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Perpetual

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4.1
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Olivia Italiano

Get as much industry experience as you can; do internships, participate in case competitions and talk to any contacts in the industry you may have as this is so important in helping to decide on your future career path

What's your job about?

Perpetual has been working with philanthropists and charities since we were founded. In the Corporate and Social Investments Team, we work with families and individuals to structure their charitable giving. Charities apply through Perpetual to receive funding for projects and we look to match up the philanthropists with a charity that suits their values and goals. One of my responsibilities in the team is reviewing applications for funding from charities and compiling a list to present to philanthropists in order for them to decide where to donate their funds for the year.

What's your background?

I grew up in Perth and moved to Melbourne to go to college and study at the University of Melbourne. I started a degree in Science and realised quite quickly that my passions did not lie there, so I transferred over to a Commerce degree in my second year. I studied finance and marketing whilst working almost full-time, as I love to go travelling! Over my time at uni I managed to travel to Europe twice, study abroad, travel through India and, most recently, travel around South and Central America. I went through the recruitment process for Perpetual’s graduate program in July 2020, which was in the midst of the Melbourne COVID lockdown. I had to do the assessment centre and interviews online and found it challenging to put my best foot forward virtually, however I have now moved to Sydney for this role and have loved my first 7 weeks here! I was initially very unsure about moving from Melbourne to Sydney, but I am absolutely loving it and am so glad I did! One piece of advice I can give is to take every opportunity you get, don’t be afraid to travel or live interstate or overseas.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

If someone with a different background wanted to do this job, they could do it! If you’re passionate about giving back to the community then you will thrive in this role. If you have a commerce background whether that be in finance, accounting, marketing, management, or something else, this role would suit you. Skills like multi-tasking are more important than a particular degree qualification as there are often many different projects happening at any one time!

What's the coolest thing about your job?

The coolest thing about my job is seeing the difference we are making each day to millions of people’s lives. Every day I get to see the impact of philanthropic donations through thousands of different charities; from animal rights, to environmental activism, to helping disadvantaged kids or even contributing to medical research.

What are the limitations of your job?

The limitation of the job is that this job is not just a 9-5 gig. If the team has extra work leading up to the end of financial year, you will be expected to stay back to complete the work. The flipside of this is that in quieter times, you’ll be allowed to clock off early some days, so it all balances out.

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

  1. Never say no to an opportunity! Even though the decision may be a tricky one (moving from Melbourne to Sydney for this job) it is great to step outside of your comfort zone and explore new places
  2. Prioritise study but don’t let your life revolve around it. It is so important to do well in uni but it is also a great opportunity to build and develop friendships, have a part-time job, travel and make time for things you love doing
  3. Get as much industry experience as you can; do internships, participate in case competitions and talk to any contacts in the industry you may have as this is so important in helping to decide on your future career path