ProGrad Brisbane

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!

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

Giving your notice to a current employer is never a pleasant experience. But unless you LOVE your part time job flipping burgers or checking change rooms you are more than likely going to face the situation where you have to tell your manager that you are moving on to greener pastures.

Though a seemingly awkward prospect, the conversation doesn’t have to be a painful breakup.

Being honest is the best approach. If you are working in a role that doesn’t exactly have the progression opportunities you dream of, your boss will hopefully understand.

 Letting them know you want to pursue something full time, relevant to your degree or in an industry that offers you different challenges are all legitimate reasons that an employer will likely respect. Just use some tact and try to frame it in a way that doesn’t suggest their job is rubbish.

The harder part is leaving a job that on paper fits those descriptions but in reality isn’t right.

If you are leaving a role that is perhaps part of your graduate career, then again honesty still remains the best policy. Let your employer know you are having problems and have been considering leaving, if you aren’t comfortable telling them you are looking for other jobs then at least let them know when you have been offered by a company and are considering it, which would mean you may finish up soon.

Check your companies policy, if you are only a casual usually a day or two notice will be fine, for part or full timers it’s good to check and make sure you don’t have a longer obligation period.

Ultimately it’s always wise to be considerate of an employer- you don’t want to give anyone reason to give you a bad reference! If leaving is the best thing to do, then do it in the best way!

If you are a recent university graduate unsure about the next steps to take toward your dream career in business, visit ProGrad’s website www.prograd.com.au or contact ProGrad’s graduate management team at info@prograd.com.au

We see thousands of resumes come through our system and while many are well put together, spell checked documents that represent the best aspirations and achievements of graduates on the market; there are also many that can only be described as shocking.

 Some of our favourite ‘Resume Fails’ from graduates include the following awkward typos, oversights and downright weird skills put forward as achievements:

Career Objectives:

“And also I love socializing to other people and support my working team mate and also supporting my other friend as well.”

“One day, I wish I can become a billionaire listed on Forbes List.”

“At the same time, the farms, clothes shop working life developed me a hard-working habits”

“I am anxious to use my exiting skills to benefit your organisation.”

 Qualifications:

“Bechelor of Management”

 Employment History:

“Burger Person”

 Responsibilities:

“Work as a cash register”

“Provide Custer Service.”

 Hobbies / Interests:

“Enjoy cooking Chinese and Italians”

“Having a good time”

“Fiancé or IT”

Skills:

“Bull castration”

“Fluent in England”

If you’re a recent graduate and have a resume a little on the thin side, let ProGrad help you find your career in business to business sales by contacting the Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8351 or email us at info@prograd.com.au

They say the best salesman is the one who can sell you something without you even realizing you’ve heard the pitch. If this really is true (which seems unlikely), then the world’s best sales people may be celebrities.

Aside from their endorsements (Katie Perry and Justin Bieber are currently pitching ProActive to us while Tiger Woods shows off Nikes latest get up), there are the movies, television and music they produce. And on top of this we see the continually growing world of celebrity branding and merchandise. Everything from fragrance and fashion to cookware and credit cards, you can pretty well establish a life furnished entirely by celebrities.

Perhaps for some celebs this sales drive comes from their roots, many having a background in sales.

Some well known celebrities who dabbled in the world of sales before heading to the Hollywood Hills include Johnny Depp (who was a pen salesman), Ellen DeGeneres (sold vacuums) and even the lovely Jennifer Anniston did her time as a telemarketer (yuck, we definitely don’t endorse that) before hitting the big time.

Now this is not to say that a career in sales will lead to on screen fame (though there are definitely abounding opportunities for progression into other areas) but are there links between these two seemingly separate worlds?

Common factors:

·         Self confidence- while many celebrities (and salespeople) may come across as arrogant, having the confidence to get up and speak with authority is something that encourages people to listen.

·         Strong communication skills- being able to explain yourself persuasively and to a range of people is key to getting them to believe your message.

·         Motivation to succeed- in fame, much like sales, you are only as good as your last success. Being driven to achieve again each time is key to ensuring you stay on top.

·         Empathy- this last one may seem strange but an actor like a salesman needs be able to understand someone else’s situation. In acting it’s crucial to being able to convey that emotion on stage, in sales so that you can help find a solution and meet their needs.

If a graduate career in sales is something you have been considering, or want more information about, contact ProGrad’s Graduate Management team on 02 8235 8300 or alternatively email us at info@prograd.com.au

Ted Mosby is an all round nice guy. He has a good group of friends and he has definite direction in his life. In fact we all know where Ted’s story leads; the two kids on the lounge show us how it ends up. What we don’t know is how he gets there?

In fact it’s this element of uncertainty that means Ted Mosby (Architect), has a lot in common with many university graduates right here in Australia. For both lovers of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and many recent graduates, the question is not the destination but how on earth you get there.

Knowing where you want to be in 5 or even 10 years time is a great inspiration to start your career, having something to work towards is often the motivation for many workers, both graduates and those more experienced. The questions often arise when figuring out how to take the first steps. There aren’t many 22 year old CEO’s of multinational companies. (Despite what you saw in The Social Network)

For Ted it involves many dates and a few failed relationships before he finds “the one”. For job seekers, you may need a similar approach, putting yourself out on the market attending numerous interviews and gaining experience before the right opportunity comes along.

A job interview really can be like a first date and it’s as much about having the right fit for the relationship as it is fitting the criteria on paper. This unfortunately means you don’t always get what you want the first time and there may be a few failed attempts along the way. But as in life, you learn from your mistakes and can change your approach for next time.

For graduates trying to get their dream job, you usually have to work your way up from the bottom. It sounds unappealing; understandably you wouldn’t flirt with someone who you knew you didn’t want to end up with? But this is where dating and job seeking part ways, getting your foot in the door of a company and learning about them, yourself and the industry is the best way to join the fast track to success. (After all, we knew Ted and Robyn weren’t made for each other but it was good while it lasted).

Launching your career in the right industry can be a helpful way to approach the task. If you want to end up as a Marketing Director, Project Manager, Senior Account Manager or President, then kicking off in something entry level like business to business sales, that has room for growth in the relevant company may be the first step!

To find out more about graduate roles and the potential for career growth visit ProGrad’s website www.prograd.com.au or contact ProGrad’s graduate management team at info@prograd.com.au

ProGrad has historically serviced Sydney and Melbourne, yet have seen an increasing demand for graduates within Brisbane over the last 6 months.

As a result, ProGrad are starting to extend their presence and are looking to develop new graduate opportunities in the Brisbane area.

We have already placed a number of candidates in Brisbane, with companies like JCDecaux, Pitney Bowes, Avnet and Kimberley Clark Australia.  These placed graduates have had the opportunity to attend the ProGrad training sessions, which are conducted in both Sydney and Melbourne.

With this increasing demand, ProGrad will aim to service the location with assessment days which we will hold more regularly and the presence of our business development team.

If you would like to apply for a ProGrad opportunity, please call our Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300, or apply online using the ProGrad application form.  To open the ProGrad Application Form please click on this link.