Career Services is now closed.
We reopen January 2, 2013 from 9:00-4:00.
Regular hours begin January 7, 2013 (9:00-4:30)
Happy Holidays Badgers! See you in the new year!
- Ashley, Sr. Career Assistant
This is the official Brock CareerZone blog for students, by students. We give you the tips and tricks of job search and more!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Hot "IT" Jobs for 2013!
2013 is predicted to be another successful year for computer science and interactive arts an science graduates! If you are looking to grab a high paying job in the technology industry consider the following 5 career options that are showing favorable employment opportunities in the new year!
Network Engineers:
"Those
who can effectively engineer the integration of cloud computing with other new
technologies and maintain a secure transfer of data to multiple locations via
LANs or WANs will have little trouble finding work." - IT World Canada
Average
Forecasted Salary: Between
$79,500 and $104,250 (on average)
Mobile Application
Developer:
"As
smart phones and tablets continue to change the way we communicate, do
business, and access news &
entertainment, the demand for new and innovative mobile apps is growing at an incredible speed." - IT Career Finder
Average
Forecasted Salary: $95,000
User Experience (UX) Designers:
"Since
so much customer interaction happens online, companies are looking for workers
who can create positive digital experiences." - Discovery News
Average
Forecasted Salary: Between
$73,000 and $110,500
Interactive Creative Directors:
"As
companies of all sizes add interactive roles, they seek professionals with
superb leadership skills and digital expertise to manage these growing
teams". - Geek Wire
Average
Forecasted Salary: $95,500
to $160,000 (for 1-5 years of experience)
Search Engine Optimizations/Search Engine Marketing Specialists:
"These
individuals are responsible for formalising search SEO and SEM strategies and
tactics. Other duties include analysing website traffic, as well as developing
website assessments and recommendations." - IT World Canada
Average
Forecasted Salary: Between
$75,000 and $95,000 (for 3+ years of experience)
We have a number of books available in the centre for students interested in brainstorming career options in the technology field. Feel free to stop by and take a look!
____________________________________________________
Our holiday hours are Monday to Friday 9:00 - 4:00 until December 21.
Good luck on your exams/final assignments!
- Ashley :)
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Using Time Wisely: Networking Over the Holidays!
Are you all done exams/assignments and have nothing to do? Of course you're enjoying your free time after a crazy final month of the semester, catching up on much needed and overdue sleep. Maybe you're seeing your friends, family, and other loved ones. Or maybe you're like me and diving into a good book that you've been meaning to read since now you've got the time! But there are lots of other productive things we could all be doing over the holiday break and one of them is networking!
You might be asking, "what does she mean? I'm going to be spending the month cuddled on my couch watching Holiday Movies for the next two weeks, with odd Holiday Parties and dinners to attend. How could I possibly network?" WELL, you don't have to change that! I'm going to give you some suggestions for how to network while doing all of the regular things you normally do over the holidays anyway! Don't believe me? Keep reading....
1. Holiday Parties: Tell EVERYONE what you do. You know those awkward conversations you always seem to have at holiday parties where you cannot wait to inch away AS SOON AS the conversation slows or someone breaks eye contact? Use them to your advantage! Figure out who is going to be at these parties and make sure you rub elbows with those who you think you can benefit from talking to career wise! Even people you don't know - you never know who THEY know! Talk to these people about what you're currently doing, what you hope to do and what your plan of action is - make an impression! Who knows what opportunities they might know about or even offer to you!
2. Holiday Greeting Cards: Send a Quick Update! Save the generic holiday greeting for passing people at the mall - in YOUR holiday greeting cards make sure to update everyone on what you've been up to and encourage people to respond with the same! By updating others and finding out what they're doing in return, you'll have an opportunity to hear about new fields of interest and also consider where you might fit into someone else's plans right now.
3. Social Media: Catch up on Facebook! Go ahead and reactivate your Facebook account now that exams are over, we all know you want to. Take the time to see what everyone has been up to in the world of Facebook and Social Media in general (Twitter, Linkedin)! Did somebody update their job title? Any statuses about new opportunities or work promotions? Now's your chance to send out your congratulations and ask your friends/acquintances about how they got where they are! You never know what kinds of tips you might recieve! Who knew lurking could be so productive afterall? ;)
And in the meantime, now is your chance to also update your career documents so they are ready for whatever opportunities might come your way. In all seriousness, there are lots of people off work right now and very few people looking for employment - take this opportunity to be on the top of everybody's list of hires when they get back to work! My advice - be ready!
Also, feel free to come by the Career Resource Centre to talk to us further about job searching and networking over the holidays! We can review your cover letter or resume in just 15 minutes! Open 9-4pm this month, Monday to Friday until the 21st, open again on January 2nd and regular hours beginning January 7th! A good reason to get up off the couch! :P
Happy Networking and see you soon!
Brittany
Sr. Career Assistant
You might be asking, "what does she mean? I'm going to be spending the month cuddled on my couch watching Holiday Movies for the next two weeks, with odd Holiday Parties and dinners to attend. How could I possibly network?" WELL, you don't have to change that! I'm going to give you some suggestions for how to network while doing all of the regular things you normally do over the holidays anyway! Don't believe me? Keep reading....
1. Holiday Parties: Tell EVERYONE what you do. You know those awkward conversations you always seem to have at holiday parties where you cannot wait to inch away AS SOON AS the conversation slows or someone breaks eye contact? Use them to your advantage! Figure out who is going to be at these parties and make sure you rub elbows with those who you think you can benefit from talking to career wise! Even people you don't know - you never know who THEY know! Talk to these people about what you're currently doing, what you hope to do and what your plan of action is - make an impression! Who knows what opportunities they might know about or even offer to you!
2. Holiday Greeting Cards: Send a Quick Update! Save the generic holiday greeting for passing people at the mall - in YOUR holiday greeting cards make sure to update everyone on what you've been up to and encourage people to respond with the same! By updating others and finding out what they're doing in return, you'll have an opportunity to hear about new fields of interest and also consider where you might fit into someone else's plans right now.
3. Social Media: Catch up on Facebook! Go ahead and reactivate your Facebook account now that exams are over, we all know you want to. Take the time to see what everyone has been up to in the world of Facebook and Social Media in general (Twitter, Linkedin)! Did somebody update their job title? Any statuses about new opportunities or work promotions? Now's your chance to send out your congratulations and ask your friends/acquintances about how they got where they are! You never know what kinds of tips you might recieve! Who knew lurking could be so productive afterall? ;)
And in the meantime, now is your chance to also update your career documents so they are ready for whatever opportunities might come your way. In all seriousness, there are lots of people off work right now and very few people looking for employment - take this opportunity to be on the top of everybody's list of hires when they get back to work! My advice - be ready!
Also, feel free to come by the Career Resource Centre to talk to us further about job searching and networking over the holidays! We can review your cover letter or resume in just 15 minutes! Open 9-4pm this month, Monday to Friday until the 21st, open again on January 2nd and regular hours beginning January 7th! A good reason to get up off the couch! :P
Happy Networking and see you soon!
Brittany
Sr. Career Assistant
Jack's Holiday Contest!
This is just a reminder about Jack's Super Awesome Holiday Contest! Don't forget to dress Jack up in anything that represents your family or culture's holiday and send it to csmedia@brocku.ca for a chance to win a $50 Campus Store Gift Card!
Things to include in the email:
- name
- brock email (if not emailing from that account)
- phone number you can be reached by
Have fun and Happy Holidays!
Ps, Here's my Holiday Jack!
My family traditions include lots of mistletoe and big kisses from my grandma! Looks like she got Jack! :P
Best,
Brittany
Sr. Career Assistant
Things to include in the email:
- name
- brock email (if not emailing from that account)
- phone number you can be reached by
Have fun and Happy Holidays!
Ps, Here's my Holiday Jack!
My family traditions include lots of mistletoe and big kisses from my grandma! Looks like she got Jack! :P
Best,
Brittany
Sr. Career Assistant
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Information Interviews
The majority of job seekers today use job search sites and social media to find jobs. It has become all the rage recently to network yourself and rightly so. Most available positions are not visible to the public eye through these sites, thus requiring you to know somebody. If you're like me, then you always find yourself asking "Who is this somebody?"
Well this somebody is a person who becomes known through networking, being involved in your field, or, well, because you're lucky and someone in your family can give you an in!
For those of us who aren't that lucky, I have the perfect way to follow the networking bandwagon while gaining insight information into your potential place of work. That is a double whammy!
The answer: INFORMATION INTERVIEWS
It is called an information interview when you, an interested potential/future employee, call a business or individual in the field in which you would like to work, and set up a time where you can call and interview them about their workplace, the field, and the company itself.
To get started I would suggest:
1. Contacting someone who you think you would want to speak with and ask them if they would be willing to answer a few of your questions at a convenient time for them
2. Go on the companies website and develop questions which you can ask them
3. If you are going in person, bring along your business cards and resume
4. Be sure to ask if they know of anyone else you may be able to speak with and ask them for one of their business cards before you leave
5. Send a letter, e-mail or card following the interview to thank them for their time
As you can see an information interview is an awesome way to make yourself known and to get to know your future field of study/work to make sure it is right for you. The more contacts you make the better it will be for you when you are applying. Then hopefully you can be the person saying " I knew somebody!".
All the best,
Rosemary
P.S I hope studying has been going well for you all!
Well this somebody is a person who becomes known through networking, being involved in your field, or, well, because you're lucky and someone in your family can give you an in!
For those of us who aren't that lucky, I have the perfect way to follow the networking bandwagon while gaining insight information into your potential place of work. That is a double whammy!
The answer: INFORMATION INTERVIEWS
It is called an information interview when you, an interested potential/future employee, call a business or individual in the field in which you would like to work, and set up a time where you can call and interview them about their workplace, the field, and the company itself.
To get started I would suggest:
1. Contacting someone who you think you would want to speak with and ask them if they would be willing to answer a few of your questions at a convenient time for them
2. Go on the companies website and develop questions which you can ask them
3. If you are going in person, bring along your business cards and resume
4. Be sure to ask if they know of anyone else you may be able to speak with and ask them for one of their business cards before you leave
5. Send a letter, e-mail or card following the interview to thank them for their time
As you can see an information interview is an awesome way to make yourself known and to get to know your future field of study/work to make sure it is right for you. The more contacts you make the better it will be for you when you are applying. Then hopefully you can be the person saying " I knew somebody!".
All the best,
Rosemary
P.S I hope studying has been going well for you all!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Holiday Hours
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Well, it's getting there anyway. We know all of our hard-working Brock students are busy writing exams and finishing final papers during this busy month, but we are happy to let you know of our
Career Services will be OPEN from Monday-Friday from 9:00am-4:00pm through to December 22nd
AND
We will be CLOSED from December 24th to January 1st
But will REOPEN from January 2nd to 4th from 9:00am-4:00pm
Normal business hours will resume the week of January 7th.
So if you're done exams early or feel like filling a study break with some career resources, feel free to stop by and chat with a Career Assistant about any questions you may have.
We hope to see you during this busy time!
- Lia
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