“The main reasons I decided to attend Dalhousie were the co-op element of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program, and because I felt the major Managing People and Organizations was really fitting for me,” says Emma Sundloev, a second-year student. Originally from Singapore and Sweden, Emma grew up in Basel, Switzerland and attended schools internationally her entire life, giving her a glimpse of how much of the world there is to explore. “Halifax seemed like a beautiful city, and I thought I could learn and grow a lot during my time at Dalhousie culturally, academically, and professionally.”

Emma is currently completing her first co-op at RBC Financial Group as a Business Analyst on the Strategy Enablement Team, working hybrid from the Halifax Innovation Hub in Bedford and from home. She landed her job in part thanks to her participation in the annual Halifax Innovation Challenge, presented by RBC and IBM, in October of last year. “After meeting my current boss at the Halifax Innovation Challenge, we connected on LinkedIn, and she told me to send her my resume,” says Emma. “I reached out to her on LinkedIn following the event. I then formally applied online for the job position, and I was contacted for an interview.”

Emma was able to experience first-hand the value of putting yourself out there at employer events and what can happen when you take a chance and grow your network. “I couldn’t recommend more to attend events like the Halifax Innovation Challenge if you want to challenge yourself. The event was exciting, intense, and gave many opportunities for learning and growth,” she says. “I met people on my team who shared their knowledge and uplifted and supported each other. There were several chances to network and attend workshops during the event. It gave me a chance to work on my public speaking skills and professionalism as my team and I presented to employers.”

Emma didn’t stop networking once she landed her co-op. She decided to set a personal networking goal to work toward during the term. “One of my internal RBC goals was to have between 12 and 16 coffee chats during my co-op. I am currently on number 11 and I can say I am very happy I set myself that goal. I have been able to learn about various lines of business, roles, and careers during these coffee chats and build strong connections within RBC. I feel like every day at work I learn something new, and I really cherish those learning opportunities.”

Emma’s job responsibilities include of updating websites, organizing a co-op student event, and assisting with other event planning projects. As her team organizes on-campus events, she has been able to attend and represent the organization at the Dalhousie Computer Science RBC Industry Showcase and the SMU Corporate Tour. “It was really interesting representing RBC and having students ask me to give them tips and advice while searching for their co-ops.” Emma has been able to apply her new knowledge already as a member of the Rowe Women in Business Association, being involved with organizing their upcoming 2023 Conference. “As the International Representative for WIBA, it has been really interesting and insightful to see what goes on behind the scenes for one of the companies sponsoring the event.”

Like many other students, Emma experienced feelings of self-doubt about securing her first co-op. With aspirations of working in-office, she persevered and kept applying to jobs on myCareer that fit her career goals. During the job application process, she received support from her Career and Recruitment Specialist to make sure her resume and cover letter were tailored to each job description. “My biggest advice is to continue applying, reach out and ask for help if you aren’t sure, and use the resources that are provided such as Management Career Services,” says Emma. “Timing and patience were big lessons I learned while applying for my first co-op. Remember, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and I promise you will see the rewards.”