August Post #2

Last week was very exciting. I conducted more exit interviews, but this time independently. I felt more confident when asking the questions, and knew more probing question as well.

I only have a couple more and then they are done. I really enjoyed visiting the other co-op students, so I’m kind of sad that I wont see most of them again.

We are also preparing for our student recruitment season. We are planning the logistics of career fairs right now and trying to get everything ready. We have ordered in some give away items and shirts. I hope to go along for some of them, as I really enjoyed the last career expo I participated in.

I was also very busy out of the office last week. The co-op/intern students had a team building activity at the Kraay family corn maze. We divided up into teams and set out to find our way through the three different paths. I’m happy to say that our team placed first, and by one minute!

The rest of the day we chatted and had a BBQ. It was a great time and I’m so glad that NOVA hosts these types of activities.

On Friday I had another short day. I signed up for the Joffre Social Club Golf Tournament. I was very nervous, as the last golf game I played with CAHRMA did not go so well. I practiced a few times at the driving rang, and I think it really paid off. My group was very supportive and told me I should pick the game up, which I think I will!

August, Post #1

This week I conducted my first exit interview! Well, not exactly, Tennielle helped me out and went through the first half, then I finished up with some questions she and I developed. The purpose of these interviews is to find ways to improve the co-op/internships at NOVA.

I was not as nervous for this interview, because it was with only one student. Next week I will be meeting with four of them. I am a little nervous, mostly about the thought of not knowing the answers to all the questions that I know they will ask. I am confident that I will get my name right though.

One thing that really surprised me about HR, and I believe I mentioned this before, is how structured everything is. Everything is scheduled, and it all has to be done on time, or else it throws off the next step in the process. One responsibility I had was to check how much flex-time the exiting co-op students had left. Flex-time is time earned, which employees use to take days off. If someone does not use all their flex day, they will have them paid out.

This process can become complicated because it all has to be entered in the database in advance of certain dates, and sometimes the employee does not know if they will take time off or not.

The small skills are still improving to. I have sat down on a few more interviews, so I now know how to do introduction, and how not to do an introduction.

My excel skills and typing skills are improving to. I can now type a little bit below the average speed, which is an improvement from typing five words per minute, yes, it was that slow.