Organise your life admin

• Check your ID documents are in check – you’ll need them to apply for jobs. Think drivers licence, Medicare and any other cards you use regularly. Many employers will do police checks and need you to supply 100 points of ID.
• Create a My Gov account and link this to your other government services online. These include Centrelink, Medicare and Australian Taxation Office, amongst others. If you’re unsure how to do this, ask someone who’s familiar with the website to help you.
• Set up an email address to use for job applications. Choose a username that will look professional. If your name is taken, try adding your middle name, reversing the order or including an underscore or full stop.
• Write down your tax file number somewhere handy, like in a notes app on your phone. You’ll need this as you look for work.

Get those finances in order

• Start tracking your expenses to see where your money goes. This will help you budget in the future.
• Set up your own debit account for a salary to be paid into. Make a note of your account number and BSB, you’ll need this for any job that pays a regular salary.
• Do some research on salaries for your level of experience and the areas you’re interested in.
• Have a think about a superannuation company that an employer can pay into. Look for ones with low fees.

Do some job research

• Think about what’s important for you in a job and what you enjoy. Do you enjoy working on a computer or prefer to be outside? Is interaction with people important? What days of the week and hours would you prefer – weekdays 9 to 5 or shift work at any time of day, night or weekend?
• Research industries with skills shortages and strong job prospects.
• Start to gather information you might want to put in a resume – interests, experience, education and references.
• Consider doing an online course to prepare you for work. This could be an RSA course, First Aid or Working with Children Check. These can take a while to book into or process so it’s good to have them ready.

Reach out for support

Think about whether you might need support looking for a job. If you’re living with living with a mental health condition, treated illness, injury or disability, we can help. Just register for Disability Employment Services.

As well as help you build confidence and skills, we can help you work out what it is you want to do. We’ll also help you set up those important online accounts and find out what funding you’re eligible for to cover interview clothes, a White Card or industry training.

Find out more about how we can support young people.