It should be 1500-2500 words, or roughly 6-10 pages double-spaced. (Please include page numbers – do not count the cover page!)

YOUR ESSAY SHOULD INCLUDE:

a) An overview of the sector, industry, or occupation
” Size – total number of employees, number of employers, size of employers
” Range of possible jobs
” Public or private sector, primary or secondary labour market, secure or precarious, unionized or not…

b) Details about the position you are seeking:
” What is involved — a description of what the job entails
” Qualifications required
” Wages, benefits, working conditions
” Supply of competing candidates
” Demand — how many jobs are on offer each year?

c) How your career prospects are being affected by economic, social or political trends affecting the sector, industry, or occupation [THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION]
” Structural and cyclical changes – eg. free trade / globalization, neo-liberalism, the recent recession, increasing competition, outsourcing, technological change, climate change, etc;
” Changing consumer taste / results of marketing.
” Changing political climate – increased /reduced resources or budgets

d) Overall assessment – your conclusions
” Is there an opportunity for me to make a contribution?
” Is this job a good match with my personality?
” Can I make a living somehow?
” Are there other benefits – travel, power, friendship…

e) Bibliography (without annotations)
” List the sources in alphabetical order
” Bibliographies should be single spaced.
” Any interviews you do should be listed in your bibliography: Eg. Personal interview with Daniel Johnson, Supervisor of Staff Training, National Institute of Mental Health, Oxford, Ontario, February 23, 2010.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND RELEVANT INFORMATION

Working in Canada – The Working in Canada Web site provides job seekers, workers and those who are new to the Canadian labour market with the information required to make informed decisions about where to live and work. The site can assist individuals who are searching for work or looking to make career decisions.