Student Spotlight: Olajumoke Odofin

March 8, 2021 Management Career Services 1 Comment

Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Olajumoke (Christiana) Odofin is in her second year of the Bachelor of Commerce program, majoring in Marketing. Olajumoke decided to pursue a Commerce degree because of the co-op opportunities associated with the program. “I believed co-op would help me ease into the Canadian work culture and would also help me network with my future employers.” She was interested in delving into the diverse world of business from a young age.

“The idea of working with qualified business professionals has just always been a dream of mine ever since I could talk. I also come from a family with a lot of business professionals with my mum being a Chartered Accountant and my aunty being a Brand Manager.”

Olajumoke is completing her first work term in person with the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure as a Junior SAP Analyst, which she applied to through Management Career Services. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is responsible for government buildings, highways, roadways, and transit in the province. “I help our clients (Public Servants) easily navigate through the SAP system and I also answer any support questions they might have.”

SAP software is a diverse resource planning software used by a variety of industries, allowing them to integrate specifically what their business does to plan for the future. Olajumoke knew that she would have an upper hand when applying to jobs in the future if she attained employment early on learning about these systems. “I was most excited to learn about the SAP software. Because it is used by 80% of the top organizations in the world, having the knowledge of SAP would boost my qualifications for a job by a significant amount.”

Co-op students often face a number of challenges as completing your first work term can be intimidating. According to Olajumoke, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic didn’t present as much of a barrier for her as she expressed that she had other doubts on her mind. “My biggest challenge during this job search was self-doubt. I doubted myself a lot and believed certain companies would not want to hire me because of my name, where I came from or my lack of Canadian experience. Talking to my Career Recruitment Specialist helped overcome that fear and self-doubt as she reassured me that my experiences were good enough for the jobs I really wanted.”

Making good use of the resources available to her, Olajumoke made it a priority to frequently meet with her Career Recruitment Specialist to discover more ways she could strengthen her applications, making them unique amongst other applicants. “MCS posted jobs on their website daily, and that helped me tremendously because it saved me time and it also protected me from online job scams. Being able to speak with a Career Recruitment Specialist also boosted my confidence because they were always ready to help and understood the job search struggles.”

Olajumoke’s advice for you:

Do not to give up! Finding a co-op during this pandemic is very draining and can be frustrating at times, but you only lose if you give up. So don’t stop writing those applications.
Connect with alumni and upper year students. They have tons of knowledge about the job search and most of them are open to help!
Use the resources provided by the MCS. They want the best for all of us.

Pronouns: She/Her

Student Spotlight: Rui Sun

February 9, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Originally from the province of Shandong, China, Rui Sun is a fourth year Bachelor of Commerce student, majoring in Accounting. After graduating high school in China, Rui knew she wanted to broaden her horizons and attend post-secondary in Canada. She chose Dalhousie because of its culturally diverse location, and this being her first Canadian experience, she wanted her school to be in a city that doesn’t get too cold, allowing her to enjoy all types of weather. Rui decided to pursue a career in finance and was inspired by her mother, who introduced her to the industry through her lifelong career.

In hopes of attaining a master’s degree, Rui will be attending the University of Toronto in fall 2021 for the Master’s of Accounting and Finance (MAccFin) program, which is North America’s first graduate degree option in both accounting and finance. “I am not the kind of person who can put all my effort into work or study. Work-life balance is really important to me, and I enjoy time to stay with myself or hang out with friends. If I got a job now I would need to work full-time, and still need to prepare for CPA exams. This is not the life I want.” For these reasons, Rui decided to take the master’s program to help her prepare for her CPA, as well as to devote more time to learning as much as she can at a young age, and then using that knowledge to further her career in the future.

Accredited by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, the MAccFin program is 16 months long and will allow Rui to move freely between different careers, both in management and finance. She will also get the opportunity to gain more work experience through the work term component of the program. Rui is excited by the opportunity to add even more work experience to her resume, on top of the three co-ops she completed through the Bachelor of Commerce program, before completing her school journey.

Rui completed her first Commerce co-op with Holloway Lodging Corp. as an accountant. This was her first work experience in Canada. “I learned a lot about what constitutes a Canadian workplace, which is quite different from China.” Rui began her co-op at a very busy time for the accounting industry, but she was able to quickly adapt and attained valuable knowledge.

Her second work term was at Charm Diamond Centre, also as an accountant. The individuals Rui worked with made her feel like family and helped her learn throughout her time there. Communication was pertinent for Rui as she had three supervisors, which was more than she was used to. “I needed to communicate with all of them about my work, so my business communications skills were further improved.”

Like a number of students last summer, Rui had secured her third and final co-op work term but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her position was cancelled unexpectedly. After this setback, Rui felt the pressure of an approaching deadline to secure work for her final co-op. She has been a member of the Nova Scotia Chinese Culture & Art Club (NSCCAC) for two years, so she inquired about completing her last co-op with them. Through networking with various individuals and marketing her skills, Rui secured her final co-op with the NSCCAC, which entailed both accounting and coordinating events. “This was definitely a positive result from my networking. It is good to join clubs or associations during school time. You will never know when your networking will work.”

For most of her last co-op, Rui worked remotely and experienced a few challenges that many co-op students are currently also experiencing. “It can be harder to communicate if faced with difficulties, but my supervisor is kind and is always patient in helping me.” Rui accredited MCS in aiding her with her job search. “Advisors in MCS helped me work on my resume and work permit. Lauren Shaw also helped me with my personal statement for my application for my master’s program. I am so grateful for all your help!”

Rui’s advice for you:

Be brave and work hard. We are young, don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
Go on adventures, instead of doing things you can still do when you get to ninety years old.

Pronouns: She/Her

Student Spotlight: Emily Ogston

November 16, 2020 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Emily Ogston is a second-year marketing student originally from Ottawa, Ontario. Emily chose to attend Dalhousie because of the opportunities that the Commerce Co-op Program would provide. “Gaining valuable, real-world experience early on in my professional life is something I think is very important,” Emily added. She is looking to gain experience in her field of study to ensure that she can become more desirable to employers post-graduation.

During Emily’s work search, she experienced the challenges that COVID-19 has put on the job market. The main lesson that she learned is that it is essential to be persistent and focus throughout the process. “The job search process can be overwhelming, but what helped me the most was creating an efficient way to analyze the postings by matching the skills, experiences, and goals of the posting to those of my own,” she added.

Emily also found that the support MCS offered was beneficial throughout her job search processes. She was able to take advantage of her resources to make sure that her employer documents were professional and effective. Reaching out to MCS allowed her to effectively utilize LinkedIn, master the interviewing processes, and prepare effective resumes and cover letters.

Another tool that Emily utilized was the Venture for the Canada job platform. Venture for Canada allows students and young professionals* to explore entrepreneurial work at innovative start-up businesses. The process to begin using the platform involves applying for approval. Once your application is approved, you are given access to the job board, and your resume is sent to a list of potential employers that would be a good fit for you. Emily added, “after posting my profile which included the basic admin details, information about the program you’re currently enrolled in, and past experiences I was contacted by the Senior Marketing Manager at The Rounds through LinkedIn to set up a coffee chat and discuss the positions she had available in January.”

The Rounds is a secure collaborative network for physicians to learn, share, and discuss their needs and experiences on specific topics. After continuing the conversation with the Senior Marketing Manager, Emily secured a Marketing Coordinator Intern position for her co-op this January. “VFC allows students to gain hands-on experience within the field of their choice while also being apart of the growth of many start-up Canadian businesses – you’re a part of something bigger,” Emily added.

Emily’s position will be starting in January, and she will be working remotely. Onboarding remotely can be a challenge, but it will allow her to develop vital problem-solving skills because she must adapt to being very independent working outside an office. Emily added that working from home can allow her to “grow and develop my problem solving and adaptability skills, which is something that will only benefit me in the future whether it be within personal or professional experiences.” Emily also noted that the effects of an online job search brought up challenges with the interviewing processes. She mentioned that “The biggest challenge I faced with COVID-19 was missing out on the in-person interactions. This makes a big difference in connecting with the person you’re talking to; Zoom just isn’t the same. Virtually you’re missing out on the human body language you would usually see during group work or collaborative experiences, which is something that helps you gauge the person’s understanding and feelings about the conversation.”

Emily’s advice for you:

Get involved and take advantage of the services given to you.
Build a meaningful relationship with the person helping you during your job search – MCS career advisor, for example
Take advantage of job portals like VFC – quick and easy.

* This program is funded through the Federal Government of Canada. Therefore, students must be able to prove they are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident to be hired, and international students are not eligible to participate in the program

Why you should write your future reference letter now

December 18, 2019 Allison Auld Leave a Comment

Even though your work term is just getting started, imagine that the end of your term has come. This is often an opportunity to reflect on experiences, evaluate newly developed skills, new relationships, and completed projects. It’s also a time to look forward to the next step of your professional career.

What some students don’t realize, however, is that you will leave an impression on your co-workers and colleagues over the course of your residency. The legacy you leave is something that can benefit you in a number of ways, not the least of which is a positive reference for a future job.

Considering your legacy

Begin the process of building your legacy by writing your own reference letter, highlighting the traits and abilities that you will strive to achieve by the end of your term. This will give you a better understanding of the type of employee you want to become and keep you focused on actually achieving it. This exercise is most effective if you keep the physical cover letter you wrote for yourself visible (taped to your desk or notebook, for example) so that it will provide motivation to achieve your professional development objectives.

Getting down to business

Leaving a positive legacy at your workplace does not have to be dramatic or grand. It can be as simple as assuring that you’ve done your job to the best of your ability. In your letter, plan to demonstrate one or more of the following:

Improvements you made on office process/procedure
Outcomes you exceeded by adding extra value to your projects and assignments
Examples that show your initiative
Proven areas of reliability and a willingness to take on more projects
Ways in which you maintained a great attitude and integrated your personality and strengths into your projects
How you took advantage of opportunities to get involved and made a difference
Your demonstrated effective communication skills and positive relationships built with co-workers and clients

Planning ahead

While these traits will without a doubt help you leave a legacy at your workplace, they are also traits that employers value and look for when hiring. Keep in mind that if a future employer calls one of your references and hears any combination of the traits listed above, you’ve not only proven your legacy to your past employer but also showed that you’re capable of creating a new one with a future employer as well.

How to impress your boss & add value on your residency

December 18, 2019 Allison Auld Leave a Comment

Securing your corporate residency is a great achievement and an important step in your career development. It’s also an excellent opportunity to make a positive impression that can lead to success in the workplace as well as making great professional connections. To make the most out of your residency, consider these tips:

Take time to STUDY

S: Survey your surroundings
T: Take the time to analyze and learn the most important things; company’s strategic plan, goals and objectives, structure, processes, current projects
U: Understand the people: Who are the key resources? Who’s doing what?
D: Do not make hasty decisions; being new means you will not yet understand the current situation, facts, or internal politics
Y: Yes you can! No matter how overwhelmed you feel in your new position –just take a deep breath, remain calm, stay focused, and prioritize, prioritize, prioritize

Clarify ambiguity

Ask questions to understand your role and how you will be evaluated.
Learn the business, in and outside of the area/team you are working.
Be proactive – it’s great to show initiative, but show some restraint. Humility plays as important a role as ambition.

Exhibit professionalism

Consider how you answer the telephone, how you use email, and how you articulate your voice mail greeting
Perform menial tasks with enthusiasm to demonstrate your work ethic does not change depending on the task you are assigned
Show respect for the corporate culture
Become acquainted with colleagues, even those outside your peer group

Consider your first impression

First impressions matter… and they last. Always dress professionally. It is better to overdress then to underdress
Take initiative to ask for more work if you are not busy. Let people know your strengths and your willingness to assist
Be keen. Don’t be the first one to leave at the end of the day. Always remember that even if this is not the job you want for a career, it is a stepping stone for you in terms of your resume, your skills and a reference

Add value

80% of success is attributed to simply showing up and giving 100%. When you commit to a goal, deadline, or say you are going to do something, ensure you meet those expectations
Avoid excuses such as “I have no experience” or “I am a student”. For the duration of your work term, you are an employee of that company and should identify yourself as such
Demonstrate that you are approachable and coachable. Being able to receive constructive feedback and use it to improve is an important skill to have
After one month, take the initiative and request an informal review of your progress
End the day by writing down what expected and unexpected progress you made and what you can do tomorrow

Student Spotlight: Christian Thomas

March 20, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Christian Thomas has spent his last two co-op work terms at TD Securities on Bay Street, in Toronto. He is a third-year Finance major originally from Ottawa and has been selected as this year’s Top Co-op Student of the Year based on his strong work ethic, impressive quality of work, and his passion for his co-op job and industry.

Christian’s interest in capital markets developed during his first year at Dalhousie when he joined the Dalhousie Investment Society, however it began when his grandfather gave him money for his 16^th birthday and told him to invest it. Christian’s passion for capital markets grew from there and he now has secured his third consecutive work term at the money market desk on the trading floor at TD Securities.

Working in this environment takes a high level of focus and commitment to perform as well as Christian has over the past two work terms. Christian describes himself as a “naturally ambitious person who is always looking for opportunities to push my personal and professional boundaries. This ambition fuels my desire to not only achieve specified goals, but to exceed them.”

It is this ambition that allowed Christian to achieve such a high level of success at TD Securities. His supervisor describes Christian as, “not just a co-op student but someone who I would consider an integral member of the team and if given the chance I would 100% hire him full-time.”

Christian’s hard work led to him quickly earning the trust of his colleagues and a unique goal helped Christian make many additional connections at TD Securities. After his first work term, Christian realized he would have to reach out to colleagues to make his second work term even more successful. “Right out of the gate, I established a goal to meet at least one person a week, with the goal of learning about their group, their career path and sources of success.”

By connecting with colleagues, Christian grew his personal brand within TD Securities which helped him thrive in the culture of TD Securities, which Christian describes as, “very collaborative and focused on developing the next generation”.

Through his hard work and by connecting with his colleagues Christian has been able to complete each of his work terms with TD Securities and prepare himself for a bright future in capital markets. Christian’s supervisor describes Christian as having “a very genuine quality where he makes everyone around him better, which in turn naturally makes his colleagues support and root for him. I have no doubt Christian will be an outstanding future leader in this industry.”

Spotlight: Kelly Tracey

April 4, 2017 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

A career in the finance industry is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires dedication, a well thought-out plan, and an early start. Any successful Dalhousie finance student will tell you that an early start begins by making an appointment with Kelly Tracey, our Finance Career and Recruitment Specialist.

Kelly has been a member of our team for six years – building excellent relationships with students, employers and alumni to create a network of contacts to help finance students achieve their career goals. She is always working to stay current on student, employer and economic trends to support both student and employer successes.

Kelly grew up in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, before moving to Fredericton, New Brunswick. She attended St. Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick, where she received her B.A in Criminology and Psychology, as well as a Level B Psychometrics Licence.

When she’s not working, you might find Kelly doing yoga, gardening, running or travelling. Her favorite book is The Art of War by Sun Tzu, she loves Thai food, Chantal Kreviazuk’s music, and The Sound of Music. However, there is nothing Kelly is more passionate about than her family.

Like most students, finance students will often have questions about their careers. What kind of job can they get if they major in finance? What is the average salary? How do they get involved in a particular industry? For these types of questions, Kelly refers students to have a look through the Vault Guides.

Every Dalhousie Student has free access to the Vault, an incredibly useful tool when researching possible career paths and career-relevant information in any industry. Need interview help? There’s a guide for that. Trying to write a resume? There’s a guide for that. Thinking of changing majors? Well, guess what, there’s a guide for that too. Almost any question you might have that could affect your career path can be answered with the Vault, so take advantage of this incredible resource!

Student Spotlight: Livia Boss

April 26, 2016 Allison Auld 1 Comment

Livia Boss is a student completing her Master of Business Administration in the Corporate Residency program at Dalhousie. Her academic achievements are not the only way Livia stands out to employers. Not long ago, Livia crafted a pitch that has led her to like-minded people who appreciate and cherish her authenticity.

“I delivered my first year MBA Elevator Pitch to a room full of employers with a clarity and assertiveness that (I hope) masked the numbing underlying panic that I was feeling. I had practiced for days and I can still recall every word. This is my first elevator pitch and it speaks to something far greater than a job or an employer:

‘When I’m 100 years old, I intend to tell my great grandchildren that my proudest achievements can be traced back to me standing here and speaking to you. I will tell them that this moment was the shove that I needed to go from above average to exceptional… but I am getting ahead of myself.

My name is Livia and my life so far can be characterized by a series of brave decisions and bold leaps of faith. The path that has led me here has been unpredictable at best and I have always been that someone that you would meet on the road less traveled.

But for the first time in my life I find myself standing still, looking around… wondering. I wonder what amazing things could happen if I took all of my boldness and curiosity and committed them to growing a company, a city, a country.

I know you don’t know me yet, but I invite you to have a conversation with me today, because that conversation may very well be the first step to building something still worth talking about 70 years from now.’

My goal at the time of this pitch was one thing: to get a corporate residency wild card interview. Well, I failed at that. But I failed not because my speech was bad or unprofessional, but because the person that I was actually speaking to wasn’t there. In fact, I wouldn’t meet her for another year.

To me, the elevator pitch is not about crafting a 60-second blurb to carry on the tip of your tongue to throw at unsuspecting employers. It’s about becoming familiar with your own personal drivers so that you can identify people who can understand you and who you would love to work with. Ultimately, it’s a vehicle for your authentic self to be confident in the roads you choose to travel.”

With the MBA Elevator Pitch Contest deadline fast approaching, first and second year students should be paying close attention to Livia’s creative take on how to pitch yourself to employers. Her career advice can also be applied to all students on the job search. We congratulate Livia on taking bold leaps of faith to lead her to a career that she loves – and we suggest you do the same!

End Your Semester With A Win

April 2, 2015 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

The winter semester is quickly coming to a close and whether you spent it on campus or on a co-op, internship, or corporate residency work term, there are steps you can take now to set yourself up for success in the months ahead.

All students:

If you participated in select fall 2014/winter 2015 career events, programs and activities, be sure to get them recognized through the Co-Curricular Record. This is a great way to enhance your resume and LinkedIn profile!

BComm 1st year/BMgmt 1st and 2nd year students:

While it may seem like you have the summer “off”, try to take advantage of this time by developing your employable and transferable skills, gaining some experience through volunteer or paid summer work opportunities, and starting to expand your network. This will pay off in second year as you build your resume, prepare for your co-op job search, and partake in your first work term.

BComm 2nd year students/CRMBA students:

Before you complete your first co-op work term experience, make sure you review our list of the 8 Must-Do’s to Make the Most of Your Work Term – it’s not too late to implement many of these useful tips! Since you’ll be returning to campus this summer (or fall for CRMBA students), look for ways to apply the concepts and skills you learned in your work term to your contributions in class while they are still fresh in your mind, and be sure to sign up for any available career workshops or recruitment events.

BComm 3rd year/BMgmt Internship students:

As you embark on your final co-op work term keep our work term must-do’s in mind. Since you have already completed two prior work terms, the third work term is your chance to really go beyond the job description and let your skills and strengths shine. Challenge yourself; look for extra opportunities to demonstrate initiative, gain experience in new areas, and add value to the organization you’re working for.

BComm/BMgmt 4th year students:

Graduation is now in sight. Congratulations! If you haven’t already, start looking for grad jobs under the Career & Leadership section of myCareer and apply these grad job search tips to help you succeed. Remember that career skill-building doesn’t stop when you land your first job; it’s an ongoing process. Play an active role in your professional growth and you’ll see the rewards at every stage of your career.

Category: Personal Branding