Round Table Discussion: How to Find Your First Job

Written by Chaoyi Wang, Reviewed Duo Huang, Photos by Gaohong Ye

On May 2, 2026, the CSEA Young Professionals Group hosted a round table discussion titled “How to Find Your First Job‘’ at 2568 Bristol Circle, Oakville, Ontario. The event brought together students, recent graduates, newcomers, and both young and senior professionals to discuss job‑search strategies, co‑op opportunities, and the transition from school to the workplace. Approximately 30 participants attended the session.

Haixue Liao, President of CSEA, opened the event with welcoming remarks. 

The discussion was moderated by Sheng Wang and held in a relaxed roundtable format, where guest speakers shared their personal career journeys and the audience actively participated with questions and open discussion.

Sheng Wang moderated the round table discussion

The panel featured Joyce Zhang, Hunt Zhong, Brady Lin, and Joseph Liao. They shared practical advice from their diverse career paths and talked about resumes, interviews, communication, mentorship, career choices, and workplace expectations.

Joyce Zhang: Persistence and Career Growth

Joyce, a Senior Manager at Metrolinx, shared her experience of looking for her first engineering job after finishing her master’s degree. Like many new graduates, she had limited co-op experience and initially faced challenges in interviews. She reminded participants that finding the first job takes time and is built through many small steps, including applications, interviews, conversations, and connections. She also encouraged young professionals to use clear examples on their resumes to demonstrate what they have done and what value they can bring.

Joyce also spoke about her own career growth, moving from technical design to project management and eventually into a more strategic role. She noted that technical skills are important, but communication, teamwork, ownership, and the willingness to try new areas are also key for long-term career development.

Hunt Zhong: Canadian Experience and Practical Learning

Hunt, a project manager / structural engineer at MTE Consultants, shared his experience as an internationally educated professional building his career in Canada. He talked about the common challenge that many newcomers face when employers ask for Canadian experience. Hunt encouraged participants to be open to different types of early opportunities, including contract roles, temporary jobs, and positions at smaller companies. These jobs may not be perfect, but they can help young professionals gain real experience and build a stronger resume.

He also highlighted the value of small‑firm experience, where individuals typically contribute to multiple aspects of a project and develop a wider range of skills. Hunt also reminded participants that clear communication and the right technical vocabulary are very important in interviews and daily work.

Brady Lin: Experience and Career Exploration

Brady, the head of investment planning and prioritization at MTO Asset Management, encouraged young professionals not to blindly follow other people’s career advice, suggesting instead that they should explore different opportunities to see what truly fits. Learning from each experience, and slowly finding a path that fits their own interests and strengths. He emphasized that experience matters. Co-op, internships, temporary jobs, and early-career tasks can all become useful steps if they help build practical skills and give a better understanding of the industry.

Brady also encouraged everyone to stay open-minded and keep learning. A career path is not always linear, and people often discover what they truly want only after trying different roles. 

Joseph Liao: Adaptability and Initiative

Joseph, a software engineer at GoDaady, shared his view from the software engineering field, where the job market for new graduates has become very competitive nowadays. He reminded participants that young professionals need to be adaptable, proactive, and ready to keep learning. Joseph noted that technical ability alone is not enough. In the workplace, people also need to communicate well, work with others, understand expectations, and think beyond just finishing assigned tasks.

He encouraged participants to look for ways to bring value to the team. A good professional should understand how their work supports the team, the client, and the company.

Closing Remarks and Networking

In the closing discussion, the panellists encouraged participants to stay curious, keep learning, and step outside their comfort zones. They also reminded young professionals that career growth takes effort, patience, and self-motivation.

Participants shared their own takeaways, including the importance of lifelong learning, building relationships, learning from supervisors, and taking opportunities even when they feel they are challenging.

The event concluded with announcements about the upcoming CSEA summer picnic and the post‑event book club sessions. The round table gave students, newcomers, and young professionals a chance to learn from others, ask questions, and build connections within the engineering community.