Blog

Five Questions to Ask During a Job Interview

You’ve prepared for your interview. You’ve figured out your skills and found good examples to back them up. You’ve printed out an extra copy of your resume and references. You’ve practiced answering all the kinds of questions that your interviewer could ask.

Except for one: near the end of your interviewer, the employer turns to you and asks, “Do you have any questions for me?”

It can be easy to forget that an interview is a two-way street. Answering the interviewer’s questions only goes so far to show the employer what kind of person you are: the missing link is in what kinds of questions you ask them.

So whatever you do, don’t say, “Um, no, I’m good” (we’ve all done it). Instead, here are 5 questions to ask your interviewer during your interview.

Continue reading →

Three Ways to Find Networking Events in Ottawa

If you’re looking for a job, chances are that you’re looking through job boards online, sending out dozens of copies of your resume. You’ve probably filled out a lot of surveys and questionnaires, and you’ve perfected your cover letter. And while all these things are integral parts of the job search, they’re missing a key component: networking.

Networking means interacting with groups of people to build professional contacts and form relationships. It can be intimidating, but it’s absolutely necessary: around 85 per cent of jobs are filled through networking, not job boards.

What does this mean for you? It means that networking is a skill with which you should get comfortable, and the best way to get comfortable with it is to practice. And to practice, you’ll need to start finding some networking events to attend right here in Ottawa. Below are three great sources for doing just that.

Before you head out, be sure to read our post on how to shine at your next networking event!

Continue reading →

How Co-op Students Change the Game for Employers

You probably already know that hiring a co-op student comes with a bunch of benefits that can have a positive influence on your organization (not least of which is a $3,000 tax credit from the Ontario government).

But did you know that bringing on an Algonquin College co-op student can be a complete game changer, especially for small to midsize businesses?

Below, we look at three key ways that Algonquin co-op students bring huge advantages to their co-op employers.

Continue reading →

Four Easy Ways to Conduct Yourself Professionally

When you are first starting out in your career, no matter what industry you’re in, you will be laying the foundation for a professional reputation that will follow you throughout your work life. On this blog, we’ve talked before about how to manage that reputation, through consciously building a brand for yourself (read our guide here).

Part of your brand will encompass how you behave at work. Your professional comportment says a lot about how you wish to be perceived, and goes a long way to helping people view you as a responsible and mature co-worker.

Continue reading →

Three Ways to Take Care of Yourself While Working 9 to 5

When you shift from the student lifestyle—irregular hours, shift work, and maybe some weeknight partying—into a 9 to 5 lifestyle, you may have a bit of a rocky transition period. It’s a lifestyle change with vastly different norms, and you may find yourself exhausted, or having trouble concentrating for a full work day. This is normal, and you’ll acclimatize quickly.

But working 9 to 5 can also be a challenge in terms of taking care of yourself. If you’re in an office, sitting for eight hours straight and being in easy reach of fast food can have an impact on your physical health. You may also find work-related stress coming home with you and affecting your mental health, too.

Below, we look at ways to smooth the transition to a 9 to 5 lifestyle, and how to keep healthy while working.

Continue reading →