Career Blog
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“My time at Telfer has been great. What I like most is being able to meet like-minded people. I have made some close friends from classes and clubs who have really shaped my university experience for the better.
I wanted to study marketing, because I wanted to learn how to present a brand in the most appealing way. I love marketing because it brings together data and creativity.
A couple of things Telfer has taught me is to go after things I want, and not to let opportunities pass me and to build meaningful connections because they can lead to great things.
Some of the highlights of my Telfer adventure have been being part of Enactus, working on the Legacy conference, and being part of a club. It has brought me amazing opportunities and allowed me to make great connections. Hearing the feedback about the conference from students after they attended and seeing the impact it had made on their journey made me happy.
The past 3 years at Telfer have taught me a lot and have allowed me to have new experiences, to make tons of new friends and to do what I love.”
– Favour Okeugo, 3rd‑year Marketing, Enactus 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.
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Extracurriculars allowed me to meet my best friends,
gain valuable work experience, but most importantly,
changed my mindset about what I wanted to do after graduation.
This week’s Humans of Telfer blog features Alexis Raymond, a 4th-year student leader specializing in Business Technology Management. Alexis is incredibly involved on campus: he has even led Telfer to win 10 podiums at JDC this year! Here’s what he had to say about his Telfer experience:
“When I joined Telfer 4 years ago, everyone would tell me that I should ‘get involved’. I did, and that was probably thebest decision I could have made! Extracurriculars allowed me to meet my best friends and gain valuable work experience. But most importantly, they changed my mindset about what I wanted to do after graduation. Going into university, I was set on following the traditional and safe career path. However, after talking with colleagues with various backgrounds and ambitions, I quickly realized that it wasn’t for me. They encouraged me to reach for opportunities that I did not think possible and to explore fields in which I am now passionate. Maybe I would have figured this out by myself, but I for sure would not have had as much fun doing it!
In a few weeks, I’ll be leaving Telfer to enter the workforce. However, I’ll always carry with me this Telfer pride that has truly connected me to what matters over the past 4 years.”
– Alexis Raymond, 4th-year Business Technology Management, JDC Coordinator, Telfer Competitions Committee, Tech Editor, uOBR, Vice-President, IT and Marketing, JDC 2022
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.
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“I’m from Morocco and I’m currently completing my Bachelor of Commerce (International Management) at the Telfer School of Management. One of the best memories from my years at Telfer is the exchange I took part in third year. Through this experience I got to live amazing moments and meet great people while discovering a new academic environment.”
Q: Why did you choose Telfer ?
A: “I had to choose between Université de Montréal (Psychology) and Telfer (International Management). I tried to examine the pros and cons of each school. The co-op program at Telfer offered a double advantage: a degree combined with several months of professional experience. On top of that, there was Telfer’s reputation across Canada and around the world. I also considered the “personal growth” factor of studying at Telfer. By moving away from my family (spread out between Montréal and Morocco), I was able live a full experience that would allow me to become more resourceful and independent.”
Q: What has been your greatest source of inspiration?
A: “My parents. Even though they did not come from affluent families nor stayed in school for very long, they managed to start their own business and paved the way for their children. My father had to quit school while still in elementary, and my mom, in 10th grade. When I see how far my brothers and I have come, I tell myself that they have succeeded! It was not easy, but they did it. I also feel like I’m their hope. Even though they did not pursue long studies, today their daughter is about to graduate from a renowned university. Somehow, they are living their dream through me. And that inspires me enormously.”
– Ghita Laadila, 4th-year International Management (co-op)
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.
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“My happiest moment at Telfer was during the Telfer Finance Society’s Toronto Trip. We visited very prestigious firms where I was able to meet some of Canada’s top finance professionals.”
– Hyah Alnehmi, 2nd-year Finance, and Vice-President, Sponsorship, Telfer Finance Society
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.
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“My decision to come work at the Telfer Career Centre has brought so many positive changes to my life. Our team is dynamic and dedicated to students on their journey towards success and the job market. The best news I can receive during my workday is that one of them has landed a job they’re passionate about or has been invited for an interview following one of our networking events. It feels good to be able to help students in a tangible way.”
– Karianne Lessard
Assistant, Events and Special projects, Telfer Career Centre
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.
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Telfer students might recognize Magda Donia, a uOttawa Associate Professor of human resources management and organizational behaviour. Prof. Donia started her academic career by studying political science at McGill University. She later completed both her Masters and PhD at Concordia University. When asked why she chose to work at Telfer, Prof. Donia said: “I had a sense of the place I wanted to work – things [at Telfer] sort of flowed. There was a sense I can’t describe, but like a certainty that I could trust.”
Over the course of her career, she’s learned that she’s in an incredibly lucky spot – being able to do something that she loves with colleagues she deeply trusts. She has a fairly big passion for OB, and recommends that others interested in the field learn how to operate with the negatives; in her opinion, a PhD can be a long and difficult road full of rejection – but it’s worth it in the end.
– Magda Donia,
Associate Professor, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
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.
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“I like the environment at Telfer. Most students at Telfer are incredibly kind and supportive. Students who have just met would work together to tackle a difficult assignment question or help one another understand a hard concept. The environment at Telfer fosters collaboration and support, which creates an amazing space to learn in.
I chose Telfer because it offered an amazing co-op program with plenty of connections to both the public and private sectors. Ottawa being 5 hours away from my hometown, it gave me the opportunity to move out and be independent.
Telfer has also given me many memorable moments, but one that stands out to me is when I got selected as the first-year representative for the Telfer Human Resources Association. This moment was memorable to me because it allowed me to meet so many wonderful people (both students and professionals) and it opened the door to many learning and career opportunities. There are so many aspects of Human Resources I want to dabble in once I graduate. Thinking of the many avenues that I can explore if I work hard right now has kept me motivated most days.
My biggest inspiration would be my parents. They are both immigrants who work blue-collar jobs and earn an hourly salary that’s less than what I make in my internship. However, they managed to raise a family and work hard to give their children as many opportunities as they can. Their work ethic, determination and diligence inspire me to work hard to reach my goals.”
– Janosha Indrakumaran, 3rd-year Human Resources and Vice-President, External Affairs, Telfer Human Resources Association
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.
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Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.
─ William Arthur Ward
“Telfer presents multiple opportunities for its students; and those who take advantage of them manage to thrive in their careers. Students have numerous chances to connect with employers from well-known companies during networking events hosted by the Telfer Career Centre, the most prominent of which is Telfer Networks. Telfer graduates also tend to have a very strong, diverse business education (in both their specialization and business in general). During my time at Telfer, I enriched my knowledge in different aspects of business, increased my confidence in presenting, and learned to network. I can say with conviction that I am glad to be a Telfer student as it has successfully guided me through the intricacies of the world of business.”
– Maria Bssadh, 2nd-year Finance
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.
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“I have always had an interest in business and coding. In today’s world, where technology is very dominant, I find that it is crucial to be well rounded in these areas.
My ideal job would be an analytics consultant. I have always found analytics interesting and I am very innovative. This job would allow me to use my creativity and come up with solutions and models to improve business.
When I first started university, I sometimes doubted my program choice. However, by taking courses related to my program, getting involved in clubs (such as Enactus, a social entrepreneurship club), developing my skills through the Telfer Career Development Certificate, and attending professional development opportunities, I have realized that my program is in fact a good fit for me.
My advice to new students is to enjoy your university career as much as you can. Get involved, try things outside of your comfort zone and take advantage of the many opportunities that Telfer has to offer. Additionally, surround yourself with like-minded people who will support and inspire you. The Telfer Career Centre has a lot of staff that are willing to help and guide you towards reaching your desired career.”
– Thuy-Vi Ha, 2nd-year BTM (Business Technology Management) and Enactus member
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.
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“...Studying at Telfer has pushed me to take advantage of unique opportunities that would otherwise not have been made available to me...”
“One of the things I love most about Telfer is the diversity of people that make up our student body. I have made so many close friends from other countries and learned so much about other cultures!
I chose Telfer because of the possibility to pursue my studies in French and after having heard great things of their experienced professors. I believe that studying in French is especially important in a country where it is an official language; this will open up more opportunities for me when I join the workforce.
I am especially looking forward to beginning my first Co-op term this summer and further specializing into my program these next two years. In the future, I would like to start my own company and use all the experiences and knowledge I have gained during my years at Telfer. Studying at Telfer has truly pushed me to take advantage of unique opportunities that would otherwise not have been made available to me and I am very happy to have chosen this school.”
– Zineerah Sheikh, 2nd-year Business Technology Management (Co-op)
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.
