Succeed at Career Events!

The On-Campus Jobs Fair recently wrapped up at Brock and it was a huge success! In light of this event, I thought a blog on how to prepare in order to succeed at career events might be a great way to help guide students for future career events on campus and elsewhere.

Prepping before the event to do well during the event is necessary to succeed! In order to prepare yourself, keep these 6 factors in mind:

1. Do your research!Find out which employers will be at the event and check out their website! This will help you tailor your documents as well as give you an opportunity to come up with questions you may have about the company that you can ask at the event!
2. Review the opportunities!Many employers post the positions they are looking to fill prior to the career event itself. Check these out! See which positions speak to your knowledge and skills! Again, this will help you tailor your documents and allow you to go into the event with focus!
3. Define your KSA's!Knowing your Knowledge, Skills & Abilities allows you sell yourself to employers! Figuring out what you have to offer employers prior to the event will help you sell yourself to employers during the event! It will also help you develop your elevator pitch!
4. Develop an elevator pitch!It's important to be able to describe yourself, your skills and where your headed career-wise briefly and concisely! Jot down what you want to tell employers about yourself and how you want to be remembered by them and practice this pitch! This will allow you to introduce yourself to employers in an efficient manner, while still highlighting who you are and what your goals are!
5. Bring your documents! And ask for documents!Go to the event equipped with resumes & business cards! And make sure to grab any information sheets or business cards from the employers/recruiters! They are handing this information out for a reason, typically to inform you of the company and how to get in touch with them! You may want to bring a briefcase or professional looking bag to store your documents in too!
6. Dress the part!
Dress professionally! If you are unsure how to go about this, it wouldn't hurt to use your friend Google to look up the company and see what employees typically wear to their career events or on the job! See the photo to the right for help with this!

Thanks for reading! Come visit us at the Career Resource Centre for any questions/concerns you may have regarding career events! We are always happy to help!

Have an excellent day!

Scarlet Stark
Sr. Career Assistant
Psychology Major 

Tailoring Your Resume: Why You Need To Do This

Templates are the absolute evil of the career world. There is nothing more bland, boring, and discouraging than a resume that has clearly been taken from a template and not customized at all for the job the applicant is applying for. Luckily for you, you have stumbled upon our blog and can get help to make sure that your resume's are actually being read by employers and taken seriously. Here are some tips about tailoring your resume.

1. Employers will notice
Having hired students before, both here at Career Services and for my own business a few years ago, It is very easy to see when the applicant has put forth a reasonable amount of effort to tailor their resume. Simple things like how recent their employment dates are, what their achievement statements are saying, what skills they are addressing... it all adds up. Take the time, they will notice!


2. Sticking to the template is both good and bad
Templates help you understand the basic structure and formatting of a resume. By no means are they a bad thing altogether, but rather if you stick to them 100% of the time. Feel free to add some of your own style to it, while keeping it professional (a great way to do this is by customizing your information on the top of the page, adding a border, either centering or left-centering your headings, etc).


3. Job qualifications: make sure you address them
One major disadvantage of using a general resume is that you do not always address all of the job qualifications that the employer is looking for. In other words, even if the employers are in the same industry (i.e., retail), they will be looking for different qualities and qualifications in their employees. If you tailor your resume to those qualifications, you will get more interviews guaranteed.


4. Don't forget about the cover letters...
This article is mainly about resumes', but let's not forget about the other half of the application. Cover letters are even more important to tailor, as if you forget to change the direction of the cover letter for each employer they may not look past it to your resume. A lot of the time, the employer will state directly on the job application what kind of employee they are looking for as well as their values and missions. Address these specifically in each cover letter! Taking the extra 10 minutes to do this will make a world of difference.


5. If you think you should be hired, show it!
The best part about tailoring your resume is that it gives you the best opportunity to show the employer that you are the best applicant. After all, the applicant who will spend the extra time to customize their resume and cover letter will likely spend the extra time to make sure they do the best job possible for the employer.
_____________________________________________________________________________

If you think you need any help trying to customize your resume and cover letter, just remember these tips. If you need a little more guidance or would like someone to edit your documents, drop by the career resource centre at Brock University and we can help you portray your best you.

Anthony Mancuso
4th Year Honours Bachelor of Sport Management
Lead 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 

Summer Jobs

S: Start Early

U: Umm isn’t an option, start your engines... literally, there are so many job search engines for your viewing

M: Meet with people that help you become the best version of yourself! Like career services (shameless promotion)

M: Make use of your free time at the beginning of the semester and search!

E: Everyone wants to start late. But most of the jobs are posted early. Make sense? Not even a little, but that the reality!

R: Rule the world! When you start now, you can be picky over what jobs to apply for! There may be a job that is perfect for you! You won’t get this luxury later in the year.

J: Journal the progress of your job hunting so you can keep track of your progress

O: OH MY GOODNESS HELP! These moments is natural, trust me, I have them on the daily. That’s why there are resources like our Career Resource Centre along with other amazing facilities like the YMCA that is there for you. So don’t be afraid to reach out!

B: Boost up your resume and supporting documents all the time. This can be done by tailoring your documents through each job individually. We have some great tips readily available for you!

S: Stay positive! Control what you can, and let go of the things you can’t.

This was our fun way at saying, you have to start early! It’s amazing how early jobs are posted, so begin your summer process as soon as you can. Now, let’s chat with just the two of us on this. I really want you to get the position of your dreams. But what would that look like? Just imagine it… Seriously, take a few moments and just reflect, I’ll wait right here.

Welcome back. So think about the steps you need to do in order to achieve that dream goal. I can guarantee that people are going to need relevant experience and that is the beauty of having a summer job!

Happy searching, and all of the very best in your applications! 

Tyler Harris & Anthony Mancuso

Career Assistant's

Seasonal Jobs & Potential Permanent Positions

It's December and seasonal employment positions seem to be everywhere! Many retail stores are on the hunt in order to find the perfect seasonal employees to help them survive the most wonderful - yet most busy - time of the year. For many, seasonal positions are ideal. It's a chance to get some extra hours over the holidays when money can get tight. But for others, seasonal jobs just don't fit the bill. Perhaps something more permanent is what they had in mind.

If you are hesitant about your seasonal employment opportunity because of a lack of permanency, have no fear! I have come up with a few tips to turn your seasonal employment opportunity into a possible permanent position.

To Infinity & Beyond
Try and view your seasonal position as a permanent one. And if you are interested in a more permanent position within the company, be sure to express this to superiors right from the get-go! It's easy to act indifferent if you think you'll be out of a job in a matter of weeks so try and think beyond the word "seasonal". View the position as one with infinite potential rather than limited potential!

Presence & Productivity
Being present and productive are key when it comes to seasonal opportunities. Being present includes being on time and being aware of what is going on around you. By being present and aware, you will see opportunities for productivity. Use these opportunities to your advantage to not only show that you are a hard-working, capable, and valuable employee, but also to highlight that you have initiative and you are not afraid to use it!

Following & Leading
At any new job, we must shadow more seasoned employees and ask questions in order to learn more about our position. But once comfortable, flex those leadership skills! Take on a project or ask your superiors for opportunities to take on new tasks or be the leader for a particular initiative. Never be afraid to ask for leadership opportunities within your position - it shows that you are not afraid of a challenge which is something all employers love to see in their employees!

If you find out your seasonal position will end soon even after you've done all that you can to make it permanent, keep the below tip in mind:

It's Not You - It's Me...
Remember that many employers might not have the means to keep you given their budget or number of allowable employees after the holiday season ends. But don't take it personally! In that case, it's not that you weren't a good employee, it's simply that they don't have the room for an additional employee. This is by no means a reason to burn bridges and is not necessarily a jab against your skill set or abilities! Always leave seasonal opportunities on a good note because you really never know when an opportunity within the company might come up again. And if you are interested in these opportunities, communicate this to your superiors so they can contact you as opportunities become available.

As always, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with our resources!

Happy Holidays everyone! 

Scarlet Stark
Sr. Career Assistant
Psychology Major 

Holiday Hours

It's the most wonderful time of year again! We hope everyone has a great exam period and enjoys their time at home over the holidays. The Career Resource Centre and Career Services will be open over the holidays for students to take advantage of while they aren't as busy as they are during the semester. Take advantage and come see us for resume reviews, summer job search, or any other career questions! Our hours are as follows:

The Career Resource Centre:

December 1st to 23rd: 9:00am-4:30pm

December 24th: 9:00am-12pm

Career Services (ST 119):

December 1st to 23rd: 8:30am-4:30pm

December 24th: 8:30am-12pm

With the exception of:

Wednesday, December 16th: Closing at 1:30pm

Friday December 18th: Closing at 12pm

Note: Both are CLOSED December 24th (12pm) to January 3rd

Happy Holidays! 

From all the staff at Career Services :) 

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

Navigating CareerZONE

CareerZONE is a campus resource that provides you with access to a variety of career and job search tools, and will help you connect and prepare for the world of work. From job postings, resume templates and online workshops CareerZONE is a Brock student’s one stop shop for everything career related!

First, go to careerzone.brocku.ca and click the student login tab along the top. Your login information is the same as your student portal (one less password to remember!).

Once you login you will have access to a variety of resources including …

1. Job Postings

The CareerZONE job posting board has a variety of domestic and international summer jobs, volunteer opportunities, on-campus jobs, internships and full time jobs listed. Updated on a regular basis and not customized to any specific program, Brock students in all disciplines will find something that interests them on our job board.

 2. Career Services Events Calendar

Throughout the year our department hosts a variety of career and job fairs, further education events, workshops and employer recruitment events. This calendar is being updated as new events are announced so check back often and don’t miss out on some amazing opportunities!  

3. Online Resource Centre

Many of our resources in the Career Resource Centre can be found here. It is divided into different sections to make it easier for you to navigate the variety of resources available.  Some sections include:

Career & Job Search -> This section includes resources on general job search sites and interview tips, using LinkedIn and social media for your job search, Niagara Region employment and volunteer agencies and a link to the directory of Careers and Employment in Canada among others.

Career Assessments -> Links to Career Cruising, Typefocus and Talentoday career assessments are listed in this section. To find out more about these assessments check out our previous blog posts on Career Cruising and Typefocus. 

Cover Letters, Resumes, CVs & Letters of Intent -> This section includes everything from checklists, templates and examples for all common career documents. We even have sample resume’s for every program at Brock!  

Interviews -> Resources include handouts on informational interviews and general interview tips along with a link to Interview Stream, an online tool which helps you prepare for an interview by providing feedback and tips on non-verbal behavior and communication missteps.

Further Education -> All of our “Considering Grad School” information series handouts are listed in this section including resources on teachers college, law school, med school and social work.

Going Abroad -> Everything you need to know about international internships, teaching opportunities, exchanges, working and volunteering abroad can be found in this section. A link to Going Global, a country-specific career and employment database containing more the 30,000 pages of information is also included in this section.

Resources for Teacher Candidates -> Resources on applying to school boards, teaching specific cover letters and resumes and teaching interviews are all included in this section

4. Workshops

Online workshops are available on a variety of topics including cover letters, resumes, portfolios, CVs and even basics of interviewing! All workshops completed can be tracked on experienceplus.

As you can see CareerZONE is full of a variety of amazing resources to help Brock students in their job search. We hope you find the information and resources your looking for and encourage you to visit us in the Career Resource Centre if you any questions or would like more information on any and all things career related!

Mike Pratas
4th year Political Science Major
Lead Career Assistant 

(Instagram)@brockcareerserv

(Twitter)    @brockcareerserv

(Facebook) @brockcareerserv 

#ItAllAddsUp

Next week the #ItAllAddsUp campaign will start here at Brock. The It All Adds Up campaign encourages students to figure out how they are making their university experience all add up to the career of their dreams in order to inspire other students to pursue their goals with everything they've got! As students, we all know classes, assignments, and grades are very important as far as our overall career goals. But there are many other things that we are doing as students outside of the classroom as well that truly make a huge impact on achieving our career goals and personal aspirations. Essentially, everything we are doing is all adding up!!

From volunteering to going abroad for a semester, to attending campus events or workshops, there are SO many ways students at Brock and other universities can add to their skills gained from their degrees! If you happen to be a Brock student, utilizing Experience BU to stay on top of upcoming events, workshops, and on-campus happenings will allow you to not miss out on the experiences that matter the most to you! And on top of this, we even have a way to track how you are making your experiences all add up through the Experience Plus Co-Curricular Transcript!

So now it's your turn to tell us how YOU are making it all add up by visiting our booths around campus next week:

Booth Times/Locations
November 2 - Computer Commons - 9-11
November 3 - Computer Commons - 1-3
November 4 - MC A Hallway - 9-11
November 5 - Computer Commons - 9 - 2
November 6 - MC A Hallway - 9-11

Can't make it to any of these booth times? No problem! This campaign is also accessible for students to participate in virtually! Take a picture of yourself showing how you are making it all add up and use the hashtag #ItAllAddsUp and #BrockU on social media (Instagram/Twitter/Facebook) to inspire fellow Brock students and students from other universities across Canada to get involved and pursue their goals with passion and integrity! Click here to check out the It All Adds Up website for even more details on this campaign!

Oh - one last request:

Don't forget to like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter and Instagram! By clicking these hyperlinks, your only a few steps away from connecting with us and there's nothing that excites us more!

Have a great day everyone!

Scarlet Stark
Sr. Career Assistant
Psychology Major 

Thank You

This post is all about saying thanks! We began the Brock Career Services blog June 2011 and later we were lucky enough to be recognized in 2012 as one of the top 10 college and universities campus career blogs. Our success is all thanks to the 344,739 individuals who have stopped by our page and gave us a follow, commented or just stopped by to read our posts. We cannot thank you all enough for making this possible. Right from the bottom our career hearts, thank you.

As a result of our success and popularity, we have been making more posts on our Instagram (@brockcareerserv), Twitter (@brockcareerserv) and our Facebook page (@brockcareerserv). On these platforms we post about upcoming events, job application tips, internships, volunteering and much more! It would mean the world to us if everyone who loves our blog would share the love on our other social media platforms as well. We are looking to spread career knowledge with as many people we can.

Thank you so much again, and our team will continue working to improve blog and social media presence as well as helping out Brock University students, community members, and faculty.

Thank you (had to say it one more time)

Tyler Harris

Senior Career Assistant

(Instagram)@brockcareerserv

(Twitter)    @brockcareerserv

(Facebook) @brockcareerserv

Top 5 Benefits of Creating a 'Master Resume'

A 'Master Resume' is a document that allows you to put every single career-related experience you can put on a resume onto a master document. The reason for doing this is to have everything you have ever done on a single document that includes a detailed explanation of the skills you developed during each experience; you are not limited by any page limit or word count and have the ability to put as many bullet points as possible for each experience. Creating a 'Master Resume' is a daunting task for anyone, but it is worthwhile and highly rewarding. Here are the top 5 benefits of creating a 'Master Resume'.

1. Allows you to quickly, and better tailor your resume for each job application

Job applications typically list a set of skills and experiences that they want their 'ideal' candidate to have. Sometimes it is easy to say that you have that skill, but actually listing everywhere where you have demonstrated that skills is crucial. With a 'Master Resume' you can have multiple bullet points for each position identifying different skills for each experience, so you can better identify your qualifications. It also allows for a much easier 'copy and paste' experience when tailoring your resume for each experience, as you can pick individual bullet points for each position to better address their qualifications.

2. Prepares you well for any job interview

Doing a full analysis of your skills and experiences prepares you well for almost any question, helps to answer the most dreaded and likely question of "tell me about yourself," and more importantly gives you confidence in your abilities. Instead of being caught off-guard when they ask you about your strengths and weaknesses, you can tackle that question knowing the full breadth of your skills and experiences.

3. A self-assessment in its own right

More of a soft benefit, a 'Master Resume' is a self-assessment in its own right. It puts everything in perspective in terms of what you have done, the skills and experiences you have gained, and your career pathway of start to present. It also better answers the question of 'what is your personal brand' as it allows you to begin to understand exactly what your personal brand is and how to further your brand. I'd encourage you to read our blog post about personal branding here and the importance of knowing yourself here.

4. Identifies gaps in skills and experiences

As much as it identifies skills, it also identifies gaps in skills and weaknesses - a perfect opportunity for you to fill those gaps! Knowing exactly what you have done will also tell you what you have not done, and you can then address those gaps and better yourself before that big job interview. 

5. It will help you create a better LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn in a lot of ways is like an online portfolio that identifies all of your relevant skills and experiences. Having a full in-depth knowledge of all your skills and experiences will help you create a better LinkedIn profile. You can have better SEO (search engine optimization) by identifying skills and experiences on your LinkedIn that you may not include on every resume you send out. Think of your 'Master Resume' as your LinkedIn profile template.

Anthony Mancuso

4th Year Honours Bachelor of Sport Management

Lead Career Assistant 

Career Cruising – the kick start to your career development!

After working at Career Services for a few years, I know how important it is to start your career development with assessment. Self-exploration and assessment are critical first steps in finding the right career for you. Although we have a lot of great self-assessment resources for students at Career Services, I want to focus today on one of my favourites, Career Cruising.

Career Cruising is an online assessment tool that anyone can use to help them find some direction. When a student comes in and says that they don’t know which careers they should be considering, I know they are still in the assessment stage of career planning. There are so many helpful resources that Career Cruising offers within their online site. Below I have taken apart the different categories that the Matchmaker Assessment has. If you complete the Matchmaker Assessment you will be able to see all of these categories for each career result from the assessment.

At a Glance: This section gives you a brief description of what this job is, summarizing all the information in the further categories.

Suitable for You?: This section displays (based on the questions you answered) why it came up in your Matchmaker results. You can see why and why not this career would suit you.

Job Description: This section holds an in depth explanation of what this job is. If you are seriously considering that career, reading all of this will be very helpful.

Working Conditions: This section is important to look at so you can recognize what the working conditions are for the career you are investigating. For example it will talk about the hazards of positions, times that you work, etc.

Earnings: This section tells you how much you will make as salary according to Canadian stats.

Education: This section is very important to note so you can see if you are on the right educational track. In this section you can browse different schools throughout Canada that offer programs that would coincide with that specific career.

Sample Career Path: In this section you will see a lifetime career sample. Most careers are broken down into Beginner, Intermediate and Senior levels so you can see how your income and role will develop over time.

Related Careers: This section holds a list of other careers that relate to the one you are looking at.

Other Resources: This section has a list of other resources you can explore that go beyond the information on Career Cruising. These are great ways to learn more about careers.

My last bit of advice is to explore, explore, explore! Also, don’t be afraid to take the assessment more than once, we are constantly changing individuals. This website offers so much information for people on their career journey. You can access Career Cruising by going to careerzone.brocku.ca and signing in with your Brock student username and password. 

Alysha-Lynn Kooter

Lead Career Assisant

4th Year Intermediate/Senior Concurrent Education - Visual Arts Major

Track Your Experiences!

Now that we are a few weeks into school, I'm sure many of you have had the opportunity to attend a campus event or activity, sign up for a club, or maybe you've started volunteering already! But did you know you can track these experiences too?

Well the secret is out! You totally can track your experiences! And not just in one way, but TWO ways!

Want more details? Then keep reading!

Experience Plus is Brock's co-curricular transcript program and the first of it's kind here at Brock! Not only can you track your experiences (which include on-campus jobs, volunteer hours, awards/certificates, professional development and workshops), but you can also earn a certificate for your volunteer hours through Volunteer Plus (for more info, click here), as well as get your official transcript printed which includes ALL of the experiences you've inputted that are verified. To get started, head to my.brocku.ca/portal/ then go to the Student Self Serve menu. The tab on the left that says "Career Services" is where you would go to track your experiences (under "Student Data") and request your transcript to be printed. The transcript can be presented to employers to highlight your involvement and is also a great addition to a career portfolio!

Experience BU is Brock's student involvement portal and is the best place to find out about upcoming events and activities happening around campus and within the region as a whole. And not only does Experience BU provide you with event details and local happenings, you can also track your experiences through the Campus Wide Co-Curriculum which encompasses different facets of experiences, from Arts & Culture to Career Prep (which we can help you with!).  Click here to explore the different curricula you can complete, as well as events and activities which you can track on your Co-Curricular transcript!

Now that you are in the "know" of how to track all that you do here at Brock, why not get started! If you would like our help with anything, please stop by the Career Resource Centre and speak with one of our student staff! We are all trained on how to use both Experience Plus and Experience BU and can help you navigate these platforms successfully!

Have a great day Badgers!

Scarlet Stark
Sr. Career Assistant
Psychology Major

How to Impress at a Job Fair

Sometimes it can be hard to juggle going to school with having a part-time job; however, in the long run it can help you to gain valuable experience while also helping to pay off student expenses! The Pen Centre in St. Catharines is holding a Shop for Jobs event on September 29, 2015 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. This is a great opportunity for Brock University and Niagara College students to find a part-time job. Here are some suggestions to make the most of your job fair experience for this specific opportunity and also any other job fairs you attend in the future:
1. Research the participating stores - This would be beneficial because it will help you to see what stores you need to be tailoring your resume and cover letters to and to also find out information about the employers.
2. Create a resume and cover letter for each of the stores or positions you would like to apply to- Bringing resume's and cover letters will show the employer that you are prepared and have put thought into working for them. It is also an awesome way to showcase your talents!
3. Dress professionally- Make sure you dress to impress the employers you are applying to. Typically you should accommodate your style with the stores style, however, remember that just because a store may sell a specific item such as jeans does not mean you should wear them for an interview.
4. Bring pens, notebooks and planners- Be prepared for on the spot interviews and the opportunity to take notes to show the employer you are really interested in the position. It is also important to have a planner so that you can schedule a future interview and not have to reschedule if you see you are busy.
5. Ask Questions- Asking questions shows the employer that you are interested in the position. Some possible questions you can ask the representative include:What qualities are you looking for in your new hires? Would the work hours be flexible with my school schedule?
6. Finally, have fun! This is an opportunity for you to gain experience in networking and interviewing. It is important that you have a good experience so that you feel confident for future opportunities like this.

For the Shop for Jobs event specifically, you can look for some of these employers to be participating: Arie, Dynamite, Garage, EB Games, Old Navy, Sears, Winners, Hudson's Bay and many more.. Also, follow the event on Twitter #ShopForJobsFair14.

Come into the Career Resource Centre to pick up the resource labelled 11 Tips for Success at Shop for Jobs and also for a free resume and cover letter review!

Sarah Mitchinson, Senior Career Assistant

Volunteering: A Huge Investment in Your Future

Volunteer experience is an investment in your professional development and can be the added value that you bring to a potential job or career opportunity. One of the most valuable things I have learned during my four years at Brock University is the extreme importance of getting involved and volunteering my time. Between attending lectures, participating in seminars, hitting the books, and writing assignments, we are constantly learning as university students. Sometimes this means the value of getting involved can be overlooked amidst the chaos of juggling academic and personal responsibilities. Here are five reasons why you should consider volunteering your time with a club, organization, or charity (if you haven’t already).

1.  Gain Employable Skills. Volunteering is a great way to gain the (transferable) skills employers are looking for. Even though you’re not getting paid for the experience doesn’t mean it’s any less valuable than the skills you gain from a paid position. Your experiences as a volunteer can be translated onto your resume to highlight qualifications in areas such as communication, time management, teamwork, organization, leadership, etc. 
2. Giving Back to Others. Charities, organizations, institutions, and (especially) clubs rely on volunteers to help make projects and certain initiatives come together successfully. In many cases, the need for volunteers stems from strained resources or budgetary limitations. Getting involved in on- or off-campus opportunities helps create a better environment for others, and can significantly improve the health of communities. 
3. Connections, Connections, Connections! Getting involved with certain projects, events, and initiatives as a volunteer can open a ton of doors in your personal and professional network. In many ways, volunteering is a great opportunity to network informally with like-minded individuals from different backgrounds. If you leave a good impression, who knows what opportunities might unexpectedly pop up in the future? It could help you tap into the dreaded hidden job market!
4. Test Career Options. Volunteering is a great opportunity to test out different career options, whether you have an idea about what you want to do or not. Getting involved may help you realize what you’re truly passionate about, what your strengths and weakness are, what kind of organizations you’d like to work for, etc.
5. Admissions for Further Education.  If you’re thinking about continuing on to Further Education, volunteering becomes incredibly important for admissions and grant applications. While that GPA is important, having relevant volunteer experience can certainly set you apart from other applicants.

Where can you search for volunteer opportunities? A fantastic place to start would be VolunteerFEST, which is happening Thursday, September 17 from 10AM -2PM in the Guernsey Market. There will be organizations from all over Niagara for you to engage with and learn about different volunteer opportunities. Sign up with an organization you’re passionate about and volunteer with them throughout the year!

I encourage you to visit us at the Career Resource Centre for more information about where you can find different volunteer opportunities. We have plenty of resources inside the Centre, as well as online at careerzone.brocku.ca for your benefit. We're open from 9-4:30pm every Monday to Friday.

Kaitlyn Daw, English Language and Literature Major

Senior Career Assistant

Balancing School and Fun

First of all, welcome back to all the Badgers returning to Brock and, welcome back to school for all students no matter where you may be.

A challenge that students face in their initial time back to school is balancing social times and their academic life. I personal tip that I received for achieving a good balance was from an Academic Advisor from Brock University where you use a schedule of 8hours-8hours-8hours to balance your sleep, social and academic times where each of these 3 sections get 8 hours.

Another helpful tip I received was from the Career Resource Centre at Brock. The tip involves creating goal action forms by breaking down each goal by using S. M. A. R. T. SMART breaks down into Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time and in my experience by using every step of the SMART Goal system, you can create good effective goals. For example here is a sample of a SMART goal pertaining to creating a resume. “I want to construct an effective resume by creating all the necessary components of a resume, by next Wednesday . . . This goal is specific, measurable by completing all the areas of a resume, everyone can do a resume so it is achievable, most application packages need to have a resume so this goal is realistic and this goal has a time frame by wanting to have it accomplished by next week. Go ahead; give a SMART goal a try.

These are some of the tips that we advise and we encourage you come into the centre for a smart goal form and for more tips and we also encourage going to see your academic advisor! Have a great one Badgers, don’t forget to smile! 

New CA Team Introductions 2015!

It's hard to believe that September is here already! But I must admit, I'm excited for the campus to get busy with new and returning students and staff!

Training week for the new Career Assistants and the Senior/Lead Career Assistants will be run from Monday, August 31st until Friday, September 4th. Because of this, the Career Resource Centre will be closed during this time. Please e-mail career@brocku.ca for questions or concerns during this week and we will respond as efficiently as possible!

Now it's time to introduce our new Career Assistants and re-introduce our Senior and Lead Career Assistants!

New Career Assistants
Lydia Collins
An English Language and Literature major and a cat lover, Lydia has a passion for literature and feminism and has a warm and friendly personality! But aside from this, her interest in helping other students succeed is what will make her a great addition to the team!
Sean Pereira
Sean is pursuing a BA in Accounting here at Brock and is also involved with the Brock University Accounting Students' Association! He also loves taking photos, running, and ice cream! He is a professional yet friendly individual who will excel in his position as a Career Assistant and we are happy to have him on board this year!

Andre St. George
Andre is the last new addition to the team this year! A business administration major, Andre is also a twin, loves the outdoors, and has a knack for flags (like knowing which flag belongs to which country)! He will make a great Career Assistant this year and we are excited to have him!

Senior Career Assistants
Tyler Harris
The musician of the team, Tyler has had a busy summer of bag-piping, travelling, and riding on segways! A psychology major (who will also be the president of the Psychology Society this year!), Tyler has an amazing sense of humor and a huge amount of wit. Tyler's approach to helping students is casual yet extremely informative with a dash of humor! We can't wait to have him back and missed him a ton this summer!

Kaitlyn Daw
Trying to briefly describe Kaitlyn is difficult; she truly is a woman of many talents! Not only is she working as a Sr. Career Assistant this year, she is also working with Mentorship Plus, is the president of the English Students Association, an avid photographer, a website creator, a mentor... and the list goes on (and on and on)! Her approach to helping students is inspiring and it's truly an honor to work with her again this year! Can't wait to see you in action again Kaitlyn!

Sarah Mitchinson
Another psychology major (there's a lot of us!!) & cat lover, Sarah is always smiling and she truly lights up the Career Resource Centre when she is here! I've had the pleasure of both working and taking classes with Sarah and can honestly say she is one of the most down to earth people I've ever met, something which stands out when she's helping students with resumes or job searching! Get back here already Sarah! We miss you!

Lead Career Assistants
Mike Pratas
A Political Sciences major with a love for country music and a habit of losing his student card (and finding it months later!!), Mike is great at advising students and did an excellent job of showing us Senior's the ropes last year. After spending the summer working at a camp in his hometown, we are all super excited for Mike to return back to Career Services in a lead role! Can't wait to see you Mike!

Alysha Kooter
A vegan and animal lover, Alysha is a warm and understanding individual with a flair for graphic design, the arts, as well as a natural when it comes to baking delicious desserts (that are also healthy!!). Alysha has been, and will continue to be, a great mentor and leader, and I know she will do extremely well in her role as a Lead Career Assistant this year. You rock Alysha!

Anthony Mancuso
A Sport Management major and the Sr. who made Bubble Soccer happen last year (which was AMAZING!!), Anthony is always making sure everyone is having a good time while also offering his support. He did a fantastic job last year with training myself and the other CA's and we are super excited that he is now in a Lead role this year; he will be a natural at it! We can't wait to have you back!

Thanks for reading about our amazing team! Come visit us in the Learning Commons between 9 - 4:30 starting Tuesday, September 8th! We can't wait to assist you with your career related needs and look forward to another successful school year! 

Scarlet Stark
Psychology Major
Sr. Career Assistant

Faculty Focus: Goodman School of Business

The Goodman School of Business here at Brock is extremely popular and includes many different programs. To explore them all, check out the 2015-2016 Goodman Degree Guide by clicking here! Even though Goodman students have exclusive access to their own Career Development Centre, Goodman students are also able to utilize the Career Resource Centre as well! Here is a breakdown of all that we have to offer Goodman students:

                                      Resources in the Centre/Online
Programs

• Cafe Connect (for more details, click here)
• Mentorship Plus (for more details, click here)
• Experience Plus (for more details, click here)
• Experience BU (for more details, click here)

Books (ALL books are located in the centre)

• Careers in Business
• Great Jobs for Business Majors
• The Best 295 Business Schools
  

Resources

• Degree Exploration Guides (to see yours, click here)
• Business Resume Samples Binder
• Goodman Career Binder 
• Post-Grad Studies Binder
• Brock Plus Programs Binder
• Go Abroad Binder
• Considering Grad School Handout
• Master of Business Administration Information Guide
• Career Edge Handout
• Entrance Exam/GPA Conversion Handout
• Grad Studies Overseas Binder

Don't forget to come visit us in the Learning Commons for any career related questions, inquiries, concerns, or to explore the resources listed! And remember, if you can't make it to the centre, head to our Online Resource Centre via Careerzone for online access to many of our resources!

Scarlet Stark
Psychology Major
Career Assistant 

Faculty Focus: Mathematics & Sciences

This weeks faculty focus is geared towards students in the math and sciences programs here at Brock. This faculty encompasses a wide variety of programs including: biology, chemistry, computer sciences, earth sciences, environmental geosciences, mathematics, neuroscience, oenology & viticulture and physics. The Career Resource Centre has many specific resources for students in these programs. Let's explore them further!

                                       Resources in the Centre/Online

Programs

• Cafe Connect (for more details, click here)
• Mentorship Plus (for more details, click here)
• Experience Plus (for more details, click here)
• Experience BU (for more details, click here)

Books (ALL books are located in the centre)

• Careers in High Technology
• Careers in the Sciences
• Scientific Research as a Career
• Great Jobs for Chemistry Majors
• Opportunities in Biotechnology
• Academic Job Search Handbook

Resources

• Degree Exploration Guides (to see yours, click here)
• Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences Resume Sample Binder
• Post-Grad Studies Binder
• Brock Plus Programs Binder
• Go Abroad Binder
• Considering Grad School Handout
• KOM Consultants Binders
• Biomedical Sciences Portfolio Sample

Don't forget to come visit us in the Career Resource Centre for any questions, concerns, or inquiries you may have about finding work, volunteer, or other opportunities in your field! And remember, if you can't make it in to the centre, head to Careerzone and access our Online Resource Centre from home!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major 

Faculty Focus: Social Sciences

The Faculty of Social Sciences here at Brock encompasses many different individual programs which include child and youth studies, communication, economics, film, geography, labour studies, policing and criminal justice, political science, popular culture, psychology, social justice and equity studies, sociology, tourism and environment and women's and gender studies. There are many different directions one can go with these programs, which is great! Here are some resources to explore your options:

                                         Resources in the Centre/Online

Programs

• Cafe Connect (for more details, click here)
• Mentorship Plus (for more details, click here)
• Experience Plus (for more details, click here)
• Experience BU (for more details, click here)

Books (ALL books are located in the centre)

• So You Want To Be A Lawyer, Eh?
• Careers in Childcare
• Careers in Communication
• Careers in Social and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Careers in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality
• Great Jobs for Criminal Justice Majors
• Great Jobs for Environmental Studies Majors
• Careers for Environmental Types and Others Who Respect The Earth
• Great Jobs for Political Science Majors
• Great Jobs for Sociology Majors
• Opportunities in Childcare
• Opportunities in Forensic Sciences
• Opportunities in Psychology 

Resources

• Degree Exploration Guides (to see yours, click here)
• Faculty of Social Sciences Resume Sample Binder
• Government Jobs and Uniformed Services Binder
• Post Grad Studies Binder
• Brock Plus Programs Binder
• Go Abroad Binder
• Considering Grad School/Social Work/Law School Handouts
• KOM Consultants Binders
• Sociology Portfolio Sample

Don't forget to come visit us in the Career Resource Centre for any questions, concerns, or inquiries you may have about finding work, volunteer, or other opportunities in your field! And remember, if you can't make it into the centre, head to Careerzone and access our Online Resource Centre right from your couch! How awesome is that!

Scarlet Stark
Psychology Major
Brock University