Getting a job is not as easy as it was a few years ago, especially for younger Canadians, as the job market continues to relax.
As new graduates enter the workforce in the coming weeks, they are likely to face entry challenges and must be prepared to effectively communicate what they bring to the company.
“They have to be prepared for interviews, show their interpersonal skills and be able to answer questions,” said Sandra Lavoy, regional director for Robert Half.
“Be prepared for difficult questions.”
Statistics Canada’s labor force survey showed employment among 15- to 24-year-olds fell one per cent in March, continuing a worrying trend of virtually no net employment growth among youth for more than a year.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate among youth rose to 12.6 percent. It is the highest level since September 2016, excluding the pandemic lockdown years of 2020-21.
While there are a large number of people looking for jobs, about half of the increase in the overall unemployment rate over the past year can be explained by students and new graduates looking for work, said Carrie Freestone, an economist at RBC Economics. (This includes post-secondary and secondary education students seeking part-time work, high school graduates seeking work, and post-secondary education graduates seeking work.)
A competitive market
Lavoy said many recent graduates had never written a resume before or knew how to properly showcase their skills because they worked in retail or restaurants and their resumes are light.
“Maybe you were captain of the swim team, or president of the student council, or organized a fundraiser, or gave back to the community and volunteered,” he said. “These are really important skills today that companies didn’t consider 10 years ago.”
Extracurricular activities demonstrate a person’s interpersonal skills and core values and should be mentioned on resumes, he added.
Lavoy recalled hiring a young woman a few months ago who fits well with the company.
“(She showed) who she was. She was authentic. I hired her,” Lavoy said.
Be yourself
Husam Elzien graduated last summer from Niagara College’s public relations program. He spent months searching for an opportunity in his field while working part-time in retail before finally landing a relevant job.
“The job market is very competitive,” said Elzien, who lives in the Niagara region. “You have to know how to promote yourself to stand out and that took me… nine months or so.” He now has an internship position that starts in May.
He recalled receiving several rejections, if any from potential employers. But after going through several interviews, Elzien realized he wasn’t being himself during the calls and decided to make a pivot, he said.
“I felt like I wasn’t allowed to have a personality,” she said. “Yes, they want to know your technical knowledge, but they also want to know you as a person.”
Husam Elzien, shown in a distributed photo, graduated from Niagara College’s public relations program last summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS
Build a network
When looking for a job, online postings are just the tip of the iceberg, said Laura Hambley, a registered psychologist and founder of Canada Career Counselling.
“You want to go under the iceberg,” he said. “That means network, network, network.”
“Connect with people and tell them what (you’re) looking for, because the more people know what you’re looking for, the more likely you are to get the right opportunity in your career,” he said.
Hambley suggested creating a LinkedIn profile as soon as possible.
“It’s like saving money: start saving as early as possible and as soon as possible,” he said. “LinkedIn is like your professional network social capital.”
Practice makes perfect
If you get an interview for a job, preparation is key.
Information such as knowing the average salary for the position so graduates don’t undervalue themselves or overstretch their skills, researching critical projects the company is working on and making sure resumes are up to date can help during calls, Lavoy said.
“Practice negotiating what’s important to you — sometimes it could be a combination of hybrid or different benefits (like) a gym membership,” he said. “It can’t just be about money.”
You can’t put a price on valuable mentoring and developing your skills on the job, he added.
Industries are always looking for qualified talent, and while recent graduates lack experience, they bring new ideas and contribute to company culture, Lavoy said.
“Companies are considering (hiring) not only for today, but also for the future,” he said.
Ask for help
If new graduates don’t know what they want in a job or how they can put their best foot forward, experts suggest seeking career guidance, such as a career counselor or recruiter.
“Go see a recruiter, sit down and talk to them about what you’re looking for,” Lavoy said. “The recruiter will ask them some questions and help them with their resume, what they are looking for and how to answer the interview questions.”
Lack of confidence in one’s abilities is a common drawback among many job seekers, whether new or old in the industry, Hambley said.
“Having a career counselor can help you develop (confidence) in yourself and be clear about your abilities, both your hard skills and your soft skills, such as interpersonal skills, work ethic, the ability to build relationships and communicate with others.”
Freestone said there are no bad bets for younger workers to choose a particular sector.
Although RBC’s January report suggests that professional and financial jobs are fewer compared to the high number of post-secondary graduates. Meanwhile, vacancies in healthcare and construction will remain high as more people retire and demand for housing grows.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2024.