As COVID-19 spread around the world in March, the economy entered free fall. At the height of the unemployment crisis in May, more than two million people across Canada were out of work.
As restrictions tighten again in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases, the future of the economy seems just as uncertain.
Michelle Patrick, student pilipili漫画 career advisor at pilipili漫画鈥檚 Bissett Student Success Centre, recognizes that students entering the job market don鈥檛 have it easy.
鈥淪tudents and new grads are competing against people who have, sometimes, years of experience,鈥� she said.
Leverage control
That doesn鈥檛 mean that job seekers should lose hope. One of the best ways for students entering the job market to improve their chances is to reach out to Dalhousie Career Services.
Undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni who graduated within the last two years are all able to receive help from Dalhousie as they start their careers. Job seekers can receive help with setting goals, preparing for interviews, submitting applications, and building r茅sum茅s.
November is Canada Career Month, and Dalhousie Career Services has spent the month offering a virtual learning series. On Wednesday (November 25), Patrick offered a Zoom session entitled, 鈥淗ow to find a job in a pandemic.鈥� Other webinar topics included r茅sum茅 creation and using LinkedIn.
Patrick offered a message of hope in her webinar, as she reminded attendees that while much seems to be in a state of flux, the job seeker still has some control. It鈥檚 all about leveraging that control. Even as much of Canada hunkers down again, Patrick reminds attendees that they can still take initiative from home.
鈥淵ou have control over making sure you are ready for whatever the world throws at you,鈥� she told the attendees.
Patrick says to be open minded in your job search and that where your search starts isn鈥檛 necessarily where your career will end. It鈥檚 all about developing useful skills, especially the ability to adapt.
鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to apply for that job. Think about the things you can learn from these opportunities,鈥� Patrick said.
Help is here
With the pandemic leaving so many unable to find work, Patrick says job seekers should focus on telling their story, their skills, and aspirations. She recommends students reach out to her office for help building their career toolbox.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so many tools out there but use them effectively,鈥� she said.
Dalhousie Career Services continues to offer their full range of services despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team is ready to meet with students online and is accessible by email at career.services@dal.ca.
The office can set you up with a peer advisor that will provide feedback on your r茅sum茅 and discuss your job search.
In addition to upcoming workshops, Dalhousie Career Services is holding a career fair next year on Tuesday, February 9th.
While the future may be up in the air, Dalhousie students can still take advantage of the university鈥檚 resources so they鈥檙e prepared for the new economy.