BoWTalks

It’s the word that strikes fear into the hearts of uni students and graduates everywhere- networking. Even the most seasoned conversationalist can be a little intimidated by the prospect of discussing their career aspirations with a complete stranger!

Luckily, in this week’s podcast episode we welcomed back BoW alumna Julia Woolrich to take us through the dos and don’ts of a successful networking session. Having started her career as a Project Delivery and Planning Graduate at NAB, Julia reflects on her university experience and explains why her most invaluable network is the one that she built with her peers. She also touches on why COVID-19 isn’t all bad for networking, creative ways to lay common ground, and the networking faux pas to be aware of (hint- angling for a job from the beginning may not always be the way to build enduring professional relationships!).

Julia also takes us through the importance of mentorship, and how networking can help connect you with role models and advocates. Finally, we discuss some ways to maintain your network so that you don’t become *that* person who only makes contact when they need something. We learnt a lot from Julia’s advice, and we know you will too!

If you’re on social media, chances are your feed is inundated with side hustles right now. Whether it be crocheted tote bags, homemade masks, baked goods or online yoga classes, so many of us are finding creative ways to use our spare time and make some extra cash while we’re at it.

In this episode, we are so excited to welcome back BoW alumna Tayla Collier to chat about her experience developing a passion project! Tayla decided to start her business, Tayla Rose Cakes, during lockdown after realising that there was an opportunity to monetise her passion for baking. In her chat with Julia and Mia, she discusses the importance of differentiating between a hobby and a viable business, how she handled the financial aspect of her side hustle as a fresh graduate, and what kind of thorough research went into the establishment of Tayla Rose Cakes. Tayla also chats about not being held back by a fear of failure and gives her top tips for anyone wanting to start a small business.

You can find Tayla at @taylarose.cakes on Instagram, or Tayla Rose Cakes on Facebook. We hope you enjoy listening to this bite-sized interview as much as we enjoyed recording it!

Self-doubt can so often be the bane of our existence. Arising from negative criticism and high expectations, feelings of uncertainty and the fear of letting others down sometimes leaves us numb and unable to lead our happiest and most productive life. In this episode of BoWTalks, two of our People and Culture Officer Molly and Annie expose negative feedback and imposter syndrome for what they truly are - obstacles that can be conquered!

From breaking down the psychology behind criticism and negative information, to shedding light on imposter syndrome and how to manage the little devil on our shoulders, Molly and Annie present some tips and tricks to help us nurture our self-confidence. It is through being aware of our feelings and knowing how to manage them that we become sure of ourselves and turn any kind of feedback or self-doubt into constructive fuel that only propels us forward. As always, if you have any questions about this episode, or if you have an idea for a new episode, feel free to submit them here:

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If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are that you are under 25. You might be surprised to find out that women under 25 years of age are the least financially literate in Australia, according to the 2018 HILDA survey. We get it – money talk isn’t exactly…fun. But that doesn’t diminish its importance, especially given the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women.

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today's podcast episode is for everyone who is wants to broaden their horizons when it comes to careers in the finance industry. If you're looking for something a little different, at a multinational company that allows you to move between departments (and countries!) this one might be of interest to you. 

In this week's episode, our secretary Lucy and People and Culture Officer Annie have a virtual sit-down with Cathy Burbridge. Cathy began her career at Bloomberg in Financial Products Analytics and Sales after participating in the Bloomberg Academy student program. In this chat, we cover everything from how overseas study can help foster independence and confidence, the diverse products and services offered by Bloomberg (and the diverse range of jobs offered as a result), what Cathy's typical day entails and what three pieces of advice she would offer to university students. Cathy's top tip about avoiding "what if" moments is some of the best advice we've heard on the pod so far, and we can't wait to share it with you. 

As always, if you have any questions about this episode, or if you have an idea for a new episode, feel free to submit them here:

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Welcome back to another episode of BoWTalks! For those of you who are nearing the end of your degree and feeling a bit nervous about that uni-to-work transition, this one’s for you!

In this episode, our VP Kate and People and Culture Director Brigette sit down with Emma Kininmonth, an Associate at Strategy&. Reflecting on her experience at The University of Melbourne, Emma takes us through how she made the most of her time at university, and the advice that she would give to students moving into the workplace. We also discuss what attracted Emma to a career in consulting, her favourite part about working for Strategy&, and why there is no ‘typical day’ in strategy consulting.

As always if you have any questions about this episode, or if you have an idea for a new episode, feel free to submit them here: 

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With so much pressure to achieve success in a competitive industry, many of us find ourselves striving for perfection. But setting this benchmark for ourselves can have a detrimental impact on our self-confidence and ability to achieve results in the workforce. 

In this episode, Tayla and Cathy talk with guests Georgina and Juliet from Oliver Wyman, a leading international management consulting firm. In their roles, Georgina and Juliet help organisations to solve their most complex problems every day. Both Georgina and Juliet are well acquainted with the perfectionism that often comes from working in a fast-paced and demanding industry, and over their careers they have developed a number of tools for setting more achievable goals. Amongst these tools are strategies to change your mindset, the importance of an empowering network and how to find confidence in the workplace.

If you find yourself re-reading emails 100 times before you send them (we do too) or stressing over minute details, we recommend giving this one a listen! 

Even with COVID-19 restrictions beginning to ease, members of the BoW committee have found ourselves with a lot of extra time. Whether you’ve had to cancel an international trip or you’re between jobs, we have a feeling many of our listeners could be in a similar position.

In this episode, committee members Tayla and Molly take us through some tips that can help you optimise your free time whilst prioritising your health and wellbeing. For those who would like to use this time to work on professional development, we’ve got tips for revamping your LinkedIn profile, workshopping your resume, and building your technical skills with short courses and virtual internships.

Alongside these upskilling opportunities, Tayla and Molly also take us through some strategies to destress and unwind. Whilst our committee members have provided some great tips for staying productive, there is no pressure to fill all of your extra time! We hope that all of our listeners are staying safe and looking after their mental wellbeing.

Links to the short course and virtual internship platforms recommended in this episode:

https://www.coursera.org

https://www.udemy.com

https://www.skillshare.com

https://www.insidesherpa.com

So you're interested in finance, but you are overwhelmed by the number of different career paths. Maybe asset management for a superannuation fund is the career option you haven’t yet considered! 

In today's episode, we are lucky to be joined by Hirumi Samarakoon, an Investment Analyst at Australian Super. In a discussion with our Co-President, Julia, and Subcommittee member Hilary, Hirumi takes us through a summary of her role, and what drew her to finance after originally completing her studies in economics. Hirumi also discusses how an analyst role at a superannuation fund differs from other analyst roles, what soft skills are required to be an analyst, and how she adapted to the lingo and expectations of the finance world. 

If finance peaks your interest and you are curious about different professions in this area, we recommend giving this one a listen! 

As always, if you have any questions about this episode feel free to submit them here: https://bowtalks.tumblr.com/?fbclid=IwAR0cQYqF1qvwehoDcNkYSYjbPpWeQDk_g3icSPpiCE2Sb6IGrPSW06c2jGw&utm_source=2019+BoW+Members&utm_campaign=f023cb52bb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_26_11_00&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c8f22bb863-f023cb52bb-519780837

In response to these unprecedented times, we thought it was important to address the impact of COVID-19 on the current graduate landscape. We understand that this is a source of stress for many students at the moment, and we hope this conversation can shed some light on the situation.

In this episode, committee members Tayla and Molly sit down with Alexandra Tyrrell, a National Account Manager for GradConnection. Given her role dealing with some of the largest graduate employers in the country, Alex is well placed to provide us with some credible, up to date information about how these employers are managing COVID-19, and what this means for students. We discuss which industries have been hit hardest and which are actually increasing their intake of graduates, what recruiters are looking for now that they can’t gauge things like body language, and why students should be wary about the spread of misinformation in the media. We also touch on what lessons can be learnt from the impact of the GFC on graduate employment, and the benefits/drawbacks of considering further study at this time.

We hope that you find this episode relevant and helpful!

As always, if you have any questions about this episode feel free to submit them here: https://bowtalks.tumblr.com/?fbclid=IwAR0cQYqF1qvwehoDcNkYSYjbPpWeQDk_g3icSPpiCE2Sb6IGrPSW06c2jGw&utm_source=2019+BoW+Members&utm_campaign=f023cb52bb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_02_26_11_00&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c8f22bb863-f023cb52bb-519780837