Optimizing your co-op search 101
This whole graduation thing is still sinking in, and already I’m starting to forget what undergrad feels like but with the new term starting and job searching ramping up, I thought I would share my own job search process. This isn’t the Holy Grail by any means, and it might not be the right process for you, but going through these steps has enabled me to come away from my co-op program satisfied after every work term. Whether you’re looking for a fall co-op or thinking ahead to next summer’s internship, read on for the steps that I personally follow to ensure that I make the most of every working opportunity.
#1 — Imagine myself after this work experience; where do I want to be?
Many students think about internships and co-op as discrete targets and milestones but I personally find them to be more continuous in nature. A work experience doesn’t end with you putting it in your LinkedIn and then calling it a day — sure you may get in the door for an interview if you have a big firm name on your resume, but it’s ultimately the skills and experiences that you have that will close the deal. Rather than targeting a certain job title or firm, I think it’s much better to take a close look at the job description and understand if the work will bring you closer to your short term (1–2 year) goals. Which brings me to the 2nd step…
#2 — Imagine myself 1–2 years in the future
Honestly, I’m not that big on planning. I’ve never really been one to chart out my 2, 5, and 10 year goals because taking things as they come has always seemed like a better way to embrace transience and unpredictability. Two of my past three internships honestly just came about from being in the right place at the right time and weren’t jobs that were in my personal life plan. I’m so grateful that I had the chance to gain these experiences because they broadened my horizons and opportunities, laying a foundation for the future and reinforcing my ideology that the “go with the flow” mentality is a winner for me.
But I do think a lot about what I want to be doing in the next 1–2 years, not specifically for work but life in general — will this job arm me with the skills I need to succeed in the next 2 years? Once again, thinking more about skills rather than job title.
#3 — Think realistically about the options I have
Here’s where we get into the nitty-gritty; the above stuff was more conceptual thinking but this step here is very important. If you’re looking for co-op, do you HAVE to find a co-op this term? Or do you have the luxury of searching this term and just doing a school term if the search doesn’t work out? If you don’t get the internship in the summer, could you do a work term in the fall or winter? Could you work while also juggling school responsibilities? Only having understood all options can you be fully prepared for the job search ahead. For example, if I were searching for a co-op this term, but could actually delay for the term after, I would probably only apply to jobs that I really wanted, rather than adding “safety” jobs to ensure that I am not unemployed.
This is also where you have to be real with yourself and decide if you are in the top 10% of candidates to get the jobs you are looking for — this isn’t meant to be discouraging but all too often we see stories on LinkedIn where some influencer says how they had bad marks, no relevant experience, and didn’t network but “persevered” and got the job against all odds. And that’s the thing, this could happen for you, but you don’t want to be against all odds!
#4— Make the most of whatever work experience I get
It’s easier to say this now but internships and co-ops aren’t about the firm you worked at or what your job title was… your skills and transferrable experiences are what stays with you. We’re all so conditioned to compare with others and be upset with our own cards in life but I truly believe that resilience will find a way. There are some decisions that are better than others, of course, but there will always be the opportunity to make the decision the right one.
And that’s all there really is to it! I guess there’s all sorts of other steps like networking, researching, prepping your resume and cover letter, and interviewing but I think there’s enough out there on all those topics. Like I said above, this process might not work for everyone, but it has helped me to land optimal jobs in co-op for every stage of my undergrad journey. From my first time searching for a co-op through the job portal (WaterlooWorks) where I applied for anything and everything that seemed remotely interesting to the term I landed an offer from Goldman Sachs when I only applied for investment banking and consulting roles, this framework has served me well. At the end of the day, I think many people are worried that they won’t find a job, so they apply to everything under the sun BUT I always remind myself of this: No matter how many interviews you go to, you can only take 1 job in the end. It’s best not to waste time and energy on interviews for jobs you wouldn’t be satisfied or challenged by, when you could have been gunning for the ones you truly wanted.
I’m going to miss recruiting! My friends think I am crazy but honestly I think it’s pretty fun and exciting to meet new people and push yourself to be the best version of you — not to be mistaken with trying to be the best candidate overall. I hope this helps someone out there who is looking for a job; feel free to message me if you have any questions or comments!