Faculty Focus: Education

The Faculty of Education here at Brock encompasses the Education, Early Childhood Education, Adult Education, and Concurrent programs. As many readers will know, getting a job in the field of education can be very competitive. But not to worry! These specific resources can help you to get your foot in the door:

Resources in the Centre/on Careerzone

Programs

• Cafe Connect Program (for more details, click here)
• Mentorship Plus Program(for more details, click here)

Books (ALL books are located in the centre)

• 101 Alternatives for Teachers
• The Inside Track: Getting Hired to Teach in a Canadian School

Resources

• Teachers College & Teacher Resume Samples Binder
• Career Paths for Teachers Binder
• KOM Consultants Binder
• Faculty of Education Resume Sample Binder
• Considering Teacher Education Handout
• Teacher Cover Letter & Resume Guidelines
• Teacher Accomplishment Statement Chart
• Skill Words for a Teaching Resume Handout
• Board of Education Cover Letter Template
• Personal Teaching Philosophy (Templates & Sample)
• Applying to DSBN/Niagara Catholic/Halton District/Peel District/Hamilton-Wentworth Boards
• Degree Exploration Guides (to see yours, click here)

Additionally, our Online Resource Centre through Careerzone contains a whole section dedicated to teachers and teacher candidates. Log-in to peruse through them today & be sure to also come visit us in the centre to check out these great resources in order to help you enter the field of education!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Twitter & Facebook for Job Searching

For many, social media is just a means to keep in touch with friends and family and a way to share photos, jokes, and memories. But for others, social media is also a way to find employment opportunities. From Twitter to Facebook, using social media to job search is not only quick and easy, but it also allows you to tap into the hidden job market to find the opportunities that others don't know about who aren't using social media in this way.

The key factor to utilizing social media to job search is to make the right connections. So, as an example, if you are a psychology major like myself, liking or following the American Psychological Association (APA) could lead to knowing about job opportunities within that association. This goes for almost every area of interest or expertise; there will always be an association you can like or follow in order to stay in the loop with upcoming or current opportunities. Our Degree Exploration Guides are a great resource to help you figure out who to follow within your field. 

There are also more general ways to seek out employment opportunities using social media. Many job search companies and organizations have created pages on social media and post employment opportunities constantly. Here are a few companies and organizations to like and/or follow to help get you started:


Brock Career Services
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brockcareerserv
Twitter: @BrockCareerServ

Indeed
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Indeed?fref=ts
Twitter: @Indeed

Job Bank
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Job-Bank/22724568071?fref=ts
Twitter: @JobBank_GC

Monster
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Monsterca?fref=ts
Twitter: @Monster

Workopolis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workopolis?fref=ts
Twitter: @Workopolis

Glassdoor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Glassdoor?fref=ts
Twitter: @Glassdoor

Before you know it, your news feed will be full of job opportunities! Just remember that if you utilize social media for job searching, you'll want to make sure that all the content available about yourself is professional. Read last weeks blog for some tips on how to clean up your social media in order to make a good first impression! Thanks for reading!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Faculty Focus: Applied Health Sciences

Starting now until Mid August, each faculty here at Brock will be blogged about in order for students to gain insight into the different resources, services, and programs we offer here at Career Services for all the different faculties within Brock.

Our first faculty of focus will be Applied Health Sciences, a diverse faculty ranging from Child Health programs to Sports Management. Even though this faculty includes a wide range of programs, we offer resources to suit all students within this faculty! Here is a breakdown of resources geared towards Applied Health Sciences students:

Resources in the Centre/on Careerzone

Programs

• Med Plus Program (to find out details about this program, click here)

Books (ALL books are located in the centre)

• Opportunities in Health & Medical Careers
• Opportunities in Hospital Administration
• Opportunities in Medical Imaging
• Opportunities in Laser Technology
• Opportunities in Sport & Fitness
• Top 100 Healthcare Careers
• MCAT Prep Book

Resources

• Degree Exploration Guides for each major within the Applied Health Sciences faculty (ie. Child Health, Community Health, Medical Sciences, Nursing, Physical Education & Kinesiology, Public Health, Recreation & Leisure Studies, and Sports Management which can be accessed online by clicking here or come into the centre)
• Faculty Specific Resume Samples (in the centre or Online Resource Centre; to access online, click here)
• Portfolio Samples for Sports Management and Kinesiology (in the centre ONLY)
• Considering Medical School Resource (in the centre or Online Resource Centre; to access online, click here)
• Entrance Exam & GPA Conversion Resources (in the centre or Online Resource Centre; to access online, click here)
• Careers in Healthcare Resource (in the centre or Online Resource Centre; to access online, click here)

So there you have it! Be sure to check out all of these helpful resources and come visit us in the centre soon for all career related questions, concerns, and assistance! Have a great weekend!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Cleaning Up Your Online Image

Social media has not only changed the way in which we communicate with one another, it has also changed the way in which we look for job opportunities. With more and more employers utilizing platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin, job hunting on these platforms has become easier then ever before. But one more thing has also become easier too: screening applicants! Employers and recruiters often check you out 
the same way you are checking them out. This is why it is important to clean up your social media and/or online image. If right now you're saying "Me? I would never post anything inappropriate for a potential employer to see!", try a simple Google search of you're full name. If anything comes up which you wish hadn't, the content that relates to you on the web, especially via social media, may need a cleaning more so than you initially thought. Here is an easy three step method to cleaning up your on-line image:

Delete Existing Negative Content
Sometimes, this step is easier said than done. If someone else has posted something damaging about you or of you, it may require reaching out to them in order for the content to be removed. But remember: even if your Twitter, Facebook, or Linkedin profile is riddled with inappropriate unprofessional content, there is always the option to delete the account entirely and start from scratch. Although this means you are losing contacts, it may be the best way to re-brand yourself entirely, as well as help you to make wiser decisions about who you decide to network with in the future.

Create New Content
Once all that negative content is gone, start filling up you're social media and professional profiles with positive content. Whether it be work related, school related, or even nice weather related, maintaining positive content is key in order to successfully re-brand yourself and in order to squash all that preexisting negative content. As already mentioned, you may need to start you're Twitter, Facebook, or Linkedin profile from scratch; but no worries! Re-branding yourself takes time but will be worth it in the end when recruiters start to call and e-mail you with job opportunities!

Ensure Consistent Maintenance 
Now that you have re-established yourself online, be consistent and try and maintain you're newly created online image! Ensure that all you're online content is in line with both personal and career related goals and also follow, friend, or link with fellow professionals in your field or sector. Another great tip is to utilize advanced settings and filters so you can control what others can post about you as well as control who can see you're content and who can post content linked to you're name or profile.

So now that you've got a squeaky clean online presence, you can now confidently share you're Linkedin URL under "Contact Info" on a resume or add that Twitter handle to you're business card knowing that you're image online is a positive reflection of what you have to offer employers and recruiters. If you'd like more tips, check out "Find a Job Through Social Networking: Use Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and More to Advance Your Career" by Diane Crompton and Ellen Sautter, a book you can find here at the Resource Centre! Thanks for reading!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Consistency & The Personal Brand

Personal branding is now easier than ever, with most people already having a personal brand, even if they haven't actively identified it yet. Think of your personal brand as your "image", or the way in which others see you and what you have to offer. Outlets like social media help people promote this image, but often times, inconsistency can occur between the image you are portraying online or on the job, and who you actually are as a person. With that being said, here are three reasons why consistency is beneficial while you are identifying and shaping your own personal brand:

Confidence
If you are consistent with your personal brand, you will most likely experience a new found sense of confidence. But why? Because evaluating your strengths and positive characteristics helps you realize what exactly you have to offer, which naturally makes you feel good. In doing so, you also realize what you don't have to offer, which isn't necessarily a bad thing or a confidence crusher. It simply means you can now live in accordance with your strengths and build your personal brand to focus on what you can do, rather than what you can't.

Credibility
Consistency leads to credibility. If you are good at something and do a good job every time, others will notice. Personal branding and credibility both go hand in hand, but never forget that consistency is also key. If 4/10 jobs aren't done correctly, people will notice. If 10/10 jobs are done correctly, people will also notice. People want to know they can trust your work, so delivering your best every time will not only help you shape your own personal brand, but will also help you remain consistent with your strengths, all the while creating a positive reputation of yourself to your audience and peers.

Differentiation 
What makes you different from everyone else? This question is difficult to answer without a consistent personal brand. If you have no idea what makes you unique as far as strengths and skills, you can easily get lost in the crowd. The best way to remain consistent with your personal brand while standing out from the crowd is to identify what your audience wants and needs from you (and deliver!), and understand what sets you apart from the competition.

If you'd like to explore more on personal branding, check out "Personal Branding for Dummies" by Susan Chritton which actually inspired this blog post. We have a copy of her amazing book here at the Career Resource Centre so pop by to get more tips and information on how to identify and work on your own personal brand! If you can't come to the centre but want to read more, check out our other blog on personal branding here. Thanks for reading!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Using Linkedin for Career Success!

It's one thing to simply have a Linkedin profile, but it's quite another thing to utilize this platform to maximize the amount & caliber of job opportunities that come your way. This is a rather simple thing to do that involves utilizing the job search function, working within your network, and joining or following groups, organizations, and companies you wish to work for!

The job search function on Linkedin is a great starting point to begin using Linkedin for career success. Using Linkedin, you can search by job title, keyword, company name, and company location. You can even save jobs to apply to later, save your searches, and look at past applications! In this sense, Linkedin helps you organize and plan your job search, making it super easy to hunt and apply for the perfect position.

You can even discover jobs within your network without even searching, allowing you to leverage your connections! At the bottom of the "Jobs" page on Linkedin, you'll find jobs coming from within your network, meaning you can easily reach out to your connections for details about the job or find out information regarding hiring and interviews for that particular company. This is a great way to use those already made connections to your advantage while you are job searching.

But beyond just utilizing the "Jobs" tab on Linkedin and working within your already established network, there are also other ways to find the position of your dreams and achieve career success. Joining groups or following companies or individuals which relate directly to your skills and career goals is another way to search for employment. By joining these groups and following these companies, you will be notified when positions become available without even searching! You can also begin making connections with other professionals within these groups and companies in order to expand your network and learn more about the industry you wish to work for.

Another great way to expand your network is to follow professional associations and related to your field. For example, I follow the American Psychological Association (I'm a psychology major!), which allows me to learn more about professions in psychology while also allowing me to join discussions and network with well established professionals. Check out our Degree Exploration Guides to find the associations that relate to your major!

With platforms like Linkedin becoming more and more popular, it's clear to see that we've come a long way from the traditional format of physically handing in resumes to employers which has truly made the duties of the job seeker much more simple and streamlined. So what are you waiting for? Job hunt the easy way by utilizing Linkedin for career success!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major

Smart Start 2015!

Looking back and reflecting on my first year here at Brock University, the first word that comes to my mind is "chaotic". I had a hard time navigating my way around campus, had little knowledge of the resources available to me, and did not get involved in any on-campus activities. Now I am in my third year at Brock and I am not only an extremely active member on campus, but I am also well versed on all that Brock has to offer me as a student! But instead of being like myself in first year, why not start university on the right foot? Luckily, there is a way for new Brock students to start university with an arsenal of knowledge on how to become an active member of the Brock community!

Smart Start is a program implemented by Brock University to help make the transition to university seamless for first year and mature students. Aside from getting the grand tour of Brock facilities and faculties, new students will also get the opportunity to visit the Career Resource Centre and our expo table to begin thinking about career options and exploring different degrees and skills, and to find out about all the great involvement opportunities that Brock has to offer, like the Mentorship Plus Program!

Whether it be tips or advice on getting an on-campus job or exploring the different career options based on faculty and program, we at Career Services are all about providing the resources students need so they can reach their career goals and their fullest potential during their time here at Brock.

In order to keep up with all that we have going on at Career Services, my best advice for incoming students is to follow us on social media. Upcoming events, new resources, professional development, employment opportunities, as well as tips and tricks on everything from interviews to social media for job searching are posted regularly on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Click HERE for our Twitter page and HERE for our Facebook page and get in the loop today! See you at Smart Start!

Scarlet Stark
Career Assistant
Psychology Major