Career and Job Search Help Blog

Always on the lookout for trends in the workplace, I recently read an article about the best province to work in, based on your career. This, in addition to the best companies to work for, will prove worthwhile if you're looking for a job or a new job.

Rather than just sticking a pin on a map of Canada, choose the province as it relates to your career.

If you want to work in…                    Choose…

• automobile industry…………..Ontario
• finance…………………………..Toronto
• technology…………………….B.C., Quebec, New Brunswick
• agriculture…………………….Prairies, Manitoba, Ontario
• dairy farming………………….Saskatechewan
• Manufacturing…………………Ontario
• Government…………………..Ottawa (Federal) or provincial capital cities
• oil and gas…………………….Alberta, Saskatchewan
• hospitality and tourism………every region
• arts and culture………………..bigger cities like Toronto or Montreal
• journalism……………………..Ontario
• Healthcare……………………..anywhere
• lumber………………………….B.C., New Brunswick
• your own business………………anywhere    
• mining………………………….B.C., Manitoba, Newfoundland/Labrador, Northwest                                                     Territories,Yukon

Now for the best companies to work for – a staple in many job seekers' list of job search tools is this book that we (Toronto Public Library) used to be able to purchase annually – it's called Canada's Top 100 Employers. The current edition is available on the publisher's website. There, you can view the full list of 100 employers, or the regional lists, for Greater Toronto, Nova Scotia, etc. In 1999, a competition was announced. The aim was to single out the employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional working conditions and progressive human resources policies. Winners are announced each October in The Globe and Mail newspaper. The annual list is organized by Mediacorp Canada Inc., a specialty publisher of employment-related periodicals.

Employers are evaluated on eight criteria:

• Physical Workplace
• Work Atmosphere & Social Environment
• Health, Financial & Family Benefits
• Vacation & Time Off
• Employee Communications
• Performance Management
• Training & Skills Development
• Community Involvement

Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada is eligible for the award. Employers of any size may submit an application, whether private or public sector.