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The time has come to take your qual and step onto your chosen career path.
Successful job hunters think outside the square, use a variety of approaches
and don’t give up easily. So, let people know you’re looking.
Offer to do work experience. Approach organisations you’d like to
work for. Treat your job search as a full time job and give it your all.
Money
Salaries vary according to your skills, qualifications and the
demand for them in the workplace.
For example, the minerals boom means mining graduates are in demand. Newly graduated
engineers and geologists can now expect an average starting salary of $52,000.
Most young people won’t earn this much until they have more qualifications
and experience. Recently qualified childcare workers, waiters and motor mechanics
will start on a salary of around $28,000 a year. New university graduates earn
an average of $40,800 a year.
At the moment the minimum adult wage in Australia is $26,616 before tax, or $522.86
gross a week. So unless, you’re training on the job, this should be the
minimum in your pay packet.
Recruiters say that an undergraduate degree is worth an extra $10,000 a year.
If you want to upgrade at a later stage and do a post graduate degree, which
is another two years of study again, you will probably add another $5,000 to
$10,000 a year to your pay packet.
For more information on what you can expect to earn, check out www.jobsearch.gov.au/joboutlook/default.aspx.
Heading straight into the
workforce
If you plan to get a job, dive straight in and start looking. Taking
an extended summer break may mean you miss out on the job you really
want. Finding a job may also take longer than you expect.
Talk to your careers counsellors, family and friends about what jobs might suit
you. They may even know someone who is looking for an employee.
Write down what you’re good at and use this to guide your job
choices. For example, if your strength is cooking, think about working
in a café or restaurant.
Get your resume together
Having an up-to-date resume is essential. It’s also a chance
for you to list your skills and strengths in a professional format.
You might be surprised how good you look on paper! Your resume
should be no longer than two A4 pages. Include the following details:
- Education background – list the school you attended,
the subjects you studied, your results and any short courses
you have completed.
- Previous work experience – include any after school or
volunteer work.
- Your hobbies.
- Skills – highlight your skills that relate to the job
you’re applying for. If you are applying for a job as a
retail assistant, mention your good communication skills and
the experiences you’ve had dealing with the public. If
you’re applying for a job that involves working on computers,
list your technical skills in that area, including what programs
you’re experienced in using.
Check for spelling and grammatical errors – and remember
to highlight your good points.
For sample resumes go to www.mycareer.com.au or www.seek.com.au.
Target employers
Armed with your resume, start targetting employers. Get your local
newspaper and check out the job ads. Most employers advertise in
Saturday’s paper, but some jobs do appear during the week – so
keep checking.
The Internet
Most newspapers also post their jobs ads online. And some employers
advertise exclusively on the internet. With the click of a mouse,
you can find jobs in your local area, interstate or overseas. Most
job sites allow you to apply online – so it can be as easy
as typing up an application letter and emailing it off with a copy
of your resume.
These days most larger companies have a website, so it’s worth checking
out if they post their vacancies online.
Two of Australia's most popular job sites are www.mycareer.com.au or www.seek.com.au.
You could also try www.australianjobsearch.gov.au.
Applying for a job
Once you’ve found a job to apply for, write a covering letter
explaining why you are suited to the position and send it off with
your resume.
It’s said that 75 per cent of jobs are never advertised. So many people
get their jobs through word-of-mouth or by directly approaching employers or “cold
calling”.
Cold calling is when you ring up an employer you’d like to work for and
ask if they have any jobs going. It’s important to be confident, so write
down and rehearse what you want to say before you dial the number.
Your script might read something like this: Hello, my name is John. I’ve
just finished a school-based apprenticeship in carpentry. I’ve always wanted
to work in the construction industry and I was wondering if you had any jobs
going at the moment.
Be prepared for knockbacks. But they may take your name and number and call if
something comes up. If they suggest calling back in a few months, make a note
in your diary – people appreciate persistence.
Shop window ads
Often you’ll see job ads in shop windows. Some shops, cafes
and restaurants look for staff this way. It might also be worth
checking out the notice boards at TAFE, university or you local
Centrelink office.
But be wary of ads that promise you can “earn money fast” with "no
experience necessary". Often these jobs pay on commission – so if
you don’t sell anything you won’t earn any money.
Centrelink
If you are unemployed or have a disability, Centrelink staff will
help you to find a job. They can provide practical support with
writing resumes, job searching and and contacting employers.
Interviews
You’ve got past the first hurdle and scored an interview.
Well done! So take a deep breath and get ready to sell yourself.
Hot interview tips:
- Arrive on time.
- Make an effort with your appearance – good personal presentation
will leave a good impression.
- Take your time to answer their questions but don’t ramble.
- Use real life examples to demonstrate your skills.
- Ask them some questions
- Find out when they will make a decision about the job.
- On the way out, smile, thank them and offer a firm hand-shake.
 
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