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Successful job seekers seek jobs in the right place.
By Daniel J. Young, M.Eng., P.Eng., OSPE President and Chair
Face it. Finding a great job (or for that matter any job) can
be a daunting task. It’s a mission that thousands of people
like yourself, go through each and every year. Some people say it’s
akin to looking for buried treasure – where you search and
search to no avail. Others say it’s easy if you know where
to look.
What’s that you say? You’ve looked and looked and looked,
and still no success. Well, it’s time to perk yourself up
and start searching in a new place. A place not many people would
think to look. It’s a place we call the professional industry
association. And for most job seekers, it can mean the difference
between success and failure.
Let’s say for example, you’re an engineer or studying
to become a professional engineer and you want to find an entry
level job or summer placement at an engineering company. Instead
of scanning ads for engineering companies looking to hire, simply
source and locate the professional association that deals with engineers
and join them.
Since most professional associations (regardless of the profession)
often offer student, intern or various associate memberships in
addition to professional memberships, by joining you will immediately
gain access to your intended profession and all the major players
in the industry. Regardless of the career path you choose to follow,
chances are there is an association of professionals eager to accept
new members like yourself. And that can spell great success for
you.
Professional associations provide a wealth of information.
Let’s continue with our engineering example for a moment.
Now, let’s suppose you’re all set to begin your search
for a job. Being a smart, sophisticated person of action, you begin
to search in the usual places, where you think you have the best
chance of success. Then, after days of searching, you find you are
no further ahead in your quest.
Enter the professional association. In this case, if you’re
looking for an association that represents engineers in Ontario
for example, that would be the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
(OSPE). As the voice of Ontario’s professional engineers,
OSPE provides its members with an online Career Centre, professional
development and member discounts on products and services and also
advocates to government, industry and the public on behalf of engineers
and the profession.
So what’s that got to do with you, you ask? A lot. Especially
if you happen to be looking for a job in the engineering field.
Because like many other professional associations, this group can
prove to be invaluable in your search for the right engineering
job or summer placement. And by joining the association, you immediately
gain access to a wealth of information and support.
OSPE, for example, provides its members with a very extensive online
Career Centre. Jam-packed full of job postings and employer directories
with over 3,000 registered employers, the OSPE online Career Centre
is now the largest engineering job posting site in Canada. So, if
you happen to be a student looking for an engineering-related position,
joining the professional association gives you a leg up on the competition.
Start your search in the right place.
The importance of joining a professional association cannot be
understated. It puts you in the thick of the industry and provides
you with access to all of the major industry players (read employers!).
And that can spell success.
So, where do you start? Well, the easiest place is on the Internet.
Simply start up your search engine and find the professional association
that interests you. Then talk to them. Remember, it’s their
business to promote their industry and build their profession. And
it’s your business to find the right job. Especially now,
since now you have an ideal place to look.
Happy Hunting …
By Daniel J. Young, M.Eng., P.Eng., OSPE President and Chair
Ontario Society of Professional Engineers
4950 Yonge Street, Suite 502
Toronto, ON M2N 6K1
www.ospe.on.ca
Fax: 416-223-9963
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