Have No Fear, We're Not Going Anywhere!

Hey Badgers, summertime is finally here (although the weather seems to suggest otherwise,) and that means it's time to relax...sort of. Whether you are on vacation, taking courses, or simply refusing to leave your bed until September, one thing to keep in mind is that our services can still be used! The Resource Centre will be open throughout the duration of the summer months from Monday to Friday from 9:00- 4:00. Here is some information about our services for the summer:

Who Am I? 
Different from the fall and winter terms, there will only be one Career Assistant in the Centre throughout the summer, and that's me! I'm a cat-loving Senior Career Assistant, as well as an English Language and Literature major who has just finished my third year. I am involved in Brock's English Students' Association, Young, Black and Educated (Y.B.E), Brock's East African Student Association (BEASA), and also work with the Brock Press. I hope my passion for understanding career related information, as well as my involvement on campus will allow me to assist you as best as possible. Stop by the Resource Centre this summer and say hi!

What Do We Do, Again? 
For those of you who may be unclear, have not been in the Centre, or cannot remember what it is that we do here, I'll give you a bit of a refresher. As Career Assistants, we handle almost any career related inquiries. The focus of our services tends to be on resume and cover letter reviews, but we also review documents such as portfolio's, CV's, and letters of intent. We also offer mock interviews, job search help and self-assessments. We have plenty of resources in the Centre to help you find employment, and better understand the career path you want to take!

Why Drop In?
The real question is "why not?" Many of you are recent graduates or are students still looking to obtain summer employment, so why not get some assistance to make your search a little easier? Whether you need a professional document reviewed, help figuring out what you want to do with your degree, interview tips, or simply just someone to discuss career related questions with, then this is the place for you! Fortunately, our services do not require an appointment and are open to students, alumni and community members.

I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones over the next few months! I'll be keeping you posted on the latest career events, job postings and more! Have a fun, productive, safe summer!

Brockcareerserv

Lydia Collins
Senior Career Assistant 

What Can I Do With My Degree?

“So you want to be a lawyer or the Prime Minister?” This is often the comment I get from people when I tell them I am a political science major. As someone who works in a Career Services department and who has no interest in entering politics or law this is an incredibly frustrating statement. For those of us in the social sciences and humanities, we and society in general often minimize our job prospects to the handful of well-known careers in our respective fields. For instance, those in psychology may believe that they can only be psychologists. Those in history may believe they can only be historians, archaeologists, or archivists. Those in English may believe they are on a path to becoming authors. For those like me in political science, we often assume our degree will lead to a life of long hours, travel and scandal as politicians or as a lawyer. 

We seem too focused on jobs that incorporate the knowledge we gain in our degrees. This may be the case for those in other faculties and science/math based programs. For instance, most students in the Faculty of Education want to become teachers, while many people in the nursing program have ambitions to become nurses or healthcare providers. However, for those of us in the social sciences and humanities, our job prospects are not as cut and dry and for many of us, we have no idea what we want to do after we graduate. Adding to this frustration of seeing those in other programs know what they want to do, the countless “studies” and articles written about degree career prospects all show that we as social science and humanities students are doomed to be unemployed after graduation and suffer a lifetime of under-employment. What is the purpose then of our degree? Did we waste all our money and time? Short answer - NO!

A popular question we get as Career Assistants in the Resource Centre is “what can I do with my degree?” To this I often ask if they know who Martin Dempsey is. Dempsey is a US General and former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reporting to the Secretary of Defence and the US President. As one of the highest ranking military officials in the United States, Dempsey holds a Master’s degree in Literature from Duke University where he wrote a thesis on Irish literature. Dempsey serves as a great example of someone who had a meaningful and successful career outside the "traditional jobs" English majors occupy. Like Dempsey, we must look beyond the information we learn throughout our degree and look more broadly at how we learn and engage with course material in order to better understand a) the skills we can bring to an employer and b) the endless job possibilities available to us. 

Instead of knowledge, those of us in social sciences and humanities should focus on transferable skills. Organization, teamwork, communication and leadership are all transferable skills that we gain throughout our undergraduate degree and are invaluable in any workplace. We gain these broad transferable skills by attending lecture and recording notes, preparing and presenting in seminars, researching and writing papers, and so on. Aside from these broad transferable skills your program may focus on more specific transferable skills. A full list of degree specific skills can be found on our degree exploration guides. By thinking outside the "traditional jobs" of our fields and focusing on the transferable skills we gain throughout our degree, those of us in the social sciences and humanities will find that a diverse selection of jobs and industries are available to us. While jobs directly related to our degree may be hard to come by, our degrees give us the skills we need to succeed in other job categories. 

Don’t be tied down to the restrictive list of traditional jobs for your field, think outside the box and DO NOT give too much weight to the studies that underestimate your degrees worth. Every degree and graduate is unique and can bring something to an employer. Stop by the Career Resource Centre in the Learning Commons and let us help you realize your degree’s value and job prospects. 

Mike Pratas
4th Year Political Science Major
Lead Career Assistant 

Creating a Personal Brand on Social Media

Social media can be a great tool for individuals looking for employment no matter what position they are currently in. Websites such as LinkedIn have been developed as a professional social network, however, people may be surprised to hear that Facebook and Twitter can also be used to find employment. Marketing on social media can sometimes be hard, especially for the younger generations where it is a habit to use these sites for personal reasons. Here are some tips to find a job on social media:

1. LinkedIn: One of the good things about LinkedIn is that there is no page limit. This means individuals can add all things they find relevant and avoids the process of eliminating some experiences. It also means you can include as many recommendations from colleagues or previous employers to expand on your descriptions of your experiences. You can also include all of your relevant work experience and skills you've developed. Finally, make sure you are active, make meaningful connections and join relevant groups. Engagement shows employers your dedication and enthusiasm for the job search.

2. Twitter: Your Twitter bio should outline your general interests, your current position and the field you are working in. If you are actively seeking a job make sure to follow companies you are interested in and influential users in your field. Finally, use hashtags, retweets and favorites to get noticed by professionals! Just make sure they are relevant and appropriate.

3. Facebook: Work on making your profile professional rather than personal. Begin by untagging or deleting any content that you think is inappropriate and make your profile as private as possible (aside from your employment history, location and professional skills and interests). Look for groups that focus on issues you are interested in and that other professionals in your field making it easier to network. Sometimes you may find job postings in these groups!

In general, make sure to create your own online personal brand. This can help you identify what makes you different and unique about you compared to everyone else. Using keywords can help employers who are searching for specific skills find you online. Finally, don't use inappropriate words or statements! This will weaken your personal brand and make you stand out in the wrong way to employers.

Career Services at Brock University has tons of resources on social networking for career success including books, handouts and magazines!

Sarah Mitchinson
Senior Career Assistant

Is Grad School Right For You?

So you finished your undergraduate and are wondering what's next. Perhaps you are considering working full-time or going abroad for awhile; or perhaps you are considering whether or not graduate school is right for you. This is a big choice to make because there are many factors and quite a bit of preparation to consider which can impact your final decision to go to graduate school. Here are some things to think about:

Factors & Preparation

• How will you pay for graduate school? (grants, becoming a teaching assistant or marker)
• Where will you go to graduate school? (location, reputation, services, campus)
• What type of graduate program will you choose? (requirements, averages, research interests)
• Is your GPA high enough for the school you would like to go to? (each school is specific! make sure to research this information by individual institution)
• Do your research interests match the topics of the program? (is it suitable based on your interests? are there potential research supervisors you would like to work with?) 
• Have you developed a CV or statement of intent? (do your documents outline all of your scholarly work? do they outline your research/professional interests? how you will contribute to the program/institution through your research/program?)
• Are your references prepared? (reach out to professors who can speak of your academic abilities and who can shed light on how you would be successful in the graduate program; you usually need 2-4 letters of reference!)
• Do you need to write an admissions test? (find out which test is necessary and look into study materials, test dates/times, deadlines for submitting scores)

As I'm sure you've gathered, there is a lot that goes into applying to graduate school which is why it's important to consider whether it will be the right decision for you. Need help making this decision or preparing your application? Come by Career Services! 

How We Can Help

• We can review your letter of intent or CV prior to applying to graduate school and provide helpful templates and examples to facilitate improvement
• We can assist with researching post-graduate programs, school specific requirements, and different career options 
• We can provide you with entrance exam and admission test information and practice books as well as GPA information
• We can help you figure out if graduate school is necessary based on your future career goals

Can't make it in to see us?  Check out "Your Future: A Guide for Potential Graduate Students" or visit our Online Resource Centre and head to the "Further Education" tab to explore options and find out more information about taking that next step!  

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

If only deciding your final career path were as simple as flipping a coin! Making a final decision about your career path is probably one of the most difficult and challenging decisions you will ever make. If your anything like me, you have many careers in mind that interest you or that you are passionate about. The self assessment and research aspects of career planning from the last two blogs should help narrow down your options to 1-3 broad areas or fields that you are passionate about. But now it's time to get more specific! Here are three steps to making this ever so difficult decision less daunting:

1. Discussing

• Seek out people in the broad areas you defined through assessments and researching to speak with about their position; a great way to do this is through looking up organizations you are interested in and finding individuals who 'speak' to what you think you might like to do. And of course, don't forget to utilize Linkedin for this!
• Once you find someone you'd like to reach out to, send them an e-mail requesting an opportunity to ask them questions about their field and explain your interests in the occupation to the individual briefly. 
• The discussion doesn't have to be face to face; if the person you are interested in speaking with is not local, utilize Skype, e-mail, or the phone. 
• Find out what they like and dislike about what they do, as well as what qualifications lead them to the career path they are currently on, or any other questions you feel are important to know.
• Prepare your questions ahead of time! Not only will you be presenting yourself professionally, but you will also get all the questions answered that you are curious about without forgetting to ask something important!

2. Observing

• After speaking with the professionals already in the fields you are interested in, the next step is to arrange a chance to observe them in action; if this is not possible, making a visit to the site which you would like to work at will give you a good idea of how things operate there and what you would be required to do.
• When at the site, keep the atmosphere, morale, and of course yourself, in mind.
• It's important to ask yourself questions like: Does this seem like a place you would want to come to everyday? Does everyone seem like they have too much/too little to do? Are the tasks they are completing of interest you? Do you picture yourself working here? 

3. Doing

• Now comes the fun part! Once you have discussed and observed the occupations you are interested in, it's finally time to get out there and actually experience it for yourself!
• Look up volunteer, internship, or co-op opportunities in the fields that interest you and dedicate some spare time to getting directly involved; this is the only way you will truly know whether or not the work involved is something you are passionate about and want to pursue seriously.
• Think of it like a "try-out"; you don't know if you made the team yet, but you are learning about the team and the game itself by just being apart of the try out! 
• This step will be crucial in making that final career decision! You truly don't know if something is for you until you try it out for yourself, so seek out the best opportunity for you to do so and get the most out of it as you can in order to make an educated and informed decision about your career path!

I hope these steps help you navigate your way to making a final career decision that works for you! And remember: As long as you have clearly defined goals and are utilizing steps to reach them, no difficult decision is ever too much to handle! Check out our past blog on goal setting here if you'd like more information on how to define and meet your goals successfully!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Spring & Summer Updates

Spring has officially sprung here at Brock University and Summer is just around the corner! With the change in weather comes a few changes here at the Career Resource Centre.

Firstly, for the Spring and Summer,the Career Resource Centre will be open for all your career related needs from 9am-4pm Monday to Friday from May 4th to August 28th excluding holidays. The Centre will be closed for training week August 31st to September 4th and will re-open for Fall term the following week. 

Secondly, the team of Career Assistants will return (along with three new hires!) in September 2015. In the mean time, I will be taking over the operations of the Career Resource Centre for the duration of the Spring and Summer and will be happy to assist you with review services and career related guidance!

Thirdly, I have a ton of exciting blog posts coming up for you all! The month of May will focus on Career Planning and how to effectively go about this so be sure to stay tuned!

That is all for updates! Have a fabulous day everybody!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major 

Gaining Experience for Your Resume and Future Career

 I can't get a job because I have no experience because I can't get a job because I have no experience....

What can you do about that conundrum? Many employers will post a minimum level of experience that they would like their applicants to have, but often times that is just on their "wish list" for the perfect candidate. While we don't suggest that you go applying to jobs that state they would like 15 years managerial experience, there are things you can do to get your foot in the door with limited experience.

Having ZERO experience can be limiting, but if you are reading this blog you are already interested in your career path and will be willing to take steps to gain some relevant experience... right? Right. Some of the ideas below may help you build your skillset.

Volunteering

Many skills (and transferable skills that are applicable to all employment) can be gained through volunteer work. The types of volunteer positions out there are endless and can be tailored to suit your career goals. Often times organizations are very happy to have volunteers, even if only for a few hours. Volunteering is something that can easily be squeezed in to a busy school schedule. Start early to accumulate the most experience, but do not be shy about starting if you are almost graduating, or have graduated.

Blogging/ Managing your Online Presence

Blogging or other types of website management are useful technical skills to have. Blogging for an organization as a volunteer  is useful for exploring topics that may be outside of your familiarity zone. Managing a career/ industry related blog helps you to stay current on trending issues and shows your interest in your field.

Managing your online presence is so important. Having a work appropriate online presence can be created through linkedin, twitter, involvement in online industry related forums or groups ( many can be found on linkedin). Have you googled yourself? What comes up? Many employers will google you and check you out online. Take control of your image and make it as wonderful as you are.

Contract Work

Temporary work contracts may be available to both undergraduate and graduated students. Keep in mind, it may not be your dream job right off the bat, but  its a foot in the door, and any experience is good experience. Short contracts are excellent for networking and creating relationships with people in your field. If it went well you will have gotten some experience, and hopefully a glowing positive reference letter that will help you gain more experience in the future.

On Campus Involvement

Involving yourself in the many different on campus activities can give you experience in a vast variety of different situations. Some of the ones that come to mind for me are: politics, event management, administration, project management, volunteer coordination, and the list goes on. On campus involvement allows you to grow as an individual and improve upon your leadership skills. If you start early, you may be able to "work your way up" the ladder and take on a leadership role in your later years of school. These higher positions speak volumes about your personality, dedication, and transferable skills and shows you are able to act as an ambassador -  an important trait for any business.

Summer/ Part Time Positions

Summer time is a great time to get a job and start racking up your experience. Starting with jobs that give you a wide variety of transferable skills and building from there is an excellent way to boost your level of experience. You learn how to work with different people, in different situations. It doesn't have to be your dream job just yet, but if you can find a picture perfect summer position that's even better!


Come on in to Career Services if you would like any advice on how to get involved on campus, or find a volunteer or job opportunity that suits your career related goals. We would love to help you!

Becky W.
4th Year  BA Tourism and Environment
Lead Career Assistant

Quick Overview: College Post Graduate Diplomas VS Masters/ PhD

 We talk a lot about different career paths on this blog, but sometimes we need to refocus on how to get there. You can find the job but what if you don't have the right qualifications? In order to avoid this scenario it is important to work backwards from your dream career to identify the education path you will need in order to obtain that job in the future.

In general: One is not necessarily better than the other. It all depends on you, and your life goals.

• College level post graduate certificates give you practical skills for a particular job, or small sector of jobs. These certificates compliment your undergraduate degree and prepare you for the workforce.
• Typically 8 months - 1 year
• Offered in a variety of subjects
• More focused, practical, and economical
• Can serve as a bridge to a masters program

• Masters/ PhD programs vary and are based around research, teaching, and writing. If you are not passionate about those big three things, perhaps a masters/PhD program is not the best fit for your interests.
• Typically 1-2 years of full time course work
• Offered in a variety of subjects: Broad career fields
• Upfront costs are typically much higher than graduate certificates
• Necessary for certain careers ( Professor, Doctor, etc)

In the job market today, it is becoming more common to need a masters degree to obtain senior management positions, or a college instructor position.  To teach in a university setting, a PhD is almost always required. Researching your chosen career path, along with taking an honest look at the job market demands should help you decide which avenue is right for you.

If you need help deciding on which way to go, please come in to see us! We have college program information, and plenty of MA and PhD information and preparatory books. We would be happy to show you around CareerCruising and help you identify the relevant education needed for your chosen career path!

Becky White
Lead Career Assistant
4th Year  BA Tourism and Environment

Other Career Assessments - The Needle in the Haystack

Welcome everyone!

In the past few blog posts, we have outlined some very useful career-assessments offered at Brock such as career-cruising and Type Focus. There are a plethora of different career-assessment options that I highly recommend taking that are offered both within and outside of Brock.

The third career assessment that is offered on Careerzone is called TalentToday. This self-assessment is relatively new, and is always growing and expanding. When I first took the self-assessment, it was fairly primative. Now, after months of feedback and development, the self-assessment tool is much more complete, and offers some really unique insights on your personality and motivations. They offer some neat graphs and visuals on tendencies such as stress management and teamwork. (see right)






There are also some really great self-assessments outside of the ones offered on CareerZone. itsajuggle.ca offers a plethora of information and links to many different career assessments. Here's a quick summary provided by juggle on some well-known self-assessments that you can take, that are offered through itsajuggle.ca:

- Princeton Review 5-Minute Career Quiz: "This short career quiz that helps you understand the type of jobs suited to your interests and preferred work style. It’s a favourite of bestselling career author Richard Bolles. To take the assessment you will need to register (don’t worry, it only takes a few seconds)."

- Myers-Briggs Personality Type: "This video will help you discover your Myers-Briggs personality type. It will show you the four facets of personality and help you discover the four-letter personality type that fits you best."

- Holland Code: "This test will discover your best job based on your strongest career interest among six occupational themes."

 
Self-assessments are a great tool; they help identify your evolution as a professional. There are so many career assessments available, many of them free. I recommend taking a few of these favourites and trying to find similarities between the different results!

What does it all mean?: The Importance of Knowing Yourself

Finding a rewarding and fulfilling career is not an easy task. There are so many things to consider when deciding on a field, and occupation. Regardless of whether you feel a bit intimidated by selecting a career, or whether you are just interested in knowing all the facts, knowing yourself is the most useful thing you can do in your job search.

In my experience, people tend to search for jobs backwards. They hone in on one particular job title and say  "I want to be THIS!" instead of finding a job that would suit them, and weighing different careers. Having only one job in mind limits your research and potentially closes your mind off from related careers you may be interested in. While there is nothing wrong with having a directed vision and knowing where you want to go, we here at Career Services like to give you every resource we can to help you be successful in your career related quests. :)

Completing personality assessments (that can be accessed for free on careerzone -  I like typefocus for the purpose of this topic!) are an excellent place to start reflecting on what is important to you, and the workplaces you would succeed in. In addition to career and personality assessments, you may find it useful to reflect on your personal thoughts on:

Your Values:

• What is important to you? 
• How would you uphold your values in the workplace?
• Does the workplace of the job you are interested in support your values?

Pace:

•  Is the job you are researching a fast paced job? 
• Would you be required to work under pressure?  
• How do you perform under pressure?

Expression:

•  Do you enjoy performing the same tasks every day, or do you like variety?
• Do you enjoy having some degree of creative freedom over your work?

Working With Others:

•  Would you prefer to work as a team or by yourself?
• Would you like to help others through your work?

This is only a sample of the many questions you could ask yourself when it comes to evaluating yourself and certain jobs. This information is useful because it can assist you in your job search. There are many related careers out there that are within the same field, but may be more customized to your specific values, wants, and needs and will ultimately make you happier in your future position.

 If you would like to talk more about assessments, the career search process ( ask to see the triangle!), or knowing yourself  then come on by to Career Services. We would be happy to help you!

Becky White
Lead Career Assistant
4th year Tourism and Environment (Hons.)

Career Cruising Matchmaker - Take with a Grain of Salt

Career-Cruising is a great self-assessment tool that provides a list of  potential career options for you based on your responses. It is a great way to look at a wide range of career choices if you are confused with what to do after you graduate, or if you are just curious! The Primary assessment available is the career-assessment, where you answer a minimum of 39 questions about work preferences and the service matches you with careers that line-up with your preferences.

You can access Career-Cruising through CareerZone under the Online Resource Centre tab, and then by clicking on self-assessment.

Here's the thing... some of these matches may be way out there. For example, I am studying Sport Management, and my top 5 matches after answering the first round of questions are as follows:

39 Questions Answered:
1. Parking Enforcement Officer
2. Martial-Arts Instructor
3. Volunteer Manager
4. Waste-Management Technician
5. Military Officer

Huh. It seems I am destined to be a Parking Enforcement Officer or a Martial Arts Instructor, not exactly what I had in mind. After answering 39 questions it is hard to tell what kind of careers might be right for you, or find one that might suit your fancy. You have the opportunity to take additional questions after the minimum 39, and I strongly recommend it. My top 5 matches after completing 116 questions are as follows:

116 Questions Answered:
1. Sport Agent
2. Martial Arts Instructor
3. Volunteer Manager
4. Human Resources Specialist
5. Venture Capitalist

Though my apparent calling to be a Martial Arts Instructor remained, after completing more questions and the skills assessment on Career-Cruising I began to see more interesting, related career paths such as a Sport Agent or a Human Resources Specialist. You begin to notice trends, with clusters of employment beginning to show. It's through these trends that Career-Cruising becomes useful as you might find a related path or similar career from one of your matches. At the very least, it gets you thinking about a plethora of different options.

On Career-Cruising, either through selecting one of your matches or simply searching a career, you can research some useful information on that career including:

- Job Descriptions
- Working Conditions
- Related Careers
- Education Required
- Sample Career Path
- Salary
- Information Interviews


So, if I choose to act on my calling to be a Martial Arts Instructor, I can research a plethora of information on that career, what to do to get there, and what to expect when I am there as well as any related careers that may further catch my eye.

All in all, take your results with a grain of salt! Your career is not set in stone by the degree you pursue or by the results in your self-assessment. Like any self-assessment, Career-Cruising is a tool, and if used correctly and in the right context, it can do a lot of good.


Have a great reading week! Our Resource Centre is closed on Monday, but operates regular hours for the rest of the week. Drop by to come and have your resume reviewed by yours truly or another Career Assistant!

(I love working here!)

Anthony Mancuso
Senior Career Assistant
3rd Year Sport Management

Dear first years, don't limit yourself to the one career outlook!

As I am sitting in the Career Resource Centre in the middle of summer break, I am starting to see the faces of new students walking around the school. Most of them seem excited, but they also seem to be feeling nervous and don't know exactly where to start. I would like to tell them that there is nothing to be afraid of and that you don't have to make huge decisions yet, so enjoy the time that you have now. 

When picking your courses for first-year, don't have just one career outlook on your radar. Do what you love! Take classes that interest you and take full advantage of those elective credits. A lot of students will pick a degree and then not even want to continue after they have found something else they truly enjoy doing. In highschool we are forced to make these decisions that alter the rest of our life, and it's not your fault if you thnk you chose the wrong path. It's a whole other ballgame when you finally get to sit in the seminar and lecture rooms. You will know if you want to be there or if you'd rather still be in bed.  

Don't let anyone pressure you into doing something you don't really want to do. You don't want to waste this time learning about something you've decided isn't for you. Also, don't have just one thing in mind. You may not even be aware of the possibilities your degree offers. Most importantly, visit your Career Services department at your school, they are there to help you make these decisions and guide you into a career.  

Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career/Graphics and Promotions Assistant, 3rd Year Education and Visual Arts

Convocation and Congratulations!

Dear Brock University grads,

Here's to you. You who made it through 8am classes, palm-sweating exams, extensive assignments, and you who read the abundance of textbooks that are probably still piled around your room. Now that it's all over, you're ready to take on the world!  Spring Convocation 2014 will be happening at Brock University from June 3rd to the 7th. Make sure you check out Brock's website to see what day your faculty is on.

Career Services wants to help you be successful post graduation. Drop in Monday- Friday from 9 to 4 (closed 12:30-1 for lunch) to ask any questions concerning job search, resumes/cover letters, interviews, portfolios, degree information, etc! Also visit our CareerZone website to access job postings, Career Services Events, and our Online Resource Centre (which is full of tips and worksheets to help get you started)!

If you are ready to jump into the workforce, get connected with Grad LINK. Once you sign up with Grad LINK you will have access to highlighted job postings on LinkedIn, employer recruitment and networking sessions, and career related articles and information. Visit our website for more: http://www.brocku.ca/career-services/students-alumni/graduating-year

We understand that it can be stressful to figure out what you want to do after graduation. But don't sweat, whether you want to jump into the workforce, go abroad, or take graduate studies, Career Services has the resources you need and is here to help!

 Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career Assistant, 2nd Year Intermediate/Senior Con-Ed Visual Art and English 

Decision Making: Step three!

What do you want to be when you grow up? Have you chosen the proper path for your future? Is the job market hiring graduates from the degree right now? These are all questions that haunt us in our sleep. We are constantly reminded that we need to have some sort of plan right away for our future. This is simply not true. You cannot make a good decision in a rush or when you have not thought it through properly. This makes Decision Making one of the hardest steps in the Career Planning Process. You will be surprised how much you can accomplish if you take it step by step. It may take the longest, but it will certainly pay off in the end when you are happy and confident in the position you're in. 

After you have completed Step 1 (Self-Assessment) and Step 2 (Research) it is time to reflect on your results and try to narrow down your options into achievable goals. Firstly, review your self-assessment and research results to have the best possible understanding of your options. After you have done this it’s time to set some short-term and long-term goals for yourself. Goals can be set for educational and/or employment purposes. They help you stay on track and organized so your goals can be met in a timely fashion.

To do this, create a detailed action plan to establish a timeline for reaching your goals. List the overall goal you want to achieve (for example: Find full-time employment) and then underneath create shorter goals that you can achieve to eventually reach your main goal (for example: get my resume and cover letter reviewed). Once you have the shorter goals that lead to the completion of your main goal you must give yourself an achievable time for each of these goals. You cannot do them all in one day!

Once you have this completed you have a full on action plan to follow! Now you’re one step closer to completing the Career Planning Process.  

Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career Assistant, 2nd Year Intermediate/Senior Con-Ed Visual Art and English 

Research: Step two!

Step two of The Career Planning Process is Research. After you have finished with Self-Assessment (from the previous blog post) you may have a few career options to look into. Conducting research will help you narrow down your decision on what career you want to pursue.

What and where to research:

Job Information – What does the job look like?

When searching different career options you need to look at the skills, duties, qualifications/education, work hours, work conditions, etc. A good place to start looking for this information is on occupational profiles. Profiles can give you an excellent description of career choices individuals have made. You could find occupational profiles on LinkedIn! Many professionals are using LinkedIn and have descriptions of the career they are involved with.

Labour Market – What is the demand for this job?

When deciding on a career it is comforting to know the opportunities that lie ahead of you. Looking at the job trends in your region and exploring those of other regions can help you again narrow down your career options. Things you want to research are job availability by region/sector, salary range by region/sector, and general job trends. You can find this information across a variety of websites. It is important to use a reputable website for this information because you do not want to be misled. Some resources we have found useful are:

-      workingincanada.gc.ca

-      labourmarketinformation.ca

-      niagaraworkforceboard.ca

Potential Employers – Who hires for this job?

It is important to know who is hiring when researching specific careers. It may be posted on employer, business, or career websites, directories, or industry associations. Also you should know who you should be networking with. Networking is an extremely important aspect when looking for the right career path. People who are working in the career your researching can give you first-hand experience of what it’s like and what the outlooks are for getting hired. They are good relationships to keep if you intend on pursuing that career!

Searching for the right career for you can take some time. Not to worry though, if you start while still studying in university you will have a firm foundation of information to help make your decision when the time comes!  J

Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career Assistant, 2nd Year Intermediate/Senior Con-Ed Visual Art and English 

Self-Assessment: Step one!

For the next month I will be blogging about the Career Planning Process for those students looking to start thinking about their career options and job success. Self-Assessment plays a vital role in developing your Career Planning Process. For many of us we have yet to figure out what our values, skills, and interests truly are. Making plans for your future can be difficult. Starting with self-assessment can give you more choices and increase your confidence that you are on the right career path.

Self-Assessment is identifying likes and dislikes in terms of your interests, skills and preferred work environments. Self-Assessment also helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses, values and beliefs which will set a foundation for career planning.

There are resources on the CareerZone Online Resource Centre for Brock students looking to start their career planning! You can access the CareerZone Online Resource Centre at www.careerzone.brocku.ca. After you log in with your student campus ID go to Career Services->Online Resource Centre->Career Assessments. There you will find some great resources such as TypeFocus and Career Cruising to get you started!

TypeFocus helps you answer the questions “who am I, really?” and provides you with four ‘type factor’ preferences:

Introvert/Extrovert

Sensing/Intuitive

Thinking/Feeling

Judging/Perceiving

Career Cruising is a career exploration tool that matches different careers based on your interests, skills and learning style assessments. It also provides details about specific jobs such as salary and education qualifications.

The results from these assessments can give you peace of mind that there is something out there in the world for you. Getting to know yourself with Self Assessments will help you understand what the right career is for you!

Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career Assistant, 2nd Year Con-Ed Visual Art and English 

Making Career Decisions

Making career-related decisions can be one of the most challenging aspects of the career planning process. There are various factors you should consider when making such decisions. Our friends at Cosmic Coaching Centre wrote a great article for us with some important things to keep in mind:

Making Decisions about Your Career

Choosing a career is one of the biggest decisions we have to make in our lives. In fact, this decision of ours may determine the quality of life we are going to have, not only in terms of our finances, but also when it comes how satisfied we are with our lives. With that said, it is just right that we think a thousand times before deciding on which career path to take. This isn’t going to be an easy process, though, but if you could keep your focus on what really matters, you are likely to find the career that would suit you perfectly.

Factors to Consider in Making a Career Decision

Required educational level. Jobs may vary significantly in terms of the educational level required from job applicants. So if you don’t feel like going to school for 4 years to earn a degree, you may as well find a career that requires less. Take into consideration also the long-term education you may be required to have to retain your license.

Passion. This factor is often neglected by those who are merely after the security and financial stability a career can offer. But you have to understand that for you to stay long in a job, you need to be happy doing it. This is only possible if you use your passion as a basis of your career choice.

Skills and abilities. It’s good that you are passionate about something, but this passion won’t be enough to make you successful in your career. It is equally important that you have the skills and abilities required by the job. To know if you have what it takes to succeed in a particular job, use various skills assessment tools to test yourself. The results of such test will help you determine which skills you need to enhance more in order to be qualified for your desired career.

Personal life. If you are a fresh graduate, it won’t be that hard for you to choose a career that’s demanding, especially of your time. But for those who have families of their own, choosing a career is a bit more complicated. This is because conflict of interest is inevitable. If you are put in the second situation, you must seriously consider the demands of the job you’re going to get. You also have to be ready for however it may affect your personal life and relationships.

Career advancement opportunities. Ultimately, it is your goal to excel in your field. This means that you would be dedicated and committed enough to deserve a promotion perhaps. So when deciding among your career options, take a look at the opportunities for advancement that a certain career offers. This way, you may set your mind into achieving a higher career goal.

Career Services has several resources that can help you make these decisions, including career assessments like Career Cruising and Type Focus. These can be accessed for free through CareerZone!

 Also, check out the Occupational Research section of our website for directories and databases that have tons of information needed to inform these vital decisions!

Once you have narrowed down your career choices, you may want to conduct some Information Interviews to make sure the career is right for you! Our Career Resource Centre has some great tips for gathering the information you need to make decisions andtranslating that information into action. Best of luck!

 

Jami Coughler, Senior Career Assistant

4th Year Public Health [Honours]; BA: Sociology [Honours] '11