Business As Usual

One of the biggest challenges as a first year student, in my opinion, is to put yourself out there and dive into completely new opportunities you’d never had a chance to experience during your high school years. In particular, professional networking events are probably the most daunting opportunity for first-year students, especially me. Nonetheless, I’m a strong believer in giving everything a go, so today I had the insightful opportunity of attending the first Ernst & Young Game Changers Club event for 2016.

The aesthetically-pleasing building located in the heart of Melbourne CBD was enough to impress me, especially the breath-taking view from the 23rd floor of the EY office. The program for the event, however, inspired me the most. The topic of today’s workshop covered global challenges. It made me realise the importance of diversity and methods through which we can tackle global challenges. In addition to this, we had the opportunity of engaging in a Q&A panel with three EY employees who each had very different career experiences, showing that “any two experiences at EY are never the same”. Following this was the networking session, where we talked to a diverse range of professionals in various streams, including consulting, tax and finance transactions. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to listen to first-hand experiences in the workforce.

The event was not only engaging and impressive, but also inspired me to potentially work in an organisation that integrated global relations. It spurred my motivation to work even harder for my goals and aspirations so that one day, I can also be a game changer.

So to all you first-years (or high-schoolers), I strongly encourage you to get involved in your degree (or university life) as soon as possible. Whether it be joining a student society or going to networking events, there will always valuable lessons and experiences waiting for you! In other words, don’t be afraid and always strive to change the game!

Week two has come and (almost) gone, and I never expected everything to get so busy so quickly! As I’m in my penultimate year already (the second last year of uni), my timetable is filled with lots of networking events, information sessions and applications to complete.

This week I attended the PwC Insiders Night, which is when PwC opens up their doors and lets students network with different representatives from each of their service lines. I was given the opportunity to meet leaders from the industry, to learn about their experiences and how they reached their positions. I also met with members of the graduate recruitment team and learnt how to make my application stand out.

This was my second time networking, and while it was still awkward (and involved a lot of hovering around the food table), I feel like I got so much out of it! Plus, the more you go to, the easier it gets.

Deciding what you want to do after you graduate is such a hard decision to make, especially at 19-years of age! So I highly recommend going to these sessions and taking every opportunity you can!

As for next week, there are even more networking evenings lined up!

In my time at Monash, I've had the opportunity to involve myself in lots of extra-curricular activities on campus and off.

The most enjoyable one was travelling to Europe for three weeks as part of an Accounting/Finance unit during last summer. Unfortunately it was winter in Europe so we had to bring all our big coats, but it was the greatest experience of my life - the different cultures, food and attractions were amazing! We travelled to Italy (Rome, Prato), Switzerland (Lucerne, Basel and Mt Titlis), France (Paris), the Netherlands (Amsterdam) and the UK (London). In these cities, we visited a number of financial and accounting organisations, such as the World Bank, OECD and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. We learnt about their roles for finance students and about international finance.

I would really recommend travelling and studying abroad if you ever get the chance. You can visit some beautiful places while studying, and Monash Abroad even has scholarships for those who study overseas.

Another fantastic opportunity to learn and improve yourself as a leader is with the Business School PAL Program which includes the Ambassador and Leaders Programs. These Programs offer seminars and activities to build on your team and leadership skills, and it's a great way to meet like-minded friends!

Lastly, something I'm sure a lot of people are already thinking of in terms of starting their career and getting a good job: the industry based learning (IBL) program. The IBL Program allows students to work as an intern with a company to gain valuable experience in their selected field. It also counts towards one or two units of your degree. I am currently doing the IBL program with Monash Oakleigh Legal Service in the Small Business Advisory Practice division. My supervisor and team are looking at the logistics involved in opening up this new practice, as well as improving and finishing the business plan. It's very interesting and allows me to see what working at a real company is like.

There are also heaps of student clubs that you can join as a general or committee member. They’re a great way to meet friends and have fun, as there are many social and academic activities each year.

My final piece of advice - seize all and any opportunities that come your way as you will really value the things you've experienced later on. Have no regrets!

I’ve just finished my lecture, which means that it’s time to enjoy the weekend! Unfortunately, I have a big assignment due at the next of week, so I probably should stay at the library finalising my assignment. What a great way to spend my Friday!

I’ve heard that the weather this weekend will be great again, which is exciting! I have an invitation for a friend’s birthday party on Saturday, and I might also ask my friends to check my resume and cover letter for internship and graduate positions. They’re all working at the moment, and luckily, some of them even have experiences hiring people in their fields. I’m lucky to be able to have them help me with my resume and cover letter.

These days, I am trying to think about my future and what I am going to do after graduation, so I’m slowly researching companies here in Australia, but also in Korea as well. I still have one semester to go after this one, so it might be a bit early for graduate positions, but that hasn’t stopped me looking for vacation programs and internships. I’m finding all the gathering of information about companies really helpful, especially when trying to figure out which direction I should go in once I graduate. My father always says: Even though you cannot see the destination now, if you make a big schema of your life, and believe yourself and keep going, you will see your destination. Moreover, each moment in your life – including failures – will help lead you to your destination.

When I was young, I did not understand the point of what my father was saying. Now, however, I can understand a little bit what he was trying to say to me. Life is such a long journey, and if we first look at the big picture, the compass will be clearer moving forward.

Hope you guys have a great weekend!

At school there was always a designated time for recess and lunch where you could chat and hang out with all your friends. But at uni you have a choice, and it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of timetabling sequential lectures and using free time burying yourself in the library. I always find that leaving gaps between classes is always a smarter idea so that your time at uni can be spread over lectures, study, friends, and any other activities you take part in.

I especially think that finding time for catching up with friends is important, and at uni you meet such a variety of people! This week I have caught up with a primary school friend that I reconnected with in my first year of uni, a first year law student I’ve been mentoring and helping adjust to uni life, as well as a mature-aged student who I sit with in Corporations Law. It’s always good speak to people, whether it be a casual chat about what they have been getting up to, or a discussion about issues raised in class. Not only can you have a laugh and learn something, but you never know what doors you may open for each other in advancing your careers – the power of networking!

Just having a university degree doesn’t always ensure that you land a job once you graduate. But knowing this means that you open yourself up to a range of endless opportunities during your journey as a university student.

I was lucky enough to get accepted into and enrol in the Industry Based Learning unit for my final semester. For this unit, I’m undertaking my placement at a financial advice company, and I am loving it! It is stressful to try and make the link between university life and the world of ‘adults’, and it’s sometimes scary as the expectations are high and you want to stand out. But once you get your hands on work experience, this transition is easier. I would greatly recommend this program to any students trying to make the most of their time at uni!

Similar to Will Smith from the movie ‘I Am Legend’, I understand that there is competition out there. But despite the competition, I hope to survive, thrive and make my time here worthwhile.

At university a lot of people will tell how important it is to get good grades (which it definitely is), but it is also really important to get work experience. Apart from looking really good on your resume, it also gives you the opportunity to road-test your degree and make sure the major you picked is right for you.

During my time at Monash I have been lucky enough to participate in one of the many industry based internship programs on offer, which has allowed me to gain valuable workplace experience and achieve credit towards my degree. How good is that?! You can undertake a placement with a whole range of different organisations, so at the start of this year I joined the BusEco Marketing Group, along with another student, for a semester-long placement. I finished at the end of first semester and have really enjoyed keeping in touch with the team and helping them out by participating in activities, photo shoots and events.

The recent announcement of the Monash Business School has got the department working flat and out with the overflow of work, so Val (another of their trusty former interns and previous blog contributor) and I have been called in over summer to help out as casual staff members.

My job will vary a bit, but currently I’m responsible for rounding up all the academic publications on the BusEco website so that I can then transfer them onto the new site, after I complete the CMS training. Sounds pretty interesting, right? Even though it’s mainly copying and pasting, it’s pretty important stuff so I need to keep my wits about me to make sure I don’t miss any crucial publications, confuse authors or muddle up dates. Some might say it’s a bit like a giant referencing assignment!

It’s certainly different to what I would normally being doing on my summer break – and believe me, I am not complaining! What a great pay off for working hard, making a good impression and keeping in contact! You never know where a job opportunity might arise so make sure you keep your eyes open, look for opportunities and always try to put yourself out there while you’re at uni!

Back at uni today after the mid-semester break! For me, however, it wasn’t much of a break.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, I was at the PwC Preview Program, and last Thursday and Friday, I was at the KPMG Foundations Program. They’re both development programs involving workshops and activities that take place at the firm’s offices to give you an insight into that firm. It was a great experience and I highly recommend it to first-year students.

Also, as I’m on the anime club committee at Monash, I attended an anime convention called Animaga the previous Saturday. I also attended a cocktail night run by our club last Thursday night, and a ramen eating competition that our club participated in yesterday.

As you can see, I didn't have much time to catch up on study over the break!

I don’t actually have any classes on Mondays, but I came into uni this afternoon for my weekly committee meeting for the anime club. We run many different events during the semester, so there’s always a lot to discuss.

Afterwards, my best friend and I watched the new episode of Once Upon A Time together in the private study room that I share with the other Commerce Scholars Program students. It’s actually my favourite part of being in the program. We get to have our own room, which comes with computers, free printing, and comfy couches (great for napping between classes!)


Now I’m home and it’s time for me to study for the Business Law test I have on Wednesday!

And so the mid-semester break has arrived! After nine weeks of hitting the books hard, I think it's time to enjoy a little R&R.

I mentioned in my last post that on Thursday of this week I was going to listen to Alex Malley (CEO of CPA Australia). The workshop and masterclass I attended were both excellent. He provided great insight into the difficult transition from university life into the workforce, something I'm about to embark on. His message of building a big life, pushing fear and embarrassment aside, especially resonated with me. I know that I can achieve a lot, in both my personal and professional life, but I also know that to achieve this, I'll need to put my head out there, follow my dreams and accept that sometimes I may fall short. But this is okay, so long as I've given it my best shot!

As for what's to come, I think I might catch a movie tonight and enjoy some rest time this weekend. Next week I've got a couple workshops for the BUSECO PAL Leader's Program on Project Management and Leadership - I'm looking forward to these. I'll probably also have to hit the books at some stage, but I'm happy to keep that out of mind for just the time being.

As for the rest of the year, I'll enjoy my last 3 weeks of undergraduate study and hopefully my last set of exams for a while. After this, out into the real world to put my studies into practice!

To everyone heading into exams soon - I wish you all the best! And to everyone who's about to make a big change - high-school to university, university to the workforce, or job to job - I hope this a truly challenging, but rewarding transition in your life.

What a busy week this is shaping up to be!? It’s just before the mid-semester break and things feel like they're going at a million miles an hour.

Today I enjoyed one of my favourite things - assignment submission! And not only that, the last submission before the mid-semester break! At last I can stop worrying about the last-minute edits and checking for mistakes, and start thinking about what I'm going to do with that glorious week off! Probably nothing too exciting - I've got a big group assignment waiting for me next week.

But even before I reach that week off I've got something big to look forward to! Tomorrow, Alex Malley - the CEO of CPA Australia is coming to Monash. I'll be going to both a presentation and masterclass - I'm pretty excited! When you get bogged down in lots of assessment it's easy to overlook opportunities like this. I'm not really interested in pursuing an accounting-related career, but that doesn't mean I won't learn heaps tomorrow. I'll be sure to give a brief rundown in my next post!

Tuesday is my designated uni society day. Being the Publications Director at both the Economics Student Society of Australia (ESSA) and Amnesty Monash allows me to actively engage with like-minded students to encourage interesting economics and human rights discussion. I’ve certainly learnt lots of things in our discussions that we would not have thought up in the tutorial room!

I had two lots of meetings today for ESSA. First was a publications meeting which I chair. Here, our team strategised what we have planned for the rest of the semester. Aside from looking to improve our website articles, we’re working on our annual print publication, Equilibrium. Equilibrium is usually published later in the semester, highlighting ESSA’s work over the year, and featuring articles from our writers, academics and sponsors alike. With a successful launch last year, we’re looking to make Equilibrium bigger and better this year!

The second was a general Monash committee meeting. The main focus of the meeting was to plan for our signature event of the year, our ESSA Q&A. At #essaqanda we invite prominent industry professionals to discuss topical economics issues, just like the format for the TV version on the ABC! Lots of exciting things happening at ESSA this semester, so get along to one of our events if you can!

Between these meetings, I did some editing for Amnesty. This is the most interesting part of my role; I’m always learning something new every time I read a new article. To think that these pieces are written by undergraduates is frightening (in a good way, of course)!

If you’re interested in some of the work that we do, check out the ESSA website and the Amnesty website.

Forming a circle and holding out our hands, we proudly call the name of our Cheerleading Club. Tonight, the beautifully talented Open University Pom Team members and I had our weekly training session with our amazing coaches: Jodie and Margarita.

We have been practicing hard to get ready for our first two competitions: the Australian All Star Cheer and Dance Championships Winterfest, which will be held at the end of June, and the Southern University Games in early July. I AM SOOO EXCITED!!!

I still have a lot of room for improvement and so many skills to learn, however my dedicated coaches and my enthusiastic girls have been very willing and more than happy to help me practice. We are still a new team, but we all share the same passion and commitment. I guarantee that we are trying our best to keep up the Mystics' legacy (one of the teams were undefeated last year!) and I feel very happy and lucky to be a part of this family.

Most of the girls have strong dancing backgrounds, but what is more impressive is their passion for dancing. One would easily fall in love with them if they saw how much they really enjoy dancing. I used to dance, sing, and give many performances when I was younger, even joining the APAC Choir. I stopped properly dancing three years ago, but certainly felt something lacking. Although I had never been trained as intensely and professionally as the other girls in the team, dancing has always been a part of my life – similar to eating, sleeping and studying. Thanks to Monash Mystics, I now have a chance to keep up my passion. I feel very happy, healthy and active. I usually can’t wait for the next training session.

By the way. There are many clubs and societies at uni where you can meet people who share the same passions, like singing, debating, reading manga, drawing or even eating chocolate! Being a part of a club or society definitely helps keep up passions, develop new skills and expand the social networks :)

Today was a very different and exciting day for me because I attended an Assessment Centre for a Commerce Graduate Program that I had applied for. This was very different to my usual Monday seminar at uni. At first I was a little bit nervous about what to expect from today’s assessments, but I was also very excited at the opportunity to attend this Assessment Centre and the opportunities it will provide me with.

The first part of today included a group assessment and we had to discuss a case study that was provided. In a group of six, we had to come to a conclusion based on the information that we had and we had an hour to choose one of the options that we were given. Every twenty minutes breaking news was given to us and we had to take this into consideration and re-evaluate our decisions. I found this exercise to be very similar to the case studies that I looked at in my tutorials and I was glad that I had done comparable group work during my degree, and that I was able to apply the knowledge that I had gained from these past experiences.

The second part of the Assessment Centre was an individual interview that lasted an hour and was based on competencies and technical abilities. I found this part to also be very interesting and I was able to apply knowledge that I had gained throughout my four years at uni. Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see what feedback I will receive from my performance at the Assessment Centre.

Whatever the outcome will be, today was a very beneficial and informative experience for me and I was able to learn a lot about what companies look for and what the future might hold for me after I finish my degree at the end of this semester :)

The FMAA Corporate Cocktails was a really enjoyable and worthwhile night! I learnt a lot from the various firm representatives about their roles in their respective companies and also bits of advice that they could share with us as students. Unfortunately, due to the sheer volume of work I had going on, I didn’t end up attending the Institute of Chartered Accountants' Employment Evening.

Having said that, the workload for me has significantly increased in the past week. There’s been a greater focus on team work and group presentations this semester, more so than previous semesters. There are obvious challenges, like finding a suitable time and day to meet with other group members. But I’ve found that starting these types of assessment tasks early on and planning ahead means you will be on top of things (and that you won’t have to rush everything the night before!). I believe that the key to doing well at university is trying to stay on top of things and to always ask questions. It’s always better to ask if you’re unsure than remain silent.

Today was a relatively quiet day, with just a lecture and tutorial on investment banking. The lecture focused on mergers and acquisitions, which was new to me! So far, I'm enjoying the different content I’m learning in my four units - from M&As to issues like corporations in yesterday’s classes. It’s a good mix and so the content is never dull.