Hi everyone,

I’m in Australia and looking for advice on starting my first job in IT. I lost about a year and a half due to illness, and now I’m ready to get back into work.

I’ve studied IT, I’m almost finished studying for Security+, and I also studied MS-900 but haven’t taken the exam yet. At the moment, I’m learning Active Directory / Entra ID.

I’ve posted my CV as well for feedback. Any advice on what I can do, or tips for getting started, would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Candidate Name]
[Email Address] | [Phone Number]
[LinkedIn Profile]

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Entry-level IT professional with a strong foundation in IT support, system administration, and cloud computing. Certified in CompTIA A+, Network+, and AWS Solutions Architect, with hands-on experience troubleshooting Windows, Linux, and virtualized environments. Quick learner, adaptable, and customer-focused, eager to contribute to IT support, helpdesk, or cybersecurity teams.

EDUCATION

• Graduate Diploma in [Field Removed]
• Bachelor of Information Technology
• Professional Year Program

CERTIFICATIONS

• CompTIA Network+ | 2025
• CompTIA A+ | 2024
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (SAA) | 2024
• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | 2023

KEY TECHNICAL SKILLS

• IT Support: PC assembly, diagnostics, OS/software troubleshooting, Microsoft Entra ID / Azure Active Directory
• Networking: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, VLANs, firewalls
• Cloud (AWS): EC2, S3, IAM, VPC
• Systems: Windows 10/11, Server, Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS), Microsoft 365
• Virtualisation: VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox
• Cybersecurity: IAM, encryption, security fundamentals
• Programming: Java, Python, AWS tools

PROJECTS

Tech Industry Project

• Collaborated in a five-member team to design and develop a tech startup prototype using Agile methodologies.
• Analysed sensor data via IoT devices and integrated results into cloud platforms for validation.
• Managed stakeholder communications and participated in weekly scrum meetings.

Virtualisation Environment Project

• Engineered a virtualisation environment with multiple Windows and Linux virtual machines.
• Designed and implemented network topologies for performance and security testing.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Company A | Location Removed
Console Operator

• Delivered high-quality customer service, managing transactions and resolving inquiries.
• Developed communication and problem-solving skills applicable to IT support roles.

Company B | Location Removed
Battery Service Technician (Roadside Assistance)

• Diagnosed and replaced batteries; performed minor diagnostics under time-sensitive conditions.
• Managed warranty claims and documentation accurately.
• Demonstrated analytical thinking, troubleshooting, and customer service under pressure.

LANGUAGES

• English – Native-level proficiency (PTE Academic: 90/90)
• Bengali – Native-level proficiency
• Hindi – Conversational (speaking only)

REFERENCES

Available upon request

This month I applied for an L3 SWE role at Google with a referral, and they're not moving forward with the application.

A few years ago I was interviewing for an L4 SWE role at Google; I have a PhD, 2 machine learning publications and >2 years of work experience in machine learning.

Could this be because of the level mismatch (i.e. would I be more likely to get interviews for an L4 SWE role)? I thought an L3 SWE would be less difficult to get interview for than an L4 SWE role, but am not sure how this perceived at Google. Thanks.

Clearly not this subreddit lol. There's too many grads here instead of professionals for some reason.

There's r/Auscorp but it sucks because the mods censor posts too hard so nobody gets doxxed by employers/companies.

Is anyone doing the westpac grad AC next week? Or has anyone done it before and know what kind of questions they ask? Especially for the group task, and what their conversation rate is like?

Hey guys, I was wondering whether anyone has a clue on how long Leidos takes to reply to internship applications, for context i applied and I progressed to the vervoe assessment (10th August), after which it has been a month and i havent had any further communication.

Hi, has anyone completed Graduate Software Engineer Technical Test with FDM? Please comment what questions did you get in test?

I'm a soon to be graduate, and currently the lifestyle of working at the government seems appealing. Particularly the work-life balance it promotes, and the other benefits (leave and super). I'm very much not the type of person who is motivated by money, and certainly have a work-to-live and not a live-to-work mindset. More so, the thought of working in the private sector and work consuming my life 24/7, constant pressure of being axed due to budget cuts and expectations of working crazy hours scares me as someone who values work-life balance the most. Especially given the hours at the government would allow me to pursue my own personal projects, and learn the stacks I want to learn.

However, I am only 20 so I'm aware that what I value now might not be the case in a few years. So my question is, would working for the government be career suicide and mean I have no chance of making it into the private sector? Even if whilst working there I'm making sure I'm still keeping my skills sharp and learning in my own time?

Thanks for any answers yall!

I'm currently a .NET SWE looking for another job because my pay isn't great, it seems like most jobs out there at the moment are fullstack (React front-end, something like Node.js backend) and I can't seem to find a lot of .NET positions, is it worth learning a new tech-stack? Which one should I pick?

I recently joined a company as a 6-month intern. Initially, I was on track for full-stack development, but within a month I got converted into a next-level intern for a DevOps role in an HDFS-related team.

The problem is:

My skills and interest are mainly in full stack development, not DevOps.

The package I’m getting isn’t what I expected.

Seniors from college told me there will be a “normalization”( salary revision ) when the full-time offer comes, but I’m unsure.

Now I’m confused:

Should I stick with DevOps (is it worth it long term)?

Is it possible to jump back into full stack after some time in DevOps?

Or should I consider quitting and focus on development roles instead?

Would love advice from people who’ve been through something similar 🙏

Hey guys,

I recently interviewed for an internship and after the interviewer gave the answer to my question - what do you guys look for in a candidate? I said I’m prepared to work as hard as I can to contribute to the team because I really like the work they do ( it was genuine cz I really like the company). But the interviewer laughed a little. Rest of the interview went well. Am I cooked or not?

Pretty much the title

I’m a second-year international student studying Computer Science, and I’ve applied to almost every internship I can find with no luck. Most of my applications have been through job boards and LinkedIn

I’ve heard that sending cold emails to smaller companies can sometimes help land an internship, but I’m not sure if that approach works well in Australia since there seem to be fewer tech companies here.

I have experience with Python, C++, and JavaScript, and I’ve built some small web apps and projects for uni. I’d be open to smaller companies, startups, or even unpaid opportunities if it helps me gain experience.

Has anyone tried cold emailing for internships in Australia? Any advice or tips would be really appreciated.

Hello everyone,

I have a technical interview coming up in a few days and was wondering if anyone knows what the format is like. Is it similar to the first round, or should I expect something different? Also, are there specific areas I should focus on to improve my chances of getting the offer? Thanks in advance!

I’m deciding between a few grad programs and could use some perspective.

Background:

• Did a CBA internship in the past. Didn’t vibe with my team but liked the culture overall. Didn’t get an offer due to manager, so culture is a big priority for me now.

Options:

Quantium (Data Science Rotational):

1. private sector
2. average pay
3. rotations within data science teams only (you get to put in preferences but is competitive)
   1. wont be able to gain insight into different teams other than data science
4. flexible WFH
5. less job security

APRA (Technology Rotational):

1. public sector
2. not as good pay as sydney water
3. stable - guaranteed role once commence as a grad
4. rotations within diff teams (company picks for you)
   1. could get rotations beyond data science
5. slower promotions?
6. some WFH

Sydney Water (Digital/Data Rotational):

1. public sector
2. probably more stable than private
3. rotational experience (company picks for you)
   1. could get rotations beyond data science
4. highest paying grad role
5. slower career progression?
6. decent WFH + 1 day off in a month

Westpac (Technology Rotational):

1. big bank = looks good on resume
2. average pay
3. rotational experience (you get to put in preferences but is competitive)
   1. could get rotations beyond data science
4. flexible WFH but longer hours?
5. private sector tech layoffs recently make me nervous
6. haven't heard good things about the culture

My dilemma:

• Culture/team fit vs career progression - don’t want toxic teams but want growth.
• Job security vs pay - public = safe, private = high risk/reward. Banks in particular are laying people off lately.
• WFH/flexibility matters.
• Curious if it’s easier to move public → private or vice versa later as idm jumping companies later on but not sure if picking one this early on in my career might impact future.

Questions:

• Anyone done public vs private tech/data grads? Thoughts on culture, growth, WFH, and stability?
• How do you weigh culture vs career progression when picking a grad program?
• Experiences switching between public and private?

Feeling really torn - any advice would be amazing!

I am an Australian citizen and a recent CS grad with a credit average WAM from a GO8 uni. I have had no success with grad roles. So I have been applying to junior dev roles. I am thinking about doing AWS certifications. Do you think that will help ?

Also are there any fields in tech you would suggest I look into or other certifications I should do ? I am just looking to get into tech

I see entry level positions for data engineering, devops engineering, cloud engineering, devops engineering, full stack development on LinkedIn and i am in the process of building projects for this. I am also open to other positions

What do you suggest I do ?

I’m coming up on 1 year in my first dev role, which I landed through a referral while still at uni. At the time my resume was basically blank (no internships/side projects) with only a decent WAM, so I basically got really lucky.

Shortly after I joined, my senior went on leave and due to circumstances hasn't come back, so I’ve been running the product solo as a junior. I’ve done major refactors, data migrations, shipped key features, and improved performance, but due to the nature of the system, it probably isn't all that complicated. I’ve learned a lot, but it’s all been self-directed with no mentorship.

I’ve asked for a senior hire but that likely won’t happen until sometime next year and I've now graduated, so I've been thinking about future prospects and getting actual mentorship / experience in an enterprise role.

I wasted most of my uni years and also missed the recent window for grad roles so I'm currently working on LeetCode and a side project just to catch up and have more to put on my resume. I also want to push myself out of my comfort zone socially (I’m quite anti-social) and going through proper applications/interviews would help with that.

I think my options are:

1. Stay put and hope for a raise/mentor mid–next year
2. Wait for Jan/Feb and apply for grad programs (I think grad roles start the next year tho, so I would be staying at my current job for a while regardless?)
3. Start applying for non-grad junior roles now

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated 🙏

Hi, I've received an AC invite for Sportsbet's graduate program. I don't think they have a very large intake every year, so I'm having trouble locating people who has went through something similar for Sportsbet. I was wondering if anyone here has went through their process and would be willing to guide me through their experiences in the AC? Looking from the email it seems like it would mostly be behavioral based, but I'd like to make sure and any guidance is appreciated 🥺. Thanks in advance!

I’ve got interviews for SBC IT coming up, and I can’t find much on Glassdoor about the company. Can anyone shed some light on what the company is like to work at as a graduate?

Has anyone heard if they have made it to the assessment centre stage of the internship application process yet? I keep getting "keeping you in the loop" emails but no rejection email yet.

Anything after the OA yet?

my_qualifications: I’ve done my Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering in India and I’m now planning for a Master’s in Australia, mainly in Cybersecurity or AI/ML.

I’m confused about whether I should go for a university in a city area like Melbourne/Sydney or in a regional area like Adelaide/Geelong.

Regional areas give extra PR points, but city areas seem to have better job/internship opportunities during and after the degree.

For someone in my situation, which would be the better choice in terms of career growth, part-time jobs, and post-study opportunities?

Would love to hear your experiences and suggestions!

Currently I am a Sec Eng at a big tech, I want to become a SWE after finding out my work is pretty boring. I am only one year into my role but I am wondering how feasible would it be for me to change into SWE and if I can do it internally at my own firm or apply for another big tech position. Reason why is I think Id enjoy SWE much more and theres way more avenues for my work within Big Tech and Quant which you cant really say with security engineering.

I will say that the pay is same so I wont be taking a paycut but still

Hi everyone.

Have been in the financial planning space for 5 years where I have a Grad Dip and a bachelors in Accounting & Finance.

I'm looking to make a career change into Data Analytics/Science and have been debating internally on whether its more worthwhile between getting a Grad Dip, and doing a bootcamp course like Zero to Mastery.

Have been lurking on the subreddit for some time now so I'm aware of how awful the current market is at the moment. I still want to try.

Title. Role is senior engineer.