Expert advice
Preparing for networking
January is indeed the time to make resolutions, but for B.Ed. students, it is also the time to prepare for your first job. But how do you do that? It starts with networking.
With my BBA degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, I have had many opportunities to hone my networking skills. I learned that in marketing, you are concerned with the cost of an advertisement and the amount of revenue it generates. The more personal the channel, the more effective the result. So telemarketing is more effective than television advertising. How does this happen? It’s more personal.
When you’re looking for a job, it’s not just a business card that’s most effective: an email is even better. Or a phone call. Or an in-person visit (health conditions permitting). To prepare for these meetings, do some research on the websites of the boards where you want to teach. They will have lists of schools that have French immersion programs. Also visit each school’s website to get the names of the principals and vice-principals. That way, you will have a reference chart with you – on your phone – in case you need it: names, positions, emails, phone numbers. It makes your marketing (of yourself!) more effective.
In the next post in this series, I’ll share with you how to do your networking.