Work history

Posted on by John Ballem - Digital Communications Specialist
My LinkedIn profile

I have supported the communication needs of industry leaders in the telecom, broadcast media, commercial real estate, banking and insurance sectors.

Specialties include:

– Blogs/Articles
– Press releases
– Website copywriting/editing
– FAQ documents
– Email copy
– Social media copy

Interested in finding out how I could help you tell your story? Let’s connect!

Skills and Knowledge:

  • Copywriting
  • Copy editing
  • CMS
  • HTML
  • WordPress
  • Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Acrobat, InDesign)
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Hootsuite

Work History:

Web Editor

With an investor database of almost 600,000 subscribers and over 100 million monthly page impressions, The Market Herald is one of the world’s fastest-growing business and finance platforms.

As the web editor for The Market Herald Canada, my primary objectives included sourcing, writing, editing and publishing trending finance stories on themarketherald.ca. 

During my two-year tenure, I authored more than 5700 articles. https://themarketherald.ca/author/john-ballem/

“I have worked alongside John Ballem for quite some time now and can unequivocally say that he is one of the most conscientious, well-prepared, mindful, and tireless-working team leaders I have worked for in my 30+ years in the media and communications industries.” ~ Dave Jackson – Markets Reporter, The Market Herald Canada

Copywriter – Contract

Working remotely, I provided web & social media copywriting support on a contractual basis. Clients included Johnston Equipment and Almega Co.

“John is an excellent addition to any growing team. He has an entrepreneurial mindset and goes the extra mile to ensure his clients are satisfied.” ~ Basem Hanna – President & CEO, Almega Co.

Referral Coordinator – Contract

In addition to completing several creative projects, I was responsible for intaking and managing ergonomic, accommodation and mental health assessment referrals for BMO and Ubisoft employees.

Prior to my contract ending prematurely due to the onset of the COVID pandemic, I created and managed close to 80 case files.

“He was very open to feedback and easily fit into our office group!” ~ Melanie McLeod – Referral Coordinator, Gowan Consulting

Digital Communications Specialist – Casual

Working from home, I wrote several blogs, provided copywriting support for 3 external-facing websites and managed UPLevel’s social media accounts.

Sales Communications Manager – Contract

Working remotely, I delivered copywriting support to the group benefit sales and travel insurance teams.

“John and I worked on the Sales Communication team at RBC Insurance. John proved to be hard-working team player, and brought good ideas to the table.” ~ Kate Hughes – Communications Coordinator, RBC Insurance 

Assistant Manager, Programs

Provided day-to-day communications support to the Business Service Centre team.

“John’s published content reflected his ability to easily capture the
essence of senior leadership messages. Appreciated his creative approach. Professional all the way.” ~ Kerry Yarwood – former Senior Manager, Scotiabank

Sales Communications Manager

Delivered communications support to several business lines, including Commercial & Small Business Banking, Operations, Digital and Compliance.

“John is a fantastic person to work with. He consistently delivers high-quality work with quick turnaround times.” ~ Sara Son Hing – Senior Director, Workforce Effectiveness and Readiness at RBC

Online Communications Specialist

Led the planning, launch and ongoing management of Cadillac Fairview’s corporate intranet site, CF Connect. Provided content updates to cadillacfairview.com.

“John’s enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to delivering outstanding service to clients was critical to the successful launch and ongoing content management of Cadillac Fairview’s corporate portal.” ~ Heath Applebaum – Former Manager, Communications & Media Relations at Cadillac Fairview

TSR & Communications Specialist

As a Technical Support Representative, I provided front-line support to residential and small business high-speed internet customers. As a Communications Specialist, I supported the online communication needs of the call centre teams at Shaw Cablesystems and later Shaw Direct.

“His communication skills combined with his experience make John a strong asset to any team he collaborates with.” ~ David Park – Former Senior Manager, Customer Care

Education and Professional Development:

  • Adobe InDesign – University of Western Ontario
  • Business Communications – Sheridan College
  • Business Writing – University of Calgary
  • Computer Systems Support Certificate – Fanshawe College

Additional Resources: