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GEELONG REGIONSKILLED MIGRATIONPROJECT

EMPLOYMENT GUIDE

Guide to Finding Work in Geelong Australia

Guide to Finding Employment in Geelong Australia

Geelong Region Skilled Migration Project. City of Greater Geelong Page 2 of 24

Index

Introduction 3

Victorian State Government Assistance 3

General Assistance 3

How do I find a job in Australia? 4

Published Job Market 4

- Advertised Job Vacancies

- Government Assistance - Job Network Agencies

- Employment Recruitment Agencies

- Corporate Websites

Unpublished Job Market 6

- Hidden Employment Market

- Networking

How to Apply for a Job in Australia 7

Introductory Letter or Cover Letter 7

- Example of Cover Letter

Address the Key Selection Criteria 9

- How to address the key selection criteria

- Example of Addressing the Selection Criteria

Resume (or Curriculum Vitae) 11 - Preparing Your Resume to Australian business standards

- Resume Checklist

What to include in Your Resume 13 - Personal Details

- Career Summary

- Work Experience

- Education & Qualifications

- Victorian Government Overseas Qualifications Unit

- Specialist Skills

- Further Training

- Memberships

- Referees/References

- Example of Resume

Job Interviews 21

Preparing for the Interview 21

Interviews Questions 21 - Opportunity to Sell Yourself

- Your Level of Organisational Skills

- Your ability to show Initiative / performance

- Long-term goals

- General Knowledge about the Company

- General Questions

- Gaps in your Resume

- Inappropriate Questions

- Skill Testing

Talking Salary 23

After the interview 23

If you are unsuccessful 23

Useful Contacts 24

Last updated December 2012



Introduction

All countries have generally accepted business standards or practices for the way people find

employment.

This guide summarises the way in which Australians find work.

Victorian State Government Assistance

The Victorian State Government through its website: www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au

( see: http://www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/working-and-employment/find-a-job-in-melbourne-

and-victoria ) provides a range of useful information and tips about finding employment in

Victoria, preparing your resume to Australian Standards and preparing for interviews.

If you are a skilled or business migrant and you have recently arrived in Victoria, you can

register to attend a free industry or business seminar to help make your move to Victoria a

success. From the www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au website, go to Finding a Job then Applying for

a Job then Employment Networks and Support. This site will outline the date of the next

seminar.

You can also contact the Department directly by E-mail:

[email protected].

General Assistance

Additional information is available from a wide number of websites, books, publications and

guides.

A selection of website links that you may find useful to help you find work and meet Australian

business standards are listed below. These websites advertise employment vacancies and also

provide information on finding a job including writing an introductory letter or cover letter,

addressing selection criteria, preparing your resume and attending an interview.

Salary, advice and Tips Tab - www.seek.com.au

Career Advice Tab - www.careerone.com.au

Advice and Research – www.mycareer.com.au

Interview Questions - www.jobinterviewquestions.org/questions/general-questions.asp

Further information on job searching techniques can be found by browsing the internet.

In addition, there is also a range of books and guides that have been prepared especially to

assist jobseekers from overseas find work in Australia.

Publishing company Tribus Lingua offers a series of books and CDs on employment in Australia

for Skilled Migrants: www.tribuslingua.com.au.



How do I find a job in Australia?

Looking for work is a full-time job in itself and you need to dedicate the appropriate amount of

time to finding a job. When you arrive in Australia, you will need to start networking and make

local contacts with recruitment companies, devote time to familiarising yourself with websites

that advertise job vacancies, carry out research on companies and prepare for interviews.

Finding a job in your skill area will require effort and you need to make sure that you

understand how the process works in Australia.

All countries have accepted business standards for the way employment vacancies are filled.

In Australia, employment vacancies can be published or unpublished.

Published Job Market

The published job market includes:

• Advertised Job Vacancies (newspapers or websites)

• Government Assistance - Job Network Agencies

• Employment Recruitment Agencies

• Corporate Websites

Unpublished Job Market

The unpublished job market includes:

• Hidden employment vacancies

• Networking/Referrals

Published Job Market

Advertised Job Vacancies

In Australia, the most common method for employers to advertise employment vacancies is

through the newspaper or on a website. People interested in that vacancy then apply in

writing usually by submitting three documents:

1. An introductory letter

2. A document addressing the selection criteria. Note, that if key selection criteria are

outlined in an advertisement, it is imperative that you prepare a document that

addresses each criteria.

3. Resume

The Geelong Advertiser is Geelong’s daily newspaper. Each Saturday and Wednesday an

Employment Guide is published containing local job vacancies. The Geelong News and

Independent papers that are delivered free to all households also have smaller employment

sections. There is also a number of Australia-wide web based internet sites that specialise in

advertising employment vacancies. The vacancies that appear in the Geelong advertiser also

appear in the websites listed below.

Seek www.seek.com.au (Geelong Region)

Career One www.careerone.com.au (Geelong Region)

Jobs www.jobsjobsjobs.com.au (Geelong Region)

MyCareer www.mycareer.com.au (Geelong Region)

Australian Job Search www.jobsearch.gov.au (Geelong Region)

You will need to earmark “Geelong” in your search to find Geelong employment vacancies.

Alternatively, the main postcode for Geelong is 3220.



Government Assistance - Job Network Agencies

Centrelink is the Australian Government agency that provides a range of services to the

community including financial support for those in need, such as those who are unemployed.

You need to check your visa type to see if you are eligible for Government financial support

through Centrelink. Some visa types have exclusion periods or waiting periods for the amount

of time you have to wait before you are eligible. New migrants, who are not given refugee or

humanitarian status, may have to wait two years before they are eligible for Centrelink

payments.

More information on Centrelink can be found at www.centrelink.gov.au.

Entitlements by visa type are listed in a table found at www.immi.gov.au publications.

JobNetwork Agencies

In addition to financial support, Centrelink funds a range of employment agencies located

throughout Australia called Job Network Agencies.

Skilled migrants who hold a Skilled Independent Regional (SIR) visa (subclass 495) are eligible

for a Job Seeker Search Only number (JSSO) provided by either Centrelink or through their Job

Network Agencies.

Job Network Agencies will also provide you with access to computers, the use of internet

services, telephone, facsimile and a photocopy machine for job searching purposes.

Job Network Agencies located in Geelong include:

Bluestone Recruitment www.bluestonerecruitment.com.au

Centrelink (Department of Human Services) www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/dhs/centrelink CQ Recruitment www.cqrecruitment.com.au

Direct Recruitment Pty Ltd www.directrecruitment.com.au

Diversitat www.diversitat.org.au

G Force Staffing www.gforce.org.au

Matchworks www.matchworks.com.au

St Laurence www.stlaurence.org.au

Workskil www.workskil.com.au

Employment Recruitment Agencies

There are a number of private employment recruitment agencies that operate in Geelong.

These agencies recruit staff on behalf of employers. Each agency specialises in particular skill

areas or occupations. Visit each website and familiarise yourself with the types of occupations

they specialise in.

AGB Group www.agbgroup.com.au Ph (03) 5248 0232

CQ Recruitment www.cqrecruitment.com.au Ph 1300 563 977

Direct Recruitment Pty Ltd www.directrecruitment.com.au Ph (03) 5221 3880

Hays Recruitment www.hays.com.au Ph (03) 5226 8000

Mentor www.mentorhr.com.au Ph 1300 218 933

People @ Work www.peopleatwork.com.au Ph (03) 5221 5599

Skilled Engineering www.skilled.com.au Ph (03) 5278 8944

Tracy the Placement People www.tracys.com.au Ph (03) 5229 8681



Corporate Websites

Many larger Australian companies advertise their employment vacancies on their own

websites. It may be worth checking the corporate website of companies that offer positions in

your skill area to see if there are any positions vacant.

Unpublished Job Market

Hidden Employment Market

Many job vacancies are never advertised but are filled through informal networks such as

word-of-mouth (referral) or cold calling (contact a company to see if there are any job

vacancies). This is referred to as the "hidden job market".

Finding hidden vacancies in your skill area requires effort on your part. You will need to

research the companies that offer positions in your skill area, identify the ones that may be

worth approaching and then contact them.

The internet will be a fantastic tool to use to start your research on who offers positions in

your skill area. You could a general web search (ie. Health services Geelong) or use local

telephone directories such as:

Local Business Directory: www.geelonginfo.com

Residential Directory www.whitepages.com.au

Business Directory www.yellowpages.com.au

You can find out more about companies by checking their website or by using annual reports,

customer newsletters, trade magazines, product brochures and catalogues. Geelong based

professional associations, which represent industry sectors, are another good source of

information.

To learn more about trends in your industry sector, you can also scan the Geelong Advertiser

Employment Guide over a month or period of time to ascertain trends in various sectors.

Once you have identified a list of companies which could be potential employers, you need to

contact them. One method is to develop a letter of introduction, prepare a standard selection

criteria letter that highlights your skills and prepare a resume then send it to the company. An

alternative is to telephone the company directly and seek to make an appointment with an

appropriate person to meet with them.

Networking

When you arrive in Australia, it is important to start meeting people and participate in as many

professional functions as possible. This is a good way to begin networking to advance your

prospects of finding a job.

Becoming a member of an Industry Association or Network in your skill area may help you

meet people from your own profession. The Live in Victoria website has a list of associations.

www.LiveInVictoria.vic.gov.au

See Working & Employment>Victorian Industries

Also Working & Employment>Get Connected, Get A Job

Attending local trade shows, seminars or conferences is also a useful way to meet people.

These events are often advertised in the local newspaper or on the Geelong Chamber of

Commerce website. If you attend these functions, you need to make the most of trying to talk

to as many people as you can.



Once you begin to make local contacts, you can meet people who can act as local referees and

whom you can use on your resume.

Making local friends will also help you learn more about Geelong and where you can locate

services and various facilities. Skilled migrants, who have recently been through the same

experience as you, are a great source of information.

How to Apply for a Job in Australia

Once you have identified the position(s) you wish to apply for, you will need to prepare three

key pieces of documentation:

• An introductory letter or ‘cover’ letter

• Key Selection Criteria – it is imperative that you prepare a document that addresses

each criteria if this is requested.

• A resume also known as CV or Curriculum Vitae

Introductory Letter or Cover Letter

When you send out your Resume / Curriculum Vitae, whether it be to apply for a formal job or

if you are “cold calling” companies, you need to include a letter of introduction or a cover

letter. This letter is a fantastic opportunity for you to summarise why you would be the ideal

person for the job.

Each time you apply for a job you should customise a cover letter especially for that job. That

is, you should match what the employer is looking for with your relevant experiences and

skills. Using a standard letter leaves all the matching of skills and experience to the employer.

When there are many applications, you may be overlooked. A standard cover letter can be

interpreted as a sign of laziness.

A cover letter must include:

• Date

• Your name, address and contact details

• Name and address of the person and company you are applying to. (Larger companies often have

more than one job being advertised at the same time)

• Greeting

• Reference to the position title and job number if identified

• Strong, brief statement using key words emphasising how you would be the best person for the

job that also demonstrates your knowledge of the company and shows that you have read the

job advertisement carefully

• Statement that you are looking forward to the opportunity of an interview

• Sign-off

• Signature

Greeting

To start your letter you should greet the person or position as nominated in the advertisement

if one appears.

For example: 1. If the advertisement has a contact name, then address your correspondence to

the contact, for example: Mr Anthony Jones. You would address your greeting as

Dear Mr Jones.

2. If there is only a title, such as Human Resources Manager, then you would

address the letter as per the title, Dear Human Resources Manager

3. Where there is no name or position, the greeting would just be Dear Sir / Madam



If you are writing to a company to seek work and you have the name of the person you wish to

contact, then you would use the general greeting of Dear Mr Smith. If you have met the

person and know them, you can address your greeting as Dear Frank.

Sign off

To finish off your cover letter the greeting is

If you don’t know their name Yours faithfully

If you know their name Yours sincerely

If you have met them Yours truly

EXAMPLE ONLY

Mr Gary Branch

5/23 Tree Street

BELMONT VICTORIA 3216

Home: (03) 8271 4884

Mobile: 1234 770 037

E-mail: [email protected]

1 March 2012

Human Resources Manager

Target Australia Pty Ltd

12 Thompson Road

NORTH GEELONG VICTORIA 3215

Dear Human Resources Manager

RE: SENIOR SALES MANAGER POSITION: 1569

I wish to apply for the position of Senior Sales Manager as advertised in the Age newspaper

Saturday 27 September 2008.

“write a couple of paragraphs that summarise your skills use key words emphasising how you

would be the best person for the job that also demonstrates your knowledge of the company

and shows that you have read the job advertisement carefully”

Please find attached my resume and a letter addressing the key selection criteria.

I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my Resume with you at an interview.

Yours faithfully

(signature)

Gary Branch



Address the Key Selection Criteria

Where an employer has prepared a specific outline of the job or a job description, it is

essential that you prepare a separate page where you respond to the key selection criteria.

The key selection criteria are the “must haves/essentials” that an employer is looking for and

will be listed in the Position Description. The cover letter, key selection criteria and resume

should complement one another.

How to address the key selection criteria

• Create a new document separate from your resume. Make sure it has the same look and

feel to your cover letter.

• Use each of the stated selection criteria in the position description as a heading.

• Under each of the heading describe how you are able to meet the criteria. Use examples

to support what you are claiming.

The following are two examples of selection criteria that employers have used to attract

people to job vacancies. Although the style is different, they both provide important clues for

responding to the selection criteria.

Job Vacancy Example – Selection Criteria:

Management Accounting

• Bachelor of Commerce or equivalent, with Accounting and/or IT major (completed or

nearing completion)

• Knowledge of Retail Accounting an advantage

• Proficient spreadsheet (Excel) and database skills

• Ability to multitask and prioritize work load

• Competent in using TM1 an advantage

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and analysis skills

Job Vacancy Example – Selection Criteria:

Microbiology Team Leader

Essential criteria for this role includes a Bachelor of Science majoring in Microbiology (or

equivalent), experience performing microbiological test procedures and good organisational

skills. It is desirable that the incumbent has excellent written and verbal communication skills

as well as demonstrated problem solving skills. Knowledge of GMP, GLP and experience

working in a laboratory-testing environment is essential.

Applicants should complete an on line application form and submit a current resume and

covering letter, addressing the selection criteria above.

The selection criteria would address each of the points or criteria mentioned in the position

description.



An example of the key selection criteria for the Management Accounting job is shown:

EXAMPLE ONLY

Resume of Mr Gary Branch Phone:03 82724880

Key Selection Criteria

Management Accountant

Relevant Tertiary Qualifications

Explain that you have the qualifications being sought / something equivalent / working

towards something / have completed something higher.

Extensive Accounting Experience

Outline your accounting experience and knowledge. Include experience of the retail sector or

how what you have done in the past relates to this sector.

Extensive technical capability

Outline your spreadsheet experience and how proficient you are in its use. Include any

experience in TM1 database skills.

Excellent organisation skills

Explain your level of skill in multi tasking, how you cope under pressure and in meeting

deadlines.

Highly developed interpersonal, communication and analysis skills

Outline your ‘people’ skills – that is, how you relate to colleagues such as management, peers

and clients (interpersonal). Outline your proficiency in written and oral communication and

your ability to analyse information.



Resume (or Curriculum Vitae)

Your resume will be one of the most important tools that you have to help you find a job.

Two quick facts about job hunting in Australia:

On average, an employer will take about 35 seconds to scan your resume and make a decision

on whether it will be placed into the Yes, No or Maybe pile.

When you apply for a position through the newspaper or the internet, there are likely to be

many applicants for the same position. Your resume needs to stand out. It will need to

conform to Australian practice as well as be different from all the others applying for the same

job.

It is imperative that your resume is a work-in-progress, that is, it needs to be constantly

updated with any new work experience or training and be tailored to each position you are

applying for.

Preparing Your Resume for Australian employers

The Australian job market can be very competitive. To ensure that you are being considered

for each job, you need to invest time in ensuring that your resume and techniques meet local

practices.

The reality of entering the Australian job market is that you will not have local work

experience and, depending on where you come from, English may be your second language.

You need to be prepared to work around these issues.

The word resume essentially means to “summarise”. It is an opportunity for you to summarise

your experience and qualifications. At most, your resume should be no longer than three

pages.

You want to keep information simple to understand and relevant to the position you are

applying for.

Put yourself in the employer’s place. If the employer receives many applications for the same

job, they want to be able to sort through who has the skills and experience to match their job

very easily. If they must read through 15 pages of your resume to understand whether you

have the right skills or not, they will most probably set your application aside.

Information such as proof of qualifications, education and training and even referees can be

supplied at the interview stage.



Resume Checklist

The following section provides some handy hints and perhaps even a checklist on how to

prepare a great resume. Read through these guidelines carefully.

• Be consistent with your formatting, grammar and punctuation. Your resume needs to look

professional and most importantly is a reflection of your level of attention to detail.

• Use the same font and font size throughout the document. Be consistent in using capitals,

commas and full-stops.

• Check and re-check your resume for spelling and grammar errors. Do not rely on the spell

check on your computer. Ask another person to read your resume and check it for errors.

• Be careful not to use abbreviations or slang that will not make sense to Australian

employers.

• Your employment history should be in date order with the most recent first. If you have a

gap in employment in your resume, make sure you are able to explain the gap during an

interview.

1. Read the job advertisement carefully and pick out the key words. Re-use these words

in your cover letter and resume. Use only genuine examples that you can support with

examples at an interview.

2. Create a new resume and cover letter to send out to every potential employer. Tailor

each application to the job you are applying for.

3. Keep a track of all your applications and the people you deal with. When you apply for

a few jobs at once, it is easy to get confused.

4. Do not use unusual E-mail addresses on your resume and cover letter. Have a

professional address.

5. Whilst you are looking for a job, make sure the answer message on your mobile and

home telephone are professional.

6. Make sure, if you are replying to an advertisement by E-mail, that you pay attention to

detail in the E-mail. It would be a pity to send an E-mail full of mistakes stating that

the cover letter and resume are attached.

7. Be on your best behavior when dealing with anyone related to the job. For example, if

you ring a recruitment company or the company directly and you are dealing with the

receptionist, they have the ability to stop you getting any further.

8. It is not usual practice to bring up your potential salary at the first interview. In fact,

the best time to discuss the salary is after you have been offered the job and before

you have accepted it. That is the time when you have the most power. If, however,

you are asked a question directly, it is best to answer it.



What to include in Your Resume

Personal Details

Your resume should clearly include the following personal details to make it easy to identify

you.

Full name

You should include your full name so that employers can verify this against your qualifications

and any other technical documents such as a driver’s licence.

It is practice in Australia to write your first name or given names first and then your surname

or family name.

Using a Title for Gender Identification

It is important that an Australian employer can distinguish your gender by your name,

otherwise it can make it awkward when employers are trying to contact you. It is preferable to

use your title. For example, Mr is the standard used for males or Ms is the standard used in the

workplace for females (regardless of whether you are married or not). It is also acceptable to

use Miss for unmarried or Mrs for married females.

A male with the given names Sanjeev Ashwin and family name/surname Kumar would write

their name: Mr Sunjeev Ashwin Kumar.

A female with the given names Mary Jane and family name Jacobs would write: Ms Mary Jane

Jacobs.

Preferred Names

Just as Australian names are different to the types of names used by some cultures, some

overseas names are very different to Australian names and some names can be difficult to

pronounce. Australians often abbreviate or shorten versions of their names because they

prefer to be known on a day to day basis as something else. In some instances, where people

have names that may be difficult for Australians to pronounce, they also use preferred names.

Preferred names have no legal status and do not interfere with any official processes. For

example, the name Anthony is often shortened to Tony. This would be written in your resume

as Anthony (Tony). The name in brackets indicates the preferred name. In a similar way, the

preferred day to day name of Shanemugaval could be (Shane). This would be written as

Shanemugaval (Shane). Other examples are Thilagalavanian (Thila) or Ciuijia (Jia).

Married Name

It is not necessary to include your maiden name on your resume. When you have had an

interview and employers ask to see your qualifications, you can mention your maiden name

then.

Address

Make sure to include your complete home address. You must provide a street number, street

name, state and postcode. Punctuation such as commas and full-stops are not used in writing

an address.

For example: The address of 131 Myers Street Geelong would be written as

131 Myers Street

GEELONG VICTORIA 3220



Alternatively the address Unit 5, 23 Tree Avenue Belmont 3216 would be written as:

5/23 Tree Avenue


Telephone

Include details of whatever numbers are the best to contact you on. This might include a

home telephone number or a mobile number or perhaps a work number. Make sure you

specify what the number is for, that is, home, work or mobile. Double check you have written

these numbers correctly.

For example:

Home: (03) 8271 4866

Mobile: 1234 770 037

E-mail

Include your E-mail details if this is an appropriate way for you to be contacted. If you do not

regularly check your E-mail, or your E-mail is not working, do not include this as a means of

contact.

Ensure your personal details, such as name and contact number, are clearly marked on the

top of all documents. The receiver can then easily see that the documents are from the same

sender (in case they get separated and lost).

Personal Details – No Need to Specify

In Australia it is not necessary to include:

• Your date of birth or age

• Marital status

• Whether you have children

• Country of birth

• Height/size or weight

• Citizenship / residency / visa details

• Health

• Salary expectations

• English language ability

• Photographs

Career Summary

In some instances, people like to include a career profile or career overview at the start of

their resume to give the employer a short summary of themselves and what they aspire to

achieve in their work. This should only be short and highlight the strengths and skills relevant

to the position you are applying for.

It is not mandatory and, unless you can articulate yourself in a high level of English, it would be

best to refrain from using one.

If you would like to include one, examples are available from the websites listed within this

document.



Work Experience

This section is where you need to sell your expertise and experience. This includes what you

have done in your working career, what you have achieved, the range of projects you have

worked on and the different materials/tools or programs you have worked with.

Be specific but also word it in a way that someone who is not familiar with your field of

expertise can understand what you have done.

Clearly state the start and finish date (month/year) of each position that you have held. State

the position title and the name of the organisation you were employed by. Each position you

have held should be followed by a number of bullet points that describe your responsibilities

and achievements.

Your work experience should be in the order of most recent or current to past employment.

The bullet points should not be written in first person, that is using the term “I”. It should be

written without reference to “person”.

For example:

Jun 05 - May 08 Housing Officer

Community Centre House, London United Kingdom

Responsibilities:

• Prepared applications to Government programs.

• Planned and managed the delivery of community development

programs.

• Responsible for consultation with the community and major

project stakeholders.

• Carried out research and identified community needs.

• Supervised staff and volunteers.

• Managed program budgets.

We recommend that overseas skilled migrants place emphasis on the position and title of each

job they have held, rather than the organisation, as local employers are not likely to know the

organisation, unless it is internationally known such as Shell or L’Oreal. Highlighting the

position, rather than organisation, also places less emphasis on what Australian work

experience you have, particularly if you do not have any.

As well as mentioning your responsibilities, you should try and include information on

achievements. This might include things such as a staff award, assisting the organisation to

cost savings or an increase in sales, access to additional clients or higher level of customer

service.

You do not need to provide address details of the organisation. A website address for the

organisation is optional.

If appropriate, include all the jobs you have had. Some jobs, even if they were part-time whilst

you were at university, can be great indicators of customer service, dealing with people or can

demonstrate a good work ethic.



To assist you with the wording of your responsibilities the Federal Government has prepared a

Jobs Guide which provides descriptions of occupations.

Visit: www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au/occupation/search

You can also see a definition of occupations under the Australian and New Zealand Standard

Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) Go to the search facility at:

www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/Latestproducts/1220.0Search0First%20Edition,%20Revi

sion%201?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1220.0&issue=First%20Edition,%20R

evision%201&num=&view=

In addition, you could look at the wording used in similar job vacancies and position

descriptions and let these guide you.

Education & Qualifications

You should list all your education and qualifications obtained from and after secondary school.

If you have completed a university degree or higher, it is not necessary to list your secondary

school as it is implied that you must have successfully completed it.

List your education and qualifications in order of attainment with the most recent being first.

For example:

2004 Master of Business Administration

(Leadership & Communication)

University of Delhi

Delhi, India

1995 Bachelor of Commerce

(Marketing)

Wuhan University

Hubei, China

There is no need to specify:

• Subjects you have undertaken and/or completed

• Marks / transcript of the subjects

• Address of the education institute

• Teachers / Professors

Victorian Government Overseas Qualifications Unit

It is important when applying for a job that employers clearly understand how your

qualifications compare to Australian standards.

As part of your visa application to migrate to Australia, your qualifications will have been

assessed by the Vocational Education and Training Assessment Services (VETASSESS) or

another professional body. However, this assessment is only used for visa purposes. The

Victorian State Government’s Overseas Qualifications Unit (OQU) provides a free service for

eligible skilled migrants to have their qualifications assessed against Australian Standards,

which can then be used in your resume and provides valuable information for employers. The

information obtained from the OQU can then be used in your resume.



For example:

2007 Bachelor of Commerce (Economics)

University of Delhi. Delhi, India.

Qualifications assessed by Victorian State Government’s Overseas Qualifications Unit

and is comparable to Australian Bachelor Degree

This will tell an employer that the level of your overseas qualification is at the same (higher or

lower) level than an Australian degree. More information on this service can be obtained from

http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD/PC_62607.html

Specialist Skills

This is where you list the skills you have and which are relevant to the position you are

applying for. This includes skills relevant to the job but not necessarily acquired through

formal education.

For example:

• Computer software programs (list the programs you are familiar with)

• Licences related to the position (eg: Electrical licence, Occupational Health and Safety, or

Red Card Training (allows entry to Australian Building and Construction sites)

• Typing speed (70 w.p.m.)

• Knowledge (eg: comprehensive knowledge of Australian Taxation Law)

Further Training

This section should include any further training that you have completed after your education.

This may include courses on Project Management, Effective Communication and any other on-

the-job training or official training. This section should only include training that relates to your

work.

Memberships

For some occupations, it may be necessary or preferred that you belong to a professional

body. This includes professions such as accountants and engineers. It may be preferable that

you belong to the National Institute of Accountants or the Certificated Practicing Accountants

or Engineering Australia.

Membership to the professional body shows that you will be receiving industry updates on

changes to law or specifications.

You can find information about the Professional bodies relevant to your occupation on the

Department of Immigrations Australian Skills Recognition Information occupations list:

www.immi.gov.au/asri/

Referees/References

In Australia, it is common practice to use a referee rather than references. Referees are

people (usually current or previous employers) who have agreed to have their contact details

listed in your resume so that future employers can contact them directly to discuss aspects of

your resume.

References are letters that current or previous employers have prepared for you outlining the

date of your employment in the organisation, your duties, responsibilities and general

qualities/performance as an employee.



In Australia, you can choose to include the names and contact details of your referees with

your resume or take them with you as a separate document to the interview and hand them to

the employer directly. It is optional and your preference.

Including your Referees

A positive of including your referees’ contact details in your resume is that it gives an employer

an immediate idea of who you have chosen to be your referees and how many previous

employers you are in contact with.

A negative of including your referees is that some employers may contact your referees even

before they have given you an interview. This is not how it should be done but it could

happen.

Taking a list of your Referees to Interview

The alternative to including your referees in your resume is to list them on a separate page and

hand them to the employer at interview. Make sure your contact details are included on this

page.

Within your resume, under the heading Referees, simply write ‘Referees are available upon

request’.

How to present Referee Information

When you nominate a referee to include in your resume, it is imperative to ask them first and

make them aware of the jobs you are applying for. This ensures that they have agreed to

speak about you and it is a professional courtesy to tell them first so they are prepared for a

potential phone call.

A referee should be a professional person with whom you have worked or a previous employer

or a teacher (if you recently finished university).

The process of providing referees for skilled migrants is a little more complicated with most of

your experience being overseas. An Australian employer may be reluctant to make telephone

calls overseas for a number of reasons, including the time difference or being hesitant about

the level of English the referee speaks.

To overcome some of these issues, it may be worth including details on the time difference,

the full telephone number (including country code and area code) and to state ‘referee speaks

English’. The best option is to include an E-mail address. It is very important that you check all

numbers and email addresses to ensure they are correct and current. Failure on your part to

do so reflects badly on your ability to show attention to detail.

In addition to your professional referees, it may be worth including personal referees. You

could consider asking contacts you have made whilst in Australia such as a friend, your child’s

teacher, your landlord or real estate agent.

Format for providing information:

Contact name: Ms Joanne Rossi

Position title: Scientific Manager

Company: Winston Salem Chemicals

Address: 1080 West Fourth Street

Winston Salem NC 27101 USA

Telephone Number:

(0011) (Country Code) (Area Code) Number: 0011 1 336 779 900 55

E-mail Address: [email protected]



EXAMPLE ONLY

Mr Gary Branch 5/23 Tree Street


1234 770 037

[email protected]

Career Summary

Short paragraph stating your career objective or summary.

Work Experience

June 2005 - May 2008 Position Held/Title

Company Name, City , Country

Responsibilities:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Achievements:

•

•

August 2002 - June 2005 Position Held/Title

Company Name, City , Country

Responsibilities:

•

•

•

•

•

•

Achievements:

•

•



Mr Gary Branch: 1234 770 037

Education / Training

Year …Bachelor of ………(Major Field) - University of ……….City, Country.

Include whether your qualifications have been assessed by Victorian State

Government’s Overseas Qualifications Unit and the comparability to the Australian

equivalent.

Specialist Skills

• List any particular skills that you have including Computer software programs (list the

programs you are familiar with)

• Licences related to the position

Further Training

List any further workplace training relevant to the position that you may have undertaken.

Memberships

List memberships to any professional organisations that you belong to that may be relevant to

the position.

Referees

(Optional)

List the Referees that you intend to use for this position.

Format for providing information:

Contact name: (Title) (First name) (Family Name)

Position title:

Company:

Telephone Number: (0011) (Country Code) (Area Code) Number (include hours difference)

E-mail Address:



Job Interviews

If you have been successful in being invited to attend an interview, you need to plan in

advance to make a good impression.

The interview is your opportunity to prove you are the best person for the job. You should try

and provide as much information about your work history to the employer as possible. Do not

rely on the fact that you have supplied a resume and, therefore, they must know all about you

already.

Preparing for the Interview

Tips to help you before the interview:

• Make sure you write down the time of the interview and address

• Ask if possible who will be at the interview so you can remember their names.

• Carry out research on the company so you know something about them.

• Plan how long it will take you to get to the interview and make sure on the day you arrive

early.

• Attend the interview on your own. Do not bring family members with you.

• Prepare a few questions to ask the employer.

• Bring copies of any relevant reports to show the interview panel.

Tips for during the interview:

• Shake hands with the interview panel when you enter the room.

• Be aware of your posture and body language. Avoid slouching in your chair or sitting with

your arms folded.

• Make sure that, when answering questions, you make eye contact with each member of

the interview panel. Do not just address the most senior person or neglect one person.

• Take a moment to think about your answer before you start talking. If you don’t

understand the question, ask the person to repeat it.

• Take the opportunity to answer questions fully. Do not answer questions with yes or no –

it does not provide any information about you at all.

• Remember the job interview starts the moment you walk in the office door. Receptionists

and personal assistants are almost always asked of their first impressions of people – do

not underestimate the importance of this.

• When entering the office, make sure you tell the receptionist who you are there to meet

with and which job you are being interviewed for.

Write a list of questions that you think may be asked and practice answering them. Following

are some prompts to help you think about questions you may be asked.

Interviews Questions

Interview questions are generally based around the key selection criteria. Behavioural

questions are the most common at interviews, that is questions that ask you for examples of

your past behaviours to prove what you are claiming about yourself. For example, if you claim

you are a good team member or that you are excellent at negotiation, you may be asked to

give an example of a team you’ve participated in and your role in that team (what was good



and what was bad about it), or to give an example of a project you’ve been responsible for

negotiating and different positive and negative aspects of that project.

These are some general questions which may be asked. You should have clear examples of

your projects, your role on projects, how you conducted yourself and your level of skill in

different areas.

Question Types

Opportunity to Sell Yourself

These are questions that are very general and give you a perfect opportunity to “sell yourself”.

Questions may include:

• Tell us a little about yourself

• Why do feel you are the person for this job?

• What are your strong points?

• Can you give me a three-minute summary promoting your skills

• Why should we hire you?

All these questions are open ended and provide an ideal opportunity for you to summarise

your work history and skills (as they relate to the selection criteria), such as relevant tertiary

qualifications, relevant experience, great interpersonal skills. Do not talk about your personal

life. This is not relevant to the job.

Your Level of Organisational Skills

That is your ability to plan and deal with a number of tasks at the same time.

• How do you ensure you meet deadlines?

• How do you organise your time during your day?

• Have you ever had to complete several competing tasks in a very short period of time?

Your ability to show Initiative / performance

These questions are asked to demonstrate whether you show initiative in your day to day

work.

• Have you ever suggested ways of improving a product or process at work?

• Have you managed, when asked, to take on another person’s role at the same time as

doing your own?

• Have you ever tried to change a company’s values?

Long-term goals

These questions are asked for the employer to understand what you want out of your career

and from them as an employer.

• Where do you want to be in five years?

• What is the ultimate job you would like in your career?

• Do you see a long term future in this career?

• What do you want to get out of a new job?

General Knowledge about the Company

These questions are generally asked to identify whether you have done any research on the

company and its products/services.



• What motivated you to apply to us?

• What can you tell us about our company?

• How is our company different to our competitors?

General Questions

• What are your weaknesses? (You should respond to this by making a weakness a positive)

• What word would you use to describe yourself?

Gaps in your Resume

If you have gaps in your resume for example where you have had time off work, then you

should be prepared with an answer.

Inappropriate Questions

It is generally accepted business practice that personal questions are not appropriate

questions for employers to ask. This might include:

• Relationships: “Are you going to marry in the near future?”

• Children: “Are you planning a family?”

• Race/ethnicity/migrant status: “Will you be returning to your homeland in the future?”

If these questions are asked you should answer politely but not give too much detail. For

example: “Will you be returning to your homeland in the future?” you could respond that you

have invested a lot of time and effort to making a new life for yourself in Australia and that you

are committed to this pathway. If you are asked if you are intending to start a family, you

could respond that “you have not made any decisions on that matter”.

Skill Testing

It may be necessary for some jobs to undertake further practical or psychological testing. This

may include an aptitude test or a practical test showing your ability to use computers,

machinery or demonstrate your skills in an area.

Talking Salary

When a position is advertised, it will generally include a salary range.

It is usual practice for the salary and/or salary package to be discussed once you have been

offered the job. Salary is not typically discussed at the interview.

After the Interview

At an interview the employer will generally let you know when they will make a decision. If

you do not hear from them by the date, it is alright to ring and find out how the decision

making is going.

If you are unsuccessful

If any employer rings you after your interview to let you know that you have been

unsuccessful, you should try and ask a few questions of them to gain some feedback on your

interview. Did you answer the questions completely? Which areas let you down? Could they

recommend any areas for improvement?

Useful Contacts:

Contact TelephoneAddress Website

Recruitment Agencies

AGB Human Resources 5222 3466 241 Moorabool St Geelong www.agbgroup.com.au

CQ Recruitment 1300 563 977 20 Little Ryrie St, Geelong www.cqrecruitment.com.au

Direct Recruitment Pty Ltd 5221 3880 Level 2, 10 Moorabool Street, Geelong www.directrecruitment.com.au

Hays Recruitment 5226 8000 16 /240 Pakington Street, Geelong West www.hays.com.au

Mentor 5221 8933 351 Moorabool St Geelong www.mentorhr.com.au

People @ Work 5221 5599 7-8 TAC Building, 60 Brougham St, Geelong www.peopleatwork.com.au

Skilled 5278 8944 125 Melbourne Road North Geelong www.skilled.com.au

Tracy the Placement People 5229 868 Suite 5 - Focus Five, 23 Gheringhap Street, Geelong www.tracys.com.au

Job Network Agencies

Bluestone Recruitment www.bluestonerecruitment.com.au

Centrelink (Department of Human Services) 13 28 50 170 Lt Malop St Geelong http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/dhs/centrelink

CQ Recruitment 1300 563 977 20 Little Ryrie St, Geelong www.cqrecruitment.com.au

Direct Recruitment Pty Ltd 5221 3880 Level 2, 10 Moorabool Street, Geelong www.directrecruitment.com.au

Diversitat 5223 3222 83 Ryrie St Geelong www.diversitat.org.au

G Force Staffing Solutions 5222 7766 Cnr Gheringhap &McKillop Streets Geelong www.gforce.org.au

Matchworks 5229 0222 22 Malop St Geelong www.matchworks.com.au

St Laurence 1800 755 627 229 Ryrie St Geelong www.stlaurence.org.au

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