The Grad Gazette

We’re super stoked to see so many GradConnection employers taking out the top spots in the Student Pulse Awards this year. 

The awards are the result of submission from the annual GradConnection Student Pulse Survey, where we asked YOU who you most wanted to work for, who you thought had the best graduate campaign, and which graduate employer had the best social media.

The overall winners came with Fonterra and Deloitte taking out the “Most Desired Employer” and “Best Graduate Campaign” respectively. Deloitte also took out the award for “Best Social Media” - you go Deloitte!

You’ll be able to see the full list of winners for each industry as well as the finalists for each category - watch this space. 

In the meantime, let’s have a big round of applause for our overall winners!

Author: Sophie Templeton is a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student from Auckland. She found out about Pollinate Energy through our supporting partner at GradConnection. She has just completed a fellowship program in Hyderabad, and here is what she had to say:

Being a fellow with Pollinate Energy and getting to travel to India was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, but that’s not to say there weren’t a few challenges along the way. I grew up in the very multicultural city of Auckland so I’ve been around people from other countries, particularly Asian countries, my whole life, but actually living in India and being surrounded by the culture and the people on a daily basis was a whole different story. You can’t truly understand all the quirks of Indian culture until you’ve experienced it in the country itself. Whether it’s seeing the infamous ‘head nod’ in action for the first time or coming to terms with what Indian Standard Time really means. Something that really annoyed you at the beginning turns into an endearing familiarity that just makes you laugh at the end.

I guess it’s all part of the experience of actually living overseas, which gave me a much better understanding of India than if I was just travelling as a tourist.

It can be difficult to adapt to, but I did find some useful ways of making easier. Picking up some of the language always goes a long way. Even if I just said hello and introduced myself, the locals were always so impressed we had made the effort, that they were happy to spend some time with us in return. Learning random phrases (especially funny ones!) just to be a bit different is both lots of fun and an awesome way of connecting with the people you meet.

You can’t be a fellow at Pollinate Energy without fully immersing yourself in it.

This was great for me because before I heard of Pollinate Energy through the GradConnection website, I actually had no idea what a social business was. So it’s fair to say then that my understanding of social enterprises has expanded a lot, and I really love the concept. Pollinate provides all the benefits of a charity but in a much more sustainable way, and the best thing is, it really works. I saw first-hand the difference Pollinate Energy was making to the people in the communities we visited, and that it has a long-term plan, which is so important in today’s often quick-fix world. I met so many amazing individuals and families during my time in the communities who all had stories to share, and it was so inspiring to see how happy they were despite having so little.    

One of the best things I took away from my experience is the realisation that I can make a change.

It’s all too easy to listen to a motivational talk at work or uni and think, ‘Wow, that’s incredible, but I could never do something like that.’ You limit yourself before you even try, and I definitely used to be in that mindset. I had never seriously thought about doing anything other than ‘the norm’, which for me was going to uni, studying a degree that matched my strengths (not necessarily my passions) and finding a desk job from there. During the fellowship, my thinking changed and I realised that it was entirely possible for me to do something more exciting. I fully credit my shift in thinking to the big focus throughout the program on careers and personal development, which was something I hadn’t expected. I especially appreciated the emphasis on finding your passion – which sounds super cheesy, but is such an important thing for everyone to figure out considering how much of our lives we spend working.

All in all, the Pollinate Energy Fellowship Program has been an absolutely amazing ride, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. If you love great food, making friends and putting a smile on people’s faces, then this program is for you!

We’ve seen them all before: “10 things every person needs for studying” or “How to study more with these simple tricks”.

The reality is, studying is just plain ol’ studying, no matter how you do it or what you do it with. It’s never going to be easy, nor overly enjoyable, but here’s a few GradConnection tried and tested tips that can legitimately make your study-life that little bit easier. 

Make yourself comfortable.

This doesn’t mean studying in bed, although you should never ever underestimate the power of a pair of warm socks,  a comfy chair and your comfy eating/study pants. Being uncomfortable means more fidgeting, shivering, piling on/taking off clothes and consequently you’ll be less focused. If you’re on campus, grab a seat in a quiet area where your friends can’t find you . in those glorious sweat pants of yours and you’re not going to be distracted by the people wandering past. The fashion police may be onto you, and you may hate it at the time, but your grades won’t. If you happen to own mega-comfy clothes and still look bangin’, I take my hat off to you.

Timing.

With studying timing is everything. Whether it be WHEN you study or HOW you study, making time work for you is the ultimate study tool. Instead of trying to study for an hour, then take a five minute break, try something like the Pomodoro Technique. Work for 25 minutes, then take a five minute break. Do this four times, and you get a longer break. Choose small chunks of information that you want to get through within that time, but don’t rush through it. If you don’t finish in the 25 minutes, that’s cool. Chill out for five minutes, and then see what you’ve retained from your last session before carrying on. If you suck at timing, you can even get free apps that do all the timing for you. 

Don’t use sugar as a motivator.

Using gummy bears at the end of each paragraph will just give you a temporary sugar rush, and lets face it, you’ll just be focusing on when you get your next gummy bear, not what you’re studying. Not good. 

Porridge is your friend.

Not going to lie with this one, I never really liked porridge that much . However for studying, it’s the ultimate food. Slow releasing energy will have you reaching for your sugary snacks less often, and keep you on track for a proper study session, not some half hour site down and then dash. Pair it up with a banana or some apple and cinnamon and it might actually be a bit palatable. It’s the one cheap food item that so many students over look, but those little oats have mega study-helping powers that you everyone needs! If you’re a coffee fiend, remember it’s a great pick-me-up to get you on the study buzz, but it’s powers fade fast. Caffeine is temporary, porridge is forever. 

Do it with a friend

You sit down and answer their questions with just the right amount of charming professionalism that shows how great a candidate you are. Everything seems to be going fine until that unexpected moment: “Do you have any questions for us?”

You were so prepared! Or so you thought. As much as job interviews are about the employer assessing your potential with the company, interviews are also an opportunity for you to do your own assessment. By asking the right questions there’s potential for seriously impressing prospective employers. Here are our top ten questions to ask during an interview, curetted with the help of veteran HR professional Ruth Estwick.

1. What’s the biggest issue currently facing the company, and how will my role contribute to solving it?

“This question shows you’ve thought about how your role would contribute to the current challenges,” says Estwick. It also shows potential employers that not only are you a team player; it allows them to envision you working at the organization. This question also gives the employer the opportunity to ask what you would do to help solve the issue, and you the chance to give the rehearsed statement you lovingly tore your hair out over, preparing in the days prior. It shows you’re interested in operations specific to the company, and are willing to start right away.

2. What projects is this position expected to undertake in the near future? And how are these projects linked to the strategic priorities of the organization?

This one’s a two parter. These fit together well because it shows the candidate is interested in what direction the company’s heading in, and what that means as to your role you could be playing. It also gives you the opportunity to flex those situational muscles and discuss your strategies on how you would go about the job – but only if the employer sets you up for such a response. Not only does this show what organizational skills you have, but it also gives you a glimpse into the type of work you could be doing. Remember to only offer strategies if asked to, unsolicited advice can come off as pushy.

3. What organizational trait does the company value most?

This allows you to connect with a potential employer on a personal level. It allows them to reflect on their time at the company, and gives you insight into what employees at the particular organization hold in high esteem. “By asking this, the candidate shows that the type of work environment they’ll be apart of is important to them,” says Estwick. It provides a better understanding of the everyday workflow and is the type of question that portrays you as a caring, team player. Not a bad trait to be recognized for.

4. What does success look at this company?

Here’s an opportunity to figure out whether your expectations for personal success and satisfaction are in line with what the company defines as success. “It is not just a job to a candidate who asks this question. It means the candidate is interested in what it takes to be successful at this organization,” says Estwick. This question gives insight to the type of work performance the employer expects their employees to meet on a consistent basis. Don’t be afraid to let your personal definition of success change over time. Depending on the type of work you’re applying for, success will look different.

5. Is this a newly created position?

You now have potential insight to how an employer views and reacts to change. If it is a new position, it allows the employer to explain why it was needed. If it’s an established role in the company, they’re able to explain why it’s currently vacant. Such a question gives insight your future at the company, and how your role could evolve as company goals shift over time. Keep in mind; the direction in which you see the company going in could be the opposite of what happens. Be pragmatic when starting out.

6. What style of leadership fits the culture of this company?

Here you can find out about whom you’ll report to and just how you’ll report to them. Whether or not management is spread out or a more vertical chain of command is set in place. You’ll be able to deduce to just how closely, or not, you’ll be working with your superiors. Also just because you’ve never worked under a certain style of leadership, doesn’t mean its bad; get used to working with different types of people.

7. If hired, what type of phase will I be joining the company in?

This is another gutsy question, for the fact that it’s hypothetical and the employer might not know what phase they’ll be in three months from now. But whether it’s continued growth within the current market, or expansion into another, any answer given can offer insight to what type of work you could be doing if hired. If the answer isn’t what you expected, remember being versatile is key, the more assets you have at your disposal, the more opportunities you’ll find for employment.

8. What is the next step in this process?

Asking this question, allows the interviewer to picture you as a potential employee, as well it shows that you’re serious about the position and are already looking ahead to how you could potentially impact the company. This question is also all about timing. For example, asking this towards the end of an interview, after the interviewer has gotten to know you, is better than asking such a question at the very beginning.

9. If you had two words to describe what it’s like working here in two words, what would you select?

“This shows once again that you are looking to find the right fit for you and that it’s not just a paycheck,” says Estwick. This question can help establish a dialogue between you, the candidate, and the potential employer. It allows them to also ask or follow up on why you wish to work the organization.

10. What do you enjoy most about working here?

Everyone who loves working at the company will be delighted you asked this question. If it’s a great place to work you’ll quickly know. This gives you a chance to find out more about the benefits of the job, without sounding ignorant or rude.

by Josie Huppler – Recruitment Coordinator at Beca

With applications coming to a close next Friday (10th April – send in your applications now!) I thought it would be a great time to tell you about our graduate application process this year. You may have seen that we’ve introduced a second stage video application and might be wondering why. So let me fill you in…

As graduates, you’ll know it’s getting tougher to secure your dream job after uni. You probably wish there was a way to make yourself stand out from the multitude of applications companies receive. At Beca we feel the same way - we want to get a more dynamic sense of you, more than just what your CV says.

So if you find yourself through to the second stage and we’ve asked you to make a short video – fear not! It’s not an X Factor audition. It is your chance to tell us something about yourself and what makes you stand out.

In the meantime, I’ve put together my top 3 tips on how to ace the Beca video application:

1.     Come prepared

Just as if it were an interview, come smartly dressed and practice how you want to sit. We also want to see and hear what you have to say so make sure you reduce background noise and choose a well-lit setting. Make sure you have a ‘clean & clear’ background as well.

2.     Don’t recite your CV

Instead of talking about your degree or summer placement, take the opportunity to tell us something that might not shine through on your application. Be as unique as you like – your reason to stand out can range from an academic project you aced to being a champion surfer or even a great public speaker!

3.     Practice, practice, practice!

You have one minute to tell us what makes you stand out. Once you know what you want to cover, highlight the key points and practice. It’ll help eliminate ‘ums’ and ‘likes’ during the video and show us your drive and professionalism.

Hear all about the experiences and challenges of being a grad in Fonterra's graduate programme!

What attracted you to a career with Fonterra?

The Fonterra Graduate programme was a great mix of work, practical experience and further study and the 2 year structure seemed like a good transition between university and the ‘real world’ of full time work. Fonterra came across as a great company to begin your career with as there are so many different areas to work in once you transition off the graduate programme. Fonterra have teams in a broad range of areas from research and innovation to manufacturing to sales and all things in between.

What is my role now and what does it involve?

I am now a graduate technologist based in the New Zealand Cheese Technical team. This is my final 6 month rotation in the technical graduate programme. I am working on one main project which is based in a Waikato cheese plant. The problem has cost the plant over $1million in the past season and I have been tasked with finding the root cause of the problem. This involves spending time in the plant, sampling, testing, reviewing standards and lots of collaboration with the plant and other teams.

How did I apply?

I used the Fonterra website (Fonterra.com) and the graduate career opportunities page. You create a log in to My Job where you can search and apply for all jobs available. The online application process takes you through a series of questions and areas to submit your CV, grades and cover letter. Once you submit all this you have applied for graduate programme and will be contacted if you make it through to the next round. The entire process of applying takes a few weeks to a month and consists of several rounds like online testing, phone interview, video interview and assessment center.

How is the grad programme structured?

The technical graduate programme (FGTP) is a two year programme in which you will complete a Masters of Dairy Science and Technology with Massey University. It is filled with heaps of different opportunities to meet people and get all sorts of experience within Fonterra. Generally the first year is focused in completing the masters with 3 months of Winter Course at the Research Centre in Palmerston North followed by 16 weeks completing your masters research project in another location.

What I did in my first year?

The graduate programme started with a 3 week induction course in Palmerston North where we got to know our fellow grads and had a crash course in all things Fonterra. After the Christmas and New Year’s break I embarked on what we call the ‘Fontiki’ to learn about the 4 main products Fonterra make. I travelled between different factories in New Zealand working on shift rotation. I spent 2 weeks in a Cheese Plant in Cambridge, and then to Christchurch to work in a powder plant. From Christchurch I travelled to Timaru to spend 2 weeks working in a protein plant. The final factory I visited was Whareroa in Taranaki to learn about cream products. I spent 4 weeks in Taranaki (2 on shift and 2 on a project). The next 3 months were winter course in Palmerston North where I completed the majority of course work towards the Masters. At the end of this I moved to Cambridge to complete my 16 week masters project at a Cheese plant, Lichfield. The end of the research project marks the completion of masters and the first year.

How do you see your role progressing over the next few years?

In November this year my 6 month rotation comes to an end and I transition off the graduate programme. This means applying for full time roles within Fonterra. I expect to remain in cheese moving into a technical role such as regional process technical. A Process technical role allows me to work closely with several different manufacturing plants in a range of areas like plant problem solving every day issues to project work.

What advice would you give to students applying for jobs now?

Make sure your CV is up to date, succinct and stands out from the crowd. Your CV is the first impression you give to an employer and they may see hundreds when recruiting for a role. Be prepared for interviews with examples of things like team work. Project work, achieving goals and overcoming road blocks. Questions about these always come up when applying for jobs and it is good to be consistent in your answers.

Bachelors Degree. Check. But what is there to do now? Do you study or move onwards and upwards? Regardless of where you go after the completion of your bachelors degree, you'll be moving into the big wide world one way or another. Deciding whether or not to continue on to post-graduate study is a big decision. One that could be the detriment of your student loan (if you have one) or be the big boost you need to make it in your desired career. It’s not a decision that should be taken lightly, so we’ve broken it down a bit to help you figure it out.

Where do you want to go? 
Before anything else think about what you want to be doing in a few years time. You don’t have to have the perfect scenario, but a vague idea is a good beginning. Ultimately whether or not you begin a post-grad degree depends a lot on what industry you are planning on entering. In some industries a post-graduate qualification creates the basis for your career, whereas some others may require only a diploma.



One such example is marketing and public relations: Having a degree in this area sets you up with all the basic knowledge of how the industry runs and what to expect, however nothing beats hands-on, practical experience out in the field. For a PR practitioner, having a post-graduate qualification is great, but you need some real-life experience to get the most out of your post-graduate study.

What experience do I already have?
 It’s said over and over at university, but employers really do care about what you do other than getting good grades. Balancing yourself with a part-time job, playing sports and joining clubs all adds up to a whole lot of experience in managing your life and your priorities.

Bear in mind that some organisations will accommodate your desire to continue studying if you prove to be a real asset to them. If you can’t bring yourself to choose one option over the other, take this into consideration when finding organisations to join.

As well as this, also consider what you know you enjoy. Do you want to delve a little deeper into a certain area? Is there a topic that you’ve taken to really well? Working with a topic that excites and motivates you will be a big driver for your post-graduate studies.


What am I good at?
 When considering further study, think about your strengths academically. If you enjoy and excel at research-based disciplines, go for a post-grad qualification that is based on research. If you are more of a classroom based learner, perhaps the likes of a taught-Masters would be better. If the prospect of moving into a higher degree sounds good, but also a bit too intimidating, remember there is no age limit on university. You can always go back later after you’ve gained more experience.

This week we heard from one of our "OB on your CV" scholarship recipients, Laura Roberts. 

Laura attended her Outward Bound course in the beginning of January.

Outward Bound offers young people an opportunity to set goals and face personal challenges whilst connecting with a group of others on the same journey. The "OB on your CV" scholarship aims to enable a set of young people each year to develop a better understanding of themselves so as to better prepare themselves for finishing their studies and heading into the world of work. 

It's almost that time again! Just one more sunny summer month before most of us head back to hit the books!  A bit sad to be leaving the summer behind, but exciting to think of what lies ahead. Today I won't quite be giving you the "New Year, New You" spiel, but realistically it's always good  to have a long hard think about what lies ahead and how you'd like your yera to pan out. After all, it's only going to be all of what you make it.

We figured that whilst you're still in chill out mode, take a minute to think about the year ahead -

What do I want to achieve for 2015?

What didn't I do in 2014 that I want to nail this year?

How can I create new opportunities for myself?

What can I do to keep myself from going under?

For those heading into graduate programs, who may already be back on the grind, good luck and well done! Those going back to the books, go hard! We can't wait to see what you'll achieve this year!

Summer school is now underway and hundreds of you around the country will be trudging your way through another 4/5 weeks of summer study. Here's some tips to get you through your classes and to the sunshine at the end of the tunnel.

Head down! For most universities, summer school means cramming an entire semester worth of study into six short weeks. There is no other way around this other than to get stuck in from day one and pump through everything as promptly as you can. The best thing about summer school (if you’re a procrastinator) is that with such a tight schedule there is no time for putting things off. Day one will often present at least one assignment and it’s best to get into these as soon as you can. You may even find that the intensity and constant buzz of summer school keeps you on your toes and intrigued by your topic. 

Take advantage of the little things One great advantage of summer school is that everyone else is back home or off campus, meaning you don’t have to worry about battling other students for the chance to speak with staff. Classes themselves are often small and provide a valuable opportunity to question lecturers or tutors in more depth than you would be able to in a lecture with 400 other people.

Keep hydrated Water is your best friend. Take it everywhere and keep it nearby. You’ll find yourself making a habit out of reaching for your water bottle if it’s close at hand. Keeping hydrated helps your mind stay alert, making those long afternoons in class just a little more bearable.

Let loose a little Whilst it’s good to keep yourself to a study schedule, remember that you are doing intense study, so get out and enjoy the sunshine for a bit of RnR. It’ll feel even more rewarding knowing that you’ve worked hard and deserve a bit of downtime. After all, all work and no play makes for a pretty unhappy student.  

Hi,

I’m Amy, an economics student from the University of Canterbury. Saying goodbye to the outside world and heading up to Anakiwa for three weeks was never something I’d planned on doing, but when I heard about the GradConnection ‘Is OB on Your CV?’ scholarship it was too good an opportunity to not at least take a shot at. Getting the call to say I had actually been awarded it was incredibly exciting and I have since discovered a number of people who have done the course in the past. Hearing their stories has got me even more eager to start my own Outward Bound experience and I’m now counting down the weeks. For me, Outward Bound is a chance to push through the mental barriers that arise when things get tough and discover what my real limits are. I hope to come out stronger and with a better understanding of myself, and I expect the benefits that flow from that are ones I’ll be enjoying for some time. With only one year left in the education system I’ve inevitably started worrying about entering the big wide world of work, but knowing the value that OB will add to my CV makes it seem a lot less daunting. I have no expectations that it’ll be an easy 21 days, but I can’t think of a better place to spend the Easter holidays – keeping my fingers crossed for a dry April though! Thanks GradConnection for getting me out of my comfort zone. While I’m sure there’ll be times during solo that I’m cursing your existence, I am really very grateful.

While studying for semester two exams, I found out that I had been selected to go to Outward Bound in January 2015. I still can’t really believe it and I don’t think I will realise what I have let myself in for until I arrive in Anakiwa in two months time. I’ve always been interested in challenging myself on an Outward Bound course, but until recently it had just been an idea in the back of my mind that maybe I would like to save up and do it some day. Finding out about the scholarship was the first step in realising that I might actually be able to make it happen. I applied for the scholarship because I’ve always wanted to make the most of any opportunity that I could, but specifically, during the 3 weeks I really want to learn more about myself and what motivates me. At this point in life, I feel like I have so many choices to make about different paths ahead of me in terms of my career and lifestyle in general, so by challenging myself, working on my weaknesses and identifying my strengths, I will hopefully be able to develop the skills to make the best choices that I can and face challenges in life with more confidence. Outward Bound is the pinnacle of self-development courses to help me work through this. I’m so excited to be heading off to challenge myself to do things that I never thought I would be able to do. From what previous Outward Bound participants have told me, I know it will push me to my limits, but I’m determined to do everything I can to get the most out of this experience and become a better person for it. I honestly believe that Outward Bound is going to change my life. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to get started!