Resume Tips

• Resume #1

  Keep a list of achievement stories in a journal or file as they happen. That way you do not have to spent time trying to recall them when you need a new resume.

• Resume #2

  Use the contents of a position description from your current role as a checklist  to help you remember the scope of your role.

• Resume #3

  Australian resumes are usually up to four pages long. Any more suggest to the reader that you have not spent enough time and effort to concentrate on the key themes of your career.

• Resume #4

  Include a summary at the top of page 1 one your resume. This section must not be too long and usually four or five sentences covering the themes or highlights of your career.

• Resume #5

  Achievement stories are the core part of the resume and often omitted! An achievement story is an example of how you have used to skills to achieve a goal or reward for yourself, your team or your company.

• Resume #6

  Concentrate on more detail for the current role, then last five years. After that less detail is required. Anyone with a longer career can simply list the companies, job titles and dates in that role at the end of the Career History section of the resume.

• Resume #8

  Be careful of repetition. It can be boring for the reader and they will easily lose interest.

• Resume #9

  Include an 'interests' section at the end of the resume. Focus on interests that demonstrate your skills and mention any achievements. For example a team player in a job my also be a member of a team sport that has won a championship tournament.

• Resume #10

  Keep the list of qualifications after the Career History section, unless you are an Academic! Use the summary to mention qualifications that are important to your job and then have a list of all qualifications and professional memberships later in the resume.

Interview Tips

• Interviews #1

  Always dress smartly and appropriate to the job. It shows that you have made an effort for the interview. You can always dress down by removing a jacket but you cannot add to an outfit at the interview!

• Interviews #2

  Find out the names and roles of the interviewers. Who are the key decision makers on the recruitment process? Also, knowing who will be at the interview may change the type of interview that you will have. For example a more technical interview is likely with your potential boss rather than the HR Manager or Recruiter.

• Interviews #3

  Always prepare answers to interview questions by writing out answers. It help commit them to memory.

• Interviews #4

  Practice, practice and practice answering interview questions. Use someone you trust: your Career Coach; a friend; a partner; a colleague, to play the role of the interviewer and give you some (objective) feedback on your performance. 

• Interviews #5

  Try to get into the right mood for the interview by treating it just like a meeting, not an inquisition! Nerves are good to help performance but letting them take over can lead to a poor interview performance. Remember that the interviewer may be nervous too??

• Interviews #6

  Candidates often forget to say why they want the job! The interviewer will want someone who is keen to do the job and work for their organisation too.

• Interviews #7

  The interview is a two-way process. For the interviewer to decide whether you are the best candidate for the job and for the interviewee to decide if they want the job.

Career Strategy tips

• Career Strategy tip #1

  It is important to review and refine career goals regularly. Often this is why you lose momentum and do not achieve your goal

• Career Strategy tip #2

  Fear is what often holds us back from achieving our career goals, not the chance to achieve our goal.

• Career Strategy tip #3

  Banish negative thoughts. "I can't do that", "It won't happen" or "It is too late" usually means that "I am not prepared to go the distance and get what I want" or "I believe that I am not worthy of my vision or goal"

• Career Strategy tip #4

  Is this what you really want or is it someone else's dream?

• Career Strategy tip #5

  Seek support from your network. Get advice from someone who has been through a similar experience or has already attained a similar career goal.

• Career Strategy tip #6

  We learn by doing, not sitting back and avoiding getting involved.

• Career Strategy tip #7

  Test assumptions rather than run with them! Often good ideas are thwarted by incorrect assumptions.

• Career Strategy tip #8

  Be honest with yourself about what you want and dare to achieve it!

• Career Strategy tip #9

  Remember, nothing worth having is quickly and easily attained!

• Career Strategy tip #10

  It is often something really simple, like ignoring what makes up happy,  that stops us from achieving our goals.

Networking tips

• Networking #1

  Remember that people likegiving advice and talking about their expertise

• Networking #2

  Do not hand out yourbusiness cards to quickly, wait until you have a real reason for exchangingnames and numbers

• Networking #3

  Decide on your goal andaims before starting networking

• Networking #4

  Be authentic and don’t betoo proud to ask for help 

• Networking #5

  Use networking to find outinformation on a prospective employer

• Networking #6

  Be prepared to answerquestions about you and your key strengths

• Networking #7

  Remember the six degrees ofseparation rule and don’t’ give up if the first person cannot help you

• Networking #8

  Focus on gettinginformation and advice before talking about job opportunities

• Networking #9

  Always let your networkingcontacts know what you did with the information they gave you 

• Networking #10

  On average, 70% jobsare found from networking

• Networking #11

  Be generous and helpothers with their networking. You will get more that what you give to others.