Strategies for a Personal Job Search

Conducting a job search complements our efforts on your behalf and allows you to contact people in regions, fields or industries that appeal to you. We expect Arts Co-op and Science Co-op students to conduct a personal job search, but we encourage all co-op students to experience the rewards of a personal job search.

You will receive some helpful suggestions on conducting a personal job search during the job search workshop. (See the co-op event calendar for dates.)

Before accepting an offer, you need to have the job approved by the Co-op Office. If the job does not meet our approval as described, your co-ordinator can give you and the employer ideas for enhancing the position.

Tips for conducting your own job search:

• Assess your skills, strengths and interests.
• Target your job search by focusing on a specific industry or geographic area.
• Prepare a list of companies to contact.
  
• Please check your list of companies and contacts with your co-ordinator to ensure that you have targeted appropriate organizations and to avoid duplicating our efforts.
• Develop a system to keep track of your contact with employers.
• Send a link to the co-op brochure by e-mail to prospective employers as part of your personal job search. 
  

Sources of contacts include:

• Chambers of Commerce
• Directories in libraries (ex. Scott’s Directory of Manufacturers)
  
• Associations (ex. Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario
  
• City websites, which often include online business directories
• Job posting sites, such as Monster, Workopolis Campus and Vault