I volunteered at a women in tech mentoring program workshop at UNSW this afternoon. This is my fourth visit to UNSW this year, after two guest lectures earlier on.
The event ran three stations and I was running the one on personal brand and career story. Mentees rotated through in small groups and I got to work with each of them on communicating who they are, what they are interested in, and what they can contribute. My starting point was always the same. You do not need a perfectly defined career direction to have a personal brand. What you need is a clear and authentic way to talk about your current strengths, experiences, and interests.
I shared some of my experience from the other side of the table, back when I was involved in graduate hiring. What made a candidate stand out was not always having a perfect resume. It was usually how clearly they could explain their own story and what they actually cared about.
One thing that stood out to me this afternoon was how active every single student was in clubs and societies. When I asked about it, they told me it is simply necessary now given how competitive the market is. That says something about where the bar has moved for graduates entering the industry.
I really enjoyed the workshop and I am glad I could give something back. Always good to be reminded how much thought these students are already putting into their future careers.
