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Blogs
Welcome
Being one of OLC's classic storytelling tools, blogs are crafted by SFU Community members which include the everyday student as well as expert voices. This is where we share touching stories, resourceful advice, and insightful knowledge with each other. In keeping with the OLC vision, the following blogs are created by and for students, so why not contribute to the OLC today?
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INTERNATIONAL
“Gosh Roop! Are you really an international student? But you do not speak with an accent. Wow, I would have never guessed that.” Through anecdotes and introspection, Roop shares a compelling narrative of the struggles of why International students face challenges due to language barriers and biases.
Job hunting is never easy. This is especially true when you are an international student with no Canadian experience. Follow Alireza's tips and tricks on how to navigate around this barrier in your search for meaningful work.
"There's a phrase in Israel, "buckle up your elbows" which means that it's time to hustle. This is exactly what brought me to the place where I'm writing to you right now." -- read Kim's story and learn how you can achieve anything with enough courage and motivation.
Still not sure if co-op is for you? Chetachi explains why co-op was such a valuable experience for her and what it was like to work in the corporate world during her Economics co-op work term.
Nancy applied as an English instructor in South Korea with the intention of just adding another bulletpoint to their resume. However, the experiences they have gained from teaching and living abroad has made their co-op so much more meaningful than what can be written on paper. Read Nancy's story to learn more about Teach and Learn in Korea.
As an international student Ha Na had the reality of high tuition, no work experience and challenges in finding employment. She decided co-op was the solution to learn professional work search skills and gain related employment while attending university. She shares her challenges and successes along the way.
Who doesn’t love travelling? Summer is just around the corner and with that comes the time to make our travel plans a reality. Have you ever thought about travelling as a way to boost your career?
Coming to a new country thousands of miles from where you grew up and from everything you know is no easy journey. In this award-winning story, SFU Business student Ali Najaf reflects on the past four years since arriving in Canada from Pakistan in 2012, sharing both his challenges and truimphs.
Looking to maximize your time abroad and integrate with locals, but nervous to take the first few steps? Read on to learn how Kendra broke through their personal barriers, and the advice they have for future travellers to make the most of their work term overseas.
As an undergraduate student, Spencer Chen excelled with a GPA of 4.21 and received numerous merit-based scholarships and awards. She also sought diverse research and community service opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the SFU community.
Being an international student at SFU is not easy as there aren't many opportunities to meet other students. The Global Student Centre welcomes all, hosting events that bring students together to celebrate diversity and create intercultural awareness.
A profile on international student and third year psychology major, Rainy Yumeng Jiang, and how community engagement and volunteering has helped her adjust to Canadian culture.
There are a lot of things your international student friends have never told you. From depression to pressure to stereotypes - life isn't always easy when you are studying abroad. Read an international students take on life overseas.
Mario Fong travelled to Hong Kong to join the HSBC trainee program through International Co-op. Dropping everything to live in a new country provided him with personal and professional experiences he won't soon forget.
Bachelor of Sciences graduand Charity Mudhikwa hit the ground running when she came to Canada in 2018 for university, dedicating her undergraduate degree helping SFU students and the community at large.
Have you landed an International Co-op work-term and begun preparing for your semester abroad? Surely, you have done your research and are aware of the cultural differences and nuances between where you are going, and your home country? If you haven’t, have no fear! This article is meant to help you understand the basic tips and tricks to adjust to the cultural differences in your new workplace, making your transition much easier.
New to Vancouver? Discover 4 spots Lauretta discovered in her adventures around the city.
Third year Business student, Corina Inigo, shares about her co-op experience with Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK). She discusses what TaLK is all about and also shares personal anecdotes from her teaching experience.
In this article, SFU Psychology graduate Ravi Bansal shares her experiences of participating in the Hellenic Studies Field School in Greece. Ravi’s travels encouraged her to become involved in the SFU community, opening up an opportunity to attend the Education without Borders conference in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Ever wonder how it would feel like being an international student in Vancouver? Talk about a reason to party, well coming from a Punjabi family we hardly need a reason to party but if there was ever a decent one, this was it. Read more to find out about Max Shyngs experience!
Changing Times: Stories to Inspire Hope and Resilience
Working from home is a common reality for many Co-op students in the past year. Working from home while working for a Health Authority in the thick of the pandemic is a tremendous experience Kaylla went through last year. Take a look at how she learned to stay productive in these uncertain times.
The Latest
Being a pretty typical introvert, one of the things that I need to put more effort into than a lot of more outgoing people is building and maintaining new relationships. Friends, coworkers, other professional contacts, you name it - any new relationship.
You have the skills, the experience, and you know you can ace that interview. Now how do you get noticed so that you will be invited to an interview?
Every year, there are multiple career fairs and information sessions held at SFU. In addition to being informative and interesting, these events can be used to build contacts, acquire Co-op positions, and even look at post-grad jobs.
I wouldn’t classify myself as one of those people who can walk into a room and meet people easily. Though I’ve been making an effort to push the boundaries of my comfort zone, I’ve always been an introvert by nature. Unfortunately, as a business student, networking seems like an important skill to learn.
Trying to get that dream job? More and more employers are now using search engines such as Google to find out more about potential employees. If you’re not sure if social media is enhancing your online presence, there are some things you can do.
How do you stand out and stay ahead of the game in today's increasingly competitive job market? Read on to learn about 4 important resources that can help you advance your career while you're still in school.
“Whenever there is an opportunity to share my experience with people, it usually doesn’t take much for me to jump on board,” states Justin Rain when I ask him about his experiences at a recent event co-hosted by Career Services and the Indigenous Student Centre, “Indigenous Peoples’ Career Stories.”
In this segment of Diary of a Marketing Co-op, I look back at the need to be assertive to meet never-ending deadlines and how to balance this with the ability to know when to go with the flow.
Part two of the Diary of a Marketing Co-op series looks at the adjustments our marketing co-op went through as she suddenly found herself going full speed ahead, and the learning curve suddenly went vertical.
SFU Surrey hosted a very successful open house, in recognition of its 10th anniversary as an SFU campus. It was fun evening - lots of prospective students, parents, various members of the community - joined in the celebrations. We had the chance to get some people's thoughts on "work." What did they say?
Ever wished you could get into the mind of an employer to find out what not to do during an interview and what might cause your résumé and cover letter to be relegated to the “not worth considering” pile? Co-op employer Shona Taner lists her Top 10 tips on how to avoid that fate.
Online distraction during the workday is now a fact of life. However, checking personal emails, Facebook/ Twitter accounts, and message boards during work hours may have some negative impact on your productivity.
Have you ever traveled 11 200 km? Perhaps you have. But, have you ever traveled 11 200 km… on a bike? That is what local woman, Naomi Devine, has been training towards since the idea first came to her last December.
Have you heard of Peer Education? It is a great opportunity to learn tremendously and give back to the SFU community at the same time. Read what career peers had to say about being one. And take advantage of many leadership opportunities that SFU offers.
Raccoons are wonderful creatures - and as worthy of praise for their career-navigation skills as any other creature I can currently think of. So, let us appreciate the greatness that is the raccoon, and think of them the next time we're pondering our next career move.
Compared to university graduates decades ago, students today are faced with an even greater number of career paths to choose from. How are we supposed to know which career to pursue? Despite graduating from Capilano College as a top student and valedictorian, Sean Aiken was not an exception.
Brittney Merryweather, a BPK Co-op student and a Behavioural Neuroscience (BNS) Major, takes us on her journey of career exploration and personal development through her two eye-opening International co-op placements. Read on to find out more about the people, culture and land of India.
What's your plan? With so many academic options open to you at SFU, it can be puzzling enough trying to decide on your major, much less a long-term career. But speak to any SFU career advisor and what you'll hear might bring you some calm: there is no set career plan.
Looking for an international destination for your next co-op work term? Want to work in a thriving country, full of new prospects and opportunities? Indonesia is a new hub for job opportunities, with a mix of rich flora and fauna and a flourishing metropolitan centre. It is the destination for food and nature lovers, being a country rich in culture and tropical attractions.
Interactive Arts & Technology Co-op student Chi Hsi shares her experiences working for SAP AG in Germany, as a user experience designer.
For some of you, the thought of making the transition from academia to the world of full-time work may be quite daunting. Luckily, SFU's Backpack to Briefcase event can help.
"There's more to finding a job than surfing the net" These are the famous words career advisors state on a daily basis to current students and recent graduates. A well-rounded job search strategy is critical for career success and involves the 3 E’s for excelling: EXPLORE, EXPERIENCE and ENGAGE
Standing out - in a good way - is one of the best things you can do in your work search. Given the volume in most job applications these days, giving an employer the impression that you've got something other applicants don't is almost always a good thing. But what DO you have that no one else does?
I was not a confident person in high school. Sure, I did fine in my classes, but most of the time that didn't seem very important. Like most people, I was more worried about how other people perceived me, particularly those mysterious and intimidating members of the opposite gender. Today, I'm a more confident person. When and how did that transformation happen?
Wondering what it's like to work on the other side of the hemisphere? Stephanie Hendy shares with us her international co-op experience working as a health and fitness instructor and personal trainer in Australia.
Lee Wu went all the way to Barbados to work as an audit itern. Here he details the work involved. Business Student Lee Wu spent his Co-op work term as an audit intern in beautiful Barbados. Read about his experiences - both in the office and on the beach.
Want to take time off to travel but don't want to delay your graduation date? Why not study abroad? Pamela shares 5 reasons why you should consider studying abroad.
In 2011, five SFU students traveled to Cape Town, South Africa to support humanitarian projects. All five were supported by the C.A.R.E. SFU Global Travel Award, a program that funds SFU students participating in humanitarian work in developing countries with donated air mile points.
Want to take time off to travel but don't want to delay your graduation date? Why not study abroad? Here are 5 reasons from our OLC writer Pamela on why you should consider studying abroad.
With a little creativity and some careful planning, you can stack and simultaneously complete your international activities to accomplish one long international adventure. For example, you can combine an international academic exchange with an international Co-op work term.