Katherine Hall

I really didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school, though I felt pulled to go to university. I decided to hedge my bets, and study a double degree in Business (Advertising) and Creative Industries (Media & Communication). There were elements of my degrees that I really enjoyed (consumer behaviour, strategic communication, creative writing) and elements that I really did NOT enjoy (accounting, economics, finance).

The job market was quite tough as I neared the end of my studies, and I started to stress about finding work. I thought I might be interested in event management, so I decided to cold call a number of companies, volunteering to support at events for free, just for the exposure. After volunteering at one company, I was offered a full-time job which I did while finishing my degree. I quickly discovered event management wasn’t for me, but I still didn’t know what was!

I knew there were lots of different pathways in the Queensland Government, so I applied for a LOT of entry level roles to get my foot in the door. I was eventually hired as a Customer Service Advisor, and my career in the public service began. I quickly progressed on to other roles in the ICT (Information and communications technology) space, including project support, governance and reporting, executive advisory and now, change management.

I didn’t know any of these roles even existed when I was at uni! I maintained an open mind, volunteered to take on new tasks and kept learning and up-skilling along the way. I love my job now, though I had no idea this is what I’d end up doing.

This role focuses on the 'people' side of change. It helps to ensure projects achieve their goals by preparing, equipping and supporting teams and individuals to adopt new ways of working.

It includes a LOT of internal communication, a lot of consultation, and often, a healthy dose of compromise. Change is inevitable, particularly in our fast-paced, technical environment, but it can also be really uncomfortable for people. This role is about understanding what makes people tick, and ensuring they have the information, resources and support they need to embrace something new.