Yvonne Tallen’s Post

📢 Planning for Future Employability Events in Schools: Setting Students up for Success 🚀 As we plan the next year of Practice Interviews, Career Fairs, and Meet the Professionals events with Elevate Education Business Partnership, I’m reminded how important it is to provide students with these real-world experiences.  From practicing interviews to connecting with industry professionals, these opportunities build confidence and prepare students for what’s next. It hits even closer to home this year, as my own son just started high school.  Like any parent, I want him to be equipped with the tools, experiences, and skills that will set him up for success in the workplace.  That’s why I’m always looking for ways to update our practices to reflect real-world challenges and opportunities wherever possible—so students are better prepared for the actual demands they’ll face in their careers. 💼📚 A huge thank you to the schools, employers, and volunteers who make these events possible. Together, we’re empowering the next generation, including kids like mine! #Employability #CareerDevelopment #FutureReady #Education #StudentSuccess #CareerFair #SchoolEvents #ElevateEBP

From Academia To… To Where? (a mini-series of posts about my transition experience) - post 2 People frequently ask me WHEN I started to look for what's out there. I usually have two answers: 1. My very first step was to attend a workshop from Adoc Talent Management (promoted by my university - Université de Montréal) about career options in science. This happened in the 2nd year of my PhD (very early), when I was very sure about a post-doc as my next step. I went to the workshop out of curiosity, and it opened my eyes to opportunities. So the earliest you expose yourself to information, the best. 2. Regarding when to start to TAKE ACTION for a career search, this happened about 1.5 years before my defense. And it progressively went as follows: - Job searches (reading their description) more frequently on LinkedIn to learn titles and find/follow companies/organizations I could be interested in. - Watch videos of people explaining their work, learning what the titles mean in different organizations. Good sources: yt, companies' websites. - Attending webinars to learn the work structure within specific organizations (companies usually share their webinars on LinkedIn, so if you start to follow them, you will find the webinars. Other organizations that promote webinars are: HirePhD.; Science to Business Network (S2BN)). - Attending career events. I went to maybe 2 network events and 1 career fair within my university, and 1 career fair online - not a lot! - I participated in some programs as well, which I will talk about in the next post 😉   It sounds like a lot, but remember I did it gradually. I hope this helps, and I would love to hear if you have extra tips in the comments!

🫣 SNEAK PEAK 🫣 What's being tossed around this summer for the marketing campaign for our annual Fall Career fair? I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback! I’m excited to share a new aspect of my Associate Director role: overseeing our department's marketing side. While I sometimes feel unequipped, I’m thrilled to tackle this challenge head-on. It's a blessing that new challenges bring new growth opportunities! As I brainstormed marketing campaigns for our Fall Career Fair, I realized the immense responsibility of coordinating the event and marketing it effectively to motivate students, faculty, and staff to engage. I asked myself: why do students avoid career fairs? Here are four reasons, among many, I found based on research: 1. Fear 2. Competition 3. Family Connections 4. Time After reflecting on this, the Lord led me to take a more motivational and inspirational approach to our marketing. Here’s why: > Fear: To address students' fears of difficult career-related questions and feeling inadequate, we’ll emphasize our core value "Explore". This will highlight that career fair season is for discovery and learning. > Competition: To combat intimidation and fear of rejection, we’ll share inspirational stories of students who succeeded despite initial fears, as well as equip them with resources and strategies to stand out from other candidates.  > Family Connections: For students relying on family connections but unsure how to leverage them, we’ll provide helpful content on effective networking tips and tricks.  > Time: To counter the belief that there’s plenty of time to prepare, we’ll seek to increase the awareness of the benefits of early career planning. I’ve put together a sample video for our "Dare to Explore" theme, inspired by our core value "Explore." I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you were a college student, would this campaign inspire you to take your professional and career development more seriously? #CareerFair #Marketing #Campaign #DareToExplore #CedarvilleCareerServices #Share #Feedback

I recently had the privilege of speaking at a careers fair at my old school, reflecting on my journey from corporate learning to running my own business. Sharing my career milestones and lessons learned with sixth-form students reminded me that the insights I’ve gained over the years aren’t just for those starting out but also for seasoned professionals. Here are a few key takeaways I shared with the students—and ones that apply to all of us: 💡 Embrace new opportunities, even the unexpected. 💡 Build strong relationships and seek mentors. 💡 Learn from setbacks and grow from them. 💡 Develop both hard and soft skills. 💡 Stay curious and committed to lifelong learning. 💡 Take charge of your career by aligning your strengths with the needs of your industry. 💡 Align passion with purpose for long-term fulfilment. These principles have shaped my path from corporate to entrepreneurship, and they continue to guide me in supporting organisations and individuals through training, mentoring, and career development. Have you reflected on the lessons you’ve learned along your career journey? You can read more about this here: https://lnkd.in/eRxiUH3J #CareerDevelopment #KeynoteSpeaker #CareersFair #Mentorship

We are counting down to the most impactful event of the year. As the famous quote says: "You only regret the opportunities you didn't take" The Career Fair is your opportunity to get insights from leaders who are already where you want to be. Secure your seat for free, today. So you don't regret, tomorrow. https://lnkd.in/dXqW8pj4 *Only 7 days left to the most enlightening virtual event of the year, where:* - Eyes will be opened to new possibilities - New insights that spark exponential growth will be gained - Innovative ideas will be born - Fresh perspectives that can change everything for you. Over 200 smart individuals have already secured their spots. Don't be left behind👇 https://lnkd.in/dXqW8pj4

Here's how you can increase employer engagement for your school's career activities. You see, last week at Greater London Authority's Enterprise Coordinator Day I had a little rant... Why do we ask Business to attend careers fairs as if they're doing us a favour? We need to be clearer about the business 'value' of engaging with young people's careers. What are you doing to encourage business engagement at your school? #authenticengagement #employerengagement #careerfair #ncw2024

: 🌱 Day 4: Build Real-World Skills 🧠 Tip: Employers want candidates who have experience beyond the classroom. Engage in virtual projects, and leadership roles to gain real-world skills that will make your resume stand out. 💼 Action Step: Join professional associations or student organizations related to your field of interest. These groups offer great networking opportunities and often host workshops, webinars, and career fairs where you can connect with potential employers. 💡 Pro Tip: Platforms like Forage offer virtual projects that provide valuable project experience to boost your portfolio. Take the extra step today to make your skills shine brighter than your competition! #InternationalEducationWeek #GBCS #CDC #SkillsDevelopment #Leadership #Networking #CareerBuilding #JobSearchSuccess #StandOut

SHPE 2024 - A Story of Leadership & Some Feedback One of the most memorable moments from SHPE 2024 happened on the first day of the career fair. It was 4:00 AM 🕓, and a line had already started forming, filled with eager attendees hoping to get ahead. By 5:30 AM, the crowd had grown restless 😓, and the tension was palpable. That’s when Saad Bahlouli stepped up and did something remarkable.With a voice full of courage 💪, he called out to the crowd: “Let’s be civilized and turn this into a single file before they have to manage us.” His words cut through the early morning chaos, and what happened next was inspiring—a roaring applause 👏 erupted from the crowd as everyone followed his lead. In that moment, Saad demonstrated true leadership, turning what could have been a stressful situation into one of unity and mutual respect 🤝. It’s individuals like Saad who remind us of the importance of community and stepping up when it matters most. These are the moments we should celebrate at SHPE—where leadership isn’t just about titles but about action 🔥. Aside from lining up during ungodly hours 🌙 and some logistical issues with luncheon tickets 🎟️, there were definitely areas for improvement. Hopefully, future conventions can address these challenges to enhance the overall experience! On a positive note, I loved Qualcomm's approach to talent acquisition—roaming the convention hall, handpicking individuals who resonated with their values on a personal level. A unique and effective strategy! 💼 To all the companies I connected with—thank you! It truly means the world to me to have met so many talented and deserving individuals making a difference in the world! 🌍✨ #Leadership #EventFeedback #Community #SHPE2024 #CareerFair #Inspiration #Qualcomm

On my ongoing series of Tips for Students to be Industry Relevant, here is Version 3. In this edition, we delve into practical strategies for effective communication and time management—essential skills for every aspiring professional. Learn how to articulate complex ideas clearly and manage your academic and extracurricular commitments efficiently. We also explore the importance of attending career fairs and networking events to connect with industry leaders and peers. Start applying your theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios through industry-sponsored projects. Stay tuned for more insights to navigate your path to industry success. --------- #StudentDevelopment #CareerPreparation #career #training #timemanagement #networking #communicationskills #projects

How happy 😃 are you to be here and work for them? 🤔 This was a question 🙋♂️ asked to me at one of the career fairs. My simple answer was: "I wouldn’t be here if I didn't enjoy what I do." 🤩 I'm not sure if a dream job exists, but it's rather a dream scenario where you have a good set of people around you, a company that provides a platform to succeed, and you enjoy what you do. 💼✨ Irrespective of where you work, you are going to have tough times. The regular ups and downs, office politics — but that doesn’t mean you are not happy with what you do. It is just that changes could constantly be happening. 🔄 It is up to you and how much you can cut the noise around you. But the day you feel like not turning up for work and lack motivation, that’s when you need to do some soul-searching. 🧘♂️ #mondaymotivation #motivation #careers