Student Spotlight: Mikayla Manderville

October 12, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Originally from New Hampshire, USA, Mikayla Manderville is a third-year Bachelor of Commerce student, majoring in marketing. “I chose Dal because of its co-op program. I loved the idea that I would have the opportunity to try out different jobs that interested me. At the time that I applied to Dal, I had no idea what I wanted to do, so the co-op program is a great opportunity for students like me to figure that out.”

Mikayla is currently working as a Special Projects Manager at 365 Experience here in Halifax for her fall co-op. 365 Experience is a rental property management company that manages Airbnb rentals, as well as an electric scooter rental service for residential building tenants called AirScoot. “I stumbled into the path of Avery Birch, CEO at 365 Experience, during my first co-op job search and had talked to him briefly. I fell in love with the role from our conversation and decided I wanted to circle back around for my second co-op,” says Mikayla. “My CRS Jonathan Perry helped me learn how to utilize LinkedIn for job searching and networking. From there I connected with Avery on LinkedIn and was able to secure an interview which led to me getting the job!”

Mikayla shares that her responsibilities include a variety of day-to-day and larger project management tasks. “On a daily basis I am responsible for managing the strategy we use to price our Airbnb listings. I begin by analyzing the available market and make price adjustments where necessary to optimize occupancy. Additionally, I have created and managed our new Customer Relationship Management system, which was put in place to manage lead generation. I am responsible for the outreach that we send to those leads as well.”

So far this term, Mikayla says she is enjoying her talented team and the autonomy over her work. “There is no task that is out of reach for me to try, or a responsibility I do not have the opportunity to manage. Since day one I have had the opportunity to vocalize interest in projects that I want to take the lead on. Just a few weeks ago, my co-workers and I sat in on a meeting with a local brewery to discuss a potential partnership and we sealed the deal! This is just one example of the autonomy we have as co-op students to take ideas and act on them.”

While it feels great when tasks come naturally, equally as important are the aspects of a co-op that are challenging and result in both personal and professional growth. “My new role has also been pushing me out of my comfort zone. We recently had a hiring week at the company for the next co-op term. Avery likes to have the current co-op students take control of the hiring process until the final interview. This was a bit challenging for me because I had never interviewed someone before. I had to ask valuable questions to get to know the candidates in such a short amount of time. However, it ended up being one of my favorite job tasks so far this work term!”

Mikayla’s advice for you:

Utilize the resources at your disposal, especially your MCS Career and Recruitment Specialist. Searching for your next co-op can be daunting but your CRS is there to help. If you vocalize your goals for co-op, they offer much support in the journey to reaching that goal. They are there to help you, so let them!

Instagram: @mmanderville

Pronouns: She/her

Student Spotlight: Josie Hooks

October 5, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Josie Hooks is a third-year Commerce student majoring in Finance. A Calgary, Alberta native, she came to Nova Scotia for the first time to attend school at Dal. “I chose Dalhousie because I was interested in the work experience that is provided through the co-op program, and I wanted to move to the east coast for school as I had never been here before!”

With tools and support provided by MCS to build up her resume and cover letter, Josie secured a co-op at Canoe Financial for this fall semester. Canoe Financial is an independent mutual fund company managing over $8.7 billion in assets across a diversified range of mutual funds, private energy equity products, and institutional mandates.

“I am currently an intern on the energy fund at Canoe Financial and have the opportunity to work on the sales team as well,” says Josie. “I have been working with Bloomberg to gather data about the industry and company specifics, research for new investments, and work with the portfolio managers. In the coming weeks I will be able to work alongside the sales team.” She shares that she has already been able to try a number of different tasks and projects at Canoe Financial. “I’ve also been doing research for potential future investments, looking into different types of energy sources. Recently I attended a conference that presented new energy innovations seeking investments.”

With the opportunity to work fully in-person for her co-op, Josie says, “I am most excited to be a part of this team and for the understanding of the finance industry that I will leave the job with. I work on a very small team, so I have been thrown right into the mix. This allowed me to learn more about the company as a whole and the energy fund specifically.”

Josie’s advice or you: Building up your network and staying in contact with industry professionals is the best thing you can do!

Pronouns: She/Her

Instagram: josiehooks

Giving co-op students a chance: How a business and professional services organization found mutual value in hiring students

September 24, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

It’s never too late to give hiring students a try, and to see how adding work terms to your recruitment cycle can positively impact your company. Recently, Dalhousie Management Career Services (MCS) spoke with a student employer who heard about the Commerce Co-op program just over a year ago and decided to give our students chance.

Joe and Dalene Allen are both Executive Directors of BNI Maritimes, the local chapter of a world-leading business networking and referral organization. They learned about the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program in spring 2020 through a member of the MCS Employer Development team. “We hired one Commerce student, Sam Willner, for the Fall 2020 work term to check it out,” says Joe. “Well, we were so pleased with what he brought to our organization that we hired two students, Nick Lawlor and Maia St. John, for the Winter 2021 term!

In the Commerce Co-op program, students complete each of their three mandatory co-ops during a specific time of year: their first in the winter, second in fall, and third in summer. Some employers may be hesitant to hire a first-time co-op student knowing they possess less work experience than other students, but as BNI came to find out, previous experience is only a small piece of the puzzle to making a great student employee.

“Nick and Maia were at the end of their first year and still early in their university learning, yet they were already able to offer us real value,” says Joe. His team went on to hire two more co-op students, Jake MacMillan and Cameron Gannon, for the Summer 2021 term. “It has been a pleasure to have these students work with us. They bring fresh energy, ideas, and skillsets, and they help BNI Maritimes operate more smoothly. We were impressed by the initiative and enthusiasm they have demonstrated by taking on such tasks as making cold calls to companies that they had themselves selected by prospecting such sources as social media and trade publications. They have helped us by bringing their technical skills to our projects and by researching and learning new software and techniques.”

Joe also acknowledges that he and Dalene knew they had a responsibility to ensure the co-op experience was also valuable for their students. “For our part, we wanted to make sure we gave them a valid learning experience by assigning them diverse tasks that would exercise as many skills as possible,” he says. Both he and Dalene encouraged their students to connect with BNI’s member organizations to learn about their businesses and build relationships that may assist them in their future career paths.

“We highly recommend the hiring of Dal Commerce Co-op students to any employer. We have found them to be reliable with a curiosity to adapt and develop skills.”

Student Spotlight: Olivia Cons

September 7, 2021 Management Career Services 2 Comments

Olivia Cons is a third year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in accounting. A Montréal native, Olivia was drawn to Dalhousie because of the co-op program. “The benefits of co-op were an advantage Dal offers that I could not find easily when looking at other schools and their programs,” she says. She was also drawn to Dal because of its location. “I fell in love with the city of Halifax. Halifax is a beautiful place to spend your university years, with all the nature and beauty by the water, I truly appreciate and cherish every moment I have here. For a new student, it offers the university lifestyle with a sense of home and tranquility.”

During her first co-op, Olivia worked as a Captive Associate at Marsh Canada Limited, a global leader in the insurance sector that helps clients manage risk and growth potential. In her role, she produced financial service guides and prepared audit confirmations, among many other things. She also had the opportunity to work on special projects, such as assisting Marsh’s New York Office in creating a new survey platform. “Working at Marsh for my first work term has been a significant learning experience as it established and fine-tuned my accounting skills,” says Olivia.

After her co-op, she reached out to her team to inquire about extending her work with the organization as a part-time employee during the summer. Marsh agreed and extended the offer, excited to continue to have her on their team.

Reaching this place of confidence in her job search process is a result of a lot of time and hard work, as well as support she received from Management Career Services (MCS). During the initial application process, Olivia reached out to MCS for help. “They were able to assist me step by step,” says Olivia. “They provided numerous job postings, and with the help of MCS, I was able to secure my co-op at Marsh.”

Olivia’s advice for you:

Never give up during the application process. Keep applying to as many places as you can. The more organizations you apply to, the greater your chances of securing your co-op opportunity.
Once you have secured your co-op, be positive and do not feel shy to speak up. Your fellow employees will appreciate your confidence. Creating conversation and relationships in the workplace makes work more fun!

Student Spotlight: Bethany Abramovitch

August 30, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Bethany Abramovitch is a fourth year Bachelor of Commerce student. She decided to pursue Commerce because of how much she loved her high school business program. When choosing her university, work-integrated learning made Dal the obvious choice.

After landing a role as Dock Coordinator at Nestle Waters’ shipping office, Bethany began to consider a career in supply chain. “It was so different than any job I had worked in before,” says Bethany. “I was intrigued by all of the work that goes on behind the scenes to provide us with the daily items we take for granted.” Thanks to this experience opening her eyes to a career path she hadn’t previously considered, she decided to declare a major in Supply Chain & Logistics Management.

When asked about the best part of working in supply chain and logistics, Bethany says it’s the rapidly growing industry. “It is a relatively new field of study. Most of the senior talent in supply chain did not get a relevant degree and likely worked their way up the ladder. This leaves a lot of room for growth as we study the most efficient ways of running a supply chain.”

Since discovering her love for supply chain and logistics, Bethany has scored three co-ops at three different companies, earning her a vast network of connections. This past summer, Bethany worked at Relay Logistics Inc, a third-party pharmaceutical distribution centre for DHL Supply Chain as an Operations Intern. She has taken on numerous duties in this role and had a chance to participate in DHL’s Capstone event. “I was grouped with four other interns from across the country and given a project of implementing automation and re-slotting the manual pick area of a matrix distribution centre,” she says. “The DHL Capstone event was a wonderful learning and networking experience!”

During her work term, she was designated as the COVID-19 vaccine distribution coordinator, a critical role in ensuring the vaccine was distributed properly. “I planned the repackaging and shipping operations, managed supplies required for cold chain distribution, and ensured the vaccines were shipped and stored at the correct temperature,” Bethany says. Noting the impact that COVID-19 has had on business, she says, “The pandemic has shown us the importance of supply chain, and I hope to see more and more people in this major.”

If you’re considering studying Supply Chain and Logistics Management, feel free to reach out to Bethany at bethany.abramovitch@dal.ca to introduce yourself and hear more about her experience!

Pronouns: She/Her

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

Where there’s a WIL there’s a way: Dalhousie business students find and bring value in work-integrated learning

March 23, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

March is National Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Month. The opportunity for students to apply the knowledge they’re gaining in their classes to a real workplace setting doesn’t just help them build their skillset and set themselves up for long-term success; it gives employers the opportunity to benefit from bringing new talent onto their team for a few months.

Dalhousie Management Career Services facilitates four to 12-month work-integrated learning opportunities for three business programs: Commerce Co-op, Management Internship, and Corporate Residency MBA. Through work-integrated learning programs like these, employers connect with young business professionals, and benefit from fresh new ideas and perspectives. Getting involved in work-integrated learning is also beneficial for Dalhousie alumni! It’s another way to stay connected to the available talent pool should there be an opportunity to hire a student in their own business or company.

Work-integrated learning is a win-win for employers and students. One Dalhousie business student, Francisco Rios, an international student pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree, experienced first-hand what it was like to work in Canada during his three co-op work terms. “Since my first work term, I have worked hard with dedication and a positive attitude; key factors to learn and obtain a good work experience. As a result, I strengthened my communication and analytical skills.”

Tiffany Butt, a third-year Bachelor of Commerce student, expressed how immersing herself in the co-op experience allowed her to exercise her networking skills, resulting in meaningful connections. “The biggest takeaway from my co-op experience so far has been my development of resilience and confidence in the workplace. These are skills that cannot be taught and are much sought after by employers. I am looking forward to completing my third work term this coming summer and continuing to grow as a young professional and as an individual.”

The variety of companies that can benefit from hiring Dalhousie business students is endless. Working for a startup as a co-op student can be an exciting environment, as it often leads to more responsibility, collaboration, and the opportunity to make meaningful professional relationships. Christopher Marshall, a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student, completed one of his co-ops with a startup company in Halifax called Prosaris. “I transformed my classroom knowledge into real-world actions and results, helping the startup go from concept to market readiness. I learned how to quickly adapt to a completely novel product and work with a small team to continue to iterate and adapt, making me a better marketer. The co-op program allowed me to not only better myself and prepare me for a successful career in marketing, but also make an impact in our larger business community.”

With all the challenges thrown students’ way this past year, Dalhousie business students preserved and continued to make an impact on their work-integrated learning employers. While all of our students excelled in their own way, the Top Co-op Student of the Year Award recognizes the achievements that our talented students make while on their work terms. Students who receive this prestigious award are truly driven to make the most out of their co-op journey.

Congratulations to all of the students nominated for the Top Co-op Student of the Year – Faculty of Management category:

Morgan Balch
Kelly Bent
Parker Boland
Bradley Burgess
Tiffany Butt
Katherine (Kate) Costaris
Lyndon Deslauriers
Kyle Dickinson
Denali Dorn
Peter Frost
Karleigh George
Ben Grondin
Celine Hage
Ross Hewson
Noah Innes
Jordan Kelsie
Victoria King
Xiaotong (Nicole) Li
Yan Liu
Muyu Lyu
Christopher Marshall
Francisco Rios
Thomas Sangwine
James Whytock
Alexandra Wight

The passion and enthusiasm they exemplified throughout their work terms proudly represents Dalhousie Management Career Services across many industries.

And, congratulations to the Top Co-op Student of the Year – Faculty of Management winner for 2020: Stefan Wippel, Bachelor of Commerce.

To read more about Stefan and all of the 2020 Top Co-op Award winners click here!

To learn more about how Dalhousie business students can benefit your business, visit dal.ca/mcs.

Student Spotlight: Laurel O’Brien

March 22, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Originally from Toronto, Laurel O’Brien is in her second year of the Bachelor of Commerce program. Because she enjoys and excels in the arts, Laurel moved to Halifax after taking a gap year following high school, where she began a Bachelor of Fine Arts at NSCAD. After studying at NSCAD for one year, she decided to try something different, but knew she wanted to stay in Halifax, so she transferred to Dal as a Bachelor of Arts student. She tested the waters by taking a Commerce course and fell in love with it, so she enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce program, and as they say, the rest is history.

Laurel is currently completing her first co-op at LPi Group as an Account Coordinator. LPi is a marketing agency specializing in shopper marketing. “I handle a variety of tasks and projects supporting the accounts teams, including leading client asks and organizing client files, as well as some research and analysis.” She was able to develop her networking skills as well as her ability to navigate LinkedIn throughout her job search. “I spent the majority of my job search not understanding how to leverage my personal network or LinkedIn as a tool, and it was only after an MCS advisor gave me a ‘crash course’ that I started making real headway in securing a position.”

Due to COVID-19, Laurel has been completing her work term remotely, and although there are challenges that come along with working from home, she feels very lucky to have secured a co-op position during this stressful and uncertain time. “The culture at my current workplace is very social and fun, so my colleagues have made it very easy to feel like part of the team. I do wish I could have been in the office, but there’s really not all that much to lament. I feel very lucky!”

Laurel’s advice for you:

Take full advantage of MCS! Have them look over your resume as much as you need – as you’re editing your documents to align with a particular job opportunity, you might miss something your Career and Recruitment Specialist won’t. And I can’t overstate the extent to which practice interviews helped me put my best foot forward in my job interviews.

Don’t be shy about the fact that you’re looking for work. More times than not, when I mentioned my job search to friends and acquaintances they responded with “oh, I might know about a position” or “I have a friend who’s hiring right now” – people want to help!

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

Category: co-op