Student Spotlight: Yiran Chen

October 28, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Yiran Chen is a second year Commerce student who recently secured her first co-op work term in Halifax with Ernst & Young. From the time she began her first year at Dalhousie, Yiran has been dedicated to developing her professional skills by participating in career workshops and information sessions. She believes that taking this initiative can make the job search process easier and more successful:

“Never hesitate to ask for advice from senior students, your professors, mentors, and advisors at MCS. The earlier you start asking them questions, the more you’ll learn, and the better you will be prepared for the job search.”

Yiran is also making the most of the opportunities Management Career Services offers students who are preparing for their job search. For example: Yiran attended an Ernst & Young information session where she gained insight into the company before applying for their co-op position. She then used the advice and knowledge she took away from the information session to help her build a strong application and eventually secure a position with Ernst & Young:

“MCS is very useful and helpful. I recommend you take advantage of their resources from day one. I learned almost everything about the business world (such as appropriate business attire), from workshops held by MCS. Attending events and info sessions is the best way to learn about employers and to show them your initiative.”

Yiran shares her advice for both first-year and international students on how to become confident with their career development and co-op job search:

“Don’t be terrified to show up at an info session when you are a first year student. Just be present in the room and listen, see how other students ask questions and network with employers. You will get used to it and learn how to do employer research and ask smart questions, which is much easier than learning all those things while under the pressure of job searching. “

For information on upcoming MCS events, visit the events calendar on myCareer.

RBC Career Launch Program: Kick Start Your Future!

October 23, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

“Can’t seem to get your foot in the door? RBC Career Launch is the opportunity you’ve been looking for! It’s a year-long, paid, first career experience and development program designed to help develop your resume and prepare you for long-term career success.”

2 years ago, Mallory McKenzie had just completed her internship with Summerhill while in the Bachelor of Management program and was looking for post-grad career opportunities. Upon learning about RBC Career Launch, Mallory wrote the required essay and applied online through the program’s website. Her application was selected and Mallory was interviewed for the position.

Once the interview stage was complete, Mallory was accepted into the program.

The RBC Career Launch program spans 12 months and is separated into three “rotations”:

The first rotation spans months 1-6 and involves fundamental training within personal and commercial banking.
The second rotation spans months 7-9 where the student participates in a secondment with an RBC charitable partner.
The final rotation spans months 9-12 and includes a functional experience where students can work on a project in a specific area at RBC (such as Human Resources).

Mallory has almost completed her second rotation where she is currently volunteering in Fund Development at Phoenix Youth Program: a Halifax based non-profit organization that provides guidance to at-risk youth:

“It has been very interesting and so different from anything I have done before. They are a really great organization and I’m happy to be able to contribute to their work.”

Mallory is looking forward to her third rotation of the RBC Career Launch program where she will be working on a commercial banking project at RBC’s regional office.

More information as well as applications for the RBC Career Launch program can be found and submitted through the RBC Career Launch website. The deadline to apply for the 2015 RBC Career Launch program is on October 27^th, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Student Spotlight: Garrett Jung

October 21, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Meet Garrett Jung, a graduate of the Bachelor of Management Internship program who landed a job after graduation by using the skills and experience that he gained from his internship. Garrett completed his 8-month internship at Alliance World Transport, helping him identify his career path and gaining experience in the field. From this internship, Garrett gained insight on the sales industry helping him focus his grad job search and securing a job. Here’s what Garrett had to say about how his internship experience contributed to his success:

“If you were thinking about doing an internship I would highly recommend it. I learned a lot of professional skills and grew as a person from the experience. The extended time frame allows you to take on larger roles in the company and become more involved in daily operations. During my internship, I learned more than at my past six summer jobs combined. The internship program is a great opportunity that you don’t want to miss.”

“My ideal career is in the sales industry, for recreational products in particular. My internship allowed me to gain an insight on what a role in business-to-business sales entails. This helped me identify a career path before entering the market, and gave me the experience required to secure a position in sales with MSC Industrial Co.”

If you’re a second-year MGMT student and are interested in applying for the internship program, visit the Bachelor of Management Internship Program page of Dalhousie’s website for more information on the program including how to apply.

The Internship Program application period opens in January 2015. The application deadline is set for January 29^th^.Stay tuned for more information!

Alumni Spotlight: Gray Little

October 15, 2014 Andrea McKay Leave a Comment

Gray Little graduated from the CRMBA program in May and currently works for Procter & Gamble (P&G) as an account manager. Although Gray now works in marketing, his focus while on his corporate residency with BMO Capital Markets was on the banking sector.

At BMO Capital Markets, Gray was assigned projects that pushed him outside his comfort zone; something that he claims was very valuable and helped him become successful after his corporate residency was over:

“BMO has a great culture, I accomplished a lot and made some great connections. I was given the opportunity to have a lot of responsibility and to learn new skills, especially when I was given tasks that were out of my comfort zone. Although challenging, those experiences helped me gain confidence, take initiative, and recommend changes while working on projects.”

“Participating in the CRMBA program will lead you to great things. Even the smallest skills you learn will affect your professional career. For me, it was learning how to develop a strong elevator pitch. On Interview Day, it was my pitch that caught the attention of BMO.”

“Your corporate residency will help you step outside the box and feel more confident in the workplace. More importantly, it will give you a good idea of what you want to focus on with your career. It will help you realize what you are good at and what profession you truly want to pursue.”

Using the skills he gained while on his corporate residency, Gray later attended a P&G information session on campus where he spoke with P&G representatives. By showing initiative and networking, Gray was able to have a good conversation with the representatives which increased his interest in working for P&G. The conversation he had during the information session lead him to apply for a positon at P&G online. Gray was hired soon afterwards.

Through the career development skills he gained during his corporate residency and the valuable company insights he received during the P&G information session, Gray has become a strong member of the P&G team.

For more information on career opportunities with BMO, visit the Career Opportunities page of their website.

For more information on career opportunities with P&G, visit the Careers page of their website.

Patrick Farrar: Student Spotlight

October 7, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Patrick Farrar is a graduate of the Dalhousie Bachelor of Management program whose previous work experience includes careers with both Clean Nova Scotia and Clearwater Seafoods. Most recently, Patrick is acting as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Venture for Canada (VFC), a not-for-profit company that connects top graduates with some of the best start-ups in Canada.

VFC provides graduates a 2-year paid fellowship under the roof of a successful start-up, where they are able to learn the do’s and don’ts of launching their own business. Throughout the 2 years, fellows will be provided with mentors and training opportunities to continually push and improve their entrepreneurial capacity.

In addition to the training, the VFC teaches entrepreneurial students about the industry before they actually start a business. Patrick believes this is what separates the VFC from other entrepreneurial programs:

“VFC is different than other programs because we don’t just push them to start a business off the get go. Fellows are trained through our program and when they finish they know exactly the industry, market, team, and processes needed to succeed.”

“I got involved to help provide a training opportunity for entrepreneur students who are looking to make an impact in Canada, something that was not available when I was in university.”

If you’re an entrepreneurial student interesting in the Venture for Canada program, visit their website for more information and apply for the VFC fellowship position through myCareer’s Career Services section (Job ID# 42499)! Application deadline is October 16^th.

Student Spotlight: Ellen Bode

September 30, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Ellen Bode is in her third year of studies in the Bachelor of Management program and was recently awarded one of four $5000 RBC Capital Markets Scholarships for Women which includes a four-month internship next summer with RBC Capital Markets in Toronto. In addition to the internship, Ellen will be matched with a RBC Capital Markets mentor to provide her with career development insight both before and after her internship with RBC.

In order to receive the scholarship, Ellen endured an extensive application process including an in-person interview with a panel of RBC Capital Market and Human Resource experts in Toronto. Although Ellen had not taken a finance course in her University career, she sought out advice from her network of contacts. It is this type of initiative that Ellen believes students need to show when applying for scholarships:

“The first step is obviously to have the initiative to apply no matter how complex the process may seem. Also do not be afraid to ask for help. When I was given the question I had to discuss in my interview I was pretty overwhelmed as I had never taken a finance class before, but I met with two contacts I had in the finance sector as well as two Dalhousie finance professors who really helped me prepare a great answer.”

Beyond drawing from the expertise within her network, Ellen knew how to incorporate her experience into an effective application and claims that recognizing opportunities to gain experience is crucial to improving your career development:

“It’s important to know that your efforts today in obtaining good grades and participating in activities, be it volunteering, work experience or involvement in sports, could play a big role in landing an interview.”

Visit the RBC Capital Markets Scholarship for Women webpage for more details on the scholarship and to see the full list of this year’s winners.

Student Spotlight: Matthew Miler

September 23, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Matthew Miller is currently in his third year of the Bachelor of Commerce program. He is currently in a co-op position with Mindful Scientific, a start-up medical device company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout his time at Dalhousie, Matthew has participated in many career development workshops, including seven company information sessions, the Toronto Corporate Tour, several panel discussions, and the Halifax Career Fair. Matthew feels that these events played a big role in landing him his current and two previous co-op positions:

“I achieved everything I wanted by attending the workshops. It drastically improved my career development. I met numerous Senior Associates, Managers and top Executives while attending these events and I remain in contact with most.”

Matthew offers some encouragement to those who feel intimidated by attending information sessions to meet employers or do not yet see the benefits of attending workshops.

“I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that we, as students, believe employers are not there to help us but in reality it is the complete opposite. Employers attend these workshops to find passionate and ambitious students who they see potential in. Furthermore, as we all know, finding a job or a co-op placement can be tough; it is all about who you know. In short, trading emails with top Executives in some of Canada’s biggest companies will not guarantee you a job but they have the connections and abilities to help make it happen.”

Daniel Alleyne Student Spotlight

September 16, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Daniel Alleyne is a fourth year student at Dalhousie University in the Bachelor of Commerce program majoring in International Business. Most recently, he completed his co-op work term as a Marketing Strategist with People Plus Consulting during the summer.

Daniel attended the fall 2013 Halifax Corporate Tour where he had the opportunity to visit companies from various industries ranging from Citco Financial to The Chronicle Herald. This was great timing for Daniel who, at that point in time, was unsure of his major and used the Corporate Tour as a chance to learn about what opportunities were available for co-op and post-grad employment. By participating in the tour, Daniel also gained insight on how to network effectively:

“Through the Corporate Tour I was able to understand the implications and need for proper preparation when approaching companies and potential employers. From preparing questions, and knowing your value proposition, to actively participating in any discussions during the course of the day.”

For students who are considering registering for the upcoming Halifax Corporate Tour, Daniel offers some encouraging advice:

“The Halifax Corporate Tour helped me understand the importance of taking initiative, making valuable and memorable connections, and taking the time to follow up with each individual. Regardless of whether you know what you want to be when you grow up, or if the idea of graduation is a scary one, by taking the initiative to sign up and attend the Corporate Tour you are making a decision that will undoubtedly benefit you and your future.”

Jenelle Tremblett Student Spotlight

September 10, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Jenelle is a 4th year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Marketing Logistics who recently completed a co-op position as a Route Sales Representative in Small Format for the Frito Lay division of PepsiCo Foods Canada. She claims that informational interviews were the key to landing her position:

“The biggest aspect that landed me the job was doing informational interviews with co-op students that had completed the same job in past work terms. Doing this really gave me a head start and helped me learn exactly what the job was all about beyond the job description before even stepping into the interview. It also made a great impression on the hiring committee when I mentioned all the great comments co-op students had shared about the job.”

Jenelle is continuing to work at Frito Lay this semester as a part-time employee. She credits this unique opportunity to her involvement with the company while she was on her co-op term:

“I was able to do this by showing how interested I was to continue working for the company in both Small Format and Large Format. I showed interest in continuing to work for them in the fall semester and they were more than happy to have me.”

“Overall, Frito Lay was definitely my most challenging work experience so far, but I enjoyed every minute of it and would definitely recommend the job.”

If you are interested in joining the PepsiCo Foods Canada team for your next work term or post-grad employment, make sure to participate in the PepsiCo Leadership Challenge (for 3^rd and 4^th year students only, register by Sept. 17) on Fri., Sept. 19 from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m., attend the PepsiCo Information Session on Mon., Sept. 22 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. or visit the PepsiCo booth at the Halifax Career Fair on Tues., Sept. 23. You can find more information about these events on myCareer.

Kehan’s First Canadian Work Experience

August 28, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

My name is Kehan Wang. I am currently completing my third co-op work term as a Special Projects Assistant with Dalhousie University’s Management Career Services (MCS). This is my first Canadian work experience and I have appreciated this opportunity to be a part of the MCS team.

Co-op work terms are very valuable for a student like me who is pursuing a better future, because they allow me to experience different roles, work methods and work environments before graduation. This is the reason why I decided to complete co-op work terms in both China and Canada before I launch my career post-graduation.

My first Canadian work experience has impressed me in two ways. The first positive impression was with regards to the work environment. My very first day at MCS was a team building day. During the day, I joined MCS office staff members for lunch and played team building games. This event gave me a better understanding of every staff member. I had a lot of fun on my first day and the feeling of nervousness faded away. In order to do my work each day, I usually ask some small questions to my colleagues, but they are patient and always happy to answer my questions.

The second positive impression I received was how much trust the team put in my ability. My supervisor put me in charge of a social media project and allowed me to contribute my own ideas. Sometimes she asked my opinions and suggestions before she assigned a project to me. This level of trust enabled me to contribute more and gain a greater work experience.

Now that I know what it is like to complete a work term in Canada. I have three pieces of advice for international students who are preparing for their first co-op work term in Canada:

1. This opportunity to gain a better understanding of culture and regional differences will not only expand your knowledge of what it is like to work in Canada but it will also make you more successful in your future career path.

2. Whenever you are searching for jobs or while you are at work, remember to always have confidence in yourself.

3. Appreciate and value every opportunity you have. Seize every day and make the most of every opportunity.

NOTE FROM MCS: If you would like to learn more about Canadian workplace culture and expectations, please refer to the Management Career Services Workplace Experience Program which helps international students who have little or no prior work experience in Canada. International students looking for immediate help with their Canadian job search are encouraged to check out the e-Learning webinar entitled Beginners Guide: The Job Search in Canada.

« Previous Page

Category: Career Research