Conducting Employer Research

It’s incredible how conducting employer research before a job interview can increase your chances of success. I’ve spoken with so many employers who come away after an interview with mixed impressions of the candidate – they can see they’ve prepared their own case well, but didn’t seem to know anything about the company.

Particularly for executive and senior roles, company research is one of the most crucial steps in preparing for a job interview.

If you’ve previously had the benefit of my interview coaching, you know how important it is to familiarise yourself with your potential employer. It could mean the difference between landing the job or losing it to another candidate.

Got a job interview coming up? Here are my three most vital tips for researching potential employers:

1) Read, Read, Read  

Part of interviewing well is ‘knowing the company’. To do this, you’ll need to read. Well before the interview, set aside one to two hours to work your way through the company’s website and other online material. Acquaint yourself with their products and services, read their annual reports, media releases and news articles, and make an effort to understand their values and attitudes towards the wider industry.

2) Ask for Background Material

If the web is lacking in information, perhaps consider approaching your point of contact at the employer (or your recruiter), and politely requesting any company information. This will demonstrate your interest in the position and your desire to perform well in the interview. Ensure that you conduct your web research first, so you don’t ask for details that are readily available.

3) Know Your Interviewers

Do you know exactly who is interviewing you? What is their position in the company? Or how long have they been with the company? Knowing your interviewers is key to helping you feel comfortable. You can search Google or use tools like LinkedIn to find out information about the interviewing panel. Alternatively, if you have another contact in the company, consider leveraging off them too.

Still unsure about interview preparation?

My interview coaching packages at Resumes Australia can help you succeed in your job interviews and give you the tools and techniques to shape your future. Enquire about our consultations today!

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Executive Coaching Breeds Executive Success

Traditionally, men and women haven’t been great at admitting they’re not superman or superwoman. Thankfully, that’s changed in the past ten years. It’s now ok for an executive to ask for help, and they don’t even have to be secretive about it.

The fact is, executives take advantage of executive coaching for the simple reason that it improves their performance, not to say their likelihood of survival.

Five Benefits of Executive Coaching

• Often there just isn’t anyone to turn to. They say that life at the top is lonely, and that’s extra pressure. An executive coach is someone who can listen to the concerns weighing you down and suggest an operational strategy for dealing with them.

• Whereas it’s impossible for you to be detached from your own situation, unless you’ve already mastered the lessons of executive coaching, your coach is not only detached, they are a step ahead. They have been there before, with other clients, and the landscape for them is negotiable.

• You’ve got an impressive bag of skills and a swag of experience, but it often takes someone on the outside of yourself and the corporation, to pull you from what might seem like a wreckage. Executive coaching supplies motivation and new enthusiasm when your stocks are low.

• Being an outsider, your coach also brings a different perspective. There is freshness in seeing things differently, and tired eyes, when revived, see what they may have missed before. Freshness and creativity are often two sides of the same coin. Don’t short-change yourself.

• Admittedly, executive coaching is a personal relationship, so not every coach works for every executive, but when you find the right one, you’re set. Your coach picks up on your strengths and grows them to a point of great confidence. Then nothing will stand in your way.

Ask around the boardrooms and you’ll soon learn, – behind every successful executive there’s an executive coaching program tailored to deliver support. Yours might be just one click away:

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Career Coaching and Leadership – Two Sides of the One Coin!

You’ve possibly never thought much about it, but the connection between career coaching and leadership is obvious and simple to demonstrate. Let’s take tennis players at the top of their game as a parallel. Scotsman Andy Murray is desperate to win a grand slam event, so what does he do?

He hires the best coach he can find. Who is that coach? Ivan Lendl, the number one tennis player in the world twenty-five years ago. And what is it that makes Lendl a good coach?

Many things no doubt, but certainly one of them is that he himself was coached by another former great player in Tony Roche.

In the corporate sphere exactly the same principle applies. A good career coaching program will help the aspiring executive to realise his or her potential by developing the skills set required at the executive level:

• Managing the challenges of a new position or promotion
• Effectively managing challenging subordinates, or colleagues
• Encouraging high performance and increased efficiency
• Developing employee motivation and building morale
• Managing stress and work/life balance
• Managing office politics and networking

But my point is this: once the executive has earned their position in higher management, not only are they required to act as a leader; part of the job description is that they will actually need career coaching skills to develop the team they are leading.

The good leader has to be able to be authoritative and implement corporate policy and structure, but they are also responsible for ‘soft’ management issues like team morale and individual motivation. Inevitably, having been well coached themselves, they will train their team in:

• Relationship building
• Time management
• Developing organisational intelligence
• Developing emotional intelligence
• Growing a ‘problem solving’ rather than a ‘buck passing’ culture

Returning to my tennis example, when Tony Roche was asked whether Ivan Lendl would be a good coach and succeed in his role with Murray, he replied: “All the things his career was based on, like working hard and being meticulous with preparation and execution, and that ability he had to concentrate on what was in front of him for hours on end, will rub off on Andy.”

And that’s it in a nutshell, isn’t it? Good coaches “rub off”. Career coaching establishes careers. Check out Resumes Australia for more information on our specialised career coaching services.

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Phone Interviews

More and more companies are looking to fast-track recruitment processes, reduce costs and be more efficient. A phone interview is one of the fastest ways for employers to quickly establish whether you’re worth the extra time and effort to call in for a face-to-face interview!

It also gives employers an opportunity to know how well you respond to questions, gain insight into your personality, and evaluate your communication skills.

Perfecting your phone interview techniques with thorough preparation will give you a leading edge. You’ll need less time to give the best answers to the most difficult questions, and you’ll leave a lasting impression.

How you can give a great impression during a phone interview:

1)    Always keep a copy of your application, resume and company overview handy.

2)    Ensure that you are in a room away from noise and commotion. If there is excess noise or the time isn’t convenient, ask to schedule another suitable time for the interview.

3)    Go the extra mile and research the business, management structure, history, products, and any other information that will give you helpful background knowledge. With this research, you will be ready to provide better answers to questions about the company, if asked.

4)    Read and understand the job description, and prepare a list of how your experience and skills relate to the job. Make sure that this information is easy to access, and that you speak confidently to deliver your best examples.

5)    Get to know the types of questions you may be asked and how you should respond. Some questions may feel quite confronting, and you will be required to think on your feet.

6)    Prepare your own questions. Your interview is a two way process that should enable you to make an informed decision about the company and the position.

How Ready Are You for an Interview?

Resumes Australia can give you advice on how to prepare for an interview, and how to answer those tough phone interview questions. Our experienced specialists will help you feel confident and coherent with methods and techniques that can be applied immediately.

Discover more about our professional executive resume writing and interview coaching services today.

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How to Find Your Dream Job

Are you confused and unsure about what you want to do with your career? Remember the good old saying “when I grow up I want to be…”?

For a fortunate few, there’s something gratifying about possessing a clear and concise vision about where their job is going to take them!

Unfortunately for many people it can take years of searching, and many job attempts, only to discover they’re still not happy!

In my role as an executive career coach and mentor, I have counselled hundreds of people who have been stuck in the wrong job!

Here are my 3 simple steps to finding a more rewarding and fulfilling career.

Step 1 – Create The life You Want With Career Coaching

The key to building a new life and new career starts with a fresh approach and career development. Start now by developing and implementing a career plan with a qualified career coach. With persistence, determination, self-analysis and goal setting, you’ll discover how to face your fears, overcome obstacles and allow yourself to undertake new challenges to access your full potential.

A leading expert will help you to realise your dreams, establish a sound career development plan, and assist you to reach your goals! And once you’ve identified your dream job, you’re half way there.

Step 2 – Your Professional Resume

Now you’ve developed your Career Plan, does your professional resume reflect your new career goals and objectives?

Resumes Australia can help you with your career journey by providing a professional executive resume writing service specifically designed to match your career objectives.

Step 3 – Interview Coaching Will Assist You to Get The Best Job!

Interview coaching will provide you with a framework for preparation to help you secure your ideal job, and provide you with interview methods, skills and techniques. To complete your new career journey, interview coaching will give you a leading edge, so you can create the best impression throughout the interview process.

To find out more about our career coaching, resume writing packages, and interview coaching services, visit Resumes Australia today.

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Free Offer: The Executive Candidate Survival Guide

Job competition is fierce nowadays, and many economists are predicting that unemployment may rise this year. Westpac and Holden have announced job losses to both white and blue-collar positions, and times are tough right now.

Surviving in today’s work environment doesn’t need to be a daunting experience. By understanding how to overcome some of the fundamental challenges in a tough job market, you can discover ways to thrive and find the best career path for you.

A Professional Resume Can Help You Achieve More Interviews…

Aim for the top when you apply for a job with a well-written executive resume by engaging a professional resume writing service. By making an investment in your professional resume, you will be able to pursue higher paying jobs. You’ll also be better positioned to present your credentials and promote yourself to potential employers.

Interview Coaching Will Help You to Succeed

Feel empowered to succeed with an interview coach.  A qualified coach can help you prepare and practice your job interview skills and help you to find clarity, confidence and control.

Free Executive Candidate Survival Guide

Take advantage of this great offer from Resumes Australia. The FREE online Executive Candidate Survival Guide is filled with tips and hints for professional executive resume writing, interviews and salary negotiations.

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to help you with your next career move including:

• Resume Writing
• Interview Tips (before, during and after interview)
• Salary Negotiations
  • During the Job Application Process
  • During the Job Interview
  • At the Job Offer Stage

• Sample Interview Questions
  • Behavioural Interview Questions
  • Probes / Follow-Up Questions

Stuck and need some executive resume writing tips and better job interview skills?
If you’re looking for a professional resume or interview coaching to secure an important job, visit Resumes Australia today.

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Step Up and Be Ready for a Career Change in 2012!

Why You Need Executive Resume Writing and Coaching

It doesn’t seem long ago that joining a company meant you were committing yourself to a life-long career choice and sustainable employment. However we’re now living in a time of fierce business competition on a global scale, which means to stay competitive, companies need to re-examine their operations and reduce costs to be more efficient and profitable.

It’s a fact that today’s employment world is more difficult than in the past. If you read the news, you’ll soon learn that markets are dimming and job advertisements falling. There’s also plenty of information published about the worldwide economic outlook and the impact that this is having on hiring decisions.

With all this doom and gloom published daily, the best solution is to remain positive and be prepared. If you didn’t commit to a New Year’s Resolution for 2012, now is a good time to think about work volatility, risk, and to give yourself a personal job assessment.

Manage Your Career More Effectively
To prevent a career disaster, develop your own career management plan, so you are not caught off guard. Here are my top tips when times are tough, to help you avoid the most common mistakes, and stay ahead:

• Be prepared for change
• Learn to adjust quickly to change
• Start by building a strong professional network today!

Being Prepared for Change
It can be quite confronting thinking about employment change. However, by remembering that “whenever one door closes, another one opens” and by ensuring that all your bases are covered, you’ll be better prepared!

Keep Your Skills Current
This is essential if you want to offer value to a future employer. Also, keep up-to-date with your industry’s certifications, and abreast of trends.

Keep Your Professional Resume Up-to-Date
Be ready at a moment’s notice to apply for a new position and to attend an interview. There’s nothing worse than rushing to make changes to your resume and risk making mistakes.

Learn to Adjust Quickly to Change
Finding positive outcomes, when your career is edging towards insecurity, requires you to be strong. Start by believing in yourself, and you’ll be better positioned to keep your career momentum going. You’ll also be better prepared for change, and able to adapt quickly, if you think positively, avoid over-analysing, and start planning your exit strategy as soon as possible.

Start Building a Strong Professional Network Today!
Be sure your LinkedIn, social media, and career site profiles are up-to-date and an accurate reflection of your current skill set.

If your professional network is limited, get working on it! Build your connections with professional associations, university groups, and former colleagues, to foster relationships that will help you to identify career opportunities.

How Up-to-date Is your LinkedIn Profile and Resume?
Whether you are looking for employment or just thinking about your next career move, now is the perfect time to engage a professional writer to update your LinkedIn profile, professional resume and cover letter. Resumes Australia can help you to showcase your abilities and values to a potential employer.

Resumes Australia has the best resume writers in the country who can help you with a winning Professional Resume and Cover Letter. View our resume writing packages today!

Best Regards

Improve Your Interview Skills and Avoid a Bad Boss!

Interview Skills

You’ve got the interview, spent a small fortune on dressing well, and memorised your career history back to front. Excellent work, because feeling completely prepared for your job interview is important and crucial for success!

Quite often, when you’re at a job interview you’re more interested in landing the job than anything else. It’s easy to get caught up in how you will present at interview, and even easier to forget you are also making an important judgement – that of your future employer!

A boss holds a powerful position in your working life. A good boss can make you feel engaged, empowered at work, and can grow your strengths. Equally, a bad boss has the potential to ruin your career!

So how can you be sure about what you are getting yourself into? The bottom line is that you can’t be certain, about the company you are joining, or the boss you will acquire! However, there are some good questions to ask which can help you to avoid misfortune and make better career choices!

Before making any employment decisions, see how your future employer answers these questions:

1)  What is your management style?
Does this person like to supervise and control workers, or do they have
a supportive and approachable management style?

2)  How do you deal with employee suggestions?
Would this manager help you to make things happen, and be supportive of
your ideas?

3)  Do you have an employee training program?
Your professional development is an important part of your career
advancement, and a supportive manager will support your career
progression.

4)  How do you motivate your employees?
Is this manager showing signs that he or she will be able to motivate
employees? How would this manager respond to issues, and would they look
for solutions?

Just remember that a job interview works two-ways. Ask the questions now, and avoid working for a bad manager later!

Prepared for an Interview?

Resumes-Australia is the leading resume writing and career mentoring company in Australia. We provide professional resume services and career mentoring for new and emerging talent, CEO-level Executives & Board Members. Get your professional resume and career coaching from the experts, and book online today!

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What a Receptionist Can Reveal About Your Potential Employer

When you arrive for an interview with a potential employer, it is worth watching and listening to the Receptionist for a few minutes.  Often you can feel the heartbeat of the organisation and what makes it tick!

More often than not, it is the Receptionist who holds the key to your first impressions and what your potential employer might be like to work for.

How did he/she greet you, did he/she know who you were and whom you were meeting with?  Was he/she dressed professionally?

As you observed his/her interactions with others, was he/she energetic, efficient and responsive to requests.

From the activity surrounding the front desk, you may be able to get an indication of the culture of the company.  Was the area tidy and welcoming, and did the employees look happy? Did you get a positive feeling about the business.  If the receptionist is not busy, you can often take the opportunity to ask some general questions about working for the company and how he/she likes working there.

Being able to quickly “size-up” a business atmosphere is by no means a failsafe guarantee of a good working environment.

However, improving your level of awareness may not only help you identify the right job, but also the right company!

Need help at your Next Job Interview?

If you’re getting ready for a job interview it helps to know what types of questions you might be asked, and how to come up with the right answers. Visit Resumes Australia for an exclusive range of Interview Coaching and Career Mentoring packages that can help you improve your performance at interview.

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Creating Your Own Vision

Do you ever feel that you have not reached your full potential for a fulfilling life? Are you looking  for meaning in your life or searching for ways to achieve your dreams and aspirations? There are thousands, if not millions, of people out there who feel just like you.

With a little focus and work, you can figure out who you are, what you want, and how to turn positive ideas and energies into life-changing realities.

Whether you want to improve your family life, work fewer hours, find a new job, or get a promotion, there are many ways to prepare yourself for success.

Here are some of my top techniques to achieve your success faster:

1)        Visualise Your Success. An image or picture of what you want to accomplish is a very positive tool that can help you achieve amazing results.




2)        Set Goals. Don’t underestimate the importance of setting goals to achieve your results. If life is a journey, how will you get there if you don’t have an itinerary? Setting goals will help you  determine where you are going, how you are going to get there, and how long it will take.

3)        Be Realistic. No matter what your goals are, to reach your new vision for the future, you need to be realistic and have clarity. There is no point aiming to become a specialist surgeon in the next three years, if it will take you a further six years of study!

4)        Measure Your Success! When setting your goals, being able to measure  your success is crucial. It just takes a little strategy, planning and forethought. This process results in a plan with a task list, a schedule and/or a calendar of activities.

5)        Review Your Progress. With your goals identified and your journey begun , it’s important to monitor your progress to ensure that you are on track, and ready to move onto each next step in your plan.

6)        Get Help When You Need It. Getting professional help to realise your dreams can be one of the most worthwhile investments you can make. A professional mentor or career coach can help you achieve a better work/life balance, get that new promotion, or help with the transition of changing your career.

Many psychotherapists and life mentors believe that by undergoing a journey of self-exploration, you can make significant changes to your life. Making your vision a reality isn’t just about setting goals and trying to find out what interests you most. It’s about your journey, and what you need to do to make it happen. Resumes Australia can help you to be successful, and truly happy with your life. We have a suite of coaching packages that will inspire you on your journey.