Candid career advice
Four alumni recommendations to advance your career
Every Monday, we hand control of the @uwaterlooalumni Instragram account to an alumnus. From Youtubers to entrepreneurs, they’ve offered an inside look at their typical work days and some great memories of Waterloo. But our favourite part of these takeovers is the unique career advice they share. Here are some of our favourites.
Turning obstacles into opportunities
But all of this success came after Sefunmi’s first start-up failed to takeoff. To him, this was another learning opportunity: “I chose the path to help me learn the most, and at that time it was working on my own startup, Pave. And while that didn’t’ work out, I leveraged that experience in interviews to impress hiring managers.”
Jumpstart your career with volunteering
“By volunteering in the industry you’re interested in, you’re more likely to meet people who have hiring capacity. You also build trust quickly – because they’ve already seen you at work.”
Today, Melanie volunteers with the Shoot, Canada’s largest artist competition, and Girl Scouts Canada (her favourite cookie is vanilla).
How to stay motivated while juggling multiple roles
When asked about tips for motivation, she shares the importance of a growth mindset: “the belief that your talents can be developed.” She also encouraged alumni to start taking actions like “setting goals and building a good system.”
The Bumps of Choosing the Easy Road
