Brush up your resumé for UTM's Get Hired career fair
Thinking about a summer job? The time is now, says Michelle Atkinson, events and employment services coordinator for U of T Mississauga’s Career Centre. “Many hiring deadlines close in late January and early February,” she says. “This is when you get hired for those summer jobs.”
The UTM Get Hired Fair takes place on January 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the RAWC gym.
The annual job fair features about 70 employers who will be on hand to discuss open positions for summer, part-time and full-time employment. New to this year’s fair is the Royal Bank of Canada, along with federal government employers like Statistics Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “There’s a great breadth of employers and available positions,” Atkinson says. “There’s really something for everyone.”
Two new features of this year’s fair are Entrepreneur’s Alley and Startup Corner. Entrepreneur’s Alley includes 16 entrepreneurial and startup organizations that are hiring staff in the fields of summer camps, events and marketing, and more.
In Startup Corner, students with a great idea can access information to help them start their own business. Local incubator centres I-CUBE and the RIC Centre will be there, along with representatives from Reach Mobile Technologies, a mobile app that connects entrepreneurs with mentors. Another feature of the corner is Indeed.com, a Canadian database providing information about job opportunities, grants and more.
“Students are looking for opportunities to use the skills they’re developing at school,” Atkinson says. “We want to support that initiative, and highlight opportunities and employers who can help them showcase and develop those skills.”
To make the most of the experience, Atkinson advises participants bring a few copies of a current resumé, print off networking cards and dress professionally. “Getting face-to-face time with an employer can help your resumé stand out from the crowd of other applicants,” she says.
She also recommends reviewing which organizations are participating in the fair. “Check out their websites, and think about which opportunities might be of interest to you,” Atkinson says. “Show you’ve done some research, and ask smart questions—enquire about what skills you might need to succeed in the organization, or what roles someone with your skill-set can fill.”
On the day of the fair, Atkinson also suggests stopping by the Career Centre table at the gym entrance. Career counsellors and employment advisors will be on hand to help students figure out which employers they want to target.
The Career Centre will also be hosting a day-long resumé blitz the day before the fair, on January 12.
“Be open to opportunities,” Atkinson says. “Big organizations have a variety of roles they need to fill, from in-store positions to roles in head offices. There are plenty of roles beyond sales associate.”