You’ve got the write stuff, baby: Your grad school research statement

TalentEgg Incubator. 24 August 2010

Aside from having the grades to get into the program,writing your research statement is the most difficult part of the whole graduate school application processes.

There is no hard and fast rule of what to include in your application, since every school and every program requires different things.

Generally, you want to talk about your experience, education and research, relate these to the school you’re applying to, and explain how the school will benefit your future research. And, of course, all of this has to be crammed into a few hundred of words! (Eek!)

Emily George, a MA in Kinesiology (Physical Education) in the University of Victoria’s School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education says, “…[Y]our statement of intent/statement of research is based on what you are interested in studying, why you got there, and how it will help you reach your career goals, no matter what discipline you are in.”

This past fall I applied to four programs. I had two very different areas of research I wanted to examine, so it ended up that applications for two schools were on Topic A, while the other two on Topic B. Even when the areas of research I was talking about were the same, what I wrote within the proposal varied because the schools had dissimilar word requirements and wanted information on different things.

The University of Alberta’s English department created a great document (and one of the only ones I’ve seen) for prospective graduate students, that I used to help write my research proposals for all four schools. There was one point that I believe summarizes exactly what masters applicants needs to know in order to apply:

“Pay close attention to the statement of program: although every element of the application is important, it is in this part that you really show yourself to the committee. Be sure to explain what you want to do (what you’re interested in) and why (or how you got there); explain why this university is an appropriate place for you to undertake your studies (do some research related to faculty, departmental strengths, course offerings, cross- and inter-disciplinary factors, library holdings).”

Although the document from the University of Alberta can serve as a jumping off point to writing your proposal, you should research what the program(s) you are applying to say about their research statement, also called the statement of purpose, research purpose, or statement of interest.

If you are thinking applying for a MSc or MEng, the process is similar, but not identical.

George has provided some additional tips for to consider:

“You want to discuss how your research will benefit the state of the current knowledge of the field, from your experience as an undergraduate student, working professionals or reading other literature articles. If you want to research in an area/problem based on your current employment experience, you might want to talk about the practical applications of the information you will discover.

“It would be important to include terminology that is common in your area, but do not fill it with the jargon of the field; the committee members who review applications may not be familiar with it. Tie in your statement of interest to what is currently being done by a research group/lab, the procedures or equipment they have that will help address the field you want to study in.

“Your statement of interest/statement of research should include a specific question/area you want to examine, within the confines of your current ability and knowledge, looking at or describing specific eco-systems interactions, application of certain enzymes chemicals, or even how related past experiences influence current behaviours. Use headings to help keep your statement clear and concise.”

The best way to determine exactly what a department is looking for is to contact that program’s graduate advisor if it is not mentioned explicitly on the program website. Once you know more of what the committee will be looking for when they read your application, you can edit and cater your application further.

This process can be a long one, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write your research proposal. Give yourself a few days before editing each draft and completing revisions, as this will make it easier to catch errors in your own work.

When you feel you are confident with your proposal, give it to a few other people to read over and edit.

The last and perhaps the most important step to the research proposal process, according to the University of Alberta, is to “Double and triple-check your application for errors, things missing, etc. A big factor for the statement is simply how well written it is – make sure it makes sense but also make sure you’ve got not grammatical errors, poor phrasing, [and] typos.”

How to figure out which grad school location is right for you

TalentEgg Incubator. 18 August 2010

You’ve been doing your research to apply to grad schools: looking at the school, the program, the faculty, its facilities and services, its reputation and its academic requirements. However, one thing you must also do your research on is the location of your program.

A lot of students tend to not consider how much living in a certain city will cost, and that should be almost as important as the school itself, since those costs are very much linked together. Since you will be spending anywhere between twelve and twenty-four months as a full-time student at these schools, you need to consider the city the school is located in as well.

Climate

Let’s say you abhor all things snowy and cold. Even though the University of Alberta and the University of Manitobahave programs that suit your research interests, how well are you going to be able to cope with temperatures that can be as low as (and sometimes even colder than) -40C? Similarly, if you detest rain UBC and McMaster Universitywon’t be good choices for you.

Cost of living

Although the climate and temperature can have a lot to do with how you will enjoy the city, you need to also examine the cost of living within the city as well.

Because some provinces are more isolated or have shorter growing seasons, groceries can be much more expensive in some areas over others. However, in smaller urban centers, there is often less variety and it can be more difficult for you to purchase specialty foods.

In other cities, the climate is great, or it is close to major financial or cultural centers, so the cost of living there is much greater than other places within Canada. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary are among the cities with the highest costs for rentals as well as purchasing houses and apartments.

Zac Spicer, a PhD student in Political Science at the University of Western Ontario says, “Going to school in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver will obviously cost you more money in rent and your funding is rarely made with that consideration in mind. But, that is hardly a reason to turn down an offer from U of T, UBC or McGill. Some students do not want to travel too far from friends and family, but I would encourage any prospective students to worry about other factors, such as faculty and funding, rather than social or living factors.”

Transportation

Something else to consider is the cost of transportation within different cities: do you have a U-Pass included in your tuition, or do you need to pay for a monthly transit pass? Or, do you have a car, and do you need to pay for gas, parking and maintenance? Similarly, if you live in a large city, car insurance has a tendency to cost more than if you were in a smaller community.

Moving costs

One of the last things you should consider is how much it will cost you to move to this new city. If you are moving cross-country, the cost of renting a vehicle to bring all of your stuff can be upwards of $10,000 or more. This can includes the rental of a truck/trailer, insurance, a fee per kilometre you drive, the cost of gas, the fees issued by the rental company to drive their vehicle back, as well as buying food and renting a hotel room.

If you opt to bring only the essentials with you when you move, furnishing an apartment or house can be expensive as well. If you only plan on living in that city for the length of your program, perhaps it’s more worthwhile for you to live in residence for some of the time.

However, Spicer makes a great point when it comes to accessing what the location of your prospective school may be: “Location should be the last consideration of anyone applying to grad school, but it does obviously play a role in deciding where to go. […] I would caution anyone from letting this factor be the deciding one. Look at what the school offers, then consider the location.”

Commuting conundrum: Work

TalentEgg Incubator. 12 August 2010

I live in a bustling metropolis of approximately 2,700 people, with about 58,000 in my township. Needless to say, work opportunities are few and far between.

I have been working at TalentEgg this summer as an egg-tern and, to do so, I commute. And I don’t mean a quick jaunt on the subway. I mean two transit systems and a considerable amount of time in a car.

An average workday goes something like the following:

• Wake up at 6 a.m. and get ready
• Leave the house at 6:45 a.m. and drive to theGO station
• Arrive at the GO station and depart on the 7:40 a.m. train
• Get to Union Station around 8:20 a.m. and hop on the subway
• Arrive at the office around 8:40 a.m.
• Work until 5 p.m., and then do everything in reverse
• I usually get home around 7:10 p.m.

And of course, that doesn’t include things like accidents, really bad weather, GO train or TTC delays. All of which I have experienced more than once this summer.

I’ve commuted to Toronto for two different positions now (the other my high school co-op position at The Hospital for Sick Children), and I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone coming from a long distance, simply because of the amount of time it takes. And it’s not the GO train or subway rides that are the issue: I can do other things while riding, like read, catch up on phone calls or emails (provided I get a seat, of course).

It’s the 30 to 40 minute drive that gets me. Nearly every day, I have some kind of encounter with a dangerous driver or someone who doesn’t know the rules of the road. And usually a rather large string of obscenities and some wild gesticulation from me follows. I seem to get people going 40 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, and I’m not able to pass them. Do you honk, or will that make the situation worse? I never know what to do.

But enough about me and my hatred of commuting (and bad drivers).

Your daily commute to and from work should always be considered when you are looking for and applying to jobs. In addition, you should also consider how much your commute will cost in comparison to your living expenses.

Some things to ponder when you are looking for a job:

• How much is rent in that city?
• How much does transit cost in that city?
• How long will your commute be inside the city?
• What are your expenses for a car (insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.)?
• How much is rent outside of the city?
• How much would transportation be to get into that city?
• How long will your commute take outside of the city?
• If you live with family or friends how much will your rent and expenses cost compared to living on your own?
• Are you planning to buy a place in a certain amount of years, or do you want to keep renting?

The longer your commute takes, the more likely you are to buy convenience foods for meals (and get fat) and be tired from not getting enough sleep.

But if you’re living with family, commuting can be a great way for you to save money to put towards a larger purchase, like a car or a house.

For me, gas costs about $35 a week , my TTC pass is $121 a month and my GO pass is $159 a month, for a grand monthly total of around $420. Because I don’t have to pay for rent or most living expenses living at my parents’ house, commuting is a much more economic option for me while I complete this internship. Trying to find a place that was closer didn’t seem to be worthwhile for only four months.

If I got a full-time job in Toronto, would I do it again? I’m not sure.

It may be something I’d consider in a shorter time frame in order to help me save up some money. But in the end I would probably look for a place that was closer, since it would allow me to do more in my evenings than have dinner and watch a little bit of TV.

TalentEgg asks:

• How far have you commuted for a summer job?
• What was your experience like?
• What advice do you have for other people who commute for work?

Playing the part of a grad student at my first academic conference

TalentEgg Incubator. 9 August 2010

I recently attended my first academic conference as a presenter, but in the weeks and months leading up to it, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I knew this was a great way for me to add more experience to my CV. But as a humanities/social sciences student (or “arts,” if you prefer), there typically aren’t a lot of opportunities for undergrad students to go to conferences, let alone present at one.

I tried looking online and asking on Twitter and Facebook for advice on how to present at a conference, but to no avail. I was sure I’d make an ass out of myself.

The conference organizers told me I’d be presenting for about 15 minutes. I cut down the paper I submitted to the conference to what I thought was an appropriate length, and decided to work on the paper while I was there, since I was presenting on the last day.

I packed up my clothes, laptop and camera, and boarded my connecting flight from Vancouver to Victoria. About six hours after I set out that morning, I was at the University of Victoria, eager for the Engaging and Conceptualizing ‘Race’ conference to start. I was also as nervous as hell about what I was to expect, and wondered if the graduate students at the conference would be nice to me, a lowly little undergrad.

PhD student T.J. Tallie talking with another presenter (and being watched by a rabbit)

The ironic thing in all of this is that of the four schools I applied to for a Masters this year, UVic was the only one that didn’t accept me.

Within a short time of getting my residence room keys, I had made friends with some of the other presenters. I had also taken about 150 pictures of the feral domestic rabbits that were on campus.

I did some meeting and greeting, and retired a bit early to work on my paper while everyone else went out.

The next morning, I sat through everyone’s presentations and realized that presenting at a conference is actually very easy. You know when you give presentations during your undergrad and you’re told that you can’t read off your paper? At a conference all you do is stand at a podium and read off your paper. Yup, it’s that simple. You can be angry at your professors now.

That afternoon, I finished up my edits and printed my paper at the library (which was an adventure and a half in itself). With a few of the other presenters I explored the city of Victoria that evening. I went to bed that night feeling good.

I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling not so good. I’m not sure if it was some possible secret ninja dairy I ate by accident, or my nerves. But I was sick, and only slept about two or three hours the whole night.

Since I was awake long before everyone else, I walked around campus and took more photos of the campus (and another couple hundred of the rabbits), and prepped myself for what I thought was going to be an awful presentation. I was the third presenter in my group of four and, after hearing what the other presenters said, I was anxious.

When I got up there, though, all of that washed away: my paper went well, and other presenters and faculty commented and asked questions after I presented. All of the doubt I had about my abilities as a grad student were now gone.

Meleisa Ono-George, a masters student in history at UVic and one of the conference organizers says attending and presenting at a conference is so important because:

“Conferences are not just about sharing your work, networking, or gaining experience, although these are all important things. For me, participating in a conference is about the conversation that is the ongoing dialogue between scholars working on a similar subject or field. It’s amazing how much you learn from just engaging with people grappling with the same or similar questions. This engagement with others and participation in the conversation has helped me develop my ideas and work. As far as I’m concerned, conference participation is fundamental for any serious graduate student and historian.”

Looking back, I’m really glad I had the opportunity to go to this conference, and to learn so much. Of course I learned about race, racialization and racism, but I also gained insight into what the next two years as a grad student will be like for me.

Should you go to grad school

TalentEgg Incubator. 26 July 2010

You’ve put in somewhere between four and six years into your undergrad and you’re now considering other options for the following year.

The educational journey for some students ends once they finish their undergrad. Others may consider completing a second degree or doing a post-graduate certificate. Others, though, decide that they haven’t had enough of the trials and tribulations of university life, and apply to graduate school.

The best way to determine if grad school is right for youis to talk to people—your family, your friends and your professors—to find out what their experiences have been.

Unfortunately for me, as a first generation student, there wasn’t anyone in my immediate family I could seek counsel from, and it was the same for my extended family as well. I did my research, talked to my profs, and asked people I knew who went to grad school. I applied last fall, and despite good grades and references, my referees and I were shocked by the fact I wasn’t accepted.

There are plenty of reasons why pursuing a graduate degree may not be a good idea for you, based on what you want to do afterward, and this includes job prospects, finances and your mental health.

Lars Hedlund, a masters student in English at the University of Calgary, says that grad school “…is by far the worst stress/life/work balance I have ever had to work through. At many points it is unbearable, at other points it feels manageable.

“I suppose it all adds to a greater sense of accomplishment in the end, but really, my advice would be, if you’re not sure if you want to do grad school DO NOT force yourself into it. It definitely requires the motivation and a little bit of time off before tackling. That isn’t to say you can’t be successful at it going straight in, I just wouldn’t recommend it.”

Similarly, Cam Mitchell, a McMaster University kinesiology PhD student, believes that “most graduate students…get some sort of basic funding support however, in most cases the level of support students receive is much less then they would receive in most entry-level potions. For a two-year masters, this may be a relatively minor consideration, but for a combination Masters, PhD, postdoc (seven-plus years) the effects of a prolonged period of “student living” must be carefully considered.

“Another disadvantage is the possibility of becoming over-qualified. Some employers may be looking for candidates with more hands-on experience and additional academic qualification my actually be a hindrance to employment.”

However, there are many reasons why grad school can also be a good idea: it can allow you to learn more about a specific area of interest, teach you better research and writing skills, and a sense of community with other students.

The University of Western Ontario student Marcus Callaghan, who is completing his masters at the Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism, says, “One of the major pros of grad school (that is often overlooked) is that you have the opportunity to share in the knowledge and ideas of many other students in your field. If there’s an idea that you’re working out, or a source that you haven’t read, there is a great chance that one of your peers will be able to contribute some sort of helpful information to your problem. There is a lot of discussion and idea sharing going on in graduate programs.

“Along this same line of thought, having so many experienced students gathered together makes it easy to get help with editing, CVs, and scholarship applications.”

The bottom line: if you are considering going to graduate school give it a lot of thought since the programs are demanding and the application process is arduous and expensive.

Top Talent: Schulich international business student Timothy Mark

TalentEgg Incubator. 22 July 2010

Timothy Mark just finished his second year in York University‘s Schulich School of Business, where he is completing his degree in International Bachelors of Business Administration.

Timothy won Schulich’s 2010 The Apprentice competition by creating marketing strategies for General Mills, Maple Leaf and Kraft.

Additionally, he was a finalist in the Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec competition which allowed him and his partner to visit General Motors’ office in Oshawa. While they were there, they learned a lot about GM’s corporate culture and how they use social media, and they also got to test drive some cars, including the Chevrolet Cruze.

Timothy describes himself as someone with “the imagination of an eight-year-old but the maturity of a 28-year-old,” which has created a healthy balance for what he claims to be his recipe for personal success, which he hopes to share with others.

What career paths are you currently interested in?

First and foremost I want a career that I can fall in love with, but with being so young [...] it’s hard to tell what love feels like. I have undoubtedly have had many suitors—sales, human resources, finance, and marketing–but like a series ofThe Bachelor, the contestants are so beautiful that it’s hard to make a final choice.

My entry-level work experience has seen me in sales roles. The first was at an amusement park, Canada’s Wonderland, where I was a supervisor. While there, I developed an affinity with words, a knack for leadership, a disciplined approach to detail, and a tan that refuses to go away from working for so long under the sun.

Currently, I look to grow the sales prospects for a student-run non-profit organization, [AIESEC York]. My closest friends and confidants tell me that I have the brains for finance. My first leadership experience in business school was a vice president role in talent management for the same aforementioned non-profit that is 50 bodies strong.

But, despite all of this, I have developed a propensity to succeed in marketing competitions with my partner in crime, Levon Golendukhin. Shortly after entering our first year of university at the Schulich School of Business, we emerged victorious in an Apprentice case competition that saw us innovate solutions for General Mills, Maple Leaf, and Kraft.

Our greatest successes have come recently with the Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec competition, finishing in the Top10 while winning a social media marketing side-competition for General Motors. I feel that I am ready to enter the world of marketing because of my hands-on experience.

After establishing my career, I hope to find a way to positively impact the Canadian health care system to follow in my father’s footsteps—he is a general practitioner and a prominent activist of improving the system in Canada.

Tell us about something you’ve done that is completely unrelated to your current career path that shows you’re going to be a superstar in the workforce.

In any organization where I have held the responsibility of leadership I have simultaneously looked to move up in the world while paying close attention to the paths I have laid behind me for many to follow. I like to call it a leadership pipeline. I recognize that time spent working in an organization is finite so my legacy must be carried out by my successors.

Can you tell us more about your experiences with AIESEC York?

The organization functions at an international level with young professionals leading it, but at the university level, it is entirely student-run. What is unique about AIESEC is that it is a rare opportunity for students to run a business with each other on campus and the large amount of ownership and responsibility taken by the senior members greatly develops their leadership.

Most recently, I have helped students and recent grads at York to gain career-launching and life-changing experiences in France, the UK, Uganda, and Nigeria. With contacts residing in over 20 countries who I have helped further their careers in some way, I know I will have a diverse international network at my disposal that can only grow stronger upon graduation.

Why are you so interested in the international community?

My interest to be increasingly international stems from my unique lack of international experience prior to high school. Being a fourth generation Chinese-born Canadian, I have little heritage that has been passed onto me. My desire to learn Mandarin drew me into Schulich’s International Business program and my interests internationally grew alongside my peers who are also possess globally-focused minds.

Once I became heavily involved in AIESEC I began having opportunities to communicate with young leaders across the world. It is these long distance communications that give me insight into the working culture of other countries.

If an employer called your best friend for a reference, what would they say to get you the job?

Danson Hui, Schulich School of Business alumnus, says, “Rarely will you encounter someone who takes ownership to the extent of Tim. In pursuit of excellent in any professional and personal endeavour, he is always the one who willingly takes responsibility for very consequential duties that most people avoid. Tim is not only deeply passionate and proactive about his own success, but also those involved with him. As a result of these attributes, you’ll see him constantly leading and making a difference on the world and people around him.”

Editorial: Response to “For a new generation, an elusive American dream”

TalentEgg Incubator. 19 July 2010

Scott Nicholson graduated in 2008 from Colgate University, a private liberal arts college in New York State.

Unlike many students in liberal arts programs, Nicholson knew what career he wanted to pursue after he finished his degree. While he was a student, he won the dean’s award for excellence and sent multiple resumés and cover letters through corporate website hiring pages.

Nicholson still has no job.

In the past five months, Nicholson had only one job prospect: he was offered a position as an associate claims adjuster with a salary of $40,000 a year [approximately $41,844 CAD]. He turned the job down, because “Rather than waste early years in dead-end work, he reasoned, he would hold out for a corporate position that would draw on his college training and put him, as he sees it, on the bottom rungs of a career ladder.

The story continues, explaining how much Nicholson’s parents make (around $182,000 CAD a year), as well as how he is able to survive on a shoe-string budget supplemented by odd jobs and a considerable amount of help from his parents. Many students aren’t able to take the same liberties and time as Nicholson has to get a job, due to student debt, the cost of living expenses, and their parents’ financial situation.

Although Nicholson is American, there are many echoes between his experience and those of students and other millennial new grads here in Canada.

TalentEgg founder Lauren Friese was at a conference last month that featured a panel of students and new grads. When asked what their entry-level salary expectations were, some members of the panel said they expected a whopping $70,000, and one individual had expectations well above $100,000. They claimed that work-life balance wasn’t a priority for them and working 100 hours a week was okay.

There are 168 hours in a week, with 120 hours in a typical work week. Clearly, these individuals don’t plan on doing a heck of a lot of sleeping, eating, bathing, or using the washroom. That, or they are Cybertronic’s newest model. I’m not really sure.

So what am I trying to say here?

For starters, I think Nicholson’s choice to not take the job as an associate claims adjuster was a stupid one. How do you expect to get more than an entry-level position with no job experience?

I also question what Nicholson has been doing with his time: although he is “an active volunteer firefighter” (which is awesome), what is he doing with the rest of his free time? Is he just sitting around playing video games? Is hevolunteering with other organizations in his community, or is he trying to learn new skills?

In order to get an entry-level position, you need to make yourself stand out from the competition. I don’t believe Nicholson is doing that at all.

My advice to him (and all other new grads who are looking for work): keep yourself busy and show that you are doing something with the time you have. It is hard to get a job when there are thousands of other people with the same degrees as you, and you have limited work experience. If you don’t have any other skills to bring to the table (from volunteering, part-time work, sports teams, service learning or extra-curriculars on campus as well as after graduation), your application will be put to the bottom of the pile.

Most importantly, keep your head up: good things come to those who wait (and work hard for it).

Book review: The Grammar Devotional

July 13 2010. TalentEgg Incubator.

I am a self-described grammar perfectionist. My friends call me “The Editor” (but maybe they’re trying to be nice). No matter which name I go by, I’ve spent a fair amount of time over my university career editing essays, reports, proposals and policy documents for other people.

For some reason, I really enjoy editing. Yes, you can call me crazy.

It really drives me crazy when people make grammatical errors, especially really simple ones. For example, mixing up the meanings of there, their and they’re, or two, too and to. I cringe when people tYpE EvErYtHiNg lIKe tHiS or use texting short-forms other than when they are on their phone.

That being said, I am certain that my grammar is by no means perfect and can be improved. Thus, I picked up a copy of Mignon Fogarty‘s The Grammar Devotional: Daily Tips for Successful Writing from Grammar Girl .

I must admit that I didn’t follow the intended schedule of the book: instead of reading one tip per day, I ended up reading the entire thing in a couple of sittings because the book was so entertaining! Fogarty includes pop culture references and humour in her book, which made an otherwise boring subject come alive (with her friends Aardvark and Squiggly helping as well).

How many grammar books can you think of would include word searches, song lyrics, word jumbles, short quizzes, song titles, or a reference to How I Met Your Mother (the season three episode “Spoiler Alert”)? Very few, if any, I am sure.

Humour and jokes aside, Fogarty offers her readers a lot of tips on how to correct their grammar, which can be transferred to academic writing (essays, book reviews, etc.), professional writing (emails, reports, etc.) and non-fiction writing. There is also an index so you can find the tips you need at a later time.

If you do any kind of writing at school, this book is an excellent resource for you, and it can also be beneficial for you at work. It is a small investment ($19 or less), but one you will get a lot of use out of as a student as well as a working professional.

Don’t forget to check out the Grammar Girl website for other great tips and tricks on grammar, writing, and how to avoid putting your foot in your mouth.

Book Review: Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School

July 18 2010. TalentEgg Incubator.

OK, so you liked doing your undergrad. You liked what you studied, you liked the social atmosphere of your school and you’re thinking about going to grad school.

Maybe you want to go to college for the rest of your life, sip Banker’s Club and drink Miller Lite.

Graduate school is not the same as an undergrad. If it were, it wouldn’t be called grad school (thank you, Captain Obvious).

After finishing his PhD in molecular biology, Adam Ruben wrote a book titled, Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to go to Grad School. His goal in writing the book is to warn students considering applying for their MA or PhD, as well as to be a form of a support for those who have already embarked on what he implies is a long, incredibly challenging and frustrating, journey.

Ruben says the “… book is for readers considering or already committed to spending the best years of their lives without sunlight. You’ll learn which department events have the best free food, what pranks to pull on hot-but-vapid undergrads … and why your friends who opted to take nondescript nine-to-five jobs after college were actually the smart ones”.

The countless hours spent researching while completing graduate degrees can probably cause insanity if it isn’t thwarted properly. Maybe that old adage “laughter is the best medicine” is something graduate students learn as a survival technique.

Regardless of whether or not all grad students are funny (especially unlikely, seeing some of the ones I’ve encountered), it seems to hold true for Ruben: he is a stand-up comic as well as a PhD grad.

The book is divided into seven chapters:

1. Stop? Drop? Enroll?: Deciding Whether to Ruin Your Life
2. Selecting a Graduate Program: Where, When, How, and Why, God, Why?
3. Grad Student Life: You Weren’t Going to Do Much with your Twenties Anyway
4. Research and Destroy: Making Data Pretty
5. Undergraduates and You: The Hand That Robs the Cradle
6. Six Degrees of Exasperation: Law School, Business School, Medical School and More
7. Let My Pupil Go: Getting the Fuck Out of Grad School

Each of those chapters are full of sarcasm and wit, all of which hints at Ruben’s apparently not-so-fun times spent completing his PhD. For example, as part of a larger quiz in the book, Ruben asks the question: If you were an animal, what would you be?

• a) a tiger
• b) a bear
• c) a tiger or a bear who is in grad school

He says if you pick c), you’re likely to go on to grad school.

He also points out where grad students belong in the university pyramid (at the bottom, even below tenured chickens), and reminds the reader that squirrels are plentiful on university campuses, and are a good source of protein.

If you are thinking about going to grad school, this book is an excellent read: it covers a lot of things you should consider if you are going to spend the next year or couple of years doing graduate work. And it’s hilarious, too.

Top Talent: University of Toronto business student Vicky Zhao

June 18 2010. TalentEgg Incubator.

Vicky Zhao, a student in the University of Toronto co-op bachelor of business administration management program with a specialization in marketing, competed in the Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec competition this spring. She is currently completing the final semester of her degree, with the hope of graduating this fall.

Zhao describes herself as highly organized, dedicated, scrupulous and an avid list-maker. She grew up in China and South Africa as well as here in Canada. Vicky has also been actively involved in on-campus governments and clubs during her post secondary education, which she talks about further down in this article. Good luck, Vicky!

What career paths are you currently interested in?

I am currently interested in a career in marketing or advertising where I can put my creativity, analytical thinking and problem solving skills to the test. No matter what, I want to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment that challenges me to constantly grow and update my knowledge.

In your application to TalentEgg’s Top Talent Series you said you were torn between the visual arts and business. How would your skills in drawing, painting and digital animation help you in a career in advertising or marketing?

This background defined me as an individual because I realized no matter what I did, I wanted to be creative, and to be able to influence others. For me, working in the visual arts would mean being able to use my creativity come up with new ways to see everyday things.

In advertising, there is that similar sense of influence. In fact, advertising is made to influence people and make them remember your brand. I consider it a type of problem solving that relies on creativity, inspiration and business acumen. Applied to marketing, I appreciate the challenge of taking ownership of a brand seeing your solution come to life. This type of problem solving is my strength thanks to my business background and my thirst to come up with new ideas.

How did your experience with Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec improve your marketing and advertising skills, and help you become an ideal candidate for an entry-level job?

I am the ideal candidate because I have experience being in both paid and unpaid capacities in marketing roles. I’m also a very quick learner, and I found that to be able to come up with creative ideas and solutions, you need be to be quick on the uptake, and weigh the merits of different approaches and new ideas constantly. The fast-paced nature of the Marketing landscape, and especially Advertising, would suit me very well because I like the challenge of staying constantly forward-thinking.

My experiences also allowed me to see that behind the glamour there is always a lot of hard work. Unlike the visual arts, business inspiration is rarely a “Eureka” moment, but the result of plenty of scrupulous research and analysis. This suits me fine, because I’m very determined and meticulous, which is why I majored in business in the first place.

How did growing up in South Africa influence you today?

South Africa was definitely the best place to be growing up for me. A very diverse nation that Nelson Mandela himself called the “Rainbow Nation,” it’s the first place I learned to be open minded, to learn the perspective of different types of people and to be unafraid of taking risks and exploring.

It was a beautiful country and my family did quite a bit of travelling. Even now, I hope in my career I get to travel across the globe. I had a very easy transition when I came here because Canada is also very multicultural, and I was able to embrace Canadian culture very quickly.

Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

Tell us about your experiences in student government and how that shows you’re going to be a superstar in the workforce.

I’ve been involved in my university ‘s student government for three out of my four years so far. What I learned best from student governance is both how to be a good team player and how to be an effective leader. There is no substitute for getting to work and socializing with people who are passionate and conscientious on a daily basis. You learn tact, and how to adjust your working style to complement the others on your team.

Most of all, I loved making a difference and seeing its impact. I can’t think of a downside and I recommend other students get involved.

I’ve been able to balance the workload of becoming a senior executive with academic success, and been able to participate in many conferences, competitions (including Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec) and pursue my hobbies all at once. If I can rock all the above, I know I can be a superstar at work.

If an employer called your best friend for a reference, what would they say to get you the job?

“Vicky Zhao is a fourth year student at the University of Toronto in the co-op BBA management program specializing in marketing. Having worked closely with Vicky, I have witnessed first-hand her strong work ethic. Vicky is an asset to any team as she is able to prioritize and focus with ease. She is well-rounded and able to effectively balance her studies and co-op placements with demanding extracurricular activities. She is creative and full of ideas that are current, yet novel. Finally, Vicky is self-aware; she plays on her strengths, yet constantly looks for ways to develop to her fullest potential.”

Specialize with continuing education to make you more employable

June 3 2010. TalentEgg Incubator.

This video and editorial feature are sponsored by The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University.

Lindsey Goodchild enrolled in the sustainability certificate program at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University last year because she believed it would make her more employable.

As a geography and social anthropology graduate from the University of Western Ontario, she tried to enter the job market but found there were few career opportunities available to her. After a lot of research into sustainability programs in Canada, she decided that the sustainability certificate program at The Chang School would be a great fit.

Sustainability is a relatively recent trend in North America, with it only recently becoming a part of corporate culture. The Chang School’s certificate program is one of the first of it’s kind in Canada. The program is designed so that students from a variety of different academic backgrounds can complete the courses in the program.

The sustainability program has opened a lot of doors for Goodchild. Not only is she employed as a sustainability consultant with Lura Consulting, she also recently won a contest sponsored by The Chang School to help create a Blackberry application related to sustainability.

The sustainability certificate program will next be offering courses for the Fall/Winter 2010-2011 term.

Lacking the hands-on experience to land a job? Try adding a postgraduate specialization to your repertoire. Ryerson University’s G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education offers several certificate programs, many of which are available online. Add expertise in project management, sustainability, economics, publishing, GIS, public relations, and more! Visit www.ryerson.ca/ce for details.

For more information about continuing education on TalentEgg, check out our Get Ahead With Continuing Ed series.

Change the direction of your career path with continuing education

June 3 2010. TalentEgg Incubator

This video and editorial feature are sponsored by The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University.

Ken Yan, a freelance photographer and photography student at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University, decided to enroll in continuing education classes to change career directions after a few years in other fields.

Yan is currently completing a certificate in photography from The Chang School. After changing his career several times (from computer science to radio broadcasting to human resources), he decided to re-visit the passion for photography he had in high school and try to turn it into a career.

The photography studies certificate helps enhance students’ artistic as well as technical skills, and there is a lot of freedom in the classes that can be taken. The program not only teaches the basics of how to use a DSLR camera, but it also instructs students on the skills related to the photography business if they desire.

Yan says he is taking the program to develop his photography skills in order to start his own photography business. He is especially looking forward to taking the media business studies course in order to learn more about the business practices behind photography.

One of the things that really drew Yan to the program was that he can take six years to earn the eight credits needed for his certificate, and the courses are available in the evenings and on weekends. That allows people who have full-time jobs to take these courses outside of their working hours.

Lacking the hands-on experience to land a job? Try adding a postgraduate specialization to your repertoire. Ryerson University’s G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education offers several certificate programs, many of which are available online. Add expertise in project management, sustainability, economics, publishing, GIS, public relations, and more! Visit www.ryerson.ca/ce for details.

For more information about continuing education on TalentEgg, check out our Get Ahead With Continuing Ed series.