Graduate Profile - International Business

Name: Chrissy Pavlakis
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of International Business.
Position Gained: Internal Audit - Operational Risk Management
Organisation: KPMG
Commencement Date: 4th July 2005

Could you give us a description of what your position involves?

KPMG's Internal Audit Services provides advice to clients in order to ensure the correct internal controls and processes are in place to achieve key strategic and operational objectives.

With your experiences in securing employment what advice would you give to students who are in their first, second, and final year of study?

Only in my final year did I realise the value of work experience. Not only does it give you exposure to different career choices that will soon be available to you, it also gives you the opportunity to build rapport within a company that you may wish to apply to when you graduate.

How did you go about finding graduate employment?

Originally I went to the careers fair at Flinders University. Rather than just taking the pamphlets and leaving I stayed around to talk to different companies. The best part about the careers fair is that it is not just an opportunity for you to present yourself to the companies, it is also an opportunity for you to identify the cultures within the different companies and make choices of which ones appeal the most to you.

I talked to friends and family for any contacts they had in different firms. I searched on the job search guides and was placed on the email list with the Flinders Careers and Employer Liaison Centre where I was sent numerous emails every day with new jobs available.

What interview questions were you asked?

I sat an initial interview with a manager, then a second interview with a director. I sat an online numerical and verbal test and then sat a written test at the KPMG office. All questions were related to my life, work and uni experiences and abilities and skills.

In your opinion, what factors enabled you to be successful in obtaining employment?

I was confident in myself and in what I wanted. I knew the company well and respected it enough to want to work for it. I used my past experiences (study, work, volunteer work) to show that I was a hard worker and passionate to work in the position.

Do you have any further helpful hints for graduates?

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Find practice tests online, visit the Careers and Employer Liaison Centre (they gave me very helpful hints) and know yourself, what you want in a job and where you want to go in the future professionally and personally.