The brains trust have never lead me wrong!

So thoughts? No more sneaking a surf during university. The adult world awaits. Have submitted my resume to a few places but these are also highly competitive. Hospital based. Have read around and some people say to call to show interest is one way of standing out? But then others say that doing so is merely being an annoyance taking meaningless time out of an employers busy schedule.

Thoughts for this kid over here?

Cheers all!

Yep, call to show an interest. We had over 1,000 applicants for 20 graduate jobs last year. It's difficult to stand out, but reckon making contact is a very good way to push your cv up the priority list. Phone and ask to speak with the person who you'll be working with as often they'll be involved in selection.

Standing out is good.

100 applications for one job last year. Binned 80 of them after cursory inspection. Read 20. Interviewed 5.

I got my first professional posting by ringing every week. I think she gave it to me so I would stop annoying her.

Be prepared with one or two genuine questions about the role or company and call.

Make your CV stand out - this is getting harder now professionals CV writers have entered the game. Your CV is worth XX dollars per year - take it seriously.

Google CV writing...make it personal... and a solid personal sales pitch.

Tailor your CV for the role. Prioritise things in the job description but don't make your CV the job description... that's the first mistake most people make! Remove irrevelant content from your CV where appropriate.

Address why your skills and experience match the position description and success attributes in a concise cover letter. Google cover letter writing.

Learn from the rejections. Seek feedback from potential employers when not successful where appropriate.

When HR is involved, learn what HR wants... getting through HR is often the hardest part!

I just got a really sweet job with the sunshine coast council. From the moment I read the job ad, I wanted it. Super mixed role, 50-50 office and bush, electronics, field fitting hardware, working at heights, and CAD/GIS, databases, and reports in the office.

The first thing I did was read the ad and key selection criteria thoroughly. Then after a few days of mulling over why I'd be great for the job, I called the contact number and spoke to (my new boss) for as long as possible - was over half an hour. Selling myself all the time, while asking questions.

I spent the next 2 weeks working on my 5 page long application (2 page CV, 3 page cover letter / key selection criteria). Had my wife and someone else error check and give feedback.

Rang again after 2 weeks to discuss timing as I had other interviews. Again talked for as long as possible, showed a lot of interest. Was remembered from last call.

Scored an interview - did all the prep I could. Did lots of reading relevant to the position. Found old papers published by (boss) and read them. Managed to work that into interview.

Got the job out of 105 applicants.

It is a numbers game too though, I had 5 applications in for different jobs when the one I wanted most came through. 2 others were strong applications that took a lot of effort and I never heard a word back from those ones.

Best advice I can give is

1. read seek like others read news.com. Every day, every job for your region.
2. If you're out of work, work 40hrs a week on getting work and apply for anything you might have a shot at.

If I do this I always find a job within a week or two. Even if it's not the right job it's money in, and experience, and leads on a path.

For example, my drafting and GIS work shut down with the end of the mining boom.

I got a job within 2 weeks reading water meters. Minimum pay and hard work, but I dropped 10kgs and kept paying the mortgage.

While out in the field, I got headhunted by a leak detection company, who saw me working hard by myself.

Leak detection lead to tickets with water assets, field experience in the bush, experience troubleshooting water assets in the field, and secondment in the local water company's office doing GIS and database work.

Again, it was a minimum wage job, only slightly better than previous. But it kept the mortgage paid and without that experience I wouldn't have landed my current job, which pays decently and has all the great benefits too (9 day fortnight, all the types of paid leave, security, training, automatic pay rises, etc)

Having interviewed hundreds of applicants over my career, it always amazes me that very few even touch on what they can do for the company and how their being given the position would benefit the company and those who work there.

As someone said tailor your resume.
Learn as much as you possibly can about company. Kniw tge mission statement etc. If you really want a certain job with a certain co make it your hobby to learn for a few weeks and prepare
Practice answering interview questions out loud.
Try and think of all the questions they might have and practice responses to them. That way in the interview, you will be calm, confident, fluent and gave the right answers.

Hunting for a job is even harder than doing the job itself, especially in today's economic climate. I believe first impression is absolutely crucial. First impression you want to project yourself obviously means your first contact with your potential employer. I know of idiots who thought they are dealing with a mate, and used words like "mate" to address the potential employer I suggest "Mr", "Miss" are a good start. Politeness never goes out of fashion. Sprinkle your conversation with "please, thank you very much". Start with a "Good morning / Good afternoon" etc never hurts.

Most important of it all is your spelling ! Yes, get you text checked and checked again. Use a spell checker. A friend of mine who runs an recruitment agency told me that out of the applications in the hundreds, or even thousands, it is near impossible to wade through them all. So any sign of careless spelling, it is out

Personally, I am not sure of people who carry their hardware store with them. I am talking about all those piecing and crap. And ridiculous tattoos, no way.

I usually just email. Ask a few relevant questions, give a brief spiel about my knowledge and let them know why I'd love to work for them. Hadn't let me down yet. I do go for easy to get jobs though

Recently employed someone and after reading skills listed in various Resumes, I can't believe what people list as skills. After reading some of the crap, I got the impression some people believe getting out of bed in the morning is a skill.

Only interviewed one guy, did it at his home and gave him the job. Turned out good. But I have employed heaps of people previously and learned to look more for a good attitude than anything else.

Select to expand quote

MikeyG said..
Yep, call to show an interest. We had over 1,000 applicants for 20 graduate jobs last year. It's difficult to stand out, but reckon making contact is a very good way to push your cv up the priority list. Phone and ask to speak with the person who you'll be working with as often they'll be involved in selection.

+1

Cheers guys, some very motivational stuff present! I will definitely be taking it all on board and calling and better preparing from now on. I made the error of applying too early and too enthusiastically to a few jobs I'd really wanted so now I'll have to see how I go with those. As someone who is entering reality after a bit longer stint at university this is all the more daunting to me the more I prepare and send resumes and the more someone else is opted for over me; most due to experience.

The brains trust never lets me down!

Select to expand quote

kiteboy dave said..
I just got a really sweet job with the sunshine coast council. From the moment I read the job ad, I wanted it. Super mixed role, 50-50 office and bush, electronics, field fitting hardware, working at heights, and CAD/GIS, databases, and reports in the office.

The first thing I did was read the ad and key selection criteria thoroughly. Then after a few days of mulling over why I'd be great for the job, I called the contact number and spoke to (my new boss) for as long as possible - was over half an hour. Selling myself all the time, while asking questions.

I spent the next 2 weeks working on my 5 page long application (2 page CV, 3 page cover letter / key selection criteria). Had my wife and someone else error check and give feedback.

Rang again after 2 weeks to discuss timing as I had other interviews. Again talked for as long as possible, showed a lot of interest. Was remembered from last call.

Scored an interview - did all the prep I could. Did lots of reading relevant to the position. Found old papers published by (boss) and read them. Managed to work that into interview.

Got the job out of 105 applicants.

It is a numbers game too though, I had 5 applications in for different jobs when the one I wanted most came through. 2 others were strong applications that took a lot of effort and I never heard a word back from those ones.

Best advice I can give is

1. read seek like others read news.com. Every day, every job for your region.
2. If you're out of work, work 40hrs a week on getting work and apply for anything you might have a shot at.

If I do this I always find a job within a week or two. Even if it's not the right job it's money in, and experience, and leads on a path.

For example, my drafting and GIS work shut down with the end of the mining boom.

I got a job within 2 weeks reading water meters. Minimum pay and hard work, but I dropped 10kgs and kept paying the mortgage.

While out in the field, I got headhunted by a leak detection company, who saw me working hard by myself.

Leak detection lead to tickets with water assets, field experience in the bush, experience troubleshooting water assets in the field, and secondment in the local water company's office doing GIS and database work.

Again, it was a minimum wage job, only slightly better than previous. But it kept the mortgage paid and without that experience I wouldn't have landed my current job, which pays decently and has all the great benefits too (9 day fortnight, all the types of paid leave, security, training, automatic pay rises, etc)

Dude, thispiece should be blown up and posted in every damn DOLE office ..oh sorry 'centrelink'.... as they walk in...and they are forced to read it and memorise it.

Without being able to recite certain key points they have their allowance taken away....

Select to expand quote

Jupiter said..
Hunting for a job is even harder than doing the job itself, especially in today's economic climate. I believe first impression is absolutely crucial. First impression you want to project yourself obviously means your first contact with your potential employer. I know of idiots who thought they are dealing with a mate, and used words like "mate" to address the potential employer I suggest "Mr", "Miss" are a good start. Politeness never goes out of fashion. Sprinkle your conversation with "please, thank you very much". Start with a "Good morning / Good afternoon" etc never hurts.

Most important of it all is your spelling ! Yes, get you text checked and checked again. Use a spell checker. A friend of mine who runs an recruitment agency told me that out of the applications in the hundreds, or even thousands, it is near impossible to wade through them all. So any sign of careless spelling, it is out

Personally, I am not sure of people who carry their hardware store with them. I am talking about all those piecing and crap. And ridiculous tattoos, no way.

Good post, but this part is gold!