Skillin' it

Think your student job is unrelated to your career goals? Think again. We're here to help you in your journey of identifying important skills so you can leverage them when applying to jobs in the future. 

There was once a young man who attended school by day and then rushed to scoop ice-cream at Baskin Robbins to earn a living. He studied and worked to live the life he dreamed of. This might be an accurate description of almost every student who’s working that minimum wage job to pay the bills. This ice-cream scooper worked hard to become the first African American president that America had ever seen. Yes, the boy is Barack Obama.
To you who's reading this, you’re not alone in this journey! A positive attitude goes a long way in your career path.

Student jobs can be demanding. Take some time to think about how the skills you’re learning while working at the local Boston Pizza gets you one step closer to your dream job or career.

You gave a complimentary appetizer to an unhappy customer? You’re learning to problem solve and take leadership in a situation that may get out of hand. In such a situation, you’re gaining unparalleled interpersonal skills that will serve as a stepping stone to achieve your career goals.

You’re flipping burgers at McDonalds while your friends have gone for a summer beach day? While hanging out with friends can be fun, you’re learning to prioritize tasks that let you enjoy the off days a tad bit more. A strong work ethic takes you one step closer to your dream job!

The jobs you work at as a student will provide you with many skills that you can carry into your future career. Behind every task you do there is also a skill you have used or developed. Don’t undermine or undervalue the work you do. The fact that you are able to balance a job with school work and other commitments is a huge accomplishment! Communication and teamwork go hand in hand with development and success!

Once in a while, have a THINK DAY - envision yourself 5 years from now and pick something to do that your future self will thank you for! Studies have proven that the skills highlighted in this article are some of the key competencies that companies are looking for in prospective employees. It’s never too late or too early to begin working on your dreams! 

Don’t know where to start? Drop by CareerZone and one of our career assistants will be happy to help you in identifying and articulating your skills! We are open all summer, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm or visit our website careerzone.brocku.ca.

Interview DOs and DON'Ts

Hey Badgers! We know that students are looking for summer jobs and getting an interview is part of the process. Interviews can be nerve-wracking but we want to help remove some of those nerves by giving you some dos and don'ts when in an interview. 

10 INTERVIEW DOs and DON'Ts 

DO research the company. Interviewers might ask you company-related questions and it is a bad look to know nothing about the place you are hoping to work at. Questions most likely will not be super specific but make sure to know what their values, mission statement and goals are.

DON’T answer questions with generic answers. Make your answers specific to your qualifications and experiences and try to connect them to the requirements of the position.

DO practice for your interview. Prepare yourself for weird, unusual questions and watch yourself in the mirror to see if you fidget, say “um” or like a lot, etc. Try InterviewStream, a website that allows you to record yourself answering interview questions so you can look back and analyze how you did: https://brocku.interviewstream.com/

DON’T interrupt the person or people interviewing you. Even if you think you know what they are going to say, it is polite to let them finish their sentence.

DO dress professionally. Ensure that your clothing is clean and proper and avoid wearing ‘extreme’ clothing or casual garments.
DON’T be late. You should be at least ten minutes early to any interview but if you are going to be late because of uncontrollable circumstances, make sure to call and let your potential employer know.

DO ask questions at the end of the interview. This is a good place to show that you did research on the company or prepared for the interview.

DON’T use slang or jargon in your answers. Speak professionally to present your best self.

DO answer questions fully. Yes or no questions should be followed up with proper reasoning and explanation. Using examples from prior experiences always helps.

DON’T brag. Talk about your accomplishments and why you would be a good candidate for the position but do so humbly. 

If you have an interview coming up and you'd like to do a mock interview, book an appointment with our Career Consultant Kristen Wall on careerzone.brocku.ca or through email at kwall2@brocku.ca. There are also interview resources available on careerzone.brocku.ca under 'Resources'. CareerZone is open Monday-Friday from 8:30AM-4:30PM (Tuesdays until 6:30PM), drop in and talk to a Career Assistant about any job-related questions!

InterviewStream Mock Interview Madness Contest

Hey Badgers!!

It is that time of year again, CareerZone is running our Mock Interview Madness contest.

The Mock Interview Madness contest runs from March 1st 2019 - March 31st 2019 with schools across North America.  The rules are simple, each school must get the highest amount of student participants.

What can you do? 

Participation takes only a few minutes!!!

You just need to log into the InterviewStream site through careerzone.brocku.ca answer the one Mock Interview Madness question "Tell me about yourself."

CONTEST PRIZES

By simply answering this one Mock Interview Madness question you will be entered to win a $50.00 gift card.  In addition you will be helping the Brock CareerZone team with winning the ultimate grand prize, a $500.00 Amazon gift card!

Importance of InterviewStream

Are you attending an upcoming interview or are you looking to improve your interview skills and etiquette, the InterviewStream application can help!

InterviewStream is an Interview tool, which uses webcam recording.  This application which is accessible through the careerzone.brocku.ca website assists students with making an excellent first impression and setting one up for a successful interview.  This tool provides feedback and tips of non-behaviour and communication missteps.  PLUS gives students the opportunity to seek feedback from the CareerZone staff if you choose or from others -- friends, family, faculty.  This application is also a great resource for self reflection. 

Check out the InterviewStream application & enter into the Mock Interview Madness competition.  If you have any questions in regards of this contest or Interview preparation please stop by the CareerZone resource centre. 

4 Easy Ways to Enhance Your Resume

If you are having a hard time finding a job, it may be a lack of content on your document. So here are 4 different ways to enhance your document while simultaneously building transferable skills that you can use in your future career.

1. Volunteer
Find an organization that aligns with your work interests and see if there are any unpaid opportunities to gain experience. Many companies are looking for volunteer help on projects because they cannot budget to hire another person. Therefore, volunteering allows you to gain experience in your field of interest (ultimately enhancing your document), while also helping the company get their work done in a timely manner. A win-win situation for both parties!

2. Academic Experience
As you move through your post-secondary education you will have the opportunity to do many assignments that can include an essay, a group presentation, a case study analysis, or field work for course credit. Though these may not seem directly related to your future career, these provide excellent opportunities for you to develop skills that are necessary in the workplace. This is why we encourage students to have an 'Academic Projects' section on their resume that highlights these experiences and what the students learned from them. This does take some reflection, but in the end these will help enhance your document and can set you apart from other candidates.

3. Workshops/Certifications
Training you have received from previous positions or from your academic career can show that you have built skills others may lack. Traditionally certifications include SmartServe and CPR/First Aid, but these can also include Professional Communication, Project Management, Conflict Resolution Workshops or Mental Health Intervention. These can showcase that you have gone above and beyond to further foster critical skills for your own career development.

4. Special Skills
The fourth and final way to enhance your resume is to include any special skills you have acquired, especially language and technical skills. Having the ability to communicate in multiple languages or even one aside from English, or having the knowledge of a specific software can make you a greater asset to the company.

Canada Career Month: November 2018

Canada Career Month: November 2018

We only have over a month left of Canada Career Month! Isn't it crazy how fast November has gone?! Holidays are quickly approaching - and so are exams. This month, the Career Assistant team has had the opportunity to research and highlight many different careers, share some career tips with Brock students and feature some successful Brock alumni! 

Campus Career has teamed up with Goodman Career and Co-op Career to bring some fun and educational content about careers and how students can one day get them! Many people are unaware of the resources they have on campus that can help guide them to their end goals. They are also unaware of the number of possibilities that can come out of their university career. The Career, Co-op and Experiential Education team wants to help students get their career conversation started by educating them on the opportunities that they have right in front of them! Job hunting and preparing for a future career can be very scary and nerve-wracking but the team is here to help lessen the fears. 

Canada Career Month started off by featuring some alumni profiles of former Brock University students that have used their knowledge and experiences to get to their current positions. #CareerZoneTIPS were posted every day as quick, little facts about career-related topics. The second week of the month also featured International Week, where International alumni were highlighted and students explained how Goodman and/or Co-op has helped them excel internationally. This week, different career profiles have been featured to inform students of the many possibilities and how the team can help push them forward. In the final week of Canada Career Month, we encourage students to talk about why their experiences will benefit them in their journey to finding a career.

We hope you've enjoyed Canada Career Month so far and hope you'll stay tuned for more to come! For more information on the initiative, visit https://careermonth.ca/

Experience Plus: Track and Expand Your Undergraduate Experiences

Experience Plus

What is it?

Experience Plus is a tool for students to keep track of their involvement and achievements in their undergraduate degree, including:

• On Campus jobs
• On- or off-campus volunteer placements
• Internships
• Workshop Participation
• Professional development activities
• Certificates and awards
• Skills

All experiences recorded in Experience Plus can be printed onto an official certificate at your request. This is a great way to display your involvement during your degree to potential employers, 

or to add to your portfolio. 

How do you use it?

To record experiences with Experience Plus:

1. Log in to my.brocku.ca

2. Click on "Student Self Serve - Menu"

3. Click on "Career Education" and "Plus Programs" and "Student Data"

4. Enter information into the various tabs, making sure that it can be verified (via a supervisor, certificate, etc). Submit it and wait for an Experience Plus Assistant to approve your entry!

5. If you would like an Experience Plus Certificate, review your information to make sure it is all current and accurate, click on "Plus Transcript" and request a transcript!

What does a completed transcript look like?
Every student's transcript will look different because we each have different experiences! However, the standard format for the transcript looks like this:

Front:

Back:

If you have any questions or concerns about your experience plus transcript, email expplus@brocku.ca!

Experience Plus Programs:

There are many "Plus Programs" that can enhance your undergraduate degree or track the skills you gain during your degree.


Med Plus 

Med plus is a four year co-curricular program for those interested in a career in the healthcare field. It runs alongside your normal study and includes guest speakers, job shadowing, volunteering, skill development workshops and more. It is a highly competitive program and requires you to apply for it out of high school! Some space is available for first year students to apply. To see more about application requirements and learn more about the program, click here.

Law Plus
Law plus is a new co-curricular program to Brock for students interested in a profession related to Law! Through the program you will learn about and build experience in the legal field through job shadowing, networking, skill development workshops and more! Opportunities are currently available for current Brock students and high-school students to apply. Drop in to CareerZone or visit here for more information!

Lab Skills Plus

Lab skills plus is an opportunity for Biology, Oenology, Neuroscience and Biomedical Science students to track all of their lab skills gained during their undergraduate degree! It offers an official documented list of skills to assist with resumes and interviews to set you apart from other candidates. You can learn more or sign up for Lab Skills Plus by emailing expplus@brocku.ca! 

International Plus 
International Plus includes a series of workshops and lectures or other experiences that enhance global awareness and provide international exposure. The activities you complete throughout International Plus can be documented on your Experience Plus transcript. Click here for more information!

Working and Volunteering Abroad Opportunities

This week’s blog post will focus on the variety of connections and resources that Brock CareerZone has for students to gain opportunities to work or volunteer worldwide.  Volunteering or working abroad gives individuals exposure to new cultures and countries.  Engaging in employment and volunteer positions abroad enables one to gain a global perspective, which many employers are looking for in candidates. 

Throughout this blog post we will highlight Career Zones “Going Global” resource as well as opportunities to guide students through Internships, Work placements and Volunteer positions abroad.

Going Global

Going Global is a country-specific database resource directed to career and employment and tips for going abroad.  In summary it is a major search tool for finding worldwide jobs and internship listings.

The Going Global resource can be accessed through careerzone.brocku.ca (log in using your student information)

Career Zone Café will also be holding an upcoming workshop for a Going Global demonstration – if you are interested in learning more please register through the events page on careerzone.brocku.ca.  The session will be taking place on November 12^th 2018 from 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm.

Internships Abroad

Internships are another opportunity for individuals to learn another language and experience a different culture at the same time gaining valuable work experience.  Learning about ones professional career from another country can be beneficial and set you apart from others in your job markets, as you have some unique experiences.  Below we have listed some resources, if you are looking for further information in regards of Internships Abroad visit careerzone.brocku.ca under the resources tab.

Internships Abroad Resources:

• www.brocku.ca/international-services/learn-work-abroad/internships

• http://internexworld.com

• https://www.goabroad.com/intern-abroad

Working Abroad

For employers, global perspective within a candidate is an attractive attribute.  Working Abroad gives individuals the opportunity to make connections with a variety of people as well as gain experience through travel and learning about other countries.  Working Abroad can provide you with skills that you can bring to a variety of positions.  CareerZone has a variety of resources to help with Job Search Abroad.  Not only is job search important when seeking employment Abroad it is also important to ensure you are applying with the appropriate application documentation. 

Working Abroad Resources:

• www.idealist.org/

• www.affutjob.com/

• www.asian-jobs.com/

• www.careersabroad.co.uk

Volunteer Abroad

In addition to work placements and internship programs various agencies run volunteer abroad placements.  Volunteering placements abroad give individuals the opportunity to make a difference in addition to experiencing a new culture and country.  Brock runs a variety of international volunteer programs as well as provides an abundance of resources for those interested in making a difference in a new country.

Volunteer Abroad Resources:

·       www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad/

·       www.projects-abroad.ca/

·       www.crossculturalsolutions.org/

·       www.gointernational.ca/

For more information about Working and Volunteering Abroad please visit careerzone.brocku.ca.  Next week International Week is taking place at Brock, International Week will run from November 12^th 2018 – November 16^th 2018.  Keep a lookout on the CareerZone event page for any events that week.  Our blog post for next week will highlight Studying Abroad opportunities.