The summer search for a job is in full swing. This is the time when summer students coming out of high school and post-secondary school are looking for opportunities to expand their experience and earn an income. Some are looking to jump-start their careers, and others are looking for opportunities to earn an income to build their savings. Either way, the skills that young people gain from summer employment empower them for their future, learning new skills, while improving their customer service, sales, and communication skills.
So how do students go about getting a job for the summer?
- Start early – Get your resume prepared; if you aren’t sure where to start, seek out professional advice from a career counsellor or career practitioner. They can help you develop a resume that ties together your volunteer, extracurricular, personal transferable skills, and previous work experience, and gear it towards the job you want. Even if you have limited experience in the world of work, we all start somewhere, and getting help to develop a resume can get you started on career exploration.
- Prepare for phone interviews and in-person interviews – When you apply for a job, save the job posting, save it in your email, print it off, or save it to your phone. Take some time to really read over it. This will give you a good idea of what the employer is expecting when they do call you for an interview. That way, you can clearly answer the questions they ask you. Be sure to sound knowledgeable in the job posting, confident, and interested. Also, take the call when you are in a quiet place where you can focus.
- Searching for a job – While Indeed is great for finding jobs, you can also search for job postings on company websites/company Facebook pages, by going in person to apply, cold calling, or, if you are starting your career and are looking to get professional exposure, consider opening a LinkedIn profile and apply to Summer jobs on LinkedIn. Many organizations also receive funding to specifically hire youth during the summer months. Try reaching out to your municipality, government offices, or job centre job boards for companies that are hiring.
- Make the most of your opportunity – When you finally land your summer role, take advantage of all training offered. Take overtime hours if you can, and network within the workplace. The more skills you can gain at your workplace, the more you will be able to apply on your resume and use those transferable skills to start advancing your career early!
Employers are looking for students who are willing to learn and communicate effectively, along with being an individual who is adaptable to changes. When looking for a summer job, try to think about what skills you are learning from the role and how you can apply them in future roles, no matter what role you take on.
Jennifer Bouley is a Career Development Practitioner located in St Stephen. She has a passion for helping others find wellness in their careers, while finding fulfilling jobs. Jennifer can be reached at blissplusyou@gmail.com.
