Proving your first career choice isn’t always the most significant one you will make, Nicole Pereira sat down to talk with us about what she has been doing since graduating from Melbourne Girls Grammar in 2014.

“My Dad, a small business owner, is one of my biggest inspirations. He pushed me into attending a private school, selecting MGGS for me. I am grateful for the opportunities I had there, from sports and music to debating. The opportunities offered at MGGS are second to none. My school days were always busy, from 7am to 7pm, and that prepared me well for the future.

When I graduated, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I remember sitting down with our careers expert to discuss different directions. I liked business, journalism and communications, and I was involved in a bit of everything at School, so I didn’t know which path to take.

I ended up studying a Bachelor of Professional Communication. Throughout the first semester, I realised the workload wasn’t difficult, so I added a diploma in languages, as I was already used to studying languages from my time at MGGS.

After finishing my studies, I started working in marketing roles and completed several internships. I landed a job as a marketing manager with an association and built my network in marketing and events. Eventually, I started my own wedding photography and video business, which later expanded to wedding planning. However, when COVID hit, with all of the uncertainty, I decided to look for something with more stability and chose the legal sector.

I had been working in marketing and events for a few years and enjoyed it, but I always had an interest in law. I started studying Law, juggling full-time work and study for years. I completed the full Juris Doctor degree at RMIT, a three-year course with 24 units. I was a full-time student while working full time too, so it was busy! Most of my colleagues were parents or people entering law from different professions and were in their 40s or 50s, so I was one of the youngest in the course.

Once I finished the JD, I started looking for ways to enter the legal sector and eventually secured a role working at Westpac in the property department. I reviewed contracts, bank documents and loan documents, which aligned with my property law studies. I learned that university work is very theoretical, while actual legal work is more practical. The legal sector is demanding, with a lot of reading involved. People in law love to read. In university, I needed to read more than 200 pages of readings a week, which was actually a warm-up for the real thing. Now, as a lawyer, we read around 200 per day. The good thing about RMIT is that classes are in the evening, around 6pm to 9pm, which worked well with my job. Some subjects had weekend intensives, which were full days at university. During these periods, I would relax by trying new restaurants in the city with friends.

I do sometimes miss the creative parts of event management and photography. While it was quite a dramatic transition to go from marketing and events to the legal sector, I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey and wouldn’t have it any other way. In marketing and events, I spent 12-hour days at conferences and events, ensuring that everything was running smoothly, setting up, packing up and liaising with key stakeholders. In the legal sector, I spend most of my time in the office and occasionally meet with clients and directors as well. Marketing is great for those who love being around people and exercising their creative skillset. Whereas the legal sector suits those who want a new challenge every day and who enjoy working autonomously.

I started in banking, finance and property law, then worked in commercial and migration law, and now I’m working as a commercial lawyer in the aviation and transport sector. This area involves working with private and public entities both in Australia and internationally, preparing contracts for the purchase and sale of aircraft and various other commercial agreements. I have excellent mentors at my current firm, for whom I am truly grateful.”

When asked what advice she would give to Senior Years Grammarians and young OGs, she replied:

“My biggest advice is not to think you have to stick to one career path for the rest of your life. Many people from our parents’ generation stayed in one job for 40 or 50 years. When you graduate, you don’t have to choose one path and stick to it forever. It’s about what you like and enjoy. Any degree is an asset, and you can apply the skills you learn to any role you pursue.”