Original article by Sarah Galashon of CTV BC. Summit Search Group is a partner of Happen. http://www.summitsearchgroup.com
B.C.'s unemployment went up last month from 7.3 to 7.5 per cent, but job recruiters say opportunities are also on the rise.
Summit Search Group job recruiter, Chad Rutherford, who has spent the last decade helping people connect with jobs using the internet and social networking tools, said it's been a tough year but he's filling far more jobs this year than last.
"By about five months into this fiscal year we had achieved the same numbers that we had achieved for the entire of last year," he said. A recent B.C. Statistics Labour Market Outlook report for 2009 to 2019 shows some sectors might be more likely to hire than others. University of B.C. economics professor Thomas Lemieux says even during the worst recessions there are still a lot of new jobs to be found.
Rutherford puts insurances as one of his top picks for jobs. "There's a full commercial side to that so that's an area we see a lot of growth in," he said. "You know the technology sector; Vancouver's always been solid area for technology."
He says the trick to landing a candidate a job is getting a competitive edge, including:
- Cold calling and striking up conversations with employers
- Narrowing the search
- Highlighting specific skills
- Making sure you're applying for jobs specific to your criteria