Glen Barber
MA in Economics (2013)
What field of work are you in, and what duties are required in your position?
I work as an Information Technology (IT) Auditor for the Government of Canada, in an agency called the Office of the Auditor General. My job involves working with other government departments to ensure that projects are successful and money is well spent. Once an audit is done, we publish a report of our work online to be read by parliament and the public.
- What challenges did you face when looking for work after graduating?
I didn’t have a job lined up immediately after graduating, so I spent my first summer out of university looking for work. To get experience and keep myself busy, I volunteered at a few different charities. That experience helped me land my first job in the government.
- How did you arrive at your current position?
For the first couple years of my career I worked on contracts lasting between 6-12 months in a few different government departments. That was fun, as you learn a lot in a short period of time. After a couple of years, I had gained some useful experience and applied to an open recruitment process at my current work.
- What advice would you give to a graduate student looking to follow a career path similar to yours?
Three things helped me start my career: 1) volunteering and participating in university clubs and groups, 2) preparing a 5-10 page job market paper that you can share to demonstrate your interests and writing ability, and 3) attending professional networking events and following-up with the people you connected with.
Glen Barber has been involved with Carleton’s Alumni Mentoring program. The Alumni Mentors program pairs motivated upper-year students and recent graduates with an alumni mentor. Mentors are established professionals who help students and recent graduates develop skills for the workplace and expand their professional networks.