Jobs were firmly on attendees’ minds, of course, at the 2019 series of LNG Canada/Coastal GasLink open houses and job fairs.
At our Alliance tables, we spent time talking about the Alliance and the benefits (and jobs and careers) that responsible LNG development can bring to First Nations and their people.
But particularly among younger First Nations people we ran into much misunderstanding about how one looks for a job in the LNG field.
- Many had come not-too-well prepared for the job-fair part of the events.
- Some were surprised to find that employers were only taking resumes/résumés and exchanging information, and were not actually handing out jobs on the spot. “I thought they were hiring here.”
- Some had turned up without resumes, and some had poorly prepared and inadequate documents. “I copied my dad’s, and put in my stuff, you know?”
We spoke with several employers who were hit with such shortcomings, and they agreed on one thing: “If you are looking for work, you’ve got to do your homework.”
Points they made: Have you thought about what work you hope for? Have you any training in that area? Have you looked into training? Have you done anything about training? Have you researched the companies you want to apply to? Have you got in touch with them? Have you got a readable and detailed resume?”
There’s some useful reading on career planning and job-hunting in the provincial government’s BC’s Career Guide for Indigenous People.
Wondering if your resume is up to scratch? Maybe check out with your Nation’s employment experts: What makes for a good resume? How do I make mine better? The Haisla Nation, for one, offers free resume-writing workshops.
Here’s a website is one of many that offers resume-writing tips. This one talks about ‘The three main types of resumes.’ And this one warns about ‘The Top 10 Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You the Job.’
(Our own tip: Start your resume with a quick summary of what you can offer the employer; not just with your education record and dates, or with some ideal personal “objective” you hope that the employer will somehow provide.)
Finally, have you got a driver’s licence? Many employers will ask for one, even if your initial job with the company won’t include driving. First Nations youth in BC might check out the All Nations Driving Academy. Does your Nation offer its own driving school, perhaps as a “Community Affiliate” of the academy?
When you’re absolutely ready to look for work, check out our own page of contacts for employment in the LNG field.
And if you know someone who’s interested in LNG-related work, please share this blog with them. . . .