Insider profil
Keen to receive questions about
Top Insider Advice
Ever since I started as a handler, I’ve constantly pushed for positive change, working with different business areas throughout my tenure and learning from each experience. When I think back to my application to become a Performance Analyst, I was lucky I could pull experiences from my time as a handler and team leader. However, they weren't all huge changes to processes or massive improvements to performance. Nothing is too small; as long as you’re tenacious, inquisitive and excited by continuous improvement, you're already halfway there!
Career path
Performance Analyst
First Central
Started 09/2023 to PresentClaims Customer Team Leader
First Central
From 06/2022 to 10/2023Senior Fraud Analyst
First Central
From 08/2021 to 05/2022Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
I love that I’m given the freedom to proactively approach any potential issues and am empowered to create a solution. Working with several different business areas, I can reach out and speak to many different people within the organisation, which helps me to understand the problems they may face. This gives me the motivation to stay on top of my game, researching new ways to review data sets, as well as fresh approaches for resolving issues.
Greatest achievements
Shortly before moving to my current role, I was able to organise a charity ‘Deal or No Deal’ themed raffle. Colleagues were able to buy tickets for mystery boxes that had hidden prizes. This raffle was a massive step for me as having to sell tickets, secure prizes and host the raffle draw in front of over 200 people was as far outside my comfort zone as I’ve ever been! Thankfully, we were able to rely on the generosity of our local businesses, as well as our own Exec team, who donated various prizes, including vouchers, spirits and even Airpod Pros! The team raised a staggering £2k, which the business then matched as it was for our chosen charity, Chestnut Tree House. I love that I can make a difference both inside and outside the business.
Alana R
Top Insider Advice
Throughout my career I’ve been on a learning journey regarding how I communicate. When I first started out, I was very shy and found it difficult to communicate confidently. I’d be nervous sending an email to someone I’d never met and spend hours over-analysing the content to make sure it was ‘perfect’ before sending it. As I sent more and more emails, met more people, and put myself out there for presentations, I grew in confidence but I still had a lot to learn. I’d often go into the specifics of everything and give people information overload because I was worried about missing something important. I got a lot of feedback around this and was regularly asked to “keep it high-level”. I really had to work at this, and I needed to get help from peers, mentors, managers and external research to understand what this meant, when it mattered and how to be effective at a higher level of detail. With years of practice, I am now much better at communicating and that’s helped me progress into a leadership position. This is just one example of me learning a skill which I thought was impossible. If I can do it, so can you!
Becky H
Finance Change Lead
Top Insider Advice
Had I not taken on a secondment I don’t think I would have found a role that I’m able to excel in and enjoy. This was a change to what I was used to as I’d never been part of a project team before. There were ups and downs but through my willingness to learn and put in effort I have found my niche and even now I don’t stop learning and understanding processes I may not have had exposure to in the past.
Julia B
Senior Reward Analyst
Top Insider Advice
Don’t feel trapped within a certain career route. Think about the skills you have and see if you can use them in a different role. Find a company to work for that has an open, fair and equitable pay structure. If you need to take a step back and focus on your family that’s okay too. I’ve been able to return to a career at a later stage. Look for a company that invests in everyone regardless of their age/personal circumstances and will support your career post kids. Get as much work experience as possible, (and encourage your kids to get some too), and try different projects/experiences within your role so you have something for your CV.
