Summer Job Scene Heats Up

10 Jun 2013

About 295,000 unfilled jobs across the private sector in Canada are fuelling an early rush on the summer hiring season and recruitment branch manager Leslie Heathers is already seeing the evidence.

"We're seeing a lot of short-term assignments, which is typically the indication that summer's around the corner," says Heathers, with Robert Half Technology's Calgary office.

More of those short-term assignments are turning into permanent hires, she adds.

Workers are heading out in droves for their holidays during the summer months this year, representing a prime opportunity for those looking for work to make their move.

According to a BMO Insurance study, 83 per cent of Canadians are planning on taking a vacation this year.

Albertans and other Prairie residents lead the way at 92 per cent, followed by B.C. workers (89 per cent), those in the Atlantic provinces (88 per cent) and Ontarians at 85 per cent.

When it comes to effectively networking, though, many job hunters fall victim to committing some common mistakes, says Heathers.

With the reliance on social media sites such as LinkedIn to find job opportunities, sometimes it's too easy to focus on the size of your network instead of the quality, she adds.

The most common networking mistakes are losing touch with your core contacts, exhausting your resources - using the same ones too many times - forgetting to show gratitude for referrals, choosing size over substance and failing to return favours, according to a Robert Half Technology study.

Source: http://www.theprovince.com/business/Summer+scene+heats/8500124/story.html#ixzz2VnRihCKh