Operations Management Graduate Scheme with Justin Moore.

What did you study at university?

I studied Sports Management at Loughborough University, the course was a mixture of business, economics, sport and leisure.

Where did you first learn of the Graduate scheme?

My dissertation was based on the sports betting industry. When searching for a graduate scheme, I searched for graduate opportunities and bet365’s graduate schemes were presented. I have an interest in the sector and was aware of  the Finance and the Operations Management schemes; looking at my skillset and the degree completed, I decided to pursue the Operations Management Graduate Scheme.

How did you find the assessment centre?

The assessment centre was interactive, albeit challenging, and overall I enjoyed its competitive nature .When attending it’s a new environment for all applicants and some of the questions require collaboration which tests the applicants ability to both think and work with those around them even if they are not familiar – this gives management a good idea of your skillset and adaptability. On this particular day, a few of the other graduates were successful,  I believe this to be four, and we have continued to have a strong relationship during and after the scheme.

How did you find relocating to the area, and the support you received?

I had an unique experience when I moved to Stoke. I moved into company accommodation initially prior to securing my rental property, therefore I moved out during my 12th week. Unfortunately, the property I secured did not work out the way I wanted, however I had the full support of my mentor who sourced company accommodation for another couple of weeks, whilst I found alternative accommodation. In the Induction Team there is a manager who will dedicate their time to assist you with sourcing local accommodation, they reached out to some other graduates on the scheme and we rented a property together. The company over extended themselves to help and support me.

What was your favourite part of the graduate scheme?

The answer will be similar between for most graduates - it was the rotation. You are learning about a new role or a new department every day. When you’re on rotation you’re exposed to different areas of the business that you don’t see for the first 10 or so months and you have time to ask questions and really learn about that role or department. It is gives you an unlimited insight and scope into the operation, meaning you are learning whilst asking yourself the question as to whether or not you can see yourself going into that area of the business. Mentoring really helps with aligning your skillset to the potential role and also understanding what possible progression paths are available.

Did you know what area of the operations you wanted to work within?

I changed my mind quite a few times, but I knew I wanted an analyst role. I enjoy helping impact business process and making decisions regarding our product. Although I do consider myself a people person, I believed the company would get the best out of me when I get to deep dive into work and review documentation.

Tell me about your current role and the journey you’ve had since completing the scheme?

14 months into the graduate scheme, I started as a Research and Performance Analyst, this was part of our Payments Development team. They looked at key territories and our performance in them, completing analysis of the payment methods to see whether they are beneficial to the business. I spent around 7 months within that team when an opportunity for a Deputy Manager role in our Operations Review team popped up, this area intrigued me when on the scheme and it once again had a huge analytical side. I successfully secured this role and started wrapping up the projects I had in my analyst role. Being a graduate, you have the opportunity to network with an abundance of senior managers, whereby they learn about you, and the skills you acquired whilst at university. Due to this, I am currently on secondment in a team within the Trading side of the business, I was not expecting to be asked to do this, however, I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity and when opportunities like this arise it is very hard to say no. I am fortunate that once again the role I am completing is more of a research and product change role, and without being on the graduate scheme and networking, I would have not thought about this as an option, nor had this opportunity presented to me.

How would you describe the opportunities you’ve been presented with since completing the scheme?

When the rotation ended, I returned to Customer Service for a few weeks whilst I completed interviews and assessments for the Research and Performance Analyst role. I really enjoyed my time with the Customer Service team, especially the Sport and Betting team; you learn the product, the customer journey, it builds the foundation for you to be able to understand the business more. Career wise, you are exposed to people management and more of a resourcing side that I do need now in the role I am currently completing. Departmental growth is frequent across the operation and finding your own way and choosing the path that is best for you often aligns with what the business needs and is seen often on the scheme.

Any tips for anyone applying?

Have a look at the bet365 website, what we offer, understand the social responsibility bet365 plays in terms of responsible gambling and also do a bit of market research.