We recently caught up with Max who’s working as a Future Leaders graduate at CBRE. He shared his insights into the graduate scheme, including what he didn’t expect from the role and tips on how you can follow in his footsteps.
What do you typically do throughout the day?
Shadow Contract Managers and above, aiding them in carrying out their day-to-day roles in order to garner enough experience for a promotion to a full role at the end of the graduate scheme.
What are the main tasks associated with your job?
Currently I handle the day-to-day running of finances on a contract working in close tandem with the contract manager to make sure our services to the client are as efficient as possible.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned so far?
It is so important to talk to anyone you meet and learn about them, whatever their role, age or experience. The deeper your network, the better. Taking an interest in people in the workplace shows willing and allows you to make connections that will aid you as you forge a path through your career.
What’s one thing you didn’t expect?
I didn't expect to be responsible for such a breadth of aspects of running a contract. In my 8 months here I've handled Health and Safety, Finance and people management among other things, which has given me lots of experience for the amount of time I've been doing the job.
Is there a project or task which has stood out to you?
With CBRE, there are always projects and developments occurring on a number of different client sites. One task that has stood out to me was the renovation of a whole floor of one of our buildings commencing. The size and scale of the project is something that definitely has been a stand-out for me.
What’s been a highlight of working for CBRE so far?
The highlight of working for CBRE has been the exposure I've been able to have due to the size of the company. Not only are there 65 other graduates on various other schemes, there are so many managers and experienced personnel that have given us the time of day when we need it to aid our personal development. The size of the company has also aided me in getting exposure to different types of client sites in different locations, something that can only really happen working for a giant like CBRE.
What three tips would you give to Bright Network members wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Be someone companies want to hire - be confident and self-assured, humble yet ambitious. Look to showcase why you're the type of person that people want in their company.
Research your company - it's impressive and attractive for companies to have prospective graduates and employees knowing a good amount about the market position of the company, their values, objectives and so on. It's also important for you as a candidate to know exactly the type of environment that you're stepping into and how it fits your values.
Be a Team player - people often forget the importance of bringing the best out in others rather than just yourself. While it's fantastic to be the most active in the room and be social, it's important not to dominate others but instead bring them into conversation and discussion. The ability to do this will make you stand-out from other candidates.