The truth about your career planLet’s separate fact from fiction…

3RD/4TH YEAR OR EQUIVALENT

Congratulations! You’re on the downhill run, completing the final year of your degree … Yippeee!!!

But that doesn’t mean that you should take your foot off the pedal, especially when it comes to your career.

It’s time to dive right in!The truth is that there are many things that you can be doing to

boost your employment opportunities and kick-start your career. Your final year of study is the perfect time to ensure that you have all of the tools in your career toolkit sharpened, shiny and ready to go!

Let’s bust some myths about career planning in your final year of study.

Ready, set, GO!

Congratulations! You’re on the downhill run, completing the final year of your degree … Yippeee!!!

But that doesn’t mean that you should take your foot off the pedal, especially when it comes to your career.

It’s time to dive right in!The truth is that there are many things that you can be doing to

boost your employment opportunities and kick-start your career. Your final year of study is the perfect time to ensure that you have all of the tools in your career toolkit sharpened, shiny and ready to go!

Let’s bust some myths about career planning in your final year of study.

Ready, set, GO!

True or false?

No-one actually reads the cover letter.

False

‘One-third of employers will ALWAYS read it, one-third might read it if it catches their immediate attention, and yes, one-third of

employers will not read it.’

Source: Cover Letter Magic, 4th edition.

But how do you know who’s who?

That’s right, you have no way of knowing, so all of your cover letters need to

be authentic and engaging.

So, how do you write an authentic and engaging cover letter?You can engage the reader by personalising your cover letter towards the organisation that you are seeking employment with.

This means doing some research.

By checking out the organisation’s website, annual reports, staff profiles, brochures, social media profiles etc. you can get a good feel for the organisation and its people. This is a great exercise in itself, after all, you want to know about the company that you could become a part of.

A cover letter should complement, not duplicate your resume. It should explain why you’re interested in the organisation, identify your most relevant skills and experience and express interest and knowledge about the position and company. It’s also a great way to inject some personality into your application and to show why you would be an excellent candidate.

Remember to be authentic, that way you won’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not if you make it to an interview, or better still…get the job!

Tip: Check out the CareerHub to find out how to boost your employment opportunities with your cover letter, resume, job application, selection criteria and more.

So, how do you write an authentic and engaging cover letter?You can engage the reader by personalising your cover letter towards the organisation that you are seeking employment with.

This means doing some research.

By checking out the organisation’s website, annual reports, staff profiles, brochures, social media profiles etc. you can get a good feel for the organisation and its people. This is a great exercise in itself. After all, you want to know about the company that you could become a part of.

A cover letter should complement, not duplicate your résumé. It should explain why you’re interested in the organisation, identify your most relevant skills and experience and express interest and knowledge about the position and company. It’s also a great way to inject some personality into your application and to show why you would be an excellent candidate.

Remember to be authentic, that way you won’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not if you make it to an interview, or better still…get the job!

Tip: Check out the CareerHub to find out how to boost your employment opportunities with your cover letter, resume, job application, selection criteria and more.

So, how do you write an authentic and engaging cover letter?You can engage the reader by personalising your cover letter towards the organisation that you are seeking employment with.

This means doing some research.

By checking out the organisation’s website, annual reports, staff profiles, brochures, social media profiles etc. you can get a good feel for the organisation and its people. This is a great exercise in itself. After all, you want to know about the company that you could become a part of.

A cover letter should complement, not duplicate your résumé. It should explain why you’re interested in the organisation, identify your most relevant skills and experience and express interest and knowledge about the position and company. It’s also a great way to inject some personality into your application and to show why you would be an excellent candidate.

Remember to be authentic. That way, you won’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not if you make it to an interview, or better still … get the job!

Tip: Check out the CareerHub to find out how to boost your employment opportunities with your cover letter, résumé, job application, selection criteria and more.

True or false?

I have a degree, and that is all I have to offer.

False

You have ‘You Pty Ltd’… You can promote yourself!

Yes, that’s right.

In fact, during your final year at uni we strongly encourage you to learn how to effectively and confidently promote yourself.

By the way, promoting yourself does not mean being arrogant, just confident in who you are.

It’s important that you have confidence in your skills, abilities and experience, so that you can let potential employers know exactly why you could make a great addition to their organisation.

Marketing plays a huge role when it comes to selling any product successfully.

The same applies when it comes to promoting yourself. Getting that job depends on your ability to convince an employer that you have the skills and qualities that they are looking for.

And remember, just like any great salesperson, focus on selling benefits, not features. For example, you can tell a prospective employer about your impressive grade point average, but you also need to let them know how your education and experience will benefit them. If you were hired, how could your education, experience, and personal qualities make a difference to their company?

Tip: It is recommended that you make contact with USQ’s Career Development Team at Student Services to help you create the most important marketing plan ever – You Pty Ltd!

Marketing plays a huge role when it comes to selling any product successfully.

The same applies when it comes to promoting yourself. Getting that job depends on your ability to convince an employer that you have the skills and qualities that they are looking for.

And remember, just like any great salesperson, focus on selling benefits, not features. For example, you can tell a prospective employer about your impressive grade point average, but you also need to let them know how your education and experience will benefit them. If you were hired, how could your education, experience and personal qualities make a difference to their company?

Tip: It is recommended that you make contact with USQ’s Career Development Team at Student Services to help you create the most important marketing plan ever – You Pty Ltd!

Marketing plays a huge role when it comes to selling any product successfully.

The same applies when it comes to promoting yourself. Getting that job depends on your ability to convince an employer that you have the skills and qualities that they are looking for.

And remember, just like any great salesperson, focus on selling benefits, not features. For example, you can tell a prospective employer about your impressive grade point average, but you also need to let them know how your education and experience will benefit them. If you were hired, how could your education, experience and personal qualities make a difference to their company?

Tip: It is recommended that you make contact with a USQ Career Development Practitioner at Student Services to help you create the most important marketing plan ever — You Pty Ltd!

True or false?

Your ability to ‘make friends’ and ‘influence people’ can have a massive impact on your future career.

True

In fact, according to Dale Carnegie, author of the world-famous book How to win friends and influence people, your leadership

and people skills have a far greater impact on your financial success than your technical knowledge.

You might think that’s a pretty broad statement to make, so let’s break it down a little …

Before you can ask a favour, you must first make a friend by establishing a relationship based on mutual trust, respect and established credibility. Take a genuine interest in those you meet and invest the time to understand what inspires and motivates them.

Attending industry and networking events will provide you with many opportunities to make friends. Put your best foot forward at these events and make the most of the opportunity to develop and hone your people skills.

Before you ask a favour, you must first make a friend.

Attending industry and networking events will provide you with many opportunities to make friends. And don’t forget, first impressions really count, so make sure that you put your best foot forward when you attend these events.

True or false?

No-one else is interested in where my career is headed.

False

The USQ team are super-excited and very interested

in your future success!

Though the person who should be most interested in where your career is headed is you!

Taking ownership of your career is crucial, especially in your final year at uni.

USQ’s Student Services team are dedicated to helping you achieve your career goals and supporting you along the way, but ultimately, the responsibility lies with you.

The final year of your degree is a busy and exciting time.

As you approach the transition from study to work, we recommend that you:

• sharpen the tools in your career toolkit • get comfortable with promoting yourself• network, network, network — practise making friends and influencing people• check in with USQ’s Student Services team.

Grab hold of every opportunity that comes your way.

‘The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race.’

Source: Unknown.

CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 29.8.4 02.2017

social.usq.edu.au

For more advice, resources and support to help you plan your dream career, connect with the USQ Student Services team online or at your nearest campus.