So you wrote a killer resume, got the interview and are now employed! Or, you set up your own job - awesome! The latter being a highly recommended thing to do. This might be your first 35-40 (or more) hour job, for a solid four months with actual tasks and duties that do not resemble fast food, retail, swimming instructor, camp counsellor, etc. What should you do and not do? What else should you think about?
Your attitude and behaviour - professionalism, grit, respectfulness, openness to guidance - will be very very important.
The first goal is providing ‘value’ to the employer. After all, you are hired to do something they want you to do.
Be neutral. Do not gossip or get into office politics.
Show that you care about the job, even if you do not.
Do not be overconfident and disrespectful - before opening your mouth or sending an email reflect for a minute. Do you really know what you are talking about? How good is your thought? Do you understand the situation well enough to know the key assumptions and issues? In some cases, the answer will be yes. In many cases, the answer will be no.
If there are issues of integrity, ethics, harassment, etc., raise them with your co-op advisor immediately.
The next goal is what you can learn and will learn from the work term. You will actually learn more in a challenging and perhaps less than ideal situation than a ‘great place’, ‘had fun’ type of job.
It depends if you are open to the learning and reflection it takes to learn while on co-op. It is not about the technical stuff you can learn, but if you observe and think you will learn lots - management styles (good, bad), project management, professional documentation and communication, conduct are just to name a few.
In many ways you can learn more from what most students consider a ‘bad’ work term than from a good work term. Also, ask yourself - what makes it ‘bad’? Can you do an intervention, discuss it with your boss? Can you make it into an awesome term? Be proactive (not rude or pushy!).
You want to do a good enough job that an employer would like to hire you again. If you return, you can usually discuss how you would have increased responsibilities and accountability. Returning to an employer shows that
the employer actually values you and your contribution.
The official return offer is obviously great, but returning to the same employer twice during the work terms (e.g., 4 employers across the 6 terms) is a good thing to actually do.
You then have actual proof of value and of increased responsibility and accountability. You will learn more and have better stuff on the resume and for interviews.
Most of the training is already done, you can jump in, and you can really demonstrate what you can do. And, if you do not get asked back, it is always good to know why not! They might not have the funds or a suitable task. Or, it might be
something that you need to reflect upon and address. Just saying.
Many students get the idea that it is all about sampling industries and types of jobs, and that having six different employers is a great idea. Imagine a degree with all 1A courses - what is the problem with this picture? It can work, but is it the best strategy? Will you learn the most? Gain the most?
Ask for work, who you can help, ask a person in the area what you can do to help them - be an asset, not a liability. Do not whine and complain - do not be high maintenance.
In the first part of the work term, it is possible that you will be tested without you knowing it. You might not be given work to do, or not enough work. You might not be given explicit or detailed instructions. You might be given some pretty boring stuff to do. In some cases, this might be an incompetent employer. In some cases, it will be a smart employer - testing you. Remember that they did not invest a great deal of time hiring you. They will sort things out in the first week or two. You will be observed. People will be watching. You make your own success.
Respect your boss’ time. Do some prep and work first. Do not expect them to do your job for you. If you have a problem, spend some reasonable amount of time trying to work it out, and then see the boss. Do some thinking first, go to the boss prepared, and ask the boss for help and advice - not just expecting the boss to tell you what to do, how to do it. Show some initiative, self-learning. But, do not waste a whole bunch of time and resources before seeing the boss - the key is a reasonable amount of effort and time before asking for help. Respect your boss’ time!
