What do you do when you’re a high achiever that wants to specialise but doesn’t want to get boxed in? UNSW Business School Commerce Graduate, Lisa Ryan discusses.
In year 11 Lisa Ryan became captivated by the Real Estate industry and was drawn in by the scale, tangibility and the longevity of built assets and infrastructure.
She knew this was the career path for her but after she graduated from high school with no real work experience, she thought the only way to make this a reality was to be a sales agent.
As she looked further into the sector, she realised this wasn’t her only option and discovered that the UNSW Business School suited her perfectly.
Lisa didn’t want to pursue a highly specialised degree and inadvertently lock herself in a specific career path but wanted to be prepared for a dynamic, fast-paced career.
The UNSW Business School is made for ambitious go-getters like Lisa, as it equips students with skills, experience and connections to industry.
Her choice to study a Bachelor of Commerce at the UNSW Business School with a double major of Real Estate Studies and Finance allowed her to gain an understanding of both universal business fundamentals and associated specialised real estate applications.
“The ability to undertake a double major further added to this flexibility, allowing me to widen career options upon graduation,” Lisa said.
Lisa is now employed by one of the big four professional services firms, Ernst & Young (EY) as a consultant in their Real Estate Advisory Services team.
How do you get the competitive advantage when it comes to landing your dream gig?
Lisa utilised what the UNSW Business School had to offer and made everlasting connections through UNSW’s Real Estate Society and increased her hands-on skills with the Career Accelerator Program.
In Lisa’s second year at UNSW Business School she participated in the Career Accelerator’s Industry Experience Program (COMM2222), where she completed a four-week placement in the Commercial Property Management team at Stockland.
“My internship allowed me to both gain practical insight into the Real Estate Industry and identify necessary skills I was lacking in,” she said.
UNSW Business School has partnered with industry leaders to offer students unique for-credit internship opportunities.
Lisa is part of the UNSW Real Estate Society which gives students access to degree-based opportunities, from industry internships to mentoring, careers fairs and the priceless bonus of networking.
Lisa’s EY cadet position has also led to fulltime employment with the Big Four firm after being offered the role via one of her society executives.
Even after graduation she maintains her connection with the Business School, with her EY team hosting a networking night for members of the UNSW Real Estate Society.
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