William Brown
AUK
Summary
I'm a final-year AUT Business student majoring in HR and Management & Leadership — and genuinely one of those people who gets energy from other people. Three-plus years behind the bar at a members' golf club has given me a quiet masterclass in reading a room, defusing tension, and making strangers feel like regulars. I'm not someone who hides behind process; I'd rather have the real conversation. I'm looking for a People & Culture internship where I can bring that same instinct somewhere it actually matters — and keep learning from people far more experienced than me.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Bartender
Waitemata Golf Club
Devonport, Auckland
10.2023 - Current
- Built genuine relationships with members of the golf club where trust and consistency matter as much as the pour — on a first name basis with all the regulars and can remember most of their drinks of choice
- Managed and de-escalated customer concerns calmly and professionally, turning potential friction into loyalty.
- Took on informal mentorship of new staff — running onboarding, sharing the unwritten rules, and making sure nobody felt thrown in the deep end.
- Kept composure and decision-making sharp during busy service periods when everything is happening at once.
- Collaborated closely across a small team where communication isn't optional — it's the difference between a smooth night and a disaster.
Front of House/Kitchen Hand
Vondel
Devonport, Auckland
07.2021 - 06.2023
- Promoted from kitchen hand to FOH — earned through reliability, initiative, and a willingness to do whatever the team needed.
- Became the go-to point of contact for customers during service, applying active listening to make people feel genuinely looked after.
- Bridged front-of-house and kitchen teams — the role that keeps the whole operation honest.
- Balanced customer expectations with business policy when resolving complaints, exercising sound judgment under pressure.
Education
Bachelor of Business - Human Resources And Management & Leadership
Auckland University of Technology
Auckland, NZ12-2026
High School Diploma -
Takapuna Grammar School
North Shore, NZ11-2022
Skills
- Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Team collaboration
- Onboarding & training
- Emotional intelligence
- Adaptability
- Problem-solving
- Stakeholder engagement
A Bit About Me
- Football - lifelong Aston Villa fan. The loyalty, the heartbreak, the VERY occasional glory — it builds character.
- Travel - took a gap year after finishing High School to go backpacking across Europe. Navigating new cities will tell you a lot about yourself.
- Music - Gorillaz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, that whole era. My girlfriend calls it divorced dad music. I call it taste.
- People - Genuinely love meeting new people and finding common ground — it's less a hobby and more just how I operate.
Timeline
Bartender
Waitemata Golf Club
10.2023 - Current
Front of House/Kitchen Hand
Vondel
07.2021 - 06.2023
Bachelor of Business - Human Resources And Management & Leadership
Auckland University of Technology
High School Diploma -
Takapuna Grammar School