KNOW YOURSELF
Who are you? What do you enjoy? What skills would you like to use in your job? Getting to know yourself and understand your skills will make it easier for you to define your goals and market yourself to employers. If you can’t clearly state to an employer what skills you have and how they relate to the position you want, there’s not much chance the employer will do it for you. In addition, working in an field that matches your interests is a critical step towards obtaining job satisfaction.
There are two main types of skills: technical/specialized (e.g. computer skills), and transferable/personal (also sometimes called soft skills, e.g. communication skills). Many personal and transferable skills consistently rate as the most important in the eyes of employers, so make sure you spend adequate time identifying yours. It is worth the time reviewing the Employability Skills 2000+ to see what skills and personal attributes are most valued by employers.
- JobHuntersBible.com – the online supplement to What Color is Your Parachute?
- JVIS.com – Discuss the results with a career counsellor.
- Career Quiz – From the Government of Canada
Self assessment is not an exact science; the exercises contained in many of these sites are introductory. Put more emphasis on what you learn about yourself rather than any specific occupations that may be suggested. In order to get the most out of the exercises contained in these sites, use your findings as a starting point for discussions with friends, family or a professional career counsellor, not as a replacement.
OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION
Use these resources to help you learn more about a wide range of occupations. What is a typical day like? What type of education and training are needed? Set some time aside to explore… your career choice is not planned in a day!
- Alberta Occupational Profiles Detailed descriptions of over 1,000 occupations.
- Job Futures A comprehensive site from the Government of Canada.
- Ministry of Education and Training from the Ontario Government.
- SchoolFinder: Careers Occupational information and a career quiz.
INFORMATION INTERVIEWING
Information interviewing involves speaking to people who work in the field you want to learn more about. It is not interviewing for a job. Use it as a way to gather more information about the field you are interested in, so that you can make informed career choices, gather information necessary to write effective cover letters and resumes, and be better prepared for future job interviews.
Information interviews can also be a great way to make valuable industry contacts. If you leave a good impression, your name may later be passed along to someone else who is in a position to interview you (but don’t go in expecting this to happen). In order to leave the best impression possible, you must be prepared and act professionally. Don’t be afraid to set up these interviews; most people genuinely want to help others, especially if your request comes across as professional, undemanding and polite. Whatever you do, don’t use the informational interview to ask straight up for a job.
To prepare for an information interview, do as much research as possible about the industry ahead of time, think of intelligent questions and rehearse what you want to discuss.
Before you head out for your interview, become familiar with the contact’s organization: its products, services, competitors, etc. Also try to gather whatever information you can about your contact. Figure out what you want to discuss. A possible strategy might be:
- Explain why you have set up the interview – what you hope to get out of it
- Provide an overview of your career goals, experience, accomplishments and skills
- Ask questions — get information about trends in the industry, challenges the organization faces, etc.
- Possible questions to ask during your informational interview:
- How do people normally break into the field?
- What skills and personal qualities are most important for success?
- What education and training is needed?
- What do you do on a typical day?
- What do you enjoy most/least?
- What are the biggest challenges?
- Is there anyone else I could speak with (and if so, may I use your name)?
Other tips include:
- Be punctual. This is a must.
- Keep it to a max of 30 minutes (and don’t stay longer than your allotted time).
- Dress appropriately and professionally.
- Be sure you have questions to ask – you arranged the interview after all.
- Be prepared. Like being on time, this also can not be repeated enough.
- Stay on topic. Don’t bring out a resume unless requested.
- Send a thank you note immediately after your meeting.
- Ask for referrals — names of others who you may be able to speak with.
LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
Who’s hiring? Who’s not? What are the growth industries? What occupations will be in greatest demand? Start researching the answers to these questions using HRDC – Labour Market Information, the national site for Canadian labour market information.
INDUSTRY INFORMATION and PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Use these resources to help you learn more about various industries and occupations. Most are Canadian, a few are based in the U.S. Set some time aside, explore, and find something of interest to you!
Accounting
Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
Advertising, Marketing & Communications
Association of Canadian Advertisers
Canadian Marketing Association
Canadian Public Relations Society
Aerospace & Air Traffic
Aerospace Engineering in Canada via Job Bank
Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute
Canadian Space Agency
NAV Canada – Careers
Agriculture
AG Careers
Agri-Food Innovation Council
Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance
Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Apparel
Canadian Apparel Federation
Arts — see Multimedia/Arts & Culture section below
Biotechnology & Pharma
BioTalent Canada
BIOTECanada
Pharmaceutical Industry Profile via Government of Canada
Construction & Trades
Canadian Construction Association
Discover the Skilled Trades
Education & Teaching
Apply To Teach Network
Education Canada
Teacher Education Application Service – Ontario
Universities Canada
Engineering
Engineers Canada
Environment & Forestry
Canadian Environmental Network
Canadian Forests Website
Canadian Renewable Energy Association
Green & Environmental Jobs via GoodWork.ca
Government
Public Service Commission (Federal Government)
Federal Student Work Experience Program (Student Jobs)
Provincial Government Career Pages: Alberta | British Columbia | Manitoba | New Brunswick | Newfoundland & Labrador | Nova Scotia | Ontario | Prince Edward Island | Saskatchewan | Quebec
Health
Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Nurses Association
Canadian Association of Optometrists
Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors
Canadian Chiropractic Association
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
Opticians Association of Canada
Sorry, the links below have not been recently reviewed and may no longer be valid.
Updates coming soon.
Hospitality
Canadian Federation of Chefs & CooksCanadian Institute of Travel CounsellorsCanadian Tourism Human Resource CouncilCool Jobs CanadaHCareers CanadaTourism Work Web
Information Technology
1-Jobs.comAssociation of Internet ProfessionalsAssociation of Web ProfessionalsBC TechnologyBranham 250 – Top Tech Company RankingBrassRing.com Career FairsCanada ComputerWorkCanadaITCanadian Technology Human Resources BoardCareer OutlookCIPS – Canadian Information Processing SocietyComputerWorld CampusDiscoverIT.orgHeadHunter.net – CanadaHire Top TalentHiTech Career Journal: Starting Salaries for IT ProfessionalsIMI Ward Associates Fall Salary Survey 1999Institute for Computer StudiesInteractive Multimedia Arts and Technologies AssociationInternational Webmasters AssociationIT Job HouseITAC – Information Technology Association of CanadaITWorldCanada.comJobUniverseMicrosoft: Training and CertificationMultimediator.comNetJobsNovell: Training and CertificationOttawa Area Computer Job Links PagePositionWatchRHI Consulting Technology Professionals – 2000 Salary Guide SummarySHRC – Software Human Resource CouncilSybase Learning ConnectionTorontoTech.comtriOS Training CentresWebgrrls InternationalWired Woman Society
Insurance
Insurance Bureau of CanadaInsuranceWorks.com
Law
Legal Job Board
Manufacturing
Canadian Automotive Repair and Service CouncilCareers in PlasticsCareers in the Canadian Equipment IndustryWood Manufacturing Council
Mathematics and Statistics
Canadian Mathematical SocietyAmerican Mathematical Society: Employment & CareersPurdue University: Careers in MathematicsMathematics Employment ResourcesCanadian Institute of Actuaries: A Career As An ActuaryBe An ActuarySociety of ActuariesAmerican Statistical AssociationCanadian Journal of StatisticsCanadian University Statistics DepartmentsStatistical Society of CanadaStatistics Canada
Media / Publishing
Canadian Magazine Publishers AssociationCanadian Newspaper Association
Multimedia / Arts & Culture
ArtsJobsBackstageJobsTalent GalleryMultiMediatorCanadian Actor OnlineCultural CareersWork in CultureFashionjobs.caSociety of Graphic Designers of CanadaPortfolios.comCanadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and PerformersThe Association of Registered Graphic Designers of OntarioCanadian Associaton of Photographers and IllustratorsAlberta New Media AssociationNew Media BCInteractive Multimedia Arts & Technologies AssociationInternational Interactive Compact Disc AssociationCanadian Interactive Digital Software AssociationLe Forum des inforoutes et du multimédiaConsortium Multimedia – CESAMToronto Internet Developers AssociationHOW Online MagazineCommunication ArtsWebgrrls InternationalWired Woman SocietyCareers in Textiles
Oil & Mining
Petroleum Industry CareersPetroleum Services Association of Canada
Science — also see Biotechnology section above
Canadian Association of PhysicistsCareers in Geoscience via Canadian Geoscience CouncilChemical Institute of Canada
Special Events
Canadian Special Events SocietyCanadianSpecialEvents.com
Sports & Leisure
Canada’s Sport Information Resource CentreLeisure Information Network>