Research and Contact Employers
Employers prefer to hire employees that already know about their industry and their company. This exercise will help you organize the information you find about your target employers.
Research occupations, industries, and companies (pdf)
Think about your job search target and research each employer you are interested in. You can look at the company's website for this information. You can also go to Google and search on the company's name.
Find Employers you are interested in.
You can look for directories of employers on these sites.
| 211 | Canadian Trade Index |
| Charity Village | Canadian Company Capabilities |
| Workopolis | 411 |
| Yellow Pages | Find it Toronto |
| Job Bus | Sector Councils |
| Profile Canada | Eluta |
| Markham Board of Trade | Toronto Region Board of Trade |
| Strategis | Export |
| Canadian Solar Industries Association | Certified General Accountants |
| Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists | Canada's Association of IT Professionals |
| IT Association of Canada | Canadian Women in Communications |
| Association of Administrative Assistants | LinkedIn Company Pages |
| Scott's Directories | Financial Post |
Instructions for signing in to Scott’s Directories and the Financial Post:
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Contact Employers
Once you know a bit about your target employers, you can call them. Use your research for this call. If you feel like you have a good connection, offer to send a cover letter and resume.
| Tips for Calling Employers |
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| Write down what you want to say. This is important if you are not used to calling employers. Don't read your script; your conversation should be natural. |
| Smile while you are talking on the phone. It makes your voice sound cheerful and relaxed. |
| Your outgoing voicemail message should not have music or jokes on it. Just say your name and ask the caller to leave a message. |
| Tell your roommates and family that employers will be calling. Ask them to take clear messages and give them to you right away. |
| Call back all employers who call you, even if you no longer want the job. |
| Return all phone calls within 24 hours. |
| How to E-Mail Employers |
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| Use a simple e-mail address with your name or initials for your job search. Don't use inappropriate nicknames or jokes like "cutiepie@email.com." |
| Start the e-mail with something of interest to the reader. Let them know right away why you are writing and how you can help their business. |
| Write the e-mail the same way you would a formal letter. Don't use online acronyms such as IMHO, LOL, etc. |
| Have a subject line that is clear and interesting. |
| At the end of your message, tell the employer you plan to follow-up. Give them another way contact you such as your phone number. If you sent the e-mail without them knowing, ask if they want you to keep in touch with them in another way. |
| Check for the correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. |
| If the employer does not contact you, and you really want an interview, call them. |
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Free E-mail sites: Hotmail Yahoo Gmail |
