1. First, find out everything you can about the company you’d be working for. Who are its customers? What is its mission statement? How does the job you’d be performing relate to the company’s goals? Finding out this type of information gives you great insights on what kinds of questions to ask your interviewer and shows them that you’ve done your research and already have some background in the company’s business and objectives.

2. Read over the job description carefully. Analyze your own strengths and see how you can tie the two together. If you have previous experience, make note of those times where you helped achieve a specific result. Employers give more serious consideration to applicants who have a background and a track record in their industry than those who do not.

3. First impressions count. It should go without saying that you should arrive 15 minutes prior to the interview, dress appropriately (if not above) the position you’re applying for, greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and maintain eye contact throughout the discussion process. Be enthusiastic, personable and outgoing. Show a sincere interest in the people you meet and the work you’d be doing. Interviewers can tell if you’re desperate!

4. Show that you can solve problems and work well under pressure, since nearly every job will require both skills. If you can identify a particular problem in your industry or that you may face when doing this job, give the interviewer some ideas of how you would solve it. Be calm, relaxed and confident. Some nervousness is expected, but your overall mannerisms (such as fidgeting, nail-biting, slumping in your chair) will be an instant giveaway on how well you REALLY work under stress. Likewise, if you project confidence and security in how you carry yourself, the interviewer will definitely notice.

5. If your mind goes blank when asked if you have any questions (and you should ALWAYS have a couple of questions ready), consider asking why this position is open. What’s the company’s track record and turnover rate? Are they performing well and keeping employees on board? Remember, you’re not just selling yourself on how you’d be a great fit for this company, but finding out how this company could also be a great fit for you.

6. If an interviewer asks a question that makes you feel uncomfortable, smile politely and ask, “Why would you like to know?” Remember, your employer is prohibited from asking you personal questions, including references to your race, gender, sexual preference, marital status and child care situations. Your interview should be focused on how well you can perform the job, not your home and family life.

7. After the interview, be sure to follow up with a thank-you note. Recount your strengths in the letter and highlight your qualifications. Touch on specific discussions or conversations you had with the interviewer to help them remember that polished, professional, enthusiastic candidate (you). Close the note by letting the interviewer know of your sincere interest in the position and your confidence in doing it well.

If you keep all of these suggestions in mind, you’ll not only have seriously impressed your potential employer, but you’ll come away from it feeling like a winner too! Good luck!

*Article written by Careers Online and posted by Quay Appointments.

Many people arrive at these events stressed, angry, basically not wanting to be there. What they don’t realise is they do themselves a disservice being there because all they will attract is negative people like themselves. They are almost guaranteed to have a miserable time. So how can you maximise your attendance at these events?

1.    Decide why you are attending this event. What do you want to get out of it? Is there a specific person you want to meet? Are you looking for a certain service provider?

The clearer you are on why you are going, the more chance you have of achieving it.

2.    Remember to take your business cards. A business card that clearly states your name, what you do and your contact details is imperative for effective networking.

In Singapore business cards are called name cards. Give your business card to the person you are meeting as part of your introduction, “Hi, I’m Robyn Henderson, I’m a global networking specialist.”. That is as much as you are going to say about yourself, unless they ask.

3.    Don’t sell your product or services at the event. Rather if the person expresses interest, suggest that you phone them to discuss further. You cannot control the situation and you may find “dinner is served” is announced mid pitch and you have lost a great opportunity to make a sale. No one wants to be sold to.

4.    Have quality conversations rather than quantity. If there are 50 people at the event, don’t expect to speak to all fifty. Be content with a quality conversation with 5-7 people who the next day will look at your card and remember you and what you spoke about, and more importantly remember you the next time they see you.

5.    The best networkers are the best listeners. Anyone will speak to you for ten minutes if you are not speaking about yourself.

6.    Listen to the latest news or talk back radio on your way to the event, so that you have a couple of interesting current topics to talk about.

7.    Avoid talking about work. 80% of the population don’t get recognition on the job and don’t want to speak about their job at all.

8.    Always make eye contact when you are speaking to someone.

Robyn Henderson is the author of best sellers Networking Magic & How To Master Networking. 

For a complimentary copy of her newsletter fax 61 2 9369.1053 or phone 61 2 9369.1053

Article written by Robin Henderson and posted by Quay Appointments Recruitment Agency.

As a professional or executive, having a clear career plan and strategy becomes increasingly important. Being clear and focused on the jobs that are going to get you where you want and the industries you want to be building your career within are important.   Too often I see job seekers not sticking to their plan and wasting time applying for jobs that are off their career track and are not going to get them where they want, or that they are unlikely to get an interview for.

A few things you can to do to assist keep you focused are:
- Have a career goal and strategy to support it (short and long term)
- List the job types and industry/s you want to develop your career within and keep it handy to refer to when job seeking
- When applying for jobs remain focused – if you do find yourself being distracted by great sounding jobs that are out of your focus, revisit your strategy and list of jobs and industries
- Likewise when approached or headhunted about jobs, revisit your list – if it does not add up walk away

While there is nothing wrong with being spontaneous and carefree, when it comes to your career it is certainly something that requires more considered thinking and a strategic approach.

Article written by Six Figures and posted by Quay Appointments.

Technology has changed, your field may have shifted, and your priorities may be different now that you have little ones at home. The corporate job that excited you before having kids, for example, might appear too demanding.

How do you sort it all out? Many women are working on it. It used to be once you were a stay-at-home-mom you would likely always be one. But more and more modern moms choose to return to work after taking time off to have children. The path from mummy hood back to work is different for every woman and can sometime be hard to navigate.

The good news is you don’t have to do it all at once. Returning to the workforce can be broken into small, manageable steps. Just because you’ve decided to go back to work doesn’t mean it needs to happen tomorrow. Break the process down and get started!

Research – What type of work are you interested in? Do you want to go back to your old job? If so, are there any skills you need to brush up on before going back? If you want to do something drastically different, what is it? If you used to work for a bank, but now you want to start a dog daycare, for example, take a close look at how the work will affect your day-to-day life. Evaluate what kind of a lifestyle this new work would offer and how much you could expect to make.

Find a mentor – Nothing can help prepare you for returning to work like an enthusiastic mentor. They’ve already had success in the job you’re looking into and can warn you of the pitfalls as well as encourage you.

Test It Out – Consider taking the time to test-drive your dream job. Spending a few days with a mentor, observing their work, will teach you volumes about whether this is the right path for you. Listen to your gut. If actually doing the work makes you realize it wouldn’t be a practical job with young kids at home, better to know that now then after leaping into the career in real life. Ask yourself, what did I love about this job? What did I not like? What surprised me the most? Could I do this job day in, day out?

Create an action plan – Now that you know what you need to do, set out incremental steps you need to take. Should you go back to school or get certified in a field? If you are starting your own business, do you need to get a loan or find space to rent? Establish a network of supporters, including your mentor, and rely on them for encouragement.

Involve your family – Going back to work will be a big change for your spouse and your children. Be sure they feel included in this process and let them know their support is important to you. If your spouse or kids have reservations about you returning to work, talk through the fears and try to address them specifically. If your children are afraid they won’t have any quality time with you, for example, agree on a sacred time like bedtime or Saturday mornings that you’ll always be available to them.

Returning to work after spending years raising children holds many unknowns. Are you ready to return to work? What kind of work will be the right fit for raising kids? How will the family react? These questions and more can be answered with good research, the guidance of a good mentor and the real-life experience of test-driving your dream job.

Article written by Brian Kurth and posted by Quay Appointments.

1. Searching without organization: It’s a great idea to organize your search so you know which companies you want to apply to, why you’re choosing them, and why they should choose you. Having this type of organization helps you write great resumes and helps you to choose companies and positions that suit you best.

2. Forgetting to check your references: Some hiring managers find candidates list references without ensuring the person actually would recommend them for the job—not good, since some references may not have great feedback to offer.

3. Choosing to close off job options: It’s always a good idea to apply for multiple positions. Just because you think you’re perfect for a job doesn’t mean a manager will think so. To play it safe, keep your options open.

4. Avoiding temporary jobs: Many professionals have acquired great permanent positions from temporary jobs. In fact, some employers prefer to hire from within—even from their contractor pool—so don’t overlook this option.

5. Using your work e-mail on your resume: Employers don’t like to see a candidate readily willing to use company resources when fulfilling personal objectives. So if you don’t already have a professional e-mail address, set one up that either uses your full name only (e.g. JohnDoe@emailaddress.com) or some variation with a title (e.g. JohnDoeAccountant@emailaddress.com).

6. Not utilizing networking resources: If you don’t have a networking pool to turn to—both online and offline—then you’re not fully utilizing your resources. Your friends, family, former co-workers, and strangers in your field are there to help. So keep up with networking associates and grant them favors when asked. Also join social networking clubs and organizations to acquire more buddies.

7. Failing to send out a thank you note: To most job seekers, a thank-you note is the last thing on their minds. This is exactly why it’s a mistake to not send one! Get it done by e-mail or snail mail. And don’t forget to thank everyone—hiring managers, non-hiring managers, secretaries—everyone.

There is no doubt that conducting a job search is like working a job itself; you have a lot of work to do to get hired. Minimizing minor errors along the way works wonders in making your job easier. So keep working hard on your search—and don’t give up—because your next great job is just around the corner!

Article written by Jessica Holbrook Hernandez and posted by Quay Appointments.

First of all, consider asking for more time to pull things together. After all, the recruiter’s job is easier if your resume clearly tells the employer why you’re a strong candidate.

Now, on to getting that resume in shape! Here are 3 tips to help you craft a compelling document—even if you’re short on time:

1. Focus squarely on the goal.

Nothing kicks an applicant out of the running faster than an unfocused resume. Therefore, you’ll need to build your value proposition around this particular job, laying the foundation for the strategy behind your resume. (You can always create a different resume for another job type later).

Add a resume title, using as many specifics as possible that reflect your goal, such as Sales Manager, IT Director, CFO, VP Operations, etc.

Next, you’ll need to write down ideas for a summary of your background and why you’re qualified for this particular position. The key to writing an effective summary is to tweak it and keep it flexible during your resume writing process, allowing different ideas to surface so that you can weave them into this section.

One idea that may make this task easier is to use short, brand-focused headlines in lieu of writing a full profile paragraph.

Remember to review your summary after finishing your resume as well. You might find that you’ve uncovered more information to add—forming the basis for a well-rounded, powerful introduction to the rest of your credentials.

2. Jot down your major success stories.

Here is where you’ll need to spend the bulk of your time. Analyzing how your contributions have impacted your employers is a critical step in the resume writing process.

Start by making a quick list of key points that you’d make if you already had the interview. Take special note of the metrics behind each story and the impact of your work on the company.

Flesh each out to a small paragraph, cutting out extraneous details for brevity. It’s best to aim for a sentence of 3 lines or less that describes your role, the context behind each accomplishment, and the results.

Repeat this process a minimum of 3-5 times for each job that you’ve held in the past 10 to 15 years to fill in your resume. This task may take a few extra hours, but it will be time well spent on a resume that gives a compelling picture of your abilities.

Finally, add these stories in bullet-point form to your resume, with a basic job description in paragraph form to introduce each of your jobs. Here, you can describe the teams you’ve supervised, budgets managed, and other contextual details.

3. Get feedback on your resume update.

This is an important step, but it’s one that many professionals miss. Colleagues, spouses, bosses, and friends can help you to recall any important projects you might have omitted, or leadership qualities that you should demonstrate in order to be considered for the job.

Be sure to ask others to help proofread your resume as well, since typos and other errors can escape even the best writer who is pressed for time.

That’s it! Now, take the time to compose a short note to the recruiter that points out your main qualifications and the reasons you’re interested in the job. Your new, superbly crafted resume can then do the rest of the talking.

Article written by Laura Smith-Proulx and posted by Quay Appointments.

FORGETTING TO INCLUDE A COVER LETTER

Not attaching a cover letter to a resume is like shooting in the dark. Hiring managers receive hundreds of unsolicited resumes every week. Tell them specifically what opening you are applying to or the position you’re inquiring about. Do not presume they will figure it out from your resume.

USING AN OBJECTIVE

Point blank, objectives are bad form, self-serving and will get you nowhere in this job market. Instead of telling the employer what you want show them what you can do. When you buy something the store doesn’t tell you what they want from you. You know what they want; they want your business and your money. Employers know what you want – you want a job. Instead utilize a career summary that will “show” not just “tell” the employer how you can meet their needs and a completely customized personal branding statement.

UTILIZING HEADERS VERSUS YOUR TARGET JOB TITLE AND PERSONAL BRAND

Titling sections (career summary, qualifications summary) uses up valuable real estate on your resume. Space you could be using to advertise your unique value, talent, passion, and vision. Instead, create a catchy personal branding statement that immediately tells the employer who you are and what you offer.

LEAVING OUT INDUSTRY SPECIFIC KEYWORDS

Forget keywords and you’re neglecting all three audiences that will review your resume. Even worse you’re excluding yourself from being found in candidate databases, job search engines, social networks and more. First, your resume has to make it through the software scan, then the secretary or administrative assistant scan, then on to the hiring manager who actually knows what you’re doing and how you are supposed to do it – you NEED the right keywords. Here’s a hint: check the job description. They are in there I guarantee it.

PROOFREAD, SLEEP, PROOFREAD, AND GO BACKWARDS

One small mistake and you’re out of the running. Proofread your documents carefully. Take a night to sleep on it and then read it again. When you go back to read the resume the second time read it backwards one word at a time. Experts say this simple trick will catch any mistakes you would normally read right over.

Use this checklist to determine if your resume passes the “basics” test. If it does, you are well on your way to a professionally written resume. If it doesn’t, adjust what you can and if you feel like you’re hitting a brick wall check out our samples page for a few samples of professionally written resumes.’

Article written by Jessica Holbrook Hernandez and posted by Quay Appointments.

It can be safely said that the key to your dream government job is your selection criteria statement. Selection criteria are central when applying for jobs in the Australian Public Service and state, territory and local governments.

Furthermore, selection criteria are also being widely used by the community sector, professional associations, universities and TAFE, and even by some private sector organisations.

Selection criteria are becoming more and more common and can pose a serious challenge to people who aren’t sure how to answer them correctly.

What exactly are the Selection Criteria?

Selection criteria are the skills, abilities, knowledge, experiences, qualifications and personal qualities that you will need to perform the role you’re applying for. They help the employer to find the right person for the position – and your job is to convince them that is you, by addressing each in turn and demonstrating how well you satisfy each requirement.

Selection criteria can range from general (good communication skills) to very specific (advanced level skills in generating reports and spreadsheets). They can also range in importance, from essential (‘must have’) to less important or ‘desirable’ (‘nice to have’). Candidates need to satisfy all the essential criteria in order to be considered for a job.

Why are Selection Criteria Important?

Many people applying for government jobs for the first time may not be aware of just how important your selection criteria responses are. They are a critical part of applying for most government jobs and essential to creating an outstanding application.

Even if you have a brilliant resume that shows you have excellent skills and qualifications to do the job and you have written an absolutely sensational cover letter, if you don’t address the selection criteria in a separate document that explains how well you fit each requirement, chances are you will be overlooked. Fulfilling the selection criteria to the satisfaction of the selection committee is the only way you can make it across the line to the next stage of the recruitment process – the interview.

The Application Kit

With government positions and other jobs that require a selection criteria statement you will often be provided with an application kit that will tell you exactly what to submit with your application. This can generally be found on the company’s website or attached to the job advertisement. If it’s not on the website, give the company a call and have it sent out to you.

So what can you expect to find in an application kit? They are generally very comprehensive and give you an overview of the department, an application form, instructions, the selection criteria, duty statement and other information such as OH&S procedures. These application kits are usually very clear and explain exactly what you need to do to apply. Follow these instructions and you should have no problem applying successfully.

If you have any queries, give the HR Department a call to make sure everything is clear. It’s better to ask questions than risk screwing up your application, which could inevitably cost you the job.

Writing Your Responses

Once you have the information kit and have written a winning cover letter and sensational resume (specifically for this job of course!), you’re ready to get started on your selection criteria statement. This is the most important part of  your application and should always be included as a separate document.

There is no hard and fast rule about how long responses should be. Some agencies and government departments do not want any more than a paragraph per criterion; others do not have a limit. As a guide, keep to about 250 words per criterion (or approximately three paragraphs) and try to be as concise as possible – never more than one A4 page per criterion. You don’t want the assessor to fall asleep before they finish reading your statement!

Ten Top Tips for Addressing Selection Criteria:

1. Be honest – do not make unsupported claims.

2. Read carefully and make sure you understand key phrases such as ‘experience in’ and ‘knowledge of’.

3. Make sure the examples are relevant.

4. Use direct, active verbs and address all parts of the selection criteria.

5. Check to find out the maximum length for each response – never more than an A4 page per criterion and usually half a page is plenty.

6. Use bullet (dot) points to show your ability to write concisely and clearly.

7. Use language that is relevant to the position but avoid excessive use of jargon.

8. Proofread your work carefully.

9. Get someone else to proofread your responses.

10. Give tangible examples of your claim (think STAR – situation, task, action, result).

Article provided from Career FAQs and posted by Quay Appointments.

I have emphasized this before and I’ll say it again, following up with the company via email or phone call is a good thing. It shows you are proactive and that you have a good initiative. However, as a candidate you must keep in mind that over contacting (in other words ‘pestering’) can sometimes be detrimental to your chances of being selected.

In order to know how much is too much, there is a general rule of thumb that applies:

• As the interview comes to a close, ask how long it will be until a decision is made. Then once that period has come and gone you can send email requesting to know whether you are still in the running.
• Wait one full week from the day you send that e-mail for a response. If you don’t hear anything, send another e-mail and keep it short and polite. Let the company know how interested you are in the job.
• Wait three more weeks and if you still have not heard from the company you can pick up the phone and try to find out if the job has been filled.
• After that, it’s time to assume someone else has been hired for the position. However don’t be afraid to call back in two months to check how the new hire is working out and if they might be hiring in the future. Suprisingly enough, circling back can lead you to new job possibilities that haven’t yet been posted.

By following the above guidelines you will find a nice balance – you’re not pestering the company but you’re not giving up either.

Goodluck!!

Article written by Monique Gibara at Quay Appointments.

Article written by John Heckers and posted by Quay Appointments.