Work Search Strategies
Looking for a job can feel like you are trapped in a vortex! From not knowing where to start, to navigating lengthy job postings with endless lists of skills and assets, it should be no surprise that work search burn-out can affect all people regardless of where you are at in your career.
Jordan Wong secured his first AWE work term as a Citizenship Program Assistant with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Jordan shared his experience with his AWE job search and his tips on how to strategically search and apply for jobs.
Past Experience
A lot of students feel that they don’t have relevant experience to apply for positions. Customer service jobs are common first jobs for many students. Before securing his work term, the experience section of Jordan’s resume had exclusively consisted of retail and volunteer work. Luckily, there were plenty of transferable skills that he developed in each position, especially in his customer service roles.
Through customer service, “You learn people skills, how to properly communicate with people, how to interact with them, as well as how to work in a team,” Jordan explains. He was also able to further develop these skills while he volunteered for the university’s Week of Welcome.
You may have heard that Arts students are equipped with a variety of soft skills that employers look for. It’s true! Not only did Jordan rely on his retail and volunteer experience, but he also mentioned the skills that he learned from his courses.
“One example that comes to mind is group projects,” a common scenario familiar to most Arts students. There are many different skills that derive from group projects: teamwork, leadership and maintaining positive relationships to name a few. Group work can involve conflict management when perspectives differ between members– especially when you have to reach a compromise to move forward with the project. Another example is public speaking, which can be practiced through presentations and classroom debates.
Understanding your experience and your skills will help you get ready to create a targeted resume.
Resume Writing
Your resume is arguably the most essential element when it comes to applying for jobs. It is the employer’s first impression of you and it shows them what you can bring to the role. Before Jordan secured his AWE work term, the resumes that he previously used to apply for retail jobs were generic; a “one size fits all” template. It wasn’t until he had his resume and cover letter advising appointment with the Career Centre that he realized how much time and effort was required to develop a targeted resume.
“It was definitely a different kind of game.” Jordan had applied to a total of seven positions before he secured his first work term.Despite the lengthy process, Jordan found the process worthwhile.
A tip that stuck with Jordan was the formula-like method of describing experience in a resume. Check out the example below:
Your resume is your ticket to a job interview. Targeting your resume through providing specific examples can help employers understand why you are a good fit for the role and make you stand out from other applicants.
Job Interviews
It took six different applications before Jordan was invited to his first job interview. Perseverance paid off! While he didn’t immediately secure a job offer with his first interview, he was still able to learn from this experience.
“I think the lesson that I took away from my first interview and how I adapted my interview prep afterwards was to specifically think about what experiences I had and what skills that experience demonstrated.”
Reflecting on your past experiences and using the S.T.A.R. interview method can really enhance your job interviewing skills!
Jordan adds that it’s also essential to learn about the company that you are applying to. “You have to prep for your interview by reflecting on the aspects of both the job position AND the organization. Read through the job posting and think, this is an important competency for the job– how have I demonstrated that in the past?”
Challenges
Although we all hope that the job hunt will be smooth sailing, it’s also perfectly normal for people to encounter setbacks. Remember, job search burn-out can impact anybody.
“I think the most challenging aspect was just spending so much time applying to a job and not hearing back.” It’s a combination of both time and energy that can be exhausting. From allocating hours to writing targeted resumes and cover letters, reading through postings on job boards and preparing for job interviews, it should come as no surprise that job seekers can fall victim to burnout.
Some AWE students approach the job search with a narrow scope, only applying for positions that are directly related to their field of study. Despite Jordan’s wishes of working in a government job, he also opened his mind to a variety of other industries. “I applied to anything that I found interesting– anything that I thought would be both work experience and a learning experience.” Exercising flexibility in your work search process can lead to unique work experiences that can diversify your soft and hard skills, expand your network and open doors for future career paths.
Jordan's Final Piece of Advice
So, despite all of these challenges and the lengthy work search process, how did Jordan do it? What is his advice to anyone else struggling with their work search?
“My first piece of advice is keep applying. There’s always new jobs being posted. Apply, even if you don’t hear back from the ones you’ve already applied to.” Jordan also recommends taking advantage of the services and resources provided by the Career Centre. Recent graduates are also able to access their services for free!
Finally, if you’ve applied for numerous positions, but haven’t received many responses from employers, it might be time to take a closer look at your resume and cover letter.
At the end of the day, make sure that you are staying motivated! If you find yourself dreading the process, try asking yourself what is the most difficult part of the process that is preventing you from applying to positions. After the holidays, the hiring season will be back in full force. Buckle up!
This article was written by Jacklyn Rocha, the 2022-23 Arts Work Experience Communications and Program Support Intern.