6 Tips on Gaining Career Experience During the Summer:

6 Tips on Gaining Career Experience During the Summer:

Are you looking for ways to enhance your resume and gain career experience? Well summer is the perfect time to do this! Take a look at 6-ways you can make the most out of your summer break:

1.       Get a Summer Job/Internship

-          Whether it is in a related or unrelated field, gaining a summer job or internship will help you develop transferrable skills that are essential in any work environment! It is also a great way to figure out what you do and do not like in terms of careers.

2.       Volunteer

-          If you don’t meet the job requirements, or you don’t have the time to work in a related field this summer, volunteering is a great option for you. Volunteering requires less time commitment than a job, gives you valuable experience you can add to your resume, and is a great way to give back to your community!

3.       Attend a conference

-          Attending a conference, workshop or event in your area of study is a great way to learn more about the different professions within your field. You also will have the chance to network with professionals, and form great connections for securing job opportunities later on.

4.       Conduct an informational interview

-          Do you have a couple different professions in mind for post-graduation and aren’t sure which one would best suit you? The summer is a perfect time to meet with people in companies or in job positions that interest you, and ask them some questions that you would like to know. Just conduct an internet search and send a few emails to see if the individual would be willing to meet with you – and make sure to go prepared with a list of questions!

5.       Go Abroad

-          If you get the chance, working or volunteering internationally is a great way to enhance your skillset. Whether you are learning a new language, developing your communication and adaptability skills, or increasing your cross-cultural understanding, global experience is viewed as an asset in many workplaces. Also, is there a better time to travel than on your summer break?

6.       Professional Development

-          Completing various certifications during the summer is an easy way to gain prerequisites for a job or enhance your resume. Some common certifications that many jobs require include First Aid and CPR, Smart Serve, and your G-class driver’s license. For more program-specific professional development, check out our Degree Exploration Guides at:  https://brocku.ca/ccee/career-education/campus/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/  

Do you have any questions on how obtain the mentioned experiences? Drop in to CareerZone or visit our online resource center (careerzone.brocku.ca) for tips on all of your career related questions! Enjoy your summer Badger’s!

Akayla Olajos
Career Assistant

10 Jobs for History Majors

Canada Day has just passed, and one thing this special day does is encourage us to think about the history of our country. With that in mind, it reminds us that many find interest in discovering, learning about, and sharing this history.

Are you a History major unsure of what career path you want to go down? Well you would likely be surprised to know how many careers are in your field! Whether it is a position that requires further education, or one where your History degree will suffice on its own, here are 10 jobs that you might have not known about as a History major:

Administrator

This role tends to focus on bookkeeping, communication, and data entry in various offices. However, it can be tailored more to History majors depending on where the position is. Historical Site Administrators are responsible for managing and overseeing historical sites. How cool is that?

Historian

This one is surely a more obvious title for History majors, but many do not fully understand the depth of this role. Historians gather, analyze, and interpret historical information. As well as write reports, archive or preserve materials for museums, and more!

Researcher

Have excellent communication skills that you want to put to use? Then this could be the job for you. This position includes preparing reports, writing papers, and communicating with various historians and archivists. If research is something you enjoy, then look into making it a career.

Biographer

You will be able to assemble biographical materials and do research in various forms in order to summarize a person’s life in the most engaging way possible as a Biographer. If you enjoy combining personal history and bringing it into a current context, and want to focus on individual histories, then this would likely be a great match for you!

Government Researcher

Maybe you have an interest in politics. Possibly minored in Political Science? This role could be ideal for you! Government Researchers assist with analyzing, developing and reviewing government policies. This could include delivering presentations, ensuring research is done effectively and in a timely manner, and responding to inquiries.

Tour Guide

If you want to share important historical information about certain places, then being a Tour Guide might be something you’d enjoy! You will be answering tourist questions, conduct tours, and greet guests.

Lawyer

With further education, your History degree can be used to get you in the field of Law. You will need to have a good understanding of policies, an ability to analyze legal documents, and much more. There are also various kinds of Lawyers, so the options are endless!

Museum Curator

Museums tend to be a special place for History majors. Having knowledge of documenting artifacts, excellent research skills, ability to plan a budget, and creativity will be useful skills to help you thrive in this profession. Museum curators acquire, document, interpret, and manage certain art collections.

Ethnologist

This position includes planning and conducting research studies, and can include formulating general laws of cultural development and looking into social and cultural behavior. If you enjoy learning about social patterns and using research skills then look into this role!

Gallery Assistant

As a Gallery Assistant you will be responsible for opening and closing the gallery, ensuring items are in the proper place, provide great display sections for the artwork, and giving overall assistance in a gallery. If you enjoy art history then this is perfect for you! 

So there you have it! 10 jobs that might interest you as a History major. For more information on different career paths, job search information, and learning about degree specific skills, drop into CareerZone! 

Lydia Collins

Senior Career Assistant