Looking for a summer job? Here’s how to stand out in a crowded market

Amalia Vacratsis, seen on June 6, 2024, is a summer student worker at Bike Windsor-Essex, funded through the Canada Summer Jobs program. (Michelle Maluske/CTV News Windsor)

Summer break is almost here and thousands of Windsor-Essex students are preparing to enter the job market.

The good news? Local labour market experts say finding work could be a little easier than 2025.

“This year’s summer’s job market should be a little bit better than what it was last year,” said Justin Falconer, CEO of Workforce WindsorEssex.

According to Falconer, economic uncertainty and tariff concerns caused many employers to take a cautious approach to hiring last year.

He also says, this year, there may be less competition for some positions.

“There is less young people competing for this work because there’s a lot less international students,” Falconer said.

“And so for domestic students, that means there’s less competition.”

Still, landing a summer job isn’t as simple as firing off a few online applications.

At the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, Employment Services Supervisor Ray Kurniawan works with job seekers every day and says many young people are struggling to navigate a rapidly changing hiring process.

“Youth are the ones that are really facing a lot of the barriers and the challenges into integrating into employment and the workforce,” Kurniawan said.

Is the paper resume dead?

For many parents, getting a first job meant printing a resume, walking into a business and introducing yourself to a manager.

While hiring has moved online in many industries, Kurniawan says that approach still has value.

“We do encourage that. We encourage still meeting face to face with a hiring manager or supervisor just to establish that professional first impression,” he said.

That said, he cautioned that many employers -- particularly larger companies -- have formal application systems that must be followed.

“We always recommend as well that they follow whatever instructions that the employers are recommending for applicants to go through,” Kurniawan said.

Beat the algorithm

One challenge facing today’s job seekers is the increasing use of applicant tracking systems -- software that helps employers sort through large numbers of applications.

“There are systems in place that employers use to filter out candidates that may not be a good fit with the use of AI,” Kurniawan explained.

With online applications often taking just minutes to submit, employers can be flooded with resumes.

As a result, software may screen applications before a hiring manager ever sees them.

Kurniawan recommends carefully reading each job posting and tailoring applications accordingly.

“We always recommend using the job description or job posting to identify what those keywords are, the skills that are required for that specific position, and including that into their resumes or their applications,” he said.

No experience? That’s okay

For younger students applying for their first job, a lack of work experience can feel like a major obstacle.

Kurniawan says employers don’t just look at paid work history.

“Whether it’s something that you’ve gained from volunteering opportunities, that’s also a great way to highlight that you have work experience – just maybe not paid work experience,” he said.

Community service hours, sports teams, student leadership roles and volunteer positions can all help demonstrate valuable workplace skills.

“It’s taking the experiences that you currently have and highlighting those as something that is going to be valuable to a hiring manager,” Kurniawan said.

Falconer adds that students should keep an open mind about the types of jobs they’re pursuing.

“Some jobs there’s just not a lot of competition for,” he said, pointing to positions such as retail sales and security-related roles.

His advice for students heading into the summer job search is simple: stay flexible, apply early and be prepared when opportunities arise.