Top Tip of the Week

Interview clothing support initiatives

Interviews are nerve-wracking enough without the added worry of what to wear. However, your outfit is definitely worth thinking about, as the way you dress is likely to make an impression on your employer. This doesn’t mean that they’re solely judging you on your appearance, but if you’ve made an effort to look smart for an interview, it demonstrates that you care about the position and have taken time to prepare yourself.

So, how should you dress?

Obviously, not all workplaces enforce the same dress code. Try and research the company’s culture and what their employees generally wear. A good rule of thumb is to dress slightly smarter than your research shows. It’s about making that all-important first impression and doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be dressing that way forever.

With this in mind, it might seem like a waste of time and money to invest in clothes just for the purpose of an interview. However, if staff at the company really do all wear formal attire and you turn up in a T-shirt then you put yourself at an immediate disadvantage.

Fortunately, one solution to the question of whether to spend money on interview clothing, is to consider hiring a suit or smart outfit. This can be a less expensive alternative to buying clothes. Many formalwear shops on the high street and online offer this service. Do some research of what’s available near you. It’s worth contacting them as far in advance of your interview date as you can, as they may have limited stock available in your size.

If hiring clothing is out of your budget, fear not. There are programs out there to help you succeed and get access to smart clothing for free. Non-profit organisations have become aware of the difficulty those who are unemployed or on low incomes have in finding the resources they need. Here are some of the main ones:

Fitted for Work gives women access to smart clothing in preparation for interviews. Their team have helped 30,000 women since 2005. Fitted for Work offers virtual appointments so you can access it anywhere in Australia. It also works through referrals but is open to a wide range of organisations referring clients. You can be referred by your university, a TAFE institution, a community centre, a job services agency, an LGBTQI+ organisation or a variety of different women’s services.

Thread Together is another charity kitting out those in need with appropriate interview clothing. It has two clothing hubs located in Canberra and Sydney which are stocked with brand-new clothing. You’ll need a referral to use one of these, and may be required to book an appointment, but once you’re there you will have the chance to try on and choose the interview clothing right for you!

It may not seem that important, but turning up to an interview in the right outfit can really help bolster your confidence, so take advantage of the resources out there to help you succeed.

Reference: AbIntegro, https://mquniversity.careercentre.me/u/gj0ek92d

Jobs of the Week

Graduate Opportunities

TransGrid Graduate Programs - TransGrid - Sydney

Join a collaborative environment where new ideas are encouraged, and where you will have opportunities to develop and achieve your full potential. If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, check out TransGrid’s Graduate Programs:

• Health, Safety & Environment
• Construction and / or Project Management
• Engineering
• Strategy, Innovation and Technology
• Marketing & Communication

Applications close 30 October or 7 November 2021.

Legal Graduate Program - LegalVision - Sydney

Join us to kick start your career in law as a graduate at LegalVision! You will have the opportunity to receive comprehensive formal and on-the-job training focused on technical legal knowledge, matter management, and client service to give you a strong understanding of the legal needs of Australian Businesses, in order to provide pragmatic advice.

Our January 2022 graduate intake will include full-time, permanent roles in the following areas:

• Corporate
• Commercial Contacts (including IT and Privacy)
• Franchising and Leasing
• Employment
• Trade Marks

Applications close 31 October 2021.

Retail Operations Officer - Entry Level - Allied Credit Group - Macquarie Park

As a Retail Operations Officer, you will support the Retail Operations Team with administration and processing activities for the setup and ongoing maintenance of Introducers and Business Managers, as well as supporting complaints management. Candidates with financial service and personal lending knowledge, strong communication skills, high level of attention to detail and accuracy, and strong proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe are encouraged to apply.

Applications close on 9 November 2021.

Marketing Internships - GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare - Ermington

We have two full-time 12-month opportunities available for Marketing Internships within Consumer Healthcare. These internships are offered as part of our Industry Based Learning program and will give you 12 months of meaningful work experience to kick start your career from January 2022.

Applications close 30 November 2021.

Opportunities for Domestic and International Students

UX Consultant - UX Connections - Sydney

We’re looking for a curious, dedicated, and inventive researcher and designer to join our creative team. You’ll be joining ‘on the ground floor’ of our young company and be pivotal to its future success. We are looking for psychology, design, or computer science graduates who have basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, Photoshop, Illustrator, and other technologies.

Applications close 2 May 2022.

Sales and Marketing Manager - UX Connections - Sydney

We’re looking for a conscientious, proactive, and competent person to join our new department. You’ll be joining ‘on the ground floor’ of our young company and developing sales and marketing initiatives. We are looking for marketing, business, or humanities degree graduates who have a strong knowledge of using different social media platforms, Microsoft applications and the Adobe Suite.

Applications close 27 May 2022.

Kumon Educational Centre Assistant - KUMON Australia and New Zealand - West Ryde 

Do you love working with children? Do you have a passion for education? Kumon West Ryde Education Centre offer students of all ages individualised study programs in Mathematics and English. Currently, we are seeking a member to assist in the operations of its education centre.

Applications close 29 October 2021.

Student Support - Admin - Dymocks Tutoring - Burwood and Parramatta

Dymocks Tutoring is looking to be the market leader in tutoring services for Primary and High School students. We are looking for a professional administration officer. This role is perfect for someone with experience in customer service and related administration.

Application close 12 December 2021.

Casual/Part Time Employment Opportunities

Customer Service Coordinator - Partizan Health Operations - North Sydney

In this role you will be responsible for taking inbound calls and efficiently following up on enquiries, making scheduled outbound calls to patients, pharmacies and clinics to collect data required to run the program. This is a great opportunity for someone who is keen to develop their customer service and administration work skills in a fun and close-knit, team environment while helping improve people’s health.

Applications close 7 November 2021.

Personal / Legal Assistant - David Weinberger - Sydney

As part of this role, you will assist and work alongside a barrister in chambers located next to the Supreme Court of NSW. Over time, you will also be provided with the opportunity to assist in drafting advice, submissions, pleadings, and other court documents. Only candidates who are available to work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays will be considered.

Applications close 5 November 2021.

Office Administration Staff - Pearlie Ho - North Ryde

We are looking for casual office administration staff to work up to 2 days a week. This position is suitable for a candidate who has exceptional phone manner, great computer skills, able to maintain billing system, and coordinate office functions.

Applications close 8 November 2021.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteer Retail Assistant – Save the Children - Various Suburbs in Metropolitan and Regional New South Wales

We are looking for reliable and highly organised volunteers to work a minimum of 4 shifts per week as a Retail Assistant. You will have the opportunity to learn some new skills for retail in merchandising, customer service, stock management, warehouse skills in stock quality inspection, warehouse organisation and in the office, skills around basic ecommerce platforms, general admin processors etc.

Applications close 31 December 2021.

Events of the Week

Check out these great events!

Resume and Cover Letter Essentials Workshop, Thu 14 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, and Tue 19 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Learn what employers are looking for in a resume and get some top tips so you can update your resume to reflect your experience and studies! You will also learn how to construct a good cover letter.

Internship and Mentoring programs for students with disability, Thu 14 Oct 2021, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Learn about Australian Network on Disability's dynamic PACE mentoring program and Stepping Into paid internship opportunities.

• Stepping Into is a paid internship program for university students with disability who want to gain paid, hands-on work experience in their chosen field of study.
• PACE is a dynamic mentoring program, which offers students with disability the opportunity to develop their skills and confidence in a workplace setting.

Chartered Accountants ANZ: Catalyst's Emerging Technology Start Up Pitch Night, Thu 14 Oct 2021, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - The event will see 4 - 6 start-ups demonstrating their proposition with passion. It is an opportunity for you to hear from entrepreneurs about emerging technology, get first-hand experience of a virtual "Shark Tank-style" pitch event and learn tips on how to build winning pitches.

Perfect your Elevator Pitch drop-in session, Fri 15 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm - Come along to this 30-minute drop-in session to pick up tips and get the chance to practice delivering your elevator pitch to other students. Your elevator pitch is your 30-second statement about YOU! This will help you build your network and develop your professional brand.

Career Options - planning your career, Fri 15 Oct 2021, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - If you don’t know what you want to do, settling on a career path can be really daunting. This workshop will help you to figure out your best options.

Paid Internships in IT Consulting with InfoSys, Tue 19 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Start your career with a global IT consultant with InfoSys. They're offering paid internships this Summer to domestic students. Successful interns from their InStep program can go onto receive permanent roles after graduation. Relevant degrees include Computing, IT, and Data Science.

Macquarie Student Employment Fast Track Workshop, Tue 19 Oct 2021, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm – Our Fast Track Workshop will give you tools and insights to start you on your journey to meaningful paid employment on and off campus.

Future Ready Series Sessions, Tue 19 Oct 2021, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm and Thu 21 Oct 2021, 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm - Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand are excited to announce their two-part virtual Future Ready Series. This is open to students studying at a tertiary level and is a great opportunity for them to discover their hidden strengths and empower them to use their skills in their job search. During Session 1, hear from Magical Learning to think about your strengths and weaknesses. In Session 2, learn more about digital storytelling from LinkedIn Ninja. Register before Tuesday 19 October.

Drop-in resume help for international students, Tue 19 Oct 2021, 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm - International students are invited to our weekly Resume drop-in session. While we won't be able to fully review your resume during this session, come along and get questions about your resume answered!

Graduate Occupational Therapist Careers Evening, Tue 19 Oct 2021, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - We’re hosting a careers evening just for you, so that you can hear what it’s like to work in the disability sector, and specifically what it’s like to work in the social model of support. This is the perfect opportunity to ask those questions you’ve been wondering about and hear from other graduates who were in your position twelve months ago.

Employer Speed Networking Event (Hong Kong), Tue 19 Oct 2021, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Connect meaningfully with top Hong Kong graduate employers at a virtual speed networking event! Hosted live on Airmeet, you'll be able to jump into the unique ‘Networking Lounge’ feature to speak directly with employer representatives. Come prepared and energized to ask all your questions about graduate programs, internships, and career advice!

Insights into HSBC Asset Management, Tue 19 Oct 2021, 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm - Join our virtual Career Information Session to learn more about starting your career at HSBC in Hong Kong. This is a unique opportunity for penultimate and final year university students studying at a recognised university around the world, to learn more about life at HSBC.

ANSTO Innovation Series: The Future of Battery Power, Wed 20 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Hear from science broadcaster Lee Constable about the Future of Battery Power. This virtual event will cover areas such as the efficient and sustainable extraction of minerals for battery-ready products and storage, and more!

Exploring Tech Careers with FDM, Wed 20 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - We Invite You to Join this Free, Live Online Event! Over one packed hour you’ll learn the who, what and where of a career in IT. And, most importantly, how easily you can be a part of it.

Explore Citi Careers - Meet Our Senior Leaders, Wed 20 Oct 2021, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm - Get to know Citi's businesses and gain insights into our programs. Register now and join us at our online info session to explore your opportunities.

Backpack to Briefcase Series - Virtual Beer with the Boss, Wed 20 Oct 2021, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm - Join us for the Backpack to Briefcase Series - Virtual Beer with the Boss and connect with our fantastic line-up of ‘bosses’. Hear from senior alumni with impressive job titles and even more impressive career journeys.

Interview Skills, Thu 21 Oct 2021, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - This workshop will help you in approaching those difficult questions and how to bring out your best qualities in an interview situation. We will focus primarily on one-to-one interviews, but can also discuss group interviews, video interviews, phone interviews, and other types of interviewing.

Insights into HSBC Wealth and Personal Banking, Thu 21 Oct 2021, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Join our virtual Career Information Session to learn more about starting your career at HSBC in Hong Kong. This is a unique opportunity for penultimate and final year university students studying at a recognised university around the world, to learn more about life at HSBC.

Graduate Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist Recruitment Evening, Thu 21 Oct 2021, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm - Mobile Rehab is hosting a Graduate Recruitment evening for students in their final year of study of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. Zoom will be available for attendees from outside of Brisbane.

Medibank / Healthstrong Graduate Information Session, Fri 22 Oct 2021, 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm - A career with HealthStrong is one that is unique and offers a career pathway that will allow you the opportunity to diversify your experience as a Practitioner. Being a part of the Medibank Group means the opportunities are endless! Register to find out more!

Develop your Employabilty Skills

Learn Emotional Intelligence, the Key Determiner of Success

Daniel Goleman explores emotional intelligence

Explore the four domains of emotional intelligence:

1. self-awareness
2. self-management
3. social awareness
4. relationship management

Learn how to become more mindful of your strengths, limitations, and the values that define them; explore ways to create space between yourself, your thoughts, and your emotions; develop awareness of how people see the world differently based on individual preferences, as well as social and environmental factors; and use awareness of self and others to work toward collaboration, innovation, and mutually beneficial relationships.

Dealing with Difficult People in Your Office

Ten types of difficult people

Difficult people are everywhere—including your office. In this course, psychiatrist Jody Foster offers advice for handling the distinct kinds of difficult people in your workplace. Jody explains how to spot the 10 personality types of difficult people, from narcissists to bean counters.

Jody lays out some simple rules of engagement, which you can use to make sure everyone knows what is expected in the workplace. She also explains how to conduct a self-assessment to make sure you’re not the one who may be causing the problems. Plus, get tips for transitioning to a different work environment and having the difficult conversations required to change the one you’re in.

Careers News

NSW Government Graduate Programs and Internships

Some exciting news! The NSW Government Graduate Programs and Internships have just launched an economics module on our virtual internship program which complements their existing policy, digital, data analysis and legal modules.

In the new economics module, students learn what it’s like to be an economist for NSW Government and learn how to do key activities such as reviewing a business proposal and doing a cost-benefit analysis. Any student interested in working for NSW Government can enrol into our virtual internship program via GradConnection. It might spark students interest in applying to the 2023 NSW Government Graduate Program, where they can nominate their interest in economics work.

Work experience pathways with Australian Government Services Australia

Australian Government Services Australia have work experience pathways for high school and university students. You’ll get a chance to develop your skills while working on a variety of tasks. You’ll also gain a greater understanding of our agency and the public service. Placements available in wide-ranging industries including marketing, IT, legal and social work.

Placements are unpaid and run for 5 days on a full time or part time basis. Full time placements run for 5 consecutive business days. Part time placements run for 5 days spread over a maximum of 5 weeks.

Virtual Internships with Forage

Macquarie University has partnered with Forage to provide you with opportunities to experience work at top companies.

Virtual Work Experience Programs on Forage have been are designed to help students at all academic levels. By completing a Forage Virtual Internship you will:

• Have a risk-free opportunity to try out a career in a leading firm; and
• Build the skills and confidence that will set you up for success as you move from the world of study to the world of work.

The best part is, Virtual Internships are truly digital, so you can complete them in your own time, from anywhere in the world.

After you complete a virtual internship on Forage you will be able to share your experience on your resume or your LinkedIn profile.

These online programs are built and endorsed by leading companies and are free for students, including international students. They contain a series of resources and tasks designed to simulate the real-world experience of starting or pivoting your career. Students also have the opportunity to connect with the employers and learn about their unique company cultures.

Some of the leading companies on Forage include:

• BCG Strategy Consulting Virtual Experience Program
• King & Wood Mallesons Corporate Law Virtual Experience Program
• Grant Thornton Audit Virtual Experience
• MinterEllison Virtual Internship
• Y Combinator – Learn how to work at a YC startup
• H2 Ventures Venture Capital Virtual Internship
• Arnold Bloch Leibler M&A Challenge Virtual Internship.

Virtual Experiences with GradAustralia

GradAustralia provides the opportunity for students to explore Virtual Experiences to get first-hand insight on what the work is like as a graduate at these participating companies. This new feature can help you understand what graduates actually do on the job on some of the leading employers in Australia!

Browse through virtual experiences from various employers from different fields. This is a great opportunity for you, regardless of your degree, prior experience, location or year group, to do real-work examples as if you were on the job at a leading graduate employer. There are virtual experiences available for all students and recent graduates, including international students.