Guest writer: Elliott van der Wee, Science Co-op Peer Mentor and Biology Co-op Student
Searching for Co-op jobs is hard – especially for your first placement. Writing an application that will get you an interview is even harder.
DON’T WORRY! You can reach out for help in a few ways you might not be aware of.
Your Coordinator
You may not be fully aware of what your Co-op coordinator can do for you. You may feel that you could use some help if you are struggling to get interviews with employers. Your coordinator can help you with your application!
Try reaching out with question or feedback on your cover letter and resume before submitting an application. Your coordinator has a lot of experience on what can be done to improve your application to give you the best chance of getting an interview.
Have an interview? Reach out to your coordinator again for help preparing for your interview. Your coordinator may have knowledge or resources about your employer that can help you prepare.
Co-op Peer Mentors
Undergraduate students with Co-op experience (your co-op peer mentors) are another tool to help you with applications and prepare for interviews. They know some of the struggles you are facing as you look for Co-op placements and offer a more accessible means to communicate with someone (in the form of a peer, rather than your coordinator) about your Co-op experience.
You can send them drafts of your cover letters and resumes for feedback and questions. Students often have a better chance of being a successful candidate after implementing feedback from these resources. Reach out to them at scicoopmentor@uvic.ca.