Employer Profile: Shailan Patel, MYOB
MYOB's New Zealand Education Manager shares valuable career tips and what employers look for in a candidate.
"I really enjoy helping students make the jump from education into meaningful employment. I’m currently the NZ Education Manager at MYOB (Mind Your Own Business). My own career has been really diverse – I worked in sales and advertising for three of NZ’s largest media companies – now, I’m leading the education channel for MYOB nationwide. This means I’m fortunate to work alongside all types of education providers and organisations; accounting, business and tech students as well as young Kiwi entrepreneurs.
"If you haven’t heard of us, MYOB is a leading provider of business management solutions for approx. 1.2 million businesses across NZ and Australia; and we're proud of it. We’re here to help businesses succeed, no matter if they are a start-up or more complex business. What we do is offer solutions for simplified accounting, payroll, tax, practice management and much more.
"When hiring, we’re looking for those who can add to our values and culture at MYOB. We want people that want to help our clients succeed and make an impact. As well as those who can collaborate with our 2,000 strong team across Australia and New Zealand. We’re searching for people who find new ways of doing things and are passionate about their work.
"When looking at a student and graduate CVs, employers want to know how you’re applying what you’re learning in class in a practical manner, like solving problems and finding solutions.
Communication is key to make you stand out. Students
that can articulate their skills and experience both in person and on paper will
be able to confidently demonstrate why they are right for the role.
"A common mistake I’ve seen in interviews or CVs is graduates underselling themselves. Be proud of your achievements. If you do not shout about yourself, no one else will. A lot of your experiences can be relevant to the job you’re applying for. It is important to articulate the skills and experience you have (or are developing) and how they can be transferred to the position.
"My top tip for nailing an interview is to be prepared, prepared, prepared. Have examples from your work history, education, social activities or personal life to help you answer questions. A formula I would recommend is: STAR. Explain the Situation, what your Task is, what Action you took and don’t forget the Result. This will help you give a clear, concise answer. Be specific with your answer and give examples. Don’t be vague.
"Employers want people who are going to add value to their company, as I mentioned before. Not just someone who wants a job. My advice? Unless you want to swiftly end an interview and your chance at getting the job, don’t ever answer “Because I need a job/ internship” when an interviewer asks you why you want to work at their company. Seriously, I had that happen to me once."
It’s a noisy, competitive world. But there are plenty of opportunities, so start getting yourself out there. While you may not land your dream job straight away, you’ll put yourself on the right path to secure it in the future
CDES are here to help you get recruitment ready over the summer.
Visit our website to check out our career services and login onto MyCDES to discover your online career portal, where you can book workshops on interviewing, CV’s, job searching, and discover recruitment events and expos coming up soon!