ProGrad Assessment Day Team
March 11, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad Assessment Team: 
The ProGrad Assessment Day Team will consist of 5-10 people depending on the day. The team is a combination of our Graduate Managers, our Business Developers and our Facilitators.
During the Assessment Day, each candidate will have a series of score sheets. These score sheets are for assessment purposes which are scored against a competency based framework. During the session, it is not about your academic qualifications. We are looking to highlight key competencies which are listed below:
1) Confidence
2) Verbal Communication Skills
3) Drive and Dynamism
4) Ability to Influence and Persuade
5) Structure and Logic
Following the ProGrad Assessment Day, each candidate is welcome to contact ProGrad for feedback about their performance. We are happy to share all feedback with you as it may assist with further interviews being attended.
Our ProGrad Graduate Management Team can be contacted on 02 8235 8300.
ProGrad Clients
March 11, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad Clients:
ProGrad have been in Australia since 2005 and in that time we have developed strong relationships with over 600 companies.
Our Client list is attractive and provides graduates with access to employers such as Dell, Microsoft, News, Fairfax, McCain, Mars, Nestle, Fujitsu, Cisco, Heinz, Hasbro, Dow Jones and SEEK.
We have placed thousands of graduates over the years and are proud to have some incredible success stories. ProGrad are actively selling our graduate model each day to more and more businesses with the aim of creating more graduate positions.
Prior the assessment day, we would recommend that you look at some of the Clients we work with and look at many of the roles available.
Business to business sales is an umbrella term and really covers a wide variety of positions available. Essentially, all businesses have the need to build and maintain relationships with other organizations in order to generate sales.
When an advertising agency “pitches” for new business, they are selling their organization and their concept. FMCG companies will often sell to large retail outlets at a business to business level. Media companies will often have a variety of clients which are sold to in a business to business capacity, in order to generate revenue. Technology companies produce software and hardware used by almost every business (large and small) in existence today. Business to business sales exists in every organsiation. The types of role may alter depending on the business. Most of our graduate positions will be:
- Business Development
- Territory Management
- Account Executive
- Account Manager
- Sales Coordinator
- Inside Sales Representative
- Field Sales Representative
- Lead Generator
- Business Consultant
- Sales Representative
- Sales and Marketing Coordinator
- Marketing Assistance
- Campaign Coordinator
The nature of the roles will again vary depending on the company and their industry. We will discuss all options with you during the assessment day, however if you would like to discuss anything sooner, please call us directly on 02 8235 8300.
Writing your Resume
March 10, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
More and more graduates are leaving University each year and it seems to be getting increasingly competitive for graduates to find suitable employment. Online jobs portals like SEEK or MyCareer are very popular with graduates when looking for roles, and are viewed as a good advertising method for employers. It is low cost to post an advertisement online, and employers are aware they will receive a huge amount of applications. However this is the challenge for you. Too many applications mean that your resume has less chance of being read.
An average recruiter will spend less than 30 seconds looking at your resume. This is your window to make an immediate impact and so ensure your resume follows the basic guidelines below
1) Only include relevant information
2) The resume should be specific to the role you are applying for
3) Less than 2 pages in length (most graduates shouldn’t require more than 1 page)
There is a basic structure for you to follow which we will outline here.
Personal Details:
Naturally, this piece is key but limit how much information is provided. You really only need to include your name, your contact number and an email address (which should be “professional” looking)
Career Objective:
It is essential that you specify a career objective in your resume and it must be relevant to the role you are applying for. With that in mind, you may need to alter this part of your resume for each application. This way you can ensure it is well tailored to each role you are applying for. It should be approximately 4-5 lines in length and must provide a decent snapshot of why you’re applying for the role.
Education:
There is no need to get carried away here. Simply list your University and degree as your most recent Education. Feel free to list your school, but only if you feel it carries relevance. Many employers are not too concerned about which school you went to.
Work Experience:
Think carefully about your work experience. Employers are looking for loyalty with an employer and they’re looking for the transferrable skills that you have developed in specific positions. Don’t list the tasks you did in each role, but rather discuss the skills and competencies you developed. Again, ensure that the language you use, is well aligned to the language used in the advertisement. Don’t feel you need to list every job you ever had from the age of 15. Simply choose the most relevant positions that demonstrate your fit for the role.
Achievements:
Employers like “achievers”, particularly at a graduate level. Awards you may have received can be listed here. Not necessarily “awards” such as the one you received in Year 10 for good attendance, but rather a Duke of Edinburgh Award, or an Award for Debating etc
Hobbies and Interests:
This is a section to demonstrate that you’re an active person and have interests outside of University/ work. Sports are well received by employers, along with reading/ socializing/ music interests and technology. Please avoid discussing travel as an interest as this can sometimes work against you. Employers may develop a concern that you will leave a role to “travel” at a later date.
References:
Simply make these available upon request. There is no value in adding personal contact details of friends/ family/ colleagues or co-workers on a resume. If they are needed, an employer will simply request them.
ProGrad is a specialist graduate recruitment company working with over 600 companies across Australia. For more information about our process, please contact our ProGrad Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300.
ProGrad Young Achievers
March 8, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad will be running the “Young Achievers” awards ceremony later this year and are finalising the entries. We have had approximately 100 applications for our awards ceremony so far and are awaiting more.
Applications can be submitted online through our website www.prograd.com.au
Entry Criteria:
A ProGrad Graduate who has been placed in their organization by ProGrad. Please ensure that each section has a response. The deadline for this nomination form is Monday 11th January 2010.
Please show in each section how you/ the nominee meet the criteria below
(This should ideally be submitted with evidence):
1) Understands the business objectives, contributes to and agrees targets for own performance
2) Identified appropriate sources of information relevant to company’s markets, customers and competitors so that the most profitable prospects are targeted
3) Obtains access to decision maker(s), initiates dialogue and maintains effective customer relationships
4) Accurately identifies customer needs and concerns gaining interest and commitment
5) Responds appropriately to customer questions and objections, gains commitment throughout the sales process and closes profitable business for the organization
6) Follows each order to completion, seeks customer satisfaction and obtains referrals
7) Evaluates performance by analyzing win rate, order value, average length of sales cycle etc
Reflects on own practice, develops skills/ knowledge using a variety of interventions, ensures own actions reflect industry “best practice” and always strives to act with integrity
If you would like any assistance in submitting your application, please contact ProGrad directly on the mainline number 02 8235 8300. Please ask for one of the Graduate Management Team at ProGrad who will take you through the process of applying.
ProGrad Assessment Day Hints
March 8, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
Assessment Day – Hints and Tips for success!
What is the Assessment Day?
ProGrad assessment days are by invitation only and competition is high between graduates wishing to secure their place on the day. At ProGrad, we assess your competencies to help you find a suitable graduate position that can offer you the support and development you will need to be a success. You will be at our assessment day for approximately 6 hours, during which time we will be evaluating your skills and attitude.
The assessment day also offers you the opportunity to gain access to our top graduate recruiters, careers advice and tips for successful interviews. We also provide you with feedback on your performance.
Becoming a ProGrad candidate will give you a head start over other graduates in the market place. We only represent candidates that have been selected at our assessment days, who have demonstrated a real focus to launch their graduate career with a leading company.
In attending the ProGrad assessment day, you will:
• Experience a graduate selection process
• Have access to top graduate employers
• Gain information regarding careers from our graduate recruitment team
• Feedback regarding your performance
If you’re successful through the process
• You will be represented by ProGrad for interviews with our Client partners
• Gain unlimited access to your graduate recruiter who will provide you with
assistance,training and feedback during the interview process
• You will be eligible to take part in certain personal development programs
• You will stand out from other less prepared graduates in the job hunting market
What to expect at the assessment day
• Psychometric testing
• Self introductions
• Group dynamic exercises
• Feedback sessions
• Business Case Study
• Feedback sessions
• Group Presentation
• One to one interviews
• Verbal and numerical reasoning tests
• Individual presentations
The exercises are designed to enable us to assess you against a competency based framework.
We are not concerned with whether you got the answers right, we’re more interested in how you deal with the challenges in front of you. We want to understand your drive, your motivation, how you respond to pressure and how you deal with people around you.
We also invite some of our Client partners to the assessment day who are looking for ProGrad candidates to start in their teams. This is often where many of our graduates are “scouted” by graduate employers.
What to wear at a ProGrad assessment day?
This is a formal interview process, and so you will be asked to attend our Assessment Day in “formal business dress”.
Remember: First impressions count.
General rules for “formal business dress”:
For men: wear a dark suit, with a plain shirt and tie
For women: try to keep your suit as conservative as possible. Dress for business, not for fashion.
Shoes must be polished and plain black or dark brown.
What are we looking for?
We will be measuring you against a competency based framework at the assessment day. We are looking for:
• Confidence
• Verbal Communication skills
• Drive/ Dynamism
• Ability to Influence and Persuade
• Structure and Logic
How to prepare for the assessment day:
“Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail!”
You must prepare a 3 minute presentation prior to the assessment day, titled “Why should we select you for a career in business to business sales?”
We are not only testing your presentation skills - we are testing your ability to prepare. Do not underestimate the importance of preparing for this!
General Guidelines for your presentation:
i. Keep to the 3 minute time-frame (you will be timed on the day).
ii. Answer the question posed in the title
iii. If you require notes, ensure they are tidy
iv. You are welcome to use visual aids or props to enhance your presentation
v. Practice makes perfect!
What is business-to-business sales?
Business to business sales, is the transaction from one business to another. Business to business sales involves building and maintaining high level business relationships with key decision makers. Your role may be a combination of dealing with existing Client relationships and forging new business contacts. High-level business to business sales can involve a number of activities to include:
• Managing key Client relationships
• Generating new business opportunities in new and existing accounts
• Booking business meetings
• Attending business meetings, generating requirements
• Assisting with pitches, marketing campaigns, exhibitions etc
• Assisting with proposals/ tender responses
• Forging strategic relationships with key decision makers
• Dealing with Clients both on the telephone and face to face
Why start my career in business to business sales?
There are 4 key things that all graduates want from their career:
• Training
• Autonomy
• Progression into Management
• A good salary
A business to business sales career is the only career where your hard work will be instantly rewarded with quick progress, increased earning ability and unrivalled training. ProGrad graduates are put into the most important part of any organisation, the business to business sales team. They are immediately part of the success and growth of the company and this forms a key part in their importance to the business.
Salary expectations are progressive with most candidates earning $40-60k in year one and moving that to the $50-90k mark in year two.
It has been reported that over 70% of Chief Executive Officers began their careers in business to business sales. The two most important facets of any organisation, are the strengths of its financial departments, and its ability to generate revenue through the business to business sales teams.
Graduates entering into either of these divisions, are exposed rapidly into the business world, and are able to add tangible value to a company’s growth and development. It is due to this, that Graduates statistically speaking, enter senior management quicker than their peers - because they understand the mechanics of the organisation.
What kind of company could I work in?
ProGrad has become the partner of choice for not only the best graduates in the country but also the best companies. We work across a variety of sectors to include:
• Information Technology
• Telecommunication
• Media
• Publishing
• Advertising
• Finance
• Industrial
• Events
All of our roles are in the business to business sales teams of our Client partners. For more information about ProGrad and our positions, please contact one of the ProGrad Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can view our website for more informaton.
ProGrad are Recruiting Business Developers
March 8, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad are currently looking for a Business Development Manager in NSW. We are accepting applications until Friday 27th March 2010 for this role. We are also advertising this position on SEEK.
ProGrad is a services organization specializing in sales development across Australia. Our unique offering is currently used by many global leaders such as Dell, Nestle, Fujitsu, Lion Nathan and Cisco. On behalf of over 600 clients, ProGrad’s core activity is to develop talent acquisition, training and development programs.
Due to expansion, we require an experienced Business Development Manager to join our growing team with a core responsibility of developing our key accounts, whilst assisting to win new larger opportunities also.
The Business Development role is wholly focused on developing new business opportunities for ProGrad. Our existing account base has been developed well over the last 5 years, and now lists some of Australia’s leading organizations. There is a lot of scope to develop some of our key accounts in this role, and therefore we would be looking for a high level individual with the ability to sell strategically across Enterprise organizations.
The ideal candidate would have the following:
- Experience of solution selling, ideally to Tier 1 Clients
- A passion for training and development
- Excellent presentation skills and experience in conducting board room presentations
- At least 4 years of business to business sales experience
- Suitable tertiary qualifications
- Experience in both new business sales and strategic account management
- Proven sales track record
- The ability to work with a range of internal and external stakeholders
- Advanced negotiation and influencing skills
- Good analytical, problem solving and decision making skills required to meet the short and long term needs of the customers.
- Strong leadership skills to support the relationship building and sales culture
ProGrad has a dedication to offering innovative, value-add services. Our culture is energetic and dynamic with a natural flair for wining large projects and new, impressive clients at an astonishing pace.
Please send through your details to davinia@prograd.com.au to express your interest and visit our website at www.prograd.com.au.
How to Manage a Graduate
March 8, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad is a graduate recruitment specialist focusing on assessing, placing and training graduates across a variety of industries. Our roles are primarily in the business to business sales and marketing teams of some of Australia’s largest organisations.
Due to the success of this model, we have designed and developed a number of options for other offerings to assist our Clients. We have recognised that Managing Graduates is often an area which companies require assistance with, and we have therefore put together a course which is available to our Client partners. The one day workshop is aimed at managers of our graduates, and offers practical, outcome focused sessions to ensure delegates attending are skilled at managing levels of expectation, providing structure, setting goals and KPIs and managing a motivated environment.
OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course participants will be able to:
• Manage graduate expectations around the content of the role, KPIs and role progression
• Align graduate expectations from both parties
• Set clearly defined goals and objectives with your graduate
• Promote high activity levels in a successful, rewarding way
• Provide structure to the graduate, both short term and long term
• Offer a work environment which promotes and supports high activity levels
CONTENT
• Graduate Expectation
Managing expectations around progression levels, incentives, rewards and offering clarity around
your expectation as the manager
• Structure and Time
Providing Structure to your junior employee
Setting the balance for access and time
• Managing Consequences
Dealing with issues internally such as timekeeping, attitude levels, activity
“What’s wrong here” syndrome
• Managing Expectations
Aligning expectations from both parties and ensuring consistent levels of communication
How is this done, and how best to communicate this from day 1 of employment?
• Moving from Altitude to Activity
Setting clear roles and expectations
SMART KPI’s (Structured, measurable, attainable, realistic targets)
Breaking it down into activity levels
Conversion ratios
Setting KPI’ s new business development quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily
• Environment
Managing the environment at work
The value and limitation of Rewards and Incentives
Managing levels of motivation
Weekly Planner
Daily call sheets
Daily goal setting
Tracking KPI’s
For more information about this training course, or any other courses offered by ProGrad, please contact our ProGrad Training Team on 02 8235 8300.
Doing the basics, perfectly
March 8, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
Training, development and coaching is essential for a graduate at the start of their career. This is perhaps something that experienced people take for granted, forgetting that they too started their career somewhere and have at some point been trained and developed.
One of the key attributes that we have seen in successful managers, has been their ability to “coach”. Recruiting junior people to be organically grown into a business can be a time-consuming activity and at times there is a sense of risk in allowing the graduate recruit to complete tasks that are out of their abilities.
In managing these junior recruits, it is important to think of the word “coach”. Young people don’t necessarily want to be told what to do, and how to do it. They have been hearing this from Mum and Dad for the last 20 odd years. They are receptive however, to being coached.
Young people are hungry and driven, and willing to take direction. In coaching a new recruit you will have more success than simply “managing” them. A successful coach is able to train a person to “do the basics. Perfectly.”
Repetition is the easiest way to coach a person to become perfect at a given task. When we induct new graduates into the business (which we do on a regularl basis), we limit the number of new tasks they can complete, and increase the frequency they need to complete them. This naturally encourages forced repetition which in turn provides them with the ability to do the basics, perfectly.
A strong coach will watch them, tweaking their performance every step of the way until they are truly perfectionists at certain tasks.
Their success then becomes the success of the coach. Or manager.
ProGrad is a graduate recruitment organisation and regularly provides recommendations to companies inducting graduates into their teams. For more information about graduate recruitment, please contact the ProGrad graduate management team on 02 8235 8300.
Personal Interview Questions
March 8, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
Whilst the norm is to ask Behavioural Based interview questions, some organisations will interview in a different way. When dealing with University Graduates where experience is limited, interviewers will often ask a series of personal questions in an interview to establish the core values of an individual.
Here are some examples of what to expect in this area:
Tell me about yourself, from aged 11…
What are the decisions you have made from aged 11 to where you are now?
What was the hardest decision you ever had to make?
What are your defining moments? Good/ Bad?
What are your core values?
What is your family like?
What are the relationships within your family like?
What was the hardest thing you have ever had to do?
What was your biggest failure?
What was your biggest regret?
What are you scared of?
What do you want from life?
This style of questionning is designed to really get to know the individual you are hiring, yet not everyone likes to be so public! Most interviewers will establish the initial boundaries prior to asking such questions, just to ensure you are comfortable with them.
This style of questionning is becoming increasingly popular with our candidates who are being hired based on their potential, as opposed to their experience level.
ProGrad organise hundreds of interviews each week for graduate job seekers, who are looking to start their career in the business to business sales teams of our client partners. For more information about ProGrad, please contact our office on 02 8235 8300.
Approaching a face to face interview
March 5, 2010 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
Face to Face interviews need to be approached as though they were a business meeting. In a business meeting, each party would arrive with preparation, and armed with pens and paper to take notes.
Please ensure you aren’t arriving empty handed to an interview. Please have the following:
1) Your resume (don’t assume the employer will have it already)
2) Your preparation
3) A notebook and a pen to take notes
We often advise candidates to take with them a list of questions they would like to ask in an interview. We’re not suggesting you consume too much time with your questions, but probing for information demonstrates a genuine interest in a company and the role. That said, please be aware not to ask questions about holidays, hours of work or salary. These can sometimes produce an awkward moment in an interview.
Feel free to take any other “props” that might assist you in an interview, such as transcripts, written references, examples of relevant work etc. But please only do this if it is relevant for the role you are being interviewed for.
ProGrad is a specialist graduate recruitment company working with over 600 companies across Australia. For more information about our process, please contact our ProGrad Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300.
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ProGrad are on Flickr
