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If you’re struggling to land a job right now, you’re not alone – especially if you’re a student.
 
 

A recent Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey released in early June found that the unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24 hit 20.1 per cent in May. That’s a jump of 3.2 per cent from the same time last year, offering an early glimpse into what the summer job market might look like, especially for high-school students who are still in class.

 
 

Ontario-based career coach and author Michelle Schafer says one mistake she sees students or new grads make is that they apply anywhere and everywhere.
 
 

“It amounts to looking for a needle in a haystack, which is frustrating, discouraging and time-consuming,” she says.
 
 

She says creating a job search plan can help increase the chances of landing a job, with the first step being to clarify what type of roles you want to put energy into applying for.

 
 
 

If students aren’t sure where to start, she recommends uploading a resume – with personal details removed – to ChatGPT to help get a sense of the kinds of roles your experience might be suited for.
 
 

“Make a list of the roles that allow you to do work you would enjoy and organizations you are interested in,” she says.

 
 

From there, Ms. Schafer says students can focus on strengthening their resumes by adding transferable skills, notable projects and any relevant school or volunteer experience.
 
 

“Be specific: writing reports, leading small projects like a school fundraiser, organizing meetings. You will likely find you have more transferable skills than you realize,” she says.
 
 

She also urges job seekers to take the extra step of tailoring their resume to each role.
 
 

“Make changes to your resume to align your skills and experience to the job posting and highlight the experience you have that sets you apart from other candidates,” she says.
 
 

Networking is another area that students often overlook. “Students and new grads also think networking isn’t for them and only for more established professionals or don’t engage with this activity as they don’t know how,” she says.
 
 

Instead, she suggests treating networking like a research project – something students are already familiar with. Conversations with professors, friends or family can be a good starting point to learn about industries, job leads or the kinds of problems employers are trying to solve.
 
 

Lastly, she encourages students to prepare for interviews just like they would for an exam.
 
 

“Not all new grads prepare for interviews, which means they may get caught off guard,” she says.
 
 

She says to practice answering questions about your strengths and weaknesses, times when you overcame a challenge and the classic “tell me about yourself.”
 
 

And if you’re still not hearing back from employers, she has a few words of encouragement: “Keep applying, keep reaching out, keep asking for introductions,” she says. “Do things for yourself that you enjoy to help you recharge and cope in a discouraging search. Each application and each conversation is leading you somewhere new – keep the momentum.”
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

50 per cent
 
 

According to Microsoft data, half of all meetings take place between 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. which is the same time many people have a natural productivity spike in their day, owing to their circadian rhythms.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Starting up your own business can be a challenge and the learning curve steep, with your approach playing an important role in whether your business thrives or closes up shop. This article shares what a few entrepreneurs wish they had known before starting a business.

 
 

Among the advice, business owners say to be prepared for family-life to suffer in the short term and don’t hesitate to ask other experts for help. Make decisions based on data and market research rather than emotion, and if you’re in a tight spot focus on pricing first (which has unlimited potential) and then cost cutting.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

“A lot of the younger people now, including the millennials who are in the workforce, are starting to realize that – with the way things are going with the economy and us not being able to buy our houses the way our parents did – mental health, our physical health, is so important that we want to prioritize that no matter what,” says Calgary-based work wellness coach, Sumana Jeddy.