According to a study led by University of Waterloo researchers, university co-op students earn higher salaries and are able to land more prestigious jobs after graduation. Researchers found that graduates of co-op programs are making 15% more per year than non co-op students.

It’s been two, three, or five years since you’ve finished school, and you’ve landed that position you have been yearning for. You’ve become aware that the next steps in the job may require you to have a designation or certification to move up in the company. It’s time to go back to school, to go even further in your education.

Office parties, as scary as they can be, are great ways to meet new people, network and even have a lot of fun. These are a few sure fire ways of getting you through your next office party unscathed and in style.

Whatever you’ve learned in school and in life, you’ll have the chance to use it in the insurance industry. It’s an industry that reflects the face and the values of Canadian society and has a constant need for talented, creative, motivated people.

Tears began to well up in my eyes. The more I tried to resist them, the more they accumulated. After seconds of hovering, tiny drops spilled over my lower eyelids and slowly trickled down my cheek. The words “organizational restructuring,” “downsizing” and “financial constraints” echoed in my ear minutes after I hung up the telephone.

When asked what their entry-level salary expectations were, some Canadian students said they expected a whopping $70,000, and one individual had expectations well above $100,000. They claimed that work-life balance wasn’t a priority for them and working 100 hours a week was okay.

There is no magic formula to guarantee a smooth transition into your first “real” job, but there are steps you can take to make your first couple of months easier.

Launching your career can be both exciting and terrifying. If you ensure that you and your employer have realistic expectations and goals, communicate on progress regularly and use the tips above, you should be poised to get the most out of your amazing opportunity.

Regardless of what it is specifically causing your worries, here are a few things you can do to make starting your first day easier.

As Gen Y, or the millennial generation, is entering the workforce and baby boomers are exiting, everyone from managers to academics and journalists are wondering whether innovative strategies are needed to hire and retain new graduates. What do you think about your generation?