ProGrad Brisbane

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.

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.

Beginning a new job can be stressful, there’s no doubt about it. After the initial excitement wears off and the reality of the responsibility kicks in, it’s not uncommon for graduates to flip out at the stark contrast between the old and the new. What was once a life of luxury carefully planned out for you often becomes a new world of busyness and schedule with zero breaks for daytime TV and a pile of clothes that need to be ironed.

So what are some ways to cope with the transition from easy breezy to hustle and bustle?

 Preparation! The first and most obvious thing to do is look at your schedule and plan out when things are going to happen and how you can best prepare for each element. If you know you have to be up early for work, try packing the night before? Always have an extra shirt ironed and ready just in case you press snooze one too many times, and keep a diary to help yourself stay on track.

 Look for windows of time you may be missing- Most people lose more than hour in the morning wasting time between when they wake up and leave the house- when you add that up over the space of the week that is a lot of time. Try to get into a structured routine and fit in some exercise, reading or extra sleep if you are finding it difficult to do this at other times. Don’t forget transit time is a great opportunity you can use, listening to podcasts, reading or calling a friend can be more entertaining ways to pass the time and use it more productively than just playing angry birds.

 Eat ice chips- it sounds weird but apparently it helps you de-stress. Who knows, it might be worth a shot?

For help dealing with the hurdles of graduate employment, contact ProGrad’s Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300 or email us at info@prograd.com.au

ProGrad recently held a Module 4 training course in Melbourne, focusing on Key Account Management. The graduates that were invited to attend had previously completed modules 1-3 of ProGrad training and were coming up to finsihing their first year of full time employment.

” This module was excellent. Kingsley is a good trainer with high number of intersting and relevant examples. The content was relevant and helped me understand the requirements of the role.” Jessica, ProGrad graduate

” This was a very good course, I learnt alot and thoroughly enjoyed both days. Kingsley delivery was as good as expected.” Joe, proGrad graduate.

” I enjoyed this module because it was very in-depth and a good sized group. Kingsley was great, he tailored the discussionsand asked great questions. Thanks for another great module ProGrad!” Tess, Prograd graduate.

If you are a recent graduate looking for some further training. Please call ProGrad directly on 02 8235 8300 or visit ProGrads website at www.prograd.com.au

ProGrad specializes in placing recent university graduates into business to busines sales departments of fast growing international organisations. ProGrad recognizes many recent graduates do not have any corporate experience and therefore provide them with 4 modules of sales training within their first year of employment to ensure their success.  

ProGrad’s fourth module of training is titled Key Account Management. The two day course is aimed at teach graduates about maximizing account penetration by analyzing your position and planning an effective strategy.

The topics covered in the course include:

·         Identifying the role of the Key Account Manager

·         Targeting and planning for success

·         Pipeline management and account development

·         Developing strategies

By the end of ProGrads training course participants will be able to:

·         outline the role and accountabilities of the key account manager

·         develop a strategic approach to managing your most important accounts

·         identify the key activities and added value that successful account managers must bring to a customer

For more information on ProGrads  future training courses please call the ProGrad office directly on 02 8235 8300 or visit ProGrads website at www.prograd.com.au for future training dates.

Sophie, is a great example of a recent university graduate who came through ProGrad less than 2 months ago.

After success at her assessment day, she was quickly snapped up and placed into a large organisation in Melbourne. Sophie has recently completed her first of 4 training modules through ProGrad. Module 1, an introduction to Professional Communications was held for 3 days last week. Over the 3 days the graduates were taken through a diverse range of topics covering the basics of business, time management, goal setting and how to communicate effectively.  

The 20 graduates that attended were asked to leave a ProGrad workshop feedback form after they had completed the 3 day course.

“I found the training awesome – it was an enlightening course which will inevitably prove paramount in growing as a sales person. The content was pitched at a great level and I found the real life examples used very helpful.” Sophie, ProGrad graduate. Sophie will return back to ProGrad in another few months time to take place in the Module 2 course, which focuses on educating the graduates on Spin Selling.

More information on our training courses can be found by visiting ProGrads webpage on www.prograd.com.au or by calling the ProGrad Sydney office on 02 8235 8300.

What were you doing before applying to ProGrad?

“I am originally from South Africa however completed by school and university degree in New Zealand. Before ProGrad I had 2 years corporate sales experience for an inline accommodation company in Queensland.”

What was your experience at the ProGrad assessment day?

“ It was pretty nerve racking but was a good introduction to performing under pressure in a business environment.”

What is the role ProGrad helped you to find?

“I prospect, cold call, set appointments, close and manage accounts that specialise in mobile advertising, billing and solutions.

What is your advice for other graduates thinking of applying to ProGrad?

“There is no better way to begin your career”

If you are a recent university graduate looking to begin a corporate career, please call us and ask for one of the ProGrad Account Managers at our ProGrad Sydney office on 02 8235 8300 or visit ProGrads website at www.prograd.com.au

ProGrad recently placed 20 university graduates into entry level roles within our client partner companies. The graduates spent their first month at work getting to know the companies products, services and key clients before coming back to the ProGrad offices for their Module 1 training course.

ProGrad Module 1: An introduction to professional sales and marketing, is designed to educate these graduates on a range of business basics including the different between profit and loss, how to manage your time effectively, how to set achievable objectives and the importance of building a strong pipeline.

“I really liked the course; I found it very applicable and relevant. I also enjoyed the interaction with other graduates. Kingsley was a great teacher as he listened as well as taught. He got the points across very well by using good examples.” Natasha, ProGrad graduate.

ProGrad values all of the feedback we receive from our graduates. If you have recently been involved in a ProGrad training course and would like to leave some feedback please call the Prograd office directly on 02 8235 8300 or visit the ProGrad website at www.prograd.com.au

Sophie

Below is the feedback from four of the graduates that attended the 2 day workshop which aimed to teach them all about the importance of negotiation, and a few hints and tips on how to be a successful negotiator.

 “I found this workshop brilliant. I feel with a bit of practice some of these techniques will really be useful in the long term.”

 “Good group exercises – all were very relevant.”

 “I found the role plays worked very well. The workshop didn’t provide all new stuff but it was good because it was things we deal with everyday at in my role.”

 “The negotiation course taught me that its not all based on price! The training is fantastic, and definitely helps you gain confidence when going back to work.”   

Sophie

If you are interested in finding out more about the ProGrad training modules, please call us directly on 02 8235 8300 or visit our website at www.prograd.com.au

ProGrad is an assessment, placement and training centre that specalises in placing recent university graduates into entry level business to business sales roles. To ensure these graduates grow and progress throughout their organizations, 4 modules of sales training and provided within their first of employment.

ProGrad recently ran a module 4 training session in Sydney and received the following feedback from its attendees:

“Account Management is very beneficial for future development and grow within my position”

“I found the workshop to be very relaxed, with a lot of informative and helpful issues discussed. This course would be very relevant to my company as we have many account managers in the organization.”

“The group discussions were the most useful part. I was also able to network and make some good contact points.”

“The content was practical and I was surprise by how much I learnt.”

Here at ProGrad, we are always looking to improve our training courses. If you have recently completed a course we would greatly value your feedback.

Sophie

For more information please call our office on 02 8235 8300 or visit our website on www.prograd.com

I was born in Malaysia, raised in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur until the end of High School. I am half malay, half australian. I swam and ran for school and state and absolutely love reading comics. I studied at Sydney University for 5 years, where it should have been 4 years but I went to Wesley College on campus, and between that and competing for Malaysia it took me a bit longer!

I graduated with a Commerce (liberal studies) Degree and majored in Political Economy and Management but my favourite subjects were usually Sociology.

I mainly did internships over the summer back in KL, advertising with Saatchi and then Market Research with TNS. Most of my work experience was bar work, I have been a bartender for about 4 years and it is by far the most fun job, up till now at least. I had been searching for a job for several months before I came across Pro Grad.

Initially the assessment day is very daunting, you think there are going to be a lot of egos and people shouting over one another but it was not like that, people were generally friendly but there was a definite air of competition. It is quite difficult to be heard and so you have to choose your timing and words very carefully. I found the tests to be interesting, there is no right or wrong way to go about them, but your personality will be exposed, whether you are a group leader, peacemaker, quiet and so on. I found the best thing to do was listen first and then try to resolve issues together, and even if someone wanted to be supreme leader it was beneficial to ensure everyone was heard.

Speaking in front of the clients made me a bit nervous so I gave up trying to read my speech and just went with it. It is definitely a good experience though.

Why did you select the role you did?

Books mainly, I jumped at the idea I could spend my days researching, purchasing and distributing books! My boss read all the same books so I knew we would get along. In the second interview I found that I may work with comics too and by that stage they pretty much had me hook, line and sinker. It was quite a junior role but since I had no real prior work experience it was great for me.

Tell us about the company…

Sorrento is a book company but I cannot say too much because I am bound by a lot of confidentiality oaths! On a day to day basis I help with operations, researching book prices (mainly tertiary), writing invoices, tracking their freight movements and finding new clients and suppliers worldwide. However just recently my time is moving to new markets and new products, mainly Comics and fiction books which is what I signed up for.

The ProGrad training was enjoyable, definitely interesting to be taken out of work and put in a room with people of similar situations. I made a lot of good friends and contacts and for me that was the greatest benefit of the training.

The first few days were good for life skills and self reflection, it definitely made me re think my life’s direction and how I may achieve certain goals; simple things, we learnt could make huge differences, you just have to work at it.

What advice do you have for other graduates thinking of using ProGrad?

Well, on the assessment day be yourself, just be yourself on your best day, don’t let people take charge, make sure you are heard and what you are saying is worth hearing! Don’t be intimidated and look the clients in the eye and be confident. 

Otherwise just DO IT! Save the hassle of scouring the internet day in and day out, looking for jobs which aren’t even looking for you! ProGrad, from start to ‘finish’ helped and worked with me every step of the way, taking into consideration all my thoughts and wishes and called me almost every day after the assessment to discuss job possibilities as well as following up to see what the next move is.

You get the extra benefits of training, meeting loads of interesting people and best of all Pro Grad got me a job in comics. So if you think you may have to settle for ‘some job’ right out of Uni just for experience sake… think again!

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.