The Second Time ‘Round

Madison Tiller  //  February 9, 2012

As a public relations student at the Mount, I have learned two things. The first is that I will never be Samantha Jones from Sex and the City–heartbreaking, I know. Secondly, every public relations student’s co-operative education experience is different. At the beginning of the co-op process, I never thought I would end up at the same job twice. But when Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in St. John’s, Newfoundland offered me a second work term, I was singing a completely different tune. Although I had mentally dismissed the idea of returning to the same employer, life had different plans for me. Due to my extremely enjoyable summer work term at ACOA NL, I ended up jumping at the opportunity to return for the winter.

Public Relations students have the unique and valuable opportunity to gain paid job experience while working toward our degree. Because co-op education plays such an essential role in the rest of our careers, we all want to make the most of it.  It’s a simple equation: three work terms = three opportunities for different jobs. As students, we are encouraged to believe that the best way to take full advantage of co-op is to complete our work terms with three different employers.

It is very important for us to gain a wide range of experience while on our work terms. This is our one shot as students to make our mark on the PR working world. However, I don’t think that any student should completely write off—pun intended—the idea of working with the same organization twice, as I originally did. Returning to work for the same employer can be very rewarding, if it is the right employer for that person.

Through my (limited) experience, I have discovered that there are both pros and cons to doing an employer repeat.

Pros:

• The comfort—you know what you are walking into. The first day jitters were significantly reduced when I started my second work term. I knew the people, the place, and the routine. I didn’t have to ask where to go, or who to talk to. It allowed me to start doing “real work” sooner, and not as much time was spent on orientation.
• More responsibility—employers will trust you with more work. During my second work term, I have been given much more responsibility and freedom within my work. I feel more involved in my department. I can already tell that I will be able to accomplish much more during this work term.
• A credible reputation—future employers will see that an organization wanted you to come back and work for them. Getting re-hired by a reputable company looks great on a resume. You appear trustworthy, reliable, and full of potential.
• Avoiding the stress of interviews—there is no denying that this is an obvious pro. If you are returning to your job, you can avoid the whole “tedious cover-letter writing/interviewing/acting like a genuine crazy person” thing that comes with finding a new co-op job.  ‘Nuff said.

Cons:

• The comfort (yes, this is a pro and a con)—it is sometimes the anxiety that comes with starting a new job which pushes us to do our best work. When I first started at ACOA NL, I wanted to prove that they made the right decision in hiring me. Although I still want to impress, I feel as if the pressure has been slightly removed. The “impress, impress, impress!” attitude that I had when I first started the job has been turned down a notch.
• Lack of direction from superiors—managers and supervisors may assume that you don’t have any new questions. It was as if my co-workers didn’t notice the fact I had been gone for four months. Tasks that I found simple in the summer, like editing the staff website or filling out an event proposal, felt a bit foreign to me. I had to remind my supervisors that I needed some time to re-adjust to the job. Many of my co-workers seemed to assume that I have a perfect memory, so I felt silly asking questions. Questions seem more forgivable when you are brand-spanking-new.
• Narrowed vision—you may start to see only what your organization sees. All companies/non-profits/government departments have a strong organizational culture that will inevitably seep into your way of thinking. I have only been exposed to one way of doing things, compared to a student who is getting the diverse experience of starting a brand new job at a brand new company (However, this is not to say that my experience is less valuable).

I have spoken to students who loved going back to the same employer, and I have spoken to students who say they regretted it. The pros and cons I’ve listed above are just the few that I have experienced firsthand; there are many more that come with making the decision. It really is a personal choice, with different results for different people.

The moral of the story—or article—is that you shouldn’t limit yourself. Don’t shut down the idea of returning to the same employer twice. If it feels right in your gut, it’s probably the right decision. However, don’t make the mistake of going back to the same employer because it seems like the easier choice.  Make the decision that feels right for you and for your future. That’s what I did, and it seems to be working (fingers crossed!).