Guest writer: Liam Wilkinson, Science Co-op Peer Mentor and Biochemistry/Microbiology Co-op Student
Searching for a co-op job can be a long and frustrating process; especially for those looking for their first co-op. With little relevant work experience, it can be hard to stand out from the pack.
I have found during my job searches, the key to success is perseverance and being open-minded to all opportunities that could help you grow personally and professionally!
My first co-op job search consisted of applying to 20+ jobs before landing my first interview. I mean it when I tell you that it took everything I had to keep writing cover letters on top of regular school work and other life commitments. Sending off application after application is a gruelling process and the lack of response from many companies, even to notify of rejection, makes it hard to stay motivated.
For those looking for their first co-op, my biggest piece of advice is to keep sending off those applications, seek help to improve your application, and stay open to any opportunity that could benefit you in the future. While searching for my first co-op, I applied for many jobs in diverse areas. If you are anything like me, I had no idea what types of jobs were available for me as a student getting a degree in science.
This is a perfect opportunity to see what is out there! I have always been interested in the science of human health, so I started out applying for jobs in biotech labs and research institutes. I quickly realized that these positions require much more experience than I had at the time by the lack of responses I was receiving. I decided to broaden my scope. I started applying for jobs in the lab or field that would provide me with the basic techniques and knowledge required to obtain positions in the future that aligned closer to my career goals.
I got my first job as a microbial ecology research student working at Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada in Saskatchewan. This 8-month work term provided me with extremely valuable fundamental lab and field skills on top of a thorough understanding of how scientific research works.
While I was hesitant to move to a completely new city to work in a field that did not initially align with what I thought my interests were, I found the research extremely fulfilling and the lab techniques I learned put me at an advantage when I came back to UVic labs.
Most importantly, by taking a risk and applying to a job completely outside my interests at the time, I gained the valuable experience needed to find my next co-op working as a Research Assistant in immunobiology at the University of Calgary. The research I completed here was much closer to what I see myself pursuing in my future career and it was only possible because of what I learned working in agricultural science during my first co-op.
I will be starting grad school at the University of Calgary all because of the small but significant steps each co-op term helped me climb to build my knowledge and skills.
Overall, I know searching for a co-op can be a frustrating process, but with perseverance and an open mind, the interviews and offers will follow! It only takes one and then it gets a lot easier from there!