Meet Niv, a Graduate from Deloitte’s Platform Engineering (DPE) team in Melbourne! Coming from a Sales & Marketing background, Deloitte has opened her eyes to the endless possibilities within Tech for talented people like herself.

She’s currently helping a public sector client implement a new CRM solution as they undergo a massive digital transformation. Pretty cool, right?

When did you join Deloitte?

July 2018

How did you join Deloitte? Tell us your Deloitte story.

During my second year of my Master of Information Systems, I attended a Women in Consulting event at Deloitte where I was extremely inspired listening to female leaders describe their professional journeys. I thought to myself, “Wow! This would be a really cool place to work!” I applied for a grad role in a different area initially but unfortunately (or fortunately), all the positions were full. The recruiter asked me if I would be interested in joining a cool new area called Platform Engineering (DPE). After she explained the role, my instant reaction was, “Wait, but I can’t code though! Isn’t that area for developers and coders?” Despite my hesitance, I took up the offer. I was mentally prepared to learn how to code (and even bought a bunch of baggy t-shirts for work) but boy, was I pleasantly surprised! In hindsight, the odds were in my favour and I’m so glad that things turned out the way they did. Yes, it is a very technical area, but it’s not expected to have an IT degree to start here as a graduate. The people in Platform Engineering are some of the coolest and smartest humans that I have ever met in my life. The best thing about being a grad in DPE is that I can don so many different hats. DPE’s graduate program grows you into a well rounded platform engineer through a two week bootcamp that prepares you for work on a variety of projects. You have the opportunity to try all our specialisations including Business Analysis, IT Operations, Delivery, Testing, Automation, Integration, Development and more.

What team are you in now and what is your role?

I’m working as a Business Analyst for a public sector client that is currently going through a massive digital transformation. My team is implementing a CRM solution for them.

Walk us through your day in the office

8:00 am:    Arrive at the client site. I’m a complete morning person and love getting into work early. It gives me time to go through all my emails, backlog of tasks, logistics for client workshops and plan my day. It’s really hard to get a lot of quiet time once everyone is in and the chaos begins so 8-9am is my only zen time.

9:00am:    This is one of my favourite times of the day as I finally get to rant about the latest Bachelor Australia episode and discuss all the drama with one of my colleagues at our favourite coffee shop.

The “OMG! Did you watch Bachie last night?” look

10:00am:    Attend the daily stand-up. As this is an agile project, this is when our team gathers around to talk about what they did the previous day, today’s priorities and raise any blockers. It is a great way to kick-start a productive day but also helps to increase the team’s accountability on tasks, identify problems quickly and improves understanding of shared goals.

11:00am:     A quick catch-up with my team lead to go through the client requirements document and incorporate any feedback from him. I always prioritise catching up with my lead frequently to make sure that I am on the right track.

A super candid photo of my team lead and me

12.00pm:    I know I brought lunch from home today, but I was really craving favourite cheese and spinach Turkish Borek from Melbourne’s Victoria Market. To justify that, it was a lovely 18-degree, sunny day in Melbourne (I know, what a shocker!) so how could I not enjoy then the sun with my Borek!

Because Borek is life

2.00pm:      It’s time to catch up with the CRM functional lead to ask a few questions and get an overview of the functionalities that the system can offer. One of my responsibilities as a Business Analyst is to constantly liaise with the business and technical teams to translate business requirements into technical artefacts. He also gives me constructive feedback on the user stories and acceptance criteria that I have drafted.

Getting stuff done

3pm:     I spend the last couple of hours completing the requirements document and drafting the agenda for the next client workshop that I have to facilitate and sort the logistics for. One thing that pleasantly surprised me about being a Grad at Deloitte is that you’ve NEVER treated like an "intern"  or some kid who is just out of Uni. You feel supported and trusted from day one. I’ve always been given responsibilities and tasks like a regular Consultant would. Although the tasks are sometimes challenging, everyone around is extremely helpful and genuinely cares about your career growth.

My ‘serious DND’ face

4.45pm:    I finish up the last few tasks assigned to me and pack up. Tonight, I am catching up with a few colleagues who are also at the same client but work from a different location. My team (and Deloitte in general) foster a ‘work-hard-play-hard’ culture. Work life balance is something extremely important to Deloitte and me, so I always make sure to do something fun and relaxing after a hard but productive day at work.

Just a bunch of 'Deloitted' consultants

Do you have a role model at Deloitte? If so, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from them?

The best advice I’ve received is from my Project Coach, Rebecca Sheen, who says,

“Be Authentic. When your values are consistently demonstrated, trust and respect will soon follow.”

What else do you do in Platform Engineering besides your daily role?

I am quite involved in the social activity side of the Platform Engineering team. When I first started in DPE, I put my hand up to help out with fun events. Since then I have organised a number of successful activities, and was given the nickname of "CEO - Chief Entertainment Officer". It's been a lot of fun, and has helped me to meet a lot of my colleagues in a team which is growing so rapidly. 

If you could give students one job search tip, what would it be?

Network! Network! Network! Attend as many networking events organised by your University. It is a great opportunity to connect with professionals from the industry and get insights on what they do. I found it to be extremely beneficial for my career progression and also helped a lot with my self-confidence.

To all the Grads out there, I know finding a Grad role is tiring – I’ve been there. But remember that sometimes things may not turn out the way you intended, and that’s okay! Enjoy the journey, learn as you go and look back at what you’ve accomplished. That’s what matters the most. ;)