Tania Gautam, 33, living in Canada, earned her PhD in environmental chemistry from the University of Alberta in 2024. After working for one year as a research fellow at a national laboratory in the US, she returned to her home country in August 2025 and began her job search.
Her goal is to secure air pollution research positions within the government or environmental consultant roles at companies. Each day, Tania dedicates 8 to 10 hours to submitting applications and networking across Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
After applying for over 100 positions, she secured 10 networking meetings with industry professionals and advanced to the interview stage four times, reaching the final round once. However, Tania has not yet received any official job offers.
"I feel like I'm throwing darts in the dark. Everything seems to follow the correct process, but I don't understand where things are going wrong", Tania shared.
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Gautam has applied for jobs at 100 places since September 2025. Photo: The Globe and Mail |
Gautam has applied for jobs at 100 places since September 2025. Photo: The Globe and Mail
Devon Turcotte, a career advisor at Prince Edward Island, observed that Tania's resume is good but has not "resonated" with recruiters.
First, it fails to showcase the applicant's passion, merely listing achievements dryly. Turcotte advised Tania to add a line to her introduction explaining why she pursued environmental chemistry for many years. This would help recruiters see her clear career objectives.
Second, the resume prioritizes degrees over technical and analytical skills. According to Turcotte, Tania should reverse the presentation structure because consulting firms or government agencies are more interested in "what she can do" than "where she studied".
Additionally, applicants need a strategy when using the LinkedIn platform for job searching. Turcotte noted a common mistake among many recent graduates: they only focus on posting personal updates.
Instead, they should actively participate in comment threads to discuss specialized knowledge. This helps them build credibility naturally and assists the LinkedIn algorithm in connecting them with industry professionals.
"This method is even more effective than sending cold messages, as public comments allow more people to see your capabilities", Turcotte said.
Another common mistake job seekers make is focusing too much on strangers while neglecting their acquaintances. Turcotte recommends that applicants share their job search status with everyone, from close friends to family members. According to her, a friend not working in the environmental sector might still know someone hiring for a position Tania is seeking.
"You'll be surprised at how interconnected people are", the expert emphasized.
Khanh Linh (The Globe and Mail)
