Are you a career student, looking for a career?
If you have spent most of your life as a student, then you probably have some questions when it comes to applying for jobs outside academia. We talk with students who have a range of concerns, and anxieties when it relates to the idea of transitioning from the known to the unknown.
How do you feel?
The academic world is unique, and you have been successfully navigating through that culture. What happens when you need to find a non-academic job?
It’s normal to be scared or anxious, but it’s important to realize that you have a lot of good skills, and the intelligence and application of knowledge to meet your goals, and drive to succeed. The missing link is how to navigate through the corporate culture, and that is relatively simple and easily attained during the first few weeks on the job.
What are the first steps?
I would find some time to go through your experience and see what aspects you enjoyed and start looking for some jobs online to get some ideas as to what is out there. If there are jobs out there and you have the skills, then you are likely to be a good fit. The current list of jobs should drive your job search.
Try searching Google or other search engines for sample job titles. Start broad and then go from there. For example if you are looking to for jobs in the Greater Toronto Area, then I would suggest typing “electrical engineer jobs in Toronto, Ontario”.
What is my CV resume supposed to look like?
First thing in the resume writing process is to practice saying “resume”. A CV is not a resume and a resume is not a CV, so please don’t use interchangeably. You want your prospective employer to understand that you understand the difference, and this will help convince them that you are ready to apply for jobs in their world (as opposed to your former world).
We have a sample on our website you can use or email our company and we can help.
Other things to consider
Job hunting can be exhausting, so pace yourself. Build up a good sample of jobs in the morning and apply to those in the afternoon. Keep track of the jobs, copy the job postings and save these for future use, and keep applying, even if you start getting interviews. Once you have an offer letter signed, then we would recommend that you can stop applying.
Looking for a job is stressful, but it’s important to understand that all people tend to feel anxious when applying, so perhaps you can take some comfort knowing you’re not alone. If you do not get a job right away, keep applying, and stay positive. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Happy job hunting!