Guest Speaker Ana Tuiketei with participants during the virtual Careers Chat series.

Being honest with one’s skills and qualifications is an important ethic when seeking job prospects, says Professional Legal Consultant Ana Tuiketei at a recent Fiji National University (FNU) Careers Chat session.

Organised by the Office of the Registrar’s Department of Student Support Services, the virtual Careers Chat series feature industry experts to speak with students on a range of topics related to employment prospects and career advice.

Tuiketei, a Principal Legal Officer and National Manager Fraud with the Department of Public Prosecutions, is the first Pacific woman counsel for the International Criminal Court in The Hague. She is the only female-accredited World Rugby judicial officer and is one of two women on the Oceania sport’s judiciary. She was also recently appointed as arbitrator on the General List of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

During the virtual event, Tuiketei spoke to almost 70 student participants about the period after graduation when graduates are preparing their curriculum vitae (CV) and applications for employment opportunities.

She highlighted how to carry out job searches, organise their resumes and referees, prepare for interviews and provided an overview of the expectations of an interview panel.

“Never exaggerate on your CV’s, because probation periods are when assessments are made on a person’s competency and whether one actually possesses the knowledge and skills listed on the CV,” she emphasized.

“How honest one has been on a CV will ultimately be a reflection of their character and their work ethic.”

Tuiketei encouraged students to volunteer and/or find temporary employment during the interim phase between graduation and finding their dream careers were some ways that could enhance and diversify one’s skills set.

“Embrace temporary work while searching for your dream job and to take advantage of free online courses, workshops and online seminars to help you gain further knowledge while waiting and applying for work,” she said.

“In the current climate, as online activity becomes more important, some employment markets that are booming include customer services, IT, programming and research, so students need to improve their skills and knowledge in these areas.”

“During the phase of job searching, know the employment market, read about it and subscribe to current affairs programs, listen to TED talks, and keep yourselves continuously informed.”

Fellow speaker Mohammed Altaab Khan, the Director of Learning & Development for Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa also made an appearance during the session.

As part of her session, Tuiketei introduced participants to Mohammed Altaab Khan, who has over 20 years’ experience in recruiting and training in Fiji and Hawaii. He was invited to share his advice on recruiting processes and experiences that most students would encounter as they seek employment.

Khan is the Director of Learning & Development for Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa and during this pandemic, has been providing training consultancy. He is a registered Training Officer with FNU, the Chairperson for Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) Alumni and is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner who is currently pursuing further accreditations in Counseling.

During his segment, he drew on knowledge from the various areas of human cognitive development that he is passionate about, such as Emotional Intelligence, Self-Mastery, Mind Mastery, Emotional Agility and Human Psychology and highlighted how students can apply these and improve themselves in the area of job searching and interview preparation.

Khan highlighted the 5 P’s which could assist students’ pre-interview and during interviews, which were Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

The speakers ended the sessions with Q&A discussions, whereby Tuiketei informed students with disabilities about the Fijian Government’s tax rebate initiative for employees with disabilities and how they have the same rights as people without disabilities.

In conclusion, Tuiketei reiterated the importance of surrounding oneself with a good support system.

The Careers Chat series is aligned to one of the University’s core pillars of education for employability and will be conducted frequently to keep students motivated, informed and ambitious in their career goals.

FNU has produced work-ready graduates over the years and will continue to do so despite the current circumstances. The Office of the Registrar and the FNU community will provide the necessary academic and career development services our students need to excel.

The Department of Student Support Services will keep students updated on upcoming sessions. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these Careers Chat sessions and participate in the programmes for their career development.