Job Seeking Skills Workshop

The job seeking skills workshop is a continuing collaborative initiative between Campus Life (Counselling Centre) and Student Learning Support. The collaboration involves the Counselling Centre organizing and funding the workshop while the Student Learning Support provides the technical expertise. The workshop is held twice a year, one in the first semester and another in the second semester.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of the workshop is to teach students completing their studies at the end of a semester and will be looking for a job, skills to help them find and keep a good job. Skills taught in the workshop include:

• Cover Letters and Curriculum Vitae
• Creating Portfolios
• Preparing For Interviews

The workshop runs for 4 days and is divided into two parts:

The open group session is where professionals from the human resource departments of corporate organizations are invited to share their perspectives and experiences on what organizations look for in applicants. Guest speakers share useful tips about preparation of job application letters, curriculum vitae (CV) and job interviews. They also provide very practical, honest and inspiring thoughts in their presentations, which are helpful to students that attend the session. Importantly students are given the opportunity to ask questions to the guest speakers.

There are three small group sessions, which teaches students about writing good cover letters and curriculum vitae, creating portfolios and preparing for job interviews. These sessions are facilitated by tutors from Student Learning Support. There are two 2hours sessions scheduled for each small group topic. Students are only required to attend one 2 hours session for each topic. Students that attend ALL of the three small group sessions are awarded a Certificate at the end of the workshop. Students provide feedback for all the sessions by completing the student evaluation form. Students comments and suggestions are recorded in the final report of the workshop and helps the organizing committee with planning  and improvement of future workshops.

The job seeking skills workshop, held in semester 1/ 2011

In semester 1, 2011, the Job Seeking Skills Workshop was held on the 9th of May to the 12th of May 2011. The venue of the workshop was the MBA conference room, in Statham campus in Vatuwaqa. Here are some photographs of the open group session held on Monday the 9th of May 2011. Professor Susan Kelly, DVC LTSS opened the workshop. The chief guests for the evening were the Human Resources Manager FNPF, Mr Jonetani Tonawai and the Human Resources Manager ANZ Fiji, Ms Arieta Cama.

There were 55 students and 10 staff that attended the open group session. The programme included a word of blessing from Reverend Laisiasa Wainikesa, after which the Group Manager Campus Life, Glenn Pope, provided a brief background of the workshop. USP’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching, Student Services and Campus Life, Professor Susan Kelly, opened the workshop. In her address, Professor Kelly stressed the importance of being prepared for the job market.

The guest speakers shared their perspectives and experiences on what organizations look for in applicants. They also shared useful tips about preparation of job application letters, curriculum vitae (CV) and job interviews. Both speakers were very practical, honest and inspiring in their presentations, which were greatly appreciated by the students that attended the session.

The workshop is free of charge. Advertisements about the workshop are placed on Tukutuku mail where students get information about registration for the workshop. Students can also register through MOODLE.

For more information on the Job Seeking Skills Workshop please contact: 

Vanessa – vanessa.chung@usp.ac.fj  phone: 32 31798