Now's the time to start prepping
Now’s the time to start prepping
January 13, 2012
It’s a new year and those of you in post-secondary programs are getting back into the routine of the winter semester. You may not want to, but now is a good time to start thinking about and preparing for what you are going to do after exams in April. Believe me, from past experience, waiting until the end of semester to find a job is not the best idea. The reality is that many companies have already started looking for new talent.
You probably have more free time right now with fewer projects on the go, so here are three things you can do to get started:
- Polish up that résumé – Start thinking of the kinds of jobs you want to apply for. Make a list of the experiences and skills you have that would make you a great candidate for these positions. Although it is time-consuming, I always recommend tailoring your résumé to every job opportunity. Having a list of your experiences and skills as a quick reference will help you when you write your final draft. This will make the task seem quick and painless!
- Start preparing a cover letter – Just like the résumé, your cover letter should be tailored to specific opportunities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get started. If you know the types of jobs you’re looking for, some of your experiences and skills will be general enough to relate to any opportunity. So start a skeleton of a cover letter and fill in some more specific details when you find jobs that you want to apply for.
- Fire-up your job search – Some companies have already started recruiting for summer help, so start searching now. Visit some of your favourite job posting sites (the Government of Canada’s Job Bank is a good one) and see what you find. If you have a specific company you want to work for, send an e-mail or make a phone call and ask when they typically start and stop their hiring process. The more knowledge you have, the better off you’ll be. Also, don’t be afraid to let people in your networks know you’re looking for a job—you never know who might have information on companies that are hiring.
Some of you may think all of this is only for the eager beavers, but trust me, when it’s crunch time to apply for jobs, you’ll be happy you did this all ahead of time!
Let me know what else you’re getting done ahead of schedule in the comments below. Good luck with the hunt!.