Global ACCELERATOR Program

UNIT 1: GRADUATE PANEL SEMINAR

Do marketing professionals spend their time entertaining clients with unlimited expense accounts? Very few, if any. Do all bankers arrive at swanky bars in expensive cars and spend the night spraying champagne? Not anymore.

Unit 1 gives you access to a panel of new professionals, a few years into highly successful careers. Their goal is to give you an undiluted, insider’s view on what to expect in the early stages of your career.

There will be an interactive Q&A panel session, followed by networking and a drinks reception.

UNIT 2: EXECUTIVE PANEL SEMINAR

What separates leaders from others? Why do some people that excel in the academic world only stagnate towards mediocrity thereafter? Tough one.

Unit 2 gives you access to a panel of experienced professionals, accomplished leaders in their respective fields, who will share their wisdom and experience with you. Our panelists offer an expanded perspective from the Graduate Panel; they are decision-makers tasked with developing and executing commercial strategies, growing teams and businesses, hiring and firing, and everything in between.

This unit includes an interactive Q&A panel session, followed by networking and a drinks reception.

UNIT 3: BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY I

How can I win friends and influence people? It’s complicated, we’re still figuring it out too.

Unit 3 teaches you a framework to help you navigate the most complex object in the known universe, the human brain. In this unashamedly cerebral session, we explore key behavioral concepts, such as motivational theory (McClelland), and their application in the workplace. You’ll learn practical methodologies to help you to better appreciate and understand your own and others’ motivations and behaviors.

This unit will be led by a speaker and comprise of group-based exercises.

UNIT 4: BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGY II

How can I get more done in less time? Be deliberate about what you do, and what you don’t do, in the time you have.

An extension to Business Psychology I, we explore key concepts concerning communication and personal presence (Mehrabian) and personal effectiveness (Cogg’s ladder, Eisenhower matrix) in life and the workplace. You’ll be able to apply the concepts covered to your internship, helping you to manage and prioritize your task list with renewed vigor.

This unit will be led by a speaker and comprise of group-based exercises.

UNIT 5: ACING THE INTERVIEW

What is the most commonly asked interview question in the world? “Tell me about yourself.” Those four words that invite you to discuss the easiest, most interesting topic in the world: you.

Since interviews can be won or lost in the opening minutes, Unit 5 teaches you to get any interview off to a strong start by mastering your elevator pitch.

Unit 5 focuses on speed-interviewing then drafting, and perfecting, your elevator pitch. Understand both sides of the equation as you play interviewee and interviewer.

UNIT 6: CV SURGERY

Your resume will typically receive a five-to-seven second glance before arriving on the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ pile. In the 2014/15 hiring season, the largest graduate employers received 172 applications per vacancy. In other words, there were eventually 171, ‘nos’ for every, ‘yes’.

To ensure you are a ‘yes’, Unit 6 draws on a team of recruiters to help you draft the most compelling, easy to digest and arguably, most important, marketing document you may ever write.

You’ll learn how to overcome the three hurdles between you and an interview invitation; the robot, the gatekeeper and the hiring manager.

UNIT 7: CV DROP-IN

Unit 7 feeds on the knowledge you learn in Unit 6, offering you one-on-one time with one of our Career Coaches to review your resume in the context of your career goals. Come armed with your best final draft of your new resume.

This unit encompasses a one-on-one career goals review and one-on-one resume review. We’re also happy to offer ongoing feedback, giving you the opportunity to take away your feedback and update your CV.

UNIT 8: HOST COMPANY MIXER

The final event of the Career Accelerator Series, this is an opportunity for you to say, “thank you” and enjoy a drink and a chat with your supervisors, buddies, mentors and coaches. You’ll also get to introduce yourself to people from other host companies too; the perfect opportunity to expand your local professional connections and reflect on what you have learnt on your program.

There will be networking and a drinks reception.

UNIT 1: COMPANY ANALYSIS

Learn how to describe your company’s mission in a single sentence. Unit 1 challenges you to distill your host company’s commercial objectives and activities into a single paragraph.

You’ll research concepts such as product positioning, demographic targeting, product mix and distribution, business and revenue models, company structures and use LinkedIn advanced people searches.

To consolidate your learning, use this opportunity to engage with senior individuals in your internship and seek to understand their paths and long-term vision for the company.

UNIT 2: MARKET ANALYSIS

How does its market share stack up with the competition? Unit 2 invites you to calculate the size and value of your company’s market and its market penetration.

On top of calculating market size and value and estimating your company’s market share, you’ll identify three notable competitors; the market leader, an innovative new player and your host company’s closest competitor.

We’ll ask you to research SWOT analysis and use this method on three selected competitors and learn more about commercial market research.

UNIT 3: MARKETING & SALES

What are the main and most effective marketing channels utilized by your host company? What drives the customer to purchase their product or service and how does your company influence the customer to reach a buying decision?

Marketing and sales is the engine room of every business. Unit 3 invites you to critically review your company’s key marketing channels and the funnel that maps the customer journey.

We’ll invite you to engage with your company’s marketing or sales manager and aim to propose three new marketing ideas incorporating cost-benefit analysis.

UNIT 4: MONEY MATTERS I

Unit 4 challenges you to build a balance sheet capturing your own personal income and expenditure using Excel.

You’ll learn how to build your personal balance sheet in Excel accounting for regular income and expenditure. You’ll develop an understanding of budgeting, cash flow analysis and basic use of Excel.

To take your learning to the next step, we recommend that you engage with your company’s finance or office manager to see how accurate your estimates were.

UNIT 5: MONEY MATTERS II

As an extension to Unit 4, we discuss how and why borrowers borrow and lenders lend with a no-previous-knowledge-necessary guide to financial markets.

You’ll research and present on bonds and equities, learn how to describe how they’re the same and how they’re different.

You’ll explore the net borrower-lender lifecycle, loans, bonds (Govt and corporate) and equities, corporate finance and capital markets.

After the class, we advise that you learn from your company’s leadership about the capital and ownership structure of your company and the funding status of its three competitors.

UNIT 6: PEOPLE & PRODUCTIVITY

How do good leaders inspire and drive performance? Part stick, part carrot. All vision.

In Unit 5 we’ll delve into the hotly debated field of emotional intelligence, inviting you to explore what makes you tick and learn how to apply cognitive attribute frameworks when engaging and influencing others.

You’ll investigate McClelland’s motivational theory for discerning motivational needs and explore roles and career paths suited to your profile.

You’ll understand behaviors for success and profiling for roles and career paths.

UNIT 7: FINAL PROJECT DROP-IN

In preparation for the presentation of your final project to your company’s leadership, Unit 7 is dedicated to helping you bring everything together from the preceding six weeks to create and deliver an impressive and insightful analysis of your company.

You’ll structure and work towards finalizing your final presentation with the help and direction of your local coaches.

This is your chance to wow your host company and secure a job offer or glowing reference.

UNIT 8: CAREER PLANNING

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” – Jim Rohn.

Taking what you’ve learnt about yourself, work and life from your internship and the Career Accelerator Series and Future Leaders Series, you’ll define career goals and a strategy to help you achieve them.

You’ll lean on the following experiences to help you make smart, evidence-based decisions that will help shape your working life.

This final session will help guide your life post-program.

WELCOME ORIENTATION

Your internship tells employers that you possess the drive to explore and pursue a profession, the skills required in your field and the maturity to succeed in a workplace environment. In short, it helps demonstrate that you are a wise investment.

Your internship is a critical element of the program. This is where you cultivate real-world skills and experience to enhance your employability and put the other elements of the program into practice.

With the exception of a couple of planned days off, you’ll attend your internship placement Monday to Friday for the full eight weeks of the program.

HAPPY HOUR

Your internship tells employers that you possess the drive to explore and pursue a profession, the skills required in your field and the maturity to succeed in a workplace environment. In short, it helps demonstrate that you are a wise investment.

Your internship is a critical element of the program. This is where you cultivate real-world skills and experience to enhance your employability and put the other elements of the program into practice.

With the exception of a couple of planned days off, you’ll attend your internship placement Monday to Friday for the full eight weeks of the program.

END OF PROGRAM CELEBRATION

Come the end of your program, you’ve explored a new city, learnt new skills, got some work experience under your belt and made lifelong friends.

With your program almost over, we’ll host the final group social event: the End of Program Celebration. On the last day of your internship (and the last day of your program), we’ll celebrate a fantastic eight weeks of food, drink and friends. We’ll as you to dress formally and we’ll get together to make a night of it.

Lake District

This weekend getaway is an opportunity for teambuilding, relationship-growth and a good chance to travel.

Accommodation and transport provided, and CI will include pre-scheduled activities.

There will be a minimum two CI staff members on-site.

INTERNSHIP

Your internship tells employers that you possess the drive to explore and pursue a profession, the skills required in your field and the maturity to succeed in a workplace environment. In short, it helps demonstrate that you are a wise investment.

Your internship is a critical element of the program. This is where you cultivate real-world skills and experience to enhance your employability and put the other elements of the program into practice.

With the exception of a couple of planned days off, you’ll attend your internship placement Monday to Friday for the full eight weeks of the program.

River Thames Boat Cruise

The day trip excursion is a great way to grow as a team, consolidate friendships and is a great opportunity to see the local area.

Lunch and an organized activity is included.

There will be a CI staff member in attendance.