Careers | Carat

Carat, the world’s first ever independent media communications specialist, consistently looks for enthusiastic and motivated thought leaders to propel us further in the media arena. Owned by the UK’s publicly listed Aegis Group, we help Australian and global organisations realise success in the competitive communications landscape of today. Carat likes to win globally through collaboration so being part of the team means you will have the opportunity to work across major client accounts such as Bayer, Gucci, Pizza Hut, KFC, Freedom, Luxottica, and many more. At Carat, you will do more than just buy and plan radio and TV spots. Our aspiration is to lead the transformation of the communications world, and create communications that change our clients businesses. Carat’s strengths lie in building a network through sharing a common culture of innovation and professionalism driven by outstanding people. Recruiting within the Aegis Group is about identifying talented team players that are passionate, driven and responsible. We are dedicated to finding, developing and retaining the best people for the job. In return, we offer a number of benefits to ensure our staff remain happy. These include:

Winter Warmers (3 x ½ days off to snuggle up under a doona)
Summer Afternoons (4 x ½ days off to get out in the sunshine)
$1000 referral incentive bonus
Fresh fruit and herbal tea
Breakfast daily
Monthly social events and BBQ’s
5 weeks annual leave after 2 years tenure
Excellent training and development
Study assistance
Nintendo Wii
Recognition Awards eg. Employee of the Year
Industry party and function invites
Free magazines
Anniversary gifts
Corporate gym rates
Discounted products
Environment and charity committees

To express your interest in a role at Carat, please send your CV to leanne.mcdonnell AT carat.com and keep an eye on the ‘Careers’ section of our website.

MFA Graduate Trainee Program

Andrew Da Silva

The Media Federation Trainee Program is a 6-month intensive course beginning in January and finishes in July this year, however, the decision to apply for the program was a long process. During my last year of undergraduate study in psychology and film, I decided that I wanted to begin my career in advertising. I did not know much about what area I of advertising I was interested in, or which area would give me the best experience into the world of advertising, so I started to look around.

I found that the MFA Trainee Program was the most appealing course and would give me a great grounding in media advertising. The MFA has a strong reputation for its educational programs with graduates and regularly hosts training courses through NGen, an MFA initiative to support young aspiring media specialists. This made the choice to apply for the MFA Trainee Program a lot easier.

I applied online, completing questions about media advertising as well as completing a media communications plan, which I was lucky enough to be short-listed to the final 19 applicants. After a day of interviews, workshops, presentations and a written paper, I received a phone call informing me I was accepted into the MFA Trainee Program as one of six graduates in Sydney to work here at Carat on the IAG account as a co-ordinator.

I was absolutely stoked about being chosen as one of the MFA Graduates, but was even happier when I found out I was going to be working at Carat on a fantastic and challenging account. Carat has a great reputation for its excellence in communication, its digital capabilities, its in house training and work culture.

I began working in late January as Carat’s MFA Graduate, which means I work as a media co-ordinator full-time for 6 months, while participating in weekly MFA workshops and completing monthly tasks. These workshops give me greater perspective about what is involved in media advertising and how I, as a media co-ordinator, fit into the bigger picture.

The workshops are specifically designed to compliment my progression as a media co-ordinator. In the first three months, I have been on tours to Nielsen Research, Roy Morgan, Channel 7, News Limited, Pacific Magazines, Audit Bureau and Austereo with plenty more to come over the next three months. The MFA tours have provided me with an invaluable opportunity to talk with industry leaders about their career, their experience in media advertising and their future predictions of the media landscape. The workshops are a great way to see how other industry sectors operate internally and have given me a broader perspective of how the media advertising industry works.

I had the perception that going straight into work straight out of university would be daunting and I would have no direction in an industry I didn’t know much about. I’ve found that being a part of the MFA and working at Carat have helped me understand the media advertising industry and how my role as a co-ordinator fits into the bigger picture. The MFA and Carat have both been very supportive of me as I find my feet in media advertising. The MFA has shown me a whole other side of an industry I did not know much about – a side I may never have been able to see otherwise.
As I now progress into the final three months of the MFA Program, I feel more inspired, more knowledgeable and more prepared to tackle the challenges of media advertising.

The program will begin with a 2 day Introduction to Media workshop to provide an overview of the media industry. Commencing in the second month of the program, media tours will be organised at the beginning of each month by the MFA, followed by mini assignments.

In the past few years 95% or more of these trainees have been offered permanent placements in the industry. So if you're looking for a career in media, this is the program to get you into the industry.