June 10, 2025
Request career conversations on OSCARplus
Go to OSCARplus. Then, on the sidebar, follow Student Success Centre > Career Conversations.
Tips and resources
Before your conversation:
- Write down your goals. Having a clear understanding of your goals will help you make the most of your conversation. It will allow you to prepare thoughtful questions and guide the discussion in a meaningful direction.
- Prepare questions ahead of time. Research the professional you are connecting with. This will ensure that you ask questions relevant to their experience and your goals.
- Prepare open-ended questions to provide space for new ideas and concepts you may not have considered.
- Examples: How did you get started in your career? What skills are most valuable in your industry? What advice would you give someone interested in this field?
- Know your story. Prepare and practice a short summary of your background, interests and career aspirations. This can help provide context to the career professional you are meeting with.
- Example: “I’m a third-year commerce student interested in marketing and data analytics. I’m exploring different career paths and would love to learn more about your career path in digital marketing.”
During your conversation:
- Be professional and respectful. Most career professionals volunteer their time for career conversations.
- Make sure to be respectful and keep the conversation within the agreed timeframe. If the conversation is flowing well and they seem open to continuing, you can ask.
- Example: “I want to be mindful of your time — would you be open to continuing for a few more minutes?”
- Build a genuine connection and be open-minded. Share a little about yourself when appropriate, but keep the focus on learning from them.
- Make sure that you pay attention and are open to the new information being shared.
- Ask thoughtful questions to keep the conversation going and build a genuine connection.
After your conversation:
- Reflect on the key takeaways. Did you learn anything new? Did you learn anything that surprised you? Does this conversation impact your career direction?
- What actions can you take based on their advice?
- Express your gratitude. Most career conversations are from individuals who volunteer their time for free. Make sure to express your gratitude for their time and include specific pieces of advice they have shared. This will show that you paid attention to what they had to say and that they left a positive impact.
- Example: “Hi [Name], I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today. I learned a lot about [specific topic] and found your insights on [specific point] particularly valuable. Thank you for your advice!”
More resources:
By taking the initiative to have career conversations, you’re gaining valuable industry insights, building your network and taking action on your future career goals.
We encourage you to keep learning, stay curious and make the most of these opportunities.