How to Succeed at University (and Get a Great Job!): Mastering the Critical Skills You Need for School, Work, and Life(On Campus)

Going to university is an exciting time of life that involves many things: learning, meeting new people, making decisions, building relationships, and gaining greater independence. But getting a university education can also be a source of undue stress. What courses should I take? What program should I get in to? Will I get a job after graduation? It's easy to become discouraged, especially when you don't see what relationship studying Plato, Shakespeare, or Sartre has to the real world. How to Succeed at University (and Get a Great Job!) shows that the best preparation for success at life and on the job is succeeding at university. Giving oral presentations, working in teams, meeting deadlines, overcoming challenges, locating information, explaining events, writing well, and dealing with people in authority are essential in any professional job. These same skills are also vital for becoming a strong student. This book gives you advice and strategies, along with real-life examples, on how to improve the skills that guarantee success at school, work, and in life. More than that, by mastering these easy-to-learn skills, you will also have the time to enjoy all the other benefits that a university education provides. This practical guide is meant for university, college, and high school students, as well as instructors, guidance counsellors, and parents. In answering many of the questions that students and recent graduates have about succeeding in their courses and in their post-school careers, this book shows that the path from university to the real world can be straightforward and exciting if you know what you are doing.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1 University as Preparation for a Great Job What's university all about? What to expect after graduation Will I get a well-paid job? How to select courses Mature, returning, and part-time students What job-related skills can I learn in my courses? 2 Skills for Success at School and Work Oral presentations Group work Being a proactive professional Using numbers Taking notes Getting yourself organized 3 Prospering in the Classroom and Workplace Exams, a fact of life Strategies for multiple-choice exams Strategies for written exams The usefulness of essays Writing for the academic reader How to organize an essay The basic structure of an essay Essay writing as a process Common essay-writing errors Lab reports and similar assignments The last word 4 Strengthening Your Critical Skills What are critical skills? Communication and critical thinking Strengthening your critical skills The limitations of narrative Contextualizing information The significance of theories Theoretical levels and forms Practical tips to help you on your way 5 Active Listening and Active Reading Passive listening Active listening Active reading Reading at an academic level Perfecting your skills 6 Researching a Topic Rules of thumb for researchers Two research strategies 7 Practical Problem Solving for School, Work, and Life Why applied problem solving is so important Problem solving as a process Step one: defining the problem Step two: discovering causes Step three: establishing solutions Step four: making a choice Step five: implementation Step six: benchmarking and evaluating Step seven: remaining vigilant Problem solving as a life skill 8 Creative Problem Solving for Life and Work Relation to problem solving The rigid structures of the mind Creative problem-solving techniques Creatively reconfiguring the problem Maximizing creative solutions The right environment for creative thinking 9 Finding and Getting the Great Job The importance of networking Resumes The cover letter Networking and the information interview The real interview Decoding interview questions Interview styles References After the interview 10 Managing Social Media Five rules for social media Social media and relationship building Branding yourself Internet dating as metaphor 11 Success at Work and Beyond The first job Staying sharp Dealing with the transition Graduate, professional, vocational, and on-line education Further success Notes; More Resources

About the Author :
Thomas R. Klassen is a professor in the Department of Political Science and in the School of Public Policy and Administration at York University in Toronto. He has written widely on a number of topics, including retirement, pensions, unemployment, immigration, gambling, and discrimination. His most recent book is Retirement in Canada. His articles on current affairs appear in newspapers and other outlets. In addition to teaching in a variety of disciplines – including sociology, political science, labour studies, public policy, and business administration – Professor Klassen has worked in both the private and public sectors. He particularly enjoys collaborating with others and is part of several large-scale writing, research, and international development projects with colleagues around the world. John A. Dwyer is a professor emeritus in the Department of Humanities at York University in Toronto. His research interests are the Scottish Enlightenment and Eighteenth-Century Sentimentalism. He has published extensively on the philosopher Adam Smith and the novelist Henry Mackenzie. He has also written a textbook used by business schools, Business History: Canada in the Global Community. A gifted teacher and winner of many awards for his classroom activities, he has taught nearly everything from natural science, history, ethics, and business. Most recently he taught a course titled "On Love." In addition to being a professor, he worked for many years as an administrator and consultant.