CAREERS
At the time of writing I'm in the departure lounge at Brisbane airport as Human Resources Manager for Mainfreight Group Australia. I've finished my day in the branches and waiting for my flight to my home for now - Melbourne. The main plan for today was to map out a career plan with an up and coming graduate who wants, ultimately, to join my team. My role and my days work seem a distant reality from my starting point pushing a broom and loading trucks for Mainfreight Transport in Auckland in 2000, but this is typical for many people, not just graduates, who join Mainfreight in Australia and New Zealand.
Day one in Mainfreight was spent as a loader responsible for making sure our trucks were loaded to their capacity, accurately and on time each night to the likes of Wellington, New Plymouth and Hamilton. The original plan was to learn our business, our culture and to utilise my law degree to assist in the variety of legal matters. This was merely a plan and my year or so loading and working in the operation made me realise my passion was not the law but for the business and our unique culture. So instead of the legal angle I commenced my first sales role with Mainfreight Transport in Auckland.
Sales along with the usual responsibilities gave me an opportunity to develop my communication skills as every day I was exposed to different industries and different stakeholders ranging from Warehouse Supervisors to Managing Directors. No day was the same and the freedom to plan and manage my working week was empowering.
Within a year my sales experience developed an International focus with a transfer to Mainfreight International. Again, each week was different with our overseas branches and partners constantly asking for more business and trade to and from the likes of the USA, Australia and Asia.
Another year passed and a transfer from Auckland to Mainfreight International, Melbourne allowed me to work overseas. Whilst the role was essentially the same, the sheer size and scope of a different country made for a truly unique experience.
Two years later and after some prompting from my mentor I applied for the role of Human Resources Manager and thanks to my understanding of our culture, our business and a promoting from within policy I gained the appointment. Within a year my team of one had grown to a team of five with stars from our business working alongside me helping to train, grow and develop our business through the quality of our people.
This year will see me turning nine with Mainfreight and the experience to date has been fantastic. If you value being a person and not just a number then Mainfreight is the place to be. Where to next? After my flight back to Melbourne - who knows...