Personal & Professional Development

Are you considering or planning to work for the government? Read on to find out more about Doug's co-op experience at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as a Taxpayer Services Agent and the surprises he encountered during his work term.

Is career advancement on your mind? Whether you are a current student, a recent grad, or have been in the workforce for a couple of years, for many of us, improving our position never seems far from our minds. Read on to find out about how you can move up the corporate ladder as a student.

Innovation and government might not be two words that one usually expects to find in the same sentence. Toren's experience proves this idea wrong. Toren describes his experience working as a Co-op student for the Federal Government.

Even before the first month of my one year co-op contract with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) was over, I knew that my co-op experience was going to be different from what I had ever suspected I was getting myself into.

You know the feeling of being stuck. Whether in your personal, interpersonal, professional, or any other life, the sense of having fallen out of the groove is always similarly and markedly unpleasant. You're spinning your tires, expending lots of effort with seemingly no forward motion to thank for it. So how do you get out of this funk? Here's a simple strategy for getting "unstuck"

Are you considering or planning to pursue a designation as a Chartered Accountant (CA)? If so, read on to find out how Co-op can help you gain a competitive edge and achieve this goal successfully.

The screening interview is used by many large companies as a first, usually informal round of interviews. They are often conducted by HR reps before you can even meet anyone you'll be working with, but you need to perform well to get a foot in the door.

Group interviews aren't as common as some of the other formats we've explored in this series, but they can often be used as part of a screening process, so it's always good to be prepared for them.

As a part of our continued series, we look at the panel interview. This can be intimidating as it puts the interviewee up against an entire group of experienced professionals, so confidence is key to its success.

The following article is the second in a three-part series on how Co-op supervisors can make the most of a Co-op experience with their student. Read this blog to learn how to provide constructive feedback, and when the best time is to add additional responsibilities. 

In this edition of Interview Types, Elizabeth discusses Performance Interviews. It can be intimidating to showcase your skills on the spot, which is why in this blog, Elizabeth looks at the good, the bad and the helpful, as well as potential questions you may face. 

Wondering what it's like to work in HR and in Newfoundland? Read on to learn more about Serena's winter adventure and experience adapting to a new culture, environment and life away from home!

The Co-op work term has already provided a healthy dose of experience.  Now it is time to gather that tangible experience, take it home, and organize it into a general portfolio.

When it comes to personality, typology seems an intuitive fit. We like to think of ourselves as defined by neat and tidy categories, like introversion and extroversion. But, while there's definite value in having insight about your own and others' personality, our obsession with putting people into boxes can lead to unhelpful assumptions. Read Dave's blog exploring Ambiversion; the middle ground between Introverts and Extroverts.

Are you graduating soon and are panicking about job searching in the “real world”? If so, read on to find out what some successful SFU alumni and co-op employers are saying about what grads can do to stand out.

Oftentimes, students see volunteering and the classroom as two separate things. However, with the right planning, volunteer work can in fact enhance what you learn at university. Take Chris Lo, an SFU alumnus, as an example of someone whose volunteer experiences have been a great addition to his education.

So what will be important in ten years? The classes you took will be important—but only if you do something with them. And you know what? You can worry about the future ten years down the road. Do something now.

"I wanted to give students practical tips on 2 different things. How being SFU alumni can help you secure a job. How staying involved with the SFU Alumni Association is a mutually beneficial relationship." - Travis Wong, BBA '09

I was hesitant to accept a co-op position because I thought that the skills I would obtain would not at all be relevant to my career path. As it turns out, I learned that trying out things that do not appeal to you 100% at the beginning is often a risk worth taking. Here's my story.

LinkedIn is a social networking site. Unlike Facebook, however, LinkedIn is primarily for professionals. It is a great tool to help connect you with professionals, but it’s also great for your job search. In this first part of two series about LinkedIn, we tackle the task of creating an effective LinkedIn profile.

For the majority of university students nearing graduation, the question of what job and career path to pursue can be a very daunting and challenging decision to make. But did you know informational interviews could help you make those decisions?

With work terms winding down to a close, most co-op students can’t help but reminisce warmly about friends made, skills gained and career opportunities uncovered while on the job. During this time, it is important to take advantage of a few tips for smooth sailing as you wrap up your work term.

An online portfolio is a visual representation of your abilities, personality and style. Why not show what you can do instead of talking about it? In fact, some employers go directly to a student’s portfolio first before even glancing at their resume. Even if having a portfolio isn’t a requirement in your current field of study, it will definitely help make you stand out.

There are many ways and places to network, whether it’s at a convention, party, hiring fair, the art gallery, or even online! But have you ever considered networking on your Co-op work term?

I've been reading a few really great articles lately, and instead of trying and failing to come up with something original, I thought I would share some of those articles, along with some of my thoughts about them. Here's five articles I like, complete with commentary, all of which use awesome metaphors to get their career advice across.

Liesl Jurock is back with more advice - this time on references. She explains that while picking the right references can be tough, it's also important to give them the respect and gratitute they deserve.

T-shirt? Jeans? Flip-flops? Sneakers? Confused about what you should wear for your job interview, work or to a networking event? No fear! Read on “What Not to Wear: Professional Attire Edition” to find out how to dress to impress and for success…

Does your résumé need a makeover? Do you want to have it done for free and in less than 15 minutes? If you answered "yes" to both questions, read on to find out how you can do so!

Are you a bone crusher or a limp hand-shaker? You may ask, “Does a handshake really matter?” Well, apparently, a simple handshake can say a lot about you in the work and social settings. Read on to find out what kind of handshake you have and how to improve your handshaking skills…

The portfolio makes intangibles tangible offering a complete picture of who you are and where you want to go. Portfolios get attention, provide links, and build your credibility and confidence. If you are wondering how to start building your career portfolio click to read more.