Student Spotlight: Sophie Heller-Marx

October 17, 2022 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Allured by her interest in sustainability, Sophie Heller-Marx chose Dalhousie to pursue an interdisciplinary degree. She enrolled in the Bachelor of Management program with a major Environment, Sustainability and Society and opted to complete the optional internship offered through the program.

Sophie was hired for an 8-month internship at Hydro One Networks Inc., an electricity and utilities company in Ontario, as a Business Analyst in the distribution branch of the supply chain team. Working completely remotely, she also acted as a support to the category leads, doing research and helping prepare reports and spreadsheets for Request for Proposals (RFPs). As with every new experience, there were some challenges – one of her projects required the use of a coding language called VBA, and with no prior coding experience, she took the initiative to teach it to herself. “Although it wasn’t the most important project, I felt really accomplished because of the amount of effort I put into learning how to code.”

Sophie loved working at Hydro One, one reason being her supportive coworkers. “I had no experience working in supply chain and they were so patient with me and trusted me to work on major projects with them. Many of them were co-op students themselves earlier on in their careers, so they understood the value of welcoming a student to the team.” Sophie decided to propose extending her internship to 12 months, as she was gaining valuable experience and really enjoyed the company atmosphere, and her supervisor agreed to the extension. She wanted the opportunity to work a hybrid schedule – a combination of remote and in-office work – and felt she still had a lot to learn. “Being back in the office with my coworkers made it easier for me to collaborate and increased my productivity. If I hadn’t extended my internship, I don’t think I would have made the most of my experience.”

Sophie acknowledges her Career and Recruitment Specialist Jennifer Coombs’ support throughout the entire internship process. She highly recommends the Management Internship program, and doesn’t think enough people take advantage of it. “It’s an opportunity to graduate university with some work experience and meet people in your potential field. Having such valuable experience will make you stand out to employers among other candidates.”

She also advises that students should not let an internship in another city deter them from applying. “An amazing bonus about working for Hydro One was that I got to explore Toronto, a city I had never lived in before,” she adds.

Why It’s Not Too Early to Meet With Your Career & Recruitment Specialist

September 28, 2022 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Welcome to Dal! If you’re a first-year Commerce Co-op or Management student, you’ll become familiar with Management Career Services (MCS) in the coming months. MCS is the co-op and career services office for Rowe School of Business students at Dal. We foster your professional growth by providing industry-specific knowledge, resume, cover letter, and interview support, and access to job opportunities and employer events. You’ll be assigned a Career and Recruitment Specialist (CRS) based on your major or your industry of interest. They’re here to support you on your way to becoming a professional in your future career.

If you’re a Commerce Co-op student, you might think you don’t need to meet with your CRS until it’s time to look for your first co-op. If you’re a Management student, you might believe you should wait until you’re ready to start thinking about your first post-grad job to book that meeting. That’s not the case – your CRS is here to support you at any point during your time at Dal.

Here are four reasons to book that first appointment with your CRS sooner rather than later!

Build a connection with your CRS
Our Career and Recruitment Specialists have a collective network of alumni and professionals that spans many industries and sectors. By building a relationship with your CRS, you’re not only tapping into them as a resource, but also their network of connections.

Building a connection with your CRS early will be very beneficial later. When you’re ready to start looking for a co-op, internship, summer job, or grad job, you’ll already have a relationship underway and your CRS will have gained an understanding of who you are and what you’re looking for, which will help them provide even better support.

Your CRS is an expert in recruitment of students who are exactly where you are in your career. Don’t wait to start tapping into their expertise to help you on your professional journey.

Get your resume and cover letter job-ready early

Think of the job opportunities you will come across in life as doors. To open those doors, you need the key – your resume and cover letter. Whether it’s a work term, part-time job, or post-grad position, the length of time that door is open will vary, and it is likely shorter than you think. Don’t wait until you see the first job posting that interests you to ask your CRS for feedback on your documents. Having your resume and cover letter prepared and reviewed early will ensure you don’t miss the doors that close quickly.

Also remember that this isn’t a once-and-done thing – you can (and should) ask your CRS to review your documents with you throughout your job search process, especially if you aren’t landing interviews. They are always here to provide support at every step of the way. Remember to send your documents to your CRS a few business days in advance of your meeting so they can prepare meaningful feedback.

Practice your interview skills

Congratulations! You’ve landed your very first job interview. But it’s Friday… and your interview is at 8:30am on Monday. Meeting with your CRS to practice your interview skills before you start securing interviews will help you avoid getting into a situation like this. Interviews can be stressful, but the more you practice, the less nervous and more confident you’ll feel.

Develop necessary skills for future success

To be successful in your future career, you must be open to feedback to help you improve. Your CRS will help you become job-ready by answering your questions about what to expect in the workplace, especially if you will soon be going into your first job. They, along with the resources available on the MCS website and Brightspace, will help you learn how to acquire the skills and knowledge you need to land your dream job. With your CRS, you can develop a job search strategy and gain an understanding of what you need to do between now and graduation to develop yourself to meet market demand.

Sometimes an email to your CRS will suffice, other times it’s best to meet virtually or in-person. In either case, your Career & Recruitment Specialist at Management Career Services is here to assist you with your professional and career development during your time at Dalhousie.

Want to book a time to meet with your CRS? Head over to myCareer!

Student Spotlight: Peiying Wang

January 18, 2022 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Originally from China, Peiying Wang is in her fourth year of the Bachelor of Management program with a major in Managing Data and Information. She chose to study at Dalhousie because of a recommendation from a friend. Before deciding which program to study, she spent time exploring career options and determined that gaining management knowledge and skills would be beneficial before joining a company or starting a business.

Peiying opted to complete the optional internship program as part of her Bachelor of Management degree. Recently, she completed her 8-month internship as a Logistics Apprentice at Traffic Tech, a global third-party logistics company that provides logistics services on land, at sea, and in the air. Her daily tasks varied from tracking loads by communicating with carriers about pickup and delivery schedules to providing freight rates to customers for transportation planning. “During my internship, my supervisors were always patient and reassuring, and they were always willing to work with me on challenging issues. I have learned a lot from them, not only in my work, but also in how to be a leader,” says Peiying.

Peiying shares that her internship provided her with the valuable opportunity to gain various skills for her future career. She says that the position constantly required her to contact carriers and sales teams, which improved her email and telephone etiquette, and enhanced her communication abilities. “This experience of working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment will enable me to integrate more easily into the same type of work environment in the future,” she says. During her internship, she supported the implementation of Traffic Tech’s new logistics information system and Centralized Tracking Team to provide logistics information to customers. “I was responsible for ensuring the system was updated on time with rapid, accurate, and comprehensive information, which played a crucial role in ensuring the team’s effectiveness,” she said.

Peiying found the position through myCareer, under the Bachelor of Management job postings, and received support from Management Career Services’ resources. “I realized the importance of being well prepared for every step of the job search. In my opinion, submitting an outstanding resume is necessary to get interviews.”

Peiying’s advice for you:

Be well prepared for every step of the job search.
Research the company, industry, and position before creating an application.
Use the guidance provided by Management Career Services.

Instagram Handle: cassie____w

Pronouns: she/her

Student Spotlight: Taryn Faliszewski

March 15, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Taryn Faliszewski will be graduating this May from the Bachelor of Management program, majoring in Management in Globalization. After attending school as a marketing student in Vancouver, Taryn decided to transfer to Dal because of its “unique program, internship option and variety of business clubs on campus, including case competitions.”

Taryn took advantage of the internship option and secured remote employment with En Point as a Marketing and Business Growth employee. En Point is a company based in Halifax that supports young adults in starting their professional careers, encouraging individuals to focus on their passion. “The En Point Mentorship platform harnesses the power of mentorship in an easy-to-use, cloud-based tool designed to help create structured, but meaningful relationships.”

As COVID-19 presented numerous new challenges in the middle of one of the busiest job searching times of the year, Management Career Services worked diligently to find new remote opportunities for students. Regardless, Taryn knew she was going to have to get creative in her job search. “To do this, I leveraged my connections on LinkedIn and reached out to some local companies.” She enjoyed working remotely as it allowed her to jump straight into tasks and begin her morning swiftly, as opposed to the normal routine and commute that comes along with getting ready for work in the morning. Taryn has adopted new habits to ensure she remains focused throughout the day. “Sometimes it’s difficult separating work and play since I work from my bedroom, but keeping a clean workspace definitely helps!” she says.

Taryn is excited about the future and everything she will be able to carry forward from her internship with En Point. When asked what some of her future goals were, she replied, “working on my skills to apply for jobs post-grad and really leverage my connections so I can be prepared for when I get there, find a career that suits me, and be able to travel and work remotely!”

Taryn’s advice for you:

Always reach out! Never be afraid to ask questions. You never know who you are going to meet, or what companies you are going to find. It took me some time to get this down, but it really helped me get out of my comfort zone when contacting potential employers.
Keep your phone away from your desk and work out a daily schedule.
Plan what you are going to do a week ahead and create rewards for when you get there.

Pronouns: She/Her

Student Spotlight: Kelsey Prevost

March 1, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Kelsey Prevost is in her fourth year of the Bachelor of Management program, majoring in Public Sector Management. Growing up in Halifax, Kelsey often attended events and sports games at Dalhousie, allowing her to become familiar with the campus from a young age.

When it came time to attend university to pursue her undergrad, she was interested in the Bachelor of Management program because of the option to major in Public Sector Management. She enjoyed the educational diversity Dal offered. “I have always had an interest in politics, but I knew a business degree would give me a better skillset and opportunities for jobs once I graduated. By going this route, I was able to take classes of interest to me while gaining important commerce knowledge. I also found I had a keen interest in economics, and I was able to pursue a minor in a subject I had no knowledge about prior to starting this program.”

Kelsey took advantage of the optional internship opportunity and secured a position as Transition Analyst on a project team at Bell Canada, the largest telecommunications company in the country. “The project team involved different engineering groups, customer service, operations, supply chain, and install groups to coordinate the creation of the new network and programming radios.” Her role consisted of organizing and analyzing all data from radios and equipment accessories sold to clients and partners in Manitoba. “As I moved further into my internship, I was given my own clients where I was directly responsible for their radio requirements. I ran their meetings, gave weekly briefing updates on their status, and I had to deal directly with any issues and try to troubleshoot complications that arose with the radios.”

When asked what Kelsey was most excited for during her internship, she responded, “I was most excited to learn about an operations-based role, where my work would have an impact on the product Bell was selling. I knew that this role would allow me to work and learn from numerous departments which would help me see where my interests really were.” Kelsey pursued this position because it also related to her other interests such as government and business relations, and she knew there was a possibility of being able to work closely with provincial and municipal governments.

The internship option for Management students offers a competitive edge as they progress through their education, by exposing them to real world applications of what they are learning in their classes. “The internship has allowed me to gain the confidence and skills needed to take on any tasks in my current job. It has also made me realize that there is a huge learning process when it comes to working your first full-time job. Having completed the internship I feel confident enough to go into any job fully prepared and to have a bigger impact right away, compared to if I never had this experience.”

Networking can be intimidating, but you never know what opportunities making new connections can lead you to. Kelsey attributed her networking skills, as well as her previous work with Bell Canada, to helping her secure her internship. “I was able to use my contacts to submit my resume to the network department director. Due to my previous experience at the organization, I was hired for the 8-month term on the spot.”

Although her job search was self-directed, Kelsey took advantage of the support Management Career Services offers students while preparing for her internship. “MCS’ prep course provided networking skill building opportunities, resume and cover letter tips, as well as great job opportunities to apply to. Throughout the internship MCS offered us any support we needed if we had any problems.”

Kelsey has since decided to further her education and has been accepted into the Dalhousie Schulich School of Law where she will be completing a joint MBA program along with her law degree. “By completing the internship, I have gained enough work experience to go directly into the MBA program.”

Kelsey’s advice for you:

Sign up for the internship program, because it truly gives you the knowledge and experience required to succeed in a new graduate job, and to learn about different departments and industries that you cannot learn in a classroom. Beyond that, the internship does not have to delay your graduation and you can still take a large variety of classes.

Don’t be shy when it comes to reaching out to your network about a potential internship or co-op position you are interested in. By reaching out you show initiative, which cannot be seen in a resume or cover letter. The thought of a potential rejection can be scary, but the worst thing that can happen is that contact does not respond. Even if they say no, they might remember you for a job down the road or push your resume to a different department that is hiring.

Pronouns: She/Her

Alumni Spotlight: Nicola Scott

February 1, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Nicola Scott is a Dalhousie alumna who graduated from the Bachelor of Management program in 2017.

Attending Dalhousie was an easy choice for Nicola – she is from Halifax and preferred to stay close to home. In her second year of study Nicola transferred to the Management program. “I decided to switch because I was interested in the relationship aspect of business.”

Once enrolled in the Management program, Nicola decided to take advantage of the 8-month internship option and landed her internship as Project Coordinator with NTT DATA Services in May 2016. NTT DATA Services is a division of NTT DATA Corporation, a top 10 global IT services provider with over 130,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Nicola was responsible for administration of client accounts and assisting with invoicing and contract set-up.

Taking advantage of the internship option allows students to apply knowledge they have learned in their courses to practical work situations. Management Career Services makes it a top priority to give students a competitive edge when applying to the internship program, investing in each student’s career to enhance employment opportunities after graduation.

“It was exciting for me to be able to apply the information I learned in classes to my role at NTT DATA Services,” says Nicola. “The Faculty of Management does an amazing job at preparing you for the real world, but if students really want to apply that knowledge, the internship program is a fantastic way to do that before you graduate. Jennifer Coombs and Jessica Mackenzie were both so helpful in preparing me for my internship and supporting me throughout the process.”

Throughout the Bachelor of Management program, students have numerous opportunities to make connections with organizations and leading industry professionals at networking events. Through myCareer, organizations to post open positions, some of which are privately offered to Dalhousie students.

“During the internship search, MCS was an invaluable tool for me. The staff at MCS were so supportive with resumes, networking, and interview support. I wouldn’t have found this internship role at NTT DATA without it being posted on myCareer. If students aren’t actively looking at myCareer, I really suggest they start because it is such a helpful resource.”

Sometimes, when students exhibit an exemplary performance throughout their internship, they are offered further employment with their organization. Fortunately, this was the case for Nicola. In fact, she is still with the company. This coming May will mark her fifth year with NTT DATA Services. “I am very lucky that my internship transformed into a full-time job after graduation. I’m now a Project Program Management Senior Analyst. I don’t think I would be where I am in my career without the internship program. My education from Dalhousie and the skills I learned on the job during my internship allowed me to create a new role within the company. I’m now part of our account leadership and run all administrative functions for multiple accounts.”

When asked what she would tell students thinking about getting involved in the internship program, Nicola responded, “I cannot recommend the internship program enough. The benefit of an 8-month internship is that you are at a job twice as long as a regular co-op. This allows you to take more tasks on and build a strong relationship with your employer, which is what helped cement my permanent role. You also get to add the job to your resume, which generally means you have more work experience at graduation than someone who didn’t do an internship which is really helpful for the post-grad job search. Plus, MCS encourages paid internships which is amazing because it allows you to make money while finishing up your degree.”

Pronouns: She/Her

Student Spotlight: Gillian Kirk

January 19, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Originally from Oakville, Ontario, Gillian Kirk is in her third year of study at Dalhousie and her second year in the Bachelor of Management program. After her first year at Dal she decided to switch to Management because of the option to participate in the 8-month internship program, allowing her to gain valuable work experience before graduating.

Gillian has secured an internship starting this May with PepsiCo Beverages Canada, a worldwide company that distributes hundreds of food and beverage items to more than 200 countries and territories. What stood out to Gillian about PepsiCo specifically was their “strong emphasis on providing employees with meaningful work opportunities to build and maintain a strong career from the start”. She was keen to pursue this company because even though they are a big corporation, they are committed to supporting their team and communities. In her role as Sales Intern, Gillian will work with a diversified list of retail customers to educate and excite them about PepsiCo’s products, as well as assist the company in achieving sales and customer service objectives.

Prioritizing networking and making connections is what Gillian contributes to landing the position. To secure her internship, she began by “reaching out to a personal contact who also started out as an intern, but worked her way up after working for PepsiCo for 10 years. I saw this as an opportunity to gain insight on how large corporations operate”. Her personal networking efforts led to an internal referral for an interview, in which she was offered the position.

Gillian is looking forward to gaining the work experience that comes along with completing her internship. “I’m most excited to build new relationships with customers and fellow employees, to work hard to achieve high sales volume, and to be the best representative of all that PepsiCo has to offer for their customers,” she says.

Gillian’s advice for you:

Make use of your connections early on in the work search process. Reach out and learn about their experiences. You will be surprised where this takes you in being exposed to potential job opportunities, and building relationships and a good support network with professionals with a vast amount of experience and knowledge for career growth.

The internship prep seminar course I took this fall with Jennifer Coombs [MCS Career & Recruitment Specialist] was very beneficial in helping me learn how to create a professional resume and cover letter, build my LinkedIn profile, network, and how to prepare for and have a successful interview (especially focusing on virtual interviewing). This knowledge made me feel more confident going into my interview with PepsiCo, and I was prepared to represent myself and effectively tell my own story.

Pronouns: She/Her

Student Spotlight: Joseph Habchi

December 3, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Joseph Habchi is a fourth-year Management student here at Dalhousie University. A Halifax local, Joseph decided Dalhousie University’s Management program was the choice for him because of the breadth of business streams he could learn rather than focus on only one subject. Currently, Joseph is in the last two weeks of his eight-month internship with Management Career Services.

Having worked in sales for a couple of years, Joseph decided to complete an internship to diversify his workplace experience and put what he learned in class into action. With the length of the internship being eight months, he went in knowing it was a perfect amount of time to make an impact in the organization as well as make meaningful connections. Having been hired as the Events & Programming Assistant with Management Career Services (MCS) Joseph has had the ability to plan the logistics and execution of various events for the Faculty of Management students. Events he has worked on include the Halifax Corporate tour, CRMBA Interview week, and Rowe Networking Night. Joseph says a highlight of his position is how no two day are the same, each day he is confronted with a new task or challenge making every day an adventure.

Over the last eight months, Joseph has leaned a variety of skills from everyday applicable ones such as advanced expertise in the Microsoft Office programs and time management to networking and how to properly conduct an informational interview. With this, he highly recommends the internship program for Management students, saying “the internship provides you with the necessary training and professional development needed to secure potential job opportunities, not just for your internship but for after you graduate”. A tip Joseph gave for students pursuing an internship was to reach out for informational interviews. He stresses how these interviews both get you better informed on the industry as well a the business and how it shows initiative to the organization. Knowing how scary this could sound to some, Joseph said this “Daunting as it may be, employers, value young professionals reaching out to learn more about their industry or role”.

After his time with Management Career Services Joseph has a final semester of classes before graduation. In the short term, Joseph plans to pursue a CPA designation and eventually become a consultant to help clients and customers. To follow Joseph’s journey follow him on Instagram @jhabchi or connect with him on LinkedIn.

To learn more about the Management Internship Program click here!

Student Spotlight: Haley Cooke

October 2, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Haley Cooke is a fourth year Bachelor of Management student who was able to secure an 8-month internship with leading insurance brokerage and risk management firm Marsh Canada. Through a combination of both curiosity and drive, Haley was able to put herself out there (in an unfamiliar territory) and the results are paying off. Learn more about Haley’s tricks to make the most out of a Bachelor of Management Internship.

When asked about what interested her in the Internship Program, Haley says it was both a combination of hearing great things from others who have participated, as well as the, “real-life experience you gain outside of the classroom”. The opportunity to gain relevant work experience before finishing her undergrad was one of the biggest draws for Haley to participate in the program. Many employers require at least a year of experience for entry-level positions, making the Internship Program a valuable resume-booster.

Haley credits being able to land such a coveted position with Marsh to actively participating in the Internship Prep Seminar (BMgmt 4895) which included an employer round-table event. During the round-table event, she was able to meet and network with her future managers at Marsh. Haley believes that being curious, asking the right questions, and showing genuine interest enabled her to make a lasting connection with her future employers.

The round-table also allowed Haley to explore a different career option that she had not considered before. Prior to the event, Haley was interested in working in Human Resources, but through speaking to the team at Marsh during the event, she realized she wanted to work in accounting. Although she did not have an extensive background in accounting, Haley credits the Internship Prep Seminar as enabling her to identify transferable skills that matched the job requirements. Overall, her drive and her hustle were able to secure Haley a job in a field that many Management students have not had the chance to first-hand experience.

When asked about her time at Marsh, Haley is quick to say that her position has benefitted her both professionally and personally. She believes that her problem-solving skills have developed the most, and she has learned to not be fearful of complex problems, but to tackle them head-on with confidence. Haley says she is always ready to take on new projects and that there are always team members willing to provide support and input when she needs it. The culture and support at Marsh is just another example of how enjoyable her work term has been so far.

“The experience of working there is something that I never would have gained through classes, and has truly helped me grow as a student, a professional, and as a person.”

On participating in the Internship program, Haley highly recommends doing the program. She believes that the program is such an, “amazing experience that you cannot compare to sitting in a classroom.” If you’re still interested in learning more about the Bachelor of Management Internship Program, make sure to attend today’s information Session (October 3^rd) or visit our website to learn more.

Student Spotlight: Sagar Sahota

January 16, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Sagar describes the Bachelor Management Internship Program as a tremendous resource for empowering him to create opportunities for himself. He says he is, “actively seeking internship opportunities within the sports industry. From tailoring my resume and cover letters for my desired industry, to leveraging my network, or getting connected on LinkedIn, Management Career Services has been there every step of the way.” Sagar also goes on to say that “The Internship Program has helped me grow as a professional by developing the confidence to be myself within a professional setting. I am able stand in front of well-established industry professionals and confidently engage them in conversations to express my ideas.

When asked about his experience with the Internship Program Sagar said that “Using the skills that I acquired during the Internship Prep Course, I was able to work the room at the 22^nd annual John Molson Sports Marketing Conference hosted by Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. I was awarded Best Male Delegate at the conference for displaying my research skills and thorough understanding of the socio-political significance of sport during question and answer periods. I was able to apply what I learned in the classroom into real life by creating engaging dialogue with speakers at the conference”. An experience that stands out to Sagar was the opportunity to question two notable professionals about their personal experiences in his dream industry, which received a round of applause from a crowd of 300 people.

“The best piece of advice that I can pass on to other students was given to me by the Assistant General Manager of the Chicago Cubs, Shiraz Rehman, who was a key note speaker at the conference. “Instead of reaching out to professionals to talk about your passion for their industry and about job opportunities, ask them if they need any help with projects or anything. Show them what you can offer to them and their organization. Don’t ask for opportunities, create them yourself.”
Sagar encourages students to meet with their Management Career Services career recruitment specialist in order to get help and to get involved in areas that are related to their future career path and use the resources that are available to them while they are in school!”

“Opting into the Bachelor of Management Internship Program is definitely the best decision I’ve made thus far in my academic career,” said Sagar, who said he would recommend the Bachelor of Management Internship Program “in a heartbeat”. The opportunity to be able to pursue a career in your dream industry is too good to pass up. Management Career Services will help you every step of the way”!

Apply to the Bachelor of Management Internship Program by Feb. 4 at www.dal.ca/mcs/internship!

Category: Internship program