AUT Employability and Careers Info and Advice Blog

Applying for jobs does take time. To put your best self forward and give yourself a decent chance, you need a focused CV and cover letter. Many students question the need for a cover letter. Well, our recent employer survey found that 78.5% of the respondents want a cover letter. Find out more about what they consider a good cover letter.

Are you worried you don't have skills that employers are looking for? You’d be surprised how many skills you’re developing, alongside your technical and professional skills, as you study, work and play. Get some pointers from four employers!

Yep, it is a tough out there. Graduating into a tight market is disheartening. The key is not to wait for the perfect job to appear - instead think outside the square. Look at every opportunity as a way to keep building skills and connections.

What has detective work got to do with getting a job? Well, just like a detective builds up a case by collecting clues and leads, so should you build up information and collect leads when trying to figure out where you’d love to work. By researching, talking to people, and checking out events and organisations, you start to zone in on great job opportunities.

Behavioural interviewing is used in a job interview to discover how you are most likely to act in a specific employment related situation. It focuses on experiences, behaviours, knowledge, skills and abilities. This approach is very popular in New Zealand and is based on the belief that how you responded to situations in the past will predict how you will behave in the future.

Attending career expos widened Andrew Bassett’s horizons and helped him land a full-time graduate role after university with Conservation Volunteers NZ as a volunteer engagement officer. He is loving the role that draws together his passion for animals, nature and science communication.

Internships painted a realistic vivid picture of the workplace for Hannah Stowers, helping her to work out where she wanted to work after graduating. “Internships painted a picture of what I could do and wanted to do,” says Hannah.

Where can AUT students go for help to update CVs, get job interview or job search advice? Where do they go if they are struggling to find their career path or are worried, they’ve made the wrong career decision? Find out here.

Have you ever wondered why your AI-generated seemingly ‘perfect’ CV has been rejected? Well, you’re not the only one. If used wrongly when applying for a job, AI tools can do more harm than good. But it can be a great support tool. Here’s how.

The company, the team and the activities you do in your first job are far more important than the job title. By focusing on workplace skills you can gain, rather than the job title, will make you more agile and attractive to employers, especially if you’re curious and keep learning. Don’t be one of those graduates that ignores great entry level roles because you don’t think the job title is quite right.