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Year 2 Business students keep asking me whether they have to choose between going on exchange and landing a consulting vacation program. You don't, but you need to plan backwards from the deadlines, not forwards from your wishes. Here is exactly what I did. February of year 2: applied for the PwC summer vacationer program while also shortlisting three exchange universities. Most people think these clash, but vacation programs run over the Australian summer and most northern hemisphere exchange semesters start in August or September, so you can do both in the same year. March: booked a meeting with the Deakin Abroad team and mapped my core units. MAA103 was the one that almost blocked me because the host uni had no direct equivalent, so I got it approved as an elective and took it at home first. That single meeting saved me a whole trimester. May to July: interviews. Every behavioural question I got had a better answer because I could talk about why I chose my exchange university and how I would use it. Consulting firms love anyone who has had to adapt quickly in a new country. Finally, budget. The OS-HELP loan covered my flights and first month of rent, and the vacation program pay covered the rest. Start the paperwork now, it is slower than any interview.

Google interview prep that actually mattered: 1) NeetCode 150, not random problems. 2) Mock interviews with a friend, out loud, on a whiteboard. 3) One system design primer read twice. Everything else was noise.

neetcode.ioNeetCode 150: curated coding interview problemsA structured list of 150 problems grouped by pattern, with free video explanations for each one.

Case competitions are the business degree cheat code. One state final = three interview stories, two referees, and a line on the resume that every consulting screener stops at. MAA103 group work is the training ground, so treat it seriously.

Has anyone in Business actually done an exchange? I'm torn between trimester 1 and trimester 2 of third year. I keep hearing trimester 2 has better scholarship odds, but it clashes with internship recruiting season. Would really appreciate advice from someone who has been through it.

Business students applying for Big 4 summer vacationer programs: I can submit employee referrals at PwC for Deakin students this round. Reply with the service line you want (consulting, audit, tax, deals) and two sentences on why. Get a DeakinTALENT resume check before you reply, it is free and it catches the basics. A referral puts your application in front of a recruiter; the assessments and interviews are the same for everyone.

MMK101 group presentation next week and I would really appreciate feedback from any marketing seniors. Our brief is to relaunch a local cafe brand for university students. We ran a small survey in our tutorial and found that students care more about study-friendly space and power outlets than about price, which surprised us. So our idea is to position the cafe as a study spot, not a cheap coffee place. For the 4Ps: product is a study bundle with coffee and a pastry, price stays mid-range, place is the existing store with extra outlets and quiet hours, and promotion is Instagram and TikTok content filmed during exam weeks. I made the slides in Canva using a brand board like the one in the photo. My worries: is a survey of 30 classmates enough evidence of consumer behaviour, or will the marker say it is biased? And how do we present the promotion plan without it sounding like a list of social media apps? I also want to practise presenting slowly and clearly because English is my second language. Any advice on structure or on the HubSpot course modules worth doing before Friday would help a lot.

PwC vacationer application timeline nobody tells you: applications open FEBRUARY for the following summer. Year 2s, set a reminder now. Half my cohort missed it because they assumed winter openings.

MMK101 tip for anyone who finds the theory dry: every time a lecture introduces a framework, pick one brand you actually buy from and apply it on the spot. I did the 4Ps on my favourite bubble tea shop and suddenly segmentation, pricing and positioning were not abstract anymore. The exam questions are basically this exercise with a brand they choose.

deakin.edu.auDeakin StudentsOfficial student hub for units, support and key dates.

The skincare brand I intern with needs a casual marketing assistant: content and community, 10 to 15 hours a week, Melbourne. First and second year Business students are welcome, and your MMK101 case study counts as a portfolio piece. I will refer you to my manager if you send one piece of content you made and tell me who you think our customer is. International students, check your work rights hours before applying.