The Dos and Dont’s of Co-ops and Internships

We asked co-op students, interns and co-op experts to share their stories and tips. Read on for their unique perspectives on how to make the most of your co-op! We also put out a call to our social media network to submit their #CoopTip through Twitter. Check out the 140-character tidbits of co-op advice at the end of the article.

BEFORE CO-OP

DO: Take the leap!

Co-op is something that every student should do. When I was in university I never took advantage of co-op—it wasn’t until I went to college that a co-op placement in my field was offered. I hopped right on this opening, and looking back I don’t have a single regret. Here’s why:

• I got to see if my chosen field was a right fit for me (it was).

• I found out which aspects of marketing excited me. Marketing is so broad—co-op helped me narrow it down with a firsthand look into what really stimulated me.

• I experienced a professional work culture. Growing up, I mainly worked in restaurants. As much fun as this was, it never gave me the opportunity to see what it was like to work in a professional setting.

• It connected me to people with similar interests who helped me appreciate why I chose to pursue marketing. My co-workers loved their jobs; they were good at them and they were respected in their field. Making these connections expanded my professional network and left me with a group of people I can always turn to for advice.

Nick Donaldson
Co-op: Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists
School: Algonquin College

DURING CO-OP

DON’T: Sit around waiting for instructions

It’s very easy to arrive at an internship and then quickly become forgotten by the supervisor. They’re often busy people who don’t have the time to constantly check-in with (or babysit) the intern. This may make for an easy workday but it’s not the reason why you’re interning. Every task or project you become involved with during your internship could become an example of success for your resumé or your next job interview. Although you agreed to work for an organization like it’s a job during an internship, they agreed to give you opportunities to learn and gain valuable experience in the ‘real world.’ If you’re left with little or nothing to do, talk to your supervisor. There is ALWAYS something that needs to be done, urgent or not. This kind of proactive behaviour can give you a good reputation that can help lead to a positive referral or even a job offer.

Alexander K. Smith
Marketing and communications intern
School: University of Ottawa

DO: Build relationships

The writing on the wall is clear: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” One would be unwise to disregard it as cliché. Relationship building is everything, and cold calling, informational interviews and networking events are invaluable tools. As an introvert I was very much aware of this mantra, and my ego was set to disprove it. I avoided networking like the plague and leaned on the illusion that being an “A” student with a solid resumé would make me stand out and get me an interview. While I did see results from burying my head in job boards, the process was an overall slow, tedious and disheartening experience that only yielded jobs that weren’t on the path I wanted to be on. Employers aren’t clambering over one another to pick from the online crops. It’s a buyer’s market, and those who stand out know how to leverage the multisensory experience that they are (sight, sound, smell, touch) to leave an impression. Style goes a long way.

Ian MacKichan
Marketing intern
School: Carleton University

DON’T: Dress inappropriately

A key principle to keep in mind is if you would wear it to a nightclub or the gym, DON’T wear it to work. Clothes should always be clean and tidy. Dress pants and a dress shirt works for both genders.

Kerry Eamer
Director, Co-op and Career Services
Carleton University

DO: Develop and maintain a reputation for being dependable

At the end of a co-op placement, the ultimate goal we all have is to walk away with a glowing reference in the hopes that it will open up more doors to us in the future. This crucial piece of the co-op experience hinges upon the sort of reputation we start building ourselves from day one on the job.

When I first stepped into my role, I made it my personal priority to demonstrate my dependability. This translated into simple actions such as completing all tasks on time, maintaining a consistent quality of work, remaining flexible and open-minded when plans changed, taking on additional responsibility when needed, and displaying an overall positive attitude towards the twists and turns that came with the job.

By demonstrating dependability, I was entrusted with increasing levels of responsibility. In addition, I found that my ideas were valued, and I was being treated as an equal stakeholder in the project. This confidence my superiors displayed in me strengthened the confidence I had in myself, which reinforced the quality of work I was able to produce. My desire to present myself as a valued team member contributed to every benefit I gained from my experience.

Malinda Pathacharige
Co-op: BlackBerry
School: Simon Fraser University

DO: Learn from your co-workers

Talk to lots of the people that you’re working with and learn as much as you possibly can while you’re on your work term. It’s a great opportunity. You can learn from more than just the work that you’re assigned. You can learn from the other people that you’re working with about their work experiences… It’s a really, really, really rich learning experience, in my opinion, and I think if you go into it as a student looking at all the possibilities of what you can learn there, you’re going to benefit greatly.

Peggy Jarvie
Executive Director, Co-operative Education & Career Action
University of Waterloo

DON’T: Forget that you’re working in the real world

Especially when you’re going from academics to a work environment, you’ll find that your pressures are different. You don’t really have to deal with a lot of money-related issues in the work that you do in school. Everything that you do in the business world has to create value for someone, more than just yourself. A company has a bottom line that they’re worried about, and you need to be contributing in some way, shape or form. The motivations that drive the work definitely change.

Justin Reis

Internship: Ipsos Reid
School: Loyalist College

AFTER CO-OP

DO: Stay in touch

Make contact via LinkedIn, an annual lunch or coffee break, a birthday card, an email remarking on something that has happened with the company to show that you are still thinking about them.

Kerry Eamer
Director, Co-op and Career Services
Carleton University

DO: Ask for feedback

Make it easy for your boss though and be specific. For example: Could you please provide me with some feedback on my communication skills? What strategies have you found to be most effective? This helps the supervisor focus on a particular aspect rather than on the performance as a whole.

Kerry Eamer
Director, Co-op and Career Services
Carleton University

DO: Reflect on your experience

After you’ve left your position, it can be easy to lose track of everything that you did. Keep a log of your projects and skills that you learned on the job so that you can easily update your resumé when the time comes. Jotting down stories of your successes and failures (i.e. lessons learned) will also help you in future job interviews.

Jordan Adams
Journalism intern
School: Carleton University

#COOPTIP TWEETS

BEFORE

Use a great LinkedIn profile to create credibility. Then use LinkedIn like a detective to set up info interviews #CoopTip
–@JessicaKWebster

Get to know your co-op coordinator! The more they know about you the more they can help #CoopTip
–Katie LeBlanc @CUBizCoop

Do research on the organization you’re looking to do co-op at. #CoopTip
–William Johnson @socialeccentric

Our #CoopTip is to get your resume started early so its pretty much ready when the dream job comes up! #myTRU
–TRU Career Education @trucareered

Don’t forget – you are interviewing the employer as well – ask intelligent questions at the end of the interview. #CoopTip
–@AlgonquinCoop

Read their website, annual report, business plan, press clippings, and mission/vision statement. Then generate Qs! #CoopTip
–@AlgonquinCoop

Do be open to positions across Canada, you’ll increase your opportunities and can explore a new area #CoopTip
–Shandy Johnston @shandyrae

Practice for your interview by saying your responses out loud to your mirror, webcam, family, friends, or dog/cat #CoopTip
–@AlgonquinCoop

Network; put your name out there! Use SM tools like LinkedIn to connect and interact with past or potential employers.
–@uOttawaCOOP

DON’T eat onions before your interview #CoopTip
–@BrockCoop

Do get your cover letters and resumes proofread by at least 2 people before submission #CoopTip
–@BrockCoop

Do keep your LinkedIn profile updated (including a professional pic) – many recruiters use it to find candidates #CoopTip
–@YorkUCareerCtr

DURING

DO not be afraid to voice your opinions. It’s always the greasy wheel that gets the oil, but don’t be a sore thumb #CoopTip
–@IanMacKichan

Keep an open mind! Co-op is about exploring career options. #CoopTip
–@AlgonquinCoop

Treat your co-op term like a 4-month interview i.e. don’t stop trying to impress your employer! #CoopTip
–Tammy Kim @t5kim

Do work hard, continue learning, offer to help & form strong working relationships when completing your co-op #CoopTip
–@TangChoy

We’re late on this so here’s a fitting #CoopTip Always be on time and ready to learn, produce & participate
–Guelph-Humber Career & Placement @_GHWorks

AFTER

Don’t forget to stay in touch with colleagues AFTER co-op. Meet for coffee, send updates via email or LinkedIn #CoopTip
–@TangChoy