Gradvance

Gradvance Career Mentoring Program

Personalised mentoring program which walks you through our proven framework to land your dream graduate job. 

1. Gain Clarity
- Go from feeling lost and confused with your career, to super focussed and clear about what you want. We’ll help you built a target list of ideal companies and dream jobs.

2. Get Visibility 
- No more applying online and never hearing back. We’ll teach you strategies to become unforgettable and market yourself to your dream employers, from networking to growing your profile, we’ll get in front of the right people. 

3. Interview like a pro 
-Learn how to tell your unique story, skills and potential to hiring managers at interviews. With our interview prep frameworks, you’ll be more confident than ever and get into the top 1%, leading to job offers! We’ll also help you get the best deal with effective salary negotiation.

What you’ll get by joining the program: 

Gradvance Academy  
- 30 unique video lessons - covering topics such as job search strategies, networking, LinkedIn, CV’s, cover letters, interviewing, and more...

Weekly live coaching
- Dan goes live on a Zoom call to review the week's lessons and to answer any questions that you may have regarding your journey. 

All the templates you need
-	Access a suite of high quality templates and examples you need to land your dream job, which can be implemented quickly and easily!

We've helped hundreds of people land jobs at: Google, TikTok, BT, Vodafone, Amazon, EY and more.

To learn more, visit gradvance.co.uk

Founder

BT Group

Leading the committee to drive strategic change at Ex-Co level and create long-lasting change to positively impact our ethnic minority colleagues across BT Group (87,200 employees in UK).

Co-Chair - Ethnic Diversity Network

Etc.

Working in BT's innovation team, managing the digital marketing and go-to-market strategy and execution across 4 start-up businesses, disrupting industries including: Health Care, EV Charging, Fintech and Drones.

Digital Marketing Manager

The School of Innovation

Fractional Marketing Director

Operating within a SAAS start-up in BT, Digital Marketing Hub. Driving the brand positioning and go-to-market strategy to re-launch the product in 2023. Leading the brand, marketing, creative and paid media efforts. Digital Marketing Hub helps small businesses easily run digital ads across multiple channels, all from one place.

Performance Marketing Manager

Leading a team and managing all comms channels: social, copy writing, content and events. Grown the membership community by 30% to 1700+ colleagues and we’re driving group-wide initiatives to influence positive change and create a more inclusive culture for 100,000 employees.

Comms Lead - Ethnic Diversity Network

 BT Business 

Lead the marketing strategy and execution of four specialist multi-million-pound businesses.
• Managing the 2021 Street Hubs proposition launch to deliver £80m revenue by 2025. 
• Managing Drone Solutions GTM plan, campaign execution, and consortium partnerships. 

BT Final Mile:
• Transformed BT Final Mile from proposition to millions of pounds in sales, tens of millions in digital awareness, and exceptional brand and digital presence in the logistics market.
• Executed two £150K paid media awareness campaigns, generating 25m impressions, a 1000% increase in website traffic and the highest CTR of any BT paid media campaign to date.
• Running paid media lead generation campaigns, resulting in a £2.1m sales pipeline including senior leaders at DHL, NHS and Thames Water.

Marketing Manager

Delivered outstanding commercial and operational value for BT, EE, Daisy Group, Openreach and EDF.

EE Supply Chain Operations Management
• Saved 2.1 million sheets of paper (126 trees) for EE Supply Chain by optimising operations, resource and machinery.
• Designed and delivered 10,000+ EE Retail repair bags to 650 stores nationwide, improving repairs by significantly reducing in-transit damage to products.
• Project managed a £250K office refurbishment, relocating 16 colleagues.

Customer Service Desk Manager - led a team of 30 people
• Improved the % of Calls Answered within 30 seconds (PCA 30s) from 65% to 90% (industry average 80%) for Openreach and EDF engineers.
• Achieved significant reductions in the average time to answer calls (90s to 10s). 

Business Improvement Manager
•	Launched a £30K/month project for Daisy Group, driving a 50% increase in operational efficiency.

Graduate Programme - Business Management

In The City Magazine

Business Development Manager

Quintadena Ltd

Business Development Executive

Royal Bank of Scotland

Relationship Manager Placement

🌱 My story starts where most graduates find themselves today…

In 2015, I graduated with no connections, no mentors and no direction. I applied for 50+ jobs and got rejected constantly.

I finally got a job but I hated it — I had to quit for my mental health.

That’s when I realised... visibility matters more than ability. So I stopped mass-applying and focused on QUALITY > QUANTITY.

Within months, I had interviews with BT, Vodafone, Amazon and Sky - and landed my dream job on the BT graduate scheme.

💫 That’s why I built Gradvance Academy

350+ students and graduates have secured roles at top companies like Google, TikTok, EY, L’Oréal, Fujitsu, Amazon and more — generating £12,421,850 in salaries.

Mentees Follow Our Proven 5-step System:

1️⃣ Clarity – set personalised goals
2️⃣ Visibility – build winning CV & LinkedIn
3️⃣ Networking – get referrals & insights
4️⃣ Interviewing – perform with confidence
5️⃣ Salary Negotiation – get the best offer

🌟 Success Stories:

Mary - Data Scientist, The Alan Turing Institute
"Before Gradvance, I was struggling to land interviews. Now I couldn’t be happier - great support at every stage and the community kept me motivated."

Sakhti - Vendor Risk Analyst, AmTrust International 
“It was truly a team effort! This job has changed my future in the UK as an international."

Ade - Higher Statistical Officer, Department for Work & Pensions
"The value I gained was incredible! I reached more final interviews than ever and I feel confident in my career."

🌍 For International Students, it's difficult.

❌ Limited VISA expiry window
❌ Uncertain UK Gov policies
❌ Fierce competition

Yet Our Mentees Still Win:

Ceci 🇲🇽 → Journal Specialist, Frontiers
Sakina 🇮🇳 → Business Development, Marble London
Rabiya 🇵🇰 → Senior Product Manager, Westminster City Council

⚠️ Why This Matters RIGHT NOW

In 2024 there were 140 applicants per role (highest in 30 years). Most grads are mass applying with no strategy.

NOW it's UK Graduate recruitment season (Sep to Dec) — if you miss this window, you'll stay stuck in the same cycles of rejection and ghosting.

✅ Your Career Growth 

On average graduates start on £28K. But your dream job can increase your salary fast:

📈 Yr 1: £36K (+12%)
📈 Yr 3: £50K+ (+56%)
📈 Yr 5: £65K+ (double your start)

‼️ Every month you delay is thousands lost in earnings, learnings and experience.  

💫 Gradvance Academy is an investment into your future, personal growth, network and mindset.

Want to land your dream job in the next 90 days?
➡️ APPLY to join Gradvance Academy today: bit.ly/Gradvance-Academy

Dan Mian

99% of jobs can be taught.

Hiring has become way too complicated.

Everyone’s looking for the perfect candidate.

Flawless CV.
Years of industry experience.
Portfolio of insanely good results. 

I know many incredibly talented people who have been rejected from roles they're a great fit for. 

Companies are operating with fear.

They're scared to:
- Take a risk 
- Invest in training 
- Hire for potential 

The best people aren't usually the most “qualified.”

Here’s what companies should hire for in 2025/26:

1️⃣ Attitude over experience
↳ You can teach skills. You can’t teach drive, resilience or humility.

2️⃣ Aptitude over perfection
↳ Look for fast learners with high potential.

3️⃣ AI competence as a core skill
↳ People leveraging AI are light years ahead. 

4️⃣ Problem solvers, not box tickers
↳ Find people who can figures things, and not get overwhelmed.

5️⃣ Personality that lifts the culture
 ↳ Energy, empathy, communication - these matter more than a job title.

Imagine if companies stopped chasing unicorns.

And instead built systems that onboard, nurture and develop great people.

The talent is already out there.
They just need a chance.

Build people.
Your company will build itself.

💬 Do you agree? Comment below.

♻️ Repost to push hiring forward.
👋 Follow Dan Mian for more leadership & career insights.

Land a UK graduate job in 90 Days 🚀 | 400+ Success Stories | #2 Career Coach Worldwide | UK Grad Recruitment Season (Sep-Jan) = Best Time to Get Hired | DM me “DREAM JOB” if you’re a UK grad looking for your dream job…

Rejection hurts.

Job searching can feel relentless.

You spend hours:
 
- Tailoring your CV
- Crafting applications
- Preparing for interviews

You go through multiple rounds. 
Each one building your hopes higher.

And then an email lands in your inbox: 
“We regret to inform you.”

It’s brutal.
I’ve been there.

Years ago, I was rejected 50 times before I landed my dream job.

And now after helping thousands of graduates land their dream roles too... 

Every job seeker needs to know this 1 thing.

Rejection is NORMAL.
It’s not a reflection of your worth or potential.

Here's How To Turn Rejection Into Success:

1️⃣ Ask For Feedback
 ↳ Find out why you weren't selected.
 ↳ Apply what you learn for future applications.

2️⃣ Customise Your CV For Each Application
 ↳ Highlight results & use keywords from job description.
 ↳ Adopt the employers language.

3️⃣ Practice Interviewing
↳ Don't relax once you land an interview.
↳ Rehearse answers, record yourself & refine your answers.

5️⃣ Stay In Touch With Interviewers
↳ Send a thank-you message, even if you’re rejected.
↳ Ask for future opportunities. 

6️⃣ Track Your Progress
↳ Create a tracker for applications, follow-ups & feedback.
↳ Spot patterns in your approach (e.g. applying earlier = more success).

7️⃣ Take Care Of Yourself
↳ Rejection is tough - give yourself time to process it.
↳ Celebrate small wins to keep your momentum going.

Every rejection brings you closer to the right opportunity.

Trust the process. 
Keep learning, improving & moving forward.

You’ve got this!

♻️ Repost to inspire job seekers
_________________

Are You A Graduate In The UK Looking For Your Dream Job? 🚀

Just this last month, 5 of our students turned interviews into job offers with a 100% SUCCESS RATE after we introduced our new and improved "secret weapon" to their job search!

Want to know what it is? 
I'm sharing it in my free Job Search Masterclass 💼🚀

Comment SECRET below for access ⬇️ 

(Must be a UK-based student or graduate)

Land a UK graduate job in 90 Days 🚀 | 400+ Success Stories | #2 Career Coach Worldwide | UK Grad Recruitment Season (Sep-Jan) –​> Best Time to Get Hired

I once quit a job with nothing lined up.

No plan.
No safety net.
No new job to go to.

It was a decision I couldn’t avoid anymore.

Because I had a manager who made every day miserable.

The culture was toxic.
And I couldn’t take it anymore.

You spend 40 hours/week at work.

If it’s draining you?
No salary makes up for that.

5 Red Flags That Should Never Be Ignored:

🚩 Micromanagement
↳ If you’re constantly questioned or controlled, there’s no trust.

🚩 No Recognition
↳ Good work goes unnoticed? You'll feel underappreciated. 

🚩 Burnout Culture 
↳ No flexibility, crazy deadlines/pressure. That's not high performance - it's mismanagement.

🚩 Poor Leadership
↳ Leaders who lack EQ and don't inspire people.

🚩 No Room To Grow
↳ Talented people want growth. If they don’t get it, they’ll find it elsewhere.

And if you’re a leader reading this?
Here’s how to do better:

✅ Give People Autonomy
↳ Trust your team to what the job you hired them for. 

✅ Praise In Public
↳ Recognition costs nothing as is so impactful.

✅ Support Your Managers
 ↳ They shape the culture. Invest in them. Train them.

People don’t quit companies.
They quit bad bosses. And toxic environments.

A great salary can attract top talent.
But a great culture will keep them.

Repost ♻️ if this hit home.
Follow Dan Mian for more insights.


Image Credit: Laura Morgan

Ionio

I run Ionio - We are a GPT4 & LLM, AI consulting company. We specialize in training, integrating & deploying LLMs (GPT4, ChatGPT, Alpaca) and other generative AI technologies into existing products and services - enabling up to 20x increase in efficiency and up to 90% operational automation.

Our end-to-end solution covers everything from ideation, development to seamless integration in 6-10 weeks. Value-based billing. 10x ROI Guarantee.

• We built Pumice.ai for Width.ai, a GPT4-powered E-Commerce taxonomy SaaS built with Python - React, Celery, Django, Redis, AWS & Docker in ~10 weeks.

• We helped ClearlyTrained with the strategy, research, ideation & product design of their in-house GPT4-powered eLearning Content solution in 4 weeks. GPT4, Python & NodeJS.

• We built Revvyco.com, an AI-powered revenue optimization platform in for a real-estate consultancy in Utah. Revvy runs on Django, React, Celery, Redis, AWS & Docker and was built in ~16 weeks with a team of 3.

• We built HypeMail.io, an AI-powered cold emailing SaaS built with Python - Flask, React, Celery, Redis, Docker, and AWS in ~12 weeks with a team of 5.

• We built FIT24TW Platform, a fitness startup based in Taiwan - 2 iOS/Android apps & 3 websites based on NodeJS, Flutter, Webflow & Docker in ~12 weeks per entity with a team of 4.

Send me a DM to brainstorm your AI strategy! 🛠

Founder & CEO

SmartCow

• Lead architectural, database, AI/DL and UI/UX design on various Full-stack Applications, built with Python and JavaScript
• Contribute to engineering efforts from planning and organization to execution and delivery to solve complex engineering problems.
• Manage individual projects priorities, deadlines, and deliverables
• Enforcing and maintaining code quality, and limiting technical debt through code reviews.
• Promote a culture of learning within the company, by mentoring, training colleagues, creating learning paths - modular projects which can be used to learn, teach, sharpen skills and then be integrated into production.

Senior Software Engineer

• Architect, develop and optimize the middleware, UI and storage microservices for edge systems.
• Design, build, test, and deploy software for internal and external use
• Ensure the continuous availability and throttling the downtime of core internal frameworks. 
• Design and implement scalable APIs and web services 
• Build dependable test cases and robust CI pipelines for multiple codebases

Software Engineer

Pseudtech Technologies Pvt.Ltd .

• Head research on the entire software side of several pilot-projects.
• Work with Python's leading web frameworks - Django and Flask with Heroku, AWS - S3, RDS and Google Cloud's App Engine to create software products to drive growth
• Work on Computer Vision and Deep Learning projects using OpenCV, Tensorflow, and Keras.
• Design several embedded Linux products including a (Facial Recognition Doorbell) using the Raspberry Pis and Python
• Work with AWS, Google App Engine, Angular and S3 to bootstrap a simple web application to monitor employee productivity
• Creating Facial Recognition POVs utilizing Microsoft Azure's Cognitive Services
• Contacting vendors and suppliers to acquire the resources needed for projects
• Work with Motor Drivers, Servos and Relays to create IOT devices which integrate seamlessly with the company's internal infrastructure. - IOT SwitchBoard
• Creating numerous software POCs and beta projects to meet the requirements.

• Understanding the workflow and commonly faced business problems
• Maintaining existing web apps and routine maintenance.
• Developing small tools and utilities for the upper management to help them automate office tasks.

Junior Software Engineer

Self-Employed

• Developed a Java and JavaFX Desktop App to manage a database of Fixed Deposits of Customers, added SMS integrations, encryption, and FTP Backups

• Created a corporate website for an investment firm using BootStrap, HTML, CSS, configured DNS, CPanel, and optimized it for SEO

• Created a desktop automation software using AutoIT that automated a BPO job of 3 Shifts of unskilled workers working 24x7, saving the client 33% in expenses and increasing efficiency by 50%

• Developed a Python Application to preprocess data received over the network and display it on the screen using PySide and PyQT.

Helping non-tech businesses build software products in 8-12 weeks | DM me your app ideas | Owner - Ionio |

Hi, I'm Rohan! I run Ionio. We are an AI consulting company specialized in LLMs training & deploying, building AI agents & Generative AI. We publish research on our site. Google "Ionio Research"

Our end-to-end solution covers everything from ideation, development to seamless integration in 6-10 weeks.

We are currently doing exactly this for our clients in the SaaS, eLearning, real-estate, fitness & lead generation space. 

Here's what they have to say :)

“We’ve had the opportunity of working with best full stack software engineering company in the biz.  Ionio makes it happen”.
- Greg Warner - Founder - Revvy 🏢

"Working with Ionio has been a game-changer for my business. The way they can take my vision and turn it into a reality better than I imagined is second to none".
- Thomas Manwaring - Founder - HypeMail 📧

“The Ionio team is just fire. Want something done fast? “Yep Yep”. Want something cool and innovative? “We can do that”. Nothing is beyond their reach....”.
- Brooke Daye - Founder - FIT24 🏋🏽‍♂️

Case Studies 👇🏽

• We built a Revvy, a revenue optimization platform in 4 months with a team of 3 engineers for a real-estate consultant in Utah. Property management companies pay a monthly recurring fee to use it. Saved +7.5 hours/week/client, automated 85% of the service

• We built the entire technical infrastructure for FIT24, a fitness startup based in Taiwan - 2 iOS/Android mobile apps & 3 websites in 5 months with a team of 4. Automated away +25 hours/week at the reception desk, saved +40 hours/week total

• We built HypeMail, an email outreach tool for small digital agencies with our client Thomas Manwaring. Took us 5 months & a team of 3. Agencies now pay a monthly recurring fee to use it. Automated away 7.5 hours/week of sales

Drop me a DM if you'd like to brainstorm your AI strategy. 🤖

Previously, I worked as a Software Engineer at SmartCow, an AI company. Before, that I worked in Python for a startup in Mumbai. Before before that for family friends, building websites & apps in Java. Been at this since I was 15 :)

Rohan Sawant

We predicted this. "Shopping Research" in ChatGPT just launched —an deep research experience that asks clarifying questions, scours the web, and delivers personalized buyer guides in minutes.

We mapped this exact trajectory months ago.

Our white paper predicted how foundation model companies would evolve from assistants to autonomous shopping agents, and why this signals the end of the SaaS dashboard as we know it.

In 24 months, your most engaged customers will be the ones who never log in at all.

The three-layer architecture we outlined—Agent-to-Site → Agent-to-Agent → Broker-Agent-to-Site—is unfolding in real-time. 

OpenAI just made Layer One consumer-facing.

Layer Two (Merchant APIs) and Layer Three (Broker Agents) are next.

For retail & e-commerce SaaS platforms, this isn't a feature update. It's an existential pivot:

• GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) becomes table stakes
• GXO (Generative Experience Optimization) decides who wins the transaction
• Your moat isn't UI/UX anymore—it's how easily AI agents can negotiate with your backend

We've spent 5 years building agent-ready architectures for 40+ platforms. The 2-year window we predicted is now a 2-year deadline.

Is your platform is architected to survive this & the dozen other upcoming launches shaping how we shop?

Like + comment anything on this post and I'll DM you our full strategic briefing. Drop me a DM if you want to discuss what this means for your roadmap.

CEO & Founder | AI, LLM & NLP Consulting | Training, Deploying & Scaling GenAI Applications

ChatGPT just launched Shopping Research. HONESTLY most brands are sleeping on what this actually means...😪

Spent the last 72 hours in calls with our advisory board and retail partners, and the consensus is clear: 

It is a fundamental shift in the interface of commerce.

We are moving away from "Search, Scroll, Filter". 

Eventually, buying will simply be: "Ask, Confirm, Done"

For brands, this introduces a terrifying new reality.

EVEN if you PAY for the ad and get the click typical CPC atm, the user can now pause, tab over to ChatGPT, and ask: "Is this brand actually GOOD?"

If it says "Reviews suggest the battery life is poor," you just paid for the click but lost the sale.

How do you protect your brand?

Here is the tactical focus you need right now depending on your size:

🟠 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 ($1𝐌 - $10𝐌)

- Relax, you don't need to hire an AI expert or burn cash fine-tuning models. 

- The AI agents are looking for "signal." Your best bet is focusing entirely on getting genuine, high-quality reviews and social proof.

- If your product is great and real humans are talking about it, the AI will find you.

🔵𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐝-𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 ($10𝐌 - $150𝐌)

- You need to focus on your data plumbing. You are too big to manage things manually. 

- If your product specs and catalogs are messy or unstructured, you are invisible to the model. 

- Push your vendors to ensure your data feeds are clean and machine-readable.

🟢 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 ($100𝐌+)

- Your biggest enemy right now is internal silos. You can't buy a plugin to solve this. 

- You need to get your Product, Marketing, and Tech leaders in the same room immediately. 

- You need a dedicated team simulating exactly how these models view your brand versus your competitors and building the tools to fix it.

The gatekeeper is changing. Make sure you aren't left outside.

If you’re trying to figure out what this roadmap looks like for your brand, or if you are a retail SaaS company wondering how to navigate this, 

DROP ME A MESSAGE.

"If ChatGPT can answer product questions better than your site can, why would anyone visit your site first?"

ChatGPT Shopping dropped last week. (Something we predicted, 1st white paper)

Now, we are writing our 2nd predictions essay, "The Aftermath" - where the industry goes next and the ripple effects on marketplaces, brands, and the SaaS companies that serve them.

Fellow men & women leaders in retail & ecom.  Have you considered the 

-  EFFECT of the impending shopping assistants roll-out?

- IMPLICATION of chatgpt ads for your business?

- CUSTOMER STRATEGY for what will be the most demanding, inquisitive buyers of the melliania -  customers who now expect instant, perfect answers just like they get from their "AI".

Drop me a message, comment, start a conversation what do you think, where is the space going? First impressions?

"Where do you see this space going in the next 12 months?"

I will be picking the best insights to feature in the final essay.

it has burnt a hole in my retinas yes.

taplio

The Battle

Dan Mian

Rohan Sawant

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taplio

The Battle

Dan Mian

Rohan Sawant

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dan Mian's LinkedIn Performance

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