New infrastructure projects have been announced for Vancouver Island. Check out this week’s hot sheet for the latest information.

26 employers have now signed up for the Career Centre Hiring Fair and we expect up to 40 employers at the event.  The fair is scheduled for Wednesday April 12 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Parksville Community & Conference Centre. See this week’s hot sheet for a list of registered employers.

Local employers are hiring at the Career Centre’s Spring Hiring Fair, Wednesday April 12th from 12pm-4pm at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre. This is a unique opportunity to bring employers who are looking for employees together with people seeking employment.

If you are a job seeker looking for work and planning to attend our next Hiring Fair, here are eight steps to help you succeed:

Step 1: Attend the How to Prepare for a Hiring Fair workshop. Learn networking strategies to ensure your success when you meet face-to-face with employers. Understand what you need to prepare before, during and after the Hiring Fair.

Step 2: Dress for Success. This is no different than attending a job interview at an employer’s place of business, so you need to dress appropriately. Remember, your most important accessory is your SMILE. If you need interview attire, set-up an appointment to visit the Career Centre’s Career Closet.

Step 3: Research Registered Employers. You can get a step ahead of the competition by creating a list of the companies attending the fair and doing some research on each of the employers that interest you. You can find out a lot about a company by doing research online and come prepared with a list of questions to ask employers. Check out The Career Centre’s Hot Sheet for a list of employers attending.

Step 4: Bring Several Copies of Your Resume. Take a folder with you containing a list of the employers you want to meet with and several copies of your resume, cover letter (addressed to specific employer) and references. Be prepared to hand out additional resumes to employers not on your list. If you need assistance with creating/updating your resume be sure to attend the Career Centre’s Resumes and Cover Letters workshop prior to the Hiring Fair.

Step 5: Be Prepared for an Interview. You may have two to five minutes to market yourself and ensure you are not screened out, so you need to make the most of your time. Prior to attending, develop a one-minute “presentation statement” to highlight your qualifications. For more information on marketing yourself, consider the Career Centre’s Branding “YOU” and/or Acing the Interview workshops.

Step 6: Network! Network! Network! Practice the perfect handshake and eye contact as this will mark your first impression. A Hiring Fair is a great opportunity to connect with employers and other job seekers that can support moving your career forward. Push yourself to connect with as many people as you can at the Hiring Fair.

Step 7: Collect Contact Information. Write down the name of the person and company you are interested in and their contact information or obtain a business card from them. This will support you with Step 8.

Step 8: Send a Thank-you Note. Stay ahead of your competition by sending a thank you note or an e-mail to your employers of choice the next day. If you do this via e-mail, make sure it is in proper business language; no jargon, abbreviations or spelling mistakes.
A reminder the Career Centre’s Hiring Fair is a free event for job seekers to connect with local employers. For information on upcoming workshops or to register, call 250-248-3205. We look forward to seeing you on April 12th.

RLC Park Services operates many of the Provincial Parks on Vancouver Island as well as Horne Lake Regional Park. RLC Park Park Services will be attending the April 12th Hiring Fair and have provided us with the following interview.

 
Tell us about your business/organization and what makes you stand out as an employer?
RLC Park Services is contracted by the Provincial and local Municipal Governments to operate many of the parks on Vancouver Island. As a team, our goal is to deliver the most innovative, exciting, and efficiently run park systems not only in British Columbia but in all of Canada. There are many aspects needed in running a park including maintenance, fee collection, patrol, and nature interpretation. This means that working for RLC you could find yourself on a stage with a live owl, fixing a fence on an ocean side trail, or chatting with someone from half way across the world. RLC’s employees have the opportunity to do the job that they love in some of the most beautiful settings on Vancouver Island!

How many employees do you have?
The number of employees at RLC varies greatly depending on the season. Year round, there are about 35 staff but this number grows to over 75 in the peak summer season. This means that every year there are great opportunities to join our team.

 
What do you look for in a new employee?
What we look for in an employee is really dependent on the park and the role that they are hired for. Some of our employees spend their days teaching kids about the natural world, where others work late into the night ensuring that the park visitors have a safe and fun environment to enjoy. No matter what role you apply for, what we look for in all of our employees is the love of BC Parks and a passion to provide visitors with the best experience possible.

 
What advice would you give someone who wants to work for your organization?
Although our staff have a lot of fun, working for RLC is not always a walk in the park. But, if you are prepared to work hard, willing to learn, and not afraid to get a little dirty, there is no question that you will have a lot of fun spending a season working in one of Vancouver Island’s parks.

Do you anticipate hiring in the next 6 months? If so for what types of positions?
Yes, we are just starting to ramp up for the upcoming summer. In the mid island we will be looking for staff to fill positions at Rathtrevor, Horne Lake, Little Qualicum Falls, Englishman River Falls, and Sproat Lake. This season, we are looking for Park Maintenance, Gatehouse and Fee Collectors, Park Patrol, and Park Naturalists!

What is the best way for someone to apply if they are interested in working for your organization?
The easiest way to apply for a job at any of the parks operated by RLC Park Services is to visit our website www.rlcparks.ca/join-our-team. Here, you will find out more about our company, full job descriptions, and an application form.