Career Leaders

Career leaders are a team of University of Waterloo undergraduate and graduate students who provide one-on-one supports through same day, 20-minute drop-in sessions. These drop-ins cover multiple topics including résumés, cover letters, interviews, work search and further education. Registration for all drop-ins begins at 8:00 a.m. daily.

Meet our career leaders

Libby and Daphne

Libby (she/her) and Daphne (she/her) are Team Leads, where their role includes mentoring the Career Leaders and supporting our CL's drop-ins. Both Libby and Daphne completed their undergrad degrees at the University of Waterloo. Currently, Libby is pursuing a Bachelor of Education and Daphne is completing a MSc in Kinesiology.

Nikhil

Hey, my name is Nikhil (he/him) and I'm an employment support career leader for the CCA. I'm doing my undergraduate degree in science psychology with the goal of someday doing a masters and PhD in psychology. Outside of school, I spend my time rock climbing, skateboarding, and taking walks through the local trails. I also love trying new food so if you need or have any restaurant recommendations, let me know!

Simrit

Hi! My name is Simrit (she/her), and I am an Employment Support Career Leader at the CCA. I have completed a joint Honours Bachelor of Public Health and Psychology at the University of Waterloo and am currently pursuing my Master of Public Health. I completed the co-op stream during my undergraduate studies, so I am familiar with the concerns and struggles students have with co-op. I appreciate the ability to engage with students one-on-one to offer assistance that I myself have found incredibly valuable in the past and enjoy guiding students with determining their next steps.

Binuki

Hi! My name is Binuki (they/them) and I’m an Employment Support Career Leader at the CCA. I’m in my 4th year of Social Development Studies (co-op), specializing in Diversity & Equity and Education. I’ve been at the CCA since September 2021 and I love being able to work with students and support their career journeys. Alongside this, I’m a Research Assistant at Renison looking at anti-racism in schools. In my free time, I enjoy exploring + finding new cafés and reading!

Suhani

Hello, I’m Suhani and my pronouns are she/her! I’m currently in the final year of my undergraduate degree; I’m doing a major in Psychology and a double minor in Social Development Studies and Technical Writing. I have been at the CCA since September 2020 supporting students with employment and further education. Apart from working and studying, I spend a lot of my time eating and thinking about food- I love cooking and finding new places to try. I am also a trained belly dancer and love all things social media!

Emmanuella

My name is Emmanuella (she/her) and I'm a 4th year student in the Faculty of Science at UWaterloo. Alongside being a student, I'm part of the Further Ed team at the CCA. I never imagined that I'd become a career leader one day, but life tends to be full of surprises. I have always had a interest in helping people and I thought that joining the CCA would be a great opportunity to do something different - within my learning zone - and provide support for my fellow peers. I enjoy using my free time to watch Throwback TV shows (anything from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s), making origami and reading historical novels. I also have a tendency to use 1920s and 1930s slang every once in a while.

Bhavya

Hi, my name is Bhavya (She/Her), and I am a Career Leader! I completed my undergraduate degree at UW in 2022 and am currently a Masters of Engineering student at UW. Going from a Biology undergraduate degree to an Engineering Masters was a big jump, and would not have been possible if not for all the support I received through the CCA. Therefore, I hope to use my experiences to provide the same level of support to other students considering further education. Some of my hobbies include listening to podcasts, baking, hiking, doing puzzles, dancing and photography!

Gurleen

Hello! My name is Gurleen, and I am a further education career leader at CCA. My preferred pronouns are she/her. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Waterloo. I began working at the CCA in August and applied for this role because I wanted to work in an institution which cares about helping students navigate the opportunities in their lives. I enjoy reading, painting and embroidery!

Ramya

Hi, my name is Ramya (she/her). Currently, I am in my 4A term for Honours Urban Planning with a Technical Writing minor. I am an Employment Support Career Leader and of the reasons behind me taking on this role is that I wanted to be a resource for students to come to regarding all things employment related and support students throughout their career journey. To share a bit about myself, my previous co-op experience includes working as an Environmental Assistant with Public Services and Procurement Canada, a Junior Analyst with Environment and Climate Change Canada, and as a Recruitment and Marketing Associate at the University of Waterloo. As well, I love to chat about Netflix recommendations, my Spotify playlists and book recommendations!

woman standing in snow

Shannon

Hello! I’m Shannon (she/her), an employment support career leader at the CCA. I’m in my last year of completing the Science and Business program. My career path hasn’t been linear. I started out in accounting co-ops and pivoted to user experience design at tech companies partway through my degree, so I’m really excited by helping other students navigate the career world! Outside of work I’m working on creative side projects, reading books, or eating my way through different cities.

Kathryn

Hi, my name is Kathryn and I’m a career leader! I’m a 1st year MA student in Recreation and Leisure Studies. I completed my undergrad in 2022 in Therapeutic Recreation co-op and have lots of work experience in that field! I came to work for the CCA because I love supporting people and want to be able to share my own experiences about coop and undergrad with others. You can ask me about anything co-op or recreation and leisure related. I also love talking about new things to watch on Netflix or book recommendations!

woman standing in front of tree

Salva

Hello! My name is Salva (she/her); I am an Employment Support Career Leader, which means that I support students, just like you, in their job and volunteer search. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and I am interested in all things health! This interest is partially why I wanted to work as a career leader, as I would be able to help students navigate career-related concerns that may be negatively affecting their mental health and wellness. I look forward to meeting you!

What do you love about being a career leader?

"The Career Leader program has taught me invaluable skills that I use in my professional career and my everyday life. The amazing people I work with are collaborative, supportive, and act as mentors by sharing their knowledge. Being a Career Leader has truly been an enriching experience!" – Celina Deosaran, past career leader

“Working as a career leader has been extremely rewarding, especially as a Masters student looking to combine theoretical study with practical experience within the university setting. Through working with students to improve their résumés, cover letters and interview skills, I’ve gained valuable advising experience and have even improved my own self-marketing techniques! I have no doubt that my time spent as a career leader will be invaluable to my career post-graduation, and has given me the tools to “leverage” what I have learned in class in a more practical way. I encourage all those who are looking for part-time work and interested in helping other students succeed to consider lending their talents to the Centre for Career Action - you won’t regret it!” – Justine Fifield, past career leader

"Being a career leader is a great experience. It provides you with the opportunity to meet and individually help fellow students from the university, as well as become more adaptive and quick-thinking. Due to the fast-paced nature of the drop-in sessions, you learn how to quickly prioritize issues as you aim to give students the best possible advice in a short amount of time. As a result, not only do the students walk away better equipped to take-on co-op and job applications, you also take away valuable skills that can make your own work habits more productive and future job applications more impressive." – K. Yourie Kim, past career leader

“As a career leader, I had found my passion for helping students. I loved helping them discover more about their skillset, about things that make them unique, and how we can transcribe that all onto paper for others to see. It’s fulfilling to see them leave with more self-confidence and new approaches that they didn’t consider before. I feel humbled to have been a stop on their road to learning and self-discovery!” – Katie Lien, past career leader

“Through this role, I have solidified my own strengths and career direction by having the chance to practice as a helper. I continue to learn skills at the CCA around time management, listening and navigating how to best assist the students. Additionally, I have learned communication skills by carefully directing students to the various CCA resources available to them. I have found my experience as career leader invaluable. I enjoy interacting with students and additionally, my fellow Career Leaders, who are an admirable bunch of scholars in various disciplines and stages of life.” – Sarah Manninen, current careerlLeader

“I really enjoy the one-on-one interaction with students. In particular, I like helping students identify skills and abilities that they weren’t able to see or express before seeking advice, and, while the process of uncovering those skills can be difficult, when a student understands a new framework for expressing their unique set of gifts, I am glad to have been a part of their learning.” –David Thiessen, past career leader

Applications

The Centre for Career Action is currently hiring career leaders for the fall 2022 term! We are looking for folks who are passionate about supporting students in navigating employment and further education in post-secondary. In this role, you will provide drop-in support to students navigating these spaces and build skills in mentorship/advising, supporting students through decision-making, providing referrals and much more!

This role pays $19.00 per hour working about 3-10 hours per week depending on the time of the term. Interested or know someone who might be? Take a look at the job description and if you have questions you can contact Anika Williams-Hewitt, Career Leader Supervisor at careers@uwaterloo.ca. Applications are due Monday, July 11th, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.