Vanessa Bugge, HR Intern, Qantas, Dec 09 - Feb 10, Learning & Development Coordinator, SydneyTalent, current
I am delighted to provide the SydneyTalent team with some fantastic feedback regarding my application to the Graduate Program at a top tier auditing and consulting firm. I am one of a few out of thousands of applicants, who have been offered a position in my degree-relevant stream, for commencement in 2011.
Whilst I always knew my work experience and the learning and development opportunities provided to me through SydneyTalent were invaluable, I did not realise the true value of this until I encountered the rigorous graduate recruitment processes of a top tier company. I know that I would not have successfully moved through the group assessment days, the individual case study interviews, or individual competency interviews, without the work experience I have had.
Through SydneyTalent I was able to stand out from other applicants because of the critical thinking and problem solving skills I have developed through my work experience. I was able to communicate my thought processes and ideas in a structured, articulate manner, because I have had to do this every day at work over the past two and a half years. I was also able to reflect on my real life experiences in the workplace and the human resources industry, to enrich my responses to the questions and to problem solving tasks. I would confidently say that any student without any relevant work experience would struggle to get through the graduate recruitment processes of these top tier firms.
I am also pleased to inform you that the company has tailored my offer in recognition of my prior work experience. The extra remuneration I am being offered is just over five per cent of the standard graduate salary.
As a first year graduate I do not necessarily place remuneration at the top of my values list, but it is so good to know that graduate employers are seeing the value in students committing to serious work whilst they study. In my interview with a senior partner, and in all of the interviews I have had with other organisations, employers have discussed with me the value of my work experience, and how important it is to them that I have balanced work with study. I believe employers expect that students from a university like The University of Sydney, can think critically and creatively, and carry themselves professionally. I have only refined this combination because I have paired my study at university with relevant work experience. Doing so has given me the confidence and skills to progress smoothly from university to the workplace, all of which have been absolutely fundamental to my success.
I would like to thank SydneyTalent for the ongoing support the team has shown for my development. I would keenly recommend SydneyTalent to any student from any discipline or academic background, knowing that their SydneyTalent experience would be a positive one. I congratulate the University of Sydney on their investment in such an important support service for students.