Anna Lee (COO at The Iconic) shares why her dream job is the best role in Australia | EP32

Dream Job Ready

Dream Job Ready Episode 32: Anna Lee (Chief Operating Officer, The Iconic).

Have you ever purchased a garment from theiconic.com.au ? If you have, there's a chance Anna Lee (COO) has played a key role in helping deliver the customer experience and business operations that helped get that product to you. After starting with the company as CFO, Anna is now Chief Operating Officer and in her 6th year, and still claims she has the best job in the country.

In this episode we discuss her role, the work she does and the skills she believes one needs to succeed at the executive level. We share advice about getting your career started, planning for growth and the realities of dream job chasing.

Anna has over 25 years of experience, of which 15 years has been at executive level. She's got a diverse carer history, including roles across Operations, Finance, People & Culture, Legal, Risk and Compliance, IT and Office Management functions. Starting her journey with Big 4 disciplines, she has since paved a successful fast tracked career in high growth corporate environments across Australia, NZ and APAC, focussing on building best practice functions, efficient processes and establishing, leading and developing high performing teams.

Anna was named #1 in Ragtrader’s Tech 20 (top Tech Influencers in Australian Fashion) in February 2019, and was the finalist for the Thomson Reuters Accounting Excellence Awards for both CFO of the Year and Finance Team of the Year in 2015. She has been the covers of and profiled in publications including Tech 20 2019, Ragtrader People 2019, the Business Connect Winter 2017 (edition 104) and Acuity Magazine March 2016 issues.

Despite her success, Anna comes across super humble and her honest and simple advice throughout the interview is invaluable.

Here's a rundown of the episode:

04:00 min - Anna talks about her first job (while she was at school) at Taronga Zoo

05:00 min - Anna talks about why work was a priority for her and her family when she was in her teens

07:00 min - Anna and I discuss her role at The Iconic (what she does, what the role covers, what skills she needs, etc)

10:00 min - We discuss the importance of "people" and I ask Anna about her team and The Iconic, and ask how she's helped support her team with the challenges 2020 has influenced.

14.30 min - I ask Anna about her first and biggest career challenge.

18:00 min - Anna shares some amazing advice for job seekers and applicants. MUST LISTEN!

22:30 min - We discuss the realities of chasing your dream job and "not getting" it.

24:00 min - Things happen...

26:00 min - We talk "confidence".

30:30 min - Anna shares the most important advice she's received during her career

33:00 min - Listener Question of the Week (Ashleigh asks "Is it important to build your own brand, internally and externally?")

35:30 min - Anna reveals how the yogurt section of the supermarket is like the candidate pool... MUST LISTEN!

39:30 min - It's important to be seen and heard.

This episode and the Dream Job Ready series is supported by University of Wollongong, so shoutout and thanks to UOW for their ongoing support and assistance. Get online and check out their courses if you're looking for development options.

If you'd like to financially support this podcast series (every dollar counts), you can make a contribution via https://supporter.acast.com/dream-job-ready-1.

Music: ‘Funky Sunday’ composed and performed by Mark Matthews.

Copyright 2020 | Remarkable

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/dreamjobready.

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