Third-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student Victoria’s Dalhousie experience has been shaped by her passion for finance, her willingness to step outside her comfort zone, and her commitment to making the most of new opportunities. Originally from Saigon, Vietnam, Victoria chose Dalhousie to gain practical experience through mandatory co-ops.

As a Finance major, Victoria has been able to apply her classroom knowledge through her two co-op experiences with MUFG Investor Services. During her first work term, she worked on the Portfolio Operations team to ensure that cash flows from investors to clients were accurate, trustworthy, and on time, and that all important information was stored properly. These responsibilities helped her understand the importance of accuracy and timeliness in financial operations. She also strengthened her independence by learning to troubleshoot issues she faced while working from home. “When technical issues came up, I realized the need to solve problems on my own. This is when my motivation to learn started.”

After enjoying her first work term, Victoria decided to return for her second this fall, where she has taken on additional responsibilities. She now manages more client accounts, monitors capital calls more independently, and communicates more frequently with other departments. “Getting more involved in operational tasks helped me understand how to satisfy clients’ demands while maintaining the standard procedures and supporting the efficiency of the team’s process.”

When deciding to return to MUFG Investor Services, Victoria approached her supervisor and openly communicated her interest. “My advice for students who want to return is to observe yourself and your progress during the work term. Learn not only about the tasks, but also how the organization operates, and how other departments affect your team’s role and vice versa. Always be curious about your job if it is a position you are truly interested in.”

Outside of her co-op experiences, Victoria challenged herself to participate in the Atlantic Schools of Business Student Case Competition, where her team placed third. With only 30 hours to prepare their presentation, the team had to collaborate under pressure while learning to navigate each other’s working styles. “I tried to avoid arguments because I did not want the atmosphere to get tense. But it turned out that the disagreements helped us understand each other, and we collaborated effectively by the end of the presentation.” After the case competition, Victoria carried those lessons into her co-op. She became more open to communicating and reaching out to people, which gave her more opportunities to better understand her role and contributions to her team. “Now I know that as long as everyone understands the goal we are working toward, disagreement can be very helpful for improving the process. This understanding led me to be more open to other ideas and to avoid taking things personally in a professional setting.”

Victoria shares that networking played an important role in her first co-op job search. The day before her interview with MUFG Investor Services, she was planning to attend a networking event for another company on campus. Initially, she considered skipping the event to focus on preparing for her interview, but she realized there was value in attending. The event had a positive impact on her interview performance in an indirect and unexpected way: after speaking with recruiters at the event, Victoria felt more confident and more prepared for her interview. “They helped me realize that interviewers are also humans. They prefer a happy and positive conversation over a serious and stressful interview, just like me.” Victoria took what she had learned straight into her interview the next day. “There was one piece of advice that I kept reminding myself of before, during, and even after the interview: be yourself.”