Get answers to your career questions
Do you feel stuck in your career exploration, career development or job search? There are a lot of career and education options out there — almost too many to count. Make an appointment with our careers team. We’ll help you explore so you can identify and pursue the options that make sense for you.
Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET
The Student Success Centre’s career team offers drop-in services, no appointment required, every Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Drop-ins are offered on a first-come, first serve basis.
Visit us in the Student Success Centre in Gilmour Hall 110. Check in at the front desk.
Brought to you by the Student Success Centre (SSC) and Alumni Career Services.
Career counsellors work with you in a supportive and collaborative manner to help you make career, education, and life decisions.
At the Student Success Centre, our career counsellors help you:
- Reflect, explore and plan your career and/or further education journey.
- Clarify your thoughts and feelings about your career or education concerns.
- Assess your interests, strengths, values and factors influencing your career development.
- Locate career and education information to inform your decision making.
- Strategize and develop a plan to achieve your career and further education goals.
Career assessments, such as the MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, SkillScan and Challenge Cards are also available. Meet with a career counsellor to find out which tools can help you and gain access.
Job searching is an important process in your career development. You may have questions about how to conduct your search effectively, including how to find suitable opportunities, how to prepare a successful application and more.
Job search coaching appointments can help you with any of the following:
- Resume and Cover Letter
- Job Search Planning and Strategies
- Networking
- Interview Coaching
- LinkedIn Profile
- Workplace concerns
- Job offers
Through Alumni Career Services, provided by our careers team and the McMaster Alumni Association, you have access to career counselling and advising for up to five years after you graduate. Meet with an alumni career counsellor to support your career exploration, planning and goals.
Overcome barriers in your employment and career development
Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) can help. We’re dedicated to helping you access opportunities and support in ways that work for you, regardless of where you are in your career journey.
“I wanted to get a summer job but I found the job market very confusing and daunting due to my autism spectrum disorder, depressive mood disorder, and anxiety. Tanya from CAPS was very kind and understanding, and empowered me to find a job on my own by giving me the tools and the confidence, and supporting me when it became overwhelming. I definitely would not be working right now or even last summer if it wasn’t for CAPS.”
— CAPS participant
What is CAPS?
The Student Success Centre’s Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) are for students and alumni (up to five years after graduation) who identify as a person with a disability or someone who has been forcibly displaced.
Our goal is to help you overcome employment barriers. We’ll help you access opportunities and support in ways that work for you, regardless of where you are in your career journey.
Who do we serve?
Persons with disabilities refers to anyone with any degree of the following:
- Physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness
- Diabetes mellitus, epilepsy
- Brain injury
- Any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination
- Blindness or visual impedent, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device
- Condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability
- Learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language
- Mental disorder
- An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
“Disability” should be interpreted in broad terms. It includes both present and past conditions, as well as a subjective component based on perception of disability. Although sections 10(a) to (e) set out various types of conditions, it is clear that they are merely illustrative and not exhaustive. Protection for persons with disabilities under this subsection explicitly includes mental illness,[8] developmental disabilities and learning disabilities.
Read more on the Ontario Human Rights Commission website.
Persons who have been forcibly displaced refers to anyone who has been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence because of the following:
- Armed conflict
- Situations of generalized violence
- Violations of human rights
- Natural or human-made disasters
What we do
The CAPS team will work with you to develop an individualized plan that respects your intersectionality, academic path and hopes for the future. We can help with career exploration, further education, job search preparation and navigating accommodations and disclosure while building skills and confidence. Our CAPS employer team has relationships with supportive and inclusive employers and community partners to support your career development and workplace experiences.
Our partners
- Access Program for equity-deserving students from historically under-represented backgrounds
- Equity and Inclusion Office (EIO): Accessibility Program, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Education, Human Rights and Dispute Resolution, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response
- Registrar’s Office: Aid & Awards: Students at Risk Bursary supporting forcibly displaced students
- Student Accessibility Services (SAS): Academic accommodations and support for students with disabilities at McMaster
- Student Case Management Office (SCM): Support and resources related to crisis prevention and intervention for students who may be experiencing difficulty on campus
- Student Wellness Centre (SWC): Counselling options, medical services and wellness programs
- World University Service of Canada (WUSC): Canadian post-secondary education and resettlement opportunities for young refugees
Getting started
Email careeraccess@mcmaster.ca to book appointments (virtual or in person) for specialized career, job search and further education support. Let us know in your email if someone at McMaster referred you to us.
If you require accommodations or information in an alternate format, please let us know.
Inclusive employment videos from employer and community partners
Panel: Student Success Centre, Dinstinctability, Specialisterne, City of Toronto
Discover Ability, Ontario Chamber of Commerce:
- Job Search with a Disability
- Job Seeker Guide: Getting Started
- Disclosure During the Job Search Process
Specialisterne:
- Re-thinking Abilities at Work
- From Home, to Action, to Impact
- Specialisterne Project Overview
- Employable Me Canada
Community Living: Ready, Willing and Able:
- Creating Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
- Ready, Willing and Able Develops Inclusive and Effective Labour Markets
- Building an Inclusive Labour Force
Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO):
Hamilton Civic Centre for Inclusion (HCCI):
- Solidarity in the Wake of COVID-19: HCCI Anti-Racism Conference
- Gentrification in Hamilton: A Vital Signs Chat
Ontario Public Service Commission:
Lime Connect:
Auticon Canada Ltd.:
The CAPS team is working with Engineering Co-op and Career Services to support your employment needs and connect you with opportunities.
If you’re an Engineering student who identifies as having a disability, you’re eligible for support through this program. We know the term “disability” covers a broad range and degree of conditions, some visible and some invisible, some episodic and some lifelong. Whether you’re registered with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) or not, you may benefit from participating in this program through CAPS.
The CAPS team provides individualized support to assist with all aspects of career development including exploration, preparation and the building of skills and confidence.
Email kett@mcmaster.ca to start the conversation and get connected with CAPS.