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Slow Economic Job Growth: Job Seekers need to Start Thinking Outside the Box

The release of this morning’s Labour Force Survey shows that following two months of large gains, employment remained relatively unchanged in May, with the unemployment rate remaining at 7.3 per cent.

With employment at a standstill, it’s time for job seekers to think outside the box in their job search. With the competition stronger than ever, there is only one chance to make a remarkable first impression on a potential employer.

With summer quickly approaching, it is a must that job seekers get their job search strategy ready! TorontoJobs.ca has put together a list of how job seekers should search smarter this summer.

The Top Five Include:

1. Network. Network. NETWORK. Job seekers should start their search by asking friends and family if they know anyone who might be hiring, either just for the summer or on a permanent basis. People primarily like to do business with someone they know and referrals are a very important part of a job search. Resumes and cover letters alone are often too impersonal to convince some employers to hire.

2. Summer is one of the Best Times to Search for Employment. Most job seekers think of summer as a time to take a break from their job search. On the contrary, most Hiring Managers have more time over the summer months to accept calls, scan through resumes and decide what their plans for the fall will be. In the months of June, July and August, those searching for employment should be on high alert. Most plans are made for the busy Fall Season in the summer and many hires are made during this time period.

3. Don't Underestimate The Power of Google! It’s unbelievable how many people have their Facebook privacy settings programmed to public. Potential employers are checking up on candidate's public image and finding embarrassing or distasteful material. The same goes for Twitter. Go back and clean up what you can, and make sure to change your privacy settings. Un-tag yourself from unflattering photos and delete all comments or posts that make you look bad!

4. Become Active on Social Networking Sites. With the evolution of Social Networking the majority of employers are using social sites to post jobs, screen candidates and fill their current job openings. Job Seekers can become aware of 1000's of open positions within a matter of minutes. Job Seekers should be following companies they want to work for, joining groups that pertain to their area of employment and posting creative status updates to attract attention of potential employers.

5. Develop a Proactive Approach for Development. This might mean spending less time on personal activities such as spending time at the beach, cottaging and hanging out with friends and spending more time on developing new skills, acquiring knowledge by participating in assignments (personal or professional), volunteering and reading industry related books and news articles.

TorontoJobs.ca is a full-service recruitment organization, including TorontoJobs.ca Website, full-service Recruitment Division and Outplacement Services. The local focus and advanced features make TorontoJobs.ca a vital asset for both job seekers and employers within the Greater Toronto Area.