Working on summer jobs

BY ELYSE AMEND

elyse.amend@transcontinental.ca

With exams winding down and vacation on its way, many students in the West Island will soon be starting their summer jobs. But for those still without employment for the summer months, there is hope.

“The first thing would be, pay attention to the newspapers and places like Monster, Jobboom, and other online sites. Basically, keep your ear to the ground,” said Gerry Arsenault, director general of the West Island CLD, a non-profit organization subsidized by the government that promotes economic development in the area. “There are over 1,200 employers in the area’s industrial parks. That’s a lot of potential employers.”

According to Arsenault, there are three major points everyone should keep in mind when on the job hunt: polish your résumé, do your homework, and have a plan.

“If I were a student this year, I’d borrow the car, get on the bus or bike with copies of my C.V. – as thin as it might be – and go knock on some door,” Arsenault said. “But they need to make sure they’re focused as to what kind of job they’re looking for.”

The Service Canada Centre for Youth in Pointe Claire, 181 Hymus Blvd., opened its doors this past Monday, and Stephanie Alghabra-Lebon said people between 16 and 35 years old can drop by on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. until Aug. 29 to get help looking for potential employers, fixing their résumés, and even practicing for job interviews. Alghabra-Lebon also said Service Canada has an on-line job bank www.jobbank.gc.ca) that has jobs in everything from the usual day camps, restaurants, offices, and moving companies to festival organizations and video game testing labs posted.

“We have a variety of jobs,” Alghabra-Lebon said. “It is a good time to go job hunting. People should have their C.V.’s looked at. It’s a very important tool to get a job, and sometimes changing just a few little things can make a difference.”

Alghabra-Lebon also said Service Canada is holding a job fair tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Concordia University downtown.

The Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi at 1075 Carson Ave. in Dorval – with a second office 4360-B Sources Blvd. in Dollard des Ormeaux – offers career counselling, job search help, workshops, and many other services. Career counsellor Julie Leblanc said students looking for a job should take a personal approach in their search.

“Contact the employers directly. Go in person, because the direct approach is the best one. It shows their dynamism and that they really want to work, as it shows they are responsible and active,” Leblanc said. More on the West Island Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi can be found at www.cjeouestile.qc.ca.

Arsenault said no matter what method you choose, the most important thing about a job hunt is actually getting out there.

“For students, a summer job is an essential on many fronts: they need the money, they need the experience, and there’s a certain group of kids who need it to keep them busy and to keep them out of trouble,” Arsenault said. “The main thing is, if you don’t go fishing, you won’t catch any fish.”