Newsletter

Second-Year Exchange Applications and Job Searching

October 2023

2023 INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE APPLICATIONS

Our Exchange Application Form is open and we look forward to seeing your student’s exchange application.

In order to apply for exchange, students must complete a number of application steps throughout their fall term, which helps prepare them to select the appropriate exchange schools. . The application includes: information webinars, an Exchange Comparison tool to support students with their decision making, an Exchange fair to provide an opportunity to speak to other upper year Commerce students and current incoming exchange students; as well as a virtual interview and essay. Students can find more information on each step of the application on the Exchange Portal in the “Apply” section.

If students have any questions, they can book an advising appointment with an Exchange Advisor via the Undergraduate Exchange Portal.

We will provide tips on researching exchanges in the next newsletter.

REFINING CAREER GOALS

Throughout second year, students are encouraged to continue to network and cultivate connections as they continue to explore career options. In support of these activities, the Career Advancement Centre (CAC) has created eight online Career Management Foundation modules.

These modules include videos, exercises, and resources to enable the education of industry best practices in career development. In the networking module, students learn how to locate, reach out to and follow up with contacts. In addition, they also learn how to conduct an effective networking conversation.

Students can access these modules through their CAC Portal at any time!

SUMMER INTERNSHIP AFTER SECOND-YEAR

This time of year, many second-year students are experiencing a lot of anxiety related to employment and internship search. Students frequently believe that they are the only ones without a job offer, while close to 70% of the class is still seeking employment for next summer.

Recruitment for summer internships occurs throughout the school year, with peaks in Sept/Oct and again in Jan/Feb. Outside of these peaks, there is still plenty of hiring activity that extends right into the summer months.  

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We find that two common mistakes that students make while searching for an internship are: 1) relying exclusively on job postings and 2) delaying their job search indefinitely (often due to feeling stressed or overwhelmed).

Here are two ways students can overcome job search inertia and stress:

Meet with a career coach

The Career Advancement Centre (CAC) has a team of coaches who are available to meet with students on an individual basis. Recurring meetings can be scheduled to support a student through the entire job search process, including self-assessment, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, networking, and job search strategies that go beyond job postings. Meeting with a coach can also help with the emotional roller coaster that many students experience as they seek employment.

Encourage your student to reach out to the Smith Network

Using LinkedIn, students can access an online platform that allows your student to expand their professional network and connect with alumni, faculty, staff and fellow students of Smith School of Business. Users have the ability to gain mentorship by booking a coffee chat or making new connections with alumni.  The database can be searched by employer, type of work, geographic location and other criteria. There are over 14,000 people who are already a part of the Smith School of Business online network!

Second Year Links

• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization (EDII) initiative:
  Investment Priorities | Invest in Smith (queensu.ca)