If HBF hired you tomorrow

When SJ Caldicott-Keats joined HBF, she had a five-month-old baby at home, a new role as a Member Experience Consultant in one of HBF’s branches to learn, member conversations to manage and a whole industry to understand.

Like others joining HBF’s frontline teams, SJ had support around her through onboarding, training and the people she worked alongside. Even with that support, she remembers how much there was to take in.

“Health insurance is complex and it takes time,” SJ said. “Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t know everything in a month.”

So, if HBF hired you tomorrow, the first thing SJ would tell you is simple: be patient with yourself.

For SJ, it took around nine months to feel like she had properly learned the frontline role.

“I feel very privileged now that I know and understand health insurance because I’ve had that time to learn it,” SJ said.

Over time, SJ has learnt to grow by staying curious, asking questions, building relationships, and putting herself forward before she feels completely ready.

There’s more to it than what you see at first

From the branch environment, SJ could see the member conversations, day-to-day service, and immediate needs in front of her. Over time, she began to understand how much sits behind that.

"There’s a lot more to health insurance than meets the eye."
— SJ Caldicott-Keats

She points to areas like payment integrity, member support systems and the legislation that shapes private health insurance. It gave her a deeper appreciation of HBF as a connected organisation working to create a healthier tomorrow.

You’re not in it on your own

The frontline environment is busy, with information to absorb, change to keep up with and members to support. What helped SJ was realising she was not the only one carrying that.

“Most of your colleagues on the frontline are in the same boat,” SJ said. “You’re under the pump, there’s a lot of information, a lot of changes all the time. Knowing you’re not in it on your own helps.”

Support came from colleagues who understood the role, and from managers who knew how to help people focus.

“It was never, ‘You’re not doing this,’” SJ said. “It was more, ‘We’ve got all our plates spinning. Let’s concentrate on this one.’”

That approach gave SJ direction without making her feel defeated.

Ask the question

SJ describes herself as a quiet person, particularly when she first started at HBF. Moving between branches meant meeting new people and finding her place (and voice).

Her approach was practical. She said hello, introduced herself and made the effort, even when it felt uncomfortable. The same applies to asking for help.

If there’s a minute, just ask the question. I’d rather get it right than get it wrong because I didn’t ask.
— SJ Caldicott-Keats

For SJ, asking questions became less about needing help and more about approaching her work with care. It helped her learn where to find the right information and build the confidence to work more independently.

Put yourself forward

When SJ talks about the skills that help people thrive at HBF, she always comes back to initiative.

In her frontline role, that sometimes looked like small actions that helped the team stay organised, like posting reminders in the group chat about key things the team needed to keep on top of.

“I think sometimes you just have to take that initiative to either grow yourself or put yourself out there,” SJ said.

For SJ, putting yourself forward doesn’t mean waiting for the perfect opportunity or having every answer first. It can start with speaking up when you have an idea, showing interest in another area of the business, or putting your hand up when you want to contribute.

“Don’t be scared to just jump and say something or do something,” SJ said. “No one’s going to look at you in a bad way for doing it.”

At HBF, that willingness to get involved matters. It is part of what helps people go one better, bring their ideas forward and find the opportunities that align with their strengths.

Follow what interests you

For SJ, that mindset shaped her own career journey. While working in member-facing roles, she became increasingly interested in HBF’s health programs, particularly the preventative side of the work.

“I heard about health programs and knew that was an avenue I was really focused on,” SJ said.

She reached out, expressed interest, and kept asking how she could move towards that area. The first opportunity was not the right fit, yet the connection had been made. Soon after, the team reached out about another opportunity.

Today, SJ is a Health Programs Consultant.

“I knew I liked HBF and wanted to keep growing my career here,” SJ said. “For me, it was about learning as much as I could, asking questions and staying connected with people in the areas I was interested in. That helped me understand where I could grow and what I needed to do to get there.”

For SJ, this mindset is what helps development continue beyond landing the role. She has space to ask, learn, try again, and keep building confidence in the career path she’s working towards.

You’ve got this

For someone starting at HBF tomorrow, SJ comes back to where her advice began.

“You’re not going to learn it all in a month. Be kind to yourself. It comes with time.”
— SJ Caldicott-Keats

That message has become something SJ now passes on to others.

When colleagues speak about roles they are passionate about but hesitate to apply for, SJ finds herself encouraging them to take the step.

“Just apply,” SJ said. “You’ve got this!”

For someone joining HBF tomorrow, that may be the most useful advice of all.

You may start in one role, with a lot to take in and a lot still to learn. With time, support and curiosity, that first step can become the place your next opportunity begins.