What’s your job about?

In my role, I have the opportunity to complete four rotations across the business over two years. My first rotation was in Internal Communications, and I am currently part of the Brand Reputation team. As a graduate, my role allows me to gain diverse experiences and skills by working with different teams and people.

In the Brand team, we monitor our brand health and execute engaging and meaningful campaigns throughout the year. One example is our partnership with the AFLW, where we collaborate with our partner clubs through activations and campaigns. This includes initiatives like TAL Assister, which supports female players both on and off the field. Another ongoing campaign, Spot Checker, focuses on raising awareness about UV risks and skin safety in Australia.

My job involves strategically increasing category awareness of the TAL brand through meaningful partnerships and impactful campaigns.

What’s your background?

Growing up as a Chinese Australian, I was fortunate to have parents who were open and supportive of any career path I chose. I’ve always had a creative side and enjoyed meeting new people, but I wasn’t particularly strong in math or science. Among the Commerce majors, Marketing stood out to me because it blended creativity with strategy while allowing me to connect with people.

At UNSW, a dual degree was a popular choice for Commerce students, and I found that combining Commerce and Media was unique to the university. It complemented my Marketing major perfectly, making it feel like a match made in heaven.

Throughout university, I actively sought hands-on experiences to enhance my learning. I completed two marketing internships at financial services companies, one of which had a London-based HQ. That internship gave me an incredible opportunity to travel to the UK on an all-expenses-paid trip for their 10-year anniversary celebration—something I never imagined possible! It was such a rewarding experience.

Before joining TAL, I worked at an e-commerce agency as a Social Media Assistant, managing Rebel Sport’s social media. It was exciting to work with a well-known Australian brand and gain insight into the digital space. However, after eight months, I realized that social media wasn’t a long-term career path for me (especially with my screen time skyrocketing!).

To sum up, marketing, media, branding, and communications are vast fields with many niches and specialties. I’m still learning from every opportunity, and I’m eager to keep exploring my passions.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Yes, to an extent!

Brand work involves a lot of stakeholder management, copywriting, and attention to detail, as we collaborate with agencies, internal teams, and manage campaigns. Strong soft skills and people skills are essential in this role—qualities that are valuable in any job.

However, while someone with a different background could transition into this role, they would still need a solid foundational skill set. There are technical aspects to understand, particularly around brand reputation, guidelines, and strategic marketing principles.

What’s the coolest thing about your job?

One of the best parts of my job is the amazing opportunities that come from our partnerships and campaigns. For example, our collaboration with AFLW allows us to attend games and exclusive events.

I’ve had the chance to dress up and attend dinners at the Crown and W Hotel, which was an incredible experience. But beyond the perks, it’s truly inspiring to see the impact of our sponsorships on clubs and players at the end of the season.

What are the limitations of your job?

Brand marketing is broader compared to traditional marketing, which presents some challenges.

Marketing tends to focus on customer acquisition and journey, where you can track performance more directly—adjusting email campaigns (EDMs) based on data and measurable results.

Brand marketing, however, is more about category awareness and consideration. While we can measure impressions and reach, the results aren’t always black and white. It can be difficult to pinpoint which elements of a campaign are driving the biggest impact. Additionally, launching new campaigns can require significant investment, making budget and resource allocation crucial.

The biggest challenge is balancing creativity and ambition while ensuring we stay within our allocated budget and resources.

Three pieces of advice for your student self...

• Take risks and embrace opportunities! You miss 100% of the chances you don’t take (yes, it’s cliché, but it’s true!).
• Step outside your comfort zone. We often stick to what we know, but there’s so much to learn by meeting new people and gaining new experiences.
• Join university societies and extracurriculars! Some of my lifelong friends came from these networks, and I’m so grateful. Once you start working full-time, meeting new people can be harder, so take advantage of the opportunities while you can.
• Find hobbies that bring you joy. it’s easy to get swept up in work and life so make sure you have time for yourself to do what you love outside of that!