Dalhousie career advisor preps students for competitive summer job season

A Dalhousie University career advisor shares tips for students looking to line up a job this summer.

As summer approaches, many students are shifting their sights to work opportunities between semesters.

“I always like to say it’s never too early, and it’s never too late. Different industries follow different hiring cycles,” says Dalhousie University career advisor Kaitlin Burek.

At this time of the year, there’s a lot of hiring demand for roles in summer camps, tourism, and service industries.

Burek recommends several resources for students looking to send out their resumés.

“Some job boards that I particularly love to recommend is the Government of Nova Scotia’s job board, and the youth job bank. Typing in those keywords ‘summer’ and ‘student’ can often drive you towards those positions,” she says.

The Federal Student Work Experience Program and the Clean Leadership Summer Internship Program are two others she points to.

Burek encourages students to be confident in their applications.

“Please, please, please, take the time to be self-aware about your excellence. Like, an employer will never know you’re the best fit if you don’t know you’re the best fit,” she says.

“And it’s never a bad idea to tap into those networks, lots of conversations lead to jobs, not just postings. So, try out, and feel what fits best for you,” she adds.

When it comes to interviews and discussions with employers, she also advises students to provide concrete examples supporting their claims.

“I always say, show don’t just tell,” she says.

She also suggests tailoring documents into the conversation, referencing the job posting and resumé to highlight important qualifications.

When it comes to AI, Burek urges students not to rely on it.

“Use it as a collaborator or a tool but it doesn’t replace you, they’re not hiring ChatGPT, they’re hiring you,” she says.

Even if students don’t have professional experience to add on their resumé, she says there’s plenty of developmental opportunities to showcase, whether it’s from volunteering or an academic group project.

Even if the job market is competitive, Burek encourages students to be persistent.

“It’s just a matter of time, you got this,” she says.

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