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Type of experience | Questions to ask yourself | Transferable Skills Used (examples that could be used in a resume) | Value of skills in Resume |
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Assisting an Elder in the community | What skills did I use while assisting? |
| Each one of these skills has value in the workplace. Make sure to let your employer know the work you did and the skills you have and how you used them in that work. Below is a generic statement and it can be personalized further by adding specifics of the task. A bullet point in your résumé could look like this: Communicated respectfully with supervisor/Elder to understand their needs to complete a task efficiently (this example includes your Indigenous connection. Feel free to keep it or remove it per your situation.) |
Pow wow volunteer | What skills did I use while volunteering? |
| All these are aspects of community care and excellent customer service. All these skills also have a lot of value in the workplace. A bullet point in your résumé could look like this: Created a plan to help various people find their way to the pow wow venue to ensure that they use their time effectively to enjoy events. (This example includes your Indigenous connection. Feel free to keep it or remove it per your situation) |
Work done in community/with a group of people | How did I get the work done with others? |
| All these qualities of working in a team, collaborating and applying principles of diversity, inclusion and respect can make all the difference in working together. A bullet point in your résumé could look like this: Adapted and learned about cultural differences to work collaboratively and delivered high-quality work in a team (This example does not include your Indigenous connection). |
More tipsFor all jobs, it is important to show how you have developed the skills and knowledge you have and the ways in which you have applied them to gain experience. Here are some tips for achieving that:
While talking about your Indigenous identity, roots and culture may be a way to show your knowledge, sharing or not sharing are both valid strategies depending on your context. The resources by the Association for Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning BC/Yukon, in the first table, offer a critical perspective on this topic.
We know that identity and connection to your Indigenous communities can be challenging. As a result of colonization, displacement and intergenerational trauma, many people and families have been disconnected. In some instances, connecting to community and family may not be possible. Only if you can do so safely, start to connect with your Indigenous community in ways that feel good to you. This could be through someone you know, attending community events, or even conversing with family and friends. This is an extremely personal and individual journey, and we recommend you to be mindful of the emotional burden and your needs. For the job samples above, you can choose to show or not show engagement and connection to your Indigenous or chosen communities. If you do, it should be in ways that feel good for you. You could lean on community connections made at WISC and even consult Elder Henry Myeengun Translate your experiences for the workplace
Are you a volunteer for an Indigenous student group or community? How did you contribute to organizing cultural activities? Did you help mentor youth in your community? Did you help build a budget or fundraise for an event? These valuable experiences showcase your agility in understanding Indigenous values, teamwork and collaborations. They also showcase your leadership, event organizing and networking competencies.
Make bullet points impactful
Make sure you show the results achieved through a particular task or experience and why it mattered to your organization, person, or employer.
Do not assume that the employer will understand the impact of your actions and the methods you used to complete a task.
Tips for your cover letter
A cover letter is a one-page document that is often sent along with your résumé when applying for a job. It should describe your interest in the role or company and how your skills and experiences align with the job requirements. Like crafting a résumé for jobs that center your identity vs that don’t, a cover letter is an opportunity to tell your career story.
Show your impact through story telling
For jobs that celebrate and include Indigenous identities, we encourage you to weave your cultural heritage into the professional narrative of why there is a value alignment with the work, and why it is that you are a great fit for a role.
For all jobs, use storytelling methods to engage your employer by focusing on how your talents, skills, and experiences could help you achieve all responsibilities for the role.
Ask yourself if your Indigenous identity can bring strength in a role and in what ways?
Interviewing Section notes:
Job interviews can be daunting and nerve-wracking for many. Most corporate jobs are only beginning to understand Indigenous ways of being and are still more accepting of Eurocentric ideas of politeness, communication, and ways of being. Something to keep in mind is that the employer may not fully understand Indigenous ways unless people are interviewing you in an Indigenous organization. Considering these systemic challenges, some folks choose to code-switch/mask in their work environment.
Reframing an interview as a two-way conversation can not only be a helpful way to reduce anxiety but may lend itself to storytelling and building a reciprocal relationship between you and the interviewer. Think about how you share your experience with your friends, family, aunties, uncles, or people that make you feel comfortable. An interview should feel like a respectful interaction, allowing the interviewer to discover your skills and strengths while you assess whether there's alignment with the team and organization's values.
In some cases, workplaces earlier in their decolonization journey may conflict with your Indigenous ways of being. Protecting your peace and well-being—emotionally and physically—is crucial. For support in navigating this complex experience, you can visit the Waterloo Indigenous Students Centre (WISC) in United College at the Waterloo campus. If you feel that you have been discriminated against for your Indigenous identity—or any other aspect of your identity—there are supports available to you. Students in co-op have the have the option to contact their co-op advisor.
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If you are a regular student participating in the EDGE certificate program and facing harassment as part of a work or community experience, you can contact co-op.accessibility@uwaterloo.ca for support. |
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More information about options and considerations for who to connect with can be found in the Safety and your rights at work section of CareerHub. |
Where it is safe and appropriate, opting to self-identify as Indigenous in an interview can be an opportunity to emphasize how your identity and background can be an asset to the team. Consider how you can highlight your unique perspective—that could be through community engagement, cultural awareness and sensitivity or resilience and strength just to name a few! What other strengths do you think about when considering your Indigenous identity?
Displaying confidence in an interview is one way to demonstrate that you are comfortable with the subject matter and self-assured in your abilities. In many Indigenous communities, resilience and confidence derive from communal support and care, leading to a focus on collective accomplishments. These can help in the workforce by developing teamwork, conflict resolution and communication skills, enabling you to highlight how their roles within groups helped move the group forward.
While prioritizing the community is important, it's also essential to recognize individual contributions within an interview to demonstrate to an employer the attributes you can bring forward to the role. Are there specific skills you learned or tasks you were responsible for within a project? Practicing interview answers out loud with a trusted friend or connecting with a Career Advisor are great ways to further develop interview skills to help you feel prepared.
Job Resources:
- The Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT) job board is an Indigenous non-profit organization providing employment and training support to Six Nations band members regardless of their residency, job seekers and employers across Ontario.
- Indigenous Careers is a part of the Indigenous Works, an Indigenous-led organization governed by a board of directors (Indigenous-majority governance), set of resources that connects First Nations, Inuit and MĂ©tis with inclusive employers across Canada.
- Government of Canada’s portal for jobs for Indigenous People is dedicated to seeking First Nations people, Inuit and Métis with all levels of education and experience to help build a more inclusive and representative public service.
- Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training – job board is part of the The Miziwe Biik Employment Resource Centre (ERC) and offers regularly updated job postings and resume and cover letter support for Indigenous people in various career stages.
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References |
Centre for Student Involvement & Careers, the First Nations House of Learning, the Indigenous Working Group, UBC and recent Indigenous graduates from UBC. (2020) Career Navigation for Recent Indigenous Graduates. Retrieved from https://students.ubc.ca/sites/students.ubc.ca/files/Career Navigation Guide - Indigenous Students_Recent Graduates_1.pdf
Cull, I., Hancock, R. L. A., McKeown, S., Pidgeon, M., & Vedan, A. (2018). Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being. https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationfrontlineworkers/chapter/indigenous-ways-of-knowing-and-being/
D’Antimo, S. (n.d.). Navigating Two Worlds: Paths to Indigenous Career Success. Indspire. Retrieved from https://indspire.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Navigating-Two-Worlds-Report-EN-Final-WEB.pdf
Indigenous Careers(n.d.) Choose from 52 live job openings. Retrieved October 5, 2024, from https://www.indigenouscareers.org/
Indigenous WIL Resource Hub | ACE-WIL | Association for Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning BC/Yukon—ACE-WIL | Association for Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning BC/Yukon. (2021, November 23). https://acewilbc.ca/projects/indigenous-wil-resource-hub/
Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT) Job Board(n.d.). Retrieved June 5, 2024, from https://greatsn.com/job-board/
Miziwe Biik Job Board. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2024, from https://miziwebiik.com/employment/job-board/
Public Service Commission of Canada (2020, October 23). Government of Canada jobs for Indigenous people. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs/jobs-indigenous-people.html
Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre,Shatitsirótha’,United College. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2024, from https://uwaterloo.ca/united-college/waterloo-indigenous-student-centre-shatitsirotha