Graduate Profile - Commerce/Accounting

Name: Nicoline Foulon Norgaard
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
Position Gained: Graduate Officer
Organisation: Department of Treasury and Finance
Commencement Date: September 2005

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

In the beginning I will be doing, journal and ledger entries, reconciliations, drawing up budgets, and other batch processing tasks. The 12-months graduate development program includes personal and professional development and involves monthly training sessions on government policy and procedures, held with graduates from other departments.

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

I attended most of the seminars held by the Careers and Employer Liaison Centre as well as the career fairs with good opportunities to ask questions and find out which companies you are (un)attracted to.

An important aspect was working out what I don't want to do in the workforce. For example,

• I did work experience in a small accounting practice and found the size too quiet for me, even though I worked there casually one day a week in my final semester, to get experience that certainly helped getting my graduate position.
• In my second year I became a member on the committee of the Golden Key International Honour Society and that is a title I used to highlight the quality of my skills.
• Participating in the University Games and sports clubs was also important to show that I am a team player that can stand up to competition.
• Travelling to four continents and speaking foreign languages show that I am aware and tolerant of cultural sensitivity and adaptable to challenging situations, which is directly transferable to the workplace and problem solving issues.
• Various volunteer positions I have held also show commitment to a cause and compassion.
• Researching which companies in particular I wanted to work for took many months so begin this in your penultimate year by meeting with representatives, looking at their websites, and watch the media by reading the business sections of newspapers.

How did you go about finding graduate employment?

After some research, attending the careers fairs, and interviews for vacation work with some of the Big 4, I decided at the end of my second year that a big accounting firm was not for me. Feeling a bit lost on which industry to work in, the Career Development Consultant (Careers and Employer Liaison Centre) advised me to seek a position that would give me a personal satisfaction of being useful. I then focused on my interests and looked up companies in the Graduan book and the internet.

I registered with a recruitment agency who found my skills very attractive to their clients because of the combination of above average grades, seminar certificates, work experience, and a positive attitude to learning and working. They had several clients waiting for somebody like me to finish the degree, but I found my job in a different way. The government has many graduate positions and I wanted to stay accounting/finance focused and thus applied to the Department of Treasury and Finance after talking to them at a career fair, obtaining their brochure, and reading as much as possible about them.

Can you briefly describe the application process relevant to your position? What interview questions were you asked?

I spent three full days writing the application and asked one of my referees to go over it with me to make my skills stand out when answering all the selection criteria. I delivered the application in time and with all the necessary documentation.

I then waited a month before attending a 4-hour assessment centre with 30 other keen near-graduates. Beforehand, I watched the assessment centre video at the Career Centre and that prepared me very well for being creative and diplomatic in the group exercise discussing budget spending on two proposals (listen to the others, come up with new ideas, and stay within the timeframe). We had a written exercise answering technical degree-related questions (eg. when to recognise an asset) and a personal interview asking for examples of my experience with being a leader, working in a team, problem solving, and to tell about what I know about the government and its functions (research in advance as much as possible about the company, position, workplace culture, etc. and give relevant examples). I also had to prepare a 15 minute presentation on the State Budget performed in front of two assessment centre officers (practice, practice).

Followed by another month waiting, I attended an interview as one of two graduates chosen for that department and didn't get the position. Two other graduates and myself were then approached by the Corporate Services Branch and I had another interview which landed me the job. However, the official announcement and administrative matters still took weeks, but from then on I could relax and look forward to starting my career only two months after completing my degree.

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

A well-rounded combination of succeeding at my studies with above average grades, life experiences such as travelling and different working experiences, extra-curricular activities from seminars and volunteer work, and actively seeking out a suitable workplace. Certainly, I had a very positive attitude towards, and enthusiasm for further professional development, teamwork and leadership, and the workplace. And then there was ambition, confidence, hard work, and encouragement from family and friends.

Do you have any further helpful hints for graduates?

Stay up-to-date with the industry you want to work in by reading journal and newspaper articles, and join professional student networks. Don't get caught up by applying for certain companies just because everybody else is and the deadlines fall early, you might not want to work there. Don't be afraid to sign off some companies that appear attractive but will not meet your personal criteria of a suitable workplace. Don't waste time applying for jobs you either don't really want or know you won't get because you don't meet all their criteria.