Career Centre Supports for First-Year Students

True or False? First-year university is too early to be thinking about a career. False!

Laurier’s Career Centre is an invaluable component of your academic journey, offering numerous customized services for first-year students including career preparation workshops, First-Year Career Development Certificate Program and individual appointments.

Often students tend to wait until their final year to seek out career support but in retrospect wish they had engaged with the Career Centre from day one. Thinking about your career in first year can give you a great advantage later on. We are here to help you make use of the many services and resources offered!

Six essential career tips for first-year students

1. Learn more about yourself.
   Ask yourself some questions and take stock: “What am I good at? What am I passionate about? Where will my choices lead?” You do not have to know the answers to all these questions right away - the Career Centre is here to help you discover them!
   
   
2. Develop your soft skills.
   Skills such as teamwork, communication, and collaboration can be developed in the classroom through group or individual assignments, presentations and club activities. When employers ask for evidence of your soft skills, you will have examples to share simply by being engaged during your time at Laurier.
   
   
3. Join student clubs.
   It’s important to get involved in university life. By joining a club, you will meet new people, make new friends and most importantly learn how to balance your academic and personal interests, all while building strong teamwork and time management skills.
   
   
4. Stay on top of the career services offerings.
   Watch for newsletters, social media campaigns and online resources through Navigator that alert you to new opportunities. Make sure you attend Career Centre events including industry panels, graduate school information sessions, employer recruiting sessions and fairs.
   
   
5. Build your resumé and cover letter.
   Attend a resumé workshop customized for first-year students - it will help you list all of the achievements, experiences and skills you already possess. Have your resumé reviewed during drop-in hours at the Career Centre and be ready for volunteer, part-time or summer job opportunities.
   
   
6. Apply for part-time jobs and summer jobs and connect with employers.
   Employers are looking to hire Laurier students for a variety of on-campus, off-campus, part-time and summer jobs. Search for job and volunteer postings in Navigator and attend employer events including recruiting sessions and Career/Job Fair.

Career Development services and resources available for first-year students

While you have access to all of the services and resources available through the Career Centre, here are some of the services offered specifically for first-year students. 

Appointments and Workshops for First-Year Students

Career consultants are available to help you with your career planning, preparation and decision-making. If you would like to have a one-on-one career discussion, please feel free to book an appointment through Navigator.

Appointment types include:

• Career Consulting
• Resumé and Cover Letter
• Job Search
• Interview
• Further Education

Customized First-Year Student workshops include:

• Resumé Writing
• Cover Letter Writing
• Interview Success
• Job Search and Networking
• LinkedIn

"I know the Career Centre is always there and they offer so many things and I can just go in and talk to someone. I'm definitely going to use the Career Centre a lot in the upcoming years. When I feel overwhelmed or I need to talk to someone or get some advice on a career path, I know I have them there." ~ First-year Laurier student

First-Year Career Development Certificate Program

This is a small group program that keeps maximum enrolment to twelve students. Commitment is two sessions a week over a 4-week period.

The program covers all of the first-year workshops including career planning, resumé writing, job search and more.

Participation in this program will leave you excited, motivated and hopeful about future career options and confident in overcoming barriers to employment. You will begin building your network while engaging with other first-year students. At the end of the program, you will have received the Career Development Certificate.

Contact Susan at smalcolm@wlu.ca with any questions.

Quotes from students who have completed the First-Year Career Development Certificate Program:

• "When I learned more, I wanted to explore more. It was a very good start to my career journey."
• "I feel like the Career Development Certificate gave me a guide of what I should do next. It helped me to feel more clear about the job search, resumé, cover letter."
• "Helped me be more relaxed and have more hope, like the fact that I will get a job."
• "I feel so much more confident and prepared now that I know more about what the Career Centre offers."