Three Keys Ways to Get Established at Your New Co-op
Posted on Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017
Co-op is a different experience from being a young professional because you are still in a learning environment. You are considered a full-time student and your co-op term is an extension of your classroom education.
But co-op is also different from being a traditional student. Because you’re working in a professional environment, you have a different set of guidelines for measuring your success. You also have an opportunity to begin establishing yourself as a professional. But how?
Below, we look at three ways to find success during your co-op experience.
1. Get Organized
Professional environments are different from school, and they have a different set of standards to be considered. On your first day, what’s the best way of adhering to these standards, even if you don’t quite know what to expect?
Time Management
In school, it’s pretty easy to get into a habit of arriving a few minutes late every day. There usually aren’t serious consequences for this, and you aren’t the only one doing it.
But at work, showing up late can build a negative reputation for yourself. Be organized and ensure that you always get to work 10 to 15 minutes before you’re scheduled to start.
This applies to your whole day. Take breaks when you’re scheduled to, and be sure to show back up right on time. Be conscientious and on time—it looks really good on you.
Take Notes
Note-taking doesn’t end outside the classroom! One of the best ways to set yourself up for success at co-op (or any kind of work) is to get into the habit of taking notes.
When you first get to your new job, the learning curve is probably going to be pretty overwhelming. Start taking notes to remember important details as you’re trained—that way, you can come back to your notes when you have questions.
Once you’re more established at your job, keep taking notes. Carry a notebook to meetings to jot down important information and deadlines—you’ll be super organized, and feel much more confident.
2. Listen
One of the best ways to establish yourself in a new environment is to listen, a lot, all the time.
There are a lot of benefits to this. Listening is a learning opportunity, letting you understand how processes work in the company, what the company culture is like, and what kinds of opportunities exist.
But listening also has another benefit, something that can really help establish yourself at a new place. It’s the key to connecting with people—potential mentors, coworkers, and friends.
Do your absolute best to grow your listening abilities, and the connections you make will prosper.
3. Set Goals
The very best way of establishing yourself in a new workplace is to set goals.
As an Algonquin College co-op student, part of your work term preparation on Blackboard concerns itself with goal-setting. In Module 8, you are walked through the process of writing what we call ‘SMART Learning Objectives’. Basically, you create a goal for your work term and, at the end of your work term, you review your goal to see if it’s met.
Using the SMART method to goal writing ensures that you have a well thought out, realistic goal. Here’s an example of the SMART method in action:
S- SPECIFIC: To save enough money to travel to Italy for a month.
M- MEASURABLE: To have $9,000 saved for my trip.
A- ATTAINABLE: By putting away $750 a month.
R- RELEVANT: By taking extra shifts at work and limiting how often I go out.
T- TIME: By August 2018.
So, your goals should include the why, the how, the steps to get there, and the time by which it’s due. That way, you have the whole process set out and you can look back to see how well you stuck to your goal.
This is particularly helpful in work environments, because it reminds you what you’re working towards. By creating goals in this way for your co-op term, you show your ability to set objectives, create a plan to meet them, and have the determination to see them completed.
Co-op is the ideal environment to practice your organizational, listening, and goal-setting skills. It’s where you get the chance explore these areas and build your abilities. By practicing these three things, you’ll set yourself up for real success at your co-op.
If you would like to learn more about the Algonquin College co-op program, please visit our website at https://www.algonquincollege.com/coop/, connect with us at coop@algonquincollege.com or call us at 613-727-4723 Ext.7623. You can also follow us on Twitter @AlgonquinCoop.