Anushka Desai

Strategy Analyst
Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Economics

My Graduate Journey at SEEK: From Economics to Strategy

I'm Anushka, and I started at SEEK in February 2024 as part of the Strategy and Operations Graduate Program. I'm now moving into a Strategy Analyst role.

Why SEEK stood out

Despite SEEK's size, there's something that separates it from other companies. The program offered the perfect combination—a larger, established company with the best parts of a smaller, boutique experience. The mentorship from experienced senior people really appealed to me, along with the diversity of experience. Being able to pick four rotations from a broad pool of teams was key to my decision.

The main draw was relationships with both mentors and peers. With a smaller graduate cohort, I had the opportunity to meet more people across the company, creating a real sense of togetherness.

My rotations

The first two rotations are set—one in Strategy, which is the basis of the program, and another in AI and Platform Services (AIPS) in a product management role. Strategy was especially good for mentorship given the team's experience. AIPS focused on stakeholder management and delivering projects, allowing me to quickly build hands-on skills.

I've also done a rotation in People and Culture, working on diversity and inclusion strategy, which exposed me to a completely different side of the business. After completing all my rotations, I'm leaning towards Strategy—an area I really enjoyed and am now moving into as a Strategy Analyst.

What surprised me

How much the program experience is up to you. After the first year, you pick your next two rotations. You also have the flexibility to seek out your own rotations if there's a particular area you're interested in. Everyone I've worked with is happy to mould the experience—they really have our interests at heart. If I want to develop skills in a particular area or need more autonomy, it's just a matter of putting my hand up.

My economics degree is so different from what I do now. What's transferable are the skills, not the content. No one in the program has a better or worse starting point because of their degree—my cohort includes commerce graduates, an aerospace engineer, and even a former doctor. It's less about what you studied and more about your approach.

Bec Ellinson

Product Manager
Mechanical Engineering & Computer Science

From Graduate to Product Manager at SEEK

I'm Bec, a Product Manager at SEEK Pass and a 2022 Strategy and Operations Graduate Program alumni.

Why SEEK stood out

SEEK was attractive because of the exciting projects, great culture, strong mission, and career progression opportunities. But what really drew me in was that there was nothing like the Strategy and Operations Graduate Program in the market. Traditionally, tech companies only offered Software Engineering Graduate Programs. I wanted something more generalized, and SEEK was the only place offering it.

Making an impact early

I loved all my rotations—from AI and Platform Services working on pricing and performance, to Strategy, then product roles in Jora and Discover. The Discover rotation stands out as my highest impact project. I worked on the split view project, changing how job listings appear on SEEK's search results.

This was a big change to a core product that every candidate uses and had been the same for years. Being involved in rolling that out while working with multiple teams was incredible. Not every graduate program would allow for that opportunity.

Finding my place at SEEK Pass

At the end of the program, there were lots of roles available—from smaller startup-style teams to bigger established ones. SEEK Pass felt like the perfect middle ground. It's an internal startup that moves quickly with lots of engagement with senior leaders, but also has good structure, great people to learn from, and exciting projects.

What surprised me most

Two things stood out. First, how invested people are in your success. You've got people aross the business coaching and mentoring you. Second, the opportunities feel endless. Teams around the business are happy to have you, and the projects you can work on are incredible for an early career stage.

My engineering degree taught me to work through unknowns—relevant for strategy and product work. But honestly, learning about heat and fluid transfer isn't something I'll use again! University is really about gaining life experience and learning how you operate, preparing you for this kind of environment.

Bryce Kelly

Engineering Manager
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer and Software Systems)

From Graduate to Leader: My SEEK Journey

I'm Bryce Kelly, an Engineering Manager at SEEK and a member of the inaugural 2017 Software Engineering Graduate program.

Standing out from the start

SEEK's graduate recruitment process immediately set them apart. During interviews, candidates worked together building a space invaders game—a collaborative approach that contrasted sharply with traditional corporate interviews. The culture was evident in how SEEKers communicated with each other, signaling this wasn't just another bank or typical company.

Witnessing transformation

I joined SEEK at a pivotal moment. After dominating the market by digitizing newspaper classifieds, the company faced new competition from tech giants like LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook. SEEK was investing heavily in technology, building platform teams to tackle fundamental challenges and expanding beyond their office. Being able to see the change, and to be a part of it, has been such a privilege.

Beyond writing code

A standout project was redesigning CAJA (Create A Job Ad) for mobile during my first rotation. The team spent a week on design sprints, sketching solutions and testing them with busy users in cafes—a guerrilla approach to user research. That experience changed my perspective. A developer's role isn't just to churn out code. It's to solve problems for people.

The power of connection

Now in engineering management, I credit the graduate program for two key advantages. First, experiencing great leadership inspired my own management path—including mentoring fellow graduates. Second, the program created a tight-knit alumni network spanning the business. When I joined SEEK Business after years of third-party development, these connections proved invaluable. There'll always be a graduate in a team that I can talk to. You can't underestimate the strength a wide social connection can give you.

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Strategy & Operations Graduates