The third annual career night (aka headhunters' ball) in Toronto brought together representatives from esteemed recruiting firms and hopeful job-hunters as well as the curious (or those with gainful employment with interest in knowing where their talents might be best brought to bear). Joining CAIA members, candidates and guests were, in no particular order other than the author's recollection of their entry into the room: Barry Reid of Stonewood Group; from Vlaad and Company, Amy Wilson and Lisa Newey; Thorek/Scott and Partners' Jordan Beallor; and, from Robert Half Inc., Mike Gooley (Regional VP), Linda Martone (heading the permanent placement area), Parker Morgan (in charge of temp roles) and Lindsay Cooper (placing senior level roles in the contract area and subbing-in for Ross Campbell who heads the contract shop). Sixty registered for the event and the room was fairly full thanks to a few tables lining the walls for those who preferred being off their feet for a few minutes.

First up was returning face Amy Wilson, wearing Bill Vlaad's nametag as he could not attend due to an urgent matter, and Lisa Newey, who is new to the company. Amy's career focus has been in recruiting whilst Lisa had recently made the move from the desk to the interviewee chair. The pair complemented each other well as they brought together the two spheres under one roof. They also proposed that all should sign for Bill's Buzz which weekly details many of the comings and goings of financial services professionals in Toronto.

Mike Gooley, strapping lad that he is, re-upped again this year and spoke next from under the peach basket-toting portrait of fellow Canadian James Naismith, inventor of basketball. He explained how Robert Half, being the largest recruiter on the planet, has extensive competencies such as in his associates who lead the Toronto practices of temporary, contract, and permanent positions. He also noted that Canadian unemployment was abating and that his company (ticker RHI on the NYSE) was well-positioned to assist candidates in any of the three types of positions in the financial services area, a specialty that Robert Half has grown in Toronto for some six years. Those interested in employment trends and research should visit their homepage (Robert Half Financial Services Group or Robert Half International) or their Research page and download the various reports (such as their Salary Guide) thereon, or just give them a call.

Next was Barry Reid, who some six months ago moved from another recruiter to Stonewood Group, a shop which has been in the business of placing folks for over 30 years, but without the focus on financial services that Barry brought to the table. He was elated to be part of a company that uses sophisticated tools that burrow into a candidate's mind and manners to ascertain their appropriateness for a given position, and was happy to engage as many attendees as would like to meet with him and come to know more about where their ideal track might lie. Readers can learn more at Stonewood's Blog, LinkedIn page and Twitter feed .

Last but not least, Jordan Beallor (who also was with us at last year's event) started his circa five minutes relating his weekend to the crowd. That was, he found himself in minus-twenty (or so) temperatures on an icy lake climbing up a frozen waterfall. What did that have to do with one's job search? Passion (and perhaps the need to get past having cold feet!). He said it before and he'll say it again, candidates need to have passion for what they do and whom they might work for and it's this zeal that employers, who are still in the enviable position of having many strong candidates to choose from, use as a strong breeze to separate the wheat from the chaff. To get more information on Thorek/Scott and sign up for their email newsletter, please visit http://www.thorekscott.com/.

So there you have it, a full room and full minds...archetypal CAIA.

James Burron
CAIA Canada Chapter Executive