Getting a job
Including an accounting major in your degree will increase the range of potential jobs available to you. It is also a great selling point on your resume, regardless of where you end up working.
No career decisions you make now will be irreversible, but a bit of forethought and planning will make the transition to the workforce a positive experience.
Preparation
- Have an effective resume that you can continuously update.
- Develop the outline of a covering letter you send with your resume when applying for jobs — and adapt this letter to positions you are applying for.
- Have an idea of what sort of jobs you want to apply for. These should relate to your preferred major, but if you've done a second major you should be aware of the types of jobs it can lead to as well.
- Decide where you are prepared to work:
- locally only
- in a regional city
- another capital city
- overseas
- Register with employment agencies specialising in your preferred area of expertise. Most employers won't advertise in the newspapers for graduates, they'll get employment agencies to develop a shortlist of suitable graduates.
- Collect market intelligence:
- read the employment pages of local and interstate newspapers (The Age and Sydney Morning Herald on Saturdays are especially useful, regardless of where you live)
- check employment websites
- listen to what friends and family say
- stick at it: the intelligence picture takes time to build up, and even then you've got to keep it constantly up to date
- read the employment pages of local and interstate newspapers (The Age and Sydney Morning Herald on Saturdays are especially useful, regardless of where you live)
- Consider your network of contacts, including family and friends and their acquaintances. Many job vacancies aren't advertised because employers can fill them by asking their contacts to recommend someone suitable. Don't be shy — tell everyone about the kind of role you're after and then there'll be more people on the lookout for your perfect job.
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