Expert Advice
Jul 13, 2022
Five Questions with HWTC’s Team
From time to time we reach out to our HWTC colleagues to get their insight on the latest trends in hospitality workforce development and seek their advice on best practices for landing your dream job. This time they’ve offered their thoughts on the key aspects of job hunting in a post-pandemic world.
What are the top soft skills I should focus on while job hunting?
Attitude, Adaptability, Stress Management, Resilience, Accountability.
Adrian – Facilitator/ Instructor
Communication (which is also a transferable skill), time management & prioritizing, problem-solving, and flexibility.
Imesia – Career Consultant
Emotional intelligence is very important. Things like being resilient and confident, the ability to adapt and change with your circumstances, and being able to manage stress. Resilience and the ability to recover from adversity.
Grace – Facilitator/Coach
How can I stay motivated during my job search?
Set a time goal for yourself. Create a list of daily tasks that relate to achieving that goal and tape that to your wall or near your computer, keep daily notes and cross off each task as you accomplish them, this will help in increasing your productivity and confidence as you visualize that goal and adjust your strategy as needed.
Nikki – Facilitator/ Instructor
Don’t take things personally, recognizer that there are many moving parts and it does not mean you were not good enough. Maintain connection with your resources, (mentors, job search company) don’t do it alone. One step at a time, each step accomplished will serve as fuel for your continuing your search.
Grace – Facilitator/Coach
Focus on your end goal, and what you are really doing it for. Be sure that you are looking for work that you would feel good about doing/going to every day, maybe something that inspires you. Ask yourself if your values align with the company.
Adrian – Facilitator/ Instructor
Changing careers is a scary prospect for some. What advice can you give to motivate someone who is fearful of change?
While there can be discomfort in the unknown, change is also an opportunity for reinvention. Change can be the catalyst to get you closer to where you want to be, and who you want to be.
Sarena – Training Manager
Risk is always better than regret; challenge where your thoughts are coming from. What’s the worst that could happen? We’re here once and we owe it to ourselves to make the leaps that we never thought possible.
Vanessa – Youth Engagement Specialist
When you are transitioning careers, do your due diligence in finding out what technical skills are required for the career that you are seeking. Bridge any gaps by using free learning tools. Ask questions about the sector and the roles that you are most interested in. You may have only 60% of the required skills, but don’t let that hold you back from applying and draw on your work experience that applies to the role that you are seeking!
Gerri – Senior Employment Specialist
What are the five top transferable skills?
Creativity, communication, adaptability, teamwork, leadership
Imesia – Career Consultant
I would say:
- Communication: one’s ability to appropriately communicate with a variety of mediums (phone, email).
- Teamwork: respectfully working well with others to accomplish a mutual goal, especially if ideas/personalities clash.
- Critical thinking: the ability to problem-solve.
- Adaptability: the ability and willingness to adjust to our external environment (that we cannot control), hopefully with a positive attitude.
- Multitasking: the ability to prioritize tasks, to appropriately manage your time, and meet deadlines.
Melissa – Facilitator/ Instructor
What are the top job search resources that are essential for all job seekers?
LinkedIn is ideal to find professionals in your field of interest. It is an excellent idea to review their profiles and understand their career path. It may offer guidance if you are in the research phase of defining your career objectives. Reach out with an introduction and ask questions about their journey.
Andrea – Employment Specialist
Indeed.ca, ziprecruiters.com, linkedin.com, hrcareers.com, City of Toronto Job board, glassdoor.ca, monster.ca, and the direct websites of companies you wish to apply to. JOB FAIRS – they are BACK and a great way to meet companies face-to-face!
Ana – Employment Specialist
Use multiple platforms: Hcareers, Jobillico, Charity Village. Don’t be afraid to apply for roles on recruitment sites such as Altis HR as sometimes that can be a great way to break into a new industry or get further feedback about your transferable skills. Use filtering functions of job boards (location, keywords, company names, recency of posting, etc.) Reading the job descriptions and being able to pull out key must-haves and translating those things into your application (resume and cover letter).
Elie – Director of Employment Outcomes
Ready to discover your dream job in hospitality? Speak with one of our Career Consultants about the training options available to you.
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