One of Australia’s global success stories, DuluxGroup have dominated the premium paint market since 1918, when they first introduced their decorative products to Australian and New Zealand homes. One hundred years later they’ve grown to 4,000 employees within their headquarters in Australia, and many sites around the world.
The DuluxGroup portfolio includes brands such as Dulux, Selleys, Yates, Cabot’s, B&D, British Paints, Berger, Poly and Hortico. They've positioned themselves as the leading marketer and manufacturer of premium branded products that protect, maintain and enhance the spaces and places in which we live and work.
As a top 100 ASX Listed Company, a career with DuluxGroup is in demand. If you get a foot in the door with DuluxGroup you'll be learning and developing in a supportive environment where there is a great variety of career growth opportunities. You’ll be encouraged to upskill both on the job and through external training.
The best thing? They have a DuluxGroup Graduate Development Program. It's open all year and graduates in engineering, science, finance, marketing and commerce are encouraged to apply. The application process is gruelling, but we’ve had grads that have navigated it before you successfully, and want to help you do the same. Here are their best tips.
The application process for the DuluxGroup Graduate Program is rigorous. Firstly, you’ll need to submit your online application, with a tailored cover letter. If you’ve sparked their interest, you’ll have a telephone interview, then a first-round interview. Next, you’ll complete psychometric testing. You’ll then have to produce a work sample and presentation, followed by a second-round interview, reference checks, pre-employment medical and finally, a formal offer.
Yes, it’s a lot. And it takes time. At the initial stage of submitting your application, be aware that it can take a number of months before you get a final answer. If this is the graduate program of your dreams, then you may wish to prioritise this before applying for other graduate roles or programs, as it’s likely you’ll receive an offer elsewhere much quicker than with DuluxGroup.
“Very thorough and rigorous. There were many steps, and the whole process took some time to complete.”
– Graduate, Clayton
“Online application, phone interview, online testing, two face-to-face interviews. The process is rigorous and time-consuming but on the whole, pays off to attract the right candidates.”
– Midlevel, Melbourne
Bring your creative A-game. Dulux is not shy about their desire to work with innovative and creative people. Applicants who show these attributes during the recruitment process will be in a better position than those who don’t. DuluxGroup is built on the idea of creating better places and spaces to live and work, and a creative mindset is necessary to contribute to that vision.
You’ll have plenty of chances during the recruitment process to show off your inventive thinking. When presenting previous work samples, consider those you believe were the most distinctive at the time. Bring your full portfolio of work, as you may get the opportunity to show further examples of your talent during other stages of the process.
“Be yourself, talk of your strengths, come prepared with good examples of past project work and social dilemmas you overcame.”
– Graduate, Melbourne
“Come in showing exactly how prepared you are, have examples of work you've done (I displayed a video, PPT etc. all on an iPad so that I could show them examples of my work), research the company and check out the people who are interviewing you on LinkedIn, the more you can show you've looked into the company, the position and your line manager the more serious and prepared you look.”
– Graduate, Melbourne
Like most job interviews you’ll be asked a broad range of questions designed to see if you’ve got the passion, skills and experience for the role. Dulux will want to decipher whether you'll be a good cultural fit and whether you understand the company and what they stand for.
The interview questions with DuluxGroup are as intense as the application process. It’s likely they’ll throw a curveball to see how prepared you are. Go the extra mile with your preparation. Take your research further by understanding who their stakeholders are, what their previous financial figures were and what upcoming projects they have in the works.
“Do some background research on the company. Know it's brands, values, financials, and current focus (e.g. financial result from last year, new paint factory being built etc.). Also be prepared with examples of situations where [you] have demonstrated the company's values in previous work or study.”
– Graduate, Clayton
“A very broad range of questions. Communication, stakeholder management, time management and project management questions. Also marketing related questions.”
– Graduate, Melbourne
After the interview, take steps to ensure you stand out. Send a thank you note to let them know you appreciated their time, highlight your relevant qualifications, show your enthusiasm for the graduate program and cover anything that didn’t come up during the interview.
Also, don’t be scared to follow up on an answer if it’s been an extensive amount of time. It’s perfectly fine to touch base politely, and see if they have a timeframe on when their decision will be made. If you didn’t collect business cards from your interviewers, you should be able to locate them on LinkedIn or through your recruiter.
“The hiring process took longer than expected. I had a phone interview, after waiting, I was then invited to a formal interview with the Senior Brand Manager and Marketing Manager. After the formal interview, I was chosen for a second interview with the National Sales Manager and Senior Brand Manager. After the second interview, I had to complete a Chandler Macleod assessment. After this time, it had been a few months and I was offered another position, I had to make clear to DuluxGroup that I needed to know if I had the position or not as this was a very long process. They then organized for me to have a final interview with the General Manager which followed with me immediately heading to take a drug test to speed up the process. I think if it wasn't for me mentioning my other job offer this could have dragged on even longer.”
– Graduate, Melbourne
The DuluxGroup offers coveted opportunities for Australian graduates. For more information on the DuluxGroup recruitment process, as well as details about their workplace, culture, training, salaries and more, head to our GradAustralia DuluxGroup Page. Our graduates have shared a wealth of insider knowledge to help you on your way to your DuluxGroup dream.