Have you ever wondered what role your image plays in positioning yourself for a career opportunity? You have probably heard the term "dress for success". This week’s podcast is with Catherine Bell, Canada’s Image Coach and author of "Managing Your Image Potential: Creating Good Impressions in Business".  I would encourage you to listen to the podcast as Catherine shares some excellent practical advice. Did you realize that dress, presentation and packaging really do matter in an interview or getting promoted in your current situation?  “Ah”, you say. “That is not fair!”  And, correct you are, but as Malcolm Gladwell described in his book “Blink”, this ability is known as "listening with your eyes." Most of the decisions of whether you are going to get hired or even promoted are NOT related to what comes out of your mouth, but how you dress, your body language, posture, mannerisms and even your height. (A majority of Fortune 500 CEOs are 6 ft. or taller). According to a study by Syracuse University and Total Executive Inc. of 300 executive recruiters, CEOs and HR professionals, how you dress is the third most important attribute in getting hired.  A majority of working professionals don't believe that image really does matter, otherwise, they would invest more time and resources in this area.

Got Job Security? Yes, this is a play on words from the well known “Got Milk?” marketing campaign. Are you feeling particularly nervous about the company you work for and your economic future? This week's podcast is a recording of the presentation that Launi Skinner, President of 1-800-GOT-JUNK and former President of Starbucks, gave at The 2008 Canadian Career Summit. Launi shared her thoughts on how to have a great career and control your future at the same time.

Did you wake up to good news in the newspaper this morning? That’s unlikely, since the headlines are very negative these days. I would strongly recommend that you listen to this week's podcast. It is a recording of the presentation that Andrea Garson, V.P. HR for Workopolis, gave at our recent conference held in Ottawa and Toronto. At the 2008 Canadian Career Summit, Andrea shared some research about myths and realities of employers and the current job market.

This morning, as you gathered around the watercooler you may have already shared one, you may have been the subject of one. A rumour. This week's podcast is with Professor Nicholas Defonzo author of The Watercooler Effect. He is the leading world expert on why rumours spread. This week’s column is to help improve your rumour skills. In a recent study of 40,818 European workers in France and the U.K. by international HR consulting firm ISR, 67 percent of employees hear important information first through a rumour.

How do you market yourself to companies? What role does Human Resources play in the hiring process? How do you apply online? What is the most important element of a resume? This week's podcast is with Andrea Garson, Vice President of Human Resources at Workopolis and one of the speakers at our upcoming event - The 2008 Canadian Career Summit. I am giving away 10 complimentary tickets for our readers. Send an email to alan@careerjoy.com and share with me your thoughts on your career.

Andrea has a very unique viewpoint both as an HR professional and in her involvement with Workopolis, Canada's leading career website. She has hired thousands of professionals over her career. Andrea grew up in a family that was very career oriented. Both her brothers became lawyers and she was tempted to follow their path. Growing up she was a babysitter, camp counselor and worked as a clerk at the liquor store. "The common theme of my young life was I loved understanding, working with and helping people move forward in their lives". She graduated from University with a degree in psychology and worked for a couple of years getting a feel for her career options. She wrote her GMAT and LSAT and wrestled with following in the family business or choosing her own path. She decided to do her MBA in addition to take some HR courses. It became clear to her that HR was the right area. " I just loved this area, it was where I belonged".

Do you enjoy job hunting, or do you dread it? For some, searching for a new job comes very naturally. However, for most professionals, it is a skill that can be learned. Last week, I shared the first 3 steps in doing an effective job search. You can listen to my podcast with Andrea Garson, Vice President of HR at Workopolis. This week, I will share the final 3 keys in getting the job you want.

1. Dress up, stand up & speak up! - Most companies do telephone interviews as the first part of their screening process. Wear an outfit you feel confident in, and stand up during the telephone session. You will act more confident when you dress professionally. Standing up for the call will give you energy, and studies show that you will even think more sharply when standing. Clarity and the right sound levels are critical from a potential employer’s perspective.

Have you wrestled with trying to decide where to go next in your career? Maybe you have struggled with knowing whether the company or role that you are pursuing is a good fit? This week's podcast is with Launi Skinner, the new President of 1-800-GOT-JUNK and one of the speakers at The 2008 Canadian Career Summit. Launi recently left as President of North America for Starbucks. She had joined Starbucks when there were 15 stores in Canada, and was eventually leading 6,000 stores in North America. Launi has observed, as a leader in great organizations and in managing her own career, that "The person that cares most about your career, is you. Your company's role is to provide the environment and tools to enable you to succeed. It is up to you to maximize your own opportunities". Reaching your potential in your career doesn't happen by accident, you need to take smart action.

When you think Tim Horton’s, Hockey Night in Canada, The Rockies, weather and Tommy Douglas what is the first word that comes to mind?  I would guess for most of you this would be “Canada”, eh!   These are some of the many distinctive elements that make up the unique national identity of Canada. This week’s podcast is with Roy MacGregor, one of Canada’s most gifted story- tellers, author and Globe & Mail columnist.  Roy says “Why is identity so important?  A separate national identity is key when you live so closely to a large influential country like the United Sates, much like a teenager expressing their uniqueness and independence from their family.  We even speak differently in our little world”.  Countries and professionals that are successful in the competitive global marketplace have a number of things in common - they have a clear and distinctive identity, they have something to offer that the market needs, and they are proud of who they are.

Would you like to get a role that is better suited for you? How would you like to negotiate a raise? Maybe you would like to move to a different project within your firm. This week's podcast is with Kyle MacDonald, holder of the world record for the most successful internet trade. Starting with 1 red paper clip in Montreal in July 2005, he made 14 trades and ended up with a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan by July 2006. Professionals that understand the principles of trading have a much greater chance of getting what they want and where they want to go in their career and their personal life.

What kinds of tests have you experienced in your career journey? Have you been let go? Did you not get a promotion that you expected? Or maybe you are wondering if it is time to leave your company? Careers are full of challenges and opportunities. In this week's podcast we feature Warren MacDonald's story, featured on Oprah and retold in his best selling book called "A Test of Will". Warren had the largest personal test of his life when, as the result of a climbing accident, both of his legs were amputated. In this week's podcast he shares how he learned to turn challenging circumstances in his life into transforming events.