Become job smart in Job Smart

Two years ago I was an international student, coming to Australia without any family or friends.
Now I’ve finished my internship in one of the world-class luxury groups and guaranteed an extensive work opportunity.

You may wonder how I could access those incredible opportunities. Job Smart is my answer.

What is Job Smart?

“Job Smart is a free program for international students at the Business School, enabling students to gain the skills and professional experience needed to get a great job after graduation.” 

The structure of Job Smart cannot be clearer. It is divided into three phases and students are supposed to take one phase in each semester. The best thing for students who are busy with their studies is that the program allows us to complete almost 80% of the tasks online. Those tasks, including a skill checklist, CV check and volunteering activities, provided great additions to my resume.

Why become Job Smart? 

By joining Job Smart, you can sharpen your:

• Skills: communication, interpersonal, teamwork, presentation, resilience
• Experience: volunteering, business project, Australian workplace experience
• Local networks: networking events, workshops, online groups
• Professional coaching sessions: resume/cover letter check, mock interview, assessment centre 

How to become Job Smart

I’ve been promoted to a Job Smart Program Ambassador in my last semester. This is a paid job but never advertised. I just felt so lucky, but later my manager unveiled the question and told me that it was all because of my attitudes – asking questions during the session, helping other students understand the program, attending every workshop and networking actively with stakeholders.

Her words impressed me that small things can become huge driver - and you never know what it may bring to you.

Learn more about the program at our Job Smart page.

Written by Daisy Fu
Career Leader and Job Smart Ambassador
Master of Commerce (2018)

Virgin Money Mentoring Program

From the moment I first started studying at the University of Sydney, I have been involved with the Inspired by Business Program. Through this program, I was provided with a unique mentoring opportunity with professionals working for Virgin Money Australia. I was fortunate enough to have been partnered with Brian Bissaker, who was appointed CEO of Virgin Money in April 2013, and before that, had conquered a long and high-profile career in financial services.

During our first session, we discussed a variety of my goals, and I described some of my work preferences. From this, Brian identified a number of roles that were within the financial services industry that may complement my personality. He provided a number of examples from his own career and taught me about certain jobs that I never considered, and some that I didn’t even know existed. From this, I was provided with information that allowed me to really narrow down and understand where I would eventually like to gain employment, and once this was identified, I could really make sure that I was taking the correct steps towards achieving that goal in the future. During this time, I was also in the process of applying to internships as I’m currently in my penultimate year of study. Brian was really helpful here, as he ran through interview tips, and allowed me to ask him a number of questions about what employers might typically look for. Through this preparation, I was instilled with the confidence to sit through an interview and not feel too nervous about it.

In our second session, we went through skills development. Here, I was provided with the opportunity to discover what skills I currently had and also learn about which skills I might need to acquire before I complete my degree. Brian went through a range of skills he himself has found to be important, and I was able to ask him about the specific roles I was interested in, and what abilities would be advantageous in such fields.  This really helped me understand what I might need to do to achieve my goals.

In our final session, Brian and I went through a CV Review. I found this to be particularly useful since I was at that stage of my education where it was important to try and secure an internship. I was very eager to learn about what could be changed on my resume, and what could make me stand out among other candidates. I always had the idea that with resumes, the best bet was to keep everything short and concise, but through Brian, I actually learned that employers appreciate the details about your previous work experience, any of your personal interests as well as any educational accomplishments because they often use the resume to try and get to know the person who’s applying for the role, and they appreciate when your personality can shine through your writing.

That last session was in the early days of November. Currently, a month following the Virgin Money Mentoring Experience, I have begun working as an intern in financial services, I have a clear vision of where I want to go in terms of career progression once I finish university, and I definitely know more about what path I might need to take to get there. This has been a truly insightful experience, and I’m very grateful to Brian and everyone involved.

Ivana Dimic

Current student at the University of Sydney Business School 

Business Information Systems 101

The Business Information Systems major is sometimes overlooked as a major within the Commerce degree. Here are some insights into why the BIS major is relevant, from the perspective of current BIS students and the Business Information Systems Association (BISA) executive team. 

Why the BIS major is important/relevant and why being apart of BISA would aid students

Businesses cannot operate without business processes. In a continually advancing digital environment, technology, data communication and analysis are becoming a core way in which businesses can differentiate themselves amongst competitors. In this way, the Business Information Systems (BIS) major is relevant because it  provides students with the knowledge and tools to apply information and communication technologies (ICT) to achieve business goals, improve business processes and drive innovation, to name a few.

The Business Information Systems Association (BISA) is the backbone of BIS and aims to support BIS students in numerous ways. BISA offers as many industry-related opportunities and experiences as possible and in turn, provides BIS students with the greatest advantage in securing a job once they graduate.

BISA exec team at our BBQ

Involvement in the BISA is highly beneficial for BIS students through:

• Providing networking, professional development opportunities and Industry exposure with numerous events such as our Mentoring Program
• Providing a support network of peers and academia
• Facilitating active communication/dialogue between students and BIS academic staff
• Informing students of numerous internship and graduate opportunities
• Connecting with other BIS students through a variety of social events such as Movie Night, Pizza & Drinks… and more!
• Expanding networks to other students from different disciplines. For example, we are hosting a Case Study Challenge with SUITS (the IT society at USYD) in Week 13 

BISA Mentoring Program Semester 1, 2014

Statement by BISA Sub-Committee Member Wendy Li (Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Science, majoring in Business Information Systems, Information Systems and Pharmacology)

“'What the hell is BIS'” is the first thing that came to my mind when I entered the business school and BIS to me was an unusual misspelling of ‘BUS’. It was not until I discovered the Business Information Systems Association that became intrigued at the career opportunities, and the unique coupling between commerce and technology that exists in the field. If you are like myself (i.e. frustratingly indecisive about future careers), BISA can inform you about the industry, careers opportunities and offer industry experience in financial services, banking and consulting through the Mentoring Program and industry speakers. Personally, the connections and people I was exposed to had a direct impact on developing my passion for technology, and opened up many internship and graduate opportunities! Interestingly, the IPP program began with a focus on Information Systems and continues to offer fantastic internships focusing on BIS at Deloitte, PwC and Westpac to name a few. As for the icing on the cake, various Big Four companies offer graduate positions SOLELY for BISA members, and you don’t need me to tell you how lucrative an opportunity this is! Now is a prime time to take advantage of all the activities BISA offers in an industry that is 1) Growing at a rapid pace, and 2) Seeking skilled graduates. So get to it!"

BISA pizza and drinks night-that's right we're drinking with our super cool lecturers!

Natasha Lay and Elizabeth Lao
Current students at the University of Sydney Business School