Welcoming new talent: How Doing Things Simply sourced and leveraged new skills from Dalhousie’s Bachelor of Commerce Co-op students

March 2, 2023 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Toronto as a Canadian, Black-owned technology company, Doing Things Simply implements physical and digital work spaces powered by audiovisual, empowering the future of work. Over 50 employees contribute to the heart of the business, believing in simplicity, simple understanding, and ease of use, supporting clients throughout Canada and in US metropolitan areas. Kimberly Bridge, Solutions Group Manager at Doing Things Simply, shares that after experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team gained a new perspective on workplace challenges, which inspired them to bring in co-op students to help solve these challenges.

The Doing Things Simply team hired their first co-op student, Dalhousie Commerce Co-op student Dylan Kelly, in fall 2021. Kimberly says that Dylan provided the team with valuable contributions by lending his skills and enthusiasm to a number of employee groups, such as Solutions, Managed Services, Accounting, and the Project Management team. “He ensured projects were completed in a timely manner and to the highest standard. We are delighted to say that Dylan continues to be a valuable member of our organization to this day. He is an enthusiastic and hardworking member of our team, and we are fortunate to have him on board.”

Realizing the benefits of welcoming new talent to the organization each semester, Doing Things Simply hired their second co-op student, Joseph Sung, onto their Solutions team in winter 2022. “He quickly proved to be an asset to our organization with his willingness to step up and help in various areas,” says Kimberly. With a keen interest in finance, Joseph was also able to contribute to other roles in the organization. “When we faced employee turnover on our Accounting team, Joseph stepped in and offered his assistance.” Elated with Joseph’s success and overall team commitment, he continued to contribute to the organization in a part-time role after his co-op ended. Joseph has since returned to full-time studies. “We are grateful for his contributions during his time with us and are thrilled to see that he has contributed to other fields that aligns with his future goals.”

Being a technology company focused on inclusion and hybrid collaborative environments, remote work is essential to their business. Taking advantage of remote work during the pandemic, Doing Things Simply was able to source talent on a much broader scale, giving them the ability to hire the best individual for the position. “Working remotely, we have the ability to hire from across the country, broadening our pool of candidates,” says Kimberly. Accommodating students who may not have had the tools for the position, each Doing Things Simply co-op student employees receive a work from home package including a laptop, extended monitor, headset, high-definition camera, and a docking station.

During their initial research of the hiring process for a co-op student, Kimberly says that Doing Things Simply was able to source a government grant that contributed to payroll costs. “With a straightforward hiring process, the students have been eager, knowledgeable, and always willing to go above and beyond, opening a wealth of excellent candidates to us. Not to mention great government funding to support the hiring and teaching of Canadian youth and visible minorities.”

Interested in hiring a Dalhousie business student or recent grad, or learning about funding programs? Contact our Employer Development team:

Cindy Ryan, Employer Development Coordinator
Cindy.Ryan@dal.ca

Joseph Habchi, Employer and Funding Services Specialist
Joseph.Habchi@dal.ca

Alumni Spotlight: Katie Hewey

September 14, 2021 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Katie Hewey is a Dalhousie alumna who graduated in June 2021 with a Bachelor of Management and a Certificate in Marketing.

She currently works at Manulife where she uses the knowledge she gained from her internship to help her excel at her job. Katie cites that her internship with PepsiCo Canada helped her learn the true value of time management. “Being able to know which tasks to prioritize over others, keeping calm and remaining resilient through the challenges is key,” she says, adding that communication is another skill she consistently uses in her current job; from writing concise emails, to presenting in meetings, to speaking up when help is needed.

During her time in the program, Katie utilized job postings on myCareer to secure her 8-month internship as a sales representative with PepsiCo. She also made sure to take advantage of the employer information sessions and events offered by Management Career Services to begin to build her professional network. “Networking at these sessions led me to some great connections and contacts for the future.”

While completing her degree, Katie also decided to pursue an opportunity to work with Management Career Services as Assistant Career and Recruitment Specialist. “Not only did I get to help other students with creating resume and cover letters, but I also learned so much about what employers are looking for and what it takes to be a great candidate for any job,” she says. “I loved being able to help students understand the value in their work experiences and guide them through an experience that I had understood and gone through myself. Being able to share knowledge and see other students succeed because of it was really rewarding.” Katie says that this experience was useful for her own post-grad job search and credits the position with helping her land her job with Manulife.

When reflecting on her biggest challenge in securing a job, Katie says that confidence was her biggest struggle. “I had to learn not to hide behind emails – sometimes calling is more efficient and personal.” If you never put yourself out there, the people you want to notice you may never see you. “I had to push outside my comfort zone to become more confident.”

Katie’s advice for you:

Use LinkedIn! Keep your profile up-to-date and list as many skills as you have.
Request informational interviews with companies you are interested in.
Contact everyone you can think of, the worst they can say is no.
While on the job, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Although it might seem daunting, a manager would rather walk you through something than have you confused and unproductive.

Pronouns: She/Her

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: 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: Kevin Vigneau

November 5, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Kevin Vigneau is a fourth-year student from Bradford Ontario. Originally planning to go to university for kinesiology, Kevin found a passion for finance and decided to come to Dalhousie. Here he had the opportunity to explore Nova Scotia from its trails to beaches, as well as the mandatory co-op portion of the Commerce Program.

Two of Kevin’s three co-ops have been with large real estate investment and development firms. Working with the Toronto market, the growth and demand in the industry was eye opening with an added twist of being able to see what you were investing in rather than seeing it as a general financial asset. Over the past summer, Kevin secured his position with CacheFlow through Venture for Canada, a government funded program to connect students with small start-ups for mutual growth. CacheFlow is an organization focusing on creating a smart budgeting tool for organizations that helps match and predict spending patterns as well as understand spending behaviour. Watching the entrepreneurial process and being able to work directly on projects affecting the direction of the firm was a amazing learning opportunity. Kevin recommends this exposure in entrepreneurial realm to any student, especially if you are driven by the fast-paced problem solving. Venture for Canada also has workshops available during your time with them. They offer training that is applicable in the business world as well as networking with businesses across Nova Scotia.

In his final year at Dalhousie Kevin is balancing his school and graduate job hunt as well as being the Commerce Society President. This is a challenge that he recommends to any student, as it provides the ability to work on leadership skills and make a positive impact for fellow students. The balancing of commitments is difficult, but the society works as a team with delegation and team work required to succeed. Through this and an organized schedule, Kevin has been able to successfully balance his obligations while still being able to enjoy his final year.

In this spare time Kevin has been participating in case competitions and summits. In October he participated in the Rumble in the Rowe Case Competition with his team of 4th year Commerce students coming out on top against MBA students and his peers. Kevin got into case competitions as a recommendation from a friends and has continued to pursue them. Kevin says they can get stressful taking on a challenge in such a short amount of time but the skills you develop and experience is worth a little stress. He also displays these competitions prominently on his resume saying they really help show your aptitude to handle high stress situations and problem solving.

After graduation Kevin is looking to explore career options, possibly going back to his co-op roots in real estate investment and development. To follow Kevin’s success’ check out his LinkedIn page here.

To find out more about Venture for Canada click here for their website.

To find out how you can get involved in case competition watch out on the MyCareer calendar as well as the Management Career Services and Commerce Societies news feeds.

Student Spotlight: Jenn Dubois

October 22, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

From her time with Big Brothers and Sisters Canada to her time with Health Canada, Jenn Dubois has found her passion of helping people. Jenn is a fourth year Commerce student majoring in Managing People and Organizations. On top of her studies, Jenn is also Co-Captain of the ROWE JDCC, a youth mentor, and a SPCA foster parent.

Before coming to Dalhousie Jenn lived all around Central and Eastern Canada. Though the transition of moving was difficult Jenn found a way to get involved in extra-curriculars while maintaining her studies. The mandatory co-op drove Jenn to choose Commerce at Dalhousie, prompting her to move again from New Brunswick to Halifax.

“Moving around showed me there is something different about every place you go, and to seize any opportunity rather than waiting for an opportunity to fall into your lap. No matter how scary or different it may seem, it could be a one-time opportunity that you may not get again and if you do, you never have to do again.”

Jenn deferred her first co-op to focus on her studies part time while working with Health Canada. This experience allowed her to network for her co-op and gain expertise about Government Human Resources. Jenn has since completed her two co-ops with Health Canada allowing her to experience the organization in different positions as well as notable moments. During her Winter 2018, she earned two awards of excellence for Excellence in Service Delivery, one from the Assistant Deputy Minister, and another from the Deputy Minister himself. She accomplished this when a vacancy opened and volunteered to help fill the organizational gap, which placed her into the teams working to fix the Phoenix pay issues the organization was facing.

“A tip for any students looking to secure a co-op with the federal government Federal government should create an account on GCJobs and look at FSWEP [Federal Student Work Experience Program] or COOP opportunities posted.” She also suggests that if you are interested in a role related to Managing People and Organizations that it doesn’t hurt to try one out. There is a wide range of jobs types and it is a great way to network as well as get to understand companies better.

Jenn is hoping to secure her final co-op and secure a full time position with the governments Human Resources division. With the connections she has made in the industry, as well as the experiences she’s had, she is in good standing to secure such positions! If you would like to reach out to Jenn or follow her career connect with her LinkedIn.

If you are interested in working in Managing People and Organization please feel free to contact our CRS specialist Maggie Ma for more information, or Jennifer Coombs to learn more about applying to government organizations.

Student Spotlight: Kristin Clarke

April 10, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Kristin Clarke is a second year Bachelor of Commerce student who won a gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Curling Championships this March. Kristin chose the Dalhousie Commerce program because of the valuable experience that the co-op work terms provide. She has been incredibly successful in finding a balance between her studies and her athletics.

When asked about how she manages to balance her courses and curling Kristin said, “The main thing is to make sure I plan out when I am going to complete assignments prior to competitions and communicate any potential conflicts with my professors as soon as I’m aware of them.”

Kristin is currently undergoing the challenge of balancing her first work term at Collins Barrow with her curling. Kristin describes Collins Barrow as being. “phenomenal in accommodating my schedule. They recognized what a big opportunity it was for me to compete on the national and world stage this year, and have been extremely supportive of me, even during their busy season. I even came back home from the World Championship to an amazing homemade cake! I genuinely can’t thank the team at CB enough for their support.”

Kristin believes that curling will help her along her career path. A gold medal at the 2018 World Junior Curling Championships is an obvious resume booster however, Kristin also mentions the connections she has made through curling. “It continues to surprise me how many people I meet in the business world that have some form of connection to curling, so I am hopeful that one day these valuable connections will steer me towards a rewarding career.”

In the future Kristin will continue to balance her curling and studies mentioning that her career goals include pursuing graduate work in public administration and working with public policy and performance audits. In terms of her future in curling, Kristin has her sights set on someday representing Canada at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts where the top women’s curlers in the world represent their countries and compete annually.

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