ANZ grad finds no one is uniform in career development

As someone with an education in the marketing and management side of a Business degree, I never considered applying for the ANZ graduate program, much less being accepted into it.

So, it was particularly fortuitous I found myself in a seminar where existing ANZ graduates shared their experience with students commencing their final year of study.

It was there I learnt you didn’t have to study finance to be in the program and that those who studied psychology, education and journalism had been successful in applying and were excelling at ANZ.

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Opening up to new experiences

Fast forward to my first rotation on the Graduate program: I’m having meetings with small business customers, discussing the current shape of their business and strategies we can put in place to withstand the COVID-19 crisis. It’s work I never imagined myself doing - or even being capable of. It was a steep learning curve, heightened by learning the role remotely and calling customers from the “office” - my bedroom - rather than surrounded by my team in the real office I craved to be in.

Despite my self-doubt, I found myself becoming more comfortable in my role and, with time, confidently interacting with customers. I found I enjoyed the interactions, learning about the businesses and the sense of accomplishment that came with helping customers manage such difficult circumstances. Whether it was through applications for business loans or implementing relief packages, I could see my contribution to small business owners and feel the confidence in my own ability strengthen.

Growing your skills

With the multitude of diverse teams at ANZ you can be sure to find areas aligned to your interest - and others you’re eager to learn more about. Regardless of which rotations you do in the program, you’ll gain a wealth of knowledge, influence outcomes and have exposure to unique work.

Within each of your rotations you’ll spend six months involved in the work of your team, have accountability for your tasks and feel you can put your name on something. This continued in my second rotation within Inclusion and Talent, working on the change plan and relaunch of ANZ’s Indigenous Traineeship Program. It’s in this space I built my knowledge on cultural awareness and how organisations can contribute to reconciliation through respectful relations and meaningful job opportunities.

Through the program I have also gained skills in areas I’ll use for the rest of my career, including stakeholder management, communications and successfully integrating change.

Beyond your role description, being part of the graduate program means you’ll also be involved in workshops and development sessions. These are focused on accelerating your career, building soft and hard skills, and hearing from the leaders of the business. The sessions have been instrumental in building my capabilities, prompting self-reflection on my strengths and where I can continue to grow.

Supported by a network of like-minded people

With the exception of three weeks at the beginning of the year, I spent all of 2020 working from home. Even for my second rotation I never had the chance to work with my team in the office. Despite all of this, I’ve experienced how supportive the people at ANZ are with their willingness to help you learn and welcome you to the fold.

When you enter the graduate program you join as part of a cohort, graduates from across different states and divisions. This enabled me to leverage the support and insights of others going through the same experience. And the determination for excellence palpable in graduates at ANZ has fuelled my own motivation. I’m so thankful for this community who inspire me and bring fun into work.

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At its core, the graduate program is an empowering experience, enabling its participants to realise their aspirations in an environment which fosters continuous learning and meaningful connections.

My time at ANZ so far has been an exercise in growth, in equal measures personal and professional. From my first day I’ve been supported, with people advocating for me and investing their energy to helping me navigate my path. It’s for this experience I feel I can undertake the start of my career with confidence and, with the strength of my team and cohort behind me, possibly even thrive.