This past summer (2001), I had the tremendous experience of working as a civil servant at the Ontario Works Branch of the Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS). The Ontario Works Branch undertakes policy analysis and program development to support the ministry’s Ontario Works program. Ontario Works is the province’s progra m of social assistance.

Officially, my position at Ontario Works (OW) was "Administrative Research Assistant". However, I was involved in many capacities that were not solely limited to research. As part of the policy team for the new mandatory literacy testing an d training policy initiative, my main responsibility was to support my manager, as well as the two other people that were working on the new policy: the senior policy and fiscal analyst, and an outside consultant. I was involved in a wide range of activi ties that assisted in the development and the implementation of the policy:

• Researched literacy rates of social assistance recipients in jurisdictions across Canada and the United States of America
• Arranged and participated in meetings with staff from MCSS, other ministries, and key stakeholders in the literacy community
• Wrote letters for my manager to key stakeholders and other ministerial staff that answered questions, provided information, etc. about the new policy
• Prepared and finalized documents that were used to support the June 11^th, 2001, announcement of the mandatory literacy testing and training initiative policy. Did the same for documents used to support the implementation of the new OW lite racy policy
• Put together a "Questions and Answers" document to go the OW Regional Offices to provide support for field staff in interpreting and implementing the new literacy policy

As well as doing the above activities as part of the literacy policy team, I also had daily responsibilities such as monitoring media clippings and maintaining a binder of incoming correspondence from the public.

Acting on the advice of a wise professor, by the middle of January I had sent roughly twenty-five letters and resumes to directors of various branches within various ministries in the Ontario provincial government. In these letters I stated who I was, what relevant political science courses I was taking at school, and why I thought I should be considered for a summer position in the Ontario Public Service (OPS). It should be noted that these positions were not advertised anywhere, or posted on an y websites. I simply chose twenty-five branches that I thought might have need for a summer student and proceeded to send in my resume.

During Reading Week, I called all of the directors that I sent resumes to. From this I was able to schedule only two interviews. When I went for the interview at the Ontario Works Branch, the manager that interviewed me asked me to provide her with s ome samples of my writing. When I got back to school I sent in a few essays by mail, and about two weeks later I got a call from the office co-ordinator offering me a position as an Administrative Research Assistant in the Ontario Works Branch.

• Look up the "Info-Go" website (http:// www.infogo.gov.on.ca). Here you can search or browse the on-line directory of Ontario government offices and services descriptions. Also, you can search or browse the on-line government telephone directory of names, phone numbers, addresses, and e-mail addresses.

• Address letters to managers as they do the hiring, NOT the directors.

• DO NOT send your resume via email. Managers get so many emails that yours will likely get lost in the shuffle.

• Be sure to make a follow-up call on your letter/resume – VERY IMPORTANT!

• Don’t despair if you do not hear back from the manager right away. Some managers may not be able to look at your letter and resume right away – they are very busy people. Some people did not get in contact w ith me until late April, some even into May. So if you don’t hear anything from anyone after a couple of weeks, don’t become immediately disappointed.

• Bring in copies of some of your best essays to the interview. Both of the managers that I had interviews with asked for a sample of my writing. They are not particularly concerned with the mark you received on the paper, but rather how well you write.

• Make sure you know something about the branch you are having your interview with. They may ask you what you know about the branch, and what makes you want to work there (they asked me).

Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions etc., about finding a summer job in the OPS – I will be more than happy to do what I can to help!!