SmartCity Blog

Halifax Welcomes over 3,000 International Students

The blue banners hanging on the MacDonald Bridge to welcome international students brings me back to the first day I came to Halifax. 

It was on Aug 20, 2005. I landed at the Halifax international Airport around 11pm and everything was new and exciting to me.  Friendly smiles and warm greetings of “welcome to Halifax” from strangers put me at ease and made me feel right at home.

I have loved Halifax since then, and I now work as the Coordinator of the International Student Connector Program at the Partnership. I work with international students to help them expand their networks and deepen their attachment to our community. This increases their chances of finding employment in their field and building a career here in Halifax. The employers I work with benefit from connecting to skilled, and highly motivated, individuals with global perspectives and experience - helping them access new talent and tap into international markets. 

I’m so fortunate to be part of this year’s Welcome International Students Campaign, greeting 3,200 international students from over 140 countries who have come to study here.  International students bring diversity and creativity to classrooms, communities, and workplaces. They contribute $200 million to our economy annually, making Halifax a more global and competitive city. They are Halifax’s ambassadors to the rest of the world, and they will be the part of solutions to our pending labour shortages.

Top Reasons to Hire an International Student

1. Bringing investment opportunities and connections to global markets
2. Bringing new ideas, new perspectives and enthusiasm
3. Canadian educated and accustomed to life here
4. Multilingual skills and international work experience
5. Hiring is easy and free
6. Addressing labour market needs
7. Contributing to our cultural diversity and strengthening our communities
8. More people contributing to our economy

How to Connect and Hire

Hiring an international student or graduate is easy. International students can work in Canada on-campus, off-campus, as part of a post-secondary program, and after graduation.  Once a student has obtained a work permit, the process is the same as hiring domestic students and regular employees.

The International Student Connector Program can connect you to international students looking to expand their networks and start a career in Halifax. By opening your business to an international student, you’ll reach across borders, find new opportunities, and help make Halifax a more diverse and welcoming city. 

For more information on hiring international students or to become a Connector visit www.welcometoHFX.com, call 490-6000, or email me at jguo@greaterhalifax.com.   

 

Jackie Guo is the Coordinator of International Student Connector Program. In addition to his work at the Partnership, Jackie is an active volunteer for Halifax United Way.

Fresh perspective, determined work ethic

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent.  Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in the City. 

This is the final article in this series, with a viewpoint on why your organization needs to consider hiring an immigrant.

Chances are slim you will hear an immigrant say they are looking for ‘work/life balance’ in an interview.  Our Canadian-born graduating sons and daughters may be saying that, but immigrants?  Not so much.

In the past several months, I have had the opportunity to interview six immigrants who have found gainful employment through the Partnership’s Halifax Connector Program.   All of them – students or mature adults – are articulate, thoughtful and smart.  Their command of the English language, both written and oral, is astonishing.  They learned their English at school, in the same manner our children learn French (not immersion) as a core subject.  I wonder if my children, after core French, could study Commerce in French and then emerge fluent enough to land a job in France?  Perhaps.  That not only takes smarts but a wonderful quality called perseverance.

Sisley, who appeared earlier in this series, said, “It’s expensive for us to come here so we have to study hard.  Due to the high costs of being an international student, a student arriving here takes that seriously and plans to succeed.”   And that work ethic follows her right to an employer.

Zahra, another international student, was so dedicated to learning English before she left Tehran that she studied it at the language school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday to Friday.   She would then return home to study every night from 3 to 11 p.m. for 90 days before writing the internationally recognized Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

What employer wouldn’t want this kind of dedication on the job?

“Many immigrants leave their countries simply because they want to use their education and experience in a nation that welcomes diversity,” says Margie Casallas, the Partnership’s Coordinator, Immigration Employer Support Program.

Being welcomed means immigrants bring another wonderful quality to the table about living and working here that we too often take for granted:  Gratitude for what we have.  Things like fresh air, open spaces, and that it’s not too crowded. 

The people I interviewed are deeply thankful for the new beginnings Halifax has offered them.  Being here is good.  Being here with a job aligned with one’s expertise and education is better.  Being here with a meaningful career and welcoming communities – at work and in the neighbourhood – is best.

We know that ‘like hires like’.  In 2011, stretch.  Go beyond your comfort zone.  Become a Connector and share your network.  Better yet, interview an immigrant for an opportunity, one aligned with their expertise and education.  They will bring their experience and more – their perseverance, tireless work ethic and gratitude for a new and fresh beginning.

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca

 

Leaving it all behind

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent.  Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in the City. 

This is the sixth of seven stories showing what you have made possible.

There are many reasons people leave their countries and decide to make Halifax their new home.  Some are familiar, like marrying a Canadian, or just wanting to go someplace new and exciting to live and work.  Others are more urgent.

Maya Moscovich and her daughter were on the way to the mall in their car in southern Israel when a bomb dropped about 100m in front of them.  Although unhurt, every time a police siren wailed afterwards, her daughter would say, “Momma, we have to find a shelter!” Maya thought, this is not a normal thing for a three year old to be saying, and in that moment she knew they had to leave.

Maya and her husband, Isaac, had no friends, family or jobs waiting here for them in Halifax when they decided to come. They discovered on the Internet that the local Jewish community was looking to increase its numbers and had done the legwork for potential Jewish immigrants to become permanent Canadian residents upon arrival.

“We didn’t know where Halifax was, although we knew generally where Nova Scotia was.  We looked at reviews and photos and thought, this looks good!”  In July 2009, Isaac arrived.  Maya and their two children arrived one month later.  Immediately they began looking for work.

They sent Isaac’s resume around the city first.  Within a month, he had an interview with Norex’s Brandon Kolybaba.  Unknown to the Moscoviches, Brandon was one of the Partnership’s Connectors and because Norex wasn’t hiring, Brandon officially referred Isaac to the Connector Program – which got Maya connected, too.

Maya’s Connectors were “really nice” people who gave her tips, helped her learn how to introduce herself and how to build a resume.  In the end, Maya found a local job through the Internet, “but I was really grateful to have this network of people who embraced me and were helping me.”

Once Isaac’s resume landed on Project Coordinator Cindy Dean’s desk, she immediately thought of Pat D’Entremont at Nicom IT Solutions, the Program’s first Connector.  Cindy reached out to Pat and at the same time, an Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS) employment specialist who knew Isaac said, “Isaac needs to meet Pat!”

Turns out, Pat was looking for someone with Isaac’s expertise and three days later he was hired.

“It was all a circle and so amazing how it all worked out,” said Maya.  Thanks to the networking opportunities with the Connector Program, both Isaac and Maya are working in jobs in their fields of expertise.

Maya and Isaac’s young children are already speaking fluent English and will continue speaking Hebrew.  “Inside our home, they will always have their Jewish part – their language and traditions – but we are happy to be here and to let them adjust to living in Nova Scotia just as it is.

 

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca

Atlantic YES!- Transforming Ideas into Economic Opportunities

I am still supercharged from the inaugural Atlantic Youth Entrepreneurship Summit-Atlantic YES! held at St. Francis Xavier University from May 13-15.

I met young promising entrepreneurs from Atlantic Canada, listened to their dreams and successes, and learned about their challenges and frustrations. This summit is all about helping young entrepreneurs succeed by transforming their ideas into economic opportunities.  

A variety of keynote speeches, panels an d workshops helped participants strengthen their entrepreneurship skills and create economic growth for their community and region through leadership and innovation.  The youth delegates talked about issues like lacking connections, networking and employment opportunities.

The last day of the summit, each province developed an action plan to foster entrepreneurship and help youth realize their potential. The Nova Scotia delegation came up with a plan that included priorities like communication & awareness, collaboration, and youth retention and attraction.

As one of the presenters of the Nova Scotia Action Plan, I shared some of the great strategies and programs from Halifax that could be replicated in other cities and provinces to keep the best and brightest young people:

• The Partnership’s Halifax Connector Program model has been, and can be, replicated by other cities wanting to retain talented people. The International Student Connector Program connects International Masters of Finance, MBA, and co-op education students with business leaders to expand their networks and deepen their attachment to Halifax.    

• Fusion is also about the "next generation" in Halifax. Created for young people, by young people, this group works to capture the voice, spirit and engagement of 20-40 year olds in shaping the future of Halifax and to inspire active citizenship, create dynamic networks, develop new friendships and generate great ideas in everything from business, to arts and culture to sustainable communities.  Why not a Fusion Sydney or Fusion New Glasgow?

• The Y2E Project  - led by Partnership staff in 2008 - worked with local employers, youth and service providers like the YMCA employment centre, to develop a strategy that would make the business connection between priority youth and employers in Halifax.  The result was the Y2E Framework - a model that could be implemented by other cities looking to improve young people's employment prospects and connections to the community.

I was truly inspired by the young entrepreneurs’ passion to make a difference, their love for their communities and their hunger for success.

Together we can build a better Nova Scotia and region!

Jackie Guo is the Coordinator of International MBA Student Connector Program.

2011 ALLIES Mentoring Conference: Learn +Lead

Earlier this month, I attended the 2011 ALLIES Mentoring Conference in Calgary where over 150 delegates from across Canada came together to collaborate ideas, share best practices, experiences and explore new opportunities to build a stronger Canada by using the talents of skilled immigrants. 

The focus of the conference was mentorship, and how it can strengthen the fabric of Canadian society by connecting people with one another.  I had the opportunity to present the Connector Program to conference delegates and once again there was a buzz among other cities to implement a similar program in their regions. 

As Kelly mentioned in the most recent Connector story posted this week, the program is considered a best practice and four other cities have duplicated it Montreal, North Bay, Niagra, and Waterloo.

The ALLIES Conference reiterated that everyone has a role to play with immigration. It takes time, but we need to begin to invest in our own capacity to connect immigrants to opportunities in our communities. This will make Halifax more diverse and vibrant and bring practical, tangible benefits for our economy.  You can do your part today by becoming a Connector!

 

Cindy Dean is  Project Coordinator for the Halifax Connector Program, a Greater Halifax Partnership Initiative. Program partners are the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration, The Maytree Foundation and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. 

Networking …cubed

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent. 

Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in Halifax. 

This is the fifth of seven stories showing what you have made possible.
 
 
Since July 2009, the Halifax Connector Program has helped 118 immigrants and newcomers to Halifax and of these, 40 have found gainful and appropriate employment.  This program is considered so successful that it has been recognized as a best practice by the Conference Board of Canada and four entities have duplicated it:  the Montreal Board of Trade, North Bay’s Mayor’s Office on Economic Development, Niagra Immigrant Employment Council, and the Waterloo Greater Chamber of Commerce.

But it’s impossible to do anything well without help from the right people in the right places offering their expertise and – no surprise – their own networks, too.

Two other organizations in addition to the Partnership play key roles in the Connector Program’s success.  One is the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration (NSOI), which provides funding and has an agreement with the federal office of immigration to ‘fast-track’ nominations for permanent residency here, and the second is Immigration Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS).

“ISIS is a well-rounded service agency that offers immigrants a menu of programs,” said Emilie Coyle, a consultant with ISIS and its mentorship program.  “We look at the immigrant’s experience, skills for work and determine if there are gaps in their expertise to meet Canadian requirements.”  ISIS also offers an in-depth mentorship opportunity, “matching immigrants with people established in the same profession.”  Sound similar to the Connector Program?

“Yes,” said Emilie, “with one key difference: the mentorship program needs a mentor who can commit to an immigrant over a longer period of time.”  Connectors, on the other hand, are only asked to donate 30 minutes of their time, and offer an immigrant at least three qualified leads in their field of expertise.

“I would love for everyone to be a mentor,” said Emilie, “and I also see the value of people opening up their professional networks, especially since so many immigrants have everything they need to succeed – except contacts in their fields.”

ISIS is the Partnership’s key source for labour-qualified immigrants, ready to enter the workforce – if they could just reach the right people.

Getting Immigrants in "the loop"

“I discovered that a large percent of the available jobs in Halifax are not advertised – even in the local business community.  It’s all done by referral and word-of-mouth,” said Michael Johnson, Director, Programs and Corporate Initiatives, NSOI.  “That’s why we like the Connector Program so much.  It gets immigrants inside the loop and it helps us reach our strategic goal to retain talent once it’s here.  We need to be very proactive about keeping people here for our economic growth and to shore up our declining population.”

NSOI is one of the Connector Program’s critical sources of funding, along with partners The Maytree and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundations.  The Toronto and Montreal based foundations jointly fund ALLIES (Assisting Local Leaders with Immigrant Employment Strategies).

As Connector Jamie Welsh of Deloitte said, “It is hard to put into words, but helping immigrants find meaningful work in Halifax is hugely rewarding.  It’s a little thing for us, to connect a person to a few others in our network.  But it means the world to them.”

The network support of ISIS and NSOI means a world to the Partnership, too.

 

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca

 

How homework pays off

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent. 

Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in Halifax. 

This is the fourth of seven stories showing what you have made possible.

How does one decide to leave a city as large as Tehran and choose a city as small as Halifax to study – then live?  By doing the homework. 

Zahra Pahlevani’s father wanted her to see a different part of the world so in 2004, he sent her to study at the American College of Dubai, for US students living abroad and then wondered where she could go next. His research led her to St. Mary’s University (SMU) to continue her business degree in 2006. 

This choice disappointed Zahra at first.  She had many international friends after two years and was sad to leave them so quickly.  “But now, I am so happy that I am here.  I can see that he made the right choice for me.”  Zahra has lots of new friends – both local and international – in Halifax and, “I met them all at SMU.”

Zahra graduated from SMU in October 2008, “the worst time to graduate because of the recession.  I couldn’t find work so I moved to Calgary for 60 days.  I realized then that Halifax had captured my heart and I needed to return.”  She moved to the closest place that had a job: Antigonish, a two and a half hour drive from Halifax.

While in Antigonish, Zahra heard about the Connector Program and Project Coordinator Cindy Dean who connected her to Jamie Welsh at Deloitte.  “Both Jamie and Cindy were very helpful and encouraging.”  It was these meetings that gave Zahra the confidence to continue looking in Halifax.

In the end, a networking friend forwarded a job opening to her for Satlantic, an export manufacturer of water quality measurement equipment and Zahra got an interview. 

“The moment I walked into their building, I knew it was the right place for me.”  That feeling was followed up with a job offer, and Zahra now works as a Marketing Associate.

Tehran is a long way from Halifax, but when you do your homework, follow your heart and have some connected people helping you along the way, it really does turn out for the best.

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca

A Bid for a Better Future

In my early teens I went to St. Joseph’s Junior High in the Halifax’s North End.  Walking up Russell St. to school early in the morning or heading home late I would often pass a shipyard worker with inevitable lunch can and a thermos.  I went to school with lots of kids whose fathers worked at the yard and I got to know firsthand that the work was often unsteady and that good years were often followed by bad ones.  This has changed somewhat in recent years with the acquisition of the yard by Irving.  But with hoped for success in winning a portion of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy the yard could move to a level of stability and prosperity unheard of for generations.

The National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy will see two of four major yards in Canada take on $35 billion in construction and maintenance work over the next 30 years.  How Important to Nova Scotia is winning the $25 billion combat portion of this project?  Nothing is more important for the future of our province.  Indeed nothing else even comes close.  The project will provide high wage high value jobs to a new generation of workers.  It will boost consumer spending, government’s tax take, and it will turn Halifax into one of Canada’s high growth cities for the future.

It’s been said that this project is the most important defence related initiative in the province in the 100 years since the Navy was established.  In fact, it is the most important project of any kind in 100 years.  The raw numbers bear this out.  The project will generate upwards of 4000 jobs in Atlantic Canada, mainly in Nova Scotia, with spinoffs spread across the Atlantic Region and across the country.  The project could generate as much as $7 billion in Nova Scotia wages, much of it destined for spending on homes, cars, and other things.  The project could pour close to $1.3 billion into provincial tax coffers, money the province will desperately need to deliver the increased health care and other services we will need in the near future.

  Of all the major projects on the books in Atlantic Canada this is the largest.  Nova Scotia’s largest energy project, Deep Panuke is worth an $800 million project which and will generate 400 direct and indirect jobs.  Nova Scotia’s largest residential construction project, Clayton’s Bedford West Development, will be worth $1 billion over 20 to 25 years and house 20,000 people when completed.  All of Newfoundland’s planned investments in offshore oil development and exploration are worth about $6 billion.  The Atlantic Region’s largest mining project is the Voisey Bay Nickel processing facility with an investment of $3billion.  It will include 3000 person years of construction and 400 fulltime jobs thereafter.  All of these vital and important projects pale in comparison to the potential of the combat ship project contemplated for Halifax Shipyard.

The project will allow new small business to start up and grow while driving new opportunities for dozens of existing businesses.  It will provide first job opportunities for new community college and university grads and may even attract some of the talent that has flowed west in recent years.  Indeed the project could spur higher levels of business confidence as thousands of workers and hundreds of businesses begin to contemplate 30 years of steady work and steady business at Halifax Shipyard.

Nova Scotia’s important Tourism industry accounts for about 2% of GDP or $646 million in provincial gross  domestic product.  Employment is 22,400 generating direct income of $475 million.  This project would be like adding 50% to the value of the tourism industry in one year and continuing that impact every year for a generation.

So yes times could be about to change.  One of Canada’s great family companies and some of Canada’s most talented workers have thrown in together to provide a mix of shipbuilding expertise and a history of accomplishment that can’t be matched anywhere in Canada.  Already 250 apprentices are in the vanguard of the next generation.  This next generation is hopeful that merit, superior technical expertise and a history of accomplishment will win the day.  They are hopeful that there will be no political thumbs on the scales of decision makers on this project. It’s too important.  The size and scope of this project and its potential to drive positive economic growth in our province is unprecedented.  Nova Scotians have begun to stand with the men and women of Halifax Shipyard in their bid for a better future for all of us.

 Fred Morley is the Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at the Greater Halifax Partnership.

Childhood Experience Morphs into Day Job

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent. 

Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in Halifax. 

This is the third of seven stories showing what you have made possible.

Long before there was a Halifax Connector Program, Jamie Welsh, CA, Senior Manager at Deloitte, had a reference point and a clear understanding of people of other cultures.

In middle school, he befriended two exchange students from Taiwan.  “It was a great experience and I’m sure I learned more than the students did,” said Jamie.  Jamie’s mom worked at Saint Mary’s University where there has always been a significant international student population and this led to Jamie living on campus while taking his degree and immersing himself in the international culture SMU offered. 

Not long after Jamie was hired at Deloitte, he became very involved with the Halifax office’s recruiting practices. This was when his childhood experience merged with his day job and he decided whenever possible he would help immigrants find careers in Halifax. 

But it wasn’t easy.

“In Halifax, those who do not have a strong command of conversational English find the local job market challenging.  This is despite the fact that exchange students obtain very high Grade Point Averages and they are achieving these marks in a foreign language, because English is not their mother tongue.”  The students Jamie sees, he encourages to get out, socialize, network and meet people because conversational language skills are one of the keys to getting that first job.

Although Jamie was already connecting immigrants to jobs, one young immigrant in particular inspired Jamie to become an ‘official’ Connector with the Partnership.

“Max was bright, had a high GPA in finance from SMU.  He came to me after several months of unsuccessful searching in the local job market.  He comes from an Ukraine/Russian background so when he spoke it was clear from his accent he wasn’t from here – but he had that conversational piece and he was professional.  I felt he would fit well in the financial services industry,” says Jamie.

Unfortunately, Max had limited direct experience and during his time in the job market one recruiter suggested he consider working at a retail outlet for customer service experience, and come back in a year’s time.

“I couldn’t believe someone thought that working in retail was in any way going to help Max land a job in the financial services field,” said Jamie.

This led Jamie to sign up as Connector and connect Max to three financial institutions he felt might see his potential and give him a chance.  Within three weeks, Max had a job offer in hand from Citco.  “The truth is, Max should have been able to do this himself in our community.”

Why is Jamie so passionate about being a Connector?  “This program is a critical part of reaching the city’s long-term strategy of attracting and retaining qualified labour.  It proves that by helping one professional newcomer secure a job in their field of expertise, you have helped make our community and our local economy more successful.”

For Jamie, being a Connector is more than a job.  It’s incorporating the core beliefs with which he was raised and applying them to make a real difference in people’s lives in a city he loves – one person at a time.   

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca

Canadian Economics and Clean Air

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent. 

Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in Halifax. 

This is the second of seven stories showing what you have made possible.

Two-thirds of Canada’s entire population would fit in Huijing He’s hometown of Shanghai, a city described by Wikipedia as the ‘birthplace of everything modern in China.’  Yet she left it all behind to pursue a commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University in a city with less than half a million people – and only 1 percent is Chinese.

“I was very much interested in North American culture,” says Huijing, who goes by her English nickname, Sisley, chosen for her favourite fashion designer.  “I was bored at university at home and thought it would be a great opportunity to study abroad while I was young.”  Upon graduation with her degree in finance in May 2010, Sisley decided to stay in Halifax.

“I like it here.  The population is smaller, there are no line-ups, less traffic and the clean air is good too!  Most of what I learned was about Canadian economics so I thought it would be good to stay here, work for a few years, and put what I learned into practice.  Then I can contribute a little bit back here too.”

Sisley began her work search using the Partnership’s Connector Program.  “An international student who was a friend of mine told me about the program.  He had been ‘connected’ and found a six-month contract.”  He introduced Sisley to the Partnership’s Connector Project Coordinator, Cindy Dean, who connected her to Dina ¬Pellosis Tabuzo at Royal Bank of Canada and Joyce LaBossiere at World Financial Group.  These banking contacts helped Sisley with her resume and “they helped me improve myself.
 
“It was nice talking with them because I got ideas about looking for jobs and I think at the end of September, Joyce got back to me and told me a friend of hers was looking to fill an internship position at AEG Financial Services in Bedford.

“I contacted the person at AEG who turned out to be the owner of the company and we just started talking.  At the end of the interview, I got the job.

“The whole process with the Connector Program went very well for me. I met two Connectors and that is pretty much how I got my job. I think people have to make the most of it when you meet someone new.  Once there is a chance [for a job], you have to really try hard to get it.”

From Shanghai to Halifax.  For Sisley, Halifax is where great things happen – in a small size.

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca