Tips To Land The Right Co-op Placement

The dreadful co-op search… Something we all knew we were signing up for when we accepted our Dalhousie offers, but a beast that none of us were expecting. I will try not to sugar-coat this: it is not a fun process. Or, at least, I did not personally think so. But after successfully securing three co-op terms, I can offer a bit of advice on how to make it better.

Be Proactive

Unless you are lucky enough to have a family member with a strong sway in the HR department at their company, a placement is not going to just fall into your lap. It is really important to make sure you hit the ground running when you return to campus in September of your second year; by the second and third weeks, Management Career Services (MSC) is already facilitating information sessions, networking events, and many other activities with employers to help you gain exposure to people who can offer you co-op opportunities. All of these events will be well-advertised on campus and in e-mails sent to your Dal e-mail address.

Although anything school-related is the last thing on anyone’s mind during the summer, try to set aside some time to think about an industry (or industries) that you are interested in trying out. This can dictate the timeline for info sessions and application deadlines (i.e. Accounting deadlines tend to be mid-to-late September, while Marketing jobs come up a bit later in the semester). If you have an idea of what you are looking for in a co-op, it will allow you to note the companies you are interested in meeting with and the deadlines you may be up against (no surprises and less stress later on!).

This may bring up another question: How do I know what I am looking for in a co-op? Some people go into the Commerce program with a passion for, say, International Business and they run with it and never look back. I, on the other hand, had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when I started at Dal… and no one expects you to! I tried Accounting because I had enjoyed my first-year classes and was curious as to what a career in the industry would look like. After attending some information sessions for Accounting firms, I was even more eager to apply. Listen to your instincts, play on your strengths, and start there; there’s no rule saying you need to do all three co-ops in any one industry. These placements are a time for you to experiment and find out what is right for you.

Be Present

Now that you have convinced yourself to attend these networking events, you must really make the most of it. Sitting in the back of the room and nodding along to what employers are sharing is not going to earn you a spot on the top of their interview list. Trust me, I know how incredibly intimidating it is to start a conversation with an employer with only first-year classes under your belt. I begrudgingly dragged myself to the big Accounting session that MCS puts on and ended up connecting with a recruiter who looked equally as uncomfortable as I did… and he ended up offering me my very first co-op job (Hi, Mike, if you’re reading this!). Great things happen when you allow yourself to step out of your comfort zone. Do a little research on the company beforehand, prepare a couple of unique questions that you are actually interested in knowing the answer to, and try to make genuine and meaningful conversations with the employees you meet.

Be Patient

This may be the hardest part of it all: Give yourself time. Unfortunately, companies cannot hire every person who submits a resume. I applied to PwC three times before I was even given consideration for an interview! Each time it felt like the end of the world (I am not dramatic at all), but I am honestly thankful for it because I had placements that I absolutely loved and learned so, so much from at Collins Barrow and RBC.

You may not get an offer to your first choice of employer, and you may not enjoy every placement you have. But that is the beauty of co-op; it is a temporary, 3-4-month job where you will always learn something. Each term will give you tools to become an even better candidate the next time around. At the end of the day, a co-op placement is really what you make of it; join the social committee, pursue company volunteer activities, schedule coffee chats with people in positions you would like to see yourself in one day. If you put your heart into it, you will end up with a full-time offer at your dream company… like me.

About the writer: Samantha Broomer is a recent graduate from Dalhousie's Commerce program, currently working at PwC's Calgary office as an Assurance Associate. While at Dalhousie, she was originally the VP of Corporate Affairs for the Rowe Women in Business Association, soon followed by becoming the President of WIBA in her last year.