Macquarie has a reputation for hiring smart, ambitious people who are focused on their work, and I was attracted to the graduate program because of the opportunities available to those who work hard.

Every day in the Banking and Financial Services Group brings new and different challenges, because the market is constantly changing. One of my first roles as an associate portfolio manager was to analyse a major international company. It was trading at $8.20 but I valued the company at more than $11. We purchased the stock for our clients, and made almost 60 percent during the following 12 months as the stock rallied to more than $13.

Macquarie rewards those who deserve it. If you demonstrate that you are capable of progressing, then you will. I aim to manage global equities portfolios out of New York or Asia in the future.

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Macquarie's reputation in the workplace is that it looks after its employees and fosters their career development. It has a great culture, and my colleagues are inspiring. Since joining Macquarie I have grown both professionally and personally.

Right now my role is NSW Training & Relationship Manager for Macquarie Adviser Services, and I assist advisers and their teams with training, support and customer liaison. I enjoy providing training and meeting new advisers, and because our product is continually evolving, there is always a new functionality to learn about. It is great being part of a dynamic, growing business.

I was able to move into my current role after working in Macquarie Private Wealth for three years. When I was ready for this next challenge, I was encouraged and supported by my manager and the business. Macquarie really does foster career development, which is very rewarding.

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Macquarie is a success story. I wanted to work here because it really is an iconic Australian company that is constantly moving forward and finding new areas for involvement. The people at Macquarie really make a difference: working with intelligent, motivated people who are always looking for better ways to do things is both challenging and very rewarding.

I provide risk management support to Macquarie Private Wealth's businesses, so I'm involved in many different aspects of the business and face new challenges every day. I need to understand each business and make sure that any risk is managed properly for Macquarie and its clients. I also advise on new projects or acquisitions that the Group may be undertaking.

The variety that each day brings makes coming to work exciting. As Macquarie is forever growing, opportunities spring up all the time and there is a lot of support from management if you put your hand up to grab them.

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I joined Macquarie at a manager level four years ago, attracted by its good reputation and career opportunities, and have since progressed to Division Director. My major responsibilities are new business development, managing existing relationships, and managing people. I've particularly enjoyed working on developing Macquarie Indigenous Financial Services, Macquarie Pastoral Fund, and building our investment offering for not-for-profit organisations.

Macquarie's entrepreneurial environment, the bright and motivated people and the flat structure make this an enjoyable place to work. Macquarie creates a supportive environment that encourages me to explore new opportunities.

My area of business is one of the biggest investment consultants to not-for-profit organisations in Australia, so we often run events in conjunction with the Macquarie Foundation. As a result of my close association with the Foundation, I now sit on the Fund Management Committee of the Asthma Research Foundation.

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I work within Private Bank, which provides wealth management and investment advice to wealthy Australians. I am responsible for coordinating the process of private equity deals, from reviewing initial investment material to due diligence and continual monitoring of investments.

I love that my role involves communicating with people across Macquarie and outside Australia. This gives me the opportunity to learn about all kinds of businesses and the deal process. I also enjoy the combination of reviewing financial and due diligence information, which enables me to use my legal and commerce backgrounds.

There is a real feeling of freedom at Macquarie, in the sense that your ideas are always welcomed, however small and whatever your position. My managers have always been open to further education. Human Resources can advise about relevant education courses, and is absolutely fantastic at ensuring that your new role is right for you.

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If I had to pick one thing I like most about working at Macquarie, it would be the variety. We deal with so many different products and interact with so many businesses that things change all the time and there is always something new on the horizon. At Macquarie, you are always learning.

I work with a lot of fun and supportive people who make it easy to come to work each day. There is also a lot of opportunity to take control of your own development.

During the 10 years I've been here, Macquarie has supported me when I wanted to change roles, encouraged me to take on greater responsibilities, listened to my ideas and helped me follow through on them, supported me when I wanted to take a year of leave to travel, and given me the freedom to pursue professional avenues that interested me, like people-and-project management.

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Macquarie has a reputation for being innovative, hard working and willing to strive for excellence in anything it does. I have found this to be true, and it is one of the reasons I enjoy working for Macquarie so much. It's hard to find a working culture quite like this anywhere else in Australia.

Macquarie is a large organisation of many thousands of staff members, but the structure and dynamics ensure that the individual can still make a difference. As long as you work within certain boundaries, you have the freedom to think outside the square and be creative in your approach to opportunities.

My career at Macquarie continues to teach me new things and enable me to take on new challenges. Macquarie is very good at providing people with new opportunities and when you do step out of your comfort zone, you are never alone. Everyone wants to see you succeed.

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I look after a team of four analysts assessing lending requests for small-to-medium businesses and high-net-worth individuals. I like the variety in the work I do: I enjoy crunching numbers in some of the more complex transactions, but I also find it very rewarding to work with my team and get involved in their training.

Whenever people ask me, I tell them there are three things I like about working at Macquarie: I find the work interesting; I like the people; and I work for a company that looks after its staff.

Things happen so quickly at Macquarie that opportunities for career progression and development pop up all the time. My experience is that Macquarie really values its staff and is keen to up-skill them whenever possible. We are encouraged to maintain a healthy work-life balance: we work hard but also make time for family, friends and recreation.

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