How to Switch Careers: Tips for Eastern Ontario Job Seekers

If you’ve lost your job because of COVID-19, you’re not alone. There’s many displaced workers looking for how to switch careers right now. Good news is, you can get trained and working again with the help that’s out there. You can find a new career in sectors that are thriving so you have job security and the resources to manage your life.

The job market has changed to meet new demands for products and services. The way we do business and how we work has changed too. While it is challenging, businesses are evolving to stay open and there are still jobs to be had.

3 Ways Job Seekers Can Connect With Employers

If you’re looking for work, read on for tips to help you find a job.

1. Use LinkedIn #OpenToWork Tool

If you already have a LinkedIn profile, it’s an easy step to start using #opentowork. Using this hashtag lets your network and recruiters know you’re available for work. It gives your professional contacts an opportunity to send you job listings. Plus, LinkedIn recruiters you’re not connected to can see you’re looking for work. A lot of the legwork is done, too, because your professional information is already there. Recruiters will know if you’re a potential candidate and can get in touch. What’s great about #opentowork is it gives you access to jobs you didn't even know existed.

2. Sign Up for Training With Placement Option

Local economic development and educational organizations are stepping up to help job seekers train and find work now. Short-term, online training, coupled with work placement opportunities, are geared toward helping you acquire skills and get working quickly. In eastern Ontario, programs such as Elevate Plus and Elevate Plus - Military are free training programs that prepare you for work in manufacturing, as well as for work in industries like financial services so you can work remotely. Here’s some sectors in eastern Ontario that are hiring.

3. Follow Employment Trends

Spending time searching online to find work can be frustrating. You can keep up your job searches on all the job boards, but think about following local businesses and companies on social media too. You’ll know what’s happening in your local sectors and see when available jobs are posted, too. And, there are online industry-specific publications you can follow too, like STUFF Magazine for manufacturing. STUFF keeps you up to date on what manufacturers are producing in Ontario and how you can work for them. Check out the sector profiles and recruiting pages to narrow down your job search, too.

Local Programs Help You Learn How to Switch Careers

In eastern Ontario, organizations are working together to help people get jobs and keep working during and after the pandemic. They’re connecting local employers with skilled workers too. One example of this type of work is from the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce (GPCC).

The GPCC helps employers and job seekers navigate the seemingly ever-changing job market and the status of local business. The GPCC is helping connect employers with skilled staff and lead job seekers to new careers and job security, through skills training. With the help of the GPCC, job seekers will get connected to:

Career opportunities that match their skills, experience and career goals.
Learning and career growth resources.

Employers can access an easy-to-use tool to recruit and retain diverse local talent, too.

Are you a job seeker looking for how to switch careers because of COVID-related job loss or because you simply want a more rewarding career? Find affordable and relevant training opportunities in eastern Ontario. Download this guide to 21 upskilling and reskilling programs.