Our Client manages a prime holiday apartments in beautiful Port Macquarie and is seeking Experienced Accommodation Housekeepers who are ready for an immediate start.

Hours vary dependent upon demand. To be successful in the role, you will need to have has at least 12 months experience within a hotel/motel or accommodation site; have an efficient and effective cleaning routine; attention to detail and be aware of hygiene and chemical requirements and guidelines. You will need to be well-presented and be available at short-notice

The post Housekeepers – Immediate start! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

 Image IS everything! align it resume and all. Does your resume enhance or damage your image?

We are often asked, “Is what I wear at work really matter?” In a word, yes. Although we don’t like to think that appearances and body language matter, the fact is, that people react to, and judge us  based on their perceptions (often at First meeting) .

Research shows that people are more likely to hire, promote and recommend us if we look and behave professionally. In fact, managing our personal image is just like managing a great “brand” – it can be a very effective marketing tool! Your brand also includes your resume as this document “sells” you!

Others make decisions based on their first and on-going impressions of us, so it’s important to get your personal image packaging right. Learning to visually express who you through good wardrobe decisions, right fit, clean and ironed clothes —can positively impact your future. By the same token, presenting a less than professional image can have a negative affect.

Eather Recruitment’s policy is to always present professionally, not just in dress, but in manner.   Don’t ever assume no one is watching  and thinking.

Lastly, in job interviews – you never get a second chance to make a great first impression!!

Ivana Agapiou

The post Is your Resume and image landing you that job or promotion? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

THE FIRST CUT is the Deepest. You need to avoid the pain if you can. Make your resume  pass the first cut.

Gaining an interview means that your resume passed the first test or often, the first cut.  However, a lot of applications don’t make the first cut and here are just 3 MAIN reasons why,

Poor presentation

Spelling mistakes, bad formatting are just two examples of poor presentation. The resume is a reflection of you! Poor presentation says that you really don’t care!

TOO LONG

The resume goes on and on and on.  Restrict yourself to 2 pages unless you are going for a role as Prime Minister

Irrelevant

The resume demonstrates that you are talented on all areas – except the job you are applying for!!  This leaves the reader asking ” so why has this person applied for this job?” Make sure the content relates to the advertised position- it has to be relevant.

Need help to write a resume that gets you to an interview? call us now on 0404056278 to secure a consultation

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post Make it past the first cut with a great resume appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

A resume is a living, breathing document! It should NEVER remain static, if it does, it will loose its relevance and perhaps become redundant.  Workplaces and work requirements are changing rapidly and it’s important for job seekers to get a professionally written and rewritten resume completed for their job search.  What does this mean for the applicant  who is looking for a job now?  Today’s job seeker must have a well-written resume; the resume that is rich in content,  concise and with wording that showcases career achievements, capabilities  and accomplishments as it pertains to the job that they are applying for!    The resume must demonstrate diversity in skills and capabilities based on technical skills, and where possible, volunteerism, languages, publications, and awards and recognition.

The job seeker should be careful when hiring a resume writer.  They can be sucked into ridiculously expensive resume writing services with very little return on their career search investment.  Some resume services charge between $1-2,000K and the result is essentially ‘a pretty resume’ that on appearance looks great, with borders, fancy text, and filler words, but very little Return on Investment, because it’s loaded with subjective verbs versus objective descriptors.  Some claim that they can “re-brand” the applicant.  This is often marketing bunk! Re-branding sounds a bit too fake for me!

There are resume certification services that claim their resume writers are the best qualified  – but those certifications are not necessarily important.  And, you don’t necessarily need to meet face-to-face with those resume writers – that just makes you spend time and money that is not really necessary.

You do want to use a resume writer with hundreds, if not thousands of resumes under their belt and loads of positive reviews and references.  You do want to see samples of those resumes when you are shopping around.  A professional resume writer will also explain the process to you,  for what they will do with your resume.  They will explain the process, the steps, and work interactively to reword and design the best-practices of the resume rewrite formatting.  Good resumes service companies will offer smaller and affordable packages, so even if the job seeker is unemployed, they can afford the services (this means the resume writer is empathetic to the job seeker’s financial circumstances).  You want to get a ‘good feeling’ from the resume re-writer’s personality, where you hear their empathy and just know they are on your side and will work hard to really make your resume shine to recruiters.

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON RESUMES AND RECRUITING PRACTICES:

Statement claim 1:                       

You need to rewrite the resume for every job you apply for …

Response 1:              

Not necessarily so,  if you write a ‘capability’ resume, for all your skills, experience, strengths, and education, that one resume only needs to slight adjustments for each job application.

Statement claim 2:           

Resumes should only be 2 pages long

Response 2:              

Resumes can be longer than 2 pages. Agencies and employers are looking for the most qualified candidate in experience, which means you may need to ‘load’ that resume with far more content to really compete with the dozens or even hundreds of other competitors for those  jobs.

Resumes for private sector companies can be one page (if new to job market and fresh graduate) and

to up top four pages (if experienced careerist).

In the main, Resumes used to be submitted in paper form.  Loads of filing cabinets took up lots of valuable office space.  Now,  most resumes are required to be uploaded  and digitally stored.  And, now the recruiters can search that database of resumes in the entire database or only within the job requisition pool of applicants using  Search criteria for the more vital key words in a resume and find the more qualified candidates in a few key strokes.  They don’t care how long the resume is (now) because they let the search engine do the identification of the more qualified candidates and only need to glance over the resumes now for  key words and phrases. In summary, it might just be a machine that decides if you are shortlisted to an interview!

TAKE ACTION – be proactive

Commence  the process of updating and obtaining a rewrite of your resume TODAY with the best resume writer in the marketplace so you, as the job seeker, can be ready to actively (or passively) search for that next exciting career job!

Ivana Agapiou resume writer

The post Resumes need attention and updating appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Top 5 hot tips to a great resume

There is a load of information available on how to write a good resume, from accessing templates and samples from the internet, to standard knowlegde and prior experience.  I have observed that many internet examples are “American” in culture and perhaps not the best style to suit in Australia. But, there is no better teacher than sucess, in fact, nothing beats success!

Here are my top 5 hot tips for creating a resume

1. Be concise and relevant to the job you’re applying for
2. Keep resume to two pages maximim
3. Dont use fancy fonts and tables
4. Make sure there are no spelling errors or typos
5. Page one is your lead and has the best real estate value

1.Be concise and relevant to the job

Often “cookie-cutter” resumes are gathered out of the dust or off the shelf and sent to various job adverts without any prior scrutiny. Make sure you read over the job description carefully and insert yourself into the role. Once you can visualise the job and you in it, then start to mold and edit your resume to read similarily. The reader must feel that there is a strong alignment between you and the role. This may mean you delete irrelvant facts and highlight the items that are more important to the employer. This is clever and it works! Naturally, you must remain truthful and authentic.

2.Keep resume to two pages

Unless you are the Prime Minister or have to submit a lenghly acedemic style resume, keep your document to 2 pages. This also helps you to ascertain what is really important and assists you to remain concise and to the point.  Studies have shown that readers often are time poor, and sometimes (often) are read by inexperienced HR personnel who are responsible for culling and shorlisting. Make it easy for them to distinguish the good applicant by providing a concise and relevant document.  They need to read relevance and need to feel that you could be a great match.

3.Ignore fancy fonts and tables

Using smanchie styles is fine if you are applying for a role in a creative industry. If this is the case, then go wild. If however, you are in the mainstream, go for the simple, clean lines. As a general guide, use a maximum of 3  fonts (size and style variations) only. Many employers may not have advanced software so often fancy fonts and tables are not compatible. Use bullet points to help the reader through your material. Keeping it simple means that the reader is not struggling to find the information they seek.

4.Check for spelling errors and typos

Sounds simple but many don’t review the document prior to pressing “send”. If you are too familiar with the document, you can often miss simple errors. Ask a friend to read it if that is the problem. Whatever you do, proof-read a few times and different intervals that way you can review with fresh eyes. The reader WILL judge you on this, as they figure if you were “sloppy” in the application, you may be also a sloppy worker.

5. First page is the best real estate

Page one is the best page. Don’t mess it with irrelant facts like hobbies etc. It needs to highlight YOU.  The front page should tell me all I need to know about you. Your last job being one of the important items as well as a career statement that descibes you best. Often the readers do not not have the time or the inclination to read much further than page one so make it count.

In conclusion, your resume should be an easy read, it should tell the reader all about you in 30 seconds and it should get you shortlisted  to an interview! If it doesn’t then take a hard critical look at it and adopt the 5 hot tips to see if that will get you the success you deserve.

Ivana Agapiou

FIGJAM RESUMES – your best resume writer

0404056278

The post Top 5 hot tips to a great resume appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Never used a private recruitment agency before?

We act as a “go-between” and can facilitate your progress to a shortlist. We do this by carefully assessing your skills, experience and qualifications and how these match up to the advertised position. Acting on behalf of an employer, we will scrutinise your application for best “fit”. That means that we will be evaluating your appearance, presentation and professionalism. This may be achieved through interviews and testing.  Most importantly, check that your Resume is up to scratch! does it match what the employer is looking for? is it getting you an interview? have you double-checked it for any errors? Print one out and see how it looks… does it appear professional? A resume is your “sales flier” and if it does not “sell” you, it is letting you down…… we rely heavily on first impressions and often this comes through to us in the form of the resume. Take your time making sure the resume is perfect before pressing “send”. Don’t know how to write a resume? we do offer this service, please call 026583822 to enquire.

Ivana Agapiou
Eather Recruitment Pty Ltd

The post Private Recruitment Agencies – how to use them appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Looking for work in a regional area? Can’t find what you are looking for? Resume not yielding  an interview? Are you struggling to get to an interview? Frustrated by the lack of jobs?

The Hastings Region is a highly sought-after place to live and as with most regional towns, finding the job you want, let alone a job, is often tricky. It requires some creative thinking, not just on how to apply, but also the type of work that might suit your skills set.

The post The perils of moving to a Regional area appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Losing a job,  feels like the end but there’s always a way through…

Job loss; redundancy; outplacement – whatever the label, you now find yourself without a job.  It doesn’t have to be the end of the road! Many organisations offer a “package” to outgoing employees. If you are offered help, take it! It may be financial and hopefully, its practical and emotionally helpful!

Eather Recruitment offers a professional outplacement service which assists staff facing redundancy, to move forward with confidence.  Our Outplacement Service Program is highly personalized with intensive support and offers a suite of options including:-

• Support for the you; dealing with sense of loss and apprehension by recognizing your core strengths; targeting areas of knowledge and tasks they aspire to; rejuvenating  self-confidence and helping boost a feeling of worth.
• Provision of a high impact, crafted Resume; including resume distribution options (internet; email; recruiters, etc);
• Intensive Coaching with a recruitment strategist and outplacement consultant Ivana Agapiou
• Access, if required  to a diverse suite of Contemporary Career Assessment Tools,  including Trait and Motivational Appraisals of Personal Potential (MAPP)
• 1-on-1 Coaching on interview skills; and Access to Eather Recruitment job placement services

This intensive program includes face to face service contact points. It’s personal, its meaningful and most of all – it’s driven by you!

If you think you are facing redundancy,  ask management or HR if there are any options for you to access this valuable service.

Most important of all, even if it feels like the end of the road, it’s just a end of something and the beginning of something else. Who knows? it may be a better route and it may be the best u turn of your life!

Ivana Agapiou outplacement services Port Macquarie

The post Outplacement only means you are out of place! not out of circulation – it’s a transition! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

THE RESUME LINE UP

It’s essential to have a series of resumes, all individually built for a specific purpose.

These boats are built and ready for general purpose, ready for a certain type of sea travel. I am sure you could list the types of fishing that could be perform with them, and the types of journeys these boats are good for.  They are not good for long months out to sea, they are not good for speed and they are specifically crafted for a certain type of travel. Agreed?

Individualise each resume to suit the job advert.

Just like these boats, if you have several roles you could perform, then you will need several types of resumes to best accommodate the roles. There is no point applying for a job with a resume that is more suited to another role. A role quite different and one that is not advertised.

As recruiters, we often receive the same cookie-cutter styled resumes and that would be OK if only these resumes were written with the utmost care and with the job advertisement and job requirements in mind. We often throw our hands in the air when a resume arrives  from a very qualified and experienced horticulturalist who applies for a role within  our accounts and back office. Are we supposed to read between the lines? or perhaps assume way too much?

We read in frustration for any links to the role we have advertised and see nothing.  This makes for a confused start as nothing in the resume tells us that this candidate has transferable skills, and there are no indications that they would even forfeit the outdoors for indoor work. We are not mind readers, and we are not psychic.

Readers of your resume need to have things spelled out to them, literally! They need to see the possibilities, the foundation skills set that would entice them to at least interview the candidate.  They need to read fit for purpose, so make the transition easier for them, and spell it out!

Need help with your application? then contact #figjamresumes on 0404056278

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post Resume line up. appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

A DIY resume 

It’s sometimes, an uphill battle to present a resume that’s just right.

We will labour over what to include, what to delete.  We are conflicted over what is relevant for the position we are applying for, and so often, when we create and write our own, we have a distorted view, we see the world from our own perspective, not from the reader’s viewpoint.

Let’s be honest, many of us are also unable to objectively read, let alone, edit and proof read our own writing

A good resume writer knows the industry standards and the major requirements of a recruiter whether that’s the  internal HR departments or small business owners. The Writer will forge your resume to relate to the reader. It will match to the job advertised; it will be a resume with a point of difference!

Contact figjam resumes for a free consultation and quote for your next career move

 Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor 0404056278

The post DIY Resumes? are some things better done by others? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Writing a winning resume is a skill, and an art.

Producing a winning resume that stands-out is a specialised skill, and also an art. You will need to have a resume that works for you. It has to be tailored and specific for the position you seek. Your personality, abilities and talents need to be clearly noticeable. You need to be “different” from all the other cookie cutter style resumes.

If you rarely receive a reply to your job applications, there is a strong message and lesson here. Clearly, your resume is not working for you.

Resumes are the most crucial factor in many job applications, they are the only way a prospective employer obtains an impression of you, your work history and suitability for the role/culture.

What is your resume saying about you? Is it error-free? is it written for reading? is it too long? too short? lacks relevant information? looks like every other resume and does not have your individual stamp? Is in such a small or large font that it is illegible? I could go on and on and on here,  you get the drift. 

There is help available if you think your resume is sick, and by this I mean it is in poor health and unable to get you over the line to an interview, then you will need to seek specialist advice.

Often having an Objective third party read, review and assess the document, reading and interpreting it from the “employers” perspective. Yes, we are all sentimental about our resumes because we know how long and lovingly we entered our valuable work history and details. Great, now get over yourself,  do you want “that’ job or more rejection?

Finally, seek an expert by phoning 0404056278  and  Ivana Agapiou our resume writer will talk with you about a personalized resume. It will be devised so that it will launch you to your next interview and perhaps your dream job!

Write your resume Port Macquarie

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

0404056278 #resumes #resumewriter #FIGJAMresumes,

The post Resume writing is a skill. appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

How to take advantage of  a private recruitment agency

Recruiters act as a “conduit” between you and your prospective employer. They can facilitate your progress to a shortlist, nor not.

When your application is received by the agency, they will scrutinize your resume and cover letter. HR personnel will carefully assess of your skills, experience and qualifications and how these match up to any advertised or non-advertised, position and also to any specific employer requirements.

Recruitment agency perspective

Acting on behalf of an employer, they will scrutinize your application for best “fit”.  That means that they will be evaluating the appearance, presentation and professionalism of the documents as they serve as the very first impressions of you. Yes, they do look for errors, poor attention to detail and Yes, they make many judgments based on what they see.

If your application documents are good enough to make a shortlist, you may be contacted by the agency for follow-up interview/s and perhaps a skills test. The agency makes its money from the employer once a candidate is chosen. Therefore, it is in their best interests to find the perfect candidate. They are NOT necessarily on your side, instead they focus and prioritize on matching up the best applicant to the employer’s specifications.

Your best first impression is the resume

Prior to applying,  check that your Resume is up to scratch. Does it match what the employer is looking for? Has it yielded you an interview in the past? Have you double-checked it for any errors prior to pressing “send”?

Print one out and see how it looks. Does the format and layout appear professional? Often less pretty and fussy tables, colours, fancy text means less problems with compatibility at the other end. Keep it simple, clean and easy to read.

A resume is your “sales flier” and if it does not “sell” you, it is letting you down. Recruiters rely heavily on first impressions and often this comes through  in the form of the resume. Take your time making sure your resume is perfect and an accurate picture of you.

Don’t know how to write a resume? We do offer this service, please call us.

Ivana Agapiou – resume writer 0404056278

The post Recruitment Agencies, how to use to land a job! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Is your resume attracting the right regional bees?

When searching for work in regional areas, it’s imperative you have to have a clear idea of the job market environment, the types of industries and the types of employers.

Port Macquarie is a wonderful coastal town with a great many assets. It offers a relaxed lifestyle along with picturesque beaches and country access.  It’s almost right in the middle of Sydney and Brisbane and has a growing population.

The future is bright with a new developments and the commencement of a new University, Charles Sturt in 2016.

It’s no wonder we frequently receive inquiries for jobs in Port Macquarie, especially from the many “commute weary” workers in Metro areas. We are often asked ”How can I find a job in Port Macquarie?“.
Here are 3 useful tips to successfully securing your next job .. located here in Port Macquarie

1. Re-Jig your resume.
   No matter what your work history, you will need to tailor your resume to fit in with the local job market. Make sure you research and study the types of jobs on offer- where there are; what they are and how often that sort of role is advertised.  Make sure you go to all the job sites and scour for jobs in Port Macquarie. Does your resume still sound city-centric and too role specific? Many jobs in Port Macquarie require staff to be multi-skilled and across a number of diverse roles. This is often labelled as “wearing several hats”. Make sure your resume does not have too much detail. Less is more.
2. Include a backstory.

Have you included an “about me” statement that gives the reader a little snap shot of what type of person, job,  career you are after? Perhaps why you are re-locating? A professionally written back story or reason why you seek this job is a must.

3. Make a few phone calls.
Don’t be afraid to contact any of the local recruitment agencies as well as the larger employers in the area to ascertain the temperature of the job market. If there are no jobs in your specialized field, perhaps you might consider other roles that will utilize your core and transferable skills? Research the cost of living and the housing / rental market. Is relocation financially viable?  Most importantly, salary levels are on the whole, lower in Port Macquarie than in Metro areas. Make sure you weigh up the costs and the benefits first!

4. Look beyond jobs in Port Macquarie.
Check out our nearest towns, and other close-by geographical areas, outside of Port Macquarie. For example the Kempsey and Taree areas, it may be another, further commute; however, this widens your options and opportunities for work. Candidates in local employment have a higher chance of gaining another job, than those who are out of work.

Lastly, our Recruitment services offer advice and consultation on finding work in the local area – go to www.figjamresumes.com.au for more information and pricing on  talent and resume review service. Not only will you be furnished with a great resume, you will have a stronger and more specific idea of what the local job market has to offer. This advice is priceless and will assist you to determine your goals as well as set a path to finding a job in Port Macquarie.

Wishing you all the success in finding employment in Port Macquarie. Ivana Agapiou, resume writer

The post Resume writing Services to attract the bees. appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Enjoying your job usually means you work for one of the best employers!

Good employers keep their staff. It’s that simple! Good employees will thrive in a work environment that nurtures; acknowledges and provides open communication to its staff. Spending loads of dollars for employee incentives or salaries doesn’t necessarily make a business an employer of choice. According to surveys of Australian Businesses, it appears to be three basic areas

Trust, pride and camaraderie – all of which help contribute to a more mentally, healthy workplace.

Below is the list of the top 10 best places to work in 2015, according to Great Place to Work Australia:

1. Atlassian (Information Technology | Software)
2. Mecca Brands (Retail)
3. Optiver (Financial Services & Insurance)
4. Stryker (Health Care | Medical sales/distribution)
5. Nous Group (Professional Services | Consulting – Management)
6. Adobe Systems (Information Technology | Software)
7. Summit Homes Group (Construction & Real Estate | Housing)
8. NetApp Australia (Information Technology | Storage/Data Management)
9. MEC (Media | Online Internet Services)
10. AbbVie Australia (Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals)

Have a look at these companies to see what makes them the best we have on offer! Ivana Agapiou – Resume writer

The post Want a great job? Look for great employers appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

HUGE DIFFERENCES between agencies – how can you manage to get them to work more effectively for you?

We often field requests from job seekers who have very high expectations of what a recruitment agency can deliver for them. There is a distinct difference between an Employment Agency and a Recruitment Agency. Firstly, recruiters tend to work from the employer back. That is, they gather  the job description and specifications along with the brief from Management and then go to market in search of the “right fit” candidates. Many recruiters do not work for the job seeker /candidate who is needing employment. There are many applicants/candidates and often not enough jobs to go around. If the job fits these applicants then, and only then, will they be referred to positions.  It is often up to the applicants to ensure that their resume is adapted to the position/s sought and that they develop strong relationships with their Recruitment Agency staff.  The Recruiters act as brokers and can not be expected to invent or create information for the candidates that will be suitable for the advertised position.

Secondly, when employers utilise a recruitment agency they are very specific about what they want. Often the Recruiter gets a real feel for what is “unsaid” and gets a good impression of what that particular workplace/culture and employer is requiring.  Recruiters often advertise and screen applicant on behalf of the employer (their client) and often the employer pulls the strings on deciding who they would like shortlisted or for interview.

Lastly, Recruitment Agencies are not government funded, nor do they seek to attract unskilled or inexperienced applicants, remember that employers are often wanting skilled professionals to join their organisation who can hit the ground running, whether that is temporary workers or a new permanent employee.  Recruitment companies are  private businesses who invoice the employer for their HR  services, hence the urgent need to get the recruitment process and the candidates, right every time!

Hope this information helps next time you utilise a Recruitment Agency.

Ivana Agapiou

Eather Recruitment

The post Employment Agency Vs Recruitment Agency.. what is the difference? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

WRITE A Winning RESUME

Stand out, get noticed 

Your resume is your most important tool when applying for a job. It doesn’t matter how qualified you are, or how much experience you have, if your resume is poorly presented or badly written, you’re going to have trouble getting the job you want, or even an interview. Let’s explore the following aspects for the making of a great resume

1. The Purpose
2. Length and number of pages
3. Order of Information on Your Resume
4. Adapting content for Each Application
5. What Your Resume Should Include
6. Non-inclusions
7. Reviewing Your Resume
8. Resume Templates

Firstly, let’s explore the Purpose of your resume,

 1. The Purpose of a Resume

Your resume is a marketing tool. It is a SALES flier,  your sales brochure, its supposed to market you in the best light. It  needs to demonstrate:

• That you are employable
• How you meet the job and the organisation’s requirements
• That you have the right qualifications and education
• That you have the right experience and skills
• That you have the right level of professionalism for the job

 2. Pages and length 

Ideally, one or two pages are best, but three pages are OK, if you’ve got a lot of study and work behind you. However,REMEMBER  the research, employers spend an average of 6 seconds reading a resume!

Make sure you don’t pad out your resume. If your resume is only one page, as long as it’s well-presented it might get better results than a two-page resume full of unnecessary information.

3. How Should I Order My Resume?

Generally it’s always good to present the information on your resume in this order, it’s sometimes known as Chronological order

1. Contact details
2. About me… statement
3. List of key skills  and List of technical/software skills
4. Personal attributes/career overview
5. Educational qualifications
6. Employment history/volunteering/work placements (from today… back to the past 15 years)
7. 2 or three hobbies or interests (optional)
8. Minimum of 2 Referees

Not everything in this list must appear on your resume every time, and the order can change from application to application. The most important thing is to get the most useful information across first. For example, if your education history is not specifically related to the job, put it toward the end of your resume, behind the information that is related to the job.

4. Do I Need to Change or Adapt My Resume for Each Application?

In one word, YES! You need to tailor your resume to every job application so that it responds to the specific requirements of the job you’re applying for. Only minor edits may be required, but you do need to make sure your opening statement, your key skills and your personal attributes all respond to the needs of the role, based on the job ad (if there was one) and the research you’ve done into the job.

You should also tailor your resume to show how your work experience specifically meets the needs of the job you’re applying for.

5.  Tailoring Your Resume

Tailoring your resume could include:

• Using your opening “about me” statement to link your experience and education to the organisation and the requirements of the job
• Listing your most relevant key skills first
• Including examples of achievements that meet advertised requirements of the job
• Including specifically relevant key words and phrases throughout your resume

 6. Inclusions

Every resume needs the bare bones essentials. Check out resume templates ,Google this to get an idea of what resumes should look like.

 7. Contact Details

Make sure you include your name, email address and a contact phone number on your resume. You don’t have to include your home address, although there might be some situations when doing so would be a good idea. You can place your contact details in the footer of your resume, but if you do, you must make sure they’re also in the main body of the document.

8. Opening Statement,  Elevator  or “About Me”

It’s an opening statement, that is a brief summary of who you are, where you’ve studied and/or worked, and what you bring to the job. It provides the reader with a snapshot of you and individualizes your resume.

9. Key Skills & Strengths

A resume could include a list of between 10 and 15 skills that link your experience to the job you’re applying for. If the job you’re applying for was advertised, then either the ad or the position description may provide a list of skills and experiences that are essential for doing the job. It may also provide a list of “desirable” skills and experience. When putting together this list, think of things you’ve done or learned to do as part of:

• Jobs you’ve had
• Your studies
• Any work placements you’ve done
• Any volunteering you’ve done

 10. Technical/Software Skills

This is a short list of the names of software or technology you know how to use. Examples might include:

• Microsoft Suite or spreadsheet software
• Programming languages
• Tools (e.g., cash registers, EFTPOS)

 11. Personal Attributes

When you haven’t got much work experience, a list of personal attributes can be another way to demonstrate that you’re the right person for the job.

12. Educational History

Educational History only needs to show your highest level of education. You don’t need to include your results, unless showing them proves how well you’re suited to the job.

If you can, you should also include a few bullet points listing your academic achievements (e.g., school or class captaincies, awards you’ve won, or groups you’ve been part of).

13. Employment History

When providing your employment history, start with the your most recent job and go backwards from there. Give the position title and the dates you worked there.

If you haven’t had a job before, you can use other things to demonstrate your experience, including:

• Work experience you’ve done through school
• Work placements or internships that you’ve done through university or TAFE
• Volunteer work you’ve done

For each job provide a list of the things that you achieved while in that job, and the significant contributions you made to the organisation. Make sure that these achievements and contributions match the key skills and strengths listed earlier on your resume.

14. Referees

Your resume should list two people who can positively recommend you as an employee. Ideally your references will be people that you have worked with before. Provide their name, their position title, and a way that they can be contacted.

15.Testimonials

A testimonial is another good way to prove that your skill and experience is what the employer is looking for.

You can include any testimonials you get as part of your educational history or your employment/volunteering/work placement history.Usually it’s enough to include one or two testimonials in your resume. Any more than two is probably too many.

16.Keywords

Many recruitment agencies use software that scans applications for matching key words and phrases. Applications that don’t use the right keywords tend to be automatically rejected. Key words and phrases that this software looks for can include the names of:

• Skills
• Jobs
• Activities
• Qualifications
• Software
• Tools

To make sure your resume has the right key words and phrases, check out the job ad and make a list of the words and phrases it uses. If you don’t have a written job ad to refer to, you can use a job search engine to find other ads for similar jobs and see what kind of keywords those ads use. Once you have a list to work from, start adding those words and phrases to your resume. Good places to add keywords include:

• Your opening statement
• Your list of key skills
• Your educational history
• Your employment history

 17. What NOT to Put On Your Resume

There are a few things not to include on your resume. Note that there may be circumstances when including some of the following information shows that you’re a good fit for the job. If that’s the case, including that information would be a good idea.

 18. Personal Information

You don’t have to provide any personal information on your resume. There’s no benefit to be gained from providing information that could be used to generalize about you as a potential employee. Your resume doesn’t have to include:

• Your birth date
• Your gender
• Your address
• Any ailments or disabilities
• Your health status

A possible exception to this might be when providing this information would give your application an advantage (e.g., if the employer is looking for someone young, or a female applicant). In these situations, consider including such information if you think it would strengthen your application.

19.Typos or Factual Errors

Submitting a resume or cover letter with spelling mistakes  and typos will guarantee you don’t get an interview. You should spellcheck your resume before you send it, but you should also get someone else to read it as well and check for mistakes you might have missed. Double-check everything that you include in your resume. If you mention the company’s name, make sure you get it right. If you mention the name of places you’ve worked before, make sure you get that right. Mistakes on resumes are worse than typos.

Lastly,you should also consider having your resume looked at by someone professional.

 20.Images and Graphics

The Jury is out, many feel that you should not include images or photos on your resume. Not only are images disliked by recruiters and HR professionals, they can also create problems with recruitment software.

21. Fancy Formatting

Stick to easy-to-read fonts and formats. This makes it easier for recruiters to review your resume. It also means any recruitment software that reviews your resume can easily read the information.  DON’T HAVE IT ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS EITHER! The reader/s may think you are shouting at them!  Good fonts to use include:

• Verdana /Arial/ Century gothic/ Calibri

Don’t use large headers to break up the sections of your resume. Rather, use a 10- or 11-point font for your main content and a 12- or 14-point maximum for headers.

22. Information in Tables

Some resume templates present information in tables to help with layout, but some recruitment software is unable to read tables. Your resume should only be formatted using line breaks and simple formatting.

PDF Versions of Your Resume

Some recruitment software can’t read pdfs. Unless a job ad specifically says to provide your resume as a .pdf, you should always only submit your resume in word format (.doc or .docx).

LAST VITAL STEP -Reviewing Your Resume

Having someone else review your resume is extremely important. Make sure you use someone who will actually tell you if they think something isn’t right. People you could ask include:

• Co-workers
• Former employers
• Teachers
• Career guidance counselors
• Your parents or guardians

Ensure you print out to check for layout and consistency…

Still confused? contact Resume writing service!

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post How to write a winning resume, from someone who knows! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

RANDOM RESUMES get lost and forgotten, and often lead nowhere.

Are you sending out random resumes to any and all advertised jobs, ones  that only you think you could perform?

Are you on “auto” applications list with a number of job sites? Do you send the same resume to a variety of job advertisements? Are you maintaining a list of where your resume is sent?

STOP IT! It’s doing you more harm than good.

Here’s  four main reasons why:-

1. as amazing as you are, face it – there are some jobs that are just not suitable for you
2. most employers will dismiss your resume anyway as they can’t see the relevance
3. it wastes time and effort for all parties
4. it “pigeon holes” you as “desperate”

We know how difficult the job market is, we know you are super keen to get your resume out there, however, fishing with the wrong bait only leads to frustration and disappointment. The intended reader wants to see that you the foundation and core skills required for the role advertised. They want to know that they are not wasting their time.  For example, if your past work history was working as a environmental ranger, working predominately outdoors, and with loads of other people – and you apply for an indoor  role within administration, working predominately indoors within a back office, and often alone – then you will have to demonstrate and prove in your resume that you have either the experience or the core skills to perform that role.

The reader can not,  and often,  will not, perform a leap of faith.  They will be asking themselves “why has this person applied for my role?”. They may even think you are a wee bit silly.

In summary, don’t apply for a job unless you can match the job description at least 80%. Don’t send random resumes that lead nowhere. Don’t use the same cookie cutter resume for each and every job application.

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post Random resumes without a cause appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

UNDERRATE  your resume at your peril…It’s not easy to devise your own resume – one that works and gains you an interview.

Every day we receive job applications, mainly ones that include an attached resume. Most of the time the resume as presented, does not reflect the advertised position. In fact, we often comment that we have no idea why the applicant is interested in the position as they don’t appear to have any work experiences, skills or abilities that match the advertised job.  The resume MUST help the reader and potential employer understand why you would be the best person for this job. How do you do this? Here are some major tips…

1. Match the advert. Read and study the advertised position and ensure that you can actually perform a minimum of 80% of the tasks required. Once you are certain that this job is achievable for you, tailor your resume to reflect the requirements of the job. For example, if the job asks for experience, and you have that, then check that you have highlighted this in your resume.
2. Research the company. Find out a bit about the business, like, who, what and where so that you have some background into the job and the company. This information will help you to devise a stronger application.
3. Ask a friend.  Seek friends and/or family and ask them to check your resume and solicit feedback and any help to improve the “look” and the content. Often we are unable to boast or promote our own achievements, yet our colleagues and family will often tell us how good we actually are!
4.  Proof read. Proof read. Proof read! Don’t forget to read the end result carefully, slowly and check it all for not just spelling errors, but for appearance and layout too!

In summary, these are just 4 helpful hints on acquiring a solid and “active” resume.  If you are still unsure, please go to https://www.eatherrecruitment.com.au  or contact Ivana on 0404056278 for a quote on our Resume writing service!

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post RESUMES are underrated – start rating it! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Resumes need to be read, not rejected.

How can you attract the reader’s attention? Here’s a little secret gem that just might help keep your readers interested. I suggest you add an enticing  “About me” statement. 

Resumes, like applicants are individual.

The About Me Statement needs to shine a light on your personality, values and passion. Here are a few top tips on improving your statement.

Your statement should contain most of the following:

• Level of experience in industry
• Skills on offer to the employer
• be written specifically to the advertisement, what job role is it,  and what skills are needed in that job.
• Qualifications and or certifications relevant to position
• Explain why you for this job
• What is the special “Something” that differentiates you from other employees?

To successfully write a resume for reading, the responses could read a bit like these following examples,

A Barista

“Being a Barista is not just a job! I love serving customers and can operate various commercial coffee machines. I have speed and physical agility, and I possess initiative and can think quickly on my feet. I’m creative and enjoy making each cup a work of art. I can distinguish qualities of a coffee such as body, astringency, bitterness, fruitiness, acidity, chew, under extracted, over extracted, and the texture of the milk, and last but not least, I love working under pressure!”

The Pitch

“I like being the public face for a hotel. As the first person a customer sees or the first voice they hear, I know how important it is that I consistently act in a professional manner providing the customers with a great first, and lasting impression. I am also a great typist, and pride myself on my accuracy and administration skills. As well as this, I’m told that my smile is contagious!”

General Hospitality and Retail customer service roles

The Pitch could be, “I deliver a high level of customer service and I understand the importance of presentation and great communication skills. I like to be efficient and to provide  timely service. I adopt a very flexible approach to working various shifts, and can work a variety of hours. I enjoy engaging with Guests and customers and building repeat business”.

Examples offered are just examples but could be used to form your unique elevator pitch

If you need professional advice and assistance to upgrade your resume and application or are still concerned and having difficulty writing for reading, not rejection, then CALL NOW  Ivana on 0404056278  or visit figjamresumes.com.au for a phone appointment

Resume consultant,  Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post Resumes written for reading, not rejection. appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Looking for work? Loads of others are also on the search.

Make sure you stand out, but also make sure you do use the tried and true methods first.

Job seeking activity can become a full time job.  We hope that some of the following suggestions assist you in your search. Most importantly, stand out from the herd and have your application and efforts count!

Firstly, the tried and true – the faithful list….

• SEEK and my career and on-line recruitment services
• Networks and connections within your industry and social circles
• Registering with various agencies for work
• Newspapers and periodicals
• Word of Mouth and knowledge of possible up coming vacancies, ask around!
• Cold calling and unsolicited resumes to employers of choice
• Advertise your skills through social media channels
• Update and fine tune your resume

Connect with key players through Linkedin

Once you have exhausted the list for sourcing work, consider carefully how and when you will approach the vacancy. Is your resume up to scratch? does it sell you well? Do you need to obtain a second opinion? What stands out about you in your resume? Is it a memorable one? Have you linked your resume to the job your seeking? What is the local demand like for jobs and can any of your work skills be transferred to suit the market?

If this is all too daunting, why not consider consulting with the experts and seek advice on your current and future prospects? Eather Recruitment offer a suite of services to suit your individual needs! Call us to find out what we can do for you

Ivana Agapiou resume writer 0404056278

The post Looking for work in all the right places appeared first on Eather Recruitment.