Graduate Recruitment Programs Career Workshop #6 University of Canberra

Who are they for?  Students in their final year of study at university  People who graduated in the past 3- 4 years

Who offers them?  The public sector (ie government) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade NSW Department of Education ACT Department of Treasury Australia Post Medicare  The private sector (ie large companies) Ernst and Young OnesteelIBM Macquarie Bank Bovis Construction

Who are they looking for?  Many departments and companies invite applications from ‘All Disciplines’ – Human Resources, Accounting, Commerce, IT, Arts, Science, Law etc Every dept, company, bank etc needs ‘corporate’ functions such as IT, accounting, finance, HR. The Dept of Defence is not looking only for soldiers!! The ANZ bank needs IT and HR personnel in order to operate.  Specialist companies – perhaps only engineers, or construction management or IT or Accountants

Government GRPs  Only Australian citizens can work for the Commonwealth Government.  Many State governments accept Permanent Residents.  Research and bookmark the departments/agencies you are interested in. Check regularly to find the GRP dates.  Applications usually open March/April each year for a month or so. Applications for smaller departments might open later in the year. ACT Govt GRP dates are mid-year.  Applications are online; you need an up-to-date CV.

Government GRPs contd.  The whole process can take ten months or so.  Successful graduates will start the following February.  GRP gives a 12-month induction into the dept or agency to familiarise you with its work. You might work in several areas in that time.  Then, you are offered a full-time position. There is no guarantee you will be offered a position that aligns with your degree, however.

What do I do first?  Written application – Behavioural questions!! What was the Situation? What was the Task? What Action did you take? What was the Result?  The STAR technique! (You met this technique in the workshop on Selection Criteria.)

Examples of questions..  Describe a time when you had several projects with competing deadlines. How did you handle it? What was the result?  Tell us about a time when you had to use your initiative or ‘think outside the square’ to produce a good outcome.  Provide an example of when you have been most productive. What motivated you? Were you successful?  Do you undertake any community work? If so, what do you gain from this activity?  Why do you wish to work for Medicare/ANZ/Dept of Defence?

What happens next?  If they like your written application, they will invite you to do some online tests…...  Psychometric tests – literacy test, numerical test, problem- solving exercises, reasoning etc. You will be given a set time to complete these tests.  Sorry, you can’t really prepare for these!  Want more info? Google ‘psychometric tests’ 

Assessment Centres  Great! You did well on the online tests! You could be invited to attend an Assessment Centre!  Assessment Centres - a number of potential candidates are brought to one place, often for most of the day, to go through several group exercises. Can include a panel interview with the recruitment personnel.  You are being assessed all day long! Be aware of this but also do not be stressed by it.

Private Sector GRPs  Essentially work the same way as the government GRPs.  Online written application, online tests, assessment centre, personal interview.  Usually, the selection process is shorter than with government GRPs.

How many GRPs can I apply for?  You can apply for as many as you like in both the public and private sectors!  Make sure you keep track of them and know where you are up to with each one!  Don’t be discouraged if you are not asked to continue with the GRP process – you might be accepted into other GRPs. Different departments or companies are looking for different people and different academic disciplines.

And if I don’t get a position?  You can do it all again next year!  This doesn’t help you with a job for the year after you graduate, but at least you have another chance with the company or department you are really interested in.  Remember GRPs are very competitive – but do not ‘count yourself out’.