Career Services Home
Gordon Hall, 3rd Floor
74 Union Street
(across from the PEC)
Queen's University
Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6
Canada
Tel: (613) 533-2992
Fax: (613) 533-2535
Job Search
If your plan is to limit yourself to searching only advertised Job Postings, do so with CAUTION because...
* Up to 80% of work is not advertised
* Therefore, complete reliance on advertised job postings is possibly unproductive.
NOTE: If you are not already registered as a member of the Online Community, please click Get a Login ID to go to the Common Room and complete your registration. You will then be able to logon to Career Services Navigator (CSN).
Get the newspaper for your target location(s) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Those are the days when many job postings appear.
Check the Globe and Mail on Fridays. They have a Careers section with postings for across the country and sometimes around the world.
Go where the work is. Many employers advertise work at their place of business (signs in windows or on notice boards) and NOT in newspapers or on the Internet.
Use "requires experience" ads as a starting point. Many employers don't advertise specifically for new grads but they may advertise for more advanced positions. Use these ads as a starting point for talking about more appropriate opportunities.
Check out The Canada Student Employment Guide for lists of organizations who have hired new graduates in the past. It's produced every year and you can find it at Career Services in our Information Area or buy it at the Campus Bookstore.
Your best bet: Contact companies directly. This will help you access 4 out of 5 jobs that will not be advertised. Yes, it's a bit daunting to think about doing cold calls and it will take time to research information and make connections. But, you are worth the investment.
Find organizations that do work that interests you by looking for material they publish in print or on the Internet. Approach people who work there to let them know that you are interested in what they do. Once you have an idea of the match between what you have to offer and what they need (through information interviews), indicate that you would like to apply for work.
Examples of places to find "hidden" job leads:
in the yellow pages of the telephone book. Look for section headings that include keywords that describe work that interests you.
consult directories such as The Canada Student Employment Guide (available at bookstores and at Career Services) for information about organizations that have regularly hired new graduates.
by doing an Internet search. Use the keywords describing the work (not necessarily the job title) and include the name of the city or geographic region.
in display advertisements for products or services. Companies that promote to potential buyers also give you (the job-seeker) valuable information about what they do, what they need, and where they are located.
through conversations with friends, family members, and your references. Through your info-mercial, let them know the kind of work you are looking for including topics or issues that are of particular interest and skills you possess that you feel might be useful.
by scanning classified newspaper ads and employment directories to find the names of organizations that do work that interests you. Even if they are not advertising for a position that suits your current situation or abilities, you will find their contact information and can prospect further.
by contacting Professional Associations connected with the work.
For specific details about Professional Association, Info-mercials, Information Interviews and more, check out the Researching Opportunities Webshop on the Student part of our site.
