Based on 17 surveyed graduates working at TAL Australia. Read on to get an insider’s view on life as a graduate.
4.5
Based on 17 reviews
Pros & Cons
The work and grad culture, office facilities and location. Working from home and study arrangements are both very generous.
Lots of opportunities and support for graduates; focus on development and tailoring to individual objectives Friendly and approachable people in all areas of the business who are always happy to share their insights
Supportive and goal-oriented team culture and people leaders. Numerous growth opportunities and cooperative support groups
Great people, low stress, interesting and varied work, opportunities to grow, and a sense of purpose.
Definitely the culture. The first thing I recognised when I started working was how open and positive the culture was. Everyone is extremely friendly and always available, whether that be team members, managers or even people in the executive team.
Understanding the ever-changing regulatory landscape.
Depending on the role and task, some tasks have too many layers and require cooperation from too many different parties on teams which increases the number of obstacles.
Nothing of major concern. Workload and number of meetings have been quite high but I take it all as a learning opportunity.
Work-load. We have a high-performing culture, which is great but can mean that workload and pressure can get quite significant.
Structure can be a bit complex, and whilst a hierarchy exists, it is not too overbearing. Socialising is fluid and there are plenty of opportunities to get to know your colleagues.
What Insiders Say
7.5
Career Prospects
7.5
Career Prospects
Given I am 18 months into the program, I am now starting to talk to my business sponsor about what role I would like to do when I roll off the program. It's a bit daunting trying to choose something (there are so many options) but the support from the team is great.
TAL has a ESG framework, and sustainability is a big focus. The main way TAL supports sustainability is through only investing in sustainable companies. They are also very big in DEI, and Community Partnerships as well.
The culture at TAL is great. The hierarchy is almost unnoticeable as everyone sits on the same desks, there aren't special privileges for people higher up which leads to a transparent and open environment. Outside of work there are many opportunities to network and meet other TAL employees with events from TAL or the Social Club at TAL.
Heavy focus on diversity and inclusion not only in hiring but also in promoting social issues. There are always education events around Reconciliation week, Pride week and various other ad hoc events and education pieces for different causes throughout the year.
The work we do as a Graduate is extremely varied, and interesting. I have learnt so much since joining the program, not only technical skills but also soft skills that develop me as a future leader.
We have weekly catch-ups with our manager who checks in on how we're going and what we're working on. They will work to make sure we hit our goals and KPI's and adjust them to suit the circumstances.
Each desk is an electronic sit-stand desk with dual monitors. There are plenty of meeting rooms with modern designs and technology. Dress code varies depending on the team and if you are required to meet with external clients. There is also casual Fridays.
After applying, I was sent a psychometric/aptitude test, fairly straightforward. Was then invited to record a video interview. Had multiple attempts to answer some basic questions about my background and motivations. Then proceeded to the first interview conducted over MS Teams with some of the senior analysts, and finally an in-person interview with a past graduate and the actuarial business sponsor.
The grad program at TAL provides formal leadership / soft skills training sessions, which helped a lot. Topics have included, persuasion techniques, communication, presentation skills, innovation, mentoring & coaching and more.
TAL has a flexible work policy, we can come into the office every day if we want to, but most people do 2-3 days in the office and 2 from home. If you want to go to the gym, there is this amazing on-site gym which is better than most other gyms in the city!