James Darling is currently working at Deloitte Canada as a Senior Consultant in their Risk Advisory department. James’ education path was anything but linear. He studied in Ontario before transferring to Dalhousie to the Bachelor of Management program. James subsequently transferred into Commerce to pursue a Finance degree. During this transition, James took various courses online at other universities while working full time from the start of his first co-op term until his final year of the program. Although his path was non-traditional, James gained experience in multiple fields making him a perfect fit at Deloitte. James started as a co-op student at Deloitte during his third co-op placement, and returned full time after graduating in 2018.

Q: How did your time in the Commerce program at Dalhousie lead you to where you are today?

A: The program gives you a great foundation in soft skills. You are constantly managing obligations like 3 exams in 2 days, running from class to class and managing multiple projects. This is very similar to my world at Deloitte, dealing with multiple clients and projects at once. It also provided a great platform for me to get work experience through the co-op terms. This was one of the driving reasons that I chose this program, and by the time I had finished my degree, I had gained an invaluable network and skillset that I would not have had in other programs.

Q: What stood out about the community during your time at Dalhousie?

A: The door is always open when you need it. Your professors and peers are always willing to help you if you ask. Looking back, it makes you appreciate the openness and accessibility of the Dal community. I have taken courses at different universities and Dalhousie stood apart from the others in this area. Admittedly I didn’t always take my own advice, and it took until my final year to reach out and get to know my professors outside of lectures. At that point, I came to appreciate the value offered by the faculty at Dalhousie, not only in terms of academic support, but also in terms of my professional and personal development. While finishing up my degree, I fondly remember the time spent with my Finance prof,  Jun Zhou, discussing class topics and chatting about career paths. This was one example among many, where the faculty really demonstrated their investment in the success of their students.

Q: What was your favourite class in the commerce program and why?

A: My favourite class in the program was Financial Reporting and Statement Analysis. It was not a typical university course. Each class was different, with up to date financial statements driving the discussion. Tammy Crowell did a fantastic job in taking us through these statements; teaching us how to read into the numbers, and understand how to truly analyze a company’s financial reports. It was really engaging course that I took a lot of lessons from.

Q: Any advice for students in commerce that are unclear on what major/ career path is best for them?

A: Your major doesn’t define where you go. I majored in Finance, and yet all my job experiences have been in different areas. My current role is technically in a CPA program, but I am mostly doing consulting work for clients. All experiences provide value, so don’t be afraid to try to find co-ops that interest you, regardless of how they align to your major.