Born and raised in Toronto, Jessica Quinn is going into her third year of the Dalhousie Commerce program. She was keen on this program because of the co-op opportunities. Jessica wanted to be able to try different areas of commerce to determine what she enjoyed and to gain real-life experience.

For the first work term, Jessica worked with Prime Quadrant, an investment boutique, as a Rotational Student role. This allowed her to work with the Investment team, Client service, Office Administration, Operations, and Compliance. She said she gained great exposure to finance by having the opportunity to work in these different areas. Jessica recently spoke to Management Career Services about how she secured her next work term.

“My next co-op work term is as an Ultra High Net Worth Associate in the Enterprise Strategic Client Group at RBC. This role was secured through my own networking. I started to network with people at large banks at the end of my time at Prime Quadrant.” Jessica said.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 prevented her from networking face-to-face but that did not stop her from speaking with people. “I was connected to someone at RBC who very kindly met with me on a video call.  She introduced me to one of her team members who kindly provided me with an information interview.  During these videos and calls, I asked questions about their particular industry and the roles they had held.  I also took the opportunity to discuss the ideas I had for my next co-op.  My third call with RBC was yet another introduction and that led to an interview for a role.  I then had a video interview two days later and received a job offer later that week!” She added.

The entire experience showed Jessica the importance of networking; speaking with people, asking questions, and being introduced to their network. She mentioned the other thing she learned is the importance of following up. She said that if someone offers to speak with you, follow up with an email asking them when they are available and then follow up with a thank-you email.

As for her job search process, Jessica credits MCS coaching services “I met with both Shelley and Robert from the MCS office and they were both extremely helpful,” said Jessica. “They provided me with ideas on how to go about securing a co-op. Shelley actually pushed me to get involved in extracurricular activities which led me to join DALIS (Dalhousie Investment Society) so I could  learn more about finance and network with other students. MCS has been an incredibly helpful resource for me during both of my co-op searches.”

Jessica’s short-term goals are to further develop her analytical skills, gain experience in the banking industry, and develop her leadership skills through extra-curricular activities. “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of RBC Wealth Management Team, I will look to strengthen my Excel and data organization skills while aiming to provide value within my role.” She added. For her current long-term goals, Jessica consists of completing her CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) upon graduating from Dalhousie University and land a position that will lead to leadership opportunities.

To learn more about Jessica’s story, follow her on Instagram @jessicakquinn

Tips of the week from Jessica on effective networking:

• “Follow Up.  The follow up is the most important part of networking.   It keeps communication/conversation going.”
• “Thank You.  Make sure you are appreciative of the time people offer you.  Most people are incredibly busy and have taken time out of their day to speak with you.”
• “Be informed and be ready.  Make sure you are informed about the role/company/industry of the person you are speaking with.  Have your questions ready!  This is your conversation to lead. Also, it is important you are fully prepared.   You want to leave a good impression!”
• “Have an open mind. Having an open mind when you are networking/job searching is important.  When you start networking, people will want to introduce you to someone they know who they think may be helpful.  It is important that you take them up on their offer as you never know where these conversations will lead you.”