Applying for work

Tailoring your resume for each job application is non-negotiable. Research shows you may only have six seconds to impress an employer. A high quality, tailored application pitched at the right level will be far more successful than submitting a generic resume and hoping for the best.

You can find out more about creating a resume that demonstrates your relevant skills, experience and knowledge by:

• completing the Resume Workbook [.pdf]
• taking Resumes Careers Challenge
• completing the Showcasing Your Skills & Qualities Workbook [.pdf]
• browsing more resume resources on UniHub

Just like your resume, adapting your cover letter for each application is essential. A well written cover letter provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate to a prospective employer your suitability and motivation for a position.

You can find out more about the importance of tailoring your letter, how to address selection criteria in a cover letter, as well as how to avoid common letter writing mistakes by:

• completing the Cover Letter Workbook [.pdf]
• taking the Cover Letters Careers Challenge
• reading Common Grammatical Errors in Job Applications [.pdf]
• browsing more cover letter resources on UniHub

If selection criteria are part of a job application, they will be the primary focus in the initial selection process, so it is important to address them carefully. Addressing selection criteria is often the most difficult part of writing a job application, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can find out more about putting together strong evidence that demonstrates how you meet the selection criteria being sought by:

• completing the Selection Criteria Workbook [.pdf]
• taking the Selection Criteria Careers Challenge
• browsing more selection criteria resources on UniHub

How you prepare for an interview, including practicing your interview technique, will be the strongest single determining factor in your success. You need to present your skills and attributes to an employer in a way that sets you apart from other candidates, and convinces them that you’re the best person for the job, whether the interview is in-person or online.

To be able to successfully communicate your suitability for a role in an interview takes practice, and you can find out more about how to prepare by:

• completing the Interview Workbook [.pdf]
• taking the Interviews Careers Challenge
• watching Video Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts
• browsing more interview resources on UniHub

You can also practice your interview technique using the Practice Video Interviews available through UniHub. Complete one of the recommended videos or create one of your own.

Graduate recruiters commonly use psychometric testing at the early stage of their recruitment process to produce objective data for the comparison of applicants. Psychometrics are used to measure knowledge, abilities, attitudes, personality traits and educational history through the use of questionnaires, tests and personality assessments.

You can familiarise yourself with the format and types of questions being used by:

• reading Psychometrics [.pdf]
• accessing practice psychometric tests online

Assessment centres are generally used by large companies as part of their selection process for graduate positions. The purpose of assessment centres is to evaluate your behaviour through a series of exercises and activities in a simulated business environment.

You can learn more about what assessment centres involve, and how best to demonstrate your true potential, by:

• reading Assessment Centres [.pdf]
• taking the Teamwork Leadership Challenge