The Commerce Times

Help, school is almost over and I don’t have a job!

This article is relevant reading for not only graduating students but is actually relevant to readers in all years of study. Many about to graduate are faced with the prospect of finding work. With all the responsibilities involved in the final year of study; assignments due, exams to prepare for, etc, finding a job has not been a top action item for you yet. This is a reality for many, but don’t despair, it is not the end of the world.

So what, can, or should you do? By now, many of you are practicing the basics – getting your resume ready, starting to applying, and beginning the job search. This article is going to skip discussion of resumes, and general job search techniques in order to look at some alternative methods of finding work that you may not be aware of.

Go where the jobs are. In your search for a job after graduation, you want to work smart! One way to do this is to target organizations that have hired people from your program in the past. It makes sense to apply to places that hire Ryerson grads, as they are likely to do so in the future. A commonly used line in recruiting and specifically behavioural based interviewing is that the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour which should apply in this case. So where can you find names of organizations that have hired from your program of study at Ryerson? A great way to find out is to investigate the Ryerson Alumni Employment Report, available in the Ryerson Career Centre. The report lists, by program of graduation, and by year of graduation, where alumni are working, and what their job titles are. You can easily identify key employers of alumni from your program and actively target these employers.

Look for companies beyond the large corporations and recognizable names. Within almost any industry there is going to be a multitude of organizations operating that are not household names. Perhaps they are new, smaller, or have a specific niche or business that does not require them to advertise heavily. You can bet that they will not get the same level of inflow from job seekers that the more well known organizations do. If you are applying to places like this, the competition among job seekers is likely going to be less intense. As I am sure you are aware, the search for a new position after graduation will be a competitive process, just as it will be throughout your career. One way to identify these types of industries is through the various business and industry directories that are available such as the Scott’s directory. The Scott’s, available in the Career Centre for you, lists organizations by industry codes, and will provide you with information such as addresses, key executives, web address, products and services, annual revenue, etc.

Another thing you can do as part of your search for a career oriented job, is to join an association related to the industry you want to enter. These days, most every industry has some kind of association to represent its interests. You have probably heard of the more common ones like the CMA or CA associations, but there are many others for even niche type industries like the CICBV (Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators). Most associations also have discounted student membership rates so the cost in many cases is not extreme (the membership fee in most cases is a tax credit as well). If for instance you are graduating from HR, think about joining the HRPAO. The student membership cost is less than half the cost of a regular full time membership and can be pro-rated depending on how many months you are a member. In the case of HRPAO, you gain access to their password protected job posting system called Hire Authority, where many HR specific jobs are posted that are likely not posted on other job posting sites. If you are looking at accounting as a career, the associations for each of the 3 designations are a great resource for new grads.

In the end, you need to employ a variety of approaches and tactics in your job search to get the result you want. Don’t rely on any one method exclusively, as this will limit your opportunities. Put a good effort in, and you won’t regret it!