Alternatives after graduation

If you’re like me, the idea of settling into a career after graduation can be intimidating. Not that I don’t want to find the right career for me, I’m just not sure I will want to do it right away.

The fact of the matter is, as a new grad, you are at your prime right now to discover the world. Now more then ever is it accessible for you to do so. Here is a quick list of alternatives after graduation:

1)      Take a gap year. We all know of somebody who has taken the world by storm, hopped on a plane to a foreign country to travel, volunteer, or sometimes work. It may take some planning and saving but the cultural awareness and worldly views that you will obtain may be one of the greatest experiences of your life. There are many ways you can go abroad and many programs you can do this through. Here are a few favourites:

·         www.projects-abroad.ca

·         www.swap.ca

·         www.gooverseas.com

2)      Freelance. Freelancing is another way to gain experience outside of the typical 9-5 job. If you are a freelancer it means that you are your own agent, you create your own market, and you provide clients with the services you would like to give. Some popular industries for freelancers are graphic design, web development, branding, and information technology. Freelancing is a good way to network and figure out where you would like to find a career. You have the unique ability to work at your own pace and only do projects that interest you.

3)      Go for a paid internship. Many people use internships as a way of getting out of their towns and experiencing a new one. Internships last anywhere from 6-16 months and they give you a good chance to see if that kind of job is right for you. Internships can also be rewarding for building your network. The more people you know, the more jobs you will be aware of.

You've worked hard for the last four years, and taking some time to gain real world experience can really be beneficial in the long run. Experience culture; experience the new borderless world that lies ahead. If you aren't going to do it now, then when will you!

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

Maximize Your Time Off School

Our friends at CosmicCoachingCentre wrote us a great article about how you can make the most out of your time off this summer :)

Maximize Your Time Off School

School breaks are what most students always look forward to every semester or school term. Having some time off school allows you to do all the things you find really hard to do while at school, like watching TV until midnight, going out with friends even during weekdays, and just not having any books to read or power point slides to prepare.

While the thought of merely spending your time aimlessly is very tempting, it won’t be a good idea for you to consider this time off school as hibernation. It wouldn’t hurt much if you sleep late and spend time watching your favorite TV shows during the first week of your vacation; you deserve it. But after that, you must get yourself out of the couch and do something productive.

Here are some tips on how you can best make use of your time away from school:

1. Make a workout schedule to stay fit!

We all make so many excuses for not doing the activities that will make us physically fit. It is very likely that you didn’t have enough time to hit the gym when you were still in school. But now that you are free from all school work, there is no reason at all for you not to have a workout routine.

2. Apply for an internship

Internships are made available by companies and organizations particularly during summer and winter breaks. This is their way of encouraging students to be productive during their breaks.

By joining an internship program, not only will you gain a real life experience, but you will also make yourself known by more people in various industries. You may not really appreciate what this can do for you, but you have to realize that as you build your career later on, you will need connections who will help you find employment. Furthermore, an internship experience is something you can include in your resume in the future. Employers and hiring managers are always impressed by those who bother to become interns during their school breaks.

3. Clean up your room or apartment

Having a messy room or apartment is not normal for anybody, but it can be understandable for students like you who are always preoccupied with school work. If, however, you go back from vacation into a messy and dirty living space, this just means that you didn’t use your time off school wisely. The school break is the perfect time for you care for your things, especially your apartment or your room perhaps. By doing this, you will feel very excited about starting another semester in a pleasant living space.

4. Read ahead

While your school break is the time for you to relax, it won’t hurt if you pick up a book to read every once in a while. Reading ahead is an effective way of learning in advance what your professors will teach you during the semester. If you do this, you are actually relieving yourself of so much pressure and burden when the time comes that you have to make a report about the book you have already read.

By planning your school break schedule, you will remain productive and you can avoid wasting precious time. This is also an excellent time for you to do some career planning, especially if you are nearing your college graduation.

About the author:

Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Center, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe

Six Alternative Options After Graduation!

1) Travel Outside of Canada 
You know that fantasy vacation you daydreamed about going on during lecture? Now's your chance! The summer after graduation is the perfect time to get some traveling in before jumping into the commitment of full-time employment. Exploring a new country could even lead to a job opportunity abroad – so keep your eyes peeled for networking opportunities! Don’t allow yourself to feel trapped within Canada; we have a beautiful planet full of adventure and opportunity waiting to be discovered.

• Visit Going Global to view resume layouts for different countries and information on working abroad!

2) Apply for an Internship 
Even for entry-level positions, it is necessary now that applicants will have some relevant experience in their field before they can expect to be hired. Many employers will be looking for direct involvement within the field, whether it’s accounting or archaeology, in order for them to feel comfortable investing their time and money into hiring you. Never turn down a relevant internship (even though some may be unpaid) since this qualifies as excellent and relatable experience to put on your resume. Consider finding a part-time job to complement your unpaid internships. 

• Check Career Zone daily for new internship postings!

3) Work Part-time
The reality is, a lot of new grads won't be hired in their fields right away, or sometimes for any full-time positions after graduation. This could be a result of the competitive job market, unmet  qualifications, or just a lag in the need for hires in certain fields. The best you can do is keep applying, upgrading your experience, and finding a way to make money in the meantime! Working part-time gives you the chance to make money (which of course is important in order to pay off those students debts and take care of the bills), enhance and hone relevant transferrable skills, and it also gives you time to intern or volunteer in your career-related field in order to better qualify you for your desired job! And hey, you might find new interests for yourself in the process!

• Career Zone posts full and part-time positions from all over Niagara and some parts of the GTA, so take a look! Or take a look at some other job posting boards here.

4) Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to gain experience in your field, or to try something entirely different! There are always a multitude of positions to work with children, youth, special needs, in schools, in hospitals, in food banks, etc. You could volunteer in your community to get to know it better, or maybe a community less fortunate than yours. Or you could go to a different province or country and gain a new perspective on life, your career, and the world! Volunteering looks great on your resume, but its also a great way to ensure you remain well-rounded after having specialized in one field for four years. So if you can manage it, volunteer outside of your comfort zone - you never know what you mind find out about yourself!

• You can check career Zone for volunteer positions, or take a look at Information Niagara in order to find a position best suited for you!

5) Consider Further Education at Brock University
Was there something you particularly enjoyed about your post-secondary school experience? Are you looking to further qualify yourself for your field of study? Or maybe it's necessary to gain further experience in order to qualify for your career goal? Then consider looking into graduate studies! Brock University offers over two dozen MA programs and almost ten PhD programs that cover every faculty. While doing your graduate studies at Brock you will have the opportunity to apply to research and TA positions in order to assist in paying for your further education, and some programs even guarantee these spots for their grad students!

• For further information, consult Brock’s Faculty of Graduate Studies

6) Start a Business
What better way to enhance your skills and network in your field without working full-time than to start your own business? Working for yourself is a great way to be immersed in the industry, and to really explore all sides of the field. Or it could be a fun, quick way to make money with some friends once you're all done school, and to take a break from your program of study for a while. Or even further, it could a great start to a new and interesting career path!

•    Find out how to start your business here!

For some other suggestions for what you can do immediately after you graduate, here's a fun list.

Happy Choosing!

Ashley and Brittany

PS. Feel free to do more than one or all of the options! You're a new Grad, you've got tons of time :)

Always Do Your Research!

So you've self-assessed! You now know ALL about yourself, exactly what you want to do and exactly how you're going to do it! ...right? Well, for some of you it might have been that easy to figure it out, and that's great! We're happy for you! But for those of you who are still unsure, you're on the same side as most of us. Sure, we might have an idea and various options for career and/or educational pathways now  (I put mine on a flow chart :D), but it doesn't end there. Before you DECIDE on a career pathway, it's always important to first do your RESEARCH.

Ask yourself...

Is this Pathway the right FIT?

• Am I willing to proceed with Further Education or is Direct Employment right for me?
• What are the job responsibilities?
• Am I cut out for this type of work?
• What else is out there?

Do I have the right EXPERIENCE?

• Will I need experience before entry-level positions?
• How can I gain that experience now (volunteering, internships, part-time jobs)?
• What are the skills and knowledge requirements of the position?
• Is there room for professional development and on-the-job training?
• Am I looking for advancement opportunities? Is that available to me within this field?

What is the Typical WORK ENVIRONMENT?

• Will I be working inside/outside? With children, with people older than me? Alone?
• Am I adaptable?
• How much will I be making? How do raises happen?
• Is there a demand for this type of work?

Who HIRES for this type of work?

• What should I know about the field? The company/organization?
• How should I prepare to apply?
• How do I ask/prepare for an interview?

And always the BIG ONE:

• Will I be granted a pension? Benefits?

While these questions might be simple and provide you with the  little details, the affects of the answers can have some pretty great affects in the long run.

Here are some things to remember...

1. Do what is right for you. Job earnings are important, but don't let the dollar sign cloud your vision when it comes to deciding on something you know will make you happy.

*That also goes for career choices and graduate school. Some people will refrain from doing a Master's program or Post-Graduate Degree because they feel like they should be done spending money, and instead earning it. My motto is "short term pain for long term gain" - anything extra we do now will only make it easier to pay off those student loans later on.

2. While it's important to  be qualified for a position, don't let that stop you from applying to jobs of interest. Hey, you might not meet all of the job requirements, but maybe nobody did! You could still be the best applicant. If you tailor your resume and cover letter right, you could come out a shining star in their list of candidates. So come on into the Career Resource Centre for a review, and then get on out there!

3. Your work environment should never be compromised. You will be talking to these people, seeing these walls, and smelling these smells more often than you'll ever be seeing your family, your walls or the smells in your household. Make sure it's going to work for you. And if it doesn't, next!

Check out our website for some more tips and handy links for researching here. And remember, drop by the centre anytime between 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday and Ashley or I will be happy to discuss your research with you, or even help you get it all started!

See ya then,

Brittany :)

Internships: Should you be paid?

Students are feeling the competition out there already; the pressure is on to get some career-related experience in your field of interest before your post-graduation job search begins.

An issue arises, however, when looking into internship positions. Should these "jobs" be paid? Or should students be willing to sacrifice months of potential earnings for this seemingly necessary experience to be competitive in today's job market? This is a touchy subject that is actually pretty complicated.

According to an article on Macleans.ca,

"The Ontario Employment Standards Act says that unless interns are students getting credit for school (or they’re working in an industry not covered by the legislation, like government or charities), the employee must be paid minimum wage." 

Well, that's a positive, right? Not necessarily. It just so happens that a lot of unpaid internships fly under the radar for many reasons; some students simply don't know their rights or the fear of complaining and getting fired tops asking for some kind of payment. 


This isn't to say that unpaid internships aren't valuable, they just might be the kind of position you've been looking for - especially if the program is designed for students to gain experience and be mentored in the field. However, due to the financial strains on many students it may be impossible to accept an unpaid position - a completely understandable, but unfortunate reality for some.


All in all, paid internships are not only more legally fair in most cases but also a more attractive option for students. You might find though that they are not always available. It really all comes down to what you're willing to sacrifice for that resume-building experience - the choice is up to you!

To start looking into internship positions, check out our website, CareerZone, or stop by the Resource Centre for more information. 


- Lia


For more information regarding unpaid internships, check out these links:
http://www.wetfeet.com/advice-tools/internships/unpaid-internships-no-pay-no-gain
http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2011/07/04/are-unpaid-internships-legal-the-confusion-continues/
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_64/s0804026863534.htm