- Faculty & Staff
- About
- Departments and programs
- Accelerated Law (SFU-Exeter)
- Anthropology
- Applied Legal Studies
- Cognitive Science
- Criminology
- Economics
- English
- French
- French Cohort Program
- Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
- Gerontology
- Global Asia
- Global Humanities
- Graduate Liberal Studies
- Hellenic Studies
- History
- Indigenous Languages
- Indigenous Studies
- International Studies
- Labour Studies
- Linguistics
- Medical Humanities and Social Sciences
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Policy
- Social Data Analytics
- Sociology
- Urban Studies
- World Languages & Literatures
- Undergraduate
- Graduate
- Alumni
- Research
- Teaching
- News & events
- FASS at Surrey
- Next steps for new students (redirect)
- Convocation
Students
How networking landed me a co-op position
I never imagined that my path to a sales co-op position with the Abbotsford Canucks would begin with a dinner among friends rather than a polished LinkedIn message or formal networking event. Yet that is exactly how I landed the role. It was the result of a genuine connection built years earlier from my very first co-op work placement, which I hadn’t even realized was networking at the time.
After returning to Vancouver from a six-month study abroad, I met up with three girls I befriended during my first co-op work placement at the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (BIA). Naturally, as all SFU students would, we chatted about co-op and future academic plans. During that dinner, one of my friends mentioned an internship opening with the Abbotsford Canucks where she was currently working full-time, and she encouraged me to apply.
I had never considered a sales role before, and it was the only internship I applied to that summer, but I knew this was a rare opportunity I needed to go for. It was because of the genuine connection I built with her that she believed I could be a great fit for the role. It was my first time being recommended for a job, and despite my lack of coffee chats or a big LinkedIn following, I realized I had been building important connections all along without necessarily intentionally networking. What made a huge difference for this specific job was having someone who could speak to my personality and character.
For this specific sales office, it was crucial they hired a student who could feel comfortable and find success in the high intense and close-knit office environment. It opened my eyes to the idea that sometimes a person can be a perfect fit on paper, have the credentials and experiences to do the job in theory, but wouldn't necessarily be a fit in workplace culture. I still went through a very normal interview process like other candidates. However, while my resume fit the requirements, it was my friend’s reference that solidified my character and reassured the hiring managers who I was as a person was the right energy to bring into the office.
It was unlike any internship I would have considered, but it actually matched my weaknesses in the best way possible. Through my academics and part time work, I felt confident in my technical skills, writing skills, and ability to be a team player. However, I still lacked social confidence and always wished I were more outgoing and personable in my workplaces. When my friend recommended the Abbotsford Canucks internship, not only did she believe I could contribute to the team but saw an even greater opportunity for me to grow.
I realized I had been building important connections all along without necessarily intentionally networking.
The sales role required me to be social, and the larger office environment gave me a new perspective on how to find my place in a team. In my attempt to put myself out there more, I recognized how small talk goes a long way and learned how to actively seek out even the smallest of interactions like a simple “hello”.
Ironically, this realization would have surprised my younger self. During my first co-op work placement with the Downtown Surrey BIA, I approached the workplace with caution and restraint. Unfortunately for me, this came across as shy, uptight, and extremely serious. While I completed my responsibilities well, I kept my personality in the background and struggled to connect with my team on a personal level.
It wasn’t until I stayed for my second work term, when I worked alongside a large cohort of SFU co-op students, that my perspective began to shift. It was because of this group that I realized the strength of being personable and couldn’t help but wish I had gotten comfortable sooner. As I worked alongside these students over the summer, they began to bring the best out of me. Their confidence and friendly nature allowed us to not only create a professional working relationship but even blossomed into friendship. Rather than being strategic or methodic in the relationships I built, I simply just got to know people and naturally started to form genuine connections.
Those friendships extended beyond the workplace. Even after completing our co-op work placements, we stayed loosely connected through social media. Traditional networking has never come naturally to me. I have never been one to do a cold message on LinkedIn or set up formal coffee chats. However, the genuine connections I built over the summer made me realize networking does not have to be a specific formula. For me, it looked more like small interactions to keep in touch or stay top of mind, such as simply liking a LinkedIn post or leaving a comment if someone got a new role. It didn’t need to be grand acts or perfectly crafted messages to get people's attention, but rather low-pressure interactions that can be both simple and authentic.
Looking back, had I not built that genuine connection during my first co-op, I may have not been where I am now. What I once saw as “just friendships” became professional bridges. Networking doesn’t have to be loud or calculated. Sometimes it’s simply showing up as yourself and staying connected. I will forever carry forward the idea that what could be considered a simple conversation could be the door that opens up to big opportunities.
What I once saw as “just friendships” became professional bridges. Networking doesn’t have to be loud or calculated. Sometimes it’s simply showing up as yourself and staying connected.