Career Hacks
Welcome to Career Hacks, an online hub loaded with tips, tricks and hacks just for YOU. We frequently release new articles centred on your career, personal development and helping you stand out from the crowd. Crafted by the team and some of our incredible partners, these articles all have our hallmark #NoFilter stamp applied to them and are written purely to help you #getshitdone!
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Want the latest articles delivered straight to your inbox fortnightly? Let us know your deets.
5 communication f**kups to avoid
70% of job ads require excellent communication skills. And this is often mistaken for simply ‘good reading and writing skills’. The reality is good communication is much broader than this and, done well, can genuinely be make or break.
Thou shalt not rate
A few weeks ago, the office was in a heated debate. The topic - should you rate your skills on your resume? After taking the debate to LinkedIn, we pulled together the top 3 reasons you should NOT rate your skills.
Battling the mid-year blues
Whatever the reason for a mid-year slump, don't wish away the months until Christmas! Take our advice on making June/July the perfect mid-year refresh.
To wear… or not to wear
Whether you’re dressing for a big interview, a corporate event or just a normal day at work, it can be a struggle to know what is and isn’t ok to wear.
Comparing yourself to your sibling
Comparing yourself to others is easy to do but rarely helpful. It’s particularly easy to do when an older sibling happens to be forging a path similar to yours. So here are my top tips for dealing with your insanely annoying and inconvenient older sibling.
Nailing interview questions – the STAR method
Job interviewers are purely there to understand and see how you tackle and overcome the questions. Introducing the STAR process into your answers may be the factor which set your constructed and efficient answers aside from the other applicants.
How to Chit Chat
If, like me, you dread having to network, take solace in the knowledge that most people hate networking, even those who seem to effortlessly command a room.
Lifestyle Design 101
Lifestyle design is broad, covering everything from the work you do; to what you choose to spend your money on and how you while away your time. It’s about being purposeful with your resources, maximising their value and using them to bring you joy.
Sometimes it’s just about me
You polish your CV, you tailored your cover letter and you in the application form for your next dream job. You may have actually nailed it. Done everything perfectly … and you still don’t get the job. Because sometimes it’s actually just about me.
New Year. More Money.
The trick is working out how to increase the amount you are compensated for what you give. Simply wanting, or asking, for more money because you feel you deserve it isn’t enough. You need to convince your boss or customer to hand over the extra funds.
How to Deal with Job Rejection
So you’ve been rejected from your dream job and realised the world isn’t all sunshine and rainbows after all...here are some tips to help you cope.
My Graduation Fears and Lessons Learnt
It's time to be more open-minded when looking for jobs, "cause you never know what opportunity might lead to your dream gig."
How I got a Coordinator role in my first 2 years after graduating.
As I feel the woes of post-grad life and want fellow young professionals to succeed, I’ve shared some useful tips that have helped me find a great job and thrive in my career.
Forge your habits, seize your goals.
Habits are pretty sick. They enable us to do what we want without thinking about it. So, establish some good habits in your life. Maybe try exercise!
Anxiety. Recognise it. Tame it. Slay it.
Remind yourself that you are not your anxiety! You are not weak! It is only temporary! No one is “perfect”! You are not alone! and your feelings are valid!
genYOU Story 42 – Benedict Okonjo
My name is Benedict Okonjo and I am a Microbiologist. I am currently pursuing a Master of Health Services Management at the University of South Australia.
You define your manager’s style
Fundamentally, you define how I manage you. And I don’t mean that you get to sit down with me on day 1 and have a chat about how you would like to be managed. Whilst that sounds lovely, I would also argue it’s theoretical rubbish.
Securing a graduate role. Tips on what not to do!
In thirteen years of recruiting university students, I have experienced some ‘gems’ over the years, and I’m not talking about the awesome grads I’ve met and hired, but the scratch your head ‘I can’t believe they just did that’ kind of gems.
genYOU Story 41 – Carole Kisato
genYOU Story No. 41 features compassionate and driven Flinders University student Carole Kisato! Joining us from Kenya, Carole has created her own opportunities and is stopping at nothing to achieve her career goals.
genYOU Story 40 – Camila Burato de Oliveira
genYOU story No. 40 comes from Camila Burato de Oliveira who isn't afraid to push boundaries and venture into the unknown! We admire Camila for her initiative and courage! Read about Camila's career journey so far below.
Embrace the chaos.
If we don’t have a ‘plan’ or feel lost, it can cause us to become quite tight-lipped in conversations about what the next few months look like … or it can lead us to avoid the chance of those conversations ever happening and slowly decline all social invitations until we find ourselves holed up for the 4th weekend in a row watching re-runs on Netflix...
genYOU Story 39 – Irina Stavrou
Well for starters, my name is Irina, I'm 19 and I'm majoring in Public Relations at QUT. My biggest task so far; completing my second year of University, as well as keeping on top of work and an internship. I also really like Italian food and a good wine and dine with a few friends (hint: this is how to win me over always!).
It’s ok to pave your own road.
Despite how hectic my life has become, I've noticed my choices have led me to drift apart from those who I was once close with. I scroll through countless posts on my phone and see many of them embarking on new and exciting journeys together, wondering whether I'm falling behind and should be keeping pace with their lives.
genYOU Story 38 – Riley Thiedecke
Our genYOU Story No. 38 features Riley Thiedecke (pictured far right)! Riley’s story reminds us that our career is in our hands … at any point we can pivot, change direction or find a whole new wave of motivation!
genYOU Story 37 – Ellyse Sainty
Our genYOU Story No. 37 features Ellyse Sainty! Ellyse joined our team mid-year as an intern … and brought into the office a fireball of energy and enthusiasm that is unparalleled to anyone we know! We’ve enjoyed having Ellyse as part of our extended team, and can’t wait to continue watching her kick her #careergoals.
Stop the comparison. Your career is what you make it.
There is more than one way to get from A to B and just because your route is different doesn’t mean that you won’t end up in a similar place. At the end of the day things work for some people and not others.
The real impression is made during the role
So here’s 5 tips, tricks and hacks to make sure that you take this opportunity, meet expectations, exceed them, and continue building yourself into being a strong graduate, young professional and all-round legend!
genYOU Story No. 36 – Adekemi (Kemi) Omomo
Our genYOU Story No. 36 features Adekemi Omomo! Adekemi (Kemi) has some awesome advice for her peers on how small steps reap greater rewards than nothing at all and the value of strong connections.
genYOU Story No. 35 – McKeeley Makin
genYOU Story No. 35 features McKeeley Makin, who is a go-getter, aspiring marketer and entrepreneur! McKeeley’s story reminds us that it’s okay to change study directions, to slow down and to take our career journey’s one step at a time.
Criticism does not mean you suck.
As a boss one of the things I actually hate most is having to give someone feedback on their work. Well let me explain. When their work is awesome … it’s great … I get to big them up and make them feel like a giant. But when things aren’t up to scratch, no matter […]
Finding an internship while you’re studying.
Managing your studies and maintaining a job (which many uni students do) is a job in itself, let alone trying to find an internship in your field of choice.
genYOU Story No. 34 – Diana Tantaeva
genYOU Story No. 34 features final year Kaplan Business School student Diana Tantaeva. Diana is a familiar face in our community as she regularly attends our generationYOU events! So we reached out to Diana to chat to her more about her career journey so far ... and what she is planning for her future!
Your graduation date is not a hard deadline for “get your life together”.
For some reason, no matter how much advice we give - most of you seem to think that you need to know how to do absolutely everything successfully before graduating.
When sh*t hits the fan, keep your cool.
Lisa and Saara have put together a special guide just for you, with all their tips, tricks and hacks on how to best manage your time and energy when the crazy hits (and to keep yourself sane amidst it all).
genYOU Story 33 – Hamza Ansari
genYOU Story No. 33 features UQ student Hamza Ansari! We loved hearing how passionate and involved Hamza is with local politics and how generationYOU has helped him along his career journey.
Help! I’m stuck in a personal branding rut.
Here's the thing about building a personal brand. When you first decide you're going to give yourself a professional makeover by going to ALL the events; connecting with ALL the right people; writing new articles for a blog EVERY week; cleaning up your social media (and maybe even joining NEW platforms) ... it can be quite exciting, right!?
genYOU Story 31 – Zac
Our 31st genYOU Story features final-year QUT student Zac Seeto! Zac's story reminds us that at any point we can take control of our careers and personal development, even if it's with a few small steps.
Your personal brand is on the internet, whether you like it or not.
I want to help you consider where the best places are for you to SHINE and to build an epic online #PersonalBrand are, including some neat tricks, tips and hacks that I've learned myself along the way.
Want to be a strong team player? Harness your soft skills.
Let’s look at a few ways we can harness our emotional intelligence and communication to become stronger team players (and leaders) as we move through our careers.
Workplace Communication 101
When it comes to navigating communication in the workplace, it's entirely up to you how prepared you are to handle and execute your best verbal and non-verbal self in the boardroom, lunch room, coffee cart, at your desk, on the phone and on email ... yep there really are that many!
genYOU Story 30 – Thomas
Our awesome 30th genYOU Story comes from QUT student and a keen attendee of heaps of our generationYOU events - Thomas Beckerton! Find out more about Thomas including the awesome activities he gets up to in addition to his degree ...
Networking myths … busted
The practice of ‘networking’ is a difficult tool to master. As is wading through the mounds and mounds of information from website, speakers, friends, colleagues and family on how best to do it and what you 100% should not do. To try and help with this influx of advice, we’ve narrowed down 5 classic #networkingmyths […]
5 things that drive me nuts when networking.
There is a lot of etiquette when it comes to networking. Do this, don't do that ... it's a lot to remember and take in. At the end of the day ... it's important to remember that networking is nothing more than 2 people connecting because they like each other, have mutual interests, might want to work together and might be able to help each other out.
5 tips to make networking a win-win.
The leap from the very first conversation to a potential opportunity for you, is a slow burn, and it requires you to put in some frickin’ good effort.
Navigating the post-interview process
There’s a few ways to manage the pressure and anxiety that often comes post-interview. The reality is that how you choose to follow-up an interview could be your one last chance to make a great impression! So how do you make sure it’s the best one? Key things to remember: You want to be front […]
Feeling Uncertain? Harness Your Resilience!
Resilience is (to me, anyway): Tackling challenges and setbacks as they come – and oh, they will come – whilst always knowing deep down that I am strong enough to get where I want to go.
Interview questions to prep for and to ask!
Ahhh it’s interview day. YOUR day. Your time to shine. Two things you have to watch out for are a) Don’t get caught out by a tricky little interview answer that you forgot to plan for and b) Don’t forget to jot down 3 – 4 tailored questions that will help make your final decisions, […]
genYOU Story 29 – Nely
Our awesome 29th genYOU Story comes from Biomedical Engineering student and President of the Women in Engineering Society - Nely Psico!
Don’t apply. Sometimes you need to ask.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of seizing opportunities. It pains me to watch young people (actually all people) sit back and wait for the opportunities to come to them.
genYOU Story 28 – Henry
Our awesome 28th genYOU Story comes from aspiring filmmaker Henry Raft! Henry has attended heaps of our generationYOU events, so we were stoked we could interview him for our genYOU Stories series and find out a bit more about his goals.
Would your future self be proud of present you?
I know that a lot of you will be pretty close to graduating, maybe you even have a graduate position lined up (yay full-time job!!!!) … regardless of where you are in your study or career journey, I think we can all agree that we’ve entered the stage of the year due for ‘reflection’.
genYOU Story 27 – Iris
Our awesome 27th genYOU Story features recent law graduate Iris Rad! Iris has set her sights on undertaking a final law elective in Israel, to study Israeli and International Law.
genYOU Story 26 – Stephanie
Our 26th genYOU Story features final year La Trobe University student, Stephanie Smarrelli! Stephanie will be graduating in December with a Bachelor of Media and Communications, majoring in journalism.
genYOU Story 25 – Nicole
Our EPIC 25th genYOU Story comes from one of our superstar interns, Nicole Micallef! Nicole will be graduating mid-2019, and we're stoked we could be a part of her journey!
Are you owning your busy? Or does it own you?
QUALITY work matters … it is a true reflection of YOU. And your busy directly affects this. So let me ask you, what does YOUR busy look like?
genYOU Story 24 – Sarah
Our awesome 24th genYOU Story comes from one of our superstar Interns, Sarah Chlonta. Sarah will be graduating at the end of 2018, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her at #genYOU HQ before she brings her sunny attitude into the workforce!
Are non-verbal cues holding you back?
When you are being assessed for a job or putting yourself out there, your entire persona becomes watched. Hiring managers are not just interested in hearing you tell them how much you love their organisation ... they will look for cues to see that it is genuine.
Leadership. Not just a skill reserved for CEOs.
What if – instead of only aiming to become a great leader when we’re in an executive or managerial role … we start becoming leaders in our every day jobs and life.
genYOU Micro Stories 05
Our generationYOU micro stories are a collection of refreshing insights from millennials that are on their way to unleashing their potential.
Full-time work. Myths vs. Reality.
We know that when you’re at university you hear STACKS of stories from beyond … and you sometimes get mixed messages from your friends who have made it into the ‘full-time world’.
Personal Branding 101 – What and Why.
Your personal brand is that “thing” which arrives wherever you go before you do and remains after you are gone. It’s how people talk about you and the traits and characteristics you are known and remembered for.
Standing out from the crowd. Candidates who #NailedIt
If you are one of 100 or even 1000 applications for a single role, getting noticed, having a memorable application or leaving a good and lasting impression is pretty key to nabbing that dream role.
Diving deep into interview prep
As exciting as they seem, job interviews also put a heap of expectations on what you should do to stand out and secure the position.
It’s okay to ask for help.
As important as it is to grow up competent and independent, able to figure things on your own (something I like to preach about a lot) ... It is also equally important to be smart and ask for help and advice when you need it.
How to decide if you’re the right fit for a company
Make no mistake – your personal values aligning with your employer of choice is a HUGE deal, to both your future and theirs.
genYOU Story 23 – Dominic
Our 23rd genYOU Story features recent engineering graduate Dominic Burnet. Dominic has set his sights on a future role in a leadership position and hopes to create and design new technology that advances society!
Use the ‘6 Hats of Thinking’ when collaborating.
When you enter the workplace, you won’t have a choice on who you get to work with! Strong teams are made up of a dynamic group of people who bring to the table a range of skills, expertise, opinions and perspectives.
When it all goes to sh*t
Why is failure so unpleasant to us? Why do we shy away from it so much? What is making us avoid the topic of failure?
genYOU Micro Stories 04
Our generationYOU micro stories are a collection of refreshing insights from millennials that are on their way to unleashing their potential.
Collaboration 101: What, Why and How.
For the next few minutes, I want you to forget how you currently define collaboration and push aside any negative or positive memories you associate with the word! We are going to start with the all important WHAT, WHY and HOW.
genYOU Story 22 – Mikayla
Our EPIC 22nd genYOU Story comes from our superstar Intern Mikayla Scells! Mikky will be graduating mid-2018, and we're stoked we could be a part of her journey!
genYOU Micro Stories 03
Our generationYOU micro stories are a collection of refreshing insights from millennials that are on their way to unleashing their potential.
Communication in a post-academic world
Communication at uni has a style which tends to be very formal, however, when you enter the workplace things change considerably.
genYOU Story 21 – Kayla
Our 21st genYOU Story features Kayla Wren from the Queensland University of Technology ... and to be honest Kayla's extracurricular activities has us itching to go back to uni and be just as #motivated!
6 LinkedIn Hacks You Should Know.
We’ve put together some of our very best LinkedIn #hacks to help ensure you are using the platform in the best way possible!!
My mentee just broke up with me.
We live in an impatient world and I feel like whilst everyone wants a mentor ... that comes with the expectation of instant gratification, and if you can't satisfy the expectations upfront ... then you are not seen as valuable.
Interview prep tips to help you land your dream role
Our Co-Founder Lisa wrote down her 6 key interview prep tips to help you land your dream role! Once you've prepped and you know your stuff ... it's time to shine!
5 Daily Hacks for Killer Productivity
What can you do to get the most out of your day and how can you ensure that the time you invest in yourself today, will have the best impact on your long-term goals in life?
genYOU Story 20 – Monique
Our 20th genYOU Story features Monique Chow (pictured centre) from the Queensland University of Technology. Monique is an ambitious business student who is always looking for an opportunity to challenge herself!
Start to unleash the power of LinkedIn.
LinkedIn. Love it or loath it … for many people, it’s a key part of putting their professional profile out to the world. However, how much or little you use the platform is up to you.
7 Tips for Writing an Awesome Cover Letter.
Our generationYOU Co-Founder shares her top seven tips for writing an awesome cover letter (in no particular order)! Some may surprise you.
Your degree isn’t enough. Employers expect more …
When you are studying, your degree feels like the world. Your everything. But have you considered that perhaps there is more that needs your attention?
How to inject personality into your cover letter whilst still being professional
There’s a lot of pressure riding on your cover letter. How do you stand out from the tonnes of other applications? Let’s discuss three ways you can inject personality in your cover letter while still being professional!
How to have two years of experience straight out of uni
Oxymoron. noun. A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. For example: Graduate role available. Minimum of 2 years experience required.
Your Career. Your Game. Your Rules.
If a career is not what we grow up thinking it is … then what is it exactly? And what are some other misconceptions we are basing our lives on?
Landing your dream internship
Applying for an internship can be stressful - you should be treating it like you are applying for a job ... so here's our top 7 tips!
How to reduce ‘overwhelmed’ syndrome.
How do we combat feeling overwhelmed - not just today, but every week, and during all the months to come in the year?
genYOU Story 19 – Nicole
Our 19th genYOU Story features one of our Community legends - Nicole Woodward. Nicole has previously spoken at our generationYOU Live Events on recruitment.
Life is the very best game of all. And every point counts.
Whether we like it or not, life is a game ... as is work and our careers. We often think that games are trivial or that they rely on luck so we are hesitant to think about something as serious as our life as one.
genYOU Story 18 – Arunima
Recently graduating from The University of Adelaide, Arunima Kumar says generationYOU made her more motivated and determined to show her worth!
Help! I think I’m studying the wrong degree.
Choosing a degree is a fickle thing. If you've found yourself questioning your choice of degree - and I don't mean the classic "why am I even studying this" that we all ask now and again - then you have a few options.
genYOU Story 16 – Shehnaj
Flinders University Graduate, Shehnaj Akhtar is featured as our 16th genYOU Story! Identifying herself as a life-long learner, Shehnaj is working towards becoming an inspiring leader in the future.
The Borings: Money and Legalities
Have you met The Borings? They are those annoying tasks and unexciting things you need to learn now, that won’t be part of University life … I’m talking about your finances and legal rights. Whilst boring, they are critical.
genYOU Story 15 – Saara
Our 15th genYOU Story comes from our very own Saara Khan. Far from being boring and linear, Saara's journey to her dream job (yes we are that awesome at genYOU) has had more than one twist and turn!
Graduate Survival 101
How do I make the leap into a full-time job? Can someone please tell me what the hell ‘work culture’ means? We've got you. This is your 101 Survival Kit to living life as a graduate; written for you by a fellow graduate!
When winging it just won’t cut it
How many times have you found yourself getting ready for an exam or another significant activity and you get to a crucial point where you have to accept that you are unprepared? Like really unprepared.
genYOU Story 14 – Yohanna
Our 14th genYOU Story features Yohanna Handjaja from The University of Adelaide. Yohanna has a positive attitude that we know is going to help her keep flying through her goals!
genYOU Story 13 – Naomi
Our 13th genYOU Story features Naomi Kroll - an inspired Western Sydney University student who is working hard to reach her goals and letting nothing get in her way!
Make it happen. Use your grit.
People who lack grit will often bounce from project to project without following through. But you’re different, you finished a whole degree! You have grit, and lots of it.
Always be networking.
What if networking is a series of connections or interactions between people. Not so bad right? Let's dig a little deeper into how we can ace networking.
Networking: Know Your Why.
This article, aptly called, Networking: Know Your Why, looks at the importance of being prepared to communicate who you are, what you do and WHY you do it.
Seize every opportunity with both hands…
The funny thing about opportunities is that they are rarely served up on a silver platter complete with a full list of pro’s and cons. You need to see them, recognize them and grab them.
genYOU Story 12 – Khairul
Our 12th genYOU story is on Khairul Razali. Coming to us all the way from Malaysia, Khairul is an ambitious, hard-working and insightful psychology student at Flinders University in Adelaide. Khairul brings an inspiring perspective to our genYOU stories series.
How to run a personal online brand audit.
An online audit will give you the opportunity to take stock of what others can read about you online, so that you can work out what to remove and what to add in, to make sure that it is an accurate and authentic representation of you.
5 things you need to avoid in your job application
There are 5 mistakes people make without realising it when applying for a job. Don't let one of these be the reason you miss out on landing your dream job!
Reduce your problems, make fewer decisions
Our goal in this article is to hack the ‘busy’ out of our personal life to leave extra energy, both physical and mental to perform well at work.
If you are not living a life of almosts you’re not pushing hard enough!!
It was 12.08am on a Friday night and I was sitting at the Beat (don’t judge me), with a gin and tonic in front of me and a certificate of participation on my lap, contemplating life and pushing hard when you want to win (sigh). We had just missed out on winning a big business […]
genYOU Story 11 – Anastasiia
Our genYOU story is on Anastasiia (Ana) Kuleshova. Coming to us all the way from Ukraine, Ana is a passionate and driven QUT marketing whiz + administrative assistant and Founder + President of the EcoQUT club. Basically, Ana is #killingit right now, and with a ‘no limitations’ attitude, it’s easy to see why. Name: Anastasiia Kuleshova City: Brisbane […]
Are millennials applying too many filters to their lives?
The simple act of taking a photo – have you ever stopped to think how much that has changed in the last 20 years? Let’s time-hop back 20 years to 1997. Taking a photo went roughly like this. You set the photo up – you took the photo – and then somewhere in the next […]
The Art of Hustling
Do you have a hustle mindset? Whilst your parents might have been doing the Hustle in 1975, the term has a completely different meaning in 2017. Today, the hustle, translates to hard work, results and a commitment to #win no matter what the challenges or costs. Resilience, resourcefulness, strength and a clear vision lie at […]
Graduating soon? 5 hacks to keep the doors opening
You’ve heard multiple times that you should just say YES. Your best friend’s Facebook feed is always full of exciting experiences they participated in. Your lecturer just told you that your degree alone won’t cut it anymore. You know you need to do more. Now you’re sitting here, post-graduation (or pretty close to it) thinking what […]
Experience. You already have it… Now flaunt it.
Applying for jobs can be an on-going battle. You scan the job description and mindlessly tick “yes” to the skills you match and “no” to the requirements you don’t quite fit. You reach the end of the advertisement and feel quietly confident – this is it, the perfect graduate role – until you see the […]
Challenging the “work-life balance” myth.
Work-life balance. Like the mythical rainbow unicorn – it sounds impressive, is highly desirable and you’re pretty sure you want it… Or you should want it anyway. But now let me challenge you to define it. Does it mean you get to come to work at 9am, leave at 5pm, and switch off? I’m pretty […]
How to figure out what you really want to do with your life.
Feeling confused on how to find your purpose? Here are our five questions to help you get unstuck! Don’t fixate on the words. Look beyond to the purpose of the question and don’t worry if it takes you off on a tangent. They are designed to get you thinking and to help you find answers. Try writing or […]
Is searching for your purpose dragging you down?
We have a tradition back home, where on your first birthday you are presented with an assortment of random objects and ’told’ to pick your favourite. That very important choice, which as a one year old, you would have considered greatly, will determine what you would likely do for the rest of your life. For […]
genYOU Story 10 – Nick
Hailing from Moscow, Russia Nick Smirnov (or as his friends like to nickname: Smirnoff), is a trendsetting creative focused on helping start up companies to reach their full potential. In the future he aspires to launch his own marketing agency and come up with an innovative business idea. For which industry? We can’t wait to […]
genYOU Story 09 – Andrew
Our genYOU story No. 9 comes from our good friend Andrew Quinn. Andrew has been a long time supporter of generationYOU – in fact, he was one of the speakers at our very first event! Name: Andrew Quinn City: Brisbane Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your career journey? When I look back on my career […]
13 ways to become unemployable
It’s not only the jobless who become unemployable. There are many educated, 20-somethings who are invisible & struggling to win at work. If any of the below sound too familiar then it’s time to re think your approach! 1 // You are not putting your hand up for new opportunities or responsibilities. Step out of […]
How to actually enjoy networking
Being a student, who also happens to be on the executive team of a student society and working as an Event Assistant, I am thrust into networking opportunities all the time. Many people (myself included) get flustered with even the thought of having to network. In fact, I remember when a friend within the committee […]
3 easy tips to biltz the job application process
A job seeker’s conundrum is the balance between wanting to stand out of the crowd and the need for efficiency. You want your application to shine amongst 100s, however, you also need to apply for many roles and have limited time. So, how do you tailor-make an application efficiently? 1 // Make sure your foundations/basics […]
genYOU Story 08 – Amelia
Focused, gutsy and brave (yep, she jumps out of planes), Amelia Hough joined the team as our first intern in Melbourne. Inspired by her travels, friends and the people she meets she is not afraid to take risks and challenge her potential in a fast-paced world. Name: Amelia Hough City: Melbourne Current role: Working and completing […]
Are you future proofing your career?
Let’s start with a quick reality check. If you are in your 20s now, you can expect a good 50 years of work ahead of you. That’s 50 years of change you need to be ready for. To put it in context – if you were to look back 50 years, that takes us to […]
genYOU Story 07 – John
Name: John Gappi Current role: Graphic Designer, online student and ex Marketing Coordinator of generationYOU How did you get involved with generationYOU and how did you find this experience? This is pretty crazy, but I was there from the very start. We’re talking back in November 2014 when Nadine and Lisa first floated the idea of […]
genYOU Micro Stories 02
genYOU micro stories are a collection of special snapshots from millennials that are on their way to unleashing their potential. Part 2 of our genYOU micro stories series takes a look at another four millennials from Melbourne – each on their journey to a career and life that makes them happy. Read their answers below. >> “I think […]
genYOU Story 06 – Celene
At just 20 years old, Celene Pretorius has a maturity and determination that not many people can compare to. Talented, intelligent and charismatic, she is on a creative journey to becoming a Theatre Director. Name: Celene Pretorius City: Brisbane Current role: Final year university student studying a double degree in Business and Entertainment and works […]
How to love this tricky interview question
Last week my colleague and I were talking about tough interview questions. I told her that I wasn’t a fan of the infamous, ‘Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?’ conundrum, and I wasn’t surprised that she shared the same feelings. First of all, can anyone be THAT organised? Well actually, I know there […]
genYOU Micro Stories 01
Our generationYOU micro stories showcase a collection of people who are on their way to unleashing their potential. And with only a few weeks to go until our live events in Brisbane and Melbourne, our talented intern Amelia took to the bustling Melbourne streets, asking individuals: ‘What does unleashing your potential mean to you?’ Each […]
The simplest trick to getting your own way
We live in a society driven by desire. Sure there are the products and things we want (the house, the car, the latest tech gadget) … but there are many other things that we want that are not simply controlled by whether we have enough cash in the bank. You really want to get that […]
genYOU Story 05 – Linh
Linh Diep is an inspiration. Juggling many different roles and responsibilities, she is intelligent, young, and hardworking. Her journey has already taken her to great heights and she is showing no signs of stopping. Name: Linh Diep City: Brisbane Current role: Works full time in a Big 4 company; a Board Member at UQ’s Young Alumni […]
genYOU Story 04 – Jacob
Oozing with charisma and energy, it is safe to say that Jacob Aldridge is one of a kind. Having chaired one of our most memorable generationYOU events, his unique approach to doing business and life is what sets him (and his story) apart. Name: Jacob Aldridge City: Brisbane Current role: Director of Advisory, businessDEPOT Could […]
The importance of collecting people
Networking. It’s all about making contacts. Right? Wrong. ‘WTF. How can that possibly be wrong?!’ I hear you saying. Well okay, its partially right, but I would argue that the true point and value of networking is not about making contacts. If that is your focus then you will never progress past 1000’s of LinkedIn […]
genYOU Story 03 – Melanie
Young, driven, and passionate are just some of the things you can call Melanie Duffy. Hailing all the way from the beautiful city of Adelaide, her genYOU story is something that resonates with anyone who is on a journey to unleashing their potential. Name: Melanie Duffy City: Adelaide Current role: Working two jobs, studying full time […]
Three ways to build experience without a job
You need to build experience to apply for a job but you need the job to get experience – where do you start? How can you up that first step? So let’s think through this logically. The trick isn’t to only get experience but to leverage on the experience you already have (especially if you […]
genYOU Story 02 – Lisa
Our second genYOU story comes from one of our amazing Co-Founders, Lisa Renneisen. Before you tuck into her genYOU story, let’s just say her career journey has been anything but linear (good thing she likes rollercoasters)! Name: Lisa Renneisen City: Brisbane Current Role: Co-Founder of generationYOU and Bright Conferences Could you tell us a bit about […]
genYOU Story 01 – Bella
Our first story comes from the amazing and quirky Bella Quaid. We first met her back in 2015 when she volunteered in our first generationYOU event. Name: Bella Quaid City: Brisbane Current role: Marketing Assistant and Founder and Director of MIMA WTH LOVE “generationYOU was my first work experience gig and introduction to the world […]
The importance of not following advice
Everyone has an opinion! From small things like the t-shirt you’re wearing through to huge life decisions – people LOVE to give you advice. In fact chances are your Mum, Dad, BFF, significant other, barista in the coffee shop and even your 5-year-old cousin will have an opinion that they are super enthusiastic to share […]
How I scored my new job with doughnuts
Doughnuts. Yes, you did read that right. Three weeks ago, I landed my new dream role here at generationYOU as an Event Assistant. It was the greatest news I could imagine receiving and doughnuts helped me get here. But how, may you ask, can a round piece of sweet dough, stuffed full of ooey-gooey apple […]
The mistakes that could cost you your job
“A mistake is only a mistake if it’s done a second time.” How many of you have heard or read that lately? What about – “fail fast and fail often” or “it’s not the mistake that matters, it’s the way you deal with it.” I’ll be honest, I hate making mistakes. I don’t like being wrong either, […]
5 things you’re doing that make you more employable
Have you ever read a job ad for an entry-level role, and just thought, ‘WTH’. I have. Skimming through the description, this ‘entry-level’ job states that you need to have ‘at least 2 years experience in a similar position to be considered.’ Umm, where is the logic in that Mr Hiring Director? As tough as the job […]
The power of YES
When was the last time you said ‘yes’ to something new, to an experience, responsibility, role, friend? A YES especially to an opportunity you did not feel up to? As people, we err on the side of caution. In fact I used to be a glass half empty kind of gal until a friend told me to […]
Email Etiquette – 3 Golden Rules
Have you ever completely screwed up a professional email? Yep. Hit reply instead of forward and accidentally sent kisses to a client – guilty. Missed a key word in an opening sentence and said, “I hope this email ___ you well” – happens more than I’d like it to. And of course the classic, ‘please […]
10 ways to take the ‘work’ out of networking
Networking IS tough! And awkward. For most of us, it can be a real struggle to take the work out of networking. Because it’s not just about meeting new people and making small talk – the real challenge comes in forming a genuine connection. But how do you keep nurturing a new relationship so that […]
7 awesome tips for networking at events
Blah. Learning how to network at events is hard right? You know you need to do it but are not sure how or why or who. You are comfortable in social situations, but when it comes to strangers, even small talk is tough! I was having a chat with Jason Cross – an entrepreneur – who coincidentally […]
How to get your cover letter noticed
As a business owner, I have spent a fair bit of time looking at applicants’ cover letters. Each submission reminded me of a different something I want to talk about – points that will help your cover letter noticed… for the right reasons. However, the thing that has stood out to me most, is the […]
8 tips to help you stand out and get hired
We recently caught up with Nicole Woodward, the National Graduate Programs Manager at Ashurst. Nicole has been working with graduates for the past 15 years and knows the type of edge you need to stand out during the hiring process and get hired. So it seemed an ideal opportunity to ask her some of the […]