You’ve done all you can do to prepare for that big interview. You’re professionally dressed, confident and ready to roll. Here are some last minute tips that will ensure you make the best impression possible. Read the rest of this entry »
What if you have not got a definite career path in mind or for that matter what if you are not sure what you really want to do? Now is the time to explore volunteer positions that are of interest to you – why you ask – for many reasons. Read the rest of this entry »
You would think a BA in Psychology, an MA in Social Sciences plus several years in the work world would somehow exempt me from being nervous about interviewing for a job. As it happens, I ’m currently completing the SFU Career Development Practitioner Certificate Program so job interviews are definitely in my near future. And even though I don’t have any interviews lined up yet, I find that I’m starting to sweat. The challenge for me is not that I don’t have good interview skills; the challenge is that I feel like I need to amp myself up to “make the sale”.
Well, as luck would have it (is it luck?), I have been working as a practicum student at the SFU Career Services Centre and as I was standing in the resource area, a Career Advisor pointed out a book called, “Not For Sale” to one of the students. I found my ears perking up and my inner valley girl was saying, “Yeah, like I’m sooo totallee not for sale”. Hallelujah! There’s a book out there that gets what I’m feeling! I was all over that book. After reading it, I felt a renewed calmness and enthusiasm about how to approach my future interviews.
Now I won’t go into all the details of the book, you’ll have to check it out for yourself, or better yet drop by the Career Services Centre (shameless plug) and maybe you’ll discover something that makes you less sweaty too!
By Rosa, Practicum Student
“Think Engineering”
Friday, Jan. 29, 2010, at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel.
3rd annual event that connects you with over 170 students, faculty members, and industry representatives.
IEEE non-student member: $25
IEEE student member: $20
If you are interested in attending, please send an email to me at (dchana@sfu.ca)
leave an imprint
by making excellent mistakes
prove persistence trumps talent
know, no, it is not about you
work strengths
weaken weaknesses
there is no plan
be brave like bunko
be brave like bunko
there is no plan
weaken weaknesses
work strengths
know, no, it is not about you
prove persistence trumps talent
by making excellent mistakes
leave an imprint
This mirror poem is for present and future fans of, “The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need” by Daniel H. Pink. Check it out at www.johnnybunko.com
By Rosa, Practicum Student
Judging from my experience as the co-chair of the humanitarian student group called World University Service of Canada (WUSC), one sure way to really enrich your experience on campus AND to enhance your learning is to become a club or student union executive.
Now you might think that the prospect of attaining an executive position is a little intimidating and hard, but for me, well, it was honestly as easy as 1-2-3. I guess it depends on what club or student union you want to actively participate in. Some may be harder to really get involved in than others. But in the case of WUSC, it just so happened that during their very first meeting, I was the only one interested in the vacant co-chair role. I wouldn’t doubt that there are countless similar opportunities like that waiting to be discovered. So I would advice to really talk to the people behind the Clubs Days tables and ask them what specific roles or executive positions you could take on. Many SFU clubs are just STARVING for more committed, active members to help run and operate it. I should know. My club is one of them.
But really, WHY should you become a club executive? Who needs something else to commit to when as a student, you’re already buried under a pile of heavy textbooks and pages and pages of papers. Well, you may have already heard this, but work experience is often pretty crucial when applying for jobs and getting your career started. Through my role as co-chair of WUSC, I’ve gained hands-on experience in leading a team to particular ends, organizing and executing events, co-ordinating special projects, and in communicating clearly in written and verbal form with my team members in order to be as productive, efficient and successful at our goals as possible. Being an SFU club executive is really an effective, brilliant way to gain the kind of leadershp, managerial and organizational skills to complement your academic aptitude, and to have the edge when transitioning into the workforce.
If I have not convinced you yet to try to become an SFU club executive, just believe me when I say this: my life as an SFU student just significantly transformed and improved once I took on roles as a club and student union executive. I honestly never used to be a “keener”. I used to just commute to and from campus to attend class and do schoolwork. It seriously amazes now to think of how much I missed out on doing that. Many people have no idea how enjoyable campus life suddenly becomes when you make the choice to just get out there, be engaged and be involved. I don’t doubt that you’ve heard this rhetoric many times before but I have to tell you, it’s so true.
So you have graduated from university and are hanging your well-earned degree on your bedroom wall, and all of a sudden, a tiny, yet unavoidable voice in the back of your head is quietly screaming “No time to celebrate, you need to find a job!” or “I’ve got my degree…what do I do with it?!’. At this point, your heart rate might speed up as the realization that your life as a student has ended and you are facing the task of integrating yourself in the (deep breath now) real world.
If that last sentence makes you want to pull up the bedcovers and hide, rest assured, most students experience similar pangs of post-graduate anxiety. Simply put, the transition from being a student to becoming an adult (yes, believe it or not, you are all grown up now) with a job is a scary, but important one.
Read the rest of this entry »
Do you want to work for a not-for-profit organization or want to know what it’s like working in the non-profit sector?
Good news! SFU Volunteer Services and Career Services are holding their annual “Working in the Non-Profit Sector” panel event on February 2, from 2:30pm to 4:30pm!
A variety of panelists will speak about the organizations they work for, the value of working in the non-profit sector and the ways it is different from employment in the private sector. Speakers will also give their personal stories of their journey to a position in the non-profit sector, as well as answering student questions from the floor.
Panelists:
Date: February 2nd, 2010
Time: 2:30pm to 4:30pm
Location: MBC 0300 – Career Services
Visit Symplicity to register! See you there.
Learn how you can volunteer to get your dream job! Get help with your volunteer job search, resume, interview and networking skills. This workshop is offered at all 3 campuses from February 2-4! RSVP today on Symplicity!
Ever since we were young, we all had dreams of becoming something big, something extravagant. But as we grow up, we begin to realize that our changing interests, abilities and what the economy has to offer often shapes our career aspirations. I, along with numerous other ambivalent students, have often wondered if attaining a job with good prospects was plausible. So what better way to find out than researching and learning about the employment trends in Canada?
One of the largest and growing industries in Canada is the health-care and social assistance sector. Due to the growth of the aging population accompanied with increasing disabilities and health problems, there is an increase of demand for specialist physicians, general practitioners and family physicians, registered nurses, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists to name some of them. Students who are studying in the Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology program at SFU have these careers and several others to consider. For the social assistance industry, individuals who are studying psychology, sociology and social work can look into the demand for counsellors, social workers, welfare and compensation officers, and rehabilitation workers.
With retirement coming around the corner for numerous workers, it is contributing to more professional job openings in the business and managementindustry. While SFU is quite renowned for the innovative and top-quality Business Administration program, the future looks bright for the business students as well. For accounting occupations, it is estimated that there will be roughly 4,500 job openings between 2003 and 2013. Several companies have a higher demand for financial auditors and accountants to provide a variety of flexible services to serve the diverse communities. In addition, for human resource specialists, the prospects are not only above average but provides opportunities for upward mobility within the organization or company. As mentioned before, it is caused by retirement of the Baby Boomer generation.
Engineering is a broad field, however, civil engineers are a few with top prospects. With the deterioration of roads and bridges as well as various construction projects (such as building Olympic venues this past year), the demand for civil engineers is quite high. Likewise, technology is prevalent and rapidly changing in our world and companies are looking for qualified software engineers. There are about 890 projected new job openings from 2006 to 2011, with 340 due to retirements. For individuals in the computer science or information technologysector, the prospects are above average for analysts, consultants and engineers alike. However, since there will be a significant number of graduates in this field of study over the next few years, it could lead to many of the job opportunities to be filled. One thing to keep in mind is to you would be competing with a large number of graduates with similar experience and/or education credentials, so build on other “soft core” skills such as teamwork and people-skills to make yourself stand out from the rest. Also, you may like to consider broadening yourself by participating in the SFU and Zhejiang Dual Degree Program. Not only will you be grounded in practical skills but you would also be able to network and learn how to work in different cultures in addition to your degree.
If the job or career you are planning to pursue is not listed above, do not fret! The economy does fluctuate and change like a roller coaster, and each and every individual has his or her own unique skills and abilities to offer to the work place. Although there are a handful of jobs with considerably higher prospects than others, do not be discouraged as it is more important to do what you love and love what you do.
By Rosa, Career Peer Educator