01st Dec2010

Painfully Perfect

by ProGrad

Painfully Perfect

 Attention graduate community, we know you are nervous and wanting to make a good impression as a can-do, nothing too hard for me kind of candidate but please do not list being a perfectionist as your biggest weakness!

 Unless you genuinely believe that you are disadvantaged by your ability to refine details and produce high quality work, it is always worth trying to be a little original in your answers.

  Some better (and more realistic) options to offer as a weakness may include, a lack of on the job or industry experience,  finding it hard to say no to people, tending to take on more than you should or not really knowing exactly where you want to end up.

 It might seem clever to try and turn a weakness into a positive, but it’s more obvious than you think- the best thing to do is be honest and express a desire or plan to overcome this, or steps you are already taking in this direction.

 Pretending to be the perfect person only sets up an embarrassing expectation, and leaves no room for growth or imagination. So next time someone asks you “can you tell me a weakness?” give them a strong answer, not a strength in disguise.

 If you are looking for that first interview, or advice on how to approach a prospective employer, contact ProGrad’s Graduate Management team on 02 8235 8300 or alternatively email us at info@prograd.com.au

Category : ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , , , ,
1 Comm
16th Mar2010

ProGrad Assessment Day, how to dress

by ProGrad

Dress-code for the assessment day:

 

ProGrad recommend that you wear business dress for the assessment day.  We have a number of Clients that we invite to attend the assessment day who will be viewing you in this interview situation.  We would recommend you wear full business dress in order to appeal to any potential employers that might be present.  Many employers make quick decisions based on how candidates are dressed.

 

For the guys:

 

We would recommend a full business suit (if you have one) along with a tie.  A lot of the businesses we work with are looking for a corporate/ professional image from our graduates.  In order to maximize your appeal, we would recommend no facial hair, a good haircut and no facial piercing.  If you don’t yet own a business suit, just give us a call and let us know prior to the day.

 

For the girls:

 

The general rule is to “dress for business, not for fashion”.  Again, we recommend a clean, professional, corporate image.  This is easy to achieve with a dark business suit and a plain white blouse.  If you don’t have a business suit, simply ensure you are wearing a smart skirt/ trousers with a professional looking shirt.  Approach this session exactly as you would an interview.

 

If you have any questions about what to wear at the ProGrad assessment day, please feel free to call our Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300.  Alternatively, you can visit our website which also offers more information www.prograd.com.au

 

Category : Graduate News, ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0 Comm
11th Mar2010

ProGrad Assessment Day Tips

by ProGrad

Dress-code for the assessment day:

ProGrad recommend that you wear business dress for the assessment day.  We have a number of Clients that we invite to attend the assessment day who will be viewing you in this interview situation.  We would recommend you wear full business dress in order to appeal to any potential employers that might be present.   

For the guys:

We would recommend a full business suit (if you have one) along with a tie.  A lot of the businesses we work with are looking for a corporate/ professional image from our graduates.  In order to maximize your appeal, we would recommend no facial hair, a good haircut and no facial piercing.  If you don’t yet own a business suit, just give us a call and let us know prior to the day.

For the girls:

The general rule is to “dress for business, not for fashion”.  Again, we recommend a clean, professional, corporate image.  This is easy to achieve with a dark business suit and a plain white blouse.  If you don’t have a business suit, simply ensure you are wearing a smart skirt/ trousers with a professional looking shirt.  Approach this session exactly as you would an interview.

If you have any questions about what to wear at the ProGrad assessment day, please feel free to call our Graduate Management Team on 02 8235 8300.  Alternatively, you can visit our website which also offers more information www.prograd.com.au

Category : Graduate News, ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , ,
5 Comm
08th Mar2010

Case Study – Melissa

by ProGrad

My work experience prior to applying to ProGrad  was Manager at KFC for about 6 years. I studied Business Management and graduated one year ago.

I didnt know what to expect throughout the ProGrad Assessment Day, I wasn’t sure what would be considered well-preformed or not. The presentation was nerve racking but the activities were quite enjoyable.

During the Interview process, I had to do a 5 minute presentation on what I know about the company and why I should be selected. The interview was very informative with about 5 people interviewing me!

I now work in a Customer Service role dealing with clients on a dialy basis and ensuring jobs are effectively planned, organised and monitored.

In terms of the ProGrad training courses, I really liked the wide variety of content, the trainer and the appropriate time of the courses, I was not out of the office for long periods of time.

My advice to other graduates who are thinking of applying to ProGrad is to apply and take the time to prepare. Be yoursef and be proactive.

Category : ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0 Comm
05th Mar2010

Preparing for Interviews

by ProGrad

“If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.”

Preparation is an interesting test, and not to be overlooked in an interview process.  Poorly prepared candidates are unimpressive to employers!

If you’re a technology-savvy individual, you should be using online sites such as www.linkedin.com to build an online presence as an individual yet also to assist in preparation prior to interviews.  It is a business networking tool which can be very helpful prior to interviews for researching.

We always recommend that graduates are reading business publications as much as possible in order to gain some base understanding about the business arena and what is happening within certain industries.  BRW Magazine is a great, easy read and perfect for any recent graduate to gain some commercial insight.

Prior to an interview, it is natural that you will look on a company website and conduct some basic Google searches.  Please don’t stop there.  Think about what you’re doing with that information.  Don’t simply assume that in reading it, you are absorbing it.  Write notes about the business, the market, any competitors, the clients and any key personnel you can find.  Please make notes and ensure they are with you in the face to face interview.

Outside of internet searching, we would also suggest that you contact the office directly and ask some questions on the telephone.  You will not only gain extra information, but you will also be making a good first impression with some of the employees. 

Many graduates fail to demonstrate their research skills in an interview, and rely on their natural charm to carry them through.  Whilst this is sometimes successful, it is far safer for candidates to do their research and take preparation with them to an interview.  Document your findings and be prepared to discuss your research.

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.

Category : ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , , , , , , ,
0 Comm
04th Mar2010

A good graduate employer?

by ProGrad

We’re always keen to find out what you think makes a good graduate employer.  We conduct several surveys at ProGrad to identify what motivates a graduate to accept a role with an employer.

Is it because of the career progression on offer? Perhaps its because of the management team and the chemistry experienced there.  Perhaps it is the reward structure on offer.

The bottom line is, the reasons will vary depending on each individual and their key drivers to take a graduate position.  Each individual is driven by different things at the start of their career.  Ambitious graduates are looking for high levels of exposure, whereas a more cautious graduate is looking for structure and support from their employer.

It’s important that as a job seeker you are able to define what makes a good employer for YOU.  What is it that you’re looking for?  Once you have established this, you’ll find it easier to highlight the roles that suit your requirements.  In the interview process, you’ll again find it easier to identify which employer would be able to offer the right career path for you.

As a recent graduate myself, I remember being unclear about what I was looking for in terms of a job role and responsibilities.  I could however, identify the culture of the company I was looking for, and knew the amount of responsibility I wanted in a role.  I was able to identify the progression opportunity I was looking for also, and consequently was able to find an employer which could support my own goals. 

Working with graduates who are looking for jobs can be both inspiring and disappointing, all in the same day.  From a recruiter’s perspective, it is far easier to work with a graduate who is able to articulate and describe the environment which they need to be successful.  Once we can identify this, the rest comes a lot easier. If candidates themselves are unsure about their requirements, it makes our role as a recruiter even more difficult!

So, to summarise here are some tips:

1) Think about the environment you need (large, small, autonomous, supportive)

2) Think about the people you need around you

3) Think about the level of responsibility you are comfortable taking on

The content of the role is not something to be concerned about during an interview process.  If all of the other factors are in place, the role will prove to be enjoyable!

If you have any queries regarding this post, please don’t hesitate to contact the ProGrad office.

Virginia – Prograd

Category : ProGrad News
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0 Comm
01st Mar2010

Next ProGrad Melbourne Assessment Day

by ProGrad

The next Melbourne assessment day will be taking place on Friday 26th March 2010. 

If you are interested in attending a Prograd assessment day, please call the ProGrad office – 02 8235 8300. We will conduct a telephone interview with you and if you are accepted, we will invite along to the next Melbourne Assessment day.

Virginia – ProGrad

Category : ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , , ,
0 Comm
10th Feb2010

Interview Feedback

by ProGrad

Part of my role as a Graduate Development Manager is to arrange candidate interviews with our client partners. I love my job and it’s just so satisfying when I get to place a candidate into the role of their dreams!

One thing to keep in mind when you are going out to interviews with ProGrad (or any recruitment company), is that you should always call your Account Manager as soon as you walk out of an interview! It’s really important to provide them with honest feedback straight away while it is still fresh in your mind. If you love the company and the role, then you must tell us. If we are aware that you really want the job then we will do everything we can on the client side, to get you locked in for a second interview, or even better, get you an offer on the table!  In saying that, if the interview went horribly and you didn’t like the opportunity at all, then you need to tell us so we know more about what you are looking for, and know not to put you out to similar opportunities like that in the future.

The key is to call us as soon as you get out of the interview and to remember that honesty is the best policy!

Please feel free to contact me in the ProGrad offices if you wish to discuss this further.

Virginia – ProGrad

Category : ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
2 Comm
18th Dec2009

Job Hunting over Christmas

by ProGrad

Hints for graduate job seekers

For any recent graduates looking for employment opportunities, why not take advantage of the holiday season to refine your job hunting skills.

Here are some tips from ProGrad to help you over the festive season!

1) Start off with re-writing your resume.  It shouldn’t be more than 2 pages long and should be filled with RELEVANT and concise information.  Ensure your career objective highlights specifically what you’re looking to achieve with your graduate career.  Ensure that your language is not too generic.  Your work experience needs to discuss the skills you have generated, not just the tasks that you completed.

2) Don’t take a machine-gun approach to job applications.  Take your time to really research the type of job you want.  Get some knowledge about the type of role that would satisfy your personality.  Don’t limit yourself in the industry, but do be specific about the role (job) you would want.

3) Then start to apply, slowly and carefully to roles that appeal to you.  Keep a note of the roles you have applied for and which companies they’re with.  It is also worth tracking the company phone numbers too, as this will ensure you can make follow-up calls in January about your application.

4) Start to research information about job interviews and types of questions you can expect.  Ensure that in the New Year, you are well researched, well prepared and well rehearsed for interviews.  This will all help in your job applications in January 2010.

More than anything, don’t be lazy.  Don’t expect that your degree is enough to land you your dream job.  Be proactive, and contact people directly.  Speak to humans on the telephone, not through the internet.  This is such a simple skill, and yet massively under-utilised by graduate job seekers.

Category : Graduate News, ProGrad Melbourne
Tags : , , , ,
0 Comm
11th Dec2009

ProGrad are going “digital”

by ProGrad

Since 2004, ProGrad have been working with our Client partners to develop recruiting strategies which not only reduce the risks associated with sales recruitment, but more importantly offer a streamlined approach to interviewing to minimise time spent.

Our Client partners find that attending a live ProGrad assessment session can provide a valuable insight into our candidates, their behaviours and their sales ability.  This has proved to be a compelling offering, which often results in a more streamlined interview process by the employer who pre-selects candidates that were present on the day.

ProGrad are now taking this a step further, by starting to film the assessment and selection of our candidates.  This footage is then provided to clients upon request, who are looking to recruit new super stars. 

From the comfort of their own office, our client partners can watch the live stream of assessment day footage and pre-select their shortlist without leaving the office.  This further minimises the shortlisting process and ensures that the benefits of attending the day is still received, even though the interviewer remains office-bound.

ProGrad anticipate that this new offering will further enhance our reputation as a market-leader.  This will coincide with the growth of ProGrad into the US Market in early 2010.

ProGrad has become a pioneer of new concepts around assessment and training of sales people and we’re always keen to hear of more suggestions either from employers or from our candidate base.  If this is a topic that you’re passionate about, then naturally we would like to hear from you.

Please contact ProGrad on 02 8235 8300 for more information, or email info@prograd.com.au

Category : ProGrad News
Tags : , , , , ,
0 Comm
Pages:123»
Next Page »