How to build your resume while you study

These days, achieving a high-distinction average or mastering your taxation law units aren’t enough to land the job of your dreams. Recruiters and hiring managers are increasingly looking for candidates who combine academic rigour and industry passion with focus, drive and initiative. If you’re still studying for your degree, there are countless ways to prove to your potential employer that your contribution to their business will go well beyond balancing the books.

Here are four strategies for building your resume while you study – because it's never too early to start making a mark on your career.

Volunteer at a not-for-profit

If you’re a third-year accounting student, you could be a valuable asset to a business that couldn’t otherwise pay for your skills. From under-resourced charities that grapple with financial administration to not-for-profits that could benefit from simple bookkeeping, offering pro-bono services can seriously bolster your resume. It can also show employers that your social conscience matches your commercial instincts.

Start a side project

Extracurricular passions aren’t a distraction from your career – they can make you more attractive in an employer’s eyes. Companies are seeking out well-rounded individuals with a range of interests and passions, rather than workers who live for the daily grind. Whether you’ve always dreamt of designing a mobile app, starting a fundraising initiative to help disadvantaged students or planting a community garden, a side project can show your future boss that you’re equipped to put plans into action.

Land an internship

Yes, it may be the obvious, well-trodden avenue, but for good reason. Finding an internship with a company in your industry can accelerate your path to employment and help your resume land at the top of the pile. By working with professionals in your sector, you don’t just gain valuable industry experience and a network of contacts – you’re also better placed to pursue a path that interests you once it’s time to start applying for jobs.

Learn something new

Although future tax professionals are often meticulous and numbers oriented, this doesn’t mean you can’t explore the other side of your brain. Learning a new language, taking a writing class or enrolling in a professional communication course can make you valuable for employers looking for candidates that can connect with their clients – while proving that you’re committed to your personal growth. Alternatively, it’s just as useful to train yourself in an up-and-coming accounting program, take advanced Excel tutorials or brush up on a much-hyped piece of software that businesses are planning to adopt.

From taking a short course to launching a side project, there’s no shortage of steps you can take to build a sparkling CV. What steps did you take to make your resume stand out?


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Member profile: Christine Palmer

Employer: KPMG

Position: Lawyer

I completed the dual degrees of Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology (“QUT”) in 2009. 
In 2010 I completed the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at QUT and was subsequently admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland. In 2013 I completed the Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accounting and the CTA3 Advisory course in 2014 with The Tax Institute. I'm currently completing a Master of Laws with the University of New South Wales.
I have previously worked at BDO in the Corporate and International Tax team and the KPMG Corporate Tax team before moving to my current role in the KPMG Legal team.

Describe your current role

As a lawyer in the KPMG legal team in Brisbane I am involved in providing specialist tax dispute assistance, legal tax advisory and drafting tax legal related documentation as well as trust deed reviews.

Describe your involvement in The Tax Institute’s committees

I have been a member of the Graduate Diploma Committee since late 2014.  I have lectured for The Tax Institute.

What are your career highlights?

I have enjoyed every opportunity that has been provided to me.  No one particular highlight stands out but I was particularly excited to join the KPMG Legal team this year.

Why did you join The Tax Institute?

I joined The Tax Institute as a way to get involved in the tax community here in Brisbane and to enhance my tax technical knowledge.

What inspires you?

I have always found tax law fascinating as I see it as one of the foundations of a society and is politically driven. Tax law is technically and intellectually challenging and requires you to be continually learning. Every transaction will have a tax implication and being able to help clients manage their taxation obligations in a commercially realistic manner is professionally rewarding and is why I enjoy coming into work every day.

What advice would you give to graduates?

There are no silly questions but always take an issue as far as you can and have your views on it before asking the question. Have a go at the solution before you ask your question.

What do I do to unwind?

I like to play trivia, read, watch tv, go to the movies, shop and spend time with my family and friends.

Favourite holiday destination?

I love Scotland. It is so beautiful.

Are you ready for the proposed GST changes?

The topic of GST reform has sparked widespread debate with NSW Premier Mike Baird’s recent announcement he is backing a proposed lift to the GST from 10 to 15 per cent. So are you ready for the changes possibly headed your way? And why is it important that you, as a budding tax professional, keep abreast of any new tax developments, however initial they may appear?

In his proposal at the recent tax summit, Premier Baird suggested the spike would help fund the public health system, as well as stopping the federal-state financial system from “tumbling over a fiscal cliff”.

Since its introduction 15 years ago, the GST rate has remained untouched. But Baird claimed a rise is now the only viable way to overcome the federal and state struggle to fund health services and provide the required revenue stream of $20 billion before 2020.

He suggested income tax concessions and a new welfare strategy could help lessen the blow to low-income families and the vulnerable. The expectation is that a revised GST package could be created so that households earning up to $100,000 are not put at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, the proposed rise is not set to impact fresh food, health, childcare or education.

While these GST reforms were still very much in the pipeline at the time of the summit, leaders in attendance including various premiers, chief ministers and PM Tony Abbott reached an “in-principle agreement to lower the threshold below which GST is charged on online purchases from overseas from the current $1000”, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Whether or not these changes will be accepted and implemented still remains to be seen. However, as a tax student or junior tax professional, it is important to understand the short-term and long-term implications of the potential rise for your clients. Tax is a dynamic and ever-evolving profession. Equipping yourself with up-to-date specialist tax information, training tools and resources early in this reform process is essential to ensure you are prepared to provide timely, practical and relevant advice to your clients.

As a member of The Tax Institute, you'll gain exclusive access to a comprehensive range of tax courses to ensure you keep abreast of the latest in tax reforms. Led by tax experts to benefit rising tax stars, our professional development program offers intensive and cutting-edge workshops designed to ensure your knowledge as a tax professional is as up to date as possible.

Find out more about joining the 13,000-member community and gain access to powerful resources, progressive education and influential networks.


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