If you feel like every resume you’re putting out is just going into a pile of hundreds of other applications, you’re not alone.
Finding a job can be challenging right now with the unemployment rate in Ontario increasing to 7.9 per cent in December from 7.4 per cent in November, according to Statistics Canada.
Durham College (DC) and Ontario Tech University held a job fair earlier this month. This gave students and alumni a chance to go beyond the screen and meet employers face-to-face.
More than 60 employers attended and the hallways were buzzing with high energy. Some participants were looking for summer employment while others were trying to find co-op positions.
Among the crowd was Shanice Coore-Mungo, a second-year student in the Business Administration – HR program at DC. She attended the event to hand out resumes but ran into a challenge.
“I was looking to meet some people and try to get my resume out there but that’s not going so well because they’re taking more digital nowadays,” she said.
Josie Galante is also in the same program at DC and accompanied Coore-Mungo to the job fair. While she ran into similar issues with the resumes, she enjoyed the social aspect.
“We are very happy to be talking to everybody, getting to know people, getting our names out there,” said Galante.
Both students came prepared for the job fair.
“I stayed up most of the night looking at who’s going to be here, what I can talk to them about and what each company is about and if my personal beliefs align with theirs,” said Coore-Mungo.
Researching the company is an important step to prepare for an interview, according to Helen Wright, human resources business partner with the Municipality of Clarington.
Speaking at her booth, Wright said this includes knowing who you’re interviewing with as well as the community the company is involved in.
She emphasized having knowledge of local demographics and being “passionate, really passionate” about the field and the community is important.
Other employers who attended the job fair noted outgoing people are their ideal candidates.
Steven Race, who runs Little Kickers soccer program, came to the job fair in search of head coaches. The opportunity to meet candidates in person allowed him to get a sense of the enthusiasm and energy he looks for in an employee.
“If you come to me bringing some energy, bringing some enthusiasm, asking some questions, there’s a good chance you’re going to get hired with our program, because we can teach you the rest of it, ” he said. “I can’t teach you how to be fun and energetic.”
Durham College’s Whitby campus will host a job fair on Feb. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.