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B6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday August 29, 2001 Business To reach this section call 845-3824 Fax:337-5567 Former detective finds niche in writing resumes M artin B uckland w ent from S cotland Yard to helping clients w ith this special m arketing tool By Nancy Alexander SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER M Martin Buckland: his resume writing business began with helping friends P h o to by B arrie E rskine Job growth moderate for fall survey finds A season of moderate job growth is projected for the Oakville-Burlington area this fall, according to the Fourth Quarter Employment Outlook Survey released this week by M anpower. "Our research reveals that 23 per cent o f the O akville-Burlington employers interviewed intend to add staff during the October-December period, while 10 per cent plan cuts," said Claire Small, local M anpower spokesperson. "Another 63 per cent anticipate no changes and 5 per cent are unsure o f their year-end staffing needs." Manpower, a workforce manage m ent solutions firm , found that prospects were brighter three months ago when 27 per cent voiced hiring plans and 7 per cent said cuts were likely. "Employers were more enthusias tic a year ago at this time as 37 per cent said they would increase their workforces, while only 10 per cent predicted they would cut theirs," said Small. This fall, employment opportuni ties are expected in non-durable goods manufacturing, transportation/public utilities, wholesale and retail trade, finance/insurance/ real estate and edu cation. Public administrators plan cuts, while durable goods manufacturers and services firms report mixed inten tions. On a national basis, prospects for Canadian workers remain seasonably bright, although som ewhat below those of a year ago as 26 per cent plan further recruiting, 14 per cent expect staffing declines, 56 per cent antici pate no change and 4 per cent remain uncertain. artin Buckland loved his work as a Scotland Yard detective and fully intended to be a police officer for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, when fate inter vened in the form of viral arthritis, Buckland was faced with the task of re inventing himself. "Because of my illness, I discovered my entrepreneurial ability," says Buckland who immigrated to Canada in 1988 and over the last few years has built one of Canada's foremost compa nies in the field of resume writing and career coaching. Elite Resumes came into being when Buckland, an Oakville resident, discovered he had a talent for writing cover letters and resumes for his friends. "I was always a good communica tor, a wordsmith, so friends \yould ask me to help them out. When I realized that they were actually getting the jobs, I decided I'd found a niche." Starting strictly with resume writ ing, Buckland has steadily built his business to include a comprehensive range of services for his clients such as job search strategies, interview tutoring and career transition coaching. In the last two years, job and inter view tutoring have taken on an increas ingly important role. Buckland is trained in administering several assess ment tests used to identify specific skills and assist in matching these skills to jobs. Specializing in senior executives, he has developed partnerships with many executive search and outplacement firms in Toronto. Buckland says he makes a point of knowing something about every trade and although executives are his special ty, he'll take on anyone who needs his Pharm aceutical logistics firm relocates here VDI R ep-P harm - a leading provider of third party logistics to the Canadian pharm aceutical and pack aged goods' industry, has m oved its B urlington-based operation to a 46,000 sq. ft. facility in west Oakville. Since its inception in 1995, VDI Rep-Pharm has grown dramatically. Starting with a staff of two in a hum ble 1,500 sq. ft. unit, the company now has more than 30 staff and boasts a growing domestic and inter national clientele. The new 46,000 sq. ft. facility offers VDI a 28 ft. Couple honoured with Hypnosis Research Award An Oakville husband and wife, Dr. Dennis Chong and Jennifer Smith Chong, have been given the international Hypnosis Research Award by The National Guild of Hypnotists. The award was handed out at the G uild's annual con vention in New Hampshire. During the weekend, over 170 professionals presented 249 workshops and seminars on topics such as the NGH Client Bill of Rights, practice management, pain control, addictions, geriatrics, past-life therapies, pediatrics, smok ing cessation, weight management and new developments in hypnotherapy. Tbe National Guild of Hypnotists, with 7,000 members in 40 countries, promotes hypnosis/hypnotherapy as a sep arate and distinct profession, while developing programs and techniques to enhance its recognition and acceptance, and providing a forum for the presentation of ideas, infor mation and research. clear ceiling height - providing the logistics firm with the ability to store over 50 percent more product. With additional loading docks and direct access to the QEW, VDI RepP harm 's m ove to O akville has increased the efficiency and effec tiveness of the firm 's logistic opera tions. VDI provides complete logistical services to the domestic an d international healthcare industry, including the management o f product, inform a tion, literature, fulfillment, sampling programs and clinical trials m anage ment. services, including students and "moms" looking to re-enter the work force. The resume, he says is basically a marketing tool. "Ninety-five percent of people don't know how to toot their own horn," he notes. "I know how to do that. I know how to put people in front of people." Over the years, he has dealt with a wildly diverse range of clients includ ing provincial deputy ministers, the trawler captain of a fishing fleet and a Roman Catholic nun who decided to leave the order after 29 years and is now a successful businesswoman. Buckland says the nature of his job means he often has to deal with very distraught people who feel the bottom has dropped out of their lives. He says he knows the feeling, and it enables him to be empathetic and compassion ate, while at the same time offering encouragement to get on with the next step. Buckland's growing expertise in the field has not gone unnoticed by his peers. In the spring he was selected by his certified resume writing peers to join an exclusive group of six North American resume writers to serve exec utive search firms across the United States and Canada. Buckland was cho sen for his ability to deliver high-calibre resumes, specifically for manage ment and senior executives. He is the sole Canadian representative. He was also just selected by JIST Publications to co-write a book on resumes for the health care industry which represents about 10 percent of employment throughout North America. Entitled `Career RX', the book will be published in 2002. Buckland says there are only a handful of firms worldwide who can match his level of professional designa tions which have grown to include memberships in the Professional Association o f Resume Writers, National Association o f Resume Writers, Career Masters Institute and the International Association of Career Management Professionals. Buckland says he is proud of his accomplishments in his second career and feels he has brought a new standard to resume writing in Canada. Others obviously agree with that assessment. Buckland is much in demand as a speaker at conferences and recently was a guest on `Workology', a new CBC Radio program based on the career industry. Further information about the ser vices provided by Elite Resumes can be found on Buckland's newly launched web page at www.AnEliteResume.com or by calling 905-825-0490. John Breakey IT entrepreneur went from basement to industry leader In Oakville there is an abundance of entre preneurs operating successful businesses from their homes who dream of expanding to become a recognized force in their respective industries. That is exactly what John Breakey, a founding partner o f UNIS LUM IN inc., did in the Information Technology industry. John's introduction to technology began as a linesman in a progressive 13-year career in the cable TV industry. In 1986, buoyed by the move ment of the computer industry to rewire the world using cable TV technology, Cablenet Ltd. hired John to join a special "skunk-works" team that was capitalizing on the emerging data net working industry. It was about this time that John and his wife Lynda, both of whom were commuting from Toronto to work in Oakville, decided to make Oakville their home. They found that the distinc source of pride that their very first tive heritage, unique downtown customer, St.- Joseph's Health with the "hometown" feel make it Centre in Toronto remains an an appealing place to raise a fami active client to this day. ly. TTie five-minute commute was In 1996 John realized the need to n't hard to take either. invest back into the community, Eager to apply his experience joining the Chamber of Commerce and share his passion for the busi and serving on a number of task ness benefits technology could forces and com m ittees for yield, John joined with his busi Sheridan College, the OEDA and ness partner, Mauro Lollo in 1990 Recognizing Oakville industry councils. The company to form UNIS LUMIN inc. They Entrepreneurs _________ sponsors a number of children's leveraged their technology knowl sports teams, the United Way and edge into a consulting business that grew as clients invited them back to turnkey various other community projects. I first met John when he was in his humble the integration of the system they recommended. LUM IN's client list reads like a "who's who" in beginnings, in the basement of his home. The Canadian business and includes major corpora company has since become one of the top 15 tions, 32 hospitals, 16 municipalities and almost companies in their industry in Ontario. "We are half of the Ontario Government. It is a great proud of the fact that we employ over 50 people Pride of Oakville in high technology, 26 of whom are Oakville res idents," comments John. If you're looking for John on his days off you will find him at Bronte Outer Harbour washing the fam ily's new "floating cottage" or in the win ter at the hockey arena helping out the Oakville Hornets Girls Hockey. And what is the significance of the name "UNIS LUMIN"? Well, that's a closely guarded secret, which only their clients know for sure! This article was subm itted by Laurie Morrison, Executive Director o f The Enterprise Centre. It is part o f the Pride o f Oakville series, celebrating our local entrepreneurs. Make sure to read through the next three weeks and enter our Dine with a CEO contest hosted by Mayor Ann Mulvale. Contest rules can be seen at www.enterprisecentre.com There s a whole new world out there.! discover it today. W W W .Q a division o f H altonSearch. com ille b e a v e r.co m c o n n e c tin g y o u t o y o u r c o m m u n it y