Career Blog
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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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“ Hello, my name is Andrea, and I’m a 4th-year Marketing student. I am also Vice-President of the uOttawa Association des étudiants ivoiriens as well as Director, Marketing, at the Students for Wishes club of the University of Ottawa.
For me, the ideal job would be a position that would allow me to act as a leader, where I could express my creativity, help people and meet new challenges every day.
I had always hesitated between journalism and marketing, but I’ve made my career choice very quickly at a job fair during my last year of high school. I met the Director of Marketing at Orange France (a telecommunication company) with whom I’ve shared my doubts. He explained to me what marketing was and what his job was. It is after this discussion that I fell in love with marketing.
Afterwards, I chose Telfer because of its bilingualism, its fame and its affordable tuition fees for international students.
To new students, I would give the following advice:
- Don’t forget that the organization is your best friend.
- Remember to have fun and to take time to relax.
- Surround yourself with the right people.
- Remain open to others; take advantage of all the opportunities offered to you to build connections.
And don’t wait: four years, it goes by very fast!”
– Andrea Abiyou,
4th‑year Marketing
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 I like most about Telfer is its faculty. For the last three years, I have encountered professors who I think are the most talented and extremely dedicated to helping students acquire new knowledge. I love the way they stir up their students’ curiosity on the subject matters.
My ideal job would be to work in an HR department that strives to create a healthy work environment with a good work-life balance where everyone enjoys working WITH EACH OTHER and to eliminate the stigma related to help-seeking from a mental health professional. I seek a great interest in this career because I have seen my friends at Telfer struggle to balance their schoolwork (or work) and social life and to cope with mental illnesses. Coming from an Asian country where people do not talk or even avoid talking about mental health, my goal is to help everyone realize that it is fine to seek help from others whenever possible, especially if your problems are taking a toll on your mental health. This also inspires me to go back to school and pursue another degree majoring in Psychology.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, I am unable to go back to Canada, and I miss Telfer and its lecture halls more than ever. I hope to come back once all of this blows over!”
– Audrey Dam, 4th-year International Management
Student Mentor, Telfer International 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.
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“Being a third-year student at the Telfer School of Management, I’ve grown both personally and professionally. From the Ambassador Program to the International Student Coaches Program, from the Telfer Career Centre workshops to the Co-op Program, I was able to acquire solid skills as well as experience that apply as much to daily life as to work.
On top of offering a quality academic formation, Telfer also gives us a wide range of opportunities that we must seize un order to make the most of our student experience.”
– Idriss Diamouténé
Third-year student (Management and Entrepreneurship)
and International Student Coach
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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“Once we’ve started our program, it becomes difficult to know if we’ve made the right choice. Theory and practice are often very different things!
This is why my advice to you would be to try to gain some experience in your field of study as soon as possible to become familiar with it. The employers you will meet in the future will sense that experience! Also, don’t be afraid to participate in the networking events hosted at Telfer. It’s a fantastic – and free – resource made available to us, and it is up to us to take full advantage of it!”
– Yassine Tahiri
4th-year Finance student, Telfer School of 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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Foreign students in Canada do not always have an easy time building the foundations for a solid career. Indeed, international students face a number of obstacles when searching for work. This article deals with this subject and provides advice to all international students.
Lack of Canadian job experience
Private and public organizations are reluctant to trust international expertise and to hire applicants who lack work experience in Canada. Therefore, I recommend that international students get actively involved within the University, by volunteering, networking, taking part in work-study programs over the summer, in order to acquire precious Canadian job experience. Students don’t necessarily need to work in an office or in a prestigious position at first: the goal is to gain experience in any field. The skills they develop in any job can be transferred to other fields. In addition, Telfer’s Career Centre organizes many workshops and events, such as Telfer Connects and Telfer Networks, which are ideal for honing skills and finding tools that will help foreign students succeed.
International student status
Ottawa and Gatineau are government towns: since government is one of the area’s main employers, much of the job market is government-based. Unfortunately, international student status greatly limits access to certain positions in government and in private companies that have landed government contracts. I experienced this situation first hand when the CO-OP counsellor informed me that I would probably not be able to undertake a CO-OP placement in a government department, even though I am a permanent resident.
It’s all fine and well to network, meet people, get involved and succeed in your field, but some jobs will always be out of reach for those who are not Canadian citizens. When you’re told “You’re really competent, and we’d love to hire you, but unfortunately, you’re not a Canadian citizen”, you realize that being a foreign student is a real handicap and closes several doors.
Message to international students
Even so, the message I would like foreign students to take away from this article is that even if they don’t have a wide network in a host country, in this case Canada, they shouldn’t give up hope. Foreign students simply need to understand that they will have to work two or three times harder to reach their goals. This type of attitude can tip the scales and by knowing what to expect, students can prepare to face these challenges. I was once a foreign student and I know better than anyone what awaits us in Canada; even though I am now a permanent resident, there are still opportunities that are closed to me.
In closing, Canada is a beautiful country with more and more opportunities: a new Eldorado. The country’s growing immigrant population has increased diversity in Canada, creating an environment that is changing the attitudes and lifestyles of Canadians. Newcomers to Canada just need to work hard and keep hope alive. As is often say: there is light at the end of the tunnel.
