Opening Doors for a Summer Job

Authored By: Laura Archibald, May 3rd 2022

Finding a new job is not easy, especially when there is such high competition. However, following a few simple tips will help in relieving stress while granting the opportunity to be noticed by an employer.

The school semester has finally come to a close which means many students may be growing fearful of whether or not a summer job will be available. Nonetheless, following these simple tricks and tips may help to find the perfect summer job. When it comes to finding a job, the application, resume, cover letter, and interview are all vital parts of locking down a position, but the two most crucial parts are the resume and interview.

1. The Resume

The resume is one of the first things an interviewer looks at to get to know the candidate's qualifications, work history, education, awards, and interests. Therefore, having a clean, easy-to-read resume is important. The resume ultimately acts as a first impression and reflects the individual. Therefore, possessing an attractive resume, and highlighting all accomplishments neatly will engage the interviewer thus, making them want to learn more.

One way to organize a resume is by using templates or simply following a pattern when formatting. This will allow for a natural flow and make it easier to see all the necessary details. Another way to format the resume is to put emphasis on the qualifications suited for the particular position. As students, with little professional work experience, you may want to put the volunteer experience most similar to the job at the top of the resume.

Creating an organized resume will best portray the individual's experience to move them into the application process. Ensure you have up-to-date contact information (full mailing address/location, phone, email) in a header or footer as this is often useful to hiring managers who will use your resume to assist with on-boarding. Key headings in your resume include: education, work experience, certifications, awards/grants/honours, publications, volunteer experience, and references. It is customary to list this information in chronological order with the most current information at the top. Where possible, ensure your work experience contains your role, department, institution, years in the position, and location information. To support your work experience, add 3-5 bullet points which speak to your roles and responsibilities and the hard/soft skills you use in the role.

Furthermore, try to include the name and contact information of references at the bottom of your resume to signal to the hiring manager your good relationship-building skills and your readiness to facilitate their internal hiring protocols in a seamless fashion.

2. The Interview

This part of finding a job is considered the most difficult. Having the pressure to quickly come up with appropriate answers to questions is nerve-racking. So, here are a few pointers to giving well-thought-out answers.

• Stay calm

It is important to not get too overwhelmed by the environment and the interaction of being questioned. Having high levels of stress will make it harder to answer questions with quality. Some ways to stay calm include breathing, focusing on the questions being asked, taking time to answer questions, writing down the question prior to responding, and finally, smiling.

• Be yourself

Answering questions genuinely will instantly be noticed by the interviewer. If any answers seem fake or purposely altered to suit the job description the interviewer may take notice. It is better to be yourself and speak honestly.

• Be prepared

Coming to an interview prepared will aid in showing the interviewer you are engaged in this position and that you take the time to think things through in advance. Furthermore, it will help to develop the interview and make the conversation flow and thus, help you stand out to the interviewer. Have a friend help you rehearse with practice questions posted online in advance!

Tips and Tricks

1. Contrary to popular belief, the application process IS about QUANTITY over quality, in some instances. Hence, prepare to apply to positions outside of your area of expertise, and even those which you do not meet all qualifications (within reason).

2. Never underestimate the value of cold-calling or handing in your resume directly IN-PERSON. Such a personal touch is the best way to introduce yourself to others—just remember that first-impressions matter so dress and speak professionally (i.e., business casual clothing), learn about the organization you’re applying to (i.e., vision/mandate etc.), and practice sociocultural norms (i.e., firm hand-shake).

3. Are you super interested in the position you have interviewed for? Send a follow-up, thank-you email to the hiring manager 3 days post-interview highlighting the skills and qualifications that will make you an excellent candidate for the position. Don’t forget to thank the interviewing committee for their time.