Creating your career starts in first year

Image shows headshot of Shaminie Chetty with another person

EXPERT ADVICE

By Shaminie Chetty, Careers Manager

 

I'm not sure what I want to do after Uni - how can I build my experience and career knowledge?

Whether you're uncertain about your future career or you know exactly what career you would like to pursue, a career coach can help you by providing advice, support, information and assistance to develop a plan of action.  

To start building your career knowledge and experience, follow these simple steps: 

  • Book a coaching session to talk to a UNSW career coach.

  • Visit a careers website, like UNSWCareers, myfuture, and YourCareer. These sites are a treasure trove of information, where you can discover activities and tasks that will be done in a job role, skills and qualifications required, industry insights, and individuals’ career stories.  

  • Conduct an information interview. Interview professionals in the roles you are curious about or may want to pursue – a good starting point is UNSW alumni who work in these jobs. You can also talk to your UNSW lecturers, tutors, and professional staff. Also consider speaking to people working in roles that you are not too keen on, to ensure you're not ruling out an option based on misinformation. 

  • Join a UNSW club or society related to your work area of interest. This is a fun way to find out more about a career path and make friends with people who share the same interests.  

  • Complete an internship or work experience. Gaining experience in a job you would like to pursue will give you insights into what it would be like to work in that role. 

  • Volunteer at a not-for-profit. You will be exposed to how organisations work while giving back to the community. 

Career exploration and development is not just about building experiences and gaining knowledge of the world of work, it’s also about self-awareness. Knowing your skills, values, and motivations, and aligning these to your career, will help you make more effective career decisions. 

 

Why is it important to build my experience from first year?

Building your experience and skills through engaging in extracurricular activities, work experience or volunteering early in your studies enables you to learn more about what you may be doing in the future and what will be expected of you in the workplace. Reflecting on these experiences can help affirm your study and career choices. It can also expose you to other career options, which can increase your chances of securing a job you may be interested in and suitable for. 

Your activities and experiences can also be noted on your resume, as employers look for well-rounded graduates who have participated in more than just academics, and can bring a range of skills and capabilities to the workplace. 

Starting early gives you more time to try activities, develop skills, make friends, and build your network, rather than leaving this to your final year of study.  

 

When should I start considering opportunities like internships or work placements? 

It’s never too early to start considering opportunities to engage in work experience and internships. This will depend on how you have settled into university life and are coping with the demands of your course. Typically, students start engaging in these opportunities in the middle years of study.  

 

How can I start to build my professional network? 

Grow your professional network by talking to people you know about your degree, interests, career aspirations and goals:

  • Speak to family, friends, relatives, and co-workers. Also reach out to your classmates – they may be your fellow professionals in future – and to lecturers and other university staff, who are already professionals in your field. 

  • Participate in programs and activities on campus (and off-campus) to broaden your network.  

  • Create a LinkedIn profile to manage your new connections (our UNSW Employability Careers Team can help). LinkedIn is the preferred professional platform to connect on (unless professionals in your industry engage on other forms of social media). 

 

What advice can you share about resume writing?

Your resume is a promotional document used to market you as a prospective candidate to an employer. It's usually the first interaction you will have with an employer, so it is important to make a good impression.  

A few quick tips to make your resume stand out: 

  • Tailor it to highlight how you meet the requirements of the position.  

  • Ensure your resume focuses on your achievements and highlights your skills and experience with evidence from your activities (clubs, societies, university programs, and community involvement) and work experience (volunteer and part-time work, and internships). 

  • Ensure that your resume is well formatted and easy to read; 2 pages is generally the standard length. 

  • Proofread it for errors before hitting the send button! 

Resume resources: 

 

How can I prepare for professional interviews?

To prepare for interviews, you should: 

  • Read the UNSW Careers Interview Guide. 

  • Be familiar with the requirements of the job and the organisation. 

  • Be aware of the interview process. 

  • Be able to provide evidence for the required skills and experience. 

  • Prepare 1 or 2 questions to ask the interviewer. 

  • Book a coaching session to practice a mock interview with a Career Coach. 

 

I'm looking for career advice, what support is available to me? 

  • Career coaching sessions are available in person or online via Microsoft Teams. Sessions are 20 minutes long and are generally between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday during term and student breaks. 
  • We also offer 30 minute coaching sessions to PhD candidates. 
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion coaching sessions are available for students who may benefit from individualised coaching with the same coach. These sessions run for 30 minutes. 

 

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