Blog Posts

Career Options for Different Personality Types

If you’re unsure what kind of career is right for you, it may be worth considering your personality type. You’ll need to complete a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire to find out if you lean towards extroversion (E) or introversion (I), sensing (S) or intuition (I), thinking (T) or feeling (F), and judging (J) or perceiving (P). Then, match your personality type to potential careers that work for your qualities and character traits. Here are a few examples. 1. Supervisor (ESTJ) Methodical and direct, you like work that requires you to follow a set process. Since you’re also an excellent leader, you may thrive as a judge, real estate agent, or financial officer. 2. Doer (ESTP) As someone who dislikes routine, you need to find a career where you will constantly be tackling new problems . Consider becoming a paramedic, creative director, or project manager. 3. Provider (ESFJ) It’s important for you to have a job where you can be with others, particularly in an organizing role. You may like to pursue a career as an office manager, technical support specialist, or museum curator. 4. Performer (ESFP) You love socializing and being the centre of attention. You’re likely to thrive in jobs including as a tour guide, entertainer, or sales rep. 5. Commander (ENTJ) Your top skills include noticing where processes could be improved and making good decisions without second guessing yourself. These attributes could serve you well as a public relations specialist, business administrator, or astronomer. 6. Visionary (ENTP) Work will leave you unsatisfied unless it’s constantly changing. Find the mental stimulation you crave by working as an attorney, systems analyst, or copywriter. 7. Giver (ENFJ) As someone who is principled and empathetic, you should consider a career as an art director, human resources professional, or guidance counsellor. 8. Champion (ENFP) When you’re unable to do things your own way, you feel frustrated. In addition, since you’re driven by goals, the ideal careers for your personality include editor, reporter, and personal trainer. 9. Inspector (ISTJ) Reserved and quiet, you'll do best in a job where you need to stay organized and follow the rules. Ideal careers for you include supply chain manager, business analyst, or dentist. 10. Craftsman (ISTP) Uniquely, you’re able to combine logic with spontaneity. Put your qualities to good use by becoming an engineer, construction worker, or forensic scientist. 11. Nurturer (ISFJ) You’re happiest when you’re able to give back and you enjoy cooperation. These traits combined with your strong work ethic mean you could see success as an elementary teacher, research analyst, or bank teller. 12. Composer (ISFP) You know how to make the most of any situation and you’re always seeking new adventures. Your fun and approachable personality could mean a career as an occupational therapist, social media manager, or veterinarian would be ideal for you. 13. Mastermind (INTJ) Unlike many personality types, you’re perfectly happy being alone, especially when solving problems. Great careers for you include financial advisor, musician, and marketing manager. 14. Thinker (INTP) It’s common for people with this personality type to be logical, creative, and intelligent. Put these traits to good use by becoming a biomedical engineer, web developer, or professor. 15. Counsellor (INFJ) You’re creative and have big ambitions. The best jobs for you are stimulating and require empathy. Consider a career as a psychologist, writer, or scientist. 16. Idealist (INFP) Using your imagination to solve new problems is important to you. Potential career options to fit your character traits include mental health professional, photographer, and physical therapist. Whatever career path you ultimately decide to pursue, you’ll need to study hard at university. Ottawa student housing at THEO will provide you with a furnished apartment (including a desk and chair in your bedroom), extra-fast WiFi , and a dedicated study station. Book an onsite visit to check out the apartments and other amenities.

5 Must-Haves to Make University Life Easier

Wherever you are in your university journey , there are ways to make your life easier that you may never have considered. The following will help you become a better student, improve your health, and save you money. 1. A Recording Device If your professors allow you to record lectures, you may find it helpful to purchase a recording device. Although this can be more effective than your phone, you should still sit in the front row, and you’ll need to avoid making noise to prevent interference. You can refer back to the recordings later, such as to improve your notes or to prepare for finals. 2. Study Groups It’s worth joining a study group for each of your classes. These can be great opportunities to work with other students to talk about the material — just explaining concepts to someone else can help you solidify your knowledge. However, it’s important to choose your study groups well. The last thing you want is for study time to turn into pure socializing. The people in your group should be just as motivated as you. Plus, you want to end each session with a better understanding of the material, rather than feeling like you spent the entire time helping someone else. It may take some searching to find study groups that meet your needs. 3. Coupons The savings you gain from using coupons can quickly add up. Keep coupons for anything you may like to purchase and wait until you find a discount code before buying something you need that isn’t urgent. Finding offers is extra easy when you’re at university, as there are all sorts of discounts for students. In fact, you should try to buy mostly in stores that offer student discounts. 4. Enough Sleep Sleep is crucial for your health and wellbeing, but it’s something university students often lack. Whether poor time-management skills mean you’re frequently pulling all-nighters or you don’t want to miss out on the excitement, you may quickly start operating on too few hours of sleep. You can solve problems with time management with just a little self-discipline. Improve your scheduling and start working on assignments long before the due date. Always give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. Alternatively, if the issue is that you’re afraid something great will happen at a party after you’ve left to go to bed, stop and think about how likely this really is. In the worst case scenario, you’ll feel mildly disappointed, but you’ll have forgotten all about it a week or so later. I t’s certainly not worth forgoing sleep on the off-chance something big occurs. 5. A Plan for Dealing with Illness Sharing spaces with other people in your apartment, at classes, and during extracurriculars means that illness is often unavoidable. Plus, you can even suffer from a seasonal cold without being exposed to anyone who’s sick — if the virus is dormant in your body, it may flare up when you’re stressed or exhausted. Since it can be difficult to avoid becoming sick entirely, you need to figure out how to deal with illness. One thing to do is promote a strong immune system. This means eating a balanced diet, exercising on a regular basis, and getting enough sleep. You should also receive your annual flu shot and wash your hands throughout the day to decrease your risk of becoming sick to the greatest extent possible. One more thing you need is better housing than on-campus student residence. Ottawa students can improve their living experience by moving into THEO. As well as an apartment, you’ll have access to study spaces, a gym, a basketball court, and a hangout area. Book an onsite tour to check it out.

Avoid These Mistakes When Studying for Finals

Studying for your finals the right way can make a huge difference to your final grades. However you choose to prepare, there are a few mistakes you must avoid. 1. Pulling an All-Nighter Before an Exam Staying up late before an exam is always a bad idea. You need to be well rested to be able to focus on the day of your finals. A lack of sleep makes it difficult to concentrate, will slow you down, and can make you feel extra stressed. 2. Waiting Until the Last Minute An equally bad move is to leave all your studying until right before the exam — even if you do stick to the daytime. It’s impossible to cover all the material you could encounter in an exam in one day. If you find that you’re skipping classes to cram, you have no time to eat, or you’re unable to take breaks or do anything but study, you’ve started too late. You need to give yourself at least a few days to prepare for each exam (although significantly more than this is ideal). 3. Having No Strategy You should have already learned everything that could come up in your finals. Studying is a chance to review the material and keep it fresh in your mind. Be smart about how you allocate your time, spending longer on the most difficult concepts to ensure you understand them fully. 4. Lacking a Study Calendar Know exactly what you’re going to study by creating a calendar in advance. Decide what you’ll cover in a particular study session and how long you’ll spend on the material. Also make sure to schedule breaks, as it’s impossible to stay focused for long periods without pause. 5. Allowing Yourself to Fall Victim to Distractions You won’t be studying for the full amount of time you allotted if you keep stopping to do something else. Ask your roommates and friends not to disturb you while you’re studying, turn off notifications on your phone, and avoid doing anything unrelated to the task at hand. You may like to experiment with listening to music (without lyrics) or even playing white noise to block out anything that could draw your attention away from your studies. 6. Doubting Yourself If you’ve been attending classes and studying regularly in your own time, you should be sufficiently prepared for your finals. There’s no reason to believe you’ll fail or receive a low grade. Allowing yourself to be consumed with self-doubt will make it much more difficult to study and perform well in your exams. Try to keep a positive outlook, perhaps by practicing some relaxation techniques on the days leading up to your finals. You’ll find it easier to study for your finals when you have a quiet place where you can focus — something which is hard to find when you live on campus. For uOttawa off-campus housing, there’s THEO. We offer furnished solo and shared rooms to meet your needs and budget. Plus, you can use the study spaces to prepare for your finals alone or in a group. Meet THEO by booking an onsite visit.

5 Tips for Selecting a Graduate School

You have some experience choosing between universities from when you were deciding on what undergraduate programs to apply for. However, selecting the right grad school involves quite different considerations. To reduce the stress of narrowing down all the possibilities to several top choices, there are a few things you should do. 1. Consider Your Career Ambitions The classes you take at grad school will have a specific focus. It’s crucial to choose a program with a curriculum that’s relevant to your career goals. Most importantly, the classes should adequately prepare you for the research you want to undertake. You can often find out if this is the case by reading about what kinds of research the faculty members are involved in. 2. Decide Where in the Country You Want to Be If you’re graduating with a bachelor’s degree and going straight to grad school, another move may not be a big deal . However, if you’re returning to education after a few years, it could be a major life change to move to another part of the country. In this case, you may like to find a university close to where you currently live. In addition, it may be worth thinking about whether there are more opportunities in your field in a certain area of the country. The people you meet at graduate school could be valuable connections later. Furthermore, you may increase your chances of finding a job or internship while studying if you’re in the right part of the country. 3. Compare Costs The cost of graduate programs varies widely from one school to another. In addition, some programs only allow you to use certain types of financial aid to pay for your education. If figuring out how to pay for school is an issue, find out if you may be able to find work through a teaching or research assistantship or if you could receive a scholarship. Often, there are more benefits available if you did your undergraduate degree at the same university, but opportunities may open up later — once your professors have had the chance to get to know you, for instance. 4. Learn About the Reputation of the School Beyond considering the reputation of the university as a whole, consider if the faculty for your subject is highly regarded. Receiving a master’s degree from a prestigious university will help your resume stand out that much more. 5. Stay Open Minded Being overly selective is also a risk. If you find yourself dismissing so many options that you end up with just one or two schools you’d like to apply for, you need to bear in mind that this will decrease your odds of being accepted by any program at all. By all means, rank your choices and have a dream school in mind, but don’t rule out multiple programs for minor reasons — you could overlook a great option . Selecting the right university for you is just the start — you also need to figure out where you’ll live. For uOttawa student housing, the answer is simple: THEO is just steps away from campus. You’ll receive everything you need to make your time at grad school perfect. For instance, you’ll have access to some great amenities, including co-working and study spaces, hangout areas, and a basketball court. Book your onsite visit.

How to Finish Out the Semester Strong

Many students find that their motivation starts to wane as the end of the semester approaches. You’ve already completed countless papers, projects, and tests, but you still have to face finals. To finish strong, there are a few things you need to do. 1. Stick to a Schedule A schedule will help you fit everything you need to do into your week. Split every day into blocks of time. Designate slots for classes, working on particular assignments , preparing for exams, clubs, shifts at your part-time job, and any other commitments you have. 2. Make Time for Self-Care Use your schedule to make sure you have time to relax every day. It’s easy to feel like you need to be studying all the time as finals approach, but this will only increase your risk of burnout. Find different activities to do that you enjoy, such as playing sports with friends, trying out a new recipe, or practising mindfulness. 3. Go to All Your Classes If you’re worried about falling behind with your homework, it may be tempting to skip a class and use the extra time to catch up. However, you’ll likely find that it’s more difficult to study material on your own than if you had attended the class, which will only mean you’ll fall further behind. 4. Set Attainable Goals Rather than setting one big goal (such as to pass all your classes this semester), come up with several smaller milestones. For instance, you could aim to complete a paper or readings by a certain date, exercise every day, or go to bed at the same time each night for a week. Every time you meet one of your goals, give yourself a small reward. 5. Cut Down on Caffeine Avoid relying on caffeine in coffee and energy drinks to keep alert. You’ll find that it gradually stops having any effect and just makes you more exhausted. If you’re tired, the solution is to organize your time better until you stop needing to stay up late working on assignments. 6. Decide on Your Priorities You may find that you no longer have enough time to do everything you’d like to do. When deciding how to use your time, think about the highest priority, rather than what appeals most. 7. Create a Comfortable Workspace You’ll find it easier to study if you have a dedicated workspace that’s clutter free and aids your focus. Clear your desk to ensure you have plenty of space for all your papers and books, keep stationery at hand, and ensure nothing is lying around that could distract you. 8. Reach Out for Help Never feel like you need to struggle alone. Your university likely has many resources to help you, whether you need support for your academics or mental health. 9. Cut Out Time-Wasters Reduce the hours you spend on social media and other addictive apps on your phone. It can help to set time limits through your phone settings or just turn off notifications. Make sure next semester goes even better than this one by finding a new room for rent. Ottawa students can live in the apartments at THEO. With great onsite amenities — such as a gym, a basketball court, and study areas — you’re sure to stay motivated. Plus, the apartments are located in the heart of downtown Ottawa, surrounded by shopping and dining options, museums, and spiritual venues. Come and see everything for yourself by booking a visit.

Tips for Scoring a Great Summer Internship

A summer internship may be a requirement for your major, or it could just be a great way for you to gain experience and contacts in your industry to improve your prospects after you graduate. Since it’s common to face high competition for the best internships, you need to take steps to make your application stand out. Here are a few to consider. 1. Read and Reread Your Resume To land a great internship, your resume needs to be flawless. After proofreading it yourself, ask someone else to check it. You may also find it useful to read it out loud . You’ll need to do this every time you apply for an internship, as it’s likely that you’ll tweak parts of your resume to include the most relevant information for the position — and it’s easy to unintentionally add grammatical errors when you’re changing phrases slightly. 2. Talk About Your Experience without Stretching the Truth Consider all the ways you’ve gained valuable experience that could make you a top candidate for the internship. This could include your participation in clubs, electives you’ve taken, high grades you’ve achieved in relevant classes, and work or volunteer experience. Whereas you’ll want to sound as qualified as possible, you should be honest about what you’ve achieved. Never use jargon to make your skills sound more impressive than they are or take credit for someone else’s work. If an employer finds out tha t you’re not being completely truthful, you’ll lose your chance of gaining the internship. 3. Aim to Apply Before the Deadline Leaving applications until the last minute is a big risk . Even if you don’t end up missing the deadline for an internship, there’s a high chance that your application won’t be as strong as it could have been. For instance, you may overlook one of the requirements or your writing may be less polished than you would have liked. 4. Prepare for the Interview The career centre at your university should be able to give you support in preparing for your interview. For example, you may be able to practise questions that are likely to come up. Other ways to prepare include researching the company beforehand and deciding what to wear according to the dress code at the workplace. 5. Ask About the Possibility of Permanent Employment During the interview, make sure you ask if internships can lead to permanent positions. This will show that you’re interested in more than just fulfilling the requirements of your major or enhancing your resume. Plus, it could even give the company the chance to think about creating a position for you once your internship is over — as long as they’re satisfied with your work, of course. You’ll also need somewhere to live over the summer while you’re working at your internship. Since living on campus is unlikely to be possible, the best option is to find student apartments. Ottawa has THEO: all-inclusive student living with all the amenities and services you could want. When you return home in the evenings, you’ll be able to hang out with other students in the common areas or rest on your own in your apartment. Book an onsite visit to meet THEO.