Career Blog
Every Friday noontime, our Ambassador team offers peer-to-peer drop-ins to offer students advice or aid in their journey throughout university. A proactive first-year student walked in and asked me, “What can I do to stand out in university?” She had read up on my profile and knew about the things I was involved in throughout my time at Telfer. I was incredibly surprised by her preparation and research.
This question has stuck in my mind. Standing out was never what I thought about when I participated and became involved in everything I was a part of during these past four years. After some deliberation, I have created a short piece on potential ways to differentiate yourself in the big crowd of Telfer students.
1) Don’t chase your resumé. Chase your passions.
This is a big one. People often just chase the next thing that will make their resumé look better. Firstly, recruiters barely look at your resumé; only HR recruiters pay more attention to that. Secondly, it is incredibly obvious when you don’t emulate the things on your CV. When you chase your passions, that is when your CV tells a clearer story of who you are as a person. That gives you an edge over thousands of students who aimlessly search for additional ‘work experiences’.
We just finished our applications for the next year of executives for the Women in Management Network. Within seconds of the “tell me about yourself” question, those who were passionate individuals, and were self-aware of what they were looking for, stood out and became successful candidates. Others, even despite extensive resumés, clearly were by the book and were unable to provide me with a clear picture of who they were as a person. Your resumé and grades might get you the interview, but your passions and your story will get you the job.
2) Don’t stick to what you know. Explore.
Though vague, this touches upon the aspect of being by the book. Our school offers an extensive list of resources and services; however, there’s even more at the tips of our fingers in the city of Ottawa. In addition to number 1, find those events that add to the story you want to be telling. Don’t know what story you want to be telling? I know many students are still struggling to determine what field or industry they want to work in, even in their fourth year. I strongly believe that experience plays a big role in this. They haven’t had enough connections with seasoned professionals, delved into that world, tasted the needs and demands of their field beyond their classroom. Cultivating a growth mindset plays a big role within this. Our classes take up much of our time as a student; however, a consistently curious person will always be proactively searching for their next experience. Even if you’re not the best or enjoy that certain topic, don’t be afraid to keep learning in order to strengthen areas of weakness. Learning plays a big role into determining your passions and what you’d like to add to your ‘story’. Someone coined an interesting word on a TED talk: multipotentialite: a person who has many different interests and creative pursuits in life.
I think that’s the case for many of us in our university careers - we’re becoming good at so many things and interested in many topics, but we aren’t even realizing it because of the one-track setup our educational institutions put us in. Thus, it propels us into a one-track career.
Hence, going back to the “how do I stand out” topic, regularly nurture your growth mindset to be aware of current situations and build your roadmap of what you would like to learn more about outside of the context of your degree. You’re studying in finance, but you are passionate about graphic design? Nurture that side. Marketing student with a weird knack for marine biology? Don’t be afraid to explore and connect with people in that field. It’s the quirky things and curiosity that makes you stand out.
3) Build your tribe.
On top of all the things mentioned above, build up your network of peers and professionals that have similar values and aspirations to you. They will be your support network, mentors, sponsors, friends, and aspiration marks. Every entrepreneur likes using this term of ‘tribe’. By exploring what you are passionate about, want to strive to be, and then connecting to those who are currently living that life out, you are providing yourself with living examples of who you could be.
Eliminate the negative relationships in your life along with ones that do not serve you. Instead, scope out for people with growth mindsets that set you on the path for more. Make room for the inspirational people in life. Even in your hardest times, there’s a network, group, tribe of people who give and give back. Take time to nurture those connections.
Hi! My name is Christopher Flores-Lyons, and for the past three years, I have been an ambassador for the Telfer Career Centre. It has been one of the greatest highlights of my university degree. I joined in my second year, the first year you are eligible to become an ambassador. The Career Centre had several workshops that I attended in my first year that helped me gain confidence at networking events. One of the veteran ambassadors encouraged me to join the ambassador's team and take a leadership position within the school to promote the services that are exclusive to Telfer students.
Since high school, I have been very involved. I think it is a great way to meet new people, learn different tools and help behind the scenes at events. With the ambassadors, I have met plenty of professionals that come to Telfer to recruit students, and there have been several fellow students I have met through workshops and networking events. Often, the professionals will also remember you after the event as they see you helping. Another advantage of volunteering as an ambassador is the ability to work on your presentation and sales skills. At the beginning of each semester, ambassadors will do class presentations. Sometimes you will present in front of a large first-year class of hundreds of students, or you may present to a fourth-year class with fewer than 50 students. Either case, you will not be alone during your presentation, and you will have practice in front of audiences big or small. This helps especially prepare you for the ADM2381 – Business Communications Skills class, or a quick elevator pitch you may do while escorting professionals to events. Additionally, as an ambassador, you get an awesome Telfer name tag that sets you apart from fellow students, and you become part of a team that is with you often throughout your university career.
Being an ambassador is a lot of work though. Sometimes you will be at the kiosk in the lobby of Desmarais, but no one will talk to you, or your schedule can get hectic at the beginning of each term. However, the benefits of the Ambassador Program outweigh the cons, and you get to improve your time management and leadership skills. Often you must be proactive and start the conversation with students in the lobby rather than wait for someone to approach you. If you are an introvert like myself, it is tough, but you get to practice, and by the end of the year you will be a professional, ready to help train the next generation of ambassadors. Finally, you become part of a family that you can depend on throughout your years at Telfer and friends that will last you a lifetime.
Applications for the Ambassador Program are out now and involve an online application and interview with the Career Centre’s Manager and another Career Centre staff member. You will also have to answer some small essay questions in the application so make sure you have read through the Career Centre website or reach out to current ambassadors via Facebook if you have any questions.
Apply to become part of the 2018-19 Ambassador Team now!
Deadline is March 23, 2018.
Learn more about the application process by visiting the Ambassdor Program page.
We are in the third month of 2018 and it’s a good time to reflect on whether or not you have been sticking to the goals you have set for yourself in the beginning of the year. Are you still on the right track or have you given up after two weeks into the year? If the latter is you, don’t worry, it is never too late to start over! Here are three tips on how to get back on track.
1. Revise Your Goals
Perhaps you were not able to stick to your goals because they were too vague or they lacked a clear plan. Now is a great opportunity to revise them, tweak them and make the goals perfect for you. Set small, specific goals and create a plan on how you can get to where you want to be. The more detailed you can be, the easier it is to stay focused on what you have to do to achieve your goals. It keeps you organized and encouraged along the way. It also makes it less overwhelming.
2. Understand Your True Motivation
Take a step back and ask yourself: “Why was this your goal in the first place?” This will help you understand the values and the meaning that underlies in the goal in the first place. If you wanted to attend more career-related workshops, maybe your underlying desire is to gain and develop skills to help you in your classes and in the real world. This will help you check in with yourself and to remind you why you’re doing this in the first place. Knowing what truly motivates you will help you move forward.
3. Let Your Goals Be Known
You’re more likely to achieve your goals when you let others know about them. It holds you accountable and it’s harder to withdraw from them. You’re more motivated to work hard and get things done. Telling your best friend about your goals and talking about it with them on a regular basis will keep you on track. Additionally, do not rely heavily on others to get things done but, don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it. You can’t always do things on your own and asking for help will perhaps give you the leverage you need.
To conclude, there are plenty of ways to get back on track but hopefully these tips will help you get started on getting back on track. Just because you failed to set up the perfect goal or stick with your goals, it doesn’t mean you should give up on your goal completely. It’s okay to slip up but it’s important that you pick yourself up and try again. Be open to the changes and the challenges that come along with it. Believe in yourself and get excited, you’re learning!
“I dove right into Telfer student life and haven’t looked back! Getting involved means meeting entrepreneurial students and interesting professionals. It has also shaped my perception of the business community in Ottawa. And being active in Telfer has given me hands-on skills that students can’t always learn in a classroom. Being involved really rounds out your education. Jump into clubs to get your feet wet and find out what your calling is!”
- Sonia V.
First-year rep for Telfer International
First-year rep for the WMN (Women in Management Network)
Logistics coordinator for the Legacy Conference
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
Whether you are a first- or fourth-year student, you should be going to networking events. They may lead to your first summer internship, or your post-undergrad dream job. As beneficial as networking events can be, they can also be very intimidating. However, not if you know how to prepare for them. Use these five ways to prepare for your next networking event!
1. Research Attendees Before the Networking Event
Before attending the event, take a look at which professionals will be in attendance. You can research them to come up with some potential conversation starters. As a result, you can create a meaningful conversation with the professional. This meaningful conversation could lead you to many future opportunities as a student.
2. Update your Social Media Profiles
You must do this before researching and following up with professionals. Make sure your latest jobs are on your LinkedIn profile, and that a professional headshot is at the top. Due to this, professionals will be able to identify you, before and after the networking event. Finally, if your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles are public, they must look appropriate to a professional.
3. Memorize your Elevator Pitch
“Tell me about yourself.” This may be one of the most dreaded questions to answer. You can avoid this stress by memorizing a short introduction about yourself. Your talk about who you are and what you do must leave a positive impact on the professional. With this statement, you will create a long-lasting impression with the individual.
4. Track your Contacts
Throughout the networking event, keep track of all the professionals you speak to. You can do this by collecting business cards, or adding them on LinkedIn right on the spot. By doing this, you will know who to follow up with after the event.
5. Follow-up with your Contacts
Don’t forget to follow up with the professionals that you network with. Thank them for their time and ask them to connect at a later time, should that be relevant. Overall, keep in contact with these professionals, as you never know where it could lead you!
To learn more about Telfer Networking Events: www.telfer.uOttawa.ca/en/careercentre/undergraduate-students/networking-events
When approaching graduation, most students start asking themselves a number of questions: Was this the right degree for me? What will I do with it later on? Should I pursue a master’s degree right away? Should I take a break and travel the world? Or should I work to gain experience? Am I falling behind my peers?
These are all questions that I have asked myself. I have to admit that the most difficult thing is to get out of “panic mode”. However, it will make it much easier for you to organize your thoughts, pursue your ideas more calmly and come to a decision (or at least narrow down your options).
For me, I was able to climb out of the abyss ―if I can put it that way― by talking with professors, by meeting a professional, who is also a coach, through a Career Centre workshop, but mostly by watching videos/messages from Simon Sinek and Gary Vaynerchuk, two thinkers who understand well the issues and challenges facing millennials.
I discovered Simon Sinek while watching motivational videos on YouTube. Among his videos, the ones I enjoy the most so far are those that address employee motivation and those that highlight millennials’ notorious impatience, whether it’s in terms of our relationships or career fulfillment. I became interested in him and went on to discover that he wrote several books, including Start with why, which I proudly added to my collection and can’t wait to read.
As for Gary Vaynerchuk, I discovered him on Instagram. He also has a YouTube channel and he’s the author of several books, including his most recent book Crushing it. As a seasoned entrepreneur, he enjoys helping people of all ages, but especially young people, find their way (you can find videos on this topic on his Instagram feed or on YouTube). He reminded me that at my young age, it is too early to say that I have failed, that I’m trailing behind, that I didn’t achieve anything. He reminded me that we have access to tremendous opportunities in this 21st century, as long as we take the time to reflect on what interests us, to get started and to hang on. His daily messages on Instagram re-energize me. Check them out and let me know what you think. J
As you can probably tell from my story, for me these two people and their ideas complement each other, and they have helped me regain perspective, especially in the moments where I’m tempted to feel sorry for myself when I see a handful of young people my age who already have a lot of success in their various fields. While I’m still busy “trying to find myself”…
I’m not saying that this is a miracle solution that will get all your questions answered with the snap of a finger. Far from it. But in those times when you think everything is falling apart or that the world doesn’t understand you, their ideas and messages will remind you that you are not alone, which is already quite reassuring. Even better, they will motivate you and help you analyze your own logic and thoughts. They will comfort you when you have the impression that your friends and family don’t understand you and they will help illuminate the path that is your life.
The month of March is already quite busy given midterms and the various assignments that need to be handed in. On top of that, it’s interview season! To help you shine in your interviews, I’m sharing with you 3 great tips that will help you secure the job you want.
1) Know your strengths
To get to know your strengths, you have to prepare by carefully reviewing the job posting. Brainstorm on your personality traits, your background and your objectives. This will help you identify your skills and qualities that directly relate to the job. You can also rely on Career Centre staff to help, whether it’s through practice interviews with employers or through the Interview 101 Clinics.
2) Conduct research on the targeted company
It is crucial to get to know the employer you’re about to meet. You can do research on the company’s official website or contact someone you may know within the organization. Here are some examples of information to seek out in your search: the company’s objectives and mandate, their key services and activities, and their organizational chart.
3) Dress professionally
The goal here is to make a good impression. The employer must sense by looking at your professional attire that you take this job opportunity seriously. Dress too casually and you will leave them with the wrong impression.
“Talk with confidence. People will memorize 55% of your body language, 38% of your intonation and only 7% of your words. Focus on your attitude. Without the right attitude, your aptitude will hardly bring you to a new altitude. Try to learn as much as possible in class, but don’t be nervous for the exam if you’re well prepared. The university is here to help you achieve your goal.”
- Marc Tassé
Part-time professor
MBA, CPA, CA, FCPA(USA), CICA(USA), CFF(USA), CACM(USA), Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Expert
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
–William Arthur Ward
In life, it is important to show our gratitude towards others. Although that sounds like common sense, it is not always easy to express our appreciation. We will often assume that people either get thanks from other people, or that they already know how thankful we are for them. We are usually wrong on both counts.
Giving thanks to those around you and showing appreciation, is an important aspect of life.
At the Telfer School of Management Career Centre, we organize an annual event in March to acknowledge the continued involvement of our collaborators, employers, students, and all who have contributed to our activities and events throughout the year.
This year, in addition to highlighting the people who make Telfer such an amazing community, we wanted to set the stage for others share their stories of appreciation. We are therefore launching the #TelferStar campaign.
Our challenge to you
Within the Telfer community, is there a person you look up to? Do you have a mentor who has helped you during your time as a student? Or has someone that you mentor made immense progress? Do you know of a student who deserves to be recognized for their achievements? Or has a faculty member gone above and beyond in their role? Tell us.
Leave a comment on any of our social media posts, or post on your own profiles using the hashtag #TelferStar (Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn).
Your messages and photos will be featured at the 2018 edition of the Career Centre Celebration, our grand recognition event taking place March 27th. There are also some great prizes to be won!
So tell us, who is YOUR #TelferStar?
Ideally, when meeting someone for the first time, we shake the each other’s hand. A great handshake is critical for a great first impression. While an average handshake doesn’t stick in our mind, a bad handshake unfortunately does.
Here’s a list of what you should do when shaking someone’s hand and some of the handshake mistakes you should avoid so you don’t appear awkward, aggressive or unsure of yourself.
DO’s
1. Maintain eye contact and smile
Maintaining eye contact and smiling shows that you’re friendly and interested in the other person. It can help build trust between you.
2. Have a firm grip
A good handshake comes from the elbow not the shoulder, with the wrist and forearm remaining firm. When shaking someone’s hand, make sure both your hands are touching at the web area between your thumbs and index fingers. Hold your fingers close together and wrap them around the palm region of the other person’s hand (they shouldn’t be wrapped around any of the other person’s fingers). Maintain a light but firm pressure, which conveys confidence.
3. Keep it short
A business handshake can last up to three pumps, or approximately three seconds. Avoid overdoing it. If you hold on too long, you may make the other person feel uncomfortable and may appear anxious or unsure of yourself.
DON’Ts
1. The wet fish
This is the handshake where you or the other person has cold, clammy hands. It can happen if you’re nervous or anxious and your hands are sweating. If you know your hands are sweaty, discreetly pat your hands on your clothes before shaking hands. Or if you can, go wash and dry your hands before approaching people to shake their hand.
2. The little lady
This is the name of a soft, fingertips-only handshake—when one hand limply lays on the other person’s hand and no pressure is applied. This handshake can make you seem awkward, weak, ineffective or disengaged.
3. The bone crusher
The opposite of the “little lady” handshake, the bone crusher is when you apply so much pressure that it’s to the point of being painful. Avoid this handshake. It serves only to make you seem aggressive and is neither welcoming nor professional.
Now that you have an idea of what to do and not do when it comes to handshakes, put your knowledge into practice. Give it a try with a friend or family member so that when the time comes, you’re ready, confident and able to leave a positive first impression.