Case study

Marta is an Analyst with Accenture

Job pathway

Waitress > Customer Service Rep > Data Entry Consultant > Tutor > Analyst

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science (Computer Science and Information Systems)

How did you end up working in your current job?

I applied during Accenture's Graduate Recruitment Program. I was invited to attend three interviews. The first was a general interview, which asked why I wanted to work at Accenture and how I believed I would be able to use my skills within the firm. The second interview was behavioural and I was asked to explain, in detail, situations where I had been in a particular scenario. The third interview was conducted by a partner and it was my chance to ask any last questions that I had about the firm.

What skills do you use in your job?

There are a number of key skills which I use every day and are vital to the success of my work as an analyst, and my relationship with others on my project or with clients. These skills include:

• Communication. Most work within Accenture is done as part of a team and hence communicating with other team members is vital to achieve a superior result collectively on projects.
• Relationship building with clients or with colleagues
• Analysis
• Seamless adaptation to change
• Leadership

What are some alternative jobs that you would be qualified for?

Other jobs I would be qualified for given my project experience so far include:

• Systems tester
• Business process analyst in human resources or identity management systems
  

What do you think it was that got you the job over other applicants?

During the interviews, I was able to portray myself as an individual with a wide breadth of experience at both high school and university levels. I also had an extensive portfolio of extra-curricular activities in which I had participated. More importantly, I was able to admit to situations where I was challenged and was able to explain how I dealt with those situations.

What advice would you give to students who have commenced a IT degree and want to get a great job when they graduate?

I cannot emphasise enough the importance of networking. The more people you know and the more activities you participate in, the more doors are likely to be open for you when you graduate.

When I was at university, I was on the committee for the IT Society and met a senior manager of Accenture through another friend on the committee. During the graduate recruitment process I had not heard anything about my application and this person was able to inform me of what had happened. When I first joined Accenture, he asked me to join his project. Networking does not stop when you leave uni; it is even more important when you have a job as the people you meet could be one of your future employees or employers.

The other important piece of advice following on from networking is involvement in extra-curricular activities, which shows that you have a life beyond university. Employers want to see that as well as studying, you have been able to juggle other commitments. As with networking, involvement in extra-curricular activities should not end on finishing university. It becomes even more important when you begin your professional life and need to effectively manage your work/life balance.

What were your biggest mistakes during your life when applying for jobs? How would you have done it better?

There were two mistakes that I made when applying for jobs:

1. Applying for every graduate job for which I could have been suited. Some graduate jobs had specific requirements and although I did not meet all of them, I applied for the jobs. As I know now, when there are over 20 companies looking for graduates, preparing applications for all of them is very time consuming. I realise now that it was a waste of time to prepare an application for a position where I did not meet all the requirements and the competition was fierce.

2. Using the same resume for every application. Every position for each company is unique. Some positions focus on certain requirements and skills and my resume should have been customised to highlight those skills.

What type of activities were you involved in at university and high school, and did they give you any skills that you use in your job now?

The types of activities I was involved in at high school were community service events, public speaking and language competitions, Student Representative Council and Australian Business Week. While at university the range of activities I was involved in included: Volunteer School Tutoring program, IT departmental Mentor Program, SPOC (Student Point of Contact during O-Week) and Student Representative for units of study. The above activities enabled me to build my skills in communication, team work and leadership. All three are skills that I use every day at work.

What was the most surprising thing about working full time in IT that you did not expect?

Computers work around the clock, unlike humans who work nine to five. So if something goes wrong and a system needs support, it requires people to work overtime too.

If you could go back to the start of your degree and change anything you did since then, what would it be?

It may sound bizarre, but I would not change anything. I have learned from all the good and bad experiences I have had.

Where do you see yourself in five year's time?

I see myself as a senior consultant specialising in designing applications.