Build your skills
Create the perfect resume, get feedback on applications and master the art of the job interview.
Ready to start looking for your ideal role? From helping you craft the perfect application to providing industry insights, Career Development Centre is here to support you every step of the way.
Recognise, develop and articulate the employability skills, strengths and attributes that employers want.
Career planning is a continuing series of decisions made during a career journey as your priorities and opportunities change. Plans assist you in finding out what you're interested in, help you deal with setbacks, and keep you focused on your objective.
If you're unsure about how to get underway, or have reached a point where you're uncertain which way to proceed, MIT Connect offers workshops and resources designed to help you gain clarity and confidence.
Career Planning model
This four-stage planning cycle offers a step-by-guide to career decision-making.
Self awareness
To develop self awareness, consider the following questions in relation to your skills, values, interests and personal style. Your answers could come from your experiences in education, employment, voluntary and community activities, hobbies, sport and recreation.
Skills
- What do you do well?
Values
- Where does work fit in your life?
- What lifestyle do you want?
Interests
- What do you enjoy?
- What past roles, experiences and interests have you enjoyed?
Personal style
- What are your strengths and qualities (for instance, loyalty, commitment, desire to learn)?
Acquire relevant and accurate information on the opportunities available in the occupations and industries that interest you, and conduct an assessment.
Opportunity awareness
Be clear about what you need to know
Develop a list of questions.
Consider:
- job characteristics
- education and training
- the labour market
- career pathways.
Relate these back to your answers to the self awareness questions.
Find relevant, credible information
Use a range of sources including:
- career publications
- career websites
- industry and professional associations
- employers
- course providers
- professional placements (eg Work Integrated Learning)
- careers fairs and events
- newspapers, magazines, TV, radio
- friends and family.
Assess the credibility of the information by thinking about the:
- author: are they an expert on the subject?
- purpose: is it marketing or more objective?
- accuracy: can you check the information?
- content: is it general or detailed? Are all the important issues covered?
- currency: is it up to date?
Consider the information you have collected
What do you think about the information you have collected? What are the key points? Can you see any clear or strong opportunities here?
Decision making and planning
This section is all about setting goals and the choices you make.
Make a decision
Consider your options carefully. You could prioritise or come up with a shortlist. From there, your decision could be based on one or more of these:
- intuition - what feels right
- careful thought
- pros and cons - weighing up the 'for' and 'against'
- advice - talking to others to help you see things clearly
- testing ideas - trying out your decision before committing to it.
Remember, some risk and compromise will be involved in your decision. No one decision can meet all your needs for the rest of your career.
Develop an action plan
Develop a set of goals. They need to be specific and manageable. Break them into short and long-term goals.
Short-term goals are quick, simple activities to get you started. They could include:
- talking to someone about holiday employment in your chosen industry
- joining a professional or industry association as a student member
- going to networking events
- considering postgraduate courses.
Long-term goals are your ultimate career goals - to become a business consultant, a research scientist or a journalist, for instance.
Act on the plan
Start now - do not wait until you finish your course. Use a systematic approach.
Review your plan over time
Over time, things may change. Your interests and values may change. Your chosen field or industry may change. Most people will go through the career planning and review cycle many times in their lives
Transition learning
Take an active approach in applying for jobs by developing these key skills.
Job search
Use online sources, family, friends, networks and newspapers to find out where the jobs are
Resume and cover letter
Write a targeted resume and cover letter for each job you are applying to, complete application forms, respond to key selection criteria.
Job interviews
Be prepared, research the organisation and practice different interview questions
Network
Using your contacts (family, friends, former colleagues or employers), talk to people who work in an occupation of interest to you, cold call - in person or by phone
Mentor/coach
Find a mentor/coach who can use their experience to guide you towards your career goals
Join a professional association
Keep up to date with what's happening in your industry (this can help with applications and interviews) and develop your skills by attending seminars and conferences and make professional connections to extend your network.
Re-evaluate
Career planning is a never ending process and in order to succeed you should always be re-evaluating your current situation and circumstances. Sometimes career plans don't always progress as we would like. You can develop your ability to respond to setbacks and uncertainty by
Work-integrated learning (WIL) provides you with opportunities to integrate academic learning with workplace experience.
Incorporating professional experience in your studies helps you develop employability skills including communication, teamwork, leadership, negotiation and problem-solving. You'll also gain an understanding of the workplace culture and increase your network of contacts.
WIL can take many different forms, including:
- placements
- internships
- Industry based projects
Paid Work experience and Internships
Some organisations provide paid, course-related, work experience opportunities to students.
Companies with formal internship and vacation programs are usually recruiting five or more students at a time. They generally have structured orientation and training programs to assist your transition to the professional workplace and the organisation. These programs are usually run at the end of your penultimate year and often lead to offers of future graduate employment. Closing dates for applications vary and some employers have applications open all year.
You should approach your search for work experience in the same way as searching for any other work, using all job hunting methods including searching advertised positions and indirect approaches ie networking and canvassing employers.
Work Experience Resources
Sources of work experience opportunities and information include:
It's important to use a range of job search strategies to seek out the hidden opportunities.
Job hunting methods
To find a job, best to use all sorts of search strategies. Many positions appear in print newspapers, online publications and company and professional association websites. But most positions do not. You’ll need to look beyond advertised jobs to discover the hidden opportunities.
Browse job listings
MIT Ribit points you towards casual, part-time or vacation work, internships, and graduate roles – here and overseas.
Network
Approach and talk to employers, recruiters and others working within the industry. A good network will help you find jobs through word-of-mouth and referrals.
Make cold calls
Pick up the phone and talk to employers directly. Start with people in your network, especially those working for a company of interest to you.
Use social media
Many platforms advertise jobs. And you can use social media to network and get yourself known. It’s a great way to build your personal brand and professional profile.
Get work experience
Employers often prefer to hire people with previous experience as this demonstrates what you can do. Find out how to get work experience, and the skills employers seek.
Attend a graduate recruitment workshop
Some companies offer structured, professional development programs to broaden your industry experience and advance you to the senior levels of the organisation. Find out more about these graduate positions by attending a workshop.
Online Career Consultations
You can request an appointment with a Career Centre adviser to get help with employability skills, interviewing, or career planning.
You’re already learning valuable employability skills as you study. Use our Ribit online platform to help you track and articulate them for potential employers.
Find out what you need to start your own business.
Starting your own business
Consider being your own boss by starting a business. You could create a new business, buy an existing business or start a franchise. Before starting a business in Australia, you should do some research.
- Business Victoria – Setting up a business
- myfuture – 7 points to consider before starting a small business
- ASIC – Starting a company
Career Development Centre conducts specialised workshops covering the foundations of starting your own business, the skills needed and where to find help.
Be realistic
Know the financial burden and risks and hidden costs before undertaking a business. You may have very little income until the business makes a profit and may be risking your personal assets, or someone else's.
Research statistics on small business statistics e.g. how many small businesses fail each year (business exits).
Get advice and support
Starting a business can be a complex undertaking requiring much research and preparation. There are numerous resources available to assist aspiring entrepreneurs.