Finance Student, Creative Freelancer

5.0 (2 reviews)English, Bahasa Malaysia, TamilNext: Mon 12 Oct, 8:00 PM (GMT+8)

About me

I’m Suvarna Shanmugaveil, currently pursuing a degree in Banking & Finance with a deep passion for wealth management. I combine my academic knowledge with ha...

How I can help

Book a private video call and get my personal advice on:

Studying in the UK: Get ready with tips on visas and accommodation.
London Living Guide: Navigate London, manage living costs, know where to stay & avoid.
School to University: Transition smoothly from government schools to private universities.
Alumni Connections: Keep strong ties with alumni and achieve your goals.
World Views: Stay updated on global events affecting finance and business.
Sports to Academics: Shift your focus from sports to academics and debate

From RM10

Advice by video call

Book a call

More about Suvarna

Professional experience

Earning Multiple Income Streams as a Student
Most importantly, a lot of organisations are looking for experienced candidates, but as a fresh grad or undergrad, how do we overcome the 1 year experience requirement? By getting a headstart on gathering experience through freelancing/partiming.
I started working immediately after graduating school to get accustomed to the working environment and maintain momentum.
This experience has made me mindful of spending and has provided a better understanding of the value of money.
I have held eight part-time jobs: five in F&B, a remote job at Huddle (setting up AI cameras for local sports games), a law firm clerk assistant, an investment banking internship at OCBC during semester breaks, and currently working in Influencer Marketing and freelancing on Upwork (copywriting).
Tips for Using Upwork
Upwork is a global freelancing platform that connects clients with freelancers across various industries. It allows freelancers to find work remotely and clients to hire professionals for both short- and long-term projects.
I’ve been offering my services on Upwork (A freelancer job portal) as a copywriter and proofreader.
If you are planning to make income on Upwork, be realistic about your worth and work value.
Connects on Upwork are virtual tokens that freelancers use to submit proposals for job postings. Each job requires a certain number of Connects, and freelancers can purchase more if needed once their free monthly allocation is used up.
Set out clearly on your terms and conditions, use your free connections wisely when you first download the app.
While you can make the most of international companies, just make sure you have a direct payment method to avoid scams.
Lessons from Working in Multiple Fields
It made it easier for me to adapt when entering the workforce in terms of coordinating my day and ensuring I get sufficient rest to maintain productivity.
I developed a sense of responsibility and independence once I started working as I learned what it means to be a team player.
I learned to navigate personality differences and set boundaries in the workplace, emphasising professionalism.
I gained confidence to pursue a master's degree at Warwick at the end of next year.

Education journey

Private University: Taylors University
I’m studying Finance and Banking, following my father's 40-year legacy with hopes of starting a firm together under his guidance.
The course mainly consists of banking modules rather than finance and accounting, including Islamic Banking and practices utilised in Malaysian systems.
The finance syllabus covers various aspects such as assets, liabilities, investments, and the calculations necessary for comprehending the working world.
Wealth Management is a common elective module beneficial for lifestyle planning.
I think it’s awesome that government schools have recently included money management in their syllabus, giving students a preview of the finance field.
The Environment at Taylor’s University
The student community has a balanced social mix of introverts and extroverts, with many peers having parents in diverse enterprise backgrounds.
Based on my experience, the study and workload are heavy, and group assignments can sometimes involve freeloaders, adding on to the committed students' workloads.
I’d say you’re an ideal candidate to study Finance if you are analytical, responsible, calculated risk-takers, precise, and detailed, with a necessity to stay updated with current world events to understand trading and currency fluctuations.

LalaHero's Afterthoughts

Suvarna is the ultimate go-getter persona! Her impressive drive to achieve her career goals and financial independence at a young age is inspiring to many of her peers around her age. From learning new skills while freelancing part time alongside her degree completion, she’s dipped her toes into many areas such as Influencer Marketing, Copywriting, Networking and of course the finance world where she aspires to follow in the footsteps of her father who has mentored her from her childhood days. Learn more about her tips on maintaining income streams while on the road to graduation to prepare her for her next chapter in the UK!