When I was a first year BCM student, I thought I knew who I was and what I wanted from life. Looking back at that girl who used to be me, I realise that she was adorably naive. If I could tell her a few things, some gentle words and hard truths, then maybe she would have more effectively used her time at university.
Alas, I can’t do that. But, what I can do is share my advice with the newest crop of BCM students who may be just as in need of help as I was.
Don’t get intimidated
If you don’t know how to do something then thats okay, you’re here to learn. Nobody expects you to know everything about graphic design or film editing from day one. If you’ve never done it before then TAKE THAT SUBJECT. I can’t blame you for thinking that everyone else will be better than you because they might have done it before, but that’s their journey. You’re here for YOU. First year subjects are designed so that even the most novice of beginners can learn from the ground up. Over time you will get better – so much better than you would have been if you just let the opportunity to learn pass you by.
Try something different
Variety is the spice of life. A diverse skillset on a resume will add some spice to your job prospects. So use those electives to try something new. It might be outside of your comfort zone, it might be something that you would never have thought to try… but you might absolutely LOVE whatever it is. Even if you don’t then you will have gained a new skill that will give your resume an edge.
Get help with your resume (the one you wrote is way worse than you think)
There is so much conflicting information out there about how best to write a resume. It is very important that your resume makes a great first impression because thats your ticket to a job interview. As soon as I got help with my resume my luck with getting internships changed. It was like a switch had been flipped and I was suddenly a desirable candidate. There are so many people you can ask for help with your resume – a careers adviser, industry professional, an older student or graduate – so please, please, PLEASE ask one of them as soon as you can.
Get involved with everything and anything ASAP
Opportunity is everywhere at university for a reason. It is important to understand that university is not all about study and good grades, everything that happens in-between also matters. Your best chance at getting a graduate job is to have experience doing something. Getting involved with volunteering, clubs, UOWx, and special events shows recruiters that you have initiative and a great work ethic. These experiences can also often be tailored to your professional interests and are a good starting point for networking. On top of all of that, they are so much fun and you can make some great friends.
Attitude matters
The truth is: the more effort you put into your studies, the more benefits you will reap. There’s no shortcut to get around it – hard work pays. The first step to get the most out of each of your subjects is to have the right attitude. Each time you enter a classroom you have to be primed and ready to absorb new information and level yourself up. Even if you think that the subject is not relevant to your future. Besides, being enthusiastic makes even the most challenging or boring of classes a little bit more bearable.
Be an advocate for yourself
There is a lot of stigma around the field of communications and media. Many see us as inferior or insignificant, and this has been reflected by the Australian government in the recent price hikes of BCM degrees nation-wide. But they don’t understand. They don’t know how important our contributions are to Australian culture, arts, commerce, news and so much more. They also don’t know that there is a crap-tonne of money to be made in our field. So don’t EVER let an engineer or a lawyer or anyone else walk all over you because their degree was “harder”.
Things don’t always go to plan
Finally, you need to know that things won’t always happen according to your well-laid plans. Life is irregular and so too will your journey be. So stop bloody stressing and enjoy this beautiful, hectic time while it lasts!
Christina Di Meglio 