Coles Group

It’s been just 11 months into my role as a marketing graduate here at Coles, and the excitement of my new career has certainly not stopped. In fact, the reason I chose the Coles Group Graduate Program was because of the array of choices I was given. I was blown away by the fact that there were so many rotations available in the marketing department. For me, it’s been wonderful to get a close-up view into the grocery industry and learn more about consumer goods – it’s been so much more eye-opening than I imagined.

But the icing on the cake has been the thrill of travel and the adventure that comes with moving to a new city. I’m originally from New South Wales, so the opportunity to move to another state for work was a dream. With Coles, I’ve ticked that dream off my list because here I am now, based in Hawthorn, Victoria in our marketing team.

If I had to pick just one thing that has been a big learning experience, it’s that I’m discovering so much about communication. In the corporate world, your day-to-day involves dealing with all kinds of people and stakeholders. I’ve realised the importance of building good communication skills, and I’m learning how to talk with people at many levels — from my line manager to team-mates and everyone else.

Being able to adapt your communication style to the person you’re speaking with can be such a game-changer. Some people prefer email, some prefer a video call, while others want face-to-face contact. So, I’m learning how to ask for help, how to get a person’s attention, how to push for quicker responses — and all of this is pretty useful.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being part of the grad program. I’ve honed my skills, and I’m learning new things all the time. There’s a lot going on, but for me, it’s been truly wonderful to see a direct connection between the work I do and the bottom-line impact on real-life projects at Coles.  I get to see the impact of my work in-store (which is amazing).

Having the support of my line manager and the others on my team has made the whole experience more meaningful. I feel heard and supported in terms of my personal goals, and I’ve truly appreciated that. It’s been a truly empowering experience!