“We often look at a list of 10 requirements, realise we can't do two of them, and talk ourselves out of applying. Meanwhile, someone else might only have a few of the required skills and apply anyway. Don't let a couple of unfamiliar dot points stop you.”
Discover Sinead's career journey at Transurban, how leaders supported her in making moves within the organisation, and a new skill she uses everyday.
Take us through your career journey at Transurban – where did you start, where did you move to, and where are you now?
- Started as a contractor in Guest Liaison right before COVID hit.
- After working with Facilities to navigate the return-to-office, an opportunity popped up in 2022 to become the West Gate Tunnel (WGT) Coordinator. I spent four years in the thick of a huge construction project.
- When WGT was winding down, I was ready for something entirely different. Now, I'm a P&C Coordinator working with Payroll.
- I've gone from tracking physical project milestones and construction jargon to learning about government legislation, long service leave, Jira, and Confluence. It’s a completely new world.
How did Transurban, and your leaders, support you in making this move?
My manager at WGT pointed out the P&C role to me since our project phase was coming to an end. When I read the position description, I thought, ‘I might not know how to do all of these things, but I can definitely try!’
My leaders completely supported that mindset and encouraged me to jump in. Moving from construction to legal and payroll terminology was daunting, but I overcame my hesitation by deciding to jump in, give it a go, and be comfortable that I’d be learning on the fly.
What skills from your previous position/s helped you hit the ground running, and what is a completely new skill you use every day now?
Relationship building has been my biggest asset. Because I’d worked in Facilities and WGT, I already knew exactly who to contact in teams like Customer & Technology to get the right answers.
As for new skills, there are so many! I use my presentation skills so much more now, and I’ve become incredibly detail oriented so I can navigate complex payroll and legal matters.
