Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Meet the team - blog post from our new Team Member, Jess!

Meet Jess our new Return to Work Administrator in our Support Office HR team. In this blog Jess talks us through her choice in degree, tips for graduates and her experience at SFG so far! Over to you Jess……

Why did you choose an HR degree?
I originally started out doing a mix of commerce and primary school teaching. After about three weeks into my degree I had fallen in love with the commerce aspect and especially the HR subjects. From recruitment through to occupational health & safety I knew I was on the right path because they all involved working with people and influencing strategic business decisions. HR is an evolving profession and I’m excited to be part of that innovation and problem solving along the way.

What areas of HR engaged you most whilst studying?
My favourite subjects were defiantly Training & Development as well as International Human Resources. Training and development taught me about engaging with an audience and understanding that each individual has their own preferred way of learning; this has already helped me in my HR career and studies especially when I have to do presentations.

What other jobs have you had prior to SFG?
My first ever job was at a local cafe, I worked for maybe two weeks before it was obvious that hospitality was just not for me! Not to mention, I'm not the greatest cook, the omelette I made last night that somehow turned into scrambled eggs is proof of that!

Although it’s early days the best job I’ve had so far would have to be the one I am currently doing. I have been working as the Return to Work Administrator at SFG for just over one month and have learnt so much already. The HR team have welcomed me with open arms and I already feel like part of the family. The role is really varied; I spend a lot of the day on the phone speaking with team members up and down the country and no two people are the same. Each person is an individual and all circumstances are different and require a unique approach which is why I'm loving this role; I'm constantly learning new things!

What advice would she give to other graduates?
First up - get some experience. I know this can be tricky for graduates but I believe every bit of work experience counts!

Before I started working at the Support Office for SFG I was living in Shellharbour and working part-time in Retail as well as studying for my degree full-time. I was actually working in store for our Autograph brand.

I was lucky enough to secure an HR internship at a company called, Hilti and on my only day off I would drive up to Sydney from the South Coast. The internship was great - I was mostly focused in the recruitment team where I learnt the basics right through to being given the opportunity to present to the senior management team. All of this has proven to be really useful in my new role at SFG as I felt I could really hit the ground running and add value from day one.

It can be a tough world out there for graduates. There is so much pressure to get that perfect job and sometimes you can just feel like another number. But for me it was all about choosing a company with a great culture that I could really see myself fitting into. I wanted a good job but I also wanted to be happy in my role and be with an organisation where I can have fun!

Once you have worked out the type of company you want to work for I suggest a bit of a stalking!! Now, I'm not talking about waiting outside reception ready to pounce on the first HR person you see but rather getting social and connecting with professionals. Get yourself onto LinkedIn, follow what your preferred companies are doing, research their website and connect with the key stakeholders in the business.  

Next, and most importantly, is to tailor your resume to every job you apply for. Yes I know this can be time consuming but trust me I've been there. If a recruiter can see that you have read the job description and explained where your skills, experience or study matches those requirements they're looking for you will be moved to the top of the list. Just make sure you use examples, where possible, that are measurable and to show you're genuine interest in the position.

What’s your impression of SFG so far?
SFG is like one big family. As you can expect, on my first day I was quite nervous but when I arrived, waiting for me on my desk, was a welcome card that the whole HR team had signed. It made me feel so at ease and I felt like this was the place that I am meant to be. My team have been incredibly patient with me and my billion questions a day! It’s been the small things, like people coming up to introduce themselves and welcoming me to the team when I bump into them in the kitchen which has made settling in very easy and enjoyable.


Tell us a bit about Jess - what do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I like to work on my personal Blog and YouTube channel. I started a plus size fashion Blog about two years ago and it has opened up so many windows of opportunity. A new avenue for me has been adding a beauty aspect to my Blogging on YouTube which has been so much fun! Also, I have just moved from the South Coast to Sydney so I’m spending lots of my spare time exploring new places to go out with friends in this beautiful city of Sydney.


Welcome Jess- we hope you have a long and successful career with Specialty Fashion Group! 

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