You have successfully defined yourself with a killer branding scheme for your personal marketing pieces and even created a business card to complete the package. With the right situation and a little know-how, your card has the potential to be the ultimate networking tool.

SFU Biology and Biochemistry Co-op student Katelyn Mueller was awarded the 2008 National Co-op Student of the Year award from the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education during National Co-op Week, March 23rd - 27th, 2009.

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘historian’? Do you instinctively imagine an elderly man? This outdated imagery was sent out the window during a panel of (young) history professionals as they shared what you could do with a degree in History.

In Part 2 of her series, Health Sciences Co-op student Kaleigh Banister gets into the local Gabarone culture and takes a bit of time to explore the natural wonders she’s surrounded by.

If you’re looking for a new job, applying to a graduate school or another program, chances are that you are going to need references to go along with your application, resume, and cover letter. You’ll learn how to ask people to be references, how to pick from your reference list and finally, how to guide your references once you’ve selected them.

I’d be lying to you if I said that there wasn’t a lot of talk out there about some pretty negative stuff related to the job market for students these days.  And, there’s probably good reason to be concerned: BC’s unemployment rate is currently a shameful 7.5% (higher in the interior), which is notably higher than the average unemployment rate of 6.0% for BC over the previous 10 years.

Your resume and cover letter impressed them… Your interview dazzled them… and you’re confident that your references will sing your praises. But, what else could factor into an employer’s assessment of you as a potential employee?

What can you do with an English degree? The wide range of opportunities may surprise you. Arts & Social Sciences Co-op staff and English Undergraduate Advisor offer tips on pursuing a career with a degree in English.

Sunny California is not only one of the favorite tourist destinations but also a state with a variety of opportunities.

You’ve just decided to take a break from those pesky readings for your class tomorrow morning.  Being the internet-savvy, Gen-Y, uber-connected student you are, you decide to log in to Facebook to see what your friends have been up to. And you see it, in all it’s unholiness:

The OLC talks to Iris Eom, 3rd year MBB, Computing Science joint major. Keep reading to learn about her experience at the UBC James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre at St. Paul's Hospital.

"There are few experiences in one’s life that do not just provide you with new skills, but teach you a new way of perceiving the world around you." Cathy Greenway, a student of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, travelled to Ecuador with Ecuaexperience's Help, Learn, Discover program as a Rural Development Volunteer. Read more about her life-changing experience.

Bordered by China, Russia, and separated from Japan by the Korea Strait, Korea makes for a strong international hub of Asia.

With the stability and the opportunities that a government position provides, it’s not surprising that a lot of students are interested with working for the government. The What Can I Do in Government session gave students an opportunity to network with a panel consisting of alumni, current students and managers who are experienced in working for the public sector. Read on for some insights and tips that the panelists provided!

So here I am walking you down my co-op path. I don’t know what your background is, what your career goals are, but what I do know is that you should give co-op a chance and explore. You will never know the many opportunities that lay along your undergraduate journey that can be unraveled with a peak into co-op. It’s not too late to enroll in co-op, I wish I had another colleague tell me this!

“Did you notice that happiness happens less the more often you stop to find where it’s been hiding?” Stop dreaming! And get the dream job of your dreams. But not in your dreams – in your real life! The dream job of your future can become a dream reality NOW! Get out of your dreams, get into your dream career! Live your dream!

The 4th and final interview with the MBB co-op students. The OLC talks to Marlo Shackleford, a 4th year MBB student who worked 3 terms over the last year first with Welichm Biotech Inc. and then UBC James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre at St. Paul’s Hospital.

There I was, waiting for the next ridiculously overcrowded sardine can of a train on my way home after work last night, pleasantly minding my own business, leaning inconspicuously against the wall, when it caught my eye: a headline running across the big flat screen tv that Skytrain stations have these days: ‘Majority of People Regret Their Major in University,’ or something to that effect.

The days of pulling all nighters and getting by on 2-3 hours sleep are over! Getting enough sleep is essential to ensure you can keep up with the demands of a fulltime work schedule and put forth your best performance.

My journey into exploring and seeking the right volunteer opportunities for my skills started right out of high school. I used my interest in and strong command of language by becoming a volunteer English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor at a conversation club downtown. 

A few days before I transitioned from Vancouver to Montreal, I got the opportunity to meet 4th year political science Robert Lutener. On most days, Robert can be spotted at SFU Burnaby campus’ Highland Pub discussing university politics. However, what made me choose Mr. Lutener as an interview subject was the success that his recent documentary Up North: Conversations on the Impacts of Change has generated.

If you’ve visited Symplicity recently, you may have noticed the volunteer opportunity being offered by the Burnaby Art Gallery.  The gallery is looking for docents –   energetic individuals interested in leading school tours of the gallery exhibitions and assisting students with creating art in a warm, supportive environment.  The position certainly caught my eye, and so I’ve asked the gallery if we could profile a former or current volunteer.

Jan is in their third year, have completed two work terms, and are beginning to realize that their beliefs back then about what co-op could offer only scratched the surface of what is really available to students. One area about which they were previously unaware, but have now come to take full advantage of, is Self-Directed Placement.

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.

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.

As you’ll see below, AIESEC provides many students the platform to discover and develop their leadership potential. AIESEC is completely powered by students who volunteer their time. Its Global Internship Program allows students to acquire international work experience.

AIESEC (pronounced “eye-sek”) is the largest student-run organization in the world. It offers students the ability to gain leadership skills by promoting its Global Internship Program.  It prides itself as an international platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential.

"I have no solid plans for the future and I love it...I know that every experience that I have had, every failed plan, was really an excellent mistake that gave me the skills I need to handle any situation that gets thrown my way in the future."  Read Mike's story of career exploration, and how to handle constant change.

Join our organization to help narrow the health gap between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal patients and residents by providing a better cultural fit within Fraser Health. 

Your Co-op Coordinator, supervisor, and you in the same room -- time for a site visit! Co-op site visits are a time for reflection on your work term including what could be improved and what has been great so far.

It was because of this very question that I landed on my current job today. I was then a student staff with SFU Student Development. The department played a central role in organizing campus events and programs, and to this day I am still amazed at my supervisor’s ability to accomplish everything she sets out to do. 

"I have no solid plans for the future and I love it...I know that every experience that I have had, every failed plan, was really an excellent mistake that gave me the skills I need to handle any situation that gets thrown my way in the future."

Let SFU and C.A.R.E Housing Society help you get there! C.A.R.E. Housing Society is a federally registered non-profit organization in Vancouver that uses Asia Miles donation to redeem airplane tickets for individuals who are travelling abroad to do civic engagement.

When I first met Pamela Santos at this year’s Leadership Summit, I was immediately drawn to her enthusiasm. Pamela, who is currently a third-year Business and Criminology student, introduced herself to me in an icebreaker game at the summit.

Some job seekers looking for possible ways to edge out competition are using weblogs (or blogs) to create and maintain a positive online presence. Blogging might help you land a job – but before you open a blog, we offer some information about blogging and a few tips on what you can do if blogging intimidates you.

Going to an interview used to be so simple. What could be easier? Well, maybe a lot of things, but at least steps 1 through 4 were pretty straightforward. Right? I mean, what could possibly go wrong with introducing yourself and shaking hands?

So you have graduated from university and are hanging your well-earned degree on your bedroom wall, and all of  a sudden, a tiny, yet unavoidable voice in the back of your head is quietly screaming “No time to celebrate, you need to find a job!” or “I’ve got my degree…what do I do with it?!’.

Ever since we were young, we all had dreams of becoming something big, something extravagant. But as we grow up, we begin to realize that our changing interests, abilities and what the economy has to offer often shapes our career aspirations.

Have you ever thought about working in a place that you are familiar with?  Perhaps a Tim Horton’s close by? For many students the idea of working at SFU might be a great option, if you prefer a 10 minute jaunt to work after class or an opportunity to learn more about how a university operates.

Do you want to improve your writing and communications skills? Do you want to meet other SFU students? If you answered “yes” to any of the two questions, becoming a peer educator may just be right for you! Let Jordan Robinson, a 4th-year Sociology student, tell you what valuable skills and experiences.

Someone once said that you should write about what you know. So when I was asked by one of the Peer Education Coordinators to write a career-related blog for their website, I felt compelled to write about the process of applying for graduate school, as I am currently applying for several schools myself.