A launchpad towards professional success
Monash Start-Up Day 2024.
Monash Start-Up Day 2024, held on 11 September this year, marked an exciting step forward for our students. At Monash, we’re all about ensuring our students’ readiness to seize real-world opportunities and discover their career paths. This event was perfect for those interested in entrepreneurship or wanting to understand how start-ups work and the grit required to succeed. Students had the opportunity to meet inspiring start-up founders, dive into networking, and even unlock doors to secure future internships and full-time roles.
The career fair was filled with booths offering various services to help students discover their niche and carve out their career pathways. Monash University Malaysia focused on inviting start-ups this year, offering students opportunities to enhance their skills and gain real-world experiences. Our line-up of dynamic exhibitors included Endeavor Malaysia, Carsome Malaysia, Hiredly, Mossery, My Rehat, Nexuses, Otomate Me, Pixelence, Teach for Malaysia, Thrive Well, UniLah, String Legion Entertainment, Carbonzeroed, Growth Charger, HatterCares, Kommu, Simplify Networks, V-Cred, and Youth Ventures Asia.
Students receiving professional LinkedIn headshots.
At the recent event, several companies offered our students a range of internships and full-time positions and Monash provided professional LinkedIn headshots to enhance their resumes. Adam Putra Mohd Khirruddin, Community & Partnerships Executive at Hiredly, shared his unique approach to helping students with their resumes. His strategy included a personality quiz designed to identify students' work persona and match it with the right career paths and companies. The 16-question quiz aimed to connect students with recommended roles and organisations based on their personality traits. Students could also have their resumes reviewed and polished to highlight their skills better.
Building on this message, Tash Shamshul Baharin, Founder of Nexuses, and Wan Irfan Bin Wan Mohd Hadi, Intern Talent Attraction at Carsome, shared their insights on recruiting students at Monash. Tash highlighted the intensity of working in a start-up and the value of offering equity to team members. They emphasised that while online platforms are useful for recruiting, they believe face-to-face interactions are invaluable. Meeting students in person allows for stronger connections and gives them the upper hand in building relationships right from the start.
The resume checks were just the start! We also hosted a dynamic panel session on networking, featuring Jeff Cheok, Partner and Vice President of Sales at Mole, Shawn Tham, Founder of UniLah, and Kimberly Wan, Founder of Otomate Me. These influential figures joined us at the career fair to share their invaluable insights on the power of networking and its transformative impact on business success. The session was moderated by Dr Daniel Loy, Director and Senior Lecturer at Monash University Malaysia, starting an engaging discussion on how building connections can shape future opportunities.
Jeff Cheok shares his insights on the power of jumping out of our comfort zone.
Jeff kicked off the forum session by emphasising the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and how it has profoundly shaped his journey. He wrapped up his point with a powerful quote: “Your network is your net worth.” Jeff also stressed that networking is, without a doubt, the most crucial tool for growing a business, even before entrepreneurs delve into the marketing scene.
Shawn Tham shares the importance of having an open mind when networking with industry professionals.
On the other hand, Shawn shared his experience securing funding through LinkedIn connections and highlighted the crucial role of building strong relationships with partners. He emphasised that these bonds are key to the long-term success of start-ups. Shawn also stressed the importance of keeping an open mind when communicating with investors. He pointed out that a rigid approach can be an obstacle to achieving success. He then concluded his speech by stating that success does not happen overnight. It requires hard work, determination, and a willingness to learn from trial and error to keep progressing.
Kimberly Wan shares her input on following up after a networking session.
Finally, Kimberly shared how her extroverted nature has been a game-changer in her networking efforts. She advised approaching networking without a strict agenda and focusing instead on genuinely learning about others and building meaningful relationships. Kimberly continued stating the importance of follow-ups and automating this process to sustain connections. Additionally, she highlighted the value of confidently carrying ourselves and presenting ourselves well.
The panelists agreed that networking is essential for forging valuable relationships and unlocking opportunities. They concluded that being genuine, proactive, and intentional are the key strategies in networking. The session ended with a luncheon, where students and staff had the chance to engage in one-on-one conversations with top industry professionals, gaining deeper insights and answers to their brewing questions about growing a business.
The career fair concluded on a high note, allowing students to explore diverse career pathways and set themselves up for a bright future. Here’s to more career fairs and opportunities in the future.