Lisa currently works as a Marketing Executive in the UK.

She has a BCom/BA (Commerce and Arts) conjoint in Marketing and French.

1. When you were 7 years old you wanted to be... an Architect 

2. Name of the educational institution(s) you graduated from
University of Auckland, New Zealand

3. What did you major or specialise in and why did you make this choice?
Marketing - most creative of the business majors and the best fit for my interests.
French - I have a strong interest in language and culture and this continued on from my studies at secondary school.

4. How did you find your first job?
A friend who knew I had just graduated and looking for work suggested I do interim work for a book design company as she knew they were looking for more staff. I joined them in a junior role and on a casual basis and then discovered that I had talent for design and was offered a permanent role. The job was in book production, design and page layout, and not directly related to my studies, although I was able to use my marketing knowledge to some extent.

5. Describe the interview process you went through to obtain your first position after graduating
I went for an informal discussion with the company owners to see if I was the sort of candidate they were looking for, and as a result was offered a casual position. Through ongoing informal discussions my employers offered me a permanent position doing design and page layout. We had a couple of formal interviews until I decided that yes I wanted to work in this field and happily accepted.

6. What training was made available to you by your employer in your first role?
I had on-the-job training in new software, and time set aside each day to learn until I was able to get on with doing the tasks confidently. I was assigned a mentor who assisted me in my first projects, and to whom I could ask questions whenever I needed. This was invaluable as a new employee.

7. Describe some of the roles you have held since your graduate level position
Marketing Assistant moving to Marketing Executive

8. Have you found your degree useful in your working career? Why (or why not)?
The grounding in business practice, marketing strategy and international business has proved very useful and helped a lot when contributing to the annual marketing strategy, communications and campaigns. My study of French has proved useful when dealing with French businesses.

9. What are your plans for the next 5 years?
I intend to continue to learn and gain experience wherever I can. I would like to build on the areas I have studied and worked in - marketing and design - and combine them with my interest in the French language and culture and my increasing interest in online technologies.

10. What advice would you give an upcoming graduate looking to kick off a successful career?
Be open to new opportunities and look beyond the immediate benefits the job will bring. Try to understand how these opportunities will contribute to your career progression in the longer term.