The judging period for the 2014 TalentEgg National Campus Recruitment Excellence Awards has officially begun!

An elite panel, made up of 200 top students from schools across Canada, is currently examining and providing feedback on employers’ campus recruitment initiatives, eventually leading to the selection of the Top 3 finalists and winners in each category.

These students are hard-working leaders of student groups and actively seek out opportunities to grow themselves both personally and professionally through volunteer work and meaningful work prospects. They are Engaged Leaders and High Potentials — the students you aim to recruit.

We sat down with some of the judges and got to know them a little better.

Meet them below!
Maria Poonawala

Maria Poonawala

Second year (’16)
Bachelor of Commerce
Ted Rogers School of Management 
Ryerson University 
LinkedIn 

Elevator pitch: Describe yourself, as a student and a career-hatcher, in an eggshell.

My goal has always been to establish a strong presence within the student community on campus as a leader and an influencer. I am currently Director of Development for DECA Ryerson and Vice President of Events for the Ryerson Consulting Initiative (RCI). Additionally, I work as a consultant for the Ryerson Consulting Group and a LinkedIn Profile Advisor for the Ryerson Career Development and Employment Centre.

While working for the Ryerson career centre, I designed and executed a workshop series called “RU LinkedIn.” The series has gained phenomenal response and has benefited many student leaders by teaching them the strategic skills needed to increase their visibility to employers online.

Balancing a full-course load, maintaining my position on the dean’s list and managing my part-time jobs and extracurricular activities has helped me gain exceptional time management skills. This is the reason why I am able to make the time to meet like-minded individuals and expand my network by attending business conferences and competing in case competitions.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself working in the consulting industry as a management consultant with a top tier strategy firm. I would love to explore international consulting work opportunities in international development. Subsequently, I hope to advance to leadership or management positions in the respective company. Eventually, I would love to start my own business that focuses on the triple bottom line.

Why are you excited to be a TalentEgg National Campus Recruitment Excellence Awards judge?

In my role as a LinkedIn Profile Advisor, I have assisted over 170 students. I absolutely love helping my peers by giving tips on job search and how to professionally network on LinkedIn. My job has made me realize how important it is to create a personal brand for yourself and reach out to recruiters. I am excited to be a student judge on this exclusive panel because it allows me to evaluate how employers create their personal brand. 

What are you hoping to get out of your participation on the panel?

I am hoping to get a more holistic view of how employers market themselves to students. As a future consultant, I am excited to seize this opportunity by giving employers feedback, based on my experience as an active student, on how they can improve their recruiting strategies.

Lastly, how do you like your eggs?

I like my eggs sunny-side up!



Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith

Fourth year (’14)
Bachelor of Commerce
Odette School of Business
University of Windsor
LinkedIn 

Elevator pitch: Describe yourself, as a student and a career-hatcher, in an eggshell.

Within the past year, I have held five different executive roles within numerous clubs across campus. Currently, I am President of the Odette Marketing Association.

As the president, I have identified a void between the community and the students of the University of Windsor. To change the way the two communicate with one another, I have collaborated with many local small to medium-sized businesses and planned several on-campus recruitment events. This has provided my peers with the opportunity to connect with employers and expand their professional network.

I define my success by contributing to the efforts which add value to my peers’ education, along with helping them be prepared for the school-to-work transition.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Ten years down the road, I hope to be considered a top influencer within the Canadian marketing scene, focusing my skills on media planning and new social media realms. Ideally, I envision myself to be named one of Marketing Magazines ‘Top 30 under 30.’   

Why are you excited to be a TalentEgg National Campus Recruitment Excellence Awards judge?

I am hoping that my feedback will provide meaningful insight to recruiters and can ultimately lead to a positive impact on their campus recruitment initiatives.

What are you hoping to get out of your participation on the panel?

I hope to gain knowledge on how organizations view both their own campus recruitment strategies and how ready they feel students are for the workforce when they graduate.

My intention is to take this information and help my peers prepare for recruitment season and facilitate their communication with potential employers.

Lastly, how do you like your eggs?

Scrambled!


Diana Jula

Diana Jula

Fourth year (’14)
Bachelor of Applied Science
Chemical Engineering 
University of Waterloo
LinkedIn 

Elevator pitch: Describe yourself, as a student and a career-hatcher, in an eggshell.

I would call myself a jack-of-all-trades. I am graduating this year with a Chemical Engineering degree, but my interests are not limited to my choice of program. My passion also lies in molecular gastronomy, political science, law and English literature.

Last year, I spent a semester in Norway at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Over the course of my undergrad, I have completed five diverse co-operative work terms in building science, environmental regulation, oil & gas and mining. This varied experience helped me discover my passion for hands-on field engineering work.

This May, I will be moving to Western Canada to work as a project engineer in the oil sands with one of Canada’s leading oil and gas producers. I am hoping to apply my well-rounded experience to improve process efficiencies and reduce the environmental footprint of these developments.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Ten years from now, I hope I’ve kept my goal of continuously learning!  Professionally, I’d like to spend some time gaining operational experience from the ground level, since it will help me gain a better understanding of the processes I am working with.

I am interested in pursuing other qualifications, including additional courses, such as millwrighting, financial management and different languages, and potentially working towards a law degree. I’ also like to stay actively involved in my community through mentoring others and volunteering.

Why are you excited to be a TalentEgg National Campus Recruitment Excellence Awards judge?

I’m excited to see what campaigns employers are putting out! It’s definitely interesting to be on the other side of the fence and see how employers address recruitment strategies.

In my experience, I have felt that some campus recruitment methods are more effective than others and I think it’s beneficial and important for employers to get insightful feedback from a student’s perspective on how to attract the best candidates for their needs.

What are you hoping to get out of your participation on the panel?

I’m hoping to get a better understanding of effective recruitment tools. I think it will be a fun experience and a chance to provide good feedback.

Lastly, how do you like your eggs?

As long as there is bit of cheese on the side, I am not too picky with how my eggs are done!

 

Don’t miss the announcement of the winners of the 2014 TalentEgg National Campus Recruitment Excellence Awards!

Register for the Awards and Conference now

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