Too busy with school to look for work? You’ll miss out on great opportunities! December 7, 2009
Posted by mgerow in Calida's Work Study Blog.add a comment
Well, its exam time, and everyone is rushing around busy trying to get all of their assignments done before they are due, while also trying to study somewhat for their exams. But what does this have to do with work? Well, unfortunately for a student, just because we shut down and focus only on one thing doesn’t mean that the rest of the world runs on our schedules. While we are busy finishing that presentation that we give tomorrow, or writing the essay that hasn’t been started yet, employers are still out looking for good workers. Whether you are looking for a part time job during the school year, a seasonal job for the holidays, or for work next summer employers are still searching, whether you are or not.
What does this tell us? Well, it could mean that we just ignore those jobs, or it could mean that we need to take time out of our busy schedule to keep searching. I guess to some degree the amount of time that we can put into our job search is dependent on our schooling, but we need to realize that if we really want something, we need to make the time to go out and take it. Jobs are still being posted, whether it is on the co-op website for a May placement, or on a job search site on the internet. These positions have due dates, just like any other time of the year.
Employers for seasonal jobs are also hiring their last seasonal staff coming up fast, and if students wait until exams are over, it will be much too late. So what can we do? Well, depending on the type of position you are looking for, we can put aside our homework for half an hour and just take a look at the jobs being posted – this doesn’t mean that we need to apply for everything that comes along, but then at least if our dream job is posted, we don’t kick ourselves on December 19th.
Also, if we have not prepared ourselves already, we can get prepared over Christmas for the next time we are super busy and can’t put together a resume. Prepare over Christmas and early next semester, by putting together a generalized résumé that won’t take long to revamp for a particular job. Make sure you have a completed cover letter on hand which you can at least use as a template for a specific job.
If you need to get some help on your application material, get prepared, and bring it in to the career education department early next semester so that you will be ready for the end of next semester, before everything else starts coming due.
To everyone, good luck on your exams, study hard and happy holidays!
Calida
Navigating Your Career Path During the Economic Downturn November 25, 2009
Posted by mgerow in Career Education.add a comment
According to Statistics Canada, employment opportunities declined faster over the past year than during the two recessions in 1981 and 1990. Between October 2008 and October 2009, total employment in Canada declined by 400,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate rose from 6.3% to 8.6%. Statistics Canada reports that the labour market for students is increasingly more competitive.
Back in 1981, during one of the last two recessions, I was a first year university student. I can remember how hard it was then to find a job. Then, as now, it was particularly hard for students to find jobs. And yet, even though it was as difficult in 1981 as it is today to find work, I was never out of work as a student.
A few things made a big difference:
First, I talked to my professors. Through one of my professors, I gained a part-time position. Students with student loans are eligible for work-study positions at TRU. Go to the Financial Aid and Awards office for further information.
Second, I was a Co-op student. That gave me contacts with employers that non-Co-op students did not get. Through Co-op, I gained employment in the provincial government, a university and a private engineering company. Co-op is available in 15 programs at TRU. Visit the Career Education Department at Old Main OM1712 to find out if you are eligible.
Third, I kept my resume up to date so that when a job came up, I was able to quickly apply.
These are definitely challenging times, but jobs are out there. If you would like advice or assistance on career planning, the Career Education Department offers a wide variety of educational workshops, seminars, and support services to help you navigate your career path.
For the full Statistics Canada report on the current employment rates in Canada, go to
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/091112/dq091112a-eng.htm
By: Nancy Bepple, Co-op Coordinator, TRU
Introducing myself – Calilda, Work Study Student with the Career Education Department November 17, 2009
Posted by mgerow in Calida's Work Study Blog.add a comment
Hey all
My name is Calida McArthur, and I am doing a work study position this year with the Career Education Department at TRU. I am a 5th year Bachelor of Science Student here at TRU, majoring in Animal Biology. I can imagine that some of you are wondering what the possible benefit of being a 5th year student, and prolonging the agony of school is?
First, I am graduating this year, and intend on eventually continuing my education. However, as most of you probably know the job market right now is tough!!! It is set to be on the rise in the next few years, but at the moment that is not very helpful. I knew a long time ago what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and I decided at the same time to do whatever I could to reach my goals. Even though the job market is competitive, someone still has to end up with the job, right? This makes me think that the better I am prepared for my goals, the better chance I have of landing the type of job I want. I decided to prepare myself by making myself more employable. I believe there are 3 very basic ways of doing this: 1) Make your resume more appealing to the employer – this is not about using a flowing font in word! 2) Get relevant experience in your field of interest and 3) Work hard to excel in school. All of these things are not only important to those who want to graduate and move into a career, but also for those who want to go further in school.
The more relevant experience and education someone has when graduating, the higher chances they have of getting their resume shortlisted. Unfortunately, the undergraduate degree programs offered are generalized for many students moving through the system, and having the degree is not necessarily enough to get what you want anymore. So, how can we, as students, take our own career under control and get what we need to make it in life?
The answer that I have to this varies between individuals, but it always comes down to having something “extra” to offer. For myself, this included finding as many opportunities as I could and taking them – even if it meant extending my degree – so that when I graduate I would feel more ready to face the world. During my degree, I have done as much as I could with what was available to me from TRU. This has included study abroad, co-op, a CUEF for research, field courses, work study, and participating with many university committees. As well as these, I regularly participate in volunteering activities both in the community and the university.
Although things do not always end up as planned, each of these have given me incredible experience in life, for work, and for my own personal growth. Experiences such as these have led me to where I currently am, graduating in my 5th year, but with lots of relevant experience on my resume which I can use when applying for many jobs that I can get now that I will have a degree!