Category: Grad Profile

What did you think you were going to do, or be, when you finished high school?
How has that changed to where you are now?

I’ve always been a really creative thinker, but when I finished school I couldn’t decide between architecture, game design or graphic design.

In the end I went on to study a Bachelors (and eventually a Masters!) in architecture at the University of Melbourne. I loved the courses and got a lot out of it, and the whole time I also satisfied my creative side by developing my graphic design skills in the background. I read books, attended lectures and had a few passion projects all on the go at once.

It didn’t take long for me to realise that this was where I wanted to be and that I had found my true passion in all things design.

What made you apply for and choose ARQ as your next career move?

Working at a company like ARQ felt like it was always inevitable for someone like me. I focussed on always challenging myself in new and creative ways and I am keen to tap into different ways of thinking and approaching problems. I’m currently obsessed with digital design, specifically human centred design. ARQ seemed like the best place to work on a huge variety of things and come together with like-minded people to make a positive change for ARQ’s customers.

What are the top three things you wish to achieve in 2021, and how can ARQ support you along the way?

1. It’s vague, but I can’t wait to build something exciting and see it come to life. I can’t wait for the moment I can say “we’ve done this really cool thing and I helped bring it together.”
2. Amp up my UI and UX design skills. I feel like these are art forms and I can’t wait to learn as much as possible from some of the greats at ARQ.
3. I’m keen to find a mentor at ARQ who I can talk to and learn from during my time here.

I already know ARQ’s commitment to supporting me and the other grads, and that we’ll have opportunities explore fields and aspects of the business beyond what our core interest is. I think this variety and exposure is the only way to evolve not only our tech skills but also our ability to be strong and trusted consultants.

What’s your dream job?

Definitely to manage my own internal design team and be known for creating some amazing digital products.

What made you apply for and choose ARQ as your next career move?

I knew ARQ was making a huge investment in their graduate recruits to make them the best consultants they can be by providing training, opportunities and resources. I really enjoy learning and saw it as the ideal opportunity for me.

I thought the 10-week bootcamp was a great approach to the program, easing us in before launching into the “real world” of ARQ. It turned out to be a great opportunity to grow, get to know my peers, and to be involved and exposed to different areas of the business.

Name 3 things that you have learnt at school or past jobs that will be useful during your time with ARQ?

1. I firmly believe that “to assume is to…”, you know the rest!
   I never assume anything. In my mind, not knowing isn’t a bad thing. Asking questions is so important, even if you think you sound silly, you never know how many people in a room had the exact same question and were just too afraid to ask.
   
   
2. I’ve avoided working in silos whenever possible. It might sound cliché, but collaboration and teamwork is so powerful and helps produce really unique work that genuinely meets customer needs. Where possible, it’s great to reach out to your peers and managers to ask for their insight and get them involved.
   
   
3. Finally, I’ve learnt the importance of building strong and trusted relationships with everyone. You never know what you’ll learn or what opportunities might come your way!

What’s your dream job?

The ultimate dream would be on the business/client facing side of tech. Whether that be as a connector between business and technology, account management, or being involved in the initial design meetings to understand the brief and requirements to prototype the solution. I enjoy working with others, so being able to blend my skills to provide great customer experience would be great too!

 

What made you apply for and choose ARQ as your next career move?

When I finished school I thought I wanted to do something in design. After a study tour to Europe (when travel was still a thing), that all changed. On the study tour we designed infographics for start-ups and I soon realised that I had a real passion for helping businesses leverage design in different ways to be more efficient.

When I returned from my travels I changed my majors from Marketing & Comms Design (the standard double degree everyone was doing at the time) to Entrepreneurship & Innovation and UX Design. This was a NEW major that had never been done before – I was SO excited!

After graduating, I chose the ARQ grad program because it would allow me to leverage my background in consulting and use design principles to solve tech problems. Plus, I could feel the start-up culture oozing through the screen and knew it just felt right.

What are three goals you wish to achieve at ARQ this year?

I’ve got quite a long list, but a few include:

• Travel! – COVID restrictions permitting, I’m desperate to start travelling again even if it’s just interstate. I can’t wait to meet the teams in Brisbane and Sydney in person and continue learning from the talented teams we have at ARQ. I’m keen to work with clients across the country (even the globe) to show them new ways of working.
• Professional skills – I want to work to craft my own personal style of visual facilitation for clients. I’m keen to learn how to synthesise and present complex information in an accessible visual or graphic format.
• Networking – Again if COVID permits, I’m looking forward to attending in-person conferences and professional events, rather than dialling in via Zoom. I miss connecting with new people outside my bubble and a conference is the perfect opportunity.

What’s something you want to share with students looking for graduate programs?

Find your superpower and use it to define your personal brand. It’s what makes you unique, celebrate it. 😊

What’s your dream job or a future goal you’ve set yourself?

My ultimate dream goal is to find the space within the UX Design and Consulting worlds that I can define and live up to – potentially in the form of a role that doesn’t exist yet. I’d love to develop my personal portfolio and be known as the best in the business for my skillset.

What made you apply for and choose ARQ as your next career move?

Before ARQ I was working in the travel industry for eight years. I fell into this job by accident (originally, I thought I wanted to be an ambassador for Australia!) but I loved every minute of working in international travel and got to learn and grow a lot.

I’d wanted to see what it was like to work for a bigger company for a while, so when I saw ARQ’s grad program I was really excited for the opportunity of a fresh start in the tech industry. I also knew it would be a great way to learn from industry leaders and professionals and work closely with mentors.

What are three goals you wish to achieve at ARQ this year?

I really want to be comfortable working on production code bases. This is an area that specifically interests me, and I can’t wait to learn more.

As I said, I’m also looking forward to working with a great mentor at ARQ. There’s so much to learn from everyone here and I want to take it all in as much as possible.

On a more personal note, I have a few fitness goals this year: 1) run 1000kms, 2) complete 4 gym sessions per week and 3) complete a spartan race. Wish me luck!!

What outcomes would you like to see from this experience for the next step of your career?

I’d like to gain enough technical skills to either oversee a department or start my very own tech business. Watch this space!