Students compete with VANOC staffers for summer jobs
Adam Brayford, Career Services, 778.782.2188; abrayfor@sfu.ca
Julie Ovenell-Carter, PAMR, 778.782.3210; joc@sfu.ca
With contracts winding up for legions of 2010 Winter Games staffers this month, Simon Fraser University students are preparing to duke it out for summer employment.
With so many capable candidates in the marketplace right now, how can students stand out and land a plum position? SFU Career Services’ Adam Brayford has two words of advice: proactive planning.
“Students who begin making contact with potential employers months in advance of summer have the best chance of finding the jobs they want,” he says. “June is too late to start looking.”
His Top 5 tips for job-hunting students:
- Ask for help: Don’t wait for graduation to make an appointment with your school’s career services office for assistance with your job-search strategy.
- It’s a job to find a job: Give yourself plenty of time to target key employers and make contact before postings appear. Mention your hunt to friends and family so they can keep an eye out on your behalf.
- Take your search on-line: It’s not enough to hit the mall with a stack of resumes any more. Target a company both online and face-to-face—but remember that nothing beats personal contact.
- Give your resumé a makeover: today’s resumés combine style and substance. Does your CV look as good as it reads?
- Be optimistic: SFU Career Services has seen more than a 50 per cent-plus jump in job postings in the first few months of 2010 and Brayford is confident this trend will continue throughout the summer semester.
Brayford adds that students should get involved throughout the school year with community groups, professional associations, and co-op education programs to maximize their career opportunities: “It’s the best way to generate the confidence and contacts they need to find meaningful employment.”
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