2. Topics Covered
Value of Gap Years
Researching graduate/professional programs
Networking skills
Internships
Value in working
Assessing transferrable skills
McGill Resources while you’re still here
Requalifying and upgrading
Adding value to your current degree
4. Assessing Your Transferable
Skills- Co-Curricular Transcript
For the 2013-2014 academic year of , Student Life and
Learning units (SLL) and Social Equity and Diversity
Education (SEDE) participated in the pilot project.
Career Planning Service, First-Year Office, Health Services
Tracks student participation in select activities with pre-
established learning outcomes. Participants will be tracking
student engagement in the following forms:
Service hours
Position (e.g., CaPS mentor program)
Workshops
5. Examples of Some Core
Competencies and Skills Obtained
Attitude, discipline,
responsibility, sound
judgment
Knowledge of additional
languages
Effective communication
Can adapt to new
technologies
Ability to learn
Ability to deal with staff
and customers
Flexibility-teamwork
Taking initiative
Problem
solving/analytical ability
Sound work values
Project Management
Attention to detail
7. Overcoming “Gap Year Fear”
“I will never go back to school!”
“Graduate and professional schools don’t
want you to take a year off!”
“What if I don’t do anything that year?”
“What good is working and travelling?”
“My professors will have forgotten me!”
8. A Gap Year Can Help You:
Clarify your career interests and goals
Gain a sense of maturity and self confidence
Renew your passion for college coursework and
learning
Develop organizational, life, and professional skills
Discover your interests and passions, prior to
committing to further education
Broaden your perspective of other cultures, views and
global awareness
Improve job prospects with employers seeking grads
with practical experience
IT GIVES YOU A BREAK FROM SCHOOL!
9. Value of Gap Years
http://expd.washington.edu/scholarships/current-
undergraduate/all-undergraduates/planning-for-
gap-years.html
http://blogs.plos.org/thestudentblog/2013/11/12/tu
mbling-through-the-void-navigating-the-grad-
school-gap-year/
http://www.thecampuscompanion.com/2012/11/08/
7-reasons-why-you-should-take-a-gap-year-
before-grad-school/
http://www.idealist.org/info/GradEducation/Resour
ces/Preparing/ReasonsToWait
11. What is Experiential Learning?
“Experiential learning engages students in
critical thinking, problem solving and decision
making in contexts that are personally
relevant to them. This approach to learning
also involves making opportunities for
debriefing and consolidation of ideas and
skills through feedback, reflection, and the
application of the ideas and skills to new
situations.” UNESCO
12. Value of Internships
Apply knowledge learned in the classroom to
actual on-the job experience
Try out a career before making a commitment
Create a network of contacts
Potential for bringing professional skills to
academia
Many interns are hired by the company they have
interned with
13. Value of Working
Allows you to compare corporate world to
academia
Earn money to reduce debt, save for grad
school
Develop better time management,
interpersonal skills
Maturity through responsibility
Perspective on popular careers
Develop entrepreneurial skills
15. Value of Travel
Learning new languages
Understanding the “global village”
Discovering new academic institutions
Familiarize yourself with adapting to new
environments – this is important since you
may also be “going away” to grad school
Many grad programs require travel for
presentations, conferences
Even more networking options!
16. Researching Grad Schools
Thesis or non thesis based
Length of program, financial aid available
Quality of school
Admissions requirements, deadlines
Options for experiential learning
Career options after degree
Location, options for funding
Special facilities (labs, affiliated institutes)
Researching the researchers
17. Research Experience
When looking for research opportunities,
remember the concept of “researcher” is a
broad one. It could include professors,
graduate students and post docs, researchers
in government and private organizations and
university affiliated hospitals and clinical
research organizations.
18. Networking with Professors
Mentorship for academic careers
Understanding possible career paths
Possible letters of reference
Possible supervisor
Contacts with other schools/professors
Contact with government or private sector
organizations
19. Application Materials for Grad
School
Transcripts (official)
Personal statements
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Letters of Reference
Standardized Tests
Possible Interview
20. Personal Statements
Major component of an application: worth spending
time on
Schools want to know why you chose this area and
this program.
You want to tell them about this, along with your
goals and experiences
(academic/volunteer/extracurricular)
Past, present, future emphases: How your past
experiences led you to your current interests/skills and how
these fit with your eventual career goals
For programs that are research-based:
Mention at least two matching faculty member(s) you
would like to work with
Highlight your research background
21. Curriculum Vitae (CV’s)
Academic credentials/accomplishments; relevant
experiences, accomplishments
Begin with biographical info
Next: Educational history
Degrees/diplomas, majors/minors (if applicable)
Specific courses (grad level, laboratory classes,
language classes, business classes
OK to include high school; 10 year rule
Relevant Work and Other Experiences
Keep it concise and relevant
Other good headings: Honours/Awards; Special Skills,
Publications/Presentations; References
22. Letters of Reference
Who knows you best?
Are they appropriate to evaluate you for a specific
program?
Academic vs. Professional references
Etiquette (don’t ask them on the same day)
Sending a cv and a cover letter
Sample of work
Remember – professors are researchers who chose to
teach. They want to mentor and will often be willing to
share experiences and research with students.
A professor who has never taught you but with whom you
have researched is also eligible
23. Requalifying and Upgrading
Second Undergraduate Degrees
Post-baccalaureate programs
Special Student or Independent Student
options
Diplomas and Certificates
24. Additional Programs to Prepare
you for work, or Further Study
-McGill MATL
-Diplomas in Management
-Diplomas in Science
-Certificates and Diplomas at other schools
-Professional certification programs at CEGEPS
or community colleges
25. FIGI GIG3: Life After Graduation
A SOUSA SEMINAR SERIES
September 21 – 1:00-2:30pm
October 5 – 1:00pm-2:30pm
October 19 – 1:00pm-2:30pm
November 16 – 1:00pm-2:30pm
November 30 – 1:00pm-2:30pm
Room MS 55 (At the Service Point)
Registration Through Minerva
