I’m more than half-way through my degree now and one thing is for certain; employment is around the corner.
I know I want to work for a masters degree in media and communication, but once that’s over, I want to work within the world of advertising and marketing and audience development in the performing arts industry. I love theatre and I want to stick to it for as long as I can.
But one thing I think every student wants to know is, how does the university support us on this journey?
CDES:
CDES is the Career Development and Employability Services of the University of Auckland where they will check over your CV, get you ready for job interviews and can even help you find job opportunities and internships. You have access to CDES throughout your studies at the university along with a couple of years after you graduate which very few universities offer. You really need to take this opportunity to stand out from other candidates when applying for jobs not just after you graduate, but also while you’re study.
Access CDES through here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/student-support/career-development-and-employability-services.html
CAREER 100:
CAREER 100 is a course available for students, which can also be taken as a Gen Ed course. (I recommend you get done as soon as possible. You can check what your programme requirements are on Student Services Online.) I just recently finished this course and have genuinely learnt so much from it, it’s why we’re at university, to get a job with the skills we are trained for, so why not take a course which helps you with this. This course teaches you how to format a CV, perform in a job interview and helps you understand what employers are looking for. You even get to collaborate with a company to work on a real challenge they are facing themselves, when I did it, we worked with Genesis Energy.
Employment and Internship Expos:
CDES sets up expos throughout the year to help us students make connections and even find work. You’re encouraged to come with questions for employers and your CV to make connections and get into people’s good books for when we graduate. Sometimes the expos are general, they’re student jobs or even faculty/major related. it’s the perfect time for you to get yourself out there and make your mark before you even graduate from uni.
Now you know what the university has to offer for employment development! Uni is more than learning skills for a job it’s also the time for you to make connections and preparing you for that next step. So now you know, while you’re studying, get those good grades, but also, make those connections and step yourself up higher against other candidates while applying for work. The university has the facilities to help, use them.