Co-op Ready 2025 schedule

Join guest speaker Victoria Salim as she shares the strategies and insights needed to “Nail Your Next Interview.” With experience on both sides of the hiring process, Victoria will provide practical tips on current interview trends, best practices, and techniques to help you confidently showcase your skills and stand out to employers.

Victoria has supported students through her roles at the University of Waterloo, including with the School of Accounting and Finance Co-op Team, and has since built a successful career in Talent Acquisition at Definity, where she leads recruitment strategies for an organization that hires over 150 students annually. Bringing the perspective of both a campus recruiter and hiring leader, Victoria understands what students need to succeed in today’s competitive job market.

In this highly valuable session, Anjie Persaud and Mike Cole will delve into how you turn the impression you made during the interview into a working relationship where you are succeeding in your role.  Learn more about professional ethics and etiquette.  Discover the evolving standards of dress codes at work and the essential workplace best practices whether you are working in the office, remotely, or in a hybrid situation. Learn the art of managing expectations, delivering constructive feedback, and gracefully receiving it.  Gain coping strategies to navigate challenges effectively.  This power-packed workshop is designed to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in your workplace confidently.  Anjie is a valuable guide for this conversation as she is a Co-operative Education Account Manager working with many of the employers who hire SAF students.  Mike has been a manger in Co-operative Education supporting the employer side, and is now the Student Relations Manager supervising the Co-op Advisors who will be your greatest resources as you navigate your co-op experiences.  Both Angie and Mike have held roles in the banking sector so they understand the kinds of places where you may want to work.  Together, they will outline what employers look at when giving a student a strong performance evaluation.

In this practical session, gain valuable insights on creating an effective job search strategy. Explore WaterlooWorks comprehensively, learning about its features, functionalities, and resources. Hear from an alumni speaker who shares their experience and how it's normal to feel overwhelmed when searching for your first job. Learn to define career goals, target suitable opportunities, and improve applications making you feel empowered and confident in your job search journey.

Loraine, Selena and Angel who are upper year students, lead this session out of their experience with creating a job strategy, using WaterlooWorks and other resources to find work, and then securing an interview.  Lynn Graham, a member of the SAF Co-op Team will take questions from you, ensuring that everyone feels confident as they start their search for a work term 1 role.

Get your resume critiqued by a trained and experienced upper year student. Take advantage of this opportunity to receive valuable feedback and improve your resume. Benefit from their insights on formatting, content, and tailoring it to your desired job. This personalized resume review will help you stand out to potential employers and increase your chances of landing the job you want. Bring along a copy of your resume if you want to participate in this session.

Next door to Fed Hall, in the Village 1 Great Hall, Co-op Ready will have its own Networking and Job Fair. Meet potential co-op employers at their booths and who are looking forward to talking with you about their organizations and giving you an opportunity to practice your job search skills.  

The organizations attending include:

1. RLB LLP
2. Doane Grant Thornton
3. S&C Partners
4. Equitable
5. Baker Tilly
6. IG Wealth Management
7. Kraft Berger
8. Fuller Landau
9. Ford Keast
10. Bateman Mackay
11. Loblaws