jobpostings Magazine (January 2011)

Career Cupid

looks into your future

art

the tening of lis

n g i s d e wn o r u o y ee

r g e d

&

start up: Michael Scissons and social media

engineering Â… n

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BC hyd power t ro bring o the pe s o ple

* the one-week job project january 2011 | careers. education. ideas. all of it.

BUSINESS DEGREES BUSINESS DEGREES IN: Accounting e-Business Marketing Fashion Management Human Resources Management International Business Tourism Management

business.humber.ca

who’s

hiring Hey. Did you know that these companies have lots of entry level positions? Visit their websites to see a full list of positions available.

5 AECON

9 The Home Depot 13 SaskPower 13 OSCO Construction Group 21 NAV Canada 21 Schlumberger 22 Domtar 24 Lafarge 26 MDA Corporation IBC Cameco OBC College Pro

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the one week job project.

In a quest to find out what would make him happy, Sean Aiken worked 52 jobs in one year. Here’s what he learned, and how it can help you.

yay! more school IFC 22 28

28 29 29

29 29 29 29 29 29

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Humber, The Business School Conestoga College Humber, School of Media Studies and Information Technology Queen’s University Brock University Canada’s Automotive School of Business, Georgian College Centennial College Conestoga College Fanshawe College Ithaca College Queen’s University Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry Sheridan College Trent University

whoelse?

Image: Courtesy of Sean Aitken

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4 13 22

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Scholarships Canada Insurance Institute of Canada Media Job Search Canada Mining Industry Human Resources Council Insurance Institute of Canada

stufftobuy

10

startup

11 12

careercupid

Michael Scissions on the importance of being optimistic, confident, and a little bit insane.

Searching for a career crystal ball.

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interviewsmarts

This month: Working in a team.

i ndustryinsiders 23 All Charged Up: The energy industry is

incredibly diverse. Some points to consider before picking an area.

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No Girls Allowed? The lack of women in engineering is creating an idea void.

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Powering New Opportunities: BC Hydro is bringing jobs to the north.

from our blogs: Freelance Writng Tips!

6 success story: Cassondra Fonseca. Brought to you by Rogers Wireless 14 28

softskills: The Art of Listening

edu-ma-cation: Are Interdisplinary degrees right for you?

30

Co-ops: Should you vary your workterms with different employers?

Or stick with just one?

32

joblife: Get LinkedIn.

7 Rogers Wireless

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

1

our favourite quote this month:

Nathan Laurie

“Age is more of a perception that lies within people; there is ultimately nothing saying that you can or cannot do something based on how old you are.”

Mark Laurie

nlaurie@jobpostings.ca

editor’snote

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associate publisher: mlaurie@jobpostings.ca editor:

Jason Rhyno jrhyno@jobpostings.ca graphic designer:

Sonya van Heyningen svanheyningen@jobpostings.ca

web editor:

Emily Minthorn eminthorn@jobpostings.ca contributors:

Austin Bahadur, Amelia Bourbonnais, Christine Fader, Adam Grant, Ross Harrhy, Allison Mitchell, Kevin Nelson, Eleni Papavasiliou, Bruna Sofia Simoes interns:

Michelle Holden, Andrew Williams national account managers:

Sarah-Lyn Amaral, Lori Blanchard, Mary Vanderpas, Kathi Wood

Jason Rhyno

Our cover story this month is on Sean Aiken, a Capilano grad who had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do after graduation. Aiken had initially wanted to be a teacher, but when one of his own told him, “Those who can’t do, teach,” Aiken stopped entertaining the idea.

publisher:



Michael Scissions, President and CEO at Syncapse Corp., in this month’s startup (page 10).

One of the first stories I wrote as editor of this magazine was about working at place where you didn’t fit. The girl who gave me the idea for the story was a recent grad who, after taking a year to travel, came back to Canada to find a career. She started working as a recruiter at a place that would either stand-up and cheer as you walked in, or boo. It all depended on your sales, apparently. She thought that the rah-rah-go-team was probably fine for some people, but certainly not for her.

“I’m a sociology grad,” she said, “I hate that stuff.” I empathized with her, telling her that the thought of working at a place like that made me want to hurl. As we spoke further about where she worked, something started to happen to her skin. At first I thought she had acne that I didn’t notice before, but then, when more little red spots appeared, I realized that she was breaking out in hives – stress hives. And then she said something that has stayed with me to this day: “Nobody tells you what it’s really like.” She was referring to graduating from post-secondary into the career world, and she was absolutely right.

jobpostings

Also this month, our Career Cupid writes about a student who, within a minute of walking into her guidance office, broke down into tears because she finally realized that after four years of university education, she wanted to be a wedding planner.

Let’s break this down: We have one person who was so unhappy at her job that it would induce hives, one who completely disregarded a profession because of another person’s opinion, and another who was so scared of what she wanted to do, that she burst into tears.

We here at jobpostings magazine hope to help you avoid making mistakes in your career choices. While there is no scientific formula for figuring out what you should do for a career, there are certain things you should consider coming from people who generally know this stuff. (See your career counsellor, already!)

But most of the time, the best way to figure something out is to simply try it; you learn a lot more that way than surfing the internet. We’ll tell you what various industries are like on the inside, and we certainly won’t place judgment on those careers because, well, it isn’t our place. The only person who should be judging your career choice is you. And success? Judge that by your own standards as well.

Best of luck in the New Year.



Published by Passion inc.

25 Imperial Street, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M5P 1B9 www.jobpostings.ca 1-877-900-5627 ext. 221

jobpostings is published eight times in the school year. Issue dates are September, October, November, January, February, March, April, and May. Copies of jobpostings are distributed to over 105 universities and colleges across Canada.

Contents of this publication are protected by copyright and may not be reprinted in whole or part without permission of the publishers. Anyone else feeling the post-holiday pudge?

on the cover: Photo courtesy of Sean Aitken

january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

from our blogs | 07/12/10

Some rules for new writers Yeah, so. Neck deep in editing and I thought I would share some advice for those of you just starting out in this business. Some of these are mine, some are from friends, and some are just reminders.



by Jason Rhyno



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Don’t be lazy. On a few deadlines because you didn’t say no to any assignment? Too bad, you still have to do a good job on the piece. Don’t send in uncompleted stories.

Editors can tell when you gave up, which brings me to

3

Ask your editor for help. Stuck? Lost in the writing? Can’t get that interview? Gonna be late? Talk to your editor.

Nothing is worse than getting a poorly written story handed in and finding out that the writer was stuck but kept on writing. Editors are there to help and make you a better writer. Your awesome story makes my magazine awesome, so why wouldn’t I help you? And I always give deadline extensions to a point.

5

Don’t be late. I gave you a deadline, please stick to it (or call to say that you need an extension).

Speaking of deadlines I’ve got like 80.

jobpostings.ca/blogs

Image: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Thinkstock

Never say ‘no’ to an assignment, whether it’s a writing or editing gig.

Not this early in your freelance career. Take it all on. Seriously, do not say ‘no.’ You can sleep when you’re dead.

Make sure that whatever you are writing matches the tone and voice of the publication. Read the publication, get to know their audience. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to get a story in only to read it and find out that it was written for Adbusters and Adbusters does a very different thing than us.

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january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

A Place to Build Your Future We welcome talented students and graduates to join our team.

As a fast-paced and growing organization, Aecon is actively interested in talented new and soon-to-be graduates looking to begin their careers in the construction and infrastructure development industry.

Challenging work, diverse opportunities, a learning culture, the latest technologies and room to grow: as a 50 Best Employer and the largest publicly traded construction and infrastructure development company in Canada, Aecon can offer you that and more.

From the CN Tower to the Calgary Olympic Oval, from power plants and hospitals to highways and gas distribution networks, Aecon has been building things that matter for over a century.

Build a career that matters with Aecon.

Aecon offers many opportunities to begin and continue your career.

Visit our website to learn more about opportunities for Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers as well as Engineering and Construction Technologists To apply: http://careers.aecon.com/BuildingCareers.aspx Send your resume, quoting “Grad Opportunities� in the subject line.

www.aecon.com

Protection Expert Name Cassondra Fonseca Company Hydro One Position New Graduate Protection Engineer Length of employment 7 months Degree Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University

What drew you to your current field?

When I was younger I really had a keen feeling towards electronics. So any Christmas I would always ask for electronics, I was always putting things together, and I was always really good in the sciences.

When I went to the open house at Queen’s, I saw QBots, these little motorized robots that had to navigate through a maze and you had to program it to navigate properly. That caught my interest and from then on I had electrical engineering as my top choice.

How did you find your current position?

I didn’t know about Hydro One’s info sessions, so I just went to the website and looked at the current jobs that were available. Because of the recession, I knew not many companies were hiring, but I did know that Hydro One was hiring several new grads, so I applied to the general electrical engineering position. I also did a summer job position at Hydro One working in the Asset Management department.

Tell us a bit about your responsibilities.

As a protection engineer, I’m responsible for protection replacement. I have to update databases with current settings, and I have to use programs to do short-circuit analysis or fault studies. I make sure everything matches up. And on my own time, I’ve also written up a new grad job-aids – like a how-to guide, so people are well-rounded initially. I’m also becoming a pro on SAP. Other departments are asking me to give presentations to them.

Do you ever get nervous about giving presentations?

I honestly feel totally comfortable. Everyone in the Engineering department is very relaxed, and I know everyone by name.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?

At Queen’s, we didn’t have a protection course, so being hired into a protection department was probably the most challenging. I had the basic power knowledge, but I didn’t know specifics. I didn’t know how relays work, I didn’t know about the different types of protection, or the different types of equipment. Having to come into that and having to read everything — there are a 100 modules on protection — having to know where all the information is located, having to find it, and trying to memorize everything was challenging.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Sponsored by

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When I am assigned a project and I finish it with quality, and I am able to finish it quickly. When my supervisor is proud and says ‘oh, you did a good job,’ I think that is very rewarding. And also, when I learn how to use something and become an expert at it, and then other people ask me for help, that’s also pretty rewarding.

What skills have you learned?

I’ve learned what type of protection there is on the system. I’ve learned all the applications that Hydro One has – they have so many! I’ve become more relaxed. You have a deadline, but you have other people to ask, so I’ve learned to use other people’s input and help. I also have the title of Engineering Coordinator, so I have to talk to different divisions and put the project together. I’m not doing any design for it, but I’m overseeing the project. So I’ve learned how to work with different types of people of different ages.

What do you think it takes to be successful in your career?

You have to be determined, and you have to be a hard worker. You can’t just clock in, clock out — you have to put in more than is expected. I stay 30 minutes extra each day. You also have to treat everyone with respect, be friendly and outgoing, and also wellrounded. If you work 24/7, and just go home on the weekends, I don’t think you’ll feel successful. You have to have other kinds of extracurriculars, and participation is so key. For example, we have a new grad program and I was selected to be the Social Coordinator, so I organized all the events for the new grads. Making friends in your work community is really important.

Where do you see yourself going in your career?

I see myself in a managerial role. I don’t see myself leaving the company, and I hope to become an expert in protection, know as much as my supervisor does, and hopefully I’ll be the go-to person for that.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?

I think you have to be well-rounded. You not only have to do well in school — your marks should be increasing or remaining consistent — that’s what they look for. And if you are involved in school, on a social or executive committee or you play sports, they look at that. Also, work on your oral skills. As engineers, we don’t get a lot of opportunities to give presentations to a group of people that you don’t know. Writing skills are really important.

As soon as you land your first job, you are definitely going to have to write some sort of document. Attend the info sessions, and show that you are interested. And also ensure that after an interview, send a thank-you email.

And if you get rejected, don’t be afraid to try again! rogers.com/careers/campuslife

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Part-Time Associate at The Home Depot A Whole New World of Knowledge “You can always find a friend in the store,” Shireen Rajmoolie says about working at The Home Depot. Judging by the number of smiles from co-workers and customers as she walks through the aisles, Shireen has developed more than one friendship in the three years she has been a part-time associate. Yet for a student like Shireen, The Home Depot offers more than a place to make new friends; it’s a place where she can gain life-long skills, receive support for education, and grow within a company.

As a Contractor Services Cashier, Shireen is tasked with building and fulfilling orders, including taking phone orders, and aiding with installs when contractors need help getting the ball rolling on a job. “They train you from the bottom up, no experience necessary,” Shireen says. Employing both webbased training and step-by-step coaching, The Home Depot ensures that new employees are confident in their ability to serve customers. And, unlike many places, training doesn’t end after your first month of employment. “I had been working for a couple of months already and had gotten to know everything pretty well,” Shireen explains, “and then I went to Store Support for further training where I got to know people from other stores. We compared ideas and found out that we have a lot of the same issues and same strengths.”

While Shireen’s primary department is the Contractor Services Department, she has been cross-trained to work in Customer Service, Expediting, and the Return to Vendor department.

“There’s always room for growth within the company,” she says. This has not only kept Shireen challenged, but has broadened her skills base as well. It’s not all related to building and building materials, Shireen points out. “It’s also dealing with people because we have a customer first program.” The Home Depot has a very particular approach to customer service, whereby employees not only greet customers at the door, but also walk them down aisles, and provide informed, helpful advice.

Those people skills have helped Shireen in her day-to-day life, especially at school, where she studies Early Childhood Education at Centennial College in Toronto. “We are going to deal with people our entire life, so the approach has helped in working with people I’ve never met before and peers in school,” she says. “You end up with a whole new world of knowledge.”

Knowledge is also something that The Home Depot encourages in their associates. For eligible associates, The Home Depot will provide 50 percent tuition reimbursement, up to a maximum $5000 a year. The Home Depot also provides medical and dental benefits to part-time employees. “I use a lot of my benefits, to be honest,” Shireen says laughing. “Being a student and being over the age to be on your parents’ benefits — they come in handy.”

The Home Depot, Shireen says emphatically, “really is an all around company that does have diversity. We have people of all ages and creeds, and some are still in school and in the same boat as me.” The Home

Depot also maintains a social committee that organizes events, like an Annual International Potluck. “Everybody brings in some sort of dish,” she says. “Recipes are exchanged, and a lot of good times are had at the potlucks.” The Home Depot also champions volunteer work through Team Depot, an associate volunteer force that works within communities to make a difference. Add to that the Matching Gift Program where associate’s contributions to qualifying non-profits are matched, dollar for dollar. Respect for all people, giving back, and building strong relationships are all things that The Home Depot, and associates like Shireen, pride themselves on.

“Research what The Home Depot has to offer,” Shireen advises, “because you’ll see there are a lot of long-term benefits to staying here, whether it’s for a lifetime or for when you’re in school. There are a lot of good things here, more than we can advertise on a sign; it isn’t until you work here that you realize the extent of it.”

The Home Depot Canada was recently named Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Top 10 Cultures in Canada and in 2010 received awards for Canada’s best Diversity and Greenest employers.

The Home Depot Canada hires for Spring starting in early January.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to work for Canada’s leading home retailer. Apply now, Start later!

Sponsored by Home Depot

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Which paint dries faster?

If you know, we’d like to talk to you.

If you don’t, we’d like to teach you.

Thought about a part-time job after school? Working during summer?

Do you like learning new things and helping others? If the answer is “yes!” then The Home Depot wants to hear from you. We know that students have a special enthusiasm for learning and earning — and building skills that could serve them well in the future. So, as the leading home improvement retailer in Canada, we make sure you have the training and hands-on coaching you need to make it work for you.

Now hiring for part-time and seasonal positions. Visit homedepotjobs.ca/student to apply online or find more information.

We are committed to diversity as an equal opportunity employer.

A. Latex.

startup

Michael Scissons 2006 ACE National Student Entrepreneur of the Year. Founder, President, and CEO of Syncapse

by Jason Rhyno

I think it’s safe to say that you are a natural entrepreneur. Yet I’m curious to know if you were ever tempted to take a position working for someone else?

I actually have worked for other people. I am able to work for other people as long I’m in a position to affect change and stay at the strategic level of the business.

And that’s been consistent no matter how old I’ve been.

As long as I’m structured in that kind of environment, I’ve always been able to do well. But it’s how I function, whether I’m running my own business or working in someone else’s — it’s identical. It’s not like you act differently working for somebody than you do working for yourself. If you do act different, then your entrepreneurialism may not be as strong. You tend to be consistent, and everyone I know, whether they are working for themselves or someone else, those behavioural characteristics are embedded within them.

Speaking of characteristics, what kinds of traits do you think a successful entrepreneur needs?

I think the first one is optimism. I remember in the early days of my business, meeting with people who were successful and them saying “Great idea, but it’s never going to work because of all these reasons," so I don’t know whether you need to be optimistic or a little bit insane, but somewhere between those two things lies success. If you think about it rationally and statistically, the things that you are doing won’t make sense on paper and won’t work out. However, if you look at and think about it with an optimistic view, and you don’t look at the odds, and you ride through them at all costs, it will ultimately work out.

Your work requires you to sit down in a room with bigleague clients, many of whom are from the Boomer generation, Gen X, etc. You are also talking to them about technology, and social media – two things that are notorious for confusing people. How important is confidence in these situations? Does your age play a factor?

Confidence is obviously super important in being able to go forward. I think research and knowing what you are

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talking about makes a huge difference in being able to speak in the same language as the people that you are with. The one thing about age is that people go from being too young to being too old. You’ll hear people in their teens saying “I would do this, but I’m too young,” and then in their thirties “I would do this but I have a family now and I’m too old.” Age is more of a perception that lies within people; there is ultimately nothing saying that you can or cannot do something based on how old you are. There are things that say you can or can’t do something based on how much you know or how much information you have, but those are problems you can go out and solve; you can read, you can research, you can ask people questions — you figure that stuff out regardless of whether you are 14 or 40.

What do you look for in the people you hire?

Our culture is based off a meritocracy, which means the more you contribute and the more positive success you generate for the organization, the better rewarded you will be, whether you are 25 or 50. Being somewhere for a long period of time and seniority? Those things aren’t cultural drivers behind our enterprise. We tend to work with really smart people from a wide selection of backgrounds who have high E.Q. and high I.Q. skills to figure things out. We’re really figuring out problems for the first time, so we have to have the right people who are excited by solving things, who are excited by change. Those people ultimately do much better here than those who do not.

Any advice for new entrepreneurs?

One, focus on doing. I think a lot of people spend a lot of time thinking and spend time processing and will take six or 12 months to do something. If you have a hunch or you know what you need to do, start doing it and make it happen and go day by day. As you do it, you’re going to learn more than you would thinking about it for six months. The second part, to grow, you really need revenue. Products are important, but sales channels and marketing and being able to drive revenue for the organization in the short term are ultimately what’s going to be able to affect your organizations ability to grow and become a larger entity.

january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

careercupid

Searching for a Career Crystal Ball

by Christine Fader, Career Counsellor @ Queen’s University

career goal was to become a nun. I had done very thorough research on this career path and had decided that since nuns did a lot of singing in the hills, rode bicycles, and had picnics with lovable Austrian children, it was definitely the career for me.

But my dad, the engineer, said we weren’t Catholic (which was apparently against the rules if you wanted to be a nun — bummer!) and so I turned my career attention to something infinitely more sensible: I would be a detective with a cool sports car and a bouncy ponytail.

This may have had something to do with spending every day after school pretending that I was Nancy Drew or one of Charlie’s Angels but, the point is, I was thinking about my career options, weighing the pros and cons, tapping into my interests and deciding that I definitely didn’t want to be a teacher, like my mom.

And by the time I got to high school… well, I still didn’t have a clue what I was going to do with my life.

It’s January, the time when we tend to feel pressured to set goals for ourselves and eat less cheesecake, save more money, and of course, find the crystal ball that will tell us where we’re headed. But with all this snow around, finding a crystal ball in a snowbank is kind of like finding a needle in a… well, you know.

There are a few people in the world who have known what they wanted to do since they were five years old, but if you’re one of the millions of the rest of us who don’t have a clue, stop beating yourself up. Putting our finger on exactly what we want our future careers to be can be frustratingly (but also opportunistically) changeable. The reality is that, for most of us, all those choices will have to be made more than once — lots of more than onces, actually — and be buoyed by dreams and pop-culture influences with names like McDreamy, and deflated by little realities like the economy, or our bank account balance.

Some people (and career counsellors can, at times, be leading this group) might give you the impression that there are “simple” ways to figure this out — career crystal balls, so to speak. They might give you the impression that it’s easy, that all you need to do is take a few interest inventories, or figure out what you love to do (so simple to say and so very, very difficult to actually

do) and presto-bongo, you’ve got a career goal. It’s a match made in career heaven.

Just like online dating sites, answering a questionnaire and having someone interpret it with you sounds wonderfully straightforward and can work for some people, some of the time. It may certainly give you a structured way to analyze your interests and some vocabulary to narrow down and articulate the things you love to do. And, that might help you come up with something of a plan to follow to achieve your goals.

Armed with that plan, you might step, step, step until you’re seamlessly falling into the job of your dreams.

But, for most of us, the reality is more like the student I met with recently. She is finishing the final year of her degree and she’s been having that “what am I going to do with my life?” question rolling around in her head and keeping her up at night. She came in to talk to me about it and about two minutes into her appointment, she blurted out, “I’m pretty sure I want to be a wedding planner” and burst into tears.

She is starting to put together the pieces of activities she naturally gravitates towards and assemble them under a job title, but doing that has veered her hard left into the unknown, and just saying the words out loud was scaring her to death. She wanted me to consult the mythical crystal ball hidden under my desk and say, “Yes, this is what you’re meant to do. Go for it!”

But I couldn’t give her absolute certainty because careers are a complex dance of decisions and action, desire and self-discovery, reality and possibilities. They’re exhilarating and not easy and a constant work in progress. And as I tried to reassure her, I was thinking, “Well done for taking the first scary steps on your unique, exciting, uncharted path, which we benignly call career.”

Maybe, there’s hope for me as a non-Catholic, singing nun after all. 

“I would be a detective with a cool sports car and a bouncy ponytail.” + Author of “Career Cupid: Your Guide to Landing and Loving Your Dream Job.” careercupid.com

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Image: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Thinkstock

When I was eight, my

interview smarts Q. A.

Amelia Bourbonnais Sourcing Specialist @ Xerox Canada Ltd.

Tell me about a recent mistake you made and what you did to resolve it.

I ask this question because I want to see how a person reacts to making a mistake. Too often, candidates during interview prep become obsessed with making sure they always put their “best foot” forward. I think that a candidate who shows they are comfortable talking about a mistake are those that are most confident in their abilities. Obviously, we are looking for those of you that are confident because, well, you simply make for better employees. But I also like this question because it shows me how you will deal with adversity on the job. What separates a good employee from a great employee is one that can admit mistakes and then fix them. It’s more important to know how to handle crises then to avoid them at all costs. Avoiding a problem, in the long run, just creates bigger and larger issues.

My suggestion for dealing with this type of question is to focus on real-life examples and then try to provide a concrete example. I want an example where you have an actual problem which you resolved and learned from.

A great example would be something where you missed a detail in a procedure but learned from the mistake

and developed a newly structured process to make sure the problem never occurred again. Here’s a great example to follow: “I organized interviews for my manager in a three-day span. The first interviewee did not show up to the interview, and I quickly realized that I had not confirmed with him the interview time. I reviewed all other interviews scheduled and made sure each candidate had confirmed. As a result, every candidate after that attended their interviews and we hired the strongest one by day three. In the future, I made sure to confirm each candidate the day before their interview. I rarely have a candidate not show up to the interview now.”

One of the worst answers which I have gotten is: “When I work in a team environment, I tend to rely on team mates who always let me down.” This answer only shows me that you don’t think you have any actual faults (which we ALL do). Remember, you look a lot better when you provide an actual example as it implies you have reflected on what you can do better in your career. It shows a certain amount of selfawareness. Self-awareness is a large portion of what makes future leaders. Those that can understand themselves, can lead others on the same path.

So you screwed up in the interview, huh? They asked the ol’ “What’s your greatest weakness” question and you responded with “bladder control,” hoping to get a laugh. Awkward.

Lucky for you we have friends on the inside – recruiting friends (the people who’ll be interviewing you). It cost us a few favours, but they finally agreed to explain why they ask what they ask, and what the best answers are. It’s like a cheat sheet, but for the real world.

Good luck!



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january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

steel • concrete • construction

Get plugged into a great career.

At SaskPower, r we generate more than just r, electricity for Saskatchewan residents.

We also offer some of the best career opportunities in the province province.

Visit saskpower.com/careers to learn more and find the latest job listings.

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www.mediajobsearchcanada.com 1403 Royal York Road, Suite 608, Toronto, Ontario M9P 0A1 Ph: (416) 651-5111 Fax: (416) 651-5112 E-mail: mjsc@mediajobsearchcanada.com

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Image: Michael Blann/ Lifesize/Thinkstock

softskills

Hear to Stay Keeping your ears open during an interview (and afterwards) could make or break your career chances – so listen up!

by Allison Mitchell We all know that listening is important,

but how many people actually do it well? Listening doesn’t just mean hearing, it means understanding what someone else is saying, and to do that you must not only let the other person finish their thought, but also be able to summarize what they said. Listening is useful in all aspects of your life, including your career.

What consequences do poor listening skills have for your job search? Simple: you may not get the job. It may surprise you, but you should be practicing these skills just as you would practice any other interview skill. From the moment that a company contacts you for an interview, you need to ensure that you understand the information that is being communicated.

Some candidates get excited about being called for an interview and don’t actually listen to what the company representative is saying.

Missing or mishearing a key piece of information may disqualify you from consideration for the job — avoid this situation by keeping a pen and paper beside the phone to take notes instead of relying on your memory. Ensure that the company representative gives you details such as the time and date of the interview, the address, dress code, interview style (i.e. number of interviewees), length of interview, and what you should bring to the interview. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification, and repeat back what you’ve been told to ensure that you’ve captured all of the information correctly.

This skill is paramount in the workplace, and interviews are a good place to demonstrate it, but unfortunately this is also where many can-

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

didates falter. Interviewees often run into problems because they start answering questions based on information they want the interviewer to know, rather than the questions that they’ve been asked. This behavior can quash your chances of landing the job; the interviewer is not getting the information that they are looking for and, moreover, they might conclude that you won’t be able to do the job effectively because of your potential inability to listen to your co-workers.

Listen to the interviewer’s entire question, and make sure you understand it. It’s frustrating for an interviewer when a candidate starts to answer a question they haven’t finished asking, and doubly so when they have to listen to an unrelated and unlooked for response.

Interviewers will often ask behavioural questions that require specific examples, such as, “Tell me about a time when…” Your answer shouldn’t start with “In general…” or “I usually…” Answers like this tell the interviewer that you didn’t listen, and are replying with a generalization. If this situation is repeated during the interview, the interviewer will conclude that you have difficulty listening.

Once the company has filled the position, they may contact the unsuccessful candidates to inform them of their decision. If you are contacted by the company and have not been selected for the job, listen closely as to why — was it a lack of skill, experience or education? Or was it because you interviewed poorly? Based on their feedback, you can improve your chances for the next interview. If the company does select you, they may present the offer verbally, in writing, or in a combination

of the two. If you are receiving a verbal offer, ensure that you note employment details and other key information such as your start date, what time to arrive on your first day, specific items you might need, where where to park, and so on. This information is all relevant and important for your first day — you are still making a first impression, so you need to ensure that you are following instructions properly.

Although this advice may seem like common sense, the ability to effectively listen is obviously an important skill to have, and one you should remember when you are contacted by a company and invited for an interview. When you go, ensure that you are listening to the interviewer and giving answers based on the questions that are asked of you. If you have landed that job, ensure that you listen to the offer that is being presented and the instructions for your first day. And if you don’t get the job, listen to what the representative is telling you, and use this information improve your chances for the next interview. Once you have gone through this process once, and paid attention (whether you listened properly or not), you will be able to apply these lessons effectively throughout your career.

you have one, your mom has one, even your dog has one

&now...

we do too

.

careers. education. ideas. all of it.

* one-week job project sean aiken’s

by Eleni Papavasiliou

Lessons on working, teaching, and being yourself from a guy who’s literally done it all.

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

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sean aiken’s one-week job project

week 48

"People will always ask you what you do for a living, rather than what makes you happy."

january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

week 51 Strolling through the local bookstore’s career section, the “How-To” titles seem endless. Figuring out which ones have advice that you can actually apply to your life is a crapshoot at best. One book, bound in a shade of bright yellow that refuses to be ignored, is the newly published The One Week Job Project: One Man, One Year, 52 Jobs

by Sean Aiken. It’s an account of the author’s journey across North America, working 52 different jobs each week for one year. Aiken, like many young graduates, struggled with the transition into the real-world. Inspired by his lack of direction after graduation, by the end of his adventure he’d achieved a book deal, worldwide fame, and most importantly a newly expanded knowledge of himself.

Aiken is tall, and athletic, with distinctive golden dreadlocks; you’d sooner picture him holding a doobie in one hand and beating a djembe with the other than sitting at a desk, preparing a business plan. Yet despite his relaxed appearance, Sean was a classic over achiever as a student. His talent on the volleyball court won him a scholarship to Capilano University, where he excelled in school and graduated in 2005 as class valedictorian.

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sean aiken’s one-week job project Business teacher, entrepreneur, and mentor Todd Newfield noticed Sean’s potential early on. “He wanted to make things happen, and get things done,” he recalls. After observing his work ethic in the classroom, Newfield hired Aiken as a temp with his company and watched his young protégé “push through perceived limitations” and “march to the beat of his own drum.”

For a guy who’d achieved all of the prominent awards a school can offer, it seemed obvious that Aiken was on the road to success, like he had it all figured out. But contrary to appearances, he was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life. As the tight-knit Aiken family sat down to dinner one night, his sister put him on the spot and asked him what his plans were post-grad. After he admitted that he didn’t know, his father advised him to pursue whatever he was truly passionate about.

Not surprisingly, with advice like that, a little self reflection soon followed. Aiken recalls that he was always mindful of what people would say about their disappointing colleagues, friends, or family members; “wasted potential” was a phrase that always stayed with him. As a kid, Aiken shared his aspiration to become a teacher with a high school teacher of his own. “Those who can’t do, teach,” was the response he got. Aiken knew he never wanted to be spoken about in that way. So, fairly certain of what he didn’t want out of life, he set out to find what he did want.

Newfield provided the motivation and support, Aiken his own determination and ambition, and the One Week Job Project blog was created.

His partner in crime, Ian Mackenzie, a long-time friend and filmmaker, joined Aiken on his travels and filmed his experience every step of the way.

After Aiken secured his first placement, the ball started rolling and the next thing he knew he and Mackenzie were travelling all across North America. By the end of the 52 weeks, he had enough job opportunities lined up to keep him going another three years. The increasing interest from various employers caught the eye of major media outlets including The New York Times and Good Morning America.

But the big names didn’t stop there. Soon producers from CBC and CNN, even food guru Rachel Ray, were calling. Juggling his jobs and managing the PR for his project became overwhelming, and his priorities began to shift. Ini-

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tially, Sean was committed to performing well on the job; after all, he was asking his employers to donate his salary to his charity of choice, the Make Poverty History campaign. But while working in New York as a photographer’s assistant, he started to slip. When the photographer called him out on his less than stellar performance, Aiken recognized his boss’s criticism as a reality check. Not only did the lecture shine a light on his obligations to his employers, but it forced him to reconnect with his initial purpose, the whole reason he started this project in the first place: determining what he wanted to do with his life. Basking in the limelight was simply a measure of his success, not its defining moment.

And so the path to self discovery continued.

Aiken accepted a job as a pizza maker for a family owned pizzeria in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A far cry from the glitz and glamour of the Big Apple, the job at Sweet Tomatoes Pizza grounded him. He couldn’t help but notice how happy the employees were. Working in the town’s pizza parlour allowed the staff to connect with their community and their flexible schedules made it possible to raise their families. The contrast between their job satisfaction and their lack of occupational prestige did not go unnoticed. After the talking-to he got in New York, combined with the contentment he witnessed at the pizzeria, Aiken had a moment of clarity. He could now admit that validation was his prime motivator growing up, and saw how society reinforces the importance of image over personal happiness. “People will always ask you what you do for a living, rather than what makes you happy,” he explains.

The One Week Job Project is filled with many more epiphanies, especially on the topic of soft skills. Having performed 52 jobs ranging from yoga teacher one week, to firefighter the next, Aiken walked away with plenty of new abilities, but the most important development is in the area he calls “transitional skills.” He asserts his education at Capilano University helped prepare him, but it was doing the actual work that honed his ability to “walk into any environment and be successful.” Taking on each new job’s different responsibilities and being forced to adjust gave him “the confidence to know I would figure it out.”

guest speaker at university events. With such a rich and varied experience behind him, there’s a lot to convey to his new audience. Being authentic is top priority to Aiken. “People just want you to be yourself and you will be more successful that way,” he says. It may seem like cliché advice, but it bears repeating. The alternative, as Newfield explains, is that “most people just jump on the conveyor belt and that tunnels them for the rest of their life.”

As for the future, Aiken remains open-minded and goes back and forth on which career path he will follow when the public speaking tour ends. Oddly enough, he has his eyes on a career in teaching, something that Newfield believes Aiken would excel at. “Sean can connect and inspire a generation more than any of us could ever hope to,” he says.

It looks like those who do can teach even better.

buy it here Check your local book store, or visit oneweekjob.com where you can also learn more about Sean Aiken.

Now, Aiken is embarking on another year long journey across North America, this time as a

january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

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careers. education. ideas. all of it.

FROM STILETTOS TO STEEL TOES READY TO TRY ON SOME NEW SHOES AND NEW IDEAS?

IF THE SHOE FITS

In 2010, 42 winners were announced inn the Stilettos to Steel TToes series across select schools in United States of Am erica. Grand Prize was $2,000 and an expense paid trip to the Society of Woman Engineering America.

Orlando, Florida. What kind of footprint do you want to make?

(SWE) 2010 National Conference in Or

Stayed tuned for 2011 Essay Competitions coming to Canada, visit www.stilettostosteeltoes.com

YOUR CHALLENGE. YOUR CHOICE. careers.slb.com

Equal opportunity employer

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

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It’s a big world out there.

You have your degree and now it’s time to focus on your career. Conestoga can help. We offer many one-year, post-graduate programs that open a world of possibilities.

Business, Media, Language, Health & Community Services, and Engineering www.conestogac.on.ca/nowwhat

industryinsiders



all charged up

by Kevin Nelson The shift from fossil fuels to more sustainable ways of producing energy is prominent in the public consciousness. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions, saving a buck in the cut-throat energy climate, and generally leaving the planet in decent condition for the next generation, are all major talking points. Schools, like Carlton and the University of Victoria, have established research centres for sustainable energy and its integration into our existing power infrastructure.

While there is plenty of goodwill and theory behind the push for greening our lives, it can all be a little murky and overwhelming. If you’re thinking of entering the energy sector as an engineer, hopefully this primer will offer some perspective.

Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

As far as growth industries go, the future is looking bright for green energy. “It takes a couple of decades to reach a steady-state,” says Dr. Mehrdad Kazerani, a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the University of Waterloo. “In the transition period, a diversity of expertise in related fields is necessary and there will be a shortage of qualified man-power, as the industry is expected to be moving faster than universities can produce.”

An important thing to remember is that the shift from old power production methods to renewable energy will be slow, and part of the challenge will be the hybridization or integration of the two. Dr. Géza Joós is a prominent figure in Canadian research concerning the integration of renewable energy production into existing energy infrastructure, as well as a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at McGill. “The consequence of the complexity of the energy sector is that future development in renewable energy requires expertise in all fields: electrical, mechanical and information disciplines, as well as related fields such as chemical, materials and civil engineering.” jobpostings.ca | january 2011

While there are important parts to play by many different professions in the energy field, the real nuts-and-bolts work falls to engineers.

Mechanical Engineers in the industry are involved in the design, construction, operation, and the improvement of energy systems. Electrical Engineers, specifically those trained in Power Engineering, are concerned with the production and distribution of electricity, and the design of efficient power grids and other energy systems. Other subfields of Electrical Engineering, such as Control Systems or Communication, have direct applications in the energy sector, and there is a lot of overlap of these professions, as engineers of all stripes will often be working on the same project.

There are incidents of students pairing degrees, like Electrical Engineering with Information Engineering to become more specialized, but Kazerani doesn’t recommend it. “It takes time, with the risk of not becoming an expert in either area, rather than both of them,” he explains. “A better choice would be to have a strong graduate with one specialty, who has passed elective courses in key interface areas and has developed strong communication skills, allowing them to work together with experts of complimentary fields.” Joós agrees with this, adding that additional training can always be acquired later. “Employers will typically hire specialists in traditional disciplines, for example electrical and mechanical engineering, and offer special training in areas in which they wish them to work,” he offers.

The energy industry is incredibly diverse, and there are a lot of points to consider before jumping into a discipline, but few career paths offer you this sort of hands-on opportunity for change.

“Employers will typically hire specialists in traditional disciplines, for example electrical and mechanical engineering, and offer special training in areas in which they wish them to work.”

When it comes to cleaning up our act energy-wise, there are many possible roads to travel. Here’s a sampling of some of the emerging technological solutions to our power problems.

Fuel Cell Technology Often, when fuel cells are discussed, it’s hydrogen fuel cells that are being referred to. These fuel cells produce energy through electrochemical reactions when introduced to an outside catalyst, in this case hydrogen. Chemical, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers all have a part to play in development and refinement of this technology.

Wind and Solar Power The obvious, go-to renewable energy in most people’s minds. Wind farms and solar panels have been around for years, and are gaining in popularity, but still quite controversial.

Smart Grids This term refers to the idea of making energy grids more efficient through automated monitoring and management of utility energy distribution through two-way communication between energy producers and consumers. This will also streamline the hybridization of traditional power infrastructures with new renewable energy sources.

Information Technology Engineers will be key in implementing this technology, alongside Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

BioMethane Organic matter produces methane when it decomposes, which in turn can become flammable when met with oxygen. With all of our readily available sources of decomposing biomass (landfills, livestock manure, sewage, etc.) it only makes sense to utilize this potential fuel. Biogas would be piped into homes much like natural gas is currently.

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Why Choose Lafarge?

My name is Kate Strachan, and I’m the Production Coordinator at Lafarge’s Richmond Cement Plant near Vancouver, British Columbia.

I’ve been with Lafarge since 2000 and graduated from University of Victoria with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

I’d like to tell you about Lafarge and why I chose to work here. First of all, Lafarge is a global Fortune 500 company with over 15,000 employees in North America alone, with top market positions in each of its business lines – Cement, Aggregates, Concrete, and Gypsum. Lafarge’s priorities begin with the safety of our employees. We are committed to “zero accidents and zero injuries” in all facilities and for all employees. What’s important to me is Lafarge's commitment to sustainable manufacturing processes, and to continually improve its environmental performance. Lafarge has succeeded in earning a worldwide reputation for environmental stewardship.

In my career with Lafarge I’ve been able to take advantage of education and training programs that include fundamental manufacturing skills, business practices, and leadership development. Lafarge offers Internship and Co-Op programs, the Cement Professional Program, and the Lafarge Leadership Development Program, all aimed at current students or recent graduates that are looking for a strong start to a career with Lafarge. Lafarge offers opportunities to broaden your experience both at home and abroad. If you’ve ever been interested in roles in Production, Safety, Maintenance, Purchasing, Logistics, or Quality, you’ll want to look closely at Lafarge.

Build your career with the company that builds the world

Lafarge has been a great company to work for and I encourage you to look at us for your next career step!

Letter to an Intern Dear Future Intern, My name is Tanya, and I graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelors of Management majoring in Human Resources & Labour Relations. After completing university I began an internship with Lafarge in December 2009 as Regional HR Coordinator.

During my internship with Lafarge I have gained great knowledge, experience and enjoyed rewarding relationships. I started out by working on important projects such as our Bonus & Merit program and Succession Planning, and communicated face to face with Directors, VPs and the President. Most importantly I had their ear and respect from day one.

I would have never thought that I would start my career with a cement manufacturing company.

But going out to cement plants and putting on a hardhat and safety glasses is one of my favorite parts of my job. I get to interact with operations employees and learn how our plants work, which is fascinating and helps me in doing my job.

The best part about my story is that my hard work and enthusiasm has not gone unnoticed. I just signed on to be a permanent employee with Lafarge as of December 2010.

I guarantee, if you join Lafarge, whether it be by an internship or otherwise, your story will be different but your experience will be just as fulfilling and exciting. No matter what your background is, look into Lafarge… I did!

Sincerely, Tanya – Lafarge Intern 2009-2010

Want to learn MORE? Begin a conversation with Tanya. e-mail her at

tanya.hutorow@Lafarge-na.com title the email “Lafarge”

industryinsiders

No Girls Allowed?

The Lack of Women in Engineering is Creating an Idea

by Bruna Sofia Simoes You’re walking down the street enjoy-

ing one of the last warm breezes of the year when you hear it: chanting. It’s deafening, and grows louder and louder as you look around trying to find the source. Then you spot them as they round the corner, a sea of colourfully attired teenagers in hard hats and letterman jackets yelling at the top of their lungs; first year Engineering students. There’s something amiss about this crowd you can’t quite place at first, but then it dawns on you. Where are the girls?

Even though females and males are nearly equally represented in the pursuit of undergraduate studies, the number of women enrolling in engineering programs has been on a steady decline since peaking at 21 percent in 2001. Despite increasing efforts by universities to encourage female enrolment, according to Engineers Canada the percentage of women in engineering has continued to dip, dropping to a disappointing 17 percent in 2009. The reasons for this are many and subject to heated debate, but no two reasons elicit stronger opinions or are attributed more blame than the prevalence of a sexist sub-culture in the industry, and the intrinsically tied perception of engineering, along with Science and Technology (SET) industries as ‘hard’ professions not suited to women.

“I think it’s a mix of things,” says Maygan McGuire, a Chemical Engineering PhD candidate.

Having worked in the industry as a Metallurgical Engineer serving Canada’s natural gas pipeline, and the only female engineer in a company of nearly 150 employees, Maygan feels very strongly about the need to increase the numbers of women in the industry. “We’re [women] not encouraged to get into engineering, and engineering is such a broad field that

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

void

most people don’t really know what an engineer is. But it’s such a broad industry with so many different opportunities.”

Women in traditionally male-dominated fields like SET often face the extra burden of subtle, outright, or culture-specific sexism. Certain university publications perpetuate a stereotypically dismissive attitude towards women.

A recent study conducted by the National Science Foundation in the US found that engineers have a “hard hat culture,” biological and chemical scientists a “lab coat” culture and computer experts a “geek culture.” What they all have in common is that they are “at best unsupportive and at worst downright hostile to women.” These attitudes, outright or ingrained, make the few women pursuing engineering educations uncomfortable but unwilling to contradict the status quo. “The women in engineering tend to be less ‘girly’ than those outside the industry. When engineers get together, it’s kind of like an extension of the locker room, especially with regards to humour. Women in engineering kind of blend in and become ‘one of the guys’,” says Matt Slowikowski, a Masters student at UOIT. “It’s definitely a male-dominated industry,” agrees Maygan. “You don’t want to stand out so you go along with it, it’s a cultural issue that needs to be addressed, and that can only happen if there are more women.”

The second piece to the puzzle — intrinsically tied to the first — seems to be an ill-informed perception of the industry as one that is ‘hard’ and not suited to women. In a recent study supported by Engineers Canada, it was found that young women tend to “equate engineering and technology with construction, outdoor work, working in a cubicle, and relating primarily to computers and machines, rather than people.”

Maygan agrees with this perception. “Women tend to veer towards ‘caring’ professions but what doesn’t seem to get across is that engineering is a caring profession; it’s all about improving people’s lives. Engineers work in public safety, infrastructure, hospitals [ ] You do get the opportunity to help others because you’re working to help solve society’s problems.” Tania, a Chemical Engineer feels the same. “An engineer is just someone who loves to solve problems. They say that behind every great idea is an engineer tweaking the details.” She further argues a lack of knowledge about the profession is one of the most limiting factors in female involvement. “Many women don’t understand the various skills engineers learn in school. Not only are you learning about your particular stream of engineering, you also learn about business, the environment, and a number of other subjects. It gives students a very well-rounded education.”

One that is very transferable and very marketable across various sectors.

These two factors, the existence of a culturally ingrained sexism and the misconception about roles, no doubt have a negative effect on the industry. Slowikowski argues that “to be an engineer you have to figure out how to create, fix, and make things better; essentially ,to generate ideas. Ideas and the way people’s minds work are based on a number of things including life experiences, values, beliefs — you can only ever bring to the table what you know. A woman’s life experience will always be different from a man’s, so you could say that the lack of women in the industry creates an idea void.”

The question remains, how does the void get filled? “Women in engineering need to stand out more, not be flies on the wall,” Maygan explains. “They need to speak up, and become role models for other women.”

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industryinsiders

powering new opportunities



✇

new BC Hydro transmission line connects more than just substations.

A number of large companies, private and

Image: Ryan McVay/Lifesize/Thinkstock

public alike, are addressing the socioeconomic hardships that have heavily affected parts of British Columbia’s northern regions. In particular, BC Hydro has been working closely with northern First Nations and Aboriginal communities to provide job opportunities, and hopefully long-term solutions in the foreseeable future.

BC Hydro deals with the generation and transmission of electrical utilities to over 90 percent of British Columbia.

In early 2010, the company commenced plans to build the Northwest Transmission Line. The NTL will stretch northwards from the city of Terrace to Bob Quinn Lake, and will serve as a hub for clean power transmission in the province’s northwest corner. Once completed by 2014, the 335 km line will distribute 287 kilovolts of energy. Construction of the project is expected to begin in the spring of 2011, and will provide 280 jobs with hundreds more to follow.

by Andrew Williams

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

BC Hydro has gone to considerable lengths to get the local indigenous communities involved with this project. Aboriginal Relations and Negotiations (ARN) was developed to establish a robust and mutual dialogue between BC Hydro and the Nisga’a Lisims Government. “ARN is charged with leading the consultation effort on the project,” says Tim Jennings, Senior Project Manager for BC Hydro.

“It’s a fairly comprehensive responsibility in terms of making sure we go to the [Aboriginal] communities and help them participate throughout the project.”

“BC Hydro has transmission lines all over British Columbia,” adds Lesley A. Wood, Senior Stakeholder Relations Specialist for BC Hydro, “and many of them pass through traditional territory for First Nations.

So we have to consult with them since we’re impacting land that they’re traditionally the stewards for.”

The importance of this endeavour must be put in perspective. The number of Aboriginal students who don’t complete high school still hovers at an unacceptable level. According to a 2004 study by the BC Progress Board, only 47 percent of Aboriginal students graduated from high school compared to 82 percent of non-Aboriginal students in the province.

A similar study by the BC Progress Board found

that the unemployment rate among the Aboriginal population was 17.3 percent, while only 6.6 percent concerning the non-Aboriginal population. This is especially severe in the Hazelton area where unemployment has reached 90 percent, says Lorrie Gowen, Manager of Continuing Education at Northwest Community College (NWCC).

Joint efforts have been made in British Columbia to combat these issues.

NWCC has developed “boot camps” to help train the personnel involved on the NTL’s construction.

Jennings stresses not to let the name fool you, as the camps are merely intensive training programs.

“Most of the work is done in the local communities so that they don’t have to do any extensive traveling,” he explains. “We’re not putting them in dorms or waking them up at six in the morning.” Jennings explains that NWCC has been facilitating the space to train these men and women, providing instructors as well as input in the course curriculum.

“The classes themselves are usually day classes,” says Gowen. “They’re typically 7 to 8 hours long, Monday to Friday for 4 to 5 weeks.” Aside from being of a certain age and having basic reading and math skills, there are no grade 12 prerequisites required to register with the programs. “These are

certificate courses,” adds Gowen. “We want to give people the skills they need to get employment.”

Although BC Hydro can’t speak to any specific impacts they’d like to have in Aboriginal communities, they still aim to leave an impression on Aboriginal youth. “We hope [the project] provides an avenue of employment in the future,” says Jennings.

“We’re looking at this as a stimulus for development, and it should provide some economic stability to the region that [First Nations communities] can depend on.” He notes that contractors and secondary companies are expected to be hiring during and in the wake of the NTL project. “Community health provides optimism, so all of those things are positive for young people who want to live and grow in their communities.” In addition, Gowen explains that this will create more opportunities for those involved to develop important trade skills and even start their own businesses.

Though BC Hydro’s and NWCC’s outreach efforts may be within British Columbia, they’re nevertheless planting the seeds of progress. In dealing with these matters at a provincial level, the hope is that it will lead to improvements nationwide.

27

edu-ma-cation

degrees of diversity °

In fields like medicine or engineering, gaining a professional education traditionally means years of specialization, during which students hold on to the hope that there will be an appropriately specialized job at the end of the tunnel.

This kind of training can make you invaluable, yes, but can also mean that during an economic crunch (like, say, the last few years) you might be left with an unparalleled skill-set... that nobody needs. Additionally, services such as Google and YouTube surround us on a daily basis with samples of knowledge that simply cannot be covered by a single area of study, and many industries are now demanding that new hires have an educational mix. Being able to receive this kind of global education and graduate within a decade is where interdisciplinary Master’s and PhD programs come in.

serves as an excellent model of the opportunities to be found for academics and at institutions alike. “Students in our program take courses at 35 different departments across university,” explains Hillel Goelman, chair of UBC’s interdisciplinary program, “[But] there are a couple of cluster areas of interest — the medical and health sciences, students who cross between the sciences and social sciences [such as] environmental issues or aboriginal issues, or the area of medical inquiry, [covering topics like] neuroethics or neurology and addiction.” These represent just a small selection of hybrid research degrees offered by universities across Canada, and enrollment in interdisciplinary programs have increased every year as more institutions and students recognize the value of this kind of comprehensive approach to higher education.

Such diverse interests and demands might seem like a modern consequence of our datasaturated lifestyles, but the programs catering to it have existed for decades, from the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) 40-year-old Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program (IGSP) to the Interdisciplinary PhD started at Dalhousie in 1984. The roots of several faculties now taken for granted, such as Women’s/Gender Studies or International Development, lie in early forays into interdisciplinary programs, and it’s these combinations of fields that often form the basis of innovative research in emerging areas like Biotechnology and Education.

Perhaps the best way to summarize this trend in thinking is through the University of Toronto’s stated mission for its new Master’s of Global Affairs, one of several post-grad ‘Collaborative Program’ degrees that they offer: “Today, to become global leaders, students need not only the core functional disciplines that professional schools offer, but also a deep understanding of the broader architecture of global society and the forces that shape it.” In other words, looking beyond the scope of a single program or even a single faculty is the key to success in an increasingly global economy.

As the oldest program in Canada for post-graduate interdisciplinary learning, the IGSP at UBC

Heather Kelly, the director of student services for U of T’s School of Graduate studies, goes on to describe the increasingly mainstream nature of

more

for y ou a t

Humber

‘interdisciplinarity’, and how it has become incorporated into even the most traditionally structured of programs since, as she says, “without disciplinarity there’s no interdisciplinarity.” The ability to custom-tailor a post-graduate degree to individual needs and interests is garnering attention from more than just students and innovative educators, as well. Earlier this year, the Canadian government launched the Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program . Designed to stimulate “collaborative and integrative approaches” as well as interdisciplinary research at the various intersections between the social and applied sciences, the $32 million investment is a sign of just how critical — and valuable — this approach to education can be.

Although the majority of students in these programs are doctoral candidates, most are returning to their studies from a range of backgrounds as diverse as the courses they choose. “We attract a fair number of international students,” adds Goelman, mentioning that some of UBC’s students have worked for organizations such as the World Bank and UNICEF. “They come back to school because their professional experience has led them to certain research questions.”

Whether freshly minted undergraduates or workers who’ve had years in the field, these students share a vision of an integrated approach to both studying and working — a vision that seems to be in line with the emerging shape of the global economy by providing grads with knowledge that’s, well, globally applicable.

by Austin Bahadur

What happens when inspiration strikes?

POST GRADUATE PROGRAMS: North Campus 3D for Production - Computer Animation 3D for Production - Game Art and Design Broadcasting - Radio | Enterprise Software Development Information Technology Solutions | Journalism - Accelerated Post-Production | Web Development For further information please call 416.675.6622 ext 4111

www.mediastudies.humber.ca 28

If you’re in the right place, one idea – your idea – can have a profound impact in far-reaching and unexpected places.

Set your ideas in motion.

Consider graduate studies in Engineering and Applied Science at Queen’s.

CREATE AN IMPACT

www.queensu.ca/sgs january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

Image: Jupiterimages/ Photos.com/Thinkstock

Going into post-grad doesn’t have to mean narrowing your interests, and this issue we’ll look at the programs that let you design the curriculum you want to learn.

graduate school directory

Brock University

Canada’s Automotive School of Business

Brock is a rapidly growing University,

The Canadian Automotive Institute at Georgian College has

offering 41 dynamic Master’s and PhD program within 6 academic faculties.

With our strong sense of community and personal investment in our students, Brock is a great choice for your graduate education.

proudly boasted over 90% grad placement rate for the past 25 years! If you are passionate about business and love cars consider our Bachelor of Business – Automotive Management degree or our Business Administration Automotive Marketing programs.

Visit us at today at Brocku.ca

thecai.ca

Centennial College

Conestoga College

Centennial College is committed to successful

Conestoga has been the number one rated

career education. The college offers more than 120 diploma, post-diploma and certificate programs in business, communication and media arts, community and consumer services, engineering technology, health, hospitality and transportation.

college in Ontario for nine of the last twelve years. Our graduates get jobs with a job placement rate of well over 90%! We have campuses in Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Stratford, Ingersoll and Cambridge.

centennialcollege.ca

conestogac.on.ca

Fanshawe College

Ithaca College

If you want to hit the job market with

Located in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York,

advanced skills and stand out from the competition, check out Fanshawe’s Graduate Studies. In less than one year you could have the training you need. These programs complement your post-secondary education – so you land not just a job but a career!

halfway between Toronto and New York City, IC offers 20 graduate degrees, many of which can be completed in 1 year or less, leading to professional certification.

fanshawec.ca/gradstudies

ithaca.edu/gradprograms

Queen’s University

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Queen’s 50+ graduate programs

The University of Western Ontario’s

provide students with world-class research opportunities and strong support to enrich your educational experience and advance your academic career. Expect an ideal environment to set your ideas in motion.

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry provides state-of-the-art research facilities and mentorship by internationally recognized scientists. ZERO-TUITION incentive: find out how to get your grad degree for free.

www.queensu.ca/sgs

schulich.uwo.ca/gradstudies

Sheridan College

Trent University

Our one-year graduate certificate programs enhance your

Trent’s commitment to research excellence, innovation, and

diploma or degree with a blend of theoretical knowledge and work experience that fully prepare you to launch your career. Choose from more than 20 programs in the arts, business, technology and community service fields.

collaboration has earned us a reputation as a progressive leader in graduate education. Whether we are talking about disciplinary or interdisciplinary programs, Trent is known for nurturing a vibrant intellectual community and scholars who are engaged, critical thinkers.

sheridaninstitute.ca

trentu.ca/graduatestudies

jobpostings.ca | january 2011

29

Co-Ops

by Adam Grant

University students have traditionally

relied on nothing but endless readings and lectures to help guide them toward their future, without any real idea of what would come after school. Now, however, on-site career building through highly developed (and sometimes paid!) co-op programs have taken over, and the future is a lot clearer for students who’ve taken advantage of them.

“Most students go to university to become good at something, and then find employment in that field,” agrees John-Paul Goldsworthy, Co-op Accounting Relationship Manager at Brock University. “Many students will work with companies after graduation that they have already worked for in a co-op work term. That’s when you see first hand how important a co-op experience is in comparison to academics.”

While that sounds great, nothing in the professional world is guaranteed. If job security after graduation isn’t a for-sure thing, what else can co-op offer you? Simply put: a litany of learning that a classroom alone can not provide. You’ll have the opportunity right away to determine how you function within the career path you’ve chosen, to strengthen your strengths and improve upon any workplace weaknesses you may have.

Companies that house co-op students know they’re not just there to employ, but to teach as well. It’s best to look at the co-op experience as life, only with a bit of a safety net. “Students sometimes get overwhelmed or intimidated

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even before starting a job, so we remind them that they were the most qualified candidate for the position and the employer believes that they can do the job required,” notes Vanessa Hayward, Career Development Coordinator for the Science Career and Co-operative Education program at McMaster University. “We advise students that communication is very important.

If they are already on the job and have questions about their project or the expectations, they can ask their supervisor or colleagues for clarification or guidance. That said, a student shouldn’t forget that when they are out on a co-op job, they still have the support of their post-secondary institution behind them.”

The trick in all of this is finding the type of coop program that works best for you. While there are co-op program rankings out there, you really need to pinpoint which school’s program satisfies your needs the most and whether or not their co-op program meets your expectations.

One advantage that some schools hold over others is their ability to provide co-op programs abroad. “I get a sense that international co-op jobs are an increasing trend,” acknowledges Hayward. “Students won’t be working 24/7 so what are they going to do with their evenings or weekends? What can they do to experience the culture of the country abroad? [Determining this] in advance can be supportive to the student once they start their co-op job.”

Once you’ve chosen a setting, you’ll need to choose which company you want to spend your work term with. But is it better to do several

work terms with the same company, and develop a relationship with just one employer? Or maybe padding your resume is the smarter option: lots of varied work experience at different companies for a well-rounded result. To Brandon Lewis, CA and Talent Attraction Manager at KPMG, it’s all about your love for your chosen field. “Would we rather hire someone who has worked for three straight terms in the accounting field but dislikes accounting and does not want to pursue their CA? Of course not,” he explains of KPMG’s own practices. “We want students who are committed to pursuing their career at our firm, in our industry. Whether that person has done all their co-ops and studies in accounting, or just switched majors from a completely different discipline and spent their co-op terms in a completely different industry, we want someone who is committed and enthusiastic about what we do. “ No matter where you choose to do your coop or what your program may hold, the one certainty is that you’ll be two-steps ahead of those that took easy street instead. “Co-op adds so much to a student’s experience, and when the student graduates they are head and shoulders ahead of the other students that graduate without co-op experiences,” adds Goldsworthy. “Statistics prove that students that graduate with work experience related to their degree have higher employment rates with employers in their field of student than students that graduate with only the related academics.”

But don’t let your desire for a good job override the passion that brought you to the field in the first place, warns Lewis. “I think it is most important that a student ultimately decides on an education and a career path that suits their interests and aspirations, first, and then focus on securing employment in that field.”

january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Opting for

Where do you want your education to take you?

Sara Runnalls Broker

“A college diploma or university degree in any subject is helpful for entry into the profession, although those who have

Here’s a career path with unlimited potential.

What are you looking for in a career? Earning potential? Security?

Whatever you've learned in school and in life, you’ll have the chance to use it in the insurance industry.

It’s hard to imagine a career choice where you’ll have the opportunity to use more of your skills than insurance. Why? Because insurance is already a part of everything you do. It protects homes, jobs, cars, property and the continuity of lives. And because insurance is all around us, the industry has a wide variety of careers to match your education and amazing flexibility to change directions along the way.

Broker / Agent

You’re a people person and a great communicator Insurance brokers and agents help consumers find the right coverage to protect their cars, homes, businesses, boats and belongings against loss through accident, fire or theft.

While brokers usually represent several insurance companies, agents are more likely to sell policies for just one. These are the entrepreneurs of the insurance industry with many of them working for themselves or for small independent firms.

Gavin Mascarenhas Loss Adjuster

There are more than 110,000 Canadians working in the property & casualty insurance sector. It’s an industry that reflects the face and the values of Canadian society and has a constant need for talented, creative, motivated people.

“The best advice is to specialize in law or business-related courses.”

Are you a people person? Brokers work with clients to create a strategy to protect their assets.

Gifted at math? You could thrive as an actuary.

Good at listening? As a claims professional, you’ll help people who are coping with an accident, fire or theft.

Strategic thinker? You could work as an underwriter and develop the products that keep people protected from unforeseen loss.

As your career in insurance progresses, every day can present interesting new opportunities, new challenges, and the flexibility to pursue new goals.

Loss Adjuster You’re part private investigator and part therapist The loss adjuster is responsible for ensuring that those who have suffered a loss receive the compensation and assistance they are eligible to receive. Whether employed by the insurance company or working as an independent contractor, the loss adjuster investigates the accident, arranges medical treatment if necessary and negotiates the final settlement to restore policy holders to where they were, as closely as possible, before their loss.

To find out more about where you might fit in with your post-secondary education, please visit our Web site at www.career-connections.info. You may be surprised to find that insurance isn’t what you think. It’s a whole lot more.

Your interests and your experience may add up to a great career in insurance.

mathematics or business would have an advantage.”

Michelle Snowdon Underwriter

“For a greater advantage, and the highest placement value, I would recommend courses in law as well as successful completion of a business or insurance program.”

Underwriter You’re a relationship developer and decision-maker Underwriters accept or reject risk on behalf of insurance companies. They assess the kind of insurance required by organizations as diverse as a shopping mall, a professional sports team, a manufacturer, a city government or a construction company. Underwriters examine every facet of the organization’s operation and its request for insurance, then decide what the insurance company should cover and how much it should charge.

jlife

ob

This month: How to Use LinkedIn

Example: Interests (Facebook): Guys with piercings, Eminem, Bieber Hair, Ed Hardy jeans.

Interests (LinkedIn): Sales Analysis, Big Picture thinking, Environmental Impacts, Web 3.0.

The difference is a shift in focus from your social ambitions to your career ambitions. LinkedIn is about making connections and building a strong portfolio of work experience as opposed to stalking connections and building a portfolio of pictures of you in carnal alcoholia. Ever hear of those people that shouldn’t have put their boss on their Facebook?

Probably should have kept them on their LinkedIn instead.

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1

Build and post your resume (or a shortened version thereof). As I mentioned earlier, you want to build a profile on LinkedIn drastically different from what you portray on Facebook. On LinkedIn, you can limit your profile to a quick hit: Name, Occupation — or you can shoot for the moon. Don’t worry, privacy settings can limit who accesses what, but for me, my profile is my resume. It shows people what I do and who I am in my job and my career.

This way that Director of Marketing I met at the convention last weekend, or that Vice-President of HR I met at the BBQ can see more of me than I would have had a chance to tell them about over lemonade and chicken. They can see the whole picture for that key position they’ve been trying to fill, and I don’t even have to apply.

3

2

Start your network by connecting with your friends… then your coworkers, and your clients, customers, etc. You don’t want to invite people you have a professional relationship with before you have a good foundation of connections — believe me they’ll look. (Wouldn’t you?) Start with your friends and then you’ll have a broad range of connections with different experiences before you start inviting colleagues and clients.

They won’t necessarily know that a friend is just friend; sell the fact that you know people and are career-popular — that is, you don’t have one million friends you’ve never met that just appreciate your “assets” (see Tila Tequila @ Facebook).

Four things you can do with LinkedIn to enhance your career

Showcase your abilities by connecting your LinkedIn with your Twitter, your Blog, or a media presentation. LinkedIn has applications you can add to your profile page that are a little more useful than your Farmville or your MafiaWars career. The surefire way to let people know you are a professional in your industry is to talk about it in an intelligent way — so open a Twitter account and let people know you were at the conference, or saw the talk by so-and-so, but keep it professional, and hook it in to post automatically on your LinkedIn, or write a blog and do the same.

Each time you write an entry it will be automatically updated on your profile page as well.

Another great opportunity here, particularly if you create PowerPoint presentations on a regular basis, or make media for marketing and/or education, is to post those on your profile so a broader audience gets to see what you do, and you don’t have to bother inundating people with requests or emails to “tune-in” or “check out.” LinkedIn updates most of its members (you can opt out) with what people in your network have been doing on a regular basis. It’s all a part of staying “linked in.”

4

Collect some recommendations from your connections. They are the best testament to your abilities and your work ethic, and once you have them, you don’t need to go looking for them every time you apply for a job. LinkedIn lets you ask for recommendations, and in return you can give them too. (Just don’t think your boss needs a reference from you — they’d probably prefer one from their own boss.) I’ve given phone references and I’ve written letters of reference. Letters are the easiest and best because once you hand them to an employer, they get an instant picture, and don’t have to worry about tracking down all those old associates of yours (and neither do you!). You may not want to print off the recommendations you receive on LinkedIn to bring to an interview, but you can always refer an employer to your LinkedIn profile. There’s also the potential that a prospective employer might find you and read them — it’s always better to be offered a job than to ask for one!

january 2011 | jobpostings.ca

Images L-R: StockXchng.com; iStockphoto/Thinkstock

You’re probably on Facebook by now — heck, you might have even deleted your Facebook account by now (see quitfacebookday. com). Been there, done that? Well I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t, but if you’ve got time to post updates on your social day, why not take the time to do it for your career? LinkedIn is the professional’s Facebook. It operates in much the same fashion, except instead of personal interests you might post career interests.

with Ross Harrhy

Among the best places to work in Canada. Again!

Cameco is powered by the positive energy and diversity of our employees. We’re looking to double production and we need talented people to join our team.

cameco.com/careers

Cameco, for the second year in a row, has been rated as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

Cameco: Positive energy for the future.

2011

Skilled people can go further, faster.

I’m starting now with my own College Pro business.

• I’m getting the best business training available for students • I’ll be first in line for a real job later, because I’ve proven myself • I’m a leader in my community • I’m doing something that helps me right now

1-888-277-7962

collegepro.com

Find out now about manager positions and internships available in your area