ANZ

What do you do in your spare time, outside of work? 

When I'm not at work, I thrive in the great outdoors. Whether it's adventuring, hiking, surfing, swimming, or playing tennis, I relish every opportunity to stay active and connected with nature. Time spent with family and friends is invaluable to me, and I'm also a huge foodie who loves discovering new culinary spots. Traveling is another passion of mine – I recently enjoyed an amazing experience at a surf camp in Indonesia.

What drew you to ANZ initially? 

I was initially drawn to the idea of working in banking because of the significant impact our services have on the community. Being part of the largest bank in New Zealand provides a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our customers and the broader community. Additionally, the opportunity to participate in a well-regarded graduate program at ANZ was a major attraction, offering a strong foundation for my career development. 

What was your favourite rotation on the Graduate program? 

It was definitely working with the Sponsorship team. It was an incredible experience to collaborate with an amazing tean to raise $1 million for the Cancer Society. One of the highlights was bringing to life the Comedy Treatment, comedy show, featuring Dai Henwood and other comedians. Additionally, our sponsorships extend to cricket and netball, supporting grassroots levels at cricket clubs by granting cricket grants. This rotation has shown me the profound impact we can have through sponsorships and the joy of seeing our efforts make a real difference in the community.

Tell us about your current role at ANZ and what it involves? 

In my current role as a Marketing Specialist in the Brand and Reputation Squad at ANZ, I have the privilege of empowering our customers through various initiatives aimed at enhancing their financial well-being. This includes providing support and education to help them avoid scams and fraud. Additionally, I get to bring our strategies to life within the community through impactful campaigns, such as Matariki and Pride, which celebrate and support cultural and social diversity. My role allows me to make meaningful contributions not only to our customers but also to the wider community, which is incredibly rewarding.

What piece of advice would you give to people looking for a Graduate program? 

My advice would be to "lean in." Embrace all pathways and opportunities that resonate with you. This philosophy applies both to my life inside and outside of ANZ. Maintaining a growth mindset and actively seeking out opportunities that genuinely speak to you is key to finding the right job. It’s about being proactive, open, and willing to explore various avenues to discover what truly aligns with your passions and strengths. By leaning in, you'll pave the way to a fulfilling and successful career.

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.

What do you do in your spare time, outside of work?

I’m a big foodie, so having recently moved to Melbourne I’m enjoying experiencing all of the different restaurants and bars. I also like being active and getting outside. There are heaps of cool walks in Melbourne and the AFL is great to watch, although I’ll always be a rugby fan at heart.

What drew you to ANZ initially?

I wanted to understand companies and how they work and strategise. Working in Institutional was a great way to get exposure to a range of top NZ companies and see what makes them successful. The ANZ culture was also a significant drawcard. Everyone was so generous with their time and willing to help me learn as much as possible. 

What has been your favourite rotation on the Graduate program?

I really enjoyed my Corporate Finance Rotation. That rotation gave me a really good insight into the depth and challenges that companies face. It’s a really dynamic rotation that is deal focused, so I found it really exciting. 

Tell us about your current role at ANZ and what it involves?

I’m currently in the Project and Export Finance team in Melbourne. I was really lucky to move from NZ to Australia with ANZ. In this team we fund infrastructure projects around Australia and internationally. These might include government projects like hospitals, schools and roads or renewable energy projects like solar and wind. Project Finance is great because the outcomes you produce are so tangible. We can point to a road or a school and say that we helped make that happen which I think can be rare in some corporate jobs.

What piece of advice would you give to people looking for a Graduate program?

Be curious. There are so many jobs out there that you don’t even know exist, being open minded will help you find paths that you might never have considered. I think when employing for the graduate program employers are really just looking for passion and an enthusiasm to learn. If you find any graduate program that sparks even a little bit of interest or curiosity definitely lean into that! Banking isn’t just numbers and excel, it’s a really people focused business so I reckon anyone could find a role that will resonate with them.

What do you do in your spare time, outside of work?

A lot of my spare time is spent playing sports or catching up with friends and family. If I’m not playing sports, I’m generally watching it so a lot of my spare time is dedicated to sport.

What drew you to ANZ initially?

Initially what attracted me to ANZ was its market leading position in the Institutional Industry in New Zealand. Having the opportunity to work and learn from some of the best in the industry was really valuable at the beginning of my career. I was also fortunate enough to get a place on ANZ’s Internship program, it gave me a great opportunity to understand the scope of work ANZ does and its culture.

What has been your favourite rotation on the Graduate program?

My favourite rotation was the R&A rotation which is the team I currently work in. The R&A rotation gives you great insight into the heart of institutional lending and allowed me to get a sense of the fundamentals of lending. The R&A team is also one of the larger teams in the Institutional space, so having the opportunity to meet a range of people in different roles and be part of a large team was enjoyable.  

Tell us about your current role at ANZ and what it involves?

I currently sit across the Institutional R&A and Corporate Finance teams, specialising in Resource, Energy and Infrastructure customers as well as working in the Project Finance area. In R&A we support Relationship Managers from a credit perspective assisting with work ranging from the on-going management of customers to deal structuring. A lot of my role involves being well across specific industries and having a detailed understanding my customer’s businesses and their financial position.

What piece of advice would you give to people looking for a Graduate program?

I would search for graduate programs which offer a diverse range of experiences and challenge you to use different skillsets. It’s hard to know what areas or type of work motivates you coming out of university, so I think Graduate programs which allow you to rotate between different teams and learn a variety of skills is important.

What do you do in your spare time, outside of work?

When I'm not at work, you can find me on a road trip adventure somewhere in New Zealand, catching up with my best mates, or training at my local boxing gym.

What drew you to ANZ initially?

Growing up in the early 2000s in Papua New Guinea, we had some really hot days. My first memory of ANZ was visiting a branch when I was 7 years old and being blown away by the cool aircon and the friendly staff that greeted my family and I. That impression stuck with me and eventually led me to apply for ANZ’s graduate program when I decided to pursue a career in financial services.

What has been your favourite rotation on the Graduate program?

My favourite rotation was Strategic Execution. In this rotation, I had the opportunity to work on exciting discretionary investment projects that were underway to help future-proof the bank. The rotation gave me access to learn from General Managers and Executives at ANZ, which helped broaden my perspective on banking and refine my attention to detail.

Tell us about your current role at ANZ and what it involves.

As an Audit Manager, my role is to collaborate with ANZ’s New Zealand and Pacific business units to help drive continuous improvement and to make sure there are effective safeguards or what we call “controls” in place to ensure we deliver what we promise as a bank to our customers, shareholders, regulators and fellow staff members. I do this by understanding what the business unit I am auditing is responsible for, how they operate, and the different operating risks they face. This helps me to independently challenge how they mitigate those risks. As someone who loves learning, Audit is a great place to be. I've had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of audits, which have enabled me to build a deep understanding of transactive banking, app development, institutional lending, and so much more.

What piece of advice would you give to people looking for a Graduate program?

Find a program that aligns with your interests, understand what your career goals are, and be adaptable. As you start your career, it’s important to have the right attitude and be kind to others.