Three benefits of a self-directed job search
Posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2016
The Co-op Department at Algonquin College is able to provide many fulfilling opportunities to co-op students for their work-terms. However,we highly encourage students to go out and find their own work-term placements if they have the opportunity.
There are three big benefits to conducting your own self-directed job search:
You will start to build a network
Starting to look for a job on your own time forces you to start building your own professional network. When you start a self-job search and start contacting different employers, you begin to widen your network of professional contacts. This is not only beneficial right now, but will also be helpful down the road if you’re ever on the job hunt again. Once an industry professional or organization is familiar with your name, they will be more likely to give you a second look or contact you if an opportunity does become available.
In addition, once you begin your search you will become more familiar with the nuances of your industry, and as a result, you will have the upper hand over your competition when applying for positions.
Your communication skills will improve
When you begin reaching out to industry professionals on your own, you will begin to understand how to communicate more effectively. You gain confidence when you start approaching professionals and industries directly and the practices of professional written and verbal communication will become easier for you. As well, when you start to take that extra step to find companies that you would like to work for, you start educating yourself on your industry.
No one is perfect when they first start out, but through practice, you will begin to confidently and competently interact with others in your respective industries and elsewhere in a professional manner.
You could find the perfect fit
Only you know what you think your perfect job will be. While the Co-op Department is able to provide you with many different choices, in a variety of industries, you might want something completely different. By searching for jobs on your own time, you could uncover a particular company that you think would be the perfect fit for your skills and expertise.
By doing a self-directed job search you can apply to companies of your choice, which match your previous job and education experience, and your personal interests.
For more information about Cooperative Education at Algonquin College, please visit our website, connect with us at coop@algonquincollege.com or call us at 613-727-4723 Ext.7623
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