Congratulations to PEPS participant Mo on your new job!
Mo came to OSP as a great, qualified candidate who would clearly be an asset to any organization needing his skills, yet he had trouble find work in his area of expertise. He reached out to OSP for our support, and through diligently working with us and applying everything he learned, he was able to achieve employment success. Mo very generously wrote us a summary of his experiences, to shed light on how OSP can help you achieve your own employment goals.
I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, both from Texas A&M University, back in 2011 and 2014 respectively. After my education, I worked in the industry as a process safety engineer for four years, followed by a position as a technical sales manager for around one year. I also had a short stint working for amazon as a warehouse associate for 7 months.
I found out about OSP from a social worker who I was working with, after complaining to her that I am not receiving any feedback from employers to whom I was applying online. All she told me about OSP was that they may be able to help me. So I visited the OSP office, looking for help finding a job in general, and specifically wanting help to become a more marketable and presentable candidate.
Shortly after my visit, OSP set me up with a career counsellor, and I had my first one-on-one session with the counsellor. The session really helped me narrow down what areas of my job search efforts needed to be honed. These specifically were my cover letters, resume crafting, and knowing which positions to target, and where to find these positions outside Indeed.
Not long after that session I had a second one-one-one session, which helped me organize what I had learned, and further expanded my horizons via the use of thoughtful homework.I had also started attending OSP’s training workshops, based on the recommendation of the staff, and these training workshops were all excellent. I greatly benefited regarding what I came for, due to subject specific workshops on resumes, cover letters, and job search strategies. However, I also ended up learning (and later applying) so much from the workshops regarding interviews.
There were countless little items and situations during which the joy of working with OSP shone through, and it would take me too long to list all such items! However, a few situations stand out and come to mind. First was the overall high quality of all the training workshops. There was not a single one where I attended and did not feel that the workshop was an excellent use of my time. The second was the seamless transition I experienced when I was transferred from my initial counselor to a second counselor.
Third, and this one was ever present, was the atmosphere of positivity and motivation that interacting with OSP, in any way, always left behind! Last but not least was the excellent interview preparation I underwent at OSP as soon as I informed my counselor that I had an interview coming up. My counselor and I spent 3 sessions preparing for 2 interviews, and they put in all the necessary effort for me to succeed. This included all the work and coordination unnecessary for scheduling my sessions promptly, helping me with preparation for answering potential questions competently, helping me learn how to ask good questions, guidance on all other items related to the interview, such as optimal times to arrives, and what documents to carry, and even providing a place for me to safely and quietly conduct an online video interview.
I ended up getting the job that OSP helped me out with so much.Based on my experience, I can not thank OSP or recommend OSP enough. For anyone reading this who is currently job hunting, I hope that the small part of my experience in dealing with OSP, which I shared above, will encourage you to visit OSP, say hello, and let them know how they can help you!
On Site Placement is a dedicated team of professionals who provide employment support and training to support jobseekers in the Edmonton area. If you or someone you know is struggling to find work or move onto your employment goals, reach out to us. Our services are offered at no cost to you and we are eager to help. Contact us at programs@osp.ab.ca or call (780) 488-8122 to arrange for a consultation!