It’s next to impossible to walk around Drexel’s campus without seeing a student dressed to impress either on their way to an interview or starting their daily commute. What draws people to Drexel is its top-notch co-op program. In this program, students are on co-op for six months at a time and graduate with real working experience. In today’s tough job market, these students’ beefed up resumes really stand out in a crowd.
That’s why we at Her Campus Drexel are highlighting students with awesome co-ops to show potential students what Drexel is about, to inspire current students, and to show the rest of the world how hard-working Drexel students really are.
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As many of us take that new step in college of moving into our own places, we face the task of finding affordable, yet stylish furniture. Many parents turn their students towards IKEA, a Swedish furniture company that provides couches, beds, desks and much more at college-budget prices. Haley Peckman, a pre-junior Marketing major with a minor in Retail and working on a certificate in corporate social responsibility, has joined the Corporate Communications department of IKEA in Conshohocken, PA for her 2nd co-op.
IKEA has stores in over 26 countries, and Haley couldn’t be happier with the opportunitiy she’s been offered to work in a company with such a large global presence. With over 300 stores worldwide, Haley believes the company has realized its impact beyond the business side of things, which she says, “is really amazing to be [a] part of”. She’s also involved in projects that combine retail and responsibility: an area in which she’s always wanted to innovate. One thing that really sticks out to Haley as she works at IKEA is that the company, “values what [she] value[s], and has a similar vision of a more responsible future.”
In addition to her passion for corporate responsibility, she’s passionate about the co-op program and getting experience. For Haley, co-ops are very serious job opportunities, not any ordinary internship. As she describes it, “co-op is not a practice run.” She’s being integrated into the team, managing real projects and communicating with other departments in the company. Also appreciating the opportunity to learn and grow within a company, Haley believes her time on co-op is an invaluable experience, preparing her for future co-ops and opportunities later in her career.
Haley also knows how important interviews are and offers some tips that landed her this awesome gig. The first is to relax! Focus on having an engaging conversation with the interviewer. Try and show off who you are and what you can do with that position to become more memorable, thus standing out against your competition. Her second tip is to show that you care about the job. “Do research, and bring up what excites you about the company/position” she says. This point pairs with her third and last tip, which is to show passion. Even if it’s not related directly to the job it’s still great to show you have something that really catches your interest. Dedication to a topic can show in your work ethic, which is a great way to grab that job from your competition.
With all of Haley’s experience in the retail industry, she’s a great person to go to for inspiration for business attire. Buying most of her staple pieces at LOFT, she sticks to some basic black crop pants that pair with almost any top in her closet. She likes to mix it up but says for her, “it’s really about balancing different styles, eras, price points, textures, etc. into one look” making sure to keep it exciting while still work appropriate. If you have a long ride to work like Haley, she also suggests laying out an outfit the night before to save precious time on your morning commute. Feeling confident in how you look will show through your work, and can lead to successful co-op experiences like Haley’s.