ProGrad Brisbane

An Accountant, an Admin Clerk, and their Manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.

They rub it and a Genie comes out.

The Genie says, “I’ll give each of you just one wish.”
“Me first! Me first!” says the Admin Clerk.

“I want to be in Hawaii, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world” Poof! She’s gone.

“Me next! Me next!” says the Accountant. “I want to be in Bali, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of cocktails and the love of my life.” Poof! He’s gone.

“OK, you’re up,” the Genie says to the Manager.

The Manager says, “I want those two back in the office in an hour.”

Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say!

According to ‘The Telegraph’- Article by Jeremy Warner (DEC 2011)

ProGrad is trying to put out the warning for all graduates that there may be some tough economic times ahead.  (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news)

Now is the time to brace yourself and get clued up about the types of industries and roles available.  Our recommendation is to research the industries which will come out on top during the uncertain times ahead. Try looking at publications such BRW (Business Review Weekly), The Australian, SMH, Marketing Mag, CRN, ARN, Adnews and B&T to name a few.

To give you a helping hand, ProGrad have done some of the work for you. We have researched the top performing Industries that will help you make an educated decision on the best suited career path after University.  

With January kicking off to a rapid start, 2012 is looking to be a very busy year!

This brings GOOD news and BAD news

The good news is that there are many organisations that have great Graduate positions available through ProGrad.

The bad news is however that it is an extremely competitive time of year for graduates as many students graduated at the end of the previous year and are actively looking for full time corporate positions.

As I said before, the news is good and bad!

At ProGrad we understand the frustrations of looking for a job. This competitive time of year can bring an abundance of rejections and many broken spirits. However it’s important to remember that thousands are in the same boat as you and every ‘NO’ received can only bring you closer to the perfect ‘YES’ position. If a job is worth fighting for, then of course it’s going to be competitive!

To help you ‘Get your head in the game’ ProGrad has the following game plan to help you win:

-          Create a perfect Resume that’s tailored to every position applied for

-          Get a professional Voicemail

-          Invest in a suit

-          Ensure your looking well groomed

-          Research the company

These are some of the strategies to ensure you score the perfect position!

ProGrad specialises in Corporate Business Development Graduate roles. With many years of experience and reputable corporate clients behind us, the opportunities we can offer are huge. If you would like to be a part of the ProGrad network to see how we can offer you a foot in the door, then contact ProGrad at: info@prograd.com.au or call: (02) 8235 8300.

We are feeling festive here at ProGrad! The office is nicely decorated and everyone is cheerful! We have had such a fantastic year and are very much looking forward to having a successful 2012!

With so many success stories from 2011, we can only keep striving to help and place more graduates year by year.  

If you would like to become a part of ProGrad’s network and want to hear about all the opportunities we can offer you, then please contact ProGrad on (02) 8235 8300 or email ProGrad at: info@prograd.com.au

Have you ever felt defeated by the job hunting process?

Have you ever questioned if you will ever get the right job?

Do you spend an endless amount of time on seek?

ProGrad can help you! Let ProGrad be your librarian who guides you to the right book.

ProGrad can help take the stress out of trying to find the right job for you by:

• Showing you the full contents of what is expected by each role
• Can guide you to the right page number that has the most relevant information for your interview
• Can provide an index of understanding that explains all the questions you may have about a company or a role

If you would like to find out more on how ProGrad can assist you on providing employment opportunities, please give us a call on:

(02) 82358300

Alternatively, you can email Prograd on:

info@prograd.com.au

Prograd can help you write your next chapter in your career that is always guaranteed to have a happy ending!

ProGrad celebrated Halloween in style this year as we all got our best costumes on to celebrate!
Everyone in the office enjoyed some horror movie trivia, followed by some seriously competitive apple bobbing!

To see more photos of the Halloween dress up day at ProGrad, please go to our ProGrad Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/ProGrad/126475642525

If you would like to discuss any ProGrad opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact ProGrad on (02)8235 8300 or email us at: http://info@prograd.com

A big thumbs up to the Graduate Management Team here at ProGrad, who put in an enormous amount of effort to pull off a very successful week!

With such a hard working and dedicated team, it’s no wonder they did so well!

Another big thank you to the wonderful ProGrad boss who appreciates all the hard efforts and takes them out for breakfast to say thank you!

If you would like to find out more about the ProGrad team environment, please give ProGrad a call on (02) 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can email ProGrad at info@prograd.com.au

GO THE PROGRAD GRADUATE MANAGEMENT TEAM!

It’s the time of year when the flowers and blooming, the sun is shining and everyone is sneezing… it’s spring!

Spring is one of ProGrad’s favourite times of year as it gives everyone the chance to clean and brush up on their job hunting skills!

Why not take advantage of this sunny season and start spring cleaning through your resume. ProGrad can help you every step of the way to ensure your resume is sparkling clean and ready to send away!

Here at ProGrad we recommend to start tidying up the following areas:

• Dust off your boring list of subjects studied all the way back in the HSC
• Clean up your Cover Page to not include your life story
• Polish off your relevant experience and jobs (take out your KFC position you had for 2 months when you were 15)
• Sort through your references to ensure they are aware and are going to say something positive about you!

If you have any more questions about how to write a great resume, or if you would like to know how ProGrad can assist you in other areas, please don’t hesitate to email ProGrad at:

info@prograd.com.au,

Alternatively, you can call ProGrad on:

 (02) 8235 8300

Here at ProGrad we see the importance of dressing well for interviews every day. The first impression is the most critical part of the interview, it only takes one instance to make a good first impression, however it takes 21 meetings to undo a bad impression.

With these stats in mind, it’s important to really pre-plan an outfit for an interview.

Here is a friendly ProGrad criteria that will help guide you:

For men:

• If you look in the mirror and think ‘should I get a haircut?’ YOU SHOULD.
• If you are thinking:’should I iron my shirt?’ YOU SHOULD.
• If you are thinking: ‘should I have a shave?’ YOU SHOULD.

For women:

• If you are thinking: ‘is my skirt too short?’ IT IS.
• If you are thinking: ‘should I take my ear brow piercing out?’ YOU SHOULD.
• If you think, am I wearing too much eye makeup? YOU ARE.

If you follow this fool proof ProGrad checklist, you are guaranteed to have an impressive first impression!

If any more questions on first impressions and ProGrad interview tips, please send all questions to: info@prograd.com.au. Alternatively, you can call ProGrad on (02)8235 8300.

The Graduate Management Team here at ProGrad enjoyed a nice big breakfast this morning! In between a mix of bacon and eggs, muesli and toast there was little room left in our full bellies! It’s so nice to be rewarded for all our hard work at ProGrad with these lovely food outings.

ProGrad really ensures productivity and motivation levels are kept high in their staff members. To be an employee of ProGrad is to be a friend of ProGrad!

If you have any questions on how ProGrad operates, or if you are interested in what roles ProGrad have to offer, then check out our website:

http://www.prograd.com.au

ProGrad are experts in the field of graduate recruitment in Australia. Since 2005, ProGrad has been responsible for the assessment of thousands of University graduates, and we have become known as the most trusted advisors in this space. Wherever possible, we like to make reccommendations to graduate job seekers which will assit them in their hunt for a graduate career opportunity. So, what are some of the challenges that graduates face when job hunting?

In the ideal world of job hunting and applying, you will get a few calls from a few unknown numbers which could be potential interview offers. So when you know you have applied for jobs and your phone rings, what should you do?

You should answer it!

Better yet, answer your phone, excuse yourself for a moment and then find a quiet place where you can have a good, clear conversation. There is nothing worse than trying to understand a person through a breaking up phone line. The first impressions of you could be negative and information could be lost such as crucial interview times and locations.

To maximise your phone interview experience, make an Excel Schedule of jobs applied for, the date you applied for them, and the contact you were given through the application. This will help you not be caught off guard and not have to ask- ‘excuse me where are you from again?’

So remember, break up with your dodgy mobile service and not your career!

ProGrad are specialist in the field of graduate recruitment in Australia. With 100′s of applications on a weekly basis, we aim to help as many graduate as we can to navigate the path of finding their ideal opportunity. If you would like to be considered by ProGrad for any of our ProGrad opportunities, then please give someone in the ProGrad office a call on 02 82358300. Alternatively you can email ProGrad, by contacting us at: info@prograd.com.au.

We all know we love talking about ourselves. But, unlike when telling your mum about your day, when talking business, you can expect limitations put on your answers. Words like: short, precious, facts, in 5 words or less, often come into play.

Giving a prompt, to the point answer does NOT mean explaining that exact feeling you had after winning the most improved award in year 10, or how you smashed your record for how many cheese burgers you ate at McDonalds last week…

The short and sweet rule should be applied to the following:

• Resumes
• Cover Letters
• Most importantly, INTERVIEWS.

What is the short and sweet rule?

Good question!

The short and sweet rule is your ability to be able to sum up all the main achievements an employer would look for, and give key details in a short amount of time. An employer should get all the facts in the whole 5 seconds they spend reading your resume and still think your sweet for saving their time not discussing every minute detail of your life.

So remember, if you want to be sweet and avoid the bad aftertaste of vomit- then state the specifics and be short about it!

A ProGrad we know what makes a successful interview and we can help with any preparation needs to help you nail the interview. For ProGrad assistance to help with graduate applications, contact ProGrad’s Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300 or email us at info@prograd.com.au

So you have finished your degree, maybe travelled a little, are well and truly sick of your part time job and decided you are finally ready to bite the bullet and get into full time work. But what job is that?

If you are a recent graduate looking to get into the business sector, it can be daunting knowing where to start, especially if your studies haven’t necessarily directed you into a one stop job.

One angle you may want to consider is a role in sales. 

No not tele-marketing, and don’t worry I’m not talking about standing on the street corner trying to get people to sign up to the latest scam.

I mean genuine corporate sales, working within a well established company on a competitive salary, getting that all important foot in the door and gaining the valuable experience that can take you from new comer, to old pro.

Sales provides graduates a unique opportunity to learn about a business from the inside out. Working in correspondence with all other parts of a business, the sales department gives you the best exposure and often a great head start into avenues usually closed to entry level positions.

It might not be an option you had ever considered before but for graduates who are ambitious, eager to work and wanting to get some hands on experience in a role that will help them progress in their career, Sales may be the yellow brick road for you.

ProGrad specialize in placing recent university graduates into business to business sales roles. For more information or to apply for any of our roles, contact the ProGrad Graduate Management team on 02 8235 8300 or alternatively email us at info@prograd.com.au

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.

When I’m looking to fill senior roles, we naturally look to recruit experienced people who can bring an established skill set, with a proven track record. 

And so we do the same as many companies, and we advertise online, receive lots of resumes, conduct telephone screening and invite people in for interviews.  With experienced people there is an expectation particularly in interviews that they will perform in a more superior manner to graduates.  The good news for graduate job seekers, is that this isn’t always the case.  With experience, comes confidence and sometimes laziness around preparation and performance in interviews. 

The common mistakes that experienced people make are as follows:

1) A lack of preparation which they are quite often honest about.  They might be “experienced professionals” but they miss the basics of preparation and research.  It comes across as lazy.  If this is how they approach an interview, how will they approach the role?

2) A lack of questionning ability.  This is one of the saddest things to see from an experienced person as it is a fundamental part of any interview, regardless of your experience.

3) Talking too much.  Perhaps this one is more prevalent with experienced people as they have so much more to say.  Talking too much is a crucial error for anyone in interviews. 

The bottom line is that no one is perfect in interviews…but there are some fundamental principles to be aware of when you’re meeting someone in this environment.  Regardless of your experience levels, always research the company and be sure to articulate this knowledge.  Such a basic thing to remember, and yet so rarely so we see it in a face to face interview.

If you’re a recent graduate who is new to job hunting and interviews, take some comfort in what is being revealed here.  Experience doesn’t necessarily lead to a great interview, trust me.  Even with a lack of experience, just stick to the basics and you’re likely to outperform even those with 15-20 years in the industry! 

Davinia

Davinia is the Sales Director of ProGrad Pty Ltd, and is responsible for the sales division within the organisation.  ProGrad is a graduate assessment, placement and training company and specialises in the placement of graduates into B2B sales careers across a number of industry sectors.  For more information about our unique model, please call 02 8235 8300 or visit www.prograd.com.au

Firstly, you’re probably not alone in not getting any interviews and so please don’t worry.  Currently in the job market there are fewer roles and more people competing for them.  With such high competition, it is definitely not easy to get offered an interview.  This is particularly difficult for graduates at the junior level with limited experience.

First and foremost, have someone look over your resume.  Ask someone who is close to you, such as a family member or someone you trust.  What I like about this approach is that they are incredibly honest, almost brutally so and will probably provide you with some strong feedback. 

If you’re applying for jobs, you should be making a note of what you’re applying for and follow up those applications with a courtesy call.  At the very worst, someone might be too busy to take this call.  The best outcome however, is you will get to speak directly to the person who is recruiting the role and you have a great opportunity to impress them with your confident commication skills!

The key here is to be proactive in your job hunt.  Currently, there is this expectation that employers or recruiters will just get back to the job seekers when the time is right.  But that could be weeks!  Don’t rely on waiting for their calls.  You could be waiting for too long.  Cease the moment and get proactive. 

We’re like so many other recruiters and are receiving hundreds of applications each week to sift through.  We simply don’t have enough man-power to get through all applications and therefore rely on the proactivity of candidates.  If you call us directly, you get priority – easy as that.  Employers want proactive people.  Clearly they don’t want to hire lazy reactive people.  And so, in applying for jobs what better way to demonstrate this proactive nature than getting on the phone and making it happen.

Good luck!

For years we have been quite literally telling graduates how they should dress for interviews, there are certain basic principles to adhere to.  Wear a suit to an interview (of course), ensure it is well cut, clean and teamed with a clean shirt and tie.  Polish your shoes, cut your hair, shave any facial hair and look clean-cut and well polished.  For the ladies, wear a suit, iron a shirt, tie your hair back and ensure you are free from distractions. In short, the ladies should “dress for business, not for fashion”.

And yet, time and time again – despite this message we see candidates will still march to the beat of their own drum and wear what they feel comfortable in.  Which in essence, makes me think the advice we have given needs a new approach.

So I have been thinking about how in interviews, you are selling yourself.  It is as though you are a product, or a brand if you like.  You are representing this brand in a face to face environment.  How you dress that brand demonstates how that brand would be positioned.  If you are a “premium brand”, dress yourself in a premium manner.  If your brand is casual and laid back, then your dress is likely to be the same.

Once you’re clear about the brand you’re representing, it is easy to establish what to wear for an interview.  Typically, the safe option is to wear a business suit.  The Managing Director doesn’t wear a suit?  Well, he doesn’t have to.  He has probably done his “hard yards” and has proven himself enough to run a business.  The approach of visiting this individual without wearing a suit could be read as disrespectful…so be careful. 

To play it safe I would strongly recommend that all graduate job seekers should wear a suit.  You’ll quickly be told if it is too formal for their office environment.  If that is the case, then at least you have the opportunity to turn it around for the second stage interview.

ProGrad regularly provide advice to job seekers at the graduate level and try to assist where possible with organsing interviews.  On a weekly basis, we also provide a training session for graduates highlighting the importance of first impressions and how to be successful in graduate interviews.  For more information, please contact ProGrad on 02 8235 8300.