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Findex

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3.9
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Natalie Shaw

Working for a company like Findex means I have the opportunity to try new things, particularly my secondment in Wealth, which allows me to continue to develop my skills. 

What did you study? What university did you graduate from and when?

I am currently still studying at Federation University Australia and hope to graduate by the end of the year. My degrees are a Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) 

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Ballarat, Victoria, where I went to high school and completed my VCE in 2016. I was then offered a scholarship to Federation University Australia based on academic and personal merit. I started my degree in 2017 and at the end of my first year of university, I went to China for four weeks under the New Colombo Plan. When I returned, I was then offered membership to the Golden Key International Honour Society which I gratefully accepted.

I have studied and worked hard in my years in university and as a result, I have received some wonderful awards.

In 2018, I was awarded the Best 1st Year Bachelor of Business & Bachelor of Commerce Academic Award. In 2019, I was awarded the Dean’s Award for the Federation Business School. Finally, in 2020 I was awarded the Best 3rd Year Bachelor of Business & Bachelor of Commerce Academic Award. 

One of my goals was to fast track my degree, so I decided to study at Deakin University over the summer in order to complete it early.

In February this year, I undertook a business consulting program with Global Victoria where I was provided with the opportunity to put forward suggestions and recommendations to a large Australian company on an actual business issue that they were experiencing. 

How did you get to your current job position?

A lecturer at my university encouraged students to contact local accounting firms and ask for summer internships – I was lucky enough that Findex offered me a permanent position and I have been with them for just over two years. 

How did you choose your specialisation?

To be honest I didn’t really choose my specialisation and still haven’t made up my mind as to what direction I would like my career to take. I started as a trainee in Business Advisory and in November 2019 I went on secondment to Wealth Management which is where I am at the moment. I would also like to gain experience in other areas such as Audit and Human Resources before making my final choice. I’m delighted that Findex is giving me the flexibility to do this.

What was your interview process like?

The hiring process at Findex is lengthy and includes phone interviews, face to face interviews, personality testing and aptitude testing. They were all standard questions, but, heavily focused on my University experience as I obviously didn’t have any real-world accounting experience. Overall it felt more like a chat about my life rather than an interview for a job. 

What does your employer do?

Findex supports small, medium and large businesses and individuals through various financial services (accounting, tax compliance, business advisory, wealth management, auditing, self-managed super funds, lending, insurance, etc). 

What are your areas of responsibility?

So far, I have worked in the Business Advisory, Accounting and Tax departments, but I am currently working in Wealth Management. 

Can you describe a typical workday?

When I was in the Business Advisory team, my role involved completing income tax returns, business/instalment activity statements, payroll, preparing financial statements and other compliance-based work

My current role for Wealth Management is to assist in the rollout of a new Wealth Management program at Findex. This involves a lot of client contact, preparing documents to be signed and asset transfers to name but a few. 

What are the career prospects with your job? 

Because I have two degrees, my career options are greater; I could continue on the accounting path and get a secondary qualification, such as my CA or CPA.  I could also continue down the wealth path and get a financial planning qualification. Equally, I could go down the auditing route, or I could go into HR. The options are endless!

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Absolutely! The job is very versatile and can be suited to match people’s needs or personalities. 

What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? 

Probably something in the law field! 

What do you love the most about your job?

I love that I am constantly learning new things. Working on large and small businesses, from farmers to doctors to famous sports personalities. There is always something different to do and to learn. Working for a company like Findex means I have the opportunity to try new things, particularly my secondment in Wealth, which allows me to continue to develop my skills. 

What’s the biggest limitation of your job?

I don’t think you ever switch off from work. I have emails on my phone so even though I am part-time (and it’s not expected), I am replying to emails on my days off or when I am on leave. 
The role is also very self-driven – managing your time well in order to complete multiple jobs by various deadlines is tricky and a skill that is developed over time. 

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?

  • Do what you love. It’s not about the job that makes the most amount of money or what your family and friends think you should be doing. You really do need to love what you do or it will be hard. 
  • Work hard every step of the way. P’s might get degrees, but HDs get the best jobs. 
  • Feel the fear and do it anyway.