Tourism Careers in Action Evening great success
The Tourism Careers In Action event, held in conjunction with Vic Careers, saw recent Tourism Management alumni sharing their experiences of job hunting and first jobs with over eighty current students.
"Get Experience and Grab Opportunties" - advice to Tourism Management students. During August, five recent Tourism Management alumni came back to Pipitea Campus and shared their experiences of job hunting and first jobs.
Over eighty current students attended the Tourism Careers In Action event, held in conjunction with Vic Careers. Students then networked over pizza with other alumni and local employers, including Accor, Grand Chancellor Hotels, Interislander, i-SITE, Kiwi Rail, and Tranzit Group.
Bachelor of Tourism Management student Leichelle Pompey found the event "really helpful and I was given some really good advice that I think was really encouraging".
Fellow undergraduate student Pai Isaako said it was "a great networking opportunity for students and future employers", while Master of Tourism Management student Sophea Tiang said she learnt to "grab a chance for experience, it can be a bridge to get to a higher step".
The evening was concluded by employer Judy Chen from the Hotel Grand Chancellor and the Victoria Tourism Management Advisory Group. She emphasised that employers are looking for people who are passionate about working in tourism, have a can-do attitude, and have taken opportunities both at University and at work.
Our guest alumni on the night included:
- Emily Cowell, Graduate Advisor, Department of Conservation
- Karen Bengosi, Lower North Island Sales Area Representative, InterCity Group
- Lauren Campbell, Trade Consultant, Interislander
- Samson Phommachack, Marketing and Trade Coordinator at Education New Zealand
- Steph Pemberton, Digital Projects Coordinator, Positively Wellington Tourism
Advice to Tourism students: Get Experience and Grab Opportunities!
Below is some of their most important advice offered to the gathered students:
While at University
- Get involved at Uni – it's good for your CV and it will make your more employable
- Get work or volunteering experience while you study – it shows your attitude and ability to work under pressure
- Report writing is important: both Samson and Emily said they write lots of succinct reports in their jobs
Applying for jobs
- What’s your point of difference? Make it clear on your CV and in your covering letter so their decision on who to interview is made easy
- Make your CV stand out (for example Steph showed us her CV designed as a postcard from Wellington for her marketing job at PWT).
Interviews
- Research the company
- Explain your qualification and how it is relevant
- Act like you already have the job, but be confident, not cocky
First graduate jobs
- You bring a fresh perspective – don't assume that people know more than you, or that everyone is thinking in the same way
- Be proactive and never stop asking questions
- You need to be flexible and be willing to make sacrifices, for example moving away for a while even if you want to stay in Wellington
- Use you first job as a step to your next goal