Contents:

• Welcome
• What's New
• GrandMaster Update

December 2009 - Welcome to the latest edition of The Payroll News. As always, please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and associates who are interested in keeping up with the latest changes in the Payroll industry. Or better yet, subscribe them for free using the Tell Others About Us link.

Listed here are recent changes in legislation on Federal and Provincial levels that may impact your payroll calculations. Please view the following list for changes that affect your region.

FEDERAL:

December 3, 2009 - Interest rates for the first calendar quarter - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) today announced the prescribed annual interest rates that will apply to any amounts owed to the CRA and to any amounts the CRA owes to individuals and corporations. These rates are calculated quarterly in accordance with applicable legislation and will be in effect from January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2010. (Full Story)

November 16, 2009 - T4127, Payroll Deductions Formulas for Computer Programs - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has released the draft version of the T4124 publication that contains the formulas you need to determine federal, provincial (except Quebec), and territorial income taxes, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and Employment Insurance (EI) premium deductions. The formulas also allow you to calculate payroll deductions for special cases such as commission, pension income, bonuses, and retroactive pay increases. (Full Story)

November 10, 2009 - Mandatory T2 electronic filing - coming soon - For tax years ending after 2009, it will be mandatory for corporations with gross revenues exceeding $1 million to file their T2 corporation returns via the Internet. It is important to note that penalties will be applied to tax years ending after 2010 if you do not file your T2 corporation return using the Internet. (Full Story)

November 3, 2009 - Maximum pensionable earnings for 2010 - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced today that the maximum pensionable earnings under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) for 2010 will be $47,200—up from $46,300 in 2009. The new ceiling was calculated according to a CPP legislated formula that takes into account the growth in average weekly wages and salaries in Canada. (Full Story)

November 3, 2009 - The Government of Canada delivers Employment Insurance fairness for the self-employed - The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced that the Government of Canada has introduced the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act, legislation that would extend Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, to the self-employed. (Full Story)

October 27, 2009 - Mandatory information returns electronic filing - coming soon - Starting January 2010, if you submit more than 50 original information returns (slips), you will be required to file electronically using the Internet? This means that if you previously filed returns on paper, DVD, CD, or diskette, you must now file over the Internet. (Full Story)

Alberta:

November 27, 2009 - Latest wage survey helps career seekers and employers- A new survey provides a glimpse into Alberta's labour market showing the average wages earned and job vacancy rates, by occupation, industry and region. "The survey results can help employers determine fair pay scales and guide individual Albertans when making career and educational plans," said Hector Goudreau, minister of Employment and Immigration. (Full Story)

November 23, 2009 - Funding for the Community Development Internship Project improves skills training and creates jobs - Aboriginal youth in the Wood Buffalo region will have access to skills training thanks to Government of Canada funding for the Community Development Internship Project. The Athabasca Tribal Council will deliver the project under the regional component of the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund. (Full Story)

November 12, 2009 - Continued Stability Supports Employers' Commitment - Despite a challenging economy, Alberta employers have once again proven that keeping the right focus on injury prevention and disability management is truly beneficial. This solid achievement and WCB-Alberta’s stable funding position are reinforced by employer premium rates that will remain unchanged at $1.32 per $100 of insurable earnings for the third year in a row. (Full Story)

October 26, 2009 - New resources help Alberta workers stay safe on ice - A new manual and training program are available to keep Albertans who work on ice safe. Also available is a pocket sized version of the manual made of tear-proof and water-proof paper, as well as an online, interactive course employers and workers can take to ensure they know how to stay safe. (Full Story)

October 6, 2009 - Occupational Health and Safety / Employment Standards current charges and prosecutions now online - Albertans now have better access to information about current charges and prosecutions as they relate to Employment Standards and Occupational Health and Safety compliance. The website offers the latest information on individuals or companies that have been charged under the Employment Standards Code or Occupational Health and Safety Act. (Full Story)

British Columbia:

November 5, 2009 - Youth encouraged to explore careers in skilled trades and technology - Local youth will have the opportunity to showcase their talents in the skilled trades and learn about career opportunities in the trades and technology sectors thanks to support from the Government of Canada. It was announced today that federal support for the 2010 Cariboo Regional Skills Competition and the Thompson Rivers University Techno Expo. (Full Story)

November 30, 2009 - WorkBC Web Centre Opens For Employers, Job Seekers - A new, comprehensive on-line service will benefit British Columbians seeking career and skills development information, employers looking to improve labour productivity, and skills training service providers interested in emerging best practices, announced Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Moira Stilwell. (Full Story)

November 3, 2009 - Innovative Training Program Opens For Employers - The Workplace Training for Innovation Pilot program opens for application today, providing small business and not-for-profit employers in British Columbia with access to funding to support employee training, helping improve skills and productivity. Available to employers in every community across the province, the $15-million Workplace Training for Innovation Pilot, funded through the federal Strategic Training and Transition Fund, offers up to $1,500 per employee - to a maximum of $5,000 per employer - to support employee training. (Full Story)

October 22, 2009 - 2010 premium rates to remain among the lowest in 30 years - Employers' 2010 average base premium rates will remain the same as the last two years at $1.56 per $100 of employers' assessable payroll, WorkSafeBC announced today. These are the lowest rates in more than 30 years, down from a high of $2.29 in 1996. (Full Story)

Manitoba:

November 24, 2009 - Average Assessment Rate Stable, Remains Among Lowest in Country - The average WCB assessment rate in Manitoba will remain stable at $1.60 effective January 1, 2010, remaining one of lowest average rates in Canada. Manitoba employers will pay an average of $1.60 per $100.00 of their assessable payroll to the WCB for injury insurance coverage, including wage loss payments, medical benefits and rehabilitation services. That rate may be higher or lower, depending on the employer's injury experience and the safety and health risk of their industry. (Full Story)

October 28, 2009 - Government of Canada supports career development opportunities for youth in Manitoba - Youth in Manitoba will benefit from career development activities thanks to support from the Government of Canada. Mr. Merv Tweed, Member of Parliament for Brandon–Souris, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

October 28, 2009 - Worker Recruitment And Protection Act Supports Employers And Protects New Manitobans - The six-month-old Worker Recruitment and Protection Act (WRAPA), the first such legislation in Canada, has proven effective in protecting vulnerable immigrants and in supporting employers who want to recruit foreign workers, Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan said today. (Full Story)

New Brunswick:

December 4, 2009 - 1,000 more New Brunswickers working compared to same month last year - One thousand New Brunswickers were working last month compared to the same month last year. The unemployment rate was nearly steady, at 8.8 per cent, compared to the same month last year. New Brunswick had 367,800 persons employed in November, up by 1,000 compared to the same month last year but down from 1,600 from last month. (Full Story)

November 16, 2009 - 2010 Assessment Rates Announced - WorkSafeNB has announced its 2010 average assessment rate. The rate will increase slightly from $2.03 per $100 of payroll in 2009, to $2.08. The increase is effective January 1, 2010. "This represents the first increase since 2004, and is necessary to help move WorkSafeNB toward a fully-funded position," said Roberta Dugas, chair of WorkSafeNB's board of directors. (Full Story)

November 12, 2009 - Government of Canada helps youth in Moncton prepare for jobs - Local youth facing barriers to employment will get job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada’s support for an employment project. Mr. Ray Boughen, Member of Parliament for Palliser, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

November 12, 2009 - Government of Canada employment program supports people with disabilities - An individual with disabilities will get help preparing for future employment thanks to support from the Government of Canada for a local employment project. Mr. Rob Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

November 6, 2009 - New Brunswick's unemployment rate is below national average for second consecutive month - The unemployment rate in New Brunswick in October was below the national average for the second consecutive month. More than 1,600 New Brunswickers were working in October than in September. New Brunswick is the only province whose unemployment rate has decreased since the recession began in October 2008. (Full Story)

Newfoundland and Labrador:

November 10, 2009 - Career Work Centre Opened in Stephenville - The Provincial Government's Career Work Centre network was extended to the Bay St. George area with today's grand opening of a new facility in Stephenville. The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, opened the new office at 29 Carolina Avenue this morning, increasing the province-wide network to 11 centres. (Full Story)

November 4, 2009 - JobsinNL.ca Website Officially Launched - The Provincial Government today launched JobsinNL.ca, its new official online recruitment and job search resource. "The launch of this site represents another step in our continued efforts to better connect employers and job seekers throughout the province," said the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. (Full Story)

October 30, 2009 - Government of Canada Supports Skills Training Opportunities in
Newfoundland and Labrador - Beginning November 2, the skills development and employment programs that used to be delivered by the Government of Canada will be transferred over to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Under the new Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement, the Government of Canada is transferring $133 million annually in training funds to the Province. (Full Story)

October 22, 2009 - Deadline for PRIME practice incentive for 2009 - December 31 is the deadline for employers to meet the 2009 practice incentive criteria in order to receive a 5% practice incentive refund in 2010. Go to our PRIME site to see the requirements by size of business. Occupational health and safety training is a mandatory component for most employers - if you need help finding a training provider or course, visit our website at www.whscc.nl.ca. (Full Story)

October 21, 2009 - Base assessment rate unchanged for 2010 - The Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission (WHSCC) is maintaining the average base assessment rate of $2.75 for employers in 2010, and increasing the maximum compensable and assessable earnings limit from $50,379 to $51,235. While the average assessment rate remains unchanged, an estimated 58% of employers will experience a rate decrease, while 42% will see an increase, based on industry group performance. (Full Story)

Nova Scotia:

November 9, 2009 - Government of Canada helps youth in Nova Scotia prepare for jobs - Local youth facing barriers to employment will get job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada’s support for an employment project. Mr. Ray Boughen, Member of Parliament for Palliser, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

October 15, 2009 - Labour and Workforce Development - Proposed amendments to the Labour Standards Code would protect employees from losing their jobs during a public emergency. The amendments would allow workers to take an unpaid leave during a natural disaster or public health risk, to attend to their needs or help a family member. "No one should have to worry about losing their job during a public emergency," said Labour and Workforce Development Minister Marilyn More. (Full Story)

November 14, 2009 - New Apprenticeship Graduates Enter Skilled Trades - Dartmouth resident Elizabeth Cummings is the winner of this year's Apprentice Award of Excellence. The award recognizes a newly certified journeyperson who has made outstanding contributions to the industry and their employer, supporting others in the workplace and demonstrating a strong work ethic. Ms. Cummings is one of 336 apprentices who became certified journeypersons and received certificates of qualification in the northern and central regions of Nova Scotia over the last year. (Full Story)

November 3, 2009 - Job Fair Connects Newcomers, Employers - The second annual job fair for newcomers will attract more than 400 people seeking employment in Nova Scotia. The job fair, featuring more than 35 employers, takes place Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Westin Hotel in Halifax. Newcomers taking part in the job fair will mostly be international graduates, international students near graduation, and immigrants who are either seeking jobs or looking for a career change. (Full Story)

Ontario:

November 26, 2009 - More Health Care Workers Protected - Ontario is increasing protection for health care workers by making the use of safety-engineered needles mandatory in additional workplaces, including doctors' and dentists' offices, community health centres, family health teams and independent health facilities. The regulation will come into effect on July 1, 2010. This is the third phase of the government's efforts to better protect workers from needlestick injuries as part of the Healthy Work Environments Initiative. (Full Story)

November 6, 2009 - Protections For Temporary Help Agency Employees Go Into Effect - New legislation comes into force today that will ensure temporary help agency employees are treated fairly and have a better chance to move to sustainable employment. The new legislation is part of Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy which is designed to build a stronger economy by creating more opportunity for all low-income families and children. (Full Story)

November 5, 2009 - WSIB announces final premium rates for 2010 - For 2010, the WSIB Board of Directors has decided to freeze rates for the majority of employers, while applying the usual rate-setting methodology for the rate groups that have not achieved expected health and safety and return to work outcomes. These groups are generating a greater financial burden on the workplace safety and insurance system. (Full Story - PDF)

November 2, 2009 - Government of Canada encourages careers in skilled trades and technology - The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, kicked off Skilled Trades and Technology Week at Humber College today. "Our government remains committed to helping youth develop the skills and experience that they need to prepare for and succeed in tomorrow's job market," said Minister Finley. "We are proud to support Skills/Compétences Canada in raising awareness of careers in the skilled trades and technology sectors." (Full Story)

Prince Edward Island:

December 4th, 2009 - Employer's Report Form 7: Submit On-line - The Workers Compensation Board of PEI is pleased to offer employers the option of submitting Form 7 - "Employers Report of Accident" electronically. This new e-business initiative, the first for WCB PEI, is a convenient and secure way for employers to complete and submit the Form 7. (Full Story)

November 18, 2009 - Labour Minister Tables Amendments to the Employment Standards Act and Regulations - The Honourable Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Labour, was pleased today to table amendments to the Employment Standards Act and Regulations in the PEI Legislature. It had been more than a decade since the Employment Standards Act and Regulations had last been reviewed when the review committee began their process three years ago. (Full Story)

November 4, 2009 - Public Invited to Participate in Review of Minimum Wage - The Prince Edward Island Employment Standards Board is inviting Islanders to present written submissions for consideration during the annual review of the provincial minimum wage. The Employment Standards Board meets at least once a year to review the Minimum Wage Order and make recommendations to government. The minimum wage on Prince Edward Island recently increased to $8.40 per hour on October 1, 2009. (Full Story)

October 7, 2009 - Government of Canada supports career expo in western PEI - Youth in western Prince Edward Island will benefit from a career expo thanks to support from the Government of Canada. The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament for Egmont, made the announcement today, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

Saskatchewan:

December 02, 2009 - WCB Board Members approve 1.8% reduction in 2010 average premium rate - Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board chairperson David Eberle today announced the 2010 average employer premium rate will fall from $1.66 to $1.63. This is the fourth decrease in five years and the WCB's second-lowest average premium since 2001 ($1.62). (Full Story)

November 12, 2009 - Government of Canada helps Moose Jaw youth prepare for jobs - Local youth facing barriers to employment will get job-preparation training and work experience through the Government of Canada’s support for an employment project. Mr. Ray Boughen, Member of Parliament for Palliser, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

November 6, 2009 - Saskatchewan Records Canada's Lowest Unemployment Rate For The Fifth Straight Month - Saskatchewan's unemployment rate of 5.3 per cent (seasonally adjusted) is once again the lowest in Canada, while Saskatoon and Regina have the lowest unemployment rates among Canadian cities, according to the October Labour Force Survey released today by Statistics Canada. Saskatoon's unemployment rate is 4.4 per cent while unemployment in Regina stands at 5.1 per cent. (Full Story)

October 29, 2009 - Saskatchewan Workers Earning More Than Ever Before - In the face of a global recession, average weekly earnings in Saskatchewan have reached an all-time high of $808.82. Among all provinces, Saskatchewan's average weekly earnings occupied the third highest position after Alberta ($941.80) and Ontario ($853.43). (Full Story)

October 27, 2009 - Saskatchewan Stands Alone With The Lowest Per Capita Number Of EI Beneficiaries In Canada - Saskatchewan has fewer EI beneficiaries per capita than any other province following a 5.3 per cent decrease in EI beneficiaries month over month. An estimated 13,010 Saskatchewan individuals received regular EI benefits in August 2009, a decrease of 730 (-5.3 per cent) from July 2009. That drop was the third largest in Canada (behind Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario), exceeding the national average decline of 2.4 per cent. (Full Story)

October 19, 2009 - WCB Proposes Rate Reduction for 2010 - The Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) today announced its proposal to reduce its 2010 average premium rate by 1.8 per cent to $1.63. It is the fifth premium decrease since 2004. The proposed 2010 rate continues a trend in rate reductions. Since 2004, the WCB's average premium rate has dropped by 20.5 per cent. (Full Story)

October 19, 2009 - Report of WCB Claims Administration and Service Review - A report detailing the findings of a review of the administrative practices and service delivery of the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) was released today by WCB Chairman David Eberle. The report completes the Claims Administration and Service Review commissioned by the WCB earlier this year at the direction of the Honourable Rob Norris, Minister Responsible for the WCB. (Full Story)

October 8, 2009 - Government of Canada helps people with disabilities in Regina find meaningful employment - People with disabilities will get help to prepare for and obtain employment thanks to the Government of Canada's support for two local employment projects. Mr. Ray Boughen, Member of Parliament for Palliser, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. (Full Story)

October 1, 2009 - New Immigration Process Boosts Nominations, Investments And Jobs Creation - Saskatchewan's Minister Responsible for Immigration, Rob Norris, today launched a new process for the Entrepreneur Category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) that will improve processing times, attract investment and foster the creation of more jobs in Saskatchewan. The SINP expects to nominate 250 entrepreneurs and managers by the end of the 2010-11 fiscal year. (Full Story)

Yukon:

November 9, 2009 - Program Paves the Way for First Nation Workers - A new training program geared to improve First Nation workforce engagement in rural communities has received $500,000 in funding. Education Minister Patrick Rouble today announced funding for the Highway Maintenance Worker Training program, which will be delivered in partnership with the Department of Highways and Public Works. Funds will come from the Government of Yukon's new Labour Market Agreement with the federal government. (Full Story)

November 5, 2009 - YWCHSB announces 2010 Assessment Rates and Classification changes - The Board of Directors of YWCHSB is pleased to announce that the 2010 assessment rates will see a majority of Yukon employers receiving rate decreases. Approximately 1,800 employers will be receiving rate decreases while about 1,100 will be seeing rate increases. The average assessment rate for 2010 is set at $2.95 compared with $3.00 last year. (Full Story)

The current release of GrandMaster Suite (5.82) incorporates a number of changes to make it even easier to use the program and perform your payroll tasks. Some of the program changes since our last Payroll News issue include:

• The Remittance Report now includes Gross Pay and number of employees paid - This release contains a change to the Remittance Report to include the total Gross Pay amount for each sequence (detail report) and to also include the Gross Pay in the report grand totals (both detail and non-detail). Additionally, we have added the count of employees paid.
• The T4/T4A Report now prints only information for used box numbers - This release contains changes to the T4/T4A Data Report that dramatically shorten the overall length of the report. Prior to this change we would summarize all box numbers on the report for each employee regardless if they contain values. With this release individual box numbers will only be included if any employee has a value assigned to the box. For example, if you assign amounts to box 83 and only one employee in your payroll database has an amount assigned to this box; it will be included in all other employees' summaries. However, valid box numbers that do not have values will be excluded. This means that if your payroll normally does not use the miscellaneous boxes and only assigns amounts to the commonly used boxes your report will be shortened considerably.
• Employees with HR access only now cannot do payroll reports - We have modified the HR Reports menu to disable all payroll related reports when the user has not been assigned privileges or rights to the Payroll Module. In making this change we have moved several report options from one submenu to a new menu item labeled "HR Work Time".
• HR Employee Position Assignments dialog modified for clarity - With this release we have made modifications to the Employee Position Assignments dialog box in the HR module to reorganize the table so that the position code is more easily visible without having to scroll. This change makes it easier to determine at a glance the actual position that the assignment record represents.
• Employee Profile Report totals on separate page if more than one employee - This release includes a change to the Employee Profile Report to automatically put the grand totals out to a separate page when the report is not including Pay Run Detail and the report includes more than one employee. When reporting on one employee only the grand totals will immediately follow the employee detail.
• The Position Assignment export combines the position and description in one column - Prior to this release when you exported data using the Position Assignment Report in the Human Resource module, the Position field would export the Position Code and the Position Description into the same column. This would make it difficult to manipulate this data after the export. We have modified this program to provide separate columns for the code and the description fields. Additionally, the export was handling the employee name in a similar fashion and a change has been made to split the employee name to Surname and Given Name for the export.
• Utility program to correct CPP overpayment due to incorrect application of exemption - With this release we have included a new utility that will correct CPP overpayment amounts caused by an incorrect application of the employee's CPP exemption amount. In 2009 we had made a change to the method we were using to apply the exemption when calculating CPP however, a situation occurred where a user had restored an prior version of the software resulting the CPP exemption being set to the yearly maximum and the period exemption would not be used to calculate the CPP amounts causing an overpayment. The utility program will scan through the history and properly assign the exemption amounts per pay period, then determine if an overpayment exists. When an overpayment is found the utility will create a transaction to pay back the overpayment to the employee and company portion accordingly. When an employee has reached the yearly maximum deduction amount there will not be an overpayment transaction. Likewise, if an employee no longer has active status in the payroll an adjusting transaction will not be created but will be noted in the log file created by the utility program. To use this utility you MUST contact Technical Support for assistance.
  

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Visit CanPay's News page and view the latest Release Notes for a complete listing of program changes.

Link Opportunity! - If you are a CanPay customer wanting more exposure for your Website, please send us a 50-word description along with a copy of your logo. We'll add you to our Customer Links page and create a link directly to your website. It 's a great way to expose your goods and services to the community. Logos should be a maximum of 160 x 70 pixels and provided in the .gif or .jpg format. Send your e-mails to admin@canpay.com.

Soft Skills As Important As Raw Talent

Adi Rosin was CEO of a high-tech company with a New York office looking to hire engineers -- and he wanted the best for the growing firm. He selected the applicants who attended the top schools and with the highest academic standing, but when they arrived for the job interviews, something was missing.

"I screened for the brightest of the crop -- they all had one or two degrees from the finest schools in the world -- but I came out of those interviews really saddened," Rosin says. "Something was failing these guys. They were brilliant people, and they could write phenomenal code. But if I had asked them to interact with other team members, or write an e-mail to obtain a response, it would have been a disaster."

They had the credentials, but they rarely made eye contact during the interview. Their posture lacked confidence. The handshakes were limp. "I'm not talking about appearance," Rosin says. "They had the best education money could buy, but there was so much missing."

Rosin was puzzled, so he started paying attention to articles about teamwork and leadership. He was fascinated by the subject and he realized those young engineers were missing some important skills they don't teach at school. Skills such as assertiveness, leadership and how to interact with people. "It's not about being smart, but these skills aren't taught in school," says Rosin, 47. "I would have loved to know these things when I was 18."

When he became a father himself, he began to think about what he could do to help his children lead happy and successful lives, and a few years later, he left the high-tech world and moved with his family to West Vancouver. But rather than look for work in his field, the software engineer created an after-school program for elementary and high school students that teaches the "soft skills" they don't learn in class.

The course, called Intelligent for Life, is now beginning its second year with students in North and West Vancouver, and Rosin plans to expand to other areas. He hopes that by learning these skills early, young people will be more successful at work and in life. "I believe you should start learning these things as early as possible," he says. "You can be really smart, but still be unsuccessful if you're missing the social skills."

Knowing how to work well with others and how to be your best in a job interview are important, but finding the right fit is also critical for job-seekers as well as employers, according to Jan van der Hoop, co-founder of a Halifax-based company that develops hiring practices for companies.

"We are told the steps to putting together a good resumé and cover letter and we learn interview techniques, but none of this deals with fit," says van der Hoop, president of HiringSmart. "I think the problem is the hiring process -- it hasn't changed in 50 years and it's not working. Credentials, education and work history are the worst predictors of success, and people are leaving their jobs in droves either mentally or physically. "If the fit is off, you are never going change it."

Collecting the details is part of the hiring process, but they shouldn't be the focus, he says. In fact, his company counsels employers to adopt resumé-free hiring -- looking for candidates with the right attitude and values, and considering how they will fit with their manager, the job, the team and the company before checking credentials. "If the fit is right, you can teach what's missing," van der Hoop says.

While his company works with employers, he says job-seekers should also be looking for the right fit when interviewing for a new position. Ask questions, but also be willing to share information about yourself during the interview. If you can articulate what type of manager and work environment motivates you, there's a better chance of finding the right job.

"Everyone has a vested interest in fit," he says. "There are all kinds of prices to pay for disengagement. We have to get away from the belief that any job is a good job."

Canwest News Service