EXPERIENCING MORE From Home!

As we are heading into the month of June, many of us have now been confined to our homes for several months. It goes without saying that the COVID-19 virus has been deeply disruptive to our normal routines and school/work schedules, and with the weather changing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a productive mindset. With that said, continuing to learn, build skills, and gain experiences remains important to us as university students. We want to take this time to share with you some of the things that have afforded us the opportunity to continue EXPERIENCING MORE as a student at Brock.

 1. CONTINUE WORKING WITH CAREER EDUCATION

 Although you may be apprehensive to continue job/career searching during this time, we urge students not to back down. Industries and companies are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in different ways, and stopping or delaying your search may cause you to miss out on great opportunities that are available during this time.
With this in mind, taking advantage of webinars, CareerZone Café’s, and Virtual Drop In’s hosted by the Career Education team may help inspire you to continue working hard on your search and give you a chance to connect with fellow students in similar positions. Furthermore, we are still providing career consultations on job search strategies, interviewing, recruitment, personal branding, and the labour market in a virtual setting.

2. KEEP UP WITH VIRTUAL NETWORKING

Creating and maintaining a strong network is key for us as students as we continue job/career searching. Make it a priority to reach out to new potential contacts. This not only gives you an opportunity to seek out information in sectors you are interested in, but also is a chance to get some insider advice you may otherwise not have had access to. You should aim to learn as much as you can from the person you are engaging with, so we recommend you let this guide the conversation.

We recommend using LinkedIn to start connecting with professionals in your desired industry. If you have already created a profile and established a network, we recommend reaching out to them through the LinkedIn messenger to maintain your relationship- even if it is just to check in. If you are just getting started with your network, send a personalized message referencing who you are and why you would like to connect. We have found this particularly inspiring, as learning from and connecting with industry professionals has been a great reminder of our goals for the future.

3. MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO KEEP LEARNING

 It can be particularly difficult to continue engaging your mind in the work from home setting, but there are several options to continue learning. LinkedIn Learning, which can be accessed using your Brock login credentials, offers thousands of online courses that you may find interesting or helpful. Professional associations in your industry of interest may offer virtual programming- these may also offer opportunities for building your network. We also recommend subscribing to podcasts that focus on your professional or academic interests- these are a great way to learn and engage without the added pressure of coursework.

We hope you find these tips as helpful as they have been to us. Please reach out to career@brocku.ca with any questions or concerns you may have regarding our services at CareeZone, we would be happy to assist you in your efforts to EXPERIENCE MORE during this unique time.

Farewell Message from Graduating Career Assistants and Introduction to our Summer Career Assistants

The past 2019/2020 school year has been rewarding and a learning experience for many. As the fall and winter term comes to an end, this blog post is to just express our sincere thanks and appreciation to our fellow co-workers that made CareerZone so great. Below are self-reflections and closing remarks from some of our graduating career assistants.

Niraj

“Working with the Coop Career & Experiential Education department was a highlight of my time at Brock University. I joined the team as a Goodman Career Assistant in my second year of study in September 2017. I was able to learn and develop my skills under the guidance of the Goodman team lead by Ashley Chimenti. In my first year I learned a great deal about the job application process and how crucial it is to build your network. I would advise students attend the networking and Exploring Careers in series of events organized by the Career Education department. The events are a starting point to building a network and meeting helpful alumni if you make it happen.

Later, I was given the opportunity to work with the department as a Summer Career Assistant in 2019, and the summer was also when I transitioned to assist the department as a Plus Programs Assistant. I was able to help students from a whole new dynamic as I provided them with guidance on building their Experience Plus Transcripts which can be used to strengthen a portfolio or job application and kept as a record of a student’s involvement during their university career.

I returned to the department in my final year of study as a Senior Goodman Career Assistant in September 2019. I spent many hours talking to students and encouraging them to get involved and attend Goodman Career Events. Although, the year was cut short due to the Covid-19 virus, the Career team was still highly functional working from home for the remainder of the year.

Throughout my time with the department, the staff were always welcoming and very helpful. My advice to all incoming students would be to book an appointment with a Talent Development Specialist. The staff are very knowledgeable and can offer great advice on building your dream career. As I finish my Bachelor of Business Administration degree, I look forward to furthering my education as I prepare to write my Certified Financial Analyst exam. If you are already a student at Brock University or are thinking of attending the school, my most important takeaway would be to get involved with the Coop Career and Experiential Education Department.”

Niraj Dave, BBA

 Autumn

“As my time as a career assistant, I enjoyed getting to learn about the different job opportunities, passions, and career goals of students. It really opened my eyes to the wide variety of career paths that were available after graduation and the significance of conducting research related to career planning. One advice I would give to students is participate in informational interviews, volunteering, completing a co-op placement or even job shadowing as part of your next steps, to get exposed to areas you may be interested in. As part of my next steps as a nursing student, I plan on finishing my last year of nursing school and begin working as a nurse.”

Autumn Wild, BSc. Nursing