How do You Begin the Summer Job Search?

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Summer is just around the corner! YAY!

Now comes the fun part, or maybe the hard part. How do you find a summer job?

There are a number of helpful things you can do to gain employment for the summer.

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1. Use your contacts.

 Do you have family or friends who own businesses? or manage businesses? Ask them. They may be able to connect you with a summer job where they work or with an associate. Many people find jobs from personal connections or close acquaintances. It never hurts to ask.

2. Make your resume and go knock on doors.

Have you always dreamed of working in retail? or at an autobody shop? Go knock on their door. But arrive prepared. Have your resume done properly. Ask your references ahead of time and let them know you are on the job search. Dress well for going to businesses - a good rule of thumb is to dress up better than you would need to for the job you want. Every student at SRSS has access to this website:  https://myblueprint.ca/hanover This website has a form you can fill out online and it makes your resume for you. Ask your guidance counsellor for more information if you have never used it.

3. Search. Search. Search.

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Check out local websites like www.steinbachonline.com or
mysteinbach.ca   - check them for job listings or even just names of businesses where you can walk in and ask if they are hiring.

Use myblueprint.ca/hanover and find the icon that leads you to local job listings.

Read the local paper. I know.... Read? the newspaper? yep - some people still post advertisements in there... Maybe you'll find a great job that way.

Open your eyes, look in windows of local businesses you frequent. They may have a help wanted sign in their window.

Visit the local youth job centre. These offices open every year in mid-May and are meant to help you - the students and youth of the community. Steinbach has one at 395 Main St. Stop by. Fill out their forms. Register. Look at postings there. The Provincial website has more information - check it out: http://www.gov.mb.ca/cyo/youth/services/manitobayouthjobcentres.html


4. Can't find a job. VOLUNTEER

Sometimes you have exhausted every avenue and done everything right and you just can't find the perfect summer job.

VOLUNTEER.

Find something you enjoy doing and see if you can volunteer at that business, organization, association, church, camp, or neighbours.

Volunteering doesn't pay much at all. Most of the time you earn nothing. But that's not really true. You gain experience. This experience may lead to you having a job in the future. Sometimes you will even get hired at the place you are volunteering - if they see how valuable you are and how well you work. Sometimes that job, maybe volunteering by working at the hospital gift store, gives you the right skills to get a job working at your favourite store in Steinbach. Or maybe volunteering to help your neighbour paint his / her barn will help you get a job working on his / her farm or working with his brother-in-law's painting company.

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The Race to the Finish!

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Can you believe it? The END is NEAR. The end of the term, then the end of the semester, the end of this school year.

What is she talking about? The end? That's a long way off!

Maybe, but reality says that the end of Spring Break and our return to school means that we are approaching the finish line of this school year. Three months left. Three more long weekends. 52 school days. And then - that's it - final assessments.

To some of you,  52 days feels like a very long time and right now you are just planning on waiting until around the last 10 days of school to get busy and get assignments done. I know - I was a student for many years: high school and then four degrees at university. I can procrastinate with the best of you procrastinators. Let me assure you - this is not a good plan.

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To some of you, 52 days is incredibly short. How are you going to be ready? What about those grade 12 provincial exams which happen earlier in June and are less than 50 days away? How will you get it all done, maintain your high marks, apply for all those scholarships and still have time to hang out with your friends, work, earn money and get enough rest? Let me assure you - you will survive. Beyond surviving, most of you will thrive.

Whether you tend to procrastinate or always plan ahead, let me remind you: You have 52 days to make the most of this school year! or at least what's left of it! If you currently
have 15 outstanding assignments - you have time to get them done and handed in. If you are on top of all your work and are busy applying for schools, scholarships or jobs - you have time.

After reading some of these blogs, you may think I am the eternal optimist and that I don't live in reality. But let me assure you - I understand reality. I understand that people can chose to fail. But I also understand, after 26 years as an educator, that you can still make a commitment at this point in the school year that  will allow you to finish strong. I also understand that your teachers want you to do well. Your parents want you to do well. Your principals want you to do well. We are here to support you! We can't do the work for you. However, we will go out of our way to help you finish the school year well.

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So, take heart! Put your effort into finishing this school year well. Ask us for help. Check out the two homework rooms if you need to. Let us work with you on scholarship applications and job applications. Seek out advice from peers who are doing well in your classes. Form study groups to ensure success for you and your classmates on projects and final assessments. Plan ahead on major projects - like your Passion Projects. Invest yourself.

And... on a side note... don't forget to enjoy the remaining 52 days of this semester. Make the most of each class, innovation week, graduation activities, student council events, extra-curricular activities and the day to day life of school. You only get to do these next 52 classes once. DO THEM WELL!