Women in Business: why it's important

It's the 21st century and women still don't always have a seat at the table. Ahead of International Women's Day we asked some members of the Network of Women why they're passionate about women in business.

The Network of Women is a collaboration of students from the University of Sydney who seek to be involved in empowering women to pursue and achieve their business and career aspirations. Find out how you can get involved here.

Hillary Liao
Bachelor of Commerce (Liberal Studies) 
Vice President, Network of Women

Why are you passionate about women in business?
I am passionate about women in business because they contribute broader perspectives and differing ideas. They are imperative to cultivating diversity and innovation in the workplace, and should be recognised for their hard work. It is important for women in business to feel empowered and valued.

If you could have dinner with any woman in the world who would it be?
Angelina Jolie, because she is an inspirational figure who stands up for human rights and equality. Through her humanitarian work and other philanthropic duties, she is a woman who is empowering and passionate about her duties.

Rifka Samsudeen
Bachelor of Commerce
Sponsorship Director, Network of Women

Why are you passionate about women in business?
I am passionate about the power and strength that comes with women in business. As a cadet, I have been exposed to the corporate world and the women and men that I have had the pleasure of meeting have empowered me and built a strong passion within me for women in business. I have great role models who inspire me to reach further and go beyond all those before me!

If you could have dinner with any woman in the world who would it be?
I would choose to have a (hopefully) very long dinner with Michelle Obama. She has inspired many in her years as the First Lady of the United States in times of great strife. I feel that she is an everywoman, an indication and inspiration for all women, myself included, of what lies ahead with hard work and a passion for equality. Dinner with Michelle Obama would be a dream as she stands for all that is important to me and does so with such grace and charm. Her ability to handle the pressure of her role and the obstacles that presented to her, whether it be due to her race, gender or social standing, she has led the way and I hope to follow in her footsteps.

Jenny Berg
Bachelor of Commerce
IT and Media Director, Network of Women

Why are you passionate about women in business?
Women still face many unique issues in the workplace, and I believe we can do something about the false belief that women do not belong in the high-powered corporate world. I got involved with NOW because we all share a passion of bringing more women into business and advancing their leadership aspirations.

If you could have dinner with any woman in the world who would it be?
Michelle Obama. An amazing women who is in the forefront of the battle we are a part of. "A woman's place is truly wherever she wants it to be". Her focus on girls from the very young age is why I believe she is an important figure, because we need to build girls up to believe in themselves and break glass ceilings from the early stage.

The University of Sydney is committed to advancing gender equity, promoting women in leadership and furthering women’s education. Find out more.

4 reasons to do an industry placement

Gaining working experience while you’re studying provides you with skills that employers are looking for when you graduate. Applications are now open for our Industry Placement Program, which gives you the opportunity to experience the real world of business while gaining credit towards your degree. Here’s just a few reasons why you should put the Industry Placement Program on your to-do list from those who have done it themselves.

1. It will help you broaden your perspective of the business world

“Working in a French organisation was incredibly different to working in an Australian one. But that allowed me to really gain cultural sensitivity, awareness and insight into how business is done overseas.” 

Anna Bezuglova, current Bachelor of Commerce (Liberal Studies) student.

2. You’ll get real-world work experience 

“You’ve got the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge that you’ve learned at university into a real-life work settings, in an actual firm. It’s also something that I can talk about in an interview or assessment centre.”

Jonathan Tan, current Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws student.

“The Industry Placement Program was a great opportunity to gain industry experience in an organisation and to explore the practical side of marketing in an office environment. The skills and the contacts that I gained will be invaluable in the future as I move into a professional career.”
Rebecca Smith, current Master of Commerce student.

3. Now is the best time to do it

“The great thing about pursuing these opportunities while I was studying is that I had the flexibility to structure my degree around these extra opportunities. They’ve given me exposure to international context and different business environments that have really prepared me as I’ve taken the first step in my career.” 

Madeline Greer, Graduate Consultant, Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Arts (2015).

“It's a real opportunity for students to come in and in our case, work at a corporate investment bank and see what it's like. It's a practical application of their skills but I think it also gives students a bit of a vision about what it'll be like when they graduate and work in business.” 

Dragi Ristevski, Managing Director, Investment Banking Team, Head of Financial Sponsors, Healthcare and Services Coverage, Citi.

4. Step outside your comfort zone and you will grow

“If you asked me specifically to tell you what was difficult for me, the list is long. The program is incredibly intensive. But if you know what you’ve signed up for, you’ll also know that it’s worth it.”

Felicia Poh, current Master of Commerce student.

“It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, how much travel you have done in the past, or how much study/work experience you have had - there is always something new to discover and learn. This is one of the reasons why I joined the Industry Placement Program.” 

Sheila Baugh, current Master of International Business student.

Applications are now open for the Paris Placement Program and Local Placement Program (Sydney) for 2020. Apply here.

Why attending careers fairs will benefit you

Whether graduation is around the corner or you’re just starting your degree, the upcoming Investment Banking and Consultancy Careers Fair will give you a chance to meet with recruiters from some of the industry’s top organisations. We asked commerce student Linda Le for some insight into why attending careers fairs are worth your while.

Meet face-to-face with recruiters

Careers fairs gives you the opportunity to speak directly with graduates and other employees of the firms that are offering internships and graduate positions. You’ll be able to find out about a range of events and programs that might not be advertised in the usual places. 

Having a variety of companies in the same place, at the same time also means you can speak with multiple people all in the one day. Visit the stands of leading global and niche specialist consultancy and investment banking firms to discuss careers and key skills required. Read making the most out of careers fairs to get some tips on how to prepare for the day.

Get the inside scoop

Who better to get advice from than someone who has been in your shoes? Careers fairs give you the time to gain insight into the experiences of those already in graduate positions, within a range of different firms. 

One of the best parts is getting personal tips about the application process and transitioning from university to full-time work, straight from graduates who have already been through it themselves. Don’t forget to think about some questions you might want answered, so you’re prepared to ask them when the opportunity arises!

Network like a boss

It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. Networking will set you up with contacts in the investment banking and consultancy world that you can reach out to in the future. Careers fairs are a good chance to network and practice your networking skills with employees of firms you’re interested in. 

Although it can seem daunting, the students who take the time to network are the ones that walk away with business cards and LinkedIn invitations. Get started on building up your skills with these networking tips.

Get a head start on your job search

You never know where your conversations might lead. A chat with a senior employee from a Big 4 accounting firm could lead to an application being referred to the firm’s recruitment team. Experiences like these can give you a huge advantage of other applicants. 

Careers Fairs are also a great way to figure out which organisations you’re most interested in. When it comes time to put your applications in, you’ll be confident in your decisions about where you're applying to.

The Investment Banking and Consultancy Careers Fair 2017 is being held Tuesday 7 March, 5.30 – 7.30pm. Find out more and register your attendance here.

By Linda Le, current Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Sydney Business School.

Corporate-university partnerships: getting students work ready

We are living in a dynamic knowledge-based economy with increasing dependence on human resources.

The students of this millennia are fortunate to have access to a variety of quality education across borders. That being said, you only have to look at the unemployment rate and mismatch of skills to realize how big the gap actually is.

On the other hand, for a long time students have complained that what they learnt as theory during university, is not the same in the real life job scenario / work environment.

This makes it increasingly important for companies and universities to forge strong partnerships and work in tandem to push the frontiers of knowledge, thereby becoming a powerful engine for innovation and economic growth.

Corporate-university partnerships benefit the future workforce of Australia by ensuring university graduates are work-ready. Internships provide students opportunities to work on real life corporate projects often in a team environment; connecting the theory with real life. Workplace learning through industry partnerships opens up ways for universities to better understand the needs of employers. It also allows students to apply their course learnings in the workplace and employers to have an ‘early look’ at potential employees.

At Hilti, we have been fortunate to have such a fruitful partnership with CEMS which began in early 2012. Since then we have successfully recruited students who have developed their careers within Hilti Australia and have enjoyed career progression across functions like sales, marketing and supply chain management.

Hilti, being a global organisation, makes a perfect partnership for the CEMS’ students with access to global learnings, processes, infrastructure and more importantly career opportunities. Many Hilti offices across the globe take on students for internships, graduate programs and industry placements. By partnering directly with CEMS we at Hilti have found they understand our future employee requirements and can ensure their course curriculum meets our needs to provide well rounded employees.

The graduates of today need to adapt quickly to working in a fluid environment within a matrix structure. They need to develop leadership skills through demonstrating keen learning agility, self-awareness, openness to experience, motivation to learn, feedback seeking, and use of deliberate learning strategies.

Successful corporate- university partnerships will ensure that the skill gap is addressed while making the future work force ready.

By Annette Fernandes, Talent Acquisition & HR Project Specialist at Hilti Australia Pty Ltd

Higher education and business: a model for the future of Australia

The key to the future for both corporates and the higher education sector is the strength of young peoples and graduates. Young millennials are entering a world undergoing significant disruption. It’s this disruption, often fuelled by a rise of millennials in the workforce, which graduates will need to harness as they enter uncertain terrain.

Deloitte had the pleasure of working with the University of Sydney, supporting 10 students through their journey from university to corporate life. The program created by Deloitte aims to provide students with the chance to develop those skills that will enable them to operate in ambiguity. First, by allowing students to discover those issues that are fundamentally affecting business and Australia. Second, exploring those issues and quantifying their impact. Last, developing ideas that will meet those challenges head on, while creating opportunities for growth and strengthening Australia’s economic and societal future.

The main objective is for students to gain a greater understanding of and solve for real life business issues. The corporate program offers them the chance to push their capabilities and thinking, while gaining practical experience. These are the skills that will best equip them for their future – flexibility and adaptability. As the economy continues to change, and the workforce becomes more fluid, graduates will need to harness new ways of thinking to keep up with the rate of change; collaboration, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, cultural awareness and a global mindset are critical. Degrees in STEM, although attractive, will find it equally as necessary to develop expertise in these areas. As business continues to explore cognitive capabilities and robotic automation, students will need to incorporate skills that robots cannot emulate. Creativity is essential in that fight, enabling an environment that cultivates curiosity and development. Without these skills providing a new backbone for the economy and powered by new graduates, Australia will miss this transition.

Organisations should see this as a collective responsibility to transform modern Australia. To be in concert with those seeking to deliver change and excite our entrepreneurial spirit. 40-60% of jobs that exist today are likely to disappear over the next 15-20 years; with 65% of today’s students employed in jobs that are yet to be created. It’s a responsibility that will enrich both the organisations that meet the challenge and the students they support. As the nature of work changes and the environments in which work is conducted become more virtual, research and development will be essential. Young students will power much of the innovation in those spaces, where development will be equally beneficial to higher education and business.

At Deloitte, we believe we have a responsibility in cultivating young minds and leaders. Working alongside Universities, such as Sydney University, is essential if we want to tackle the wicked problems of today and tomorrow. These programs are the driving force for change, without them we will find it increasingly difficult to construct a common narrative of Australia’s future and ultimately get lost from translation to implementation. Young students are the key and we should seek to support them in unlocking their potential.

By Geoff Stalley, Senior Corporate Advisor, and Cliff Sandler, Senior Consultant IP Factory

My Experience at Wellington Management

To many Commerce students, fund management is an elusive industry which often gets overlooked by the more mainstream roles such as investment banking, sales and trading, and management consulting. Over the past 6 months, I have had the privilege of working in a leading global asset management firm and it has been amazing!

Making the decision to defer university for 6 months is not an easy one. However the technical and practical skills I’m developing have complimented my university experience. My understanding of portfolio management has grown exponentially and I am proud to say that I finally know how to navigate my way around Bloomberg.  Every day at Wellington is a new experience and I know that I will utilise these skills further on in my career. 

What does the role entail?
I have the pleasure of working across two different teams whilst being an intern. I begin the first half of my day with the Investment Data and Derivative Services to ensure that securities, benchmarks and indices are priced correctly – this allows Wellington’s investment teams to have the most accurate and timely information to trade upon. In the afternoon, I work with the business development team in the Global Relationship Group. My role there varies significantly from day-to-day – for example, I could be preparing a regression analysis for our funds or researching emerging market stocks that our clients are invested in. I was also fortunate enough to attend a prospect meeting with a client to determine if we could provide solutions in their investment process.

What I love about Wellington?

• Flat Hierarchy: Wellington has a great culture where you have the ability to catch up with senior management to get career advice or gain a better understanding of the firm.
• Individual Development: Analysts and managers will invest their own time into mentoring and teaching you about the industry.
• Early Morning Meetings (EMM): Wellington has a very collaborative environment that is best exemplified by the daily EMM where the firm’s portfolio managers, macro economists and analysts around the world share their news, stock advice and research. I remember vividly my first morning meeting, where the conversation ranged from the Greek debt situation to the crash in the China A-Shares market. Truly this is a unique experience and connects the offices across the world (Boston-London-Zurich-Frankfurt-Hong Kong-Beijing-Tokyo-Singapore-Sydney).
• Exposure: At the Wellington’s Sydney office, you have the opportunity to meet with portfolio managers visiting from all around the world. Often, they run office knowledge sharing sessions where they provide updates of their stock ideas and investment approaches. 
• Health and Well-being: Wellington places a huge focus on well-being with great initiatives like the APAC steps challenge. Employees are given pedometers to compete in global challenges for the highest step count – believe me, everyone gets competitive!

Although my time with Wellington Management is over a short 6 months, it has been an invaluable experience. It’s been a pleasure to work with so many bright people, and I’d recommend the experience to anyone!

Charmian Zhang
Final year Commerce student at the University of Sydney Business School, majoring in Finance.

The Importance of Embedding Industry Experience into Assessments

I’m a 4th year student at the University of Sydney, studying Commerce/Arts. At the beginning of this year, as I was finishing my last couple of Marketing units, I felt sense of fear come over me. The fear that I had been studying a subject area for two years and I didn't have enough practical experience. What would I talk about in job interviews? And what skills do I actually need to be a good marketer?

The opportunity to gain additional practical experience presented itself in the form of MKTG3120-‘Building and Managing Brands’. From the get-go, Jeaney Yip, the course coordinator and lecturer, was brilliant and her passion for understanding how brands work really did make for an engaging and interesting course. The best part of this course was the option to complete a ‘live brief’ style case competition and submit the report as part of the course assessment.

Our group decided to do the Vo5 (Unilever) case, which essentially involved writing a marketing plan in response to the case study given to us by Unilever. Vo5 is a very successful hair care and styling brand from the UK. However, in the Australian market it was struggling to increase its presence. We were given a very limited budget to come up with a campaign that would help increase brand awareness in Australia. This was a fantastic insight into the type of briefs you might be given in a real marketing role.

One of the most interesting parts of the project was the opportunity to actually pitch our ideas to the Vo5 brand manager at Unilever. The feedback we received from her was very constructive and gave us real insight into what people in the industry look for in pitches like this. The brand manager was really positive and said many of the groups presented ideas that she will actually consider implementing for the brand.

Our group won the competition and our prize was an “immersion day” at Unilever.  We went to their swanky offices in the city and had a full day with various talks and a really nice lunch to meet recent grad-program employees, brand mangers and HR managers. We learnt so much about the company and what brand managers of various levels actually do on a day-to-day basis.

The entire project really sparked my interest in the company so I decided to apply for their summer internship program. The amount of research we had done was invaluable preparation for the entire application process and I was able to use my experience of the immersion day throughout the interviews. It was all because of this fantastic opportunity in MKTG3120 that I ended up getting a position on the Unilever internship this summer. I’m really excited to learn more about the FMCG industry and Unilever, particularly throughout the program.

This experience really shows how important it is to embed industry exposure in subjects, in order to give students valuable industry experience in the process of completing their degree.

Oliver Penn
Current Student of the University of Sydney Business School