Sydney Saunders is a third-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Finance. Originally from Toronto, she moved to Halifax to attend Dalhousie, where she was drawn by the hands-on learning that comes along with the co-op component of the Commerce program.

Currently, Sydney is working as a Business Analyst at RBC for her second co-op term with the company. “The group at RBC I am working with is Personal and Commercial Banking, which focuses on project management, solving issues within the bank and developing solutions to make the changes necessary or new solutions come to life,” she says. “What I enjoy most about the job is that you are never working on the same task twice, and there is always a new project.” Sydney also enjoys working with her team, who she says are very welcoming and helpful.

In the past year and a half, remote work has been a part of many students’ co-op experiences, and Sydney is no exception. “In terms of benefits, it allows me to have a flexible schedule and the opportunity to work from anywhere,” she says. “The downside of working from home on a co-op is that you cannot go into the office and experience working in the corporate environment and meeting your team face-to-face.”

Sydney attributed her growing skill of networking to helping her land her position at RBC. “I found my current role through my student ambassador role, where I was asked to assist with prototype testing for the group I work in now. From there, I reached out and asked if they were hiring within that area, went through the hiring process, and ended up landing the job.” She also acknowledges the resources available at MCS that supported her in her job search. “MCS was beneficial when fine-tuning my resume and cover letter when my initial job search started.”

Sydney’s advice for you:

• Never pass up an opportunity.
• Don’t be afraid to try something outside of your comfort zone. You grow from situations where you are challenged.
• Always keep an open mind when going into a new role.

Pronouns: She/Her