www.mun.ca/cdel bridging the gap to employability career development & experiential learning...

www.mun.ca/cdel

Bridging The Gap To Employability

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Copyright © 2006, Department of Career Development & Experiential Learning

Job Search for Grad studentsFinding your place in

the world of workCreated by Wanda Tiller

www.mun.ca/cdelCareer Development & Experiential Learning

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The 7 Steps to Finding Employment

1. Self-Evaluation

2. Choosing the path that is right for you

3. Job Market Search

4. Hidden Job Market Search

5. Research Employers of Interest

6. Up to date Job Search Tools

7. Follow-up


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Self Evaluation

• What do you need to know about yourself?


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Step 1: Self Evaluation

Analyze your likes and dislikes-what do you enjoy: • evaluating reports • experimental design • data collection • data analysis • oral presentations • technical writing • working with others • supervising • teaching • establishing policy


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Self Evaluation: Information About Yourself

What do you want?• Independence• Responsibility• Impact• Income• Security• Stress• Prestige• Travel

Identify short and long term goals


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Self Evaluation-What Can You offer?

• Evaluate your qualifications (what skills have you acquired through work, school, etc.)– Transferable Skills: The skills you’ve gathered

through various jobs, volunteer work, hobbies, sports, or other life experiences that can be used in helping you secure employment. (October, 11, 2004, http://careerplanning.about.com/library/weekly/aa121202a.htm)

• E.g. Communication, Research, Planning, Human Relations, Organization, Management, Leadership, etc…


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Self Evaluation: Information About Yourself

What are your strengths?• Lab skills-general or specific• Research• Accomplishments-publications, awards,

education, experience• Recommendations-from supervisors, faculty,

others in field, previous employers• Social Skills-relating to others• Leadership-what have you done to

demonstrate


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Choosing the Right Path

• How do you go about this?

• What information do you need?


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Step 2: Choosing the right path

• Match interests and qualifications with requirements and rewards in specific careers

• Explore the Campus Career Centre, HRDC offices, local libraries and the Internet for specific info on various career opportunities

• Take internships, part time employment or summer employment in your field

• Do some Labour Market Research and talk to people in your field of interest– www.jobfutures.ca– www.labourmarketinformation.ca– http://salary.monster.ca


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Considering Career Options

• Research: university, research institutions, industry?

• Teaching: university, college, continuing ed., web-based, K-12?

• Clinical: private practice, academic position?• Administration?• Journalism?• Writing?• Law?• Sales?• Finance?…and many more


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Searching the Open Job Market

• How do you go about searching the open job market?

• Sources of information?


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Step 3: Search the open job market

• Check classified ads in local and national newspapers

• Attend Career Fairs

• Attend campus employer information sessions

• Check online job listings


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Job Fairs

Why Attend?

- Collect information about job openings, employment trends, types of careers

- Get advice

- Build network

- Practice selling yourself


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Job Fairs Continued

• Who will be there? Research these companies of interest (Focus on most interesting employers first)

• Practice your presentations• Make a list of what you want to learn• Develop questions (current openings, hiring

patterns,% with graduate degrees, growth potential, career paths)

• Collect business cards• You are always being interviewed so be

professional (eye contact, shake hands, smile, project confidence)


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Hidden Job Market

• What is the hidden job market?

• What percentage of jobs are available at any given time in the hidden job market?


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Step 4: Search the Hidden Job Market• Approximately 75-85% of jobs are never advertised

– i.e. for every 100 jobs, only 15-25 of them are advertised in the Saturday paper

How large is your network?Develop a list of friends, family, past employers, professors etc.

Talk to these contacts and let them know you are looking for work

Make contact by telephone, face to face or networking letters

• Talk to people already working in your field of interest about careers in that area

• Attend career fairs and campus information sessions given by recruiters

• Talk to headhunters


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Hidden Job Market

• If you have identified a company that you want to work for, what do you do?


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Step 5: Research Companies

• Research employers you are interested in working with, whether a position is advertised or not

• Explore available resources:– The Canadian Job Directory: The Ultimate

Canadian Guide to Canada’s Hidden Job Market– The St. John’s Board of Trades (

www.bot.nf.ca/membershipdirectorysearch.asp)– Industry associations

• Research growth areas and recent developments (mergers and new products)


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Step 6: Effective Resume and Cover Letter

• Have an up-to-date cover letter and CV or resume

• Target both the position and employer you are interested in pursuing

• Have it critiqued before sending it out– No spelling errors!– Only one chance to make a good first impression!

• Attend a workshop or read current literature on developing effective cover letters, CV’s and resumes


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Step 7: Follow up

• Sometimes it is appropriate to call the organization after you have applied for a position– Try and get a name

• If you get someone in a hiring position on the phone, restate your interest in the position– Be polite– Try to get idea of hiring date

• Inquire about the interview process and when they are expected to take place


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Cyber Job Search

• Numerous Websites– http://www.mun.ca/cdel– http://www.monster.ca– www.universityaffairs.ca– Various industry specific websites

• Online Newspapers• Post your resume on various sites

– http://www.workopoliscampus.com

• Explore employers of interest and their recruitment practices


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Points to Consider:• Looking for a job can be a full time job!

– If unemployed, treat it as a 9-5 job.

• Keep a notebook with up to date records of all contacts and contact information

• Be Prepared! Always have a copy of your resume on hand, pen and paper, and questions developed

• Explore Job Directories such as The Canada Student Employment Guide and The Career Directory

• Know yourself and what you are looking for

• Stay positive: giving up is not an option

• Send Thank you cards to those who have helped you


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And Remember………….

• It may take you 10 cold calls, etc… before you get one solid lead. So during the job search process, remember not to give up and find a way to vent your frustration when needed:– Go out with some friends– Go out to a restaurant– Take a day off– Find somebody you can talk to


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For additional help, please visit us at

Career Development

& Experiential Learning

University Centre, UC-4002

737-2033

[email protected]

Thank You!

www.mun.ca/cdel bridging the gap to employability career development & experiential learning...

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