Personal & Professional Development

Congratulations! You’ve landed your first Co-op work term. But wait! There’s a catch (or two): you’re in the middle of a global pandemic, and you’re expected to lead a team in this new and not-so-improved virtual setting. Read Bita’s tips to feel more confident while conquering your very first Co-op in a position of leadership, all the while working remotely. 

Are you currently in the process of securing a job interview? Melanie will take you on her journey and the series of events she took to not only reach out to her hiring manager, but also land an interview within the span of 24 hours. 

Staying focused and getting things done can be something we all struggle with, especially when both work and play are online. What, then, is the "procrastination monkey", and how can you overcome the distraction it brings? Clarissa explains how to kick the monkey to the curb, and take control of your time and work. 

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. 

Emir was asked during his Co-op hiring interview if he would consider an 8-month placement. He was anxious about making it through 4 months, never mind 8. But soon enough the third month came around and Emir has a second chance to consider an extension. Here are his 8 reasons for why you should a Co-op extension.

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.

In a highly uncertain pandemic, working from home has become the new normal. Read about Emily's co-op experience with Sierra Wireless and find out what we can do to better our experience with remote working, both as an employer and an employee.

The end of a Co-op work term doesn't necessarily mean the end of your relationship with the organiziation you had been working for. Jaclyn found a way to turn her Co-op opportunity, a 8 month Co-op at FISPAN, into a part time gig when she went back to school to finish her degree. Read on to learn how she pitched her new role and position to the company she'd done a Co-op work term with.

When the COVID-19 hit, Kevin had to transition from working in person to working from home. Read on to find out what this experience was like and how Kevin was able to readjust to new working conditions. 

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.

Interested in starting a business but don’t know where to start? Don’t know if you can handle it because you’re a student? David has gone through it and succeeded in some ways while failing in others. Learn from his experience in this blog post so you can avoid making the same mistakes.

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. 

After a tiring semester of remote learning, Lillian decided to trade classes for work experience and adventure - in Alberta as a door-to-door salesperson.

Nikolina was one of the many co-op students who had to learn how to adjust to new working conditions during COVID-19. In this article, Bikolina shares with us some tips for finding productivity during a global pandemic. 

As Karen points out, students of the Interactive Arts and Technology program have been through years of design school! Designers know how to use Adobe Suite like a pro, and know to bring their A-game to the table every day, proposing fascinating new directions and brand-new visionary ideas. While designers are hired to learn and bring some ‘fresh perspectives’ to their co-op workplace, read on to learn how they can overlook some key parts of the everyday designer.

Shahvir Sarkary is a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Co-op Student who had the opportunity to work as an Events Assistant for FASS, the largest faculty on campus. Shahvir recruited & managed over 48 students for a mentorship role that supported and helped the transition of new incoming students in Fall 2020 term.

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.

Not many people know about all the perks of being an SFU student, such as huge discounts, free access to normally paid services, and cheaper subscriptions to popular products. Here is a list of everything you can take advantage of as an SFU student!

From trials and tribulations from countless interviews during her Co-op seeking journey, Ka Yiu Cheng shares some tips on how to crush your next virtual interview. 

Hermine shares some tips on making your thesis statements more effective and in-depth.

Bakhtiar Yaqub has decided to formally appoint themselves as the designated Ned Bigby of Simon Fraser University. Read for tips on surviving your work term from Bakhtiar's Declassified Co-op Survival Guide!