Employment Skills
Getting a job is a major milestone in our lives. Learning how to craft the perfect resumé and land a job interview are necessary skills that students don’t always have. That’s why we gathered some of the most useful tips for a beginner looking to enter the workforce.
Interview Skills
It is important to give a good impression when you're trying to get a job. The following are some of the best tips to impress your interviewer and land a new career.
Dress appropriately, appear professional and well-groomed. (www.canadajobs.com)
Non-verbal communication is important.
How you sit and listen can be just as important as what you say. Interviewers will often take note of these things as they show confidence and professionalism.
Eye contact, good posture, and a firm handshake can show confidence and give a good impression on the interviewer.
Listen to the questions carefully and be concise with your answers.
No interviewer wants to listen to a long monologue. Keep it short and try not to ramble about yourself.
This is not about making friends, be kind but stay professional.
Watch your language.
Swearing or inappropriate references to age, race, religion, politics or sexual orientation can be a huge red flag for interviewers.
Don’t appear desperate.
The goal is to make the best impression in the first five minutes. It takes about five minutes for an interviewer to see how they feel about you.
Sources
How to Prepare For A Job Interview - www.monster.ca
Tips for Great Job Interviews - www.experisjobs.us
Resumé Writing
A great resumé can help you land a job and make a good first impression. Whether its working on your structuring or choice of words, here are some tips to help you write the perfect resumé.
General Tips:
Keep your resumé short.
Most people have a resumé that is two pages long but keep it to one page if you don't have a lot of experience. (http://www.newyouth.ca/work/job-readiness/write-resume)
As a high school student, your experience may be limited. However, you might be forgetting that not all job experiences mean working for a specific company. Some jobs that you may have not considered putting on your resumé can be things such as babysitting, dog walking, and tutoring. (www.chatham-kent.ca)
Volunteer work is also something that you should include.
Use keywords that describe skills and qualifications that are given in the job posting.
Use headings to organize the information in your resumé. Common resumé headings are:
Qualifications
Work and Volunteer Experience
Education
Use formatting tools like bolding and bullets to make important information stand out.
Sources
Create A Resumé Using myBlueprint
myBlueprint is an online Career and Education planning tool available to all students in Edmonton Public Schools, even after they're finished Grade 12. It includes goal setting, portfolios, resumé and cover letter tools and even a built-in job search tool.
Login to Schoolzone and click Apps.
Click on myBlueprint.
You will be logged in automatically (it comes with EPSB accounts).
Click on the Work tab.
Click on Resumé.
Click on Add Resumé.
Now you can create a resumé (the website offers assistance if you need it).
Finding a Job
Finding a job can be challenging, monotonous, and even scary at times. Whether it's a job for the short term or a serious commitment for the long term, it's important to find a role that suits you and your interests. Here are a few tips to help you on your search.
General Tips
Use apps/websites like Indeed and LinkedIn.
If looking for a part-time job, apply in malls and apply during the busiest times of the year. Some of these jobs are seasonal and they open to accommodate the influx of customers.
Some of the busiest times for malls are during Christmas, Boxing Day, Black Friday, and Valentine's Day.
myBlueprint also has a feature that searches for jobs for you.
Try to find a job that tailors to your past experience and your interests. However, you sometimes may not be able to find a job like that and that's okay. Be open to new experiences!