Candice Wang is an international student in her fourth year of the Bachelor of Commerce program, majoring in Finance. Candice tells the story of how she managed to obtain a co-op placement in Canada while studying and travelling in Europe though her ability to effectively network.

“I went on exchange at IÉSEG School of Management in Paris, France in my third year. It turned out to be an exciting and valuable experience in terms of both academic development and cultural exploration. However, being an ocean away from Canada made it much harder to job hunt, so I networked constantly with my friends and previous colleagues to look for potential opportunities. A family friend offered to pass my resume along to Environics Analytics, a market research company located in Toronto, for future consideration. Luckily an opening became available at the end of April. A Skype interview and a skill assessment task were used in the hiring process, which was quite challenging for me at that time because I was backpacking around Europe with limited access to computer and internet. In the end, I managed to give it my best during both the interview and the assessment and was successfully hired as one of their summer co-op students.

Networking is one the most effective ways to job hunt and does not have to be intimidating. A casual chat over coffee or lunch with colleagues can be the perfect opportunity to build connections. It is important to show professional competency, but it also helps to connect through hobbies and personal interaction. I would definitely recommend attending networking events organized by Management Career Services. Also, pay attention to the company websites for any open house events or corporate panel discussion events. Advice to international students: Be confident in your English and don’t be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone to take initiative. It is important to participate in social events to brush up socializing skills, as communication and interpersonal skills are crucial in all organizations.”

Want to develop your networking skills? Check out MCS’s Networking: Get Connected! YouTube Playlist and the networking section in our weekly newsletter!