Job Search Skills: Enhance Your Edge

CRICOS No. 00213J
Job Search Skills - Enhance your
competitive edge in the job market
http://www.slideshare.net/yourfuturequt
• Career planning
• Exploring the Hidden Job Market
• Writing effective resumes
• Interview skills

CRICOS No. 00213J a university for the real world
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Welcome to Job Search Skills
Career Counsellor
Widening Participation
QUT Your Future Careers Team
www.bridgetostudy.com.au

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Career Planning
You don’t have to know what career you
want - You do need to:
• Have a high level of self awareness
• Have an awareness of career options
and pathways
This makes it easier to make career
decisions and choose career directions

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the real world
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Self Awareness
Interests: What do you enjoy doing?
Personality: What are your personal qualities?
Values: What is meaningful to you?
Motivation: What makes you want to do your best?
Skills: What are you going to offer an employer?

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What Do Employers Want?
Fit
(the culture and values
of the organisation)
Will do
(the personality,
passion
interests,
ambitions,
motivation)
Can do
(the knowledge
and skills)

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Core Skills for Work
Navigate the world of work
a. Manage career and work life
b. Work with roles, rights and protocols
Interact with others
a. Communicate for work
b. Connect and work with others
c. Recognise and utilise diverse perspectives
Get the work done
a. Plan and organise
b. Make decisions
c. Identify and solve problems
d. Create and innovate
e. Work in a digital world

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It’s all about YOU
SELF AWARENESS
Employability Skills: Employability Skills Audit
Interests: What do you enjoy doing?
Try the ‘What type of work would suit you?'
activity
(then use the Job Guide ‘Jobs Chart’ to check
out possible occupations)

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Self Assessment
Myfuture Interests Activity
Careerone Personality Test
Job Outlook Career Quiz
HumanMetrics Career Assessment
Holland's Career Interest Party Game
Test your Motivation
Clarifying your Life Values

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BUT! Consider other Influences
• Health
• Physical attributes
• Ability
• Gender
• Family
• Political decisions
• Historical trends
• Employment market (local)
• Geographical location

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Career Options and Pathways
Myfuture
Occupations List – details of each
occupation
Graduate Careers Australia
Career Profiles – career booklets for each
industry
Graduate Opportunities – use these links
to jobsearch - Careers Search

CRICOS No. 00213J
a university for the real world
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Exploring the Hidden Job Market!

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What is the Hidden Job Market?
• Some Job Opportunities Are Never
Advertised
• 55% + positions vacant filled through an
informal network
• “Hidden job market" jobs only accessed
through networking or warm calling

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Explore The Hidden Job Market
4 most effective ways to find a job are:
• Using business directories, focusing on
your field
• Presenting yourself to organisations of
interest
• Being in job
networking, association, support groups
• Networking with family, friends and
associates

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Using business directories -
focusing on your field
www.yellow.com.au
Websites, annual
reports, newsletters, brochures, catalogues,
staff
and…Research….
their services? product lines ?
competitors? growth prospects ?
organisational structure?
overseas trends and developments ?

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Presenting yourself to
organisations of interest
“Informational Interviewing”
• Ask questions
• Express interest
• Gain information from potential
employers about the
job, requirements, expectations and
possible vacancies
• Develop interview skills, knowledge about
your industry
• Create networks!

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Professional Networking
• Local associations
• Groups and clubs, or societies
• Education staff
• Students, former colleagues, classmates
• Social networking!… Facebook? Linked
In? Twitter?
• Professional associations

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Personal Networking –
with family and friends:
• Family
• Your employed (and unemployed) friends
• Store owners (dry
cleaner, barber, hairdresser)
• P/T work - customers, clients
• Doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers, in
surance agents
• Tradespeople
(plumbers, carpenters, painters)

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Making Applications
• Resume Writing
• Cover Letter Writing
• Creating/responding to Selection Criteria
• Interview Preparation

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Your Questions?
Your resume and Key
Selection Criteria
questions?

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Your Aim
To prepare Resumes, Cover Letters and Key
Selection Criteria statements - to be used as
a self-promoting and marketing
tool, appropriate to potential employer
expectations

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The good, the bad and the
ugly…

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The good…

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The bad…

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The ugly …

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What are the employers
looking for?
Academic achievement
• Grades/
Performance
• Subjects studied
• Knowledge acquired
Non academic
achievement
• Work experience
• Previous work
history
• Work skills acquired
Extra- curricular activities
• Clues to
achievement and
motivation
• Leadership qualities
• Teamwork skills
• Attitude
Personal qualities
• Motivation
• Values
• Communication
• Commitment
• Teamwork ability

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Why is it important to start your
resume now?
• Writing a resume is about as much fun as
pulling out teeth!
• Writing one now means that you won’t
have only half a day to write your resume
when you do apply for positions
• This will allow you to add new
experiences and knowledge over time
rather then having to remember it all at
the last minute

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Presentation of the resume:
• 10 second rule – resume information
can be scanned at a glance
• Highlight your
achievements, skills, and/or
qualifications
• Never use one generic resume
• Research the organisation and the
work...

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Before you apply to any
company...
Obtain as much information as you can about:
 Relevant contacts
 The company – what do they do?
 The position – tasks and duties
 The position skill and ability requirements
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/occupations

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Using business directories -
focusing on your field
www.yellow.com.au
• Websites, annual
reports, newsletters, brochures, cata
logues, staff
and…Research….
their services? product lines ?
competitors? growth prospects ?
organisational structure?
overseas trends and developments ?

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Your all-purpose
Resume
• Contact Details Only (check your email!)
• Career Objective (optional)
• Key Skills or Strengths (for the job)
• Employment History/Work Experience
• Education
• Licences/Certificates
• Interests & Hobbies/Achievements
• Referees

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Where to start?
Brainstorm all of your experiences!
• Employment History (work
experience, part time jobs or casual
work roles)
• Volunteer Experiences (holiday
work, community work)
• School Life (Projects at school, Student
Group involvement)
• Licences / Training /Certificates
• Your Achievements/Awards
• Extra Curricular Activities
(Sport, Associations, Societies)
• Leisure (Interests and Hobbies, member
of a team)
• Referees?

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Prepare examples of your skills!
Transferable Skills
USE THE S.T.A.R PRINCIPLE
• The Situation/Task
• The Action you took
• The Result achieved

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Presentation of the Resume:
Make the resume easy to read
• DO NOT use fancy fonts, coloured or
textured paper etc and DO NOT put your
resume into a folder or binder – just a clip
in the left corner is sufficient OR send by
email
• Be very careful with spelling and grammar
– have it checked by someone else…

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Writing covering letters
A covering letter is to ensure that the reader
will be interested enough to read your resume

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Cover Letter Structure
• Use The Person’s Name
• Tell Them Why You’re Writing
• Tell Them Why You’re Interested in
them
• Tell Them Why You’re Suited – your
skills

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Covering Letters
• This is your first contact - highlight the
information in your resume that is
relevant to the position you are applying
for.
• Undertake some background research
into the job and organisation.
• Tailor each letter – do not use generic
letters.
• Where possible, try to keep covering
letters to one A4 page in length.

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Writing Selection Criteria

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What is Selection Criteria about?
Selection criteria may include:
• Skills
• Qualifications
• Aptitudes
• Abilities
• Experience
• Personal attributes
All are necessary to perform the job you are
applying for
Short-listing is based on how well your
Application addresses selection criteria

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How do you address selection
criteria?
• Understand the selection criteria
• Brainstorm ideas for each criterion
• Expand on your brainstorming
ideas and provide the evidence
• Check your work

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Understand the selection criteria
• As an example, take the capability written
communication skills. The associated selection criterion
could be –
– ‘Well developed written communication skills. This
includes the ability to:
• structure written communications such as reports
to meet the needs and understanding of the
intended audience;
• express opinions, information and key points of
an argument clearly and concisely; and to
• write convincingly in an engaging and expressive
manner’.
• It is important that you clearly understand what is
meant by each selection criterion before putting pen to
paper.

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Brainstorm ideas for each criterion
• For each selection criterion, brainstorm ideas
from your recent work life.
• Positive examples of ‘well developed written
communication skills’:
– Project Officer at ... – needed to write report
on project planning methodologies
– when Research Support Officer at Moreton
Bay Regional Council – designed and
compiled a monthly newsletter
– research project when at TAFE – needed to
collate diverse sets of data, organise the
information into topic areas, and synthesise
into a paper for senior management.
• Generate as many useful examples as possible.

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Prepare examples of your
experience, abilities for the skills
needed in the job
Help the employer by giving examples
of your skills and abilities:
USE THE S.T.A.R PRINCIPLE
• The Situation/Task
• The Action you took
• The Result achieved

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Criteria Assessment by Employers
• Short-listed based on evidence of essential
and desirable capabilities required
• Must meet all of the ‘essential’ criteria in
order to be seriously considered for a role
• ‘Desirable’ criteria - your chances of
progressing
will be greater if you meet all the selection
criteria, as you may be competing against
many applicants
• Applicants are rated against the criteria in
order to select the best right applicant…

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Hints and tips 1
• Individually address each criterion under
separate headings
• Carefully read each selection criterion.
Break down each criterion into parts and
address each aspect thoroughly
• Always consult the position description so
that you know the purpose of the
selection criteria and for
terms, language, jargon etc

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Hints and tips 2
• Use as many concrete examples as possible to
support your claim to meet each criterion -
education, employment, social, committee
participation, voluntary work, hobbies etc
• If an example applies to a number of selection
criteria, include it under each relevant
criterion
• Where possible substantiate your examples
with indicators of how well you did them. This
might include results, comments, extended
contracts, happy customers etc

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Hints and tips 3
• Do not refer to your resume. Copy
from your resume into your selection
criteria statement
• Use good English. Ensure that your
application is written clearly and
concisely, that it is grammatically
correct, and free of spelling errors
• Get someone to read it through
before you send it to make sure it
makes sense!

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Templates & Guides
• Microsoft Office
• Job Guide Resume Builder
• Career One
• Youth Central (VIC)
• Education Queensland
• Resume Guide – Myfuture

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Further information
• For ‘Occupations’ information on job duties and skills – go to
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/Occupations
• For careers and labour market research information got to Job
Outlook - a site to help you decide on your future career
http://joboutlook.gov.au/pages/alpha.aspx
• Job Guide – for details of jobs
http://www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au/occupation/search

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The Job Interview
Your Questions?

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Purpose of the interview
• Are you the right person for the job and
organisation?
• Do you have the
skills, interests, experiences to contribute
job and organisation?
• Will you fit into the organisation
community?
• Are you professionally competent?

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Interview Practice
In two’s or threes …
• One Interviewer
• One Interviewee/Observer
1. Take it in turns to ask the ‘Sample
Interview Questions’
2. Observers please note responses and
provide feedback to Interviewee

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Sample interview questions
• Tell us about yourself….
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• What do you know about our company/organisation?
• What key skills do you have for this job?
• How have you shown leadership in your life? Provide a
specific example….
• How have you shown effective teamwork in your life?
Provide a specific example….
• What is your biggest weakness?
• How do you handle disruptive situations or people?
Can you refer to a specific example?...
• What long term career interests do you have?

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Where is the evidence?
• Academic results/ Certificates
• Examples of Work Experience
• Resume and response to Selection
Criteria
• Response to interview questions
• Personal experiences – work
history, extra curricular
activities, interests
• Presentation at interview
• References

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Questions for you to ask
• What is the level and depth of training?
• What are the key priorities for the role right now?
• How will I be managed and supported?
• What qualities do your most successful workers
possess?
• How (often) do you measure an employee’s success?
• How often do you conduct performance reviews?

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Your interview preparation
• Review job description
• Reflect on experiences
• Brainstorm responses to questions
• Practice responses out loud
• Organise portfolio/ folder to take to
interview
• Consider your appearance
• Timing- how long will you need to get
there, park car, find room? …. Let’s
practice!...

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Sins! These won’t get you the job
• Criticising previous employers
(What will you say about them…?)
• Talking about
personal, domestic, political, religious
issues unless asked
(What’s that got to do with the job…?)
• Reading from your resume
(If you don’t know about yourself…)

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Contact Us
Your Future Careers Team
QUT Caboolture
Building J
Tel: 07 5316 7400
Email: yourfuture@qut.edu.au
www.bridgetostudy.com.au

Job Search Skills: Enhance Your Edge

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