[SFU OLC Experience] A Transformative 11-Month Journey as Global Communication Specialist at SAP d-shop

Program:

Organization

SAP

Position Title

Communications Specialist

Location:

Vancouver

British Columbia

Canada

Experience Faculty

Communication, Art + Technology › Interactive Arts + Technology

SAP Global d-shop Team

GirlSmart UX Workshop Volunteering

Happy Hour at the Office

Holiday Party at the Office

Experience Details

Semester

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year

2023

Application and Interview Tips

Revisit your resume and customize it to ensure that the highlighted experiences align seamlessly with the specific requirements outlined in the job description for the position.
Conduct thorough research to gain a comprehensive understanding of both the company and the specific role you're interviewing for.
Strategize your response to the 'Tell me about yourself' question by considering how you can uniquely showcase your strengths and distinguish yourself from other candidates.
Practice your interview and draft out questions tailored to the job responsibility of the particular position.
Rehearse discussing a project that you wish to highlight during your interview. Delve into the details, ensuring you can articulate the specifics of the project with clarity and depth.

Introduction + Preparation

Preparation Tips for Future Students

Prior to this internship, I gained previous Co-op experience as a Development and Communications Assistant at Westcoast Family Centres. While preparing for the interview for the current internship at SAP, I recognized the significance of not solely emphasizing my prior experience in this field. I highlighted my multidisciplinary background, diverse skill sets cultivated through exposure to various design sectors, and the broader perspective of my adaptability. So, make sure you showcase all your skills and don’t shy away from presenting not only those directly relevant to the job description but also the ones that demonstrate your versatility, potential contributions, and personality!

During my Experience

Day to Day

As a Global Communication Specialist, my primary duties included providing and developing internal communication for the SAP global d-shop team by working closely with the Global d-shop lead. My focus in this role was to raise awareness and presence about d-shop in the internal SAP community through creating and planning meaningful global marketing campaigns, supporting the rundown of d-shop virtual events, developing compelling graphics for marketing collaterals, curating media journalism with newsletters, blogs, and more.

My responsibilities during this role consisted of joining in on monthly d-shop leads meetings where I virtually travel around the world to visit different leads worldwide to gain updates and to curate meeting minutes for documentation. I also joined various d-shop project team meetings and weekly meetings with the Global d-shop lead and the communication team. While I strived to create and develop various engaging and effective communication strategies for d-shop within the SAP community, one of the new tasks I got to focus on this term was designing and creating videos to showcase our d-shop campaigns and projects to help promote and celebrate the achievements we had throughout this year.

Learning and Adaptation

During this work term, one of my learning objectives was to develop strong work management skills that would enable me to maintain a healthy workflow balance, especially with my involvement in the month-long virtual event centred around the CET time zone. Initially, I had to experiment with a work schedule that worked best for me and ensure I was the most efficient with enough energy throughout the day. Thanks to my supervisor, I had the flexibility of working around a specific work schedule of having longer breaks in the middle of the day. As I also had tasks assigned aside from focusing on the event, it was essential for me to prioritize tasks efficiently. Hence, having a clear schedule not only for the following work week but for the whole month kept me organized and helped me stay up-to-date on any other tasks.

Accomplishments and Challenges

As I wrap up my final work term of this 11-month internship, one of the most significant accomplishments that I have made was wrapping up the global SAP d-shop campaign that I got to start at the beginning of the year. What began as a small initial idea of revealing the meaning of what d-shop stands for has since ideated into a global campaign that proudly showcases what the 'd' in d-shop means to 45+ participants of the d-shop community. Their inspiring submissions have since been displayed on digital signages across global SAP Labs locations and also featured on Global d-shop's internal SharePoint page, inspiring everyone who views them. It was rewarding to see all the colourful submissions that I have put together, and proud to have created a tapestry of stories that truly reveal the diversity and inclusivity in the d-shop maker space.

Reflection & Tips

Reflection

Embracing the dynamic nature of my role as a Communication Specialist for SAP d-shop, my multidisciplinary background as a SIAT student has empowered me to be skillful in a myriad of tasks and projects I was assigned. With my proficiency in diverse design mediums, I approached each project with an open mind and a can-do attitude, not shying away from exploring new opportunities! I believe having the attitude to be willing to try something new is very important for this role. The creative freedom afforded by the motto of d-shop, where individuals can bring their visions to life, provided me with an enriching experience that has allowed me to infuse my unique and creative input into projects and contribute to a vibrant tapestry of innovation within the team.

Most Valuable Aspects of This Experience

In addition to all the new skills I was able to learn from this role, other aspects of this job that have affected me positively have been the SAP Internship Experience Program, which has kept me supported and engaged in events and activities that create thriving personal networks, learning experiences, and valuable career development opportunities.

I was part of a 3-month program where I got to sign up for a specific full-time mentor within the company to meet bi-weekly to learn about any other jobs I was interested in. With my interest in user experience (UX) design, I paired up with a UX designer in the Vancouver office to learn, ask questions, and network. It has been fascinating to learn about the UX sectors within SAP and to receive guidance and support on future career goals and plans.

Advice for Future Students

Your co-op experience is an invaluable journey that I cannot emphasize enough. It's not just a chance for learning but an opportunity to meet inspiring individuals, build lasting connections, and network with industry experts. If you haven't embarked on a co-op work term yet, I want to encourage you—it's never too late in your academic career to take on this experience; all you have to do is take that leap and embrace the opportunities that await you!

Tags:

Co-op Reflections