🧱 Foundation: Career Search

Career Search

Weave the multiple strategies in this Resource into your career management strategy: build your network, pursue work-integrated learning, engage in strategic volunteering, customize your applications, conduct labour market research. While it may feel easier to focus on your search online, evidence has shown this will extend your job search. Instead, make connection with people to open more doors and career opportunities!

Three Key Career Search Steps:

1. Define your goal.
Focus on what what kind of work you want. A lack of direction can prolong your search and increase frustration. If you're unsure, revisit the Determining Direction unit.

2. Target 10–15 companies.
Research each one thoroughly:

• Learn about their mission, values, and competitors
• Follow their social media and news
• Look them up on Glassdoor (read reviews critically)
  
• Use LinkedIn to find and learn from current employees

This knowledge will help in networking, writing tailored cover letters, and answering common interview questions like “Why do you want to work here?”

3. Commit to a plan.
Decide how many people to contact weekly. The Discovering Connections unit and 26-Week Challenge can help you stay on track.

Tip: When networking, never ask for a job, focus on building relationships. Check out Steve Jobs’ 2011 interview with the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association—his advice on asking and taking action still applies.

Hidden Job Market

The hidden job market includes jobs that are never publicly posted, often filled through referrals, word-of-mouth, or internal promotions.

Why are so many jobs not posted?  Posting a job publicly is time-consuming and costly. It involves writing listings, reviewing applications, screening applicants, coordinating interviews, checking references, and negotiating offers. Many employers prefer to avoid this by hiring internally or through trusted networks.

Because people tend to hire those they know and trust, networking is key. You may be surprised how many roles are filled this way.

The hidden job market is real and active. If it’s not on your radar, it should be. Building your network is essential for accessing these opportunities. That’s why the Discovering Connections unit focuses on growing your community, a crucial step toward tapping into this market.

Cover Letter and Resume

Your resume and cover letter aim to earn you an interview. Together, they introduce you, highlight your qualifications, reflect your fit with the organization, and showcase your communication skills.

Use your application to:

• Show alignment with the company’s mission and values
• Demonstrate relevant skills and experience through stories and results, not vague claims
• Reflect the tone and language of the job posting to build rapport and pass applicant tracking systems (ATS)

Avoid listing every past responsibility—focus on what’s relevant to the role, quantify results, and integrate transferable skills. Use examples from the Career Planning and Skills Employers Want modules to support your points.

Tip: Phrases like “strong communicator” fall flat without evidence. Instead, show communication skills through specific achievements or challenges you’ve handled.

Your drafted stories/examples from the Career Planning and Skills Employers Want modules provide the foundation for your cover letter and resume and interview preparation.

Employers are assessing your potential, trustworthiness, and fit. Ask yourself:

• How do I demonstrate trustworthiness?
• How do I stay accountable and motivated?
• How do I work with others, especially remotely?

All these principles apply to both your resume and cover letter.

Cover Letter

A cover letter is a formal one-page document with an introduction, body, and conclusion. It’s your chance to tell stories that demonstrate your skills, align with the company’s values, and reflect their tone.

Your letter should answer:

• Why do you want this job and company?
• Can you do the job (skills and knowledge)?
• Can you work well with others (transferable skills)?
• How do your values align with the company culture?

Basic Guidelines:

• Keep it to one page
• Avoid acronyms and abbreviations (e.g., use “I am” instead of “I’m”)
• Match the letterhead to your resume for a polished look

Resume

A strong resume combines self-awareness, clear communication, critical thinking, and strategic design.

Start by analyzing the job posting, then match your relevant skills, values, and experiences to the listed qualifications. Use concise, results-driven statements and include examples that show you can work both independently and with others.

Design matters:

• Make your resume clean, readable, and visually appealing
• Avoid templates with locked layouts, text boxes, tables, or columns—these can confuse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
• Customize the order of sections to suit each job and reflect your growth

Interviews

Interviews evaluate your fit for the role and organization. Use direct answers supported by specific, memorable stories—especially to highlight transferable skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Body Language Tips (Canadian workplace context):

• Lean in, smile, make eye contact
• Avoid crossing arms, fidgeting, or swiveling

Virtual Interview Tips

Live Interviews: Conducted over platforms like Zoom or Teams.
Pre-recorded Interviews: One-way responses to preset questions, usually with limited prep and answer time, and often reviewed by HR or AI.

Virtual Setup Checklist:

• Front-facing lighting; avoid backlight
• Use a wired internet connection
• Clean background or virtual backdrop
• Quiet space; mute notifications
• Dress professionally and look into the webcam
• Sit in a stable, non-swiveling chair

Common Questions

Expect questions asking for specific examples of how you’ve handled conflict, led teams, or met deadlines. These help assess transferable skills indirectly.

Example:

• “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague.”
  (Skills: communication, collaboration, problem-solving)

Closing Questions

When asked, “Do you have any questions for us?”—always say yes. Thoughtful questions show your interest and preparation. Try:

• What does the onboarding process look like?
• What are the key challenges in this role?
• How do you define and celebrate success?
• What traits do your top performers share?

AI Interviews: What You Need to Know

AI is becoming a lasting trend in hiring. Many companies now use AI tools in early recruitment stages to assess candidates' soft skills, behavior, and communication—before a human ever sees the application.

Pymetrics uses games and questions to measure cognitive and emotional traits like risk tolerance and response time—in just 25 minutes. Companies like McDonald's and JP Morgan use it to screen candidates before human interviews.

HireVue records candidates answering questions via webcam. It analyzes:

• Keywords and language use (e.g., “I” vs. “we” for teamwork)
• Facial expressions and tone to assess enthusiasm and behavior
• Up to 500,000 data points per candidate

The AI then generates a score based on attributes like conscientiousness, willingness to learn, and emotional stability. Companies may use these scores to shortlist candidates—often without human review.

Important Notes:

• You won’t see your score or feedback
• Your tone, word choice, and facial movements all influence the result
• Continue researching AI-based interviews, especially if invited to a pre-recorded one

Watch: HireVue Video Interview: How to Beat the Algorithm and Get the Job (5:33)

Negotiating Job Offers

Effective negotiation starts before you apply. Be clear on:

• The role you want
• Your top priorities
• What you offer
• Labour market conditions
• Your long-term career goals

Research by Bowles & Thomason (2021) shows that negotiating your role—like responsibilities and growth opportunities—often benefits your career more than just negotiating pay. Start with your goals and negotiate from there.

If you haven’t completed the Determining Direction Unit, use the worksheet as a quick way to clarify your goals and value. This prep helps you justify your ask and negotiate with confidence.

Next, continue on to Activity: Career Search - Job Posting Analysis for Cover Letter & Resume