2022 OGA Year 12 Leavers Panel - Aanji Honan (Class of 2018)
About me
I started in prep at Somerville House in 2006 and graduated in 2018. I am a fourth-year student at UQ studying a Bachelor of Business Management and Communications majoring in Property Development and Real Estate and Public Relations.
Since leaving school, I have held part-time and full-time roles in the property industry in local and international firms in Brisbane and Melbourne at McGrath, Place, Colliers, and Mirvac. I currently work full time as a Sales Associate at Stockland in over 50s active lifestyle communities. I look forward to sharing my school experience and transition into my university and work life.
Q. How do you manage high expectations, either set by yourself or someone else?
A. I had high expectations from the moment I left school. I was unhappy with my OP, and it proved nothing to me after starting my university journey. The OP didn’t define my course, and I remained unsure about what I wanted to study after leaving school. I was lucky enough to have the safety net of the business diploma, which I completed at Somerville through Barrington College.
I made use of the career’s counsellor at the time, Mrs. Nyree Hatzimihail, to help guide me through my course options, as it can be pretty daunting to think about in year 12. A particular event in my life shifted my mindset and perspective on life. I pursued opportunities I wouldn’t necessarily have usually taken. I put myself out there and tried anything offered at university and in my workplace. I joined industry groups and uni networking groups such as the Australian Property Institute, Public Relations Institute of Australia, UQ Women’s Network, and UQ Business Association.
Q. What are some difficulties in the business industry?
A. I quickly found I was working in a male-dominated industry, and this presented its difficulties as I was usually the only female in my team. This was a challenging and confronting environment to work in, and I had an incident at work where I was planning to leave a role. I was speaking to a recruiter and found out she had worked in the same position in the same team. She could relate to my experience and offered me a job in her HR team.
I was not prepared to give up on an industry I was passionate about because of this incident. This empowered me to keep going and fight for myself. I am now organising women-in-property events for young female professionals across Brisbane to help guide other women through the industry.
Q. Is it hard to get jobs after uni after degrees which end up with no qualification/licence (for example: business, law, science)?
A. I had a period between school and uni where I couldn't find a job until April 2018. I recommend actively applying for multiple opportunities. Although most employers are looking for experience, you need a flexible part-time job during your studies.
The best advice I got from Mrs. Hatzimihail was to find a part-time role in the industry you are thinking of studying in. This gives you direct practical exposure in the field of study. It also allowed me to understand what a job in the property industry would look like instead of the textbook understanding I was familiar with. This also allows you 3+ years of experience in that field before you enter the workforce. You will find you have built up a great network of people in this industry through work, study, and networking opportunities.