Industry trends. Valuable skills. The best way to network your way into a job.
Goodman School of Business students are getting these insider tips and more thanks to Goodman Career’s “How to get a Job in…” series.
The series of panels and networking events bring together industry professionals at all levels to speak with students about career options, industry trends and strategies for getting a job.
The series is organized by Goodman’s Career Development Office, which provides career planning and job search support for all Goodman students; connecting them with job opportunities and industry professionals year-round.
The 2014-2015 series launched Oct. 9 with “How to get a Job in Finance”. Five more “How to get a Job in…” events are planned for the 2014-2015 academic year including operations and supply chain management (Nov. 10), human resources (Nov. 24), accounting (Jan. 15), sales and marketing (Jan. 22), and business and consulting (Feb. 12).
Third-year Bachelor of Business Administration student Jacqueline Kope attended “How to get a Job in Finance.” Kope, who is studying finance and is a member of Brock’s Finance and Investment Group (BFIG), was hoping to get some insight from finance professionals about her future co-op terms.
“[I wanted to know] if they think it is more competitive to have longer terms [with the same employer] and have more experience at one firm or dip your toes around into other firms and get a mix of other corporate cultures and other businesses.”
It’s questions like this that industry panelist Brad Ralph, managing director, Mining Investment Banking of Dundee Capital Markets, is happy to answer.
He hopes sharing his experience will help expose business students to the range of opportunities in the finance industry.
“When I went to Brock, I didn’t even know what investment banking was. I was focused on getting my CA [now CPA] designation.”
Ralph, who did earn that accounting designation but now works in investment banking, urged the students to be aware of what every job entails.
“A lot of people want to come to investment banking because they think of the allure. At the end of the day, they don’t really know what it is that we do. I always tell people, talk to the analysts, talk to the associates, find out what they do day to day.”
As Colin Hardy, a third-year Bachelor of Business Administration student, discovered, talking to the industry professionals gave him new insights about the field, like how important sales is in finance.
He’s going to be putting extra effort into developing his communication skills.
“Work on that elevator pitch. You don’t have much time with the people that you meet, you have to get your point across effectively and quickly.”
For new business students that might still be a few years from focusing on their job search, Hardy has an important message: the earlier you attend a “How to get a Job in…” event, the better.
“For first- and second-year [students], who maybe don’t know what they want to do, this gives them a great inside look of what the industry has to offer. ”
Upcoming “How to get a Job in…”:
• Operations and Supply Chain (Nov. 10, 2014)
• Human Resources (Nov. 24, 2014)
• Accounting (Jan. 15, 2015)
• Sales and Marketing (Jan. 22, 2015)
• Business and Consulting (Feb. 12, 2015)
Registration is open to Goodman undergraduate and graduate students in CareerZone.
