There are two main co-op job boards within WaterlooWorks! You can apply for jobs on the Full-Cycle Service job board or use the Employer-Student Direct job board at any time during the co-op employment process.
Like searching for jobs on the Full-Cycle Service job board, all jobs on the Employer-Student Direct job board are pre-approved for co-op credit. However, postings on this board do not follow Waterloo’s standard hiring cycle timelines and instead follow the employer’s hiring timelines. They are posted for all co-op students, so may not align with your specific sequence and you'll need a sequence change.
If you’ve found a job you’re interested in on the Employer-Student Direct job board, you’ll apply directly to the employer following their job posting instructions (website or email) not on WaterlooWorks. You will arrange interviews, and any offers, directly with the employer. If you receive an offer, it will come directly from the employer. You are responsible for using the Employer-Student Direct process to inform us at Co-operative Education of your offer/employment.
Benefits of the Employer-Student Direct job board include:
- Jobs are pre-approved for co-op credit.
- Apply, interview and accept offers directly with an employer on their timeline.
- Apply to jobs that are continuously posted throughout the term.
- Secure a co-op position before the recruiting term for your scheduled work term.
Differences between the Full-cycle Service and Employer-Student Direct co-op job boards
| Details | Full-Cycle Service job board (formerly the Hire Waterloo Co-op board) |
Employer-Student Direct job board |
|---|---|---|
| Student access | Accessible to co-op students who are currently on a recruiting term and who have accepted the Terms & Conditions and set their job search intentions. | Accessible to all co-op students regardless of their sequence or WaterlooWorks status. |
| Hiring timelines | All jobs follow our standard hiring cycles, resulting in the rank/match process. | Jobs follow employer’s timelines for posting, interviewing and offers. |
| Sequence | Postings align with your specific study/work sequence. | Postings may not align with your specific study/work sequence (e.g., jobs might be posted 2-3 terms in advance). |
| Jobs | All jobs are pre-approved for co-op credit. | All jobs are pre-approved for co-op credit. |
| Search | Search for jobs on WaterlooWorks. | Search for jobs on WaterlooWorks. |
| Apply | Apply on WaterlooWorks or follow directions shared by the employer. | Apply via the directions shared by the employer. |
| Interviews | Interviews co-ordinated on WaterlooWorks or directly by the employer. | Interviews are organized directly between the employer and the student. |
| Offers | All offers go through our rank/match process at the end of each hiring cycle. | Offers managed directly between employers and students according to employer’s timelines. If they accept an offer, students must submit the "Offer from Employer-Student Direct Board (5044)" form in WaterlooWorks to receive co-op credit. |
We encourage students to consider opportunities on all jobs boards to help increase their chances of securing a job.
Employer-Student Direct job board requirements
To graduate, undergraduate co-op students must complete a minimum of three standard work terms, plus 1-3 additional work terms that meet standard OR flexible work term criteria (depending on your academic program’s study/work sequence). If you are a graduate student, all of your co-op work terms must be standard work terms.
Opportunities posted on the Employer-Student Direct job board qualify as standard work terms. Standard work terms are work terms with a single employer/position that meets the standard work term criteria.
Steps to secure a job through the Employer-Student Direct job board
| Step 1: Search and apply for jobs | Search for jobs on the Employer-Student Direct job board that match your interests, skills and experience. You can keep track of jobs of interest by adding them to your shortlist or clicking “I intend to apply” – this will add them to your shortlist and/or “Applied to” list. If you accept an offer, you’ll need the Job ID later when you submit a form in WaterlooWorks. Apply directly to the employer via their website or email and follow their hiring timelines. Need help with your search? Connect with your co-op advisor and utilize our supports and resources. |
|---|---|
| Step 2: Attend interviews | You’ll need to schedule and manage all interviews directly with the employer. Be sure to check the communication method you provided in your application to keep up with any interview requests. You must manage any interview conflicts directly with the employer. If you have an interview conflict for a job on our Full-Cycle Service job board, visit our interview conflicts page. Need help with your interview skills? Visit CareerHub to learn tips and tricks for interview success or book an appointment with the Centre for Career Development to practice. Need to request space in the Tatham Centre? If you have a remote interview scheduled, you can request an interview space in the Tatham Centre. |
| Step 3: Receive and accept an offer | If an employer wants to offer you a job on the Employer-Student Direct job board, they will reach out to you directly. Keep in mind, this may happen at any time. If you've received and accepted an offer for a job on the Employer-Student Direct job board, you'll need to submit an "Offer from Employer Student Direct Board (5044)" form within seven days. It is expected that you will only accept one position (via a match, verbal or written acceptance or signed employment agreement) for each work term. Once a position is accepted, you should stop searching for other jobs and should not accept another employment offer, nor sign another employment agreement, for that term. Please contact your co-op advisor for further guidance. |
| Step 4: Submit an “Offer from Employer-Student Direct Board (5044)” form on WaterlooWorks | Once you have accepted an offer for a job on the Employer-Student Direct job board, submit "Offer from Employer-Student Direct Board (5044)" form within seven days so we can review the details and process the form. Submitting this form lets us know that you have accepted an offer and prompts us to add the job to your WaterlooWorks record for co-op credit. Note: If you have also applied to jobs on the Full-Cycle Service job board, submitting this form removes you as an applicant for those jobs, including any interviews or rankings. Follow the steps to submit an "Offer from Employer-Student Direct Board (5044)" form before the deadline to be removed from any interviews or rankings. To submit an "Offer from Employer-Student Direct Board (5044)" form :
For tips on how to submit forms in WaterlooWorks, visit WaterlooWorks Help. If you have any questions about work term requirements, please connect with your co-op advisor. |
If you found an external job that was not posted on the Employer-Student Direct job board, Arrange your Own Job.