ANZ

Describe yourself in one word? 

Philomath 

What do you get involved in your spare time: 

I enjoy going bouldering and have started going to the gym a few times a week. After a few years of physical inactivity, I thought it was time to start becoming a better version of myself. Call me weird, but I’ve started to really enjoy the feeling of muscle soreness after engaging in physical activity! I also have a sweet tooth and weakness when it comes to cakes and desserts, so can also be found at a café or dessert shop digging in to whatever sweet treats I can find! Finally, I have a chronic addiction to Netflix (not so much watching Netflix, but rather constantly adding interesting shows and movies to my watchlist, and then never getting around to watching anything)

In which area of ANZ did you complete your graduate program: 

Talent & Culture (Human Resources)

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program: 

I have really appreciated the diversity of rotations and teams that I have been exposed to, having had exposure to Learning & Development, Performance & Remuneration, Talent Acquisition & Assessment, and Employee Relations. However, as I studied psychology at uni, I found myself really drawn to my rotation working in the Assessment Centre of Excellence (CoE), where I had the opportunity to learn more about the assessments and selection processes involved in hiring new employees, and I also got involved in revamping the selection process and assessments for our Early Talent (Graduates and Interns) programs! I also got involved in an analysis on the psychometric soundness of an assessment being used, and whether or not it was disadvantaging a specific population of individuals. That said, each and every single rotation has been highly enjoyable and a great learning opportunity for me, giving me the opportunity to develop cross-transferable skills (especially Excel skills) that I am constantly relying on in my day-to-day.

What do you love most about working for ANZ: 

I have really enjoyed the culture of ANZ and how open everyone is, and also how everyone is willing to jump in and help each other out. Every time I have started in a new team, or have had meetings with new people, I have been met with so much positive energy and stories about people’s time at the bank. People are really eager to share their experiences with me, and encourage me to reach out for further chats at any time. I also love how many opportunities have been provided to me as a grad for learning and to step outside my comfort zone.

Describe a typical day for you: 

A typical day generally starts with me going through my emails and catching up on any news relevant to my team/current work, followed by a quick browse on our internal networking site to see if there are any interesting events coming up in the office (with the occasional cute pet post here and there!). Then, I identify whether any work I have got on needs to be re-prioritised due to new information or requests from stakeholders, before generally resuming the work that I was doing the day before. 

The work that I get involved in varies along with the rotation that I’m in, but ranges from responding to queries from employees about specific issues (e.g., flexible work requests, pay queries, psychometric assessment queries) to engaging in data analysis or fulfilling a data request. I have also been involved in developing presentation packs and employee comms where there is a need to educate the business and/or wider audience of stakeholders. My day will include meetings with those in my team to hear about what other people are working on, and work may be reallocated to myself or others to ensure nobody is feeling overwhelmed. I tend to have lunch with some other grads or people that I have worked with in the same team, and it’s always nice to catch up and hear about the work everyone else is getting up to/what we’re looking forward to that weekend. After lunch, I continue working on any tasks and attending meetings, before finishing up the day in the late afternoon.

Describe yourself in one word: Integrity 

What do you get involved in your spare time:

In my spare time I love being active and getting outside. I always enjoy going for a run, spending time at the beach or having a social round of golf with friends. I'm also a big footy fan so you'll often catch me watching a game at the MCG. On the weekends I like going out and enjoying good food and a nice glass of wine, so I'm very spoilt for choice living in Melbourne!  

In which area of ANZ did you complete your graduate / intern program: 

Australian Retail and Commercial Banking

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program:

I loved all my rotations however, my absolute favourite was with the People Value Proposition team. Ironically, this rotation was in Talent & Culture which is outside of my graduate program stream. [Editor’s note: it was also working on the same topic that Jordan wrote his thesis on!]

What do you love most about working for ANZ:

The incredibly supportive and encouraging workplace culture has to be number one! During my time at ANZ, it has become very clear that we have some exceptional leaders who place a strong emphasis on employee wellbeing, learning opportunities and individual development. From my first day as a Graduate, I have always felt valued and encouraged to share my insights and opinions. 

Secondly, I love the flexibility and the encouragement to give things a go and pursue your passions. As a graduate I was able to work in a team outside my program stream due to my passion in the area. In my experience, people are willing to do everything in their power to help you get to where you want to be as soon as possible.

Describe a typical day for you:

 Honestly, no two days are the exact same and I really appreciate the variety in my role. However, a typical day in the office starts with me checking my emails and writing a list of things I want to accomplish that day. Next, my team has a daily catch-up where we update each other on key priorities and how we are progressing with our projects. This is always followed by a trip to my favourite café with a friend and we will often go for a walk by the water. 

Once I'm back in the office I will smash through some work typically doing some data analysis or preparing for an upcoming presentation or workshop. I always have lunch with a few friends and love to sit outside when the weather is nice. After lunch I will typically check-in with numerous stakeholders who I am working with to see how they are progressing with their responsibilities or brainstorm to come up with creative solutions to any challenges we are facing. Often some of these colleagues are based internationally. Each day I feel that I am having a genuine impact on business outcomes at the bank, and I always feel as if I am contributing to important work which has a global impact.

Describe yourself in one word: Energetic

What do you get involved in your spare time:

In my spare time I love to bring out my adventurous side and get active. You’d find me exploring new places around Victoria, roller-skating in a park or taking part in a dance/pilates class. I am also a major foodie (perk of living in Melbourne!) and spend my weekends enjoying a bite from a new restaurant I’ve been wanting to try!

In which area of ANZ did you complete your graduate/intern program: Technology Graduate Program (didn’t complete an internship).

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program:

My favourite rotation has been within Institutional Technology as a Surveillance Analyst (the title is definitely as fun as it sounds)! My team helps initiate changes that will help improve and automate services within the Institutional domain in the Surveillance Squads. I was able to be part of such interesting projects that affect all ANZ employees globally and my favourite part was that I was able to communicate and bring together so many different people such as vendors, developers, technology architects and security to work on a common goal!  

What do you love most about working for ANZ:

The flexibility is incredible, I am a Technology graduate that doesn’t have a tech background! ANZ is super flexible which is such a big perk as the opportunities are endless! What I love even more though are the people I am surrounded by. The level of support I have from everyone around me is amazing. No matter who you reach out to, they will always give you their time and attention to help and talk and it makes ANZ such an enjoyable environment to grow and develop in. I have also built so many connections with the other grads and we speak to each other all the time, it is great to have friends that are going through the program with you!

Describe a typical day for you:

A typical day starts firstly with a morning coffee that I got from my favourite café with some of the grads and plan out my day by replying to any emails I have, then I will reach out to my grad-program buddy to check in and have a small catch-up. I will have meetings planned out that relate to my projects including briefing a new stakeholder such as a security partner and explain how they can help reach our project goals or a meeting with the vendors to ask if their tasks are tracking well. If I’m in the office I’ll see which grads are in to grab some lunch together or spend my lunchtime going for a walk while at home. I also like to dedicate a few hours a week for my own development, ANZ has amazing learning resources that are great for upskilling! I have already completed courses in Cloud, programming languages and more! In the afternoon, I work on any documents I am creating for the projects and we have our daily catch-ups with our team that I have been running to see how everyone is going with their tasks. I end my day by briefing the Project Manager and Business Owners of my project updates and enjoy some after-work city views and catch-ups with friends. What I really love is that no day is the same, I have been asked to help volunteer at ANZ events, I attend different information presentations and join events that the grad team has put together for us!

Describe yourself in one word: Curious

What do you get involved in your spare time: 

In my spare time I enjoy any outdoor activity (hikes, skateboarding, road trips) or you’ll probably find me planning my next travel adventure (definitely hoping this will be possible again soon!) I’m also a big foodie so I love trying new restaurants/foods!

In which area of ANZ did you complete your graduate/intern program: 

ANZx Business Transformation (Technology)

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program: 

I’m currently in my first rotation working as a business analyst within our Join Value Stream - Identity and Access Management, which has involved work such as ensuring the right users have the appropriate access to the right technology resources as well as uplifting the features of our Identity platform. I love that the work is varied and allows me to engage with a variety of people; developers, platform engineers, architects, testers as well as other analysts. It’s really interesting work and has been a huge learning experience for me so far - especially coming from a non-technical background!

What do you love most about working for ANZ:

It would definitely have to be the people. Despite being in and out of lockdown, it’s been great having the support of the other graduates! I’ve also been able to work with some really lovely people so far who have been generous with their time and very willing to support my learning - definitely helps as a new grad!

Describe a typical day for you: 

My tasks will vary day to day, but typically I’ll either be analysing requirements given to the team by business stakeholders, engaging with other teams to gather requirements or building out/refining user stories in preparation for our developers.

Describe yourself in one word: Driven

What do you get involved in your spare time: 

Staying active, spending time on my family’s farms

In which area of ANZ did you complete your graduate/intern program: 

Agri Business Banking (in Bowral, NSW & Albury, NSW) & Specialist Distribution (Agri) in Rockhampton, QLD.

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program: 

Hard to choose, but probably Business Banking in Albury – a good, supportive team around you makes all the difference

What do you love most about working for ANZ: 

The people you work with, but also feeling you are positively contributing to your clients, who in my case are predominately hard working farmers.

Describe a typical day for you: 

A good day would look like a morning in the office working on things like annual reviews, credits, asset finance etc., then heading out on farm with my manager for meetings with clients for the afternoon. Other days I may be working from home so will spend the better part of the day at my desk, so getting outside or doing a workout is a must for me in the evenings.

Describe yourself in one word: Persistent

What do you get involved in your spare time?

In my spare time I love to get out and about (hikes and trips to the beach), cook and eat out. I also enjoy exercising and enjoying our beautiful city!

In which area of ANZ did you complete your 8-week internship?

I completed my internship in Research & Analysis, Diversified Industries in the Institutional area. This was a great introduction into the heart of institutional lending, and allowed me to meet and learn about other industries and teams as well as the one I was working in. I was surrounded by a great team and met a lot of really supportive and informative people. The thing I enjoyed the most about the internship was the variety and interesting nature of the customers the team serviced.

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program?

My favourite rotation within the graduate program was my first rotation, in Customer Strategy. This team enabled me to get an overview of the Institutional area and how all the different sub-areas and teams interact and fit together.

What do you love most about working for ANZ?

The people. I’ve been really lucky and worked with a lot of great people, as well as made some close friends with other graduates at ANZ. So far I’ve found that there are many supportive and helpful people around.

Describe a typical day for you.

On a typical day my role involves managing a portfolio of clients across different industries. This involves understanding these customers, the industries in which they operate and broader economic trends that will have an impact on them. It also involves responding to customer queries and managing the banks relationship with these customers.

Describe yourself in one word: Creative

What do you get involved in your spare time?

Prior to studying Finance and Accounting I spent a number of years studying Literature and Creative Writing, and I still try to find time to read and write creatively during my spare time.  I’ve also lived overseas for a number of years, and I’m always planning my next big adventure.  The Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail through Spain is next on my list!

What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program?

I most enjoyed my rotation through the External Reporting team.  This team is responsible for producing ANZ’s financial statements, which is the key way the bank communicates its strategy and results to the public. 

Why would you recommend ANZ to others?

Speaking as a graduate, I would recommend ANZ because of the many developmental opportunities working here provides.  Graduates are encouraged to take on lots of different responsibilities in their various teams, but are always supported in their learning. Taking ownership over your tasks gives you a greater sense of empowerment at work.  Plus, the open, collaborative environment at ANZ means you are constantly exposed to new ways of thinking.   

Describe a typical day for you.

What I have enjoyed most about my experience at ANZ is that there isn’t really a typical day.  Some days I might be required to prepare monthly accounting journals, others I might be asked to help come up with ways to improve or simplify an existing process, or I could even be asked to build a new spreadsheet model.  The great thing about being a graduate is that you’re encouraged to try new things; and ANZ is also an organisation that adopts a philosophy of continuous improvement. 

Describe yourself in one word: Dedicated

What do you get involved in your spare time?

In my spare time I like to keep active, noting that a lot of my days now are spent at a desk! I’ve always played a lot of sports growing up and I’ve tried to maintain that as part of my lifestyle moving into full-time work. I play soccer every weekend, and during the weekdays I try and get to the gym after work.

I’ve also been a very keen traveller ever since I caught the travel bug after my first trip to Europe

In which area of ANZ did you complete your 8-week internship?

What was your experience like? I completed my program in the Emerging Corporate (EC) segment as part of a team based out of 100 Queen St, Melbourne. I feel that I was really lucky to be placed into EC as it provided me the opportunity to experience an 8- week crash course on typical customer facing Corporate & Commercial banking, and develop a real appreciation for what a day in the life of a typical frontline banker that services our Commercial & Corporate clients is like. From funding analysis surrounding financial performance and security positions, to assisting in maintaining the team’s internal reporting and compliance requirements, it really was a well-rounded, challenging and rewarding experience.

What has been a highlight of your graduate program?

The biggest highlight for me aside from all the experiences and personal development through my rotations has been all the people I’ve met along the way, particularly the other Graduates. Throughout my time on the Graduate Program I have gotten to know some really great and interesting people, and I have made connections that I know will last for years to come.

What was your biggest misconception about working at a bank?

Definitely the pace of change! ANZ has proven itself to be a truly dynamic organisation; we are constantly adapting and responding to the changes and challenges of an ever evolving landscape, which in my opinion is exciting.

What do you love most about working at ANZ?

That would have to be the people. The connections I’ve made and the people I’ve met and continue to work with are such a crucial part of why I enjoy coming to work every day. The culture at ANZ is one of comradery and co- development, a fantastic environment for any person at the beginning of their career. And it’s a culture that I am proud to be a part of.

A Day in the Life

There is nothing better to get the blood pumping in the morning than smashing out some study (CFA, CPA, CA… whatever tickles your fancy) before work and skimming through the news to see what’s happening in the big wide world.

At about 9:00am things start to pick up and the office is starting to hum. Some days it’s a team meeting - other days you will have booked in a networking chat over a coffee/juice/vanilla thick shake! Either way, you are going to be kicking off your morning learning from senior leaders and asking questions.

By 9:45am you are deep into a bit of analysis. This time round you’re doing a deep dive into the pricing stack used by the market’s business. Maximizing the number of deals the desk wins without reducing the level of cost recovery currently imbedded in the price. Work that is very different to the monthly bank performance summary you prepared yesterday. A summary that the Group CFO is going to present to the banks Board of Directors at the end of the week.

At 10:30am, our Talent and Culture team have set a meeting between the finance grads and the CFO of the Institutional business so you can really get to know one of your key stakeholders on a personal level. After a morning of asking questions, you are a tad peckish. So you duck out of the office for some Japanese with your team.

When you get back you have two hours to put the finishing touches on this morning’s markets pricing analysis so that you are ready to present to the Head of Markets in the afternoon.

Once your presentation is complete, you will most likely want to ask your manager the fifty-four questions you wrote down during your meeting with the Head of Markets, all of which get answered in full (aside from those three really hard ones that even your boss who has been doing this for the last twenty years had to think about and get back to you on).

And that just about wraps it up! Your work is done for the day - well in time for your weekly mixed netball game or Wednesday night trivia with mates!

When my Dad recommended I apply for the ANZ Technology Graduate Program, I laughed. Me? I didn’t study anything related to IT or banking. One night, spurred on by a moment of confidence I thought, why not just apply and see how I go; after all, what did I have to lose? Not having to submit a resume and instead, play a few games (yes, this really is the application process!), was definitely an incentive to apply.
Little did I know, a soon-to-be journalism grad was about to be accepted as a Technology Graduate for ANZ. I would like to share with you, four truth bombs I came upon since I joined the program.

#1. Don’t dull down your past experiences, they make you unique

One of the first things I learnt applying for a graduate position at ANZ (and being in the role), is to not discount your past experience as this is ultimately what makes us all unique! For ANZ, the broader experiences that shape who we are, are just as important as “technical skills” when they consider whom to recruit. Before starting at ANZ, I’d worked many different jobs – often juggling two at a time. As a teenager I coached and umpired netball, before securing my first ‘real’ job at Kmart Australia where I worked my way up to become a Duty Manager. I did lots of other things too: working with students with physical and learning difficulties, waitressing at my parent’s café, being active in sports and at university, and I also did a few internships. The purpose of me telling you all of this, is to emphasise that these experiences (all very different), teach us how to be a team player, a leader, how to multi-task, be resilient – the list goes on. And these skills have helped me adapt to the corporate world and the New Ways of Working model that ANZ has adopted in recent years. So, don’t disregard the things you have done previously as these really are what set you apart!

Since graduating university, I was lucky enough to be a part of the 2020 ANZ Agribusiness Graduate program. To be honest, if you asked me when I left school or at the start of university where I would be at the end of my degree, I never would have thought I would be working in a bank. I am extremely passionate about the Australian Agriculture Industry and while I was attending the annual Australia Dairy Conference, I was lucky to enough to meet like-minded people who introduced me to a fellow ANZ Agribusiness manager and graduate at the time who encouraged me to apply for the program.

I saw huge benefit being able to broaden my agribusiness knowledge, service Agri customers as well as enhance my knowledge into different agriculture industries through the rotations.  A few months later, I received a call offering me a position that I could not turn down. In my first rotation I was placed in Gippsland, VIC, which was predominantly dairy based and due to COVID saw myself working back at home on the farm until I relocated to the Southern Highlands, for my second rotation which was refreshing starting back in the office and gaining insight into both agribusiness and commercial clients and finishing the program with my final rotation located in South West Vic. 

If someone had told me at the beginning of the year that I would be working from home more than in the office, I would have told them they’re joking. Starting a career in a pandemic was a challenging experience but I am amazed of how technology has enabled everyone to adapt and continue to work, learn and be more resilient.  The work I complete changes day to day which is one thing I love about being an Agribusiness Graduate. One day you could be out visiting clients (which is definitely a highlight of the job) and being able to see first-hand their businesses and how we can make a positive impact, to the next day, sitting in front of the computer preparing documents, assessing transactions with your manager, analysing financials and of course checking emails. I am lucky to be in a position where I'm able to connect with farmers on a daily basis and being able to roll off the Graduate program into a position to do so excites me. 

My background - and my passion - is ancient history and psychology. This is what I studied at university. I loved every minute of it and  always thought I’d go on to have a career in academia.

So how did I end up working at ANZ?

Just before I finished University, I thought it would be good experience to go through the Graduate program application process to see what all the hype was about.

From the outset I could tell ANZ’s grad program was a step ahead of other organisations. The application process was completely different - they didn't ask for an academic transcript or even my CV as other Graduate programs had.

A week before the final interviews, I was invited to join a question and answer session with a group of Graduates who had joined ANZ the previous year. There was a lot of excitement surrounding their roles and the fact their work could assist in improving the financial wellbeing of millions of Australians. I really appreciated that passion and how inclusive they were of all skills and backgrounds.

I wasn’t sure how my degree would be relevant to a career in banking. But upon reflection, my chosen majors reflected a shared interest in the discourse surrounding human nature and human relationships. Because banking and financial technology touch every part of society, I found I was able to engage with the work early on, while slowly filling in any technical knowledge gaps over time. This was a common experience among all the graduates, who had also come with a diverse set of experiences and expertise.

Joining ANZ as a Graduate, I’ve spent a lot of my time in the ANZx team – working on building and delivering a new banking app, called ANZ Plus.

In my role, about half the time I’m thinking from the perspective of the end user, and how our application can help customers. The other half is spent thinking about how we can use new and existing technologies to meet these needs.

But it's not just all technical skills. You need a good combination of both technical and soft skills. Turns out having people from all sorts of backgrounds and skills is exactly what a bank needs.

I have a lot to be proud of from my first year at ANZ.  In my first six months I had the opportunity to deploy changes in a piece of software that integrated with the ANZ Plus app. This change affected the thousands of customers that are on ANZ Plus!

Having started the job with zero technical skills, I was surprised how quickly I learnt. Within months I was confidently able to make a change that was consequential to so many customers.

What advice do I have for anyone looking to join ANZ as a Graduate?

Just got for it! Even if you don’t think you have the ‘right’ degree, apply and see what happens. I would have never thought that I could implement a change in the ANZ Plus app nine months ago.

I've grown so much during my time on the Graduate program – you never know what you can learn and achieve!

Have confidence and don't doubt yourself because the focus is on learning and developing. Plus, the team at ANZ will do everything they can to help you contribute.

1. Describe yourself in one word?

Dependable 

2. What do you get involved in your spare time:

I enjoy staying active with Pilates (a lockdown hobby that stuck) and unwinding with nature walks whenever I can. I’m also a foodie at heart - whether I’m out exploring Melbourne’s vibrant food scene or cooking up a storm at home, I’m always up for good food!

3. In which area of ANZ did you complete your graduate / intern program:

Risk

4. What has been your favourite rotation within the graduate program:

This is a tough one - I genuinely can’t pick just one favourite rotation because each offered unique challenges and opportunities to grow. 

In the Business Enablement and Execution team, I gained a strong foundation in non-financial risk through strategic planning, group communications and creating learning assets. Next, in the Credit Model Validation and Insights team, I developed essential data analytics skills and learned to validate credit risk models to measure and manage the risk of counterparty default. Finally, my dual rotation with the Financial Institutions Group and Country Risk team broadened my exposure to institutional banking and macroeconomic analysis, supporting the management of financial risks from ANZ’s cross-border investments and transactions. 

Every rotation has played a pivotal role to my experience and growth in Risk’s Graduate Program. 

5. What do you love most about working for ANZ:

A much easier question – it’s the people and culture, without a doubt. Starting during lockdown could have been challenging, but it wasn’t. The unwavering support from everyone made adjusting to our ever-changing environment and transitioning into every rotation seamless. I’ve also built lifelong bonds along the way, for which I’ll always be so grateful for. 

The culture is supportive, values-driven, and encourages curiosity and growth - everything you need to feel inspired, challenge yourself and confidently build a rewarding career at ANZ.

6. Describe a typical day for you:

I love that no day is the same. The variety in the type and pace of work always keeps things interesting and exciting! A ‘typical’ day, however, usually starts with a coffee in hand, clearing my inbox, and reviewing my calendar and to-do list to plan and prioritise effectively for the day ahead. Morning check-ins with my rotation team are another great way to stay connected and aligned on tasks for the day. From there, I might be in meetings to brainstorm and strategise, or diving into tasks on my to-do list.

Lunch is a great opportunity to catch up with other grads or teammates in the office or to go out for a walk if I’m working from home – it’s the perfect reset. The afternoons continue the variety: tackling business-as-usual tasks, engaging in collaborative meetings, or working on more challenging projects that focus on driving meaningful improvements and innovation.  

I like to wrap up the day as I started - by clearing my inbox, reviewing my schedule, and reflecting on what’s been accomplished and what’s next. The collaborative and supportive culture makes every day engaging and motivating, giving you the confidence to embrace challenges, grow and make the most of the graduate program.