Download our useful resources by clicking on the links below or read it further down on this site:
Employment Portfolio Documents
RESUME_TEMPLATE_DREAM INTERNSHIP_1
COVER LETTER TEMPLATE_DREAM INTERNSHIP
Tests
DISC – A Map Of Human Behaviour (Here Guy Harris)
McQuaig – Behavioural and Psychometric for Personal Development
Books
See longer list below
Links
See longer list below book list
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity
Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms
Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action
Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation
Articles
Click to read these helpful articles!
7 Ways to Create A Stand Out Resume for Success
How to Turn an Internship Into a Job
Learn What You Can Expect From Your Internship
Prepare for your interview
Tests
FREE DISC PROFILE (GUY HARRIS)
DISC is a group of psychological inventories developed by John Geier and others, and based on the 1928 work of psychologist William Moulton Marston and the original behavioralist Walter V. Clarke and others.
Dr. William Moulton Marston developed a theory that people tend to develop a self-concept based on one of four factors — Dominance, Inducement, Steadiness, or Compliance. This idea forms the basis for the DISC theory as it is commonly applied today.
Later psychologists and behavioral specialists developed a variety of practical tools to apply Marston’s theory. Currently, there are many assessment and measurement tools based on the DISC model.
Books
The legendary Eat That Frog! (more than 450,000 copies sold and translated into 23 languages) provides the 21 most effective methods for conquering procrastination and accomplishing more. This new edition is revised and updated throughout, and includes brand new information on how to keep technology from dominating our time.
MINDSIGHT (Siegel)
From a pioneer in the field of mental health comes a groundbreaking book on the healing power of “mindsight,” the potent skill that is the basis for both emotional and social intelligence. Mindsight allows you to make positive changes in your brain–and in your life.
• Is there a memory that torments you, or an irrational fear you can’ t shake?
• Do you sometimes become unreasonably angry or upset and find it hard to calm down?
• Do you ever wonder why you can’t stop behaving the way you do, no matter how hard you try?
• Are you and your child (or parent, partner, or boss) locked in a seemingly inevitable pattern of conflict?
What if you could escape traps like these and live a fuller, richer, happier life? This isn’t mere speculation but the result of twenty-five years of careful hands-on clinical work by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. A Harvard-trained physician, Dr. Siegel is one of the revolutionary global innovators in the integration of brain science into the practice of psychotherapy. Using case histories from his practice, he shows how, by following the proper steps, nearly everyone can learn how to focus their attention on the internal world of the mind in a way that will literally change the wiring and architecture of their brain.
Through his synthesis of a broad range of scientific research with applications to everyday life, Dr. Siegel has developed novel approaches that have helped hundreds of patients heal themselves from painful events in the past and liberate themselves from obstacles blocking their happiness in the present. And now he has written the first book that will help all of us understand the potential we have to create our own lives.
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE (DALE CARNEGIE)
One of the best known motivational books in history: Since it was released in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 15 million copies. Carnegie’s first book is timeless and appeals equally to business audiences, self-help audiences, and general readers alike..
Proven advice for success in life: Carnegie believed that most successes come from an ability to communicate effectively rather than from brilliant insights. His book teaches these skills by showing readers how to value others and make them feel appreciated rather than manipulated. .
As relevant as ever before: In the age of Steven Covey and Tony Robbins, Dale Carnegie’s principles endure. The original edition was published in response to the Great Depression, and this fresh hardcover edition will appeal now more than ever to readers wanting tried and true advice on how to deal with a depressed economy. Readers can learn how to get the job they want, improve the job they have, and make the best of any situation.
THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE (STEVEN R. COVEY)
Covey’s book represents the best in self-help. His advice — about prioritization, empathy, self-renewal, and other topics — is both insightful and practical. Seven Habits can be useful to the personal and professional development of anyone charting a career in business.
INFLUENCE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION (ROBERT CIALDINI)
Persuasion is at the heart of business, where leaders must reach clients, customers, suppliers, and employees. Cialdini’s classic on the core principals of persuasion is a sterling example of the cross application of psychological principles to business life. Based on his personal experiences and interviews — with everyone from expert car salesmen to real estate salespeople — Cialdini’s book is riveting and, yes, persuasive. It serves as a great introduction to other works by modern writers like Malcolm Gladwell and Steven Levitt, who translate theories from the social and physical sciences into everyday life.
Some people appear more gifted than others. NLP, one of the fastest growing developments in applied psychology, describes in simple terms what they do differently, and enables you to learn these patterns of excellence.
This book offers the practical skills used by outstanding communicators. Excellent communication is the basis of creating excellent results. NLP skills are proving invaluable for personal development and professional excellence in counseling, education and business.
THE SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH (WALLACE WATTLES)
Originally published in 1910, this book takes the mystery out of the accumulation of wealth and breaks it down into a scientific formula. This book is pragmatical, not philosophical; a practical manual, not a treatise upon theories. It is intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward. It is for those who have, so far, found neither the time, the means, nor the opportunity to go deeply into the study of metaphysics, but who want results and who are willing to take the conclusions of science as a basis for action, without going into all the processes by which those conclusions were reached.
THE ASCENT OF MONEY: A FINANCIAL HISTORY OF THE WORLD (NIALL FERGUSON)
Financial capital is at the heart of capitalism. Any young person aspiring to business leadership should understand the financial world we live in. Ferguson is one of our era’s preeminent popular historians, and The Ascent of Money traces the evolution of money and financial markets from the ancient world to the modern era. It’s an essential primer on the history and current state of finance.
THE 17 PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT (NAPOLEON HILL)
Napoleon Hill summed up his philosophy of success in Think and Grow Rich!, one of the bestselling inspirational business books ever. A recent USA Todaysurvey of business leaders named it one of the five most influential books in its field, more than 40 years after it was first published. Now, in Napoleon Hill’sKeys to Success, his broadly outlined principles are expanded in detail for the first time, with concrete advice on their use and implementation. Compiled from Hill’s teaching materials, lectures, and articles, Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success provides mental exercises, self-analysis techniques, powerful encouragement, and straightforward advice to anyone seeking personal and financial improvement. In addition to Hill’s many personal true-life examples of the principles in action, there are also contemporary illustrations featuring dynamos like Bill Gates, Peter Lynch, and Donna Karan. No other Napoleon Hill book has addressed these 17 principles so completely and in such precise detail. For the millions of loyal Napoleon Hill fans and for those who discover him each year, Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success promises to be a valuable and important guide on the road to riches.
THE EMPEROR’S HANDBOOK (MARCUS AURELIUS)
Emperor of Rome from 161 to 180 AD, Marcus Aurelius is considered one of history’s “philosopher kings,” and his Meditations were perhaps his most lasting legacy. Never meant to be published, Marcus’ writings on Stoicism, life, and leadership were the personal notes he used to make sense of the world. They remain a wonderful insight into the mind of a man who ruled history’s most revered empire at the age of 40 and provide remarkably practical advice for everyday life. This is the translation I’ve found most accessible.
MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING (VICTOR FRANKL)
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist who survived life in the Nazi concentration camps. Man’s Search for Meaning is really two books — one dedicated to recounting his frightening ordeal in the camps (interpreted through his eyes as a psychiatrist) and the other a treatise on his theory, logotherapy. His story alone is worth the read — a reminder of the depths and heights of human nature — and the central contention of logotherapy — that life is primarily about the search for meaning — has inspired leaders for generations.
Tom Wolfe founded the New Journalism school and was one of America’s most brilliant writers of nonfiction (books and essays like The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test) before he became one of her most notable novelists. Often better known for his portrait of 1980s New York, The Bonfire of the Vanities, A Man in Full is his novel about race, status, business, and a number of other topics in modern Atlanta. It was Wolfe’s attempt, as Michael Lewis noted, at “stuffing of the whole of contemporary America into a single, great, sprawling comic work of art.” It’s sure to inspire reflection in burgeoning leaders.
One of the first books I read upon graduating college, Liar’s Poker is acclaimed author Michael Lewis’ first book — a captivating story about his short-lived postcollegiate career as a bond salesman in the 1980s. Lewis has become perhaps the most notable chronicler of modern business, and Liar’s Poker is both a fascinating history of Wall Street (and the broader financial world) in the 1980s and a cautionary tale to ambitious young business leaders about the temptations, challenges, and disappointments (not to mention colorful characters) they may face in their careers.
WHY SOME COMPANIES MAKE THE LEAP…AND OTHERS DON’T (JIM COLLINS, GOOD TO GREAT)
What does it take to make a great company, and what traits will young businesspeople need to lead them? Jim Collins introduced new rigor to the evaluation of business leadership in his instant classic Good to Great, with a research team reviewing “6,000 articles and generating 2,000 pages of interview transcripts.” The result is a systematic treatise on making a company great, with particularly interesting findings around what Collins calls “Level 5 Leadership” that have changed the face of modern business.
GIANTS OF ENTERPRISE: SEVEN BUSINESS INNOVATORS AND THE EMPIRES THEY BUILT (RICHARD TEDLOW)
Richard Tedlow taught one of my favourite business school classes, The Coming of Managerial Capitalism, and this book is something like a distillation of a few of the high points of that class. Giants of Enterprise chronicles the lives of some of the businesspeople — Carnegie, Ford, Eastman, Walton — who shaped the world we live in today. It’s a brief introduction to the figures and companies who built modern business for the young business leader seeking to shape the future.
THE INNOVATOR’S DILEMMA: WHEN NEW TECHNOLOGIES CAUSE GREAT FIRMS TO FAIL (CLAYTON M. CHRISTENSEN)
Clay Christensen was recently ranked the world’s greatest business thinker by Thinkers50, and his breakout book was a thoughtful tome on innovation and “disruption” called The Innovator’s Dilemma. All of Christensen’s books are essential reads, but this is perhaps the most foundational for any young leader wondering how to drive business innovation and fight competitors constantly threatening to disrupt his or her business model with new technology.
TRUE NORTH: DISCOVER YOUR AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP (BILL GEORGE)
A hallmark of next-generation business leaders is a focus on authenticity. Bill George has pioneered an approach to authentic leadership development articulated well in his second book, True North. George (who, full disclosure, I’ve coauthored with before) conducted more than 100 interviews with senior leaders in crafting the book, and offers advice for young leaders on knowing themselves and translating that knowledge into a personal set of principles for leadership.
BECOMING A MASTER MANAGER (QUINN & QUINN)
One of the global markets best books on management skills. The most historical, and modern models and theories described with excellent examples in a practical format. A must read for anyone interested in becoming a master manager of one self and others.
Ken Blanchard’s phenomenal bestselling classic The One Minute Manager explores the skills needed to become an effective self leader. Now, Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager clearly and thoroughly reveals how power, freedom, and autonomy come from having the right mind-set and the skills needed to take personal responsibility for success.
In this captivating business parable, number one New York Times bestselling author Ken Blanchard, with coauthors Susan Fowler and Laurence Hawkins, tells the story of Steve, a young advertising executive who is about to lose his job. During a series of talks with a gifted magician named Cayla, Steve comes to realize the power of taking responsibility for his situation and not playing the victim. Passing along the knowledge she has learned from the One Minute Manager, Cayla teaches Steve the three skills of self leadership. These three techniques not only empower him to keep his job but show him what he needs to know in order to keep growing, learning, and achieving.
In this first new and totally revised edition of the 150,000-copy underground bestseller, The E-Myth, Michael Gerber dispels the myths surrounding starting your own business and shows how commonplace assumptions can get in the way of running a business. He walks you through the steps in the life of a business from entrepreneurial infancy, through adolescent growing pains, to the mature entrepreneurial perspective, the guiding light of all businesses that succeed. He then shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business whether or not it is a franchise. Finally, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business. After you have read The E-Myth Revisited, you will truly be able to grow your business in a predictable and productive way.
THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD (OG MANDINO)
What you are today is not important… for in this runaway bestseller you will learn how to change your life by applying the secrets you are about to discover in the ancient scrolls.
THE MAGIC / THE SECRET (RHONDA BYRNE)
For more than twenty centuries, words within a sacred text have mystified, confused, and been misunderstood by almost all who read them. Only a very few people through history have realized that the words are a riddle, and that once you solve the riddle—once you uncover the mystery—a new world will appear before your eyes.
In The Magic, Rhonda Byrne reveals this life-changing knowledge to the world. Then, on an incredible 28-day journey, she teaches you how to apply this knowledge in your everyday life.
No matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter what your current circumstances, The Magic is going to change your entire life!
TOTAL GLOBAL STRATEGY (YIP & HULT)
Written by the subject’s leading academic authorities, this highly readable text (a student favorite) addresses the most challenging task faced by multinational companies–how to deal with globalization and the resulting need for globally integrated strategies.
The third edition–in addition to featuring new coauthor Tomas Hult–presents a complete rewrite of all chapters, a more integrated view of eBusiness and service issues, and a new slate of innovative, practical examples in the text and case vignettes.
Links
www.career.edu.au
Website of Australian Career Development Studies, dedicated to promoting and facilitating career development in Australia.
www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au
Website of the Job Guide, Australia’s largest industry profiling website and publication.
www.careercentre.dtwd.wa.gov.au/Pages/CareerCentre.aspx
A West Australian state government based occupational and industry profiling website.
www.licencerecognition.gov.au
Information on work-based licences in Australia, providing information about interstate licensing requirements and who to contact regarding various licences.
www.deewr.gov.au
The website of the federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
www.det.wa.gov.au
The website for the West Australian Department of Education.
www.trainingwa.wa.gov.au
The website for the West Australian Department of Training and Workforce Development,
www.myfuture.edu.au
A career development and industry profiling website for school leavers and those in career transition.
www.blueprint.edu.au
The Australian Blueprint for Career Development is a resource that provides a range of tools for career development practitioners and individuals who want to manage their careers more effectively.
www.cica.org.au
The Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) Inc is the national peak body representing national, state and territory career practitioner organisations.
www.cdaa.org.au
The Career Development Association of Australia is the peak national body for career development practitioners.
www.deewr.gov.au/SCHOOLING/CAREERSANDTRANSITIONS/CAREERDEVELOPMENT/Pages/default.aspx
The federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations’ career development main page, offering resources and information regarding opportunities in career development.
www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/CareersandTransitions/EmployabilitySkills/Pages/Overview.aspx
The federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations site dedicated to employability skills and the employment and career options that exist around developing these skills.
www.skillsone.com.au
An initiative of The Institute for Trade Skills Excellence aimed at raising the profile and status of trades, which offers videos and other information about trades opportunities in Australia.
http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/mceecdya/career_and_transition_services_framework,12049.html
The Career Transition Framework developed by MCEETYA offers a range of options for supporting young people in making effective transitions through school and between school and post-school destinations.
http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Pages/default.aspx
The Commonwealth government’s training and skills main page, which provides information about vocation education and training opportunities, policy, and contacts for organisations related to VET.
Articles
There are more articles on our news and articles page
7 Ways to Create A Stand Out Resume for Success
It is a competitive job market but there are plenty of jobs out there, so all you have to do is give it your best!
Your resume only has 15 seconds to make an impression, so make them count.
Recruiters sift through thousands of resumes swiftly and have no time to dwell on each resume indetail. You must craft a resume that grabs attention and creates a lasting impression. Your resume should present concrete reasons why you should be hired and it needs to be clear, easy to read, and consistent.
A resume that stands out in a crowd follow these three tips:
1. Use Bullet Points-
You can make the recruiters job easier by presenting your accomplishments in a bullet point format. Keeps your resume organized and allow the recruiter to instantly navigate to the most impactful part of your resume— your past success. Each bullet point should be used to give an example of something successful you have done in the past, and by extension, why the recruiter should hire you.
2. Use Numbers to Show Accomplishments and values
Ineffective and unclear resumes are un-impressive. List your achievements – why are they achievements? Why should the recruiter care? Why are you a valuable employee? How can you display this in a clear format. Talk to a journalist, teacher or administrative assistant about how to make sometime look and read clearly. Your resume is in some ways an essay that should receive a High Distinction (A), so take your time to make sure you get that mark.
3. Keep Your Resume To One or Two Full Pages
Executives with 30 years’ experience may be able to pass off a 2-3 page resume, but a graduate needs to be short and to the point. Edit out less important areas on the resume that can be excluded and discussed during the interview instead.Yourgoal is not to impress the recruiter with the quality of your resume,it is to get you an interview.
Contact DIA for the final 4 tips and gain a much better chance at landing the interview!
How to Turn an Internship Into a Job
An internship can be many things depending on the intern. It can be a leap year to take a break for studies, it can be the pathway to a new career, it can be language training, it can be to expand on industry specific studies, it can be a working holiday or it can be a an easy way to convince your parents to let you go overseas.
In order to make the most of your internship, and to justify the time you spend interning, you must realize that the entire process is essentially an extended interview for a full-time position be it in the interning company or somewhere else. You never know who your supervisor or coordinator may know and what they say about you t others, so make sure you are polite, enthusiastic and interested. But most importantly, you should have fun while you learn and meet new people.
DIA and all supervisors provide all interns with references of the internship and a Certificate of Achievement.
You may have been hired as an intern on a temporary basis so that the employer cantest your performance in the real world. If you impress them, you have a good chance of getting that full-time job or a referral to another company. Don’t stress out about your internship and spend hours working over-time or completing tasks in a rush. Quality work is always better than speediness (although you should meet deadlines), and a tired intern is an intern out of focus who easily make mistakes. Relax, enjoy, pay attention and communicate with your internship coordinator, your supervisor and other people around you.
Key points to go from internship to job:
1. Take It Seriously
Most internships are designed for students between school years or for leap years. Don’t fall into the “summer break” trap. The best thing to do is to treat your internship like a full-time job. Show up to work on time (or early), and work smart (or hard). Accepting responsibility of the position and your life, take control of yourself and show your supervisor / boss that you are serious about working at the firm on a long-term basis or that you are a valuable future employee.
2. Impress Your Boss
Taking your internship seriously will help you do well, and impressing your boss will help you transform that “Good Job” into a “You’re Hired”. In a reasonable and well though through way, go out of your way to volunteer for certain projects and responsibilities, and always finish your projects early or on time. Do not meet expectations—surpass them.Under promise – over deliver. Look around at what other do, do that, and then add some. Don’t suck up, it is annoying and will turn others against you, Fake is uncool.
3. Show Interest
Showing that you are truly interested in the position, company, and industry is exactly what the employer is looking for. Imagine if you were the team leader, ask yourself: would I hire me for this task/ job?
Meet with your supervisors and peers regularly, set a scheduled time on your first day. Show a passion for your job, have fun and enjoy every day. If you can develop a relationship with your supervisor into a mentorship, they will be much more inclined to hire you full-time in order to continue the relationship. Again, don’t create false relationships just to get a job or you may seriously damage your credibility, or at the least be unhappy in your new role. You may not have had a job before but it is quite common that people are unhappy don’t get to use their skills or don’t get along with their supervisors of colleagues, so do your best to avoid this.
Please all interns keep in mind that people see things from different perspectives. Different things have different meanings to different people so make sure you stop and think before you draw any conclusions. Could you be misunderstanding something? Could it be just an accent or a tone of voice you are not used to? Could it be that you are having a bad day and are feeling a little sensitive? Could it be that you simply don’t agree with someones opinion and need to let it go? Could it be that you have experienced something in the past that makes you draw conclusions a little too quickly?
And please know that although your manager, supervisor or boss should in some way have performance measures to encourage you, it is not their responsibility to make sure you have a fun time, like what you do and do it well, it is yours. Perhaps your supervisor is going through something you do not know about, and it would be useful if you stepped up and took the responsibility?
Our four year research based on hundreds of feedback forms show that the most common reason for internship issues is when interns have had difficulties with confrontation (talking openly with their supervisor about tasks and responsibilities) and also their own ability to take initiative.
Adhere to these three internship principles, and maximize the chances that your internship will turn into a full-time job (or whatever your goal is). Be sure to take your responsibilities seriously, show interest in the industry, and above all else, exceed every goal or expectation.
Key words to remember:
Responsibility
Ownership
Accountability
Interest
Over deliver
Have fun
Solution
Learn What You Can Expect From Your Internship
People do internships for various reasons. The first thing you have to do is to establish why YOU want to do an internship and what you aim to get out of it.
If you want the Host Company and DIA to meet your expectations, you need to be clear about what you want and why, and what effort you yourself have to do in order to reach those goals. If you are unsure why you are doing an internship, then let DIA know ad we can help you set goals to reach. An internship is different from a full-time job, however the Host Company aims to treat you as a fellow employee at the same time as teaching you about industry specific practices work with you and help you make the most of it. It is however your own responsibility to make sure you get as much as possible out of the internship and also to get the most value to meet your set goals.
When working a full time job, your employer will not chase you up at all possible times to make sure you do your job. They may set deadlines, however it is your responsibility to meet those deadlines. The employer may give you a job description; however there may be responsibilities which are not mentioned on the job descriptions. It might be part of a company culture to do certain things, perform certain tasks or show a certain attitude, so it is important that you are perceptive and do your best to adapt to that culture. If you do not like that culture you need to think about whether it is yourself that need to change, whether you can deal with it for a certain amount of time, whether you can discuss improvements with your employer or whether it is time to think about how YOU can proactively do something in order to improve the company culture and environment. You can discuss this with DIA and you should also spend time preparing for and also understanding the company culture.
When working at a full-time internship, you should at times expect a certain amount of busy work. Some may see this as an unfortunate part of the process, however it is highly necessary for you to learn how to developed critical business skills such as multitasking, working under pressure, dealing with confrontation and juggling work and life challenges.
Having a full time job, doing an internship, and being a students are NOT the safe experiences, however they are interchangeable and can help you improve in all areas. It will also assist in your training of self-management skills.
That said, you should not just be handling menial tasks in your internship. If you find yourself just filing papers and sorting mail, then ask your supervisor for some responsibility. Do not sit around and complain about being bored, it is your own responsibility to make sure you learn something. If you feel like no one has time for you, it may just be that you need to take some initiative and start a project you think would be useful, tidy up something or create some workflow documents. When you show this to your supervisor, they will be very impressed and understand that you are a person who can take responsibility and add value to a workplace. They may then assign you further tasks of greater importance and trust you with more challenging work. A person who is not able to apply themselves, be resourceful or add knowledge to a workplace, is not valuable enough to be hired. A negative attitude is not likely to create a good image in other people’s eyes.
Thus, while some downtime is not surprising, there should be the expectation that you will be able to accept responsibility and make a valuable contribution to the company.
If you are an intern at a large corporation with a detailed or structured program, you should be asking to participate in company seminars and presentations. Seminars may be weekly or monthly, and will typically feature a company executive discussing a relevant industry specific topic.Seminars brings all of the employers together for building industry knowledge and collaboration and you should pay careful attention, take notes and also use this time to build relationships with other people than your supervisor – even people who you may not think to talk to. You never know when it may come in handy to meet certain people, so spend every minute you can meeting new people and asking them about what you do.
Please also keep in mind that you should spend limited time talking about yourself. Of course you should answer questions and participate in a balanced conversation, but you learn much more asking questions from peers and fellow employees then just talking about yourself all the time.
In some internships, you should also expect to have to give a presentation at the end of the internship either at your workplace, your university, through the internship agent or at events. For this reason, you should take notes throughout your internships about what you learn and do. This information will also come in handy when you need a reference letter with a job description and it helps you reflect of what you are doing.
DIA also require that you have an internship journal or diary, which you are free to discuss with your supervisor at work or at your university as well as your internship coordinator at DIA.
Some large corporate internships break the interns into teams to work on specific projects, and you must give a group presentation of what your team accomplished. This is a great chance to enhance your team-working and presentation skills and you will feel great when you present your accomplishments. If you do not end up having this task in your specific internship, DIA would love to receive one from you anyway. In fact, DIA encourage the interns to make a presentation, and will reward all interns with a certificate of achievement that address your commended extra effort.
All internships are different however you should be able to expect somewhat similar things from each one. If you expect to receive a certain amount of responsibility and feel you have not contributed enough, go to your supervisor and talk to them about this. This is a great way to show that you are serious about working hard and are interested in what the company does. Showing initiative is often what makes the difference between average interns and high achieving interns and you may just be able to turn your internship into a full-time job.
Pease note that if you do not end up getting a job following your internship, that is not because you are not valuable or have not done enough. There can be many reasons interns don’t get hired after an internship and you should not be dis heartened. Instead, you should use this learning experience as a step in the right direction. You can also talk to your supervisor and internship coordinator about things you could possibly work on.
Please also note that you should not over work yourself in your internship. If you do a part time internship, make sure it is suitable to customize around your studies or a part time job. Talk to you DIA internship coordinator about ways to manage your time. We want you to have a happy and healthy life and will help you enjoy your time in Australia and overseas. If at any stage later in life you feel as if it is difficult for you to balance work and life, please get in touch so we can consult you through these difficulties. If you come up with ideas or ways to juggle studies, work, life and internships, please get in touch so other interns can learn from you and we will commend you accordingly.
ALL DIA interns are automatically affiliated with our network and receive life-long benefits such as networking opportunities, discounts on training and development programs, re-education programs through your job or learning resources. Please talk to DIA if you want to learn more about these options, or go to our membership page.
Prepare for your interview
After sending out a dozen resumes and filling out countless applications, you will finally land your first interview. Keep in mind that your resume is there to get you the interview and your interview is there to get the job. If the aim of the interview is to get the job, you need to keep this in mind when you go and prepare for total success.
DIA host a workshop where we train and prepare interns for job interviews. We do a practice interview, go through typical interview questions and answers, and have fun working on impressive and interesting techniques to land the job. DIA love being the first to congratulate a successful candidate! Call us when you land the job and receive a free gift.
What to prepare
It is exciting to both perform and prepare for your interview, and it is also very important to focus and prepare properly before hand so that you do your best.
Most interviews are pretty similar, so you can do well by remembering to bring the following:
A professional and presentable folder containing:
Your most recent and perfectly edited RESUME
A COVER LETTER adjusted to the position in question
A Copy of your TRANSCRIPTS
A copy of any other course certificates
A copy of any REFERENCES and AWARDS
Prepare ANSWERS and QUESTIONS to typical interview questions
Documents
Although your interviewer will have the resume you used to apply for the interview, you should bring the most recent version, along with some extra copies and the documents mentioned above – organized in a folder. You will most likely not need all of these during the interview, however you will impress the interviewer by showing up prepared and professional.
Questions and Answers
The interview will probably take 30 minutes and you will probably be asked anywhere between 3-7 questions. Many interviewers stick with common questions, such as “Why should we hire you for this position?”, or “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”, or “How do you act in X situation (demonstrate)?
Preparing answers to these personality questions ahead of time, will help you know what you should say before the question is asked which means you will have a better answer (remember how you should study for an exam?). If you get stuck during preparation, a quick Google search will return dozens of these types of questions and answers. NOTE: Do not compy what others have done, you need to answer the questions properly with TRUE examples from YOUR OWN life. They are hiring you, not a cheater who copied someone else hard work (remember how plagiarism is uncool?!)
Spend a few hours researching the company and be able to explain why you want to work at the firm, and why you are the perfect candidate to work there. Don’t be frantic and tell the person straight out that you are perfect and that’s it. Explain slowly why and what value you can add.
YOUR Questions to ask
One of the most important opportunities that many students pass up, and most common mistakes, is the chance to ask questions at the end of the interview. Almost all interviewers give you a chance to ask a question; not having a question prepared will make you seem uninterested in the position, as if you don’t want to learn more about them. Using the research you prepared about the company and industry, ask specific questions such as “What makes your company stand out from its competitors”, or make the interview more personal by asking the interviewer why they chose to come to work for the company, or if there are any specific goals the company is currently planning for and how you fit in with those. Again, Google can help you generate ideas on dozens of questions to ask, and you can also use DIAsInterviewee questions.
Spending time before your interview to organize your documents, answers, and questions, you can ensure that you will show confidence, professionalism, and preparation. When your interviewer sees your interest in the position, you have a much better chance of making it to the next round. Get a High Distinction on your job interview through one of DIAs workshops.
Interview Strategy – Surround Effects
The Internet and Information Age has made recruiting much more impersonal. Many large organisations, resumes are actually screened through keyword-finding software, and resumes that do not match the keywords are immediately discarded. Online application systems can sometimes feel like throwing your resume like boomerang that never returns.
If you really want an interview, you will have to find creative ways to get noticed, and you must not give up. P.S. Don’t be annoying and bug the company – that is not the right strategy to get a job.
Some ways to stand out include:
1. Inside Contacts
One of the most effective and easiest ways of getting an interview is to know someone that already works for the organization. If you don’t already know someone at the firm, find ways to introduce yourself. Network with friends and family; even the most remote connection can open the door. Have coffee across the road from the office you want to work for and examine the people that already work there.
2. Send in a Hard Copy Resume with your signature in a blank white envelope with handwritten address to the Directror.
Most jobs are not advertised. Show you are valuable and interested by sending in a physical copy. Sending your resume in with a signature confirmation required can ensure that someone in the office actually accepts the letter. There is no guarantee it will reach the hiring director, but your resume will definitely be differentiated and you can always send three, three weeks in a row or drop it off at the reception.
3. Show up in person
A Fortune 500 company probably receives thousands of online resumes so you can stand out by showing up at the company in person. Walk into the office and ask to speak with a Human Resources Manager about the position in question. Of course, be sure you have your folder with your resume and supporting documents and are completely prepared. Your resume will now have a face and personality behind it instead of just another piece of paper. Make sure you look and smell nice, drink plenty of water and be well rested. Smile and give yourself a pep talk prior to walking in the door. This is YOUR DAY!
Do not rely on one strategy alone to get the interview. By finding multiple ways to stand out from the crowd, you will maximize your chances of landing that interview, and ultimately, the job.
Remember, most jobs are not advertised, so entering a company – large or small, with a positive attitude and confidence asking for job, might just be the strategy that works for you. (Don’t be arrogant – arrogant is annoying).
Alternatively, you can call DIA today and we will help you work out a strategy or provide you with an internship program suitable to your needs.
