Personal & Professional Development

Chris Lo, a Business Co-op alumnus, was able to leverage his Co-op and volunteer experience in order to gain a competitive edge after graduation. Read on to learn how he effectively used his time at SFU as a  stepping stone to his current position with the City of Burnaby.

Karen Tulloch, a biomedical physiology and kinesiology (BPK) major, has been working for the past three months as a BPK co-op student at the Canadian Space Agency in St. Hubert, Quebec. Read on to find out more about her exciting work and amazing achievements. 

Christina Wu finished a joint major in Business and Communication at SFU and is now working as a Communications Coordinator for the BC Council for International Education. She sat down with us to share her rich Co-op experiences and how they played a significant part in developing the skills and connections she has today.

In the next entry from our marketing co-op she contimplates her love of deadlines and fast paced changes, then how it all went out the window. Join her as she re examines the fluid nature of deadlines.

Samantha Garcia graduated this past June with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, with a Co-op designation for her four Co-op work terms. Read all about her experiences here!

Congratulations on your new accomplishment! You are a proud SFU grad who is ready represent SFU and engage in global communities. Some of you may already know what you will be doing but some of you may still be wondering what the future would entail.

As much as you may hear otherwise, you're not special. If you're like 99% of people, you don't have any superpowers. You're not going to change the world in any significant way. Sure, you've got strengths, and you'll probably help lots of people, but you're not going to single-handedly save the world.

You're not Superman. You're not Spiderman. But here are five ways you channel Batman in your own career development.

Being a pretty typical introvert, one of the things that I need to put more effort into than a lot of more outgoing people is building and maintaining new relationships.  Friends, coworkers, other professional contacts, you name it - any new relationship.

Social networking has taken our wired world by storm. While Facebook is a great way to network with others and reconnect with old friends, the use of social networking sites and the availability of personal information creates a plethora of implications for personal privacy and safety.

Being a pretty typical introvert, one of the things that I need to put more effort into than a lot of more outgoing people is building and maintaining new relationships.  Friends, coworkers, other professional contacts, you name it - any new relationship.

Every year, there are multiple career fairs and information sessions held at SFU. In addition to being informative and interesting, these events can be used to build contacts, acquire Co-op positions, and even look at post-grad jobs.

I wouldn’t classify myself as one of those people who can walk into a room and meet people easily. Though I’ve been making an effort to push the boundaries of my comfort zone, I’ve always been an introvert by nature. Unfortunately, as a business student, networking seems like an important skill to learn.

Trying to get that dream job? More and more employers are now using search engines such as Google to find out more about potential employees. If you’re not sure if social media is enhancing your online presence, there are some things you can do.

How do you stand out and stay ahead of the game in today's increasingly competitive job market? Read on to learn about 4 important resources that can help you advance your career while you're still in school.

In this segment of Diary of a Marketing Co-op, I look back at the need to be assertive to meet never-ending deadlines and how to balance this with the ability to know when to go with the flow.                   

Part two of the Diary of a Marketing Co-op series looks at the adjustments our marketing co-op went through as she suddenly found herself going full speed ahead, and the learning curve suddenly went vertical.

Ever wished you could get into the mind of an employer to find out what not to do during an interview and what might cause your résumé and cover letter to be relegated to the “not worth considering” pile? Co-op employer Shona Taner lists her Top 10 tips on how to avoid that fate.

Have you heard of Peer Education? It is a great opportunity to learn tremendously and give back to the SFU community at the same time. Read what career peers had to say about being one. And take advantage of many leadership opportunities that SFU offers.

Brittney Merryweather, a BPK Co-op student and a Behavioural Neuroscience (BNS) Major, takes us on her journey of career exploration and personal development through her two eye-opening International co-op placements. Read on to find out more about the people, culture and land of India.

What's your plan? With so many academic options open to you at SFU, it can be puzzling enough trying to decide on your major, much less a long-term career. But speak to any SFU career advisor and what you'll hear might bring you some calm: there is no set career plan.

"There's more to finding a job than surfing the net" These are the famous words career advisors state on a daily basis to current students and recent graduates. A well-rounded job search strategy is critical for career success and involves the 3 E’s for excelling: EXPLORE, EXPERIENCE and ENGAGE

Interactive Arts & Technology Co-op student Chi Hsi shares her experiences working for SAP AG in Germany, as a user experience designer.

For some of you, the thought of making the transition from academia to the world of full-time work may be quite daunting. Luckily, SFU's Backpack to Briefcase event can help.

I was not a confident person in high school. Sure, I did fine in my classes, but most of the time that didn't seem very important. Like most people, I was more worried about how other people perceived me, particularly those mysterious and intimidating members of the opposite gender. Today, I'm a more confident person. When and how did that transformation happen?

Want to take time off to travel but don't want to delay your graduation date? Why not study abroad? Pamela shares 5 reasons why you should consider studying abroad.   

This blog will chronicle the next eight months as I complete my second and third co-op terms as a member of the TELUS Marcomm team. My first co-op term was in Fall 2010 when I spent four months as the web intern for the Vancouver Canucks. 

It's not what you say that matters, but how you say it. You could be making something up on the spot, and be totally wrong on whatever it is you're talking about, but if you appear confident in what you're saying, you're more likely to be seen as right.

What exactly is confidence, and how do we get more of it?

Volunteering is one of the quickest and easiest ways to meet new people, learn new skills and advance your career. So, before you say "no" to a volunteer opportunity that you think you don't have time for, consider the learning and career possibilities it may lead you to if you said "yes".

Has someone ever told you that your cover letter needs to have an “eye-catching” and interesting beginning? Well, this is no myth.  Recently, my sister who works in Human Resources has told me horror stories about the cover letters that she is subjected to reading.

Money, material possessions, a great job, time, even love... I would argue that adding any of these to your life is not the key to happiness.  No, adding anything is not the way to go. Instead, let's think about subtraction.