At Career Services, we can help you:

  • Find ways to gain the experience you need to succeed beyond graduation
  • Take advantage of networking opportunities
  • Master the skills related to your job search

Looking for work

Gain experience

There are a number of ways for you to get valuable work experience, on and off campus.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to try out potential careers. Volunteer experience improves your marketability after graduation and is a great thing to include on your resumé. It shows your determination and community spirit, and provides you with a reference for other jobs.

When you volunteer:

  • You hone skills and gain new ones
  • You gain career-related experience
  • You gain and expand leadership skills
  • You explore your interests / career options
  • You may gain paid employment where you volunteered
  • You enhance your social awareness
  • You develop self-confidence and independence
  • You earn references from supervisors
  • You establish contacts in your chosen field
  • You get involved in your community
  • You meet new people and make new friends

Finding volunteer opportunities

When looking for a volunteer opportunity, it is important to choose a position that will allow you to gain relevant skills and experience. If you aren’t sure about what type of volunteer opportunity to pursue or how to find positions, talk to a career consultant.

Volunteer Manitoba has a free referral service where students receive help finding volunteer opportunities! Email info@volunteermanitoba.ca to access this service.

Here are websites that post volunteer opportunities.

Marketing yourself

While at university you should begin to master the skills needed to create a tailored job application, write a great cover letter and have a successful interview. We have workbooks with detailed instructions on how to create these important pieces. You can also attend our workshops for hands-on help or drop in to see us.

Visit the Resumé Learning Centre

Career Services is providing in-person and distance delivery services.

The Resumé Learning Centre (RLC) educates students on resumé and cover letter development. Our goal is to support students in developing the skills, knowledge and confidence to create, enhance and tailor their documents. 

Student support will be provided in-person, by e-mail or through video conferencing.

For assistance with your resumé and cover letter, please start by reviewing our Resume and Cover Letter Workbooks (see links above). You may also consider attending one of our Resume and Cover Letter Workshops which you may register for on UM Connect (see link above). For individual consultation, students can drop-in in-person to 474 UMSU University Centre during the times listed below. Or, they can complete this Support Request Form to request feedback via e-mail or to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment time between 8:30 to 4:30 Monday to Friday.  Within this form you will be asked to provide copies of your documents and indicate your timeline and preferred mode for assistance. 

Winter 2024 RLC drop-in times for in-person support, January 8 to April 5:  
Location: 474 UMSU University Centre

  • Mondays: 12 to 3pm
  • Tuesdays: 1 to 4 pm  
  • Wednesdays: 11am to 3pm 
  • Thursdays: 9 to 11am 
  • Fridays: 10am to 1pm 

Weekly drop-in at Migizii Agamik, additional times to support Indigenous students: 

  • Mondays, 11:30am to 1pm 
  • Thursdays, 10:30am to 12pm

Resumé Samples

When tailoring applications to specific job postings, it is important to highlight the skills, experiences, and competencies that prove you are capable of performing the tasks outlined in the posting. Use the following sample resumés to gain ideas and inspiration!

Employment scams

When you are looking for work, it's crucial that you are aware of employment scams and know the common signs. Learning how to recognize scams and fraudulent recruiting will help you protect your personal and financial information! Follow these tips and trust your instincts. If a job sounds too good to be true, it usually is!

Common Employment Scams

Employment scams begin with experienced con artists posing as recruiters or employers who offer appealing employment opportunities. These scammers sometimes even pose as well-known companies as part of their attempt to trick individuals with fake job offers in order to gather personal and financial information. Throughout their process they often:

  • require job seekers to make an initial investment or pay them money in advance. Or the fraudulent employer may provide money to the job seeker (via a fraudulent cheque) and then ask for money (in the form of your legitimate personal funds) to be "returned" or "repaid" to them;
  • indicate individuals can work at home;
  • utilize internet phone or VoIP systems throughout their recruitment with little to no direct conversation;
  • offer a higher salary than most comparable positions;
  • indicate no prior or related experience is needed;
  • require you to work on your own and may ask you to shop or run errands while they are away on a special vacation or traveling on business.

If you are unsure if your job offer or company of interest is legitimate, please contact Career Services to speak with a Career Consultant! The tips and resources below will also help you to recognize and avoid employment scams.

Recognize the signs. Be cautious of...

  • People recruiting from out-of-city/province, or overseas "while on business" and who are unwilling to meet in-person.
  • Contact email addresses that are generic and do not match a business' legitimate e-mail domain.
    • Tip: If someone claims to be hiring for a company, check the legitimate business website to see what e-mail domain name is generally used for company or employee emails.

  • Employers using internet phone or VoIP systems.
  • Employers planning to pay wages via a wire service, courier or a 3rd party (e.g. their lawyer or friend).
  • Job ads or email communications written with poor spelling and grammar, syntax errors, or with text in all caps or in bold font.
  • Employers who are local to Winnipeg but who cannot meet you at the place of business for an interview.
    • If you do not have an opportunity to meet with someone from the organization in-person before accepting the job, you are taking a huge risk.

Never...

 

  • Pay money up front. You should never have to pay an employer to work for them!
  • Provide a potential employer with financial information during the job application process; this includes your credit card number, Social Insurance Number (SIN), or bank account information.
    • Note: Companies should not ask for financial information over the internet or phone to process payroll. It is common practice to provide this information in-person and at the place of work ONLY after you have accepted a job offer. You should only complete federal forms authorized by the Governments of Canada (i.e. TD1 Personal Tax Credits Return).

  • Accept payment for services you have not provided (i.e. as a pre-payment for future work).
    • Note: In many cases, a fraudulent employer will send you a fake cheque and then days later ask for some or all of the money back. Do not send any money back to the employer. You should also never spend money from a deposited cheque until it officially clears your bank account; it can take several weeks for a fake cheque to be discovered.

  • Accept a position without a phone or in-person interview. You and the employer need to make a mutual decision about employment.
    • Note: that while it is normal for out-of-province companies to use phone or online interviews, you should always verify the employer is legitimate before you accept the position. View the tips and resources listed in the section below.

Investigate...

  • Not only is employer research important in creating a strong job application, but it is also a step that can help you to ensure that an employer and job offer is valid. The following tips may help you verify an employer's legitimacy:
    • View the company website to verify contact information and phone the organization directly to confirm the posting and hiring practices.
      • Note: If the company phone number provided is a VoIP Service (Phone over Internet or Telephone), take the time to call the main company line (not the one provided in the posting) and verify that the company made the posting.

    • Are company staff members on LinkedIn?
    • Is the company a member of a known industry sector council?
    • Check to see if the company is listed with the Manitoba Business Information or Canadian Corporation Database.

Trust your instincts. Ask yourself...

  • Does the job seem too good to be true: high pay and minimal expertise required?
  • Is the application and hiring process different from other employers?
  • Does the employer want to hire me without an interview?

If yes, be cautious and be sure to investigate!
Your intuition or gut-reaction can be your first and last line of defense against employment scams. Talk with friends, family and a career consultant if you're skeptical of a posting or employer.

Don't stay silent! Speak up!

Report any suspicious or fraudulent postings or employers to the organization being impersonated and the job board host. When you report suspected fraud you protect yourself and others! The organizations listed in the section below can also provide support. The BBB and Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre provide notice of past and current employment scams.

Anti-Scam Resources:

One-to-one support

Appointments & Drop-in

To meet with a consultant for job search or interview support, you can utilize our drop-in service (times below) or contact us to arrange an in-person or virtual meeting. Career Consultants provide confidential support for career planning, job search and interview preparation.  The Resume Learning Centre offers appointments and drop-in for resume and cover letter support (times above).

Career Services office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Fort Garry campus: 474 UMSU University Centre, Phone: 204-474-9456, E-mail: cs.receptionist@umanitoba.ca.  Winter term drop-in times to meet with a career consultant:  Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons with intake between 1:30 to 3:30pm  |  Thursday and Friday mornings with intake from 9 to 11am.
Note: Drop-in cancelled Tues, Jan 16 for day 1 of the UM Annual Career Fair.

Online appointment booking: Current students in most programs may log in to UMConnect to access a self-serve appointment booking option.   **If you are a recent graduate or a student in ICM or Extended Education, please contact us by phone or e-mail to learn about resources or schedule an appointment. 

If you are a student studying at the Bannatyne campus, you may also call:
Student Services at Bannatyne: S211 Medical Services Building, 204-272-3190

Success at work