DeakinTALENT

I became a student ambassador of DeakinTALENT to empower and provide support for Deakin students in their journey to employment. 

As an international student, I have struggled greatly in getting into the Australian job market in my undergraduate years. With no prior working experiences, language barriers, cultural differences and lack of knowledge of the Australian job market, I went on a long and lonely job application path. Through endless trial and error and a bit of luck, I managed to finally secure my first casual job in 2016 after more than 100 job submissions. This experience made me very passionate about becoming a DeakinTALENT student ambassador to promote Deakin’s well-designed suite of services that can help all Deakin students positively in entering job markets, but most importantly to me is the help I can provide for all of the international students.

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My student ambassador journey started in 2018, other than the normal responsibilities of attending in-person pop-up sessions and online chatbox services, I have also participated in:

• 4 Major Experience and Employment Expo (EEExpo) events.

• 5 Orientation DeakinTALENT booths.

• Contribute to the improvement of the program by Initiating theme-based advertising schedules for our pop-up sessions.

• Working alongside Worksop facilitators.

• Transition to online services due to COVID pandemic.

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During my in-person pop-up shifts, I get to have the precious opportunity to speak to students from all walks of life wishing to get more support in increasing their employability. I often use this opportunity to inform them about our most sought-after services “Resume Review” services to get feedback on their existing resume and also provide them with the tools they might need in improving their resume through attending our “Career Success Workshop”.

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Being an international student myself, allows me to understand the unique struggle that other international students might face which enables me to provide more specific support for them. There are often cultural differences between the students home country and Australia, hence, I often take time to chat with them about the differences I have noticed through my own experience and encourage them to reflect on their own understandings. I would also use my role to point them to other services that might help them in more than just the employment side of things. “DeakinTALENT International Student Careers Program (DISC)” is not only designed to empower international students in developing employability and marketability, but it also helps in expanding networks and forming new friendships. The connectedness of international students can provide the added support that many needs. Hence, as a DeakinTALENT ambassador, I believe I demonstrated that I am able to use my leadership role in empowering other students in their journey of job searching. 

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Furthermore, through my role, I aim to set myself up as a positive example for other international students in their job searching journey. The process of job application can be long and gruelling for many and can seem like there is no hope. Hence, I wish my success in landing a job through the same set of circumstances as theirs can provide reassurance and hope.  

Through being a DeakinTALENT student ambassador I have gained more insight into the Australian job market and further improved on my own employability and marketability. I have also gained valuable experience in advocating for the international student community. Initially, I was worried that my actions are too small to be able to provide sufficient help for other international students but I learnt that regardless of how small an action may be it will make an impact through the ripple effect. Hence, I will continue to advocate and support the community that I am passionate about regardless of the size of my actions.