It’s a common misconception that university students should start thinking about employment in their penultimate year of study. Instead, the preparation for employment should start at the very beginning of the university experience.

We asked Student Employment Coordinator at Macquarie University, and former Talent Acquisition Specialist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Rebecca von Mallesch, for her top tips for graduate employment success.

1. Start preparing from day one of your degree

The start of any new endeavour can be overwhelming and university is no exception. There are units to select, societies to join, teachers to meet and lectures to attend, so it’s understandable that getting a job is not immediately on your to-do list. But from day one, your preparation for employment has already begun and most universities help you along the way.

At Macquarie Business School, for example, our Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Commerce degrees have dedicated leadership and employability units embedded in the first and second years of study. These units aim to provide you with a broad range of professional skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership and negotiation that will help you throughout your future career.

In addition to this embedded help, it is wise to familiarise yourself with the graduate hiring calendar. Knowing key dates will allow you to work backwards to ensure you have your resume and a bank of experience ready to show when you are presented with opportunities to connect with industry.

From day one you can also grow your collection of experiences with extra-curricular activities such as membership of a relevant club, community involvement or participation in university events. Even if your activity is not career-related, these experiences allow you to practice your skills, and they signal to employers that you are enthusiastic and can work as part of a team.

2. Do your research

As a Student Employment Coordinator, my job is to prepare and guide students through career planning and recruitment. I always give this advice to any student who is planning to apply for a job: be able to answer these five questions about the employers that you are submitting your application to.

• Who are their customers and markets?
• What products or services do they provide?
• What challenges and opportunities do they face?
• How can my skills be applied at this organisation?
• Why do I want to work for this organisation?

These questions work for the private and government sector and all employers, large and small. If the organisation has an annual report available, glance through it at a minimum.

This preparation provides you with an understanding of the organisation and the gaps you may be able to fill. Harness this knowledge and clearly address your competitive advantage for the role.

3. Customise every application

Time is limited, I get that. But, making the extra effort to customise your application for every single employer really indicates to the recruiter you are passionate about the desired role. Remember that the person reading your resume will see at least 10 other applications with similar qualifications and academic results to you. So, draw upon your research and tailor your resume accordingly. You may have a few job adverts and three slightly different resumes.

It should be obvious to the employer that you have amended your resume for their vacancy, and it shows them that you are likely to be a conscientious, engaged employee.

4. Have someone review your resume

Don’t be shy about this. Take it to a friend or a professional at the Careers Team. Get them to read the job advertisement and the resume to make sure the selection criteria are addressed.

A spelling and grammar check also goes a long way.

5. Practice makes perfect – take advantage of practice tests and workshops

It is likely that you will be required to complete an assessment test involving inductive, abstract, numerical or critical reasoning. Practice your skills in these areas to ensure you are comfortable when completing the actual assessments.

For Macquarie University students, I encourage you to visit the online assessment practice tests on the My MQ Career Zone Page at Employability Connect. Here, you can review the corrections to answers so you can improve for next time.

If you see an opportunity to attend a mock assessment centre workshop, sign up! This is another great way to practice your skills.

6. Treat video interviews with the same seriousness as face-to-face

Increasingly, we are seeing interviews being conducted over video and it can be confusing to know how to make a good impression without meeting in person.

My tip is to treat video interviews with an equal amount of seriousness to face-to-face interviews. Ensure you have a quiet space with an appropriate background and good lighting. Use a good quality headset, exude confidence, and be relaxed.

Remember, an interview, regardless of its format, is an opportunity for you to present your skills, demonstrate your experience and showcase your personality – try to match the formality to make a connection with the person you are speaking to.

Macquarie University students can utilise the MQ Career Zone at Employability Connect to practice video interviewing skills.

7.  Accelerate in your penultimate year

Start searching and applying for internships and vacation roles in February and March of your penultimate year and make it a habit to continue until you find your graduate role. The more job adverts you read; the more information you will have about the type of opportunities that exist for you. If those opportunities don’t align with your career aspirations, that’s OK, at least you are informed and have crossed them off the list. It’s better than missing the closing date.While you are scrolling away, take time to read about the different roles that you might like to apply for in your final year and take note of them. You can also follow these organisations on LinkedIn or pre-register to be notified when the program opens.

8. Manners and professional etiquette are important

When you start receiving responses to job applications, think of each interaction as a relationship building exercise. Communicate to employers. Let them know if you are no longer interested in an opportunity and give them sufficient notice if you need to reschedule.

Be honest, open and professional. Even simple gestures like a thank you at the end of an interview speaks to your character – an important gauge of whether you are the correct fit for an organisation.

9. Be bold, be unique, stand out

You may be asking yourself why are there only nine tips in this article? It’s a reminder to stand out and dare to be different. The quality of university graduates is high and new talent is in demand. What we teach at Macquarie is your unique ambition is an essential part of the formula to success. Be confident in your expertise and ensure that shines at every opportunity.

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Interested in more information about how we support our students to achieve employment success? Visit mq.edu.au/business/ipp to find out more and connect with the Macquarie Business School engagement team.