First jobs begin before the offer

Recent U of T graduates describe how side projects, student clubs and carefully chosen conversations helped them find their first roles. Published in Alumni Digest as verified reporting from the University of Toronto.

Recent U of T graduates describe how side projects, student clubs and carefully chosen conversations helped them find their first roles.

Alumni Digest editorial deskSeptember 18, 20263 min read

In the September issue

Campus

University of TorontoSt. George, Mississauga & Scarborough

Focus

Alumni leadership & practicePeople

Outcome

Verified reportingSeptember 2026 issue

The context

Where the work begins

Caitlin Zhang started a podcast to ask alumni what they had done with their economics degrees. Those conversations helped her practise interviewing, while networking at other events led to an adviser role at Sun Life. Computer engineering graduate Leo Li built experience through student clubs and a co-op before receiving an offer from Red Hat.

The takeaway

What follows

Tanya Kaur Talwar took a more targeted route: she read a professor's research before writing about their shared interests. She now works in OISE's Mathematical Thinking Lab. At UTM, Valentina Bravo's work-study experience and a proposed careers newsletter preceded her role as a career readiness coordinator. Each found useful opportunities while still exploring what suited them.

First jobs begin before the offer

Where the work begins

What follows

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