So I also went to this talk hosted by OCRI (Ottawa Centre for Regional Innovation) in the summer, which was of particular interest because it was talking about how the workplace is changing to accommodate changes in technology and demographics and in particular, how the hiring process is changing. It was in the form of a panel, with HR and owners/entrepreneurs there representing some of the best startups in this end of the country. So without further ado, here are the insights I gleaned.

Speakers were: Brittany Forsyth, Shopify; Mike Freeman, Shopify; Luc Levesque, TravelPod (Trip Advisor); Doug Tetzner, Odgers Berndtson, and Harley Finkelstein, Shopify

How have things changed?
- More information readily available
- Can find connections more easily
- Have to target employers specifically
- Think “where can I add value to this job? Is this a good fit for me?”
- More focused on applicant’s background

What should your thought process be when looking into a potential employer?
- Do research on company and HR/hiring people
- What is the corporate culture?

What are the trends right now?
- Custom landing pages targeted to your strengths
- Doing tangible things potential employers can look at
- Employers want to know “can they perform?” and “are they passionate about the job?”
- Making good use of social media and profiles
- References > resumes

Are you an advantageous hire?
- De-risk your hire
- Don’t just submit an resume, do something tangible
- Trusted references (especially mutual ones) are very important!
- Show skill set in interview, if possible
- Have good questions prepared for the interview
- Show up for a conversation in the interview

Being outside the box
- Employers are now “expecting” creative and unique applications
- Don’t just copy and paste keywords from job descriptions
- Cover letters are still important
- Make sure you can walk the talk
- Don’t be afraid to take the risk
- Create an online personality that reflects skills

Level of engagement
- People have the info, not all interact with company (they should)
- People are now better prepared
- Tailor materials to each company
- Know your audience

Relationships?
- About who you know
- Find employees within company and network with them
- Make a list of people who know and like you and submit that with resume (bosses, preferably)

Do’s and Don’ts
- Do NOT use “to whom it may concern” in your cover letter!
- Don’t be afraid to let your personality show in your materials (resume, etc.)
- Resumes don’t have to be point form
- Keep a blog!
- Constructive disagreement can be good
- Try a video-based resume
- Follow up after an interview
- Try not to use skills-based resumes
- Put your interests on your resume
- Don’t play hardball in the interview! (especially with salary)