Good grades matter, but they’re only one part of the story. Employers like Nestlé are also interested in how you think, how you work with others, and how you respond when things don’t go to plan.
This blog looks at the skills that help young people stand out, even before they have a long resume. It also shows how those skills are already being built through school, sport, part-time work, family responsibilities, hobbies, and everyday life.
At Nestlé, success is shaped by the way people work together. It comes through open collaboration, curiosity, courage, and the willingness to keep learning as you go.
Whether you’re in Year 10 or finishing Year 12, you may already be more career ready than you realise.
The skills behind the products you know and love
Think about the last time you grabbed a MILO, had a break with a KITKAT or cooked up MAGGI noodles between university lectures. Those products don’t just appear on shelves; they come to life through people working together, each bringing different strengths into the mix.
Turning an idea into something you can buy in store takes more than technical knowledge. It relies on people who can communicate clearly, solve problems, think creatively and work well with others. One person might spot a trend. Another develops and tests the product. Someone else shapes the story around it. Others make sure it can be produced at scale and delivered across the country. Every step depends on people who can adapt quickly and keep things moving when challenges come up.
What’s interesting is that these same skills show up in very different ways depending on where you work.
In Marketing, it’s about understanding what makes people connect with a product and finding the right way to bring it to life. When something isn’t working, it means stepping back, rethinking the approach, and trying again.
In Food Science, it’s about experimenting, testing, and paying attention to detail while working closely with a wide range of teams to get the final product right.
In Supply Chain, it’s about keeping everything running smoothly when unexpected issues arise, staying organised, and solving problems in real time.
In Sales, it’s about building strong relationships, communicating ideas clearly, and using evidence to influence decisions.
Across all these roles, the common thread is how you work with others and how you respond when things don’t go to plan.
The world of food is changing quickly, which means the skills that matter are evolving too. Being adaptable is important because trends can shift almost overnight. Being curious helps you stay open to new ideas and ways of working. Digital awareness is becoming part of everyday work, with data and technology shaping decisions across the business.
Thinking about Sustainability is also critical, as companies look for better ways to reduce waste and make responsible choices.
In the end, grades might help you get in the door, but it’s these skills that shape what you do next.
What makes a student stand out when they have little or no work experience?
Here’s something worth remembering: recruiters don’t expect high school or university students to arrive with a long resume, because they know you’re just getting started.
What catches a recruiter’s attention is usually how you talk about what you’ve done, not how much you’ve done. They notice curiosity, self-awareness, initiative, and genuine interest. They want to hear whether you ask questions, are willing to give things a go, can talk honestly about your strengths and where you want to grow, and if you’ve taken the lead on something, even in a small way.
The students who stand out are the ones who can share a real story about something they did, what they learned, and how it changed the way they see themselves. That’s what recruiters remember.
You may be surprised by how many of these skills you are already building. Initiative can be as simple as organising a study group before exams, starting a fundraiser at school, or teaching yourself something new through online videos. Nestlé values people who notice what needs to be done and take action.
The key is being able to reflect on these experiences and explain what you did, how you contributed, and what you took away from it.
How Nestlé employees built these skills before they started their careers
Ask recruiters what skills matter most, and you’ll likely hear the same ones again and again. Communication, adaptability, problem solving, teamwork, and the confidence to try, learn, and keep going. What surprises most people is that these are not skills you only build in a classroom.
The presentations you had to give, even when they felt uncomfortable, are the same skills used to pitch ideas and influence decisions at work. The times you balanced study, sport or a part time job are where you learned to stay calm, manage pressure, and solve problems on the go. That curiosity you showed in everyday life, asking questions or trying new things, is exactly what drives innovation.
When people at Nestlé look back, they rarely talk about grades first. They remember the moments that pushed them outside their comfort zone, working with others, dealing with setbacks, figuring things out when things didn’t go to plan, and working as a team.
The reality is that what feels ordinary right now is often where the real skills are built. The more you get involved, try new experiences, and stay open to learning, the more prepared you already are for your future career.
