Student Spotlight: Jinhan Xiao

September 18, 2023 Management Career Services 1 Comment

An international student from China, third-year Commerce Co-op student Jinhan Xiao chose to pursue his degree at Dalhousie because of the co-op program. “Dalhousie is recognized as one of the top universities in Canada. I chose to study at Dal due to its excellent Commerce co-op program, which can help me pursue my dream job in the future,” he says.

Being an international student, Jinhan knows that adapting to a new culture can be challenging, but says that at Dalhousie, he has found a community that has been incredibly welcoming. “The people here are friendly and always ready to offer assistance, making my study experience very enjoyable.”

Jinhan completed his first work term this past winter, where he worked at ITFL Chartered Accountants in New Minas as an Internal Audit and Compliance Staff co-op student. His responsibilities included filing tax returns, preparing balances, and managing administrative tasks. “My co-op provided me with invaluable practical skills that go beyond classroom learning,” he says. “It offered a glimpse into the real work environment in Canada and equipped me with interpersonal skills and professional tax knowledge that will greatly benefit my future career.”

Jinhan’s search for his first co-op position started with refining his resume and crafting an impactful cover letter. After tailoring his application, he used myCareer to explore different job postings. “MCS’ platform myCareer is an excellent resource for locating work terms. It features a lot of job postings, each vetted by MCS before being published. I recommend that students seeking work term positions explore opportunities on the myCareer platform. Alternative websites such as Indeed and LinkedIn can also yield promising job prospects. These platforms offer numerous valuable opportunities as well.” Jinhan also recommends applying for a diverse range of jobs to increase the chance of success. “While you might be passionate about a particular position, considering multiple options will help.”

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: Clare Kilgour

June 11, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Clare Kilgour is third year Bachelor of Commerce student, majoring in accounting, and Co-President of the Dalhousie Accounting Society. She chose Dalhousie because she adored the idea of moving somewhere new. “I loved the idea of living on the east coast. The co-op program also caught my eye because it would allow me to have three real world work experiences.”

Through her conversations with upper-year Commerce students, Clare decided to take the initiative in beginning her job search early. “I learned the importance of networking and getting involved to build my resume,” says Clare. She utilized the resources available at Management Career Services, saying, “What MCS did to help me was provide small networking events where I could practice in order to be better prepared to talk to recruiters in second year. This really helped me with my confidence.”

Clare has since secured three consecutive co-op positions with Deloitte. She currently works from home, and although she has gotten used to the change, she hopes that she can go into the office when it’s safe. Her daily tasks include performing audit testing procedures on various accounts that she sees on the financial statements. “For example, this week I am testing the Property, Plant, and Equipment balance,” says Clare. “Testing means that I use various pieces of documentation from the client, like an invoice for a purchase of equipment, to recalculate and verify the PPE balance that will show up on their year-end financial statements when released to shareholders/the public.”

When asked what her proudest accomplishment has been this term, Clare reflects back on all three of her co-ops with Deloitte and says that she is proud of the independence that she’s earned. “I am able to understand procedures more, ask less questions, and have more autonomy over the work I am doing,” she says. “This is part of why I enjoy working at Deloitte in audit in addition to the team and learning environment.”

Clare’s advice for you? Keep practicing and furthering your networking and communication skills, because it does get easier, and attend the company information sessions.

If you are interested in accounting, feel free to reach out to Clare to chat, and check out the Accounting Society!

Pronouns: She/Her

Student Spotlight: Shumei Wang

November 25, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Shumei Wang is a third-year commerce student majoring in finance from Chengdu, China. She chose Dalhousie’s Commerce program for the mandatory co-ops and the opportunity to gather real work environment experience while trying out multiple industries that co-op provides. Shumei’s first co-op experience was in the Undergraduate Advising Office (UAO) in the Rowe managing their communications. Currently, on her second work term, Shumei is working with Marsh working in Captive Solutions a more accounting-related position in the organization.

Before coming to Dalhousie, Shumei worked an administrative job with BDO China, a major accounting firm in China. Her work term with UAO was her first job in Canada, she spoke to us about this transition saying “the biggest difference between working in China and Canada is that I need to speak in my second language, English… became more brave of speaking in my second language, speaking to strangers”. She goes on to speak about how the lessons taught to her in the COMM 1710 and 1720 Business Communication classes combined with her work experience helped her develop her communication skills, professionalism, and friendly demeanour in the workplace.

For other international students looking for a co-op or coming into the co-op program, Shumei had some tips to share from her experience. She stresses never giving up on the job hunt, “students with super high GPA will have a lot of interviews and some of them might get ideal offers in late September, but don’t be panic, some good companies posted jobs late, even in late November”. Coinciding with this she stresses putting in effort for each job application tailoring your cover letter and resumes for each application.

Wrapping up our interview Shumei told us about her thoughts on the new International Student Work Experience Program (ISWEP) and her career goals. Shumei regarded the ISWEP as a good opportunity for students to learn and gain experience. In the short term, Shumei wants to find a finance position for her final co-op position and then pursue further education after graduation.

To follow Shumei’s story and adventures follow her @shumei_w27 on Instagram. To learn more about the International Student Work Experience Program visit the informational page here.

Student Spotlight: Jared Hudson

November 19, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Jared Hudson is a fourth-year accounting major who was born in Halifax. His father’s work took him and his family around the world to nations such as Switzerland and Turkey. When deciding on universities, Dalhousie’s Commerce Program stood out due to the compulsory co-op for commerce students. Not so long ago, Jared started his company myPAQ, which is a sustainable home delivery service for personal care products. Recently, Jared participated in the Halifax Corporate Tour. This involves taking students to three companies, related to their major, around Halifax to network and further learn about the industry and working in it.

At this year’s Halifax Corporate Tour Jared visited VERB Interactive, Dash Hudson, and VOLTA Labs. He reflects on this tour saying “The tour provided me with valuable connections and increased my knowledge about the type of career and office environment I want to have”. Jared found VOLTA Labs, a local innovation hub for startup businesses, as particularly interesting showing him more of the local entrepreneurial environment, and giving him the opportunity to ask fellow startups invaluable advice. On top of allowing him an opportunity to learn how to better his business ventures, Jared believes this tour gave him an edge when applying for future positions having met and networked with many employees at each organization.

Jared would recommend the Corporate Tour to any students who are job hunting, or trying to learn more about an industry. The insight into the organizations would be helpful for someone trying to determine organizations and industries they would like to explore, or work with. To make the most of this opportunity the ability to network will help you secure a vantage as Jared has. To help with this he recommends to be yourself and be interested. Asking many questions and showing genuine interest will help you build a rapport with the person, as well as build your knowledge. This allows for a natural conversation flow ranging from hobbies to career goals, and in turn promoting yourself.

Moving forward Jared hopes to capitalize and sell his sustainable and industry-disrupting service myPAQ, and continue in the start-up scene. A future in the startup scene may not be his only goal as he explores the opportunity to continue to be an entrepreneur or move into the venture capitalist space. To follow Jared and his business’s adventure follow him on Instagram @jaredhudsonn as well as @mypaqcanada. To find out more about Corporate Tours check them out on the MCS website and watch your myCareer Calendar for information sessions.

Student Spotlight: Natcha Wannaklang

October 30, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Natcha Wannaklang is a 4th-year BComm student majoring in accounting. She is originally from Thailand and came to Canada to pursue her undergraduate degree in Commerce at Dalhousie. Despite being an international student immersed in an unfamiliar country and speaking another language, Natcha was able to secure three work terms in Canada and fast-track her professional development. Keep reading to get inspired by Natcha’s work term success!

When asked about the biggest job search challenge she has had to face being an international student, Natcha says that it was difficult to make connections when all of your past work experience is in another country.

“It is hard to get your foot in the door for an interview with companies when your past work experience isn’t in Canada. Since I am from Thailand, all my work experience was in another language and culture, and I was trying to find work in a country I didn’t have any personal connections in. Even though I grew up speaking another language, I am fully capable of working in English, as are many other international students.”

Working in the small, rural community of Inverness during her second co-op work term at Cabot Links presented Natcha with a greater feeling of culture shock than she had experienced before. But it helped that her employers and co-workers were very welcoming, and all the workers were very close.

“When I first moved to Inverness, I lived in staff accommodations where I got to meet many of my coworkers who I now consider my friends. Since many of the workers at Cabot Links are from all over the country, having workplace events really helped bring everyone together and feel more a part of the team”.

One of the greatest strengths Natcha believes she brings to her employers as an international student is her diverse background and culture. Growing up in a different culture than most of her classmates and peers gives her the competitive edge of having a unique perspective. According to Natcha, sometimes a different perspective leads to a new way to solve a problem. This proved especially useful when tasked with finding solutions to problems during her work terms.

“Having multiple perspectives and approaches for solving problems is always beneficial because it allows a company to listen to new ideas and find a better way to achieve the goal at hand”.

Although Natcha has experienced challenges finding a co-op work term, she says her experience has been nothing but positive when it comes to personal and professional development. One of the most difficult aspects of being an international student is not knowing the culture of your host country. Natcha says that all three of her co-op work term employers went above and beyond and were welcoming and supportive throughout her employment. From helping to update her resume and cover letter, to engaging her in team building activities, Natcha says she has felt comfortable from the beginning.

When asked about what type of advice Natcha would give to fellow international students who are looking to make the most out of their co-op work terms, she says to work hard and make sure to get out of your comfort zone.

“Finding a co-op placement is never easy, so by working hard and applying to a lot of job openings, it increases the chances that you will find a co-op that you will like and will help you to further your future career. My work terms have resulted in going out of comfort zone by working in a communications role, moving to a small town in Cape Breton for work, and working in an industry I wasn’t very familiar with. The great thing about my work terms was that each one gave me the experience I needed to find work after I graduate”.

Pro Tip:Optimize your job application by tailoring your resume and cover letter to align your skills and experience with the specific job description and qualifications.

Want to learn more about finding work in Canada? Check out our e-learning webinar “Beginners guide – the job search in Canada” under the Resources section of myCareer.

Student Spotlight – Rosalyn Huynh

October 17, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Rosalyn Huyngh Rosalyn Huynh is a 4^th 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 30^th. Registration is now open via https://mycareer.dal.ca/login/student.htmmyCareer.

CPA Program Spotlight

March 24, 2015 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Shawn Smith from CPA Atlantic School of Business is on-campus this Thursday to meet and help students learn the path to the CPA designation. Shawn currently holds the position of Program Advisor with CPA Atlantic School of Business, serving Nova Scotia and Bermuda. Shawn holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and Certificate in Human Resource Management, and Shawn has held numerous marketing and business development positions during his extensive career. Shawn looks forward to meeting with students to explain the details of the CPA Program. Here he offers a bit of background on the program and what grads can expect to get out of the experience.

“In Canada and Bermuda, the legacy accounting bodies of Chartered Accountants (CAs), Chartered Management Accountants (CMAs) and Chartered General Accountants (CGAs) have unified as Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs) to form Canada’s newest and premier business designation‑ CPA. We currently offer two pre-certification programs, the CPA Prerequisite Education Program (PREP) and the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP).

Students gravitate towards a CPA because they want the competitive advantage in business that an internationally recognized designation like a CPA offers. A major misconception is that a CPA designation is solely for those who wish to pursue careers in accounting firms. The CPA is modernizing accounting education in that the focus has shifted from crunching numbers to creating well-rounded business professionals. Our programs focus is on management skills, finance, strategy and governance in addition to traditional accounting practices like audit and taxation. Additionally, students are drawn to the perks of our programs which are designed to provide students with hands on work experience before graduation.

As CPA is a professional designation, CPA Atlantic’s programs are post-graduate, requiring all of our students to have an undergraduate degree. A little known fact is that CPA Atlantic accepts applicants from all different academic backgrounds, not just accounting and business graduates.

CPAs have the training to work in a variety of sectors including, but not limited to: oil & gas, real estate, finance, government, private practice, hospitality, IT, not-for-profit, media & communications, education, and construction. CPAs also enjoy the freedom to explore a career in the international market. Working all over the world in places like Hong Kong, the UK, Australia, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and France.

Dal students will gain a thorough understanding of the CPA designation and will realize the CPA is more than an accounting credential; it’s a business credential. Students will also benefit from career advice with regards to potential employment opportunities.”

Shawn Smith will be in the Rowe for individual meetings this Thursday, March 26, between 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. To RSVP, e-mail Shawn at ssmith@cpaatlantic.ca. For more event details visit myCareer.

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