The Panther Prints April 2, 1996

Guide to Finding Summer Employment

by Jennifer Caseley and Aldera Chisholm Yes, it's that time of the year again, time to start begging people to hire you for a summer job. The purpose of this article is ‘to give you a few helpful hints on how to find that illustrious job.

Probably the first thing you should do ©

before you even start looking for a summer job is to update your resume. A lot of people don't have resumes; if this is the case please go to the library, or the employ- ment centre and find out how to create a resume. A good resume may make the difference between getting a job and not getting a job. You can type up your own

_ resume on the computer, and then laser print it out. If you just print it out on one of the regular printers it will not look as professional as one from a laser printer. To make copies, take your original to a professional copy agency -- the prices are reasonable and your resume will look more professional than if you photocopied it yourself. .

Creating a resume is not as hard as you think. There are tons of books in the library, just check Bobcat under "'resume" to get a list. This will give you tips on what to put in your resume, and what it should look like. There are some great lay-outs - available rather than the traditional chrono- logical list of jobs.

Remember to include any skills you may have acquired over the years. For example: typing, working with children or gardening. Give a bit of detail but keep it short. It is okay to use short phrases instead of proper sentence structure.

List your work experience in order from your present job to your oldest. Other items you can add include: memberships in organizations, volunteer experience, and professional development -- this is any conferences or courses related to the job you are seeking. Whether or not you include references is up to you, but have at least two on hand (family doesn't count!) Try to limit the resume to approximately two pages, typewritten.

Cover letters are another necessity. Do not use a form letter change it for each employer. Include your address, and the employers name and address. In the first paragraph specify what job you are apply- ing for and how you found out about that position. In the remainder of the letter, state briefly why you feel you are qualified, and why the employer should hire you. Thank the employer for their time and state that you are looking forward to hearing from them. :

With resume in hand you should check out the following options for job ; ;

Student Services

Gopher Information System

Newspaper

Going door to door

Few people are aware that on campus there are many resources to help you find a job. Visit Student Services in the Robertson library,and you will find postings of jobs from all over Canada. If it all seems overwhelming to you and you are not sure what to do first, talk to Carolyn

basis you might even be able to find a job directly related to your faculty. The jobs listed under student jobs range from working at the Book Store, to working for security, to doing laundry over at AVC. Your next stop on the road to finding a job should be the library. Our library carries newspapers from across Canada, these newspapers in turn have classified sections just full of Help Wanted and Employment Opportunity sections. Satur-

JENNIFER CASELEY

29 Burns Ave. Apt. 103 Charlottetown, PEI C1E1L1 Phone (902)-892-9008

Graduating in May

University of Prince Edward Island Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Clothing and Textiles Major

WORK EXPERIENCE September 1995- present

January-April ue 3090 May-June 1992-1995, July-August 1990-1994 June-August 1989

July-August 1988

Advertising Manager Panther Prints Student Newspaper Charlottetown, PEI

Lab Instructor UPEI Home Economics Department

Charlottetown, PEI

Room Attendant UPEI Summer Residence Operations ‘Charlottetown, PEI

Island Chocolates Victoria-By-The-Sea, PEI

Line Worker - Island Saltfish DeSable, PEI

Kitchen Staff Lobster Land Restaurant Victoria-By-The-Sea, PEI

Working skills in document programs such as Word Perfect 6.1, Microsoft Works Graphics program skills in Prints Artist, Corel Draw 4.0, Page Maker Internet Applications and Electronic mail

- Shaw, she is a fountain of useful informa-

tion and her job is to help you find a job. If you are a computer junkie and would prefer not to have contact with the outer world, log on to the Gopher system and pull down ‘Student information’, then go to ‘Employment Opportunities’. Under the heading of Employment Opportunities are numerous listings of jobs off campus and around the world. If you think you might like to work on campus go back to the main gopher menu and go into 'Admin- istration and Service Departments’ then go into Personnel Office’ and finally 'Student Jobs.' Under the Student Jobs heading you will find a listing of all on-campus jobs available to you. If you check on a regular

day seems to be the best day to check the Guardian, but you should look during the week too because not all employers carry a week long ad. You should also check some of the other print media out there such as the Buy, Sell,and Trade. E

Let's pretend you've looked under all: these headings, scoured the newspaper been to the CDEC on campus and you still can't find a job. Try going door to door. With resume in hand, make a list of all the businesses you think you might like to work at all then go to them and ask them if they are hiring for the sumner. A high propor- tion of all jobs are not even advertised. Many potential employers will put up signs in their windows, or advertise through

word of mouth only. For example, one of the best jobs I ever had was working at the Body Shop. They did not advertise the position -- I walked in off the street with a resume and got an interview the next day. Shops where you are a regular customer -- like the Body Shop -- will recognize this when you speak to them for a job. Going door to door to find a job is more than just sauntering in. Rule number one: dress well. We were hiring at the Body Shop and people walked in wearing sunglasses and cut off jeans. Dress for the job, not for the beach. Rule number two: call ahead to get the manager's name, and when you go in try to speak to that person directly. People have been interviewed and hired on the spot when they use this method. Use your imagination and initiative. Advertise your skills in the newspaper or on bulletin boards. If you have an idea, try starting your own small business. This doesn't have to be a massive undertaking. You can open a cart on Richmond Street and sell crafts or whatever you want. Or get together with a friend or two and start a babysitting or lawn maintenance company. Doing this will let you do things you enjoy, and being an entrepeneur will look great on your resume!

If you aren't hard up for money, and you want a specific position, volunteer your services in the hopes that they will see how invaluable you are and hire you. Another altemative is SWAP. Chances are you won't make much money, but the experience of working in another country will be worth it. :

It's never too early to start looking for a summer job, and its never too late. The Canada Employment Centre for students will be open after exams and if you haven't found a job by then go down and sign up. They always have lots of casual employ- ment jobs posted, and who knows -- you might luck into your dream summer job. Casual jobs may not be your ideal job, but they usually pay extremely well and gives you the opportunity to try several different things in the summer. An added bonus is that you usually get paid in cash (i.e. you don't have to claim this on your income tax, but you didn't hear that from us).

This should get you started in your job search. If you have further questions, head to Student Services and don't be afraid to ask for help -- that is why they are there.

This article is dedicated to Bruce Davison, Job Search King, who many will remember from the X-Press-and the student employment centre downtown. Bruce has moved on to that great afterlife of UPEI, grad school.