With holidays approaching many students are looking for summer jobs. The break is a great opportunity to gain valuable internship experience or work in an industry which you are interested in pursuing professionally. The Employment and Careers Development Centre (ECD) at Monash recommends that students seeking summer employment register with a recruitment agency in order to increase their chances of employment. Recruitment agencies are often employed by businesses to recruit new staff, and as such are able to pass job applications to large numbers of clients. Furthermore, agencies often specialise in particular areas, meaning they are able to provide tailored advice on application strategies.
When applying to recruitment agencies it is important to select one which is suited to your level of experience and the type of work you are seeking; agencies’ clients can include small and large businesses and government departments and agencies. A comprehensive list of agencies can be found through the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association.
Once job seekers have selected an agency they will be able to view available opportunities on a job board. There may be two job boards, distinguishing between permanent and short term roles. Short term roles are frequently referred to as Labour Hire services and applicants, should they be successful, are paid directly by the agency rather than the business for which they will work.
ECD recommends that applicants should only apply for one job offered through a single agency at a time; however, if you are interested in further jobs alert the agency. It is possible that applicants will not receive a response from the company they apply to work with, but they should always double check with the agency for feedback, even if unsuccessful. In the event that an interview is achieved, it is savvy to speak to the agency about this as they are often able to provide specialised knowledge about the company and their requirements. Monash also has a useful student job board at careergateway.monash.edu.au. ECD is open throughout the summer for students who have queries about career development.
