SheCanCode's Spilling The T
SheCanCode's Spilling The T
From Campus to Corporate: Navigating Your First Role at Wise
Join us for an insightful episode where we dive into the transition from student life to the corporate world with two recent graduates who now work at Wise. Aaliya Manji and Beverley Ngo, both Software Engineers, are joined by Libby Cook, Global Head of Early Careers, to share their personal journeys and offer invaluable advice on navigating this significant career shift.
In this episode we discuss the challenges and triumphs of onboarding into a corporate environment, reflecting on the skills and mindsets that proved crucial in their early days.
Whether you're a student preparing to enter the workforce or a professional looking to enhance your onboarding strategies, this episode provides practical tips and firsthand experiences that will inspire and inform. Tune in for a candid exploration of what it takes to make a successful leap from student to employee at a prestigious organisation like Wise.
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Hello everyone, welcome to Spilling the Tea. Thank you so much for joining us again. As always, we have a very special episode today with some wonderful ladies who have joined us from WISE. So I am Kayleigh Bateman, your host, the content director at she Can Code. We'd love to kick off with a bit of introductions from our ladies. Today we're going to be discussing from campus to corporate, first year at WISE, what that is like as a graduate and your experience. So we're going to kick off with some introductions, if that is okay. Ladies, we have with us today Beverly, alia and Libby. Welcome, ladies, to Spill in the Tea. Thank you so much. It's great to be here. Let's kick off with Libby. Let's kick off with you. You are more experienced and you have been wise a little while, so let's hear all about you to kick off.
Speaker 3:That's right. So, yeah, I'm Libby Kirk and I'm the Global Head of Early Careers at WISE, and actually we refer to it as WISE Start, because we want to be as inclusive as possible, and it's not just about coming straight from university and having your first role, but anyone who's entering the workplace to work.
Speaker 2:Two other ladies who are graduates, um, and have been in the world of tech, uh, for about a year now. So, um alia, can we have a little bit of an introduction about you? Yeah, of course um.
Speaker 1:So I'm alia, I'm a graduate on the latam and me and team are wise, um, so we cover basically launching wise products in those regions, um. So I took a bit of a different route into engineering, I guess. So I actually studied electrical engineering at university, um, but when I graduated, I did non-technical roles, um, in startups. So I was still like working in tech but not working on the tech. And then at some point I decided I wanted to do a career switch and I wanted to join a graduate scheme to do that, and that's how I ended up at WISE Incredible again, we love a career switcher and that you landed a really good role at WISE and we're going to dip into that in a little bit throughout this podcast.
Speaker 2:And last but not least, we have Beverly.
Speaker 4:Yes, my name is Beverly Nggo and I am a graduate software engineer, also in the LACAM and MIA team. So my team works on um the integrations for um South America and Middle Eastern Africa, so making WISE available in those regions. And prior to joining WISE, I completed a degree apprenticeship at a um automotive firm and that was doing digital technology.
Speaker 2:Amazing. Another slightly different industry automotive yeah, that's great to hear moving around and again, you know, landed a brilliant role at Wise. I'd actually love to hear a little bit about why you chose Wise and what motivated you to join wise. And and how did you hear about the company I mean yourself, libby had had? How did that go, you know, when you joined a few years ago, what was that like?
Speaker 3:yeah, so I mean, when I joined wise a few years ago, it's it's changed dramatically over the time, um, that I've been here and you know it's been a huge kind of fast, fast pace and lots of growth. I was really something about the mission or the vision that we have to create money without borders really spoke to me. I love the idea of working for a company that was kind of doing good and, putting you know, making the world a better place and providing a really useful product. But yeah, as I said, said I just I loved the way that the employer brand spoke to me. I felt like it was kind of really, you know, kind of inclusive and I like the fact that it wasn't kind of too corporate. But yeah, what about? What about you?
Speaker 4:So I actually heard about Wise from my friend from university who was a couple years older than me and he completed the WISE graduate program two years before I joined it, and it was him talking about how positive his experience was that made me motivated to apply for myself. Alia, what about what attracted you?
Speaker 1:to WISE, wanted to join a graduate scheme. Um, because I really wanted to be able to like learn with the people and have space to actually do that and not feel like I had to be contributing to like work as soon as I stepped through the door. Um, so I was looking, I was looking for graduate schemes and I was actually a wise customer. Um, actually, the biggest customer I know is actually my grandma. She loves, and so it was already kind of a household thing for me and I knew that they had a really good tech reputation and it was important to me to work somewhere where I felt like the mission I was contributing to like was helpful for other people as well. Um, so I was just kind of like going on the careers websites of all the companies I thought I might want to work for and Wise is one of them and, yeah, as soon as the role came up, I applied for it yeah, through the website that makes such a difference.
Speaker 2:To work for a company with a mission that you believe in yeah, and uh, yeah, I think as well.
Speaker 3:For me, it was about wanting to add impact. So I was looking for an opportunity where I could really see the value of what I'm doing every day and, having come from like a really large organization where I wasn't really sure of what, what the impact I was I was having, and I wanted to work at um, a smaller, a smaller company. But also, you know, when I joined wise nearly four years ago, there wasn't really a structured graduate program there was. There was nothing kind of you know, we didn't have career switch routes and, uh, I wanted that chance to build something and really kind of use all the experience that I'd had elsewhere and come with a kind of very meaningful um diversity and inclusion and um kind of core value and and put all of that into place and and it's been amazing really like to see um over the the years that grow and and all the things that we can offer people like Bevan and and alia yeah, and be a company where you are able to develop and and grow yourself.
Speaker 2:Um, uh, you're right bringing your experiences um. Sometimes, when you get in companies, you do your day job and that is it, and then you don't grow yourself, um no, regardless of what stage you're at in your career, and you just find yourself leaving within about two years. Um, so that's good to hear. I mean you, you head up um Wise Start, so can you describe what? What is the onboarding experience? Uh, like at Wise Start?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we have a really bespoke onboarding experience for anyone that's coming through one of our programs. So the reason we do that we onboard everybody together. So if you're in a cohort of interns, you're on board with your global cohort, and we do that. We onboard everybody together. So if you're in a cohort of interns, you're on board with your global cohort. And we do that because we realize the importance of relationships, especially at that stage in your career. You know it's really vital that you, from the get go, can build a really strong network and that your peer group around you is, you know, going to be supportive, not just for that week but for the kind of throughout your career.
Speaker 3:And we dive into, kind of, what we're all about effectively. So we dive into learning, all about our vision, which is money without borders, to understand the product better and understand really what we're trying to do and what we're trying to achieve. And then, as well as that, there's lots of time for socialising. We make sure that there's time to, you know, spend getting to know your colleagues, and we make sure that there's time to, you know, spend getting to know your, your colleagues, and we make sure there's time to have a party. So really it's just about being around people who are just as excited as you to start their career, but also perhaps like a little bit nervous, and you know you have all of that kind of camaraderie and each other to support yes, it is a very daunting time when you've just graduated.
Speaker 2:You are trying to navigate the company. You know people, the world of work. It's like all of those, also those unspoken things that happen at work, all the politics that you haven't quite figured out yet. All of that's new, let alone the job is new. So socializing is must be a big thing, just so you don't feel isolated. And perhaps you know I remember feeling anyone else feeling the same way that I'm feeling and no one's saying it.
Speaker 3:It can be really daunting and we understand that. So we want to make it as comfortable for people as possible and we also ask our previous grads or interns to come back and join us in the onboarding, to share their tips and tricks and you know, just kind of from their own experience of someone who's just been through it the year before yeah um you know, make sure that they can come pass on that advice yeah, that's good.
Speaker 2:And, ladies, how did you feel? You know, starting at wise, you've just graduated. Um, obviously, uh, as libby said, there's support along the way, but how did you feel? What was that experience actually like for you both?
Speaker 1:um yeah, so one of the things that we had, um, I guess my start kind of sorted out for us was this buddy system.
Speaker 1:Um, so we had one buddy in our team who was like more of a technical buddy, who you kind of go to if you had like questions about work. And I found it really daunting to like keep trying to ask the senior engineers like what, what was they doing? Because I felt like, oh, I should know this stuff. So it was nice having that buddy who I felt like, okay, this is a safe space to ask those questions to. Um. But then we also had a social buddy, so this was someone outside of your immediate team who, um, you could go to more about, like, as you said, the sort of the work stuff, like all the things that aren't so concerned with the job. Um, and yeah, y's is really lovely and gave us a little budget um to have like a bit of a social with with all the buddies in your squad. So me, bev and and another one of our grad friends, um, ray, and all of our social buddies.
Speaker 1:We went for a little meal at dish room which was a pretty nice pretty nice treat, um, so that really helped me settling because I felt like, oh, you know, they actually want us to spend this time together and, um, get to know each other outside of like our media team, and feel settled that sets a nice tone going forward what that's going to be like immediately comfortable.
Speaker 2:Yeah, can I ask you out of curiosity, your buddies, yeah you, you said that like they were very helpful. I've worked at some companies where they go. We've given you a buddy and you never see that buddy, or you need help and they're not around. You said that as if they're around. They weren't just there for the social. They sounded like they actually really were invested in in you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so both of my buddies were grads from previous cohorts, um which I think meant they were like very invested um in us and I know if I became a buddy I'd also be invested, because it feels like you're giving back and um, it's not some abstract thing like you know how it helped you. So you kind of want to help other people and they're they're not at like a crazy different stage of their career, so, um, they can empathize a lot with with your problems and there is like no nervousness there, yes, um. So yeah, I think our wires it was really good, we worked really well yeah, yeah, and Beth yourself, how.
Speaker 2:What was your experience like when, when you onboarded?
Speaker 4:I remember being really nervous before joining so I didn't do a traditional computer science degree so I was really worried about falling behind or already being behind from the very first day. But the YSTAR onboarding process really helped settle my nerves there. So we were all onboarded together and we had an engineering boot camp during the first week and that really helped me to. You know, get onto the same page as everyone else and it's OK if you have less experience as others. You're all there to learn and that really made me feel a lot better.
Speaker 2:That's good. Yeah, it is nerve wracking starting in a new role, so I suppose it's a lot to to take in as well. You're you're being thrown into a graduate program. There's lots of new people to meet, meet. I suppose it's just it as, as Alia was saying, you're given a buddy. What? What was that experience like with with your buddy?
Speaker 4:was that also positive, I take it yes, my buddy is now in my team now so amazing. It's really nice that when I first started, we were already working together and that's continued even to this day. So, um, it was really helpful from day one. Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:That's good and it's good to hear as well that people were picked that were not too far from you, know your career path as well and experience, so they could really relate to you in that sense. I know I've had ladies on this podcast before they say I've sat in an event and I've looked up at like the CEO and I thought, oh, that's absolutely wonderful. But you cannot relate to people that are that far in front of you in terms of experience and having buddies that are, you know, a couple of years in front of you and those that perhaps have also gone through you know the why start program. At least they can share their tips and tricks and they know exactly how you're feeling, even if you're not saying it and you're thinking on the inside.
Speaker 1:I'm really nervous. I remember my buddy in my team um, I was like kind of nervous about doing doing the first couple of my pull requests because you get so much feedback and he pulled up one of his which had like 70 comments on it and he was like look, everyone starts somewhere and that made me feel so much better and it helps you make like you feel like part of the team.
Speaker 4:Yeah, from so early on. I wasn't expecting to make, uh, code changes. Yeah, so quickly in my career at wise, but I think once you get that out of the way, you realize, oh, you're actually here to do things and you can do it from really early on. Yes, and the team makes it okay. So, yeah, it's really good that's incredible.
Speaker 2:Um, it's something that we discuss a lot on this podcast and something that comes up a lot in the world of work, not just tech is imposter syndrome and that feeling of sometimes we're all sitting there going I'm gonna get found out, somebody's gonna find me out is that something that that you were feeling? But it sounds like those those types of feelings were put at ease at wise because they know graduates are going to be thinking that I'm going to get found out. People were going to know I'm, I can't do this or you know, I'm trying to learn and that's normally what most graduate employers want people that can soak things up and learn and keep progressing. But did you have those feelings in in the first few weeks of?
Speaker 1:yes, for sure, yeah for sure. I I think like I mean well, kind of, because I think I definitely had some imposter syndrome, because I'm like, oh, everyone's gonna know more than me, I I'd never. I'd like like same as bad if I'd not done computer science or anything like that. Um, but I think I felt like they'd hire me knowing that I didn't know a lot of this stuff and you know, that's where they expect you to be. I think, um, when hiring grads and Libby can probably say more about this, but they will they've made it really clear.
Speaker 1:Like you don't have to know everything, um, you just need the right attitude and, like you know, be able to communicate well. Um, like I hadn't I barely written a single line of Java before I joined WISE, um, which is like what I do every single day now. So you know, you definitely feel impulse syndrome, but I definitely felt like I deserve to be here and I, I, I was like chosen to be here. So you know, they know where I'm at. I was always really open about where I was at.
Speaker 3:So when we've done a lot, of work with our assessment process to make sure that we're spotting that potential. So we train all of our interviewers, our YSTAR engineering interviewers, to understand that actually what they're looking for is not somebody who can code perfectly in any particular language, but somebody who has the ability to problem solve, who has the ability to clearly communicate the, the steps that they're taking and they're thinking behind it. So why are they choosing to make certain decisions? And because of that we make it possible to to code in lots of different languages. So people, in their technical tests that they do before they join us as their assessment, they can choose their language that they code in, Because we don't want it to just be about finding people with exactly the same skill set.
Speaker 2:But we want these clear signals of growth, mindset and potential to be able to then build on that and allow people to develop once they join us yes, definitely yes, a much better way um than thinking, and as well, those, those employers that are going out for certain people from certain universities and certain skills, and you always get the same people come through um, and then you know, you never diversify your workforce by doing that anyway. So if you're somebody like wise and that is you know, you never diversify your workforce by doing that anyway. So if you're somebody like Wise and that is, you know, totally built in and it must as well, retain staff as well, because you know, you know that you're going to be invested in heavily at Wise. So it's that feeling of you know, I might be a graduate but I'm not going to jump ship because I'm looked after here and my career is developed, whereas a lot of graduates, you know you're in a company a year and you kind of think, oh, this isn't for me, um, and then, and then you go on.
Speaker 3:So it must help with retaining graduates as well. Yeah, definitely. I think that no two days are ever the same at Wise. There's so much opportunity, um, and I think that I see grads speaking up a lot about what interests them and and seeking opportunities to do side by sides, go and work in other teams and explore lots of different opportunities. So I think that's something else I would say to people who are, you know, right at the start of their career that actually getting into an organization that you really enjoy working at, that you, that the values resonate with you, is sometimes more important than the specific role itself, because actually the specific role can change and evolve.
Speaker 2:Ladies, I want to ask you about memorable moments during your time going through the programme. So is there anything that jumps out that really you know sticks in your mind as a memorable moment for you during that programme?
Speaker 4:For me, I'd say it's the cohort level learning that we have. So in the engineering why I start program, we had obviously the coding boot camp during the first week where we're all learning together. But that didn't just stop. After the first week we would end up having maybe monthly or twice monthly sessions with the same cohort from our year and we could request different topics that we want to learn about and the engineering experience team would put these sessions on for us and the early careers would help us as well. So, yeah, the learning that happened for cohort level didn't just stop from the first week. It continued throughout the year and I found that really helped me with my learning and it showed that WISE was really invested in our learning and development and it really helped me with my career so far.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it wasn't just kind of a five minutes dump, alia yourself. Is there any memorable moments?
Speaker 1:I think I'd actually echo that sort of. So we, as part of WIDEST wide start, we didn't just have these technical sessions, which were really helpful and, as bev said, like we could really they they want, they really wanted our feedback and really wanted to know what, what, um, what we're interested in and like also, um, what the sessions were like. Um, we went from kind of a bit of lecture series to sort of more practical stuff because we we really asked for that um. But one of the other things that was part of the boot camp was they got um like senior people from other parts of the company to come and talk to us. So like we had the CFO come and talk to us one time.
Speaker 1:Um and the like harsh, our CTO, chatted to us enough in our first week and I think learning about not just your direct job but like why is in general was really really really nice for me because I think you, uh, you just gather a bit more of an appreciation of, like the wider community that you're part of. Um and it's not just like little, you like writing tests every day it's actually like oh, this is.
Speaker 1:It's a quite powerful machine and we all have to like play our part.
Speaker 2:What are some activities or initiatives at Wise that have helped you integrate into the team? Alia, you mentioned that you were quite surprised that you were working on things already. Yeah, you felt very much of the team, so has there been any other activities where you've really felt integrated into? You know work?
Speaker 1:sure, um. So one of the things that wise does, um, we have this I guess it's like kind of a conference, but also an like an away day sort of thing called um, called mission days, and part of it is like the entire company coming together and learning about where we've got to and what, what's coming up next um in the next six months. And then there's also a tech portion which we call tech day.
Speaker 1:Um, bev and I actually got the chance to present and be the hosts for tech day last time, which was really fun and scary oh yeah, I was gonna say that's great, throw you in at the deep end actually, traditionally, it's been grads the last few times, which is really nice because it it really feels like, oh, we're really part of this now, um, but there you also spend a bunch of time with, like your team, um, and the wider engineering team, and I think that's when I really felt like, oh, okay, these are people I can spend a lot of time with doing work, like not doing work, like learning from, and I just felt really like, oh, this is so nice and this is what it's like to be in a company who really cares about you and you can care about everyone else.
Speaker 1:So I think, that for me was like big moment now everybody's rooting for you as well because, doing presenting as, but when?
Speaker 2:when you're quite early in your career. I hated that. I just used to run from from anything where I was having to talk into a mic and I don't know how I ended up here?
Speaker 2:I honestly don't know somehow somebody pushed me in that direction. At our hackathons we actually encourage that, and when, um, the team is present at the end of the judges, we ask everybody to say something. Because there are those moments where you're still very early in your career, you still haven't presented, and then you will suddenly find yourself in in a stage of your career where you have to present, you have to suddenly speak to an audience, and you think, oh gosh, I've got absolutely no practice with this yeah, but everybody at our hackathons is rooting for that person, everybody's kind of like.
Speaker 2:You know, like just try it, it's a, it's a safe environment to try something. And it seems like you know you didn't stand up there thinking everybody wants me to fail at the front here it's kind of everyone was rooting for you to do well we had so much support. It was really really nice it was a great experience yeah, and Bev yourself any other activities um going to Estonia, that's that's pretty cool, um anything else.
Speaker 4:That kind of stands out of how you got to integrate with the team, um, so something that helped me integrate with the team happened even before I officially joined WISE. So my team kindly invited myself and Alia and the other grad in our team to visit the office before our official start date. So we got to come in on a Friday, where we have our Friday drinks at the office, and we got to meet the team there and that really helped calm the nerves so that you know when we start in the first. And we got to meet the team there and that really helped calm the nerves so that you know when we start in the first week. We already know some people in the team and it's just a lot less scary when you know you know what the office looks like already um, who's in your team, who your manager is, and just something small like that really helped calm the nerves before we started yes, that's good.
Speaker 2:And also I've been to your building. It's absolutely lovely and I remember I um, I sat outside I was waiting for a colleague and it seemed like hundreds of people disappearing into these two doors, like where are all these people going? And then, as you go in, I was like, oh my gosh, it's like there's the whole building behind here and it is amazing and it's like the whole lift system and everything. So even navigating that, yeah, as a visitor. Yeah, I was like how do I get in here? And it is beautiful inside there.
Speaker 4:But at least to ease you into to that, even just for me to practice the commute in.
Speaker 3:Yeah, how to get in um, I think some, some teams even invite people to social events and stuff before they've even joined. So that again gives you, you know, a really great insight into what it's actually going to be like to work in the team yes, definitely, and I suppose that's when you've, when you've started as well.
Speaker 2:Is there anything students can do before they start? Why is there anything that you think would kind of prep them ahead of that? And obviously there is a lot of support once you get in. But are there any tips, you think, or advice for them?
Speaker 3:yeah, I would say, you know, if you're, if the organization you're joining hasn't suggested that you come into the office, then you know, I would recommend asking to do that. I'm sure you know lots of companies perhaps have overlooked that, but it's really important to you know have gone to the office, to know exactly where you're going to be working. Just small things that can cause anxiety, that don't need to be such a big thing like the commute and um. You know actually what it feels like to be there, um, so I would recommend you know asking to do that. So the other thing is you can also, you know, reach out and connect to your cohort. Often there's opportunities to. You know, we we would ask our grads for their permission to link them up with the incoming cohort so that they can all start communicating between themselves.
Speaker 3:But yeah, I think just lots of touch points really between when you're offered the role and joining can just really help to get yourself ready. But you know, even if you haven't joined, you can already start following the company, getting interested in the company. So maybe you know checking out what's happening, what's going on in the news, any new product launches, you know, I know, for example, on our Wise site. There are amazing blogs and things that you can follow and get a feel for the company. We have our interns that have blogged about their experience and, um you know, lots of different content on there, so that gives you a really great idea about the culture and and what you might expect when you um, yeah, I wanted to ask a little bit about um advice.
Speaker 2:So, um, to all of you. What advice would you give to current students who are looking for a role in their first job now you're in? Is there any advice that you would give current students who are looking for their first role?
Speaker 4:obviously you're going to say, maybe look at wise yeah, I would say to, if they haven't already, try and get some experience, whether through an internship wise offers internships here, um, shout out to wise. Or, if not, internship, just working on your own side projects, because it's really good to have something to talk about in your interview stage other than, um, what you've worked on at university. So, yeah, whether through an internship or something that you've decided to do by yourself, um, that can really help you during the application process yes, yeah, that's.
Speaker 2:That is really good advice, alia, is it anything that you wish that you had been told? Perhaps?
Speaker 1:I think, um, I I kind of said this before but what people are looking for in grads isn't necessarily knowing everything, but it's about being able to like show your willingness to not to learn, um being able to like communicate clearly. So I would say, when you're thinking about preparing for interviews and things like that, definitely just practice a lot. Um, you can use sites like leetcode, which is sort of similar to the technical test you get, but also like, use your friends. Um, especially when it comes to the kind of non-technical or like sometimes I call culture for interviews, so much of it is just about being able to like talk and and say things about yourself and be clear and not ramble and I'm gonna ramble now but one of these things, um, and I think those conversations are really hard to have with yourself in your head.
Speaker 1:Yes, so, like practice with your friends, like practice with your family, make the whole thing feel so relaxed, because when you come across as relaxed and authentic, like that's your best chance of answering the questions to like the best of your ability, I think. So don't panic. Also, don't feel like you have to pick the rest of your career for the rest of your life, like in this moment. I mean, I've changed my career. I'll probably change my career again. Like knowing me, you don't have to have worked all out at the beginning, so take your time. Know that, like what you're signing up for is just learning, um, and don't yeah don't panic about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's a good thing about tech being able to be flexible and try new things. Um, you're so right about interviews. When I look back to my first interviews, oh gosh, I wish somebody had told me you're gonna go on several interviews and literally just discard them because you're gonna be so rubbish and you're not going to know what you're doing. You can't articulate your skills correctly, like just use the first three to five as practice and don't actually expect to get a job from them. But it's just really good experience. So you're right to talk through things, talk through what you would like to do and also for you to figure out what you would like to do. Um, but when you're a graduate, you get that, that nervousness over your first interview. I have to get that job. That has to be it, and I almost wish I'd just settled into the process a little bit more and kind of use that as a learning curve as well. Um, but it's, it's not the easiest.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think at the beginning of your career you can get so fixated on what your dream job is. Yes, and I speak to so many students, you know over the years that I've worked in this area and I think a lot of the time it's not actually necessarily that you have to find what your dream job is it's about at the beginning of your career. It's just as important to find out what you don't like. So you know, take all the opportunities that you can to learn and keep putting yourself out there and putting yourself outside your comfort zone, and that will help you. Even if it's not your dream job. It will help you to discover things that you don't like and that will guide you in the direction.
Speaker 2:As a recruiter, what do you look for in students? Because you just mentioned the values there. Somebody's just reeling off values from your website. That's not helpful, is it?
Speaker 3:Is there something that you look for in a student when when you're looking to recruit? Yeah, so we are as inclusive as we can be with our hiring. So we want to. We're not looking at cvs to see what university you've been to or what course you're studying. You know both both Bev and Alia have mentioned that they didn't study computer science, um, so one thing I loved about joining WISE is that I was able to set WISE Start up to be, you know, to hire in the way that we, you know, as inclusively as possible.
Speaker 3:So we are purely focused on your skills. So we don't go to certain universities to kind of you know to recruit from. Everybody is welcome to apply and then we look at the skill set and that's through our recruitment process. So you take a technical test and then if you reach our benchmark, which is a broad benchmark, we then invite you to interview with one of our engineers for a paired coding exercise. And you also have the, the cultural interview, cultural values interview, that um that alia mentioned earlier, um, or our values-based interview. So that um is where you have a chance to explain what resonates with you and kind of why you really want to work at wise as opposed to somewhere else so it's quite it's, it's quite a broad, um, uh, experience.
Speaker 2:It's not just a technical interview and that's it. You have to you. You want people to fit in, with your culture and values, um and everything.
Speaker 3:You would rather have a well-rounded person than someone that's just really good at coding and actually just a rubbish human being like you said, we're really focused on on the potential of someone and how much we we think somebody you know is is going to develop. And you know we understand that people joining right at the beginning of their career don't know it all and that's totally fine, um, but yeah, we're looking. You know we invite everybody to apply and then we are really focused on on skills assessment yes, um, I love that.
Speaker 2:Ladies, we are almost out of time. I could keep picking your brains on this topic for another hour, but I wanted to ask you one last question before we end today. Do you have one piece of advice you wish you'd known from finishing university to starting your first role, and that also applies to you, libby. Is there a piece of advice that you wish? Wish you know somebody had told you from from university through throughout your career?
Speaker 4:yes. So for me, um, if I could tell myself something like in hindsight, it would be to relax before I start at wise. So in the time that you have after graduating and starting wise, I was very like nervous and panicking about oh no, I need to get up to speed, I need to learn everything before I start, and I only had three days, like just the weekend and another day before starting, so it was not much time for me, but other people might have a whole month off. I would say just enjoy that time, however long it is. Just enjoy that time. Relax, because you'll learn on the job, like you're not expected to know everything from the beginning. So take that time, relax, prepare yourself. Um, don't worry about learning everything, because there's plenty of time to learn once you start. I love that, yes yourself.
Speaker 2:Any advice for for students?
Speaker 1:yes, I think kind of similar to what I said um previously like don't panic, um, you, you don't, you don't have to know exactly what it is you want to do, like when you're leaving uni.
Speaker 1:I know like especially so I I did an engineering degree and when I started I was like well, I'm gonna be an engineer, and you know, or like be an electronic engineer, and that was like not the route that I ended up taking at all.
Speaker 1:Um, so I think it's like be open to things, like try lots of things when you're looking for jobs, use it as a chance to figure out what you like, but also like interviewing the companies in a way too, and and getting to know like what do I actually like here, and not feeling like you're being tested all the time, but feel, feel like it's like a two-way conversation when you're trying to find a fit, rather than like where you're, you know you're going through an exam. It's not like that at all. Um, so just like relax and and um, yeah, use the time to figure it out, because you you only get that at uni really, um to like have so much time to figure it out, because you only get that at uni really to like have so much time to do it, so just like let it happen, don't freak out about it.
Speaker 2:Yes, I love that. And you are right, what you pick when you are studying is not always what you go into. And I mean how many of us? I have lots of people at university, lots of friends, who did not go into anything almost related to what we studied at university.
Speaker 3:But yeah, I would say, just to echo what Alia said, that you probably won't know at the beginning what you want to do, and so focusing on the company and being in an organisation where you feel comfortable, and that's a great starting place, and I definitely I I mean, I studied geography at university and I didn't even know this job existed, like I had no idea, I didn't even know what recruitment was, um, and I absolutely love my job and you know, now I'm just it's it. It's because I went through a series of jobs that I didn't enjoy or things that I that didn't feel right and then kind of moved on from there. So just to kind of reiterate that actually working out what you don't like is equally as important, and try to think of all of those things as a positive, that you're learning and taking everything as an opportunity yes, that's brilliant advice and you and you're right following the company and and things that you love to do.
Speaker 2:Because 15 years in you you have that feeling of you know I don't want to go to work today, and you and when you're at a company where you feel like that, you just think I need to move, it's, I'm doing something I don't love or this company just isn't for me, and I found that as well. I don't know if you found that, but not all companies are for everybody and it's you. It. There's a pull and you're kind of every day you're thinking like this just these are just not my people, like it's okay, there's nothing wrong with those people, they're just not your people.
Speaker 2:So it's just finding that fitting in finding what you love, what you want to do, how you want to move forward, but that it takes some practice and you never get that right in your first job out of university. You're lucky if you land somebody that's going to develop you and keep you there for years. But sometimes you I remember going into I was very, very lucky where I landed, but I didn't stay there very long and I kind of thought I'm not really being developed here and off you go. So you know the good companies work to retain that talent. So you know the good companies work to retain that talent and you know when you're in a company that's doing that, because you don't wake up every day thinking.
Speaker 3:I've got to go to work today. You have the right to feel supported. You know you should feel that you have people who are cheering you on, who you can go to if you are stuck on something. So that is really, really key. You know, to feel happy and you know, and supported in your role.
Speaker 2:Yes, definitely, um. That is lovely advice to end it on, ladies, because we are already out of time. It's absolutely flown by. Thank you so much to Bev, alia and Libby for coming down and joining me today. Thanks for having us. Thank you so so much, um, and for everybody listening, as always. Thank you so much for joining us and we hope to see you again next time.
