Three tips for U of T students seeking summer jobs amid COVID-19
With physical distancing rules in a place and an economy essentially in lockdown, ÖŰżÚζSM students looking for jobs summer have their work cut out for them.
âThe traditional ways of looking for summer work may not work this year,â says Jen Davies, manager, career development services at U of T Scarboroughâs Academic Advising & Career Centre.
âWe're looking at an extended period of economic disruption, so that means fewer job ads being posted and even greater demand for each individual posting.â
Until the pandemic hit, Davies says it had been a job seekerâs market, but within a four-month period everything has been flipped.
As economists consider the possibility of an extended recession, Davies says the strategy of simply sending out a bunch of resumĂ©s and crossing your fingers in the hope of getting a few responses isnât likely to cut it.
Here is Daviesâ three pieces advice for students attempting to land a summer position in 2020.
Networking, networking, networking
âNetworking is going to be crucial for job seekers,â Davies says.
She recommends doing whatâs called a âpeople searchâ â that is, finding an industry that youâre interested in, or an organization that is currently hiring, and finding people you can connect with.
The trick will be finding those few opportunities and then getting noticed because there will be increased competition. Davies says using Google to look beyond the big companies to find smaller firms and start-ups will also be important.
As a way in, she recommends doing as much homework on an organization as possible: Go on its social media channels, find out what the organization is doing and what it values, and then try to engage in a conversation that will help make your application stand out.
âAsk thoughtful questions about their plans or priorities, or even comment on the job posting you saw for that assistant position,â she says, adding that a quick,15-minute phone or video call may be the best alternative to a face-to-face meeting over coffee.
Be strategic
As for which industries are most likely to be hiring, Davies says those in the business of delivering goods are a solid bet. When physical distancing measures were put into place, Amazon and Walmart immediately went on a hiring spree just as other organizations were laying off staff.
âBusinesses that deliver goods and materials are probably still going to be hiring people, but that does mean going out in public and continuing to interact with people,â she says.
She adds that organizations that rely on call centres â including financial institutions, tech companies and telecommunications â are likely still looking to hire.
âMoney management is becoming a very urgent issue, and people wonât be able to do a lot of banking in person,â Davies says.
âThe technology sector will be busy. We're spending a lot more time on our cell phones and computers, so businesses that make apps, telecoms and Internet companies â anyone with interest in working in technology can probably expect to find jobs.â
Manage your expectations
Finally, Davies says it will be important to manage expectations. There will be a lot of rejection and none of it may be your fault.
âDonât take the lack of interest personally, itâs just the economic situation weâre in at the moment,â she says.
âYouâre going to feel responsible and want to second guess everything â was my cover letter good enough, is it my resume, do I have enough experience â but itâs very likely got nothing to do with you, so donât lose hope.â