So it’s the end of the school year. You’re almost done exams and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but you haven’t heard back from those summer job applications and you’re starting to worry that your resume will look empty. Stop refreshing Indeed or LinkedIn – while it isn’t too late to find a position that’ll earn you some resume brownie points, there are more effective avenues to try.
Riipen Level Up
If you’re currently registered as a post-secondary student and are eligible to work in Canada, Riipen’s Level Up program is by far your best bet. Sponsored by the Government of Canada, Level Up connects small businesses with students for short-term virtual internships. You can partner with friends to complete these internships, and after working for 80 hours, the Government will send you a $1400 honorarium (which works out to $17.50/hour). The best part? Because the program is relatively new, there aren’t many applicants, making it much easier to land a position compared to big job boards like Indeed.
Side Hustles
If you’re struggling to find something relevant to your industry, it might be worth it to spend this summer on a side hustle. Are you in computer science? Try developing websites or working on a passion project. Music student? Why not teach kids how to play your favourite instrument? Even if your side hustle is completely unrelated to your field, you’ll still gain valuable skills relating to marketing, business planning, and customer service, among others. You’ll also have a unique twist on your future resume, showing hiring managers that you’re self-driven and have a wide array of interests.
Part-Time Jobs
Need something with dependable pay? Struggling to find a relevant position? A typical part-time job might not be the most exciting option, but it’s a dependable way to build your resume and develop transferrable skills while earning some extra cash. While most retail stores are laying off rather than hiring, grocery stores and warehouses have been hiring pretty consistently throughout the pandemic, so they’re worth checking out.
Unpaid Virtual Internships
I know, I know. Unpaid internships are far from glamorous, but they’re a decent way to gain entry-level experience, provided you can afford to work for free. Canada only allows unpaid internships for course credit, but since the pandemic has caused most jobs to operate virtually, many American internships are accepting Canadian applicants. If you’re really struggling to get experience, it might be worthwhile to apply to a few unpaid American internships – if you’re interested, Chegg’s internship job board has a lot of opportunities.
