Career Blog
“No fim, tudo dá certo. Se não deu, ainda não chegou ao fim”. [Translation: Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it’s not yet the end.] – Fernando Sabino
Mandy Kuang is a 4th-year Human Resource Management student at Telfer. Currently in her final term, she describes her overall experience as productive, having strengthened her knowledge in her field. At the start of the pandemic, she got involved with CASCO as Auction Coordinator. During her time there, she enjoyed working with other like-minded individuals in achieving a common goal. The following year, she continued her efforts with the team as Vice-president of Sponsorships. Outside of Telfer, she is employed under a student employment program in labour relations and occupational health and safety.
Q. What interests you about your program?
A. Originally, I was enrolled in a general management program at Telfer. In my second year, I wanted to narrow down the field to something more specific, so I considered human resource management. From what I have gathered through my program, human resources are a key element of the success of both private and public organizations. It is essentially the identification and provision of human solutions to human problems. This field is imperative in a workplace as it can contribute to a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment.
Q. How did you manage your time balancing school, work, and extracurricular activities?
A. As someone who likes to keep busy, I keep track of all the tasks and activities I need to do in a bullet journal rather than in a digital calendar. This includes writing out all my upcoming tasks and crossing them off as I complete them. In a way, physically crossing out items gives me a sense of accomplishment and helps me to stay motivated. It can be difficult to find a balance between school, work, and activities. However, it is possible: just find what works for you. It is important to find this balance to avoid burnout!
Q. Do you have any final thoughts or advice you would like to share?
A. Lastly, I would like to remind you to simply have fun. Your time at Telfer will go by in a flash, so make the most of it by gaining experience, making lifelong friends, networking, and figuring out your overall style of time management.
All that being said, Mandy is currently planning for her next steps after graduation, and she is looking forward to further discovering her field of study through work experience. Reach out to her on LinkedIn: she is always open to networking and meeting new people.
– Mandy Kuang, 4th-year student (Human Resource Management), Vice-president of Sponsorships, CASCO
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
“My most memorable experience at Telfer has been my decision to switch options, as it allowed me to feel more grounded and confident in my career path”.
For Justin Pereira Mendoza, a 3rd-year Human Resource Management student at Telfer, choosing uOttawa was greatly due to its bilingualism. Growing up in the GTA and being of Ecuadorian origin, Justin wanted to continue perfecting his French as a third language. He also appreciated what Ottawa had to offer: a change from Toronto, yet still a relatively large city to explore.
His happiness at Telfer has been greatly attributed to DECA uOttawa, an undergraduate case cracking club which he began participating in during high school for fun! In high school, Justin considered multiple career paths, including politics. However, it is DECA that made Justin realize that business would be a great career choice for him.
So far, Justin has been loving his time at Telfer. His biggest challenge to date has been switching option in second year. While he had initially enrolled in International Management, Justin knew that another discipline would better suit his strengths: Human Resource Management. Eveith n though this switch came with some risks and potential setbacks, he knew it would be the right choice for him. “My most memorable experience at Telfer has been my decision to switch options, as it allowed me to feel more grounded and confident in my career path”.
What attracts Justin in HRM is the emotional intelligence required, which he prefers to the conventional corporate side of business, as he appreciates the social side. Having worked in customer service, Justin knows how to empathize with others, and he is prepared to continue learning about emotions, various cultures, and people, to be the best human resource professional possible. Since he is also very passionate about social issues such as racial injustice, he finds that a career in HRM would offer the perfect compromise, allowing him to evolve in the business world, while also standing up for people’s rights.
Justin has many goals in mind for the future. He is determined to find an environment in which can speak his three languages and use his HRM skills. He also hopes to work in a management role or the government of Canada in an international setting. He is even considering a career in diplomatic service, perhaps for the United Nations.
Justin is excited for this winter and hopes to continue meeting more Franco-Hispanic students to continue practicing his language skills and feel connected with his roots.
– Justin Pereira Mendoza, 3rd-year Human Resource Management student, Vice-president, Academic, DECA uOttawa
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
“Since joining the Telfer School of Management, I’ve had an eventful two years. It’s been a time of many accomplishments, setbacks, and yet countless opportunities for growth. While I’ve realized that every situation can be regarded as a learning experience, it’s also become clear that most students found it tough adjusting to the hurdles imposed by the pandemic. This year especially, there’s been a dire need for uOttawa’s support systems.
Back in my first year, I was almost overwhelmed with all the things Telfer had to offer. Clubs, networking events, and case competitions made for an awesome first two terms. Working as a student ambassador, representing Telfer, was also an incredible experience: helping incoming students decide on their postsecondary institution brought me a sense of purpose. Having been there to grant them insight on Telfer’s opportunities and ultimately acquainting them with the path that will lead them towards their personal goals was amazing! But then everything stopped. The 2020 winter term ended abruptly, and suddenly we had much greater worries than our jobs and studies; our health was at risk.
Working full-time as Telfer’s Regional Mentor, I saw first-hand how incoming first-year students dealt with this kind of situation. The need for support and counsel was as important as ever. New students didn’t know what to expect and many felt that they were stuck on their own at home. However, through its various resources, the University of Ottawa has made its commitment to helping students adapt increasingly evident. Thus, our efforts transitioned online, where our continuous support ensured that students were able to find answers to any of their enrolment, academic, or service-related queries. With all this global uncertainty, it was vital that they at least received correct information to help them make further educated decisions about their future.
That is to say: Telfer allowed me not only to help other students, but also to gain valuable work-study experience and to feel like part of a community that cares for the success of its members. I am extremely grateful to have had such opportunities!”
– Lukas Wirz-Endrys, 3rd-year International Management student, Ottawa Regional Mentor Region, and former Telfer Student Ambassador
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
“I adore Telfer’s culture and its students. Thanks to Telfer, I have met with so many people from different countries, cultures, and ethnicity. I have made amazing friends who became my family. At Telfer, students are encouraged to be creative. They are also growth oriented, kind, understanding, and caring for each other. Because we often worked in group projects, we learned how to listen to each other and make decisions as a team. We learned how to respect each other’s learning curve. I constantly felt the support of my teammates and peers. We always empowered and supported each other. I believe Telfer has greatly strengthened my teamwork, interpersonal, and ownership skills. As a result, I feel prepared to become a leader in my career.”
A recent Telfer graduate (2021) and Area Manager at Amazon, Oya was very interested in management and logistics throughout her education. Thanks to the strategic management and new venture creation courses offered at Telfer, she started to envision her dream career. After many grueling job interviews, she finally got an offer from Amazon and then moved from Ottawa to Vancouver.
Oya describes her work routine as follows:
“There are so many challenges that I am facing every day at work. But if I had to narrow them down, the first one would be managing people that are way older and experienced than me. I started my career at Amazon as a leader right out of college, at the age of 23. I always believed in my managerial skills and leadership style, but when you have assistants and higher managers that have way more experience, having a backbone to commit your decisions and ideas can be challenging. The great thing is that I have a very understanding, supportive team by my side.”
Finally, when we asked Oya if, given the possibility to go back in time, she would switch careers, here is what she had to say:
“Absolutely not. I love my career and I adore my job. Every morning, I wake up at 5 a.m., and I never feel like going to work is a burden for me. Some weekends, I spend the whole day training myself on a new resource I could use at work. I try to enjoy my growth progress and celebrate every single achievement rather than focusing on my final goal. I work in operations and it’s a fast-paced environment with more than 120 people on premises, including the support departments. Every single one of them is so unique; they all bring value to our workplace. Learning from their experience and understanding their perspective has broadened my vision. I know that I am at the right place to grow in my field, and I have a big team supporting me to achieve my goals. It’s beautiful.”
– Oya Karadag, Telfer graduate (2021) and Area Manager at Amazon
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
“Starting off any new journey can be difficult, especially one as life-changing as your university and professional career. Thankfully for me, Telfer made this experience as welcoming and helpful as possible. I’ve been given the opportunity to dip my toes in various subjects and industries, which helped me figure out the path I wanted to take in life. I’m also surrounded by so many intelligent and motivated students which have helped me sustain my motivation throughout university.”
This week, Humans of Telfer features Michael Dellaire, a 4th-year student leader studying in Finance who has been incredibly involved, leading as VP Sponsorship of the Telfer Finance Society (TFS), creating TFS’s first-ever Bridge to Success Conference aimed at connecting students with employers and building real-life interview skills, and as an editor for the newfound University of Ottawa Business Review. Here’s what he has to say about his experience as he comes to a close on his Telfer journey:
“One of the most difficult decisions you have to make as a high school student is the direction you want to take in life. I had an incredibly difficult time figuring out which path to take. All I knew was that I was great with numbers, and that I loved storytelling (films, novels, etc.). Finally, I decided to study finance since it felt fitting as a “numbers guy”, but I felt like I was letting go of the creative side of my brain. However, in November 2019 I took part in the TFS Toronto Trip and this experience gave me a whole new perspective on finance. While visiting Canaccord Genuity and Burgundy Asset Management, I listened to these investment bankers and equity analysts describe their jobs. This made me realize that high finance was the perfect fit for me. By learning how to read companies’ financials, I could “read” the story behind the numbers which made equity research/valuations far more interesting to me. Once this dawned on me, I became far more motivated in my studies, and I joined the Telfer Finance Society as an executive to learn more about the finance world whilst promoting financial knowledge to our student base.
Due to this experience, I will be starting as an associate working in mergers and acquisitions at Grant Thornton once I graduate and I will be forever indebted to my club for giving me direction in life.”
– Michael Dellaire, 4th-year Finance student, TFS VP Sponsorship, Editor (Finance & Economics), University of Ottawa Business Review (UOBR)
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
Mark Quinell graduated from the University of Portsmouth, England, with a degree in Spanish and a minor in Business Management. After graduating, he moved to Canada, and in June 2015, he applied to the Management Trainee program with Enterprise, a worldwide transportation provider.
Enterprise’s Management Trainee program is a specialized entry-level position that focuses on learning customer service, sales and marketing, finance, and operations. Mark enjoyed the growth opportunities linked to this position, as Enterprise has a “promote from within” policy that allows employees to grow into the role they covet. That was 6 years ago, and in the last few months, Mark has moved into his new role as a Talent Acquisition Specialist for the Ottawa region.
Mark has been loving acquisition so far; his favourite part is being able to connect and resonate with young and hungry students and graduates. He relates to them because that’s how he felt when he started at Enterprise. He loves being able to help them.
He recommends recent graduates look for a corporate culture that resonates with them. Pay isn’t everything – look for organizations that invest in your professional growth. Extracurricular events are good too, as they can make work not feel like work. For example, Enterprise introduced the My Purpose. My Time. program in 2020 – a charity program that gives employees paid time to volunteer within their communities. And for current students? Mark says to start prepping your resumé and cover letter early. His top tip? To have a dynamic, 2-3 sentence opener that shows who you are and what you can provide. Luckily, the Telfer Career Centre offers resumé workshops as well as resumé and cover letter critiques through Career Launch.
As well, Mark Quinnell is more than happy to meet with any students interested in the Management Trainee program or working with Enterprise in general, and can be connected with on LinkedIn or Enterprise’s career page.
– Mark Quinnell, Talent Acquisition Specialist for Enterprise
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important” ̶ The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
“I was given some of the greatest opportunities by Telfer during my undergraduate degree. From the workshops and networking events to the multiple job opportunities offered to me, Telfer prepared me for the future by giving me the right tools to pursue my dreams. A couple of things I like most about Telfer are the resources available to students as well as the support they give them, especially during their first year.
An example of how Telfer helped me identify my dream job is the CO-OP program. During the CO-OP program, I was able to meet with professionals and gain experience and knowledge, all of which I will continue to benefit from during my time at Telfer as well as after my graduation.”
– Jana Salameh, 3rd-year International Management student, Telfer Career Centre Ambassador, and musician
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
Maybe I made a mistake yesterday, but yesterday’s me is still me. I am who I am today, with all my faults. Tomorrow I might be a tiny bit wiser, and that’s me, too. ─ Kim Namjoon, 2018
Q. What do you like most about Telfer?
A. As a community, Telfer places high importance on inclusivity, encouraging passionate minds, and acting as a support system. The School focuses on helping its students succeed in their fields of interest by creating an environment in which they feel comfortable reaching out for help, even for a professor’s insight about an entrepreneurial idea. In addition, the Telfer Career Centre provides opportunities such as networking events and career mentoring. The feeling of a close‑knit community is what I highly appreciate about Telfer.
Q. What has been your happiest moment while at Telfer?
A. One of the happiest moments in my Telfer journey has been spending time on different floors of Desmarais with my friends and studying in between classes. The schedule in university tends to separate students, therefore finding time to spend together, discussing courses, solving questions, or just catching up about the day, was always something I looked forward to.
Q. What has been your biggest challenge so far?
A. Considering the circumstances of the past year, the biggest challenge has been staying motivated while adapting to a virtual learning environment. Although online classes offer flexibility, comfort, and reduced travel time, there is a distinct feeling of isolation associated with the pandemic. Being online, I suffered from a lack of social interaction. Normally, we would be interacting with others through group projects/study sessions, clubs, and campus life, but being online, that has all gone away. However, as the situation slowly improves, I am looking forward to coming back to campus and enjoying the rest of my undergraduate experience.
– Haaruni Venkatesh Babu, 3rd-year Human Resource Management student, Vice-president, External Affairs, Telfer Human Resources Association, Vice-president, Marketing, Business Healthcare Society, and crewmember, Unit One Kpop Dance Crew
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
“Studying at Telfer has also taught me valuable life lessons, some that humbled me, some that inspired me, and some that helped me overcome my vulnerability.”
Today, we write a new Humans of Telfer story about Farhan Ahmed. A student leader here at Telfer, Farhan has contributed to many different student clubs and initiatives, picking up many great tips along the way. Here is what he had to share with us:
“I firmly believe that the person who is graduating in 2022 is not the same as the one who started his undergraduate education in 2017. As I approach my final term at the Telfer School of Management, I have had numerous opportunities to reflect on the past 5 years. From a naive eighteen-year-old first-year student to a twenty-two-year-old ready to take on the professional world, the growth has been incredible. It didn’t take me long to realize that business school was indeed the optimal fit for my aptitudes and career aspirations. I feel fortunate to have attended the Telfer School of Management, as its programs/resources have helped me navigate these critical years of my life. Studying at Telfer has also taught me valuable life lessons, some that humbled me, some that inspired me, and some that helped me overcome my vulnerability.
I believe a rich university experience comes from immersing yourself within your academic community. I encourage everyone to get involved – join student clubs, take part in case competitions and explore every opportunity that Telfer has to offer. Thanks to these experiences, I developed a passion for consulting and was exposed to leading firms in the space through my network. Most importantly, my heavy extracurricular involvement allowed me to build friendships that will last me a lifetime.”
– Farhan Ahmed, 5th‑year student (Accounting and Finance; CO-OP), PMCP mentor, Former Career Centre Ambassador
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.
Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
─ Winston Churchill
Q: What do you like most about Telfer?
A: “The best thing about Telfer is its people. Telfer has an inclusive community, and people genuinely want, and try their best, to help you succeed. My advice to any Telfer student would be to get involved and let the school do its tricks.”
Q: What would be your ideal job?
A: “My dream job would be to work as a Management Consultant at one of the top three consulting firms.”
– Teehreem Nasir, 3rd‑year student (Business Technology Management; CO-OP), Director of Events, Telfer Finance Society, PMCP participant
Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York, this weekly feature of the Telfer Career Blog will contain photography of individuals from the Telfer School of Management community and a corresponding narrative that gives us a glimpse into their lives.