Why I love Twitter!

by K B , updated on November 8, 2020

If you ever want to know how to make Twitter work for you, from a job hunting or business development perspective, my biggest suggestion would be to hang out there for a while.

I’ve always found Twitter fun.

For me it’s been a place where it’s OK to drop into a conversation. It’s worked even better when it’s been a little light-hearted.

Take my Valentine’s Day tweets for example. This time it was someone dropping in and poking fun at me.

Me: It’s Valentines day. I can only assume the lack of flowers and choccies means that Australia Post is on strike.

Austpost: @InterviewIQ hmmm, sorry to say…..ok I’ll let you pretend 😉

Me: @auspost Nooooo! You know you have just broken my heart 😉

Austpost: @InterviewIQ I meant to say we had such a huge delivery for your address it will be delivered gradually through out the year.

I can’t give you a prescriptive list of how to behave or what to do on Twitter. However with so many millions on the perch, you’re bound to find at least a few people you can start connecting with.

I now like Australia Post a little bit more as they have someone funny managing their tweets.

If you want to use Twitter as a tool, remember that you’re communicating with real people.

Start tweeting, but pleeeease remember it’s a wide open public forum!

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Does it matter when you submit your government selection criteria?

by K B , updated on November 8, 2020

Yesterday I received a question about whether your chances of being shortlisted improve if you are among the first people to submit your selection criteria.

The answer is no. You will be shortlisted on the quality of your application, not when you submitted it. You just need to submit it before the deadline.

In all of my recruiting experience within the public sector I have never seen the panel favour early submitters.

Recruitment in the  public sector is different to the private sector. In the private sector organisations have no obligation to consider all applications. If the consultant or recruiter has seen five fabulous resumes within the first five minutes then the rest may miss out.

In the public sector, at most levels, the panel are generally required to review all applications. The exception to this is the senior executive level where appointments may be contract and not subject to the same rules.

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Should you list your referees/ references on your resume?

by K B , updated on November 8, 2020

telephone refereesShould I list my referees/ references on resumes?

I get asked this question a lot.

Now I know that a few people will say “yes you must list your referees on your resume.” But I’m not that trusting.

So my short answer is no.

Here’s my longer answer on why I’m not a fan of people listing their referees on their resume…..

When a recruiter interviews you and the notes that you have listed your references on your resume, they will most likely check with you that they are still current. So you’re going to be asked who they are anyway.

This means that you can determine after the interview who is the most appropriate person to provide a reference. You can base this on the questions the interviewer has asked you, or the information you think they’ll need.

This is good news for you.

Even better is that many agencies follow the privacy guidelines when they contact your referees. While each agency has their own variation of these guidelines, the guidelines generally protect you as the candidate.

I’ve read guidelines that tell the referee that you, as a job seeker, can request access to the referee’s comments. When I’ve checked references and told the referee that, they’ve paused and considered what they’ve said.

They may still have said negative things, but they’ve backed that up with examples and detail. Whether all of this helps anyone find the right person for the right job is the topic of a whole other blog post. [click to continue…]

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Are recruitment consultants for real?

by K B , updated on November 8, 2020

Recruitment Consultants FAQ

Scott Black is a construction recruiter in Sydney and the founder of Black & Co. I asked him to comment on my post about whether recruitment consultants will work hard for you if you’re registered with other agencies. He’s done more than that. He’s also answered some of the most common questions I’m asked from job seekers. My main take out of his comments is that you as a job seeker have to remember that you have power in the recruitment process. You can choose who represents you. You have to “man up,” to use a slightly sexist term ;-).

But enough from me, let’s put Scott under the spotlight.

When does a recruiter actually represent you?

I’m always surprised when people assume that just because they have submitted a resume or have met with a recruitment consultant that they are automatically represented by this person. I meet with potential candidates every day who tell me they have never met the recruiter or provided references but that recruiter is out in the market place talking to potential employers on their behalf. The fact the recruiter is not meeting with the person or checking the details of a resume amazes me but that’s another blog post all together. You have every right to decline their representation at any stage if you are not comfortable with that person.

Do all the jobs recruiters advertise, actually exist?

I also constantly hear negative comments about the reputation of recruiters. One major question I’m asked is whether the jobs they post on various job boards actually exist. My advice to jobseekers is to interview the recruiter before they interview you. Ask them about their background and details of the job posted. In my experience it is normally a very good sign if the person you speak to has worked in the industry they now recruit in. They have a deeper understanding of the role, but more importantly are generally more passionate about the industry they chose to spend a major part of their life in. I find recruiters that come from a sales background tend to think they are selling people as a commodity and not trying to make intelligent matches for the benefit of you and the client.

What can you do when recruiters will not tell you the name of the company?

When you call a recruiter you may find that most recruiters do not want to give you details of the company or location of a role. You can still ask about the core competencies the company requires so you can get a feel for the legitimacy of both the position and the recruiter. If you are happy to be represented for that role it does not mean you are fair game for anything else they feel you are suited for. Always ask to be informed of any potential employer’s details prior to your resume being sent there.

What does it mean if the recruiter does not want to meet with you?

If a recruiter does not want to meet you in person but is willing to send your details to potential employers it is a very bad sign. I estimate that about 70% of people that come to see me that are registered with another recruiter have never met them. My question to those recruiters is how can they be effective in their job if they fail to perform the fundamental processes of recruitment?

Overall my advice is to find someone you are comfortable with and let them work with you for a positive outcome. Maybe give them a 2-3 week period of exclusivity before you seek further representation.  Remember that being with poor recruiters actually negates what the good ones can do for you.

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Social Media Thanks to Social Media Women

by K B , updated on November 8, 2020

Tonight, I was lucky enough to be able to present on how to write a killer LinkedIn profile for Social Media Women.

SMW is  a wonderful networking initiative from Catriona Pollard founder of CP Communications, a marketing and PR agency in Sydney, and Retail Strategist, Nancy Georges. They’ve brought together a diverse bunch of women, forging new territory in Sydney in social media. A big advantage of this group is that it provides a safe public forum for any questions you may have, where you get the benefit of a room full of brains.

There were a few questions that came up on LinkedIn etiquette, particularly around how to politely reject an invitation to connect. And how to write an invite to connect that gets results.

I’ll be posting some answers in my next few blog posts.

Stay tuned……

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How to get a job when you don’t know where to start

by K B , updated on November 8, 2020

Why not use a careers counsellor?

OK, I’m saying from the outset that I’m not a careers counsellor.

But in the work I do, I have spoken many people who’ve changed their career. And I’ve received hundreds of emails over the years from people who are confused, angry, uncertain or depressed. They don’t like their jobs. They’ve worked in them for years. The want to change. But they don’t have the first clue about where to start.

Sound like you? Sounds like everyone at some point in their life.

So how do you find a job when you don’t know where to start?

I would strongly recommend to start with career counselling.  In fact, I seriously believe that some decent career advice in school could save a whole heap of job-heartache down the track. Here’s what a career counsellor can help you identify:

– Your innate strengths

– Your preferred working style

– Your preferred work environments

– The way you like to be managed

– People whom you like working with

– Any barriers you have to achieving your goals

From there, you could look at industries or businesses that are growing, and study you may need to do. Part of that process could be talking to people who are employed in the areas you have identified as being of interest. Ask them how they got their first job, what study is recommended and what are the exciting and not so exciting bits about what they do.

The reason I say this is that many people who successfully change careers have started from seeing a counsellor and talking to others. They have gained a level of self awareness. This has helped them in the job hunt when they’ve been grilled by an interviewer asking them about their career change. They can say with conviction, I asked an expert, and this is why I know this new career is the right choice for me.

This site has a list of career counsellors in Australia.

When you choose a counsellor you might want to ask their experience, the journey they take you on, what you can expect at the end, and their experience in helping people in your area.

The last thing to think about, is that a change is often a journey not a leap. Rarely do you hear of people who’ve gone straight from being acrobats to astronauts. That’s much too much of a jump.

(Lame joke, I’m sorry)

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