How we support you

The Career Development and Employability Services team is here to help you connect your studies with your future career. We can support you wherever you are on your journey, from helping you identify your strengths and values to building your career management skills and confidence, and connecting you with employers.

You can access our free support throughout your studies and for three years after graduation. Read on to learn more about the kinds of support we offer, and how you can access these services.

Creating a CV or cover letter

If you are not sure where to start, there is a free CV and cover letter builder on our MyCDES+ platform. You can choose to start from scratch or use one of the many templates available.

Checking your CV with CV360

Your CV isn’t a guarantee to landing your dream job, but a good one will certainly increase your chances of getting your foot in the door.

Once you’ve created a CV, start with an initial check using our free online tool - CV360. You can use it anytime, anywhere and receive instant tailored feedback and tips on how to improve your CV. It will score your CV against more than 50 checks, which commonly trip up an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), annoy a hiring manager or get your CV de-prioritised. It will also give you feedback on the following:

• Presentation
• Structure
• Content
• Language

In addition to instant feedback, you will also receive advice, tips, and employer insights to help boost your knowledge and confidence.

Daily Drop-in

Do you have a burning career dilemma or job search question you need to run past someone? Are you updating your LinkedIn page and need a quick review from a professional? Are you writing a CV or cover letter for a particular role and need a professional opinion?

Come along to our daily drop-in sessions! Benefits of a drop-in session:

• No appointment needed
• 10-minute conversation with a professional career consultant
• Available online and in-person

Our daily drop-in takes place every weekday during the times below (apart from when the University is closed, such as on public holidays, or on days where the CDES team are hosting Career Expos).

A note for virtual sessions: Please do not dial in outside of the hours stated below - if you need additional support, head over to MyCDES where you can book a one-on-one appointment or access our online resources on MyCDES+, which are available 24/7.

MyCareer Check

A good starting point is to check how employable you are and get tips on how to improve aspects you might be struggling with. The MyCareer Check self-assessment tool on MyCDES+ helps you by:

• Asking you to rate yourself on a collection of statements designed to assess career confidence
• Generating employability reports specific to your needs with tailored learning opportunities and exciting next steps
• Suggesting programmes of activity to work through, designed for each of your attributes
• Allowing you to check your progress towards your employability goals by retaking the assessments any time 

MyCDES+ online resources

Our MyCDES+ platform hosts an online library of e-learning courses and career resources that are available 24/7. Many of them cover core skills for the workplace with topics including:

• Self-management
• Team working
• Commercial awareness
• Problem-solving
• Communication
• Application of numeracy and IT to future proof your career

Log into MyCDES+ and take a look around. 

CDES workshops and programmes

We run different workshops every week and regularly offer new programmes and topics, responding to our students' needs and employer feedback. Wherever you are in the process, we've got you covered. From figuring out what you want in life to the practicalities of a job search, we offer workshops that will support your career development. These workshops can be particularly valuable if you’re looking to attend a Career Expo and need guidance on how best to prepare.

We operate a hybrid workshop schedule - some are in person and some online. Check out the full schedule and register for any of these free workshops via MyCDES.

If you've got a workshop or programme idea that you think would benefit numerous students and support them in their career development, please come and talk to us (using the contact details at the bottom of the page).

Employer workshops and recruitment events

Every semester we host employers who are keen to meet and recruit University of Auckland students into internships or graduate roles. Check out the full list of employers who want to meet you on our recruitment events webpage.

Career Expos and CDES events

A Career Expo is a super exciting event where a large group of employers come to meet you on campus. We run several expos each year. They might seem daunting with so many employers to talk to, but we receive regular feedback from students about how valuable they are.

To help you make the most of each expo with confidence, we regularly run workshops to prepare you before the event, where we cover topics such as how to approach an employer and what questions to ask. Find out when they're happening and how to get involved on our events webpage.

NZUni Talent Jobs board

NZUni Talent has student and graduate opportunities from top employers all in one handy place. Search and apply for opportunities from organisations advertising directly to New Zealand university students and graduates including graduate and internship positions, full and part-time vacancies, scholarships and volunteering roles.

Information on our website

We have lots of information on the application and recruitment process on our website. Check out the work experience section, or our resources on finding a job and networking.

One-on-one appointments

These are bookable appointments with a career consultant. They are usually longer than the 10 minute drop-in chat and are designed to help you work through any issues you are having related to your career direction. You can choose to meet online via Zoom or in person on campus. You can book directly through MyCDES.

CDES workshops

We regularly run workshops on this topic. The workshops ‘Finding your career direction’, ‘The trouble with passion’, and ‘What do I really want to do’ are all about helping you find a starting point. View our workshop listings on MyCDES to register for the next available session.

Information on our website

Look at the applications, assessments, interviews section on our website for essential tips to help you master job applications, cover letters, psychometric tests and job interviews.

Interview360 tool

Have you been shortlisted for an interview? Not sure what video interviews are all about? You can practice answering tailored interview questions based on your CV and get instant feedback using Interview360 on MyCDES+.

Interview360 gives you tailored feedback on your interview performance and tips on how you can improve. It provides feedback on your:

• Body language
• Communication and speech
• Camera position
• Video quality

We have dedicated support for Māori and Pacific students, and international students. Visit the Māori and Pacific students webpage or international students webpage to find out more about tailored programmes, workshops and events.

Whilst you can book appointments with any consultant who is available, our consultants have their own portfolio areas related to faculties or student groups. Please visit out 'Meet the team' webpage to find out more about our portfolios.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our services or anything else, please email us at careers@auckland.ac.nz.