What's your job about?
As a graduate of Bunzl, I report to my manager, the commercial manager in the Finance team. I am currently on my second rotation in the finance team, assisting with the project that my manager is in charge of. My responsibilities include building the dataset, reviewing data from various systems for the projects, and so on.
It is difficult to describe a typical day as a graduate working in the financial team because my role is project-based, and my responsibilities change every day depending on the requirements. My day usually begins with a catch-up with my manager to go over the project's progress and make plans for the day. If a meeting is scheduled for that day, I will prepare after I catch up. Our project is still in the investigation stage, so I am reviewing the data and attempting to gain insights from data analysis through various systems and reports. I normally stick to the daily plan and ask members around me if I have any questions.
My responsibilities change a lot. Every day is a new challenge for me, while the working environment at Bunzl is supportive. People are willing to guide me if necessary.
What's your background?
I was born and grew up in Jiaxing, China. I began my university life in Melbourne after I finished high school in 2017. I completed both my Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Information Systems degrees at the University of Melbourne. I spent 2 years studying for my master's courses remotely in China before returning to Melbourne to begin my final semester due to the pandemic.
As a recent graduate, joining the graduate program would be the best option for me. The graduate program normally begins in March or April every year, so I began preparing for the job application as soon as I arrived in Melbourne. I applied for the Bunzl Graduate Program through the Bunzl website. Bunzl’s graduate program attracted me because it brings students from various fields, and offers structured training, mentoring, and opportunities to advance my career. Fortunately, I received the job offer after completing online assessments and two rounds of online interviews. I have been with Bunzl for four months so far.
The interesting thing about Bunzl is that everything is flexible. Bunzl considered the new graduates' backgrounds and added finance and analytics streams this year. I also joined Bunzl a half year earlier than planned because I graduated in the middle of this year.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes. I have no relevant commercial experience before I start my rotation. People from other backgrounds can do my job if they are eager to learn. The concept that we learned at university differs from the real word practice. People in Bunzl are supportive, so it is essential for people to ask questions if they are unsure.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The coolest aspect of my job is that I am required to have a comprehensive view of the business and that I may meet people from various branches and departments.
What are the limitations of your job?
The limitation of my job is that I sometimes get lost because I lack the necessary knowledge and experience from different fields. The project that I am working on requires people to have sufficient commercial common sense. It is challenging for a graduate student with no prior relevant experience. I am required to ask questions for gaining knowledge and improve my skills on a daily basis.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...