The Summer Job Blues

I am sure all university students have their own style of music that they like to listen to, be it hip hop, rap, R&B and everything in between. I’d like to talk about a different kind of music that has become my background soundtrack for a couple months now: the Summer Job Blues. In short, the SJB is music that is stressful, impatient and confusing and is generally listened to by someone (like me) in their search for a summer job. It hasn’t been easy to keep a positive attitude about my job search. It’s been slow and there has been no turn around for me. Having said all of that, I am remaining completely certain that by the end of April I WILL have a job. See, just because you’re listening to the SJB, doesn’t mean you have to sing it. Perseverance is the key. Make sure that you are keeping up an active job search that consists of:

1. Researching jobs in the areas you are most interested in
2. Networking with people in the fields you want a job in
3. Making sure you are completely familiar with the credentials required
4. And most importantly, making sure your resumé speaks to the exact demands of the job

You can do all of this by getting in contact with people who work there and setting up friendly chats that consist of you just asking questions to get to know the company as best you can. Keeping your resumé and cover letter up-to-date is also an essential part of avoiding singing the SJB. There are a lot of valuable resources out there that will assist you in finding your perfect summer job.  Remember that being active and being a good job hunter doesn’t mean you get the job in the first couple weeks or even month of your search.  It means finding the direction you want to hunt in, and persevering so it will eventually pay off (pun intended)!

By: Stacy Tsotsos, Peer Advisor

The REAL Interview That Gets You The Job

You probably think I’m going to talk about the interview the employer sets up, don’t you? Well I’m sorry to say this, but you are incorrect. I’m going to talk about the interview YOU set up with a potential employer. Many people don’t know this, but informational interviews (as they are called) are a great way to network, and they can even get you that job you’ve always wanted.

My inspiration for this blog came from recent interviews I conducted with Laurier alumni to author articles for the Career Centre website. I interviewed a man who works for a non-profit marketing company in Toronto. Even though I wasn’t looking for job information specific to me, I actually got a lot out of it. I approached the interview with the intention of learning about his job, and I came out of it with a promising new contact, and some information that I didn’t anticipate. I mentioned that I was interested in Human Resources, and I was given the email of a woman who worked in the HR department for the Government of Canada. Also, he said that student jobs always pass across his desk, and that if I was ever looking for one after I finished school, I should meet with him to discuss the matter more. The point of this interview wasn’t to get a job, or even to learn about the industry for my own benefit, but it ended up being an extremely positive experience for me and showed me firsthand the promise of what networking can lead to.

Now I know that contacting people you don’t know to set up small meetings with them can be extremely intimidating, but once you do it a few times, trust me, it becomes much easier. You need to remember that the point of the interview isn’t to get a job, but rather to gain valuable information about potential careers. Ask questions about their educational background, the benefits and challenges of their jobs and what a typical day would be like for them. You should also ask about ways you could get involved, or newsletters or blogs you should be following to learn about an industry or field? What suggestions might they have for you to volunteer to build your resume?  What about their own company’s opportunities for students? The possibilities are boundless.

Informational interviews are a great way to make connections and to learn things you would have never thought about before. They’re an awesome networking tool, and even if they don’t end up landing you a job, it’s great experience for improving your communication skills, and talking to professionals in organizations you are interested in.

By: Heidi Dumaresq, Peer Advisor

Make the Most of Your Summer Job

The end of the school year is quickly approaching!  Many of you may be heading back to a previous summer job, or maybe you have secured a new job or are in the process of securing one.  Gaining experience in your field of interest is ideal (e.g. teacher candidates working at a children’s summer camp or tutoring), but not always attainable.  Life gets in the way – transportation issues, the need to earn X amount of money, schedule restrictions, and more, can be hindrances that keep you away from that “ideal” experience and land you in a summer job that is unrelated to your field of interest or intended career path.  So what can you do to make the most of the situation and turn this seemingly irrelevant summer job into a valuable experience?

1.      Never miss an opportunity to demonstrate your core values.

What do you value? Creativity? Inventive-ness? Persistence? Team-work?  Your core values should be demonstrated in all that you do.  Find ways to demonstrate these values in your summer job, whatever it is.  For an exercise, try thinking about and writing down your top 5 values and listing how you can demonstrate these values in your summer job.  Here is an example:

If you value kindness and work in a customer service position (e.g. retail store), you should make a conscious effort to treat customers with kindness through the way that you talk and engage with them.  Don’t forget about your co-workers – be kind by being flexible (e.g. taking over a shift when asked), and talking and engaging with your co-workers in a way that demonstrates respect and genuine interest in their lives.  

Doing this exercise can be astonishing.  You may realize that if you took the time to do the 10 or 15 things you listed as ways to demonstrate your values, you could be very happy with your summer job.  It can also be a real eye-opener that if you fulfill your values in the workplace, you can find happiness in many kinds of jobs. 

2.      Seek out and create your own opportunities.

Depending on your employer and the nature of your role, you may be able to find opportunities to develop the solid career-related experience that you seek.  Suggesting special projects that you can dedicate yourself to could be well-received by an employer as you are demonstrating initiative.  Here is an example: 

A few years ago my career interest was in teaching and my summer job was at a garden centre.  I partnered with my boss in developing a community outreach program where we offered the free services of our garden centre to schools who demonstrated a proven need and commitment to using our efforts to promote student learning.  We helped a few local schools improve their landscaping and got the students to help out as we worked in the gardens.  

Creating your own opportunities within your position will help you gain some of that desired relevant experience! 

In the end, don’t fret if your summer job isn’t as relevant to your career path as you’d like.  Instead, find ways to get the most out of it – charge forward with some creativity and commitment to who you are! 

By: Sandra Zimmerman, Career Development Practitioner Practicum Student Laurier Brantford Campus

We’re in the Home Stretch

By: Suzanne Glenn

So we’re in our last five weeks of classes, I’m exhausted and I know that the month of March only brings major assignments, presentations and research papers. How am I going to find time to do all my assignments let alone search for summer jobs? This is the question that comes to my mind every year at this time. Here is what I’ve learned. 

Don’t panic! Stressing out about all the work that is before you is not productive. Anxiety only distracts you from the task at hand. What should you do instead?… 

Make a plan. Time management is key in March when you’re trying to wrap up another year and make plans for the summer. Here is my plan. I have designated Thursday and Friday of every week in March to do two things. On Thursday I make calls to follow up on cover letters and resumes I sent out and Friday I dedicate an hour of research for more summer job and volunteer opportunities.  Officially carving out time for your job search is a great way to ensure it doesn’t fall to the wayside. 

Get some sleep. The first three years of my university career I hardly slept, and when I did, it was never consistent. The only reason why I’m surviving my fourth year is by making time to sleep. As silly as it sounds, we don’t make time for ourselves to sleep and it takes a toll on our brain and level of productivity. This past year, I have tried to be consistent of when I go to bed and when I wake up. This has done wonders for my productivity because my body is now in a pattern and is used to working at certain hours of the day. 

Eat right. I used to have the worst eating habits of any university student you ever met. I lived off granola bars, I had no vegetables in my fridge and I maybe used my stove 3 times a month. This is no joke. Ask my friends! This all changed in my fourth year. Sleep combined with eating healthy meals only gives me energy to complete all that’s looming before me. 

We’re in the home stretch and this is the time when we are overwhelmed and lose our motivation to finish the year off strong. So make a plan. Designate time for homework, job searching, sleeping and eating. Don’t just survive March, finish off on a high note and get excited about possible work opportunities the summer will bring!