How to manage university, part time work, and your graduate job search

I’ve never managed these many things in my entire life. I’m running a business, working with universities, creating content, and looking for new industry partners.

If I compare this to 2016, I was doing a Master’s, working as a casual appointment setter, and looking for graduate jobs. Technically, I was doing less… but it just felt way way way more.

Over the years, I’ve worked with some brilliant students, and spent hours studying about productivity, how the best of the best manage competing priorities, and what actually helps people manage study, work, and job search better.

I want to share what I’ve learned from them, and from the mistakes I made along the way. I really hope this helps you out. Let’s go!

You’re allowed to keep only 1 main goal

Have you ever played Mario? You’ve got one goal: finish the damn level. That’s it! Everything else; collecting coins, smashing bricks, they’re all good to have. But none of it matters if you don’t reach the flag at the end.

The first thing you gotta decide is what’s that 1 main goal. Is it to:

• Secure a full time role as soon as you graduate?

• Graduate with a high distinction average?

• Have $10k in savings by the end of the year?

• Be the most popular person in Uni? Anything else?

Sorry you don’t get to have all four.

Pick 1 goal that matters most to you. Then give it your full attention. This doesn’t mean you ignore everything else. Side quests and smaller wins still happen, but you don’t get to evaluate your performance or be mean to yourself for not meeting those.

If your environment doesn’t serve you, tear it apart and rebuild it

You can’t quit smoking if everyone around you lights up after lunch. You won’t lose weight if your partner’s ordering cheesecake every night. And you’re definitely not going to accomplish your goal if your roommates are inviting people over every second day.

If you are doing your Masters, working part-time, and are actively looking for a full time role, you need to be around people who get it. People who are also juggling uni deadlines, part-time work, and job applications. People who are making time for networking instead of late-night gaming.

I’m not asking you to cut off your friends, but you gotta find your career gym buddies.

Try and create an environment that works for you. That means choosing housemates who have similar routines. Or studying at the library with friends who are job hunting too. Or joining a small accountability group that meets weekly to check in on job applications and interviews.

Again the key is not to have a perfect setup, just don’t have one that works against you.

If it isn’t in your calendar, it doesn’t exist!

In my first ever role in Australia, I reported directly to the CEO. I once messaged him on Teams asking for a quick check-in. He said, “Yep, let’s do Thursday, 3pm.” Thursday came... and I kept waiting. When I followed up, he said:

If it isn’t in my calendar, it doesn’t exist.

You’ve got to live by the same rule. Your calendar is your best friend.

Once you’ve picked your main goal and created the right environment, the next step is pretty simple, or maybe the hardest: make time for it. Not think about it. Not just want it. Actually block out time like it matters.

Want to apply for jobs? Calendar. Update your resume? Calendar. Prep for that dream company? Calendar. You don’t need a colour-coded Notion boards; just one calendar, one goal, and a few non-negotiable blocks of time.

If graduating with a high distinction average is your priority, then your calendar should be full of study sessions, assignment deadlines, and revision blocks.

If earning money is your priority, your calendar should reflect your work shifts, budgeting time, and maybe side hustles.

If job seeking is your priority, your calendar should be booked with time for researching companies, writing applications, preparing for interviews, and networking.

That’s how you go from “I’ll get to it” to “I got it done.”

Final thoughts

Look, doing a Masters, working part-time, and job hunting is messy. It’s okay if you’re not perfect at it. Just try and make it simple.

Pick one goal that really matters. Surround yourself with people who get it. And put that goal in your calendar like it’s non-negotiable.

You’ll probably slip up (everyone does), but that’s part of the game. The trick is showing up again and again.