Register online at: www.nsbemac.ca/thehunt

COMP SCI / SFWR ENG 3I03 January 2016 We’re Here To Help! Engineering Co-op & Career Services (ECCS) COMP SCI / SFWR ENG 3I03 January 2016 “We customize the strategy to you”

Your Presenters Arlene Fajutrao Dosen Jesse Sahota Daniel Picone Manager, ECCS Jesse Sahota Career Development and Relationship Manager, ECCS Daniel Picone

Agenda Cover Letter & Resume Do’s and Don’ts Dissecting a Job Posting Branding Yourself

Engineering Co-op & Career Services A joint venture between the McMaster Engineering Society (MES) and the Faculty of Engineering Connects students with employers Provides career planning tools and resources Provides opportunities for students to gain employment experience

Cover Letter – Do’s Research the company and show genuine interest Ex. IBM – “I am very interested in working for a company that is one of the industry leaders in advanced information technologies and consistently innovating software and microelectronics.” Embed phrases from the job requirements and responsibilities in your cover letter Ex. “While participating in the DeltaHacks II hackathon, I worked cohesively with my team of 7 and utilized strong interpersonal skills resulting in a 2nd place finish in the competition.

Cover Letter – Don’ts DON’T sell yourself short Ex. You are a member of PhaseOne, a First Robotics mentor, work part-time at Best Buy, however on your cover letter you only highlight your programming skills. DON’T use vague statements. Be specific! Ex. Through my volunteer experiences and extracurricular activities, I have improved my interpersonal skills. Where did you volunteer? What was your role? Which extracurricular activity? What was your role?

Resume – Do’s Embed job requirements in your work/volunteer/extracurricular experiences Food Basics Developed excellent organizational skills and interpersonal skills while stocking the produce section and answering customer inquiries Use accomplishment statements Personal tutor Improved student academic performance by 10-15% Student Leadership Conference Coordinator Increased event attendance by 30 people from the previous year by increasing online marketing (LinkedIn and Twitter) Bold key words for to emphasize skills and accomplishments

Resume – Don’ts DON’T focus on the day-to-day tasks when describing an experience Ex. Tim Hortons Served baked goods to customers Strengthened my verbal communication skills by welcoming up to 100 customers on a daily basis DON’T use large blocks of text Difficult for employers to browse through Use bullet points

Building a Personal Brand! Some key references: Idealist Careers: Personal Branding 101 http://idealistcareers.org/personal-branding-101/ Social Media Examiner: How to Use Social Media to Build Your Personal Brand http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/use-social-media-to-build-your-personal-brand/ The Interview Guys: Personal Branding for Job Seekers 101 http://theinterviewguys.com/personal-branding-for-job-seekers-101/ Entrepreneur: The 4 Essentials to Building Your Brand on Social Media https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244677

Your Personal Brand Online – Why is it important? Personal branding is another form of networking – it can attract new opportunities and help establish credibility Personal branding can strengthen an organization or cause you are passionate about – you can use your brand to build awareness Hiring organizations are already looking for you online and may perceive it as a red flag if they can’t find you

Building Your Personal Brand Determine what you want your brand to be Do a brand audit (LinkedIn; Pinterest; Instagram; Twitter; Facebook) Mold your online presence to showcase your brand Introduce a bit of your personality Be active! 1. What is a personal brand statement? 1-2 sentences answering what you are the best at (your value); who you serve (target audience) and how you do it uniquely. It summarizes your unique promise of value. What value your provide (what problem you solve) / What differentiates you from other people in your area of expertise How you do it uniquely (your unique selling points) Whom you do it for (your target audience) 2. Do a brand audit (use free Twitter tools; Klout; Google Analytics to see areas where you have influence); make yourself memorable by using a consistent look and feel on all platforms 3. Make sure your social network profiles are up to date with work information and skills sets

Register on the McMaster Engineering Alumni website Linkedin Seminar Discover some quick and easy action steps to elevate your personal brand using LinkedIn Whether you are looking for a job now, or want to set yourself up for a great job in the future, you will come away with some great tips for making your profile stand out You will also find out how the most progressive companies use LinkedIn to recruit, so you can customize your profile to match the kinds of companies you want to work for! Wed. Feb. 1, 2017 6:30 pm Location: TBA Register on the McMaster Engineering Alumni website

CIBC Hall (3rd Floor Student Centre) Alumni will share their experiences about academics, study skills, day-to-day issues, career planning, networking and professional development They were students too! They understand student goals and concerns, and will be happy to address any questions that students have Over 120 alumni will be present! TONIGHT! 7:00 pm CIBC Hall (3rd Floor Student Centre) No need to register

Take Home Points Be active! You need to be looking for a position 4 to 6 months before your co-op work term begins Always apply with TAILORED documents Your online presence is a direct representation of you  Brand yourself! If you need any help come see us as soon as possible

Contact Us In Person: Come by the ECCS Office in JHE A214 between 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Online: Book an appointment on OSCARplus Email: Email engcar@mcmaster.ca Phone: 905-525-9140 ext. 22571