Case Study, Joe
October 22, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
As a long haired, fresh out of uni, guitar wielding, journalism graduate I entered the world of ProGrad not expecting too much. My older sister had applied six months earlier and she had secured three job offers within her first week of interviews, so sending off my resume was a no brainer. My three years at Monash University were spent writing articles, interviewing strangers and drinking copious amounts of beer. On the face of it, I was well out of my league and comfort zone. Nonetheless, I sent off my CV on Wednesday, and come Friday, I found myself sitting in a room full of twenty-somethings all eager to impress.
The assessment day started off extremely well and continued that way. The young faces in the room made me feel right at home. The group activities were organised, challenging and interesting. Some companies looking to recruit were also in attendance on the day which gave them the chance to see potential graduates in their element. Those of us that were selected in the end drank the night away at a Melbourne pub and still catch up on occasion. If anything, ProGrad is a good place to meet likeminded people and network with those already in the industry.
The following week saw me attending three primary interviews. Perhaps the most important of those was with CMC Australia. CMCA is the largest importer of steel from the Asian region and the parent company has offices all over the world. CMCA were offering a two year intensive training course. The course starts off with learning about products in the Melbourne warehouse, then sends the trainee to Sydney for ten months to learn about treasury, claims and logistics, and back to the Melbourne office for another ten months of BSR and JIT training. A special project at the end of training is then completed before the trainee becomes a full time Steel Trader. This role sounded perfect for me as I had no experience whatsoever and it gave me the chance to develop sales skills on the job whilst hanging out with rich people.
I met with the National Sales Manager and it wasn’t so much of an interview, but more of a chat – an hour long chat. That night, he gave me a call and invited me for a second interview the next day with the General Manger and told me to get a haircut. My ProGrad account manager, Nicole, assisted me immensely in preparation for the second interview. If you are successful, pray that you get Nicole as your account manager. I was up against one other candidate who had eight years of experience in the steel industry so I was definitely the underdog. Nicole urged me to get a haircut, which I did that night, and I met with the GM the following day. After another hour long chat the GM offered me the job on the spot and didn’t even bother to interview the other candidate. I suppose the lesson here is get an early interview if possible.
My first week at CMC saw me attending a meeting in Sydney and later that night, a big night out with the sales team (all paid for of course).
My advice for potential applicants is to go into the assessment day and each interview with confidence and don’t think you need a business degree to impress the suits.
If you would like to speak to one of our graduate management team, please contact us on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can apply online by clicking here.
ProGrad have offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. For more information, please email us at info@prograd.com.au
Case Study, Karolina
October 22, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
During my last year of studying marketing at university in Melbourne, I did not apply for any graduate positions like the rest of my peers as I wanted to travel the world before embarking on a full-time workload. I knew I would have difficulties searching for a job on my return to Australia, but I needed to experience the different lifestyles, cultures and history of other countries. On my return to Australia, I had a sinking feeling of reality – I am broke and I need to find a graduate position. The very next day, after a 26 hour flight, I frantically searched the web for marketing positions and applied to nearly every ad in a glimmer of hope.
I clearly remember the day ProGrad called me for a phone interview, as this was a huge turning point in my life. After successfully completing the phone interview and assessment day I was automatically contacted in regards to four prosperous interviews. Unfortunately for me at the time, I was stubborn about receiving a marketing position, not a sales position. This is due to the fact that there are no sales units at university so the perception of sales most graduates have is that of tele-marketing /call-centre atmosphere and the like. I remember a lecturer once told us ‘you will be lucky to get your first position in marketing. You will have to settle for a sales career first’. These words daunted my whole perception of sales as it embraced my thoughts with a negative notion towards this area.
ProGrad supplied me with four interviews for a sales position and one interview for a marketing position. Naturally I applied all my effort into the interview for the Marketing position at Southern Cross Computer Systems and to my wishes I was offered a second interview. One week later, the CEO of Southern Cross Computer Systems called me personally to offer me the position. I was ecstatic! I accepted without even waiting to hear from other companies that I had been interviewed with. Southern Cross Computer Systems is an integrator and consultant. Its services bring together diverse technologies, multiple manufacturers and the need to produce an appropriate solution to the customer. The environment here is friendly, helpful and professional. I was in charge of corporate events, website development, marketing plans for our funds with blue chip partners, sales analysis and much, much more.
After six months in the Marketing position and observing the Sales team, I realised that my perception of sales was completely wrong! It is all about relationship building and making sure the customer is happy. I realised I wanted to be like the sales guys, work on tenders, regularly meet with clients, have the freedom of not being stuck at a desk and most of all the challenge! To my surprise, the Managing Director and the Sales Director were waiting for me to approach them with my interest in sales as they remembered in my interview I was adamant about marketing and not sales. As soon as I showed my interest, I was quickly given the opportunity to finish up with my Marketing duties and move into the sales area. I am now an Account Representative and I cannot explain the extent of my motivation – it is incredible. I honestly owe my success today to Prograd and the wonderful company that I work for. I hope my story helps other Marketing Graduates who hold the same perception as I did about sales. My advice now is – give it a go! With a guardian angel like ProGrad, anything is possible.
If you would like to speak to one of our graduate management team, please contact us on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can apply online by clicking here.
ProGrad have offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. For more information, please email us at info@prograd.com.au
Case Study, Mark
October 22, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
Prior to university I had no true experience in the IT industry. It was not until I threw myself at an opportunity to work with IBM during the summer break that my career really took off. By the time I was looking for a graduate position, I had worked with IBM, mentored other students and completed 2 private contracts for web development!
Enter ProGrad – the graduate recruitment agency that fast tracked my career in the right direction with the right people!
Back then, the assessment day felt like an episode out of The Apprentice! Although this day was necessary I knew that only the top candidates would be chosen to be represented by ProGrad, and that I would have to deliver 110%. Nerves aside, a combination of preparation, motivation and charm enabled me to succeed on the day.
After that, ProGrad presented me with numerous positions at high profile companies, one of which was Johnson & Johnson. Again, the interview process was extensive, but it really showed me that this was the graduate position for me! With emotions flying, they offered and I accepted the job, my career was off and running.
Johnson & Johnson is a health care company with hundreds of operating companies all over the globe. The position detailed a 1 year gradate contract in a dynamic and expanding IT team. I was exposed to all aspects of the industry, many of which were state of the art.
Looking back as my graduate position draws to an end, it was ProGrad that was able to facilitate and launch my career. I would definitely encourage other potential graduates to attend an assessment day. It is just one phone call away. I believe the key to success is to be prepared, motivated and unique.
If you would like to speak to one of our graduate management team, please contact us on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can apply online by clicking here.
ProGrad have offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. For more information, please email us at info@prograd.com.au
Case Study, Alison
October 22, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
Moving from university to the workforce can be daunting – ProGrad made that transition easy! Looking back, I’m so glad I took a chance and sent in my resume.
I was nervous at the beginning of the assessment day but, when I realised that everyone was in the same boat, my competitive streak came out and I rose to the challenge. Even if you don’t make it past the assessment day, you will learn so much. It really is a worthwhile experience.
I was amazed at the level of support ProGrad gives to everyone in the program. They really taught me how to optimise my chances in an interview. University gives you the theoretical knowledge, but ProGrad provides hands on experience and invaluable advice. They teach everything from the fundamentals of fitting into an office environment, to the essentials of spin, commercial negotiations and key account management.
ProGrad pushed me out of my shell and instilled a confidence I didn’t know I had. Now I’m a team leader for Tyro Payments, a specialist banking institution that’s taking on the big banks in the payment space. I love what I do and I love the feeling of success.
My advice to graduates would be listen to the ProGrad team – they know what they’re talking about! And be yourself, especially during the presentations. Having been back to ProGrad looking for graduates to join the Tyro team, I have seen the program from the other side of the fence. The candidates that speak truthfully, rather than rehearsing what they think prospective employers want to hear, tend to be the more successful ones.
ProGrad is a fantastic experience and an opportunity to learn so much about the business environment, I would recommend it to anyone wanting to pursue a career in business.
If you would like to speak to one of the ProGrad graduate management team, please contact us on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can apply to ProGrad online by clicking here.
ProGrad have offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. For more information, please email us at info@prograd.com.au
Generation Y doesn’t exist!
October 13, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
“Generation Y is all a myth” according to Blair Whitehead from ProGrad.
ProGrad places hundreds of graduates each year into corporate clients in Australia predominately in sales, account management, business development and marketing roles. They receive close to 1000 CV’s a week from graduates looking to work with their client partners and place the top 4% that make it through the process.
Blair Whitehead makes these comments; “One of the biggest frustrations we face as an organization is this myth of Generation Y, a generation that is described as been selfish, lazy, lacks commitment, has transient qualities and little responsibility. Did it cross anyone’s mind that these attributes are often associated with immature people, not a whole generation?! “
“We place hundreds of graduates each year into progressive roles in our corporate clients and they are hard working, financially savvy and have a great work ethic. The difference is that they have a more mature attitude, despite being in their early twenties” says Blair.
“Everyone eventually takes on the attitude of an older Generation. We have seen this over the last 3-4 years. Once our candidates have matured in the working world, they soon change their perspective. Generation Y would be better explained as simply “a time in your life”.
We see Generation Y becoming Generation X right in front of us every day - it’s a part of growing up and simply gaining more responsibility!”
“Our advice is not to accommodate a “Generation Y attitude. There are plenty of people that were born in the GenY bracket, from 1980 onwards that do understand that they need to start at the bottom of the company and work very hard to get ahead, those are the candidates that we look for and place.”
“If you want to combat the GenY problem, we advise clients to look at the maturity of the candidate before offering them a job. It truly is not an age factor. We have met 20 year olds that display more maturity than some 30 year olds.”
“Industry needs to shake off this idea of a poor GenY attitude before it sticks, and people start using it as an excuse for non performance.”
“Generation Y is dead, long live Generation X”
Blair Whitehead is the Operations Director for ProGrad, a specialist in the field of graduate recruitment.
If you would like to speak to one of the ProGrad graduate management team, please contact us on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively, you can apply to ProGrad online by clicking here.
ProGrad have offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. For more information, please email us at info@prograd.com.au
ProGrad new training facility
October 13, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad, Australia’s largest graduate placement company, has opened its Melbourne Assessment and Training facility in Queen Street.
The centre is located in the heart of the CBD and will be the venue of all assessment days and training courses that will be conducted in the Victorian region.
“It has taken a lot of resource and effect to not only establish this facility in Melbourne but also staff it with the right caliber of people to ensure that our clients our serviced in the fashion they are used to. We have seen great growth in the market especially from Melbourne and now we can really develop the region to its full potential.” Blair Whitehead, Operations Director.
“We will be recruiting further over the next few weeks to bolster the team and then our attentions will be turned to other operations in the APAC region. We are already seeing an increased demand for our services in other locations, which we would like to investigate.”
If you are a graduate looking to kick-start your career using ProGrad, please apply by clicking here. Alternatively, please contact the office on 02 8235 8300.
New ProGrad Office in Melbourne
October 13, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad, Australia’s largest assessment, placement and training organisation is opening its office in Melbourne on 3rd November 2008.
ProGrad has serviced its Melbourne clients since December 2005 from its Head Office in Sydney.
The team that will be moving to Melbourne will consist of Business Development Executives, Clare Watson and Alex Pulsford.
Joining Clare and Alex in the initial phases of the office will also be Operations Director, Blair Whitehead.
Recruiting through its own process ProGrad will be starting with a team of 4 new trainees in Melbourne with an additional 4 new recruits to join after the Christmas break.
Davinia Noble, Sales Director at ProGrad commented;
“It is great to see the expansion into the Melbourne market place and ProGrad’s continual growth through the region. We have recently won some major contracts that require huge service levels in both Sydney and more important Melbourne. The team that is heading down their will be able to support and develop our clients to maximize their recruitment and training requirements.”
Melbourne is forecast to see very quick growth and we anticipate that the team will grow to 12 people within less than three months. Naturally, ProGrad recruit through their own methods, selecting graduates from recent assessment days to kick start their career in the fast-paced role of Business Development.
“It stands to reason that we recruit through our own methods. All of our Business Development Managers are products of the process. They literally are selling themselves.” Davinia Noble, Sales Director.
ProGrad officially opens the Melbourne office on Monday 10th November 2008.
If you are based in Melbourne and would like to know more about ProGrad, please contact our head office on 02 8235 8300.
ProGrad Melbourne
October 13, 2008 by ProGrad · Leave a Comment
ProGrad have been based in Sydney since 2004, yet we have seen an increasing demand for our services in both Melbourne and Brisbane. ProGrad has seen a dramatic rise in graduate recruitment within the last 24 months in Melbourne.
ProGrad are successfully placing over 60 graduates each month in a range of positions, making them Australia’s largest and fastest growing graduate recruiter.
The ProGrad graduate concept is built on the idea that experience is not always necessary when recruiting a top performer within business. We believe that it is a combination of attitude and aptitude that makes someone successful. With this in mind, ProGrad aim to select the top 4% of recent graduates who demonstrate they have the right attitude and attributes to start their corporate career within a leading organisation.
ProGrad represent companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Citrix, Simplot, MARS, Johnson and Johnson and Fairfax. ProGrad also work with fast growing SMEs which can offer a very exciting career path for more entrepreneurial candidates, looking to have an immediate impact on a business.
If you would like to investigate the opportunities which lie with ProGrad, please contact our Head Office in Sydney on: 02 8235 8300