A good resume could get you the job! It is important that your resume is easy to read and is structured well. First impressions count, and your resume is the first thing potential employees read or see about you. It is important you get it right. Watch the video below to receive some constructive resume building tips.
Interview Questions
March 5th, 2010 -
Employers are always going to ask a series of questions in an interview, and you will have a lot of time to talk about yourself. The trick is finding the right balance. You need to speak honestly and truthfully about yourself in a pragmatic yet friendly manner. Always be conscious not to waffle around an answer.
Depending on the interview style, you may come across some “behavioural based questions” which are quite common. These are the types of questions which start with, “Give me an example of a time when….”
There are literally hundreds of these questions which you will be asked. Be prepared for them, and try to have a few answers rehearsed.
Interviews are indeed a two-way process and therefore you must also ask questions in an interview. Always try to prepare a few to take with you, and think about what you need to know. When you leave an interview, you need an idea of whether the role is right for you. Think about what that means to you, and position your questions around that. For example, think about asking questions about the market, the company, the teams, the people, the role, whatever you feel is important to you.
Don’t necessarily rely on the interviewer to tell you everything about a role. In accepting a position you really need to know everything about it. If you haven’t questioned effectively in an interview, you might take a role which isn’t appropriate for you.
A good interview will last between 45-60 minutes and should leave both parties feeling confident with the information discussed. If ever you are finding interviews are only lasting 20 minutes, it means there is room for improvement.
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.
Preparing for an interview
December 17th, 2009 -
Interviews are a daunting experience for all of us. Whether you’re experienced or not, the whole process can be quite nerve-wracking.
That said, there are a number of steps that can be made to ensure that the interview process is not as scary as you first thought.
There are some basic rules to follow, such as research, preparation and even how to present yourself. Don’t leave everything to the last minute – it will not end well!
For some basic ideas about what to take with you for the interview, have a look at our other blog: http://www.progradsydney.com.au/?p=705
Just remember that meeting someone for the first time is powerful. They will make their mind up about you within the first 4-14 seconds of meeting you. It really is that quick! With that in mind, you have to ensure you make a strong first impression. Please dress appropriately for the interview and ensure that you’re “suited and booted”.
If you create a bad first impression, it will take a further 21 encounters for that person to change their mind about you. Never underestimate the importance of this first impression. After that, try to ensure that you’re building rapport and creating a comfortable environment for you, and the interviewer.
Then, it’s about relaxing, and being yourself. Try to enjoy it – its not often that you get to talk about yourself for an hour!
ProGrad are looking for Young Achievers
December 17th, 2009 -
ProGrad have placed over 2,000 graduates in the last 4 years in Australia and in that time have had some huge successes with our placed graduates. We are often hearing wonderful feedback from their managers, and occassionally from the graduates themselves – however we don’t hear enough!
In 2010, we’re launching the ProGrad Young Achievers awards ceremony which is designed to highlight top performance of our candidates and acknowledge superb achievement. We are encouraging entries from many different industries and we’re already starting to have entry forms returned.
If you would like to enter this awards ceremony, to be held in 2010, please click on this link:
http://www.prograd.com.au/Contacts/Contacts/Young%20Achievers%20Entry%20Form-502.aspx
Please ensure your application form is complete by 14th January 2010 as our panel of judges will be reviewing the applications at the end of January.
We hope you will be a part of this fantastic evening and we look forward to seeing you there.
Blair
What exactly is a career in sales?
September 9th, 2009 -
ProGrad have a core activity in placing graduates into business to business sales roles across a variety of industries….but what exactly is a sales job? Is it all about telemarketing and knocking on doors?
In a word…no. Its not about that at all. Many people have an exposure to selling at an early age, when sitting at home hearing parents tell the telemarketer to “bugger off”. That is what is called “business-to-consumer sales”, and is not our core activity at ProGrad.
Business to business sales is essential for all companies. Every organisation will have overheads (think about office costs, staffing costs, bills etc) and to cover these costs (and make some profit) they need to sell. Easy.
Everything around you is sold from one business to another. Look in a magazine, and you’ll see advertising. That advertising was sold business to business. At ProGrad, we utilise technology systems and telecommunications equipment. That was all sold to us from another business.
When you visit a retail outlet to do some grocery shopping, the merchandise has likely come from another business. When you go to the pharmacy, and pick up your prescriptions…they were sold business to business.
It truly is overwhelming, and just goes to show that businesses NEED to sell. All corporations need to sell their services or products in order to sustain turnover. It is the most important facet of any company…and one could argue, the most important department to be working within.
Many of the senior management teams of organisations (large and small) will have started their career in business to business sales. Where better to learn the fundamentals of buying and sales cycles, than in the role yourself.
At ProGrad, we work with over 500 companies and the majority of our roles are within B2B sales. These roles offer candidates an ideal grounding to launch into management roles or other areas within the business. That said, when you’re one of the highest earners in the business, its hard to understand why you’d want to move to another department!
For more information about ProGrad and the roles available, please contact us on 02 8235 8300. Or, you can email us at info@prograd.com.au
ProGrad…ready for Graduation Time!
September 9th, 2009 -
Whilst we are recruiting for Graduate positions all year-round, we always notice a huge rise in applications received at prime graduation periods. With November on the horizon, we would be keen to hear from those candidates soon!
In order to beat the November/ December rush – please contact the ProGrad team on 02 8235 8300. We will discuss the process from here to ensure that your application is dealt with, and not put into a long waiting queue.
Prior to being proposed to any ProGrad roles, it is essential that each candidate has passed the ProGrad assessment day. To be considered for an assessment day, please contact the ProGrad graduate management team on 02 8235 8300.
ProGrad looking for Graduate Account Exec – Media Company
September 9th, 2009 -
PROGRAD LOOKING FOR A GRADUATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, GLOBAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
- Recent University Graduate Required
- Diverse Roles and Responsibilities
- Opportunity for Fast Progression
Located in Chatswood, Our client is a market leader in developing sales aids and finance schemes for business equipment suppliers. Vendors including Leap Legal, Canon and Toshiba use this organization to assist in increasing their sales and profitability and most importantly customer retention.
As a ProGrad graduate, you will asume the role of an Account Executive and will be responsible for sourcing new business opportunities, engaging with customers and driving sales. Working closely with the Directors your key responsibilities will also involve:
• Identifying and qualifying new business opportunities
• Training and managing existing vendor partners
• Visiting customers
• Settling finance contracts
• Providing quotations
Our client is looking for a recent graduate who is commercially minded with strong numeracy skills. It is essential that the graduate has excellent communication skills and the ability to influence and persuade others.Having had great success with this organisation in the past, the manager is a ProGrad graduate themselves, ensuring you have a great mentor who has been through the process also.
The successful candidate will receive:
• Excellent support
• Industry and sales training from ProGrad
• Opportunity for careers progression
• Excellent remuneration skills
This is a fantastic opportunity for a recent graduate with an interest in media, publishing or marketing to join a market leading organisation. If you are looking for a role where building relationships, then this could be a great position.To be considered for this role, you need to have passed a ProGrad assessment day. To be considered for an assessment, please apply immediately by calling the ProGrad office on 02 8235 8300. Alternatively you can email us on info@prograd.com.au
The 80/20 principle
September 9th, 2009 -
During some analysis of ProGrad’s revenue stream, we came to realise very quickly that 80% of our organisation’s revenue is currently coming from our existing client base, and only 20% of the revenue can be seen from new business development.
It is a principle which has been utilised in business for years, and yet we have tended to assume it didn’t apply. ProGrad have always had a strong focus on new business development, and that will never change. That being said, it has certainly alerted us to the importance of effective account management, especially during the economic downturn. It is our existing account base which has really been an area where we have seen great growth opportunities.
ProGrad are an assessment, placement and training company with over 500 clients in Australia. We have had the pleasure of working with some of Australia’s leading organisations and ensuring their junior roles are filled with high calibre University graduates.
ProGrad certainly intend to ensure even higher levels of customer service can be delivered over forthcoming months, especially during these critical times of uncertainty.
A little bit certainly does go a long way.
If you would like to hear more about ProGrad, please contact us on 02 8235 8300.
Calling ProGrad Graduates!
September 9th, 2009 -
ProGrad are looking to profile some of our biggest successes over the last 4 years and would love to hear from you. If you were placed through ProGrad over the last 4 years and have a story to tell, please let us know. We are looking for several “young achievers” who can be profiled by ProGrad to understand some of the reasons behind their success.
This type of information is essential when putting together information for potential graduate employers. So, if you feel as though you are an example success story, please contact the ProGrad Graduate Management team now on 02 8235 8300.
FMCG Giant Seeking Recent Graduate in Geelong, VIC.
September 8th, 2009 -
ProGrad is a graduate assessment, placement and training organisation that is working with over 500 client partners to place recent university graduates into business to business sales roles. ProGrad is currently seeing an increase in a number of sectors in particular including IT, FMCG and Conferencing.
ProGrad is currently working with a large FMCG organisaiton in both NSW and VIC. This well known organisation represents many well known brands within the Australian marketplace. ProGrad has a number of rare opportunities to join this organisation which offers an environment for fast progression and long term career opportunities.
No experience is necessary as ProGrad will provide you with 4 professional training courses within your first year of employment. This is a fantastic chance to get your foot in the door!
To be a successful ProGrad graduate you must have excellent interpersonal skills, be structured and organised and business savvy. For more information on this opportunity or to find out more about ProGrads services, please call us directly on 02 8235 8300 or visit our website at www.prograd.com.au