Career Exploration

Shahid, a recent Mechatronics alumnus, never thought he'd find himself working at an Oil and Gas company such as ExxonMobil. After all, how do mechatronics connect to the Oil and Gas industry? As it turns out, much more than Shahid anticipated! Although starting out nervous and unsure, Shahid quickly rose to the occasion and found joy in every aspect of his work. Read more to find out about Shahid's position, and what he learned while on an out-of-town co-op in Ontario!

Seeking semesters can be difficult; especially in a pandemic. Samuel, a Business co-op student, experienced this difficulty while searching for their position as a Product Strategy Intern with SAP. Although emotionally turbulent, Samuel was able to persist through their seeking semester and experienced a number of learning opportunities that has shaped their perception on job seeking. Read Samuel's 5 Tips for Seeking Your Next Co-op to learn how to make the best out of your seeking semester. 

Unsure of what to expect for your upcoming co-op? Megan wasn't either! Megan, a Business Co-op Student, worked at SFUVentureLabs for 4 months as a Program Administrator Assistant. Previously working in a large government office, Megan was nervous coming into a small sized company for the first time. But, there was nothing to fear as Megan strengthened a lot of skills and learned more about their career path. Read Megan's story to learn more about why you should work for a smaller sized company!

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” This Chinese proverb inspired Kandice, a Public Health Graduate student, to share her tips on applying to grad school. Read Kandice's article to learn why you should start the process today!

Being part of a start-up company can be scary enough, but doing it as a Co-op student who is brand new to the industry can be absolutely terrifying. This is what I learned about working for a start-up over the last 10 months as a Communication & Multimedia Associate!

Last summer, my sister and I were excited to travel to Europe. As you can probably guess, that did not happen. But from the gloom of cancelling our dream trip, something positive emerged - an important conversation and a new direction that kickstarted my career.

Deriving inspiration from her first post, "4 Reasons You Won't Regret Working in Customer Service", Sydney is back and ready to share more knowledge with you from her time in retail. In this article, you'll find Sydney's strategy for negotiating wage raises, work-term extensions and permanent positions. 

After spending 5 years in retail, Sydney was ready to pursue a career related to her studies. Looking back, although there were trials and tribulations, her time in customer service was a spectacular triumph as she developed new ways of communicating, leadership skills, and other attributes that have propelled her professional and personal development. 

Are you a SIAT Co-op student in the seeking process? Read Michelle's article on the job-hunting journey, and how with a strong portfolio and exemplary soft skills, you can excel in your interviews!

Like many other seeking Co-op students, Leslie struggled to find a co-op job that was relevant to her interests. While her friends were all able to eventually land jobs, Leslie started to feel more anxious and insecure about obtaining an opportunity. Here's how she turned the tables and found a job outside of her initial interests.

Sometimes, things don't go as well as expected when launching a start-up business. David explains in Part Three of his blog series just what went wrong and what fellow peers should look out for if you're also interested in developing a business.

Ever wondered what working for a non-profit is like? Further, have you ever wondered what working for an extremely small non-profit is like?In her article, Marisa describes what it was like to work at a youth sports-oriented non-profit where she collaborated with a small team of only three, and lists both the pros and cons of non-profit work. 

Vicky Leung is a Business Co-op student who found herself having to choose between the allure of a permanent position at a start-up company, which did not match the job description, and a Co-op position that was everything she imagined. Read Vicky’s 3 pieces of advice when making difficult decisions in the co-op program. 

If you’re thinking about running your own CPA firm, then working at Thomas Chimick Ltd. is the perfect job for you. You get hands on experience by working directly with clients and helping them with their needs. It teaches you the basic skills that every accountant should have, such as, time management, attention to detail, and being able to take quality notes.

Nisha’s second work term as a curriculum and programming assistant on a hiring committee for Career and Volunteer Services made her realize that with so many qualified candidates, decisions are sometimes based on the tiniest details. Here are Nisha’s 10 tips for how to stand out from other candidates and the reasons why employer’s value them.

Gaining research experience, for many, is the first step to forging a rewarding career path in many fields across SFU. But are you confused about how to get the research experience you need? In this blog, Des’ree shares some helpful tips that help you find great research opportunities.

Robert's boss shared a key lesson with him about an essential trait that can get one hired. What is that trait and how can you develop it? Read on to learn more from Robert.

Finding a co-op placement can be quite stressful, but if you stick with it you might just find your dream position. Read John’s article on persevering through a difficult job search and making the most of a co-op placement.