John volunteered, and worked, at multiple UTS Careers events (far right)
Students don’t come much more outgoing than John. From working within the UTS Careers team as a Careers Ambassador to being nominated for the 2019 Future Leader Award as part of the Top100 Student campaign, John has learnt to embrace the opportunities offered to him as a UTS student. We speak with John about what he has taken from his time at UTS, and how he’s finding his current internship with Coty.
So tell us a little about you, what you are doing now, and what brought you to UTS?
I’m heading into my final year studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing at UTS. I kept hearing about the great opportunities available for students at UTS from friends who studied here. I ended up transferring here from a different university, actually.
There seems to be a culture of embracing ambiguity, not being afraid to try new things. I’ve found that there is strong support given to students around their professional development. From the day I began here, I have felt a focus around my career, developing my skills, and being able to apply what I learn directly to the workplace. Perhaps it’s just me, but I really am open to learning a new trick or two from anyone. I’ve felt like I can develop here, and that there is support given to help me succeed past just achieving a distinction grade.
What are some things you've taken from your time at UTS in terms of growing professionally?
I learnt to choose something I liked to do, and for me, that’s marketing and sales. There is always something new to learn as long as you have the right mindset. I applied and was hired as a Career Ambassador early on, and in that role, I have been exposed to countless situations where I’ve had to solve problems on my feet.
I remember my first event. I felt like I was rushing, and so I kept running between point A and point B, to get things done quickly. My manager gently took me aside and explained that running wasn’t helping. I was potentially causing discomfort to our guests and stakeholders by racing around frantically. I realised, that I needed to step back, and think in reverse. I began to consider the experience of a guest at one of our events. I began to reframe the way I approached my responsibilities. That small experience helped me completely flip the way I work, and it’s helped me so much.
Another huge part of university for me, are the opportunities. Developing support networks with like-minded people, helping with events, working on things like the Careers Fair, speaking at Orientation presentations; - you name it! If you’re open and willing, you can find yourself experiencing so much.
I noticed that you found your current role when you were working as a Careers Ambassador at our annual UTS Careers Fair. Tell us about that?
That’s true. I was helping some exhibitors pack down their booths, and that’s when I was introduced to some awesome employers from Coty. All of a sudden, we were asked to pose for an Instagram story; and the rest is history. I would definitely say that being an outgoing person helps in these situations. We said goodbye, and that was that, or so I thought. Two months passed, and I applied for their ‘Hack Your Internship’ position with Coty. A resume, psychometric test, video/phone interview and presentation later, I got a call for an interview. Now, I am 3 weeks in and have already helped launch some exciting new projects. And this all started from an insta-story at the UTS Careers Fair.
You've also been nominated for a Top 100 award through GraduateConnection; tell us a little about that?
The Top 100 Future Leaders Competition represents the top 10 potential student leaders across 10 categories. I just discovered that I am a Finalist for the BP Sales and Marketing Award. I couldn’t be happier that I’ve achieved this result, whether I win or not, I am so glad that I chased down the opportunity and applied.
Have you got any advice for employers who are looking to engage UTS students? How should they go about it?
Branding on campus is key, but for me, it’s not everything. Studies show that students really want to see what an employer’s organisational culture is like. How do they engage? How do they treat people? What will life be like in their organisation? I’ve found that by connecting with people and discovering these things, students are far more likely to have an impression that sticks with them, and motivates them to apply for a role.
If you’re recruiting students, the BEST thing in my mind is to get on-campus and meet them.
If you could go back in time to the beginning of your journey at UTS, what would you say to yourself as a brand-new uni student, what advice would you give yourself?
Love what you’re studying. It sounds simple, but you’re at uni. Approach everything as a learning opportunity. Failure is good because you learn to deal with it and move forward. Friends and connections are for life; keep them no matter what. Your values will guide you, so spend time figuring these out. And one more thing - uni is fun, so try have some fun along the way!
For more information on UTS Careers, our services, or how to meet UTS talent, go to industry.uts.edu.au