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Craft your application

Develop applications that give you the edge

The Career Development team empowers you to craft an application that can boost your chances of being shortlisted by an employer.

Understanding the purpose and strategies behind a successful application is a valuable capability to develop as it will support you well into your career. Whether you have never written a professional application or you are looking to make final adjustments to your tailored application, we can support you on your journey.

 Tailor your application

 Make note of keywords

 Address selection criteria

Resume guide (PDF, 164 KB)

  • Learn the fundamentals of writing an effective resume

Cover Letter (PDF, 90.4 KB)

  • The basics of writing a targeted cover letter

Selection Criteria (PDF, 1.2 MB)

  • Build a professional response to selection criteria

Identify professional phrases (PDF, 57.1 KB)

  • Articulate your experiences and values

Master the elevator pitch (PDF, 88.6 KB)

  • Generate instant interest in your profile

Action verbs (PDF, 51.5 KB)

  • Diversify your language

Resume review checklist (DOCX, 19.8 KB)

  • Make sure you have included these items

Referees (PDF, 63.6 KB)

  • Identify and contact suitable referees

Resume & cover letter examples (PDF, 193.2 KB)

  • Stuck for ideas? Check out these examples

Attend a workshop

View career development workshops to register for our interactive Written Application sessions

Find a workshop

Give yourself the edge

Employability Week

15-19 March
 

Find out more

Upcoming Career Development Workshops and Events

  • Writing Effective Applications

    Starts: 24 Feb 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 24 Feb 2021, 11:00 am
    Join us in this workshop to find out all about how to write an effective résumé that will impress employers.

  • Get the Edge: Develop your Employability (ONLINE)

    Starts: 24 Feb 2021, 2:00 pm
    Finishes: 24 Feb 2021, 3:00 pm
    Information Session on Employability at UQ

  • SSP Project - Co-developing your Project Plan Team Session

    Starts: 25 Feb 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 25 Feb 2021, 11:30 am
    Venue: St Lucia, Forgan Smith Building (1), Room W349
    Remaining places: 18
    This session is for SSP Project Teams to assist in brainstorming their project aims, outcomes and roles and responsibilities. Facilitated by a member of the SSP Team, this session will guide teams through the key conversations that are required to successfully start their projects.

  • Career Planning - Shape Your Career and Plan Your Direction

    Starts: 25 Feb 2021, 1:30 pm
    Finishes: 25 Feb 2021, 2:30 pm
    Venue: Registered students will be sent a Zoom link on the day of the event
    Are you unsure about your career? Come along to this workshop to explore the aspects that determine your career and start to plan your future!

  • Finding Work with Limited Experience

    Starts: 25 Feb 2021, 2:00 pm
    Finishes: 25 Feb 2021, 3:00 pm
    Join us in this workshop to find out how you can find a job without experience!

  • How your HASS Skills can Pay the Bills

    Starts: 25 Feb 2021, 5:00 pm
    Finishes: 25 Feb 2021, 6:00 pm
    Remaining places: 134
    Hear from experts including alumni and industry as they share their experience on career pathways for Humanities and Social Sciences students.

  • Writing Effective Applications

    Starts: 1 Mar 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 1 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Join us in this workshop to find out all about how to write an effective résumé that will impress employers.

  • Kickstart your Career Change with Confidence

    Starts: 2 Mar 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 2 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Venue: St Lucia, To be confirmed
    Remaining places: 36
    This workshop will provide you with the know-how to ensure you do all the right things to develop yourself alongside your studies for your new career pathway!

  • Feedback Series: Getting started with collecting feedback

    Starts: 2 Mar 2021, 12:00 pm
    Finishes: 2 Mar 2021, 1:00 pm
    This session will focus on finding the best strategy for collecting feedback, help you determine if you need ethics, and will provide some top tips to get you started on designing your action plan to collect feedback.

  • Introduction to Australian Workplace Culture

    Starts: 4 Mar 2021, 9:30 am
    Finishes: 4 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Venue: The Zoomlink will be sent one day before the workshop.
    This workshop aims to provide you with an understanding of Australian Workplace Culture, the skills required to succeed and how you can start developing them..

  • Career Planning - Shape Your Career and Plan Your Direction

    Starts: 4 Mar 2021, 1:30 pm
    Finishes: 4 Mar 2021, 2:30 pm
    Venue: Registered students will be sent a Zoom link on the day of the event
    Are you unsure about your career? Come along to this workshop to explore the aspects that determine your career and start to plan your future!

  • Unpack Your Experience

    Starts: 4 Mar 2021, 2:00 pm
    Finishes: 4 Mar 2021, 3:00 pm
    Join us in this workshop to understand how to effectively articulate your experience.

  • Finding Work with Limited Experience

    Starts: 8 Mar 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 8 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Join us in this workshop to find out how you can find a job without experience!

  • Feedback Series: Creating surveys, focus groups & other feedback tools

    Starts: 9 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Finishes: 9 Mar 2021, 1:00 pm
    This session will focus on equipping you with skills to create surveys, write focus group structures and explore other feedback tools. Depending on your needs, you can choose to come to this whole session or part of the session.

  • Create Your Value Proposition

    Starts: 9 Mar 2021, 2:00 pm
    Finishes: 9 Mar 2021, 3:30 pm
    A value proposition is a summary of why an employer should hire you and what makes you a unique candidate for that position. This workshop will unpack how to create an appealing value proposition that will help you in your search for work.

  • Writing Effective Applications

    Starts: 10 Mar 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 10 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Join us in this workshop to find out all about how to write an effective résumé that will impress employers.

  • Impress Employers through Narrative

    Starts: 10 Mar 2021, 10:00 am
    Finishes: 10 Mar 2021, 11:00 am
    Venue: St Lucia, To be confirmed
    Remaining places: 96
    Throughout history and in all cultures we have passed on information and learning through storytelling. Your career journey is no different and it is often difficult to articulate to prospective employers. This session will assist build your own career narrative to engage people in your journey.

  • Career Planning - Shape Your Career and Plan Your Direction

    Starts: 11 Mar 2021, 1:30 pm
    Finishes: 11 Mar 2021, 2:30 pm
    Venue: Registered students will be sent a Zoom link on the day of the event
    Are you unsure about your career? Come along to this workshop to explore the aspects that determine your career and start to plan your future!

  • Job Search + Networking

    Starts: 11 Mar 2021, 2:00 pm
    Finishes: 11 Mar 2021, 3:00 pm
    Finding a job can be a lengthy process. In this workshop we will look at effective methods of finding the job of your dreams.

  • Finding Work with Limited Experience

    Starts: 15 Mar 2021, 2:00 pm
    Finishes: 15 Mar 2021, 3:00 pm
    Join us in this workshop to find out how you can find a job without experience!

What's next?

You've done the hard work, now get the job!
There are many ways to get started on your career path. Here are a few tools to help you kickstart your search.
Virtual Careers Fairs
Looking to explore your opportunities post graduation? The University of Queensland is participating in a number of online Virtual Careers Fairs in 2021 to help give your career a kickstart!