September 15, 2011 – ECNA’s inaugural Networking Your Way to Success event. It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know. This often-used phrase formed the cornerstone for ECNA’s inaugural Networking Your Way To Success.

Learning only from the best, students tapped into the knowledge and experiences of networking professional, Bev Brough. Interactive and engaging, Bev’s seminar drew attention to the importance of effective networking – a learned skill needed to build and maintain connections.

It is never too early to begin networking, and true to Bev’s words, students wasted no time connecting with representatives from Allens Arthur Robinson, Arup, Aurecon, Blake Dawson, Deloitte, Ernst & Young and Orica. Without question, the Yasuko Hiraoko Room saw the making of many new connections, and the platform for many more to come.

By Sara P

Networking is an essential life skill because it helps you make connections with people and build and develop lasting relationships, which you can use to your benefit. Networking is about who knows you. Select several networking events to attend as much as your academic schedule permits and become known as someone who can be trusted and is dependable. Be a curious friend; find out much as possible about your classmates and their interests, along with their families and parents’ occupations as it can provide valuable information when you want to promote for a cause you are passionate about or pull off an event with lasting impact. Be sure to reciprocate with information that will help others.

Here are some key networking tips:

• Begin to brainstorm a list of potential networking contacts. See if you can come up with about 150, but don’t feel bad if you can’t. Any number is a good start, and the list is sure to grow the more involved you get with extracurricular activities and friends.

• Sign up with one or more networking sites on the World Wide Web. Search for contact people that would be relevant to your needs and get in touch.

• Find out if campus career services office keeps a database of alumni that could be added to your network relevant to the field you want to pursue.

• Consider creating a “networking card”, a business card for those not employed, so you have something to hand out to people you meet. This will enable them to get in touch with you later.

• Start introducing yourself to every guest speaker you meet in classes. Give them your networking card…more

August 18, 2011 – ECNA held its long anticipated Overseas Volunteer Forum. Students interested in volunteering overseas filled the Elisabeth Murdoch Theatre to hear presentations from expert panellists and past student volunteers. From saving endangered turtles in Costa Rica to helping marginalised communities in Kenya past volunteers shared their diverse range of stories and experiences. Volunteering overseas bears no boundaries; there are numerous opportunities and exotic destinations. Programs can last for as little as one week to as long as two years. Panellists discussed the importance of understanding the cultural environment volunteers enter and stressed the importance of learning the local language before heading overseas. To make the most of the overseas experience, they advised the students to have an open mind and be ready to challenge themselves beyond their comfort zone.

Participating organisations included Youth Challenge Australia, Global Vision International (GVI), Global Aid Partnerships (GAPS), Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) and SIFE Nexus Abroad.

More photos from the night can be found here.

Once again, this event is proudly sponsored by the Faculty of Business and Economics, the University of Melbourne.

With the start of the new semester, we’d like to mix the old with the new…

From our archives, here are the things our team wished they’d known when they first started uni.

Get involved in activities outside of your course. Whatever your interests are, there are sure to be others who share them. I joined a food appreciation society in first year and not only was it a really good way of making new friends, I got to cook as well as eat delicious things at the same time…more

Chloe L

Do not expect to find a free computer in the ERC (Eastern Resource Centre) if you need to print an assignment an hour before it’s due. I would go to the Commerce Computer Labs (if you are a Commerce student) or try the Frank Tate pit stop computers upstairs…more

Michelle N

There are always free-riders in your group assignment teams. Don’t think of it as a disadvantage because what you get out of the experience is invaluable. Just make sure you don’t happen to be the free-rider of your group…more

Lynne J

You might experience what I term “grade shock”, unless you are clued in. Do not expect the same grades you had in high school, especially if you are a high achiever. The standards expected in uni are different and I find using appropriate referencing properly helps with this issue in research based assessments…more

Sara P

Know your limits and take regular breaks. Most of us can pull an all-nighter or two, but it all takes a toll on our minds and bodies (quite insidiously most of the time). Be sure to catch up on sleep you lose and take decent 30-minute breaks between every couple hours of studying…more

Vincent S

Resist the temptation to not be on campus. New students need to be around to be connected!  There are limited opportunities to meet new people and participate in clubs and societies if you get up early in the afternoon…more

Thanks for a night of fun, laughs and interesting answers!

For photos click here

For recap click here

Shot of the ECNA Team and all the contestants of the night

We would also like to thank the Faculty of Business and Economics (University of Melbourne) for sponsoring the event.