Hello World! I’m Only 20!

With my birthday just a week ago, I have had a lot of time to reflect on my life. Wow, I am no longer a teenager! Ahhhh! 20 years old seems so much older than 19 and it is no different than 19 was to 18, but nonetheless, I feel like I just took a major step forward when in reality I would much rather take a giant step back. I am not ready to face the real world yet and I would much rather just stay at Laurier for 10 more years (don’t worry, I actually won’t because that is way too expensive).
The older I get the closer I get to leaving school and entering the workforce, and honestly that thought scares the crap out of me! We are told that we are the future of this country, but how can I be the future if I can barely force myself out of bed in the morning! We are told in university to start thinking about the rest of our lives. What we do now affects our future and our kid’s future. To that I want to yell, “Hello World! I’m only 20 and I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life, leave me alone”. “
It is hard to think that the actions you take now can affect how you live tomorrow. One relief that I have found in this tornado of life – is that I am not alone. There are many other students going through the exact same struggles that I am, and the University offers many resources to help us all float back to safety. Among those resources, is a giant resource called the Career Centre. They have helped me so much finding out who I am and what type of jobs might be of interest to me based on my interests, personality and major. Although I still freak out time to time about which direction my life is going to take, I have found that my three years at Laurier have taught me a lot about myself and showed me that I am not alone in my struggle to find out who I am, and neither are you!

At Laurier you just need to ask for help and help will be given.

By: Kristyn Mott, Peer Advisor

Strong Time Management Skills Begins In Your Student Years

I love the beginning of the semester because it is an opportunity to start fresh. Of course, it also gives me a reason to go shopping for clothes, shoes and school supplies. Since the semester has just begun, take the time NOW to get organized! I truly think this is key to a successful semester, not to mention the key to a successful career. You will feel much better about what lies ahead if you are prepared for it.

One of the tasks that is always a part of my new semester preparation is gathering all of my due dates and deadlines and writing them down. Go through each one of your syllabi and put the dates into a calendar, your phone, or an agenda; or even have the dates written in several different places just for insurance! My favourite way to stay organized is the four-month calendar. It allows me to see each week of the semester, and whether it is going to have a heavy work load or a light work load. That way I am better able to manage my time and I can better understand what else I have time for. It always makes me feel better to visualize the whole semester ahead of time instead of just “getting through” one week at a time. As well, getting organized now prevents the possibility of handing in an assignment late, or even forgetting a deadline.

Wherever you find yourself employed, your organization skills will always be an asset. Employers value time management because they know that they can trust you to work independently and get things done efficiently and effectively. Check out this presentation on time management skills from WLU Learning Services:

http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=1866&p=12594

By: Resi Walt, Peer Advisor

Destination: Success

By: Shelby Weber, Peer Advisor

September has snuck up on us once again, and already people have begun thinking about where they will spend their Christmas holidays, or where they will vacation over Reading Week! People are always quick to plan for their holidays, but why not be as quick to plan for their careers? A career lasts a lifetime, so why not put the same relative effort into career planning that you would for a 7-day all-inclusive vacation?

The first step is to determine your preferences. Are you a beach bum or an adrenaline junkie? Do you want to work 9-5 in an office, or would you prefer an irregular, unpredictable schedule? Conducting informational interviews with professionals working in your field of interest is similar to seeking out vacationer reviews. How long is the flight to Jamaica? How many years of post-graduate school are required? Doing your research and talking to people with first-hand experience will help shed light on your future goals and help you narrow down your final destination – whether it be on a beach or in a court room.

After you have decided on where you want to travel (your career target), you can begin accumulating the money and experiences needed to pave the path to your destination. Identifying relevant summer or part-time jobs and strategically volunteering in places you would like to work someday are a step in the right direction. The money you save to pay for your vacation is very much the same as the experience you are banking to qualify for your career goal.

As you can see, planning a vacation and planning a career are very similar, and they most certainly do not happen overnight. Start thinking about what you can do presently, that will help you get to where you want to go in the future. Begin banking your experiences early so that you don’t miss your one-way flight to success.

Interviews as First Dates

The way I see it, a job interview is pretty much like a first date. It may be a little awkward at first, and you never know how it will turn out, but the main goal is to impress whoever is on the other side of the table. Will you be compatible with what they’re looking for, or be left with the bitter disappointment of never being called back?

To ensure you’re not a first-date disaster, follow one simple rule: Always Be Prepared. This means looking your best and making sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Trust me, appearance is reality with first impressions and a clean shirt and combed hair go a long way.

This also means knowing how to present yourself in any given situation. By now, you’ll probably have answers to the typical questions like “where do you see yourself in five years?” or “tell me about yourself?” pretty much memorized, but sometimes you’ll get that wild child who will ask you the perfect question to throw you off. “If you were a flavor of ice cream, which one would you be?” – To which the smart person would answer “I’d be vanilla, because it’s fantastic on its own, but even better when paired with any other flavour!” This person would have spent the entire time they were getting ready thinking up ridiculous questions so as not to be stunned and speechless when put on the spot.

However, sometimes even the smoothest of talkers can make some serious mistakes. When asked if I had any questions about the company, I wasn’t even fazed. I had done my research, was properly prepared and ended up asking a pretty great question…about another company I was interviewing for later that week!

REMEMBER, If you’re going to play the field, make sure you get the names right!

The most important thing to keep in mind when preparing for any interview is to always do a little bit of a research on that mysterious person on the other side of the table. This doesn’t mean Facebook stalking your potential employers, but understanding the background of a company, their likes and interests show that you care about the position and will prove that you’re that special someone that they’ve been looking for!

For more tips and tricks on how to prepare for interviews, check this out!
http://navigator.wlu.ca/career/student/job/interview.htm

By: Jodi Bergman, Peer Advisor