Australians Looking For More Pay

A recent study conducted by Australian company Randstad shows that many working and job seeking candidates this year are looking for higher remuneration and perks in their jobs, as opposed to favouring employment benefits and long term job security.

Despite similar research conducted last year – where employer financial health and job security were both considered highly important – 1 in 5 Australians are now looking for more competitive salaries and rewarding and relevant benefits when seeking employment.

“Working through challenging economic conditions, people have had to deal with smaller budgets, less resources, increased workloads, higher performance expectations and limited or no employee benefits,” said Deb Loveridge, the Managing Director of Randstad, Asia Pacific.

“Aussies are starting to evaluate what’s important to them within a work context, and then placing these issues at the top of their list of requirements when looking for a job. This is good news for businesses, and highlights while salary is important, employees will be open to other benefits if a pay rise is still not a possibility in the short term.”

In addition to this, a healthy work-life balance is also at the top of Australian employees’ priority lists, with a reported 11% of Aussies possessing the desire to create more equality between their personal and professional lives.

Are You Job Seeking?

While this evidence reveals some important lessons and thinking points for recruiting organisations, these trends also have significance for current job seekers: Executives looking for employment in their respective industries may want to rethink their priorities or perhaps consider negotiating higher pay or better benefits.

With businesses facing tough financial times over the past few years, employee attraction and retention has become an increasingly significant issue and job seekers may be able to leverage this to secure better rewards for themselves, whether in terms of salary, benefits or more balanced work hours.

Negotiating More Pay

For those who have found the ideal job, negotiating salary is an important step and candidates should keep the above trends in mind. Further tips for a successful salary negotiation can include:

• Making sure your resume is up to date, clear and convincing – this is the one document that will essentially get you more money or more benefits, so make sure it is impressive!
• If you have not secured a new job just yet (or if you are in the interview process), ensure that you do NOT reveal any details about your past or present salaries to the employer
• Be realistic. Don’t ask for outrageous amounts of money without the competencies to back up your request. Make sure your negotiations are based on your actual skills, talents and value, not on what you “think” you deserve
• If you are unsure of how to negotiate or if you are applying for an executive or senior role, hiring a salary negotiator on your behalf can be extremely beneficial, as they will know how to obtain your desired level of pay using smart and professional negotiation techniques

Wondering how much you’re really worth? Resumes Australia offers salary negotiation, resume writing and career coaching services to executive candidates throughout Australia. Reward yourself and get in touch!

Regards,

Becoming a First Time Leader

Transitioning into a leadership or senior management position can be a rewarding move that entails many positive steps forward for your career.

While a higher level of responsibility will generally characterise your new role, there are some important points to keep in mind that can help you master your new leadership challenges.

Take Time to Settle In

Most new leadership roles will expect you to hit the ground running. Even if this is the case, it can be beneficial to give yourself time to settle in and orient yourself within the role. It will take time to develop your leadership expertise and style and it is important that you don’t rush into the role and compromise any actions or decisions in this early stage. To keep yourself grounded, develop a plan that allows you to cover all your bases in getting to know the business and set the foundations for successful achievements in future.

Set Boundaries

As a new leader, you may also need to set new boundaries. While relationship building and even making friends can be valuable, it is vital that you focus on making professional connections, rather than personal or social ones. This ensures your professional respect, authority and value is maintained. It’s more important to be a great leader than to be everyone’s best pal. This doesn’t mean that you still can’t be friendly, approachable and supportive of your staff, but keeping your relationships professional is critical in sustaining your influence and keeping your team dynamic healthy.

Communicate Your Vision

Any leader will tell you that having a vision is significant, but vision is nothing unless it is communicated effectively to the people around you. Take the time to educate others on what you want to achieve as a leader and how you see the business (or department) progressing in the short-term and long-term. Your vision should be coherent, comprehensive and it should motivate others to jump on board.

Manage Your Team

When the pressure’s on, it’s easy to become caught up with your new accountabilities. You may find yourself stuck in your office, constantly in meetings or out of the office visiting clients or suppliers. However, this is a crucial time for you as a manager and it is important to remember to make time for your staff or team.

Set aside a good chunk of time each week to dedicate to employee management. You might use this time to conduct project meetings, communicate goals, delegate tasks, set expectations, listen to concerns or discuss team issues.

Find Solutions

As a leader, your managers and employees will respect and admire you much more if you’re a solution-focused leader, rather than a “problem dweller.”

For every issue or challenge that you encounter, make sure that immediately begin looking for a solution. This is not about ‘quick fixing’ but about thinking one step ahead and putting out fires before they escalate. No matter what the difficulty, each solution you devise needs to be carefully discussed, planned, risk-assessed and executed.

Praise Good Work, Defend Mistakes

A great leader is someone who stands by his or her employees at all times. Hard work and successes should be praised and commendation should be given where it is due – never simply take the credit for your team’s hard work.

If errors are made, deal with the issue privately or accept responsibility and take the heat if your team members happen to come under fire. This will create a strong and durable sense of respect and loyalty in your employees and the more they respect you, the more they’ll be willing to work harder and contribute to your own leadership success.

Are you looking for a new leadership or management role? Chat with Resumes Australia today about our career management and resume writing solutions.

Regards,

Securing a Job the Right Way: 5 Mistakes & Solutions You Should Know

Applying for new employment can be a challenging task, especially if you are still currently working and juggling a demanding job.

Although you will have invested much time and effort into strategising your next career move, it is often the smaller steps throughout the job application process that can make or break your success.

I see many candidates who are passionate about what they want from their career, but who sometimes fall through on the most crucial steps when applying for roles, following through on applications and moving through the interview and placement process.

Mistake #1: Rushing Through Documents

Instead: Prepare a Powerful Application

Promoting your skills and qualifications effectively is the only way to attract the attention of prospective employers. This is achieved by investing significantly in your cover letter and resume. These two documents are the first impression you will make on an employer and are essentially your only chance to take you from the application to interview stage.

When writing your resume, be sure to highlight your responsibilities and achievements that are relevant to the job specifications. Provide specific examples that showcase how your accomplishments have enhanced and improved the businesses you’ve worked for.

Similarly, your cover letter should also point out your key strengths and it should directly address the selection criteria or requirements the employer has laid out in the job description.

Employers also want to see that you can communicate properly, so always assume a clear and concise resume writing style when it comes to both your resume and cover letter.

Mistake #2: Waiting to Hear Back

Instead: Follow Up On Your Application

Many job candidates make the critical error of sending their application off and then sitting back and waiting for a response.

While you should give employers and recruiters ample time to review the applications they receive (e.g. 1-3 days), following up with a phone call can bring many benefits. Following up over the phone means you can:

• Confirm your application has been received
• Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role
• Promote your skills and talents (if asked) and create a lasting impression that isn’t restricted to paper documents
• Initiate a sustainable relationship with the recruiter or hiring manager

If you follow up and discover that your application has been rejected, you’ll also have the chance to learn why you weren’t successful and you’ll be able to amend the weaker areas in your application strategy for next time.

Mistake #3: Going In Cold

Instead: Prepare Thoroughly for the Interview

If you make it to the interview phase, preparing and rehearsing your interview technique can give you a strong competitive edge – and enhances your chances of standing out from other applicants.

• Research the employer and the people who will be interviewing you as much as possible. Find out what you can about the company’s approach, values, goals and culture.
• Practise your interview questions and answers. This involves not only knowing what to say, but understanding how to “read between the lines” of each question you are asked and formulating strong responses that speak directly to the employer’s needs. If you are unsure about how to conduct a rehearsal, a short coaching session on interviewing techniques may be beneficial.
• Review the job description carefully before you go into the interview and make sure you understand exactly how your competencies fulfil each criteria and how they can consequently help the organisation achieve its goals.

Mistake #4: Disappearing Into the Woodwork

Instead: Follow Up After the Interview

After the interview, follow up with a thank you email. This gesture will leave a good impression on the interviewers and also means you can clarify or re-respond to any questions you were asked but felt you didn’t answer effectively in the actual interview.

If you don’t hear back from the recruiter or the employer after a significant amount of time has passed (I’d say a minimum of one week), continue to follow up accordingly.

Mistake #5: Saying ‘Yes’ Straight Away

Solution: Confirm the Details Before You Sign

Being the final, successful candidate in any application process is a wonderful feeling and it’s easy to just jump in say “yes!” However, this is also the crucial time when negotiations need to take place, so you should ensure everything is order before you accept:

• Obtain a final copy of the contract and job description and double-check that your duties and responsibilities are documented and accurate.
• Negotiate your salary and/or benefits, using clear evidence and examples to support your requests. In general, don’t just settle on the first offer, especially if you feel your talents warrant more. If you win any negotiations, make sure these are added to your contract before you sign.
• Check and if necessary, negotiate your start date. Remember, you’ll need to give yourself ample time to resign and finish up in your present role.

Executives working with Resumes Australia consistently achieve successful results throughout the job application process. Learn more about our resume writing and career coaching services here.

Regards,

Resume Writing for the Unemployed

Trying to get back into the workforce after you have been unemployed for some time can be challenging.

Employers and search consultants will often want evidence that your skills, strengths and proactivity have been maintained throughout your unemployed period.

 

When it comes to resume writing for the unemployed, here are some useful ideas on how to account for your down time:

Volunteer Work

Employers like to see that you are striving to remain active while you are unemployed and volunteer work is a great way to fill that gap. You should list any volunteer experience you have taken on, as well as any new skills and responsibilities you have gained. Including any key accomplishments will also be beneficial and demonstrates that you are still motivated and capable of achieving goals.

Consulting Work

Consulting work is a fantastic way to bridge the gap in your resume if you have been providing advice to other businesses during your time off. This will give you the opportunity to showcase your ongoing expertise and knowledge and demonstrate to employers the value you can bring to an organisation.

Temporary Work

Many job applicants also assume that temporary work is not beneficial enough to include in their resume or they worry that it will affect the consistency of their experience. Temporary work, however, can be a useful addition to your resume and shows the employer that you have made efforts to stay within the workforce, even if it has been in a role that is not entirely relevant to your career goals.

Education & Training

Any training, skill enhancement or education that you have undertaken while unemployed should also be mentioned in your resume. Courses, workshops, certifications and conferences are all valuable and mean that you have made the most of your time while unemployed and that you still have a passion for improvement and self-development.

Personal Time

It is perfectly reasonable to be unemployed for personal reasons. This can include time off for things like travel, study or caring for your family and kids. If you mention these factors in your resume, make sure that you make it clear why you decided to embark on these journeys in the first place and why you are now heading back into the workforce.

Other Things to Remember When Resume Writing:

• Be honest about your unemployment; there is no point in trying to cover up the fact that you are out of work. An employer or recruiter will most probably uncover the truth anyway, so it is important to be upfront and honest in your approach
• If you are quizzed about how or why your previous role ended, be truthful, but accentuate the positive rather than the negative aspects of what occurred
• Resume writing can be a difficult balancing act between including just enough detail and not giving too much away. If you are struggling with how to depict your unemployment, consider whether a qualified resume writer could make a difference to your applications

Lost your job? Resumes Australia offers a range of career services, including resume writing and interview coaching, to help you get back into the workforce. Contact Us today for a confidential discussion or email your resume to: resume@resumes-australia.com.au.

Regards,

Company Perks That Can Enhance Your Career

Today, many job hunters want much more than a simple salary boost or a good retirement package from their employers.

Overall happiness and a work-life balance are at the forefront of executive demands these days, and top employers are responding by offering additional perks and benefits to attract and retain top talent.

 

If you are searching for a new job, keep your eyes out for some of these amazing perks that could make a real difference to your job and your career:

Day Care Programs

With the new parental leave benefits recently announced for hardworking executives, many corporate organisations are recognising the need to be ‘family friendly.’ Providing in-house Day Care Programs for parents is one of the biggest ways that companies seek to retain their valued employees full-time or even part-time even after they have made the decision to have children. This is a great perk to look out for if you’ve got young kids or if you are looking to have children in the future!

Work Flexibility

Many employers are also conceding to executives’ demands for more flexible work arrangements. This could include the chance to work from home on a regular basis or opportunities to start or finish the workday either earlier or later. This gives employers the chance to attract a wider net of quality employees who may have family commitments to take on or who don’t want a long commute to and from work each day – and who otherwise wouldn’t consider joining the company without some flexibility. Most organisations, however, may not advertise or promote their flexibility, so be sure to ask this when approaching employers or recruiters.

Opportunities for Fitness & Health

Promoting greater health is the key to having happier and more productive staff. For this reason, lots of organisations offer gym memberships and discounts for health and fitness facilities. Sports teams, clubs, lunch time activity classes and access to local recreation facilities are all perks that show how dedicated an employer is to the health of their workforce.

Education & Training

Providing career training and advancement opportunities are perks that prove loyalty to employees by encouraging personal growth within the company. Executives keen to learn and gain further education can look for a position in an organisation that provides instructor-led, web-based or even video-based training, or one that will reimburse your tuition should you pursue advanced training or education at university or another institute.

Company Car

If you have to travel a lot within your job or simply to get to/from your job, a company car is an excellent perk to keep an eye out for. This can both maximise your time and productivity and it will also save you money since you won’t need to pay for your own vehicle. If you are having trouble negotiating the kind of salary you want with a new employer, asking for a company car instead may be a great compromise that benefits both parties.

Private Health Care

In Australia, health care costs seems to be endlessly on the rise and yet many executives consider comprehensive health care essential to their wellbeing. You may find that many larger, corporate organisations will offer healthcare cover for their employees (and in some cases, their families, too) or they will provide a monthly benefit to help pay for your private health care. If you are trying to negotiate with an employer over salary, health care benefits can be a great perk to ask for as well.

Profit Sharing

Profit sharing is often limited to corporate organisations, but this can be a great perk, as you will get to share a percentage of the company’s profits, which can be a nice little bonus to complement your job.

Socialising

It’s important to remember that work isn’t all about sitting at a desk, too. Lots of great friends and valuable contacts can be made on the job – and often, these come to fruition through socialising. If you love the idea of being part of a team or community, look for organisational perks that include social clubs or activities. It might be as simple as monthly company lunches or organised team days off-site.

Taking control of every aspect of your career is essential in achieving success fulfilment. Resumes Australia provides leading career services, such as career coaching and resume writing, to help your career flourish.

Regards,

The Secret to Successful Career Goals

The secret to a successful career is all about developing a clear vision.

The questions surrounding this might involve what you want from your career, where you see yourself in 10 years time and the reasons why you want to reach these goals.

 

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Yet I’ve also seen many candidates fail in achieving their career objectives and this can often be because the goals they’ve set are misaligned, not properly planned or just unrealistic.

Define Your Idea of Success

We all want to be successful in our careers, but “success” means different things to different people. To begin with, think about what “success” means to you. Is it about achieving a specific salary so that you can live comfortably? It is about having that dream CEO job or is it really about making a difference to others in your community or country?

Consider what you truly want to achieve from your career and what values and factors are important to you. Once you understand what you really want, you’ll be able to develop career goals that automatically grow from your wants and needs and that will eventually bring you much career fulfilment.

Identify Your Strengths

If you are having trouble figuring out what you want out of your career, try thinking about your strengths. They could be technical strengths, behavioural strengths or business strengths.
Creating goals around your strengths and key talents is essential, since many of us gain career satisfaction and happiness from utilising our strengths on the job.

Consider how your strengths can give rise to your career goals; for example, if you enjoy working with facts and figures, your goal might be to secure an analyst position. If your strength is communicating and helping others, one of your goals might be to find employment that involves mentoring, coaching or volunteering.

Want, Not Should

A significant part of career happiness is also making sure you choose goals that you think you can achieve or want to achieve, not goals that you feel you should achieve. While we all face pressure in our lives, such as the need to pay rent and bills, making sure that your goals also bring you fulfilment in one way or another is crucial. If you develop your goals around what you or others think you should be doing, your goals are most likely going to be unattainable; and even if they are achieved, they won’t bring you any satisfaction.

Successful Support

One of the biggest secrets behind successful career goals is also having the right support. Mentors, managers, career coaches, recruiters, search consultants and even resume writers can all form your career support network and many will be invaluable in helping you achieve your goals. These people will ideally possess expertise in certain areas and will be able to assist you throughout the course of your career.

If you are lacking support in some areas, now may be the ideal time to make some great connections and find support from people you trust.

Need help with your career goal setting? Resumes Australia offers comprehensive career consulting services for executives and CEOs, as well as graduates and aspiring professionals.

Regards

Changing Jobs, Is It Right For Your Career?

Every career needs stability, whether you are in a CEO role or simply your first graduate position. However, there will be times throughout your career when a job change is needed, possibly because your current role is not fulfilling your requirements or because you are simply striving for more.

But how do you know if jumping ship and changing jobs is the right move for your carer overall?

Career Goals

Your career goals will be instrumental in shaping your career and helping you decide what type of experience you need to achieve your objectives. Your present position must offer you something that progresses your journey, whether it is the chance to develop a specific skill set, more experience, further education or the possibility of promotion or growth. If your everyday role is no longer contributing to your greater career goal, changing jobs may be more beneficial than staying where you are.

Your Skills and Strengths Are Under Utilised

Using your strengths and skills in your day-to-day job is essential for job satisfaction. It is also crucial for your productivity and career progression, since your strengths will be key in forwarding your success. If you find that your strengths or skills aren’t being utilised in your current role, you could consider taking on new responsibilities that allow you to use these skills. However, if there isn’t any room for your skills to develop or be utilised regularly, it could be a sign that you’re in the wrong role altogether.

No Room to Grow

Some businesses are often limited in what they can offer employees; they can only grant so much career development (at least in the foreseeable future) before a maximum level is reached. This can particularly apply to employees in smaller businesses or even large, corporate companies where progression is not likely. If you find yourself in an organisation where there is limited space for growth, promotion or development, a job change is likely needed if you want to take that next career step.

Your Needs Have Changed

External factors can also influence your decision about whether or not to change jobs. You might want find yourself in a situation where more money is needed (e.g. if you buy a house or have children) or you may have developed new career aspirations that now need implementing. Whatever changes are affecting your life, you’ll need to consider whether your current job is fulfilling your needs and if a job change has the potential to meet your new requirements.

You Hate Going To Work

Enjoyment in any job role can be like a rollercoaster; it has its ups and downs. But being unhappy or unfulfilled on a daily is a clear sign that your job is not giving you any satisfaction. This can breed stress, anxiety and unhappiness and it also means that you are holding your career back from making any real progress. The best solution here, if you can’t find any areas of satisfaction in your role, may be to change jobs. You could choose to simply move roles within the same company or find a new employer altogether.

You Are Constantly Frustrated

Frustration can be a common aspect of any job, but having ambitious plans and ideas that you don’t have the tools, resources or support to effectively implement can create much on-the-job frustration. Other frustration-fuelling issues include being under-appreciated, working with difficult colleagues or feeling mismatched in terms of culture or values. While these may not be enough to warrant a job change, you’ll need to weigh up whether finding new employment may be better and more rewarding for your career.

Resumes Australia is a leading career coaching and consulting and executive resume writing agency based in Sydney. If you need help managing your career, simply Contact Us or visit our website for more information.

Regards,

Using Keywords In Your Resumes & Profiles

The art of resume writing has changed significantly in recent times, particularly with online platforms and social media technology playing a huge part in the way employers and search consultants work.

In the same way that websites rely on keywords to get to the top of search engine results, job seekers must also use keywords to get their resumes to the top of candidate searches.

Many consultants and employers rely on databases and digital searches nowadays when aiming to fill positions. As a result, resumes and online profiles must be much more keyword driven.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Keywords

The most difficult part about using keywords in your professional resume is understanding which ones will resonate with a particular employer or resume database. Luckily, job seekers can employ several techniques to help them choose the right keywords for their resumes and profiles:

1. Consider the job title: Job titles are one of the most common keywords employers will use when conducting searches. If you are set on a particular job role, include this keyword at least 2-5 times in your resume. A good way to determine if your keyword is effective is to conduct a search using this keyword yourself, either on a job site or via a search engine. If relevant job listings come up, you will know you’re using the right words.

2. Review the job posting: Job descriptions will often contain important keywords in the way of skills, credentials, responsibilities and competencies. Consider what your own ideal role involves and which keywords are being used consistently by employers across various job postings related to your field or industry. For example, if you notice that ‘thought leadership’ is used frequently, you will need to include ‘thought leadership’ as a keyword in your resume.

3. Visit the company website: The website of the hiring company will generally offer industry specific terms that can be used as keywords. By reading through the website content, job seekers will quickly learn the industry terminology or product/service titles that are most relevant to the employer.

Step 2: Using Keywords Properly

Choosing the right keywords is only half the battle when it comes to effective resume writing. Using keywords organically in your resume is important, and will prevent you from turning your resume or online profile into ‘spam.’ My best tips for effective keyword inclusion are:

• Use the most important keywords at the start of your document, such as in the ‘summary’ or ‘profile’ sections.
• Present your keywords in context. That is, write relevant sentences and descriptions that include your desired keywords. Don’t simply list your keywords, as this is ineffective and lazy.
• Using keywords when describing your accomplishments can also be very beneficial. This will draw the reader to your achievements and show them in a clear and concrete way what you are capable of.
• Include the most important keywords throughout your resume or profile, but only when they can be used naturally and relevantly. Many databases and engines will rank resumes/profiles based on how many times a specific keyword is used. However, if you include certain keywords for the sake it, your content will appear sloppy and unprofessional and the recruiter will instantly reject your resume.

Step 3: Adapting Your Keywords

Every resume should be tailored specifically for each different job application, but without compromising the quality or integrity of your experience and achievements. Although your online profile can remain the same, you should tweak each resume application to include keywords that are relevant to that position, job description or employer. This will help maximise your success and means that you’ll stay one step ahead of those keyword-driven databases and searches.

Resumes Australia is a leading resume writing and career guidance firm specialising in executive resume writing and online profile writing. Contact Us to learn more about how we can help you find and use the right keywords during your job search.

Regards,

5 Social Media Mistakes That Will Kill Your Job Search

In the last five years, social media has significantly altered the job seeking and recruitment landscape.

Executive job hunters now have a much better chance of connecting with industry leaders and participating in online activities that can ultimately enhance their careers.

 

Yet while social media sites are considered to be beneficial to job seekers, there are instances when social media can lead to rejected resumes and lost opportunities, which can ultimately affect your chances of employment. Here is best advice for avoiding these social media blunders:

1. Avoid Inappropriate Content

When employers check your social media profiles, they are looking for clues about your personality that will help them decide whether or not you are the ideal candidate for their company. While your profile on LinkedIn should be useful, platforms like Twitter and Facebook can be harmful if inappropriate content (photographs, posts, comments) exists on your profile. While these are only meant to be shared between friends, they can harm your chances of employment significantly if viewed by a prospective employer or recruiter.

To avoid this social media blunder, you should either avoid sharing inappropriate messages or pictures via your profile or set your profile to ‘private’ rather than ‘public,’ so that prospective employers can’t gain access to it. In addition, you may wish to set up a second profile for yourself that is purely professional.

2. Complete Your Profiles

Keeping your personal profiles updated regularly is essential in contributing to your overall professional brand. When it comes to more professional social media sites, such as LinkedIn, failing to update or complete your social media profile can also create a negative impression with employers and recruiters.

It shows that you don’t complete tasks when you start them and that you don’t consider the social media platform to be worthy of your time and effort. This can be detrimental in your job search, especially when so many employers use social media to verify information and connect with job seekers.

3. Write Engaging Content

Consistent and well-written content on social media sites is also expected these days. No matter how comprehensive your content is, grammatical errors or discrepancies in information will leave employers assuming that you are sloppy in your work and that you don’t pay attention to detail.

Both resume writing and profile writing should be given your utmost time and dedication, especially if you are searching for work. If your resume writing skills are not up to scratch, consider utilising a professional resume writing service who can write your profile for you.

4. Sharing Thoughts & Opinions

Participating in social media groups and discussions is a fantastic way to make new connections and improve your professional standing. Yet if your opinions are too strong, one-sided or even biased, you may find yourself alienating potential employers. While it’s great to be passionate about many things, my best advice to those sharing their viewpoints on social media sites is to remain professional at all times. Unethical, ignorant or slanderous comments can ruin your chances of employment on the spot.

5. Badmouthing Employers

Badmouthing their past or present employers is one of the biggest mistakes many job seekers and even current employees make on the social media scene. Negative comments about your company in general or any of your colleagues or bosses should be avoided at all times. This tells a prospective employer that you lack integrity and professionalism and that you don’t respect others around you. Although venting can be useful, make sure that any complaints you have about your past employment are shared in confidence with someone you trust – and not online.

Are you an executive looking for work? Resumes Australia is a full career service firm offering unique resume writing, social media profile writing and career coaching solutions. Learn more today at: http://www.resumes-australia.com.au/.

Regards

Promoting Yourself at Career Expos

Whether you are starting out in your career, wanting to change industries or simply looking for ways to climb up that corporate ladder, career expos offer many opportunities. Attending a career expo is one of the most valued ways to find new employment, meet new executives and get in touch with potential employers.

Achieving success at these events is all about selling yourself, networking with the right people and setting the groundwork for future relationships.

Be Resume Ready

Your resume is one of the most important tools that will help you secure new employment. It is a good idea to bring several copies of your resume with you to any career expo – and make sure that you have too many, rather than too few.

You should also ensure that your resume is professional, expertly written and targeted to the kind of position/s you are looking for. It may even benefit you to have a few different versions of your resume to hand to different employers. If resume writing is not your strength, you should consider obtaining the services of an experienced resume writer.

Bringing along your portfolio or any other marketing materials you have can also help you stand out from the competition.

Know Your Targets

Career expos tend to showcase a multitude of organisations and businesses, all of which are looking to exhibit their worth and attract potential employees. As a job seeker, you will achieve much more success if you find out in advance which companies will be attending the expo and then create a shortlist of the companies you wish to target/visit.

The more you know about each of these businesses, the more you will be able to tailor your approach and master any conversations you have with company representatives. If you are currently looking for work, finding out about any specific vacancies that each company has can also be beneficial, but be wary of being too pushy about these.

Dress the Part

First impressions always make a significant difference when it comes to meeting employers, so if you are heading to a career event, make sure you dress appropriately. This is particularly important if you plan to target high-end corporate companies. Even if you don’t dress in full business attire, a smart-casual outfit will help present you professionally to potential employers.

Value Proposition

Industry events and career expos are often extremely busy places, meaning you may only have a minute or two to make a strong impression. Part of this process is making sure that you know exactly what to say to representatives and employers. Highlight your strengths, skills or talents and make sure they are relevant to the organisation. Rehearsing your value proposition beforehand can be extremely beneficial, as can formal interview coaching.

Know Your Goals

Finally, make sure that you understand what you want to get out of the career expo and what you want to achieve on a long term basis in your career. It’s fine to attend knowing that you want a job, but have you thought about what kind of job, what kind of organisation and what kind of people you want to work with?

Knowing both your long term and short term goals will allow you to devise a successful strategy for connecting with the right people and employers at the event, and if you factor your goals into your approaches and discussions, you will also create the impression that you are a forward-thinking candidate.

Need an outstanding resume? The expert resume writing team at Resumes Australia can produce specialist resumes for career events, expos or job applications, whether you are a graduate or a senior at the CEO level.

Regards,