Back to the Basics ....

Recently at a staff meeting we discussed the progress of participants in our 3 day workshop for youth aiming to obtain placements with the help of the Ontario Governments new Youth Employment Fund. During the 3 day workshop, participants gain a variety of skills, but the focus is on confidence building so that they can TALK to employers about their skills and interest in working. I was taken aback when a staff member working with employers stated “We don’t need the resumes!”.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in perfecting our resume that we forget how important it is to be able to verbally present our skills and passion to employers. We talk about how important networking is and how effective hidden job market strategies, like cold calling are, but job searching without a resume seems foreign to us. It’s easy to forget the basics and fall into the pattern of thought that says no longer can we walk into a business and get a job ‘the old fashioned way’, by simply talking to the employer.

Effective job searching includes using different strategies. Spend some job search time rehearsing your ‘pitch’ for an employer you’d really like to work for, focusing on why you’d like to work there and how you could benefit the company. Have a personal business card to hand out so that you can leave your contact information and give it a shot!

A counsellor would be happy to help you develop your ‘pitch’, hit the pavement and be ready to wow some employers! 

THROW THOSE RESUME RULES OUT THE WINDOW! 

Recently while facilitating an Orientation workshop here at VCCS my group got side tracked by an interesting yet not new debate….what are the rules for resumes? Two young clients in the group with impressive education were frustrated because they were feeling ignored by retail and food service employers. Their goal for the time being was an entry level part time position, and even though they were including customer service skills on their resume they felt that they were being told they were overqualified and ignored because of their education …``But we can’t lie and not include our education on our resume`` they said to me.

I think it is important for us to remember that there are no rules, only guidelines when it comes to resumes. The key is to make sure that every word is substantive and relative to the readers (employers) needs. That way no matter what the format, font, bullets, length etc., it is the information that gets you a call. 

Don’t be afraid to step outside the box and try something new…personally, I love looking on pintrest.com for creative resume ideas and formats.

Does the local coffee shop need to see on your resume that you have a degree in Bio-engineering?  Ask yourself if that information is relevant to their hiring needs.

Always remember that your resume is a ‘living document’ and can change as frequently as you like. 

Come in and speak to an employment counsellor if you would like to have your resume reviewed and help with your job search!