Face to face time with employers is priceless

A big piece to the puzzle to landing a great internship or graduate role is to meet employers and get an idea of what they are looking for and where you might fit. This semester we have around 30 employer events planned and we really encourage you to make the most of these opportunities which range from presentations, panels, networking, expos and site visits.

AsureQuality Senior Talent Business Partner Janine Godfrey loves coming to AUT and getting the opportunity to meet students and make connections.

“That face-to-face chat with us is priceless, whether with alumni or myself. It is really helpful for you to find out what an organisation does, what the job application process is like, what is expected of a new graduate and how you feel about our culture,” says Janine, who participated in a recent AUT science career expo.

Third-year marine biology student Jack Lithgow (right) certainly found it worthwhile when he attended the career expo.

“I started chatting to Kirsten at Young Fish Aotearoa who said she’d put me into contact with a couple of people who own oyster farms and hatcheries up past Matakana. I’m looking for an internship as a technician at a farm so this could be a great opportunity,” he says.

Second year medical laboratory science students Sharin Chao and Alex Wang said they stopped at Awanui Lab’s stand because they saw a microscope on the table.
“We started chatting about job options. It really increased our understanding of the roles that are possible depending on the specialisation we do. I understand that much better now I’ve spoken with them,” says Alex.

Auckland Council Principal Specialist of Environmental Monitoring Sian Farrell (below right) says attending campus events offers a great opportunity to find out what students are studying, what they’re interested in and how that would apply to a job.

Sian says a lot of students don’t know about the regulatory side of Auckland Council so coming on campus is also an opportunity to make students aware of the career possibilities within this arm of council.

“The work we do in Environmental Monitoring draws on a wide education and skills base. We hire a lot of people from applied sciences, like conservation, environment science and marine science. Having an understanding of the NZ regulatory system is a bonus but overall we want people with a passion for the natural or built environment.”

Auckland Council is also keen to help students with work experience through internships and graduate programmes, she adds.

Sian is always looking for people who are motivated to learn and good at collaborating and communicating.

“One day you could be talking to a geotechnical engineer and ecologist, another day a manager of a paint manufacturing plant or small scale developer building a house. Communication is essential.”

Demonstrate motivation to learn

So do you show you are motivated to learn through a quick chat at an employer event?

“Introducing yourself and asking questions shows you are willing to put yourself in a new situation and find out new information – and that is showing a willingness to learn,” explains Sian.

She adds that attending employer events also helps you learn about roles and be more confident about applying for them.

How to be remembered at an event

No don’t say something outrageous or you’ll be remembered for the wrong reasons!

Janine says you’ll be noticed if you come and talk to people in roles that interest you and to recruiters for those roles.
“Later, if you can mention in your job interview that you talked to me at the expo, you’ve made a connection,” states Janine.

Another simple tip - introduce yourself!

“Some people are a bit timid, but shake our hands, introduce yourself and tell us what you’re studying. I understand some people are more outgoing than others, but the basics can be done by anyone, introvert or extrovert,” says Janine.

She also advises students to come prepared which means knowing a bit about the organisations you are going to meet.
“Do a bit of homework, go to our website and have a look at our different divisions because that give you a good oversight of what we do and then you can ask us about that.”

How to find out about employer events?

It's easy, just go to Elab Online, sign in with your AUT username and password and then look for Events. Also watch out on our Instagram and Facebook pages for posts about upcoming events.

Look forward to seeing you there!