"We will not be progressing your application."
I got that email from PwC. If you are an international student who has applied for 50+ jobs, but the only interview you have is the automated Big 4 digital assessment, read this.
If you don't switch up your approach, you will still not get an interview after 100 more applications.
What a Big 4 digital assessment is
Candidates for PwC's 2027 intake described its online assessment as puzzles, maths and a personality test. The next stages they reported were a one-way video interview, then an assessment centre.
Why more applications won't fix it
"If I apply to every job every single day, eventually I'll get an interview and an offer." That was my mindset when I started, and it got me almost nothing but automated rejection emails.
I kept blaming the fact that I'm an international student, without questioning my approach: mass applying, the same resume every time, ChatGPT answers on applications.
What turned it around was a mentor who showed me how to present myself in a way that stuck in people's heads, and building real relationships with professionals in the roles I wanted.
Check your LinkedIn
Have a look at your LinkedIn. Are there at least 2 things on it that would leave an impression on recruiters?
A passion project with a measurable result is one of them. Use it on your LinkedIn, your resume, and as your strongest interview answer.
If you want a mentor who is already in your target industry to look at your exact situation, book a free 15-minute call.
Check your resume for filler
Is your resume still filled with filler sentences that you can't explain why they are still there?
Read every bullet point on its own and ask: if this was the only line they read, would I still look good? If not, cut it or rewrite it. Don't list every job responsibility, and keep irrelevant experience off the first page.
Don't only chase grad programs
A grad program recruiter told me 80% of grad programs in Australia take mostly citizens, even when the job description doesn't rule out international students.
Also look at junior, associate and assistant roles at mid-tier and smaller firms. On SEEK, remove the "graduate program" keyword and search by role title instead.
At PwC, the stage after the digital assessment was a one-way video interview. For that format, read: One-Way Video Interview Tips From Someone Who Re-Recorded 5+ Times.