Inspire Team

Online Career Exploration

by for .  
##career exploration
45 - 90

Goal

This activity guides learners to evaluate their online presence and explore platforms like LinkedIn for career exploration, skill-building, and professional development. Learners will also discover alternative job-search websites to broaden their understanding of available resources.

Note: This is a time intensive activity. Consider it in light of other activities that may resonate more with learners. 

Materials

    Instructions

    Part 1 - Introduction to LinkedIn

    1. Introduction

      1. Introduce the session's purpose: exploring online platforms for career development.

      2. Briefly explain LinkedIn, asking if learners have profiles, have considered creating one, or have heard of the platform before.

    2. Understanding LinkedIn

      1. Provide a brief overview of LinkedIn, highlighting its role as a professional networking platform.

        1. Social networking for professionals

        2. Connecting with colleagues and making recommendations

        3. Acting as a resume for potential employers

        4. Job searching and skill enhancement opportunities

        5. Engaging with groups and sharing expertise

    3. Exploring LinkedIn

      1. As a group, spend some time looking at LinkedIn profiles from people within the region.

      2. As LinkedIn requires an account, it’s preferable for the facilitator to lead this portion of the activity using their own account, and have 4-5 profiles identified ahead of time. If time permits, invite learners to suggest profiles for the group to look at together (of local entrepreneurs, business people, community leaders, organizations & businesses).

      3. Encourage learners to identify best practices for building effective profiles - what stands out to them about the profiles they view? Is anything missing?

    4. Building Your Own LinkedIn Profile

      1. Instruct participants to draft or update their LinkedIn profiles using the provided outline. Remind them that their profile needs to reflect who they truly are so that the opportunities that are a good fit will find them!

      2. This part of the exercise can be done directly in LinkedIn, or it can be done in Google Docs if learners prefer not to update their LinkedIn or make the decision not to have a LinkedIn account at this time. If learners are working in Google Docs, provide them with a template with the following:

        1. Headline: Professional introduction

        2. Summary: Storytelling focused on skills, experiences, and achievements

        3. Experience: Key experiences (what you’d normally have on a resume), but also experience not limited to paid positions

        4. Education: Learning journey, including formal and nontraditional forms of education

        5. Skills: Holistic portrayal of skills (transferable, technical, social-emotional)

        6. Accomplishments: Highlights of achievements that you’re proud of

      3. Once learners have completed their profiles, review some LinkedIn tips with the learners

        1. Connect beyond personal acquaintances: Don’t limit it to people that you know in person, consider your interests and mutual connections as well

        2. Regularly engage with the platform: reshare posts, like posts, comment, share your own updates etc… This increases how others see your profile.

        3. Indicate openness to opportunities: You can list your profile as “open to opportunities”, even if you are working full time already. You never know what will come along.

        4. Utilize LinkedIn courses for skill enhancement: LinkedIn offers courses and training, some of which are free. These are a great opportunity to enhance existing skills and develop new skills.


    Part 2 - Job Searching

    LinkedIN is a great networking tool and also a place to find out about opportunities in your community that might be of interest to you. There are also many other job searching sites to support you in exploring your options.

    1. Explore Job Search Websites

      1. Divide learners into groups, assigning each a job search website (Indeed, Charity Village, CareerBuilder, Eluta, Glassdoor, Monster, Career Beacon).

      2. Assign one of the groups the task of finding local facebook job boards for their region(s).

      3. Instruct groups to spend 5 minutes reviewing their assigned website and share initial impressions, what they found and whether they would use it.

      4. Share Appendix B with the learners and ask them whether their findings match what the companies themselves say they offer/promote.

    2. Debrief

      1. Debrief the activities using the questions provided below.


    Background

    Preparation

    • Ensure instructor access to LinkedIn for profile reviews.

    • Identify 4-5 profiles to review prior to starting the activity.

    • Prepare profiles for projection or printouts if technology availability is limited.

    Technology Considerations

    • In-person: A projector, computer, and internet connection are preferred but not mandatory. Handouts can be prepared as a backup.

    • Virtual: Ensure participants have access to a video conferencing platform or collaboration tools.


    Additional Context

    Some learners may not want to create LinkedIn profiles. Remind them that the exercise is moreso about building out how they communicate their skills and abilities, and less about having a specific online profile. Learners should have the choice to complete their profile in LinkedIn or on a worksheet.

    Tips for Localization

    Identify local businesses, entrepreneurs, organizations, community leaders, and professionals to profile during the LinkedIn profile review portion of the activity.

    Debrief Questions

    1. How did the process of creating or updating your LinkedIn profile make you feel about presenting yourself professionally online?

    2. After exploring LinkedIn and various job search platforms, do you have a preference for any particular platform? Why or why not?

    3. How has this activity influenced your perception of online platforms in the context of career exploration and professional networking?

    4. Can you envision using LinkedIn or other job search sites as part of your future career development strategy? If yes, in what ways? If not, what factors influence your decision?

    5. Are there any other sites that you use or think are more common for finding jobs/networking based on where you live and work? What are they? 

    Appendix B: Overview of Job Searching Sites

    Indeed

    • Widely used by employers and allows you to search locally or globally.

    • Free support for building your resume and career blog.

    • Easy to use - you can filter by location and category, set job alerts, look at company/employer reviews and salary information.

    • Mobile App


    CareerBuilder

    • One of the largest and longest running job search sites.

    • Advanced search options/filters, including location, job title and pay range, company size.

    • Uses Google AI to help match you to opportunities

    • Offers career advice, resume building tools, and job market trends.


    Eluta

    • Focused on Canadian listing

    • Provides links back to the original employers' job postings.

    • Easy to use filters by keywords, location, company, and industry.

    • You can sign up for email alerts.


    Glassdoor

    • Offers job listings, with a focus on company reviews

    • Lets people review companies they’ve worked for or interviewed with.

    • Provides salary information, interviews tips, and workplace advice.


    Monster

    • One of the first and largest job hunting sites.

    • Offers job listings across industries and levels, searching tips, resume upload and review service, networking groups and company profiles.

    • Mobile app

    • Custom alerts can be set

    • Provides you with a score of potential fit for a role based on skills and interests.


    Charity Village

    • Focused on the nonprofit and charitable sector.

    • Tailored to roles within charities, NGOs, and the nonprofit industry.

    • Emphasizes community impact and social responsibility in job opportunities.

    • Provides resources beyond job listings, including articles, webinars, and tools for nonprofit professionals.

    • Availability through mobile devices for on-the-go job searching.


    CareerBeacon

    • Prominent in the Canadian job market, especially in the Atlantic provinces and territories.

    • Easy-to-navigate platform suitable for users with various tech levels.

    • Allows users to set up personalized job alerts based on preferences.

    • Covers a range of industries, offering diverse job opportunities.

    • Provides insights into regional companies and industries.


    Facebook Job Posting Pages

    • Taps into the extensive user base of Facebook for job visibility.

    • Facilitates a more casual and informal job-seeking approach.

    • Integrates job postings seamlessly into the familiar Facebook interface.

    • Enables direct interaction between job seekers and employers through comments and messages.


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