Get Hired Conference

Middle age businessman talking to a group of students in a lecture hall

What is Get Hired?

Get Hired is an interactive, annual conference offered by the Academic Advising & Career Centre (AA&CC) designed to equip upcoming and new UofT graduates with the necessary strategies, tools, skills and confidence to find and keep work. This three-day in-person conference will be held from May 2 - 4, 2023. Sessions will include keynote speakers, interactive workshops, concurrent sessions, demo interviews with our employer partners and an opportunity to have a professional headshot taken for your LinkedIn profile.

These sessions will give you a chance to hear successful career stories, get advice on your job search from the professionals and learn what you need to be successful. This year we will be partnering with the Development and Alumni Relations Office to host an Alumni networking event and at the end of the three-day conference students will engage in a mini job fair where employers will be waiting to meet and discuss prospective employment opportunities. The employer representatives may not be hiring at that time, but the goal is to create opportunities for students/grads to learn about hiring practices in a range of organizations, and who knows? – sometimes when you make a positive human connection, it smooths the path to an employment opportunity in the future!

A booth for LinkedIn professional profile photos will be available to all those registered during the mini job fair, free of charge! Come dressed to impress during this three day conference!

Note: All three days of this conference will be hosted in-person at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus.

Who Can Participate?

Students in Year 3 or 4+ of their degree (i.e., around 14+ credits completed), as well as new and recent UofT graduates (undergraduate or graduate) up to 2 years after graduation, should attend. Preference will be given to students in their graduating year and new grads. We are pleased to offer limited spaces for UTM and St. George students.

What Does It Cost?

A conference like this through a private company would cost around $500 or more - and you can attend free of charge thanks to our sponsors, TD Insurance, Manulife, and the AA&CC! Find out more about our UofT Affinity Partners and sponsors here, https://bit.ly/GH2023_affinity.

How Do I Register?

Registration is now open! Please register here!

All registered students will be sent detailed logistical instructions, materials and final details by email before the conference (note this will be sent to your utoronto email address). If you require accommodation, please email aaccevents.utsc@utoronto.ca and we will work with you to make arrangements.

Conference Schedule

DAY 1: Get Inspired - Tuesday May 2, 2023

1:00PM - 1:30PM	Registration
1:30PM - 2:00PM	Welcome Address: Varsha Patel, Assistant Dean, Student Success and Career Support
2:00PM - 3:00PM	Alumni Keynote Speaker: Adam Rodricks, Canada's Top Social Media Strategist/ Author/ Digital Marketing Specialist Title of Presentation: "Where Gaming Got Me" Join the 2022 UTSC Young Alumni of the Year, Adam Rodricks, as he shares stories from his career that span his time attending UTSC to where he is now working as a best-selling author, Digital practitioner, and public speaker: Hear first-hand about the true potential that UTSC students have to make their mark on the world Listen to some of Adam’s biggest pitfalls and missteps during undergraduate and beyond Learn about the importance of putting your best foot forward virtually
3:00PM - 3:30PM	Coffee Break
3:30PM - 4:30PM	Concurrent Breakout Session (Students will Choose One Session to Attend): (Workshop 1) Discovering and Aligning Your Values to Your Future Career: Finding a career that aligns with your values can impact your career satisfaction and fulfilment. Join this session to discover your core career values through interactive activities and group discussions. By the end of the workshop, gain a clearer understanding of how your values relate to your career goals and learn practical strategies for identifying organizations that are aligned with your values. (Workshop 2) Small Talk Made Easy: Do you want to network with professionals and employers at Get Hired but feel awkward and shy? Don't know how to start a conversation? Come to this workshop to get inspired and motivated with strategies and tips to help you connect with people through small talk. (Workshop 3) Future Proof Yourself with Skills Employers Need: The advent of disruptive technologies has caused a significant transformation in the world of work. To stay competitive, employers are rapidly adopting new technologies and seeking skilled individuals who can help them tackle new challenges. In order to thrive in this unpredictable and rapidly evolving work environment, we must be willing to quickly adopt new skill sets. This workshop aims to identify the skills currently in demand and provide options to help you develop them as part of your ongoing career development. You may be surprised to find that gaining these skills is easier and less expensive than you think!
4:30PM - 4:45PM	Break
4:45PM - 5:45PM	Young Alumni Panel
5:45PM - 6:00PM	Break
6:00PM - 7:30PM	Alumni Networking Event

DAY 2: Get Connected - Wednesday May 3, 2023

9:30AM - 10:00AM	Registration
10:00AM - 11:00AM	Keynote Speaker: Jake Hirsch-Allen, LinkedIn
11:00AM - 11:30AM	Break
11:30AM - 12:30PM	Concurrent Breakout Session - Part 1 (Students will Choose One Session to Attend): (Workshop 1) Personal Branding and Getting Noticed: Everyone has a personal brand, whether they know it or not. Do you know what yours says about you? In this labour market, having a successful personal brand can make all the difference when it comes to employers wanting to connect with you. Whether it is through your job search, online presence or even your reputation, we all leave some form of an impression. In this session we'll look at the different types of brand a person can have and how to create one that leads to others wanting to engage with you. (Workshop 2) Work Safe: Employment Rights at Work: In this session, guest speaker, Geneieve D'Iorio, Community Legal Worker from the Workers' Health and Safety Legal Clinic will discuss: what is an employment agreement (written and verbal contracts); independent contractor misclassification; employment standards under the Employment Standards Act (minimum wage, overtime, paid public holidays, personal emergency leave, pregnancy and parental leave, vacation pay/time and termination pay). She will also talk about what is Legal Aid in Ontario and how to access free legal advice and services. (Workshop 3) Communication Styles: Did you know that everyone has different communication styles that are associated with their personality? Do you want to learn about your style and how it impacts your communication? Join this workshop to gain a better understanding of different communication styles and how you can use them to become an effective communicator.
12:30PM - 1:30PM	Lunch
1:30PM - 2:30PM	Concurrent Breakout Session - Part 2 (Students will Choose One Session to Attend): (Workshop 1) Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Session (Session details to be updated): Session still being developed and its content to be updated on the Get Hired website as soon as it is completed. (Workshop 2) Accommodations & Disclosure: When and How to Ask: This session will discuss job readiness and disability disclosure beyond job search and resume development, determining when and how to disclose your needs to an employer. (Workshop 3) Career Wellness: Staying Positive & Resilient in Your Job Search: Session still being developed and its content to be updated on the Get Hired website as soon as it is completed.
2:30PM -3:00PM	Break
3:00PM - 4:00PM	Interviewing Strategies with the Pros and a Demo Interview

DAY 3: Get Ready - Wednesday May 4, 2023

9:30AM - 10:00AM	Registration
10:00AM - 10:30AM	Welcome Address: Neel Joshi, Dean of Student Experience & Wellbeing
10:30AM - 11:00AM	Break
11:00AM - 12:00PM	Concurrent Breakout Session (Students will Choose One Session to Attend): (Workshop 1) Getting to Yes: Salary & Job Offer Negotiation: Salary is not the only thing to pay attention to on a job offer! In this session, we will discuss how to evaluate a job offer and factors to consider when negotiating a job offer. Learn strategies in how to accept or decline a job offer professionally and negotiating for things you want (Workshop 2) Preparing for the Unpredictable: Essential Strategies for Navigating Today’s Job Market: Do we truly understand the labor market and hiring trends? The critical questions we need to address are: what jobs are emerging, where to find them, and how to prepare for this unpredictable and fast-changing work environment. Whether you're a seasoned job seeker or just starting out, this session will cover essential topics such as job market trends, job search myths and mistakes, future-proof job search tips, and outcome-driven goal-setting and action plan strategies. You’ll come away with new tools to add to your job search toolkit, ready to take on whatever challenges come your way. (Workshop 3) Job Applications that Actually Get Read: Do you know that 70-80% of applications can be rejected without even being seen by a recruiter? When it comes to submitting your application with the other dozens or even hundreds of other candidates, how do you get yours to be the one that gets noticed? In this session, we will not only look at how to put an application together successfully, but also break down and understand the jobs you are applying to and how to match yourself to what the employers are actually looking for.
12:00PM - 1:30PM	Lunch
1:30PM - 2:30PM	Recruiter Panel Discussion
2:30PM - 3:00PM	Break
3:00PM - 5:00PM	Mini Job Fair/ Networking + LinkedIn Photos For a list of participating employers in attendance, click here!

Post-Programming Events:

	Post-Graduation Work Permit & Path to PR Are you an international student? If you are completing your program soon, interested in working in Canada for up to 3 years and applying for permanent residency, please join us for this information session to learn about the post-graduation work permit and the fastest paths to achieving permanent residency in Canada. Date of Session: Friday May 5, 2023 \| 9:30AM - 11:00AM Register here!
	Creating a Personal Brand and Getting Noticed (3-part series) Everyone has a personal brand, whether they know it or not. Do you know what yours says about you? In this labour market having a successful personal brand can make all the difference when it comes to employers and others wanting to connect with you. Whether it is through your job search, online presence or even your reputation, we all leave some form of an impression. In this interactive 3-part series we'll look at the different types of brands a person can have, how to create one that leads to others wanting to engage with you and how to share your story with confidence. Date of Sessions: Tuesday May 16, 2023 \| Tuesday May 23, 2023 \| Tuesday May 30, 2023 From 11:00AM - 12:30PM Register Here!
	Job Seekers Club (4-part series) Join a small cohort of like-minded students and grads and develop impactful job search skills with Career Specialists! We will focus on: Strategies to develop a focus in your job search Tools to stand out in this current job market Successful methods of building your network Best practices in talking to employers Date of Sessions:Wednesday May 17, 2023 \| May 24, 2023 \| June 7, 2023 from 3:00PM - 5:00PM Register here!
	Connecting the Dots and Finding You - Career Exploration & Assessment (2-part series with 1-on-1 consultations) Are you unsure about your program choice or career direction? Join us if you're having trouble connecting your study to future career. Who this program is for: All UTSC students who are looking for answers to: I'm not sure what to do with my life? I'm unclear about my future after my major? I want to study XYZ, but I am having trouble connecting my study to future career? BENEFITS for participants: Identify your career interest, values, strengths, and skills Developing action plan & identifying activities to enhance employable skills Date of Sessions: Tuesday May 23, 2023 \| Thursday May 25, 2023 from 5:00PM - 6:30PM Register here!
	Thiriving in the Workplace with Emma-Sue Prince You're at the start of your career and it's an exciting time. The recent Get Hired conference will have given you plenty of inspiration, tips and strategies for networking, applying for work and preparing for interviews. The 7 skills of adaptability, critical thinking, empathy, integrity, optimism, being proactive and resilience are a crucial part of this but what happens once you've started in the workplace? Actively using and applying these skills when you are in the workplace will help and support you to hit the ground running, build confidence and visibility and truly thrive. These are skills that we each have within us in pretty much unlimited capacity - if we nurture and develop them. This is not gobbledygook, this is not a quick fix, this is well researched and trialled within my book 7 Skills for the Future and within hundreds of awareness raising workshops I have run all over the world with all sorts of people in different industries. My purpose today is to introduce you to these skills - a snapshot - and to light a fire around harnessing and developing them every single day. Date of Session: Wednesday May 24, 2023 from 1:00PM - 2:15PM Register here!