FIVE TIPS TO BOOST YOUR CAREER THIS YEAR

1. Decide what makes you happy

It might sound simple, but there's no point chasing a career goal that won't actually make you
happy.

Be the master of your destiny by first deciding who you actually would take delight in working
for, suggests Deborah Blott, business manager of recruitment firm Mondo Search Group.

Make a list of companies you would like to work for, then write down why you want to work for
them and what you could contribute, she says.

“Many companies have hidden jobs and projects for driven, focused and passionate people, and
these jobs are not necessarily advertised,” Blott says.

Look at your connections and who could introduce you to these companies, she adds. “Use social
media to find out how you can connect in with people who can recommend you to these
companies.”

2. Treat your career like a business

The only way to get ahead in your career is if you change the way you think about it. You're not
in a job, you have a career, and you need to take responsibility for managing it yourself.

Professional career coach Fiona Craig says everyone should treat their career like a business.

Make sure you have a thorough understanding of your strengths and put in place a strategy on
how you can use those strengths more often, she says.

“Create a career plan, a personal marketing plan and a networking plan for 2014, just as you
would create a business and marketing plan for a business,” Craig says.

3. Build your personal brand

To build your career, develop a clear personal brand including who you are, what you bring to a
role, how you differ and so on, advocates Key Coaching's Karen Bremner.

So many employees plod along in their job, year after year, she says.

Instead, throw yourself into your work, put your hand up for new projects or better still, initiate
them, she says.

Where your strengths meet an employer's needs, there's an opportunity, she says.
“Identify what you're really good at, in and out of work, and focus on how you can leverage
those skills and strengths to benefit employers.”

“It's your career and it's up to you to drive it. Don't wait to be picked. Decide where you want to
go and then actively seek out new opportunities to both grow your skills and demonstrate your
value,” Bremner says.

4. Develop a LinkedIn strategy

LinkedIn is becoming an increasingly powerful tool in recruitment, professional networking and

job hunting, which is why you've got to take it seriously.

Professional resume writer, Tanaz Byramji says employees need to update their LinkedIn profile
at the start of each year. Once you've made sure your profile is as complete and accurate as
possible, written succinctly in the first person and incorporating relevant key words associated
with your area of expertise, you can start expanding your network, Melbourne-based Byramji
says.

Send out personalised connections to people you've worked with over the past 12 months. Also,
reach out to co-workers who may have already moved into other roles, she says.

Use LinkedIn to build your professional brand by curating industry-relevant information, posting
articles, commenting on blog posts and joining relevant groups, she says.

It's also a good idea to request LinkedIn recommendations, and sometimes the easiest way to do
that is to write a recommendation for someone else first, she says.

5. Always look for ways to learn

A great way to boost your career is to always look for new ways to learn, recommends Katrena
Friel, founder of Activated Life Long Learners.

People that learn throughout their career understand the importance of investing in their own
knowledge and enjoy the process of learning something new, she says.

The mindset of people who feel they've already completed their schooling only update their skills
when they have been retrenched, sacked or miss out on a promotion, she says.

“Some people also only go to training or coaching if their employer pays for it. They would
never pay for their own development, thinking it's someone else's responsibility to look after
their career.”

Shift your thinking so that you're open to being a lifelong learner, which means you're taking
responsibility for your career and being curious about your true capability, she says.

5 THINGS JOB SEEKERS OBSESS OVER -- BUT SHOULDN'T

It doesn’t matter how much work experience you have, or how many interviews you’ve knocked out
of the park—job hunting is bound to make even the most confident candidates feel insecure.

And since so many factors are out of your control—like whether you’ll hear back about that
perfect fit opportunity—it’s no wonder many people find themselves attempting to regain a little
power by obsessing over what they can control.

But the truth is, not all job-search details are make-or-break.

To help you discern what’s worth your worry—and what’s definitely not—we chatted with two
career experts to identify five easy-to-obsess-over details that hiring managers really don’t care
about … and what to focus on instead.

1. How Fancy Your Resume Looks

In today’s competitive job market, it’s crucial to make your C.V. shine brighter than the
hundreds of others on a hiring manager’s desk. Often, that pressure leads people to toil over the
glossiest resume template—with fancy fonts, bold pops of color and custom sub-sections—in an
effort to express their exceptional flair for style.

But unless you’re applying for a design position and need to showcase those skills, Alison
Green, a former nonprofit chief of staff and author of the AskaManager blog, is giving you
permission to quit obsessing.

“No employer is going to hire you just because you have a beautifully laid-out resume,” she says.
“Plus, it makes it look like you don’t have a clear idea of what things really matter.”

What Does Matter … “Standing out is about the strength of your candidacy, which is
something you can’t buy, fake or promote through even the most beautiful font choice,” Green
says.

If you really want to prove you’re a strong candidate, create an easily readable document that
prominently highlights your professional accomplishments.

For example, maybe you exceeded your sales targets for three years in a row, successfully
serviced your company’s most difficult account, or were chosen to represent your department at
a major industry conference—make sure these points stand out on your C.V.

One other thing to keep in mind? Stick to the facts, Green says, adding that hiring managers
won’t give much weight to overly subjective descriptions and self-assessments you can’t
substantiate, like “excellent management skills” or “creative communicator.”

2. If You Send a Handwritten Thank You Note

Back in the day, a thoughtfully composed, handwritten note was considered to be the best way to
properly complete the interview process. But fast-forward to today’s hyper-connected world,
when even hiring seems to move much faster—causing many job seekers to stress about the
appropriate way to reach out post-interview.

Stacey Hawley, a career and leadership development coach and founder of The Credo Company,
insists that stressing over how you follow up isn’t what hiring managers are concerned about.

“Interviewers just care that they get [a note],” she says, adding that it’s best to send it—using the
medium of your choice—within 48 hours of your meeting.

What Does Matter … Rather than simply thanking hiring managers for their time—something
that doesn’t add value to the decision-making process—Hawley says to make sure your note
contains meaningful information that proves you were paying attention and are still interested in
the position.

“Think about the conversation, and write something both personal and business-related,” she
suggests. “Tell them how much you appreciated discussing a certain business topic, then thank
them for sharing their insights about something personal.”

3. Whether Your Resume Fits on One Page

You’ve probably heard traditional career advice that warns job seekers against submitting a
resume that spills over to two or more pages.

After all, a 2012 study found hiring managers spend just six seconds reviewing a candidate’s
materials before determining whether the person is a good fit.

So those hours you spent editing, adjusting margins and tweaking the font size to squeeze every
last bit of information on a single page seems reasonable enough.

But Green says you can throw this advice out the window—if you’ve been out of college for at
least five years and have enough legitimate experience to include.

What Does Matter … Now that you have carte blanche to make your resume as long—or short
—as you see fit, concentrate on making sure you’ve highlighted only the most pertinent facts
from your job history.

“Hiring managers often skim a resume first, so jam-packing yours with every job you’ve ever
had reduces the chance that their eye will land on what you truly want them to see,” Green says.

So give the majority of your resume’s real estate to the most recent and relevant information—
and downplay the rest. “You could even put the internships or junior positions together without
bullet points,” Green adds. “You don’t need to treat them with equal weight [compared to full-
time staff positions].”

Another option? Organize your resume by “Relevant Experience” and “Other Work Experience,”
rather than chronological order. “This allows you to highlight the experiences and skills that the
hiring manager or recruiter is most interested in, while still addressing your overall work
history,” Green says.

4. Crafting a Clever Cover Letter

If writer’s block always seems to hit just as you sit down to write the perfect cover letter, you
certainly wouldn’t be alone.

But the truth is that a cover letter doesn’t have to be that complicated. “Just imagine you’re
writing an email to a friend about why you’d be perfect for this job,” Green says. “That’s the
tone you want.”

What Does Matter … The key to a great cover letter is to emphasize the passions and personal
traits that make you uniquely qualified to excel in a particular job—but don’t come across in
your resume.

“Somewhere along the line, people got the idea that a cover letter should offer the same details as
your resume, but it’s the opposite,” Green says. “If all you do is summarize your work history,
you’re squandering an opportunity.”

She offers an example of a woman who applied for an administrative position, but didn’t have as
much experience as other candidates Green was considering.

“In her cover letter, the woman explained how her friends teased her for neurotically color-
coding her closet and alphabetizing her spices, and she talked about how she’s known in her peer
group for her love of organization,” Green says. “You cannot put that in a resume. But it told me
so much about the type of person she was, and likely the type of approach she would have to that
job.”

The result? The woman scored an interview—and the job.

5. Why You Haven’t Heard Back

Whether you’ve just submitted your resume and are wondering if you’ll be called for an
interview, or you’re waiting to hear if you’ll be asked back for a second one, it’s hard to be
patient … or think of anything else.

Hawley sympathizes—but warns job seekers not to check in too often.

“For them, this is a major event in their lives, but for the interviewers, they’re meeting other
people and, of course, working! Work gets in the way of the interview process all of the time,”
she says. “I know it’s hard, but be patient. The last thing you should do is email the interviewers
and ask when you’ll hear back—repeatedly.”
What Does Matter … If you do snag an interview, satisfy your curiosity by asking for a
timeline before you leave. “If you know when the powers-that-be want to make a decision by,
it’s reasonable to check in after that point for an update,” Green says.

After that, shift your focus back to what you can control: continuing your job search.

“For your mental health, the best thing you can do is pretend you didn’t get the job as soon as
you walk out the door,” Green says. “Put it out of your mind. Then you won’t agonize day after
day.”

Bonus: You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you do get that phone call with an offer.

HOW TO MAKE TIME TO FIND A NEW JOB

31.03.2015
People often say that looking for a new job can be a job in itself, and if you’re
already employed, it can be even more difficult to find the time to secure that new role.

There are however, tried and tested ways you can manage your time effectively to give yourself
the opportunity you deserve.

o Remind yourself what is motivating you to find a new job. Whether you’re
overworked and stressed, seeking a new challenge or don’t get on with your boss, there
are a plethora of reasons people change jobs. But a large majority of professionals also
stay in their jobs unhappily year after year because they lack the time or energy to apply
and interview for a new role.

Remind yourself of the benefits that a new job in a new environment could have for you,
such as greater levels of job satisfaction or just feeling happier. Regularly prompting
yourself to think about how much more improved your job situation could be is a great
way to encourage yourself to embrace change.
o Utilise SEEK tools and resources to take the work out of the search. At SEEK, we
know the rate at which job ads appear and disappear on the site, and when you can’t
spend nine to five at your desk keeping up-to-date with the newest opportunities, why not
let technology do it for you?

You can outsource the search for a new job simply by registering a SEEK Profile and
setting up JobMail. All you have to do is pre-set your search criteria and you’ll receive
daily emails with the latest job ads posted on SEEK that match what you’re looking for.
o Set aside some time each day dedicated to your job search. Someone wise once said,
“If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.” Why not apply this concept to
your job search? Schedule a designated amount of time each week to update your resume,
write cover letters, apply for jobs and send follow up emails. All you need is half an hour,
two or three evenings a week, so there’s no need to feel like you’re missing out on leisure
time.
 If you’re networking with new people or landing job interviews, schedule meetings either
at the start or end of the day. You’d be surprised how much you can squeeze into a 24-
hour day!

Depending on your relationship, be up-front with your manager. In some cases, an

employee may have a supportive and friendly enough relationship with their manager to feel
comfortable to share their desire to move onto a new role. While the majority of us need to tread
lightly, broaching the idea with your manager in the right context could open doors to new
opportunities within your current organisation.

JOB REFERENCES & REFERENCE CHECKS

27.03.2015

According to research* over 80% of hiring managers use reference checks as part of their selection
process. Your job references are important in confirming the skills, motivation and attitudes included in
your resume and demonstrated during your interview. Ideally, your referee is someone you have
reported to in a professional capacity.

o Your employment and responsibilities

o Your strengths and possible areas for development
o The type of people you work well with
o The management style that suits you best
o Your ability to work unsupervised and as part of a team
o Your capacity to take direction, and most important
o Your suitability for the role you are seeking

Typically character references and written references are not as valued or requested.

Job reference tips

o Always have your job reference’s permission before giving their contact details to a prospective
employer. Your referee should never be caught off guard by an unexpected phone call, as this can
work against you.
o Make sure your referees know about the role you have applied for so they can focus on your
relevant skills and strengths.
o It’s good practice to contact your referees after the interview and let them know how it went. This
way they can emphasise your key strengths or skills relevant to the job.
o Every time you change employers, make an effort to ask for a reference from your manager or co-
worker. This enables you to create a file of recommendations from people who you may not be in
contact with in the future.
o Keep your job references up to date and let them know where your job search stands. This keeps
them on guard and be better prepared for a potential call. When you become employed, send a
thank you note to anyone who provided you with a reference.
 Keep your business network up to date, LinkedIn is a great way to do this. Maintain continual
contact with your references and if you feel it's appropriate ask them to write you a reference that you
can post to your LinkedIn profile too.