Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia.
How did you get to your current job position?
I applied for the 2019 Optus Graduate Program during my final year of undergraduate study and have been in my current role for just over 15 months.
How did you choose your specialisation?
Growing up, I was interested in international relations and the language, culture and accustoms which were embedded in the behaviours associated with the specific country. Based on this, I chose my area of specialisation orientated on interest rather than the availability of opportunities in the market. I am a big believer that if you chose an area that sparks your interest, which you are passionate about, regardless of the opportunities in the market you’ll always find yourself in a positive position.
What was your interview process like?
It was a long, but rewarding and seamless interview process. The Optus Graduate Program, like many other graduate program interviews, had many outstanding applicants which applied for the role, but what made the interview process different from others was being able to feel included as part of the organisation throughout the process. It is very rare, that during an assessment centre, that applicants would be able to take a campus tour of the organisation and learn more about the amazing benefits and facilities which were offered, but this is exactly what Optus had in mind.
In terms of the interview questions, there was a range of standard interview questions, experience related and behavioural related questions. Rather than a focus on my experience and expertise, the interview was more a conversation about my personality, the culture in which I would like to work in, and my personal brand.
What does your employer do?
Optus is one of the leading organisations in the Telecommunication industry, providing consumer and enterprise organisations with quality solutions through great customer experience
What are your areas of responsibility?
The Optus Business Strategy teams area of focus includes market insights, competitor intelligence, strategic planning, major programs, business analysis.
Can you describe a typical workday?
My typical workday would consist of analysing market information, drawing insights and creating informative presentations to be shared around the business around our strategy
What are the career prospects with your job?
It is a springboard that sets you up for many other roles including, business analyst, strategy manager, and project manager.
What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now?
An honest response is I have no idea! I absolutely love what I’m doing and I can’t imagine myself elsewhere.
What do you love the most about your job?
I love the creativity and challenges of my role. Every day is different, and every day I find myself learning something new about not only the industry, the business, people around me, but also something new about myself. I enjoy analysing, finding trends, and presenting my findings to my stakeholders around me.
What’s the biggest limitation of your job?
There are times when a lot will happen within a span of an hour, with many moving parts in the business - but the support within the team makes it less chaotic. I believe that stress only comes from yourself – it’s the mindset that you’re ready to challenge and ready to make a positive difference which is more important.
Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?