Do's and don'ts for student job-seekers

Convocation has concluded at universities, and high school graduations are less than a month away. The wheels of P.E.I.'s $400 million tourism industry are beginning to turn, and hiring is in full swing.

If you're seeking one of your very first jobs, you could be curious as to what potential employers are seeking.

CBC asked two large student employers on P.E.I. for their advice COWS Inc. and Maritime Fun Group, who between them have almost 400 people on the payroll, most of them students.

Maritime Fun Group runsSandspitand Shining Waters amusement parks, while COWS has five ice cream and retail shops across P.E.I., as well as Anne of Green Gables Chocolates.

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1. Start early

"If there's a position that interests you, get your application in early," said Jessica MacDonald, director of operations at COWS.

Spring breaks are a great time for us to conduct interviews where we are not interrupting school/extracurricular activities. Many great applicants miss out simply because they waited too long."

2. Dress to impress

"Appearance is important, so leave your hats, sweatshirts, and graphic T's at home," said Caroline Linkletter, human resource manager with Maritime Fun Group.

"We like to see that an applicant has put thought into their appearance, and looks clean and professional."

3. Leave Mom and Dad in the car

Both the application and interview processes can be "extremely intimidating" for students, but filling out your own application, dropping it off in person and attending the interview solo shows that you are ready to handle the responsibility of taking on a job, said MacDonald.

Once you land a job, don't rely on your parents to handle your job for you, addedLinkletter.

4. Proofreading counts

It turns out grammar is important.Have someone proofread your documents it might just be the difference between getting an interview or getting filed in the "maybe" pile.

"Grab our attention with a professional resume, unique cover letter or application with well-thought-out answers," said MacDonald.

"Using incorrect spelling, one-word answers, bad grammar or incorrect punctuation grabs our attention, but for the wrong reasons."

5. Prepare, prepare, prepare

If you get a job interview, arrive early and be prepared for questions. Linkletter suggestspracticingbeforehandand bringinga cover letter and resume to your interview.

Do not give generic answers to an interviewer without thinking about what they mean,she emphasizes.

"When interviewees come in and can rhyme off facts about COWS and our history, it's always a positive start to the meeting," said MacDonald.

"Interviewees should always consider that it's not 100 per cent about having the exact skills and experience to match the job description exhibiting a great smile, positive attitude and willingness to learn can go a long way."

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6. Life skills

Listing just skills on your resume such as "organized,""quick learner"or "reliable"only tells an employer so much, said MacDonald. Tell employers about your former jobs and what responsibilities you had. Highlight volunteer work too, Linkletter said.

She suggests people talk about their accomplishments at school, chores at home, babysitting and extracurricular activities.

"It links the skills listed with how you've applied them in life and allows us to better match you to available positions," saidLinkletter.

7. Getting there

Have a plan for transportation to and from work and think about it before applying,emphasizes Linkletter.

"We could have a great employee, but if they do not have reliable transportation, it is hard for us to rely on them," she said.

8. Job must come first

Understand that your job must take priority over your hobbies and social activities, said Linkletter.

Also, don't fib about other commitments you have that may interfere with your work schedule, such as sports.

If employees frequently ask for multiple afternoons off for activities such as sport commitments, it will be challenging to also provide them with full time hours, she adds.

For example, summer tourism is still in full swing during Labour Day, and attractions like Sandspit are still busy.

Linkletter said her companyencourages employees to book time off before Labour Day to prepare for school.

And finally, do not "expect your job to be like summer camp," Linkletter said.