If you’re looking for a job, it helps to start with a clear idea of who you’d like to work for.
Christine Dunn, who is the team leader at WorkBC Employment Services Centre Global Vocational Services Inc. in Ladysmith, says targeting your resumé to the employer is key when it comes to finding a job in this area.
“Over 85 per cent of employers on the Island are small employers,” she explained.
Dunn says news of job openings is often spread by word of mouth when people know someone is leaving and a position is opening up.
“Usually, the last person to know is the human resources manager,” she said. “The last place it goes is the job board.”
Dunn says only 10 to 15 per cent of job openings end up on job boards.
“This is why building relationships with employers, identifying where you want to go and identifying the employer is more important,” she said. “With most of our employers being small employers, they’re looking for a good fit.”
Dunn believes finding out if you will be a fit for the employer you are targeting is important, and doing your research will help you figure that out.
“The No. 1 strategy is find out who the employer is and why you want to work for them,” she said. “People are looking for people all the time who are going to be a good fit and who are not just looking for a job.”
When creating your resumé, a concrete skill statement is far more valuable for an employer than a general one, according to Dunn.
Global Vocational Services offers a range of resources and services for job seekers in the area, including a resource library, phone, fax, job board, workshops and one-to-one employment counselling.
“Anyone at all can walk through our door and look at our job board, and we’d be glad to show them around and talk to them about the services we have,” said Dunn.
Global Vocational Services Inc. has been providing employment services in the Cowichan region since 1996.
In April, Global was awarded the contract by the provincial government to provide the Employment Program of BC in the Cowichan region, and Global has offices in Ladysmith and Duncan, working collaboratively with other community employment agencies to deliver services to those seeking employment.
Visit the Ladysmith Employment Services Centre at 11-740 First Ave. or call 250-924-2884 for more information. Information on programs, services and resources available to job seekers can be found at the Global Vocational Services Inc. website.