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Student Spotlight: Nicole Vander Doelen

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Nicole Vander Doelen is originally from Newmarket Ontario and is entering her third year of the Bachelor of Commerce Program.

Nicole took a year off of high school to make sure that she was making the right decision when it came to what school and program she wanted to attend. She mentioned that Dalhousie was always on her list because of the co-op program and past family members have also attended the school.

For Nicole’s first work term, she worked at RBC Technology and Operations, out of the Bedford office as a Business Analyst and Project Coordinator on the transformation and strategic initiatives team. While searching for her first work term, Nicole had her sights on a finance position. Her approach to securing her first position did not go unseen.

“I was set on getting a job with one of the big banks. I went to countless networking events and applied to over 30+ jobs on myCareer.” She said, adding “I ended up securing a co-op with RBC through reaching out to people in my network. I did apply through myCareer but truly secured the interview by speaking with RBC talent recruiters.”

Nicole noted that she did have some challenges with her first work term, but persevered and ended up really enjoying things. “The position was not what I had expected. I got so caught up in just securing a job with a big bank I misunderstood the position. It was not as finance focused as I had thought, but I ended up working on an amazing energetic team that allowed me to network within the bank. I was able to gain some insight and understanding into private banking, wealth management, and capital markets.”

Overall, Nicole added  “The position gave me the information I needed to make the decision that I did not want to be a finance major,” a valuable insight into her career path afforded to work-integrated learning students.

Following her first co-op position, Nicole made some changes to her job search approach. She discussed what changed her approach and, “with the help of the academic report for the co-op work term, I was able to work through and decide what kind of position I truly wanted post grad. I was able to figure out that a major in marketing would make the most sense as I am mostly interested in selling, pitching, and content creation as I love to talk and be creative. So, I found myself very interested in brand management and advertising management. From there I spoke with recent Dal marketing grads and found that securing a co-op that will supply me with experience in digital marketing and brand management would be an asset.”

When working to find her fall 2020 work term, Nicole said that the ongoing pandemic added some pressure and caused her to become creative when it came to secure her co-op position. Through her job searched, Nicole found Venture for Canada, an online portal that can help students find work terms. She mentioned that this platform changed her application process and provided her with lots of support.

Nicole said that Venture for Canada was very easy to use. She just had to send in a quick application and after 3 days of them reviewing it, they accepted her and gave her full access to their job board. They also sent her resume directly to employers they thought she would be a good fit for. Before she even looked at the job posts she already had an email from a potential employer asking her to send them a cover letter as they were intrigued by her resume. She applied to 6 positions and heard back from all of them.

Venture for Canada called her after she accepted and informed her that their support doesn’t end there and they actually will be giving her access to their online library in September. Their online library includes free courses and webinars on a variety of subjects including brand management and web development which are both two of her interests. The best part of Venture for Canada is that all the positions posted on there are Canadian start-ups. After securing her co-op she talked to some friends who work in full time marketing positions and found out they actually secured their jobs post grad through Venture for Canada. Nicole added “I think it is a great asset for students looking for real experience and to get their hands dirty, all while supporting local Canadian start-ups.”

Nicole’s Fall position is a communication and marketing associate position with GetintheLoop. She mentioned that she could not be happier with her placement and is enjoying it after her first couple of weeks.

Nicole’s Advice for Students entering the recruitment process for co-op:

  • Know what you want. If you cannot explain your ideal co-op, then you won’t be able to find it.
  • MCS is there to help and provide positing but only you can put in that extra step to finding your ideal co-op position.
  • I highly recommend VFC for any student looking for a co-op, even if you don’t find one on VFC it’s a great network to have access to.

Follow Nicole on LinkedIn!

Check out MCS’s article about finding self-developed jobs through programs like Venture for Canada here.

 

*Please note,  Venture for Canada is a program of the Government of Canada and supports Canadian students and permanent residents.

Student Spotlight – Jessica Quinn

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Born and raised in Toronto, Jessica Quinn is going into her third year of the Dalhousie Commerce program. She was keen on this program because of the co-op opportunities. Jessica wanted to be able to try different areas of commerce to determine what she enjoyed and to gain real-life experience.

For the first work term, Jessica worked with Prime Quadrant, an investment boutique, as a Rotational Student role. This allowed her to work with the Investment team, Client service, Office Administration, Operations, and Compliance. She said she gained great exposure to finance by having the opportunity to work in these different areas. Jessica recently spoke to Management Career Services about how she secured her next work term.

“My next co-op work term is as an Ultra High Net Worth Associate in the Enterprise Strategic Client Group at RBC. This role was secured through my own networking. I started to network with people at large banks at the end of my time at Prime Quadrant.” Jessica said.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 prevented her from networking face-to-face but that did not stop her from speaking with people. “I was connected to someone at RBC who very kindly met with me on a video call.  She introduced me to one of her team members who kindly provided me with an information interview.  During these videos and calls, I asked questions about their particular industry and the roles they had held.  I also took the opportunity to discuss the ideas I had for my next co-op.  My third call with RBC was yet another introduction and that led to an interview for a role.  I then had a video interview two days later and received a job offer later that week!” She added.

The entire experience showed Jessica the importance of networking; speaking with people, asking questions, and being introduced to their network. She mentioned the other thing she learned is the importance of following up. She said that if someone offers to speak with you, follow up with an email asking them when they are available and then follow up with a thank-you email.

As for her job search process, Jessica credits MCS coaching services “I met with both Shelley and Robert from the MCS office and they were both extremely helpful,” said Jessica. “They provided me with ideas on how to go about securing a co-op. Shelley actually pushed me to get involved in extracurricular activities which led me to join DALIS (Dalhousie Investment Society) so I could  learn more about finance and network with other students. MCS has been an incredibly helpful resource for me during both of my co-op searches.”

Jessica’s short-term goals are to further develop her analytical skills, gain experience in the banking industry, and develop her leadership skills through extra-curricular activities. “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of RBC Wealth Management Team, I will look to strengthen my Excel and data organization skills while aiming to provide value within my role.” She added. For her current long-term goals, Jessica consists of completing her CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) upon graduating from Dalhousie University and land a position that will lead to leadership opportunities.

To learn more about Jessica’s story, follow her on Instagram @jessicakquinn

Tips of the week from Jessica on effective networking:

  • “Follow Up.  The follow up is the most important part of networking.   It keeps communication/conversation going.”
  • “Thank You.  Make sure you are appreciative of the time people offer you.  Most people are incredibly busy and have taken time out of their day to speak with you.”
  • “Be informed and be ready.  Make sure you are informed about the role/company/industry of the person you are speaking with.  Have your questions ready!  This is your conversation to lead. Also, it is important you are fully prepared.   You want to leave a good impression!”
  • “Have an open mind. Having an open mind when you are networking/job searching is important.  When you start networking, people will want to introduce you to someone they know who they think may be helpful.  It is important that you take them up on their offer as you never know where these conversations will lead you.”

‘We chose to invest for growth’: How one employer saw student success during the COVID Pandemic

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When the COVID-19 pandemic escalated quickly earlier this year, a number of employers had to make decisions quickly on staffing – including their student employees. Dalhousie Management Career Services recently spoke to one student employer about the challenges they faced and how they were able to find student success for their summer work terms.

Michael Gremley is a Corporate Development Manager at Nova Leap Health Corp., an international personal home care and support services provider headquartered in Nova Scotia. As an essential service providing medical care, Nova Leap already faced a number of operational challenges providing personal protective gear and implementing enhanced public health guidelines to protect frontline staff and clients. However, this did not stop them from hiring business co-op students to assist in their corporate office functions. In fact, as Michael said, it was a priority for Nova Leap.

“Companies generally have two choices during a period of economic decline – they can scale back operations or they can continue to invest for growth.  We chose to invest for growth,” he said.  “The ongoing training of students who we believe can contribute in a meaningful way to our organization remains a priority.”

Likewise, Dalhousie Management Career Services made a quick pivot to help employers access funding, conduct interviews remotely, and (as an offering for the summer work term)  streamlined the hiring process by providing a resume book of available students. Nova Leap made use of the resume book to hire a student in a short time frame; something Michael said was a very useful tool for their organization.

“The resume book allowed us immediate access to review a list of tailored co-op students based on overlapping study specialization and prior co-op experiences,” he said, adding that “it was a positive experience as it presented a more efficient hiring process.”

And while the concept of hiring students to work remotely may seem daunting to some, Michael added that they have had great success working with their students. Dalhousie business students come prepared with top notch technology skills and can quickly adapt, something Michael said he experienced with the students he hired.

“Students are very good at adapting to situations quickly which makes communication and workflow a lot easier to manage,” he said.  “In our case, we are leveraging technology and the students are doing a great job.”

Michael also encourages employers to seek out funding opportunities, many of which are temporarily enhanced to support student employment during the pandemic.

“There are a number of grant opportunities available to partially offset some of the hiring costs.  This makes the proposition that much more attractive for an employer,” he said.

Overall, Michael said he recommends hiring students to help your organization cope with trying times.

“The one thing that remains constant in business is that there are always areas that require continuous improvement.  Leveraging the skills of a student can help make those necessary improvements,” he said.

Interested in hiring a student, or curious about accessing funding programs? Contact our Employer Development team at:

Nova Scotia Employers
Cindy Ryan
Employer Development Coordinator
Cindy.Ryan@dal.ca
902.219.2548

Ontario and other Canada Employers
Ayse Dai-Gammon
Employer Development Manager
ayse.gammon@dal.ca
902.220.2237

 

Student Spotlight – Xiyu Zhou

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Xiyu Zhou is a third-year Finance student from Changsha, China. She chose the Dalhousie Commerce program for the unique Co-op opportunities to gain more practical experience. Xiyu is now working as an Information & Resource Specialist at TEAM Work Cooperative. Xiyu recently spoke to Management Career Services about how she secured her current work term through the pandemic.

Like many students, Xiyu mentioned that the pandemic has impacted her a lot. As most of the offices are closed now, many student positions were cancelled.

“Even though there were many active postings, many were funded by the Canada Summer Job Program, and international students are not eligible for this fund, which means I had fewer opportunities and more pressure,” she said.

After talking to her MCS Career and Recruitment Specialist, Maggie Ma, Xiyu decided to send applications to different employers to seek opportunities as well as keep networking with her past co-workers. In the end, Xiyu was able to find a term with her previous work term employer, TEAM Work Cooperative.

Xiyu now works from home, and said she has found some benefits from remote work. She enjoys not having a commute and the quiet at home. However, Xiyu said she also faced some difficulties working at home. The most significant one is that she cannot quickly discuss her work with co-workers as she could if she was working in the same office, and often has to rely on returning emails.

Although working remotely made the work time more flexible for Xiyu, she said she usually sets a schedule for herself every day to maintain productivity. “Working in a quiet room alone is a great way to keep you focused,” she added.

Xiyu’s short term goal is to find an internship job at a financial institution next summer. After graduation, she hopes to take a master’s degree or potentially focus on human resources management, as she enjoys trying out different fields to explore more career options.

To learn more about Xiyu’s story, follow her on Instagram @Xyuzblair.

Tips of the week from Xiyu Zhou on how to do the job search during the pandemic:

  • “The trick to finding a job is’ never to say never’. Never give up one single opportunity and put a little faith in yourself.”
  • “Preparing a well-written resume is essential. A cover-letter focusing in the position that you are applying for will give employers a good first impression, which could decide whether you get the interview or not.”
  • “After you get the interview, take some time to do your research about the company and the position. Preparing answers to the interview questions they might ask. A mock interview will be really helpful before the real one. You can always book an appointment with your Career and Recruitment Specialist to get help or attend workshops hosted by Management Career Services.”

Student Spotlight – Kate Costaris  

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Originally from Caledon, Ontario, Kate Costaris is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Accounting and is also pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Kate is currently completing her third work term as a Marketing and Operations Co-op Student at Bitstrapped, a technology start up founded by Dalhousie Alumni Jesse Albiston. Kate recently spoke to Management Career Services about how she secured her current work term and what it is like for co-op students working from home.

For Kate’s third work term, she knew exactly what she wanted to do but did not know how to get there. Kate had visited Management Career Services numerous times throughout her degree and decided to ask for help networking to secure her dream work term.

“I called (former Career and Recruitment Specialist ) Lori Bauld and asked if she had names of Alumni I could connect with in Toronto for a coffee chat to learn more about the industry I was looking to pursue.” Kate said. “I ended up meeting with my now manager! It is really difficult for students to find jobs as we have limited experience, but I found networking and meeting for informational interviews was the most helpful way to overcome the difficulty of finding a job. As your network grows, you are able to learn what you want, and the more confident you are with your aspirations, the more willing others are to help.”

While Kate secured her work term before the pandemic, Management Career Services is still helping students network using online tools and by phone.

Based on the current situation, working from home has become a fact everyone must face. Kate mentioned that working from home is obviously much more comfortable. The flexible schedule her workplace offered during this time means that she has more time to be productive because the hours are not stuck with the 9 am to 5 pm timeline. However, Kate said there is difficulty to balance time and separate work and life because people are living in the same space they are working in.

Kate shared her tips to minimize distractions when she works from home with us. “I treat my days as though I am working from the office, so I will put my phone away and have a consistent workplace in my home where I drink my coffee and do my work!” she said. She added that it can be a challenge to minimize distractions such as noise because that is out of her control, but she makes sure to only have her work equipment around her, so she does not have the opportunity to be distracted.

When talking about her career goals, Kate said that she still has two years left in her degrees, so she aims to continue exploring the technology industry. In the long-term, Kate wants to pursue a post-graduate degree, designation, or some sort of specialization.

To follow Kate’s success, follow her on Instagram @katecosty

 

Tips of the week from Kate Costaris on online interview and how to get motivated though working:

  • “For an online interview, my best tip is to keep your resume in view! When they ask you to describe your experiences, it is nice to have the confidence of knowing the key takeaways are right in front of you. As well, I would recommend keeping your upper body relaxed and letting your nerves settle below the cameras’ view. If you tend to have shaky hands keep them below your desk.”
  • “I keep myself motivated through self-set deadlines! I organize meetings with my team to present my work to ensure I get it done by a certain date. I find setting small attainable goals throughout the day makes me feel accomplished every day instead of setting larger goals because if you do not accomplish much during a day, it might make you lose motivation towards a bigger goal.”

 

Student Spotlight – Morgan Robertson-Tran

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Morgan Robertson-Tran is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Accounting. Originally from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Morgan chose Dalhousie for a number of reasons. Morgan loves Nova Scotia’s natural beauty and likes that the province is growing and innovating, and it feels like people are able to enjoy life without rushing to the next moment. In addition, Morgan’s mother went to Dalhousie University for her undergrad and really cherished her experience. Morgan looked at other universities in the area knowing that Nova Scotia has some very high-quality institutions. At first, Morgan really liked the idea of getting real work experience as part of her degree.

For Morgan’s first work term, she found a job at Emera as an Internal Audit Intern. She was attracted to the job because “Even before I had started my job search, I had heard about Emera, as they have been Top Co-op employer,” she said, adding that “At first, I thought they only took engineering students, but I have learned in my journey never to make assumptions. Knowing that they had an excellent reputation as an employer, and that they were a company started in my hometown was really exciting,” she said.

The position was within the Internal Audit department, at that time, Morgan said she felt underqualified because she had only completed the introductory accounting courses. “Then,” she added, “I got an excellent reminder from my Career and Recruitment Specialist that so had most students in the program. So, I took a risk and ended up staying in Internal Audit for all three of my work terms.”

Morgan added that while she was fairly certain that she wanted to pursue a career in accounting in her first year, her first work term really solidified that idea. “By being able to test out the knowledge I learned in school I was able to feel more certain about my choice, about whether I could see myself doing this job for the foreseeable future. However, the most important part was that as I worked more with the team and displayed my skills, they gave me more responsibility.”

Morgan said that this increase in responsibility improved her confidence. “By the end of my work term, I was managing my own walkthrough and testing process. My role specifically involved meeting with people in other parts of the business to gather evidence for testing and to understand their processes,” she said, adding that she learned more than just auditing skills. “One of the reasons I am so interested in continuing this role was having to learn that there are many different communication styles, and that different processes work for different people.”

After her first work term, Morgan said there was no doubt that she wanted to complete her other two work terms at Emera. “It was the team I worked with that really made me want to stay. They were committed to making it a positive and educational experience.” Morgan added that this meant providing her with challenges to learn and succeed, and support for when she was out of my depth.

“Emera would bring in experts for workshops, and had newsletters and weeklong events to encourage wellness in many forms. As a company they emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion, mental health, physical health and having a safe environment,” she added.

As for her job search process, Morgan credits MCS workshops and counselling. “MCS was a huge help in my job search. Throughout my four years at Dal I have gone to my MCS advisor for everything from resume review, to interview practice, to honest talk about insecurities and confidence. MCS helped me gain confidence in myself, which allowed me to sell my “personal brand” to employers.” She said.

Morgan’s short-term goal is to get her CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) designation. This is going to be her main focus in life for the next few years, and will better prepare her as an accountant. Her long-term goal is to pursue a career in audit. She said she loves the work she does, and she is so grateful and excited that she will be continuing to do her full time job with Emera for the foreseeable future. This aligns with her goal of staying in Nova Scotia.

Tips of the week from Morgan:

Do not join a society just to have it on your resume. The reason having extra-curricular on your resume is not just to show you ‘being productive’, what employers really want to see is that you are a person with passions and that you involve yourself in those!

Student Spotlight – Kara Feeley

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Kara is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Finance. She grew up in Ottawa but has an affinity for the east coast. She’s been visiting Nova Scotia twice a year for most of her life as the rest of her family lives in Halifax. When she started looking into universities, she always knew that she wanted to go to school out east. She was interested in business, and Dalhousie’s Commerce co-op program with mandatory co-op was a great fit. Kara grew up playing competitive hockey and she loves the outdoors. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, going hiking, canoeing and camping. Kara is hoping to have the chance to visit Peru and trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, traveling around Ecuador, and Iceland before she begins working full time at KPMG.

Kara worked as a Management Consultant within KPMG’s Finance Transformation Service Line. She was attracted to the job because “The team works on complex and critical projects to maximize finance function performance and increase value to the business by providing a range of financial management services. KPMG is a leader in management consulting, and even more importantly, there seemed to be a great culture fit” she said.

Kara added, “I found having three co-op terms extremely helpful in identifying my interests and skills. Through joining DALIS (Dalhousie Investment Society) in my first year, I discovered my interest in finance. After completing my first co-op in Treasury at George Weston, I came across a job posting for a position with RBC Capital Markets in Strategy. I found the combination of finance and strategy exciting and had a great term with that team, almost everyone had previously worked as a management consultant. Through talking to team members about their career paths, I learned more about the consulting world and decided that’s where I wanted to work. After that, I researched intensively and prepared myself for the consulting interview process – eventually bringing me to KPMG Management Consulting”.

Kara is a heavily involved in Dalhousie campus life. She said her on-campus involvement grew through word-of-mouth initially. “I would listen to other people talk about what they were doing and from there I did my own research to decide what to join. In my first year, although I never rowed before, I decided to join the learn-to-row program. In my final year at Dalhousie, I had the opportunity to compete on the varsity rowing team!

“On-campus involvement has been a key driver for my skill development. Since coming to Dalhousie, I have consistently been involved with the multiple societies, varsity rowing, intramurals, case competitions, volunteering, and part-time employment. This involvement allowed me to improve my leadership, communication, organization, and drive, while also expanding my network.”

Kara’s short term-goal is to start working with KPMG Management Consulting in September as a Consultant for the Finance Strategy and Transformation Service Line. She is thrilled to be re-joining such a fantastic team and would love to take a leadership role to help KPMG affect change in other organizations. In the long-term, she is unsure of where her career will take her. Ideally, she would love to work as a full-time consultant and stay long-term to grow her position within KPMG.

 

Tips of the week from Kara about on-campus involvement and job search strategy:

“I would advise other students to figure out what they’re interested in through extra-curriculars, courses, and information available from Management Career Services. From there, figure out where your strengths align. When preparing for interviews, I found it was important to connect with others that have gone through similar processes and begin preparation based on their feedback. I would also advise students to try something at least once. If you see a poster advertising something that you might find interesting, give it a try. The worst-case scenario is that you don’t return for a second time; but at least then you’ll know”.

“MCS has many resources available to help research different career opportunities. MCS helped me to learn more about my interests and how to better prepare for the interview process.”

Student Spotlight – Kate Ross

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Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Kate Ross is a third-year commerce student majoring in Accounting. She chose Dalhousie’s commerce program for the mandatory co-op experience.  

Last fall, Kate secured her second work term with Deloitte as a staff accountant. She was attracted to the job because she wanted to pursue an accounting designation.

“ My accounting professor in first-year said that if I wanted to pursue an accounting designation, I should work for one of the accounting firms. After that, I reached out and connected with people at all of the big four accounting firms and found Deloitte the most appealing.”

While talking about managing heavy workloads, Kate said “I tried to make my job search as personal as possible by meeting people for coffee and discussing their role so that I got a feel for the company. This made balancing my job search and school easier as I could dedicate an hour to getting to know someone and also get my name in with the company all the while focus on my studies for the rest of the time.”

Kate’s short-term goal is to start full-time at Deloitte and complete the CPA designation. However, in her long-term she does not plan to work as an accountant for her whole life.  After she earns her CPA designation, she plans to go for Law school or switch into a consulting role.

Tip of the week from Kate:

My biggest advice when looking for a job is to find a connection in that company you’re applying to and take them out for coffee. This shows the company that your very interested and keen to work there. When interviewing, always stand when someone else is standing and shake their hand when you enter and leave the interview.

 

Student Spotlight – Tatum Freigang

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Born and raised in Richmond, B.C. Tatum Freigang came to Dalhousie on a scholarship with the desire to live away from home. Tatum is a Fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in finance and has recently accepted an offer for full time employment with Fidelity Investment after she graduates. Tatum said that her success came from not only completing the required work terms, but also by opting to spend a semester abroad in Belgium in her third year. On top of these accomplishments, she also holds the title of VP Internal at Dalhousie Commerce Society.

Tatum’s love and passion for travelling influenced her to pursue an academic exchange in Belgium. While talking about how exchange helped her overall development, she said “I was able to travel to ten different countries and meet people from all across the world. Exchange helped me professionally as I was meeting new people all the time. This helped me gain confidence in striking up random conversations. I feel like I have strengthened my amicable personality and am able to find common ground with diverse personalities.”

Tatum is a heavily involved member of Dalhousie campus life. Tatum is an active member of Penny Drops, an organization that educates high school students on financial literacy topics, and an active participant in the CFA Research Challenge. “Penny Drops has taught me how to successfully articulate a topic to teach to students and the CFA Research Challenge has tested my financial acumen and pressured me to perform under strict deadlines,”.

Tatum added: “Ever since I was younger, I have always had a busy schedule filled with baseball, hockey, rugby and countless clubs. Therefore, I find that I thrive with a full schedule as it forces me to be productive and manage my time effectively. As VP Internal, I ensure that I write down my to-do lists and work on completing the required tasks. Knowing how precious time is, when you stay focused, a lot can be accomplished- even as little as ten minutes can go a long way,”.

In Tatum’s view, every student should be involved in some type of on- campus activities. “Never doubt doing something you want. I joined the Dalhousie Salsa society, 3-on-3 basketball team and intramural hockey league because they are all things I love and felt like doing. None of them are related to Commerce but they contribute to a healthy and happy lifestyle. Being involved means doing things that make you happy, so find what those are and do it. Life is more than just school and a lot of learning happens outside of classrooms,”.

Tip of the week from Tatum:

Sometimes the word “networking” can sound intimidating or dreadful but know that it is simply just a conversation. Don’t put so much emphasis on trying to get a job or showing off, just be friendly, curious and get to know the other person. Most great opportunities have come from finding a similar interest with the other party. Employers want to know whether they could work with you, so show your personality.

If you want to involve in on-campus activity, Visit Dalhousie Commerce Society office at Second floor in Rowe building .

Student Spotlight – Grant Walker

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Born and raised in Lake Echo Nova Scotia, Grant Walker was initially interested in taking Commerce but was deterred by his high school academic advisors as his mathematics grades were not outstanding. He enrolled in Dalhousie’s Kinesiology program and after one year realized that while the topics were intriguing, he could not see himself working in the industry. Grant researched the Commerce program at Dalhousie, as he fell in love with the campus and could not see himself at any other university and discovered fantastic onsite math tutoring. Realizing that if he worked hard, he could succeed, he enrolled and was accepted. The rest is history.

Grant received wise words in his first year that if he was interested in doing accounting, to do his first work term in that field as it would be tax and audit season in the winter term. He completed his first work term at a small bookkeeping and accounting firm, and quickly realized it was not his desire.

Grant began visiting the branch of BMO his parents took him to for his personal banking, as the employees recognized him, and he began speaking his interest and explaining how he would be looking for his next co-op for the fall term. Knowing that he had nothing but fantastic experiences dealing with BMO he knew he would enjoy their culture. He continued networking and secured an interview and recommendation letter to do a work term with the bank. Grant obtained his second work term as a Treasury and Payments Analyst, proved himself, and returned for his last co-op as a community analyst, getting the opportunity to train employees on profitability assessments he quickly became proficient with.

Three different work experiences helped Grant build his skills. His first co-op work term was a small firm with four employees, and he honed relationship-building skills in the tight-knit environment. His second co-op work term was in a large financial institution, and he arrived to work an hour early each day to have coffee with senior managers and VP’s to hone his networking skills and increase his confidence in solidifying many diverse relationships. Through his eagerness and vast network, Grant was quickly asked back for his last co-op opportunity.

“During the last co-op, I voiced my desire to improve my presentation abilities, which allowed me the opportunity to present to the regional team of Relationship Managers, and VP’s, and have the chance to speak with the COO of Canadian Business Banking in the quarterly review,” said Grant.

Prior to the interview with BMO, Grant researched the culture and discovered his values and what he looks for in people aligned with that of the banks. Knowing people in the bank liked Grant for who he is, he approached the interview the same way he formed relationships: by being candid and his authentic self.

Grant knew that he had to secure a co-op or risk not graduating on time. He structured his evenings to revolve around applying for positions, researching companies, and rehearsing his interview answers for common questions. Grant also took some afternoons to bus to various BMO locations across Halifax to network with staff, making him a familiar face at many locations.

Grant was not a strong interviewee, and visiting MCS helped him dig into his life to come up with responses to basic questions that he could tie back to real personal experiences. However, when it came to the big interview that secured his second co-op, it wasn’t the rehearsed answers that enabled Grant to succeed, but the simple advice from Shelley Lamore to “Don’t stress, just be yourself”. Grant threw away the cookie-cutter responses and genuinely answered the questions from the heart.

“To increase your on-campus involvement, spend less time at home, and spend more time ON CAMPUS, ” said Grant. “It sounds redundant, but I didn’t get involved with the Dal Commerce Society, go to New York and Israel, or get to be in a MCS poster photo shoot by spending his time lying in bed at home. I was on campus.”

Grant’s short-term goals are to graduate, begin his CFA level 1, and secure a full time job with the commercial banking team at BMO. His long-term goal is to utilize the skills honed in the classroom and co-op setting to open as many doors as possible for himself and eventually work in BMO’s private wealth division.

Tips of the week from Grant:

  • Get over your nerves. Professionals will never turn to you and tell you to “buzz off”, and if they do, they are not worth your time. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to talking during networking sessions. Networking is about presenting yourself, if your nerves get the better of you and you find yourself in the corner hyperventilating, that does not display confidence to the people who are here taking time out of their day wanting to meet you.
  • Don’t regurgitate verbatim facts from the company website, it sounds cookie-cutter and robotic. There’s a high chance the employees at the networking sessions don’t know themselves what the exact facts from the website are. In Grant’s experience, he got business cards by building a foundational relationship built on finding common ground. Talking about topics like movies, weather, hobbies, may sound like a waste of time, but it worked for him, so it may work for you.
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