Career Switch: Meet Ollie

You don’t always need specific experience to change roles at AXA, just transferable skills and a drive to keep learning. That's how Ollie moved from the Complaints Team to Employee Relations. Read on to hear his Career Switch story!  

What is your job at AXA, and how long have you been here?  
I’m an Employee Relations Partner. I’ve been in the role since February 2024, but I’ve been at AXA for 7 years.   

What do you do in your role?  
In my day-to-day role, I provide guidance to people across the business on a wide range of topics. One thing that I really enjoy about Employee Relations is no one day, or even one meeting, is ever the same. I’m really driven by our people and I come away every day learning something new. 

Tell us your career background up to the point of your career switch. 
I started off as a Travel Claims Handler where I supported customers who needed to make a claim. Then I moved to the Commercial Complaints team where I was a Complaint Handler. I also had a secondment within the Retail Complaints function. These roles all gave me the key transferable skills I needed to excel in my current role. I was also an Employee Representative which provided me with an insight into what the Employee Relations team does. 

What was the process for switching your career? 
I saw the advert and reached out to the manager for a catch-up. This was really important because it gave me a good insight into exactly what the role entailed. I didn’t come from an HR background but after that conversation I felt confident that I could demonstrate how many of my skills were directly transferrable to the role. I also spoke with a colleague who had moved into the team to learn how they found the transition which was really helpful.

What challenges did you face during your career switch? 
I hadn’t previously worked in HR and I knew this would be an obstacle. In the first few weeks, my confidence wasn’t at the same level as before. But I’m part of a very experienced team and their support has been so valuable.

Did you feel supported during your career switch? 
I’ve worked with some really great people in my time at AXA. When my previous secondment was coming to an end I spoke to my manager at the time about this role. We had a really good conversation around framing my transferable skills. I try to learn or do something new every day. I’ve always felt empowered and supported to do this at AXA. 

What is the value of a company offering career flexibility? 
I went to university but I didn’t have a career path set in stone. Having that space and support within AXA has allowed me to find who I am and what I want to be.   

What advice would you give to others who are thinking about switching roles? 
Being able to push myself out of my comfort zone, albeit a bit daunting at times, has really helped me grow as a person. Don’t miss the opportunity to keep learning new skills and working with new people. I’ve taken myself out of my comfort zone and I’m really excited to excel in this role. 

If you’d like to join a company focused on helping you to grow your potential, keep an eye on our latest vacancies to find a role that’s right for you. Or follow us on LinkedIn to find out more about life at AXA.