School of Business and Law

Wednesday, 24 March 2021

How to land a graduate program!

By Welmarie Engelbrecht, ECU Alumni

Nearing the end of your studies is exciting. Maybe you are looking to join a start-up, where you can be part of growing a business into its full potential. Or maybe you are more interested in joining a well-established firm, where you can enjoy all the benefits and opportunities that come with working for a top-tier corporate powerhouse. If that is the case, a graduate program might be exactly what you are looking for.

Here are some of the main benefits to entering a graduate program at a well-established firm.

1. Top-quality training and mentorship. With many graduate programs it is likely that you will have a mentor as well as take part in on-going training. The training is usually geared to give you all the technical skills to excel in your career, while mentoring will provide all the juicy information that you could not get from a training package or employee handbook.
2. Work rotations. Many graduate programs will offer participants the opportunity to rotate through multiple areas of the organisation. This could be an invaluable experience for those who are not exactly sure what they would like to specialize in. Rotations are usually six months each, although this may vary from program to program.
3. Career progression. Graduate programs are designed to not only develop you in one area of expertise, but to develop you as a future leader. If your goal is to move up the ranks in a top-tier firm, a graduate program will make this a lot easier. Instead of being pigeonholed into one role within the organisation, the training, networking and mentorship opportunities that come with a graduate program give you the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed at any role you set your sights on.
4. A supportive environment. Jumping into your new career may seem a little daunting. Graduate programs offer an environment where you can continue to lean valuable skills and start applying your studies to the real world, all while challenging you and pushing you outside of your comfort zone to get you ready for your career.
5. Opportunities for further work upon completion. Although there is no guarantee that you will land a permanent job after you complete your graduate program, the 2017 AAGE Employer Survery discovered that 81% of employers offered graduates a permanent contract after completing the graduate program, and 18% offered graduate students a fixed term employment contract. These are great odds, and definitely something to work towards.

If this has persuaded you, here is what you need to know before applying:

1. Check which companies have graduate jobs available. First of all you need to go check which companies have graduate jobs available. Two great websites to check this on are GradAustralia and au.gradconnection.com. On there you can scroll and see the closing dates for applications (the big 4 generally all have a very small window of opportunity to apply), and you eligilibility.
2. Choose which company you would like to work for. There is no harm in applying for more than one. A great app to use when deciding is the Glassdoor app.   On there you can search up the company you are considering, and go check countless reviews of what it’s like to work there, what the salaries are like (what you are likely to get paid as a graduate and as a worker afterward), and what the application and interview process is like. This truly is an incredible app that I use all the time. It's free to download, but you may need to sign up if you want to have access to all reviews.
3. Get your resume ready and apply. Once you have chosen the companies you would like to apply for, you need to get your resume ready. Please give yourself enough time to do this; do not wait until the day the applications close to do it; you will most likely find that you have completely underestimated the time it would take to get your resume ready.
4. Give yourself enough time to apply. One application process can take up to 3 hours. Be ready to answer a whole long list of questions separate from your resume. For instance, a company might ask for your GPA, your academic transcripts, etc. Order those ahead of the closing date and make sure to have them ready to submit along with your application. Also have any other evidence of experience ready to submit