Ottawa Talent Initiative The OTI is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the growth of Ottawa’s ICT (Information and Communication Technology) sector by working with the industry leaders and ICT professionals to help create job opportunities. Visit http://www.ottawatalentinitiative.ca/index.php for more information. After a hiatus, OTI is bringing the Business Engagement Task Force back. The popular BETF is designed to help volunteers understand the mechanics of contacting and providing valuable services to local employers, upgrading your networking skills and most importantly help you get back into gainful employment. To get involved as a volunteer, engage the tech community, call Emre Daglik, director of the BETF at 613-254-9880 ext 224 or email betf_director@ottawatalentinitiative.ca Information Sessions coming up! Technology Marketing 101 Technology Marketing 101 with Jim Carty - Wed, Jan 7th, 2009 - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon If you are in the process of setting up a startup, or just contemplating an idea, you will want to attend this session on Technology Marketing. At it’s conclusion, you will leave with a full understanding of how marketing contributes to the success or failure of any new organization. Due to the hands on nature of the program, you will also walk away with sound ideas to help with your future success. Read More Lunch & Learn - Tranforming your Resume from Telephony Vitesse Re-Skilling and the Ottawa Talent Initiative are bringing Jennifer Bulman of Aurelia Consulting back on January 15th - 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm for a new Lunch and Learn - "Reaching the Non-Telecom Employer". Jennifer will explain why and where you need to "translate" the language of your telecom-centric resume to stand out and be understood by non-telecom employers. For a detailed approach, plus tips and techniques, on how to change your resume, plan to attend the half-day workshop Translating from Telephony: Creating an IT-Friendly High Tech Resume on January 22nd from 9:00 am to noon. Register in advance at www.ottawatalentinitiative.ca and follow the links. Send your resume in advance to info@otiac.ca AND to Jennifer jennifer@aurelia.ca no later than January 19th, 2009. For individual coaching on your resume and extended access to Jennifer, bring your laptop and add the afternoon "clinic" (1:00 - 3:30 pm). Workshop cost: $49 Clinic cost: $21 Payment only by cash or cheque payable to Aurelia Consulting. Workshop: 5 to 12 participants max. Register early to guarantee a spot in this important and effective resume workshop. Read More Resume Workshop - Transforming Your Telecom-Centric Resume Are you having trouble "Reaching the Non-Telecom Employer"? Is it time to change your resume? Find out why and where you need to "translate" the language of your telecom-centric resume to stand out and is understandable by non-telecom employers. For a detailed approach, plus tips and techniques, on how to change your resume, plan to attend the half-day workshop Translating from Telephony: Creating an IT-Friendly High Tech Resume on January 22nd from 9:00 am to noon. Register in advance - click READ MORE belox. Send your resume in advance to info@otiac.ca AND to Jennifer jennifer@aurelia.ca no later than January 19th, 2009. For individual coaching on your resume and extended access to Jennifer, bring your laptop and add the afternoon "clinic" (1:00 - 3:30 pm). Workshop cost: $49. Clinic cost: $21. Payment is only by cash or cheque payable to Aurelia Consulting. Workshop: 5 to 12 participants max. Register early to guarantee a spot in this important and effective resume workshop. Read More DIRECTIONS From downtown Ottawa: 1.Take Highway 417, going west. 2.Exit at March Road and turn right onto March Road 3.Turn right onto Terry Fox Drive (next to Alcatel building) 4.Just after Legget Drive, turn left into parking area in front of 360 Terry Fox Drive. Parking for 359 Terry Fox Drive is marked in the first row facing Terry Fox. 5.Cross the street and enter building at 359 and go up stairway (on left side of the lobby) to a door marked "Enter". Go through door. 6.Turn left and proceed to OTI office (glass doors and entrance). NOTE: It is not recommended to take the Terry Fox exit from the Queensway as it is not a through street to OTI.

Business Engagement Task Force The Business Engagement Task Force (BETF) is a volunteer run program at OTI to help the unemployed and underemployed professionals in the National Capital region. We are looking for volunteers to join the program. Benefits of joining can be as little as ‘having something to do’ or as rewarding as ‘finding your dream job’. Orientation sessions are held every Wednesday at 10:00 am at 359 Terry Fox Drive Suite 210, in Kanata North (March Road and Terry Fox Area). Training session: Every two weeks. Please contact betf_director@ottawatalentinitiative.ca to register for the next available session. What is the BETF? We are not a headhunter or a placement agency or a recruiter. We are a non-profit organization that helps the unemployed and under-employed professionals in the National Capital region. Our volunteers are all professionals with extensive experience and education in their specialties. Since their specialty is not looking for a job (but rather developing products/services, etc) we help them adjust to the new economy where they need to network, use a variety of tools for their job searches and most importantly keep their skill up-to-date. We provide the necessary training for contacting companies and helping themselves and others in the community. How does it work? Once you identify companies of interest to you, you are paired with one other BETF member. Upon arranging a visit to the employer, you and your team visit the business to obtain information and find out about potential skills requirements. The time commitment is dependent on your interest level. However given past experiences, we know that the more you can commit the sooner you are likely to be employed. How do we find jobs? We do not find jobs for you. You do. We provide the basic training and methodology for you to utilize and help yourself. Instead of applying on-line (which you should still do as part of diversifying your search methodologies) we show you how to contact the employer. There is much more information available on their website at http://otiac.ca/jobseek/betf.php For more information: betf_director@ottawatalentinitiative.ca or call 613-254-9914.

Kanata Kareer Group - Ottawa Area The Kanata Kareer Group is a self help group, open to everyone from the local area who are seeking to rejoin the workforce. It holds weekly meetings with typical attendance of ten to twenty members. Meetings are held every Tuesday from 1:15 to 3:30 p.m. at 33 Leacock Drive, Kanata (Ottawa area) You must attend a meeting before participating in the online community of over seven hundred people. Most members have worked in the high tech industry, but many other professions are represented. We also have a third-Thursday evening meeting in a pub, mainly for people now working in the daytime, but it has not had large attendance lately. Guest speakers are a regular feature of KKG meetings. Recent guest speakers have included: •Business representatives •Human Resources specialists •Career consultants •Financial Consultants •Networking (interpersonal) specialists Some meetings have a workshop format and cover such topics as: •Resume formats. •Responding to interview questions. •Keeping Motivated •Sales techniques applied to job search. For more information send an email to kanata-kareer-talk-owner@yahoogroups.com or visit http://www.kanatakareergroup.ca

Government Security Clearance One of the Recruiters suggested I verify my own security clearance with Bell Canada Corporate Security. Government Security Clearance at Bell Canada was dependant on job function and only required if you were working on certain government accounts. Not all Bell Canada Employees had security clearance. For those of you wondering if you had your clearance - The forms required to obtain your clearance, are approximately 10 pages in length and makes you dig right back to your parents history including addresses (deceased or not) – If you completed it you would remember it!! When we were terminated, Bell Canada requested the termination of our security clearances; Bell Canada is no longer giving us permission to act on their behalf, to deal with sensitive customer material. Your security clearance, although terminated within Bell Canada stays on file with PWGSC in suspended status for up to 2 years. If you get a job that requires you be security cleared your new employer would complete a security clearance transfer form (see below for form number) using your existing file number to reactivate your clearance. If you are working with a recruiter, they can assist you with your security clearance transfer. Level II Secret Clearance is valid for 10 years Your Security File should look similar to the one below Security Cleared File #00000000-0000000000 till Dec 10, 2013 Ex-Bell employees – if you were security cleared and have misplaced your security file number send me an email – I may be able to assist. chrismcgee@lifeafterbell.ca Verification of this information available at http://www.ciisd.gc.ca/text/ISM/ch2part2-e.asp Here is Information from the PWGSC Site 256. TRANSFER OF SECURITY CLEARANCES BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS A Security Clearance of an individual may be transferred between organizations, providing the following criteria have been met: a.The security Clearance was not terminated more than two years ago; b.The Security Clearance is not due for updating; and c.The individual has stated that there have been no changes in their personal history regarding criminal convictions, marital status or cohabitation. - Personnel Screening, Consent and Authorization Form, TBS/SCT 330-23E (Rev. 2006/02) (PDF 85 KB) - Fingerprint Form, RCMP/GRC C-216C (if required or requested).

Bonjour chers amis et anciens collègues,   Je voulais vous transmettre une information que j'ai apprise, à mes dépends, hier en contactant l'Assurance-chomage. Peut-être que vous connaissez déjà cette information, mais moi je n'étais pas au courant:   À la mi-novembre dernier, lorsque mes 3 mois de "paye" se sont terminés avec Bell, j'ai placé une demande d'assurance-chômage. Entre-temps, j'ai aussi rencontré un conseiller financier qui m'a recommandé de placer mon montant forfaitaire (prime de départ) dans un REER, ce que j'ai fait.  Voilà que hier j'apprends que le montant en entier de la prime de départ est considéré par l'assurance-chomage comme un "salaire" et que pour eux, je suis "payée" depuis novembre et jusqu'en juin 2009. Donc je n'ai pas droit de toucher à l'assurance-chômage avant juin 2009...   J'espère que vous étiez déjà au courant... et surtout j'espère que vous vous trouvez tous des emplois à la hauteur de vos rêves !!!   Hello dear friends and former colleagues, I am sharing some information with you which I learned yesterday, to my surprise,  by contacting the Unemployment office. Perhaps you are already aware, but I wasn't so I may not be the only one: In mid-November the last, when my 3 months of "salary" finished with Bell, I placed a request to get some unemployment. Meanwhile, I also met a financial adviser who recommended that I use my termination package as a RRSP, which I did. Yesterday I was stunned to learn the total amount of this termination package is considered as a normal "salary" which means that the Unemployment office considers I am still paid since November and until June 2009. Therefore I cannot receive unemployment before June 2009… I sure hope that you were already aware of this information… and especially I hope that all of you have found jobs that you love!!!  Eliane =^.^=

Northern Lights Free Employment Help from the Government in Ottawa The Employment Counselling Process The NLC Employment Counselling Process involves the following steps: by helping the job seeker define realistic employment goals by identifying activities needed to achieve those goals by developing and implementing a flexible, sequenced action plan providing ongoing support and by encouragement while co-ordinating activities The Employment Counselling process follows the Employability Model: Does the job seeker have an occupational goal? Does the job seeker have the skills to meet their goal? Does the job seeker know how to find a job? Does the job seeker know how to keep a job? NLC Employment Counsellors encourage and support job seekers to make choices that facilitate a successful employment while maintaining control of their own decisions and lives. Employment Counsellors are guided by four questions: Where is the job seeker now? Where does the job seeker want to be? How will the job seeker get there? How will the job seeker know when they have arrived? They will also assist with resume writing, career direction, skills development. For more information (cut and paste link into your browser). http://www.northernlightscanada.ca/ or call 613-688-JOBS

About ITO 2.0 The Information Technology Orientation (ITO) is designed to present current Ottawa Labour Market Information (LMI) to individuals who are in the process of developing or implementing a Return to Work Action Plan within the Information Technology and Communication sector. The LMI provided through the ITO will assist individuals in making a more informed decision regarding skills development, transferable skills, current labour market requirements and potential opportunities in the Ottawa area. Since its development in 1999, the ITO workshop has been attended by more than 4,000 technology professionals and has become a valued source of local Labour Market Information for both clients as well as employment counseling agencies throughout the Ottawa area. The Model of ITO The model of the ITO is one that examines current industry specific Labour Market Information (LMI) pertaining to the Information / Communication Technology Sector. The ITO approach is unique in that it has been consistently able to demonstrate that the correlation between business activities, skills requirement, and skills development can produce clear new insights into labour force trends. Traditional LMI research is performed at a statistical or historical level, where the resulting information becomes dated fairly quickly. Further, the challenge of analyzing the High Technology sector continues to produce conflicting data that has created tremendous confusion for many individuals seeking employment. The ITO model is able to compile LMI that is current within a period of 6 - 9 months, where the data can be quickly personalized and deployed into an individuals' Return To Work Action Plan. The Labour Market Research (LMI) aspect of the ITO model will compile and analyze the local Information Technology sector in order to identify patterns relating to labour force trends, skills requirements, educational requirements, employment practices, talent marketability, transferable skills, industry growth and future opportunities. The skills development aspect of the ITO model will examine the design and delivery of the various educational offerings in order to determine their effectiveness in securing sustainable employment in the ITC Sector. This information can then be used by the individuals to determine whether or not skills development is a suitable next step in their Return To Work Action Plan. The LMI developed through the ITO Model is then delivered to clients through group workshops and one on one coaching sessions in order to better prepare individuals for the current labour market. For more information on ITO 2.0 please visit the website at http://www.itoottawa.com

10