There are certain people at uni who have the knowledge and experience to help you get through your degree. Uni isn’t always easy, and sometimes we all need a little direction to get to where we want to be. Here are the five people you should approach while you’re at uni, as they can can offer helpful hints on how to ace your degree and get a job.

The society president

Whatever faculty you come from, there is bound to be a society that will be hugely helpful for making not just uni connections, but lifelong connections. Every faculty will generally have a group of students doing amazing things (Society of Communications, The Business Society, etc.) that you can join on Clubs’ Day.

Clubs’ Day may seem boring, but this is a valuable day for making connections (if you sign up you can usually get a bunch of free stuff too). The head of the society is basically the equivalent of the popular girl at high school. They will know when the best parties are on, who the coolest people are and most importantly, where the networking opportunities are. Being friends with them may lead you to meeting your future employer.

The course coordinator

Your time at uni will be so much easier if you make the effort to speak to your course coordinator. Course coordinators know everything about your degree front and back. They know what helps a student to pass, what makes a student fail and can help you if you’re struggling with the course content.

Course coordinators can also give you some great uni advice in general. They can help you make the decision on whether you should defer for a year or stick it out, give you a better understanding of what it takes to get into a postgraduate or master’s course and help you to get the most out of the degree.

The recent graduate in the industry

This may be a bit harder then the others, so you may need your course coordinator to help you out on this one (good thing you’re best buddies right?!). Recent grads who have landed a job in the industry have one particular skill over you – they know the ins and outs of the hiring and interview process for graduates because they’ve just been through it.

You can talk to them about how they got themselves employed, who they talked to and how they got through uni. They might even have some old notes you can use. Bonus!

The career advisor

Being cosy with the career advisor is particularly important in your penultimate or final year. Usually you can just walk into the careers office, but try to book an appointment. This way you’ll have plenty of time to sit and chat about your job readiness.

Career advisors can give you in-depth advice on how to write a flawless resume and cover letter. They can also help you create an online presence through a LinkedIn profile or portfolio.  Career advisors will give you the best chance at snatching that first interview, so drop in!

The course overachiever

You know that person who seems to be getting every internship under the sun, while also getting good grades, doing volunteer work and working? You should definitely befriend that person.

If you become friendly with them, they will probably give you some insights into their success, which can help you along your journey too. This person has the potential to motivate you to get moving and accomplish all the goals you want to achieve before your time at uni comes to an end.

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Sarah Keoghan is currently studying Journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney. She loves to write and travel on uni breaks.