What's your job about?
Reckitt is a global consumer goods company with a collection of leading household powerbrands in the cleaning and health aisle, including AirWick, Finish, Mortein, Aeroguard, Vanish, Dettol, Nurofen and Stepsils. As a part of the graduate program, I am currently on my first rotation in the role of an Assistant Brand Manager for Finish dishwashing, one of the company’s largest brands.
My role as an Assistant Brand Manager is incredibly broad and touches every other function of the business. The key focus is project management – seeing a product or campaign through every stage of the process, from ideation to when it is executed in store. Projects are wide-ranging and can include launching new products, developing artwork and packaging updates, creation of magazine/catalogue features, developing a new TV commercial. Additionally, we spend a lot of time analysing data and market research outcomes in order to develop marketing strategies and campaigns. Most of all, you become an expert and advocate for your brand – when there is an issue or opportunity to investigate, you are the point of call!
What's your background?
I was born in Canada but have grown up in Sydney my whole life after my parents moved to Australia when I was 2 years old. After I finished high school, I always thought I would study business, so when I was offered a place to study a combined Business/Law degree at UTS it wasn’t something I’d ever considered. Thinking it would be easier to drop out of something than to pick it up later, I accepted the offer although never expected I would complete it! Looking back now, it was the best decision I made as although law is not an area I see myself working in, I believe the degree taught me a lot about thinking analytically, hard-work and resilience. I believe all of these skills help me in my current job, and will throughout my career.
During my time at university, I also completed an exchange to Barcelona, Spain in 2019. Not knowing the language or anyone in the country was difficult at first, however it was an amazing opportunity push myself out of my comfort zone and to learn about Spanish culture whilst completing my studies.
When I returned in my penultimate year of study, I began applying for summer internships and stumbled upon Reckitt through Grad Australia. I successfully applied for their internship program and the 3 months working full-time gave me great insight into what a graduate role in the company would look like. I now have been in my current role for nearly 10 months and am enjoying the challenges and opportunities it brings!
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Definitely! Being a part of the graduate program means you will rotate through both a sales and marketing position, giving a complete different skillset so you can choose what suits you best! What matters to succeed at Reckitt is the attitude you bring to the role – a willingness to work hard, enjoying a fast-paced work culture as well as thriving on teamwork and collaboration with others to get the job done.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is seeing hard work come to life! Be it a new product, in-store marketing campaign or TV Commercial, all the work put into making these executions successful is worth it when you see the final product.
In addition, I love the social culture of Reckitt! We have such a fun working culture and many events to celebrate and bond as a team!
What are the limitations of your job?
Every graduate position at Reckitt is a real role with real responsibility beginning day one. Whilst this is an exciting opportunity to learn and grow quickly in your role, there are many challenges along the way, and it can be overwhelming at times. The roles definitely push you to learn and grow quickly so it definitely isn’t a program for everyone! However, every day brings a new and exciting experience at Reckitt so if you thrive on learning and developing quickly, this is the place for you!
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