Retail lead
Celeste McCormick completed a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce and now works in a relationship management and strategy role at Google.
Key facts
Career: Retail lead at Google
Programme: Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce conjoint
Subjects: Politics and International Relations; International Business
"As a teenager I was really interested in three great forces that influence our modern world: the media, the government and big business. I started out studying Communications at AUT to understand the media side of the equation, before transferring to the University of Auckland to study Political Science in the Faculty of Arts. In my second year I picked up a conjoint Bachelor of Commerce to complete the study of my three fields of interest!
"My current job is a relationship management and strategy role at Google helping Kiwi retailers to succeed in the digital space. There are a lot of international retailers entering the New Zealand market at the moment and it is quite rewarding making sure that our Kiwi businesses adapt to changing consumer behaviour to meet new Kiwi demands.
"I have found that large technology companies love hiring people from different backgrounds and areas of study, so having a background in Political Science as well as Commerce was always a huge advantage for me. I learned to think critically and communicate well across many mediums through my Arts degree, which has been very useful in my working life.
Google attracts a very diverse group of lively individuals from all over the world, people who tend to aim high but enjoy life. We are lucky enough to travel too. Last year I had an amazing role for eight months that allowed me to live and work three weeks in Auckland and one week in Sydney every month.
"The University of Auckland has amazing recruitment events and support services for finding your first job. Working with the University to open up opportunities after my studies was a huge part of getting to work in this industry. My career adviser suggested a tech career for me - I would never have thought of it for myself but I love it!
"My two pieces of advice to current students or graduates who want to work in a similar field to me would be to join communities around you: I found opportunities through joining the Management Consulting Club, Women in Business, The Drama Society, and Toastmasters. And to always apply - you never know what opportunities will become available to you if you throw your hat in the ring.
"I am a big believer in taking your time to decide what path you want to go down. I took three gap years to travel before studying and changed my majors several times. I found this career later than many but I had the opportunity to try out lots of options before I decided and that worked really well for me."