Students come in many forms, with many different priorities. But you do have one shared goal – getting a job related to your field. So, whatever you are up to this summer, here’s a few takeaways to ponder on sunny days:

• What does your job market look like? Where are the jobs in your field? Explore!
• What are you salary expectations – and are they on the money i.e. what is industry actually paying?  It helps to have a good idea, especially if you’re asked at interview.
• You might meet the degree/discipline requirements, but do you meet the skills required or can you upskill e.g. via a short MOOC or using a platform like Lynda.com?
• And, if you do have the skills, can you evidence your ability in job application docs or articulate this in an interview?

A lot depends upon what  stage you’re actually at – in life and in your studies. You might be at taking your first steps or have the end in your sights. One size does not fit all, so if:

• You’ve never had a job – volunteer to develop some handy skills and secure a good referee
• You’ve had a work-to-support-study job – look for opportunities for advancement or transferring your skills to a larger org/role with more responsibility
• You don’t have degree related experience – think about which organisations you could target for highly valued work experience

If you’ve come to the end of your studies, and you’re worried that you’ve left it all too late – don’t be! You still have time to map out a plan to get you back on the right track. Uni equips you with lots of things – including resilience!

So, even when the weather is conducive to endless days of procrastination, never take your eye off the prize.

Need help? We are here to assist you whatever your stage. We’re open all year round – Christmas shutdown excepted. We also see plenty of Curtin graduates, our services are free for a year after you’ve completed your studies at Curtin.

Curtin students are also welcome to attend our end of semester Graduate Gateway Workshop Series. Come to one session, or come to them all. It’s all going to depend on your size and shape and stage!