Tips for Writing the Perfect Resume

As a student, it's challenging to get a job. Most of us don't have a ton of work experience, and that's why writing a good resume is super important. Here are a few steps you should take while writing your resume:

1. Research

   Nobody loves to do research, but it's necessary. Depending on where you apply, employers will be looking for different types of skills, work experience, education, etc. The research will help you build the perfect resume to match the employer's expectations.

2. Short and Simple

   Employers don't want to read of information; keep your points short and simple, while adding extra details when it's needed.

3. Layout

   The layout of your resume is almost as important as the information you add onto it. If your resume looks unprofessional and disorganized, an employer will feel less inclined to hire you. A few steps to create a good resume include:

   • Use professional fonts, such as Arial or Times New Roman.

   • Find an online resume maker. There are a ton of different websites you can find that makes creating a resume ten times easier!

   Written by Sara Boulay - For students by a student!

Creating the Tinder for jobs

Finding a part-time job as a student can be a difficult process. But the work experience gained is also vital in building transferable skills that help in later life.

Alexander Florio and his sister Stephanie, founders of Swob, set out to make finding part-time work as a student easier…

We remember being students and looking for a part-time job. It involved walking through malls and restaurants, handing in resumes when we weren’t sure if businesses were even hiring. This was a tiresome experience that often wouldn't lead to success.

Despite the difficulties in finding work, we realised how valuable having a job while studying could be. It teaches you to be organised, how to communicate, good time-management skills and gives you real life experience in money management.

At the same time, our father worked in the restaurant industry and was finding existing recruitment methods to be inefficient and time consuming given the high turnover rate of student staff.

We knew there had to be a better way.

And that’s where the idea for Swob came from. We developed it in conjunction with students and employers to make both sides of the hiring process more efficient.

From speaking to students, we discovered that they felt there was a lack of resources and tools to help them find part-time work. The full-time, professional job market has resources such as Indeed and LinkedIn but nothing existed for students who needed to find casual, part-time shift work. Instead, students had to spend time printing out resumes and then take the time-consuming journey around the malls handing them out.

Meanwhile, businesses had a similar problem. Traditional recruitment methods don’t work long in industries with a high turnover rate such as restaurants and retail. Employers needed a solution that would enable them to hire staff much quicker, without having to spend a significant amount of money advertising roles.

So we developed an app for students looking for part-time work. It uses a similar swiping function to many others in the app store, students simply swipe for a job (hence the name Swob). This is an interaction that we knew users would be familiar with and feedback we gained from students confirmed that they liked how easy it was to apply for jobs.

For employers, we built a website to make their search for employees as efficient as possible. Through their dashboard they can easily see the details of applicants and can target people based in a specific region or a set distance from their location.

We’ve now worked with companies such as McDonald’s, Virgin Mobile Canada, Tim Hortons and The Source to help them find suitable employees for their part-time roles. Through doing so, we’ve helped hundreds of students find meaningful employment and build their skills.

What to Wear to an Interview

It's the night before the interview, and all through the house, your laundry was done and the lights were out. Then you laid down in bed and then you remembered, you forgot to decide on your clothes for tomorrow. 

You have an interview and nothing to wear, because you're torn if you should go business casual or professional, or pull the old "I am what I am take it or leave it" gig.

I promise you - don't go looking like slack, because you'll get slack, and slackers don't get jack! 

Here's the Top Five Rules when choosing what to wear.

1) Know the Company

Look, you can't go anywhere or do anything blindly - not even love blindly, so don't walk in to your interview without knowing what you're getting into. Know the company, know the industry, and know how you fit in there. 

If it's a huge corporation, you might want to go professional. 

Guys, pick a suit - maybe not all the way to a tie, but that's your call (if you're going in for an executive position, then the tie might make sense, but it might not if you're going in for a customer service role).

Ladies, a pant suit is never a bad idea for the professional look - but you can do a knee length skirt with a blouse, or even pair it with a cardigan. 

Blazers and sports jackets can be used for the business casual approach.

Do not wear jeans, sweats, or even leggings.

Side note, I once interviewed someone who wore sweats, and he didn't get the job - Duh. 

Know your audience, it's the same thing as knowing your company. You can't walk in to a fast food joint in a suit and expect that they will give you the job just because you look put together, being real and not "fabricated" is super important for your employer! Fit the look of the role you want to take on and match the tone of the company/industry.

2) Your Shoes Complete Your Outfit

I don't care what anyone says, if your clothes are nice and your shoes aren't clean or don't fit the look, you're not getting hired. 

You would think I am lying when I say guys have shown up to professional events in suits with their pants sagging and then wore sneakers to match their suit. 

There's obviously more than one thing wrong there, but what in the world would make anyone think wearing sneakers to a professional event makes sense? If anyone has any answers, please tell me - these are some of the things that make my head spin.

But seriously! Buy one pair of shoes for professional events: interviews, networking events, business panels, school recruiting events, university interviews, etc. You get the point! One small investment for a good pair of shoes that are clean, sharp and scream "I am the money maker" will get you in through the door of a company. 

Keep your shoes clean. Polish them, brush them, wash them - this is no joke. People are judgmental, and employers are ten times more judgmental, because if they take you on, your a reflection of their brand! I typically would advocate not to care what people think, but care about what YOU think about yourself and how you want to present yourself.

What you look like when you present yourself to the world is your brand, and a representation of what you want people to know about you - so keep that in mind when putting on your shoes.

3) Wrinkles Are Natural When Aging - They Aren't Natural On Your Clothes

Buy an iron, iron your clothes, do NOT show up in anything wrinkled.

That is all. 

4) Make-Up

Okay, I get it - you watched a tutorial and you can wing that eyeliner boo, your eyeshadow is on point, but no employer expects your full make-up look to be ready to go at your interview.

Keep it simple, keep it clean. Nudes, flat pinks, browns, those are your go to!

Lips: Nothing bright, nothing dark, nothing shiny, and try for no red!

Eyes: no eyeshadow is probably the best choice, no glitter. You can do one shade of nude on the lide, that's okay. Keep the eyeliner thin, no wings. I usually suggest to avoid the dramatic lashes too.

Keep in mind, we are in a much more accepting society, but not that accepting. Companies have an obligation to serve the general public, so no matter what the manager's personal preference, there's still a line of authority that decides what's acceptable in the work place or not.

5) Hair

Is it clean? Did you brush it? Did you style it? 

If yes, go to your interview.

If not, walk back in to your house, do it all, then leave.

I know it seems obvious,  but you'd be surprised as to how many people don't take their interviews seriously - or some take it too seriously! 

Be aware and do what? 

That's right...

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE!! 

Good luck on the next interview :)

The 10 Best Part Time Jobs for Students

We students are always thinking of the same 3 aspects when it comes to finding a job…

1)         “I need the money, but I am a full-time student”

2)         “I need the money, but I am trying to have a social life.”

3)         “I struggle with finding time to sleep! How am I supposed to fit in having a job?”

I know it may seem really tough at first, however all us students are in the same boat. We’re all in need of a part-time, reliable, and flexible job while having that busy school schedule!

But first, consider these important factors.

Location: Would you drive for your commute to work? Bus? Ride share? Walk? Consider how far you want to travel if you plan on commuting, as the farther away you are, the more money you will need to spend to get there.

Scheduling: Would you be willing to work weeknights or only on weekends? Would you prefer day shifts or night? These are a couple of considerations to realize when choosing the right part-time job.

Interests: At the end of the day, what really matters are if you are happy with the place you choose to work! For example, if it is an office job, are you okay with sitting at a desk all day? Or would you much rather be on your feet?

Are you working for purely cash, or are you looking to find experience to use towards your career? If it is for your eventual career, it is important that you are passionate towards the job you choose!

Considering the above factors, below is what Swob thinks are “The 10 Best Part-Time Jobs for Students”

1)         Restaurant Host/ess/Server

• This job role is super flexible and can accommodate one with a busy schedule during the week. This is great for earning income, as gratuity is earned along with your hourly pay.

2)         Bartender

• Same as restaurants, this job is great for earning gratuity! It is fast paced, meaning your shift will fly by.

3)         Campus Tour Guide

• This gives you the extreme convenience factor of being able to work at school during breaks, before, or after classes. It gives you an opportunity to tell others about your school experience and show potential students around campus!

4)         Retail Associate

• Talk about gaining hands on customer service experience! This is the perfect job for those that do not want to work late- as most retail stores close by 9pm. Also, some retail stores have commission opportunities. Most importantly… the discounts or perks an employee receives while working retail is usually outstanding!

5)         Front Desk Receptionist at a Gym/Fitness Studio

• If you like interacting in a gym environment, then this is the job for you. A great perk that comes along with this is usually a discounted gym membership-which is a helpful tool when wanting to live a healthy lifestyle in a cost effective way!

6)         Tutoring

• This gives you the opportunity to create your own hours based on your schedule, which is very convenient! Your knowledge will not only help others; however, will help you continue to learn.

7)         Teaching Assistant

• This is perfect for those that want to work at their school conveniently before or after classes. Most importantly, it helps gain hands on experience with being one on one with a teacher or professor, therefore creating new connections for future careers.

8)         Administrative Assistant

• This job is great for those that like an office environment, and will most likely still give you weekends off which is always a positive! Most office settings have the perks of free coffee and us students really need our caffeine fix anyways so…

9)         Cashier

• The best thing about this job role is that it usually needs little to no experience! A cashier can be needed in many different job settings like a grocery store, department stores, pharmacies, retail stores, coffee shops, etc.

10)    Brand Ambassador

• This gives students the opportunity to shine their strengths through promoting a product or service you love! This is also convenient as it will mostly take place at your school, therefore no excessive commuting necessary.

All the best in your part-time job searching! For students, by a student!

What to Look For When Thinking of Buying a Business or Franchise

The saying goes, “if you want your dream job, create it”. At BizON we believe that “if you want your dream job, buy it.” But before jumping into what to look for when thinking of buying a business or franchise, let’s acknowledge why someone would even want to buy an existing one. Here are 3 reasons:

1.         Less risk: There is less risk purchasing an existing business versus starting something from scratch. An existing business is established, has a market fit and money is already being generated.

2.         Shorter Return on Investment: When you put money into the purchase of an existing business or franchise, you’re generating a return right away. You have access to a living, breathing and money making business that you have to nurture and grow versus experiencing the lag time of a startup.

3.         Impact: You have existing relationships with clients, suppliers and stakeholders.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s go over what you should look for when thinking of buying an existing business or franchise. We’ve been building BizON for the last 5 years and have had the privilege of connecting over $1billion worth of businesses and franchises. During that journey, we’ve uncovered 3 pillars of a selling business/franchise that make connections successful. Let me break it down:

 Timing

Successful buyers did a great job identifying trends and deeply understanding which businesses to buy or not to buy based on timing. For example, I created a model called S.E.T. and it forces me to question things through the lenses of Social trends, Economic trends and Technology trends. Making decisions based off this model is advantageous and keeps you playing in the future, making great decisions. For example; if you’re looking to buy a taxi company, due to technology and social disruption, I would say to pass on that opportunity as the upside is very limited.

Self-Sufficient

You want to make sure you are purchasing a business or franchise that has strong operating principles, values and is self-sufficient - meaning that it is not dependent on 1 leader, 1 employee, 1 supplier or 1 customer. No buyer should want to enter a business with so many unknowns, and the fear of losing clients or a big supplier that can jeopardize operations. This concept sounds pretty easy and straightforward, however, many business owners disregard building a strong self-sufficient business. In my experience, less dependency in business operations equals a more valuable and sellable business. And as a leader of a business, if you’re not replaceable you are a liability to a succession plan.

Recurring Business

You want to find a business that has profitable, growing & recurring revenue year-over-year, and you want to see 3-5 years of financials in order to apply some sort of normalized projection. As a buyer, you need to understand that you are not buying the business for the present moment you are buying it for future opportunities. So question the financials to ensure they can be upheld and ensure the seller is clear on the future opportunities in the industry.

Here’s the fascinating thing when all 3 pillars intersect – you have just purchased a valuable & sellable business on track for healthy financial reward. Let me explain:

a)    The business is seamless, meaning the business is self-sufficient with great timing. Therefore any business savvy person can walk in and operate the business with limited to no issues.

b)   The business is sustainable, meaning the business is self-sufficient with healthy recurring revenue, therefore the traction to date can be upheld for the foreseeable future.

c)    The business has growth and upside, meaning the business has healthy recurring revenue and timing is great, therefore you can capitalize on the growing revenue and unlimited market opportunities in order to continue growing the business in the right direction.

I hope that this information is helpful as buying a business can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences you will ever encounter - and I wish you all the best! For further guidance and advice please reach out to me and/or check out BizON: https://buyandsellabusiness.com/

 Best of luck!

 Nunzio Presta | Ex pro hockey player turned entrepreneur! He is also the Founder & CEO of BizON, an online marketplace where people can buy, sell and grow businesses or franchises every day.

How to Prepare for an Interview

Research. 

It's as simple as that - do your research. 

What does your company do? Are they a public company? What kind of services or products do they provide? What's their best product or service? What kind of industry are they in and what's the industry looking like these days? Is this company on the TSX? S&P 500? How many employees do they have? How long have they been in business? Where did they launch? 

I know it seems overwhelming, and super tidious - but this is your golden ticket to making an impression that'll last with the interviewer versus the next candidate that comes in with no research or generic answers. 

The worst thing you can do is not be prepared and then try to tell the employer you couldn't find their website ... sounds like a joke, but I have had this happen with a candidate. 

Worst impression, not hired.

Companies need a boost of confidence when you sit down with them to join their family - they want to know why you decided to apply to their position and why they should take you on. This is important because this is where they'll gauge how committed you are, if you did your research they'll know you're dedicated, you know what you're getting into and that you will take your job seriously. 

Most often than not, companies will ask you, 

"why do you want to work for us?"

I know, most of us want to answer 

"because you're hiring and I need a job" 

BUT...

instead, we answer with what makes sense. 

Take your interviews seriously - practice your answers in the mirror. Think of particular situations that can help address a question, often that's what employers are looking for. This way they understand that you have practical experience specific to that question. 

I've had several interviews , I'm talking over 40 interviews over my lifespan - these are on the phone and in-person interviews. Most have been great, and some were just disasterous, but there's always something to learn from the bad ones. Based on the interviews I've had, I've noticed the common questions so keep reading.

Here's a list of top ten questions most employers ask at every interview.

1 - What are your biggest strengths and biggest weaknesses?

2 - Why do you want to work for {Insert company name}?

3 - Describe a time you've had to deal with a difficult situation with a task or another indiviudal and how you resolved it?

4 - How do you deal with pressure?

5 - Tell me about your hobbies and interests.

6 - What do you know about the role you've applied to?

7 - Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

8 - What motivates you?

9 - What do you expect from us as your employer? From your manager?

10 - What experience can you bring to us that makes you the successful candidate for this role?

Typically, interviews last at least 30 minutes. If your interview goes on longer, it's usually a good thing. I've sat in interviews for almost 2 hours - so trust me when I say, do NOT make plans or commitments for right after your interview. You want to be relaxed and committed, and show your there with them and with no reason to leave because you thought you'd be done within an hour. Even if you have plans, do not say anything and do not leave, do not stop your interview for anything. 

Put your phone on silent, not vibrate - do not check your phone.

Do not  look at the clock. Do not fidget. Do not slouch, sit up straight. 

Stay calm though, breathe, relax, be yourself but be precise, and be engaged. Smile and let them know that you have your sh*t together, but you're not a robot. Companies are transforming, and they are switching most of their company cultures to employee focused and customer centric, and no one is aiming to be robotic or scripted. So chill out, and play it cool, but be strategic. 

Your first few interviews aren't going to be your best, but they'll just get easier, and there'll come a point you're going to apply to 10 jobs, get 6 interviews and come back with 4 offers and the ball will be in YOUR court as to what you want to accept and who you want to work for.

All you have to do is be prepared. 

Happy Job Hunting!