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Scholarship Opportunity to Attend the 38th Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium

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ISCEBS Symposium FB Post (1)Two lucky Dalhousie students have a chance to earn a scholarship to attend the 38th Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium in New Orleans, Louisiana, from September 8 – 11, 2019. Students interested in risk management, insurance, actuarial science, computer science, or financial services will enjoy educational sessions on benefits, financial services, wellness, and compliance. There will also be many professional networking opportunities with Canadian and American organizations. This opportunity is open to 3rd and 4th-year students who are interested in entering the employment benefits industry.

To be considered, submit a 500-word expression of interest, resume, and transcript to Shelley LaMorre at Shelley.LaMorre@dal.ca.  Deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 22nd at 12 noon. Scholarship recipients must attend the entire conference and write a 500-word reflection paper on their conference experience.

For more information on the conference CLICK HERE.

For more information on the scholarship read the ISCEBS Information Package 2019

Student Spotlight – Rosalyn Huynh

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Rosalyn HuynghRosalyn Huynh is a 4th year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Accounting and one of 6 panelists participating in the upcoming Industry Student Panel & Fair hosted by MCS on Oct. 30, 2018. She has recently completed her last work-term placement and is gearing up to enter the workforce full-time. Throughout her time in the BComm program at Dalhousie, Rosalyn has successfully balanced academics, extracurriculars, and work term requirements.

Rosalyn believes participating in the co-op program has given her invaluable experiences that will continue to serve her throughout her working professional life. This past summer, Rosalyn recently completed her last work term with energy utility company Emera. This was her second placement with Emera as an Internal Audit Co-op student. When asked about what she has learned throughout her co-op placements, Rosalyn says she has most notably learned the skill of autonomy.

“Emera empowered me to work independently but also to openly ask questions. The Co-op Program has literally trained me in incremental steps to apply my education to the professional world. My co-op terms allowed me to work in different work environments to gain a multitude of experiences without the long-term commitment of a full-time job.”

When Rosalyn is not busy working full-time during her co-op placements, she is busy juggling both academics as well as student society involvement. She is the current President of the Rowe Women in Business Association (WIBA) and has been with the society from its beginning stages. Rowe WIBA empowers women to have a greater presence in the business world, as well as “to reach for more and instill the confidence needed for women to push forward with their ideas and voice”. The goal of Rowe WIBA is to redefine what is considered the norm in work environments and Rosalyn has played an integral part in working towards that goal through her contributions to the Association.

As for her plans after graduation, Rosalyn will be working at PwC in the Halifax office as a New Associate in their Assurance department. She plans to participate in a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting to fast-track her studies for the CPA Program. She credits her experiences in the Co-op program as allowing her to explore various career opportunities.

If you want to get the inside scoop on what it is like to work in different industry sectors, how to succeed in your co-op job search, and make the most of your co-op experience like Rosalyn did, be sure to attend the Industry Student Panel & Fair on October 30th. Registration is now open via https://mycareer.dal.ca/login/student.htmmyCareer.

Alumni Spotlight: Kelsey Keddy

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If you’re curious about what it’s like to start your own business, or looking for a unique co-op work term experience, keep reading to take inspiration from Kelsey Keddy, who participated in an Entrepreneurial Work Term with her business Captured Escape Rooms.

Kelsey_Keddy 1Kelsey is an alumna of the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program with a Major in Accounting. Kelsey is currently a full-time staff accountant with Ernst & Young (EY) and still devotes time to managing and running Captured. When asked if Kelsey would recommend an Entrepreneurial Work Term, her answer was, “Absolutely!”. For students interested in pursuing entrepreneurship, Kelsey believes an Entrepreneurial Work Term is the perfect ‘launch pad’, and that one of the best parts of an Entrepreneurial Work Term is, “the secure and supportive environment that sets up students for success”.

Kelsey says her experience working with EY, where she did her first two work terms, has provided her with a set of skills that gave her comfort in starting her own business, and the skills she’s gained through owning her own business has greatly benefitted her current role with EY. She is better able to understand her client’s needs, and entrepreneurship has pushed her to be more business-minded. Creatively, Captured has provided Kelsey with an outlet to balance a full-time job and her desire to create and be artistic.

Kelsey believes, “small businesses are the backbone of the business world”, which is what sparked her interest in pursuing an Entrepreneurial Work Term. Her passion and creativity can be seen throughout every aspect of Captured and being able to devote so much of herself to her business has enabled her business to grow and succeed beyond her Entrepreneurial Work Term.

“Owning my own business has been enormously rewarding. It’s very motivating to look back on all the hard work that was put into this idea and then consider how much it’s grown, and how much I’ve learned through the process.”

One of the biggest lessons Kelsey has learned throughout her entrepreneurial journey is that everything will change, even with good planning. Being adaptive and ready to recognize opportunities where others might not, is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart. Along the way, Kelsey has taken every mistake and missed opportunity as a learning experience and has promised herself to continue to grow and to not make the same mistake again. According to Kelsey, a successful entrepreneur must have passion, drive and the ability to know when to ask for help.

“You can learn all the technical skills required, but you can’t learn enthusiasm. If you’re a person that others want to see succeed, you’ll be amazed at just how many people will help you get there.”

“Young professionals are always told that they need to be prepared to fail, and while there are no participation awards in business, if you’re constantly worried about failure, you’ll be too busy to celebrate success and will miss out on amazing opportunities awaiting you around the corner. Instead of worrying, spend that energy on driving your businesses into a brighter future”.

If you’re still interested in learning more about starting your own business and what to expect, be sure to attend our Entrepreneurial Work Term Information Session and Pizza Lunch on September 24th. Find out more about the event and register now on myCareer.

4 Keys to Campus Recruitment Success You May Be Overlooking

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Every organization has their own recruitment strategy. Though the techniques for attracting student talent vary, these four campus recruitment success factors are often easily overlooked:

  1. Having a student-focused campus recruitment strategy

StrategyWithout advance planning and having direct consultation with the university’s career centre professionals, such as the Management Career Services office, as well as with your recent student hires, your recruitment efforts can fade into the background and be lost in a sea of hiring companies. A good student-centered plan with well defined goals and measurables will help you carry out events, as well as learn from them. By planning with our team to create your event, we can help you formulate a customized engagement strategy using our years of experience with the Rowe School of Business student body and our access to current student talent.

  1. Following-upFollow up 2

After a great day of getting your company’s name out there, talking with students, and perhaps collecting a couple of business cards or applications, you return to the office and wait for the students to make the next move. Why wait for interested students to act, when you can strike while the iron is hot? Following up with the students who caught your eye will make an impact on them and establish your brand as one which actively engages. When you host an information session with us, we are able to facilitate networking and track attendance, making it easier to contact those who have made an impression.

 

  1. Taking full advantage of social media

FB Screen ShotSocial media is a great tool for helping you increase event attendance and differentiating your organization from competing recruiters. So much can be done on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread the news that you are going to be on campus as well as provide a unique interaction with your brand. It can be as simple as posting on the university Facebook account that you have a booth set up on campus, to sourcing student questions from Twitter for an upcoming discussion panel, to something a little more unique and fun like setting up a geo-filter on Snapchat. Management Career Services can help support your event promotion by leveraging our well-established social media networks and other affiliated accounts. By tagging us on Facebook and Twitter @dalmcs or by sharing your content with us to post for you, we will help spread the word to Rowe Business students.

 

  1. Having a clear call to action

1.4 .1- 4 Common Campus Recruitment Success Factors you may be Overlooking 4You have invested time and effort into organizing/setting up a campus event, and have sent your best representatives to deliver it, but if prospective student attendees can’t quickly and easily grasp your short and long-term hiring needs, you risk falling short of your goal. By clearly communicating your co-op/internship and career opportunities, students will show more interest, ask more informed questions, and have a better idea of whether they are a good match with your company – either now or in the future. Our office can help you plan out events that target specific programs or years and convey your unique value to the students.

So does your fall recruitment plan hit the mark? Let us help you reach your goals and connect with the right students and grads for the job, so that you get the most from your time on campus.

 

Student Spotlight: Samantha Kelemen

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Samantha KelemenSamantha Kelemen is a 3rd year Bachelor of Commerce Finance major who worked for the retail supplier Agrium during the summer after her 1st year at Dal.  During her time at Agrium she managed to make strong connections with her managers that she has maintained to this day. After doing her first two co-op work terms with CIBC and Scotiabank, respectively, Samantha reached out to her former manager at Agrium to do an informational interview as part of her Work Term Report. Samantha said she was interested in conducting an informational interview with her colleague from Agrium because she wanted to see what careers were out there besides the ones she was exposed to through with her two co-ops.

At the end of her informational interview, Samantha mentioned she had an interest in consulting. She was then referred to speak with a partner in the Boston Consulting Group’s Calgary office by a senior manager at Agrium who had previously worked for the organization. Samantha applied for a co-op position with BCG and was successful in reaching the Skype interview phase of the application process. While she did not end up being offered the position with BCG, Samantha describes the interview process as extremely valuable.

“I had read a lot of case study prep books, but nothing is like the real thing,” Samantha said.

Samantha’s interview lasted two hours and contained two case studies where her responses were meticulously examined. She was very grateful for the feedback and interview experience that BCG provided.

“I got to speak with both partners and HR at the Boston Consulting Group. This opened a lot of doors for me and helped me learn a lot about a potential career in consulting”.

When asked if she would recommend informational interviews to other students, Samantha was quick to say yes. She feels that informational interviews are the best way to learn about a company and about the careers that exist within a company. Samantha went on the say that, “at first, informational interviews can be intimidating but people love talking about their jobs, letting you know what they do and helping you with your career decisions”.

 

Student Spotlight: Max Georgopoulos

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Max Georgopoulos is a second year Bachelor of Commerce student from Aurora, Ontario. Last year he was a part of the Marketing stream on the Toronto Corporate Tour. Max says his experience with the Corporate Tour was nothing but positive. “We saw a wide range of businesses, from start-ups to large corporations like PepsiCo. I got a great scope of what marketing looks like across all types of companies. I also made awesome connections with people in various industries, which ended up opening multiple doors for me in the future.”

Max went on to say he, “would recommend the Toronto Corporate Tour 100%” because he felt that getting an inside look at various companies gives students a better idea of what type of company they might want to work for in their co-op terms and in their career.Max Georgopoulos 2

Max emphasized the importance of industry connections. Max says, “Having the right connections is one of the biggest factors in landing the job you want.” Max felt the greatest benefit of the Toronto Corporate Tour was networking, describing it as, “a great climate to make connections in, since these employers see you as an initiative-taker who cares about his/her career before you even open your mouth to speak. Good first impression if you ask me.”

“Networking on the tour ended up landing me two jobs: one at Mosaic over the summer and one at a Nudge Rewards for my current co-op. The co-op jobs that some of my friends landed were also a result of a connection that they made on the tour. Without the tour, neither me nor my friends would have been aware of these opportunities, let alone gotten the job. Go on the tour!”

For more information on the Toronto Corporate Tour attend the information session on January 25th or go to dal.ca/mcs/corporatetours.

Does your organization need a solution for a strategic issue?

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Rowe School of Business

Contact: Lucy Hulford (strategy.project@dal.ca)
Professors: Dr. Lorn Sheehan (lorn@dal.ca)

Dr. Ellen T. Crumley (ecrumley@dal.ca) Dr. Bill Foster (bill.foster@dal.ca)

 

The Commerce Student Strategy Project is a capstone exercise for 4th year Bachelor of Commerce students. Teams of 5 students (two teams per organization) apply classroom learning to analyze strategic issues of importance to organizations through eight-month projects from September to April. The organization will receive an interim report in December followed by an implementation plan in April.

Student Team Requirements

  1. Select a Nova Scotia organization with a strategic issue (exceptions may be allowed)
  2. Conduct a strategic analysis of the industry, environment, organization and issue
  3. Make strategic recommendations based on the analysis
  4. Develop a detailed plan for implementing the recommendations

The Organization

  •  In Nova Scotia (exceptions may be allowed)
  • For-profit, not-for-profit, public/government agency, or a new venture
  • Must be complex enough to allow for external, internal, and strategic analysis

Issue Identification

The organizational issue must have significant performance implications that are difficult to reverse after implementation, including:

  •  Addressing a major organizational threat or opportunity
  • Analyzing the industry/environment and changing or re-designing the organization (e.g., restructuring to expand to a new market or provide new products/services)
  • Redesigning organizational rewards, organizational processes or incentive systems
  • Making changes to organizational culture or strategic leadership

Value Proposition to Participating Organizations

Organizational Benefits

  • Evidence-based recommendations via the application of strategic management tools
  • An implementation plan with detailed cost and benefit projections
  • Multi-functional and multi-person perspective
    • Creative and innovative thinking from two 5-person teams
  • Time and effort of 4th year Commerce students
    • Worth 40% of student grade in each of the two strategy courses
  • Two teams’ well-reasoned solutions to the strategic problem
  • Access to new Commerce graduates as potential employees
  • Critical feedback and guidance from strategy professors

Organizational Commitments

  • Timeframe is September – April
  • Identify a strategic problem (or opportunity) that needs to be addressed
  • Access to company information (with a confidentiality agreement) for two teams:
    • Initial meeting of company managers with student teams and TA
    • About 10 hours of time/per semester, including attendance at 2 presentations
    • Vision, mission, and strategic plans
    • Organizational structure and incentive systems
    • Relevant financial information
    • Discussions with key stakeholders (e.g., employees, senior management, )
    • Time as needed with other employees
  • Reimburse costs directly incurred by teams (if applicable)

Value Proposition to Students

Benefits

  • Learn to apply strategic concepts and analytical tools in a live setting
  • Make a difference to a real organization
  • Refine presentation skills

Commitments

  • Regularly meet with organization, its stakeholders, and teaching assistants/professors
  • Gather relevant information inside and outside of the organization
  • Invest time, creativity, and innovative thinking

Project Proposal Submission

To obtain the project proposal form and submit your organizational issue please contact:

Lucy Hulford (strategy.project@dal.ca) Teaching Assistant, Commerce Student Strategy Project

Bright futures: 2016 Commerce, Management and CRMBA graduate statistics

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Dalhousie’s Faculty of Management graduates go on to pursue work in a variety of functional areas including marketing and logistics, engineering, technology and finance. We conduct an annual survey with our graduated students; below you will find employment stats and career outcomes from our class of 2016 Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Management and Corporate Residency MBA graduates.

Bachelor of Commerce

Dalhousie Graduate Infographics - Long

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Bachelor of Management

Dalhousie Graduate Infographics - Long

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Corporate Residency MBA

Dalhousie Graduate Infographics - Long

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Celebrating the winners of the inaugural Dalhousie Top Co-op Awards

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Wednesday, March 22nd marked the inaugural Dalhousie Top Co-op Awards, a joint collaboration between Dalhousie’s Management Career Services, Science, Information Technology, Engineering Co-operative Education and the Faculty of Architecture and Planning. Though this year’s event is new, co-op award history at Dalhousie extends back to 2004.

Congratulations to this year’s award winners!

TOP CO-OP STUDENTS OF THE YEAR
As nominated by their employer.

  • Faculty of Science | Kaitlin Burek, Marine Biology Student
    Nominated by Dalhousie University, Department of Biology
  • Faculty of Engineering | Catherine MacDougall, Chemical Engineering
    Nominated by ExxonMobil
  • Faculty of Computer Science | Niclas Skaalum, Computer Science
    Nominated by Dell Canada/Quest Software Canada
  • Faculty of Management | Matthew Cohen, Commerce
    Nominated by Robotnik
  • Architecture | Claire Fontaine, Architecture
    Nominated by de Hoog Kierulf Architects
  • Planning | Andrew Scanlan Dickie, Planning Student
    Nominated by Village on Main

TOP CO-OP EMPLOYERS OF THE YEAR
Presented to nine industry categories based on student nominations.

  • Consulting & Design Services:
    EcoVue Consulting Services Inc.
  • Retail & Consumer Packaged Goods:
    Bergstrom Automotive
  • Health:
    Health QR
  • Financial Services:
    Royal Bank Canada
  • Information & Technology:
    Dell Canada Inc.
  • Public Sector:
    Canada Post Corporation
  • Manufacturing:
    Metamaterial Technologies Inc.
  • Resources:
    Emera
  • R&D and Education:
    Dalhousie University, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

EMERGING EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Recognizing employers new to Dalhousie’s Co-op programs within the past three years. 

  • Winner: Affinio
  • First runner-up: Dash Hudson
  • Second runner-up: RGH Chartered Accountants

LEGACY EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Recognizing employers who have been active and supportive in Dalhousie’s Co-op programs for a minimum of five years.

  • Winner: Ernst & Young LLP
  • First runner-up: PepsiCo
  • Second runner-up: Pratt & Whitney

Spotlight: Nicola Woods

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nicola-woodsNicola Woods is a recent graduate of Dalhousie’s Bachelor of Management program. She is currently working for TJX Canada as a Merchandise Assistant, supporting stationary buyers by creating purchase orders, tracking merchandising and building relationships with vendors. Nicola is a prime example of how important it is to build your network and engage with employers well before you’ve even graduated.

On working at TJX Canada, Nicola says “The best part of my job is having the opportunity to work directly alongside two buyers in the stationery department. Through our partnership, I am able to learn more about the thought processes behind key business decisions, such as the types of products we choose to offer customers in our stores. Additionally, the friendly and accepting culture here makes me feel confident that I can ask questions and be an involved member of the team.

My experience at Dalhousie prepared me for my grad job search by providing me with a number of essential skills such as proper resume and cover letter writing techniques. Early on during my time at Dal I was able to take advantage of the resources offered by MCS which greatly contributed to my success in finding a job.

The best advice I can provide to students thinking of applying for a work term or grad job is to be thorough in the job search process in order to ensure that they land a job with a company they are interested in.”

TJX Canada is hosting an information session on-campus on October 4th. Register on myCareer to learn more about working for one of the world’s biggest retailers and potentially kick start your career just like Nicola.

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