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| by Human Resources Development Canada, |
Aug 20, 2001 |
Now that you know what skills you have to market to employers, you can target the businesses or organizations that you'd like to work for. You can also get help from different sources. The important thing is to have a solid sense of what's out there — both in terms of jobs and in terms of people and places that can help you.There are five main areas in which young people with little or no work experience can often find jobs:
- Hospitality - hotel worker, restaurant worker, tour guide
- Office work - typist, receptionist, clerk
- Labour - construction worker, warehouse worker, gardener/landscaper
- Retail - grocery clerk, department store clerk, cashier
- Recreation - camp counsellor, special event worker, pool attendant, babysitter
Did You Know? ...50% to 75% of good jobs come from friends -- and friends of friends -- by word of mouth.
Apply for jobs at places that interest you even if they are not advertising a job. Many jobs are never advertised, and even if employers aren't looking for someone at the time, they may keep you in mind for future openings.
So expand your job-search area and call businesses where you would like to work. Find out who is responsible for hiring — get their names and their job titles. This is called tapping into the hidden job market. Many of the places you call may not need anyone, but it won't hurt for you to go there and drop off a resumé. You could land a job by being at the right place at the right time and by making a good impression.
Be flexible and willing to take on casual work, any job that lasts five days or less, to gain experience while earning some money. Casual work can lead to full-time work or, at the very least, contacts who can steer you towards other opportunities.
Networking
Put some feelers out. Get in touch with people you know who are working at places you're interested in or are in a career that appeals to you. Let them know you're looking and see if they can help you — even if it's just giving you the names and phone numbers of people you can call.
You can also join professional associations and attend job fairs to make contacts as well as find out about potential job openings.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to get meaningful work experience while learning new skills, meeting different people and contributing to your community.
Contact organizations that need volunteers. You can ask your local volunteer centre for possibilities or check out the Volunteer Canada Web site at www.volunteer.ca/dev/vol_centres/index.html. Try to find volunteer work that will add to your existing skill sets or help you explore different career possibilities.
Co-op Opportunities
Consider participating in the co-op program offered at your school. In addition to gaining practical work experience, you can get a feel for whether a career interest is worth pursuing. Who knows, your co-op venture may lead you to a career you never even considered!
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Other Places to Look
- Try the Electronic Labour Exchange — a skills-matching system designed to help employers and workers connect on-line — at www.ele-spe.org
- Use the Yellow Pages to find out the names, addresses and telephone numbers of employers
- Explore company Web sites for job postings as well as information on preferred application procedures
- Look for job postings on bulletin boards in community centres, grocery stores and libraries
- Check the classified ads in community newspapers
- Take a look at the job boards located on college and university campuses
While you are responsible for your own job search, there are lots of people and places that can help:
- If you live in Canada, Visit your local HRDC office to find out what jobs are available in your area. Most HRDC offices have Job Information Centres that list openings on notice boards or in the automated Job Bank. HRDC offices also offer employment counselling to help job seekers identify job possibilities, set goals and learn job-search skills.
- Again, if you're in Canada, pay regular visits to your local HRDC Office for Students to find a summer job. These offices offer group information sessions on how to search for a job, create a resumé and prepare for job interviews. They also provide information on various federal and provincial job programs. Most are open from May to August — check the HRDC Web site (www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca) to find out which are open year-round.
- Join local newsgroups on the Internet — some will e-mail job postings directly to you — and exchange information with other people who have the same career interests.
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