Commonwealth Business and Commerce Graduate Program

2014 Retail Banking Services Graduate Program

TURN ON, TUNE IN, AND TAKE PART

Commonwealth Bank is Australia's leading provider of integrated financial services, and each year we employ over 100 talented graduates from universities all over Australia into a wide-range of careers; not just banking related, to help us build our business into the future.

Our Graduate Program offers you more than just an ordinary job. It's also a rich, fun and rewarding experience. You'll have the chance to rotate through a range of roles, expand your knowledge and skills, gain valuable networking and community experience, and determine which career path is best suited to you. Along the way, we'll do everything we can to support you and help you grow.

On top of all this, our program is award winning! For the last four years , the Australian Association of Graduate Employers has named us as the Top Graduate Employer in the Commercial and Retail Banking sector in their Candidate Survey. We think that speaks for itself.

Retail Banking Services

Retail Banking Services are dedicated to providing an exceptional customer experience to our valued customer base of over 10 million Australians. We do this by offering market leading products and services, supported by world leading systems and processes. There are four main areas within Retail Banking Services that you can gain experience as a graduate. These include:

• Cards and Retail Strategy - manages the development and delivery of all retail and commercial card products, drives innovation in retail payments and develops the retail bank's strategic direction.  
• Retail Products - manages the development and pricing of all retail products, manages services provided by the retail bank's distribution channels, and develops strategies to manage the specific needs of different customer segments.  
• Direct channels - provides support to customers via telephone banking, internet banking and oversees the collections and credit solutions function.  
• Group sales and service support - drives a leading sales and service culture across the bank which differentiates us from our competitors.

What we look for:

We look for bright, driven people who are committed to providing the highest levels of service for our customers. Specifically, we want our graduates to be:

• Fast learners  
• Proactive, and not afraid to take initiative  
• Team players  
• Eager to learn, and develop their business acumen  
• Excited about gaining hands-on experience  
• Good communicators  
• Passionate about delivering exceptional customer service.

We consider graduates from all degrees – however have particular focuses on commerce, marketing and finance. All candidates should have a strong interest in banking and financial services.

So, TURN ON, TUNE IN, AND TAKE PART. Could this be your opportunity to shine?

Institutional Banking and Markets

Institutional Banking and Markets successfully competes directly against the largest investment banks in the world. Our local and global teams deliver award-winning, tailored and innovative total capital solutions to some of the world's biggest companies.

We service top tier corporate and government clients Australia wide, and through a global office network (with offices in London, Malta, Auckland, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong). Essentially, we are Commonwealth Bank's primary face to the market for all complex financing and advisory functions for our corporate and major government clients.

Our aim is to proactively satisfy the full spectrum of our clients' business needs by advising on the critical issues surrounding debt and equity capital markets, risk management and transactional banking. We do this by:

• Using the Group's unique insights and research. 
• Collaborating with each other and learning from our collective experience. 
• Taking advantage of the capabilities we continue to invest in.

If you love the thrill of the financial markets and finding financial solutions for large institutions, and want to work on some of the most exciting financial transactions - both here in Australia and overseas, then Institutional Banking and Markets could be the perfect fit for you.

What we look for

We look for well-rounded, high-performing students who have successfully balanced university, work experience and social activities. Specifically, we look for graduates who have:

• A strong fit within our culture
• Strong interpersonal skills 
• A desire to learn 
• A proactive nature and desire to drive their own career.

We typically look for graduates who have degrees in:

• Banking and finance 
• Commerce 
• International business 
• Accounting
• Actuarial studies 
• Mathematics 
• Finance 
• Engineering 
• Law 

So, TURN ON, TUNE IN, AND TAKE PART. Could this be your opportunity to shine?

Applications close: 2 April, 2013

Eligibility

• Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident at the time of application.  
• Be completing your undergraduate degree in 2013, or have completed a university undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the past 12 months.  
• Have achieved at least a credit result in your degree

MEET SOME SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES

Betty Guo

Over the past year, Betty has benefited greatly from being part of the CommInsure Graduate Program.

She is currently in her second rotation working in Actuarial Financial Reporting (Planning and Forecasting). The graduate program consists of three nine month rotations that allow graduates to explore the different roles offered by CommInsure. Through these rotations, Betty has built up an extensive network of contacts within CommInsure, including non-actuarial professionals and insurance experts.

Betty has really valued the number of opportunities the program has brought to new graduates. In the past year, she has attended several Bank- sponsored courses to develop her communication, influencing and presentation skills. She has represented the Bank in various community activities, and had the rare opportunity to meet the former CEO Ralph Norris at a graduate function.

Getting involved in a strategy project gave Betty the opportunity to work with graduates and senior leaders from other parts of the Bank. Her team provided invaluable research and recommendations to strategic project sponsors on multi-branding strategies in the financial services industry.

The study support provided by Commonwealth Bank is also outstanding. “I’m currently studying for my Part III actuarial exams. The Bank covers all costs for enrolment and course materials, and provides generous study leave to support its graduates. It can be tough working full-time and doing further studies, but the support I have received here from my peers and senior actuaries have been amazing”, she says.

Julian Wraight

Four years ago, Julian joined the graduate program as a Strategy Analyst. He is now a Strategy Manager in the Institutional Banking and Markets team.

He outlines some of the highlights and benefits of the program below;

• Being able to rotate into different areas was a fantastic learning experience. It gives you confidence that you will make the right choice when choosing a permanent role in the bank. 
• I specifically enjoyed being placed on a project to develop a new to market client offering which was truly innovative
• Aside from rapid up-skilling that takes place, the program provided me with a huge range of contacts who I can still turn to for advice for today 
• Working with incredibly talented and friendly people makes Commonwealth Bank a great place to work.

How to Apply

Thinking of applying? Great! Let’s get started.

And here’s a quick run-down of what you need to do at each step of the application process:

Step 1: Submit your application form

You can apply online now. APPLY NOW

You’ll be asked to select up to two business unit preferences. We offer a diverse range of career options which allow you to expand upon the skills and knowledge you have acquired during study, so it’s important to take some time and think about which of our business units suits you best. You can find out more about our business units here.

We’ll update you on the status of your application via email. With your permission, we can also send you free SMS updates.

Step 2: Complete an online test

If you’re successful during our screening process, we’ll ask you to complete an online test. We want to make sure we’re a perfect match.

Step 3: Telephone interview

Success at the screening and online testing stage, will lead to an invitation to a telephone interview.

Step 4: Attend one of our Assessment Centres

If you are successful after the telephone interview stage, the next step would be to come along to one of our Assessment Centres. Here, you’ll take part in a group exercise and interview with a senior business leader. This is a great chance for you to ask any questions you might have about the program and what’s involved.

Please note that this stage of the recruitment process may vary for roles based outside of New South Wales.

Step 5: Your offer

If you’re successful, we’ll phone you with the exciting news. Our Graduate Program team will give you all the information you need to make a decision that’s right for you.

Plus, regardless of the outcome, we’ll give you feedback to help you in your job search.

Please note that we only provide feedback from the Assessment Centre stage.

A few hints and tips:

• Don’t forget closing dates. Late applications will not be considered.  
• Be prepared. Whether you’re submitting your online application or attending an Assessment Centre, make sure you’ve done your research and can articulate why you’re interested in a career with us. You can print the application form before you apply to help you prepare.  
• Show us your skills. At each stage of the process, be prepared to talk about your skills and experience, whether from university, work or in the community. We want to know all about your experience so we can find the best role for you. 

Heading in to our Assessment Centre?

If you’re invited along to an Assessment Centre, make sure you:

• Dress professionally. 
• Arrive at least 10 minutes early.  
• Do your research and be prepared.  
• Ask questions.

Remember: This is your opportunity to create an exciting future, so do your preparation, relax and be yourself.