News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke on Generation Success plan

NEWS Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke began working at 16 at Victoria’s Standard Newspapers. In the interview he wore his school uniform.

Holding a summit with Prime Minister Tony Abbott ... Generation Success wants career path

THE other driving force behind Generation Success, News Corp Australia CEO Julian Clarke, also began his working life at 16 when he landed a job as the most junior clerk in the advertising department of Victoria’s Standard Newspapers.

In the interview it was what he was wearing that set him apart.

His school uniform.

“My mother said I had to,” Mr Clarke recalled. The other nine candidates were all in “civvies”.

The interview was with the company secretary, who would soon become MD. The company secretary saw the uniform and recognised it. His son attended a rival school.

“The conversation for the first five minutes was not about my intellectual capacity. It was about whether I knew his son Howard.

“That network worked in my favour and I got the job,” Mr Clarke said.

“I found myself in an industry I absolutely loved.

“Lesson number one for young people — you only get good at things you like doing. Seldom is it the reverse. So try and find something that you really enjoy,” Mr Clarke said.

“You’ve got to get on the bottom rung. Then it’s up to you.”

Holding a summit with Prime Minister Tony Abbott ... Generation Success wants career paths for young people.

Like Woolworths boss Grant O’Brien, Mr Clarke believes sport can teach career skills: “I’ve learnt more out of competitive sport than anything else in my life.”

Working as a team. Training. Respect for your competition.

But he is adamant about finishing school: “Your maximum potential is seldom realised these days without proper education. It is the key to opportunity.”

And while Mr O’Brien advocates planning, Mr Clarke said it can go too far:

“I don’t think people should be trying to over-plan their future. I think you can over-plan to blazes.”

Mr Clarke said he hoped Generation Success would “get the conversation going” about issues around youth employment.

“Encouraging young people is our responsibility,” he said.