Ainslie Ireland is a third year Bachelor of Management student with a major in Leadership and Organizational Studies. Drawn to Dalhousie for its reputation and the East Coast lifestyle, Ainslie felt that Halifax offered the perfect balance of distance from home to achieve personal growth and independence. Growing up in a business-focused household with an enjoyment to the social side of business, she discovered a passion for Human Resources.

In grade 11, Ainslie began her professional journey through a co-op program offered at her high school. Initially planning to work at her dad’s real estate office, a conversation with a neighbor who worked in HR at Carpedia changed her vision. After successfully landing the position and taking on her roles, she shares, “Working in HR gave me the perfect balance of working with people and business-related skills.”

Returning to Carpedia each summer and working part-time during the school year, Ainslie values the company’s supportive and growth-oriented culture. “You feel very valued, and I would never feel intimidated asking for support or clarification on a task.” She found there were great opportunities for growth with exposure to different areas of the business world that led to new connections and experiences. Her time there allowed her to work her way up to taking on significant responsibilities including managing the recruitment process. This experience boosted her confidence and gave her strong applicant screening and interview skills. She shares that this role not only challenges her but also provides invaluable hands-on experience.

With many Dal alumni at Carpedia, Ainsley has actively leveraged these connections to gain insights into various career paths. She explains that talking with alumni and seeing their roles firsthand, showed her the potential of her degree. To maintain these relationships, Ainsley actively participates in training sessions and meetings. As the point of contact for Carpedia at Dal, she also hosts networking events and information sessions to ensure Carpedia has a presence on campus and encourages fellow students to apply for valuable summer and full-time positions.

Moving forward, Ainslie plans to utilize MCS resources for her internship search and attend the networking and employment options offered. She shares that work experience is highly sought by employers for post-grad roles and is one reason she joined the optional Bachelor of Management Internship Program as it provides the chance to apply what you learn in classes while also developing networking, communication and technical skills. She talks about the steps she’s been taking to prepare for her upcoming internship, which include researching different career options and tapping into her personal and professional network for insights on different opportunities. Excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, Ainslie is eager to expand her passion for business and gain more hands-on experiences in the workforce. “I am also excited to meet new people and apply what I have learned this far in my degree.”

Flavia da Cruz Silveira is a third-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student from São Luís, Brazil who is majoring in Managing People and Organizations. With a passion for marketing, she chose Dalhousie for its reputation, curriculum, and the opportunities it offers to shape a successful career for students. “I also deeply value Dalhousie’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity,” she shares.

This past winter term, Flavia completed her first co-op as a Chapters & Events Coordinator with Get REAL Movement, where she was drawn to the team’s mission of promoting diversity and empathy. She says that it was rewarding to contribute to impactful projects, in particular collaborating with Capilano University and organizing the second Virtual Career Conference to connect students across Canada with networking opportunities and free workshops.

After completing her co-op, Flavia continued her involvement with the Get REAL Movement and started to promote their mission through Get REAL Dalhousie, which she is now co-President of, and is proud to lead and engage the academic community in. Her previous experience as a teacher in Brazil has shaped her leadership style and empathy. “I believe these abilities are essential to spread the mission and purpose of The Get REAL Movement.”

Currently, Flavia is completing her second co-op as the Marketing and Social Media Coordinator at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development, focusing on creating social media content, marketing research, and performing competitive analysis on prospective certificates and courses. Enhancing processes related to marketing and sales reporting is a big focus for her this term.

Flavia’s background as an educator has allowed her to develop skills that have been fundamental in her Commerce studies and in securing co-op positions that align with her values. She shares that teaching refined her organizational and communication skills along with the ability to multitask.

For those considering a career switch or new degree, Flavia advises thorough research and connecting with the right people to ask questions. “As much as you want to change right away, it is important to take the time to do in-depth research and closely examine the curriculum of the programs that interest you. It’s essential to fully understand what each program offers and assess whether it aligns with your interests and goals”.

Aspiring to one day become an academic advisor, Flavia is motivated by the desire for meaningful work in a diverse environment and plans to continue seeking guidance to achieve her goals. To support her journey on becoming an advisor, she plans to participate in workshops, utilize the Writing Centre to enhance her writing skills, and join Dal Toastmasters to sharpen her public speaking abilities. She is engaging in student societies, including the Dalhousie Spanish and Latin American Society, with which she is Vice President of Internal Communications, and volunteers as a tutor. “I’m passionate about student engagement and languages, as I speak Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English. Being involved provides me with valuable opportunities to connect with the academic community and share my knowledge in the university environment.”

Before coming to Dal, Flavia completed her master’s research in Women and Gender Studies, focusing on discourse analysis inspired by her own journey of figuring out her role as a woman in society. Today, she is interested in how societal perceptions intersect with marketing.

Originally from Sao Paula, Brazil, second-year Corporate Residency MBA student Laura Trevelin moved to Nova Scotia just before starting high school. After completing a bachelor’s degree at Dalhousie, she worked for a few years before deciding to pivot her career. Inspired by the success of alumni who had gone through the CRMBA program, she was excited to apply and take this next step in her education and career.

From January to August of this year, Laura completed her corporate residency with Sightline Planning + Approvals, a small urban planning firm in Halifax, as the Marketing & Business Development Manager. In this role, she guided the company through a rebrand and developed and executed marketing strategies to implement the new brand across the company. A key role she participated in was business development, helping to explore new growth opportunities and craft a five-year strategic plan.

Laura shares that one interesting project she had the opportunity to take on was overseeing advertising campaigns from start to finish. “I created the concepts for billboards and made all our digital ads, managed the creative and messaging, booked the ad spaces, and then had the thrill of seeing my work displayed on billboards all over Halifax.” With any work comes challenges, and Laura shares that the most challenging aspect of her role was the rebrand, shifting the company’s brand from being centered around a solo consultant into one that reflects the company’s growth into a team of nine people. “We had to create a brand voice that clearly communicated our team-oriented approach and fresh corporate identity to our target audience—while avoiding the trap of sounding like a generic corporate entity.”

Bringing in her previous experiences, Laura was able to apply project management skills to her corporate residency. These skills helped her juggle multiple projects such as copy writing, media strategy, managing budgets and coordinating with vendors and marketing agencies.

What Laura found most rewarding about her role was the creative freedom along with the opportunity to take risks. She shares that she enjoyed the opportunity to understand the complexities of businesses which enhanced her marketing efforts. A bonus to this role was working with so many Dal alumni. “We bonded quickly—every single person at Sightline is a Dal alum, and many joined the company through work terms and returned full-time after graduation.”

As she transitions back to class this fall and prepares for graduation in the spring, Laura is excited to continue taking advantage of the numerous networking events offered by the CRMBA program and MCS, especially in the fall, as well as networking opportunities through organizations such as the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and Digital Nova Scotia. These opportunities were recommended by professors and alumni she met through networking.

The CRMBA program has allowed Laura to explore new paths she had never considered or even knew existed. “It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow both personally and professionally in ways I couldn’t have imagined.” During her time in the CRMBA program so far, one-on-one meetings with Management Career Services staff have been incredibly helpful to her. “Together, we created a game plan for each stage of the semester, which kept me focused, on track, and motivated.”

Here is Laura’s advice for students who are considering applying for the CRMBA program:

• Its okay if you’re not sure which direction you want to take! This program is designed to help you confidently explore different paths.
• When it comes to choosing your corporate residency, think about what kind of learning environment will be most beneficial for you. Big corporations offer excellent training within defined roles. Smaller companies and start-ups give you the chance to wear many hats and take on diverse projects.

Cassidy Lawrence is a second-year Commerce Co-op student who is planning to major in International Business. Originally from Ontario, she chose Dalhousie for its Commerce Co-op program, allowing students to gain valuable work experience as well as growing academically. She also wanted to experience living away from home in a smaller city with beautiful scenery, but still be close enough to home to visit.

In her first year, Cassidy made it a priority to join student societies to meet new people and expand her knowledge in areas of interest. She became involved in the Dalhousie Women in Business Association (WIBA), Dalhousie Sports Business Society (DSBS), Rowe Marketing Association, and Dal Chain as a general member. She shares how impactful the mentorship programs were through both WIBA and DSBS. “Joining these societies was one of the best decisions I made in my first year. They allowed me to meet incredible people and open doors I hadn’t anticipated. Through DSBS, I had the chance to develop a relationship with the co-president, Reagan Lindsay-Kereluik, who shared her experiences at Dal and helped me navigate my own interests as well. This connection led to my current role as the External Relations Associate for DSBS,” she says. “My mentor through WIBA organized a ‘day in the life’ where I had the opportunity to go to the company she works for, Deloitte, and take a tour of the building, meet some of her coworkers, and learn what its like to work there.”

Networking has been extremely valuable for Cassidy. She shares how LinkedIn is a crucial tool for discovering job opportunities and connecting with peers and professionals. “By leveraging LinkedIn, you can gain insights into individuals’ roles and experiences at various companies, which can be invaluable for career exploration and growth. Leveraging existing connections and alumni networks can make a huge difference in your job search and career development. At Dal, we’re lucky to have an amazing community of alumni and current employees who are willing to provide guidance of advice.” Cassidy emphasizes that while it can be intimidating, taking that step to reach out and grow your network can lead to access to hidden job opportunities, increased credibility, and mentorship and guidance. She shares that she has applied these insights toward her first co-op search by proactively engaging with her network, expanding her connections through networking, and utilizing alumni and professional platforms.

Looking ahead, Cassidy is excited about the opportunity to apply her academic knowledge in a work setting and to gain hands-on experience during her first co-op this winter. “The chance to work on actual projects at a company and work in a team is a great way to bridge the gap of theory and practice.” She is hoping to dive deep into industry-specific tools and technologies, sharpen her problem-solving and analytical skills, and improve her communication and collaboration abilities by working with colleagues to clarify her long-term professional goals. Overall, she hopes to develop a strong foundation that will help in guiding what she’s looking for in a career.

During her co-op search, Cassidy intends on utilizing the resources provided by Management Career Services (MCS) by actively engaging with the myCareer platform to identify relevant networking events and job postings that align with her interests. She also plans on consulting with her Career and Recruitment Specialist to refine her career goals and take advantage of their resume review and interview practice services. “By leveraging these resources, I aim to enhance my application materials and prepare thoroughly for interviews, ensuring a successful co-op search.”

Aadhith Kumaresan, a third-year Bachelor of Management student majoring in Data and Information, comes to Dalhousie from Chennai, India, which is home to the second longest beach in the world. Although he is only in his third year, Aadhith is already taking steps to gain real-world work experience that is relevant to his program and his future career.

Aadith learned about Management Career Services (MCS) during his first year at Dal and engaged with his Career & Recruitment Specialist early to review his resume and cover letter, receive job search advice, and prepare for interviews prior to his summer job search. This past summer, he worked as a Summer Analyst at RBC Capital Markets. His role included supporting US, Canadian, and EMEA Trading desks through Corporate Actions processing. He managed fixed income claims, as well as managed and processed a number of tasks related to corporate action events. During his time at RBC, Aadhith had the opportunity to work on automating three projects which reduced 45 minutes of time spent per day in corporate actions and fixed income procedures.

Next year, Aadhith is completing an 8-month internship as part of the optional Management Internship Program. He decided to apply for the program because he believes it will help him build relevant industry work experience, giving him the opportunity to apply the skills he learns in class while learning new ones. He says that getting paid and having course credit for the internship is a great bonus, and that it gives international students like himself the opportunity to gain Canadian work experience.

Aadhith is also involved on campus in several student societies. Some of the societies he participates in are the Dalhousie Investment Society, SURGE Innovation and Dal Innovates. He enjoys being a part of these societies because they are “a great place to meet like-minded people and receive access to society specific resources and skills.” He believes that it is important to get involved in student societies because of the experiences each society can offer.

Here is Aadhith’s advice for you:

• It is never too early to start your job search
• Network and build consistent relationships with people in roles you would like to work in to help build your roadmap
• Volunteering, job shadowing, and building or contributing to projects are great ways to gain relevant experience