Smart Start 2015!

Looking back and reflecting on my first year here at Brock University, the first word that comes to my mind is "chaotic". I had a hard time navigating my way around campus, had little knowledge of the resources available to me, and did not get involved in any on-campus activities. Now I am in my third year at Brock and I am not only an extremely active member on campus, but I am also well versed on all that Brock has to offer me as a student! But instead of being like myself in first year, why not start university on the right foot? Luckily, there is a way for new Brock students to start university with an arsenal of knowledge on how to become an active member of the Brock community!

Smart Start is a program implemented by Brock University to help make the transition to university seamless for first year and mature students. Aside from getting the grand tour of Brock facilities and faculties, new students will also get the opportunity to visit the Career Resource Centre and our expo table to begin thinking about career options and exploring different degrees and skills, and to find out about all the great involvement opportunities that Brock has to offer, like the Mentorship Plus Program!

Whether it be tips or advice on getting an on-campus job or exploring the different career options based on faculty and program, we at Career Services are all about providing the resources students need so they can reach their career goals and their fullest potential during their time here at Brock.

In order to keep up with all that we have going on at Career Services, my best advice for incoming students is to follow us on social media. Upcoming events, new resources, professional development, employment opportunities, as well as tips and tricks on everything from interviews to social media for job searching are posted regularly on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Click HERE for our Twitter page and HERE for our Facebook page and get in the loop today! See you at Smart Start!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

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

Welcome Back Badgers!

On behalf of Career Services I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning Brock University students. We encourage both students and alumni from all faculties to utilize our services in order to strengthen their professional documents and better prepare themselves for part-time jobs and the eventual career world.

As a refresher, Career Services is a free drop-in service located within the Learning Commons that assists students and alumni of the Brock community with any career/job/post-graduate questions and concerns. Our services include (but are not limited to!) the following:

• On and off campus job search strategies and websites including Career Zone our online job posting board only accessible to Brock students and alumni (careerzone.brocku.ca)
• Resume, Cover Letter, and CV evaluations, templates, and workshops
• Teach/volunteer/work abroad information as well as international resume samples
• Program specific resumes and Degree Exploration Guides that include information specific to each of Brock's programs such as Career Options, Professional Associations, and Job Search sites
• An assortment of printed handouts and books available on various topics including information on specific careers, job search, resume/cover letter writing, going abroad, etc.
• Portfolio creation, samples, and evaluations
• Post-graduate information including prep books for graduate entrance exams
  

If you have any questions about your current and post-graduation job search feel free to stop by our office!

   We are currently operating on regular Fall/Winter hours:

9:00 - 4:30 Monday - Friday 

Ashley Paolozzi, Lead Career Assistant
4th Year History of Art (Honours)

Services for First Year Students

Thank you to everyone that came out to the Brock University open house on Sunday!

For all of you future first year Badgers here is a list of the services available through Career Services that may be of interest to you during your first year at Brock!

• Resume and cover letter reviews and templates
• Information regarding on-campus and off-campus job postings and volunteer opportunities
• Degree Exploration Guides for each program with information on potential career options available after you have completed your degree
• Assistance with interview preparation
• Information on joining the Mentorship Plus and Med Plus programs
• Online career Assessment tools 
• And much much more!

Career Services is a drop in service located in the Learning Commons in the library. We are open from 9:00-4:30 from Monday to Friday during the Fall/Winter school term. If you would like to come and visit us this summer before you begin your first year we are open Monday to Friday from 9:00-4:00.

We hope to see you soon!

- Ashley, Sr. Career Assistant

University, College, or Both?

If you're in post-secondary, you've heard it. If you're in high school you hate it. If you're in elementary school you barely know yourself well enough to decide but we all know the age old question that begins back in your elementary school days: will you be going to university or college?

Remember back when you had to pick your high school courses in grade 8 and you had to choose academic or applied? Or later in high school when you had to decide whether to take university or college level courses? For so long before you ever get to applying for post-secondary school you are forced to make decisions about where you're going to go, possibly before you even know what you want to do!

There are lots of differences between the institutions of university or college, and today I am going to tell you about some of them.

First let's begin with recalling what they told us way back when:

College:
 - more hands on approach to learning
 - directs you into a field rather than providing a lot of theory

University:
 - theory-based learning style
 - learning the how, emphasis on writing and research

So I mean, this isn't innaccurate; the programs colleges offer usually provide for a very direct employment type learning style, however, this DOES NOT MEAN there is no writing, researching, or theory to accompany the program. AS WELL, university is NOT ALL THEORY. Most universities cater to varying learning styles in the classroom; a lot of university programs offer lab components and group work with hands on learning. There are also fieldwork courses and practicum courses as well.

The MAIN difference between the programs is this: the skills you learn.

 In college, you are gaining many skills, but a lot of special and specific skills to prepare and train you for a specific job. While you will be qualified for certain jobs outside of your field after going to college, you are really learning to master something specific while being there.

 In contast, in university there are some programs that facilitate direct employment with special training toward one job, for the most part the skills you are learning are diverse and transferrable. This means a few things: you may experience more difficulty finding a job once you complete your degree but the good news is that you have a plethera of skills under your belt so that you can apply to a wide variety of jobs.

 And guess what?! Many university graduates end up attending college once completing their degree to complement what they learned and to specialize in something specific! Some college students end up going to university, transferring some credits if possible in order to complete their program in a shorter time, gaining a wider variety of skills that they can apply to their field.

So what does this mean? It means that there is equal value in doing university or college, and that lots of people do both! There are over 60 collaborative programs offered at Brock University, where students earn both a diploma and a degree at the same time!

So whether you're a current or projected student, or maybe even a university or college graduate, just remember the value of your diploma or degree. Know that there are options for both college and university programs, and that through studying both you can help vary the opportunities available to you.

To those of you applying to post-grad right now: good luck! And remember to come by the Career Resource Centre at any time to recieve help with preparing your application documents! We review cover letters, resumes, personal statements and letters of intent!

See you soon,

Brittany
Sr. Career Assistant

What Did You Do Wrong In First Year?

Ironically I'm probably not the best person to be talking about what I did wrong in first year; I was one of the few students already very dedicated to my studies right from the get-go! However, I believe we could all have used a little more advice looking back to our young selves a few years ago.

Here are some things I think I should have done while in my first year, and some of my recommendations to you:

• Get involved! I think I was way too nervous about doing well in school that I missed out on some great opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities. There is so much to do on campus! Join a club, become a member of an association within your program, or volunteer for events happening around the school. Not only are these wonderful resume boosters, but can help you meet new people and get more out of your university experience!
• Sign up for workshops. Yes, it's true, you excelled in high school and got into university. But that doesn't mean there's not going to be some sort of academic transition phase that you'll experience once you're here. A-Z Learning Services offers a variety of workshops that will help you from writing university level essays to taking multiple choice exams.
• Talk to Your Professors. It can be intimidating to approach your professors in first year, especially if you have some large classes. However putting yourself out there and talking to your professors can mean the difference between you understanding an assignment or getting an answer to something they lectured on. It can also be a great way to get their insight on your field/area of interest!
• Explore. I don't know about you, but in first year I didn't travel much further than the Pen Centre to get groceries. Especially if you're not acquainted with the city, it's important to get out there and see what the different areas of town have to offer. Who knows? You might find a new favourite coffee place or a great store that you wouldn't have known about had you not stepped on that city bus.

All in all, it's important to look at first year both as a learning curve and an opportunity to experience all kinds of new things. Take advantage of all the services your university has to offer and also look out for ways to get the most out of your time here. You won't regret it!

Good luck; believe me when I tell you that these years absolutely fly by!
- Lia