Why did you choose the Cognizant Graduate Program, and what’s the best thing about being a grad here?
When looking into the IT and consulting space, Cognizant stood out as somewhere enthusiastic about supporting the growth of its graduates and trainees. Looking to begin my career, and gain context and development for my skills gained from university, it was an easy choice.
My experience as a graduate has been very positive, both in the day-to-day at Cognizant and on client work. From the moment I joined to now, I have had valuable work and a plethora of learning resources to take advantage of. But one of the best aspects has been the cohort of other graduates and colleagues and the support they provide, helping to ease the transition into the organisation and continuing to act as a support network up to now.
Tell us about your day-to-day experience with the people, projects and learning resources at Cognizant.
When not on a project, my day-to-day interactions might largely be with fellow graduates or others completing training or internal projects while between assignments. I am also in contact with my manager and the delivery lead for my service line, where I can get advice and support for learning paths and potential projects. Cognizant provides a variety of learning resources including the Udemy platform, which I utilise for training or personal development when in between assignments.
For my previous assignment, I had the opportunity to collaborate with teams from our Digital Network and deliver on a testing project for our banking client. My day typically consists of attending daily stand-ups and working through assigned tasks, which might involve working through test cases and writing test reports, or coding automation for test scenarios. If I found any bugs, I would create a report, add a task, and contact the appropriate developer.
How has Cognizant influenced your goals and aspirations for the future?
Being my first corporate experience in software development and technology services, the perspective gained, and the training and project work I’ve received, have given me clarity in how I want to further my career. I feel comfortable developing my knowledge base and that I have the flexibility to navigate different client projects and further grow in certain skill sets and domains. The support and positive experiences I have had with my current service line Quality Engineering and Assurance have ignited a passion for something I had initially known little about post-university.
Can you tell us what sort of things you’re looking for in a job and workplace?
For me, early in my career, I consider the growth and development of my skills particularly important. I want an environment in which I can both be continuously learning while having the opportunity to demonstrate my abilities. An environment and an environment that welcomes flexible working arrangements. But importantly, somewhere where I feel I can grow and take on opportunities, and where I feel my commitment and effort is valued and cherished. My time at Cognizant has certainly demonstrated these aspects.
What qualities do you think are important for success at Cognizant and in the tech industry?
What I was told in university and what I’ve now experienced thus far have shown me the importance of continuous learning in this industry. Consulting work, especially, will guarantee a variety of experiences and have you using different technologies and processes that you may have never used before. So being able to adapt and learn as you go is a hugely beneficial skill in consulting and technology services.
In relation to that, knowing your limits and understanding that it’s okay to ask for support and guidance from colleagues when something is out of reach is an important quality. You will work more efficiently, and the collaboration you foster will greatly support your growth.
What’s your advice for university students who are exploring future opportunities in the Technology and Consulting space?
It took me some time to find my place after university, I didn’t have a solid career direction, and my interview skills were lacking. But you should treat every interview or hiring process as a valuable experience and do your best to improve for the next. Follow up on correspondence and show interest where you can, as it’s the easiest way to show your enthusiasm for the role and how it will benefit you.
Going into the consulting space merits being able to learn on-the-go with enthusiasm for your own continuous improvement and enjoying potentially short and varying projects with different clients, which is not typically characteristic of a role working in a non-consulting context. If you can show your interest in these aspects, you’re already almost there.