Campus to careers: Spotlight on IQs newest Graduates

Campus to careers: Spotlight on IQs newest Graduates

The new year brings new Graduate Consultants to IQ, carefully chosen from an impressive talent pool to be just the right fit for our team and our clients. We take great pride in kick-starting people’s careers in finance and building talent for the industry. As you will read below, our four recruits well and truly have the foundations for being accomplished IQ consultants and we welcome them to the IQ Group team.

Anthony tanevski

I recently joined IQ Group after completing my Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Management Information Systems, looking to start my consulting career in an interesting and impactful industry, superannuation. Throughout my studies I worked casually as a Food Supervisor at my local fish and chip store, where I developed strong communication and robust customer service skills. Alongside this, I undertook a product management internship at Deakin University, where I expanded my analytical skills and product knowledge. Additionally, I managed my own Social Media Production Business where I developed the importance in continued learning, business vision, leadership and organisation.   

Upon discovering IQ Group’s Graduate Program, I was immediately interested due to numerous reasons, largely due to the learning opportunities available through the program which would expose me to impactful work and knowledgeable people. This was supported by IQ Group’s core values that directly aligned with my own principles, particularly values “Learn and Share” and “Relationships”. 

From the beginning, all levels of IQ Group including executives ensured that us graduates felt welcomed and supported. They displayed this through open lines of communication and a sense of vulnerability, transparently and honestly answering all our questions. IQ Group explained the unique perspectives and innovative ideas that us graduates bring to a complex environment, highlighting that our thoughts and contributions are deeply valued. I’m thrilled to start my journey with IQ group and am looking forward to learning and collaborating with the team to provide real world value.

daniel zhang

Finishing up a dual bachelor’s degree in Commerce (finance major) and Information Systems, I have now joined IQ Group as a Graduate Consultant who is keen to both learn and grow within the consulting world and superannuation industry. Across my university life, I had taken the opportunity to put myself out there and be a part of many university societies, both as a subcommittee member and eventual director, where I learned to grow as an individual in a social, personal and professional sense. Alongside my studies, I had also spent time working as a Technology Risk Consultant (Intern) at a Big 4 firm, where I was able to develop client relationship skills as well as approach tasks with an analytical lens. 

IQ Group’s theoretical and practical approach in assisting graduates into real industry work was an opportunity I couldn’t look past. The firm’s culture and values have resonated with me in how they aim to deliver the best work possible as a collective for their vast client base.  

From the minute we stepped in, there was an obvious sense of welcoming from everyone including the executives. All members within IQ Group were keen to assist us onboard and willingly answered any questions we had. The warm atmosphere created by every staff gave the impression that IQ Group really do care about contributing to the growth of us, and I’m excited for what the rest of the year has in store.  

joanna lazaris 

I have joined IQ Group as a Graduate Consultant after completing a Bachelor of Commerce last year, majoring in Management Information Systems and minoring in Event Management and Wealth Management. Throughout university, I worked part time as a Grill’d Team Leader for 3 years where I was able to expand my leadership and communication skills by overseeing the daily operations of the restaurant and managing staff. I also worked part time as a medical receptionist which allowed me to develop strong emotional intelligence and fundamental customer service skills.  

I was attracted to IQ Group primarily for the vast variety of opportunities amongst the Grad Program. It appeared to be a great way to combine my love for working in a team and practicing critical thinking to achieve an end result in order to add value within a business and their clients.  

From the beginning of my journey at IQ, everyone within the team was exceptionally welcoming which allowed me to experience the IQ culture firsthand. The team were open to answering any questions from both me and the other graduates and allowed us to feel comfortable to embark on our careers in the superannuation industry. I am excited to start my IQ journey and looking forward to what’s to come

 

max mccaul 

I have begun my journey with IQ Group as a Graduate Consultant after recently completing a Bachelor of Business, with double majors in Economics and Marketing. My recent experience includes working as a project coordinator for Morgan Project Services. This opportunity allowed me to refine my time management and organisational skills, as well as providing me the opportunity to develop my ability to communicate with several stakeholders.  

IQ Group was a clear standout among other firms within the industry, the extensive training program was the driving factor that intrigued me. This program would challenge me and provide me with a multitude of opportunities to develop my skills. Also giving me the ability to work with a wide range of clients on a variety of unique projects. It was clear from my first interview that IQ Group have a culture that is uplifting and a perfect place to kick start my career in consulting.  

My first week at IQ Group has been overwhelming positive, I and the other graduates have been welcomed with open arms. Everyone has made the transition as smooth as possible and showcased a desire to support us in all aspects of IQ life. The extensive resources provided and the ability to ask questions to all staff members excites me, as I know this is a place committed to helping me succeed. I am eager to begin my career with IQ Group and greatly look forward to working with the team.  

 

IQ Group provides graduates with their career ‘head start’ through training and career development. We provide the right tools, training, and environment to ensure our graduates can achieve career success through mentoring, support and learning.

As part of our Graduate Program, you’ll receive:

  • A structured program with an initial intensive skills development training covering Business Analysis, Project Management, Data and Change skills, and ongoing professional development including completion of RG146
  • Mentoring by the IQ Leadership team
  • Great exposure to a variety of work environments and a network of professionals within the industry
  • Valuable experience on a wide range of engagements working with a great IQ Group team and clients across Australia
  • A supportive, collaborative, and values driven team culture

    Superannuation in 2024: a Game of Chess or a Game of Thrones?

    Many important high-level changes are going to be made on the superannuation chess board in 2024, and with a federal election looking increasingly unlikely later this year, they will probably make a lot of progress, shifting the focus and operation of the system even while the details are being sorted.

    These changes are intended to improve people’s engagement with superannuation. Many other changes to super were made too often, were complicated and confusing, and led to increased disengagement. Let’s hope these changes are the exception to that rule!

    The issues of the objective of superannuation, changes to the retirement phase, the rules around giving financial advice, improvements to member servicing, and communications with super fund members are all closely connected and a change in one will result in a change in the others.

    Of course, the prize for the funds best able to meet their member’s best interest is survival and growth. Funds are being held to a higher standard than ever before. With these changes, the bar is going to be especially raised in relation to members at and approaching retirement.

    Big changes will have to be made to the back, middle, and front offices of funds and their service providers. While it will take most of this year and beyond for these changes to work through the legislative process, many funds have already started work to respond to anticipated changes, not least because it’s in their DNA to continually improve outcomes for members.

    So, what’s superannuation for?

    That’s even the case with the Government’s proposal to legislate the Objective of Superannuation as ‘to preserve savings to deliver income for a dignified retirement, alongside government support, in an equitable and sustainable way.’ While that might seem pretty high-level and divorced from the day-to-day running of the super system, it’s actually packed with important meaning.

    For example, it says that the focus needs to be on delivering income in retirement and so retirement products need to be improved and developed to do just that; it also means that funds have to help manage financial risk in retirement, so education, advice, and support services that do this have to deliver. Many funds are using this as a high-level template for their own change programs.

    Legislation on the Objective is before Parliament and is likely to be debated in the second quarter of 2024.

    Cracking the financial advice nut

    Also on the legislative radar for this year is a comprehensive financial advice reform package, reflecting the Government’s commitment to reduce red tape and make advice more accessible and affordable.

    Under new rules for banks, insurers, and super funds, they will provide more advice on simple matters, replace Statements of Advice with a simpler record of advice, and employ a new class of qualified financial advisers who can provide advice on simple topics while being subject to the modernised best interests duty.

    Many funds and platform providers are building new and innovative business models that leverage off the new rules, to provide better services for members and give themselves an improved point of difference.

    Better help for older members

    Transition to retirement and the retirement phase often hasn’t had the priority it needs. That’s changing as more members approach retirement with more money in super. The regulatory settings are changing to reflect this, and funds have to do more to show they know about these members and their needs and have the right products and services to meet them.

    On the back of the newish requirement for funds to have a retirement income strategy, the Government is looking to see what they can do to encourage funds to do more in this space, including possible mandating of products or establishing a national mortality pool. It’s unlikely this will translate into legislation this year, but many funds are taking the challenge very seriously. We can expect to see plenty of innovation during the year, with members being the beneficiaries[1].

    But wait, there’s more…

    All of this very significant change is happening while there is already a big slate of other changes underway:

    • Member service standards – Government announcement that regulators will take additional steps to lift standards
    • Changes to non-arms-length income and expenditure rules – retrospective application from 1 July 2018: Bill now in Parliament
    • New remuneration disclosure rules (CPS 511) –1 January 2024 implementation
    • New resolution planning requirements (CPS900) – 1 January 2024 implementation
    • New ways to make statutory declarations – 1 January 2024 (digital later in 2024)
    • Implementation of new financial reporting and audit rules for super funds – generally 30 September 2024
    • Financial Accountability Regime – 15 March 2025 implementation for super funds
    • New earning tax for people with more than $3 million in superannuation – implementation from 1 July 2025
    • Payday Super – 1 July 2026 implementation
    • Review of super fund product performance assessment
    • New and reviewed cyber-security legislation, including for critical infrastructure
    • Ongoing changes to APRA data reporting
    • Ongoing APRA review of the sustainability of group life insurance in super.
    • Increased prosecution activity by ASIC
    • Requirement for improved super fund approaches to cyber-frauds and scams

    We look forward to going on the journey of superannuation change with you. After all, if there is anything that’s a constant in superannuation, it’s change!

    [1] Superannuation joke.

    By David Haynes – Head of Industry Insights