So, you're in a technical program at school and you'd like to get a related summer job. How can you make the leap from valuable but non-technical work like camp counsellor/golf course attendant/server/lifeguard to scientist/engineer/lab technician extraordinaire?

There are a few things to know that will help you in your quest for that first subject-focused internship or job.

Lifeguards don't get engineering jobs

If you're looking for a technical job, your resume can't scream lifeguarding' even though that's what you've done in the past. Technical work requires technical skills. Sure, you might not have technical paid experience yet, but you DO have experience. Minimize the emphasis on less related work experience (if you're running out of space) and maximize detail on related experiences. 

Education is a good place to start. For many students, it's the primary source of their related technical experience. List related courses from your program, give details about technical projects, field trips and marks (if they're advantageous to you).  

Then, look at your experience outside the classroom. Do you have extra-curricular activities, clubs, volunteer work, or hobbies that are technical in nature? Don't bury them on page two of your r├®sum├®. Consider having a Technical Experience section on the first page of your document. Include the role, dates, organization, location, and description for each of your technical experiences ' whether you were paid for them or not. If it wasn't a paid role, simply put the context (e.g. volunteer/student club/educational project) in brackets beside the role you had. When re-ordering sections, be sure to put related experiences high up in your document. Move less-related experiences further down. 

Suddenly, you're starting to look like a scientist/engineer/lab technician who also happens to have valuable transferrable skills (safety orientation, leadership) gained as a lifeguard.

Go old-school on your search

Many organizations still advertise for summer students in ' betcha haven't picked a real one up in a long time ' the newspaper. Check the local on Saturdays. Still can't find summer ads? Use full-time job ads as a start to your cover letter or conversation. I noticed you're advertising for an (X) and I know it can sometimes take a while to get someone in the position. I'm a technical/science/engineering student available for summer work and I'd love to help you out while you're finding a longer-term person for this role.

Hide and seek

The usual stat is that only 20 percent of jobs tend to be advertised, while 80 percent are hidden, and are broadcast through networking and direct contact with organizations and people. For summer work, the hidden job statistic is often much, much higher than 80 percent. Why? The organizations get you for a mere four months (if they're lucky) and advertising is expensive, often resulting in thousands of responses (many of which are very irrelevant). The good news out of this is that even if you're not seeing a lot of summer job ads, there's still lots of work. Most organizations do hire for the summer. Now, they need to know that you exist and are interested.

Finding hidden opportunities doesn't require super spy resources

Check sector and professional directories (e.g. Consulting Engineers of Ontario; The Biotechnology Directory) in libraries, or your campus career centre, to find places that align with your interests and location. There are lists of organizations and key personnel for almost every sector of work.  You can even use technical keywords in the Yellow Pages as a good, local starting point for the region you're searching in.

Avoid the infomercial

Cold calling is often uncomfortable for you AND employers. I recommend approaching organizations with a professional cover letter and r├®sum├®, enquiring about possible summer opportunities (this is called prospecting). In the last paragraph of your letter, indicate that you will follow up by telephone in the next couple of weeks to ensure you received this and to answer any questions you might have. This allows you to increase your visibility without being a nuisance or having to come up with some slick sales pitch (uncomfortable for most of us to deliver and receive).  It also gives organizations a chance to review your skills and think about possible ways you could add value to their organization this summer.  

Nope, lifeguards don't get engineering jobs. But by using these tips, YOU can.  

Top tip: Send a hard copy (not a Word document via email) when prospecting and try to send it to a manager or leader in the area you'd like to work, rather than human resources. Managers are closer to the work and often know about opportunities before HR even gets involved.

Christine Fader works as a career counsellor at Queen's University and is the author of, Career Cupid: Your Guide to Landing and Loving Your Dream Job. Visit her website at: www.careercupid.com