Read the job description and mine it for key words related to the position.

#1 Sharpen your tools.
By tools, we mean things like a resume, and a cover letter. You need to look at your resume like a tool that has a specific purpose, or is meant to perform a certain task. Like a hammer is made to drive nails, you can look at a resume as a tool to get you an interview. A common saying you may have heard is that the resume gets you the interview, and the interview gets you the job. With that in mind, always be willing to revisit the structure and content of your resume. It could be the nicest, neatest document you have ever crafted, however if it is not getting you interviews, it is worth re-examining. Also, spend the time to modify or target your resume to specific jobs and employers you are applying to. Read the job description and mine it for key words related to the position. Try to incorporate these into your resume. Experienced recruiters can spot a generic resume quite easily, and this in a sense tells them you have not put much effort into your application (which your competition might be doing).

#2 Look at alternative methods to finding opportunities.
Not all jobs are posted on online job boards. In fact, most aren’t posted at all. Many in the Career development field pin the percentage at about 80 per cent of jobs that are not being advertised. One unique way to uncover employers that hire grads from your program is to check out the Ryerson Alumni report. This is a series of binders located in the Career Development & Employment Centre (CDEC) that track the organizations and the job titles of Ryerson grads according to the program they graduated from. You can examine your own program and go back through the years to see where people are working, and what they are doing. These types of employers are good organizations to start applying to or contacting directly through cold calling.

Like a hammer is made to drive nails, you can look at a resume as a tool to get you an interview.

#3 Proper preparation for interviews.
According to Farrah Francis, who worked as a campus recruiter for IBM, the number one mistake students and new grads make when interviewing is an inability to accurately recount their experiences. Students tend to focus more on their duties and responsibilities instead of clearly describing their accomplishments and achievements. Farrah recommends you use the Background, Action, Results (BAR) approach to describe the background of what you did, how you did it and what were the results. The BAR approach also works well when you craft your resume.

The intent of this article is to get your thinking about your job search more critically. It by no means covers everything. Take advantage of the resources on campus to assist you such as workshops, resume advisors in the CDEC, and the Ryerson CareerVault online job posting system (go to www.ryerson.ca/career and click on “Students & Alumni” to create an account and search jobs).

With the end of the school year approaching, many students will soon be leaving the city, and their part-time jobs, behind for the summer months.

The pressure she felt from the store manager to not quit was enough for her to try and bypass the whole situation.

Jenn Fata, a first-year interior design student, had been working as a cashier at Garden Basket for three and a half months before deciding to quit the Markham grocery store.

“I kind of wimped out,” said Fata.

Instead of submitting her two-weeks notice to the manager of the store, Fata ignored protocol and delivered the letter to her department head instead.

The pressure she felt from the store manager to not quit, she said, was enough for her to try and bypass the whole situation.

According to Marie Misiti, human resource and labour relations manager for Zehrs Markets Canada, this is not the best way to resign from a job, even if it is only a part-time position.

“Once you have decided to leave your job, the key is to just stay calm,” said Misiti.

“Give your two weeks notice, fill out any exit surveys or interviews the employer may ask of you and provide them with honest and truthful feedback,” she said. “Your former employer will appreciate it if you are respectful and understanding during this time, which will benefit you in the long-run when you need them as references.”

According to Joseph Khlaif, a Ryerson commerce graduate and vice-president of the legal-service website Dynamic Lawyers, it is already happening.

Lawyers can be costly and often work in billable hours, charging the client for administrative tasks like phone calls. They can charge between $200 and $300 per hour, with some lawyers billing as much as $600 per hour, according to the CBC’s Georgie Binks. These fees are often unaffordable for students, seniors and low to middle-income individuals. Online legal websites may be a good place to start looking for a lawyer, and to compare costs.

Lawyers can capitalize on the low cost advetising, while clients receive free multiple quotes for specific legal issues.

Toronto-based Dynamic Lawyers was designed to empower consumers who could not easily access lawyers or legal services. Everyday Ontarians make free and anonymous posts regarding their legal issues. They then receive multiple quotes from local lawyers who are registered with the website.

The lawyers compete with each other for the bids which helps drive down the cost. Costs of obtaining a quote is paid through the lawyers’ monthly membership fees.

The website also has a blog and posts statistics and reports about the legal community.

For those who would rather write their own contracts without the use of lawyers, there are downloadable and customizable legal forms and guides prepared by lawyers and stripped of complicated jargon.

Khlaif says the website is a win-win: “Lawyers can capitalize on the low cost advertising, while clients receive free multiple quotes for specific legal issues.”

Other online legal websites worth checking out include: legal.advicescene.com, duhaime.org, legalline.ca and legaltree.ca.

Although many European and Middle Eastern countries are protectionists when it comes to their local workforce, but now even multinational organizations based in these regions are hiring people from outside.

A highly diverse and global workforce has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, one of the major struggles for newly hired employees from abroad is adjusting and finding new friends.

“The biggest challenge is not having any friends. You don’t have a support network. Everything is strange right down to the type of yogurt you’ve never seen. You need a guide,” said Dale Carl of Ryerson University, as he described his first experience in the Middle East. Carl is a Director of Graduate Students, coordinator of international programs and co-author of Culture, Leadership and Organizations: The Global Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness Study (GLOBE) of 62 Societies (2004).

You don’t have a support network. Everything is strange right down to the type of yogurt you’ve never seen.

Carl suggested that some of the ways to make friends in a foreign country are through sports or various affiliations, “Join a diving club or a gym that has a squash court. Also there are expatriate associations, Canadian business groups in any respectably sized city”.

Another inevitable challenge is the language. Despite the fact that many employees are hired by corporations outside their home-country without knowledge of the local language, it still tops as an extremely valuable human asset.

“[You] should not expect people to always speak English if you don’t speak the language,” said Carl.

Carl encountered the difficulties of the language barrier while working in Norway. He had gone grocery shopping, but was faced with more than 40 types of bread behind the counter and consequently did not know how to ask for the right kind. Regardless of why a person is travelling, it is always a good idea to learn at least the basics of the national language before going abroad.

But language and lack of support are not where culture shock ends.

“Relationships between men and women, and relationships based on power distance, they are the two biggest stumbling blocks,” Dr. Carl said. Calling your boss by a name, instead of their title, for instance, can appear unprofessional and put a shadow on your relationships with the supervisors. It is best to ask one of your colleagues what they call their boss in order to be fully prepared and polished.

Facebook
By now, everybody and their mother is on Facebook. The technology that started as a simple way for Harvard students to communicate with each other has grown into one of the most prominent online social networks.

If you are looking to grow your brand or business online, consider building a Facebook fan page (as opposed to a group). Any updates to your fan page are communicated on the news feeds of fans.

Twitter

Finally gaining traction in Canada after being popular in the United States, Twitter is essentially a “blog in 140 characters”. This was done to accommodate updates through SMS text messages on cell phones. Twitter has exploded in popularity thanks in part to how easy it is to update a Twitter feed and reply to followers.

Companies such as Future Shop have used Twitter to attract followers to time-sensitive promotions. Marketers are able to easily and directly target interested customers, efficiently and cost effectively.

LinkedIn

Every student in the Ted Rogers School of Management should probably consider getting a LinkedIn account. This networking tool for professionally-orientated individuals focuses not only on the quantity of your connections, but also considers the quality of them as well.

It’s safe to assume that most bosses are going to be more impressed with a good network on LinkedIn than with thousands of friends on Facebook.

Buzz

It’s still too early to make a clear judgment on the success of Google’s version of Facebook and Twitter.

The combination of elements of other popular Web 2.0 technologies such as Gmail, Picasa, Flickr, Youtube, Blogger and Twitter and the rest of Google’s arsenal of popular apps, might mean that Buzz will fare well.

Buzz has the capability to filter and manage useful knowledge, and if Google gets all the kinks ironed out, Facebook might finally have worthy challenger to the online social networking throne.

Fortunately, there are ways students can eliminate or at least reduce their debt.

The first thing students could do is control their expenses. It is much easier to save a dollar than to earn one. Eliminate wasteful spending and look for creative ways to save on necessary items. Utilize all the free facilities/events available on campus and around the city. Walk or bike to school instead of taking public transportation during the warmer months of the year.

Another great way to tackle student debt is through bursaries and scholarships. Bursaries are generally offered to students who declare financial need and scholarships are offered to students who meet a certain criteria of achievement. Regardless, everyone should apply for both of these because it is free money that does not have to be repaid. Even if you are hesitant because of your academic standing or your work load, applying is still a good idea. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Working part-time is also common among full-time students. Apart from adding work experience to resumes, it provides cash-strapped students with extra income. There are plenty of part-time jobs available on campus (visit http://www.ryerson.ca/jobs/) and the wages are very decent. With proper time management, part-time employment can be integrated into your full-time school schedule without much stress.

Moreover, students could negotiate payment arrangements with their lender. As long as payments have been prompt, some lenders are willing to bend rules. Among these arrangements include interest reductions. This will result in lower monthly payments or reduce the time to pay off the loan.

Finally, students should take advantage of the six-month grace period after graduation. During this period, no payments are required on the principal. It is an optimal time to pay down as much of the loan as possible.

So, why is getting rid of your student loan as soon as possible the smart thing to do? The amount of debt you carry could affect your ability to purchase a home later on. Let’s also not forget that having an outstanding student loan is a burden.

If none of these tips work out, there is always the option of selling your organs. They are probably worth more than your textbooks and will get damaged anyway as you get older.

First, try to make your decision based on what you like. The satisfaction from attaining the fruits of your loved labour is very fulfilling.  If you don’t know what you like, make a list of possibilities and outline your strengths that will help you in that career, followed by your weaknesses that might hinder you.

The best advice that one can give is to pursue the things you are good at. If you’re the type of person who always likes to keep things organized, and think in a straightforward and logical manner, look for an educational path that focuses on those characteristics, for example programming or even accounting. However, if your strengths are creativity and ‘outside of the box‘ thinking, a position in marketing would be a good career path to focus on.

When asking questions, it’s best to direct your questions to the right people. One of the reasons professors get paid their ‘fair’ share, is because of the experience they accumulate in their fields, along with their academic success. These are the people who were once in the same shoes as you a few decades earlier, so they know how you feel. Ask professors questions about the fields they’re in as they know more about it than anybody else. They will help you and guide you towards your goal.

If you ever wonder why the school tuition is so high, the answer is the extensive resources that it provides. There are numerous online tests that assist students in finding where their interests lie. Optimax is a personality and career-oriented online test provided by the ITM program for the first year students helps affirm their decision in the program. There are numerous other sources provided as well, such as the many events hosted by the clubs around the campus, as well as featured guest lecturers who provide insight on the evolving workplace.

As Morpheus once said to Neo,there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Chances are, that whatever you decide to major in, you will be facing many challenges requiring you to be versatile. If you feel uneasy about the decision you made, don’t worry, everyone goes through that phase. The best plan of action is to use your time at post-secondary school to learn to be analytical, a skill that will open new vistas and broaden your horizons.

Some may be more traditional in their approach, others may find pictures and listening to old lectures helpful, while others still may need a variety of different approaches. In any case, having strong study habits can help students succeed in accomplishing their academic goals and help reduce stress levels.

Stress can be reduced if students find appropriate ways to handle the overwhelming amount of material to study. Reed Hilton-Eddy, a learning strategist at Ryerson University’s Learning Success Centre, has been helping students for 2 1/2 years with study methods. One of the problems, she said, is that “students aren’t honest with themselves about what it is they need to be successful.”

With a multitude of places to study at Ryerson, including the library, different areas of the student centre, and study rooms that need to be booked in advance, it can be difficult for students to really find a niche where they feel the atmosphere is ideal for their learning habits. “Atmosphere is a personal preference,” Hilton-Eddy said. “Student ignore personal preference and they tend to pick what their friends are doing or what’s convenient rather than what’s best for them.”

Some students may need white noise from a café, or the pin-drop silence that’s offered on the sixth, ninth, and tenth floors of the library. It’s a matter of identifying what’s best for each individual student and either making a concerted effort to study there, or to use friends or parents to get you into the habit of studying there.

Another important factor in reducing stress that Hilton-Eddy emphasized was that studying is a matter of time management. Students need to be realistic about how much time they have to study and what needs to get done.

“Students make the mistake of trying to study a chapter that would normally take two hours to learn, and trying to do it in 30 minutes,” she said. She raises the question whether it would be wise to simply read the introduction and conclusion and try practice questions, or to go straight to lecture notes and match parts of the chapter that relate. “It’s not about abandoning ship,” she said. “It’s about being manageable with your time.”

She encourages students to be active about their studying, not to simply flip through chapters. If students need cue cards or to create a chart while studying, they should do so as they read.

“Reading is passive. It’s about concentration level, and absorption level. Academic reading is dense, and you need to be interactive with it.”

Some students are trying to cope with stress using structured plans. Many of the faces you see at the library are regulars who follow the same study habits weekly. Jeevithan Elmo Jeyadevan, a first-year criminology student, prefers the quiet study floors of the library because they are isolated from people who may know him and would distract him from getting through his work. Molly Warwick, a first-year arts and contemporary studies student, found that the white noise on the fourth floor of the library, or residence, was the best place to study. She also found that the distractions during the day were a reason for her to choose a better time to study. “I study really late at night, because during the day I get easily distracted,” she said.

Most students in the library felt that in any case, the best way to take notes were to resort to old school methods of putting their trusty old pen to paper. “I prefer to write, I make more connections and I tend to remember it more when I go to exams and am required to write it again,” said a second year student in public administration and governance. Hilton-Eddy reiterates that, “There’s been a large amount of research to indicate that the mind remembers information when you’ve done pen to paper.”

Although it’s definitely “go-time”, as some students affectionately call it, there are easy and productive way to– reduce stress levels, and ultimately strive for a high grades.

Ultimately, Ryerson’s commuter reputation has caused it to lag behind other schools in establishing a true university experience.

But that shouldn’t prevent students from getting involved in school, especially considering the benefits involved.

Given the current economic climate, and with undergrads competing with overqualified MBA’s and other experienced workers for the same jobs, extra-curricular activities can potentially give undergrads the advantage.

The main goal of attending a university is to obtain a degree and many students hope to attain the highest GPA possible. But Ryerson students highly involved in campus life swear that getting involved in school actually increases GPA.

Greg Murray, a recent graduate and former program manager of SIFE Ryerson, maintains that getting involved positively affected his GPA.

“This may be counterintuitive considering I was investing [so many hours] in extra curricular activities,” Murray said. “However, it fueled better organization, stronger discipline and more passion for my field of study, which led to higher marks.”

Abdul Snobar, former president and now current general manager of the Ryerson Commerce Society, expresses the same sentiments. “At the end of the day,” he said, “you learn how to work under pressure very well.”

Danielle Hrehirchek, president of the Ryerson Marketing Association agrees. “You start working harder. It really makes you feel connected to the school.”

“[When] you get to know your teachers it is embarrassing to get a bad grade,” Hrehirchek said.

It doesn’t necessarily mean having to be as ambitious as Murray, Snobar, or Hrehirchek, but finding an activity in your areas of study is a great way to start.

Snobar took advantage of these opportunities and saw his social network grow exponentially. “At the end of the day, I was able to mix in my social life with extra-curricular activities here,” he said.

Hrehirchek’s passion for marketing helped guide her to choose what to get involved in. “It didn’t matter what I did” she said. “As long as I was doing something involved with marketing.” But once she started, she realized her interest in what went on at Ryerson grew.

Murray is now the service and distribution manager for PepsiCo and is a firm believer that students need to leverage the benefits in getting involved: free conferences, internships, networking and leadership opportunities.

“These were all-inclusive of my tuition and I wanted to maximize the return-on-investment on my tuition,” he said. “If I’m paying for an all-inclusive cruise, I’m going to try to get my money’s worth by eating as much as possible.”

Murray was able to benefit by networking at a conference, where his internship with PepsiCo ultimately led to a lucrative position.

“Personally, I like to be busy. I like having a voice,” Hrehirchek added. “I actually had a say in what students are studying.”

She is also entertaining many job offers and recently made a lasting impression on Javier San Juan, CEO of L’oréal Canada, all thanks to networking through her involvement at school.

“The majority of the students getting scholarships are the ones that are heavily involved,” Snobar acknowledged.

Taking action ultimately lies within the individual, but with so much competition for so few jobs in today’s “new economy”, being complacent does not help.

“Ultimately, you have to push yourself,” Hrehirchek said. “Don’t be scared. Just do it. It will pay off, definitely.”

“At the end of the day it is our duty [as students] to really increase the value of your degree and the reputation of our university,” Snobar said. “Getting involved is the best thing you could do for your university experience.”

“The importance to differentiate yourself and bring more to the table than just a degree is critical,” Murray said. “Getting involved is no longer optional. It is expected.”

“The future lies in privacy by design and there is so much to be done,” said Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

Students, professors and industry experts, including the Dean of TRSM, Dr. Ken Jones, all gathered in the Cara Commons in the Ted Rogers Building to hear Dr. Cavoukian speak about the latest in privacy controls and management.

Cavoukian mentioned in her speech that companies should start adopting a proactive approach rather than a reactive one when it comes to privacy protection, and the only way a company can do so is by building privacy measures in the core architecture of its technology.

“People have choices they can make in terms of connecting in privacy-protected environments.”

She came up with the concept of ‘Privacy by Design’ in the 90s, which ensured the protection of privacy by making it the default in the design of new technologies and business practices. Also, companies today collect more data than they require for a particular transaction, which is one practice Cavoukian would like to see discontinued in the future.

Cavoukian, who is regarded around the world as one of the leading privacy experts, is also Ontario’s first Information and Privacy Commissioner to be re-appointed for an unprecedented third-term, mainly because of her efforts in improving privacy protection and her efforts to making privacy built into information technologies.

Urging students to set up adequate privacy settings on their online social networking profiles, Cavoukian said that it is very important to connect with people in today’s world. One cannot ignore online social networking sites like Facebook, but at the same time it is important to take control of your privacy.

“People have choices they can make in terms of connecting in privacy-protected environments,” she said.

Matthew Armstrong, President of the LBSA, expressed satisfaction over the turnout and the response the event received. “We are incredibly happy with the presentation that we received from the information and privacy commissioner and we couldn’t be happier with the response we received from the students, faculty and industry representatives,” he said. Incidentally, this was also the first event the LBSA organized since it was formed earlier this year.

Emphasizing the importance of hard-work, passion and creativity, Cavoukian offered a few words of advice for students at the TRSM.

“Follow your heart; find a passion that you love, and then be prepared to work like crazy – twenty-four seven. You have to work very hard, but if it’s something you love, then you don’t mind because you love doing it. Creativity is underestimated. Try to think in a different way, so that you get a desired outcome that is different. Just keep trying,” she said.

Better privacy measures envisioned by experts like Cavoukian are the need of the hour, the question is whether companies and individuals would actually take substantial steps towards establishing such measures.