Where and how to look for your first job

Looking for your first job is not only about writing a resume. It is about knowing where roles actually appear, how each channel works, and which support programs apply to you. NSW Government's employment guidance groups the main paths clearly: online job boards, company websites, recruitment agencies, government careers, and specialised programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for applicants with disability.

This guide expands that map into a workable weekly system for school leavers, students, and graduates in Australia — with official links you can bookmark and a DocuResume workflow so applications stay tailored instead of copy-paste.

Major Australian boards list entry roles and often include advice on keywords, filters, alerts, and storing a resume. Start with Seek, CareerOne, Jora, and LinkedIn. Create one clean profile per board, upload a current PDF, and set alerts for your two target titles plus one adjacent title (for example retail assistant and customer service).

Workforce Australia (website and app) adds job-search tips and guidance on making resumes and cover letters stand out. Use it for learning, then apply on the board or employer site that owns the listing.

Practical habit: every morning, triage new alerts in 20 minutes. Save high-interest roles to your DocuResume pipeline, run match score, and only deep-tailor roles above your floor. Skip listings that demand years of experience you do not have — energy is the scarce resource.

If you already know employers you want — a supermarket chain, a council, a hospital, a tech graduate program — go straight to their careers section. Many roles never reach Seek, or appear there later with more competition.

Even when nothing fits today, register interest, create a talent-pool profile, and set alerts. First-job seekers often win by being ready when a casual or junior vacancy opens mid-week.

Employment agencies find workers for employers. Some specialise by industry (hospitality, admin, trades, IT, healthcare). Browse their websites for available roles and upload your resume or register an expression of interest even if nothing matches today.

Treat agencies as a channel, not a spare room for your CV. Lead with the role type and suburb or region you can work, your availability (including weekends if true), and one proof bullet. Call or message after you register if the agency invites contact — polite follow-up beats silent uploads.

Local, state, and national governments hire school leavers, apprentices, graduates, and experienced staff. Government roles often publish clear selection criteria — use those phrases honestly in your cover letter and bullets.

Training NSW offers programs focused on workplace mentoring, access to employment and training, and business opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In remote Australia, the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) Community Development Program (CDP) supports job seekers to build skills, address barriers, and contribute to communities.

Workforce Australia also lists specific roles and programs. If these pathways apply to you, register early and ask mentors which boards and employers hire through identified positions.

Several government programs help people with disability prepare for, find, and keep work.

RecruitAbility encourages applicants with disability into the Australian Public Service, including multiple pathways and expanded career opportunities, while improving disability awareness among APS hiring managers.

Through the NDIS, the School Leaver Employment Service (SLES) supports year 12 leavers for up to two years with work experience, job skills training, and travel training.

Disability Employment Services (DES) providers help locate and apply for roles, arrange training, talk to employers about workplace adjustments, and coordinate physical modifications. Find DES information via Services Australia.

Monday: refresh alerts on Seek, CareerOne, Jora, LinkedIn, and Workforce Australia. Scan your ten company careers pages and one government portal relevant to your state.

Tuesday–Thursday: three quality applications maximum. For each, tailor summary and skills in DocuResume, re-run match score once, export PDF, autofill where the Chrome extension helps, then mark applied with source (board, employer site, agency, or government).

Friday: one agency follow-up or talent-pool registration, and one informational message (alumni, teacher, or previous supervisor). Review what got silence — change title keywords or employer tier next week, not your entire identity.

Channels only work if the document is ready. For first jobs, lead with education, projects, volunteering, and part-time work framed as outcomes. Pair this guide with the first-job resume article and the graduate job-search playbook for volume and quality.