Employability and Careers Blog: Info and Advice for AUT Students and Graduates

Trying to meet employers and become known outside of AUT can be a difficult thing to contemplate. Here is a way to take small steps to build up confidence and start to interact with lots of different people.

Practising how to network can feel uncomfortable, but if you push through your awkwardness it can pay off, as Lavenia Tailai-Mataitini found when she attended a career expo and learned about the internship she is now undertaking with Auckland Transport.

You have a great passion, but not the talent to make it big. Well, not everyone can be the star of the show, but there are plenty of opportunities to make the most of the skills you do have and follow your passion into that world another way. It’s simple!

It can take time to find your place in the world. If you’re feeling unsure about the study you’re undertaking, it is okay to take a deep breath and reflect on what you’re doing. Is it just a difficult point in your study or could there be a better career path for you?  As AUT graduate Jordan Anderson found out, it is better to have a break and work out what you really enjoy,  rather than slog on unhappily.

Helping people through working in recruitment for a social justice organisation ticks all the boxes for Tominika Moa. The AUT Human Resources and Employment Relations graduate works as a HR coordinator at Lifewise. She advises students to not worry about lack of experience when applying for jobs. She applied for all the HR roles she could find even though she had little experience. “Don’t be scared to put yourself out there.”

The role you take as a graduate is often a starting point from where you can develop the transferable skills you need to land the role you dream of. This was certainly the experience of Zymus International applications technologist Roselle Samaratunga.

Why do an employability award when you are already busy with study, sport, family, socialising etc?  Rosemary Heather wondered that too. But when she did check it out, she quickly saw the benefits. Now happily employed as a food science analyst, Rosemary encourages other students to make the most of the award opportunities.

Employers love meeting people who are proactive, curious and well prepared. They will remember you if you take an interest, ask questions and show an understanding of what their organisation does. Over March and April there will be crowds of employers coming on campus to career expos and events to meet you. Here are 6 tips on how to stand out.

Wondering how to meet employers? Then make the most of the opportunity to meet a large number of employers on city campus at AUT by attending the upcoming career expos this semester. Are you ready to shine like a peacock at the next career fair? Here are tips on how to put your best foot forward.

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.