“…and here’s my card.”

Ever watched Ocean’s Eleven and admired how Danny Ocean (George Clooney) slips his client a business card that only has his name? Or ever chuckled while watching Wall Street Brokers exchange business cards with gold leaf borders in American Psycho? I did.  I was even more taken a back when I saw students hand employers their business cards at networking sessions. You’re a student! How can you have a business card? Turns out a ‘student business card’, or better known as a networking card, is a professional touch during your job search and networking efforts. 

Your networking card is not just a piece of paper with a name, number and email. It is a piece of paper that must make a statement; an employer should look at it and get a good impression. So how can you get your business card to make a really good impression? 

1) Simple is good here. This has to be done just right.  Too much content in such a small area is a bad thing, this isn’t your resumé but then again you don’t want it to be too stark. A good card should have your name, program with your school, your cell number and email as well has a short, yet dynamic statement related to your career focus. 

2) Presentation is equally important.   You need it to stand out from the others but without any resemblance to a preening peacock.  A lot of people get tempted to go overboard – but keep it simple. Have a good font and a color scheme that goes well with the card.  Maybe include a logo if you can make one. You should consider having your networking card imagery and format compliment the style of your resumé so that all of your correspondence with employers is consistent. 

Laurier Printing Services offers some great templates to choose from and these can be accessed from their site https://printing.wlu.ca/bce/. 

Of course a good networking card doesn’t do anything for you unless you are distributing it effectively. So get networking! 

By: Raoul Chopra, Peer Advisor

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know: The Importance of Workshops

Before I began working at the Career Centre this year, I had no idea the types of services it offered students. I had never been to a workshop, had my resumé critiqued, or used it as an effective tool for job searching. Even though I’ve only been volunteering at the Career Centre for about two months, I feel like I’ve learned a lot in the short time I’ve been there. The workshops offered by the Career Centre have probably been the most useful to me, and they barely took up any time at all. There are five different workshops students can take, and if you attend all five, you complete your Career Development Certificate, which counts toward your WLU Co-Curricular Record. The workshops touch on career planning, resumé and cover letter writing, job search and networking, and interview success.

Personally, I learned the most in the resumé writing and the interview skills workshops. They provided me with information that seems quite obvious and makes perfect sense, but would be difficult to come up with on your own. For instance, when writing your resumé, you should use similar language and words from the job description to speak the language of the employer and connect your skills to the exact demands of the job.  This seems like basic knowledge, but I probably would not have reached that conclusion on my own.

The workshops are run by highly qualified employees of the Career Centre, who understand the importance of job searching, and the effort that it requires. The information is presented in a coherent and interesting way, and the steps you need to take are tangible and laid out for you. In addition, you are given a guidebook that outlines the important points in each presentation so that you can take a hard copy of the information home with you.

The Laurier Career Centre is an awesome resource for students and alumni, and they truly provide people with skills and knowledge that are relevant to real-life experiences. So head into the Career Centre to ensure what you know, outweighs what you don’t.

By: Heidi Dumaresq, Peer Advisor

To Volunteer or Not to Volunteer? That is the Question.

I was having coffee with a friend the other day when he asked if I worked part-time during the school year. I explained that I never work throughout the school year, not because I don’t want to, but instead I reserve the eight months that I’m at school to volunteer. Don’t get me wrong, I pay financial consequences by not working during school, however, I want to share why taking the time to volunteer has had a great influence in my life:

1. I’ve gained great transferable experience on my resumé. I have held a variety of volunteer positions over the course of four years both on and off campus. Some of these positions include being VP Fundraising for the History Students’ Association, a note taker with the Accessible Learning Centre and an academic mentor for BOOST. These are some of the volunteer positions that I attribute to how I secured my job last summer. For my first two summers as an undergraduate student, I worked nights at a warehouse. I made great money, but it did not give me the skills I needed to get an office job. My volunteer experience on the other hand was what my employers were interested in when they interviewed me for a summer job as a Publications Editor. After I was hired, they said to me that it was my volunteer experience that put me above the other candidates.
2. I’ve gained a better sense of what careers are of interest to me.  When I came to Laurier, I thought I wanted to be a History teacher, but once I was in the classroom setting, I realized that being a teacher was something I liked, but didn’t love. Last year I was an ESL Assistant at a Kitchener high school. I loved the experience because it made me want to pursue a career in education, just not in the classroom. I realized that I didn’t have the right skill set or personality factors suited for it. However, being an academic mentor with TAKE 2 and a Peer Advisor with Laurier’s Career Centre has helped me to realize that I love working in a one-on-one or small group setting. So careers in education such as Learning Strategists, Curriculum Specialists and Career Consultants are potential professions that are still in education, but are more tailored to my skill set.
3. I’ve had fun! While I sacrifice a good 12-15 hours a week to volunteer, it makes my week! The great thing about volunteering is that you can do work that interests you. Volunteering requires a time commitment without pay, but at least with volunteering you can be more selective about what you are doing.

I know that for some students, a part-time job is required in order to make it financially through the year. But even if that’s the case, you will be doing yourself a huge favour if you carve out even a small amount of time each week to volunteer in an environment related to your interests or career prospects.

Are you convinced? If so, consider checking out www.wlu.ca/volunteer to begin identifying volunteer outlets on campus and in the community. You may just find yourself.

Suzanne Glenn, Peer Advisor

No Ferris Wheel? What Kind of Fair Is This?

How many of you have been to a fair before? Ferris wheels, prizes, games and hoards of people are some of the reminders that you are indeed at a fair! In fact, you might even see some of these things at a Career Fair! Okay, maybe not the Ferris wheel, but you will definitely see lots of freebies, hoards of people, and I was sure I saw the game Plinko when I went to the Career Fair at RIM Park this past September.

So what do you do at a Career Fair? While there are no big fuzzy bears or trophies to be won, making a good impression on a hiring manager or recruiter might see you bringing home a few interviews!

So how do you win at career fairs and not come home empty handed? It is really not as difficult as one might think and essentially, it boils down to one word…PREPARE! Here are some simple guidelines on how to bring home that trophy.

• Dress for success– The image you give forth forms an impression in the mind of the employer you are speaking with. Dress either business casual or formal.
• Equipment check- Arm yourself with about a dozen copies of your resumé and get plenty of business cards printed for yourself. The amount of resumés you take should correspond with the amount of employers you would like to speak with.
• Do your research-There are usually between 200 and 300 employer booths and making a stop at every booth is impossible. So pick up a Fair Guidebook from the Career Centre and read through the employer’s descriptions to determine which ones are of interest to you.
• Game day plan- It`s the day of the fair and it is time to get yourself a floor plan to see where each employer you are interested in seeing is going to have their booth set up. The floor plan usually has employers listed by a number. Booths are set up in row, so get a pen and circle your target employers and then determine the best route so you are not wasting valuable time simply roaming and trying to find your way around.
• What to say-when you come face to face with an employer, remember these things: be natural and confident. Offer a handshake and introduce yourself to them. It is appropriate to talk for about 5 to 10 minutes and equip yourself with intelligible questions that reflect your research on the company and enthusiasm for their opportunities.

So there you have it. How to be successful at the next career fair you attend.  There may not be teddy bears, but there is certainly a lot of other great swag at the Career Fair. Check out the next one coming up at RIM Park on February 1^st, 2012!

Robin Mendonca, Peer Advisor

Who Runs the World? Girls!

I think Beyoncé puts it best in her song “Run the World”.  Her song offers a powerful and motivating anthem for women and girls alike to take on positions of power! And more and more women are taking on these roles. I was recently reading an article in Canadian Business about ‘The Next Power Elite’ where the stories of 20 women under 35 are making it big in the business world, many of whom are successful entrepreneurs. 

So you’re sitting in your university dorm room one night and an idea pops into your head…why not start your own business? That’s what Jennifer Ger and Suzie Chemel did.  They started their business out of their dorm room and sold pieces of jewelry to students on campus! They are now very successful women entrepreneurs of the jewelry line called “Foxy Originals”.  People all over are wearing their designs, including famous celebrities like Tori Spelling, Lauren Conrad and Paris Hilton.  

Do you want to exercise but it is just too nice outside to be stuck in a gym? That’s what Sammie Kennedy thought about a couple years ago, then founded Booty Bootcamp exclusively for women! Such a simple idea turned into a huge phenomenon across Ontario with her mission being fun, friendly fitness!  (From personal experience, the environment is great, and the workout kicks your butt!) 

There are so many benefits of becoming an entrepreneur:

• You always get to make the final decision
• You’re never bored and there are always challenged
• You can create your ideal work environment
• You get to be your own boss 

Every day women are launching their own successful business ventures. It takes an idea, planning and lots of determination to become a successful entrepreneur but it’s all worth it!  We are strong independent women ready to take on the business world! For more information on women in business and entrepreneurship check out the Career Centre for various books and resources. (The Girl’s Guide to Starting your Own Business is a great read that provides step-by-step advice in creating your own business). 

Summer break is an excellent time to explore an entrepreneurial role! If you have an idea coupled with an interest in spreading your entrepreneurial wings – why not apply for the Summer Company grant offered through the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade? This grant offers you the financial and business mentor support necessary to making your dream become a reality. 

So go run the world! 

Brianne Bradbury, Peer Advisor

 

“Sirloin Steak with a Side Order of a Job Offer Please”

What is the setting of your next interview? 

It could be at the employer’s office or on-campus at Laurier.  It could be over the telephone or even over Skype.  There are multiple available venues for interviews.  Meeting at a company’s office provides valuable insight into the employer’s corporate culture and atmosphere.  Speaking over the telephone allows you to prepare notes or questions and feel more relaxed.  Each potential interview location poses its own set of unique benefits.  One location, in particular though, presents its own unique set of challenges: 

Last week I received an excited text message from a friend whom had recently received an invitation to an interview dinner.  I quote:

“OMG.  Interview dinner.  What to order?  Where to sit?  What to wear? Yjgdskejshklsnfskdlnfssnsakdneoidf!”

I will provide you with the same advice I provided my friend…  If you compare your nerves regarding an upcoming interview dinner to the same anxiety synonymous with a final exam, then do not fret.  I have a cheat sheet. 

The Cheat Sheet:

–          1.  Calm down and pat yourself on the back.  You received an interview when the majority of candidates received a rejection.  The employer is interested.

–          2.  Arrive early.  Just as you would show up ten to fifteen minutes prior to a “typical” interview, plan to arrive to the interview dinner equally as early.

–          3.  Order safe food.  I should hope that the restaurant of choice is already “hygienically safe”.  I mean to avoid ordering messy and cumbersome meals.

–          4.  Mind your manners.  Although elbow placement and mouth chewing are not requirements for the job, proper manners are indicative of a professional candidate who knows how to act in social situations.

–          5.  Be yourself.   This clichéd suggestion still rings true for interview dinners.  Allow your personality and interests to flow into the conversation.

–          6.  Give thanks.  At the end of the meal be sure to express your appreciation to the employer.  After all…  You did just gorge a $40 steak. 

If you remember to bring your strengths as a potential candidate, your admirations for the hiring company and your cheat sheet to the interview dinner, you will do great.  Interviews and interview dinners are simply scenarios where the company can focus on the personality hidden “in between” the lines of your resumé… 

Your only challenge is to make sure the employer does not focus on the leftovers hidden “in between” the lines of your teeth.

Mike Gregor, Peer Advisor

Employer Sessions…What Not To Wear

Since I began volunteering as a Peer Advisor with WLU’s Career Development Centre, I have attended many different employer sessions. For those of you who are not familiar with this term, an employer session is when companies come to speak with Laurier students about their employment opportunities, which is an excellent opportunity to network and get your name “out there” in the working world.

Attending the employer sessions has given me a great opportunity to meet many students, which is great. However, what is not so great is some of the outfits I see showing up to these employer sessions! I say this with the lightest of hearts because I’ve certainly shown up to some interviews in my moccasins after running late from class…so it happens to the best of us! Using the great wisdom that I have acquired from Stacey and Clinton in numerous hours of watching “What Not To Wear”(great use of time right?), I have some tips:

1. For all you people out there who live in jeans…it is not entirely hopeless!! Add a little jingle to your style with a nice long necklace for girls or a button up shirt for guys but I would keep jean wearing down to a minimum and instead go with khakis or dress pants at employer sessions. Sometimes as students we may see our ‘hole-less’ jeans as dressy, but an employer may see jeans as simply…jeans.
2. As noted in Forbes magazine, when talking about dressing for success they recommend polished shoes, and a casual tie would work just fine to add that extra dress factor to your outfit. But gents: do not forget the most important part of your wardrobe – always wear your socks!  Unless it’s a company that sells beach chairs, I would not suggest bare feet and sandals when meeting representatives of an accounting firm.
3. For women, Forbes suggests a nice skirt and moderate makeup minus the perfume. You do not want to be the person whose punch line of the day is the overpowering scent of their perfume.
4. In any case, one general tip to remember how to dress for success is to always look twice in the mirror, make sure you shake off the “I was just sleeping” look and never forget to leave your pajamas at home (I know it’s a mainstay as a Laurier student, but…).

To get some more great tips, get out to this evening’s event hosted by Le Chateau and the Career Development Centre entitled – “Dress For Success”!

http://www.wlu.ca/events_detail.php?grp_id=0&ev_id=8695

By: Stacy Tsotsos, Peer Advisor