Career Blog
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“I became a Telfer student over a year ago. During my first year, my main goal was to meet new people, focus on my studies, etc. In my second year, however, I started getting involved with the Telfer Student Council and various Telfer clubs, and assimilating further the content of my courses. This is what I would call “the Telfer experience”. I think we should all remain open to the various opportunities offered to us.
Initially, I wanted to study Law. However, after participating to the Place à la jeunesse competition and finishing first in the Marketing category with my teammates, it became clear to me that Telfer was the obvious choice.
I deeply envy those who had the chance to live such beautiful experiences during their first year.
It was not the case for me. This is why, as the incoming Vice-president of Marketing at the Telfer Student Council, I wish to make it possible for all students to get engaged right at the beginning of their studies at Telfer. And I intend to achieve this through my upcoming integration ideas. ”
– Samuel Benhamou, incoming Vice-president of Marketing, Telfer Student Council
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 love Telfer because the concepts we learn in class apply to what we will face in the workplace.
For example, the Business Communication Skills course really helped me honing my public speaking skills. I feel more confident during presentations, which I know will be useful in the future. Another example is the Strategic Management course, more specifically the Intopia simulation, which really showed me what it’s like to run a business. Overall, Telfer has the perfect balance of theory and application, which I feel really prepares us students for the workforce.”
Ifrah Yusuf, 4th-year Accounting Student
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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“Over the years, I have been delighted with the opportunity to meet a number of bright, ambitious Telfer business school students. From the podium at March 7th’s Ladies of the Law brunch, I could see the diverse crowd of attendees, and I felt comforted.
This next generation of young leaders, thinkers and doers are engaged and keen to learn and use their skills to work on tough global issues starting at the local level. They are also aware of the importance of work-life balance, including aspiring to good physical and mental health. As an active volunteer and business lawyer, I feel that these students are well-positioned to fuel our community’s drive for a better future for all.”
- Naomi Morisawa De Koven
Managing Director at MDK Business Law Professional Corporation
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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What is your dream career, and how are you preparing for it right now?
“In terms of my dream career, I’m not looking at any specific role for the moment. However, I am looking into international politics in the future, and also into diplomacy. Before that, I would perhaps do some political‑risk consulting, because the global economy has always been very fascinating to me. With regard to the global economy, I’m also passionate about other cultures and ways of life. I love meeting new people and making connections beyond frontiers. In order to get ready for this career, I’ve put a lot of effort into learning languages and getting to know people around the world, essentially expanding my global network. I am currently fluent in English, French, Hindi, German, Spanish, and Italian. My goal is to speak all of the UN languages; so 3 more to go (Mandarin, Russian, and Arabic). I also want to get experience at Canadian embassies around the world through the co-op program.”
Ayaan Virani, 2nd-year International Management Student
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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“Being in Telfer has opened up so many opportunities for me. I discovered a club named Telfer Law Society where I met people who share the same goals as I did. This pushed me to learn, grow, and become the best version of myself. I am grateful for everything I have learned, especially being able to manage a perfect work/school/personal life balance.”
- Sisina Tucciarone
4th Year Marketing Student
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 third year has been great so far! It’s more fun, because I get to specialize and learn more about my area, Marketing. The class sizes are smaller now than in first and second years, which means there’s more time to talk to professors.
Also, I recently got a new job at a bank. Everything at Telfer has helped me with this position. I’ve learned to manage my time properly between school, work, family and friends.
Telfer also offers many opportunities to find a job, whether it be an internship or a co-op term. I’ve experienced it myself. It is indeed an academic advisor from Telfer who told me about that summer internship at the bank. I applied, and I got the job!"
- Tareq Farah
3rd Year Marketing Student
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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“Who are your biggest inspirations in life?”
"My biggest inspirations in life are my parents. Growing up poor in Pakistan, my parents did not have many of the simple things that a lot of us take for granted. In 2008, I had the opportunity to visit my Mother’s childhood home. Upon arrival, the sight of the kitchen left me in disbelief and shock. You could barely fit two people in there. What was even more shocking to me was the fact that my father’s kitchen was even smaller than that. My father and his family lived an underprivileged life. Fruits were a luxury for him and was something that his family indulged in twice a year. Looking back, I now understand why during my childhood, my dad only ever bought fruits for dessert. He’d spoil me by making me smoothies and bringing cut fruit to my room.
In 1995, my parents took the courageous step of leaving their life in Pakistan behind and starting a new chapter in Canada. I am proud to say that my parents worked so hard to get to where they are now. They are now very proud small business owners in Toronto. However, to this day, my mother determinedly works 10 + hours, 7 days a week. Sometimes this makes me sad, but it’s also comforting and gratifying to know that I have such inspiring and loving parents. I hope one day I will be able to accomplish something remotely close to what they have done and make them as proud as they have made me."
- Mishal Butt
3rd Year Marketing Student, Member of WMN
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 been teaching the undergraduate course in Organizational Behaviour for many years now. While I teach at all levels at the Telfer School of Management, this class is particularly close to my heart. It is a required course, which means that some students are super excited about the material, while others take it because they have to. Regardless, it is wonderful to share my passion for OB with all my students.
It is motivating to show students the relevance of OB regardless of their area of specialization. Various OB concepts have applications that extend beyond a professional setting, such family and friend relationships, or simply life in general. I like to bring in those examples in my discussions. I find that they tend to be useful for students who don’t necessarily have a ton of work experience. These examples allow them to anchor the concepts of the course with something that they are familiar with and then see the applicability of the concepts to the business world.
One of the greatest joys of that class is when I hear from my students who initially didn’t really think they would find this class useful but now they see the applicability of OB to the field that they want to go into later on in life. As a teacher, that is always rewarding.”
- Silvia Bonaccio, Ph.D.
Organizational Behaviour Professor
Note: Professor Bonaccio loves attending the @CASCOTelfer gala to support the CASCO team in their incredible fundraising efforts, which benefit the @CHEOhospital foundation. Her CHEO bear collection continues to grow year after year.
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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“The Capital Markets Program (CMP), also known as Telfer Capital Fund (TCF), gives students the opportunity to gain real-life experiences in financial investment during their school years. Through listening to different speakers that came in to discuss what their jobs are like, I had the opportunity to better understand what working in the field of Capital Markets looks like. I am thankful for my experience with the CMP thus far. I have been on a steep learning curve. I have had the opportunity to not only develop valuation skills but also apply the knowledge acquired to real-life scenarios. I feel like I’ve gotten accelerated through school! I would encourage anyone who is passionate about the capital markets to apply to join the CMP. For those who are still in the discovery phase, I would encourage them to come to workshops hosted by the program to get a feel for what it really is and ask questions.”
- Nourhan Mohamed
3rd Year Finance Student
For those who want more information concerning the Telfer Capital Markets Program (CMP), contact Tarek Kassem, Manager of the Financial Research and Learning Lab, at
Don’t miss the information session on the CMP that will take place on Wednesday, February 13, 2019, at 5:30 p.m. Register online!
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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“Focus and commitment. These are the keys to a better life and future. To succeed in life, just as in the game of golf, we require focus. If you lose focus, the ball won’t go where you want it to. You must be committed to the shot. Comparing Managerial Accounting to golf, there are many things in common: how the quality of the decisions we make are positively correlated with the impacts of these decisions. In life, we can make plans but sometimes it is better to leave things unpredicted and follow the path that is presented to us.
The main reason I switched to teaching was something I never expected. I was young and just completing my studies when I was asked to teach a course for the first time in my life. At the end, the students stood up and gave me a standing ovation. This was a humbling and incredibly emotional experience for me. This was the critical moment I made my decision. There has been no regret since.
As professors, we have a chance to face hundreds of students who come to listen, learn, and improve themselves. Contributing to that journey is the best dividend for me as a professor. Throughout your journey, remember the keys: stay focused and committed.”
- Fodil Adjaoud, Ph.D., FCPA, FCGA, CMA
Managerial Accounting Professor
