Nightmares Futures Past: Scenario 4 (First Career)

Despite having high expectations from working with my uncle, I did not get what I expected. Because I do not a lot of experience, I only have a Bachelors and since I am not familiar with the system, I am working as an amateur lawyer with a low salary of $40,000. This does not satisfy me and I strongly believe that there is much more that my skills and knowledge can live up to. 

But now that I am already finished my undergrad to be a lawyer and since I have saved up enough money over the last 4 years through part-time jobs (my scholarship took care of most of my costs and my parents took care of costs such as books), I can go back to university and earn a Masters degree in Law, which can ensure me at least a $100,000 job in my future as a lawyer.

Even though I have worked so hard to earn my Bachelors, at the end of the day, all that matters is the degree I have. And Bachelors is not enough if I want to live up to the expectations of being a lawyer. So, with all my savings, I am going to go back to UofT to get my Masters, and even though that means I will take years to complete it, it is still going to be loads better than what I have now. Just because I have just an ounce of gold so far does not mean I have to head in a different direction - I have to keep moving forward to earn bigger pots of gold. Thus, for me, getting a Masters from Law is the best choice there is. 

Nightmares Futures Past: Scenario 3 (Late University)

Although earlier I decided that I will stick with this course and assumed that pots of gold will be at my disposal at the end of each year, I have now realized that I have completed 3 years without gaining any pots of gold and that I am at the start of my 4th year which brings me to assume that there will be no glory at the end of this year either. (Sigh)


And over the summer, I have also realized that I want to become a businessman, since both my father`s younger brothers own a company back in South Asia and I might be able to pull money out of that if I enter the business field. 


But, while I am discovering all these new career paths, I am also looking back and realizing that I have performed masterfully in all years, I have made use of my scholarship (and I can still use it this year) and I have family members gladly waiting to welcome me to work with them. It is very difficult to abandon all these things and restart, especially considering that I am almost at the finish line. 


Thus, I am not going to abandon my career path this year. This is because I still have a scholarship which I can use to pay for my 4th year, I have worked my way up to the top ranks of recognition throughout all law school courses, and I have so many people in my family who can offer me a position as an attorney. And if I want to work alongside amusing businessmen, I can easily become one of the lawyers that works for my uncles` business (in other words, I can be a corporate lawyer). So, summing these points all together, there may be no pot of gold at the end of this 4th year at university, but there are definitely going to be mines of diamond that lay ahead, which is why I am not going to abandon this extremely potent career path. 

Nightmares of Futures Past: Scenario 2 (Early University)

I have stayed back at Danforth for a 5th year. I have achieved excellence in all my courses and I have got into UofT law school with a full scholarship. 

However, despite being so confident and hopeful for my career as an attorney, I feel like I have only gone downhill. I do not like reviewing laws and regulations. It is hard for me to tolerate the role of politics in this course. Also, I detest the way that this profession is practiced back and forth in artificial, unrealistic scenarios. 

Now taking everything into consideration once again after a failed attempt at high school, at this point, I have no other career option as a back up plan. Also, I have stayed 1 more year at school to work extra hard, achieved excellence and even gained a full scholarship for my first year in University. Now comparing all these up-sides to the single down-side of my first year here, it really does not balance and my work and efforts outdo the complaints I have about first-impressions of my first year in University. 

Thus, I am deciding to stay in this career path, hence continuing working toward my Bachelor`s degree here in University of Toronto. This is because the work I have put into coming here cannot simply be thrown away by foolish complaints about first impressions. And at the same time, I have no second option as an alternate career because that would mean I would have to throw away all my efforts and even my scholarship - something I am never willing to do.

In conclusion, I will carry on with this annoying University law course because I am sure even at the end of this boring rainbow, pots of gold await me. 

Nightmares of Futures Past: Scenario 1 (High School)

Throughout my high school years, I have planned on becoming a physician. I have taken this into consideration and in Grade 11, I have decided I will take courses which can help me take part in UofT's Life Science program. However, as I am about to graduate, I lost confidence in being a physician because the process of becoming successful is a long path and success is not guaranteed. Thus, I am abandoning this career choice, but I do not know where I will go from here on out.


As I look back at the courses that I took in Grade 11 and 12, I am realizing that I have had courses that not only can help be become a physician, but also become others like geologists, psychologists and lawyers. I have taken subjects such as World History, World Issues, Anthropology and even Philosophy. All these subjects can help one become a lawyer, which is quite a prestigious career path.


Thus, I have changed my mind to becoming a lawyer or attorney. I am going to apply to law school in University of Toronto. And I know for sure that I will be able to take on this career path because of my grades in relating subjects in Grades 11 and 12, my family's opinions and my friends.


In Grade 11 and 12, although I did not put the emphasis of my hard work in subjects such as Philosophy and World Issues, I still managed to get over 90%, in other words, achieving excellence. This strengthens my chances of going to law school, which at this point is the primary goal of anyone who wants to be a lawyer.


Although my parents have always valued the profession of physicians and surgeons the most, they have also praised law school and asked me if I wanted to be a lawyer. In fact, me abruptly altering my career path will be of no issue to my parents especially considering that there are so many people in my family who are attorneys in law firms. These people will be able to give me guidelines in becoming a professional lawyer and may even allow me to participate in their law firms. For example, my uncle, Fakruddin, works in a law firm and he is very close to my family. So, if any family support is needed, I shall have no problem.


As I look back to the places where I volunteered during school, I can see that all these places are going to be highly valued by professors in law schools. My volunteer work includes working in programs such as teaching kids how to read, helping adults in hospitals, raising awareness for drugs and alcohol and etc. All these volunteer programs contain elements that represent aspects of what is needed to be a lawyer. Thus, all these fortifications combined, I am confident about going into this career path.


And even though it may seem like a waste of time, I am willing to stay back at Danforth for a 5th year than to study for 15 years against all odds to become a doctor. I am also willing to do this because this will allow me to explore other courses which can extend my appeal when I apply to law schools in UofT. 

Tough Careers Questions

The job I am applying for: Mechanical Engineer in Auto Company (Ford Motors)
The job I had previously: Mechanical Engineer in Toy Making (for Hasbro)


1) Do you enjoy the differences in people or merely tolerate them?
A: In my opinion, I think it is necessary for different people to have different ideas, characteristics, personalities and perspectives. Hence, I really enjoy working with different types of people. This is because working with different types of people can pull in different ideas and solutions, leading to more innovation. In my opinion, if everyone in one team are going to be the same, it is like having many copies of the same person, so why even work together to begin with if you have nothing to learn from each other? I love working with various types of people because at the end of the day, we all learn something from each other which can help us overcome our flaws in life. Also, I enjoy working with different types of people because that is what the real world is all about. If one does not enjoy working with different people, success will be something hard to achieve.


2) Are grades a good measure of ability?
A: No. Although I believe that grades somewhat show how hardworking, intelligent a person can be, grades definitely do not display how capable the person really is. This is because grades only deal with the core material of school, such as tests, work in class, projects, assignments and etc. When these are the only things being evaluated to show a person`s ability, grades are very biased. There is much more to a person`s ability and knowledge than grades. For example, although a person may have bad grades in Mathematics, this does not necessarily mean that the person will be bad at engineering or other math-related careers. This person could also be the person who, by participating at robotics or other engineering clubs, won multiple awards and gained prestige, meaning that at jobs such as working in car companies, he can do a lot better than that one student who got a 100 in Mathematics. Thus, in my opinion, these awards and activities give a much more clear image of how capable a person really is than just one mark in Mathematics.


3) Why did you leave your last job?
A: Although many people leave their jobs because they do not like their salary, their employers do not guarantee insurance or etc., I left my previous job because I was not satisfied with I had to do in the job. Although I was being paid really well, I did not think that the job was well worth of my time because the job was not interesting nor amusing to me. Also, the job felt very common as if anyone could do it. I had a feeling that the job was not allowing me to put all my skills to use, that my employer underestimated my abilities. To me, toy making was very simplistic and amateur. I needed something more professional, challenging and realistic. So, I left it in search of a job that would be thrilling, where I would be able to put all my skills to use, where I would feel that I am successful. And that is exactly why I want to be an engineer at Ford where I will be able to make extended use of all my physics knowledge and I will be able to put forward my amazing engineering ideas. 


4) What does impossible mean to you?
A: People generally tend to perceive impossible as something that cannot be done, achieved or completed. However, in my opinion, impossible is rather something that has yet to be discovered, yet to be accomplished and yet to be known as something possible. To me, something impossible is simply just a challenge which can be surpassed if people work at their very hardest. And I believe that with me, this company can achieve the impossible.


5) How do you behave when you have a problem with a coworker/classmate?
A: As human nature, it is very normal for people to either be very aggressive or passive when it comes to having conflicts. One person dominates and the other remains submissive. In my opinion, that is very one-sided and only one person gets what they want. Hence, happiness is not achieved, leading to failure in cooperation. This is why I tend to handle things very assertively. This is because I believe that if one wants one`s peer to agree with one, one must neither force one`s peer nor give up to one`s peer. One must gently and calmly persuade one`s peer to agree, hence allowing both sides to be happy while also maintaining a healthy relation in teamwork. Thus, being assertive in such conditions is a key to success.

XPlane: How To Work A Room

1) Do not walk in cold. A week before going to the conference, perform research about the people who will be there so that you can plan out who you want to meet. Hence, breaking the ice will be easier.


2) Dress properly and try to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Avoid clothing that makes you look odd, awkward or "different" from the others in the conference.


3) Carry utilities, like a portfolio, to organize your business cards and receiving business cards. This is because fumbling is very unprofessional and should be avoided.


4) Walk confidently and always have a smile on your face because powerful people want to meet and cooperate with those who look professional. Being clumsy or depressed should not be options.


5) It is best to go to the food area because people usually hang around there. Also, food is associated with socializing, which means it can be used to your advantage.


6) At the food area, keep your right hand free so that you can shake hands and interact with people who are eager to speak to you. 


7) Scan the people around the room first. This is going to make it easier for you to choose your targets and the path you will use to get to all of them.


8) It is best to approach VIPs first, at least 15 minutes before they start their speeches. This is because they are valuable contacts and they become busy after delivering their speech. 


9) It is also a really good idea to spot the lone wolves first. This is because it is easier to speak more privately and integrating into large circles can be very difficult. Talking to individuals is also the most effective way to network. 


10) When talking, ask others about themselves so that you can connect to them and make the conversation much more enjoyable for you and them.


11) When asked about yourself, be brief and say your name last so that they can easily remember it and stay in touch. 


12) When approaching someone, be the first one to extend your hand. Also, shake hands before departure especially if you are a woman. This procedure is professional and friendly.


13) Ask open-ended question to see if the other person will be helpful or can provide what you are looking for. Also, make sure the conversation is not one way; this can make it awkward, unproductive and the network will be weak.


14) Be ready to give and receive cards. Keep your and others' cards organized so that they do not mix up. Having people's business cards is important so that they can easily be one of your contacts.


15) When confronting people, it is also a good idea to bring along a mutual acquaintance who can introduce you to the other person. 


16) If the person you are talking to is looking for something, you should help them with it so that they are willing to help you or do you any favours. Exchanging ideas and information can be helpful for both people. It can help you connect to more people. 


17) While conversing, make sure that there is eye contact. Otherwise, the conversation will be awkward and it could mean that the other person is not willing to cooperate. 


18) You should follow up on your contacts after the conference so that you can get to know them better. This can strengthen your network with these people and can also serve opportunities which you can use to know more people. 

Network Mapping

1. In total, I have 202 people in my network. When I saw this, I was quite amazed because I am not very outgoing and I am just mildly social. Thus, I have more than enough people to contact and ask information from if I need any assistance with job applications and etc. This really surprised me because I thought that I did not know that many people - I thought I really had no actual network. But, when I mapped this out, I realized that I have so many people in my family, institutions I have participated in and classmates/friends, I can easily reach out to these people for anything that I needed in terms of careers assistance, especially considering that I know so many people with lots of experiences in multiple fields and studies. So, although I was really surprised, this networking map told me that there are many people out there who are willing to share their guidance.

2. Although I have a lot of connections at school and social life, I lack at knowing people outside of school and institutions. For example, I barely know people in my neighbourhood although I have lived here for 5 years. Knowing them will help me learn more about job opportunities nearby so that I can save up for the future. And, although I have participated in many non-profit programs, like those that help immigrants and newcomers become familiar with Canadian society, I really do not have anyone in contact and I did not keep in touch with the people I worked with. Also, although I go to volunteer at populated places like the Mosque and Library, I am not familiar with people outside my volunteer job which is very necessary to branch out to more volunteer opportunities. And, I am participated in French School and Proton Learning Centre, but these people usually have similar interests because they are students seeking help. So, there, I should get into contact with teachers and tutors who have a lot of education experience. These would be great ways to expand on my network.

Microfinancing (KIVA)

Microfinancing

Organization: KIVA (kiva.org)

Name: Virgen Del Rosario De San Sebastian Group

# of members: 13

Location: Peru

Link: http://www.kiva.org/lend/414046

Description:

This group from Peru has gathered together because of their economic difficulties. Together, they make a living so that they can support themselves a team. Their primary ways of making money is by holding small businesses such as crafts businesses, furniture sales and nutrition sales.

As of now, the leader of the group is Sabina Carlo Flores. She is a 27-year-old mother who has 3 children. She needs to support her children and herself so that they can have food and so that the kids can have education like others their age. So, Sabina has pulled together this group so that they can work together to earn for a living. Currently, a lot of the money earned by the group comes from Sabina’s business – she runs a pizzeria. However, the money they earn is barely enough to buy enough of what they need, like clothes and nutrition. Conditions are tight and the group is falling short on resources. Thus, Sabina needs the loan to buy more supplies to make cheese and pizza, which would maximize the group’s income, allowing them to get all the resources they need in amounts that enough to support everyone.

I would support Sabina because the loan she needs is not just for her or her business. The loan is also not to just support her children but to support a much larger group of adults who have their own children. Lending them the money they need will ensure that they can live properly and healthily while also promising that all their kids can go to school and have opportunities to lead a better future. Thus, I would support Sabina and her group as this is a desperate and combined effort to make people’s living conditions better.

Microfinancing (Kickstarter)

Microfinancing

Organization: Kickstarter (kickstarter.com)

Name: Virgen La Source (documentary film)

Nationality: Swedish and Haitian

Link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1826355829/la-source-a-film-about-brothers-bringing-clean-wat?ref=live

Description:

                La source is a village in Haiti, located near a mountain that channels water. For the people in the village, the mountain is the main source for clean water – to drink and for sanitation purposes. However, the government does not fund the supply of water, making it hard for the people in La source to receive water for their families. They are left with 2 options – make a long and dangerous trip to the mountain every day to bring back loads of water or receive unclean and infected water from nearby rivers.

                The film mainly focuses on the Lajeunesse brothers, who used to live in the village. Brother Josue moved to New Jersey and found employment as custodian in Princeton University and a taxi driver. He sends the money to his brother, Chrismedonne, who works as a carpenter in La source. The money is used by the brothers to create a channel for the water to travel from the mountain to the village.

                I would support this program because water is an essential part of people’s lives. These people struggle every day to get clean water. This is holding them back from education, success and development. Thus, I would support the Lajeunesse brothers in their work with the village so that this can change the lives of the many people held back by these third-world difficulties.

                

Sending a Letter (To: Bryan Cranston)

Who am I writing this letter to?

Bryan Cranston.

Who is Bryan Cranston?

Bryan Cranston (age 56) is an award-winning American actor, writer and director. He is very famous for his role as Walter White in the AMC TV show, Breaking Bad, and he is also well-known for his role as the father character named Hal in Malcolm in the Middle. So far, he has won 4 Emmys for his outstanding performance as the lead role in Breaking Bad and he has been nominated several times for his other roles. He is currently working on the 5^th Season of Breaking Bad with a salary of $125,000 per episode. As of now, his net worth is over $30 million.

Why am I writing to him?

Bryan Cranston has a lot of experience in his profession. He started his career by portraying minor characters. He was not paid much and difficulties started to swarm into his career.HH However, he managed to move up to the highest positions in American drama after gathering more experience and expanding upon his talent. His hard work led him to become one of greatest stars on TV and allowed him to win lots of awards. Also, throughout his career, he has shifted between the types of environments he worked in. For example, he has moved from Comedy to Dark Family Drama within a short period of time while still keeping up his reputation. Although I have no objective of being an actor, I still want to be like him. My prime intent is to be a physician. That takes 10 years at least. It is much like Cranston’s career. So, I want advice for him to see how he was able to build up on his career over such long periods. Also, as a doctor, I will have to deal with different patients and fix various situations. This is much like Cranston’s life in the entertainment industry – moving from Comedy to the depths of total seriousness. So, I want to know how he has learned to deal with different types of people and used these interactions to become better in his career.

So, here’s the letter…

Dear Bryan Cranston,

        My name is Tahmid Zawad. I am from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I used to be a big fan of your hit TV show “Malcolm in the Middle”. I always liked all the hilarity and drama. Now, I am an even bigger fan of your work in “Breaking Bad”, which I would say, is the best TV drama series I have watched. I think you are an amazing actor and the way you blend in with different environments in acting – from comedy to dark drama to action – always greatly inspired me. Watching amazing actors such as yourself, I have always wanted to be big and successful although I may never win an award so prestigious like the Emmy. In short, your work and achievements are very inspiring.

        It inspires me even more than you have worked so hard to achieve your fame and respect as an actor, currently being at the peak of your career so far. I understand it did not start off easy as you had to begin by playing small roles. Your career moved slowly but, in the end, you achieved BIG. And that is why I want to ask you for advice. I want to go to medical school by the time I am 20 after finishing bachelors in life sciences. Then, it will take roughly over 10 years to become a licensed physician. So, my career path is very slow and I have to be really patient to be able to be successful while also being competitive to become a doctor out of the many, which is very similar to the way the entertainment industry, works. Also I always enjoyed how could so easily change from being “Hal” to “Walter White”, hence moving from comedy from more serious drama. Since I want to be doctor, I will have to deal with and get used to different types of people and conditions, while also making myself better at my career, which you always did. Thus, I would like to ask you about how you were able to build up on your career on your path to success. I would really appreciate if you told me more about your life story and about the important things you learned from life that worked for the better part of your career. I would be very pleased because this would give me a more clear idea of the “real” world which comes after high school. And I am sure your advice and guidance will allow me to make better decisions.

        It was a great pleasure writing this letter. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Tahmid Zawad

Good Advice

Letters I read: President George W. Bush, New York Governor George E. Pataki, North Dakota Governor Edward T. Schafer, Northern Mariana Islands Governor Pedro P. Tenorio, Maine Governor Angus S. King Jr., Louisiana Governor Mike Foster Jr., Hawaii Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano, Kentucky Governor Paul E. Patton, Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad, and Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura

My 5 favourite quotes:

“Always do your best. Be a doer, not a critic. If you are fortunate enough to take something out of the system, put something back to it. Give life everything you’ve got – don’t look for the easy way out.” – George H. W. Bush, page 5

Old Bush’s words inspired me especially because despite the way the media presents them in modern day, Bush has come a long way and his words show me that there is a lot to learn in life. What he is saying is true and not many people often refer to such things. Most people tend to watch and complain about how politics go back and forth. But, Bush is saying be a “doer”, meaning we must take the idea for the need of change as our responsibility and take it in own hands. Also, when he says that it is better to avoid “the easy way out”, he is saying that we should not rely on others and we should use all our abilities for the things we want, giving life “everything you’ve got”.

“… I believe in simple things: truth, idealism and fighting for what’s right. And I believe that people have the right to know what I am doing to improve the quality of life. I also believe that government must serve the people, not the other way around.” – Hawaii Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano, page 23

There are many layers to Cayetano’s quote. And, his quote proves his honesty and that he truly looks out for the people. This makes his words very meaningful and respectable to me. Normally, politicians would ignore the needs of the people and go to support corporations and so. But, this man understands that there is something wrong with this system and he confidently speaks out against it. He shows that the government must serve the people and oppress them. This is something many politicians are afraid to do. Thus, his words show his courage and he truly inspires me.

“I would have has absolutely no success if I had stood around waiting to be invited into the game. I got into politics because I wanted to see things change and I realized that no one was going to listen to me if I didn’t speak up. I did, look where it got me!” – Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, page 47

Changes do not just occur. People are involved in it. If you want a change, you must be a part of it to make it happen. That’s what Jesse Ventura did. He did not just sit there, he pushed himself into “the game” and changed things and made them the way he wanted them to be. He stood up, spoke out and turned his life upside down. This is telling people that if they really want something, they should not just make a wish but also make it come true. That is what Ventura is telling us, and his quote is much related to that of Bush and Governor Cayetano. And he just does not speak his thoughts; he speaks out his actions – as examples. Thus, his words are indeed meaningful to me.  

“… It is important to all of us that you do (study, work hard and achieve) – after all, you, and all other young people of our country, are out future” – New York Governor George E. Pataki, page 57

It seems to be often forgotten that children of this generation will be the leaders of the next. Pataki’s quote tells us that children are the drivers of the success of the future. This gives a lot of meaningful to the many pressures and difficulties youngsters go through during education, often wondering why they need to do it. Pataki answers this confusion very clearly and precisely. “We are the future”. This makes us imagine that if we do not work hard, the world, to which we shall be leaders, will fall apart. This pushes us to do our best at school – because, without our dreams, there will be no future. Thus, I like this quote a lot and this should be a constant reminder to those kids who pay no importance to education.

“My philosophy has long been to set my goals high, work hard, and I will achieve those goals. My father instilled me the belief in work hard and commitment to your goals. It has served me well in private and public life.” – North Dakota Governor Edward T. Schafer, page 61

Governor Schafer tells us that we must set our goals high and work hard to achieve success. This is in fact, true. When people set high goals and go beyond their limits to achieve it, they become unstoppable and go on a rampage to get what they want. And that is the key to being happy and successful in life. Setting low goals and being lazy has always worked otherwise. Thus, we must never underestimate our potential and we must always look forward to that extra mile that we can surpass. For, success is defined by how far one can go and Schafer has a very nice way of presenting it.

THE END.

Finding Purpose

1)      Despite having my own reasons to come to school, my parents and other external sources have shown me alternate reasons to come to school.

a.       My parents want me to come to school because they want me to be educated. They want me not to just pass, but also be among the best. They believe that being among the top in all subjects is the key to success. Also, it is something for them to brag about to their friends who also have children my age. So, it also comes down to a matter of competition because to the average immigrant parent, their child’s grade determines where they stand in society.

b.      My culture, although it has qualities that are not vibrant in Canada, still strictly focuses on people’s success and literacy. My culture puts people in their places and positions in their lives based on grades and success. If I were to stay with my culture, I would need to get amazing grades, be successful and wealthy. If I wanted to choose my life partner from my cultural background, marriage is only an option when I have high grades and a clearly bright future. So, culture wants me to go to school because without success, and education, people will look down on you and less people will support you. Thus, overall, it is all about respect and recognition.

c.       My friends have also given me multiple reasons to come to school. This is because there is no other place for us to build a strong friendship through cooperation and hard work. School is also a major factor that brings friends together and keeps them close together. Thus, my peers are also a reason why I come to school.

2)      Although there is pressure from family and culture, I generally ignore their expectations and look up to my goals and expectations. I come to school because I want to find out how I will be successful. I want to know what area of knowledge and work fits me the best. I want to find out what interests me the most and what I am the best in. Thus, I come to school because it balances out my choices and shows me which career I should take that would make me the most successful.

My grades are quite good, in my opinion anyways. My average is around 92 at school. I have subjects which I am really good at: Careers (<100), Biology (95), History (94), Mathematics (94-97; undecided by teacher), and French (95). Then, there are subjects that I am mildly good at: Computer Science (around 90), Interdisciplinary Studies (82), English (>84). My grades are like this because although I spend so much effort in certain subject areas, I reduce my focus in other subject areas. Thus, I am inconsistent. If I used more energy and study time, my lower grades would catch up with the higher ones, hence increasing my overall performance. Also, I tend to become lethargic. So, I lose my ability to use all of my skills and potentials to perform incredibly in each subject area.  If I had put all of my effort to work, I could have achieved an over 95 average. Thus, I conclude that I am pleased (for now) with my grades but not fully satisfied because I know that I can do a lot better than what I already achieved at school.

3)      I am obviously unsatisfied with certain results of my performance during this school year, but I think I improved a lot from last year. Last year, most of my grades were in the 80s and some were in the low 90s. My average was around 88 in Grade 9. I was not satisfied, especially considering so many of my peers being better than me. However, this year in Grade 10, although I did not put in 100% effort into my work, I still worked harder and managed to achieve a lot better in grades as compared to last year. My average rose by a lot and I am much better than most of the friends who did better than me last year. So, I am proud of myself. Also, this allowed me to gain a lot more confidence and encouragement, meaning I am determined to put more effort into school in Grade 11. So, I achieved big this year although I am not fully satisfied.

4)      Since I am in Grade 10, within the next 4 years, I have a lot to achieve:

a.       Firstly, I want to gain an average over 95 to greatly increase my chances of getting into the best Universities in Canada

b.      Also, I want to get the highest grade in Biology and Mathematics because these are tools that will help me become a doctor

c.       I want to get into Life Sciences at UofT

d.      I want to get an average of over 95 at UofT to increase my opportunities of being a participant at Medical School

Application Evaluation (Cover Letters + Resumes)

Follow this link to see all the applications: http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/danforthcti/mastcareers/JobSim1Resumes.html
[Notice: This blog entry may be updated because a lot of people did not submit their applications.]

The 3 best applications were Tom Phillips, Polonius Roqufort and Mark Lambert. The reason for this is because each of these applications contains appealing, required and succinct information in both their resumes and cover letters. The formatting and design are excellent and visually appealing. The organization is also very decent and allows the information to stand out as clearly as possible. The content provided in these applications is also very impressive and interesting. Thus, these applications are on the win list and the applicants will definitely get their jobs.

The 3 worst applications were Joe Bob, Jacob Miller and Andrew Smith. It is very hard to address the issues to all these applications as a whole, because the problems are very individual and must be broken down.

The first problem with Joe Bob’s application was that there was only a cover. There was no resume to be referred to. Thus, considering that resumes are the base of the application, it is quite clear that his application will be rejected. Nevertheless, there were also a lot of problems with the cover letter which is the “entrance” into the resume. The cover letter looked unappealing and appears as if no effort was put into it. When the cover letter is read, the information provided is very plain and does not discuss a lot of skills possessed by the applicant. Thus, this application is definitely the worst.

The problem with Jacob Miller’s application was that the cover letter, which makes the first impressions. The problem is that the applicant does not use the cover letter to introduce the employer to his skills and experiences, and the applicant rather goes on talking about respect and work ethics and avoids the topic of experiences and does not address to the resume. Also, the resume was very blank. There was barely any information on work experiences or any information regarding what the person had to do for work. The format also looks plain and unappealing. There was also a lot of grammatical problems, creating an even bigger disappointment.

The issue with John Abraham’s application was that, when the employer looks at the resume, it is easy to point out that even though the applicant has a lot of experience, all the experiences blend in with each other and the applicant basically does the same thing for a very long period. Thus, I say that this resume is rather one of the worst. Also, this person does not have a lot of awards of achievements that would be appealing to the employer.

Cover Letters Assessment

Rankings for the Cover Letters: 9, 3, 2, 11, 12, 8, 1, 5, 18, 4, 17, 14, 7, 13, 15, 10, 19, 16, 10, 6

Reasons for choosing the top 3 cover letters: My top 3 cover letters were 9, 3, and 2. The reasons why I chose these particular letters as the best ones out of all of them is because they consist of excellent diction, grammar, punctuation. This shows the employer that the applicants are sufficient in communication and are prepared for the job. The design, layout, format and organization of these letters are outstanding and are much better as compared to any other cover letter from the list. The text was very easy to follow. The formatting was excellent. The design was also high appealing. Also the content was relevant and outstanding. The content showed that the applicants have all degrees, experience and other requirements needed for the job along with other relevant experiences that can contribute to the job. Combined with proper design and fine communication skills, these are simply the best cover letters. Thus, the employer would definitely be interested to see what information is provided in the resume.

Reasons for choosing the bottom 3 cover letters: My bottom 3 cover letters had qualities that were quite the opposite of the top 3 cover letters, which delivered an outstanding performance in terms of job applications. The bottom 3 cover letters - 16, 10 & 6 - lacked these professional qualities and stand out as the worst cover letters of all of them. Overall, the language was problematic in all of these cover letters. Punctuation was not proper. There were spelling issues and there were also issues with grammar. The layouts/designs were also unappealing. The contents were not properly organized and were hard to follow. Also, speaking of content, the information was mostly irrelevant. The experiences presented by all 3 applicants are not experiences that are related or can contribute to these jobs. Thus, these experiences are not recognized. So, all in all, adding up the grammatical problems, format flaws, and irrelevance of information, the applicants seem not to have the requirements, skills or experiences for this job and appear to be people who really do not want this job and are looking forward to ANY job. This is quite disappointing and these applicants' resumes will probably not be read let alone the applicants being hired for the job.

Resume Lesson (Intro 1): Ranking Resumes

1. Rankings of resumes: 20, 13, 3, 4, 5, 10, 9, 19, 2, 15, 14, 7, 16, 6, 21, 11, 8, 18, 12, 1, 17

2. My top 3 resumes/applicants were 20, 13 and 3. I chose these resumes due to their excellence in presentation, their superior grammar and organization, and their clarity and emphasis on related jobs and experiences. From these resumes I learned that a lot of things need to be considered in order to create a decent resume. Firstly, I learned that it is needed that the one is mainly focusing on the job they are applying for. Therefore, all the experience and education that are tied into that particular job should have more emphasis on them in the resume and they must come before other experiences. These experiences must also show a brief amount of information to give the employer a summary of the types of activities you are experienced in. Secondly, you must make sure that your resume makes sense. This means that the resume must be grammatically and punctually correct. This would ensure that the employer is able to understand your resume better, which gives you a much greater chance of success. Also, it is more professional to have a resume that is grammatically superb, whereas having grammatical errors can show they employer that you are not organized and do not take care of your work - giving him reason to reject the job application. Finally, the structure matters. One of the most important things in making a perfect resume is that it looks organized and is visually appealing. The layout of the resume needs to be in a proper order. Different levels of experience cannot be mixed together as this would cause the employer to be confused and disappointed. In a proper structure, personal information must be at the top, the title should be there too and should be in bold. Different sections should be properly separated, in which case it is more professional to use "division" lines. The font and writing style need to be appropriate. It is recommended that font 11 and Arial are used in resumes as it portrays a sense of professionalism. 

3. My bottom 3 resumes/applicants were 17, 1 and 12 (reverse order). I chose these resumes due to their lack of organization, extreme over qualification, and lack of focus and relevant information, From these resumes I learned that there are a lot of ways to "mess up" or ruin a job application. Thus, there are a lot of things that are needed to be avoided in writing a resume. First of all, it is quite unprofessional to list 1-2 references on the resume. This is because, the employer is not being given sufficient information about the location of reference and may have confusion about who he is receiving references from. Thus, it is best to put references on request. Also, a lot of people failed to focus on skills related to the main job because they prepared a lot of information about other skills, experiences and education that are irrelevant to the job. So, the resume loses its focus and the employer gets the impression that the person applying is not suited for the job. Thus, the resume must be brief and should focus on experiences that can relate to the job being applied to. Finally, a lot of people listed degrees, such as Masters, on this simple Tutor job application. This sets into motion that the person is overqualified and is prone to get rejected by the employer. 

4. I think that the best formatted resume belonged to 20. This resume was amazing due its content and presentation. Compared to other resumes, it was the most appealing and it definitely stood out the most. The person was able to organize the components of the resume in such an order that it shows a great amount of focus on the job being applied for. The person also has a lot of relevant information. The person has a high amount of experience in mathematics and related skills. He/she has already tutored at other places for mathematics meaning that this applicant is highly reliable and experienced. The person has multiple achievements (in Mathematics) that show that he/she is perfectly suitable for the Tutor job. Also, the person's current status shows that he/she is studying at University of Toronto. This shows that the person has a great amount of potential and is very knowledgeable. Thus, this person would definitely get the job.

Living Expenses

- Food: My monthly food costs total up to $450. This is because I like to cook and eat with ingredients from grocery shopping over the weekdays, But, over the weekends, I like to visit expensive restaurants and eat out there with friends. Overall, this is quite expensive for 1 person and it adds up to $5,400 per year.

- Rent: Altogether, my monthly cost for rent and utilities is $1,768. This is because my rent itself would cost me $1,500. This is because I prefer to live in a decent home that is situated at a safe and beautiful part of the city. I would also like to have a decent amount of other utilities like electricity, Internet, TV, phone and resources such as water as gas. This would add up to a cost of $268, which is around enough for one person. Thus, yearly this would cost me $21,200.

Savings:

- House: I would need to save up about $12,143 per year to pay for 20% down payment for my house. This is because I want a house that has a lot of space (for my future family), has decent build quality and is around a safe and exotic area. So, my house would at least cost $850,000. The down payment would be $170,000 which I would pay for 14 years.

- Vehicle: I would need to save up $3,750 per year for a car. I want a decent vehicle that costs about $30,000. The vehicle will be a 4-seat vehicle and probably be a Toyota. So, I would save up for it over 8 years, which is $3,750 per year. That way, there is less financial pressure on me and I can take my time to save up to buy a good car.

- Wedding: I want my wedding to be amazing. So, I would save up to about $6,500 per year for my wedding. I am planning for my wedding to cost around $65,000. I will save up for this over 10 years.

- Vacations, family entertainment and reunions: I would save up to about $4000 yearly for family entertainment and spending time with friends. I plan to have a big vacation every 4 years, which would costs about $12,000 for a 4 person family. For this, I need to save up to $3,000 per year. I would save another $1,000 yearly for annual reunions and parties with my friends from school altogether. So, I would need to save up to $4,000 per year.

In co-relation to my careers choices:

- Surgeon: Surgeons make about $80,000 per year after taxes are cut off. If I look at my annual costs, yearly I am spending $67,325. Thus, even after all my spending, I will have another $13,000 left to spend. This number will grow eventually and allow me to save more money over the years because my salaries will increase over time.

- Mechanical engineer: Mechanical engineers start off with about $50,000 per year. This means that I will only have enough money for yearly costs and no money on savings. This would mean that if I wanted to maintain my savings, I would have to give up my yearly costs. I would need to live at a smaller, not-as-good home with limited supplies so that I can maintain my annual savings. However, this situation will begin to improve because I will move up in the workforce and earn more.

- Lawyer: The starting salary for a lawyer is around $70,000. Thus, this means that I will have just enough money to pay for my yearly living expenses and collect my annual savings. This means that I will not be able to spend money on anything else such as video games, buying new equipment, buying gifts and etc. This would mean that I have to choose to live at a place with a lower monthly rent so that I can increase the amount of money I have left to spend. However, likewise the other occupations, this would improve as my yearly salary rises, farther increasing the amount of money I can spend or save. 

3 Places to Live

Location: Eglinton – Victoria Park, North York, ON

Monthly rent cost: $780

Highlights:

Furnished

Washer/Dryer

Air Conditioning

4 piece bath

1 bedroom

TV Cable included

Close to Eglinton Square Mall

Why I chose this place:

The home is close to the mall and other convenience stores, meaning if I need something, I can easily get it

The home is furnished. So, I do not need to buy anything, which would costs thousands of more dollars

There is a washer and dryer included. Thus, laundry is free and convenient.

Air conditioning is also included. Thus, I do not need to spend more money to cool down the place during the summer.

TV Cable included. I do not have to pay extra to watch television as it is included with the home and I can pay these bills directly through the mortgage.

Location: Lawrence – Bellamy, Scarborough, ON

Monthly rent cost: $1100

Highlights:

Fully furnished

Newly renovated

1 bedroom

Private entrance

Kitchen and Living Area

Parking Spot

Internet and Cable included

10 minute walking distance to Scarborough General Hospital

15 minute walking distance to UofT Scarborough Campus

Close to TTC

Why I chose this place:

Fully furnished means costs are massively reduced

The home is in perfect condition as it has been renovated recently. This is needed to keep my belongings all tidy and organized

The home is close to TTC, meaning if I need to go to the library to study, I can easily use the subway

The home is also close to the hospital. This is also very good in case of emergency or if I need to see the doctor

The home is also close to UofT, where I will be studying. This is convenient and it also cuts out major transportation costs

Kingston – Victoria Park, Scarborough, ON

Monthly rent cost: $2200

Highlights:

In the beach area

Close to Queen Street and Lake Ontario

Close to TTC bus stops

2 bedrooms

2 washrooms

Large Patio

Large front and back yards

Laundry included

Large living area

Kitchen and washrooms are fully renovated

Gas stove

Dishwasher

Air conditioning

Wood burning fireplace

Why I chose this place:

The area is beautiful and refreshing as it is near the beach

Air conditioning keeps the place cool during the summer

Wood burning fireplace keeps the living area warm during the winter

2 bedrooms, 2 washrooms and large living area means that the home can be shared with another classmate from university, which evens out the high costs

The home is close to TTC bus stops, meaning using the subway to go to university or other places, like the library, will not be a problem

Education Costs (based on Careers Choices)

Job Title: Mechanical Engineer
University/College: University of Toronto

Years in Undergraduate Program  4 years
Years in M. Eng. (Graduate Program): 2 years
Total number of years: 6 years

Cost of Undergraduate Program: $11,000x4 = $44,000
Cost of M. Eng. (Graduate Program): $10,000x2 = $20,000
Total cost: $64,000
___________________________________________________________________________________

Job Title: Cardiovascular Surgeon
University/College: University of Toronto

Years in Undergraduate Program: 4 years
Years in Master of Health Science (Graduate Program): 4 years
Total number of years: 8 years

Cost of Undergraduate Program: $10,000x4 = $40,000
Cost of Master of Health Science (Graduate Program): $8,500x4 = $34,000
Total cost: $74,000
___________________________________________________________________________________

Job Title: Lawyer/Attorney
University/College: University of Toronto

Years in JD Program (Undergraduate Program): 4 years
Years in Master of Laws (Graduate Program): 1 year

Cost of JD (Undergraduate Program): $25,000x4 = $100,000
Cost of Master of Laws (Graduate Program): $7,000
Total cost: $107,000

Scholarship Research Entry

The following is from this website:

http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/danforthcti/mastcareers/danforthscholarshippackage20092010.pdf

Scholarship #1: Laurentian University National Deans’ Scholarship Award

Money: 4 payments of $20,000 over 4 years

Requirements:

-          Student has an average of 90% or higher

-          Lots of contribution to school and community

-          Outstanding leadership skills

Why I think I can get it:

-          I have an average of 93%

-          I have participated in extracurricular activities such as Instrumental Band, and I have 500 community volunteer hours

-          I am well-known for helping others do better and I am in the Student Council

Scholarship #2: Toronto East Rotary Club Service Scholarship Award

Money:

-          A payment of $4000 for 1^st year

-          A payment of $1000 for 2^nd year

Requirements:

-          Student is going to participate in post-secondary education

-          Student has earned 100 community hours per year at high school during Grade 10, 11 & 12

-          500 word essay on how the student has contributed to community

-          3 references

Why I think I can get it:

-          I plan on going to McMaster University and studying in Life Sciences

-          I am currently earning 250 hours per year in community service

-          My essays are terrific, represent thought and determination

-          All my teachers see me as a great student

Scholarship #3: Queens Major Entrance Scholarships

Money: $26,000 - $40,000

Requirements:

-          Student has won variety of awards

-          90% or higher average

-          Good leadership skills

-          Student s with financial difficulties

-          Student participate in school or is involved in the community

Why I think I can get it:

-          I excel in many subjects, giving me a great chance of winning awards in school programs

-          I currently have a 93% average

-          I help others in learning and I am in the Student Council

-          I am very active in the community and I also participate in extracurricular school programs

My Top 3 Intelligences

The intelligence test is on this website: http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/cgi-bin/results.cgi

My greatest strength is spatial sense, in which I received a score of 4.71/5.00.

-          I can use this strength in mathematics, particularly in geometry and functions. I can easily remember, create and analyze shapes and figures in geometry. Also, I will be able to make really good posters and other visual presentations to display geometric works.  

-          I can also use this strength in visual arts. Using my ability to remember shapes, sizes and ratios of objects exactly, I can easily draw or paint something that I have looked at with the proper sizes, shapes, positions and contrast.

-          I can also use this strength in geography. Using my ability to observe shapes, I can create very detailed maps of locations, which will have exact measurements of surroundings along with properly illustrated directions between places in the location.

My second greatest strength is logic/mathematics, in which I received a score of 4.57/5.00.

I can use this strength in Engineering. Using my ability to relate things together, I can create a really good product that meets and excels the criteria required. Also, I can use this for innovation. I can use my ability to bring new and brilliant ideas to discussions, which can help others learn.

I can also use this strength in mathematics, particularly in puzzles and riddles. Because I can think mathematically, I will be able to connect clues and hints together to solve puzzles. Also, in mathematics, I can use this strength to solve word problems, because I can easily see how the information relates to one another and come up with the correct solution.

I can also use this strength in English Literature. Since I am a critical thinker, when I read a book, I will explore the characters, the events, the problems and see how they all tie into one another in order to make predictions. Doing this will also allow me to easily perform well on tests because I have been able to gather knowledge about the characters that does not exist in plain sight.

My third greatest strength is self, in which I received a score of 4.57/5.00:

-          I can use this strength in English, when it comes to writing reports and articles. I can use my time to think about and reflect on what I should write and come up with deep and unique ideas that stand out from the rest of the crowd.

-          I can also use this strength in Biology. Since I am well acquainted with myself, I can look over, revise and practice what has been taught in class and use it to my advantage in order to achieve well in that subject. I can also make observations and take notes in class that I can use later on to help myself understand concepts.

-          I can also use this strength in French. I am able to teach myself and efficiently make use of my time. Thus, I can visit various French websites, read and study French grammar books, practice my communication skills by hearing or recording myself in order to learn and become more fluent in French without anyone else’s help.