The University of Newcastle, Australia

Is this your final semester of study? Are you feeling excited and alive with anticipation of the 'new life' coming after that final exam is over and assignment is submitted? Or are you feeling a bit lost and unprepared for what is coming next? Maybe you are feeling both, or fluctuating between these two depending on who you are talking to.

For most students this fluctuation is a normal part of finishing uni. After all, these past three (or more) years have been an important time in your life. It has been a period of growth and change, of self discovery and development, and of fun and excitement. It has also been a period of hard work and stress, of personal achievement and challenge.

For some students, completing their degree brings with it a professional title such as engineer, speech pathologist or primary school teacher. For them, finding employment means looking for job ads under these headings or, perhaps, recruitment drives happened before uni ended.

For other students this is not the case. They have to find jobs that match the skills their degree has given them and this is not always obvious or necessarily logical. Many applications, interviews and knock-backs might occur before you find that job.

Finding and getting a job may mean moving to another city or even another country. It will certainly mean change - letting go of old routines and old lifestyles, letting go of familiar faces and places, having farewells and saying goodbyes. It also means having more money, new friendships, new activities and new opportunities. For many students this move also marks their transition into adulthood and all that it brings.

If you need some help making the transition from student to graduate you can talk to someone from the Careers Service about the type of jobs related to your area of study, interview skills and resume writing. Send an email to StudentEmployment@newcastle.edu.au.

Or you could talk with someone from the University Counselling Service about issues of transition and life changes. At Newcastle (Callaghan campus), phone (02) 4921 5801, drop in (we are in the Hunter Building foyer near Griffith Duncan Theatre) or email counselling@newcastle.edu.au.

For Central Coast-based students, call (02) 4348 4060, drop in to the Student Support Unit near the Library or email student-support-ourimbah@newcastle.edu.au.

Students studying at Port Macquarie can call 6581 6200 or 6581 6212 to make an appointment.

Anna Braithwaite
Manager
Counselling Service