Community Employment Resource Centre

Self-Help Packages
 

At CERC we strive to make the act of job searching as painless and easy as possible for self-directed job seekers.  To assist with this goal, we have generated some self-help packages, namely career specific,  job fair and employability skills.

 

Career Specific
 

These packages are designed to provide individuals with a sample of all the information needed to prepare a resume and cover letter for a certain type of job/career.  The contents include:
 

  • typical duties
  • sample ad
  • guidelines on how to read an ad
  • means of identifying the type of resume that is most appropriate for you
  • templates for chronological and functional resumes
  • sample resumes for each style
  • cover letter template
  • sample cover letters (for responding to an ad, cold call and networking)
  • action verbs relevant to the type of job
  • common mistakes in interviews
  • how to answer some difficult questions
  • useful websites/resources
     

At present packages are available for the following jobs/careers:
 

  • Construction
  • Child & Youth Worker
  • Production Worker
  • Shipper/Receiver
  • Educational Assistant
  • Personal Support Worker
  • Retail
  • Customer Service
  • Restaurant Manager
  • Host/Hostess
  • Wait staff
  • Cook
  • Night Cleaner
  • Security Officer
  • Office Administrator
     

We are always adding to this list, so keep an eye out for any new packages that are assembled!!

 

Job Fair
 

The Cobourg area is definitely feeling the influx of Toronto as indicated through the local building and housing development.  In the past year and a half, Cobourg has seen various large companies such as Wal‑Mart, Staples Business Depot, Shoeless Joe’s, East Side Mario’s, DQ Grill & Chill, NuComm International and presently, Wimpy’s Diner open for business.  For each of these organizations CERC has developed packages to assist clients in their preparation for the job fairs and hiring processes.  Typically the contents include:
 

  • Background information on the companies
  • Sample career specific packages for positions available within the organization
  • Information regarding the job fair specifics
     

As other new companies move into our area, CERC will continue to create these packages to help clients join these new teams.
 

Employability Skills
 

The Conference Board of Canada has identified basic skills that are common to all types of employment and career opportunities.  These are skills that an employer requires employees to possess.  The skills are divided into three main categories as follows:
 

  1. Academic/Fundamental Skills
    • Communicating
    • Managing information
    • Using numbers
    • Thinking and problem solving
       
  2. Personal Management Skills
    • Positive attitude and behaviour
    • Responsibility
    • Adaptability
    • Learning continuously
    • Working safely
       
  3. Teamwork Skills
    • Working with others
    • Participating in projects and tasks
       

The consensus among employers is that they are having difficulty finding new employees that possess these skills.  At CERC we have compiled self-directed packages for each of the skills listed above with the intent of identifying what is involved in each individual skill and guidelines for improving any of the skills.  Specifically, the contents include:
 

  • Background information about employability skills
  • List that identifies what is meant by the skill label
  • Checklist to assist individuals with identifying personal strengths/weaknesses in any skill area
  • Exercise to help develop examples of each skill
  • List of documents that can be used to demonstrate the skill at hand
  • Step by step process to develop a learning contract to improve the desired skill(s)
  • Useful websites and resources
     

The self-awareness list and example builder can also be used to generate statements on resumes and cover letters, as well as prepare answers for some of those difficult interview questions.   In addition, the learning contract can show an employer how you are actively intending to improve a current “weakness”.
 

Come in and let CERC help you help yourself!

 

Apprenticeship  Packages

 

Interested in learning more about apprenticeships?  Finding it hard to locate all the information you need?  CERC has tried to simplify this overwhelming task by preparing apprenticeship packages.  Specific trades were chosen based on the quantity of requests for information.  The trades that are included to date are: 

  • Automotive Service Technician
  • Construction and Maintenace Electrician
  • Cook
  • Educational Assistant
  • General Carpenter
  • General Machinist
  • Hairstylist
  • Painter and Decorator
  • Plumber
  • Child & Youth Worker
  • Welder

 

The packages themselves give a quick overview of apprenticehships, the process, the assessment (EARAT), loan for tools program and the Red Seal certification.  This information is consistent for all trades.  However, other information that is specific to a trade includes:

 

  • Checklist – to assess if you have the basic skills/interest in the selected trade (based on trade learning objectives)
  • Description of trade
  • Duties as identified through the National Occupational Classifications (NOC)
  • Information about the work environment
  • National and local salary rates
  • Job titles and other classifications for the given trade
  • List of local employers in trade of interest that can be used as a cold call reference sheet
  • List of schools in the area specific to your trade that offer the in-school portion of the apprenticeship – certificate or diploma
  • List of websites for all trades/apprenticeships in general plus a list of useful sites particular to trade being researched

 

CERC staff are also always available to assist you with any information not in the packages – such as the essential skills needed for any of these trades.    If you are interested in a trade that we do not have a package prepared for, please ask staff for assistance.  We will also be continuing to add to the current list of trade packages available.  Come check out these packages!!

 

How-To Presentations

 

A new addition to our self-help packages is a series of PowerPoint presentations on topics that will assist you with/during your job search.

 

Aren't too comfortable using a computer?  Don't worry.  When you double click on the file, the presentation will be launched.  All you need to do is use the arrow keys on the keyboard to manipulate the presentation.   The presentations, while varying in content, all follow the same format.  You will be given information about each topic, how-to steps (where applicable), and suggestions.  During the presentation, you do not even need to worry about taking notes.  At the end of any presentation you will find “Notes to Help” which you can print off at the click of a button.

 
Topics that are already available include:

  • Discovering the Job Bank
  • Setting up an Email Account
  • Preparing for an Interview
  • Thank-you Letters
  • Transferable Skills
  • Soft Skills/Employability Skills
  • Portfolio Development
  • Negotiating a Raise

 

This list is no way complete, so keep an eye out on additional subjects.  We are currently working on:

  • Computer Basics
  • Researching on the Internet
  • Resumes
  • Cover Letters
  • And many more!