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September 2007

Important Services to Remember

Undergraduate C.V. Drop-In:

Monday: 2:30-3:30
Tueday: 1:30-2:30
Wednesday: 2:00-3:00
Thursday: 3:00-4:00
Friday: 11:00-12:00

Career Advising:

Make an appointment with one of our advisors to have your C.V., cover letter, or personal statement reviewed, to schedule a mock interview or to simply get some help with your career planning. Call 514-398-3304 to book a time.

Career Development Workshops:

We offer numerous workshops on a host of career-related issues. To see this month's offerings, click here.

Campus Recruitment Info Sessions

Campus Recruitment Information Sessions take place all month. If you qualify and want to participate in campus recruitment, be sure to visit our Events Calendar for all the details.

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Director's Message

As Director of CAPS (McGill’s central career centre), I would like to welcome you back to McGill! This student-produced newsletter will give you a good idea of the wide range of services and advice that CAPS can offer you in order to help you find full-time, part-time and summer jobs as well as internships. 

As we at CAPS always say, don’t wait until you graduate!  Planning ahead is the key to success.  At CAPS you can take advantage of our career advisors, career development workshops, career resource centre, career fairs and many other programs all with the aim of increasing your employability. 

To help increase your chances of finding work that you would love to do, I would advise you to gain valuable “soft” skills by joining clubs, doing volunteer work, and taking on leadership roles in any context during your time at McGill. Employers are continually asking for students with these types of skills.  As well, you’ll meet people who will help build your network of contacts – a key element in the job search.  

I encourage you to drop by our downtown or Mac campus offices to find out more information and to register for our Jobs Listings Database.  Also visit our website which outlines the full range of services we can offer you.  It also contains valuable job search information. 

Have a great year back and we hope to see you in our office very soon!

Gregg Blachford
Director, McGill CAPS

CAPS Services at Macdonald Campus

The services provided by CAPS on the Macdonald Campus are unique because they are focused on the career needs of students from the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition and the School of the Environment.

CAPS offers a variety of services to help you make a successful transition from school to the workplace or graduate school. These include individual appointments for job search & career exploration purposes, CV Drop-In, workshops tailored to the department, access to our job postings database, and a resource library. We also aim to provide you with opportunities to meet industry professionals at career fairs, panel discussions, and campus recruitment activities.

To book an appointment with a Career Advisor contact Susan Smith, MAC Office Coordinator, at 514-398-7582 or by email at susan.smith@mcgill.ca.

Contact Us

We are located in the Brown Student Services Building (3600 McTavish, Suite 2200).

Check out our website for details on all our programs and services!

For further inquiries, or to book an appointment with an advisor, please email us or call 514-398-3304.

Welcome to the September 2007 edition of the CAPSScoop, a publication of CAPS - the McGill Career Centre. The CAPSScoop is a student-oriented newsletter that is designed to give you tips on improving your employability and provide an overview of workshops, information sessions and recruitment events for the month.

As an undergraduate McGill student, you will receive the CAPSScoop on the first of every month. We hope you enjoy and will take full advantage of the services and programs offered by CAPS!

In this issue:

Be Prepared: It's Campus Recruitment Time!

What Not to Miss: The McGill Mentor Program

Career Development Workshops

Career Fairs

Director's Message

CAPS Services at Macdonald Campus

Contact Us

Be Prepared: It's Campus Recruitment Time!

Graduating in the Spring of 2008 and interested in the areas of Consulting, Financial Institutions & Information Technology? Get ready for Campus Recruitment 2008. As a backgrounder, you may wish to read previous CAPSScoop articles about campus recruitment (issues May 2007 and September 2006).  Remember the competition is fierce and you should be prepared to alter your schedule to better suit that of the employer. This is the time to take advantage of their availability.

Before you opt to participate, ask yourself two questions:

  • Is your candidacy strong enough to propel you to an interview?

  • Can you dedicate the time required to compete?

To help you better prepare to successfully participate in campus recruitment and be asked for an interview, consider these recommendations:

  • Research the industries and companies to better target your applications and to confirm that it is a right fit for you.

  • Attend company info sessions and career fairs.

  • Prepare targeted CVs. You may wish to attend a C.V. Writing workshop and have your CV reviewed at CAPS.

  • Create targeted cover letters that highlight your accomplishments and illustrates your industry knowledge. Double check all your cover letters for errors, especially in your contact and company names. You may wish to attend a Cover Letter Practice workshop.

  • Read up on Case Interviewing and attend a Case Interviewing workshop.

  • Prepare for and book a mock behavioural interview at CAPS.

When attending company presentations, there are certain etiquette rules that need to be adhered to in terms of dress, dining and networking:

  • Dress for success, leave your backpack at home and turn off your cell phone.

  • Do not monopolize the buffet and do not overfill your plate.

  • Avoid being put in a situation where you can’t shake someone’s hand because you are holding a drink in one hand and a plate in another.

Remember that research you did on the industry and company? Well now is the time to ask some intelligent concise questions to the company representatives (Tip: do not ask about salary, benefits or vacation time). Network, mingle and leave them with a good impression.

One final piece of advice – do not wait until the deadline to apply!

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What Not to Miss: The McGill Mentor Program

What do you want to be when you grow up? You might have an idea or maybe you’re terrified of having to choose. Making career plans can be the most difficult part of a young student’s life. Some students might know exactly what profession they’re destined for, but the majority have no idea how to get there.

So what do you do when you’ve decided to be a doctor, a lawyer, or an investment banker and your University safety net is quickly shrinking? Who can you talk to for advice about higher education, first career moves and personal fears?

CAPS is here for you. Through the McGill Mentor Program, we can match every McGill student with their own mentor: a professional volunteering to share his or her experience and knowledge about the real world. Our mentors are McGill alumni so they’ve experienced first-hand the pressures of being a McGill student. They are experienced and successful, working in a spectrum of professions. They’ve navigated their way to fulfilling careers, and mentoring allows them to help current McGill students and recent graduates do the same.

The Mentor Program gives you the rare opportunity to enter into a professional relationship that can help shape your career path by giving you insider information. You will have the opportunity to receive advice, build professional networks and ask any and all questions about the realities of work and life beyond the classroom.

With the McGill Mentor Program, advice is free. Sign up or get more information online at caps.mcgill.ca/ci2 or contact the Mentor Program Coordinator at mentor.caps@mcgill.ca.

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Career Development Workshops

  • CA Recruitment Info Session
    Tuesday, September 4, 16h00-18h00: Bronfman, Room 151
    Register now

    For B.Com & Continuing Education students only. Please confirm your attendance by sending an email to mcgillaccounting@gmail.com. This information session will be held by this year's MAS committee. Its purpose is to inform you what to expect during the recruiting period. The career center will also discuss last year's statistics and placements with you. The order of chartered accountants will also give a brief overview of the code of conduct that is expected during the recruiting period. This workshop is a must if you want to successfully navigate the Chartered Accounting recruitment process. Learn about the application process, get tips on how to fill-out the CACEE form, meet the MAS Executives and listen to CA interns from various firms. Bring your question and concerns and we will address them.

  • Preparing for Campus Recruitment and Career Fairs
    Monday, September 10, 10h30-12h00: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Thursday, September 13, 15h00-16h30: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    In this introductory workshop, you will learn about the On-Campus Recruitment process. A wealth of information and resources are available to assist you in succeeding in the various steps involved.

  • CV Writing
    Tuesday, September 11, 10h30-12h00: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Tuesday, September 25, 9h30-11h00: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    To help you write a good CV, we start by identifying your target job and assessing your skills, strengths and experiences. We then look in detail at the components of a CV (resume).

  • Action Plan: How to Organize Your Job Search
    Wednesday, September 12, 14h30-16h00: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Looking for a job requires lots of organization. This workshop will provide you with the tools you need to plan your job search.

  • Interview Techniques
    Thursday, September 13, 10h00-11h30: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Thursday, September 27, 14h00-15h30: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    So you finally get an invitation to a job interview. What will you say? What kind of gestures will you make? How will you dress? The answers to these and other questions will be addressed here.

  • Networking Basics
    Friday, September 14, 13h00-14h30: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Friday, September 28, 10h30-12h00: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Networking, schmoozing, bonding... whatever you call it, an effective job search involves meeting people who work in your target career area. This workshop will demonstrate techniques to help you get started.

  • Cover Letter Practice
    Tuesday, September 18, 10h00-11h30: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    In this workshop you will not only learn about the different types and layouts of cover letters, but how to write the best one for your job application. We will critique a sample letter together and then revise your own cover letters. Don't forget to bring your own cover letter.

  • Rédaction d’un C.V. efficace
    Wednesday, September 19, 10h30-12h00: Brown, Room 5001
    Register now

    Afin de bien rédiger votre CV, vous devez commencer par une auto-évaluation détaillée. Nous commencerons par celle-ci, pour ensuite étudier tous les éléments d'un CV et poursuivrons avec les lettres de présentation.

  • CA Interviewing
    Tuesday, September 25, 13h30-15h00: Brown, TBA
    Register now

    For B.Com & Continuing Education students only. This workshop will explain the interview process and provide you with the dos and don'ts of an interview. You will have the opportunity to practice and receive feedback.

  • Case Interviews
    Wednesday, September 26, 15h00-17h00: Brown, Brown 5001
    Register now

    An interactive workshop that walks you through case examples and provides tips on how to survive a case interview.

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Career Fairs

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