Co-op Action Guide

By: Kristen Eckman

Wentworth offers one of the most comprehensive cooperative education (co-op) programs of its kind in the nation. A co-op is full-time, temporary employment in your field of study that enables you to apply classroom learning to professional work experience. Unlike most schools, co-op at Wentworth is a requirement: all undergraduate day students must successfully complete two co-op semesters in order to graduate.

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To prepare for your co-op semester, we suggest that you follow the Co-op Action Guide detailed below:

4-5 Months Before Co-op

  • Familiarize yourself with the Co-ops + Careers resources
  • Prepare a draft of your resume
  • Submit Co-op Terms & Conditions on WITworks
  • Meet with your Co-op + Career Advisor for WITworks access
  • International Students: talk with International Student Services about CPT requirements
  • Attend Co-op Institute to learn how to:
    • Create and edit your resume & cover letters
    • Develop an elevator pitch
    • Create/update your LinkedIn profile
    • Conduct informational interviews
  • Begin to create a Portfolio of completed work/projects
  • Join professional and student organizations
  • Identify companies with early application deadlines

3-4 Months Before

  • Meet with your Co-op + Career Advisor to finalize your application materials
  • Upload your resume to WITworks
  • Set up email alerts on WITworks and other job boards for positions of interest
  • Begin applying for co-ops, customizing your application to each opportunity
  • Schedule a mock interview with your Co-op + Career Advisor
  • Create list of references
  • Register for your co-op semester on Leopardweb
  • Make sure your interview attire fits, and is clean and pressed or visit WITwear to borrow items as needed

1-2 Months Before

  • Continue applying and interviewing
  • Meet with your Co-op + Career Advisor if you are not getting interviews
  • Send thank you notes to each employer 24 hours after an interview
  • Review co-op offers
  • Accept a co-op offer and notify any other employers you’ve interviewed with to withdraw your candidacy
  • Once you accept a co-op offer you MUST stop applying and interviewing
  • Report your hire on WITworks
  • International Students: Complete all CPT paperwork, get it signed by your Co-op + Career Advisor, and submit it to ISS
  • Thank your references and let them know you accepted a co-op

During your Co-op

  • Create work plan with your supervisor that outlines your responsibilities and addresses your learning goals
  • Meet regularly with your supervisor about your progress
  • Network with people across the organization and conduct informational interviews
  • Create a portfolio of accomplishments, including deliverables, skills acquired or honed, and any recognition you received making sure to receive permission from your employer to share any company information
  • At the end of your co-op, ask for a LinkedIn recommendation
  • Complete your self-evaluation to receive a passing grade
  • Ensure your employer evaluation is completed to receive a passing grade

Whether you are preparing for a co-op search or a job search, the Center for Cooperative Education and Career Development has the resources you need to be successful. If you haven’t met with a Co-op + Career Advisor yet, give us a call at 617-989-4101 to schedule an appointment and we’ll get you started on the right track.

The Benefits of Co-op Institute

By: Ria Kalinowski

It’s fall of your junior year at Wentworth and what’s looming over your head? Co-op search. You have no idea how to get started and you’re already busy with classes. Instead of waiting until the last minute and scrambling to throw together a resume and submit applications, join Co-op Institute! Co-op Institute is a six-week course that meets for 50 minutes once a week and provides students with support for all aspects of the co-op search.

Weekly Topics

Resumes
Cover Letters
Networking
Job Search
Interviewing
Co-op Insights

Tangible Takeaways

Approved resume
Access to search for co-ops on WITworks
Draft of a cover letter
Beginnings of a LinkedIn profile
Relevant handouts and videos
Professional padfolio for those who complete the course

Your Co-op + Career Advisor will teach you how to write a resume and review one you’ve made. You will meet with them one-on-one to get your resume approved and ask any specific questions you may have. If you are searching in a certain geographical area or for a specific type of co-op, they can give you resources or suggestions for targeting your search. In class, your advisor will discuss how and when to write a cover letter as well as the benefits of using LinkedIn.

 

What You Will Learn

Your Co-op + Career Advisor will explain the co-op process and what paperwork you will need to complete to get credit for and then pass your co-op. He or she will show you how to use WITworks to upload documents and search for co-op positions. In class, you will examine job postings and discuss how to tailor your application materials to each position. Networking techniques will be reviewed and you will learn what to do at a career fair or other employer events. You will get an overview of different types of interviews as well as how to be successful before, during, and after an interview. During the last week, you will also get co-op tips either from an employer or from Wentworth students who have been on co-op before. This is a great opportunity to network with an employer or ask about other students’ first-hand experiences.

 

Practical Experience

Craft and practice an elevator pitch
Practice answering interview questions using the PAR/STAR method
Use class time to search for jobs using WITworks and other job search engines
Get an introduction to LinkedIn and explore best networking practices

 

Final Words

Co-op Institute is the perfect spring board for your co-op search. You will begin to build a relationship with your Co-op + Career Advisor or, if your class is taught by a different Co-op + Career Advisor, you will become familiar with someone in the Co-ops + Careers Department. You will be the first to know about upcoming employer events and get quick access to search for co-op positions on WITworks. All your questions about the co-op process will be answered and you will gain a better understanding of what it takes to be successful during your co-op and even a full-time job search!