Going through the application process to find employment can be stressful; then finally it happens. You get a job offer. No more handing out resumes, completing online applications, or answering tough interview questions. Hurray! Following the excitement and anticipation, comes the reality check. You are starting a brand new job – with people you don’t know, in a business you are unfamiliar with, completing tasks that may be new to you.

When looking for work, we know that only 10-20% of the jobs are advertised, leaving a substantial amount of potential positions in the hidden market. When considering how to best access those opportunities, employing cold calls and networking strategies can be very effective.

Most of us take for granted the access that we have to technology, resources, products and services. This is not the case for everyone and, for those with a disability; the world can be a very different place. Imagine going to a restaurant and having to choose your dinner by the pictures because you cannot read the menu. Imagine the challenge of trying to write down the details for an upcoming interview or applying for a job online in a timed format. In a competitive job market, a certain level of literacy is required and even those with passion, skills, personality and a post-secondary education can be left behind if the proper resources are not available.

It has become much more commonplace for large employers to host a Job Fair when conducting a mass hire. This time-efficient, the cost-efficient process allows them to meet multiple candidates, in a short period of time, and form a viable first impression.

With so many job seekers expressing frustration with the impersonal selection manner used with online applications, the Job Fair format provides that face-to-face connection they often long for. Yet with so many other competitors it can be overwhelming, so we have developed a checklist to ensure you maintain a competitive edge.

While many have heard of informational interviews, there are few job seekers that feel comfortable contacting an employer with such a request.
What kind of questions do I ask? Will I be bothering them? How is it going to help me in the long run?
These are common and very legitimate questions that we hear often. This post is designed to help you develop a clearer understanding of the benefits of an informational interview and the process involved.
First, let’s start by making the distinction between a job interview and an informational interview. A job interview is arranged by a potential employer in response to your job application. It indicates that you are seen as a suitable candidate for the position and are moving on to the next step in the recruitment process. On the other hand, an informational interview is arranged by the job seeker, displaced worker, career changer, recent graduate or aspiring student.

While the majority of job seekers are knowledgeable about employer expectations, the job search process itself can be confusing. Different resume versions, online applications, and a LinkedIn account can serve as a source of frustration. In this age of technology, the job search process has become less personal, with selection sometimes being based on algorithms and human resource software specifications.

There is no denying that the most stressful aspect of trying to find work can be the job interview. Landing a job interview indicates that the employer views you as a suitable candidate. Now it is time to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward. Finding a way to ‘stand out in the crowd’ can be a challenge. Researching the company, conducting a mock interview, doing a trial run to find out how long it will take you to get there, reviewing your resume, choosing your interview clothes, and packing extra copies of your resume and reference page are all great strategies to prepare for the interview. Being able to outline your qualifications and provide examples of how you cope with challenges in the workplace will provide the employer with a better picture of how you might fit into their organization. Based on input from local employers, we have prepared a list to help you ensure that you are truly prepared for your next job interview.

For years we have been told that the majority of jobs are in the ‘hidden job’ market meaning that only 10-20 percent of positions are advertised. As a result,  a very small portion of your weekly job search should be dedicated to newspaper ads and internet job boards and the majority spent on identifying potential job prospects with targeted employers in your area of skill or training.