You Don’t Have to Wait Until You Graduate to Start Building Your Career 

Most university students spend their evenings in lectures, tutorials or studying for exams. 

Gabrielle Peters chose to spend hers introducing herself to senior leaders from some of Australia’s largest financial institutions. 

As a penultimate-year student at the University of Sydney, Gabrielle recently attended her first Women in Banking and Finance (WiBF) event. Like many students, she wasn’t sure whether she belonged in a room filled with executives from organisations including NAB, ANZ and Bank of America. What she discovered was something far more valuable than networking. She discovered that every leader was once exactly where she is today. 

The Best Decision She Made 

Gabrielle had a clear reason for attending. 

“The prospect of being in a room full of women who had already made it, in industries and at seniority levels that I wouldn’t normally have access to, was reason enough. I thought, when else am I going to get to be in the same room as people on that level of seniority? I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.” 

Like many people attending a networking event for the first time, Gabrielle found herself wondering whether she belonged. 

As she looked around the room, she saw senior executives, accomplished professionals and leaders from globally recognised organisations. 

Her own name badge read: University of Sydney. Then she reminded herself of something that changed her perspective. 

“Every single person in that room has been exactly where I am. They’ve all been the most junior, the most uncertain, the least credentialed version of themselves at some point.” 

What she discovered was exactly what WiBF strives to create at every event, a welcoming community of people who remember what it was like to be starting out and who genuinely want to see the next generation succeed. 

Looking back, she says walking into that room was the best decision she made. Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to walk through the door. You never know who you’ll meet, what you’ll learn, or where one conversation might lead. 

“I kept reminding myself that I needed to be in rooms that stretch me, and that the discomfort wasn’t a signal to leave, it was a signal that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.” 

That shift in mindset changed the entire evening. 

The Leadership Lessons That Stayed With Her 

Throughout the evening, the speakers didn’t just share their career achievements. They shared the moments that challenged them, shaped them and changed the way they lead. 

One insight particularly resonated with Gabrielle from former WiBF President Sangeeta Venkatesan. Early in her career, Sangeeta believed leadership meant having all the answers. 

Over time, she realised that great leaders ask thoughtful questions instead. They create space for others to contribute, encourage different perspectives and help people around them succeed. 

For Gabrielle, it completely reframed what leadership could look like. The conversation continued with themes of authenticity and resilience. 

Rather than presenting themselves as people who had never struggled, the speakers spoke openly about career uncertainty, balancing leadership with family and navigating workplaces where they were often the only woman in the room. 

WiBF Director Kate Stone challenged Gabrielle’s understanding of resilience, describing it not as an inherent trait, but as a series of deliberate choices about who you lean on and how you keep moving forward. WiBF President Natalie Vanstone shared another message that stayed with her: “The right move isn’t always the obvious move.” 

In an industry where there can be pressure to follow a perfectly planned career path, hearing that success rarely follows a straight line was both refreshing and reassuring. 

The Biggest Surprise 

The people Gabrielle had once viewed as almost untouchable quickly became something else entirely. “They were just women who had been exactly where I am.” 

That realisation stayed with her. The titles, achievements and leadership positions were impressive, but they weren’t what made the strongest impression. It was their generosity, honesty and willingness to share not only what had gone well, but what had gone wrong. For Gabrielle, those conversations made successful careers feel not only inspiring, but genuinely attainable. 

One Word Changed Everything 

When Gabrielle was asked about her biggest takeaway from the evening, she didn’t mention networking, career advice or meeting senior executives. 

She answered with one word, permission. Permission to ask questions, to be in the room and to take up space. 

“I barely scratched the surface in any single conversation, but across the evening I learned things I didn’t know I needed to learn and met people I didn’t know I needed to meet.” 

“There is a genuine treasure trove of knowledge and experience in a room like that, and the only barrier to accessing it is being willing to show up.” 

Your Invitation 

One of the many benefits of being a WiBF Member is complimentary access to WiBF’s in-person events and networking opportunities. 

These events are about far more than hearing from industry leaders, they’re an opportunity to build confidence, ask questions, make connections and gain insights.

Gabrielle’s advice to others is simple. 

“Just go. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain and you will always come out of it with more than you walked in with.”