What's your job about?

carsales.com is the largest online automotive, motorcycle and marine classifieds business in Australia. As a Commercial Graduate I move through three, six-month rotations which are all business-focused. So far, I have completed two rotations; one in Program Management and one in Product Management. I am now in my final rotation of Marketing. In each rotation I have had a mentor/ manager who shows me the ropes, checks in weekly, and helps me with any blockers I’m experiencing.

A typical day begins with a team meeting where we discuss what is planned for the day and if any help is needed for those tasks. After this we will go off on our own to work on new campaigns or look at optimising current campaigns. There is a lot of collaboration throughout the day, and now that we’re back in the office there is a lot of fun chats too!

What's your background?

I was born and raised in Melbourne, where I graduated from high school in 2014. At the end of high school I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life but I knew I enjoyed humanities. This led me to study a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology at The University of Melbourne. During my time there I studied abroad for one semester in Dublin where I was able to immerse myself in another culture, meet new people, and travel a lot!

But all good things must come to an end and it was time to hang up my travelling boots for a while. I applied to the carsales.com graduate program online in 2019, and after submitting my application, an online interview and attending an assessment centre I was successful at landing a position as a Commercial Graduate. I’ve now been at carsales.com for just over one year!

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Absolutely! If you’re willing to learn and get outside of your comfort zone then you’ll be able to do this job. Of course, there are some fundamental characteristics that you should have if you’d like to work at carsales.com! A willingness to work hard, communicate well and adapt quickly are key.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

The coolest thing about this job is being able to work across so many different areas of the business. While I may not end up in my first rotation, it allowed me to learn a whole range of skills that I would not otherwise have been exposed to. Being a part of such a welcoming rotational program has given me a wealth of insight into how the business runs holistically.

What are the limitations of your job?

We work in a very fast paced and ever-changing environment. You need to be ready and willing to pivot your work quickly or get something out on a rapid deadline at the last minute. It can be fun, but it can also be stressful!

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• Take your time to enjoy life before working in a full-time job! You will have 40 years to work, so if you take an extra year or two to travel or mess about that is perfectly fine! You don’t need to know what you’re going to do with the rest of your life. Study the things you enjoy, find your interests and passions, and work on your career one step at a time!
• Have fun and get involved in extra things at Uni! It’s the best way to make friends in such a big, new place and you’ll make memories for years to come!
• Apply for internships during uni! People are so willing to help you experience different industries or occupations whilst you’re studying. Take advantage of this. Not only does it give you some industry experience on your resume, it also helps you figure out what you’d like to explore further.