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,

Getting the Most Out of a Job You Hate

Being unhappy or unsatisfied in a job is something that we all experience at least once in our lifetime.

Looking for a new job can be refreshing, but you may also find yourself bound by financial constraints or challenged by the competition in the market. Until the time comes when you can hand in your resignation, it is important that you try to remain positive and continue to get the most out of your job.

Change Your Attitude

A negative attitude can make your job feel ten times more difficult or unsatisfying than it really is. Instead of being unenthusiastic or negative, try taking a proactive and positive approach to your daily tasks. If there is lots of politics or conflict going on, try and rise above it and find feasible solutions for dealing with it. This can lift some of the weight off your shoulders and make your work much more enjoyable.

Keep Up the Job Search

It’s easy to fall into the trap of laziness in a stale job, even when it comes to job searching. To keep active about your job hunt, consider setting weekly goals for yourself. You might decide to send off your resume for 1-2 jobs per week or you may want to get in touch with at least one new recruiter at the start of each week. Whatever you choose, it will help you stay positive and will keep your job searching on the right track.

Network

Networking and making connections is a fantastic way to find new job opportunities. You can either network online, on social media sites like LinkedIn or you can try and network in person by attending seminars and other industry events. Networking within your organisation can also be beneficial too, however you should be discreet about the fact you are searching for other employment.

Talk to Your Boss

If you feel that your job discontent can be resolved it might be worthwhile talking to your boss about how you feel (but without mentioning your desire to find another job). You may want to point out why you are not enjoying your role and ask whether it is possible to change your job description.  A change in duties can refresh your perspective and make your role much more rewarding. If you do ask for new responsibilities, make sure these align with the strengths and skills you want to develop, as well as your long term plans.

Get More Involved

Is boredom one of the driving factors of your job dissatisfaction? Sometimes, the best way to cope is to keep yourself busy! For example, you could ask for more responsibility, take on extra tasks, get involved with more projects or put your hand up for a committee. Keeping busy each day will mean the days go faster and extra work will also give you extra experience, skills and credentials to add to your professional resume.

Get Educated

Training and education is one of the best ways to get more out of your job. Investigate what training programs or courses are open to you and determine if any of these could benefit your skills or knowledge. If you are keen to enroll in a course outside of your company, consider whether the company will contribute towards the fees. In return, however, you may be required to stay in your role longer.

Prioritise Your Life Outside of Work

If your job is not enjoyable, consider giving priority to the other important factors in your life. You could consider changing your hours to spend more time with your family, spending your lunch break working out, taking up a new hobby after work or simply socialising after hours with other colleagues you’d like to get to know better.

Become a Mentor – or Gain One

If you are bored in your role but don’t necessarily want to jump ship, becoming a mentor or finding one can make a huge difference to your career and your everyday accountabilities. Mentors can gain much fulfillment from guiding others and passing on their knowledge, while those under mentorship can find their goals and strengths changing and growing, and this alone can bring much satisfaction and structure to an otherwise mundane role.

Not sure where your career is headed or what to do about your next job move? Resumes Australia provides expert career coaching services, as well as executive resume writing and interview coaching programs.

Regards,

Christmas is Coming! Have You Got Your Survival Guide?

Need career assistance or advice?
Download the Executive Candidate’s Survival Guide
It’s free and it’ll be in your inbox just in time for Christmas!

Christmas is right around the corner and I’m sure that many of you are looking forward to a relaxing and well-deserved break. The holidays are also a fantastic time to take a step back from your professional life and gain some perspective on your current employment situation – perhaps you plan to update your resume, work on your interview skills or refresh your job search strategies.

With over 20 years experience in the recruitment, head hunting and resume writing industries, I always feel that it is important to give my clients as much information as I can. As a special token of appreciation during the Christmas season, I would like to invite all my current and prospective clients to download (for free) my new and revised edition of the

Executive Candidate’s Survival Guide

This e-Book is an extremely in depth insight into managing your career, searching for jobs, applying for jobs and winning jobs – and what you need to do to achieve success in all of these recurring phases of your career.

Let’s take a quick look at what’s inside the Executive Candidate’s Survival Guide:

• Chapter 1 – Laying the Foundation for Career Success

Learn how to set professional goals and evaluate your career options

• Chapter 2 – Developing Your Career Plan 


We cover personal branding, portfolio development and career management

•  Chapter 3 – Positioning Your Skills & Capabilities


What are your key selling points? Learn how to market yourself effectively

• Chapter 4 – Resume Development for Specific Opportunities


Learn how to write a resume that will showcase your talents the right way 

• Chapter 5 – Applying for Roles & Researching Companies


Learn how and where to find the right opportunities & build rapport with employers

• Chapter 6 – Developing a Professional Career Network 


This chapter dives into effective networking and job lead development

• Chapter 7 – Leveraging the Power of Business & Social Media 


We teach you how to use LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to your advantage

• Chapter 8 – Working With Executive Search Consultants


Find out how to locate and build rapport with executive search consultants

• Chapter 9 – Interviews, Interviews, Interviews


Learn how to prepare for an interview and master those interview questions

• Chapter 10 – Salary Negotiation, Contracts & Reference Checks 


You’ve got the job! Here’s what you need to know about choosing between multiple offers, negotiating your salary and more

• Chapter 11 – Got the Job, Now the Next Steps 


This chapter will show you how to resign in style and kick start your new role successfully  

• Chapter 12 – Tales from the Trenches 


The inside scoop on what has and hasn’t worked for past candidates

The Executive Candidate’s Survival Guide is an invaluable tool for any executive job seeker who wants to kick start a new job or career, gain answers about resume writing and learn how to stand out from competing candidates and ultimately achieve professional fulfillment.

You’ll also find useful tools, tips and questions that will help you recognise your strengths and weaknesses and identify which of your talents you can leverage to help you secure new job positions.

I wish you all the very best for Christmas and New Year and look forward to speaking with all of you in 2013.

Best wishes,

Returning to Work – Tips for Executive Women

Being a woman executive can be tough. Believe me, I know! You’re playing in a male-dominated field and sometimes, you need to work a lot harder to get your voice heard.

At certain times in the lives of many executive women, motherhood and parental/maternity leave will also be on the cards. When it comes time to return to the corporate field, it might be a little daunting easing back into your career.

If you’re a returning-to-work mum, here are some tips that have proved successful for many of my career coaching clients who are mothers.

1. Have a Plan

You have probably created and executed countless plans and strategies throughout your executive career, so why not do the same to follow your maternity leave? Develop a ‘return to work’ plan for yourself that involves relevant goals and specific actions that will help you settle back into the corporate sphere.

This may involve scheduling regular meetings with your employer, seeking support and updates from colleagues, attending industry events to learn about what’s been happening in your absence or perhaps working from home before returning to the office full-time.

2. Know Your Industry

If you’re returning to your same position or even to a similar position in the same industry, it’s important to realise that much may have changed, particularly if you work in a field that’s dynamic and fast-paced, or that is constantly affected by legislation.

Before heading back to the office, ensure you familiarise yourself with any major movements that have occurred in your industry, and make an effort to update yourself about current trends and attitudes that may be affecting your business or specifically your job role.

Company changes (restructures, redundancies, changes in strategies) may also have taken place in your absence, so it’s a good idea to get on top of these as well.

3. Get Your Professional Resume Together

If your return to work involves embarking on a new job hunt, it’s important that have an updated and comprehensive professional resume and cover letter ready to go.

If you’re unsure about how to put this together (or if you just don’t have the time), consider using a resume writing service. Professional resume writers will know exactly how to portray your experience, your competencies and your maternity gap so that you still remain a powerful and influential candidate when it comes to job applications.

4. Recharge Your Self Confidence

Many employers will be patient and welcoming when you come back from maternity leave, but many businesses will expect you to dive in the deep end and hit the ground running. If this happens, it’s important to remain confident and assertive.

Chat with your employer about easing into your role or leverage help from colleagues and staff who may be able to pass on any useful knowledge about the business. If you really need to recharge your self-confidence or if you have some interviews lined up, career coaching or interview coaching can also be highly beneficial, and can help you refine your confidence and therefore your success.

Are you a corporate mum looking for that executive edge before you return to work?

Resumes Australia has a wide range of resume writing and career coaching services that can help you get back on your executive feet! Just contact us today to learn more.

Regards,

Job Search Tips for Older Executives

It is no secret that searching for a new job can be tough for older executives, particularly for those who are re-entering the workforce after some time.

However, the number of older workers in Australia is growing, with many executives keen to work past the age of 63, and many corporations opening up opportunities to older executives who possess the life experience that younger candidates do not.

Need assistance in your job search?

If you are an older executive searching for employment, there are many areas in which you can develop your professional persona.

1. Resumes

A well- written Resume is the important document for a job seeker of any age, and it’s important that you have a fully updated professional resume that effectively demonstrates the experience and skills you can bring to the table.

If you are unsure how to go about resume writing or if you are uncertain if your resume is adequate, you may want to engage the help of a resume writing service. Professional resume writers can appraise your current resume and help you write a winning document that promotes your competencies and talents in a way that appeals to prospective employers.

2. Get a LinkedIn Profile

One of the most important recommendations I make to my older executive clients is to also establish yourself on LinkedIn. This can be crucial in portraying your professional image.

LinkedIn is a professional networking site where you (a) create a profile that is similar to your resume and then (b) connect with other industry executives you know or used to work with. Through these networking activities, you can keep up-to-date on what’s happening in your industry, put yourself forward professionally, and perhaps identify job opportunities.

3. Leverage Resources for Older Workers

There are many resources available for older workers, such as: websites dedicated to mature age jobs, technology and IT training courses for older people, interview coaching programs to help you with interview skills, and recruitment agencies dedicated to finding work for older candidates.

The Australian Government has also introduced a new program (starting in 2013) that has been especially designed to help older candidates find work. If you are job seeker over the age of 55, you will be able to participate in this program and receive training courses, career counselling and a $500 bonus to cover technological purchases (like computers, Internet connections) that will help you with your job search.

4. Further Tips

As they say, older is wiser! Here are my best tips to motivate you and keep you thinking positive:

• Include in detail only recent work history (up to10 years unless it is directly relevant to the position) in your professional resume; and yes, volunteer experience should also be included, but again only if relevant.

• Don’t include your birth date on your resume; it’s not about how old you are, but what experience you have. In Australia it is illegal for recruiters or employers to ask your age as it can be considered discriminatory.

• If you find you are a little rusty on the skills side or need help preparing for a job interview, consider enrolling in a short course or program to refresh your skills.

• Make use of professional networking and social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter; this will show employers and recruiters that you’re not afraid of technology.

No matter how old you are, there is always assistance available for older executives. And at Resumes Australia, some of us are older workers too! Get in touch today to find out how we can help you with your resume and your job hunt.

Best of luck,

Great Job Search Apps for Your Mobile

Technology is driving the world we live in today and in the land of recruitment, we now make use of things like digital programs, tracking systems, resume writing templates and even video calling for interviews.

When it comes to searching for jobs, the Internet is one of the biggest resources, with websites like Seek and MyCareer dominating Australian job searches.

But with the advent of the iPhone, iPad and Android mobile technology, job searching has now taken on a new dimension, especially for executives who are on the go but who still want to keep in touch with their job searches.

Seek – Jobs (Seek Ltd.)

The Seek app is a must for any executive or job searcher, and with this app you can login to your Seek account, access your saved job searches, apply for new roles (assuming you have an executive resume ready to go) and shortlist any positions that are of interest to you. The app also stores your last search, displaying only the new jobs, the next time you visit.

MyCareer Jobs (Fairfax Digital)

The MyCareer app works in a similar way to the Seek app. You can also search, shortlist and sort jobs, or email yourself job adverts so you can attend to them later. There is also the option to add personal notes and comments to listed jobs. Alternatively, if you save your executive resume in your MyCareer account, you can also apply for positions via your phone.

Real-Time Jobs (Work Digital Ltd.)

The increasing use of professional and social networking apps is influencing the way employers and recruiters advertise their vacancies – and many of these positions are posted on Twitter. The Real-Time Jobs app allows you to search Twitter jobs locally or worldwide, and employs QuickPitch technology so that you have fast access to the latest job posts and can apply for them via Twitter using your mobile.

Randstad Job Search (Randstad)

One of the leading recruitment agencies in the world, Randstad has created this app for executive job searchers looking for either local or global employment in any number of industries. You can search jobs in over 57 countries and customise searches according to your location, save job adverts to your phone (you can them access them later without a connection) or email them to yourself or someone else. Although you can’t apply for these jobs with your mobile just yet, Randstad is working on this functionality.

Hays APAC Salary Guide (Hays Specialist Recruitment) 

Hays publishes a free Salary Guide annually which lists salaries from the past 12 months for a wide range of positions and industries across the APAC region. This can be helpful when comparing prospective salaries to what is the standard for that given role.

The Hays app is useful as it utilises a smart location function to list salaries and offices in your geographic area, and provides details on what salaries have been paid. You can also contact Hays direct with any queries, as their full office contact details are also included.

Interview Prep Questions (Simpaddico llc)

Need to sharpen up those long-ago used interview skills? Interview Prep Questions is a great app filled with dozens of questions to help you prepare for your next interview. You can search for specific questions (such as those related to ‘motivations’ or ‘your ideal boss’), save your favourite questions, peruse answers, and even personalise your own answers to fit your experience. Perfect for those who are just coming out of the job searching woodwork and need a re-introduction to some of those basic interview questions.

Technology is fantastic, isn’t it? But it also doesn’t begin to compare to the help you can get from real life career coaching or executive resume writing.

If you require help with your interview skills, writing your executive resume or just your career in general, contact Resumes Australia for a confidential chat.

Regards,

How to Answer: “What’s Your Greatest Strength?”

When it comes to preparing your resume, you will, of course, have many strengths and positives that you will want to emphasise to a potential employer. During a job interview, an employer will also make note of your strengths and they may choose to dive deeper into what makes you such a great candidate.

But when it comes to the question, “what’s your greatest strength?” it can often be difficult to choose the best answer.

1. Keep the Selection Criteria in Mind

When you first noticed the job or when it came to the resume writing stage, you would’ve paid attention to the selection criteria listed in the advertisement. Keep this criteria in mind when thinking about your greatest strength – and choose a strength that relates directly to one of the top criteria listed. An employer will not only want to determine what makes you stand out, but what makes you particularly suitable for their role.

2. Back Up Your Strength

As with any interview question, you should back up your strength/s with examples from your past and current job positions. When you prepare your list of strengths, note down at least two circumstances where you’ve used these strengths in your job, focusing on the outcomes and how your strength drove you to succeed. For example, if your strength is about client relations, you might want to point out that you’ve exceeded your sales targets throughout the year and that you’ve achieved X% growth for a particular product or service.

3. Common Strengths

It pays to be unique when it comes to your strengths so that you stand out from other candidates. You should customise your strengths both for an interview and when writing your resume.

However, as a starting point, common strengths can revolve around:

• Communication

• Relationship building

• Patience

• Honesty & integrity

• Organisation

• Attention to detail

• Dedication & hard work

4. More Specific Strengths

When it comes to tailoring your answers and describing your strengths, try and think of specific ways to clarify what makes you stand out. Here are some examples of specific strengths:

• Managing and retaining clients successfully

• Focusing on leadership with clear, timely strategies

• Dealing with challenges and producing successful outcomes

• Taking risks and learning from mistakes

• Understanding the industry & the competition

5. Don’t Get Cocky

Most importantly, you should sound confident yet modest when describing your strengths. It’s great to impress your interviewers, but you don’t want to come across as if you’re blowing your own trumpet. To avoid getting cocky, keep your responses succinct, with evidence and examples to authenticate your claims.

At Resumes Australia, our unique interview coaching servicescan also assist you in determining your best strengths for a position, and can teach you how to frame your responses for interview success!

Regards,

Great Resignations – Quitting Your Job With Style

Congratulations on landing your new job! Now, all you have to do is resign from your current role.

There’s a little bit of an art form to resigning and believe it or not, there’s much more to a resignation than a simple letter or meeting. If you are moving on from your present position, whether to a new role or just taking a break, here are some of my best tips to quit your job with style and carry out a “successful” resignation.

Meet With Your Boss

Written resignations are acceptable, but you will achieve much more if you organise an official meeting with your manager to resign and hand them your resignation letter in person. This will give you an opportunity to explain face-to-face why you’ve decided to resign, (if appropriate) and it also means you can address any immediate issues together.

It’s important to remain professional when you resign and remember to keep your reasons for leaving about you and your career. Take responsibility for your decision and accentuate how this change is beneficial for your life. Under no circumstances make your resignation personal or vindictive.

Don’t Burn Bridges

Maintaining your contacts is crucial after any resignation. Even if you have good reasons for resigning, don’t burn your bridges or create animosity between you and your company. It’s a small world out there, and you never know who could be of value to you after you leave. You may not have worked well with your boss or certain colleagues, but they could still prove to be useful contacts in future.

Be Proactive About Handovers

Of course, you will need to hand over your tasks and responsibilities to one or more new or current employees. Once you resign, you should take a proactive approach to organising your handover, especially if your boss doesn’t have time to do this. In consultation with your boss determine who is going to take over your work, and make sure you set aside enough time with them to thoroughly cover all areas of your job.

Organise Exit Interviews & Meetings

Usually, your manager or HR will organise an exit interview for you, but it can also benefit you to organise further interviews and meetings with other managers and executives in the company. Again, this is also about maintaining your contacts and not burning your bridges – making an effort to stay in touch with these individuals demonstrates that you value their time and input, even though you’re leaving. It also means you can continue to build your professional network.

Be Thankful

There may be some bad feelings surrounding your resignation, but even so, you should be appreciative of the opportunities your company has given you. Thank your bosses and colleagues individually, and let them know you’re grateful for the knowledge and experience s you’ve acquired.

It’s a great feeling when you resign and a new role awaits you – but what if you’re quitting without any future plans? Resumes Australia can provide you with sound career advice, quality CV services and interview coaching sessions to help build your executive profile and find that next, brilliant role. Of course, if you require assistance with your resignation letter or your exit interview, we can help with that, too!

Regards,

A Quick Guide to Asking for a Pay Rise

Approaching your boss or manager about a pay rise is not as common as you might think. Often, executives fail to find the courage to ask for pay rises during review time or recoil at the idea of bringing up salary discussions outside of designated performance assessments set by the company.

But in these difficult times, when the cost of living is high and economic turmoil is growing, how do you ask for a pay rise – and get one?

Do Your Research – First, conduct thorough research around the appropriate salary levels and benchmarks for your particular job and industry, and evaluate how your salary compares. If it’s substantially less, a pay rise might be a warranted. If it’s on par, you’ll need to think about why you deserve more than the benchmark amount. Of course, it your salary is higher than usual and you still want more money, your only options may be to go for a promotion or to change jobs.

Do You Deserve It? – You’ll need to question thoroughly whether your performance on the job actually deserves a pay rise. While you may be struggling with personal debts or expenses, this is not a reason for your company to reward you financially. Instead, your salary negotiations need to be based on your ability and talents within the workplace.

Work Hard – If you do want a pay rise, it’s important to work hard for it. Ask for more responsibility up front, work on achieving greater results and outcomes, or talk to your manager about how you can add more to the company. If they know you are after a pay rise but willing to work for it in return, you’ll have a much better chance of securing an increase down the track.

Organise a Meeting – If you do decide to move ahead with your request, it’s important to organise a meeting with your boss and let them know, in advance, what the discussion will be about. This will give you both time to prepare.

Prepare Your Case – When it comes time to ask or negotiate for a pay rise, you’ll need to provide evidence on why you deserve more money. What have you done for the company? What have you improved or achieved? Have you secured extra deals or enhanced a client relationship? Prepare these points in a document that you can give to your employer; this will give them something in hardcopy to review. Remember, the goal here is to convince your employer that your contributions are worth more than what they’re currently paying you.

Be Tactful – Before you sit down with your manager, think about your approach to the discussion. Saying something like, “I’m broke and I work hard, can I have a pay rise?” will probably not get you very far. Alternatively, reinforce what you do enjoy about your job, but stress that you also want new challenges to grow your career.

Don’t Get Emotional – It’s important to respect any decisions made and leave your emotions at the door during negotiations. Bear in mind that while often companies would like to reward you, sometimes it is just not possible. If your request is rejected after putting forward what you feel is a strong case, chat to your boss further about what opportunities there are, or what strategies you could employ to enhance your career and salary.

If you do intend to ask for a pay rise and you require help identifying your strengths and achievements, Resumes Australia can help. Our interview coaching programs and career coaching packages have been designed to help executives on a journey towards success.

Regards,

5 Positive Things About Being Made Redundant

Being made redundant can be a harrowing experience. It means the sudden ending of a steady income, facing a change that you didn’t want and of course, the need to find a new job.

If you weren’t happy in your job, being made redundant may be like a mini-dream come true. But for others, it’s a sharp blow to your career, not to mention your self-esteem.

 

If you have been made redundant, all hope is not lost. There are many positive things about the change that redundancy brings. Here are just a few of them.

1. A Blessing in Disguise

It may not seem like it at first, but as one door closes, another always opens. While you may have loved your job, a redundancy now gives you the chance to reassess your goals, and perhaps turn your career compass in a new and better direction. Instead of being negative, try and draw positives from your redundancy. Look back briefly, but also look forward to what the future now offers.

2. New Opportunities

The best thing that can be said about a redundancy – whether you wanted it or not – is that it presents a series of new opportunities in your career. It can mean the opportunity to find a better job, with more money, in a more distinguished company, or it could bring an opportunity to start your own venture or business. This may be the perfect time to undertake career coaching, interview coaching, or possibly work on polishing up your executive resume.

3. A Refinement of Skills & Passions

Because a redundancy is also a ‘break’ in your career, it’s also a great time to get back to basics, and refine your skills. Or perhaps explore passions that you weren’t able to do while holding down your job. You could now look for a new role that’s more aligned with your talents or passions. Believe it or not, a redundancy can also give you the chance to put your career back on the right track. In fact, you may be surprised at how far your career has veered away from your original goals.

4. Education

Is there a course or a training program you’ve been wanting to enrol in but you just haven’t had the time? Having a gap between jobs is the perfect time to undertake some extra education. Do some research on what’s available, and see if anything suits your timeline – an extra management course or a strategic leadership workshop could look great on your new executive resume, and it will also show your next employer that you’ve made the effort to keep your career focused and fresh.

5. A Life Break

If the need to find a new job is not on the immediate horizon (possibly thanks to your redundancy pay out) this could be the ideal time for you to take a break. A life break can be anything you want it to be – from spending more time with your family, indulging in a new hobby, or embarking on that long-awaited holiday.

If you’ve recently been made redundant, Resumes Australia has the right tools and the right team to help you with your next steps. From career coaching to interview coaching, to resume writing, we’ll ensure your continued success.

Regards,