International student finds feet through Employability and Careers

When international student Arsad Barlaskar went to AUT Employability and Careers services, he assumed they would have lists of jobs he could apply for, but he quickly realised that wasn’t the case.

“Instead, I learned how to go about job searching in New Zealand and get a sense of the work culture here. That really helped me understand how to look for work, including creating a good CV and LinkedIn profile,” says Arsad, who is studying a Master of Business in Management at AUT.

The first workshop Arsad signed up for was an online CV workshop. He worked on several drafts of his CV, using the CV drop box and meeting in person with employability and careers specialist Naufa Abdul Sattar. Arsad also attended a LinkedIn workshop and workshops on networking. He says the networking workshops encouraged him to attend events, something he’d been very unsure about doing initially.

“It pushes you outside your comfort zone and makes you vulnerable. I remember going to an event where there were 90 or 100 people, and most of them were strangers. Having to go up and talk to them was quite difficult. But as you keep going you really do gain some confidence. The advice from Employability was to be yourself and try to make just one connection at each event, and that did work for me.”

His growing confidence in networking helped him find a part-time job. He was chatting with a fellow student about looking for work, and she told him there was a part-time role coming up where she worked at Cityhop Car Share, part of Toyota Financial Services. Arsad applied and got the job. Bingo! 
“Networking and building connections was what made the difference to me getting my first part-time job. The importance of networking is one of the main messages that comes from the Employability and Careers workshops,” he says.

Another workshop Arsad really enjoyed was one on New Zealand’s work culture. After attending the workshop, he started to realise that people were genuine in their interest in what their teammates and colleagues did, such as when asking about what they did over the weekends. Rugby was a common conversation topic.

“This got me interested in the Blues (rugby), and so I went to a game with my colleagues. It was good to take part and share in that.”

Arsad also enrolled in the Beyond AUT Award, an employability award run by Employability and Careers for postgraduate students (the AUT Edge Award is also offered for undergraduate students). The awards require students to volunteer, undertake leadership activities, and attend workshops, including networking, LinkedIn and CV writing.

“I feel more students should be aware of the AUT Edge & Beyond AUT Awards. The networking events and workshops are very beneficial in terms of helping students be aware of what to expect after graduation, and they help students stand out from their peers during job search” explains Arsad.  
Arsad is also a big fan of Brightside, saying a Brightside session on building confidence and connections was also a big help to him. He now volunteers for Brightside.

“These services have really helped me understand what the work culture in New Zealand is, how I need to carry myself, and how I communicate with others.”

He came to New Zealand to study after falling in love with Auckland while visiting in 2023. His original plan had been to do his postgraduate study in the United Kingdom.

Tips

• Go to the Employability and Careers service with an open mind – don’t expect them to hand out jobs – but they will help you put your best foot forward.

• It is important to create an NZ-style CV that includes past experiences and fits the job that you’re applying for.

• Networking really helps your job search, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.

• As an international student, be curious about the differences in culture, language and behaviour in New Zealand. It really has a huge impact on how quickly you settle in a new country.

• Check out the AUT Edge and Beyond AUT employability awards and learn how these can help you stand out in the job market.