Summer Student Employment

A cover letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and experience

• Tailor your cover letter to both the position and qualifications in the posting. Use keywords from the job posting.
• Explain how you will add value. 
• Proofread your cover letter to ensure there are no spelling, typing or grammatical errors.

Like a cover letter, your resume should be concise and clearly identify how you meet the minimum qualifications required in the job posting. Think of your resume as a story of achievement rather than a compilation of job duties.

Below are some suggestions to keep in mind when creating your resume for Norfolk County:

• Proofread it. Twice. It isn't easy to over-emphasize the importance of proofreading your resume. Proofreading it once is not enough, so do it twice and maybe even get someone else to do it.
• Consider the length. There are no definitive rules governing the length of your resume. Generally speaking, try to limit yourself to a maximum of two pages.
• Tailor your resume. Using keywords and information from the job posting, demonstrate how your competencies and achievements match those of the County and the position you’re applying to.
• Organize your information. Put employment information and dates in chronological order—this will help the hiring managers determine whether you meet the minimum experience requirements. 
• Put the most important information first: In general, your education and relevant experience are the most important, so put those at the top. Make it easy for someone to read quickly.

Interview process

• You will be contacted to interview, and a date and time will be determined
• A follow-up email with the reference release form will be provided through our applicant tracking system
• Confirm your attendance by responding to the email
• If the interview is virtual, the link will be provided in the confirmation email
• Return the reference release form and any other required documentation before the interview time

Before the interview

• Preparing for an interview is helpful because you can invest your time in considering the questions that might be asked and be ready with appropriate answers based on your experiences.
• Reviewing the job posting will be your first resource and key to understanding the roles, tasks, and responsibilities and demonstrating how your skills and experiences will support your success.
• Reviewing your resume is also key to considering and recalling your experiences and demonstrating to the interview panel how your experience relates to the role you are interviewing for.

What the hiring team expects of you

• Ensure you follow the instructions for the interview process provided in the email confirmation.
• If you require accommodation, please identify it in advance so we can ensure the best experience for you.
• Be on time. Your timing may affect others' interviews, so please be courteous.
• Listen to the instructions given about how the interview process will be structured.
• If you are unclear about a question being asked, feel free to ask to have it repeated.
• Focus on the question being asked to stay within the time frame set aside.
• Feel free to ask questions you want to be answered regarding the position or recruitment.

At the interview

What can you expect

• The interview panel may consist of at least two staff.
• A formal set of questions has been prepared.
• Questions are asked based on knowledge, experience, skills and qualifications.
• The panel will be documenting the information you provided and requests your patience.
• The interview usually lasts 45 minutes to an hour, but it may be longer or shorter, depending on the position.
• Everyone on the panel has been in the interview seat and endeavours to make this a comfortable and engaging process so that the best interview can be conducted.
• Norfolk County uses a variety of interview questions, including technical, situational, and behavioural style questions.
• Behavioural-style interview questions relate to a predetermined set of skills considered essential to a particular position, such as decision-making, planning and organization, or communication.

Behavioural style questions

• Situation or Task — Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from a previous job, a volunteer experience, or a relevant event.
• The action you took—Describe the action you took, and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even when discussing a group project or effort, describe what you did -- not the team's efforts. Don't tell what you might do, tell what you did.
• Results you achieved— What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?
• Access more behavioural interview techniques and resources