Soul searching before job searching
Choosing a company to work for and a job you want to do is kind of like figuring out which program and school you want to enrol in: it requires a lot of research and "soul searching" before making the right decision. The two overlap a bit, but it also goes hand in hand with figuring out what you want to do, which we covered earlier this summer.
Here are some things to consider - in order of easiest to most difficult - as you check out various potential employers and jobs this school year, whether they're internships, co-op placements or permanent entry-level jobs:
Where are you willing to live?
Where you live doesn't have to be limited to the city where you're attending school or where your family lives. Depending on your financial means, doing a short-term internship or co-op placement during school or in the summer can be a great opportunity to travel, and it may also give you a better idea of where to look for entry-level jobs in your final year.
Ask your family and friends to see if anyone is willing to put you up for a few weeks or months while you work. The only cost will be your travel expenses and any day-to-day expenses, such as food, transportation and entertainment. If you can't stay for free, check out university accommodations or sublet possibilities.
As a Canadian, you can work anywhere within the country without special documentation. However, if you want to live and work in the U.S. or abroad, even for a short time, you'll need a passport and a visa or work permit.
How much money do you want to make?
Also known as: how little money can you live on? Internships and co-ops that pay nothing, or next to nothing, are common, but the long-term gains in your career through experience and professional networking will hopefully outweigh the short-term hit to your bank account.
When it comes to a permanent job, however, you should ask your profs and anyone else you know in your industry what is an appropriate salary for the role and your experience. You can also access salary information online, including the government's Wages & Salaries site.
What skills do you want to use every day?
Do you want to be writing every day? Designing? Diagnosing? Brainstorming? Selling?
To figure this out, think about what skills you've used in the past. Which did you love using, and which did you hate? Again, internships and co-ops are perfect opportunities to try different skills in different environments to determine which ones you'd like to integrate into your future career.
If you're really not sure, you can try career quizzes, such as the ones on the government's Job Bank site. You can also find resources on GlobeCampus's What should I study?
An entry-level job may not allow you to do all the things you love right away, but you should definitely consider it if it can be a stepping stone to a later job that will let you do what you love.
How much impact do you want to have within an organization?
Do you want to be the equivalent of one molecule within a giant, complex organism? Or would you rather be an integral part of something smaller and simpler? There is no right answer; it depends on the type of person you are and the type of opportunity an employer is offering. Some people are just better suited to working for small businesses, while others enjoy the more structured atmosphere of multinational corporations with thousands of employees.
What kind of "culture" do you want to work in?
The word "culture" is vague, but every office, hospital, warehouse, shop, restaurant, etc. has its own unique culture or atmosphere that is usually created in part by the values and practices of management.
Each company's culture can vary greatly and depend on the personalities of your bosses and co-workers, but it can include elements such as: dress code, trust, accountability, rewards programs, effective management, innovation, openness, and even fun things such as down-time, volunteer opportunities, team building activities and stress-relieving activities in the workplace (think: an office Wii or an on-site gym).
If you keep these five ideas in mind while talking with employers at career fairs, researching internships and co-op placements, and interviewing, you'll have a much better chance of finding a job you actually like to do at a company you love.
(Editor: You may also want to read about figuring out what you want to do.)
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what to do
After writing countless custom term papers and other projects. I am finally going to earn my degree in political science. This post really helped me decide on what road I will travel on. Reading other essays supporting the same ideologies, I learned that I would like to be pro-bono lawyer fighting for abused children across America.
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