Career Blog
Q. What is your best memory of Telfer?
A. “The case competitions, without a doubt. In my first year, I had the opportunity to participate in the Marketing Happening and then the Jeux du Commerce (JDC). This year, I am the co-coordinator of the JDCs and am bringing over 85 delegates to the largest case competition in Eastern Canada. This role not only allows me to oversee the delegation, but also to carry out amazing side projects such as a fundraiser for the David Suzuki Foundation and an awareness video for Canadian Blood Services. For me, going to college is more than just going to class: it’s also about putting theory into practice in real-world situations, meeting colleagues from other universities and growing professionally.”
Q. How has Telfer transformed you as a business student?
A. “Telfer has had a great impact on my academic journey because of its global perspective, enriched by its local actions. The branding that Telfer has adopted is not just a facade: during my four years at Telfer, I was able to take advantage of a variety of opportunities that would not have been available at another business school. I believe that the many experiential learning experiences available to students help prepare them for the professional world and build tomorrow’s Canada. Whether it’s in clubs, case competitions, or through career development services, there’s something for everyone here!”
Q. What would you like to do when you graduate?
A. “With the goal of making a real impact on the country we live in, I plan to begin my career as a digital operations transformation consultant in the public sector. My experience at Telfer will allow me to further understand the issues that government entities face and to better assist them in developing software solutions. I’m excited to have ventured down several professional avenues during my summer internships: I’ve finally found a field I’m passionate about and in which I’m very much looking forward to making a measurable impact.”
– Charles Doray, 4th-year Marketing student, JDC Coordinator at TCCT, Teaching Assistant
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.
Q: How has getting involved on campus enhanced your experience at Telfer?
A: “Honestly, I wish I had done this earlier! I had met so many people and made so many valuable connections. I have built trust and relationships with the club members. I was able to apply everything I have learned in my courses directly to my positions at Telfer clubs which enhanced my learning experience.”
Q: Why did you choose to study at Telfer?
A: “I saw the CO-OP program and the number of student clubs. The CO-OP program is amazing, especially for finance students. Although it is competitive, there are so many opportunities. I know so many people who have gone to Telfer and have told me about their experiences. The resources. There are so many, such as the Telfer Career Centre and the Academic Writing Centre. Everything that everyone told me about Telfer is true and I feel so happy with my choice.”
Q: If you could describe Telfer in one word, what would it be?
A: “Valuable. Because everything at Telfer is so valuable. The people, the courses, the programs. Everything at Telfer adds to your student experience. Over these past three years I have grown so much because of everything offered in Telfer.”
– Natalie Abo Setta, 3rd-year Finance student, Vice-President Marketing, Telfer International, Marketing Generalist, 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.
“Studying almost entirely in French as an Anglophone and adjusting to a primarily online learning environment has been challenging and often stressful. But that is also what I love most about my program. To succeed, I must expand my comfort zone constantly, which can be scary. Despite this, my professors have often gone above and beyond to make me feel supported, even at times where I felt that I was struggling. Diamonds are made under pressure, and I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I were in any other program.
My biggest inspiration throughout university has been all the wonderful people I’ve met in class and in my extracurriculars. I feel like I’ve been constantly surrounded by so many people who excel in myriad ways and inspire me to put myself out there and be the best version of myself. I never would have thought that I would be so comfortable as a leader in two different student groups but everyone I’ve met has been so encouraging even when I’ve doubted myself.
In the future, I hope to practice either corporate law or insurance claims litigation.”
– Veronica Fusco Hitchlock, 3rd‑year student, BCom and J.D.
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.
Q: Why did you choose Telfer?
A: I chose Telfer over other business schools in Ontario as it is the only one of two that offers bilingual courses. Laurentian University was much further away from home than uOttawa. Given the scale of Ottawa as a job market, CO-OP opportunities are also better and more exciting in the capital. I hope my experience at Telfer continues to be great.
Q: What do you like the most about Telfer?
A: What I like the most about Telfer is the fact that it’s a school at the University of Ottawa, so bilingual courses are available. I really like that this option is available, as I enjoy taking classes in both languages to preserve and sharpen my language skills.
– James Ferguson, 2nd-year Finance 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.
Q. Why did you choose Telfer?
A. I chose Telfer for its great accounting program and its CO-OP option. The accounting courses help prepare students who are pursuing a CPA designation. This was perfect for me because I would like to achieve this designation in the future. Also, I wanted to gain valuable work experience during university, and the CO-OP program has allowed me to do that. I have completed my first 4-month CO-OP term, and it exceeded all my expectations! My placement gave me a real preview of my future career and confirmed that accounting was the right career path for me.
Q. How did you decide what career you would like?
A. Before deciding to pursue a career in accounting, I wanted to become a teacher. However, that changed in high school when I took my first accounting class. I had always enjoyed math and working with numbers, so I decided to try it out in grade 11. I ended up liking it. I had great teachers in high school who showed me what a career in accounting could look like and taught me about the CPA designation. That really helped me make my initial decision to pursue a career in accounting.
Q. What is your favourite Telfer memory?
A. Last fall, I had the opportunity to perform in the CASCO virtual gala as a dancer. It was a very fun and rewarding experience to do something that I love while helping raise money for the kids at CHEO. Participating in the CASCO gala has surely been one of the highlights of my time at Telfer so far.
– Mary Warren
4th-year Accounting student and dancer, CASCO Gala
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.
Meredith Silverman is a 4th-year accounting student at Telfer as well as a returning Career Centre Ambassador. In her Humans of Telfer interview, she shares her experiences as both an Ambassador and a CO-OP student.
Q. What is your favourite Telfer memory?
A. My favourite Telfer memory have been working as a Career Centre Ambassador. I enjoy writing various career blogs because I learn something new every time while helping students with their own career journey. The Humans of Telferseries also remains a highlight each term, as I love hearing different experiences from every Telfer student I interview.
Q. Why did you decide to participate in CO-OP and how has it impacted your academic goals/career goals?
A. I decided to participate in the CO-OP program because it is a great way to get relevant work experience. Regardless of your specialty at Telfer or at any other faculty, the best way to learn is by putting theory into practice. I highly recommend this option to every student. The program has allowed me to land multiple positions at a public accounting firm in both tax and assurance, which enabled me to apply the foundational accounting theories I have learned through Telfer courses while continuing to expand my knowledge.
Q. What are your plans postgrad?
A. Postgrad, I am looking forward to using all the knowledge that I have acquired during my time at Telfer towards obtaining my CPA designation. Every course at Telfer that I have taken and will be taking in my final year will have contributed to this journey. The CPA designation will allow me to practice as a Chartered Professional Accountant either for a public accounting firm or the government.
– Meredith Silverman
4th-year Accounting student and 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.
“One word that I would use to describe Telfer is family. I love that the Telfer community is one big, happy family that supports you no matter what. Whether you’re celebrating a new job offer or crying over an unbalanced balance sheet in financial accounting (trust me, we’ve all been there!), you can always count on the Telfer community to have your back!
My most memorable moment at Telfer so far has been joining CASCO (shoutout to the CASCO fam ♡)! Being able to work with such hard-working students who come together to give back to the community has been truly inspiring these past two years. The CASCO community helped me find growth and confidence in myself, which allowed me to even go on to be this year’s president!
If I could go back and advise my 1st-year self, I would tell her to GET INVOLVED! As cliché as it sounds, it is through Telfer clubs, case competitions, and so much more, that I was able to meet some of my very best friends. Not only did I meet the loveliest people, but I was also able to gain valuable work experience and grow my professional network!
All in all, these past 3 years at Telfer have been quite the ride! I’ve met amazing people and made amazing memories, and I can’t wait to see what my last year here holds. Whether we’ve interacted directly, or if we just walked by each other in the halls of DMS, thank you for being part of my Telfer journey!”
– Patricia Felthman
4th-year Accounting student and President, 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.
Q. Why did you choose Telfer?
A. I chose Telfer because of its variety of specialized programs and its collaboration with other faculties. I am currently enrolled in my second year of the BCom/J.D. program, which allows me to study at both the Telfer School of Management and the Faculty of Law. Thanks to this specialized program, I can complete an undergraduate degree in both commerce and law. There aren’t many schools in Canada that offer this opportunity directly out of high school, which is the main reason why I chose Telfer.
Q. What has been your biggest challenge so far?
A. The biggest challenge that I faced last year was studying in French. I am an anglophone and I have been in French immersion my whole life. However, I still find it quite difficult to take university-level courses in my second language. I struggled to take my tests in French, fully understand my professors, and communicate with my peers. Although this was my biggest challenge, I also consider it my biggest accomplishment. In retrospect, I can confidently say that putting myself in this situation a year ago has allowed me to further develop my communication skills in French, making me a better speaker.
Q. What would be your ideal job?
A. Ideally, I would like to become a corporate lawyer. I appreciate and love every aspect of business, including finance and management. I believe that a strong business background and leadership skills are key assets for corporate lawyers. In addition to being a lucrative profession, corporate law touches various industries, such as insurance, retail, and the public sector.
– Karishma Kanagarajah
2nd-year BCom and J.D. student and VP Marketing, 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.
Q. What do you like most about Telfer?
A. I like how Telfer feels like a community. Everyone at Telfer is very kind and helpful to one another. Telfer also has a calm working environment which helps while working/studying.
Q. What would be your ideal job?
A. I actually have two ideal jobs (I will be happy with either)…
1. Partner at a public accounting firm
2. Director for the government (ex. CRA)
Q. Who has been the biggest inspiration in your life?
A. My parents are my biggest inspiration. Seeing them work hard my whole life (English is not their first language) has pushed me to do the same.
– Maneesha Rakhra,
4th-year accounting student and member, Telfer Accounting Club
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.
Q: What do you like most about Telfer?
A: “The flexibility and wide range of the programs available to Telfer students is so unique and one of my favourite things about the school. Throughout my time at Telfer, I have been able to pursue not only accounting, but also business analytics when it became a field of interest for me during my second year. Telfer’s commitment to allowing students to learn in all fields of business, not just their specialization, has been a great benefit to myself and my peers alike.”
Q: How did you decide on which career you would like?
A: “I chose a career in accounting based on the process of elimination! Throughout high school and my first year of university, I was exposed to a wide range of courses (from the sciences in high school to mandatory first-year courses) which helped me clearly see what I liked and disliked. As of right now, accounting courses seem to always be the most interesting and engaging for me, which is why I have decided to pursue a career in accounting.”
Q: What has been the biggest challenge so far?
A: “Learning to code in my business analytics courses has been by far the biggest challenge for me. It is so satisfying when it works, but it ever so rarely works for me!”
– Katherine Hall, 3rd-year Accounting with Option in Business Analytics, and Treasurer, Residence Association of the University of Ottawa (RAUO)
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.