We're Hiring!

Brock Universities Career Resource Centre is looking to hire 4 motivated students to become Career Assistants! Not only is this position perfect for anyone, it gives an individual a competitive edge when they graduate and enter the field of work. 

The Career Assistant’s primary responsibilities include:
 

• Assisting students with career exploration and job search information
• Referring students to the resources and services offered by Career Services and other Campus Services
• Demonstrating professionalism by providing exceptional customer service to visitors in the Career Resource Centre
• Utilizing active listening skills to respond to student inquiries and advise students appropriately
• Providing constructive feedback on job search documents such as resumes, CV’s, cover letters, letters of intent, LinkedIn profiles and portfolios.
• Participating in a variety of team projects and events such as Newsletters, Career Fairs and other initiatives
• Actively sharing ideas and contributing to team discussions at weekly staff meetings
• Performing administrative tasks and maintaining daily statistics as required
• Ensuring the Career Resource Centre maintains a neat, organized and professional appearance; keeping resources stocked and up-to-date
• All other duties as assigned

The deadline for application is quickly approaching! By March 18th, be sure to have your resume and Cover Letter handed in to CareerZone.brocku.ca!  

Best of luck to anyone who is applying! 

----------

Tyler Harris

Career Assistant 

Balancing Work and School

Did you know... According to the Canadian University Survey Consortium study 56 per cent of undergraduates in Canada work. 
(Serebrin, Jacob. "More students balance school with jobs." MACLEANS.ca) 

That's a lot of students. With school being just around the corner, people are beginning to feel their long summer days slip away. Soon students will be saying goodbye to their summer jobs and looking forward to going back to university or college. Many students obtain a part-time job throughout the school year. Sometimes things can get overwhelming when trying to balance work and school. I have made up a few suggestions to help students manage their time better to reduce stress and increase their productivity:

1) Make organization a top priority. When dealing with school and work you have a lot of things to consider while making up your schedule. Firstly, try to organize your timetable, and syllabus' onto a calendar so then you are aware of class times, due dates, and the estimated time it will take you to complete your assignments. Organization is extremely important for a well balanced university experience. It may take a few late nights and early mornings for new students to figure this out, but the quicker you do the easier life gets.

2) Find a position that's flexible. The reason for this is because your employer will need to understand that school is your number one responsibility and their may be times (for example: during finals) when you need a little more extra time hitting the books. A lot of on-campus positions are great at working around school schedules. Also, working at companies such as Starbucks or Tim Hortons that hire a lot of people make it easy to switch around shifts.

3) Avoid distractions! One of the biggest issues today is students being distracted by social media and the internet. I know that it is hard to turn of Netflix or ignore that it's #throwbackthursday but all of these things take up time in your day that you could be using productively. I'm not saying to totally boycott your social media and TV show priorities because it is healthy to have some downtime, but watching 6 episodes of your favourite show or tweeting 13 times a day isn't exactly using your time effectively.

4) Create daily goals. Making a list of things you would like to accomplish in the day can certainly help you stay organized and on track. Take 10 minutes to organize your thoughts and your day so you don't spend that amount of time in between accomplishments trying to figure out what you were supposed to do next.

5) Visit your Career Resource Centre. If you are having a hard time developing your resume or cover letter for job applications or simply don't know where to start looking, come and see us at the Resource Centre in the library. We can also help you set your goals (both long term and short term) and give you tips on how to manage your time effectively throughout the year.

Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career Assistant, 3rd year I/S Concurrent Education: Visual Arts student

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

Balancing the University Life?!

As students we want to make the most of our University days- attending lectures and seminars, completing work and assignments on time, cheering on the Brock Badger sports teams, and volunteering throughout the community. On top of all that a part-time job, going home to celebrate a family birthday, spending time with new friends, participating in intramurals, meeting with Ta's and Professors, and planning career paths.

Oh and don't forget all the distractions that keep you from doing all that- like keeping up-to-date on the latest Facebook layout, or trying to beat your friend at Call of Duty. Watching the newest episode of Modern Family, or cheering on the Leafs, all while Tweeting about what your not doing, but need to do.


Plus the little things we do that eat at our time like dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, taking out garbage, waiting for the bus, being angry and the bus, charging your iPhone, waiting on RIM, calling for cabs, running for cabs, standing in line at Timmies, searching for a computer on campus...

And this is just what I can think of...the list is endless.


So how can one make the most of our University days while still creating a balance between school and life?

This is where Career Services Mentorship Plus comes in handy. This is a program specifically designed to help balance your life. As a first year mentee you will have a senior student mentor, in second year you will be in a peer group, and upper year students can either be a mentor to first years, or be a mentee to a mentor from the community. Its a great program that will help to assist you as you try creating a balance

For more information on Mentorship Plus please read a previous blog found here

OR by visiting our Career Website at www.brocku.ca/career-services

Until then- all the best as you balance the University Life
--Hillary

Congratulations

To all the Graduates who graduated at convocation this weekend- Career Services wants to wish you a big Congratulations!

We wish you all the best in the next chapter of your life. As you begin your careers, post-graduate studies, or enjoyment of alumni, please don't forget your Badger roots; our doors are always open.

If ever looking for assistance with job searching, resume and coverletter building, interview techniques or any other career related information- our services is always here for you.

Best of luck for today and for the future!
- Hillary & Lia, and the rest of the Career Services Team!

Work and Freshman Year

Your parents have probably been asking “have you found a job yet?”, “do you have enough money to eat?” along with all the other nags that come with leaving the nest. But they’re right… will you have a job through your first year of university? If you won’t, how will you afford parties in addition to everyday necessities? Your parents won’t have bottomless wallets forever you know.

First year can be a bit nerve racking in general. It's normal to be anxious about balancing the work load with simple but time consuming things like laundry or cooking. I know people who haven’t worked a day through their university career, whereas I’ve always held two jobs throughout school and summer. Who do you think will be more prepared to for a career once they graduate? If you don’t learn how to prioritize now you’ll fall behind the others. By starting in your freshman year you'll accustom to a school-work life and it'll be a cinch once fourth year comes around.

By working part-time you learn how to prioritize, develop work ethics and learn from your mistakes (like calling in sick way too often) – plus you’ll have some pocket change for a rainy day! If your schedule during the week is full it's worth applying for weekend jobs like a pizza place or the movie theatre.
University really isn’t as difficult as people make it out to be. As long as you stay on task you’ll be fine – unless you work better under-pressure, then you’ll definitely need coffee change for plenty of late nights.

If worse-comes-to-worse you can explain to your employer that you need to focus on school and respectfully wish to be on a leave of absence until the holidays. No employer should make you choose work over academics if they have your best interests in mind. You do need to keep your marks up because your first year marks could come back to haunt you in your final year.

It’s time to check-in and grow up! You’re getting tossed into a bigger world and the time to adjust is now. Check out careerzone.brocku.ca for job postings within the Brock community or navigate to “Find A Job” through brocku.ca/career-services for an extensive list of job search resources.

Welcome to University! Good luck and best wishes on surviving Frosh week!

Sam

The ABCs & 123s of Teacher's Education

So you’re applying to teacher’s college. A few things I need to ask before I get into this topic juuuust to make sure you’re in it for the right reasons:

• Is teaching your calling? Can you see yourself as a teacher in 10 – 20 years?
• Do you genuinely enjoy working with youth and believe you will instill confidence in your students?
• Are you doing it for summers off & a ridiculously good benefit package?
• What are your teachable subjects? Do students require these subjects or are they electives? Think strategics
• Are you aware you probably won’t have a full-time position for 5-10 years?
  …unless if you are willing to teach in the Northern Territories in which case, are you willing to relocate?

Hopefully this opened your eyes a bit and you are reassured that yes, you want to be a teacher 100% and will do anything to get a position. Or maybe you just realized this isn’t quite for you.

The Facts:

Teacher Education is a one year post-graduate program required for those who wish to pursue a career in teaching. You must complete at least a 3 Year Pass to apply to Teacher’s College (or complete a Concurrent program which combines your undergrad with teacher’s college). Upon completion of Teacher’s College, you must be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers and pay an annual membership fee to maintain their certification as a teacher in Ontario.

•           You'll need 2 months to research schools and prepare your applications. Deadlines for Ontario teacher education programs can be found here: http://www.ouac.on.ca/teas/teas-dates/
•           Program requirements and fees for each school are different. Check that you meet the academic & teachable requirements for different grade levels.
•           The majority of applications will require descriptions of your relevant volunteer experiences, so hopefully you’ve been involved!

Enough with the jibber jabber – you can find more information on the TEAS website about deadlines, requirements etc.

What I really want to talk about is the possibilities of where you can go to school. It’s all based on your personal preference, so which would you choose: Canada, America or Australia.

Usually students will apply to Niagara University if they were not accepted into a Canadian school (they are more competitive). And the ones that go to Australia do it to satisfy their desire to travel. If you decide to teach outside of your province/country, be sure you are certified to teach back home when you return. Career Services has visitors throughout the year from CANTEACH, AustraLearn, KOM Consultants and Degrees Overseas. Check our events widget on our homepage for updates on employer & post-grad showcases. Also keep your eye out for our Career & Post-Graduate Expo attendees!

The following are a list of Ontario schools that provide Teacher’s Education:

• Brock University
• Lakehead University
• Laurentian University
• Nipissing University
• Trent University
• University of Ottawa
• Queen’s University
• University of Toronto
• UOIT
• University of Western Ontario
• Wilfrid Laurier University
• University of Windsor
• York University

Samantha

Destined for Higher Education

Ok, so you’ve conquered your undergrad, maybe you’ve even done some post-grad, and now you’re thinking Hmmm.. a Master’s couldn’t hurt. Consider the reasons you want an MA. Is it absolutely required for your career? Is it because you ‘can’t find a job’? Or do you think you’ll make more money if you have a higher education? There are arguments that a BA is “worthless” ever since the recession hit us – which isn’t true one bit. It was actually part of a speech at my convocation… a bit awkward as I held my crisp $20G degree like a baby in my hands but I guess it was supposed to be encouraging?

The truth is a Master’s degree is for people who either 1) require an MA to pursue their career or 2) are devoted to being a lifetime student. First, you need to understand why you want further education and the benefits you will receive upon completion. An MA can benefit those in the health, business or engineering field because it will provide a deeper level of understanding in relevant job skills. On the other hand, social science or humanities fields may continue their education as an opportunity to develop in general but it won’t necessarily provide them with further training. Be sure that a Masters is worth your time and money.

If you’re only continuing your education because you haven’t found a job, reconsider. Use the money you’d spend on school for brain-food and start networking. Research if your career requires a Master’s degree and continue from there. Career Services has created documents to assist you through the planning process of grad school, you can find them here along with a list of graduate programs available at Brock University.

Hats off to you!
Samantha

8 Reasons to go to College

Upon graduating high-school, the decision of your next chapter in life can be overwhelming. I always thought, ‘how can these people possibly expect me to make a life decision right now when they haven’t even prepared me?’ I wasn’t told anything about post-secondary school. I hunted answers through Google and went with my gut which grumbled university over and over. Our parent’s generation has always put emphasis on university being better than college but that’s not the case anymore, and we’re the ones who get to prove it to them.

College:

-         Provides specific programs

o       If you know your passion and the job does not require a degree then college is for you. Why go to university if you don’t have to? Research with Career Cruising and discover the type of education your desired career requires.

-         Trains students with hands-on learning experiences for jobs
that are non-academic based

o       Co-op or internship opportunities are often offered within college curriculums

o       College students are better prepared for the work world because while they received practice in their field, university students had their noses in books.

-         Easy transition from high-school

o       Class sizes are small and you’re given homework on a regular basis whereas university classes can be up to 100 students and your grade can be solely based on 3 essays and 1 exam.

-         Degree/Diploma combination

o       Colleges and universities are realizing students want an interactive education but also desire obtaining a BA. Institutions are beginning to offer both a diploma & degree upon graduation.

-         Joint Program

o       Some universities & colleges have joined to create fast-track programs for their students. Brock and Niagara have already done so with Policing & Criminal Justice; it’s a hit!

-         Length of time varies

o       Depending on the program, your college experience could be 2-4 years

-         Accepted with a lower GPA.

o       If you had your heart set on university but didn’t have the marks there are opportunities for you to begin your post-secondary education in college and then transfer to university.

-         It can be less expensive than university

o       Don’t base your future entirely on the price tag of your education. Join The Starving Student Club and apply for a loan if you have to.

To find the program that’s right for you, explore Ontario Colleges and compare school/program details. Information on schools within and beyond Ontario can be found with School Finder. I hope this helps to make your decision less gut-wrenching and wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

Samantha

Can't Find a Job? Do a Post-Grad!

As I completed my last year at Brock, I struggled to find a job that I could be qualified for with a Pop Culture degree. Like many graduating students, I had finally realized that my post-secondary education wasn’t really suited for finding employment. I had all the knowledge I needed to complete my program, but no experience to get a job. As much as I wanted to be done with school, I started doing research on college courses that could supplement my university degree. A friend told me I should take a Post-Graduate Certificate. At the time I had NO IDEA what that was, but it sounded like something I needed to know about.

A Post-Graduate Certificate/ Diploma is a program taken at college for those who already hold a university degree. It’s almost like taking your Masters; the only difference is you complete hands on work rather than research and get specialized knowledge in a specific discipline. It’s a great way to gain experience and make you more appealing to employers. The best part is that the majority of certificates only take one year to complete. I was sold!

The majority of colleges in Ontario all have Post-Graduate Certificate programs in a variety of disciplines ranging from Ecosystems Restoration to Hospitality & Tourism Management. I decided I wanted to go to Niagara College and selected Public Relations as my field of study.

Going from Brock University to Niagara College was a little like going back to high school. It had been a few years since I had had a professor who knew me by name, and was willing to work with me one-on-one if I didn’t understand something. All the instructors were extremely knowledgeable and had worked in the industry for years themselves. In other words, it was nothing like university, but in a good way. I also got to complete an internship to get experience to add to my resume, which most programs offer.

In June, I graduated with my Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Relations, and I couldn’t be happier. It was the right choice for me, and with some research, it could also be the next step in your educational path.

For more information, visit www.ontariocolleges.ca and find a Post-Grad program that’s right for you.

- Rachel

photos to come soon! =)

Are You University Bound?

This week we’re focusing on the types of academic paths you can pursue and defining whether it’s right for you.

University can be an obvious decision for a lot of people whether it’s because they are determined to follow a certain career path, the weight of their parents’ opinion, or they thrive on academics. But, some people will question if university makes sense for them.

Now that I’ve completed university I can truly say it’s not what I expected and I wish someone had told me what I’m about to tell you – the truth. University is based on higher learning and research where you will question and develop theories. It offers a wide variety of general subjects that can lead you into further education or training. University overall builds a well-rounded student and prepares them intellectually – what it doesn’t do is prepare you for the working-world. That’s right! You are not guaranteed a job just because your resume says you’re a university grad.

University can cost a bundle especially if you decide to live away from home so it’s best to decide what institution is right for you before you (or your parents) pay the bills. If you are a hands-on person and school was never “your thing” maybe university isn’t for you. There’s nothing wrong with working straight out of high-school if you have proper work ethics. Also, college prepares you for the work-world by providing hands-on training. Don’t feel pressured to apply to university because of your family and friends. It’s your life – do what you think is right.

University can be a 3-5 year commitment. If you realize after a few years that it doesn’t make sense to you, consider graduating with a Pass Degree and then complete a 1 year post-grad to specialize in your subject. There’s always a way, you just have to question and compromise.

BA in Art…

Sam

The most expensive piece
of paper I'll ever hold

My story:

I completed a BA that focused on traditional art and video games. I wanted to transfer to Sheridan College and specialize in animation but my parents wanted me to finish what I had started. My experience at university essentially trained me to persevere along with the obvious communication and presentation skills. The artistic skills I've developed since first year were self taught. Who knows where I’d be now if I had transferred. Maybe I’d be working for Disney, maybe I’d be stuck in a career path that I don’t even enjoy. Everything ends up working out and there’s never one right answer. You just have to trust yourself and work hard. Whatever you do, don’t decide your future by picking straws.

That's me on the right all smiles!
Officially hooded!