We had a refreshing interview with Grace Taikato from ANZ in the Summer of 2021. During our phone call, she shared her experience with onboarding interns, the benefits of having a new intern on her team and top tips for employers and internship candidates.

Read on for some fresh insights!

Is this your first time hiring interns?

This has been my first year looking after the ANZ Technology Internship. I’ve found the whole process really easy, and I really enjoy having the platform to use. Easy to navigate, easy to share instructions with people leaders. The platform and documentation Summer of Tech provided was great. We take a lot of interns, so trying to organise all the teams, managers, and buddies can be difficult, but it was a really smooth process considering it was my first time. 

What value does an intern or graduate bring to the team?

They bring so much!

Early talent within ANZ Tech is continuously growing. We take as many interns as we can. We find there’s a very high demand within tech, so there are more requests for interns - so the team has grown. It’s nice to have early talent with fresh ideas and perspectives, as people on our team have often been around for years. Having a new team member livens up the organisation. Lots of value!

What did you look for in an intern?

A passion for technology. From my perspective, it’s a learning experience. We don’t hire an intern based on knowledge and experience - but rather keen learners with a growth mindset. We want those who are eager learners with a positive attitude. A good collaborator that lives up to ANZ’s values and works well within a team. 

How has hiring an intern helped your business?

Our interns work with different projects and teams. It depends on the team - some interns work from start to finish on a project, they might contribute to a group or team project. The intern in our team has made a massive contribution already. Our designer has already created onboarding packs that go out to every new starter at ANZ tech. One intern can make a massive impact. 

Would you be interested in getting interns again in the future? 

We love having fresh talent and will always try to keep talent on if possible. It’s a great pathway into our grad programme. ANZ is trying to grow our young talent, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we took on more next year. There’s a high demand for interns, and they add so much value. 

What has been the highlight of your work with the intern so far?

Having another member within our team. It’s been great to get to know her, build a friendship and bounce ideas off each other. I would never expect an intern to come in and smash out all this work, but she’s done it!

What is something you have learned from your intern?

She’s taught me many design skills. I didn’t realise we had all these design guidelines to follow, design tools. She teaches me things all the time when we collaborate. 

What core skills do you look for in a candidate?

Teamwork, good communication, collaboration. Following our core values. Someone who will ask questions. Keen learner, growth mindset. 

What is your top tip for a student interviewing for an internship? 

Ask the interviewer questions back. With so many opportunities, take the time to ask questions to help you find an organisation that aligns with your values and interests. 

Attend a Meet and Greet (M&G). Not attending may lose you the role. 1:1 conversations at M&G can make a difference during a job search. 

What do you hope to achieve through the internship process?

To find interns that are a great fit for ANZ Tech. The process is great and allows our people leaders to connect with a wide variety of students. We get to spend time with students individually to see if we click and find out more about them. 

What is your best tip for a great onboarding experience? 

We recommend that employers give each intern a team manager, team buddy, and graduate buddy before the intern starts. We make sure that they are contacted before their start date by these people. We hope this makes the intern feel less nervous before their first day. We encourage contact - coffee, talking on the phone, sending texts.

We conduct two-day induction with interns, allowing them to meet different people in technology and socialise with other interns before they start. ANZ also provides them with a pack of additional resources to get them started. 

For students, having a growth mindset. No question is a dumb question! 

No one expects you to know everything. Ask as many questions as you can, take on board everything you can, write notes, ask questions!