"Stay Open-Minded" - Psych Grad Finds her Way at ANZ

At first glance, one might not think a psychology graduate would be looking for a job at a bank - and Bella Crossan admits (with a laugh) that "I don't know much about banking at all, really."

What she does understand is people - and that's an area where ANZ will always need expertise.

"My biggest piece of advice for people thinking about the ANZ NZ Grad programme is to leave expectations behind and to stay open-minded," Bella said.

"I was so nervous, having done psychology - I thought I would be behind and have to catch up - but it was quite easy for me to influence what teams I rotated through and choose areas that really excited me, which I think is awesome."

“Making sure employees are in a good headspace is so important, because when they feel good, they are more productive - so they give back to the business.” 
- Bella Crossan, ANZ Graduate Programme

Bella's also open about her own mental health and says when she's not in a good space, her manager understands and gives her the time and support she needs to come back stronger.

During her first week at ANZ, Bella's grandmother passed away.

"It was a difficult time to start my first real job - I missed the third day of orientation, which I was really stressed about," she said.

She was afraid taking time off so early on would count against her - "I thought it would be a terrible look, taking all this leave - but it wasn't.

"My team and manager were all so supportive and told me to take as much time as I needed."

Bella said being supported like that during a rough time - especially during her first days - made a huge difference to her sense of being valued.

"Everyone I've met and worked with have been so happy and willing to help - it's been a really welcoming experience."

"Sometimes I feel very out of my depth - but talking to other Grads, pretty much everyone feels like that, and we made it onto the programme for a reason - in a couple of years, we'll be really good contributors.

"ANZ is not really the 'stuffy suit' type of organisation that some people might think it is - no matter what your career interests are, or educational background is, there will likely be a role for you which you're good at and you'll enjoy."

Bella first worked within ANZ's Business Planning and Performance unit, "in a people-focused team, making an impact on the skills and confidence of our people.

"One of the biggest challenges for me was finding the right people to talk with when starting on a new project because ANZ NZ employs over 7000+ people - but using initiative to find the right people, I now feel confident reaching out to someone new."

Applications for the 2022 Graduate Programme are now open and close on the 19th of March. 

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