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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/24/2008
Posts: 151
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I'm looking for good jobs/ volunteer opportunies or even co-op placements, preferably in the fields of med or engineering. I've searched everywhere, and they all require me to be an undergrads. Unfortunately, I am only a high schooler.
Any suggestions?
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Rank: Valedictorian
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/4/2008
Posts: 545
Location: Toronto, ON
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data entry for engineering firms? it'll get you introduced to the field and engineers to see if its what you want to do
-University of Toronto Electrical Engineering 1T0!
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/5/2008
Posts: 936
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Network! When I was in grade 12 my mom sent out an e-mail to everyone she knows asking if they knew of any engineering firms that were hiring summer students. I got a job at an engineering firm the summer after grade 12, and I got another job for this summer using the same method. Something like 75% of jobs are never advertised, so utilize your connections.
University of Alberta - Mechanical Engineering '11
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Rank: Student Body President
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 1,711
Location: Wilfrid Laurier University
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Unless you have connections, chances are almost zero that any place will hire you. Why would they when there's 10 other university students going for the same job? You have virtually no skills or experience so you'll have an extremely hard time getting anything other than your basic labour/retail jobs.
-Stringer
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/5/2008
Posts: 936
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Everyone has some sort of connections. I got my jobs through a friend of a friend of a friend - they barely knew me, and they knew I had next to no experience, and were still more than willing to hire me.
University of Alberta - Mechanical Engineering '11
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Rank: Student Body President
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 1,711
Location: Wilfrid Laurier University
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karla wrote:Everyone has some sort of connections. I got my jobs through a friend of a friend of a friend - they barely knew me, and they knew I had next to no experience, and were still more than willing to hire me. Point is that very few high schoolers are going to get any type of meaningful employment. A huge number of university students don't even get meaningful employment.
-Stringer
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/24/2008
Posts: 151
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Connections is something I don't have. The only jobs I've seen around here are salespeople, camp counsellors, and life guards. Unfortunately, I don't have CP R or any lifeguard skills.
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/5/2008
Posts: 936
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Your parents/teachers don't know ANYONE? Just ask you might be suprised. Or print off a bunch of resumes and drop them off in person at companies you might want to work for, even if there's no 'hiring' sign on the door. It's hard work but finding a job isn't easy. See if your local university has any research placements, a lot of the professors need a helping hand even if you have no background knowledge.
University of Alberta - Mechanical Engineering '11
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/24/2008
Posts: 151
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About research placements, I heard it's hard for even under-grads to get those, much less high schoolers. And I'd feel kind of embarassed asking teachers if they know where I could find a job- they'd probably tell me to go to the guidance (and they don't have much there). You mean it's better to drop them off in person than just send them the resume online? I wouldn't even know who to give the resume to. And would I need a cover letter? Those take a lto fo time.
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/5/2008
Posts: 936
Location: Edmonton, AB
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I know where I'm from they had a special program for getting high schoolers involved in research, see if there's anything like that in your area.
Don't feel embarassed asking teachers, I think they'd be more than happy to help you. Ask them for the opinion or if they know of anywhere to apply.
It'll make a huge difference if you drop it off in person. If you send it in online it might just be another e-mail out of hundreds they get everyday. What are the chances they're going to look at it. If you physically put in their hands they will at least glance at it. Just go up to the front desk and explain your situation, that you're looking for a summer job related to their field and ask if they could pass the resume on. A cover letter is important, you could perhaps have a generic one that you alter slightly for each company. It will take a lot of time, because getting a decent job takes a lot of searching and resume writing.
University of Alberta - Mechanical Engineering '11
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/24/2008
Posts: 151
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Thanks! But am I too late though to look for a summer job now? And if I wanted a research job at a university, who would I drop it off to?
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/5/2008
Posts: 936
Location: Edmonton, AB
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Maybe not. Here in Alberta it's probably significantly different, because everyone's always hiring, but you could give it a try. Or maybe if somebody quits halfway through summer if they have your resume they can give you a call.
Phone the university or check out their website to see. This might be an opportunity to ask your teachers, because who knows, they might know of some professor who is doing research.
University of Alberta - Mechanical Engineering '11
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/24/2008
Posts: 151
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It might be different in Alberta, because in Ontario, there's a lot more people fighting over jobs. Does anyone know what employers value most when they're employoing? e.g. work experience, awards, community involvement, skills...
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/5/2008
Posts: 936
Location: Edmonton, AB
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All of the above. They will obviously want to see some sort of experience, whether that be work experience or volunteer experience. Outline reasons why you would be a good employee (for example, say you kept up a 90% average while playing sports and volunteering), show that you are organized and hard working and able to work in a team.
University of Alberta - Mechanical Engineering '11
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Rank: Student Council
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/24/2008
Posts: 375
Location: mississauga
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yep. good communication skills are a great plus, and being able to follow instructions while doing essential parts of ur job before ur told to are very important (u'd be surprised by how many ppl completely fail at this). so initiative. and being personable when u submit ur resume helps too, dont just like mumble about whether the manager is in, whether there were any possible openings, etc. Dont' be shy, and be friendly/professional. Oh and doing a follow up call probably can't hurt either, like a week after u submit a resume.
"My parents live in Ohio; I live in the moment." -himym.
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Rank: Senior Student
Groups: Member
Joined: 3/5/2008
Posts: 66
Location: Not Ontario!
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Volunteering at the hospital looks amazing on your resume and some places even give out scholarships for those who put in like atleast 30 hours.
If you wanna work with engineers, try working in a manufacturing die casting plant. Sure, it's not the safest place or the cleanest and normal-temperature place, but they usually pay very well.
If you have WHIMIS some guest homes will hire you to do simple work like helping out patients by pushing them around the place and giving them their meals.
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