Today's article in the Ottawa Citizen illustrates the ongoing need for volunteers and paid employees at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler. Although it would be easy to assume all their hiring has been done by now, the article explains how several new events continue to pop up and many participants and visitors are extending their travel plans. This has created an additional need for many new employees and volunteers, including entry-level, that was not expected.
Job-seekers who apply for positions in customer service with Olympics-related organizations or events can gain an advantage with a clear, targeted resume that highlights skills, experience, and attributes those employers would likely want:
Customer Service Experience
If you are applying for a customer service job such as those found in retail and hospitality, make your experience in those areas a focal point of your resume. Tell them right at the top in a summary section, and in your cover letter if you use one, how many months or years of customer service experience you have.
Cash Handling Experience
Many jobs in retail and hospitality involve cash handling so if you have that type of experience, highlight it on your resume at the top and in your cover letter. As with your customer service experience, make it prominent - don't make the hiring manager search for it. It's one of your key features as an applicant.
Availability
A job applicant's availability for scheduling is very important to a hiring manager in retail and hospitality, since most establishments are open seven days a week and long hours each day. If you have excellent availability, and especially if you have completely open availability, feature it on your resume and in a cover letter. Most job-seekers don't, and it could make a big difference.
Employers will also be looking for exceptional character traits such as reliability and flexibility. These can be included on your resume as long as you offer proof or examples. Otherwise, hiring managers have no reason to believe you. Quote from school report cards or employer performance evaluations to demonstrate that yes, you actually have proven to be very reliable or flexible in the past.
Resumes are a marketing tool, which means it's important to think about what a particular employer needs, and then explain clearly how you meet those needs. Good luck, and enjoy the Olympics!