During the early stages of our careers, we often go full steam ahead. We take on every opportunity we can to develop skills and experience. With this, we can forget that it’s okay to go off-route or take time to slow down.

Read on as we delve into the story of community member Daniel Burgess who shares his early career learnings with us. 

Full steam ahead straight out of high school 

During high school, Dan started to think about what he wanted to do after he graduated. Like many of us, he didn’t have a defined answer but knew he wanted to pursue something that gave him broad scope when it came to exploring his career options and interests. At the same time,  Dan worked in a customer-facing newsagency role which he maintained for over six years. This experience not only helped Dan develop essential communication skills but also provided a solid foundation for his future professional roles. After graduating high school in 2015, he started a Bachelor of Business, thinking this would be broad enough for him not to feel too boxed in. 

During Dan’s time at university, he took a leave of absence in his penultimate year to embark on a 12-month full-time cadetship with GSK. This decision to explore a cadetship was driven by a desire to gain industry experience and see if marketing, an area he was leaning towards during his studies, was the right fit for him. During this 12-month experience, he found himself in a B2B marketing role, promoting products like Sensodyne and Macleans to dentists and hygienists. The internship not only introduced him to the marketing world but also offered him a chance to assess whether it was a field he wanted to pursue after graduation. 

GSK and the leap into professional Life

The cadetship with GSK was an eye-opening experience, giving Dan a taste of the professional world. This opportunity came unexpectedly, as he was only looking for short-term roles to dip his toes into the water. However, an internship ended up extending into a year-long stay and gave him the opportunity to discover what he was interested in and feel more confident in his next career decision.  

Upon returning to university, Dan began seeking part-time professional work opportunities, particularly through Hatch - after being recommended by a friend who was in a similar position. Dan started to apply for roles at companies like Westpac and Qantas, leading him to the next exciting phase of his journey.

Landing a role with Qantas

Dan excitingly landed a role at Qantas with his profile through Hatch, enabling him to combine his personal passions in aviation, with his marketing experience. Dan highlighted that the combination of his experience at GSK, alongside the interpersonal skills gained through the newsagency contributed to him landing the role at Qantas.

The role that Dan secured was a Marketing Coordinator role at Qantas Business Rewards. Dan’s time at Qantas, which started with a Hatch internship, ultimately led to an extended stay, where he progressed from a coordinator to a Marketing Manager over four years.

Taking the time to slow down and embrace change 

Dan loved his time at Qantas through his success and the way it made him feel fulfilled. However, he was ready for a change and took some time to reassess his career path. The decision was driven by a desire to explore new opportunities and uncertainties if marketing was the right fit for him. He knew that still being early in his career, this was a good time to try new things. 

This led Dan to take a break from work where he could take time to think and prioritise balance a bit more. Dan said, “As I've gotten older and moved throughout my career, I've realised balance is so important for me… work’s important, you've got to make a living, but you can also enjoy other things outside of it too, we are just human”. 

During this break, Dan was enabled to reflect on what he wanted to do next. This is when Dan discovered a digital role at NSW Health that aligned more closely with his interests and skills. The position allowed him to work on web development and content management, bringing together his experience at Qantas and his passion for digital. 

The early career lessons so far 

Dan’s early career journey so far showcases that it’s okay to leap into change and take moments to pause to move forward. Dan said, “I tried to have everything planned out, and then I got to a point where I found it so exhausting and decided no, I actually don't want that”. 

As you embark on your career journey, don't be afraid to embrace uncertainty and take time to reflect. As Dan said, “If anything is to come across in my story, it’s that you're not always going to have the answers to everything and have everything figured out and that's okay.”

Looking for a change or your next step in your early career? Explore roles on Hatch and make your profile stand out to your dream employers.