My Experience as a Career Centre Ambassador

Hi! My name is Christopher Flores-Lyons, and for the past three years, I have been an ambassador for the Telfer Career Centre. It has been one of the greatest highlights of my university degree. I joined in my second year, the first year you are eligible to become an ambassador. The Career Centre had several workshops that I attended in my first year that helped me gain confidence at networking events. One of the veteran ambassadors encouraged me to join the ambassador's team and take a leadership position within the school to promote the services that are exclusive to Telfer students.

Since high school, I have been very involved. I think it is a great way to meet new people, learn different tools and help behind the scenes at events. With the ambassadors, I have met plenty of professionals that come to Telfer to recruit students, and there have been several fellow students I have met through workshops and networking events. Often, the professionals will also remember you after the event as they see you helping. Another advantage of volunteering as an ambassador is the ability to work on your presentation and sales skills. At the beginning of each semester, ambassadors will do class presentations. Sometimes you will present in front of a large first-year class of hundreds of students, or you may present to a fourth-year class with fewer than 50 students. Either case, you will not be alone during your presentation, and you will have practice in front of audiences big or small. This helps especially prepare you for the ADM2381 – Business Communications Skills class, or a quick elevator pitch you may do while escorting professionals to events. Additionally, as an ambassador, you get an awesome Telfer name tag that sets you apart from fellow students, and you become part of a team that is with you often throughout your university career.

Being an ambassador is a lot of work though. Sometimes you will be at the kiosk in the lobby of Desmarais, but no one will talk to you, or your schedule can get hectic at the beginning of each term. However, the benefits of the Ambassador Program outweigh the cons, and you get to improve your time management and leadership skills. Often you must be proactive and start the conversation with students in the lobby rather than wait for someone to approach you. If you are an introvert like myself, it is tough, but you get to practice, and by the end of the year you will be a professional, ready to help train the next generation of ambassadors. Finally, you become part of a family that you can depend on throughout your years at Telfer and friends that will last you a lifetime.

Applications for the Ambassador Program are out now and involve an online application and interview with the Career Centre’s Manager and another Career Centre staff member. You will also have to answer some small essay questions in the application so make sure you have read through the Career Centre website or reach out to current ambassadors via Facebook if you have any questions.

Apply to become part of the 2018-19 Ambassador Team now!
Deadline is March 23, 2018.
Learn more about the application process by visiting the Ambassdor Program page.