York & U is an electronic newsletter for applicants and prospective applicants to York.

Congratulations York University alumnus Steve MacLean for being chosen to participate in a mission to the International Space Station aboard the space shuttle! On April 10, 2003, Steve MacLean will embark on an important 10-day mission to add solar panels to the international space station.

When thinking about your future career, there are a lot of choices that go beyond the traditional occupations of doctor, lawyer, teacher. Do you know what they are? Do you know what you want to do? Do you even know what you're good at?

The staff and resources at York University's Career Services can help you:

• tap into the hidden job market (about 80 - 90% of jobs available are 'hidden' and not ever posted)
• find out what your skills and interests are
• explore your career options
• interview like a pro

We interviewed Donna Robbins, Manager of Career Services, to find out about their services and why, as a prospective university student, you need to know about them. Here's what we found.

Question: Approximately how many students would you estimate that Career Services assists every year?
Answer: It's hard to say for sure, since we offer so many services and resources, some of them online, but I'd estimate that we help thousands. We have a variety of services available for students such as:

• workshops (career planning, networking, resume essentials, interview essentials)
• mock interview service
• resume critique service
• peer advising
• employment and education fairs
• a Web site with an online job search manual, monthly online newsletter and lots of information and resources to help students find employment both now and when they graduate
• a library of almost 1,000 books with information on career planning

Question: What are some of the most valuable or popular services you offer?
Answer: Some of our more popular services include:

1. Resume Critique Service - you sit down one-on-one with a career advisor who goes through your resume to find ways to improve it and make it more effective.
2. Mock Interview Sessions - you participate in a practice interview that is videotaped, which you can later watch to see how you handle yourself during an interview and learn strategies for improving your answers and presentation. This service is especially popular with students thinking about medical or law school, since part of the admission process for these programs includes an interview.
3. Breakfast Club Series - this series of networking breakfasts is designed to help students build their professional network by meeting company recruiters and professionals in the workplace.
4. Career Planning Workshops - these day-long sessions are designed to help students make informed decisions about their majors and career path through a series of vocational assessment tools and exercises. Students get to complete the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. These assessment tools are two of the most widely used personality inventories in the world.

Question: Approximately how many employers would you estimate approach Career Services every year in search of graduates/undergraduates?
Answer: That's not the way it works anymore. Career Services' role is no longer about job placement. It used to be that you'd graduate, get hired by a company and stay with them until retirement. It doesn't work that way anymore. Most people will go through four or five different careers throughout their lives. The role of Career Services is to help students become self-sufficient by being able to research about, hunt for, and secure their own jobs. From what employment trends are showing us, it's the way things are going. Fewer and fewer employers are approaching campuses these days to get in touch with students. Rather, they are now expecting students to get in touch with them. By helping our students learn the skills to do so, they'll be in a better position to get the jobs they want.

Question: What are some examples of industries/types of jobs that Career Services has posted?
Answer: Focusing on job postings is something we try and discourage. Most jobs are never advertised - so, for instance, we focus on helping students find those unadvertised jobs. That's why we run series like Networking Your Way to a Job and created our online Job Search Manual. What we usually find is that job seekers aren't focused. They haven't done the necessary research on themselves - what they want, and what skills and abilities they have to offer. If they don't know what they want or what they're good at, how are they going to convince someone to hire them?

Question: What advice do you have for new university students?
Answer: Take the time to reflect on what you're doing and where you're going. Remember that career planning is not a one-time event. It isn't something that's done at the end of your studies but takes place throughout. Visit us early in your academic career. Almost everything you do during your time at university can impact your career. What extra-curricular activities would you like to get involved in? What part-time or summer jobs do you want to hold? What skills do you want to develop? Don't miss out on what the whole university experience can provide you in thinking about your career.

A university education is about 'higher learning' - exploring paths and opportunities that challenge and broaden your mind. You can expect to come across unfamiliar concepts like nihilism, postmodernism, the political economy, discourse and popular culture, to name a few. To give you an idea of the kinds of courses you'll come across, we've provided a sample below of the over 5,000 courses offered at York each year.

Social and Political Dimensions of Humour

The Future of Work

Metaphysics

The Modern Age: Shapers & Definers

Communication in Everyday Life

Director's Cinema: David Cronenberg

Processes of Evolution

Physical Activity and Health Promotion

Biodiversity

Communities In Cyberspace

Language, Power and Persuasion

Rhythm and Blues, Soul, Funk and Rap

The Twentieth Century: A Global Perspective

Le XXe siècle : une perspective globale

Introductory Meteorology

Consumer Behaviour

April 1 - The Global Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship Award for international students.

Come see us during March Break (for high school students)
March 13, 14, 15, 2002 - at the Keele Campus
March 13 and 16, 2002 - at the Glendon Campus

Or see us during
Spring Campus Day
(for mature/international/university and college transfer students)
Saturday April 6, 2002 - at the Keele Campus

Princess Ivona - a theatrical performance
March 19 - 23, 2002
Evening performances daily at 7:30pm (6pm on March 20)
Matinee performances at 1pm on March 20 and March 22
Burton Auditorium, York University Keele Campus
Here's your chance to take in some performing arts! Written by Witold Gombrowicz and directed by Paul Lampert, this black comedy is set against the back-drop of a dysfunctional royal court. Ivona, a young, unattractive girl, becomes the scapegoat for the court's twisted humour as she gets dragged into its nonsensical intrigues by the King's son. The play exposes the morals of society and the flaws of human nature, questioning identity and the possibility of relationships.

Choclair and Baby Blue Soundcrew, LIVE AT YORK
March 20, 2002
Doors open at 9pm sharp
The Underground - York University Keele Campus
$12. advance / $15. door
Pepsi, the Student Center, and the Underground Bar are excited to announce the concert event of the year! Catch Canadian Rap/Hip Hop sensations Choclair and Baby Blue Soundcrew right here at the York University Underground Bar. Tickets go on sale Monday, March 4, at The SOURCE. For more information, call (416) 736-5101.

Summer Job Search Workshop
March 20, 2002
2-3:30pm
Career Services - York University Keele Campus
Not sure how to find a summer job you really want? Attend this workshop for some hints and tips on how to find great summer work opportunities for students. No pre-registration is required - just drop in! more.

As an Environmental Studies student, Lisa's had plenty of opportunities to really explore her options. She even spent one summer in Guatemala, studying Spanish and living with an indigenous family. "I really appreciate the flexibility of Environmental Studies to let me do things like go to Guatemala and get credit towards my degree for my work there."

Lisa admits that, at first, York seemed like such a big place. She visited the campus twice before making up her mind to choose York. What really helped was the Environmental Studies Information Session she attended. She particularly liked the 'personal touch' they added to her visit and she remembers quite well that "the professors and staff were helpful and seemed to genuinely care."

Lisa's experiences at York have dispelled the rumour that a big university means it's really hard to meet people. In fact, Lisa says that "because York is such a large institution, there are more things going on, including more student-oriented activities and ways to get involved."

We asked Lisa if she had any advice to new students. She recommends getting involved in student groups. "It was important for me to meet people with similar interests, and I found getting involved in some of the clubs on campus helped me meet these people and build a community." Lisa also recommends living in residence. "Living in residence is a great way to get involved and meet people, especially if you're coming from far away."

Professor Engin Isin

Professor Engin Isin is a shining example of the dedication, academic excellence and student-focus inherent in York professors. Professor Isin was originally educated in Turkey, where he received a Bachelor of City Planning degree. From there, he completed his Masters in Geography from the University of Waterloo, and then his PhD from the University of Toronto.

As a professor at York University since 1990 (currently, he teaches in the Division of Social Science, Urban Studies Program), Isin has demonstrated his exceptional academic background and dedication to his profession in many ways. His accomplishments include:

• Canada Research Chair in Citizenship Studies
• Managing Editor, Citizenship Studies
• Life Fellow, University of Cambridge (Clare Hall, Social and Political Sciences)
• Editorial Board Member, Canadian Journal of Urban Research
• Research Associate, Centre of Research on Immigration and Settlement

Isin is also a writer, speaker, and an expert in Urban Studies. He's written numerous books and articles, is often quoted in reports and journals, has been invited to speak at important conferences across North America and Europe, and has been interviewed numerous times by the media such as the CBC, the Globe & Mail and the Toronto Star.

Professor Isin's dedication to teaching is exemplified in the nomination by his students for a York University teaching award. His students are unanimous when they say that Professor Isin is a teacher with boundless enthusiasm, a passion for teaching, and a kind, warm-hearted nature that makes his classes a fantastic environment to learn in. For more information about Isin, visit his Web site.