There is no doubt about it-finding a great job with a top employer in Toronto is tricky right now. Budgets are being cut, pay freezes are being implemented and employers are expecting employees to do more with less. It is not like this everywhere in Canada however; last month (May) the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo from Alberta visited a downtown Toronto hotel to host a career fair. Their publicity material described Fort McMurray as a “…vibrant and exciting urban centre with an average age of 32 and an average household income of $180000…” However Toronto does have a huge appeal to many Canadians so let’s assess what can be done to get ahead in a difficult jobs market as we move into the summer period when things traditionally become quiet until September.
AGENCIES
Find the agencies that possess a proven track record in finding similar positions to the one you are looking to secure. Look online, in trade magazines and speak to friends and family to see who the organizations are that you should be partnering with. Go to see them, contact them regularly without being a pest and ask their advice.
COVER LETTER
Produce a customized cover letter for every application or approach, basing it not just on the organization’s website and the job description but also on industry developments and recent trends.
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE
Practice with friends mock interviews by telephone, with two or more interviewers and also on a one on one basis. Pay close attention to appearance, eye contact, arm movements, smiles and handshakes. Make it more fun by filming it on your cellphone and reviewing your performance with a critical eye afterwards. In addition research typical questions and answers that you may ask or be asked at interview.
RESUMES
Possess a resume that is no more than one month out of date, and get a friend or family member to review it after every revision.
- Is it too long?
- Does it contain enough numbers?
- How can it be eye-catching and distinctive yet still be written in a way that recruiters & people responsible for hiring like and are used to?
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep on top of Facebook privacy settings as potential employers will check you out.
Make sure that a Google search of your name only says positive things, and if it does not (or you don’t exist) then start populating the web with interesting and positive entries.
YouTube clips of you at work may be very appropriate if the type of role you are looking for involves public speaking, presentations or artistic/creative capabilities.
LinkedIn is becoming more and more accepted as a way to find a job so update your profile and ensure it creates the right impression.
Follow senior people on Twitter who own or are employed by the organizations you aspire to work for and occasionally send them pertinent tweets about industry news they may have missed.
Contribute to forums and join groups in order that you develop a reputation as a mover and shaker in the industry, and convert this interest into person to person networking opportunities.
SPECULATIVE APPROACHES
Sending emails and making phone calls that arrive at the right time do genuinely result in jobs being offered and accepted. Face to face connections to drop off resumes without an appointment plus meeting on an informal basis for a coffee also produce results in our experience for certain types of role as well.
Article Written By: Timothy Holden | www.torontotrainingandhr.ca
Timothy is a results-focused Human Resources professional who has designed and delivered effective training events in addition to providing HR support to organizations and individuals since 1995.