Skip to main content
Applied Sciences › Computing Science
SFU Co-op Student

Logo images Evengy created
Having fun with Broadcom logo for Christmas and Movember
Credit
Evgeny Vinnik
The resume writing course was really helpful.  Because of it, I’ve improved the layout of my resume which helps readability.

I was very excited when the School of Computing Science announced there would be a co-op program dedicated to graduate students at the beginning of 2013. At this time I was already searching for an internship for Summer 2013 but was unsuccessful in my search.

The graduate co-op program offers: 

  1. Help with writing a professional resume.
  2. Provision of some guarantees regarding the pay and working conditions.
  3. Information about open positions in the technological companies.

These services were really helpful, and this is how I actually found my co-op placement and enjoyed 9 months of paid internship in the Fortune 500 Company.

One big advantage of working with the CompSci co-op office was the absence of “cold calls”. As you might know, sometimes technological companies post “eternally open” positions – you can apply, but the chances that somebody will ever reply are close to zero. Such job openings give you the following feeling: “Yeah, we are generally looking for new graduates or interns. Oh, you’ve sent us a resume – no, not exactly at this moment…” In my case with the co-op program, I got several replies within a couple of weeks, which gave me an encouragement that I will find a co-op position soon.

The resume writing course was really helpful.  Because of it, I’ve improved the layout of my resume which helps readability. Afterwards, I had a couple of polishing rounds with my co-op advisor, and the resume was in human-readable shape. Another learning opportunity was learning to write cover letters; I am from a country where people generally don’t write cover letters when applying for vacant positions, so that was one area where I lacked skills. Again, after several sessions with my grad co-op advisor, I’ve become quite practiced with composing a cover letter from scratch.

The opportunity with Broadcom didn’t come right away.  During my search, I had at least 3 interviews regarding positions advertised on Simplicity, and turned down two job offers (one was from India, another one was via the MITACS program).

When I landed my co-op position with Broadcom, I felt very lucky because it was everything I wanted:

  1. Internship in a big company
  2. Software developer position
  3. A project that has to deal with mobile technology (I am developing smartphone apps as a part of my hobby and my research also has to do with mobile phones) 

I am so happy that the Computing Science department made the decision to have co-op for graduate students because it has opened up a wonderful opportunity to enhance my skillset and land a great job.

Beyond the Blog

SFU Co-op Student
Follow Evgeny on Twitter or LinkedIn
visibility  87
Jun 26, 2014

You Might Like These... Co-op Reflections, Professional Development, Career Exploration, Seeking, Work Term Extension

author, courtney, smiling
A Second Term in Government: More of the Same?

Having completed my first work term for Health Canada as a Communications Officer Intern, I was eager to try something new, and the government was not where I believed that was going to happen. That is until I was offered a position at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada...

picture of glichelle pondering a though
Surviving Workplace Politics

Ever been peeved with workplace politics? Have you ever been a victim of office politics? One student shares her experiences from the workplace with tips on how to survive.

 

person with their head in a book
Responsibility and Success

One of the most memorable parts of my time in co-op was the collection of accidents, errors, mistakes, and mix-ups that happened in the course of working in the laboratory.

 

You Might Like These... Co-op Reflections

Eshana working at a desk
Connecting with Community: Service Translating to Change

As the Vice-President External and Community Affairs of the @sfss_sfu, @eshanabaran had the opportunity to connect with community by building relationships with grassroot organizations, governmental entities, and unions. She also attended external events and worked on creating community projects.

A photo of the author in a field
How to Approach the World

On my first day of work, I woke up too early, rehearsed too much, and imagined too many scenarios which didn’t end up happening. I thought, “What if the students don’t listen to me? What if they don’t like my lesson? What if they don’t like ME!?” Looking back at my experience teaching English in South Korea, it’s funny to think that I began my new life plagued with all of these worries. 

Paull standing beside the Google headquarters sign
My Long Journey Through Computing Science

Paul takes us on his journey as a Software Systems student and how a field trip helped to inspire him to greater heights eventually, helping him to land his dream job. His journey highlights the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity given to us as students.