Career and Recruitment Specialist

Taking some time to evaluate and reflect on your experiences while on your first co-op work term is very important to do. It helps you evaluate the skills you are developing, understand your strengths and weaknesses, and can better define your career interests. Understandably, some students may not take the time to properly reflect during the first portion of their first work term and are more focused on performing their best at work or making the best impression they can at their new workplace. Thankfully, your co-op work term includes a mandatory mid-term review session with your Management Career Services Career and Recruitment Specialist. This represents an opportunity to take a step back from your co-op job and really think about how your first work term is helping your career development.

The mid-term review occurs half-way through your first work term and consists of you and a Career and Recruitment Specialist from Management Career Services meeting either in person or on the phone to discuss the following areas of your work experience:

Job expectation versus reality (it terms of job descriptions and tasks/projects)
Favourite and most challenging aspects of your position
Areas of strength and improvement
Discuss new skills and knowledge you’ve obtained
Goals for the remainder of your work term

The mid-term review is an honest and confidential experience that should help you realize your strengths, discuss areas of improvement, and truly evaluate how your first work term experience will help you define your career interests.

In addition to meeting with you, your Career and Recruitment Specialist will also be conducting mid-term review with your employer whose feedback can go a very long way in helping you understand who you are as an employee and a professional in the workplace. Ultimately, the mid-term review is a critical part of any co-op and your career development.

During your mid-term review you will also have the opportunity to show how much you’re enjoying your first co-op by participating in the work term pride campaign that will showcase you as a successful and proud student!

For more information on the mid-term review process and other approaching check points in the Commerce Co-op program, visit the Commerce Orientation Workbook under the Resources section of myCareer.

Ivan Slywka graduated from the Bachelor of Management program in April of this year with a major in Public Sector Management. Before he graduated, Ivan completed a twelve-month internship with the Government of Saskatchewan through the Management Internship Program. Ivan explains how his experience working with payroll operations was valuable to his overall career development:

“The internship gave me great experience working in a professional environment and allowed me to explore a job much more in depth than any summer job ever did that was directly related to my major. I was able to work on much larger projects that I was able to see through to the end.”

It would have seemed as though Ivan was destined to achieve a career in the public sector, however, he instead secured a post-grad position with Cargill as an Associate Production Supervisor. Ivan claims that although his position is not within his preferred major, he is still able to apply the valuable skills he developed while on his public sector internship:

“Although my current position is not in the public sector I still draw on things every day that I learned during my internship. This includes time management skills, communicating with both co-workers and customers, and technical skills. I’m not disappointed at all that my current job is not in the public sector because the professional skills I learned while on my internship are only going to advance my career no matter what industry I choose to work in. I find the public sector interesting, but I also enjoy the position I have at Cargill. If I could go back, I do wouldn’t change a thing.

Once you start your internship make sure to take opportunities that are offered and seek out things that will challenge you. The internship is a great experience and you will learn a lot even if you don’t end up in your dream job.”

Visit the Bachelor of Management Internship program website for more information on how you can get involved with the program. The application deadline for the 2015 Internship Program is Thursday, January 29^th!

Looking for career advice? Book an appointment with your Career and Recruitment Specialist through myCareer.

What is a Mid-Term Review?

Student Spotlight: Ivan Slywka

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