CAREERS AND EDUCATION

Choose your program wisely for academic success

Key factors to consider

Whether you are looking for a four-year degree or a shorter credential, choosing the program to study is an important academic decision. As a newcomer, you may not have the same grasp of the Canadian labour market as someone who has gone to school in Canada and heard about different programs and careers from the time they were in kindergarten. This means that some extra research and self-assessment may improve your decision-making.

Newcomers to Canada will want to capitalize on their credentials and strengths when choosing a program of study. Programs that call on a high degree of familiarity with Canadian culture may be more of a struggle and require more time in Canada to get that knowledge. Personal assets such as knowledge of languages, areas where you have proven expertise and skills, evaluated credentials and prior work experience can help in deciding a direction. Your research should include both a frank self-assessment and a thorough review of critical information about programs as well as careers.

Knowing yourself

Consider your interests and talents when choosing a program of study. It is often easier to apply yourself if you are interested in something and if you don’t have to struggle very hard with it. Having good academic preparation is also important. If your program requires a lot of math, have you developed ease with the minimum stated math requirements? If you will be writing essays, would an introductory writing course be helpful? Knowing yourself should be one lens through which you consider academic and career direction.

Other questions you want to ask yourself could include: If your chosen program of study is highly competitive, have good grades come easily to you? Can you live on the income of the career you are preparing for? If the market is saturated, are you willing to move to find work? If only one in seven applicants to medical school are accepted, do you still have a good chance? Are you comfortable with the routine tasks in a specific career, such as the physical care nurses provide to both men and women? Would you need to complete a short course in personal coaching or would you need more background of the Canadian context of that profession?

About the program

There are many things to look at when you are choosing a course of study. Some of them aren’t obvious. If you are hoping for a career related to your studies, you not only want to know the current job market, but also what might be the future direction.

What impact might technology have? If you are getting credentials in a particular field, are they necessary? Can others work in this area without them? Examples of important information might include: Does a police foundation diploma lead to a career with the police, or would a degree in sociology be a more direct route? Do you understand the working conditions of a shelter worker? How many shelter workers spend years working at night? Does this fit in with the kind of lifestyle you would like to have? Is studying life sciences or psychology the best way to get into medical school? Without full, current information, you may not even know what important questions to ask.

Some program descriptions sound perfect, almost too good to be true. It feels like all you need to do is sign up and you will be on the way to where you want to be. While this may be true for some studies, others need quite a bit of research, questioning, attending information sessions and information interviewing. As you research programs and careers, you may gather information from schools, but it is often best to go beyond this and speak to individuals working in the field you are interested in. Career counsellors and advisers can also help with finding current education and labour market information.

There is a tremendous variety of academic and career-related programs to choose from. Deciding on one prematurely without full information may lead to regrets. Recovering from a bad decision is possible, but it can be costly and demoralizing. While the future can’t be entirely predicted, it is possible to have a better chance of success. A thorough exploration and honest self-appraisal now will help and alleviate unwelcome surprises later.

Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students.

Transferable skills for the new normal

Set yourself up for success

The pandemic has significantly changed the way we work, and with that comes the need for new desired skills. Across industries and professions, we have had to adapt to rapidly changing conditions in response to the crisis.

Transferable skills are even more valued than ever in the workplace. These are a specific set of skills that don’t belong to a particular sector or industry but can be carried with you at all times, irrespective of the job you are doing.

Ready to set yourself up for success in the new normal? Here are some in-demand transferable skills needed to prepare for the future of work.

Flexibility. In an increasingly competitive job market, the more transferable skills you have, the more value you can offer to a potential employer. Highlight all the skills that you have gathered such as experience acquired through your academic projects or your previous work experience. All of them have allowed you to develop a range of skills and many of them can be put to good use now. Having a diverse skill set can set you apart from the competition and help you demonstrate your greater flexibility. of the most basic skills that you can take with you to any job. In today’s workforce, you may be asked to present information to a range of audiences. Some of these people may not have an understanding of what you do or share, so the ability to present your ideas with absolute clarity is important. So is the need to articulate your thoughts in a logical and organized manner.

Leadership. Your ability to take the lead, get others to follow through and accomplish work goals in a team environment can be an effective leadership trait. You can be in control by delegating responsibilities, planning and coordinating a variety of tasks, resolving conflict, implementing management decisions and coaching others.

Remember, these skills don’t necessarily have to be workplace related. You could have acquired them through a group project during your studies or through volunteer work.

Teamwork. Collaboration is a must for any organization. You are a valuable asset if you can work with peers toward the achievement of common goals. As an effective team player, you are at ease sharing credit, accepting responsibility for your work and being receptive to ideas and suggestions of your colleagues. You are also good at building rapport with other members across all areas of the business. Last but not the least, your teamwork ability allows you to establish effective communication protocols to avoid mistakes, work duplication or other problems.

Work ethic. A strong work ethic should be a part of your value system as it is an asset that employers seek. It starts with demonstrating a positive approach to your work and being authentic. In addition to taking responsibility and initiative, constantly learning new skills and caring about your co-workers conveys a strong work ethic.

Transferable work skills are important to help you to advance in your career, pandemic or no pandemic. These flexible work skills can also make it easier to switch professions to a desirable new work environment.

Make sure that you emphasize your transferable skills right from the time you submit your application and until you get the job offer. These skills can go a long way to persuading a potential employer that you are the perfect fit for their company.

Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, life coach and best-selling author of The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening, The ACE Abundance and You Are HIRED! He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. Learn how he can help unlock your magic at unleashyourwow.com.