The Hard Truth About Landing Your First Job (And That $21 Toast in Toorak...)
The other day, a friend asked if I would chat with her daughter about her career. Let’s call her Anabelle for anonymity’s sake. She’s 21, bright, and finishing her university degree. She’s worked in real estate and hospitality, and as part of her studies, she did a consulting project in Japan—which, it turns out, she absolutely loved.
Before Japan, she assumed she’d go into real estate. But after this experience, she wasn’t so sure. The only problem? She had no idea how to pivot into consulting. Her plan was pretty much “graduate, take whatever job comes along, and hope it leads to consulting eventually.” Her mum, knowing that approach wasn’t exactly the most strategic, asked me to meet with her.
I’ll be honest—I was super busy, and I kept dropping the ball. But Anabelle didn’t give up. She kept following up until we finally sat down for coffee.
A Reality Check Over Coffee
We met at JUCA, a little café in Toorak (I have a lot to say about this place later, but let’s not digress).
We talked about her studies, her trip abroad, and her work experience so far. Like most students, she wasn’t 100% sure what she wanted to do. Consulting?sounded?like a good idea, but she hadn’t really dug into what it entailed or how to get there.
And that was my first red flag.
The biggest issue I see with graduates today isn’t intelligence or work ethic. It’s curiosity—or rather, a lack of it. Many of them don’t actively investigate career paths. They have a vague idea of what they?might?want to do but don’t take the initiative to explore beyond the surface.
Anabelle also hadn’t done an internship, nor did she have the bandwidth to do one before graduation. The reality is, when she applies for a marketing role in six months, she’ll likely be competing against candidates who?have?interned. And in a sea of resumes, guess who gets picked first?
Not the “hope for the best” candidate.
How to Stand Out (Even Without an Internship)
If I were in Anabelle’s shoes, this is what I would do:
By the time she walks into that interview, Anabelle won’t just be another graduate hoping for a shot. She’ll be a standout candidate who has taken control of her own learning, networked smartly, and demonstrated initiative.
And trust me—no hiring manager would pass up that kind of ambition.
Universities Are Failing Students
Anabelle’s response hit me:
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"We did a six-week course on how to apply for jobs, but this is the kind of thing they don’t teach us."
And that’s the problem.
Universities are great at theory, but they aren’t preparing students to be?the most employable. Most graduates show up to interviews unprepared, without a clear strategy, and just?hope?for the best. That’s not how you get ahead.
It’s time students start thinking differently about their careers—taking charge instead of waiting for opportunities to come to them.
Now, About That Café in Toorak...
On a side note, let’s talk about?JUCA.
I sat there for?20 minutes without being served, and it wasn’t even busy. Then, the waitress served someone who arrived long after me. To make things worse, the people at that table actually apologized, saying,?“We didn’t realize she hadn’t served you yet.”
When I finally got my food, I had ordered?two slices of toast. Pretty simple, right? Well, they came?bare—no butter, no spreads. So I asked for some butter and either Vegemite or jam.
They brought out butter, Vegemite in those little plastic packets, and some supermarket jam. The bill??$21+.
Oh, and they charged:
Not even kidding.
I barely used the butter or jam, but at this point, I was more entertained than annoyed. Still,?for two slices of toast at a café, this is just ridiculous.
And like anyone who has had bad service, I’ll probably tell at least 20 people about it. (Or, you know, write about it in a blog.)
Lesson learned? Whether you’re a café in Toorak or a graduate looking for a job,?people notice effort. And when it’s lacking, they remember.
For prompts on how to get a job with the 'next level' preparation and stand out from the crowd, check out www.roboticmarketer.com blog.
It's definitely a tough market out there, and having a polished LinkedIn profile and a strong personal brand can make all the difference ?? Networking, even virtually, can open unexpected doors and lead to valuable connections, too.