What's your job about?

As a newly joined insurance broker in the corporate team, I closely shadow and help my manager in dealing with complex clients. My daily work involves understanding the unique insurance needs of large corporations, analysing their risk profiles, and developing customized insurance plans to mitigate those risks. I start my day by reviewing emails overnight to see if we have been in contact with London insurers and any outstanding tasks that I may be working on. Throughout the week, I work with underwriters to work on upcoming renewals as well as management of all our current clients with any day-to-day queries. I also help prepare detailed reports and presentations to help clients understand their insurance options and make informed decisions.

What's your background?

I grew up in Brisbane, or Bris Vegas, as known by everyone else. I attended high school out near the beautiful waters of Manly and worked at Woolworths through school and university. I also worked for a film camera start-up, which was quite an experience. After the long but valuable 4 years of study at UQ, I decided it was best to travel to the other side of the world. Perth! Only for a couple of hours because then I found myself in Europe on a Contiki! I love meeting new people, and it was a great experience, especially because I was able to learn about different backgrounds and cultures on the trip. Once I returned from my short time away, I was ready to start full-time work here at Gallagher.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Absolutely. Although I am your typical finance bro with the RM Williams vest and boots, the range of degrees/backgrounds that can excel in this field is amazing. I work with people who have degrees in Psychology, Law, Arts, Politics and Science, to name a few. If you are willing to learn and be proactive, I don’t see a way you won’t succeed. The amount of experience in this field is unmatched.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

Last week, I was fortunate enough to talk to the surfing King, Mick Fanning. I must admit, I don’t know anything about surfing, but I do know he is a very big celebrity. One of our clients was launching their new man-made wave pool, and we were fortunate enough to attend the Launch. Among other famous names, Mick spoke about what he expects this multi-million project to look like, and it was quite sceptical. The following week, I was down at Lamington National Park for another client, taking in the views that seemed almost impossible to be real. Now, this is not your typical fortnight, but no two weeks are the same.

What are the limitations of your job?

One limitation of this job would be if you don’t like to put yourself out there. I am not saying you need to think about an infinite amount of icebreakers with every single person you meet, but I think it’s an important aspect of the job. Although it may seem daunting in the beginning, once you get going, you don’t stop. Don’t be afraid, stand out and make yourself known, it will only benefit you in the future.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• Go have fun! It’s vital to have a good work/life balance otherwise, you will find yourself burnout. Work hard to enjoy your breaks.
• Create good habits: Habits are a strong thing. For anyone who’s read Atomic Habits, compounding is a good thing. It’s very cliche, but be 1% better every day. Study that extra 10 minutes. Run that extra 500 metres. Good habits create an amazing environment for yourself.
• Ask more Questions: The most hurtful thing you can do for your development is not to ask questions when you don’t understand a topic. I am incredibly guilty of this, but once I started, I felt a lot more knowledgeable.