Workopolis: News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Toronto, Ontario (April 13, 2005) – Just as University and College students are handing in their final assignments and writing exams, workopolisCampus.com, Canada's biggest job site for students and recent graduates, is offering tips to students to improve their chances of success in finding the right job.

"Whether about to graduate or looking for a summer position, finding the right job can be challenging for anyone," said Patrick Sullivan, President Workopolis. "Students can increase their odds of success by taking time at the beginning of their job hunt to think about what they want and then preparing everything they need to get it."

The starting point
The job search process should begin with understanding what kind of positions are a good fit for the student job seeker. workopolisCampus.com recommends that students start with an assessment through their campus career centre, which typically remains open throughout the summer months. This assessment will help them understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as be aware of the types of jobs that are likely to be a good match. From there, students can go to Internet recruitment Web sites to look for postings. workopolisCampus.com currently has more than 8,700 jobs available.

Getting a sense of direction
Once a student has a sense of direction, they can begin looking for the right job. Students should examine which industries are hiring, and which positions are plentiful within these industries.

"When looking for work, students should examine the marketplace for job types that are plentiful, such as sales positions," added Sullivan. "They should also keep in mind that many positions, such as sales exist in a wide range of job sectors. They should aim at growing sectors such as technology or insurance."

The art of the resume – it makes a big difference

Before resumes are sent to even one potential employer, they need to be polished and professional. Student job seekers can visit the Resource Centre at workopolisCampus.com to review resume styles and formats. In their resumes, students should clearly state their career objectives as well as the particular job position they are seeking. They should also customize their resume and cover letter to each job posting so the appropriate skills are emphasized, and also verify they meet all the required qualifications for the job opportunity before applying.

"The resume and cover letter provide a good opportunity for students to show prospective employers they're keen and have done their homework on the company," added Sullivan. "The best way to do this is to include material that relates directly back to the specific job, the company or the industry."

Though some students may not have any full time work experience to include in their resume, workopolisCampus.com recommends students leverage school projects, part time or summer jobs and internships to illustrate skills and accomplishments. Rather than focus solely on work experience, workopolisCampus.com suggests students emphasize the top three skills they've acquired at school or elsewhere.

Resumes and covers letters should be thoroughly proof read for spelling and grammar. Even one error can mean the difference between the circular file and the interview pile.

The job interview – five steps to success:

More than half (51%) of users who applied for a job on workopolisCampus.com were contacted for a job interview*. Once an interview has been secured, workopolisCampus.com recommends students take these steps:

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Take the time to research and understand the company and the person who is giving the interview. Students should approach their answers from the perspective of the person who is doing the hiring. What would that person be looking for if the roles were reversed? Job seekers need to plan their responses so they cover key information about what they can bring to the job and then rehearse out loud until they feel confident.
2. Attitude will make the difference. You can teach a new employee many things, but the right attitude is not one of them. Many employers are willing to teach skills to new employees if they come through the door with a positive, energetic, "can do" attitude.
3. Ask the right questions. About the position, job responsibilities, company values, etc.
4. Dress for success. Before the interview, the student job seeker should find out company's dress-code, and dress a level up from that. It's better to be overdressed than underdressed.
5. Leave a lasting impression. Job seekers should send a thank you note after each interview. It's an opportunity to thank the interviewer for their time, and one last chance to express interest in the position, and reinforce why you're the right person for it.

About Workopolis:

Workopolis is Canada's leading provider of Internet recruiting and job search solutions offering a fully bilingual suite of award-winning applications, products and services to both large and small Canadian companies:

• workopolis.com™, Canada's biggest job site—with the most jobs, visitors and employers of any Canadian job site
• workopolisCampus.com, Canada's biggest job site for students and recent graduates
• CorporateWorks™, Canada's most implemented recruitment management solution using the tools that power workopolis.com to power corporate career sites

Workopolis is a unique and complementary partnership of three Canadian media companies, The Globe and Mail division of Bell Globemedia, Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. and Gesca Ltd., the newspaper publishing subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada. Workopolis has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Guelph, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

*According to a 2005 survey from workopolisCampus.com.

For further information: