What's your full name and job title?
Eugenie Wong – Business transformation consultant.
What did you study? When did you graduate?
I studied the Bachelor of International Business (majoring in International Business) at Monash University. I graduated in 2017.
Where did you grow up? Can you tell us about your education?
I was born in Melbourne and spent most of my childhood and the majority of my early education in Hong Kong. I then came back to Australia when I was 16 and studied as a boarding student at Presbyterian Ladies’ College, graduating as a part of the class of 2014. I then started my undergraduate degree at Monash University the following year. As a part of my degree I also went on exchange to Peking University in China to study advanced Chinese and economics. I was a debating coach and adjudicator at university.
How did you get to your current job position? For how long have you had it?
I have been at IBM for about one year now. I applied to the graduate program in 2017 and began in February 2018.
How did you choose your specialisation? Were you weighing up any other alternatives before choosing this specialisation?
I received five offers after applying to multiple graduate programs. I chose IBM because I am interested in pursuing a career in consulting and in the tech industry. I was also really impressed by IBM throughout the interview process. The managers who I met embodied the values that IBM stands for, and the emphasis on helping young professionals find and build their personal brand really appealed to me.
What was your interview process like? What kind of questions were you asked?
I was interviewed by the practice leads at the final interview. It was more of a general, casual chat than a formal interview. We talked about my interests and why I wanted to join the company. We also spent a long time talking about where I want to be in my career in a few years and how I plan to overcome my weaknesses to achieve my goals. They offered some insight as to how they’ve help graduates on their career journey, and specific things that I can improve on.
What does your employer do?
I think there is a common misconception that IBM is a hardware tech company that only takes IT graduates. IBM is so much more than that. In fact, we no longer sell Thinkpads! IBM is a company that thrives on innovation. We have capabilities in AI, blockchain, automation, quantum computing, mainframes, cloud, mobile, UX, and the list goes on. I am a part of the consulting branch of the company, so we mainly focus on helping our clients solve their business problems with technology as the enabler.
What are your areas of responsibility?
I am currently on an engagement with an Australian telecommunications company in a change management capacity. My role is to manage any changes, new programs of work and IT products that can affect the department and team. I have to proactively plan and manage the steps that need to occur to ensure the business impacted will be ready for the change. That includes building support, addressing resistance and developing the required knowledge and ability to implement the change. My responsibilities also vary with the type of engagement and clients. I have performed different roles such as project coordinator, business analyst, financial analyst and automation consultant.
Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on?
I usually arrive at the client site a bit before 9.00 am to settle down and read emails from the previous night. My day is usually filled up with meetings with various business and IT stakeholders, understanding the upcoming changes, gathering requirements, or running relevant training sessions and briefings to help them prepare for the change.
What are the career prospects with your job? Where could you or others in your position go from here?
The options are endless! Through the various engagements I have developed lots of transferable skills. Apart from being a consultant, this opens up pathways into being a business analyst, delivery manager, change manager, process analyst, seller, financial analyst and so much more.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Absolutely! I think the key to success in any consulting role is to be open minded while solving problems, and that skill is developed through any degree out there.
What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now?
I would probably still be doing something related to solving problems.
What do you love most about your job? Which kind of task do you enjoy the most?
I love that I can experience a wide range of roles and industries in my role here at IBM. We are encouraged to build transferable skills, so that regardless of what the situation is, we are still able to focus on helping our clients solve their problem. I particularly love the stakeholder management part of my role. It is really exciting to have access to many senior stakeholders, to listen and understand what their pain points are, and through that to help them create solutions that achieve their goals.
What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you have to work on weekends?
You are given real responsibility from day one, however, you will never be thrown into the deep end without any support. IBM has a vast library of learning materials; you can grasp the basics and learn anything so easily. My colleagues have also been instrumental in my learning journey – there’s always someone to lend a helping hand or offer opportunities to shadow and practice when you are in a new role. If I am in a completely new engagement with no prior knowledge to the industry or project, I would sometimes do a bit of extra readings on the weekend just to make sure I am prepared for Monday morning.
Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?