Tips for applying to Graduate Development Program

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

The application is your first opportunity to demonstrate you meet the capabilities we are looking for in our Graduate Development Program. These include the ability to communicate, research, analyse and work well in a team.

Here are our top 6 tips for preparing your application.

Prepare early

Start your online application as early as possible, well before the deadline. If you have questions or technical issues on the due date, you may not be able to resolve these quickly enough to lodge your application.

Be honest

Make sure you provide honest and accurate information as your responses will be confirmed at different stages in the process.

Don’t be shy about showcasing your strengths either. Each candidate brings diverse experiences, backgrounds and insights, so let us know what you can contribute. We want to know why you are the right candidate for our program.

Use the right format

Your CV should include certain details and formatting:

Put your personal details at the top. These should include best contact numbers, email and right to work as an Australian Citizen. Do not include personal information such as marital status, children, height etc.

Specify your qualifications and education as the second item.

List your previous jobs, including volunteer work, in reverse chronological order. This means putting your most recent employment history first and working back from there.

Use an easy-to-read font such as Arial or Calibri at size 10 or 11. Make sure your page margins are standard.

Keep each section uniform, using a standard approach. Use bullet points where appropriate.

Proofread your application

Your writing skills are assessed along with the content in your responses. Get someone with a good eye for detail to review your application before you submit.

Save a copy

We recommend that you prepare your responses in a word document and then copy and paste them into your online application form. If you experience technical issues on the site, you may lose the information and need to start again.

Check your email

Your email address is our primary method of contacting you, so make sure the one you provide is correct, current, reliable and accessible.

Once you have successfully submitted your online application, you will receive an email confirming receipt. We recommend you check all spam filters on your account as emails sent from an unknown address may be automatically moved to your spam folder.

We don’t want you to miss any of our messages.

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