The resume…love it or hate it, when you start a job search, you need one. Often students and new grads ask me to look at theirs and what I usually see is that they have left off some really important information that could help them get an invitation to an interview. In this episode, I summarize three pieces of information you might leave off your resume and how and where to include them. I also give you some examples of phrases and wording you can use in each section. If you are getting ready for a job search or looking to level up your career you need to listen to this today before you start ..read more

Today marks a very sombre anniversary - 365 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  In recognition of the lives lost and the continued threat to Ukraine and Ukrainians, we will not have an episode of the HR mentor this week. Instead, I will share some brief thoughts on the last 365 days and encourage you to take some time to reflect and find a way that you can support Ukraine today and in the days to come. Please see the links below on ways that you can #standwithukraine    Visit United 24 for ways to donate and to learn about some of the most critical initiatives i ..read more

When most people think of job search strategies, they think of preparing a perfect resume and cover letter or prepping for tough interview questions. Both of which are important. But rarely do job seekers wonder if their state of mind is ready to support them in the process ahead. Job seeking is a process riddled with emotions, hurdles and disappointments. Yes, when you get the role you were after, there is a lot of elation and likely some relief, but before you get there, it can be tough sledding! In this episode, I share four practical strategies to help you develop a job seekers mindset tha ..read more

What better way to kick off the year (and a new season of the podcast!) than talk about what will be important for HR teams in the year to come? To be honest, I am not seeing a lot of changes in the 2023 landscape in terms of the focus of the HR function, at least in North America. We seem to be in the endemic mode of the pandemic, and that, of course, has opened up the world for more travel and access, but we are still facing many challenges. There is still a lot putting pressure on our employees and their families. And, of course, we know that when employees are feeling extra pressure, this ..read more

Well my friends, we are here. Pop the champagne!! The end of Season 3 of The HR Mentor!! So on this season finale I have 5 wonderful new questions from listeners that I am going to answer in this special annual Q & A episode. There is a great mix of guidance for students, new grads and those of you who are early in your career, but with some experience. I am excited for you to hear them. Here are the five listener questions I answer in this episode: How do you gain specific HR skills as a student? As a student which areas of HR should I focus on for my career? What kind of certifications ..read more

If you’ve been listening to me for a while, you know I like to dispel myths and simplify the path to your ideal HR role. And today’s episode is no exception. A lot of early career job seekers and students are hesitant to reach out to potential employers because they fear they will be seen as annoying or pushy. But nothing could be further than the truth. In fact, what you may not realize is that following up with a potential employer is one of the most powerful actions a job seeker can take as long as it's done the right way and at the right time. And today, I am going to teach why follow-ups ..read more

Has anyone ever told you to calm down, told you that you were overreacting or being too emotional? Have you ever felt like you had to hide how you were feeling at work, with friends or family? I’m pretty sure everyone has experienced this at some point. And as an HR professional have you ever had a Manager or colleague tell you, they can’t stand it when people bring their feelings or emotions to work? That’s a big yes for me. There are countless memes and jokes in HR circles about employees and their emotions and I admit I have shared a few stories in my day about what I have categorized as “e ..read more

There is no more perfect day than Labour Day to talk about what seems to be on every employer’s mind - quiet quitting. In this episode I am going to share my perspective on this latest buzzword and offer you a few ideas on what to do, or not to do about it as an HR professional.  If you have thoughts or ideas on this topic after listening,  I would love to hear from you. Drop a message on LinkedIn or send me an email at melanie@unicorngroup.ca.  Helpful Links for this Episode: CNBC Article & Video - How ‘quiet quitting’ became the next phase of the great resignation by Anuz ..read more

Not every employer with an HR job is going to be one that you should be pursuing. That’s right, I said it. You should not be applying for every single HR job you see posted. You see, in the same way an employer will target certain job candidates so that there is a higher possibility of a successful match, you don’t want to apply to every employer because when you target your choices you increase the chances that there will be a successful match. It takes a lot of effort and energy, emotional and otherwise, to put together your application for a job - any job! So why would you put that effort i ..read more

Today feels pretty special to me because this is my 50th episode of the HR Mentor!! Thank you so much for listening and for supporting me on this journey over the last 2.5 years. It has been an absolute privilege to share this content with you. Today’s episode is also special because I created it for a specific group of emerging professionals. It was inspired by this comment from a listener, Traci Carmen. “I recently started listening to your podcast and wanted to sincerely thank you for sharing your experience and expertise. I've been in HR for 3.5 years with about 3 of those years being a co ..read more