The Job Application thing.

A big part of March Madness is that job search sites have officially opened their recruitment floodgates for the summer. It is an inevitable part of the growing process – job applications. It can be daunting when I think about my odds, as thousands of students pour out of the university into the workplace every season, every year. The questions every job searcher worries about circle around in the brain:
  • Where should I even begin to look?
  • What makes my resume and CV better?
  • How do I prepare for the interview?
  • What should I wear??
  • How early should I be??
As a graduating student this year, the job search is even more crucial for me, as I think about my options for the future: where to start, how to choose and what to do to get a foot in the door.   Over the last few years, I’ve been using the Careers online resource at UofT. Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 1.03.46 AM It offers tips on resume writing, cover letters, interview processes and much more. You can download resources, you can use tips, there are workshops online and tons of different programs designed to develop your skill sets to be able to successfully maneuver the job-hunting process. On the right hand side of the page, under Career Learning Network, there is the Job Board. Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 3.34.56 PM This requires you to sign in to your UTOR, and after doing so, you will be directed to your dashboard where you can customize your job preferences, and explore the hundreds of job postings that are available through the site. The postings get updated on a daily basis, and come in from everywhere all over the country. It’s incredibly useful.

Screen Shot 2014-03-10 at 3.38.28 PM

On a personal note, having written many resumes and cover letters over the last few years, I’ve learned a few tricks.
  1. Formatting is crucial. Your resume and cover letter should be formatted to match, and be flawless to boot. Not even a comma should be out of place.
  2. Be precise and detailed. Use the least amount of words to provide the most amount of information; nobody wants to read a tediously padded self-promotion.
  3. Study for the interview. Scour the company website, and any other resources that can offer you information on the culture, the preferences, and the vision of the workplace. Your interview answers will be greatly enriched when you can tie your experiences to their preferred work ethic.
  4. Keep at it. I saved a draft of one of my very first resumes just to remind myself from time to time that I’ve come very far, and that I will keep developing and fine-tuning my self-presentation and my skill set. Failure is a necessary marker toward success.
All the best in job-hunting, everyone! I’d love to hear tips you've picked up over the years too!

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