Skip to main content
Communication, Art + Technology › Communication › Marketing
SFU Co-op Student

jessica before the co-op make over
The most rewarding thing for me is to be part of the ‘giving back’ process. The Canucks are such a staple in the community and I feel very positive about the work I am a part of.

We’ve seen it time and again on television: an everyday person is subjected to a makeover of their appearance, their home, their facial structure. Here at SFU, students have the option of partaking in a different kind of makeover, one that fuels lifelong self-improvement. Communication Student Union Vice President Jessica Doherty is among those who have taken advantage of this career developing tool, achieving great success.

Her path begins like that of many students. Jessica enters university with a lack of transferable skills, intimidated by the menaces of the impending ‘real world.’ Not to mention the overly casual wardrobe she sports in the photo above. “When I first started looking at job applications I realized that I had made the right decision,” Jessica testifies, “the idea of having to go through that experience without the help of the co-op advisors was terrifying!”

Jessica after the co-op makeover

From here, the co-op makeover experts set to work. Indeed, the Communication Co-op staff submits Jessica to a volley of skill-building workshops, quick online courses and rigorous mock interviews. With a little elbow grease, they succeed in fashioning Jessica in the image of the professional, resourceful student she truly is. Now, she is ready to peruse the plethora of career-related positions which might position her closer to her dreams. Primed and ready for action, Jessica navigates the turmoil of job interviews, noting, “A Communications office job requires so much more preparation than a part-time movie theatre job interview! I found the workshops to be quite helpful, specifically the interview workshop.” And in mastering all of the skills gained from co-op training, our makeover subject quickly finds success.

Just a few quick months after her introduction to the co-op program, Jessica can be found touring the province in a suave, branded Toyota Prius on a Marketing and Communications Campaign under the employ of Grey Vancouver, a Public Relations agency and a regular co-op employer. This is the new Jessica. She is polished, armed with Grey media training and adorned in cleverly selected, camera-friendly attire. Regularly featured by local television, radio and print news outlets around the province, she is entrusted with spreading the word about proper used oil recycling to the general public on behalf of the British Columbia Used Oil Management Association. Want to know how to speak, what to wear and where to look when being filmed for a television interview? Ask Jessica.

Jessica after the co-op makeover

While her first co-op did wonders for her skill set and resume, Jessica pauses but for a semester of study before returning to the co-op scene, ready to further her career makeover. She is not disappointed. Continuing to work with her co-op advisors to enhance her marketability on the job scene, Jessica lands herself a position with the Vancouver Canucks in Community Relations for the Spring 2008 semester. “I have been fortunate to get positions with two great SFU co-op employers, which also happen to be two very high profile Vancouver companies,” says Doherty, “The most rewarding thing for me is to be part of the ‘giving back’ process. The Canucks are such a staple in the community and I feel very positive about the work I am a part of. Hopefully this and my previous co-op experience will open doors (or windows) for me when I graduate next year.” And like so, our successful makeover subject continues to challenge herself in exciting new roles, experiences made attainable through participation in the SFU co-op program; that is, the career makeover program for students on the go

SFU Co-op Student
visibility  72
Feb 9, 2011

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

Two elderly people sitting on a couch and browsing on a tablet
Venturing into the Senior Care Sector During the COVID-19 Pandemic

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Naomi headed into into her first Co-op work term as an HR Intern at West Coast Seniors Housing Management. She came of the experience while witnessing first-hand the struggle of the industry and quick responses needed to continue caring for our elderly population.

A yellow road sign with an arrows going left and right on the side of the road
Finding My Way With Co-op

Your path to discovering your career won’t look like someone else’s. This is an important lesson that I've learned during my Co-op journey that has motivated me to explore all the possibilities of what a future career could entail. Keep reading to learn about how I've continued my Co-op journey and more about how I've continued to learn about myself during this experience. 

Man and woman sitting and listening at the Wosc Centre
Paving the Way for Community Engagement

Engaging with our communities provides opportunities to connect, grow, and give back. Jasleen shares how her co-op with the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue lived up to SFU's reputation as Canada's most engaged university.