, and between 2009 & 2010 Alberta lost about 2,200 people. In the second quarter of this year however, Aberta's population grew by roughly 18,500 people which is the highest rate in Canada.

At CMS we've seen this growth first-hand through increased job-orders from our clients. Just today we've posted new management positions and sales positions. Have a look at those two categories and get in touch with us if you see something you're interested in!

Calling North America's Top Project Managers - Check This One Out

Our client is one of Calgary's leading General Contractors and they have secured several large projects for the coming year. They are looking to pay top-dollar for top-talent and if that's you, then you should get in touch with us!

These are high-scale commercial projects valued in excess of $50M so we're looking for managers who have managed these types of projects. Our client can put you to work immediately and put you on a track to develop your career with what is bound to be some of Calgary's most noteworthy projects!

Look at the position description and then get in touch with us for more information.

Commercial Construction is on the Rise (and so are the job vacancies!)

Our clients are experiencing a busy autumn in the commercial construction industry. Are you looking for management or supervision on projects in excess of $50M?

Look at our current construction vacancies and see if we've got your next job!

Who Knew Looking Good Can Be Bad For Your Career - And That's Completely Legal in Canada!

This recent article from Canadian Business Magazine spotlights a type of discrimination you don't necessarily think of; The Plainness Penalty. As discrimination again attractive people hits the media we become more aware of it, but a recent study shows that 12% to 16% of workers believe they've been subject to prejudice based on their looks, about the same number (or greater) than those claiming discrimination based on race, gender, age or religious beliefs.

There are laws against this in seven jurisdictions of the United States and Victoria, Australia but this is not included in Canadian discrimination laws! Race & gender discrimination are defined as illegal behaviour, but in Canada there are no laws against appearance-based bias.

If you're looking for a job where your physical appearance will not be an issue, check out our current openings and get in touch with us.

Calgary is Set to Lead The Nation in Economic Growth

A report released today by the Conference Board of Canada ranked Calgary as the number one growth city in Canada for the next four years. It goes on to detail and average of 4.3% growth each year for these coming years. Despite a 4.5% decrease last year, Calgary's Real gross Domestic Product is already predicted to grow 3.5% this years, and even more in the coming years.

Is it time to start looking at jobs in Calgary? Check out our Current Opportunities to see if there is anything that fits your skills right now, or get in touch with us if you'd like your information to be kept on file for any upcoming positions.

That old cliche is right - the more education you have the more money you make - at least statistically!

This article from The Brock Press in Ontario points to a recent study by StatsCan that says the numbers don't lie - the higher your education, the more money you stand to make.

The article cites details like networking, focused education and more nontraditional details like proof of an ability to keep learning and think independently.

While the article warns recent grads from choosing an occupation based solely on compensation, it does go on to say that earning a higher education creates ample opportunity to not only make a sufficient income but also to explore different career paths.

More Good News - The Canadian Staffing Industry Index At Highest in 20 Months!

The Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS - of whom CMS is a member) measures the Staffing Industry Index which has been recognized by StatsCan as a significant economic indicator.

This measurement holds Canadian temporary staffing hours in contrast to their peak in July 2008. The recent measurement for the month of August 2010 was at it's highest level in 20 months - just 11 points shy of the peak level of 2008. This is a 4 point growth over July of 2010 and is consistent with Canada's creation of 36,000 jobs in August.

As Steve Jones, the President of ACSESS, says of the measure; "Contingent staffing is always the lead in to the creation of permanent traditional employment so the August results are cause for optimism supporting our belief that job creation and employment will continue to improve through the end of the year."

Forget about the stress of kids going back to school! The 'New Work Year' starts in September Too!

Fall is in the air all over Canada and it signifies a time of change - a new year of sorts. The days get shorter, your vacation time is nearly all used up and everyone is focusing on work again. This is what industry experts call The New Work Year, time to

The Canadian HR Reporter points to a study that says this is the time many employees evaluate their overall happiness at work and gives some great ideas on how to improve the work setting for these employees.

More than half surveyed said that telecommuting was a way to feel better at the work place while more than 40% said that compliments & praise from management were positive. How many said a raise? Only 31%!

So employers, take heed; now is the time to focus on how to hang on to your workforce! Look at our management consulting page for more information on how we can help you do just that through employee retention & HR consulting.

Independent adjuster looking to develop your managerial skills? Look at this one!

CMS is looking for a regional manager to work out of Ottawa for a huge IA firm. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced IA with strong leadership skills to take a big move in your career and we can help you with it!

Review our job-posting at this link or, for more information call Josh MacNeil directly at 403.261.1728 to discuss how your experience might fit this or any other insurance positions we are presently filling.

Employers; Are You Fishing In The Shallow End?

The Globe & Mail published an article today that describes 'passive candidates' and their extreme value to employers & recruiters. At CMS we've known this for years and built our reputation as one of Canada's top recruiters by doing just this.

The article makes strong points in saying that relying on your job postings means you are just fishing out of the shallow end of the pool, where there aren't many fish. As an employer you want to do much more than this to hire key positions (or any positions!) so leave it in the hands of experts and engage us in your next search.

Visit our Specialized Recruitment or Executive Search Pages for a stronger sense of what we can do for you and then get in touch with us for a one on one consultation.

For employees too, this article gives a few great ideas on how to get noticed and the powers of a passive candidate. Of course, the best first step is to get in touch with us with a resume or CV - this way you'll appear on our internal searches whenever we get a new position to fill.

The Alberta Insurance Sector Is Booming - Is Your Career?

According to a report released earlier last week, the Alberta P&C insurance sector has nearly doubled their quarterly consolidated net income. This comes as little surprise to us, we've been responsible for the growth of many insurance firms in Alberta over the past year and see that growth as just a beginning.

Keep checking out Insurance & Financial Job Postings for more evidence of this growth in Alberta and across Canada. Please, get in touch with us if you'd like to learn more or if you think we can help you.

Can a Higher Unemployment Rate Actually Be Positive? Yes, it Can.

Today StatsCan released the monthly employment report which indicated Canada has statistically replaced nearly all jobs lost since the beginning of economic uncertainty in 2008. While these job numbers are growing, so too is the unemployment rate which is now above 8% in Canada.

A discouraging number at first, but experts are saying this is positive news as it reflects the conditions of the market. People are looking for better opportunities knowing that they are out there.

Are you looking for a better opportunity? If so, check out our current opportunities for a taste of the positions that we are currently filling. And of course, we invite you to get in touch with us to open the channel of communication in case something suitable comes up down the road.

Tomorrow's Employment Report Is Expected to be Strong

Tomorrow the StatsCan report on Canadian employment will be released for the month of August and economists & employers alike agree that it will be strong. An estimated 30,000 new jobs were added in the month of August.

While the debate continues as to whether this growth will continue into the autumn, we're asking you employers how you feel about the current job-growth. Are you feeling pressures to recruit again? If so, get in touch with us and we can help.

And for the employees out there, you're getting in higher & higher demand - as this demand increases keep an eye on our current opportunities to see if there is anything that looks appealing to you.

Turns Out Money Can Buy Happiness - Should We Talk About a New Job?

A study released on Monday says that money can indeed buy happiness. The study, which was authored by Nobel Prize-winning behavioural psychologist Daniel Kahneman factors in such elements as emotional quality and living the best life possible for you.

This makes you stop to think if a raise is in order - and while you're thinking about a better, happier life you should get in touch with us to see if we can help you move your career into a better fit.

When it comes to Employment Growth Alberta is Number 1!

A study released today by the Fraser Institute that factored regional growth across all US states and Canadian provinces & territories ranked Alberta as the number 1 place for growth across the continent.

The study, which ranked 60 different regions included such elements as employment growth in the private sector, low duration of unemployment and average labour productivity. It went on to point to Alberta's investment climate as the reason for this stability & growth.

What does this mean to employers? Well, as the climate in the number one growth region on the continent picks up again, you'll need to do more to retain them - and CMS can help through our HR Consulting.

For employees in Alberta, it means you're in the right market. As a matter of fact, take a look at our current job opportunities to see if you're in demand right now - and get in touch with us if you'd like to explore any future opportunities.

Employers - you've got your workforce, now how are going to keep them?

A recent study estimated that disengaged employees cost US companies $350 billion dollars a year! As we approach a more economically time, your employees are going to be looking at more & more job opportunities so what can you do to keep them engaged and on side?

This article points to several simple but effective ways for employers to keep their employees on board. If this interests you as an employer, look at CMS' management consulting page for more information on our employee retention studies and other HR consulting.