Meet Hongtao Hu, a fourth-year Commerce Co-op student majoring in Accounting. Originally from China, Hongtao chose the Commerce program for its distinctive co-op opportunities and for the oceanic views of Halifax, a far call from his landlocked hometown.

In August, Hongtao completed his final co-op at Irving Oil as an Internal Audit Student. It was there that he found the inspiration to change majors from Finance to Accounting. “The audit team at Irving was very dynamic and open to discussing my future career with me. I transferred my major from Finance to Accounting right after this co-op, because I recognized that for me, accounting has a clear career path (CPA).” Hongtao believes that one shouldn’t follow a career path because it has already been charted, but to find what works best for the individual.

Hongtao had the opportunity to work in three different cities over the course of his co-ops, which excited him. “I relish the opportunity to work in different locations, as it allows me to immerse in the work and life culture of a city, helping me ascertain whether I am suited to a particular job or place. Moreover, experimenting with diverse roles is crucial when you are still exploring your career path.”

Across his three work terms, Hongtao developed a key transferable skill: his Excel proficiency. All of his practice has equipped him with the expertise to tackle major projects. His work led to a culmination during his work term at Irving Oil. “My third co-op allowed me to demonstrate my accomplishments by developing automated templates for Irving Oil’s internal audit team, including risk assessment worksheets, daily project trackers, and outcome follow-ups.” This project is something that Hongtao has taken extreme pride in. “The most rewarding part was the appreciation and recognition from colleagues for the efficiency improvements these new worksheets introduced. Such acknowledgements fuel my ongoing desire to learn and progress.”

Throughout his time at Dal, Hongtao frequently leveraged the services provided by MCS, something he feels was very beneficial to his job search. “The MCS job search courses (COMM1711/1712), along with the resume review and interview practice with a Career and Recruitment Specialist are incredibly beneficial. When job searches yield no interviews, this resource is invaluable.”

Most recently, Hongtao secured his post-graduate job as an External Auditor with PwC. He is also on his way to earning his CPA certification.

Here is Hongtao’s advice for you:

• Leverage the assistance offered by Management Career Services, they provide invaluable resources.
• It is perfectly fine to start without a clear major or career path in mind. Once you begin, you must strive to succeed. You never know how these efforts might influence your future.
• Look for different roles during each work term to gain as much experience as you can.