First round Jobmine job applications are done! This means that two weekends of frantic applications are now complete, and you can finally focus on all those assignments you’ve been putting off to the early hours. What a relief! But let’s be honest, actually being employed would be even more of a relief. I know this whole experience can be pretty daunting, so if you are applying to co-op jobs for the first time ever, this article is meant for you! (Cue picture of Uncle Sam pointing at you.) Getting a job can be a big deal, and as a first year (and even as a soon to be new grad), you can’t always be too picky. Here’s some advice to hopefully smooth your transition into co-op life.
Be Open to New Experiences
Don’t limit yourself. The joy of co-op is that you can relocate for four months to work anywhere in the world. Open yourself up to possibly living in a place you have never been before. However, make sure to acknowledge your limits: for example, if you are deathly afraid of water then don’t apply to work on a boat. Same goes for jobs and locations. If you have been really homesick since starting school, maybe it is a good idea to look close to home. In this case you may be limited in the number of jobs you can apply to, and it might be a good idea to send resumes (with cover letters!) to local businesses, or to ask friends and family for help. It’s often just as much about who you know as what you know.
Be Honest About Your Skills
Everyone wants to stand out. However, if you claim to have two years of programming experience in a language you have never actually used before, you are setting yourself up for failure. As a first year student, you are most likely best suited to a junior job. Apply mainly to these jobs. If you have a special interest or skill set that makes you suitable for a higher lever job, don’t be afraid to apply, but it might be a matter of including a cover letter explaining your interest or skill. Employers will be looking somewhat at your university classes, but it will also be your hobbies and pastimes that set you apart. Video games can show you have good spatial sense, or athletics may make you a good fit if the people in the office are looking for a student to play soccer with the company team.
Be Prepared
It is a competitive world! Don’t let rejections discourage you. Even if you aren’t employed after the February 29th rankings, you aren’t missing out on all the good jobs! Many employers forget that they need to hire co-ops until closer to the start date. My first co-op ended up being in the Yukon and I didn’t get it until the last couple weeks of school! That said, there’s nothing wrong with passing on your resume to friends and family who might have an engineering student position open at their workplace. (Just make sure to tell the CECA in the Tatham Centre as soon as you have a job so they can take you off Jobmine.)
Happy Jobmining! (P.S. Ask someone about the Jobmine glitch)
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