Shian Cottam
Administrator, Real Estate Industry
First Line Management (Level 4)
Working as an administrator for a Whangarei real estate company gave Shian Cottam a taste for business. When an opportunity to grow into office management presented itself, Shian jumped at it, devoting her spare time to honing her skills through BMP’s First Line Management training.
Tell us about your career journey so far.
Since leaving school I’ve had a lot of different experiences however working as an administrator was my first intentional career move. I’d been working here for around eight months when I decided it was time for a fresh challenge and to further my education in order to develop my career.
Have you always had a soft spot for business?
Growing up, I helped dad with the administration tasks involved in running his businesses. Then through high school I enjoyed and excelled in subjects like accounting and enterprise. After dabbling in science and creative design, I’ve found myself back in a business environment where my organisational skills and attention to detail are put to good use.
What appealed to you about upskilling through BMP?
I was deciding between a few different courses but thought a Level 4 course would be the best place to start. BMP offered the most flexibility and the most support. It was entirely online which meant I could fit it around my full time job and other commitments.
What did you enjoy most about your studies?
I loved being able to directly relate the course content and my learning to my job, and in particular, our team environment. It has really helped me to better understand the team dynamic and has given me an insight into some of the personnel challenges my boss faces at times. HR is the area I see myself evolving into eventually, and I’ve found this course really beneficial for an insight into this.
Were there any challenges?
For me, I think the biggest challenge was the discipline of not leaving assignments to the last minute. It was quite ambitious to take this on while working full time and juggling other commitments – however that has made completing my qualification all the more rewarding.
Where to from here?
At the moment I’m still working as an administrator but taking on more responsibility in terms of an office management role. I love the diversity of my job – it gives me lots of different opportunities. I find it really rewarding supporting our salespeople and seeing their success reflected in the work I’ve done in the background. I‘m having a little break from studying right now but soon I plan to start working towards my Bachelor of Business.
