Emily Dally is in her final year of studying a combined degree in Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management) and Bachelor of Health Sciences (Health Management). Emily talks about the importance of the networking, crediting the networks she proactively created for helping her land a much sought after graduate position.
“I originally signed up for the Horizon Professional Development Award as I was looking for volunteering opportunities to build my experience. I also wanted to get more involved in university life.
Through the Horizon Award I learned the importance of networking. It broadened my prospects and allowed me to gain mentoring from HR industry professionals. This was key to helping me successfully land a graduate role.
In total I applied for 10 different graduate programs and was successful in landing a 12-month graduate program with Westpac in Melbourne, which I will begin after I finish my degree. I credit my success to the networking activities I undertook throughout my final year of study, which ultimately helped my name stand out from the crowd of applicants!
While completing an internship with Westpac during the summer holidays, I had the opportunity to make myself known to the HR personnel that coordinated their graduate program. I knew this was a vital move, as thousands of students apply for graduate roles. The main way to get noticed is from the connections and networks you make.
Despite the intensive graduate program recruitment process, my advice for second and third year students is to start building and creating networks with the people who are running these programs.
Attending one of the Job Link Summits run by the Flinders Careers team is a great start. It’s a fantastic opportunity to network with those who work in your field of interest. At the Summits you can ask questions about applying for programs and what skills you’ll need. It also gives you a chance to make yourself known to industry professionals, enhancing your chances of employability.
Network, network, network; it is so important!”
For more information about the Horizon Professional Development Award Program, visit the Flinders Career Hub.