How To: Write a Cover Letter

How to Write a Cover Letter

A cover letter can assist you in your job search. A cover letter is used to introduce yourself and provide additional information on your qualifications to support your resume. The cover letter provides the opportunity for you to connect your resume to the job you are applying for. Unlike a resume, you can address yourself in first person because you are writing about yourself and what makes you the best fit for the job.

Cover letters should not be generic and should be altered to fit with every position you are applying for. Read the job description a few times to really understand what the company is looking for. Make sure to include some of the language and requirements in your cover letter to show that you have the qualifications for the position.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

There are seven things that should be included in your cover letter:

  • The date of applying
  • Your name and contact information 
  • The employer’s contact information
  • Introduction of yourself and your interest in the position
  • Your background and qualifications
  • How you think you are the best candidate, what sets you apart
  • Your signature
TOP OF COVER LETTER

The header of the cover letter should include your first and last name and contact information (phone number and email address). Below that should be the date you are applying in full text (ie. July 8th, 2022). After the date is where the information of the company you are applying to, this includes the name of the contact (if known), full company name, address, and phone number.

Once you have that set up, it is time to start writing your cover letter.

MAIN SECTION

The first thing you have to do is greet the reader, ie. Dear “Contact Name”, or Dear Hiring Manager, or To Whom it May Concern. Do not write Dear Sir/Madam or assume it is one of them. In Canada, it is not common to address someone by Sir or Madam/Ma’am.

Once you have included a greeting, you should write a short paragraph on introducing yourself and your interest in the position. It is common to also mention the exact job title and where you found the posting in this paragraph. Make sure to be enthusiastic about applying for the position and the possibility to work for that company.

The next paragraph can be longer which is a description of your relevant experience, achievements, and expertise. In this paragraph you can brag about yourself and what you have accomplished in your career so far. This is where reading the job description will come in handy. Mention the keywords and requirements in this section showing that you have the qualifications to do the job.

The last paragraph is short where you reiterate why you are best suited for the role. As well, you can state your interest in moving forward for an interview to discuss the role in more detail. Make sure to leave space after this paragraph for a salutation, ie. Sincerely, or All the Best, or Cheers. After the salutation put your signature then type your name below.

THINGS TO REMEMBER & TIPS
  • If your resume has a design and header, the cover letter should use the same formatting.
  • Lead with a strong opening sentence about your qualifications and what excites you about the position.
  • Focus on the future.
  • Share accomplishments that showcase your abilities.
  • Always proofread your documents before submitting.
  • Keep the text brief, a cover letter should not be longer than one page.
  • Never use casual text like “Hey” or contractions like “don’t” or “shouldn’t”.
  • Avoid general information, be specific about the position.
  • Avoid trying to be funny, it will not translate well.

Tips and How to get Immunization Records

Required Immunization Record Information for Early Childhood Educators

Early Childhood Educator’s in BC need to have up-to-date immunization records before working in a daycare. Most post-secondary schools will require students to have the immunization record before enrolling in their ECE program. Additionally, before being offered a job at a daycare, the employer will request your immunization record to make sure you are fit to work with children.

WHAT VACCINATIONS ARE REQUIRED?

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC), childcare workers should have the following vaccines:

  • All Routine Vaccines
    • Tetanus and Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine
    • Shingles Vaccine
    • Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine
    • Influenza (flu) Vaccine
  • Hepatitis B Vaccine

The Hepatitis A Vaccine is not routinely recommended for childcare workers as the BC CDC recommends to practice good hygiene ie. washing hands regularly.

** Please note that some daycares may require additional immunizations such as Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Varicella (Chicken Pox), and/or Polio.

HOW TO GET AN IMMUNIZATION RECORD?

It is your responsibility to ensure that your immunizations are current and the records are accurate and safe.

If you are a resident of BC and have a BC Services Card you should be able to use the Health Gateway website (Health Gateway (gov.bc.ca)) to retrieve all your personal medical information.

In the case that your records are incomplete, check with your previous doctors or caregivers. If you are from overseas, check with your hometown doctor.

Alternatively, if you have no records of your vaccinations you can go to a walk-in clinic in BC and request a blood test form for LifeLabs.

If you would like an immunization card to refer to check out this website for samples available to download and print at home: Immunization record cards | Immunize BC

Tips and How to get First Aid Certification

How to get First Aid Certification for Early Childhood Educators

WHAT DO I NEED?

The First Aid and CPR Certificate is an essential qualification to becoming an Early Childhood Educator in BC. To start, there are many different categories of first aid certificates, see below for a list of the different types available.

  • First Aid for Home and Work
  • CPR/AED for Home and Work
  • First Aid for Childcare Workers
  • First Aid/CPR BLS Level for Healthcare (HCP)
  • First Responder/Emergency Medical Responder
  • Marine First Aid
  • Wilderness & Remote First Aid
  • Public Education

As you can guess from the list, an ECE would need to take the First Aid for Childcare Workers. This will allow you to get the Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR/AED Level B Certificate. The certificate is valid for 3 years then you will need to take the course again to renew.

** Note: most post-secondary institutions in BC with ECE programs will allow you to earn this certificate during the course of your study.

WHERE TO GET IT?

The best organization to get your first aid certificate with is the Canadian Red Cross (Home – My Red Cross). There are many locations across Metro Vancouver offering the course as suitable times. They also list other reputable organizations that offer the course for $100-140.00 per person.

If you have trouble understanding English, and you speak Mandarin or Korean, check out Family Plus First Aid (Home – Family Plus First Aid) for their courses. They offer the course for $135.00 per person and have locations across Metro Vancouver.

If you speak Punjabi, Spanish, or Arabic, check out Pro Safe Training (Canadian Red Cross First Aid Courses – ProSafe First Aid | Training and Supplies (prosafetraining.ca)) for their course offerings. They charge $110.00 + GST per person and have locations across Metro Vancouver.

Tips for Accidents in the Daycare

MINOR INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS

In minor accidents, it is best to treat the child right away and make sure they are okay. Make sure to monitor the child throughout the rest of the day to check if there is bruising or the wound becomes more noticeable. It is good practice to take notes of any incident that happens in case parents or other teachers need to look back on it. Taking pictures can also help to understand the injury and to ease the parents mind.

MAJOR INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS

If a serious injury happens, the child needs to be initially treated in the daycare. Documentation and pictures are vital for reference and safety records. The school director or other authoritative persons must be made aware of the situation. The parents of the child should be called immediately after first aid care to inquire whether the child should be picked up and taken home.

If the situation requires the child to go to the emergency room, make sure to inform the parents where the child is going and explain the situation carefully and calmly.

**Please note that these are merely tips to help you in the workplace. Every daycare likely has their own emergency response protocol, which must be followed by all employees. Make sure to ask about the protocols to understand what to do if an emergency arises. Do not be afraid to ask questions or clarifications to help you.**

See below for a sample accident report form which a daycare may have.

How To: ECE Portfolio

How To: Create a Portfolio for Early Childhood Educators

A portfolio is a great way to distinguish yourself from other applicants when looking for a job as an Early Childhood Educator. In this blog post, I will outline best practices and what to include in your ECE Portfolio to help you get that job! The portfolio is a way to showcase your experience and abilities in addition to your resume. This provides visual evidence of your past work and how you interact with children.

DESIGN

It is a good idea to use colours and tabs to differentiate sections as well as add to the experience of looking at the portfolio. A blank white portfolio is boring, but also using too many patterns and colours can be overwhelming. There needs to be a balance of colour and space so the portfolio flows and is easy to look at. Consider the size of the portfolio to ensure that it is not too long. Make sure that the portfolio suitably represents yourself and your personality.

Clearly state on the first page that it is your portfolio, ie. Jessie’s Portfolio and include a picture of you in the classroom. Make sure that the picture focuses on you so that the employer knows what you look like.

On the second page, add a Table of Contents with either the corresponding colour tab or page number so an employer can directly see what they want to focus on.

INTRODUCTION TO YOURSELF

The first things that should be included in your portfolio are your resume and cover letter. Your resume should not be longer than 2 pages and your cover letter should only be 1 page. Make sure to address your cover letter to the organization you are applying for and add details in there that relate to the specific job you are applying for. It is good practice to reference the job posting and mention how you are the perfect fit for the job.

CERTIFICATES

Next, you should attach copies of your relevant certificates such as your BC Early Childhood Educator Certificate, Emergency Child First Aid and CPR Certificate, and your Food Safe Certificate. This will make it clear that you are certified and qualified for the job. It will also let the employer know when you got certified and when your certificate needs renewing.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

In this section, you should introduce any academic assignments, teaching aids, or proof of experience. During your studies, if you had any assignments you were proud of, you can attach them here. In addition, if you have any teaching aids like a felt story board or arts and crafts activities, you can attach pictures here. If in any of your previous work experiences, you had the opportunity to take pictures of the kids you worked with or someone took photos of you with the children, here would be a great spot to put them. Try not to have more than 4 pictures per page as otherwise it gets crowded. It is a good idea to put a description with the pictures to describe the name of the workplace as well as the activity happening in the photos.

VIDEOS

Most employers enjoy having videos of applicants interacting with children. It is not required to have children in the video with you, but you will need to be energetic and enthusiastic as if there were children. The videos would be separate from a paper portfolio but if you create a slide deck, then videos can be inserted. A good idea is to have at least one video of you singing a song ie. Welcome or If You’re Happy and You Know It. Another video that is good to make is you reading a short story ie. 5 Little Monkeys. The videos should be approximately 3-5 minutes in length to showcase how you would do that activity with children. 

I hope this can help you find the perfect job in a daycare centre! If you need assistance or further information, contact us.
Happy Portfolio-ing!

How To: Resume Building

How To: Resume Building

A resume is a document that is required when applying for a job in Canada. Another name for a resume is a Curriculum Vitae (CV). A resume showcases your education, work experience, skills, and other qualifications. It is important to be detailed and provide information on each related work experience to the job you are applying for. However, a resume should not exceed two pages, if there are lots of spaces between text or an abundance of details, an employer will not be interested in reading it. A resume may be altered depending on what job is being applied to. There is no one way to format and organize a resume, but a resume MUST include:

  • Candidate’s name, phone number, and email address
  • Education
  • Work Experience
  • Certificates (if applicable to job)

In addition to these, it is common to see a Summary / Highlight of Qualifications, Objective, or a Skills section. These are not required, but it is nice to have in many circumstances. If you lack work experience, they are a good way to emphasize your skills and show what you can bring to the organization.

TOP OF RESUME

The top of the resume should have your First and Last Name with your phone number and email address. It is not necessary to include a picture or your home address. In addition, it is important to not include personal information such as religion, age, marital status, and so on.

SUMMARY / HIGHLIGHT OF QUALIFICATIONS OR OBJECTIVE

At the top of a resume after your name and contact information, it is optional to have a section to provide an overview of your skillsets. There are many names that are used but all are used for the same purpose. This section should be around 5 sentences and should make a nice block of text to introduce yourself before the rest of the resume. An important thing to note that is commonly done is never use I to describe your qualifications; it should not be direct. To help get you started, see a sample below:

Recent graduate looking for a job in computer science to apply knowledge and expertise. Strong knowledge of computer based languages like C++, HTML, Java Script.

EDUCATION

In the education section, it is vital that all relevant education is listed. Each education experience should include:

  • Degree or Diploma received with Specialization
    • ie. Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science
  • Name of Institution
  • Period of study including Month, Year for start and end
  • Location (optional)

Education should be listed from most recent or current to oldest. Any education before secondary school does not need to be included. If you have multiple post-secondary education certificates, then you do not need to include your secondary school information.

WORK EXPERIENCE

In the work experience section, it is important to provide details on each relevant work experience. This means providing full details of the work done. Each work experience should contain the following information:

  • Job Title
  • Employer
  • Period of employment including Month, Year for start and end
  • Location (optional)
  • Four to Five bullet points of detailed duties describing what you did in that job

This is the most important part of a resume. The detailed bullet points for each work experience showcases your abilities and experiences in a clear manner for employers to understand your qualifications. Work experience should be listed from most recent or current to oldest.

CERTIFICATES AND SKILLS

If you have any relevant certificates that can support you in the job that you are applying for, you will need to provide information. The certificate section should either be combined with education or be separate, immediately after education. There are different ways you can state the information regarding a certificate. You must include the name of the certificate such as Serving it Right Certificate. Here is where the options come in, there are three ways to mention dates and validity:

  1. One way is you can just mention when the certificate was issued. For example: Issued: May 2022.
  2. Another way is to do the opposite and only mention when it expires. Example: Expiry: November 2023.
  3. The third option is to combine the two. For example: Valid: May 2022 – November 2023.

A skills section is good to add if you have little to no relevant work experience. Or, if you have extra space and want to fill it then skills are a nice way to fill empty areas. In most circumstances, it is best to keep points to 1-3 words. For instances where that does not apply is mentioning languages or if you want to include Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) as a skill. Try to keep the skills section direct and related to the job you are applying for. Things such as hobbies or things you like to do in your spare time are not necessary to be included on your resume.

I hope this helps you create an outstanding resume to achieve your career goals!
If you need assistance, contact us!

Job Opportunity: Reach & Order Picker Operators at DSV Solutions

New Job Opportunities: Reach Truck & Order Picker Operators

 
 

Our client, DSV Solutions, is looking for certified forklift operators with experience operating Reach Truck and Order Pickers.

DSV Solutions is an established logistics and global transport company. They provide merchandise and goods to companies around the world.

* No. of Positions: two

* Warehouse Department: Machine Operators

* Work Schedule: 5 days a week (including Saturday and Sunday)

* Work Hours: 8:00am – 4:30pm

* Hourly Wage: $19.50 per hour

* English: Able to communicate easily

* Job Requirements: Candidates should have knowledge and experience operating Stand-up Reach forklift or Order Picker forklift. To apply, candidates must have a valid Class 2 Forklift Certificate.

We look forward to many inquiries from qualified candidates. Please send your resumes to jobs@swiftconnect.ca

Job Opportunities: Head Chef and Bartender at No. 24 Café & Bistro

New Job Opportunities: Head Chef and Bartender

 
 

Our client, No. 24 Café & Bistro, is looking for 1 Head Chef and 2 Bartenders.

No. 24 Café & Bistro is a new Italian restaurant in South Surrey. They offer exquisite coffee, pastries, brunch, pizza, pasta, burgers, and drinks. The restaurant was fully renovated and has beautiful décor for the perfect photo-op.

* No. of Positions: three

* Restaurant Department: kitchen, front of house

* Work Schedule: 5 days a week (at least one weekend day, holidays preferred)

* Work Hours: varied, must have a flexible schedule

* Head Chef Hourly Wage: $25.00 per hour plus additional tips

* Bartender Hourly Wage: $15.65 – $17.00 per hour (negotiable depending on experience)

* English: Able to communicate easily

* Head Chef Requirements: Candidates should have knowledge and experience cooking Italian cuisine. To apply, candidates must have a valid Food Safe Certificate.

* Bartender Requirements: Candidates should have knowledge and experience mixing and serving drinks, should have strong knowledge of cocktails and wines. Candidates also must have a valid Serving it Right Certificate, any other related certificates a plus.

We look forward to many inquiries from qualified candidates. Please send your resumes to jobs@swiftconnect.ca

Job Opportunities: Sushi Chef, Hot Food Cook, and FOH Supervisor in Kamloops, BC

New Job Opportunities: Sushi Chef, Hot Food Cook, and FOH Supervisor

 
 

Our client, Arigato Sushi, is looking for 1 Sushi Chef, 2 Hot Food Cooks, and 1 Supervisor for the Front of House.

Arigato Sushi is located in Kamloops, BC. The restaurant is in the Aberdeen Village Centre off the main highway. Arigato has won many awards over the years such as Best Japanese Restaurant and Best Asian Restaurant.

* No. of Positions: four

* Restaurant Department: kitchen, front of house

* Work Schedule: 5 days a week (at least one weekend day, holidays preferred)

* Work Hours: varied, must have a flexible schedule

* Sushi Chef and Hot Food Cook Hourly Wage: $3,500 per month plus 4% vacation fee plus additional tips

* Front of House Supervisor Hourly Wage: negotiable

* English: Able to communicate easily

* Requirements: Candidates should have knowledge and/or experience in Japanese and Korean cuisine

We look forward to many inquiries from qualified candidates. Please send your resumes to jobs@swiftconnect.ca

Job Opportunity: Warehouse Workers at DSV Solutions

New Job Opportunity: Warehouse Workers

 
 

Our client, DSV Solutions in South Surrey, BC is hiring 5 Warehouse Workers.

DSV Solutions is an established logistics and global transport company. They provide merchandise and goods to companies around the world.

* No. of Positions: five

* Warehouse Department: floor, associates

* Work Schedule: 4-5 days a week (no shifts available for Saturdays)

* Work Hours: 5:00am – 1:15pm

* Hourly Wage: $15.65 per hour

* English: Able to communicate easily

* Requirements: Candidates must have their own reliable transportation (transit is NOT available) and must have steel-toe shoes.

We look forward to many inquiries from qualified candidates. Please send your resumes to jobs@swiftconnect.ca

Job Opportunities: Sushi Chef and Hot Food Cook at Sushi Shun

New Job Opportunities: Sushi Chef and Hot Food Cook

 

Our client, Sushi Shun in Surrey, BC is hiring two positions: one Sushi Chef and one Hot Food Cook.

Sushi Shun has been open for three years and are growing steadily. Since teamwork is important, mutual consideration and respect among employees is expected.

 

* No. of Positions: two

* Restaurant Department: kitchen, sushi bar

* Work Schedule: 5 days a week (Sundays required)

* Hourly Wage: According to experience and skill level

(Tip is about $450~$500 on average, and 4% vacation fee is additionally paid.)

* English: Able to communicate easily

 

We look forward to many inquiries from qualified candidates. Please send your resumes to jobs@swiftconnect.ca