• Written by Nadera Kasim, Digital Business Management student
• Edited by: Ejin Zandi, Digital Business Management student

Get to know Faria, Product Support Network Lead at Shopify

Why Humber? Describe your Journey.

Faria originally attended Trent University for Information Systems. After working with the Ontario Ministry as a Finance Analyst, she decided to return back to school to find a new calling as she wanted a change in her career. She applied to Humber and immediately found herself at home. Faria told me valuable courses she took at Humber that geared down what she wanted to do in the future such as e-commerce.

What made you set yourself apart at Humber?

She explained how being involved in school clubs such as the DBSA was vital to her experience at Humber, it opened many doors for her and she got to network with many inspiring individuals. She was one of the founding members. Hearing this made me realize I should be more involved in school related initiatives and clubs.

How did your journey with Shopify Start?

There were many opportunities for her to take on post-graduation from Humber however she went with what was then a start-up company, Shopify. Through constant efforts and diligence Faria utilized her efforts to level up to being a manager.

Any advice for students who are aiming for higher education such as MBA programs?

Faria is very satisfied in her role, she said this role has made her realize that learning never stops and to go out there and keep networking. After talking about her career and schooling, I told her about my plans and how I was debating to pursue an MBA quickly after I graduate from Humber. Faria gave me good guidance on why I should wait further down my career to pursue an MBA because there is a lot to learn before you dive back into your studies. Also, you never know, your employer might be able to supplement some of the costs and not always needed for entry level roles.

Any suggestions for students in the digital world to do in order to stand out?

Faria gave me great tips to elevate my online presence, such as utilizing my summary box to create a great first impression to anyone that visits my page. Also, to start giving more endorsements to my connections that they will return and help increase mine. After she took time to review my professional portfolio she was happy to see how I formatted my webpages so neatly and to the point. She advised me to work on my video skills and sound more relaxed when presenting. I will definitely take her feedback and build upon it.

What is your opinion on digital certifications?

In regards to online certifications Faria encouraged me to utilize LinkedIn and Google’s online certification courses based on relevancy to my degree such as HTML & CSS, Business Analytics and more.

Insights and lesson learned from my mentor:

After meeting with Faria, I gained lots of wisdom and in depth understanding how inspiring she truly is. Faria told me about her upbringing and it reminded me of myself as I too am a first generation Canadian. We both exchanged that we had an aspiration to get the best education possible and push ourselves to make our parents proud. It was comforting to hear that knowing we both came from a place of familiarity.