Friday, May 23, 2025

The Joy of Being Chosen

The right resume can help you land your next construction job

By Kristy-Lee Shepherd, CLAC Jobs, Jobs Coordinator – West

When my oldest son started kindergarten in September, he went from being one of the older kids on the daycare playground to being one of the little “kinders” on the school playground. The typical adaptation happened: new friends, new teachers, new environment, new after-school program. He was starting over, and no one prepared our family for this major shift for our little boy.

By October, I noticed a pattern to his updates after pick-ups: It was all “big kids” this and “soccer” that. Who was getting chosen to play? Who was on the big-kids team? Who was getting picked last? My son plays soccer every weekend with Mega Kickers, and my bleeding heart jumped with joy when he told me he was chosen to play.

In the real world and in construction, workers prefer to stay with the same crew—it’s comfortable, it’s job security, and they gradually become like family. Workers work until the project is complete, then wait and hope for their foreperson, employer, or union to call and rehire them for the next job. They might have to miss their wedding anniversary or child’s birthday, but that is the nature of employment for CLAC members working in construction—jobs are seasonally cyclical and/or project based. Turnovers, layoffs, and shifting types and locations are reality for many members.

Other times, life may take us to a new city or perhaps we switch unions or seek a fresh start in a new work environment with a healthier lifestyle. Even if you’ve done everything right—sending out job applications, signing up for job alerts, filling out the CLAC Jobs Intake Form, reaching out to both familiar employers and new employers—you may have no luck. Perhaps it’s shoulder season or the project stage doesn’t match your skill set. Feeling defeated that you can’t get a job, you may ask: Is it me? Is it my resume? Do I have spinach in my teeth?

Some generation Xers will call CLAC Jobs and ask, “Why do I need a resume?” There was a time when the Internet was not utilized for job applications in the trades. Workers and employers relied heavily on word-of-mouth as ways of marketing and communication.

Today, the reliance on building a workforce through rehires, name hires, or referrals is between 25 and 65 percent, depending on the industry type and region. For instance, in BC’s Lower Mainland, there tends to be more opportunities, and workers rarely return to previous employers.

The millennial generation is comfortable with the Internet and recruiters prefer it, as it has become much easier to match skills using keywords. Between 28 and 75 percent of hiring comes from online applications, as well as some from CLAC’s strategic partnerships.

Regardless of your generation, there is always room for resume improvement. CLAC Jobs collaborated with construction recruiters to create a thorough Resume Checklist that shows workers which important details might be missing from their resumes.

Many employers use software to scan resumes for keywords, which means a resume might be rejected if it doesn't include the right words or details. It’s important to use specific terms and phrases that highlight relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

While good cover letters show initiative and are useful to explain circumstances (such as coming back from a lengthy gap or making a career change), most recruiters will say they are a waste of time for trade positions.

We asked CLAC-signatory employers their thoughts on the saying dress for the job you want. Does putting an effort into your appearance make you a more desirable candidate for a trade position?

We were told that a worker who arrives to an interview wearing Carhartt’s and steel toes gives the impression they’re ready to work and not afraid to show it. A clean pair of jeans and T-shirt is acceptable. It’s not necessary to show up in a suit and tie or high heels, but it’s best to not wear clothing depicting gang affiliation, drug culture, or vulgar symbols and words.

I strongly believe in the saying people around you want to see you succeed. CLAC wants to see you succeed. We help members get the skills they need to advance in their careers and increase their chances of being chosen by employers.

When hiring outcome reports arrive and we see “MEMBER HIRED,” our team rings a bell to celebrate! We know how incredible it feels to succeed, to have the colossal relief that a regular paycheque can bring, and to gain unmatched connections while working alongside a good crew. Most of all, the little kid in us has the feeling of belonging because we were chosen.

The Joy of Being Chosen

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