In a crowded job market, it can be difficult to stand out from your peers.
But according to Amazon Australia’s Student Recruiter, Theresa Dang, there are “two important steps candidates need to take (and get right) when looking for a role”.
The careers expert, who has worked at respected companies including CommBank, Deloitte and EY in the past, said the first thing to do is “get a CV you’re really proud of” and the second is to make sure you are impressive interview.
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“Your CV is your first impression to any potential employer and it should be a dynamic document that really highlights and sells your achievements to date,” Teresa explains to 7Life.
To make sure your CV is the best it can be, Teresa recommends following her six key points.
“First, you need to make sure your CV is short,” she tells 7Life.
“Don’t rush if you don’t have to and try to keep it to about 1-2 pages so you can keep the reader engaged.”
Theresa says you need to think short, sweet and concise when putting it together.
Additionally, the careers expert says it’s a good idea to include “lots of links, especially to your LinkedIn page.”
“Do you have another internship position? A relationship with the company,” she says.
“Want to write more about your entire experience in 1-2 pages? Connect to your LinkedIn and use that to detail your full package of information and content.”
Third, Teresa recommends that you “reflect the job description on your resume to highlight the skills the employer is looking for,” and pay special attention to including words like “build” and “develop.”
“Academics are great, but an employer doesn’t always focus on your grades and grades, it’s how you juggle and prioritize,” adds Teresa.
“Employers want to see how a person is well-rounded and can have a work-life balance, so this is your opportunity to incorporate your involvement with a local sports team into a part-time role you’ve held while studying at the university or even any community or volunteering initiatives.”
Finally, she says you should both switch your list of responsibilities to a “list of accomplishments” and use quantifiable data to demonstrate ownership.
Always use spell check and make sure there are no spelling mistakes.
Teresa says, “Make sure it’s waterproof and fixed.”
When it comes to the interview, Teresa says preparation is key.
“Get to know the company. It’s critical to any job interview to do your research and get to know the company you’re interviewing for,” she says.
Consider your body language, eye contact, and hand gestures.
“Be professional, but also be your authentic self,” says Teresa.
“Hiring managers can usually tell when you’re not being yourself, so don’t hesitate to share some of your personal interests and build a real connection – it will go a long way.”
Make sure you are prepared with your key achievements and metrics and Teresa says you should be prepared to respond to them using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action and Result) method.
“Look up common interview questions and practice answering them out loud before your interview,” says Teresa.
“You can almost guarantee that the interviewer will ask about your experience, why you applied for the role and what attracted you to the company – so it’s best to be prepared.”
This year, Amazon Australia is recruiting student interns from Australia and New Zealand in a variety of roles available across the business, ranging from software engineers to retail brand analysts, applied scientists, business development and cloud support associates.
Amazon Internships provide students with an understanding of what it’s like to work at Amazon Australia.
Taking place over the summer for 10-12 weeks, they mirror a full-time role, with each intern given a real-life project to own and execute with guidance from managers, mentors and teammates.
To learn more about the Amazon Internship Program and to apply, click here.