Tips to set yourself up for success on your work term
Why is this resource important?
 Professionalism in the workplace encompasses the way individuals conduct themselves and how they interact with supervisors, colleagues, clients and the broader
community within an organization.
 Professionalism includes taking work seriously, being reliable, ethical, competent and mindful of others in the process; maintaining composure despite challenges;
being able to build relationships that can further skill development and support career advancement.
 Ultimately, being professional demonstrates that you can be relied on to do your job well.
 It is better to be proactive than to be reactive.
How to use this resource:
 Use this resource to guide you through common workplace scenarios related to time management, workplace etiquette and support to set yourself up for success
on your work term.
Please keep in mind:
 This is not an exhaustive list of workplace scenarios you may encounter. It is meant to address common workplace scenarios that have been brought to our attention
by previous students and to provide you with suggested strategies and tips.
 If you are a student with a disability or self-identify as neurodivergent, the suggested strategies and tips may or may not work for you. These are suggestions so
please feel free to add them to your toolbox if they resonate, try them out and/or adapt them to suit your needs as well as do your own research. We all have so much to
learn on this topic!
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Tips to set yourself up for success on your work term
Use a digital calendar
-Add your work schedule, meetings,
deadlines and tasks to your digital
calendar as soon as you receive this
information and set reminders.
-Color-code items in your digital
calendar by category.
-Download your digital calendar app on
your phone so you always have access to
it.
Create a daily to-do
list
-Ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
-Prioritize tasks based on time
sensitivity, importance, complexity and
resources.
Show up for work and to
meetings on time each day
-Set alarms, plan for traffic or potential
delays and put reminders in your digital
calendar.
-Be available for your set work hours
in-person or virtually. If you are on a
work device, it may have tracking
software.
-Inform your supervisor if you are late or
sick whether you are working in-person
or virtually.
Create a task or
project to-do list
-Break tasks, deliverables or projects
up into smaller, realistic goals that you
can complete one at a time.
-Assign a specific deadline for each
goal to make tasks or projects feel
more manageable and to give you a
sense of progress as you check each
goal off your to-do list.
Identify and schedule
your power hour in your
digital calendar each day
-Focus on your most important and
high-priority task each day during this
time for maximum productivity.
Ask your supervisor or
a colleague questions
before starting a task,
deliverable or project
-Clarify expectations, goals, deadlines,
your role and responsibilities.
-Take notes so you can easily refer to
instructions.
-if you are feeling stuck, ask questions
for additional guidance promptly. Early
communication ensures you can be
provided with the best support
possible.
Use time-blocking
techniques to structure
your work hours and
maintain focus
-Popular methods include: the
Pomodoro Technique (break your work
into 25-minute intervals followed by a
short break) and the Two-Minute Rule
(complete any task that takes less than
two minutes immediately).
Find out what the
dress code is for your
workplace
-Organizations have a dress code for
in-person and virtual work.
-As an employee, you represent your
organization so you must dress
appropriately for both in-person and
virtual work.
-If you are unsure about the dress code,
ask the hiring manager or your supervisor
about the dress code before your first
day.
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Tips to set yourself up for success on your work term
Prepare for meetings
in advance and
actively participate
-Review the agenda and any material (if
available) in advance.
-Show up or log in a few minutes early to
ensure you don’t miss important
announcements in the first few minutes.
-Take notes including your action items.
-If you are unsure about turning your
camera on, ask your supervisor if this is
the norm within your organization.
Know what your
obligations are
concerning workplace
confidentiality
-Confidential information needs to be
restricted to authorized people only.
-An employment contract typically
contains a clause about confidential
information so read carefully and ensure
you respect this.
-Overall, if you have any doubt about
whether you should share information,
treat it as confidential.
If you are facilitating
a meeting, prepare in
advance
-Prepare an agenda and any material (if
applicable) in advance.
-E-mail the agenda and any materials (if
applicable) to attendees in advance so
they have sufficient time to review them.
Think about whether
using CC, BCC or
Reply All when
sending an email is
appropriate
-CC recipients are visible to others. BCC
recipients are not. Putting a recipient in
BCC can show a lack of transparency.
Avoid using it besides keeping addresses
private in a mass mailing. Reply All is not
necessary to state that you received or
will act on an e-mail.
-If you are unsure about email best
practices within your organization, ask
your supervisor.
Put your phone away
-Your phone should not be out or used
during work hours for personal use.
-Take your phone off the table, literally,
and save personal texting or social media
use for after work or on your lunch break.
Get support from
a Concordia
-Book an online appointment
with a
Learning
Specialist
-Book an online appointment with a
Concordia Learning Specialist or log in to
the Online Student Service Station.
-Ask questions or get advice on learning
support that best suits your needs.
If you need to use
headphones or earplugs
when working in-person,
discuss this with your
supervisor
-Your supervisor and colleagues may
not fully appreciate how this optimizes
your productivity, sometimes mistaking
it as a disinterest in socializing.
-Explain that using headphones or
earplugs enhances your concentration
and minimizes distractions.
When in doubt,
reach out!
-If you have any questions, concerns or
encounter uncomfortable situations
during your work term, don’t hesitate to
contact your supervisor or Institute for
Co-operative Education Program
Coordinator promptly. Early
communication ensures we can provide
you with the best support possible.
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