Hannah Gauthier is originally from Vancouver, B.C. and is in her third year of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program. Hannah is pursuing a major in international business and plans to complete work terms that help her gain experience. Dalhousie’s Commerce program intrigued Hannah  because of the opportunity to gain industry exposure before graduation. Being able to build her resume and get a degree was very significant to her. The beauty of the city and the friendliness of east coasters also contributed to her desire to enroll at Dalhousie.

Hannah landed her first work term with Management Career Services as an Event & Program Assistant. This first co-op allowed her to build her time management, event planning, and project management skills while also learning how to work effectively on a team. Hannah is currently completing her second work term at CarteNav Solutions Inc. as a Marketing Intern. This company is an international company that works to provide operator solutions. Working with a company that has a global reach allows Hannah to gain experience within her IB major.

Hannah’s approach to finding work terms meant that she began her job search early in the semester when there are more opportunities available and more time to work on her applications. She also checked myCareer frequently, along with other job portals and networking techniques. Both of Hannah’s positions were found through myCareer. Through her tireless effort to continuously apply to jobs through myCareer using customized and targeted cover letters, she was able to see results.

Through the pandemic, students have been nervous about finding a co-op position. Hannah is an excellent example that the hard work will always pay off if you are putting in the effort. Hannah reached out to her CRS early in her job search, and she was able to find lots of resources and tools to utilize to look for jobs and strategies. Hannah has had very positive experiences with myCareer and has been very happy with her co-op work terms.

Hannah’s current position is entirely remote. She mentioned that this was a steep learning curve because, before this work term, she had no experience working from home. She was unfamiliar with a lot of the responsibilities that the job entailed.

“I understand that everyone is struggling with this, whether they are working remotely or doing classes remotely, and although it requires much self-motivation and almost increased communication with my supervisor, I knew I could thrive in the remote working environment. Now that I am into the groove of my current position, I enjoy working remotely as I feel safe and supported.”  Hannah added.

Hannah’s advice to job seekers and remote workers:

“I would say to start looking for co-op positions early and use the resources MCS provides to help with your job search. When working and studying from home, don’t be afraid to ask a ton of questions if you need to! Remember that these are unprecedented times for everyone. You are not alone in this process!”