How I Scored My Dream Job at 23 (& How You Can, Too!)

Quite often, my friends joke that I’m a “professional student” because I’ve already spent four years in school and want to go back for more education. However, by the time I was 21, I started making a living working with seniors. At 23, I work two jobs (which I love!) and are completely relevant to what I went to school for. I may not be making the most amount of money, but I couldn’t be happier in the career that I’ve chosen.

Look at Job Search Engines Frequently!

I honestly still look through job search engines 2-3 times per day. I have two great jobs right now, but you never know when a company is going to have a job posting for your dream job. When I’m actively job seeking, I spend up to 6 hours per day looking! Websites I frequently use are Indeed and Charity Village. Additionally, I researched and found companies related to my field of work. Then I check their sites frequently. Two companies for seniors care in Canada are Chartwell and Revera.

Invest Time Applying for Each Job

I think the shortest amount of time that I have ever spent applying for a job where I actually got an interview was 25 minutes. I keep a generic cover letter and resume handy, then modify it for the job I’m applying to. I research every job that I apply to and look for the following:

·         Specific person or team that I’m applying to, or the first name of the manager. I find it seems much more personalized if you use the individual’s first name in the address line.

·         What the company’s mission and vision statement are

·         What skills you have that match the job description

·         What skills you have that can enhance their company

Unpaid Internships & Volunteer Work are Great Resume Builders

I have personally been volunteering with seniors for as long as I can remember. Additionally, I did high school co-ops in grades 11 and 12, where I worked in activation for seniors. In college, I did unpaid co-op placements; one in a day program, one in long-term care. I also have volunteer experiences in psychogeriatric counselling, public speaking and fundraising. If it wasn’t for these experiences, I definitely wouldn’t have gotten very far in my career.

Don’t Be Afraid to Start from the Bottom

The past few years, I have heard managers say “ugh! These millennials expect to start at the top”. I also have read case studies about young professionals who will walk into their supervisor’s office and say “hey, I’ve been here for two months. I expect a promotion!” Here’s a tip: don’t be that person! Hard work and dedication is how you get to the top. Every job that I have had has started as casual/on-call and most have been bumped up to part or full-time. Many times, I’ve wanted to quit these casual positions but ended up sticking it out.

Don’t Settle, but Don’t Expect Too Much

This kind of contradicts what I said previously, however, if you have a master’s degree and you’re flipping burgers, then you should reconsider your current path. If you’re in a pickle, apply for some unpaid internships to gain experience or pick up some courses to help specialize in your area of study. You can also start in a position similar to your dream to gain experience. For example, if your dream job is to work in a hospital as a nurse, applying to work at a retirement home or long-term care will continue to help you gain the skills a hospital would want to see.

Invest in a High Quality Resume

(For the safety of my clients and myself, I have chosen to remove my contact information as well as my workplaces)

I always keep a high-quality, updated resume and cover letter handy because you never know when your dream job will pop up. I always used free templated from Google. However, I’ve recently decided to invest some money on a high quality resume and cover letter. I personally love the sets that Chloe at ResumeMuse & SignatureResumes makes. Chloe’s resumes are simple and classic, yet very chic. Plus, they’re super affordable. Chloe also is willing to format the resume for a small additional fee. I’m so blessed to have found Chloe, her products are stunning and I look forward to using my resume by her throughout my career.

Use “Power Words” on Your Resume

I’ve always been taught to not simply write your resume, instead focus on accomplishments. With that being said, which one of these sound better?

a)      I wrote a report on increasing volunteers in long-term care

b)      I created a strategic action plan to increase the number of volunteers in a long-term care home

Chances are, you’re going to choose B.

I simply typed “power words for a resume” into Google. These are my favourites:

1.       Coordinated or executed

2.       Created or implemented

3.       Boosted or capitalized

4.       Clarified or refined

5.       Hired, inspired, mentored or unified

Transferrable Skills

Have you cared for your grandma with dementia and now you’re applying for a PSW position? You can add “able to give sensitive care to people who are elderly” to your resume. Have you worked at McDonald’s as a supervisor through college and are now applying for a marketing director position? You can add “able to help others gain knowledge and skills”, or talk about managing budgets.

Just because your job experience may not be perfect doesn’t mean you have no transferrable skills. Below is a checklist of transferrable skills. It was created by the University of Toledo; I found it on Pinterest.

Always Include a Cover Letter

(Again, for the safety of my clients and myself, I have removed my contact information/workplace)

I may sound like your annoying college counsellor, but I promise that they had a point! Though not recommended, a generic cover letter works. As previously mentioned, I take the extra 30 seconds to find the hiring manager/recruiter’s full name on the website, to make it seem more personalized. The introduction to my cover letter I usually use is:

Dear Ms. or Mr. (Hiring Manager’s Last Name).

Please find attached a copy of my enthusiastic application for the position of (job position) at (company’s name). After reviewing the job posting and your organization’s mission statement, I believe that I would be an excellent candidate. I have graduated from both Recreation & Leisure Services and Social Service Worker. I have four years of experience working directly with seniors, two of those years in activation. Currently, I’m working as an activity assistant and a one-on-one support worker; both in dementia care.

I then go into detail and highlight my skills relevant to the position. Once I complete that, I conclude with a paragraph emphasizing how I would appreciate the opportunity for an interview and provide my preferred my method of communication.

Dress Appropriately for Your Interview

Find out the general environment either for the particular company or the job in general. I work in a business casual environment, so I usually wear a pair of dress pants and a nice blouse to an interview; or a suit dress and cardigan. My mom works in a bank, so she wears a suit when she has interviews. However, remember this rule of thumb: dress for the job you want, not the job you have! So if the manager wears business professional but the assistants wear business casual, there’s no shame in showing up in a suit to your interview.

Research the Company and the Job, but Don’t Forget to Ask Questions

I always walk into an interview with a copy of the job posting, the company’s mission statement and their vision statement. I also make a list of questions that I want to know from the interviewer, so I can get a feel for the position and management team. Some questions I ask are:

·         What do you like most about working for this company? (or what is your favourite part of the job?)

·         What does a typical day-to-day look like for a position in this role?

·         Is there anything about my application that concerns you?

Big tip: take a pen with you! I have never not taken a pen with me to jot down answers to these questions. Not only does it make you look well prepared, but it also can help you decide whether or not you want to take a position.

I hope you enjoyed this post and have a lovely day!

Disclaimer: I received the resume, cover letter and reference documents as a donation from Chloe at ResumeMuse and SignatureResumes. However, all opinions expressed on my blog are my own.