Q: Jill, I graduated from the Hospitality and Tourism Administration program at Centennial College this June. I am trying to specialize in the incentive travel and events management field. However, I am having a difficult time finding companies to research or any job listings. I would be forever grateful if you could refer a couple of companies to me.

Viviene Binns 

A: Hi Viviene. Congratulations on entering this field. Two sites really appealed to me as having tons of resources and links to your field. They are Green Tourism Association (www.greentourism.ca) and Tourism Toronto (www.torontotourism.com). Through further research I found Tourism Toronto has hired graduates from your program.

Do some snooping and connect with companies that have a history of hiring your program graduates. In your program you would have also completed an internship in the hospitality or tourism industry. I suggest you reconnect with that internship and try to gain some mentoring or referrals from it. With regard to your interest in incentive travel and events management, I’d connect with Meeting And Travel Group (www.meetingscanada.com). As you can see you’ve got a lot of research to do but where you end up could be great.

Q: Hi Jill, I’m a recent college graduate with international student status. I am applying for an accounting position. I’ve had several interviews with agencies and employers who are all interested until they hear that I have international status. No one takes me seriously because I’m limited to a year of employment. How can I increase my chances of finding a good job?

Fei Lu

A: I recommend you have a one-on-one interview with a career counsellor at the Human Resources & Social Development Canada department (www.hrsdc.gc.ca). Instead of going through the frustrating process of interviewing several times only to be desirable until you mention your status, you might want to connect with an agency that can direct you to employers who are familiar with and encourage hiring of work permitted international students. I also checked out Service Canada Job Bank (www.jobbank.gc.ca). Your best step is to know your legal rights and restrictions with regard to you international status before starting the job hunt.

• Jill Andrew invites you to her fashion fundraiser, Curvy Catwalk, on Nov. 1 at China Doll, 587 College St. For more, including tickets, visit www.curvycatwalk.com.

Jill Andrew — CYW, BA, BA (Hons.), BEd. Please include your full name, address and telephone number when e-mailing. All letters are subject to publication.

info@jillandrewmedia.com