To celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Day, we’re recognizing some of our best mentors teaching Career Edge interns. Some are Career Edge alumni, some coach multiple interns, many received multiple nominations for our Mentor of the Year 2018 award, and all have been immensely valuable for their intern’s professional development. Here’s what their interns had to say: Read More
Showered with study sessions at the library, only to write exams resembling nothing like what your professors suggested, while distracted by other students coughing in the test centre?
Spent late nights and early mornings writing essays, surviving on coffee and energy drinks, while trying to remember everything you crammed in the last four months in a few hours?
Are you a recent graduate? Read More
If you’d like to go to work every day knowing you’re serving Ontarians and making Ontario the best province to live in the world, this opportunity is for you!
That’s how Chidinma Unigwe felt – and now, she can’t think of a better way to give back. Read More
When the number of candidates far exceeds the number of entry-level positions, we’re left with underemployed and unemployed recent graduates.
A report published by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario in 2014 revealed that less than one-quarter of employers posting entry-level positions would consider hiring a candidate with no experience, and that most of these employers required at least one year.
It’s no surprise a follow-up study discovered that close to 60 per cent of entry-level hires had three or more years of experience.
How does a recent graduate compete?
During the period of your internship, there are a few job etiquette you need to do to make sure you present yourself as best as you could. The first few days, weeks, and months, will determine whether the employer is willing to hire you full-time or even be a good reference for you later on.
Here is a list of things you should and shouldn’t do during your internship time that will help you get a great experience and will definitely help you break into the Canadian workplace.
SHOULDN’T: Ignore the employer’s onboarding process and work culture, or skip company events…
SHOULD: Follow procedures and attend events to acclimate yourself.”
SHOULDN’T: Book vacations before consulting with your supervisor, or consistently ask for a non-essential leave of absence because you know your supervisor can’t grant every request…
SHOULD: Ask the supervisor for an extended leave when it’s necessary.”
SHOULDN’T: Complaint, display a negative attitude, or refuse to perform an administrative responsibility that every employee is required to fulfill…
SHOULD: Demonstrate a positive attitude and be a good team player.
SHOULDN’T: Share confidential work information outside the office…
SHOULD: Discuss what you enjoy and don’t enjoy about your job privately with your family and friends, without revealing any confidential information.
SHOULDN’T: Perform the minimum, and monitor the clock…
SHOULD: Ask the supervisor for additional assignments when you complete all your tasks.
SHOULDN’T: assume that your supervisor expects you to know everything…
SHOULD: Ask for help and advice when you need it.
SHOULDN’T: Ignore your mistakes and wait until the last minute to notify your supervisor…
SHOULD: Tell your supervisor about your mistakes/shortcomings immediately
SHOULDN’T: Excessively check your phone and distract your co-workers by making personal calls at your desk…
SHOULD: Respect co-workers and briefly leave the office to use your phone.
SHOULDN’T: Expect a pay increase immediately or quit too soon if things aren’t going well…
SHOULD: Honour the contract terms and remain resilient by working through difficulties that arise.
SHOULDN’T: assume your employer will hire you full-time…
SHOULD: Work hard to either (1) receive an offer of full-time employment, or (2) thank your employer for the valuable experience and new skills learned, and find permanent work elsewhere (Which is what happened last year for 85% of Career Edge interns – they launched their careers by remaining at their host organization, or securing full-time, meaningful employment within three months of completing their Career Edge internship!).
Looking for a job? Apply for open internships on Career Edge website.
Read Next: How to Get Hired Before Graduation
Almost every graduating student knows a classmate who’s secured a job before graduation. How do they do it? They start early, like Domenic Sgambelluri, Career Edge’s Alumni of the Month for October 2017.
Before his exams began, his internship coordinator posted a role through Career Edge.
Two weeks later, he signed a contract.
On the first Monday after classes finished, he became Loblaw Companies’ newest talent acquisition specialist. Read More
If you frequent networking events often and plan to attend industry conferences and events, you’ll always want to make sure that you make a good impression. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your visit and experience: Read More
Immersed in every prolonged job search, are seemingly endless days.
And in between every grueling day, are breaks for reducing stress.
And during stress-reducing breaks, are a few mornings spent flipping through channels.
And during channel-flipping mornings, are a few minutes of “Let’s Make a Deal”.
If you can learn anything from the popular game show, or its brother and sister versions “Khullja Sim Sim” and “Trato Hecho”, it’s that there’s a prize behind every door.
Every contestant picks between doors and leaves with a prize, but your job search gives you better odds of choosing the right prize when you explore the hidden job market. Unlike Let’s Make a Deal, your job search doesn’t force you to pick between two doors and their hidden prizes. Your job search holds infinite doors and reveals these prizes, but it’s your responsibility to open as many as possible, by applying for as many relevant jobs as possible. Read More
In last week’s blog entry, we listed video interviews as one of 2018’s recruitment trends. If you’re in the majority, you dread video interviews (like how the average millennial dreads voice calls and prefers text messages). But video interviews aren’t an obstacle, they’re an opportunity.
By supplementing your application, you can showcase your personality and soft skills, and present a strong employer-employee fit to separate yourself from the majority and give yourself a better chance to join the minority – that exclusive shortlist of candidates who receive an invitation to meet in person.
Here are some things to consider before you complete your video interview: Read More
