Amanda Costabile

HR Project Officer - Deakin University

Graduated in:

2007

Course completed:

Bachelor of Commerce majoring in hr and marketing

Currently working for:

Deakin University’s Human Resources Services Division (HRSD)

How long have you been working for this organisation?

3 years

Position title and short job description:

HR Project Officer/HR Business Internship Scheme Coordinator

My role sits within the Strategic HR Development group of HRSD who are responsible for analysing and responding to HR trends and issues.  My role involves working on numerous HR based projects. Projects which I have highly enjoyed include: 

• Reviewing Deakin’s Mentoring Program and making recommendations for improvement
• Being Executive Assistant at Enterprise Bargaining Agreement Negotiations
• Investigating (and shortly implementing) Online Performance Management systems
• Researching Total Rewards systems and looking at how this could work at Deakin
• Being a  member of the Continuous Quality Improvement  group
• Developing a Health and Wellbeing Club within HR.

What are the things you enjoy most about your job?

The variety of my work is what I enjoy the most. One day I can be conducting interviews for the next HR Business Internship Placement, and the next day I’m researching the latest in staff training programs.
I also enjoy the strategic focus of my team. When most people think of HR they think only of recruitment and selection; but HR is so much more than that. There are so many other areas which organisations can embrace to help make HR a truly valuable resource. And Deakin definitely has done this.

What do you intend to do in the future?

As I am still in the very early stages of my career, I am keen to learn as much as I can in my current role so that I can have broad knowledge on various HR functions. And luckily HRSD are very supportive of this, through offering me training and shadowing experiences.
Over the next couple of years I hope that I will  have identified the area that I would like to specialise in; and then move onto a new and more challenging role.

#1 tip for current students studying your course:

Experience is so important. Programs like the HR Business Internship Scheme enhance your skills and knowledge and make you stand out over other students during graduate recruitment time. And you never know; if you make the right impression then the organisation might do all they can to keep you on!