Employability and Careers Blog: Info and Advice for AUT Students and Graduates

How do you get a part time job as an international student? That was the question on Arsad Barlaskar’s lips when he first visited AUT Employability and Careers services. He quickly learned how to go about job search in New Zealand and build up successful job searching skills.

Learning how to approach a stranger and strike up a conversation, especially about your career goals and journey, takes a bit of practice. But it is possible.

Throughout the semester employers are invited onto campus for presentations, panels, networking and expos. With around 30 events planned over the semester, we urge students to come and make the most of these opportunities to access employers.

Behavioural interviewing is used in a job interview to discover how you are most likely to act in a specific employment related situation. It focuses on experiences, behaviours, knowledge, skills and abilities. This approach is very popular in New Zealand and is based on the belief that how you responded to situations in the past will predict how you will behave in the future.

Why go to career expos? Because that is where you meet real employers and have real conversations about the world after AUT. Find out more about invaluable advice from employers and insights from students about the value of career expos – and other career events.

International students often tell us they feel very confused when employers say they want NZ work experience, despite the students having a wealth of experience in their own country. We explain what employers are looking for and how you can improve your job search opportunities.

Trying to meet employers and become known outside of AUT can be a difficult thing to contemplate. Here is a way to take small steps to build up confidence and start to interact with lots of different people.

Practising how to network can feel uncomfortable, but if you push through your awkwardness it can pay off, as Lavenia Tailai-Mataitini found when she attended a career expo and learned about the internship she is now undertaking with Auckland Transport.

Wondering how to meet employers? Then make the most of the opportunity to meet a large number of employers on city campus at AUT by attending the upcoming career expos this semester. Are you ready to shine like a peacock at the next career fair? Here are tips on how to put your best foot forward.

Hansani Senadeera landed a great part time job after attending a workshop for job interview practice at the Employability Lab at AUT. She encourages other students to take advantage of these workshops - see what she learned that helped her get a job.