Professional Documents
Culture Documents
William M. Samuel
211‐2380 Baseline Road
Ottawa, ON K2C3J4
Phone: 613‐302‐9455
Email: willsamuel@rogers.com
Website: http://www.willsamuel.ca/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/willsamuel
Summary of Skills
Proven quality in research methodology
Ten years customer service experience
Solid Communicator with experience in new/social media
Empathetic and understanding to people’s needs
Culturally sensitive with advanced understanding of cultural and individual needs
Some budgeting/accounting experience
Able to type at 70wpm at 90‐100% accuracy
Understanding of a number of computer programs
Adaptable, quick learning and friendly
Employment Experience
Canadian Development Consultants International Inc., Ottawa ON
January 2011 – April 2011
Research Assistant
o Worked together research team fulfilling their requirements with Canadian
Federal Government contracts
o Arranged for travel and accommodation for regional vice president to travel to
Vancouver from Ottawa and back as well as for visiting Vancouver staff
o Ordered both office and contract supplies from maintaining stock for researchers
to continue their work
o Maintained a comprehensive filing system that included both hardcopy and
softcopy systems
o Budgeted for a contract on a tight deadline to spend no more than $1100.00 for
remaining supplies and negotiated to purchase all items requested
o Compiled file information into excel database for ease of use
o Drew up expense reports for management team, researchers and petty cash
o Performed weekly deposits into corporate and researcher accounts
Technologies Utilized: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, FileMaker Pro, ACDSee Pro, Internet
Explorer, multi‐line telephone, two full functioning copy/scanner systems
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Career Development and Cooperative Education Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa ON
September 2009 – April 2010
Resume and Cover Reviewer
o Maintained positive working relationships with both colleagues and students
which drew on a strong customer service background
o Proofread resumes and cover letters for undergraduate student appointments
while offering suggestions on style, spelling and grammar
o Familiar with the four conventional designs in the Curriculum Vitae, Skills (or
Functional), Chronological and Combination resumes
o Provided each student with information about resume strategies and techniques
from printed material
Mock Interviewer
o Conducted mock interviews for undergraduate students seeking both part‐time
and full‐time employment in many fields of interest
o Coached undergraduate students with tips on how to be successful in an
interview as well as interview etiquette
o Offered feedback on how mock interviews were conducted and suggestions for
different approaches to interviews or specific questions
o Provided each student with information about interview strategies and
techniques from printed material
What can I do with a degree in...? project
o Researched non‐one‐to‐one graduate degree options through internal database
and created new pages with Adobe Contribute with same look and feel as
existing university web pages
o Networked within the Carleton University faculty community to gain further
information about graduate programs
Technologies Utilized: Windows based PCs, MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SMART
Board, Macromedia Contribute, Internet Explorer, Firefox, multi‐tray photocopier, and multi‐line
telephone
Algonquin College Counselling Services, Ottawa ON
February 2005 – July 2007
Peer Tutor
o Employed empathy and strong communication skills to ensure students felt
comfortable and understood the goals of each session
o Reviewed instructor assignments to help students understand the assignment
requirements and goals clearly
o Proofread essays and assignments on a daily basis while offering advice on style
and corrections in grammar, structure and spelling
o Guided students to effective research methodology and techniques while
utilizing the college library and databases
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Proctor and Scribe
o Assisted disabled students with exams and tests by reading questions and
writing down their answers in their own words
Technologies Utilized: Windows based PCs, MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Internet Explorer,
and Algonquin College library database
Canada Post Corporation, Ottawa ON
September 2003 – December 2003 (contract)
Customer Service Representative
o Responded to incoming phone calls with a high level of customer service while
maintaining exceptional metrics
o Tracked parcel mail locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.
o Scheduled business client package pick up for DHL shipping
o Participated in the Letters to Santa campaign by answering written letters and
cards to children across Canada
Technologies Utilized: Windows based PCs, Outlook, Internal Canada Post tracking system,
scheduling software, and multi‐line telephone
Convergys Customer Management Canada / Taima Corporation, Ottawa ON
July 2000 – July 2003
Billing and Sales Customer Service – ACN Energy contract (6 months)
o Handled incoming phone calls typically pertaining to rate changes and increases
to electricity utility during the California Electricity Crisis
o Managed often stressful phone calls from customers whom were both confused
and trapped by circumstances beyond their control
o Maintained in‐house records on billing information
o Honed empathy techniques and treated each customer with a level of respect
that they deserved
o Earned appreciation awards from managers of the contract for going above and
beyond the job description
Technical Support Representative – Roadrunner contract (2.5 years)
o Utilized a strong customer service understanding to ensure that each point of
contact was treated with respect while attempting to address their issues
o Dealt with incoming phone calls, emails and chats dealing with a number of
internet connectivity issues from email and browser support, to home
networking and overall connection issues
o Generated clear and concise notes using Remedy
o Earned special assignments in other roles as well as several in‐house as well as
external customer service appreciation awards
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Back‐up Second Level Support – Roadrunner contract (as needed)
o Assisted fellow technical support representatives with advanced technical
questions which often led to resolutions
o Reconciled a number of escalations from peers with difficult or angry customers
o Prepared Remedy notes according to my work with peers or customers with
detailed resolutions or suggestions for further support from the next level
Recursive Training/Coaching – Roadrunner contract (as needed)
o Facilitated one‐on‐one and group training about how to lower talk times and
increase customer service responses / quality assurance or how to write clearer
remedy notes
Escalation Support Team – Roadrunner contract (1 month trial)
o Assisted Team Leaders dealing with upset and discouraged customers
o Resolved and often deescalated customers while providing advanced
troubleshooting
Technologies Utilized: Windows based PCs, Macintosh OS up to 9.x, MS Office Suite, Outlook
Express, Remedy, HEAT internal chat‐based client, AIM, Network Topography, Internet Explorer,
Netscape Navigator, Firefox
Volunteer Experience
Clive Doucet for Mayor Campaign, Ottawa ON
Sept 2010 – Oct 2010
Social Media Guru
o Announced schedule of Clive Doucet on a daily basis as well as provided up to
date changes in schedule for public interest
o Monitored redistributed news media that reported on Mr. Doucet across social
networks
o Opened new channels of dialogue between Mr. Doucet and his campaign using
social networks including the first and only mayoral candidate to host dedicated
live online chat sessions with voting public (#AskClive on Twitter)
o Maintained dominate presence through Twitter with 356 “tweets” on the
account CliveForMayor (campaign account which I was responsible for)
o Created and organized weekly itinerary for Clive Doucet to be then given to the
local press on upcoming events during the weekends
o Assisted with the placement of campaign signs both for general purpose and
then 24 hours before election day moving said signs to strategic positions near
polling stations
o Canvassed both with Clive Doucet and without the candidate at events ranging
from a few dozen to thousands of people as well as door to door
Technologies utilized: Drupal (website application), Twitter, TweetDeck, Facebook, YouTube,
Vimeo, Flickr, MS Word, iPhone smart phone
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Career Development & Co‐Operative Education, Carleton University, Ottawa ON
Sept 2009 – April 2010
Event Volunteer
o Supported co‐ordinator with set up, tear down and guidance to other event
volunteers with tasks to accomplish
o Answered questions from recruiters/employers, faculty, administration and
students whom visited the career fair
X‐Camera, Ottawa ON
2005 – 2006
Co‐Founding Member / Volunteer
o Participated in bi‐weekly meetings discussing topics of interest and deciding
which charitable causes the group would work on together
Food for Thought, Ottawa ON
2004 – 2005
Founder / Volunteer
o Created and designed website for campaign (no longer online) to help promote
awareness to hunger issues in the Ottawa area
o Collected over $500 in canned food and cash donations through the campaign
o Presented in class presentations to college students about hunger issues in the
Ottawa area
o Managed small teams of 3‐4 people aimed at helping raise awareness and collect
donations from student population
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Honours, Anthropology with a minor in History (2010)
Carleton University, Ottawa
Courses Include: Canadian Social History, Historical Representation, Aboriginal Peoples of
Canada, Advanced Studies in Indigenous Peoples of North America, Studies in Race and
Ethnicity, Development and Underdevelopment, Colonialism and Post‐Colonialism,
Ethnographic Research Methods and Urban Sociology as well as courses in science and
technology studies.
General Arts and Science, Pre‐Media diploma (2006)
Algonquin College, Ottawa
Courses Include: Computer Foundations I & II, English I & II, Political Studies I, Creative Thinking,
Sociology I & II, Writing for Media and Communications, Film Studies, Public Affairs, Reading
and Writing Prose, Group Dynamics, Psychology of Growth and Development, Fundamentals of
Philosophy, Research Methodologies, Literary Currents, Understanding Human Sexuality, Roots
of World Conflict, The Cultural Mosaic
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Honours Thesis and Notable University papers
Being Mé(tis) (2010)
A culmination of a yearlong research project and several years of thought on identity issues,
this 40‐page honours thesis is about Métis Identity in modern day Canada. The thesis explores
historical definitions of Métis, misconceptions of the modern use of the term and how Métis
people should not be limited by definition, but be accepted for who they are. This thesis
received high praise from peers and supervising professor alike, along with an A grade. Mr.
Samuel utilized extensive sociological, anthropological and historical library, online and video
archives to complete this thesis over the academic year.
Nature and Nurture in Convergence (2010)
This 14‐page research essay examined how the debate over nature and nurture is less about
the opposition of those categories and how the two come together to form our constructed‐
self. Mr. Samuel utilized scientific and sociological writings, reports and other essays on the
topic to produce an A‐ grade paper.
No Turning Back: Aboriginal Agency in Modern Historical Film and Television (2009)
This yearlong 13‐page research essay explores how aboriginal people are portrayed on
television and film over the past few decades. Mr. Samuel argues that the documentary No
Turning Back shifted agency from talking about aboriginals to aboriginal peoples telling their
stories in their own words. This essay came together through countless hours of films,
documentaries, primary source news clippings and library research to produce a B+ grade.
Red Bodies behind White Bars (2009)
Aboriginal people are overrepresented in the Canadian prison system. In this 13‐page research
essay that earned an A‐ grade, Mr. Samuel explores the continued marginalization and
misunderstanding of aboriginal peoples and their cultures from within the prison system. He
traverses through the assimilation policies of the past and calls for an inclusion of the Aboriginal
Justice System to help reduce overrepresentation and bridge the gap between cultural
misunderstanding and the Canadian judicial system.
Hyphenated: Multicultural‐Canadian as a Process of Time (2008)
Mr. Samuel challenged a professor’s views of Canadian multiculturalism when he wrote this 16‐
page research essay. The belief and idea that multiculturalism is a failed experiment was
countered with the argument that insufficient time has passed since the official policy came
into being to deem multiculturalism as a failure, but evidence exists to support that
multiculturalism is a process of time itself. That with each passing generation the cultural
understand gap is closed and Canada is strengthened because of it. This essay, despite the
conflict between professor and student, earned an A‐ grade.
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Chief: George Armstrong (2008)
A 12‐page research essay that earned a B+ grade is what Mr. Samuel considers the launching
pad of his academic career. Already serving a full year in the College of the Humanities, Mr.
Samuel switched his major to Anthropology with a minor in History and found himself in a
course on Canadian Social History. This paper was a culmination of a yearlong course exploring
how home, work and play have shaped and been shaped by Canadians. In this essay, Mr.
Samuel discovers that George Armstrong, former National Hockey League player and winner of
four Stanley Cup Championships and former captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been
glossed over as the first aboriginal professional hockey player. The conclusion to Mr. Samuel’s
essay is that Armstrong is of mixed heritage and because of his heritage stemming from his
mother’s line, the National Hockey League adopted the then Canadian legal convention that
marrying a European dissolved an aboriginal woman and her children rights to heritage. This
essay utilized primary source newspaper clippings and few secondary sources.
Other Certifications
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities, Carleton University
Completed January 2010
First Aid/CPR‐C, Ontario Lifesaving Society
Completed May 2007, Expired and intending to renew
Clearance
Level II ‐ Secret (valid until 2020) ‐ #95396966
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