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January 2026

Dear {{ firstname }} ,

Happy new year! I hope you had a chance to enjoy some time with friends and family, and to recharge. I definitely did.

#Boss and I recently updated our Wills and Power of Attorney (POA). We had created them back when our second child (#Trouble) was born, roughly 22 years ago, and our situation has definitely changed since then.

When I read through both documents, I found that a lot of our wishes were outdated. It was right at the time but we now have 2 adult children. We no longer needed Guardians and our Executors needed to be updated.

So #Boss and I met with a lawyer and redrafted them to reflect our current situation. We wanted to be prepared in case something happens to our health and make sure our family is taken care of when we pass away.

The last thing we want is to add stress during an already stressful (and emotional) time.

You're probably wondering why I'm sharing this story.

Because life is uncertain.

We are still in an unstable economy. Over the past year there have been many layoffs announced such as HBC, Molson Coors, Imperial Oil and even the Government.

Maybe your resume hasn't been updated in years and doesn't reflect your current situation or the work you've done over the past 10 years. Whatever it is, it's time to sit down and redo your resume, especially while your current achievements are fresh in your mind.

Hopefully you'll never need to look for a different job. Why scramble when your life has just been turned upside down?

It's New Years, so here's a resolution to consider: update your resume. Take the time to prepare in case something happens.

P.S. If you haven't updated (or made) your Will and POA, perhaps now is also the right time to do that. Life can get messy for you and your heirs if there are no legal instructions.

In this issue:

Job market: employment up for 3rd straight month
Why remote workers are winning in court
Want to win at interviews? Learn how to storytell
No Bull content recos: what to watch, listen to, and read

Business Briefs

Employment up for 3rd month, driven by part-time work

There was good and bad news in the Canada November employment results.

First the good news. Stats Canada reported that November hiring was up marginally (54k or 0.3%). This is the 3rd straight month of employment gains, and roughly 55% of new jobs were in Alberta. The unemployment rate fell to 6.5%.

The bad news? It was mostly driven by part-time work, by youth (15-24 years). In other words, employment was flat for core workers (25-54) and older (55+).

Employment increased in health care and social assistance (+46,000; +1.6%), accommodation and food services (+14,000; +1.2%) and natural resources (+11,000; +3.4%), but decreased in wholesale and retail trade.

What does this mean? We're not out of the woods yet. Hang tight. I have a feeling that 2026 will be another uncertain year, especially with mid-term US elections coming up in November.

Why remote workers keep winning in employment law disputes

Return to office (RTO) mandates are not going as smoothly as predicted. This interesting article by Howard Levitt in the National Post highlights mistakes companies have made trying to bring back their employees since Covid lockdowns ended.

Sure, we hear about all these RTO mandates by big companies, where if you don't get your butt back in the office, you're basically fired, but according to Levitt, it's not that simple.

This is a 3-part series, with this article (why remote workers keep winning in court) being the first. Part 2 will cover "how employers can stop losing" and Part 3 will discuss "how employes can protect themselves". I'll share the other articles in a future newsletter.

Career Corner

Want to win at interviews? Learn how to storytell

When my kids were young, we had a nightly ritual. Every night they'd pick out a book before bed, and we'd gather together to read the story.

They loved storytime.

I had their attention for 10-15 minutes while we looked at the pictures and they would also have an opportunity to participate, maybe by reading a few words or pointing to the pictures and telling me about it.

The point here is that my kids were engaged. They sat still and paid attention. They were excited for storytime.

That same skill can get you far in interviews. It makes you relatable and engages your interviewers. They pay attention, and that could be the difference between you getting a job offer ... or not.

Need help mastering storytelling? I offer interview coaching that can help you win. Book time here.

No Bull Content Picks

Watch 📺: Song Sung Blue

GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

Song Sung Blue is a true story about Mike and Claire Sardina, who performed as the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder.

Great story. Great acting. And who doesn't like Neil Diamond music, especially Sweet Caroline?

In theatres now.

No Bull and #Boss recommended!

Watch 📺: John Candy: I like me

John Candy: I like me is an intimate portrait of John Candy's life, career, and personal struggles, including battles with self-doubt, anxiety, and weight issues.

It features never-before-seen home videos, private letters, and interviews with family members and fellow stars, including Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Aykroyd, and Macaulay Culkin.

Available on Amazon Prime video.

No Bull recommended!

Listen 🎧: The History of Nintendo

Nintendo is one of the most legendary video game companies in the world.

Many of you have probably owned a Nintendo system to play video games. If you are old enough, you might have even played some of their games in a video arcade.

Even if you have never played a video game, through cultural osmosis, you are probably still aware of many of its popular characters, like Mario and Donkey Kong.

Learn about the history of Nintendo and how a 19th-century company wound up making video games.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Read 📕: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Do you have kids suffering from anxiety?

Or depression?

Do they hang out in their room instead of with friends?

Wondering why this is happening and how to fix it?

Then read this book.

No Bull recommended!

Can I help?

Struggling to hire?

We specialize in accounting / finance, sales and marketing recruiting. We make recruiting easy by managing the process from start to finish, for an affordable flat fee.

We also offer extended HR support such as organizational strategy, health & safety, and policy development through our trusted professional network.

Need to chat? Let's schedule a free consultation.

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Know someone job searching?

Candidates can upload their resume directly to my candidate database.

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Many people might be rusty and need job search or interview guidance. There is a strategy to landing interviews, controlling the interview, and managing how to be positioned as the top candidate. I can help. Let's book time to discuss.

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If you need executive coaching, I have an amazing network and happy to refer you. Please reach out to me at [email protected].

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Thanks for reading.

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