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: Netali Bar

April 6, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Bachelor of Commerce student Netali Bar, who transferred to Dalhousie from California Baptist University, is currently completing her second co-op work term with Nova Scotia Power as a Junior Business Analyst. When Netali found this job posting through myCareer, she knew it was something she was interested in learning more about. “I am very interested in Capital Markets and working alongside a renewable energy company, and getting engaged with capital innovation responsibilities really interested me. I am majoring in finance, and Junior Business Analyst is a position I have always wanted to get and experience for my future career.”

Taking advantage of Management Career Services and services offered to help guide students through their job search, Netali was able to seek the support she was looking for. “MCS had great resources that some students don’t fully utilize, which could really help make the job search process more engaging and less stressful.”

With the help of her Career & Recruitment Specialist Jonathan Perry, she was able to revise her documents and learned some great tips about how to increase her job search efficiency. “I had a resume with experience and the right skills on there, but I hadn’t been receiving any replies and that was my challenge. I reached out to Jonathan and communicated my challenge and concern. He really helped me put the bits and pieces together which made my work search more efficient.”

Due to the impact of COVID-19, Netali has been completing her work term remotely, adapting new habits to stay focused and motivated. “I have adapted pretty quickly by keeping a healthy and professional work environment. It is important to feel good mentally and physically.”

Netali’s advice for you:

Reach out to experienced professors, advisors, and mentors – they can help everything come together.

Pronouns: She/Her

Alumni Spotlight: William Gregg

March 29, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

William Gregg is a Dalhousie alumnus who graduated from the Bachelor of Commerce program in 2020. After taking part in various tours of Dal, he was sold on the campus atmosphere. He went on to choose the Bachelor of Commerce program because of the variety of courses and majors offered, as well as the ability to attain valuable co-op work experience.

Using Management Career Services to his advantage, William polished his resume and cover letters during his job search, and used his past employment history to set him apart from other applicants. “My Career and Recruitment Specialist helped me develop relationships, fine-tune my resume and cover letters, and provided myCareer access – a great portal for job postings. I found all of my co-ops through myCareer postings.”

For William’s first two co-ops, he worked at TJX Canada as a Logistics Analyst. “They have a great corporate culture, work-life balance, great people, and an amazing office with pool tables, video games, and other fun stuff to enjoy on break!”

After completing his first co-op with TJX Canada, William decided he wanted to extend his time with the company and was willing to put in the extra work to try to secure a second work term there. Understanding the importance of reaching out to contacts and making new professional relationships through networking, he expressed interest in returning. “I did reach out to networking contacts to secure my co-ops, especially when arranging to return to TJX Canada for my second term.”

William then went on to complete his final co-op term with Adgar Investments & Development as an Operations Assistant. Even though the positions differed, he enjoyed both experiences and what he learned from each company. “I still value the experience I gained from working with these businesses and doing real career tasks. It really prepared me for the first year of my professional career.” Shortly after graduation, he secured full-time employment at DHL Express as Operations Supervisor.

When reflecting on the biggest challenge during his time securing co-ops, William, like a number of his peers, said job interviews. For many students this is their first time in a professional interview. “My biggest challenge when searching for co-op roles was learning how to master interviewing. All it takes is lots and lots of practice.” It’s very easy to get discouraged when applying for jobs, so staying motivated and not losing hope is key. “Apply, apply, apply to as many jobs as you can would be my best advice, because even a bad interview is always good practice.”

William’s advice for you:

Never give up on searching for a job that you actually want, and don’t settle for a job that may not fit what you’re looking to do. I received my first co-op job offer on Christmas Eve, just over a week before I actually started working. I cut it close, but it was worth it!

Pronouns: He/Him

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

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 – Noah Innes

February 12, 2020 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

For this week’s edition of our student spotlight, Noah Innes, a 3^rd year Bachelor of Commerce student shares his experience.

Originally from Halifax, Noah chose Dalhousie’s Commerce program for the mandatory co-op and the opportunity to gain valuable work experience during an undergraduate degree.

Over the last Fall, Noah secured his job with InterTalk Critical Information System as a Marketing Intern. InterTalk is a company based in Dartmouth that makes and sells and sells radio dispatch consoles. He was attracted to the job because it was a completely new position in the company which means the scope of development was huge. In his role at InterTalk, he was responsible for managing their social media, writing press releases, and maintaining the website.

While talking about managing a heavy workload, Noah said that his strategy to an effective work term search “is to get started early, preferably by using connections and networking, before the academic load picks up. I also have decided to only invest time applying to positions I am extremely interested in”.

Noah’s short-term goal is to find a third co-op position that allows him to build upon his current business acumen. His long-term goal is to find a full-time job in a marketing or customer related role with a large multinational company.

Tips of the week from Noah:

Ensure you take the time to personalize each cover letter, even if it may seem not to be worth the time investment.
Network as much as you can – the old adage ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ is actually true.
Maintaining a good balance between your social and academic life is critical for your happiness while doing a university degree. Get your work done first, then you can have a fun time without any responsibilities hanging over you.
Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and has as much detail as possible.
Leverage your shared connections on LinkedIn and ensure all connection invitations are sent with a personal memo.
Maintain your connections throughout your degree – that means meeting for coffee chats to update them on your academic progress. You never know when one of them may have a hiring need down the road.

Do you want additional tips on your resume and cover letter? Book an appointment with your CRS to learn more.

Book via myCareer or pop in to Management Career Services at Room 2100 in the Rowe Building.

Finding Volunteer Opportunities in myCareer

August 19, 2019 cr549421

Quick Steps:

Log in to myCareer > Click Blue Circle icon (bottom right) > Search Postings
Select Full/ Part Time, Volunteer in the pop up box > select Volunteer in the quick search list

For more detail on the steps above, review the full step-by-step directions below.

Do you need to enhance the experience and/or reference section of your resume? Volunteering is an excellent way to develop your skill set and build a valuable professional network! Volunteer opportunities (of all commitment levels) are frequently advertised on myCareer. Follow these easy steps to find the available volunteer positions:

Log in to myCareer: https://mycareer.dal.ca/login/student.htm
Click the Blue Circle Icon in the bottom right corner and select Search Postings and click on “Full/Part time, Volunteer” in the box that appears
When you search the job postings, choose Volunteer in the Position Type section, or click on the Volunteer button under the Quick Search list at the bottom of the Career Services job postings page.
Click Search and VOILA! Opportunities galore!

***

For more myCareer tips, consult our other Student User Guide tutorials.

Student Spotlight: Katie Hewey & Hayat Showail

March 5, 2019 Andrea McKay Leave a Comment

Each winter, Management Career Services recruits a small team of students to work directly with first-year Commerce Co-op undergraduates as they develop and refine their job application documents. These Assistant Career & Recruitment Specialists help students prepare for their first co-op job search by providing peer coaching and suggestions for improvement of cover letters and resumes. This year, MCS hired 5 Assistant CRSs, 2 of which happen to be Bachelor of Management students: Katie Hewey and Hayat Showail.

Originally from Annapolis Royal, NS, Katie is in her third year of the Management Program and has recently secured an 8-month internship position with PepsiCo in Sales. Having completed the Internship Prep Seminar in the fall, Katie remarks on the importance of devoting time and effort to a self-developed job search in order to reach your career goals.

“If students can be prepared to self-develop a position by truly putting in the effort and continuously networking, attending company information sessions, leveraging family connections, and booking informational interviews to collect insight on different companies and positions, then they will be well on their way to internship success. Although the Internship program may seem challenging, the job search in the real world is even more challenging. I think that this experience has prepared me immensely for what is to come post-grad, and I encourage all Management students to participate in the program to help prepare them for their futures as well.”

Having come to Canada from the US, Hayat is in her second year of the Management Program, majoring in Environment, Sustainability & Society, and recently applied to participate in the optional Bachelor of Management Internship Program.

“Dalhousie is a beacon for sustainability and that drove my decision to come to Halifax. Looking at the program combinations that can be taken with [my major] I was intrigued by the Management Internship Program. Not only will I learn systems thinking, complex problem solving, and current events, but I can gain the tools and experiences that will empower me to make changes within the system.”

We recently connected with Katie and Hayat to learn more about what motivated them to apply their skills and experience to empowering the career success of first-year Commerce students as part of our Assistant CRS team.

How did you discover your talent for helping others and why did you decide to pursue the opportunity to be an Assistant CRS?

Katie: I was really drawn to this opportunity because having the ability to help younger students in a position that I was once in myself, seemed like such a rewarding experience. It was so exciting to me that passing on what I’ve learned about resume and cover letter documents could potentially help students to secure a work term or summer job. As I began advising, I soon realized that what I was saying actually resonated with the students and that each one of them left the session with a clearer understanding than when they came in.

Hayat: When I visited the Career Services office at the Bissett Student Success Centre, I found my US resume was not adequate for the standards of the Canadian job market. After revising my resume and creating a cover letter with a Peer Advisor I realized I wanted to help other students to do the same. As a Peer Advisor at Career Services, I found it very rewarding to help students with their resumes, cover letters, interview skills, job searches, and LinkedIn profiles. When I discovered the opportunity to be an ACRS and help students in my own faculty with their resumes and cover letters, I applied.

How has helping first-year students with their job application documents help you to improve your own? In other words, what have you learned and how do you think it will help you down the road?

Katie: It has made me more aware of the importance of a good cover letter and resume and the significance of ‘small jobs.’ Students often struggle with being able to highlight the skills they developed from jobs that they deem ‘unimportant’ such as working in retail or fast food. Having to remind students that these jobs are, in fact, very important, has helped me to grow as an advisor by continuously reminding me that no matter how insignificant a job or extracurricular role may seem, there is always value to be found and skills to draw from.

Hayat: I’ve learned from my students about current job market trends from their previous experiences as well as different job market standards worldwide. This has really opened my eyes to various regionally-specific standards, which is important to understand for when I apply to full-time positions post-graduation.

Based on your time so far as an Assistant CRS, what do students tend to struggle with the most when it comes to cover letters and resumes, and how do you help them work through it?

Both: Action statements and cover letters!

Katie: Many students have tremendous experiences, but simply do not know how to articulate the skills gained or how they can translate it into something an employer is seeking. Action statements follow a simple formula, they should always begin with the skill you gained, followed by how/why you developed that skill using a very specific example, and end with the result of that situation.

Hayat: I have most commonly found that students only include 2 of the 3 elements, most likely leaving out the “result” of their work. The result of the tasks you are doing are very intuitive to you and may seem like a nuance to add, but your job is to make it easy for the person reviewing your resume to see what you have accomplished

Katie: With cover letters, the middle paragraphs are what students struggle with the most. The middle paragraphs are where the student should be proving the skills they mentioned in their introduction through specific experiences they have had. I encourage students to think of a cover letter like an essay: it has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

Hayat: For cover letters, I find that students struggle with formatting the letter correctly, I have seen cover letters of all shapes and sizes by now and I always say the simpler and cleaner it is, the better. Try avoiding Word templates, they usually aren’t the best.

If you are a first-year Commerce Co-op student looking for help with your job application assignment, you can take advantage of daily drop-in advising sessions until this Friday, March 8, 2019. Students can opt to book an appointment for faster service or drop-in to Room 4001 during the scheduled times as listed on the myCareer Events Calendar.

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.

Student Spotlight: Kaylie Lang

March 31, 2015 Management Career Services 1 Comment

Kaylie Lang is a Bachelor of Management student finishing up her final year of study. Recently, Kaylie secured graduation employment with Imperial Tobacco.

“I came to Management Career Services for help in my final year of school, because I was scared of graduating, and didn’t know where to start. I had done work on my resume on my own, but it wasn’t until a Career Recruitment Specialist (Gillian Fowler) had a look over my cover letter that I realized just how many improvements I could make! She was also really supportive, and gave me the tools and resources to begin my job search.

I found the job posting from Imperial Tobacco on myCareer. I applied immediately, emailing their HR department my resume, as well applying through their website. Four skype interviews later, I got the call with an offer.

I have found that when interviewing with employers the most important thing is to know the industry. Employers want to know that the person they are interviewing is informed, and has put the work in to go above and beyond what is expected of them.

My advice for anyone on the job search is to not underestimate the importance of a good resume and cover letter. As well, do not be scared to start your search for fear of being overwhelmed, be the go-getter you know you can be, and just start already! I set an hour or two aside every day to apply for jobs, and it landed me a career right out of university!”

Do not miss the opportunity to meet with your Career Recruitment Specialist before the semester ends. Book your appointment on myCareer today!

Category: Career Resources