Interview with Minal Bhoola about the importance of communication

Written by Courtney Wong

Who is Minal Bhoola?

Minal is a past student from Queensland University of Technology who studied a double degree of Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Media and Communication. After graduating in 2018, she has now moved to Sydney to further her professional development as a Marketing Assistant.  


What do you do on a daily basis at work?

My day consists of overseeing the company’s social media platforms as well as assisting in the company’s development. This includes ensuring that new content is created and scheduled to target our set audience. I also answer any business enquiries from our website and research on new methods to attract consumers.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Learning new skills every day. I am fresh out of university and this is my first job in the “real world”. During this crazy experience, I have learnt so much including what someone in my particular role does, various business skills and networking. Although I work in Marketing, I have been lucky enough to be exposed to several different areas of the company which has helped strengthen my skills for future career development.

Being a past student, what was your experience like, specifically when doing Brisbane Media Map?

My experience with the unit Brisbane Media Map was definitely useful. It gave me the opportunity to experience team challenges in a workplace situation. As I was part of the video team where I was particularly responsible for recreating the company’s brand video, my team had many tasks to complete within various deadlines. With the assistance of our unit readings, I learnt how to avoid team conflict and the steps necessary to ensure our project was successful. The unit also increased my teamwork, leadership and interpersonal communication skills.

Do you think communication is important and how did it help you professionally and personally?

Communication is crucial in both personal and professional aspects of your life. You need communication skills to not only talk to friends but also to ensure your message is being delivered appropriately, accurately and effectively in the workplace environment.

What do you think are the top communication skills?

An important communication skill is accepting feedback from others. Being open to feedback and criticism is important, especially in your first corporate job as you want your colleagues to advise of your progression and if you could be doing something better. Feedback not only answers questions but also helps strengthens your skillset. Additionally, being an active listener is important as you need to be able to pay attention to the person speaking to you. Trust me, this is crucial in meetings as you do not want to be seen as distracted or even uninterested.

From your personal experience, what is your advice for students who are confused about what they want to do with their degrees?

Definitely try and completed different industry related internships. Whilst studying, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to intern in the HR and Marketing fields. My reasoning was that I was unsure of which career path I wanted to take so I needed to know what was required. After gaining that work experience, I discovered I wanted to go down the path of Marketing.