Written by: Mara Williams

Michael Joyce (BComm ’03) is Vice President of Sales at Dare Foods Limited, where he and his team deliver on various sales and profit objectives. His long and successful career in sales was launched by the three co-ops he completed at Procter & Gamble during his Commerce Co-op degree at Dalhousie. These work terms allowed him to grow essential skills and develop connections that helped him continue to build his career after graduating. Michael credits his co-op terms with the skill and network development that has helped him succeed. “They gave me the opportunity to develop relationships with mentors at the company who would be instrumental in helping me build my skills and career over many years.”

Launching a Career with Co-ops

During Michael’s degree at Dalhousie, he majored in Marketing Management, initially planning to pursue a career in marketing. However, his co-ops at Procter & Gamble exposed him to the world of sales for the first time and gave him the opportunity to discover his passion for it. “I really enjoyed the challenge that comes with navigating competing interests to find win-win solutions that comes with working in sales.” After finishing his three co-ops with Procter & Gamble, Michael was offered a full-time role following graduation. His work terms gave him the opportunity to get to know the workplace and ensure he enjoyed the work, laying the foundation for a long career with the company.

Building Leadership Skills

Now a seasoned professional in the world of sales, Michael recommends students looking to follow in his footsteps focus on building their resiliency. “In business, there are always problems and being resilient in the face of adversity is a common trait among successful leaders.” Michael’s experience has taught him that resiliency will help you manage the challenges encountered in a dynamic workplace. In addition, becoming more skilled at resolving conflicts will continue to be a beneficial skill as you progress in your career and move up the corporate ladder. As a leader in his role today, Michael continues to develop the resiliency and conflict resolution skills he built during his work terms.

Extra-Curricular Involvement

At Dalhousie, Michael involved himself in various extracurriculars, most notably residence government and the Dalhousie/King’s Debate Society. In his second year, he served as the President of Smith House in Howe Hall. “This gave me the opportunity to build skills collaborating with others to execute events, as well as navigate the inevitable conflicts that come along with group work.” These skills helped Michael succeed during his co-ops and beyond. In addition, his involvement with the Debate Society gave him the opportunity to hone his communication and persuasion skills, both of which remain incredibly relevant in his role in sales today.

Accomplishments During Co-op

During his third co-op at Procter & Gamble, Michael was tasked with getting a new flavour of Sunny Delight onto Real Atlantic Superstore shelves. After working all summer to secure a meeting, he finally secured an opportunity to present his case – and ended up selling two truckloads for the initial launch. This was Michael’s first big sale, and it has stuck with him throughout the years. It gave him the opportunity to learn more about selling business-to-business and to experience analyzing complex data sets to develop solutions for customers. In addition, he was able to practice his persuasive communications skills in a real-world setting. Furthermore, he learned the level of operational discipline it requires to close a sale. Getting practical experience with these skills helped him succeed when he entered the workforce after graduating. “I had the opportunity to practice these skills during my work terms, and I am still practicing them today!”

In fall 2024, Management Career Services reached an incredible milestone of 20,000 business work terms for students in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op, Bachelor of Management, and Corporate Residency MBA programs. These programs have produced a diverse group of alumni who have made significant contributions across industries. To learn more about their stories and the impact of these work-integrated learning programs, visit our website.