Find a job

No matter the type of role you’re looking for, the Careers Service can assist you in finding opportunities that align with your career goals, skills and experience.


Where to Find a Job

Explore these job-seeking resources to find the opportunity that's right for you.

Organisations regularly advertise vacancies online. As the employer is most often unknown to you in this situation, make sure you do as much research as possible into the organisation and the role, and reflect this in your application. To assist employers in shortlisting, key-word algorithms are often used when vetting applications, so it is a good idea to reflect the language used in the vacancy documents.

There is a wide range of online job boards. Depending on your industry, you could start with:

You can also access a comprehensive list of industry job search websites in CareerHub.

If the industry you are working towards has a professional association, keep an eye on that website as they often have active job boards.

Rather than advertise a role on a job board and interview candidates, many companies hire recruitment agencies to oversee the hiring process for them.

As such, plenty of jobs are simply filled by people already on the agency’s books or are only advertised on their website. So, it’s often a good idea to register with a recruitment agency – possibly even multiple agencies – to improve your chances of being employed.

Want to develop your job-search strategy further? Consider these key questions you should ask yourself before you start your job search, then develop a plan for job-seeking success.


Types of Jobs

There are many types of opportunities you can explore while you’re studying to develop your skills and gain experience.

Casual and part-time jobs are a great way to earn income while studying. But have you ever considered the other benefits they provide? Regardless of whether you think a casual or part-time job is ‘relevant’ to your studies, these roles provide the opportunity to develop your employability skills and make you a more well-rounded candidate for life after graduation. Visit CareerHub to explore current vacancies.

Interested in a student job on campus? Working at Uni is a great way to earn money and develop your employability skills in a professional workplace. Visit Jobs On Campus to learn more and discover the latest opportunities.

Internships and vacation programs are types of workplace opportunities with organisations that are focused on developing the professional skills related to your studies.

Gaining workplace experience within your industry can help with your career decision-making, as well as allow you to develop relevant skills and contacts. These roles provide a great way to gain valuable work experience while you study, as well as potentially opening doors to permanent positions.

If you’re considering an unpaid internship, make sure you first understand your rights. Visit the Fair Work Ombudsman for more information.

Visit CareerHub to explore current internship and vacation program opportunities.

Many large companies offer graduate programs to ensure the best talent join their ranks. Programs can run from one to three years, during which time you get on-the-job mentoring and training, while still being expected to take on important tasks and projects.

These programs are reserved for recent graduates, although you usually need to submit your application at the start of your final year of study.

Graduate programs are regularly advertised through CareerHub, GradAustralia, and GradConnection.

You can also connect with graduate employers through Employment Expos and Industry Days organised by the Careers Service, or through annual external events such as The Big Meet.

Employability skills that are high in demand – such as critical thinking, clear written communication, and research and reporting skills – are an integral part of completing a Higher Degree by Research. While working towards the completion of your PhD or research masters, you will develop and demonstrate skillsets that employers look for to ensure the future of their organisation.

If you hold a scholarship to support your studies, you are also entitled to undertake paid employment of up to eight hours per week (Monday – Friday, 9am to 5pm) to strengthen your connection to industry. In addition, the University’s Graduate Research Team provide opportunities for PhD candidates to enhance their future employability by engaging with industry. For further details contact engagedphd@newcastle.edu.au.

Graduate Research also provides a number of events and workshops to support your professional development and increase your future employability.

If you are keen to work around the globe you will need to understand the employment market of your chosen country as well as the organisations that employ graduates from your program.

Visit GoinGlobal to search for job and internship opportunities in countries around the world. Browse over 80,000 pages of country-specific career and employment resources for more than 80 locations across the globe.

Want to know more? Visit Career Essentials to learn how to find a job abroad and why employers value international experiences.


Your Rights

Understand your working rights and how to manage workplace issues.

The Fair Work Ombudsman provides free advice to all workers in Australia to help you understand your work rights. The Fair Work Ombudsman has detailed information about the workplace conditions in Australia and can assist you with workplace issues. You can access a pay calculator that calculates the minimum pay rates for different jobs in Australia as well as penalty rates, and other allowances you may be entitled to.

If you need to report a workplace issue, the Fair Work Ombudsman has an anonymous report form that you can access on their website. The information available on the Fair Work Ombudsman website can be translated from English into 40 languages.

If you hold a student visa, the Australian Government allows you to work while you study. To address workforce shortage, student visa work hour restrictions have been temporarily relaxed. This will end on 30 June 2023.

You will need to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) and bring your visa documents to any job interviews. Note that obtaining a TFN is a free process.

To ensure the experience you gained while working in Australia is recognised after you return home, it’s generally a good idea to get a written reference from your employer.

The Fair Work Ombudsman can provide information about workplace information and issues.  A link to their site and more information is provided below.

If you are returning home after your studies or looking to work globally, GoinGlobal allows you to search for job and internship opportunities in countries around the world. Browse over 80,000 pages of country-specific career and employment resources for more than 80 locations across the globe.

To find out more, visit our international students page.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 makes disability discrimination unlawful and promotes equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal access for people with disabilities. Therefore, if you are a student with disability or medical condition you have the same rights in the workplace as any other employee.

When obtaining work, you may need to consider disclosing your disability or medical condition. This allows you to discuss adjustment needs with the potential employer so that you can negotiate your requirements. For example, you may need flexible work arrangements, accessible physical access, modification of tasks, or specialised equipment or software. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides advice on flexible working arrangements eligibility and how to make a request.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against on the basis of your disability or medical condition, you can speak to a solicitor, an advocate, a trade union representative or make a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

To find out more about the definition of disability and the policies and resources available at the University of Newcastle, view the information at AccessAbility or contact the team for support.

Job Seeking Advice