With final assignments submitted and exams over for the winter semester, many students are already focusing on the summer job search or their post-graduation careers.
Despite the physical distancing policies put into place due to the pandemic, career services offered at U of T to help students with the job search are still up and running.
“We’ve always offered some workshops online, but we’ve moved all of our services online this past month,” says Jen Davies, manager, career development services, at U of T Scarborough’s Academic Advising & Career Centre.
U of T students can still view job postings, sign up for services, access Co-Curricular Record Information and use extensive e-resources through the Career and Co-curricular Learning Network (CLNx). There is help and advice for resumé writing, cover letter writing, job search and interview skills.
There’s also a posting board that lists on and off-campus jobs, with the employers and jobs reviewed by career centre staff before being posted, so Davies encourages using them.
Davies says that one-on-one sessions, which also include resumé critiques and interviewing tips, are also available through video conferencing. At U of T Mississauga and U of T Scarborough, students should contact the career centre, and at the St. George campus students can book a meeting via CLNx.
“Interviews are going to be harder to get because there’s greater competition for fewer jobs. So when you get that interview, you want to be ready,” she says.
Davies recommends approaching online interviews the same way you would an in-person interview – do your homework on the employer, prepare what you want to say, prepare some questions for the interviewer, and be ready on time.
“You will want to arrange a quiet place ahead of time, one with few distractions behind you where you can do the interview without disruptions. This means letting your family or housemates that you need that time to yourself,” she says.
“Make sure you have your notes or digital files ready to share without any technical glitches. And also make sure you dress as if you were meeting in person, so no shorts or sweatpants.”
As the economy gradually begins to open and recover following the pandemic, she says it may be an ideal time for students and recent graduates to learn a new skill or brush up on an existing one.
U of T students have access to Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning, an online resource with more than 1,400 high-quality instructional videos taught by recognized experts. Current students just need their UTORid to log in via the U of T Library, and U of T alumni can access it through their local library’s website. Many platforms like Skillshare, Udemy and Coursera are also offering free trial offers at the moment.
“It may be a good time to set a 30-day goal, like committing to learn basic programming, graphic design or graphic illustration over the next month,” she says.
Davies says it’s also a good time to update your LinkedIn profile since it’ss an ideal place to capture the “badges” and certificates you can earn online.
While there are still travel restrictions in place, Davies says it’s not too early for students interested in working abroad over the next few years to start doing some research. She recommends checking out GoinGlobal, a database through CLNx that offers detailed information on countries where Canadian students are often welcome work.
“There’s no question it’s a difficult time, especially when it comes to looking for jobs,” says Davies.
“My biggest piece of advice is to try to make use of all the services and programs available to you so when things turn around, you will be ready to dive in head first into finding the job you want.”