Navigating BCom: The Extracurriculars
Although a Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne is an immense achievement, the unfortunate reality is that once you graduate, nothing, and I mean nothing is for certain. Despite Unimelb’s prestige (which we’re constantly reminded of), a spot in your dream graduate is not guaranteed as often, your fellow applicants will also have that same blue Unimelb logo on their transcript. In this week’s “Navigating Bcom” article series, we will explore the various extracurricular activities available within the BCom which both help your CV stand out from the pile and enhance your university experience.
Commerce-Specific Extracurriculars
As to be expected by its Hogwarts-like buildings and ridiculously high ATAR requirements, Unimelb is very, very competitive. Unless you’re a certified genius with an IQ of over 180, chances are, you will come across people who are smarter than you at some point in time and despite what mummy and daddy expect, we can’t all be 90+ WAM academic weapons. Luckily however, there are other ways to make sure your CV goes to the top of the pile, a few of these are:
FBE Student Clubs & Societies: The most popular addition to a commerce student’s CV, FBE club committees are a great opportunity to develop soft skills such as leadership, teamwork and time management skills whilst connecting you with like-minded individuals with similar values and career aspirations. Mainly oriented around the different majors, there are a wide variety of clubs under the FBE umbrella, so you are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding one that suits your interests and goals. Most committees release recruitment applications early in every semester so keep your eye out!
Case Competitions: Whether it be investment banking, management consulting or even microfinance that you are interested in, case competitions are an invaluable opportunity to work on a real-life business case in your chosen area. Although they are very competitive like most things at unimelb, the experience of finding and presenting your solution to a panel of judges will stand you in great stead for future job interview and the inevitable assessment centres that await after most job applications.
Exchange: Although not as common in other degrees, some commerce students take full advantage of unimelb’s global connections and complete a semester abroad at another university. Described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience by those who have done it, the opportunity to not only learn about another country’s culture, but also their perspective upon different concepts within a chosen field is not one to be missed!
Although studying at Unimelb may embody the true meaning of imposter syndrome, there is no need to worry. Applying for internships and graduate roles is not a black-and-white process, and although intellect and good grades may secure you an interview, it is ultimately the skillset that you develop while at uni both in and out of the classroom that will make employers realise that you are the one for them.