What is your current role/work project? I’m working with Woodside Energy Ltd on a reimplementation of their SAP systems. My role is currently within the Data Conversion team, working as an Operations and Maintenance Data Analyst. What do you like most about this role/project? I like that I am able to work with such a diverse group of people from many different backgrounds, on such a large project for one of the biggest Oil and Gas companies in Australia. Why did you join Accenture? I joined Accenture because I felt that Accenture’s focus on technology was a good fit to my skill set and experience. I feel that it is a good place to build a long term successful career, with the breadth of experience that I will be able to attain on different projects, combined with Accenture’s emphasis on ongoing training and development. What do you like most about working for Accenture? The two things that I like most about working for Accenture are the people, and the opportunities that are available to me. I have met and worked with many interesting and talented Accenture people, confirming the reputation of high performance that Accenture has. I also like the fact that Accenture has offices and projects all around the world – I look forward to getting the opportunity to travel as my career progresses with Accenture. What do you find interesting or unique about what you do? The thing that I find the most interesting in what I do is that I have a great deal of interaction with people from the client site, some of who are very senior. I am happy to have a client-facing role; something that I thought would only be possible once I had more experience. What does a typical day hold for you? I’m currently coordinating the Data Cleanup activities for the Operations and Maintenance team. So a typical day involves doing data audits to monitor the cleanup progress, liaising with the people responsible for doing the cleanup and planning the remaining work to be done. In addition to that, there are many other Data Conversion related tasks that I work on. What do you enjoy most about the work you do? One of the things that I enjoy the most about the work that I do is the freedom that I have to get the job done. I am given guidance when necessary, but my supervisors do not excessively micromanage the way that I do my work. I also enjoy the responsibility that I have been given, even though I am only a relatively new analyst. What tools and resources do you have to assist you to get your job done? I am currently working on an SAP implementation project, so I make use of the SAP system and related documentation. I also use Microsoft Excel, Access, Word, Visual Basic for Applications, and the client’s document management system. What qualifications do you have? I graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Engineering, majoring in Software Engineering with Honours, from the University of Western Australia. What prior experience did you have when you joined Accenture? After graduating I worked in a small Mining Consulting firm as a Simulation Analyst, before moving to Motorola as a Software Engineer within the Mobile Devices division. What have you learnt since you joined Accenture? I’ve learnt a lot about SAP and the way it can be utilised in the resources industry. I’ve also had a chance to work with people from all around Asia Pacific, learning how people from different backgrounds can work together. What sort of working environment is it? The project team is comprised of people from Accenture, the client’s business and external contractors. There is a hard-working atmosphere but we get together regularly for social events to let off steam. What are the people like? The people that I work with come from very diverse backgrounds. I work with people from all around Asia Pacific, and the experience and stories everyone brings make working together very enjoyable and interesting. What would you say to other people thinking of joining Accenture? Definitely find out as much as you can about the work that Accenture does, and what it’s like to work here. The Accenture website is very good for this information, as are people that you might know who are working for Accenture. How do you describe what you do to friends/your family? When people ask what I do, when I tell them that I am a Technology Consultant, I’m usually met by blank faces. It’s usually better to say that I work together with companies in the Resource industry, helping them to implement the latest technology in order to improve their business. If someone were interested in pursuing a career in their area (SAP, Siebel, programming, Consulting), what skills do they advise them to develop? A manager of mine used to tell me that technical skills can easily be learned as project needs change. However, soft skills, things like teamwork, self discipline, being able to quickly communicate results to people, these things take more time to learn, but are highly valued within any work that we do. Why did you choose to do what you do at Accenture versus somewhere else? I believe that Accenture only hires the best people, so when I applied for Accenture I was excited at the prospect of working with the most talented people in the industry. I believe that Accenture is a great place to build a successful career, with the emphasis on training and development, in addition to the resources and vast experience offered by Accenture and the more senior staff. How do you see your career developing at Accenture? I believe that my career at Accenture will be a long and rewarding one. I am happy that Accenture provides the tools for employees to manage their career, and so I know that I will be able to take advantage of all the opportunities to further my career that I can. In my initial time with Accenture I hope to gain broad exposure to many different technologies and projects. I want to be able to travel, and to work with different clients and teams. In the future, I hope to move into a managerial role, working on technology related projects.