Looking for your first Australian job

Start with the work you can actually fit around your life. A role across the city with late finishes may be harder to sustain than a less glamorous job near campus.

Decide what you can offer

Write down your availability, travel range and examples of experience. Previous work overseas, volunteering and group projects can all give you material for explaining how you solve problems or work with others. Check your own work permission before applying.

Make your resume easy to scan

Put contact details, relevant skills and recent experience near the top. Describe what you did using concrete examples. Tailor the opening section to the role rather than sending the same introduction everywhere. Ask your institution’s careers service whether it offers resume feedback.

Keep a small application tracker

Record the role, employer, date, contact and next step. Save the advertisement so you can prepare if an interview arrives. Use the employer’s verified website to check unfamiliar listings before sharing sensitive documents.

Before saying yes

Ask about duties, employment type, hours and pay. Understand whether a proposed trial is paid and what it involves. Read our first-shift checklist before your start date.

Further reading: Study Australia’s work hub (opens in a new tab). For employment rights use Fair Work’s information for visa holders and migrants (opens in a new tab).