opening balance 2015
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Contents Editor’s Welcome 6
President’s Address 7-8
About ASA 10
2015 Committee 12
Professional Experiences 15-16
2015 Events 17-19
Contact Us 20
A Beginner’s Guide to LinkedIn 19-22
Why Attending Lectures is Better Than Listening Online
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5 4 Reasons You Should Attend Lectures 20-22
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by Noel Boys
Setting up your Linked In profil
Welcome from the Editors
Welcome to our Opening Balance for 2015!
This edition of Opening Balance marks a new era for the Accounting Students’
Association, now in its fifteenth year! We have worked hard to modernise and
brighten up our triannual publication by using vivid colours and bold
arrangements.
Our aim is to provide our members with useful information that will assist in
preparing you to reach your career goals. Within our publication we will try to
give you valuable tips that can set you apart from the crowd, provide you with
accounts from those with past experience from professional services firms and
keep you up to date with opportunities available.
We hope you have an exciting 2015, and joining ASA is definitely a step in the
right direction. Ensure you follow us on social media to get all the latest
publications and updates!
Cameron Beer and Sopone Souphanh – Publications Team
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President’s Welcome
Welcome to all our new and returning members for 2015!
The Accounting Students’ Association is one of the most career focused student
societies in the Faculty of Business & Economics. Becoming a member is one of the
best decisions you can make to enhance your university experience! We have
another exciting year ahead!
With our strong and dedicated team, many of who have first-hand experience in
the professional services industry, ASA strives to offer you the most realistic and
effective platform for you to connect with your future employers.
Our esteemed range of sponsors, ranging from “The Big 4", mid-tier firms and
accreditation bodies, allow us to provide you with the most diverse range of
opportunities and career pathways to ensure you know exactly where you want
to take your degree. In addition to our value sponsors, we also value the support
we receive from the Student Union (UMSU), Careers & Employment, the
Commerce Student Centre, the Department of Accounting and the Faculty of
Business and Economics.
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Upcoming key highlights for 2015 include:
Our new feature event, 1st Year’s Professional Services Seminar, which will
allow our first year members to learn about programs from professional services
firms targeted specifically to them. This new event will give our sponsors a
streamlined channel to inform first year students about career pathways and
also give our members the chance to have any burning questions answered.
Our Q&A Panel Evening, allowing students to gain an insight into the
professional experiences of recent graduates and will provide an opportunity to
network with both panellists and Human Resources representatives from a range
of different firms.
Professional Development Week, hosted by our sponsors and the University’s
Careers & Employment team, which will assist you with structuring the perfect CV
as well as conducting mock assessment centres.
The Platinum Case Competition, which will be hosted by our Platinum Sponsor,
CPA. This will be a fantastic opportunity to work through a case study in teams
and present findings to an audience of established professionals.
Experts in Industry and Overseas Students’ Opportunities allowing for students
to network with experienced accountants and industry representatives so they
can be aware of career opportunities outside of professional services and in the
international market.
BBQs and Luncheons, where students have the opportunity to chat with our
sponsors in a casual environment.
I look forward to meeting you all at our events and wish you all the best in your
university journey!
Jordan Tan - President
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The Accounting Students’ Association (ASA) is a leading association at the
University of Melbourne that is run by students for the mutual benefit of students
and employers.
ASA was founded in 2001, in conjunction with the Department of Accounting at
the University of Melbourne, ASA is supported by the Faculty of Business and
Economics (FBE) and the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU).
14 years later and the association is continuing stronger than ever to benefit our
members. We work in collaboration with major professional services and industry
firms including KPMG, Ernst and Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and
Coles, as well as accounting accreditation bodies such as ICAA and CPA.
Our Objectives are to:
» increase our members’ exposure to a vast array of opportunities including,
but not limited to, organising various events which:
o provide a platform to meet other students doing a Commerce
degree
o provide the opportunity to network with professionals in the working
world, from graduates to managers to partners
o encourage personal and professional development
» Provide support material and information relevant to students studying a
commerce degree
» Liaising with University departments such as the Department of Accounting
and Careers and Employment to promote to our members the resources
these departments have to offer.
» Assisting students with their endeavours to become employable/employed
in a professional context
Now it is up to YOU
Keep an eye on our social media posts and look out for our posters around the
Spot at Uni and attend as many of our events as you can. The more exposure
you get, the more opportunities that will come your way!
Our Mission is to provide our members with the best value possible by aligning ourselves with professional services firms, accreditation bodies and companies in industry and organising events that will benefit you.
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‘I could only have done it at Deloitte’
When we hear this it means we’re inspiring our people to achieve their potential. So how do we do this? Our ongoing innovation combined with our commitment to a diverse and collaborative culture set us apart. You’ll be joining a firm with a relentless drive and passion for world class client service and a sense of shared responsibility for our place in our local communities that matches your own. What we do
As a leading professional services firm, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its affiliates provide audit, tax, consulting, technology, risk management and financial advisory services through over 6,000 people throughout Australia and over 200,000 staff globally. Focused on the creation of value and growth, and known as an employer of choice for innovative human resources programs, we are dedicated to helping our clients and our people excel. In 2014 we were awarded the Employers of Choice for Gender Equality award by the Workplace Gender Equality
Agency (WGEA). This award was previously known as Employer of Choice for Women (EOWA), which we held for
11 consecutive years.
Additionally at the 2013 Financial Review Capital CFO Awards we were awarded Accounting Firm of the Year and Audit firm of the Year – this is the first time a firm has won both awards in the same year and is a testament to our people. So step into your future with one of our programs especially for applicants who are still studying at university. Our Deloitte Development Program
This two day interactive program offers you professional development, an insight into life at Deloitte and an advanced opportunity to secure a summer vacation position. You are eligible if you are in your 1st year of a 3 year degree, 2nd year of a 4 year degree or 3rd year of a 5 year degree.
Our Summer Vacation Program
This is your opportunity to gain practical and paid work experience. Spend three to eight weeks gaining exposure to client work, our award winning learning programs, and social events, with the prospect of securing a graduate position with the firm. If you’re in your penultimate year at university you are eligible to apply.
Our Graduate Program
Join us at Deloitte in early 2016 for a career that will stimulate, reward and motivate you like no other. Surrounded by a large peer group, you’ll be supported by a dedicated mentor and counselling team who will work with you to build your technical and business skills.
It’s your future. How far will you take it? graduates.deloitte.com.au
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First Year Program
Name: Mariah Cartsidimas
Program: Ernst & Young, Career Compass Program (for 1st year students)
Duration: 3 days
Activities:
Learning about the different service lines, meeting employees within the firm from
graduates to senior managers and partners.
Witness day-to-day workings and culture of the firm.
Highlights
Bike building team challenge for the Berry Street Foundation which was a chance for
participants to develop themselves as team members, whilst giving back to the
community at the same time.
Opportunity to be fast-tracked into a vacation work position.
“To say that it was an invaluable experience would be an understatement!”
Vacation Program
Name: Sean Cleary
Program: PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Vacation Work
Division: Private Clients – deals with unlisted companies and high net wealth individuals
Duration: 6 weeks over the summer break.
Activities:
Prepare and lodge tax returns, client statements
Consult with ATO
Experiencing the culture of the firm
Visiting the client’s offices to ensure control procedures were present
Highlights
The social life and culture amongst a young and welcoming team
PwC Christmas party
Building a network for the future
Could potentially lead to a graduate position.
My advice to anyone interested in vacation work would be to attend events,
talk to the friendly HR staff from the professional services firms and to apply
early.
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Cadetship
Name: Chris Tang
Program: Ernst & Young Cadetship
Division: Private Client Services
Duration: Two years, full-time work
Activities:
Developing technical skills on the go
Complete individual tax, trust or company tax returns
Studying part-time concurrently
Highlights
Able to complete first year of university as a full-time student before commencing work
Warm and welcoming atmosphere at EY
Working alongside a friendly team
Finding that learnt technical skills complement studies
“ Being a cadet has allowed me to gain invaluable experiences early, and has
also set up a solid pathway for my future career.”
Participating in as many professional experiences as you can assists with building
your network, developing your brand and gaining vital work experience that will
aid you when it comes to deciding where you want to take your career.
Where Will Accounting Take You?
Find out by applying to our
Professional Development Week We will take you to the offices of some of our sponsors’ offices to experience what it’s really like to work there.
You can also get your CV checked, practise your interview skills and perhaps even a tour of the firm’s offices.
PD Week will be in the last week of April
Follow us on Facebook to find out when applications open for this amazing experience!
Places are limited so get in early!!
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Welcome Back BBQ
12pm Tuesday, March 3rd 2015 – South Lawn A chance to mingle with other BCom students in a causal
environment, as well as getting the chance to meet our sponsors with
a free BBQ spread.
Q&A Evening
6.30pm Tuesday, March 17th 2015 – Sofitel
The Q&A Evening is now our flagship event, held each semester.
The event is catered and gives you the opportunity to ask panellists
representing our sponsors any questions that you would like to be
explored. Make sure to reserve a free seat early as venue
constraints mean places are limited. This year, the event will be held in conjunction with
Monash Accounting Students’ Association and Computing and Commerce Association.
CAIP – Day in the life of: Gunther Burghardt
12pm, 24th March 2015
A new event in 2015, run with the Centre for Accounting and Industry Partnerships (CAIP).
Gunther, Finance Director at Treasury Wine Estates will be coming to talk to students about his
career and what a day in the life of a CFO is like.
1st Year’s Professional Services Seminar
March 31st 2015
A new event for 2015 where representatives from our professional
services sponsors will talk to our first year members about the
opportunities that are on offer for them this year, including
development programs, internships and vacation work.
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Professional Development Week
Last Week of April 2015
Each day of this PD week is an opportunity to go to one of our
sponsors’ offices and complete a professional development session.
It will give you a great insight into working in one of these firms.
Please note that there are limited places, so look out for when
applications open on our Facebook page!!
CPA Platinum Case Competition
5th May 2015
Our platinum sponsor CPA will run a case study with members who
register a team. The winning team will receive a generous time for
their efforts. Great experience and preparation for the
professional working world as well as other case competitions on
offer at University.
CAIP: Auspost – Business Ready
12pm, 12th May 2015
An executive from Australia Post will bet talking students about their career and current
position. They will also discuss what it means to be business ready in the 21st century.
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Welcome Back BBQ
12pm, 28th July 2015
CAIP – Thought Leadership
12pm, 4th August 2015
Experts in Industry
12pm, 18th August 2015
International Students’ Careers Forum
12pm, 25th August 2015
Q&A Evening
6.30pm, 25th August
Alex Malley, - CEO of CPA Australia
TBC
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To ensure you keep up-to-date with everything ASA – our events, our
sponsors’ events and opportunities or some interesting articles – ensure
that you are following us online.
facebook.com/asamelb
@asamelb
@asamelb
Accounting Students’
Association (ASA) group
Also ensure that you regularly check our website and blog at
asamelb.com.au
[email protected] Commerce Student Society Offices
233 Bouverie Street, Carlton
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In a nutshell, LinkedIn is an online version of your résumé that can viewed by potential employees and
colleagues online. It can also be seen as an advertisement for YOU! However, it is beyond just an
online resume, with the ability to network and seek out job opportunities.
More and more these days, employees will review your profile during the recruitment phase, so it is
important to not only have a profile, but to make it stand out from all the other candidates, and
ensure that it shows you in the best light!
Tips:
Fill your profile in completely
and include everything –
education, work experience,
professional development
programs, certifications,
volunteer work.
Use a profile picture that
demonstrates your professional
appearance and clearly
identifies you as a brand.
Use key words relevant to your
job interests which will attract
recruiters and repeat them
throughout your profile (e.g.
accounting, finance, retail,
mining)
Your summary should briefly
describe your current experience
and what your career objectives
are.
List all of the jobs (casual, part-
time and full-time) as well as any
internships, work experience etc.
Include skills used/learnt and what
your duties were.
Include high school and university
courses. Ensure that you include
your expected date of completion
for your course. Also mention your
extra-curricular activities and
clubs.
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List any volunteer work or causes
that you donate your time to.
This section is by no means
essential, but if you have any
volunteering experience, it does
look good to potential
employers.
Include any other languages you
are competent in.
Include key skills that you
believe you have. Your
connections will endorse you for
these.
Start building your network
(Begin with colleagues and
fellow students, then begin to
add professionals that you begin
to mingle with at networking
events)
In addition, you can customise
your profile by re-ordering the
sections, adding further sections
such as any honours or awards
you have received.
LinkedIn members can write references for you that display on your profile. You can ask your
lecturers or colleagues to write a reference on your profile as this will endorse you to potential
recruiters.
As you would with a resume, ensure that you are detailed and precise and make sure that you don’t
make any false claims or lie about anything.
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Noel Boys, Teaching Fellow at the Department of Business and Economics draws
inspiration from the ideas of Dr Albie Brooks to highlight to students why lecture-
capture does not substitute lecture attendance.
Student: Hi. You probably don’t remember me but you were my lecturer in IFA
last year. I’m applying to go on exchange next semester and I need an
academic reference.
Lecturer: Why me?
Student: Oh, ‘cos I really enjoyed listening to your lectures. You were funny and
made it sound interesting.
Lecturer: How flattering. I bet you say that to all your lecturers.
Student: No, just the ones I need an exchange reference from.
Lecturer: Hmm, anyway I just want to pick up on something – you just said you
enjoyed listening to my lectures. Did you actually go to any?
Student: Didn’t have to. It was all online. I just sat at home and listened.
Lecturer: I see. What if I was tell you that I can give you 4 good reasons why
attending lectures is better than listening to them at home?
Student: Go on.
Lecturer: Reason one. Studies show that the majority of communication is non-
verbal. Some say it is as high as 93% while a more conservative estimate puts it
around 65%. In any event, you get at least 2 and maybe as much as 13 times
more information being at my lectures rather than listening to them. For instance,
I may make a point in a lecture lauding the Hawks’ magnificent victory over
Fremantle by 15 points in front of 100,007 people at the MCG in Lecture 9 and
finishing off by saying this will be examinable while shaking my head. Those in
the audience get the non-verbal cue that they need not focus revision on it while
those who only listen from home will devote revision time to it.
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Student: Okay. So that explains why there were no questions about the Grand
Final in the exam. You know, after hearing the recording I did study that game
and during SWOTVAC I realised this amazingly coincidental statistic that
Hawthorn kicked 11 goals 11 behinds to win its 11th premiership. I was so
disappointed that I didn’t get the chance to use it.
(I may be embellishing the student’s response here. They may not have actually
said anything after “Okay” but I do find that statistic that he or she may or may
not have said amazing nevertheless.)
Lecturer: Reason Two. The recordings don’t do justice to some of what happens
in lectures. For instance, I bet the recording didn’t pick up the fact I jumped up
on the podium and did a tap dance in an attempt to make the lecture more
exciting for a student yawning in the front row. You can’t buy that sort of
entertainment but you’ve got to be there to get the real benefit!
Student: Funny you say that. The tape picked up this huge racket followed by all
this laughing and I didn’t know what was going on. It was only when I went to the
tute and heard students talking about it that I figured out what actually
happened. So you really did jump up on the podium?
Lecturer: That’s not the point! (Pause for moment of embarrassed pondering).
What is the point is that you obviously went to tutes so why not lectures?
Student: ‘Cos you get marks for going to tutes.
Lecturer: What about the pure love of learning? What about the insatiable
quest for knowledge? Are you saying everything you do is motivated by marks?
Next you’ll be telling me that if it’s not on the exam you’re not interested in
learning it!
[Awkward silence accompanied by bewildered look on student’s face leading to
a light bulb moment for lecturer.]
Lecturer: Okay, nice segue to Reason Three. Did you know I have evidence that
students who attend lectures do 10% better on the exam than those that don’t.
Student: What do you base that on?
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Lecturer: Because on several occasions across many semesters I have taken a roll
in lectures, collated the attendance data and done a comparative analysis of
student performance against level of attendance. Consistently the results show a
strong correlation between higher marks and attendance and that students who
attend all lectures score, on average, 10% better than those who attend only a
handful or less. Conclusion – attending lectures improves your result.
Student: You went to all that trouble taking a roll of 300+ students, ticking them
off, entering it on a spreadsheet and analysing it? Get a life. Next you’ll be
telling me you’ve solved every game of FreeCell and get a thrill out of Sudoku.
[Another awkward silence accompanied by bewildered look on lecturer’s face
leading to a light bulb moment for student.]
Lecturer: Moving on, Reason Four. Sometimes there is a technical glitch in which
the recording doesn’t work, even if it’s just briefly. If you are not there then you
miss out on a really crucial point.
Student: Yeah, in fact that happened to me a couple of times where the
recording was interrupted just after you were about to say something really
important about the exam. Then it would resume just as you started talking
about the next point. After it happened a few times I started wondering if you
were doing it deliberately just to annoy students who didn’t go to lectures.
[Awkward pause]
Lecturer: Look, the main thing is I reckon there are good reasons to go to lectures
and I guarantee I can make it worth your while.
Student: Sounds to me like you just love the sound of your own voice.
Lecturer: That’s not true. I’ve listened to the Echo recordings of my lectures and I
actually hate the sound of my own voice. It’s true I love talking but that’s
because I love someone else listening to my voice.
Student: Okay, so it’s not about students turning up to lectures because it’s in
their best interests; it’s because you want an audience to perform in front of.
[Silence as lecturer has another light bulb moment]
Student: Anyway, the reason I’m here is I need a reference so I can on
exchange. I want to gain from the cultural experience of sitting in my room
listening to lectures online while I’m in another country.
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Navitas AD
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