WaterlooWorks help: Getting started

WaterlooWorks is our online system created to help students at Waterloo find work. It’s also our main method of contacting you, so be sure to sign in regularly and check your Waterloo-assigned email account for message notifications.

It’s your responsibility to confirm that the following information is accurate and up-to-date on WaterlooWorks: 

• Your co-op status (found in the "Co-op" tab; you must be on a study term and unemployed to apply for jobs through the WaterlooWorks Co-op job board)
• Profile/contact information (found in the “My Account” section)
• Study/work sequence (found on the “Co-op” tab)
• Unofficial grade report (found in the “Documents” tab and updated each night through the Registrar’s Office; check that grades are accurate)
• Co-op student record (previous co-op job titles/employers, evaluations, etc.)

Some of this information (e.g., grade report, profile) is pulled from Quest, so you may need to contact the Registrar’s Office if you notice any issues.

Back to top 

Before you do anything else, we need you to read and accept the terms and conditions on WaterlooWorks, and set your intentions to let us know how you’ll be looking for jobs.

We need to know if you’ll be looking for jobs on WaterlooWorks, finding your own job outside the system or returning to a previous employer.

To accept the terms and conditions:

1. Scroll to the “Co-op Sequence - Summary” section on the dashboard
2. Click “Click Here to Accept” in the section for the upcoming work term

3. Read the terms and conditions thoroughly, and click “Accept”

To submit your job search intentions:

Back to top 

1. From your dashboard, scroll to the “Co-op Sequence - Summary” section and select either:

   Returning to a previous employer	You are returning to an employer that you have worked for during a previous co-op term. You have organized this yourself and do not intend to use WaterlooWorks to apply for the position. Please select the employer name from the drop-down menu.
   Participating in the job search	You are planning to search and apply to jobs through WaterlooWorks. This option is also suitable if you will be conducting a combined search using both WaterlooWorks and searching externally.
   Finding your own job	You are planning to obtain/are in the process of obtaining a job by searching on your own. You do not plan to search and apply to jobs through WaterlooWorks.
   Other	You are not planning to pursue any of the above options this term. Perhaps you are planning on taking a term off or are opting to complete a study term. Please include a brief explanation of your term intentions when prompted in the box that appears next to "Comments."

2. Click “Submit”
3. You will need to update your intentions at the beginning of each interview cycle (see important dates calendar for specific dates) and every time your plans change throughout the term. This is important as it helps your co-op advisor to understand what kind of support you'll need

If you need to get in touch with your co-op advisor, you can find their name on your WaterlooWorks dashboard, listed under "Service Team" next to "WTS" (or "Work Term Support"). Please note that it may take one to two business days to hear back from your co-op advisor after you reach out.

To contact your co-op advisor while searching for work on a recruiting term:	From your WaterlooWorks dashboard: Select "Send a message" from your dashboard to connect with the advisor listed under "Service Team," OR Call the extension listed beside the advisor's name under "Service Team" (you may have to leave a message with your student number)
To contact your *NEW* co-op advisor once you've been matched with a job:	From your WaterlooWorks dashboard:  Select "Send a message to advisor" located under the Co-op Sequence - Summary > Work Term Record Detail panel of your WaterloWorks dashboard, OR Call the extension listed next to "WTS" within your work term record summary chart (you may have to leave a message with your student number)

Back to top

Term	Description
AOJ	The term "AOJ" refers to the Arrange Own Job process, where students find co-op jobs outside of the WaterlooWorks Co-op job board.
CCD	The Centre for Career Development (CCD) has a team of career advisors who work with ALL students – co-op, regular, undergrad, grad, postdocs and even alumni – to help them achieve their career goals.
CEE	The Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) portfolio encompasses a number of co-op and career services for students (e.g., Co-operative Education, the Centre for Career Development, WatPD and WatCACE).
Co-op sequence	A student’s co-op sequence is the prescribed layout of study and work terms.
Dashboard	The dashboard is the first page all users are brought to when they log in to WaterlooWorks.
NAICS	North American Industrial Classification System: a recognized national listing of industries used in WaterlooWorks to categorize our employers
NOC	National Occupation Classification: a recognized national listing of occupations used in WaterlooWorks to categorize the jobs our students fill
Recruiting term	A student is on a recruiting term if, according to their co-op sequence, their next term is a work term. A student may be on both a recruiting and work term simultaneously if they are on the first four months of an eight-month work term
Released	Students must be released in order to apply to jobs. To be released, the student must accept the terms and conditions and submit their job search intentions. Get help with this process.
Student status codes	Student status codes appear throughout WaterlooWorks to indicate whether or not a student is employed for a work term. Review student status codes.
Work term	A student is on a work term if, according to their co-op sequence, they are currently scheduled to be on a work term. A student is technically on a work term regardless of whether or not they are employed. A student may be on both a recruiting and work term simultaneously if they are on the first four months of an eight-month work term
Work term record	A work term record is created as soon as a student is employed for a work term and details key information about the work term. On the work term record, students will be asked to provide information such as eCheckIn and contact info.
Service team (roles below)	A service team is a collection of four roles, each pertaining to a different aspect of supporting students or employers throughout the co-op process. The work term support (WTS) role works directly with students. The other three roles support employers and the interview process.
WTS	Work Term Support: every student is assigned a "Work term support" person, whether they looking for a co-op job or on a work term. This person is who we refer to as your "co-op advisor" and can help you find work, prepare for your work term and support you on the job.
HPS	Hiring Process Support: this service team role supports employers with the job posting process by approving job postings and ensuring they are written to attract the most qualified applicants.
AM	Account Manager: this service team role manages the relationship with employers and is accountable for job development with existing Waterloo employers.
PA	Process Administrator: this service team role supports employers with interview scheduling and the interview process and helps resolve interview conflicts.

Back to top 

All co-op students have employment statuses assigned to them throughout the duration of their co-op degree to help us track where they are in the co-op process and what supports they have access to. This way, we know who is employed (including how they found their job) and who might need some extra help.

For a full list of possible student statuses, consult the co-op roles and responsibilities.

Note: All co-op students are subject to this same suite of statuses regardless of whether they find a job on WaterlooWorks or arrange their own job.

Back to top 

We use the details in your Skills Profile to send you information about additional job opportunities that you may be interested in.

Please keep your Skills Profile and job location preferences up-to-date each term to help us target these opportunities accordingly. 

To complete your skills profile:

1. From your dashboard, click the blue “Update Skills Profile” button
2. Click to expand the various skills headers and choose your skill level where appropriate
3. Click to expand the Locations section and select all the countries and locations you are willing and able to work in
4. When you’re finished, click “Save” at the bottom of the page 

To opt-out of receiving additional job notification messages: 

• You can opt-out of receiving these additional job notification messages at any time.
• To do so, update your preferences within the "Contact me about additional job opportunities" section of your Skills Profile. 

Back to top

Throughout the co-op process, you might need to submit forms as you work to find employment and complete your work terms. Remember that forms can take some time to process, so be sure to read carefully, include all necessary details and review all details for each specific form below.

If you have questions, select "Send a message" from your WaterlooWorks dashboard and select the appropriate category for your situation:

• For Arrange Own Job forms, select "To my advisor" and your message will be directed towards your assigned co-op advisor.
• For interview conflict forms, select "Interviews" and your message will be directed to one of our interview coordinators.

Submit a form	Login to WaterlooWorks > Select "Submit a form" > Select appropriate category and sub-category based on your situation. Use the “Save as Draft” button to save until you are ready to submit the form. Fill out the form with as many details as possible. When you're ready to submit the form, select the "Submit" button.  Please note: Your form will not be visible to staff or considered officially submitted until you select the "Submit" button.
Edit a form	Login to WaterlooWorks > Select "My forms" > Click "View" to open the form you want to edit > Select "Edit form" Make any necessary edits to the form and click "Submit" when you're done. NOTE: If the "edit form" option doesn’t appear, your form has already been claimed by a staff member and is locked for editing. Select "Send a message" from your WaterlooWorks dashboard and select the appropriate category to see if it is possible for a staff member to make the change on your behalf.
Check the status of a form	Login to WaterlooWorks > Select "My forms" > Review the category and sub-category to view the status of your form.

Back to top 

Tell us about your experience and overall satisfaction with the co-op process while you were searching for jobs or on a work term! Your anonymous feedback will help us to better understand your overall experience and improve our services and supports.

To tell us about your experience and overall satisfaction with the co-op process while searching for a job: 

• Fill out our Recruiting Term Co-op Student Experience Survey (optional and confidential)
• From your WaterlooWorks dashboard, click “View Work Term Record” and then “Recruiting Term Experience survey” 

To tell us about your experience and overall satisfaction with the co-op process on a work term: 

• Fill out our Work Term Co-op Student Experience Survey (optional and confidential)
• From your WaterlooWorks dashboard, click “View Work Term Record” and then “Work Term Experience survey” 

Back to top