Corporate and Financial Management Trainee profile - Tim

Year joined

2009

Current position

Corporate and Financial Management Trainee. I am currently working in the Post and Locally Engaged Staff Management Issues Section, with previous placements including the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Consular Policy and Training Section, and the Australian Passport Office.

What were you doing before joining DFAT?

After completing an Asian Studies (Japanese) degree at the ANU I spent five years working in the executive recruitment industry in Tokyo and Shanghai. Prior to joining DFAT I completed an MBA (Finance/Management) at the University of Newcastle.

Why did you apply to DFAT?

I thought that working at DFAT would be a good match to the skills and experiences I had gained, and I was very interested in having the chance to work overseas again. The variety of opportunities that exist within DFAT also interested me.

Do you speak any languages?

Japanese

What was the most challenging aspect of the recruitment/selection process?

All aspects were challenging, from writing the application, the testing centre, interview and the long wait. The written application is a very important part of the process - make sure you take the time to submit the best application possible, by following the guidelines and answering all questions carefully.

Has the reality of working in DFAT differed from your perceptions of what it was going to be like?

Yes, in a way. It is hard to know what it will be like until you are actually working here. Depending on where you are working within the Department your experiences can be significantly different.

Why would you recommend DFAT as a career?

I would definitely recommend DFAT as a career and I especially recommend the CFMT program. A lot of time and effort is put in by the Department to develop your skills, in particular your financial and management expertise, so that you are able to eventually manage an overseas post. You are also encouraged to pursue further study during the CFMT program. The opportunities that do exist here are enormous. You have the chance to work within many different areas of the Department in a variety of positions and you also have the chance to travel and work all around the world. During 2009, I had the opportunity to travel to Egypt and India working with the Secretariat for the International Commission on Non-proliferation and Disarmament.