Opening My Eyes to Things Unseen!

Recently I had a meeting with Cecilia and Melanie from YEC about my goals, resume and meeting with my mentor. During this time I learned for the first time how to properly write a resume and how important it is. I grew up in a small town so resumes were not important and everyone applied for a position in person, therefore, I learned how to be very personable and encourage people to hire me.

However, this doesn’t help me in the city, where I need to have a resume in order to get an interview. I was really nervous because I had tried to come up with a resume the night before my meeting.  I loved the way that they were so encouraging and really helped me to understand what is important to have on my resume. I think that this will make me a lot more confident in my abilities because I will have to make note of my abilities before I go in for an interview.

I also met with my mentor this month and I am already very excited about this partnership! My mentor is a probation officer in NE Calgary and even though I do not want to be a probation officer and am not going into a social work degree, she is opening my eyes to the opportunities for intercultural work within Calgary that is not neccessarily immigration (I am in my third year of an Intercultural Studies Degree). My mentor has come up with many different opportunities that we can look at and on top of that she is not a caucasion woman so she can also teach me so much about intercultural work. I am so excited for what I am going to learn through her this year!

Project Protege Here I Come!

As a third year student, I know what I am interested in and I have finally decided on my degree. However, I have no idea how I am going to transition between being a college student and having a professional job, especially in Calgary (I am from a rural area).

Thus, when I heard about Project Protege I was very interested in how it could help me jump the gap between these two. I don’t know exactly what this year will bring, but I know that I will probably learn a lot and if nothing else, gain insight into a new career field that I had no idea about.

I am looking forward to the knowledge that I will gain through this program! Bring on all the learning.

Kaitlyn Reimer

Wrap-up

Today was the wrap up event of Project Protégé. It feels bittersweet. After being with the program the school year it is sad to see it formally end. It is sweet because I am walking away with many new relationships and a better understanding of my field.

When I think about Project Protégé the word opportunity best fits what I have experienced. I have gone from not having a clue how to transition from school to work , to feeling prepared. This has involved talking about things like salaries, job postings, job banks, first impressions, networking, hidden jobs and much more with my mentor. In my first post I wrote that going from school to work is daunting. I don’t feel that way today, I am looking forward to graduation. Seeing the choices I have and meeting people (including my mentor) who are passionate about their jobs fires me up.

What makes Project Protégé stand out is the relational aspect. Honestly, I am not the person to go down to my local career counselor and learn 10 tips to a better career. Relationships are the foundation of social work and the foundation of how I learn. I excelled in the program because along the way I got to talk about life, make jokes and form connections. There is something invaluable about having someone who has walked the walk be available to guide you.

And because Project Protégé is based on relationships it doesn’t end at a wrap up event but continues in a beautiful informal way.

Kim Miller

Tension

This week I attended a career practitioner’s workshop with my mentor. There was a lot of buzz about employment and the upcoming generation Y in the workforce. There were many questions about industry trends and moving youth into employment, etc. I am a member of generation Y and so sitting among a group where I was the minority, I have a couple of things to say.

In a relay race you pass a baton. In a career, you mentor, lead, and ultimately put yourself out of a job as the next generation comes behind you. In those few seconds during the pass of the baton, there is tension. The runners may be going different speeds or the pass may be awkward. As the baby boomers retire and generation Y grabs the baton (careers/jobs) there will be tension. I have a different work ethic and motivation then my parent’s generation. I run at a different pace, with different ideas and a whole lot more tweets along the way. That does not mean that I am less effective, it’s a different style.

I see mentorship as a way to smooth that tension. If both mentee and mentor are giving and feeding into each other, that transition is going to feel safer, and more successful then the random job search for the position which was formally occupied for the last 25 years.

If you feel caught in that tension of the generation gap I encourage you to get involved in mentorship – it is the best way I see to bridge that gap.

Kim Miller

Informational Interview

I am getting ready for my interview. I dress in my business casual attire and grab my carefully prepared questions. I leave my resume and nervousness at home because this is an informational interview and I will be the one asking the questions.

When I began Project Protégé I learned what an informational interview was and how I could use it as a tool for exploring career options. An informational interview is where you visit an organization to learn more about a particular job, without the prospect of applying for employment. This could mean an agency tour, meeting staff, finding out what a company does, different positions offered, salary, responsibility and personal fit. An informational interview is a valuable tool for a couple of reasons:

1. It let’s you scope out the hidden job market in your field.
2. You gain lots of knowledge about an organization in a short amount of time, without having to make a personal commitment such as applying for a job or volunteering.
3. Informational interviews let you meet people and expand your social network. These contacts can be extremely valuable even if you never become employed at that organization because you may need to may need to work with that agency in the future.

For more information on what an informational interview is, etiquette and questions to ask, check out TalentEgg, a career website for students and recent grads.
http://bit.ly/18Siey

Kim Miller

Only the best jobs

I waste so much time doing so many things, while missing the most important things. As I continue with the mentorship program with YEC I am reminded that I am not passionate about everything and some jobs are not a fit for me. It is easy with so much competition to fall into a job, volunteer position or lifestyle that just doesn’t fit you.

As many people begin to look for student summer jobs, the chance for meaningful summer experience feels like a race for who can get their resume in the fastest.

I am learning through my mentor that taking time to evaluate each job and personalize each resume will result in getting the right job for me. Sure, it will be more work tailoring each resume than firing off my cookie cutter version, but I would rather spend a few hours to send out one resume than taking 5 minutes to fire off 100 resumes and never getting a call back.

So this summer I’m all chips in for only the best jobs.

Kim Miller

A little thank-you goes a long way

I had the opportunity to attend an e-portfolio workshop through Project Protégé at the Youth Employment Centre (YEC). An e-portfolio contains  information about yourself that you can present in an interview after an employer has seen your resume. An e-portfolio contains an extensive list of projects, volunteering and other things you have done related to your profession which you do not have space for on your resume.

In the workshop we were given advice to keep thank-you cards, certificates, volunteer hours and one-off event that we participated in to build our professional profile. This was an incredibly smart piece of advice for me because usually I will look at it and go, “wow they said some great stuff about how I work” and then put it in the recycling.

Then when someone asks about more detailed activities or what others have said about my work, I’m left scrambling. Furthermore, keeping those thank-you cards can help with self-evaluation and knowing what your strengths are.

So the next time I receive a thank-you card I am keeping it, because a little thank-you card will go a long way in developing professionally.

Kim Miller

Why I joined Project Protégé

The word hone means to make sharper or more focused.  Thinking about why I am involved with Project Protégé and with the Youth Employment Centre (YEC), the word hone describes what I want to achieve.  I am in my third year of a social work degree and I realize that despite all I have learned, including completing practicum’s, I am unprepared to find work in my field, and have few networks in the community that I can learn from. 

Project Protégé is a chance to fill the career development gaps that my education is not offering me.  The value of having a mentor who has years of social work experience is an offer too tempting to turn down.  Project Protégé is providing the support I need to become more focused and realistic about what I need and want after graduation. 

Despite being a young adult in an age where information and opportunities are available at the fingertips, the task of making the school/work transition is daunting.  With so many choices available it is difficult to know which choice is good and which choice is great.  Mentorship means that someone is helping and guiding me to that great choice.

Kim Miller