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The 201st Application

It’s been two months and 20 days since my first day of my Co-op term at Westcoast Family Centres, but I still find myself waking up every other day in utter disbelief that things worked out!

Letters
“What Do You Study in Communication?”

“So, what exactly do you study in communications?”

Leana Li using a computer with papers on the table
My Love-Hate Relationship with Accounting

"I knew very little about accounting and definitely had no passion for it" - read on to find out how Leana overcame her aversion towards accounting.

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The Dirty Dozen Interview Questions

Needless to say, we all want to succeed while being interviewed. Yet it seems no matter how much we prepare, we always come across at least one question that stumps us. This three-part series explores the 12 most commonly asked, commonly-feared interview questions - and gives you the tools to rock the socks off your interviewer!

Diary of a Marketing Co-op: How to be Assertive
How to be Assertive

This entry of Diary of a Marketing Co-op asks how you can balance a level of assertiveness necessary to get your job done, without steamrolling everyone around you.

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The Top 5 Last Minute Interview Tips You Really Need To Know

You’ve done all you can do to prepare for that big interview. You’re professionally dressed, confident and ready to roll. Here are some last minute tips that will ensure you make the best impression possible. 

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Phone Interviews

Do telephone interviews intimidate you? Increasingly, more and more companies are using phone  interviews to weed out potential employees and decide who will move on to the next round. If you're scared of phone interviews, read on for some tips!

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Musqueam Marks 100 Days with March to Protest Burials Under Threat

Open letter to my friends, relatives, colleagues and supporters of  c̓əsnaʔəm. Calling to Action.

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Cultivating Imagination & The Distraction of Logic

Just think how easy it is for young children to answer the question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Most kids won't hesitate to answer, even if their responses seem unrealistic, even impossible to our imaginatively-impaired minds. Not surprisingly, the answer to that question becomes much more evasive as the natural ease and strength of our imagination fades. Is there a way to get it back?

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BC Ideas

BC Ideas is an online competition, which asks British Columbians like you to bring forward innovative ideas and programs that address the challenges facing our province.

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Aboriginal Human Resource Council

Get connected to employers, mentors and career development opportunities through the Aboriginal Human Resource Council!

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[Indigenous Employer] The Canadian Cancer Society wants YOU to Join the Fight!

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. 

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Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Center

The Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Center (CCATEC) is a nonprofit society, training unemployed First Nations for employment, First Nations, living in the Cariboo Chilcotin.

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[Indigenous Employer] Correctional Service Canada Careers

More than just a job! Join our public safety team! At the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), putting in a day’s work means helping to keep your community safe.

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[Indigenous Employer] Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) is dedicated to providing financial services to North American Indian, Inuit and Metis people through our Aboriginal Banking Team. Join this team of experts and you’ll bring the new skills and training we provide to help meet the changing and diverse needs of the people in your community.

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5 Tips for Online Portfolios: Employer’s Perspective

Portfolio tips straight from the employers, they share with us what they look for in online portfolios and how they decide who they’re bringing in for interviews. 

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The Tables Have Turned

During the lightning round Natalie was shortlisted for a third job interview and was ultimately offered a co-op job! She reflects on her latest interview experience and shares some very important insights you should know to succeed at your next job interview.

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Not An Expert, Don't Want To Be

Have a cold? Take this medicine. Feeling sad? Take these pills. Not sure what to do with your life? Find someone to give you the answer. Anything will do, as long as it doesn't involve a significant personal investment of our own time, effort, or mental energy - after all, we've got better things to do.

Drexel University
Paul’s Journey to Landing His First Co-op Job

Take a read at this interview with Paul as he shares with us his first co-op experience at Drexel University in Philadelphia. 

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Continuing Studies Graduate Wins NSERC Award

Jessica Humchitt, a graduate of SFU Continuing Studies' Aboriginal Pre-Health Program, was recently awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award for her work.

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Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival

Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival is an Aboriginal-run media arts organization rebuilding the West Coast’s film, video and media arts festival.  The organization endeavours to develop a crucial piece of infrastructure that has been missing from the Aboriginal cultural sector, as well as British Columbia’s creative industries.

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4 Tips on Showcasing Projects in Interviews

Why talk about your work when you can show it?  Good portfolio pieces will help set you apart from other candidates. Here are some important tips from Co-op students, coordinators and employers on showcasing your portfolio during interviews.

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Co-op Employer Identifies Interviewing Weaknesses

You've always heard about how to prepare for interviews from your peers and your coordinators, but what about from an employer? Kim Steinbart of the BC Forest Service discusses common interview mistakes and provides tips on how to put your best foot forward.

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Beat Nation: Hip Hop as Indigenous Culture

Beat Nation: Hip Hop as Indigenous Culture is a website that focuses on the development of hip hop culture within Aboriginal youth communities and its influence on cultural production.

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[Indigenous Employer] Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Family Services Society

Vancouver Aboriginal Child & Family Services Society is a non-profit society providing service to urban Aboriginal children and families living in the Greater Vancouver area. We function across three offices as the largest designated urban Aboriginal agency in Canada. 

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[Indigenous Employer] Scotiabank

We strive to deliver a seamless, consistent and rewarding employment experience globally by developing policies and programs based on shared global principles. 

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Indigenous Stories: Duncan Mccue, CBC Reporter & Professor

"I could, and should, expose the sickness that plagues Canada after a century of ignoring the many facets of aboriginal experience. And it empowered me to confront the darkness that I’ve witnessed in our own communities – substance abuse, corruption, and prejudice." Learn more about Duncan's journey...

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SFU Opens Up New World for Jessica Humchitt

The Aboriginal Pre-Health Program is a bridging program designed for Aboriginal high school graduates and mature students. The program helps students explore health career options and get the academic prerequisites they need to pursue post-secondary health or health science programs such as nursing, midwifery, or public health. 

Desert
Travel: A Resume Enhancing Experience

Summer travel offers opportunities to explore, relax, and hang out with friends. Plus, if you are an open-minded and curious person, travel can be a eye opening, resume enhancing experience. Here are some ways that travel might make a difference in your career.

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Marcia Tells It Like It Is: Cover Letter Info You Oughta Know

This fictitious and funny article provides you with some insight into important elements to consider in your cover letter. Communication Co-op Coordinator Marcia Shimizu gives the dirt on what not to do when writing a cover letter. 

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A Disappointing Interview Experience

Are you having a difficult time placing a co-op placement? You're not alone! Read about Natalie's disappointment with her second job interview, how she coped with her frustration and the lessons she took away from this experience to improve her interviewing skills and increase her chance at landing a job. 

Indigenous Academia
First Nations Student Association Contribution Supports ISC Tutoring Program

To support Indigenous students that are in need of additional educational support the First Nations Student Association matches the Office for Aboriginal Peoples contribution of $5000 to the Indigenous Student Centre.

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Why Volunteer in the Community at Large?

Laura looks into the top 10 reasons for Volunteering and explores why she chose to volunteer with the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Center. Read more about what she discovered... 

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