Career Options Post Secondary Winter 2015

COFOR CANADIAN POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS

CAREER OPTIONS

CAREEROPTIONSMAGAZINE.COMWINTER 2015 / VOLUME 29 NO. 1

7 ARE CAREER CENTRES YOUR SCHOOL’S BEST KEPT SECRET?

22 WHY YOUR TECHNICAL SKILLS AREN’T ENOUGH TO GET YOU THE JOB

30 SPECIAL SECTION: INTERNATIONAL

“JUST BE YOURSELF, DEAR” AN INTERVIEW WITH

SHOPIFY’S DOUG TETZNER PAGE 14

http://www.careeroptionsmagazine.com

2 WINTER 2015 CAREEROPTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

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CAREER OPTIONS WINTER 2015 3

IN EVERY ISSUE

5 EDITOR’S LETTER

FEATURES

7Career Centres:Your School’s Best Kept SecretBy Jane MacDonald

95 Tips to Building a Memorable Personal BrandBy Sara Kandathil

11Experiential Learning Through VolunteeringBy Valérie Gosselin & Catherine Stace

12There’s Nothing Soft About “Soft Skills”By David Lindskoog

14“Just Be Yourself, Dear”An Interview with Shopify’s Doug TetznerBy Robert Nettleton

20Upskilling to Even More Career OptionsBy William Johnson

22The “Softer” Side of Job HuntingAnd Why Technical Skills Aren’t Enough to Get You the JobBy Emma Tranter

26Disclosure in the Graduate Environment6 Tips for Students in TransitionBy Chelsea E. Mohler, MSc, Emily M. Duffett, MA and Dr. Mahadeo A. Sukhai, Ph.D.

INTERNATIONAL

30Test Your International IQ—Are You Ready to Work Abroad?By Jean-Marc Hachey

36So You Want to Teach Abroad?Let’s Get You CertifiedBy Aisha Biberdorf

38Certified to Teach Abroad?Now Let’s Talk EtiquetteBy Richard Coelho

40Studying in the SunBy Danielle Klassen

CAREER OPTIONSWINTER 2015

9 “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

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22 Are you

failing to communicate your skills?

38 The cultural

DOs and DON’Ts of working abroad


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Operations24 Engineers Canada39, 42 Enterprise Rent-A-Car (ERAC)17, 29 Humber College, School of Social &

Community Services37 Kativik School Board6 Manitoba Government Tuition Fee Rebate43 Manitoba Nurses Recruitment and Retention

Fund5, 42 New York Chiropractic College2, 42 Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer

(ONCAT)25 Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)28 Schlumberger

44 St. George’s University18, 42 The Canadian Payroll Association41 The Centre for Digital Media (CDM)35 The National Job Fair and Training Expo34 The New England Center for Children

(NECC)33 University of Regina42 Washington University of Health and Science5 You’re Next Career Network

CAREER OPTIONS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Paul D. Smith

MANAGING EDITOR | GORDONGROUP

Robert Nettleton

PROJECT MANAGEMENT | GORDONGROUP

Omer Abdallah

ART DIRECTION | PRINT MANAGEMENT GORDONGROUP

Leslie Miles

DESIGN & LAYOUT | GORDONGROUP

Emily Barclay

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES | GORDONGROUP

Kirill Kornilov

ADVERTISING SALES | GORDONGROUP

Colleen Hayes

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Stirling Coulter-Hayward

CONTRIBUTORS

Aisha Biberdorf David Lindskoog Richard Coelho Jane MacDonald Emily M. Duffett Chelsea E. Mohler Valérie Gosselin Robert Nettleton Jean-Marc Hachey Catherine Stace William Johnson Dr. Mahadeo A. Sukhai Sara Kandathil Emma Tranter

Danielle Klassen

Career Options is published bi-annually in January and September by the Canadian Association of

Career Educators and Employers (CACEE), 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 202, Toronto ON M5S 2T9

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION, CONTACT PAUL D. SMITH:

Tel.: 613-634-2359 Fax: 416-929-5256 Email: [email protected]

Website: careeroptionsmagazine.com

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES, CONTACT KIRILL KORNILOV,

Director of Advertising Sales, gordongroup: Tel.: 613-288-5363 Fax: 613-722-6496

Email: [email protected] Website: gordongroup.com

ISSN: 1712-1183

The Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) is a national, non-profit partnership of employer recruiters and

career services professionals. Our mission is to provide authoritative information, advice, professional development opportunities and other

services to employers, career services professionals and students.

Career Options is distributed to students at post-secondary institutions across Canada. Career Options is available free of charge through

campus career centres.

NOTE: The opinions expressed within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect CACEE policy. No part of this magazine may be

reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.

The National Student Resource of: Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers

720 Spadina Ave., Suite 202, Toronto ON M5S 2T9 cacee.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

We Don’t Have a Skills Gap—We Have a Communications Problem

You may have noticed that Canadian media has been full of reports about a skills

shortage in this country. Employers report difficulties finding suitable candidates (that

would be you), while economists and analysts are saying that data is showing none of

the expected indicators of a systemic, comprehensive shortage. Here at the Canadian

Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE), we have data that reveals one possible

cause of a shortage of skilled young talent. Recruiting strategies have changed, and everyone is

learning the new rules. This means—and is explored in the article by Emma Tranter beginning on

page 22—that we don’t have a skills gap, we have a communications problem.

With that said, you should know that there are real skill shortages in select regions and sectors.

Employers in western and eastern regions of Canada are experiencing actual recruiting challenges

and across the country there are shortages within select sectors (oil and gas, skilled trades). Much

of that demand has been for skilled tradespeople, a form of training that has been out of favour for

quite some time. But these authentic shortages don’t tell the whole story.

Let’s consider the communications problem: What caused it? What we can do about it? There are

employers who have committed to the exclusive or near exclusive use of social networks to source

applicants, moving away from first-person recruiting efforts like campus visits. This approach

invites many more applications because anyone with a Twitter account can learn about postings,

and then visit the corporate website to apply. This seems like good news for you, especially if

you attend a school with a lower profile. For the recruiter, it introduces a challenge: the potential

volume of applications goes up considerably. Most respond by pairing social network recruiting

with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to turn a flood of applications into a manageable stream

of candidates, but selective screening criteria that is based on keywords limits the number of

qualified applicants who become candidates.

There’s a short term solution: Career educators and students who encounter these systems

respond by figuring out the magical keywords so that they can beat the filters. Eventually, when

enough applicants figure this out, employers then change the keywords, or implement a new

process (assessment centres are emerging as a tool). This is the recruiting arms race, and like the

military arms race, it is expensive and it does not solve the problem it is intended to solve.

There is also a longer term solution: We can communicate authentically, using a common

language that is intended to create understanding, instead of using jargon intended to trip up

applicants. Employers, educators and students can work together to identify the true skills needed

in the present labour market, and agree upon the words that describe them. If we do this, we

can replace the “arms race” with an open and effective recruiting process that aligns skills with

needs, applicants with opportunities. But this will take a while to achieve. In the meantime, you

should probably work with your career service staff to figure out the keywords.


http://www.cacee.com


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What is one of the best kept

secrets at post-secondary

institutions? It is the career

centre office! Although it may

have different names on other campuses, the

primary purpose of a career centre is to provide

programs and services on career and employment

topics. We can loosely categorize the services

and programs available at a career centre in the

following three categories: career advising, career

information, and employment services.

CAREER ADVISING is coaching or career coun-

selling services designed to help you explore your

career options; assess skills, values, and interests;

and identify job search strategies and decision-

making skills. Other programs and services can

include job search information, resumé and cover

letter critiques, mock interviews, networking, work-

shops, and portfolio development.

Career centres provide CAREER INFORMATION

to help you relate your skills, experience, and

goals to the workplace. It can also help you

explore career choices and the career decision-

making process. Many career centres provide

career information through self-assessments and

career planning resources, labour market infor-

mation (local to global), graduate or professional

schools information, employment directories,

and employment advertisements.

A common resource career centres use is “What

I can do with a degree/major in…?” This tool

contains relevant skill development needs, occu-

pational choices, examples of companies who look

for individuals with this degree, and other useful

resource links. Having the right information will

help you make an informed career decision.

For anyone looking to explore work opportunities

and connect with prospective employers, you can

take advantage of a career centre’s EMPLOYMENT SERVICES. In most cases, career centre staff

develop individual relationships with many local

and national employers and graduate/professional

schools. Through job advertisements, you learn

about employers who have part-time, summer, or

post-graduate job openings.

Throughout the school year, career centres also

organizes many job/career fairs, information ses-

sions, and meet-and-greets with employers. These

events provide you with direct access to employers

and can help you understand what companies

may be a right fit for you.

The best advice for anyone looking for resources

on how you can link your education to the avail-

able jobs is to “Ask questions.” Feel confident

that by getting an answer to your career-related

questions, you can save time in the job applica-

tion process, make informed academic course

choices, or better understand career interests.

I guarantee there is a dedicated group of career

services professionals who are keenly interested in

helping you discover your career journey and help

you connect with the workforce. CO

JANE MACDONALD has over 15 years of

experience in student-

focused career coaching.

She teaches professional

development seminars and

the academic component

for StFX Co-op Program.

CAREERCENTRES: YOUR SCHOOL’S BEST KEPT SECRET.

By Jane MacDonald



http://www.cbie.ca/


TIPSBy Sara Kandathil

TO BUILDING A MEMORABLE PERSONAL BRAND


1 | STREAMLINE THE DESIGNThe design of your brand is like nonverbal communication: You could be saying all the right things, but if you’re using baby pink font on your resumé and have Hello Kitty pictures on your website, you might not be taken as seriously as you’d like. Consider the tone and feel that you want to portray, and be mindful of how your font style and colour scheme reflect that. Secondly, be consistent with your font style and colours throughout all of your branding materials—resumé/cover letter letterhead, business cards, Twitter, blogs, websites, etc. Make it easy for people to recognize your brand.

2 | AVOID THE “SELFIE” HEADSHOTA professional looking picture—particularly on your LinkedIn profile—goes a long way. That’s not to say that you have to get a professional set of headshots taken; however, at the very least, ask a friend to take an individual picture of you. Stay away from selfies or failed cropped photos where your best friend’s shoulder is still in the frame. And of course, smile! A smiling face is always a more welcome first impression.

3 | SAY IT WITH A TAGLINEIf you could describe your brand in 3 words, what would they be? Your tagline can be used as your LinkedIn headline or Twitter bio, on your website, or even as the footer on your resume. Of course, it should be professional, but adding a little creative flair is what makes a brand memorable. Check out some of the bios of professionals you look up to on Twitter to get some ideas.

4 | FIND A PLATFORM TO SHOWCASE YOUR WORKLinkedIn now allows you to add in special projects, but depending on what skill sets you want to highlight, you may be looking for a larger space to showcase your pieces of work and accomplishments. You may consider your own website or online portfolio through free sites like Wix or Weebly.

5 | BE GENUINEAt the end of the day, a brand isn’t a brand if it isn’t truly you. Before creating your brand, take some time to reflect on the values, skills, passions and traits that define you. Think of how you want to represent yourself professionally and what you want hiring managers and professional peers to know about you.

There you have it: create a strong brand and online presence, and before you know it, people may begin to think they’ve met you before they’ve really met you! CO

IIIIT WAS A SMALL NETWORKING EVENT—AN OPEN HOUSE MEET-AND-GREET, SO TO SPEAK. BEING ONE OF THE FIRST TO ARRIVE, THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THERE, INCLUDING ONE GIRL WHOSE FACE WAS STRIKINGLY FAMILIAR.

Immediately I felt I recognized her, but I couldn’t quite place her face. Was it

school, work, or perhaps a friend of a friend? I just couldn’t remember!

But, sooner or later, I knew, she was going to approach me—after all, there

were so few of us who showed up this early. I made my way over to the refresh-

ments—racking my brain trying to place her. Finally, I just decided to head

over, introduce myself, and see if some small-talk would trigger my memory.

Her name was Jane Greensmith (name changed for privacy reasons),

but she introduced herself as though she hadn’t met me before, and even

offered me her business card. And that’s when it all clicked: I hadn’t actually

met her before! My memory didn’t fail me! (Well, not entirely anyways). Her

business card was stamped with her well-branded profile picture, the same

profile picture that she had on LinkedIn where she postes updates and

articles on a regular basis.

I had never met Jane before, but noticed her status updates filled my social

media feeds and we shared a number of professional connections, so I even-

tually added her as one of my own connections. The moment I received her

business card, I realized she was the epitome of personal branding. She had

created such a strong online presence through her brand, that even before I

met her, I thought I already knew her.

It is because of Jane Greensmith that I came to understand just how powerful

personal branding can be if you’re a professional looking to really establish

yourself within your chosen career. And with that, I bring to you:

SARA KANDATHIL is Career Specialist with

the BCIT Student Association. Connect with

her on Twitter @SaraKandathil

5 TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND



Are you caught in that catch-22

situation where you can’t get the

job without the experience, but you

can’t get the experience without the

job? You’re not alone in that situation, but there is

something you can do about it.

Volunteering provides you with more than that

“feel good” feeling. It’s a great opportunity to gain

the necessary experience you need in order to

qualify for a job by donating your time to an orga-

nization for a couple of hours a week—or whatever

suits your schedule.

Volunteering can help you achieve your career goals in so many ways, but here’s just a few to consider:

Putting your academics into practice. Imagine

you are studying accounting and volunteer for

an organization that hands you their accounting

receipts in a shoe box. You could design and

implement a standardized accounting system

and train the staff on how to use it. This could

go a long way in demonstrating to prospective

employers you are responsible, innovative, and

you are a team player.

Explore your career options and expand your horizons. This is your chance to try out different

industries or career paths, or simply try some-

thing you never thought of before! Volunteering

opens up the doors to experience a career path

before you dive into an expensive degree or

certification program.

Develop your skills or hone the ones you already have. By volunteering you can apply your theo-

retical knowledge in a practical setting. You might

be able to put programming skills to use and build

your portfolio to show potential employers, or use

your position to get a chance to practice your

second or third language.

Build your network. Volunteers come from a

variety of age groups, lifestyles and career paths.

You have the opportunity to learn about other

careers and career paths while making contacts in

those fields. It can also be a great opportunity to

be linked to someone who knows someone who’s

hiring. Even if the volunteering work is not related

to your dream career, you might be surprised by

the people you’ll meet. Developing a wide network

that can attest to your skills and commitment is

always a good thing.

Insider sneak peek of the organization. Learn a

company’s culture, the workload, expectations,

the challenges and develop your contacts in the

organization or the field. You could get a sense

of what it is like to work in that type of organization.

For example, the work culture in an NGO setting

can be different from the corporate culture. This

will help you decide if you want to work for this

organization in the future and how to target

your application.

Opportunity for personal growth. Don’t underesti-

mate the sense of giving. The personal fulfillment

and sense of achievement can help you define

your values and perhaps even direct you along

unexpected path.

When you volunteer you are helping yourself and

the organization. Go ahead take a risk! Be adven-

turous and do something that you have never

done before! Your future self will thank you. CO

VALÉRIE GOSSELIN is studying career development at

Université du Québec à Montréal.

CATHERINE STACE is a Career Advisor at McGill

University. She has been active with CACEE at the regional

and national levels for many years.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THROUGH VOLUNTEERING

By Valérie Gosselin & Catherine Stace


There’s NOTHING SOFT about

“SOFT SKILLS”W

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There’s NOTHING SOFT about

“SOFT SKILLS” Have you ever thought about what

is meant by the term “soft skills?”

While the distinction from skills

focusing more explicitly on num-

bers, machines, and patterns is taxonomically

helpful, the word “soft” unfortunately comes with

baggage we could do without. In fact, the word is

far more often associated with tones of insult or

shortcoming than anything actually desired–

especially in a context as dominated by competition

and self-promotion as job seeking.

Yet, in survey after survey, employers are identifying

what are traditionally thought of as soft skills as

their most sought-after abilities in new hires. To

name but a few: written and verbal communica-

tion; identifying and solving problems; teamwork;

leadership.

I wouldn’t blame you for experiencing feelings

of confusion. Just to the side of the soft skills

emphasis is a constant stream of encouragement

extolling the virtues of degrees made of “sterner”

stuff, requiring “harder” skills: science, technology,

engineering, and math. Because we love to cat-

egorize by nature, it can become really hard to get

away from an either/or perspective when it comes

to these kinds of skills. In reality though, you have

many skills that help to define you as a complex

individual. These skills defy outdated categoriza-

tions, and they all have value.

There’s nothing soft about the in-demand skills

listed above. In fact, a more accurate way of

grouping them might be their shared application

to, or association with, people. And as someone

who spends their workday listening to them at

their most vulnerable, I’d suggest that there’s most

certainly nothing simple or easy about people.

All skills can be improved with time, practice,

and the right kind of training. For the more quan-

titative skills out there, a straightforward path often

exists. Want to become more skilled in calculus

or a programming language? Learn the methods,

apply them, then learn more complicated ones

and apply those. It might take a long time and

lots of repetition, but eventually you are left with

more confidence in that skill. Things are less

straightforward if what you want to learn is how to

communicate a complex idea in an understand-

able way, or collaborate in a group of conflicting

personalities, or simply listen to someone in a

manner that makes them feel heard. Even profes-

sional email etiquette seems too difficult a skill for

a surprising number of people!

The good news is, these are absolutely still skills

that you can improve, and the even better news

is that you have nearly limitless options as to how

you can do that. I chose to volunteer and work

part time during my own studies. You may choose

to pursue experiential education opportunities, or

work abroad, or go on exchange, or simply travel

somewhere new. As you reflect on these experi-

ences, you’ll discover you’ve grown.

And while there’s nothing soft about that, it sure

doesn’t sound hard. CO

DAVID LINDSKOOG

is a clinical counsellor

in Vancouver, BC

with a background in

post-secondary career

counselling. He writes

regularly on his website,

thedayjob.ca.

By David Lindskoog, MA

EMPLOYERS ARE IDENTIFYING WHAT ARE TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT OF AS SOFT SKILLS AS THEIR MOST SOUGHT-AFTER ABILITIES IN NEW HIRES.

www.wbgcanada.com

By Robert Nettleton

AN INTERVIEW WITH

SHOPIFY’S DOUG TETZNER

“Just be yourself, dear”


Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Shopify provides

commerce solutions to anyone looking to sell

online, in store and everywhere in between.

Today, Shopify powers more than 120,000

stores around the world. Since opening its doors in 2004, Shopify has

become somewhat renowned for its non-traditional approach to recruitment

and interviewing, focusing much more on a person’s soft skills—their story

and passion—rather than just the technical skills that they possess.

Career Options leapt at the chance to speak with Doug Tetzner, Shopify’s

Director of Talent Acquisition, to learn more about this unconventional

approach to hiring and what advice he has for those on the job hunt—

especially if they want to work at Shopify.

Career Options (CO): What inspired your non-traditional approach to recruiting and hiring?

Doug Tetzner (DT): A lot of companies when it comes to recruiting will fall

into this trap of “Well, let’s just find people who have done it before.” So it

becomes a search for a “been there, done that” candidate. Whereas we

much prefer to … find people who are great at what they do and are passion-

ate about what they do, get to know them, and bring them in and have them

grow within our environment.

What we’re really trying to do is find high-quality people who

are fully engaged in what they do. It’s more about getting

to know them versus a typical QA of “tell me a time where

you were challenged.” Interviewing can be a very stiff and

uncomfortable process in a lot of places because it’s really about asking

questions and looking for the right answers, whereas with us it’s about getting

to know the people.

CO: What are some of the key soft skills you look for as part of your role in talent acquisition for Shopify?

DT: Number one is authenticity. Shopify is a very real place. We look to hire

people that can be themselves. It sounds like advice from someone’s mother:

“Oh, just be yourself, dear!” It’s also easier said than done. We look for

people who are comfortable with themselves and are a certain way and can

be that way. They don’t present a mask or a kind of persona that they think

we want to see.

Number two is…we could find someone who has great skills and an awesome

background, but if we think they’re going to be an [expletive], we just won’t

hire them. At work, you need to be able to get along with people. And a lot of

what is great about a company is when people are working well with people

they work with.

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CO: Do you think soft skills are more important than technical or “hard” skills? Would you be willing to take the risk on someone who may be less technically-inclined and less qualified for the job on paper, but have a lot more potential in the personality department?

DT: The hard skills and soft skills are equally important... It comes down to

people who have been fully engaged in what they do. You could interview

two different people that have both worked at McDonald’s but just had very

different experiences there. One would know exactly how the place worked,

and what they did, and be able to get into great detail about it and have a

conversation about it, and the other, who maybe didn’t really care about

being there, wouldn’t be able to answer any questions about it because they,

in fact, weren’t “there.” If people can come into our environment and be fully

engaged…it’s what we look for.

CO: In some cases, you’ve ask candidates to describe a typical day off in their life, show you a funny link, or demonstrate their thick skin or sense of humour in an application. Why is this information important to finding the right candidate?

DT: There [are] a couple reasons for it. The first is just so we can get to know

them a bit, versus just “Here is my cover letter and here is my CV.” When

someone shares the link to the funny thing they have seen on the Internet or

describe their weekend, you get a better understanding of them.

The second reason is that there [are] quite a few people who apply for jobs

where it’s just about volume—they don’t actually read job postings or put

much time and attention into their application. So they will not actually see

the part about linking to the funniest thing or, quite frankly, read the part

where it says “Make your cover letter out to this person.” They’re just so

used to “I’m going to apply for 25 jobs today, crank them out and copy and

paste my CV and cover letter.” So we’ll put some interesting things in the job

postings just to see who’s actually reading them. Now that trick will be ruined

once this article comes out.

We had [one job posting] where we put in the middle of the text, “Please

make your cover letter out to Dear Mario and Luigi,” and about 40% of

applications just didn’t. It was “To whom it may concern,” or “Dear hiring

manager.” I’m convinced a lot of people just don’t read [the job postings].

They just see the job title, see it as a lottery and just apply.

The people who do the best in the job search are the ones who can do a bit

of research and write a customized cover letter. It goes a long way. Human

beings are actually reading this stuff. Contrary to popular belief, we’re not just

doing keyword searches.

CO: To play into your process a bit, how would you describe a typical day off in your life?

DT: A day off in my life? I’ve got a couple of kids. I’m married. A lot of our

weekends are hanging out with the kids, taking them to activities and doing

things around the house. It’s kind of all consuming and it’s awesome.

There’s always grass to cut or there’s always things to be done… Even as

you asked me to describe it, I’m like, “That doesn’t sound very exciting.” I’d

like to go skydiving!

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CO: You’re not just looking for people who have exciting weekend plans are you?

DT: No! No not at all. Asking about their typical weekend is just to see how

their writing skills are because you’re asking them to write something that

isn’t their standard cover letter and you get to know them a little bit more.

We don’t read those things and go “Oh that’s dumb, that’s boring.”

CO: What are some of the questions you like to hear from candidates in an interview?

DT: The only questions that I want to be asked are questions that the

candidate honestly wants the answer

to. Do a bunch of research on the

company and as you’re doing that

research, things will naturally come

up and you wonder, “Oh how does

that work?”or “I’m curious about

this.” Ask those things versus, “Oh I’ve heard it’s really good to ask this ques-

tion, so that’s why I’m going to ask it.”

I feel that recruiting and interviewing is broken in a lot of places because it’s

become this standardized question and answer thing. Candidates come in,

with rehearsed answers to questions, companies come into it with standardized

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questions and it’s this odd interaction. It’s unlike any other human

interaction you would ever have. What we prefer to do is have a conversation.

So whatever questions come up in the conversation that you’re genuinely

curious about, ask those. But don’t ask things just to be seen as

asking questions.

CO: What’s the craziest or most outrageous thing that a candidate has ever done to get your attention?

DT: There’s a developer here who came over from France, rented an Airbnb,

got a 613 phone number, then applied. And in this awesome cover letter, he

was basically saying, “I came over from France and I either want to work for

Shopify or another company in Toronto that I’m going to go see, but Shopify

is my first choice.” But to actually come here and then apply, I was like,

“Holy smokes. Talk about effort.” And we hired him, and he’s awesome.

CO: Lastly, if you could create a recipe to create the overall perfect Shopify candidate, what would that recipe look like?

DT: I’d say: 1 part fully engaged and caring about the things they’ve done up

to this point. There’s nothing better than someone who is just into what they

do—whatever that is. 1 part being themselves—people who can have

a conversation and just be themselves is always great! Lastly, 1 part

constantly learning.

CO: Awesome. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

DT: In a job search,

research the company you want to work for and then go after them in a very

targeted way. You’d be better off [applying] for three companies and spend-

ing a lot of time on them, versus applying for 30. It’s not a lottery. People

read these applications, so you’d be better off doing a good job with them.

Second is just show up without an agenda and be ready for a conversation.

Be in the moment and being there for the conversation goes an absolutely

long way, versus having things you want to get across because you think they

need to know those things, and when they ask a question you just veer off.

Just be in the moment and have a conversation. CO

ROBERT NETTLETON is a multipurpose

writer, educator and hardcore Stevie Nicks

fan. Follow him on Twitter @Robulous

Follow Doug on Twitter @DougTetzner

http://www.cnrl-careers.com/index.html


Holly is a program coordinator at a local non-profit organization.

She’s been working there for four years, learning on the job,

and increasingly taking on more responsibility. She’s recently

decided that she’d like to pursue a certificate in business

management and possibly learn a new language. Given how she perceives

the current employment environment—a volatile job market, modest growth

in the economy, and an increasing number of adults with post-secondary

education—she believes her decision is nothing short of necessary, and has

the potential open more doors. Holly, to put it more plainly, is upskilling.

By William JohnsonU

PSK

ILLI

NG

TO EVEN MORE CAREER OPTIONS



Holly isn’t alone—according to the 2013 Kelly Global Workforce Index

(KGWI), approximately 60% of workers globally are “either actively seeking

further education/training, or are considering it.” This survey of over 120,000

people in 31 countries across the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions takes a

generational approach to opinions about work.

Why do people upskill or pursue second career training? Reasons seem to

coincide—57% are seeking promotion at their current company, 47% are

looking for advancement at a new company, and 42% are looking to enter

a completely new field of work according to the KGWI. Some more nuanced

explanations might be that employees are being passed over for promotions

due to new staff with advanced degrees or specialized training; some profes-

sionals are looking to increase their standing (and salary) at their current

firm; or to simply obtain a new job.

WHATEVER THE REASON, BEFORE YOU OR ANYONE CONSIDERS SECOND CAREER TRAINING, BE SURE TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

SKILL TYPE - What type of upskilling are you considering? Are you looking

to obtain soft skills, such as leadership training, or hard skills, like project

management or learning a new language?

FINANCES - How much will this cost you? Do you have the money to pour

into a costly course, or can you afford to take time off of work?

CURRENT WORK SITUATION - If you have told your current supervisor

about your plans, how do they feel about this? Are they a proactive employer

who celebrates this type of initiative?

TIME - Do you have the time? And what might you have to de-prioritize as a

result of this new focus?

WHY - Ask yourself, “What does success look like?” and determine the why

behind this decision. Only when you can answer that should you comfortably

move forward.

A key part of this process is research—the costs, resources available

(including financing from the government or your HR department), and time

required to achieve your goals. What will also help is good old face-to-face

conversations with senior professionals. They can tell you what additional

skills they have acquired over the years and what, in their opinion, makes

someone more valuable as an employee. Most importantly, consider whether

what you’re doing fits into your overall career plan and lifestyle. CO

WILLIAM JOHNSON is an Ottawa-based

student engagement and communications

professional working at the post-secondary

level. Follow his insights at williamjohnson.ca

and on Twitter @notionport

Maria M

itchell, from a portrait by H

. Dassell, 1851 [Public dom

ain], via Wikim

edia Comm

ons

› Maria Mitchell: Obsessed Observer

Can you learn anything with your head in the clouds? Just ask America’s first female astronomer. Fascinated with the skies at an early age, Maria followed her passion through daily life. She worked as a librarian and a teacher’s assistant, all the while still gazing at the night sky. That’s how she discovered Miss Mitchell’s Comet.

It’s amazing what you can discover when your passion and your life collide. Learn with us on your own schedule, in your own time… and prepare to shine.

open. online. everywhere.

Learn more at athabascau.ca/mitchell

“ We have a hunger of the mind, which asks for knowledge all around us.”

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The “softer” side of JOB HUNTING

After graduating from post-secondary school, students often

begin tirelessly searching the job market before ultimately

accepting and attending interviews. Yet, while many candidates

are selected for interviews based on the technical skills and cre-

dentials on their resumés, some experts suggest that many young job hope-

fuls often struggle to convey the more personal and less practical qualities.

Failing to properly communicate these more personal, less practical quali-

ties—referred to as “soft skills”—could actually cost you the job.

A 2013 report from Prepare for Canada called “9 Soft Skills No Immigrant

Should be Without,” defines soft skills as “the interpersonal, communica-

tion, behavioural, and organizational skills that cross all jobs and industries.”

These soft skills include communication, leadership, or presentation skills,

along with the ability to think critically. They contrast with hard skills—the

more tangible, technical skills—such as knowing how to program a website

or write an argumentative essay.

Soft skills are just as important as technical skills in the workplace. Soft skills

help people communicate and collaborate effectively. Building interpersonal

relationships with coworkers, bosses, and customers is essential to the way

people perceive an individual in the workplace. An awareness of the posses-

sion of one’s own soft skills makes it is easier to establish these interpersonal

relationships.

Without soft skills, the workplace would be a dull place. Work would not get

done on time, people would be late to meetings, and no one would listen to

the ideas of others. Without time management, organizational, and listening

skills, how would a workplace function?

And why technical

skills aren’t enough to get

you the job.

By Emma Tranter


More so is the fact that our

technical skills—or hard

skills—actually depend on

our soft skills. Soft skills

allow us to use our techni-

cal skills and knowledge

in an effective and

influential way.

In Canada, there is debate

surrounding whether Canada

has a skills gap. A skills gap

refers to the difference in the skills

required for a particular job and the

skills possessed by the employee.

What is often interpreted as a shortage of skills, or a skills gap, among

university and college graduates is actually our inability to convey not only

the soft skills we innately possess, but also the ones we have developed while

in school. In fact, many recent graduates aren’t even aware of the soft skills

they have acquired throughout their education.

“When we talk about soft skills, it’s almost like something soft and off to the

side. They’re some of the more difficult things to find,” said Robert Shea,

associate vice-president of student and academic affairs at the Fisheries and

Marine Institute at Memorial University.

Shea has taught in Memorial’s Faculty of Education, specializing in post-

secondary and adult education and is the founding editor of the Canadian Journal

of Career Development. He said the term “skills gap” is often incorrectly used

to refer to the difficulty we have communicating our skills. “When I hear the

term ‘skills gap,’ I tend to think of it more as a skills mismatch,” he said.

Shea noted post-secondary institutions should not only teach students theory,

but also how to apply theory to practice. He said experiential learning plays

an important role in preparing students for the workplace. “It’s about getting

students to reflect on the competencies that they’re gaining from their studies.

We need to find more ways of engaging employers in that conversation to

say, ‘What are you really looking for?’” Shea said one way to get students to

reflect on the soft skills they possess is through group work. He said when

students work in groups, they can reflect on their positions within the group

and identify whether they play the role of leader, note-taker, or presenter.

“It’s one of those things that we really have to get students and colleges and

universities reflecting on. Not just what competencies students may gain

from outside the classroom, but also what happens inside the classroom.”

Alex Usher is the president of Higher Education Strategy Associates. He said

he believes Canada needs to have a better transition between school and

SOFT SKILLS ALLOW US TO USE OUR TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE IN AN EFFECTIVE AND INFLUENTIAL WAY.

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the labour market. “For

students that are getting

into the workplace,

they don’t know how to

describe their abilities.

I think equally busi-

nesses aren’t very good at devising questions that will elicit that information,”

Usher said.

Usher and Shea agreed that although post-secondary institutions offer practi-

cal experiences through things like group work, students aren’t aware of the

skills they acquire through these projects. “We ask students to work in teams

without explicitly teaching them how to work in teams,” Usher said.

Usher said when assigning group work, he believes university and college

courses need to set aside a portion of the class to explain what a team project

means in terms of the different roles each member of the team will take on.

“We don’t build it into the curriculum,” he said. “We just assume in four

years of university [students] pick this stuff up.”

Shea said employers should also play a role in establishing the soft skill set

needed for the job. While most companies put out job ads searching for can-

didates with a specific degree, Shea said companies should also assess the

competencies they are looking for. This way, students seeking jobs would not

only have to determine if they meet the degree requirement for the position,

but also reflect on whether they possess the necessary skills.

In addition to students and employers playing a role in redefining the so-

called skills gap among graduates, Shea said communities need to rally

around the issue of skills shortages in order for it to improve. “We have to get

past this thing that universities and colleges and post-secondary institutions

aren’t necessarily preparing their graduates for the world of work. I think we

are. I think what we don’t have is the ability to connect the dots,” he said.

Usher and Shea both said the failure among graduates to communicate their

skills is slowly improving. “The whole notion of learning outcomes has got

to go a little bit further before people start really assessing that stuff well,”

Usher said. “If we can help students find the skills or the competencies they

want to develop, then I think we’ll be richer as a country,” Shea said.

Belton JohnsonClerk 4 – Claims Support ServicesEmployee since: 2011

Lee-Ann RossAdjuster 2Employee since: 2000

Jason TankPartsperson 1Employee since: 2005

Sonali FernandoIT Programmer AnalystEmployee since: 2009

Start hereWhatever you’re passionate about, we’ve got something that fits. We have close to 200 different types of jobs and locations in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.

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Careers section at www.sgi.sk.ca.

EMMA TRANTER is a second year journalism

student at Carleton University. Follow her on

Twitter @emmtranter

Read the Canadian Journal of

Career Development at ceric.ca/cjcd/

www.sgi.sk.ca




A re you a student with a disability

transitioning from undergraduate to

graduate education? If so, you likely

have many questions regarding the

disclosure process. To whom do I disclose? What

and how much do I disclose? How will disclosure

impact future opportunities? These are just some

of the questions that this tip sheet will answer to

help guide you through your disclosure process.

DISCLOSURE IN THE GRADUATE ENVIRONMENT: 6 Tips for Students in Transition

By Chelsea E. Mohler, MSc, Emily M. Duffett, MA

and Dr. Mahadeo A. Sukhai,

Ph.D.


TIP #1: Disclosure is highly personalized. There is no right or wrong way to

go about the disclosure process. It varies for everyone, based on disability,

the program of study you are planning on taking, and the type(s) of accom-

modation being sought. Some students may choose not to disclose, which

is perfectly acceptable. It is important to understand the pros and cons of

the choice to disclose (or not)—if you feel comfortable doing so, talking the

choice over with people you trust would be beneficial. You must do what is

right for you and your education.

TIP #2: Be prepared for a very different environment in graduate educa-

tion, compared to your undergraduate studies. Overall, graduate educa-

tion involves a greater degree of independent work/research; independent

fieldwork, lab work, or practicum placements; less course work; a more

significant degree of “learning outside the classroom;” a greater focus on

research and thesis requirements; and an expectation to publish and present

academic work.

Graduate research in general is a more student-driven learning process.

Students in graduate education must lead their disclosure process, knowing

who to talk to and what they should disclose. As opposed to undergraduate

education, where a Disability Service Office (DSO) on campus acts as the go

between students and faculty/departments, in graduate education, the onus

is on the student to undertake this process.

TIP #3: In graduate school, students must take a more active role in imple-

menting accommodations because the “standard” accommodations (i.e. those

routinely offered by a DSO for undergraduate students) may not always be

applicable or relevant. For example, extra time in a written exam is not appli-

cable in the context of an oral thesis defence; assigning a note-taker in class is

not appropriate for departmental seminars that may not occur regularly.

IF YOU’RE PLANNING TO DISCLOSE, USE THESE DISCUSSION POINTS TO HELP GUIDE THE CONVERSATION. Not all of these must be used when disclosing, they are simply meant to offer some broad guidelines to aid in the process.

• Provide general information about the specific disability/ies requiring accommodation;

• Why you’re choosing to disclose your disability (i.e. its impact on academic performance);

• The type of academic accommodations that have been effective in the past (in undergraduate courses);

• The type of academic accommodations you anticipate needing in the graduate environment;

• How your disability can affect your course of study.

Source: The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

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The choice to be an active participant in the accommodation process will

require knowledge of the policies and practices of accommodation and/or

disclosure; knowledge of the graduate administration in your department;

as well as other people outside of the DSO who may be important. This

information may be readily available through departmental resources, such

as websites, calendars and registration sites, and will foster early disclosure

and more prompt, effective accommodation. As part of your decision-making

around disclosure, it is important to do this research up front.

TIP #4: If you make the decision to disclose, deciding on to whom to

disclose is an important step. Disclosure can take place to the DSO, your

supervisor, other faculty members or your department. You may have to

disclose your accommodation needs to several individuals before the

accommodations can be discussed by a team. Remember, not everyone

needs to know everything, only disclose to those to whom you feel

comfortable doing so.

TIP #5: It is your choice to disclose a need for accommodation (as opposed

to disclosing a disability diagnosis). An often misunderstood fact is that when

disclosing you do not have to disclose an actual diagnosis, but rather instead

a need for an accommodation. The DSO is the only body that must actually

receive a confirmation of diagnosis. Students, disability service providers,

and faculty must realize that there is a difference between disclosing a

diagnosis and the need for an accommodation. What is necessary to get an

accommodation in place is a statement of need, not a diagnosis. The need

must be documented by a third party—it is not a request alone.

TIP #6: You must make the decision to disclose at a time that best works for

you. There are many different options for how disclosure can take place. It is

important for students with visible and invisible disabilities to understand the

benefits and drawbacks to disclosure, and how the choice to disclose (or not)

can impact their academic career. Disclosure of invisible disabilities poses

unique implications for students in the form of labels that carry significant

stereotypes and societal stigmatization. Students with visible disabilities

must also decide on disclosure during the application process or during the

first meeting with their potential supervisor(s), advisor(s) or departments. All

students with disabilities face the questions of how much to disclose and

disclosing a need for accommodation rather than their disability.

There are many different approaches of how, to whom and when to disclose.

Within the graduate environment, it is important to put a plan in place for

appropriate and accurate disclosure. No one form of disclosure works for

all students, but it is important to understand pros and cons of disclosure to

various parties. With an increased number of students with diverse needs,

understanding disclosure is critical. Given the sensitivity of this issue, it is

important for different university departments to work collaboratively to create

an inclusive graduate education environment. CO

CHELSEA MOHLER and EMILY DUFFET are members of the National

Graduate Experience Taskforce, empanelled by the National Educational

Association of Disabled Students. DR. MAHADEO SUKHAI is Canada’s

first blind biomedical researcher and serves as the Taskforce chair.

www.communityservices.humber.ca


TEST YOUR INTERNATIONAL IQ— ARE YOU READY TO WORK ABROAD?

By Jean-Marc Hachey



Going international requires more than just wanderlust. Whether you’re encountering members of a foreign culture on a sightseeing trek, or applying for a professional position abroad, it’s your international skills that will set you apart from the crowd. Start building your International IQ today while at school or by going abroad!

INTERNATIONAL


Imagine yourself in a few years looking for an international job, applying

to study abroad, or selling your skills as an international intern. What

can you do to stand out ahead of the rest of the applicants? Consider

the following insights, which may help you understand what interna-

tional recruiters are looking for and will help you learn how to join the ranks

of those working and living abroad.

POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE: Imagine a

dinner conversation taking place around a table in a lush garden terrace—

in your temporary home in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Your

seven guests are from France, Belgium, the US, and Burkina. The expatriate

conversation is rich in world politics, economics, and geography. The conver-

sation is lively and intellectual. You enjoy the dialogue, and you know these

conversations are so much better than the typical North American conversa-

tion about weather, neighbours, or the costs of housing renovations.

People with high International IQs can converse intelligently about interna-

tional news, world events, and multiple countries and their ethnicities.

To become an international person, start traveling and read world politics

and learn geography.

YOUR FIRST TEST QUESTION: How many countries are there on Earth?

KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF YOUR FIELD: There is an international aspect to every field of work, to every area of study,

and to each and every field of interest. If you are going to go international, you

have to develop a good knowledge of the international aspects of your area of

expertise. Know which organizations work internationally in your field, what

the types of jobs are, and what aspects of your work have an international

application. Knowing how your specialization is practiced in an international

setting allows you to focus your education, job research, networking contacts,

and your discussions with peers on landing the right job for you abroad.

A bit of research will uncover the international aspects of your area of exper-

tise: look for the umbrella organizations, the websites, the trade magazines,

and international conferences in your field.

HELP!IS HERE FOR YOU AT

CAREEROPTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

“WHAT’S NEXT AFTER GRADUATION?” “WILL YOUR FIELD OF STUDY GET YOU A JOB?”

“WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?”

☞CONNECT WITH EXPERTS AND PEERS ONLINE READ AND COMMENT ON THE CO BLOGSPOT

SUBMIT AN ARTICLE OR A BLOG ON YOUR OWN SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

➸


www.careeroptionsmagazine.com


A SUCCESS GUARANTEEWe’re so confident in the quality of our education that we created the UR Guarantee – the only program of its kind in Canada. If you do not secure career-related employment within six months of graduation, you will be eligible to come back for another year of under-graduate classes FREE of charge!

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN The Co-op Program enables you to gain valuable experience- based learning while pursuing almost any undergraduate degree. Co-op Programs are now available in nearly 50 areas of study and helped our students earn nearly $10 million in 2013!

SUCCESS.GUARANTEED.

When you choose to study at the University of Regina, you’re getting more than an excellent education, you’re also partnering with an institute that truly cares about your success.

uregina.ca/futurestudents

YOUR FIRST CHALLENGE: talk to people in your field who have worked

overseas to find out what skills they have and how they broke into working

internationally.

CROSS-CULTURAL ETIQUETTE AND SKILLS: Do you know when to

burp at a table and when to hold it in? Can you figure out how close to

stand next to a stranger in an elevator or while holding a conversation at a

cocktail party? Can you tell that someone is being polite when they agree

to your proposal, but that they will not follow through? International people

have the cross-cultural skills and knowledge to be effective in another

culture. They study the country’s belief systems, modes of behaviour, and

attitudes before they arrive. International people are like cross-cultural

detectives. If they are thrust into an unfamiliar culture or meet someone

with an ethnicity they have never encountered before, they will be sensi-

tive and skilful and will quickly display the appropriate cross-cultural traits

required to make any new relationship work. Their skills are portable

and can be carried from country to country, place to place, and culture

to culture. The ability to speak a few words in the local language is also

important to those living there.

YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT: Acquire these skills at home by seeking out

people from other cultures, becoming active in cross-cultural groups, and

learning a second or third language.

PERSONAL COPING AND ADAPTING SKILLS: Can you deal with change?

Can you deal with having to eat soup each morning for breakfast, as they do

in some parts of India, instead of sitting down to cereal? Can you sleep in a

room with a humming fan, a stifling mosquito net, and the constant noise of

goats and chickens just outside your bedroom window? How about being so

overwhelmed with a continuous stream of well-meaning visitors—so many

that you fake the need for prayer time just to have two hours alone? These

are just a few of the numerous cross-cultural challenges that require so many

small adjustments that you may think at times that you are going mad.

With practice and insight, you can improve your personal coping and

adaptation skills to help you deal with culture shock. People who enjoy living

and working overseas are adaptable and tend to embrace challenges. You

will face changes in culture, friends, work, climate, and food. Therefore,

having a sense of adventure, as well as humour, curiosity, and a great deal

of patience, is invaluable. To prepare yourself, you can do volunteer work or

become active in organizations which put you in contact with other cultures,

either in your home country, or by visiting a country where the culture is

radically different from your own.

YOUR TEST QUESTION: Do you like change? Your ability to enjoy change

may be the single biggest factor in assessing your suitability for work and

life abroad.

INTERNATIONAL

www.uregina.ca/futurestudents


JEAN-MARC HACHEY is a bestselling author and the online publisher

of MyWorldAbroad. His website helps university students develop their

global career skills with 300+ articles and 4,000 resources! Purchase

individual access or check out the 30+ Canadian universities that

provide free access to their students at myworldabroad.com/register.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WORK ABROAD? GENERAL TRAITS: enjoyment of change, desire for challenge, having street smarts, sense of adventure, open mindedness, patience, and curiosity.

ADAPTATION AND COPING SKILLS: emotional stability and ability to deal with personal stress, understanding of culture shock, receptivity, flexibility, humour, and self-knowledge.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS: tolerance, sensitivity, listening and observing skills, nonverbal communication skills, and second language speaking skills.

WORK-EFFECTIVENESS TRAITS AND SKILLS ABROAD: independence and self-discipline, training experience, resourcefulness, versatility in work, persistence, organizational and people skills, leadership, energy, a calm demeanour, project planning skills, writing skills, verbal communication skills, diligence and dedication, loyalty, diplomacy and tact, and a philosophical commitment to your field of work. CO


http://www.myworldabroad.com/register

www.necc.org

www.brightoncollege.com


www.thenationaljobfair.com


CHOOSE THE RIGHT COURSE FOR YOUFirst things first, you have to pick the right certification course. Since

teaching abroad has become more and more popular throughout the

years, schools around the world have a greater choice in selecting the right

candidate for the job. This means that it’s a competitive industry, but you

can give yourself the advantage by making sure that you meet the minimum

requirements for the country you want to teach in.

Many countries require applicants—at minimum—to have a bachelor degree

and formal TESOL/TESL/TEFL certification. Without these qualifications, you

run the risk of not getting job, or getting a job that may not be as well-paid

as someone who successfully meets the minimum requirements. While

choosing a certification course, keep in mind that not all TESOL/TESL/TEFL

courses are accredited. Make sure you consider the academic standards

of the class, accreditation, price, and credentials of the school. Look out for

practical work experience opportunities too. Some online certification courses

may be ideal for their convenience, but you miss out on valuable classroom

experience that may help you secure a job.

Note: Be sure to ask about the school’s ability to help you find employment

after graduation!

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CLASSROOM EXPERIENCENow it’s time to successfully complete the course and all of its requirements.

Depending on the course you decided to take, you may have a lot of tests,

projects, and readings that you must complete.

You can get the most out of the classroom experience by being engaged and

fully participating in group activities; interacting with your fellow classmates

to help you grasp new terms or concepts; and taking advantage of an available

teaching practicum offered through your school. In addition, make an effort

to learn the language—as much as possible—of the country you intend on

teaching in. It will make your experience easier and much more enriching.

CHOOSING YOUR INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION AND FINDING A JOB After you’re fully certified, it’s now time for the exciting part: choosing where in

the world you would like to teach. While researching, you will get an under-

standing of which countries have the biggest need for certified English as Second

Language (ESL) teachers. France remains one of the most popular places to

teach English, which is great for any bilingual or francophone Canadians!

Lastly, it’s time to get your resumé ready and start applying, applying and

applying! There are specific guidelines for an ESL-specific resumé and cover

letter, which are important to follow so you can ensure a positive first impres-

sion to employers overseas. Pay attention to the application instructions and

always submit by the deadline. Good luck in your adventures! CO

So YOU WANT TO TEACH ABROAD? LET’S GET YOU CERTIFIED.

Getting your certification to teach abroad can be a lengthy process, but for those of you looking to take the first

step to a new adventure abroad, here’s what you should know:

By Aisha Biberdorf



www.kativik.qc.ca

Learn while you teach! Share your passion for learning and cultural diversity. At the Kativik School Board, you will play a role in the development of our students in one of the 14 Inuit communities located along the coasts of the Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay. Its administrative centre, presently located in Montréal, will ultimately be relocated in Nunavik.

Teaching Opportunities2015-2016 School Year • Elementary • SecondaryYou will soon have a teaching diploma or permit equivalent to a bachelor’s degree valid in Canada, and are able to teach many subjects at the elementary or secondary level? We want to hear from you.

We offer many interesting benefits including trips, an isolation premium, subsidized housing and food cargo allowances.

To find out more about teaching opportunities available, come meet with us at one of our Information Sessions or at the on-campus Career Day of your choice. Please bring your resume to the campus Career Day event. Full details are available on our website at www.kativik.qc.ca.

If you cannot attend in person, we encourage you to send your resume, by January 16, 2015, to [email protected] and indicate the subject for which you are applying in the subject line of your e-mail.

To avoid duplication, we ask that candidates submit only one resume.

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates considered for hiring will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

10 POPULAR DESTINATIONS FOR ESL TEACHERS (and the minimum requirements!)BRAZIL (Bachelor Degree and many schools require in house training)CHINA (Depends on location)CZECH REPUBLIC (TEFL course certificates) FRANCE (TEFL)JAPAN (Bachelor Degree. TEFL is not required)MEXICO (Bachelor Degree)SAUDI ARABIA (Teaching experience)SOUTH KOREA (Bachelor Degree) THAILAND (Bachelor Degree and TESL)Source: tripbase.com

THE BEST WEBSITES TO FIND A JOB, HOUSING, AND FINANCIAL AIDwww.esl101.com/find/jobs www.tefl.com www.eslcafe.com/joblist www.esljobfeed.comwww.eslcafe.com/jobs/ www.eslteachersboard.com www.ihworld.com

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TESOLwww.matesol.info/financial_aid.htm * many universities have different programs for this. www.georgebrown.ca/esl/tesl.aspx

AISHA BIBERDORF is a crafty digital designer

who perpetually strives for digital perfection.

She is a recent graduate from the Interactive

Multimedia Developer program at Algonquin

College and now works at gordongroup mar-

keting + communications in Ottawa. Follow

Aisha on Twitter @AishaBiber

www.kativik.qc.ca

38 WINTER 2015 CAREEROPTIONSMAGAZINE.COM38 CAREEROPTIONSMAGAZINE.COM

CERTIFIED TO TEACH ABROAD? NOW LET’S TALK ETIQUETTE.

Y ou’ve earned your certification to teach a second language and

you’ve probably spent countless hours mulling over where you

want to go and why. Do you want to immerse yourself in a new

culture? Meet new people? Make money? Whatever the driving

force, teaching a second language allows the freedom to explore another

part of the world that may not have been possible otherwise.

As someone who lives in Canada, odds are you’ve mastered one of two

languages, English or French—or maybe both! Either language will open

up doors for you to teach across the globe. If you want to teach English

in French-speaking country, it certainly helps to have a firm grasp on the

French language to help you communicate with staff and students. Experi-

encing new cultures, discovering those hidden gems in a bustling metropolis

or small rural town, comes with some responsibility. Wherever you plan on

teaching it comes with its own set of social customs and etiquette that you

will need to know. When a simple hand gesture can be a sign of thanks in

one culture and a sign of disrespect in another, a couple of Google searches

can save you a lot of embarrassment.

When you’re fresh off the plane and navigating your way to your new home

away from home, you’ll undoubtedly feel that sense of “culture shock.”

Getting used to your surroundings will be made that much easier if you’ve

done your research and prepared yourself.

BEFORE THAT 16-HOUR PLANE RIDE, FOLLOW THESE GENERAL GUIDELINES TO HELP SMOOTH YOUR TRANSITION AND MAKE FOR A MORE ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE:

• Hit up the travel section of your local library or bookstore. While the Internet

is a wealth of knowledge, you can’t guarantee the source of information is

truthful or accurate depending on the source. A good guidebook on your

country can be a valuable investment.

• It may not be a prerequisite to know your host country’s official language,

but learning as much as you can and applying it to your daily life can help

you cope with your new surroundings. As a foundation, learn the proper

way to greet someone formally or informally, how to say “thank you” or

“no thank you,” and maybe some of those basic phrases, like “where is

the bathroom?” Make sure you keep expanding your vocabulary as you go

to not only make your life easier but to get more out of your experience.

• Take note of your verbal tics and physical gestures that you do most

often. Now seek out a list of dos and don’ts for your host city and see

how you measure up. While this is easier said than done, if you make a

regular habit of the don’ts, begin phasing them out or find an alternative

that won’t offend. You’re bound to trip up, but if you put in the effort it will

be appreciated.

• You’re going to need to eat to live. Start looking into local cuisine and eating

as many different recipes as you can. Dine out and practice cooking meals

at home with the supplies you can find in your host country so you get a

varied experience. Knowing what you like and what you don’t can save you

some embarrassment at your local restaurant or from going hungry.

• If you’re young or young at heart and planning to tackle the local nightlife,

it is important you look into what that entails. You may be familiar with

North American customs and know what does and doesn’t offend,

but there can be a whole different set of rules in your host city when

approaching someone for a dance or buying someone a drink.

By Richard Coelho




CONSIDER SOME OF THESE CULTURAL DOS AND DON’TS:

RICHARD COELHO is a Carleton University journalism grad currently working for the federal government. Netflix is his jam. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

Country: SPAIN DO: Be sure to dress well for any occasion. Appearance is very important.

Avoid flashy colours and keep in mind the state of your shoes, it’s the

most important element of an outfit.

DON’T: Waste your food. It is better to say no when offered food than to leave

it on your plate.

Country: BRAZIL DO: Make eye contact with those around you, even when you are

walking through the streets or on public transit. It is considered

normal and polite.

DON’T: Get too drunk. Brazilians do not get drunk often and do not respect

people who drink too much.

Country: CHINA

DO: Wave someone over to you with your palm down. Don’t point or use

your finger as this is commonly used for dogs and would be consid-

ered rude. Think about this when running your classroom.

DON’T: Write anything in red ink unless it’s when you are correcting a

student’s work. Red ink is used for letters of protest.

There you have it! You don’t have to master a culture right away, but

putting in the effort to know the basics will help you ease into your new

environment, and earn respect from the locals. Bon voyage! CO

INTERNATIONAL

www.go.enterprise.com/canada


EDITOR’S PICK

Imagine a world where your classroom over-

looks the ocean and your walk to campus

is on sand, not concrete. Imagine working

toward your degree while you work on your

tan. The Caribbean provides numerous opportuni-

ties for Canadian students looking for more than a

week at an all-inclusive resort—here’s a snapshot.

“I would say a typical Canadian experience in the

Caribbean tends to be fairly short, pretty touristy,”

says Bronwen Tucker. “Not to say there’s anything

wrong with that, but studying here for four months

definitely means you get to know a country a lot

better.” Tucker spent her fall semester in Holetown,

Barbados. She enjoyed spotting monkeys while on

afternoon runs, ocean dips with tropical fish, and

south coast surfing lessons. Somehow, she still

found time to earn course credits.

Tucker was initially drawn to Barbados for her

program, studying at the Bellairs Research

Institute—a McGill University science facility—but

she quickly became captivated by the beaches,

wildlife and scuba diving. “Studying abroad

anywhere is obviously an amazing opportunity, but

the Caribbean is just such a polar opposite from

Canada in so many ways that there’s constantly

new things to try,” she says.

In her arts and science degree, she’s opted for a

concentration on the environment that she’s been

able to develop in ways she says would never have

been possible in Canada. With their more fragile

ecosystems, Caribbean countries see first-hand

the effects of climate change, she says: “Envi-

ronmental problems especially don’t stay within

borders, so I think being able to see them from as

many angles as possible is crucial.”

Outside the classroom, Tucker gets around the

island on hot, crowded, reggae-blaring buses. She

says with the cheap travel, she was able to explore

every corner of the island. “The east coast of

Barbados is not nearly as developed and there are

barely any resorts or hotels there, but it is one of

the most beautiful places I’ve been to,” she says.

Tucker’s Bellairs classmate Jodi McNeill says

studying in Barbados is an experience like no

other. “Since Barbados is a small island, we have

been able to really embrace the culture... It’s a

great mix with the school component to have that.”

On days off, the group of about 22 students could

be found appreciating the Bajan culture at street

parties called “fish fries,” or unwinding at “rum

shops,” which Tucker describes as a corner store

and bar hybrid.

With all the exploring, it’s a wonder that the

students get anything done, but Tucker explains

that it’s all about group encouragement. “Everyone

really wants to get outside. We all motivate each

other and plan when we’re going to do our work

around what we want to do,” she says. For both

students, the experience is still about learning.

Through her program, Tucker also found an

internship that allowed her to work with the

Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre. In

Barbados, she says, there are no separate

recycling pickups, so the government contracts

the centre to filter out reusable materials before

they end up in a landfill. “This is pretty important

on such a small island, because there are only so

many places they can put their waste,” she says.

McNeill was able to complement her studies in

international development through an internship in

the food security industry. She says the experience

will be an incredible career asset, because the

organization she worked for is closely linked to her

ideal employer: the Food and Agriculture Organi-

zation of the UN. “I like the hands-on approach to

learning in this program,” she says. “It feels really

good to be getting some practical experience in

By Danielle Klassen

SUN

“ IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO BE GETTING SOME PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN MY FIELD.”

STUDYING IN THE



VANCOUVER’SMASTER OF DIGITAL MEDIA PROGRAM

a collaboration between

learn more thecdm.ca

As an MDM graduate student experience:An Industry-Focused Master’s DegreeProfessionals in the industry engage with you as mentors, consultants and guest speakers. Students spend 2 semesters working on real-world industry-supported projects.

Competitive Scholarship OpportunitiesIn the September 2014 intake, +60% of students received schol-arships or other funding assistance.

Startup Business SupportThe MDM program has strong roots in Vancouver’s startup culture. You have the option to do a Venture Internship which mimics the fi rst year of starting a business.

my field.” For McNeill, the biggest adjustment has been learning to work

on “Bajan time.” In this laid-back culture, being prompt does not tend to

be a priority, which clashes with her project’s dependency on time. “Getting

people to commit to filling out our audits has been challenging at times,” she

says. “But you learn to work with the differences and adapt.”

Tucker and McNeill both say studying in the Caribbean allows for a taste of

coastal culture different than any other. “It’s a beautiful place to be, and it’s

really interesting to be in the same region you are learning about in the class-

room to actually perceive dynamics and lifestyles,” says McNeill.

With 30 territories in the region to explore, all with diverse landscape and

wildlife, the Caribbean offers limitless opportunities for students to explore

and learn more. “Each country in the Caribbean has its own personality as

well. I only really know Barbados, but I’d say there’s probably an island out

there for everyone. It’s a pretty diverse region,” says Tucker. Surely there’s an

island for you—so why not find out? CO

Based in Toronto, DANIELLE KLASSEN works as

a publicist and is a graduate of Carleton University’s

School of Journalism. Connect with her on Twitter

@daniklassen.

LARGEST CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES (BY POPULATION)CubaDominican RepublicHaitiJamaicaTrinidad and Tobago

THERE ARE 152 CARIBBEAN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES TO CHOOSE FROM ON WEBOMETRICS’S RANKING OF UNIVERSITIES. Visit webometrics.info to learn more.

The Canada-Latin America and the Caribbean Research Exchange Grants program (LACREG) was created to strengthen ties between Canada and South and Central American countries. It provides funding for researchers interested in international development. Visit aucc.ca to learn more.

For more information, please

visit: mcgill.ca/bellairs, webometrics.info,

aucc.ca, careeroptionsmagazine.com

SUN* First appearance in Winter 2013 edition.

INTERNATIONAL

https://twitter.com/daniklassen

http://www.aucc.ca

www.thecdm.ca


@ONTransfer

ONTransfer.ca is funded by the Government of Ontario and maintained by the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer.

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[email protected]

Want to know more about a career in payroll?

Follow us on Twitter @cdnpayroll or LinkedIn The Canadian Payroll Association or visit payroll.ca for more information.

Courses offered at colleges and universities across Canada. Online courses start monthly.

get certified!


www.ontransfer.ca

www.wuhs.org

www.cotr.bc.ca/atbo

www.nycc.edu

www.go.enterprise.com/canada

www.payroll.ca

www.manitoba.ca/health/nurses

John Beshai, MDSGU ’96

©2014 St. G

eorge’s University

Grenada, West Indies

Grenada, West Indies

SGU.edu/mdUS/Canada: 1 (800) 899-6337 ext. 9 1280 [email protected]

Sometimes cutting edge research means fewer incisions for patients.

John Beshai, MD chose SGU because of its high placement rates, legacy of successful alumni, and thediverse, interdisciplinary perspective that comes from having 400 faculty members from more than48 diff erent countries. His professors encouraged him to think beyond the easy answers, and that lessonhas served him well.

Today, he is a cu� ing edge cardiac researcher at the Mayo Clinic, where he initiated and led a clinicaltrial on the impact of pacemakers. He found that for a lot of heart patients, pacemakers are not thebest treatment option – and that’s going to help a lot of people get the care they need while avoidingunnecessary risks and costs.

Dr. Beshai is just one of 12,000 SGU graduates, including more than 1,000 Canadians, who havepracticed medicine all over the world. In 2013, our Canadian students obtained a 99% fi rst-time passrate on both the USMLE Step 1 and MCCEE.* SGU placed over 770 graduates into fi rst-year US andCanadian residency positions in 2014, and is the #1 provider of doctors into fi rst-year US residenciesfor the last three years combined.**

A medical degree from SGU will change your life, and the lives around you.

* Data as of April 2014** According to published information as of June 2014

Documents

Career Options Post Secondary Winter 2015