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.

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.

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.

Many jobs are obtained via the initial Resume & application followed by an Interview… we are often asked “What makes a great resume? ” A great resume is one that gets you to that interview! The rest is up to YOU!

Resumes are the KEY!

Each week we receive hundreds of resumes. Many of which are from great candidates however, due to simple, avoidable errors do not make it to the shortlist, let alone to meet the employer for an interview!

It is frustrating for both the candidate and the employer. The employer may miss out on a great employee and the candidate continues to wonder why they are not making it to interview

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 Purpose of a Resume

Your resume is a marketing tool. It is a SALES flier – your very own and individual sales brochure

a Good resume 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 for the advertised position
• That you have the right experience and skills
• That you have the right level of professionalism for the job

 How Long Should My Resume Be?

One or two pages are best, (one page per 10 years of experience)  but three pages are OK …..if you’ve got a lot of study and work behind you… REMEMBER the research – employers spend an average of 6 seconds reading a resume! I know this is bad… but it’s reality!

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.

How Should I Order My Resume?

Generally it’s always good to present the information on your resume in chronological order: (today back..) but it should have the following..

1. Contact details
2. About me… statement ( or objective – as long as it suits the role you are applying for!)
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
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.

 Do I Need to Change/ 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.

You might not need to change much, 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. Yes! research prior to applying!

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

How to Tailor Your Resume

Ways that you can tailor your resume 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

 What Your Resume Should Include

There are a number of things that every resume should have on it. Check out the resume templates – Google this! to get an idea of what great resumes could look like.

 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 a footer of your resume, but if you do, you must make sure they’re also in the main body of the document.

Opening Statement – Elevator or “About Me”

An opening statement is a summary of who you are, where you’ve studied and/or worked, and what you bring to the job.

Key Skills & Strengths

Your resume should 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, 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

 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)

Personal Attributes

If 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.

Educational History

Your 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 captain, awards you’ve won, or groups you’ve been part of).

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 whilst at school
• Work placements or internships that you’ve done through university or TAFE
• Any Volunteer work  past and current

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.

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. WARNING – only select referees whom you know will be positive about you and ones that you have gained permission to have on your resume!

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.

Keywords

A lot of recruitment agencies use software that scans applications for key words and phrases. Applications that don’t use the right keywords tend to be automatically rejected.

Key words and phrases that this software often 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

 What NOT to Put On Your Resume

Here 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.

 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 generalise 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.

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 spell check 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.  You should also consider getting your resume looked at by someone professional.

 Images and Graphics

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 (print-outs etc) an exception to this guideline of not having a selfie is www.quickstaff.com.au  where hospitality, tourism & retail employers are on-line seeking staff in a hurry!

 Fancy Formatting

Stick to easy-to-read fonts and formats. KEEP IT SIMPLE! 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

PDF Versions of Your Resume

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

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

…..still not sure what to do? There are thousands of articles and helpful sites on how to avoid the major mistakes in your resume

check this one out!Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The Resume is your passport to a brighter future

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140917045901-24454816-the-5-biggest-mistakes-i-see-on-resumes-and-how-to-correct-them?trk=tod-home-art-list-large_0

The post Resumes that get you to a job interview…… appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Add a photo – and make your resume POP!

Did you know when you include your photo with your resume there is a significant benefit? The clear advantage is that your application will be more noticed; more interesting and therefore increase your chance of shortlisting to an interview!

The Hospitality, Tourism and Retail sectors are mostly front-line, front of house and customer service-heavy. Adding a professional picture to your resume for any prospective employers can create the impression that you are a confident, assertive person as well as possess a positive nature (make sure you smile for the camera!) Just perfect for these service industries!

Don’t want to add a pic? …. Just so you know, prospective employers are going to check your Face book and Google you anyway, so you may as well control their first visual impression of you!

Although photos can be the norm in the initial stages of job applications, it is also fraught with risk. Employment industry experts warn that adding photos to resumes could increase your risk of being discriminated against. Certainly, there may be bias; however, providing a friendly, professional pic can certainly increase your chance of a call to interview!

What’s your pic like?  Are you wearing your best smile?  Does it truly represent you?  Don’t forget, you can update it anytime, especially when changing jobs… Lastly, be innovative and intelligently creative with your photo  … what does this say about you?

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post ADD a “little” something special to your resume! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Do yourself a favour and Raise your self-awareness.

Know thyself.

The saying “Know thyself” is an essential ingredient for ensuring a successful life.  When faced with conflicts or challenges, Self awareness is the essential EQ ingredient that will save the day.

When the rubber hits the road, how do you react?   Sometimes in a conflict situation, we are so caught up with emotion, indignation and self-righteousness that we cannot get ourselves out of the difficulties without bitterness, heartbreak and sorrow.  Our emotions can block clear thinking.

Manage conflicts better

Conflicts and unexpected disasters are a natural part of living.  It could be a job loss or personal conflicts at work, it may even be as simple as a misunderstanding or miscommunication. If you are unable to forge through most these and come out the other end a “better” person for the experience, then you will find your life and your future happiness and well-being will suffer as well as your personal and professional growth.  There is a “HOWEVER”,  however, if you don’t know how you react, and how this affects others and the outcomes from life challenges,  you will never grow and learn.

RAISE

I recently had the pleasure of listening to a speech that “raised” my spirits and confirmed for me that it is always worth the effort and pain to take the high road and become the better person when dealing with conflict or life’s storms. The speaker used the following acronym R.A. I. S. E to help explain how his life was enhanced by “working though” problems he was experiencing raising his wayward son.  Rather than the easier path of “letting him go on a negative and self-destructive path, he choose to work through the issues and battle on.

He’s a little of what he said, The acronym R. A. I. S. E  was of benefit to him though his trauma and he used it this way

Responsibility, Take responsibility for your actions and your part in the story, each event is there and often you have played a part either covertly or overtly. Own up, face up and take the responsibly seriously. In his case, being a better parent.

Acceptance, Accept that this has happened/ is happening and that that is life. No use denying it’ it’s real and needs to be addressed.

Improvement, Seek ways to behave better, be nobler, more loving, more kind, be a better human being.

Strength, Remain resilient, remain focused and strong. Demonstrate that you can, and you will see this through.

Empathy, There are always many sides to  any story,  always strive to see it from the other view points.

By being more self-aware you will be able to behave in a more authentic manner, often increasing your confidence and general state of happiness!

This simple acronym worked well for my friend,  and I believe would work well for you too!  It’s all about taking stock, pausing and being self-aware. Understanding that no matter what the conflict matter is, we all have a responsibility to look inwards and analyse whether we can improve the situation or we can choose to continue to harbor resentment, sadness and even anger.

Ivana Agapiou, career and outplacement – resume writer

The post Self-awareness, a Jewel in the E.Q crown appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

The difference between winning or losing that job..

“OMG! Did I really say that?” How many times have  you heard yourself say this, after a job interview? That play back “cringe” that you experience and that after-shock while you rewind your performance at the interview and worry yourself sick over what you said, how you said it, or didn’t say, or could’ve said .. coulda-woulda-shouda

All I can say is that experience is a damn fine thing, so keep applying for roles and keep attending as many interviews as you can. When you are rewinding and reliving your interview experience, try to remember the great and the good things you did too!  Many interviewees suffer the after-shame, and many get better the next time round! Just in case you don’t already know, here are  13 tips on what you must NEVER say or do! Memorize these mandatory rules …  here are the DON’Ts

1. Bag or bad mouth past or current employers, claiming a negative experience – wrong! Stay positive and sound grateful!
2. Over-talk and bang on and on…just answer the question your were asked succinctly and precisely
3. Avoid eye contact – make sure you connect with the interviewer/s with good eye contact and SMILE
4. Turn up ill prepared and without researching the company before the interview
5. Turn up late or not at all!
6. Mumble – practice speaking clearly
7. Dress inappropriately – dress to impress always
8. Act shy and say “I’m not used to Interviews”. Or  “I am nervous”.
9. Respond with a “NO” ….  and say nothing else… always commence and couch responses positively
10. Behave disinterested and bored
11. Claim you want the job because of the easy hours and its close proximity to your home address!
12. Have NO questions prepared to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview
13. Have a resume filled with fake assertions- present with an authentic resume!

Hope this helps you in your next interview!

Ivana Agapiou career advisor and resume writer

The post JOB INTERVIEW, WHAT NOT TO SAY! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Is your resume an individually tailored document that sells your skills in the right light?

The simple answer is actually a question, “Is your resume getting you that interview?” Otherwise,  it’s just heading to the sunset with all the others.

Firstly, if your resume is securing you that interview, then you have a good resume, however, if it does not get you in front of a potential employer, it’s doing you NO favours!

Resumes should read like sales documents, they should “sell” your unique skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications. Most importantly, it should make you a highly marketable commodity!

Many candidates place a lot of effort into resume writing and often don’t know how to edit, delete or add. However, it’s a mandatory requirement.

Following are  some simple rules

1) Always proof read thoroughly, and have someone else read it also.

2) Check for spelling errors, grammatical errors and general professional layout.

3) print a copy and see how it looks… often the print version can appear quite different that the screen copy!

3) only include content that is relevant to the job you are applying for – yes, this means more work, and yes, it means adapting your resume to each role and yes, it’s worth it

Finally,  a resume is very personal and many candidates find it challenging to “blow their own Trumpet” so if you need an objective opinion and  help with resume writing, you need an expert with years of recruitment experience,

Call us on 0265838222  or 0404056278 and inquire about our Talent Review Services, which include professional resume writing

Finally, for more information, you could also visit www.figjamresumes.com.au

Ivana Agapiou – Resume writer
Eather Recruitment

The post Resumes are your best sales and promotional flier! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

How’s yours looking? Is it a doer-upper, or  just a sad derelict dump. Is it a show stopper that highlights heaps of potential.

RESUMES are still one of the best ways to help you gain an interview! 

Let’s not kid ourselves. Resumes are one of the best tools at our disposal for gaining an interview, and perhaps that job that we want. Sadly, it’s influence is underrated and very misunderstood!

In this blog, we will examine the power of the Resume. Here are two useful tips:

• Make sure the resume reflects your professional image well. In other words if you are applying for a job that demands high level of accuracy and your resume is full of spelling errors… your image will be tarnished and you may not be considered for the role as it contradicts the requirements for the role.
• Match your skills and experience to the advertised job. Avoid applying for jobs for the sake of applying for jobs. Be selective and make sure it’s actually a job you might like and most important, one that you are qualified to do!

It’s simple, easy but if you are still worried about how your resume represents you – contact us for information regarding resume writing services. We know what a good resume looks like and we know what is required to get you to that most important interview!

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

 Ivana career advisor and outplacement consultant on 0404056278  and check out website www.eatherrecruitment.com.au for pricing

The post The Resume is the reigning KING! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Marching & matching all in line, all in tune, just like a career objective, it needs to fit in to the tune of the resume.

Career objectives are tricky, but if written with the audience in mind can be powerful music to their ears!

I’m not a fan of  writing a career objective in the resume. The career objective can be a tricky statement to compose as it’s is often open to various misinterpretations and unless you intend to remain in a narrow career field, can pigeon hole you.

Sometimes these paragraphs read as  just “motherhood” statements, really broad and boring.  They are often non-specific and tell the reader NOTHING about you. The reader is left not knowing much about you, in fact, sadly,  some statements can be a complete turn off.

One example is ” I am looking to find full time employment, long term and sustainable employment” or “want to work close to home”. Well,  who doesn’t? Is this a realistic goal when so many jobs and companies are not sustainable? Does this even sound like a career objective? does it sound more like a dream, a wish, and a hope to have a job for life?

Is your career objective from your perspective and not that of the future employer?  Your potential employer does not want to disappoint nor can they guarantee  a job “forever”. The writer has missed the objective of “career objective” all together! Instead of writing what they want, they needed to inform the reader that they are highly skilled in the areas that are described in the job advert and that they have a lot to offer the role and the organisation.  What if the role they applied for was Part-time?

What if the part time role could lead to full time? Then the Career objective has just ruined an possible employment opportunity!

I certainly don’t want to employ someone because their main objective is a job for life, nor do I want someone who can’t articulate how their skills, knowledge and experience will help me and my business. Let’s face it, if I only want loyalty, then I can buy a dog.  Employers want MORE than loyalty, they want talent!

Be VERY CAREFUL writing a Career objective. It is not a place to demonstrate desperation; it is the place where you show the relevance between your skills, experience and knowledge with the advertised position.

Lastly, think and imagine the employer who will read your resume.  Sit in their chair and imagine them reading your resume. What will they want to read? What specific skill-set are they looking for? Research the company and the job job description. Mirror and match your career objectives to your research.

Just like a great marching band that dances uniformly, and with great interest, your career statement will make sense to the reader and they will see a “fit”; an attractive sequence and pattern that will all make sense.

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post Career objective, make it sing and dance to the right tune appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Today I was shocked to hear from  one of our clients who had been informed by another  resume writing service that the cost to “re-brand” him and provide a new resume was $2K!!!

What the? He only wanted a re-furbished resume, not a full-on marketing campaign that costs a bomb and may, or may not, gain him that all important interview!

He also did NOT require re-branding. He had /has his very own unique brand! We all have! A good resume writing service does NOT involve changing your image so much that you are unrecognizable! It does not fake or run away from the truth.

A resume service should explore your background, as it pertains to the job you are applying for –  good resume writer should ask the right questions, get to know the real you. It finds out what your dreams are and most importantly, what makes you tick. In other words, it fleshes out your “best”image, your best skills, knowledge and experience and how that all fits with the jobs you are seeking. It does NOT design a resume without a holistic approach, nor should it cost the earth!

There are many options available to help you get the best resume. You could get on to Uncle Google and download a template. You could engage our resume writing service and for a small investment, get to that all important interview…..and when our service is successfully completed – feel terrific !!

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post … beware of the $2K costs for a new resume… appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

• Casual, temporary position
• Flexible, family friendly hours, 3-4 days per week

Our client provides efficient and comprehensive services to businesses across Australia, specialising in research and development tax incentives and returns.

Working in a low key, quiet office environment within a small team you will be involved in writing and preparing in-depth project reports for government departments, including both written and financial components.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• High level accuracy and attention to detail
• Intermediate to advanced MS Excel skills
• The ability to interpret complex tax documents and work within strict policies, procedures and guidelines
• Advanced writing skills and proof reading ability

Interested? Please apply through the form below, submitting your resume in MS Word format.

RECRUITMENT ROUND for this role NOW CONCLUDED

The post Senior Administrator – Port Macquarie (Vacancy Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Our client is one of the largest hearing service providers in the world with a reputation for innovation and world-leading practices.

They are currently seeking an experienced Customer Support Officer to join their Port Macquarie team.

Working in a contact centre environment with a close knit team in recently refurbished offices, you will be responsible for providing high level customer service to a range of customers on a daily basis.

To be highly successful in this role, you will need to;

• have genuine passion for the customer’s experience
• display exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
• exhibit a strong and professional work ethic
• demonstrate excellent all round computer skills with experience in database maintenance
• have excellent typing speed with high accuracy
• possess analytical and strong problem solving skills
• have excellent administration skills

Interested?  Apply through the form below for immediate consideration.

RECRUITMENT ROUND for this role NOW CONCLUDED

The post Customer Support Officer – Port Macquarie (Vacancy Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

We are seeking a suitably experienced professional to take on a 3 month contract position in the role of Economic Development Officer.

The key focus of this role is to develop and implement initiatives and projects which focus on economic development and employment growth of the greater Port Macquarie area.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Liaising with and building relationships with both internal and external stakeholders
• Identifying strategic development opportunities and capitalising on them
• Strong data collection, analysis and report writing skills

To be successful, you will have proven experience in these 3 fields.

Ideally, you will have knowledge and experience working with projects and within local government environment.

For immediate consideration, please apply through the form below.

RECRUITMENT ROUND for this role NOW CONCLUDED

The post Economic Development Officer – Port Macquarie (Vacancy Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Our client, a leading physiotherapist based in Port Macquarie, currently requires an experienced professional to join their team.

Requirements for the Role:

• A relevant university degree in your field.
• Registration with relevant Board / Association.
• Previous experience in rehab or exercise physiotherapy.
• Outstanding interpersonal, negotiation and communication skills.
• Exceptional time management.
• Experience within Workers Compensation markets preferable.

The things you need to know about the team:

• We are a small multidisciplinary team, who are passionate about their work.
• You will see a variety of clients within all of the different compensation schemes.
• Flexibility in how you work.
• Competitive remuneration package and incentive scheme.
• Manageable case load of clients.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a highly skilled team within beautiful Port Macqaurie on the NSW Mid North Coast

The post Exercise Physiologist- Port Macquarie appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Our client is a National and Iconic brand offering fantastic deals on indoor decor and furniture. They seek a new addition to their dynamic sales team.

The person

Someone with

• excellent communication skills who can engage with customers easily
• retail and selling experience with a drive to succeed
• ability to work week-ends (Saturday and Sunday) and other retail hours
• knowledge on how to up-sell and add value to each sale
• ability to acquire product knowledge quickly
• some background with Interior furnishings and/or colour and design

Conditions

• Good salary plus incentive payments is on offer
• up to 36 hours per week dependant upon demand
• working for a great dynamic team and company

RECRUITMENT ROUND for this role NOW CONCLUDED

The post Retail Sales Assistant – Port Macquarie (Vacancy Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Our client is a successful local accountancy firm in Port Macquarie who seek an experienced Public Practice Accountant to join their team.  They provide accounting services, planning and taxation, superannuation, investment reviews, personal insurance and more.

Ideally, you will have  5 years+ experience with a sound knowledge of all aspects across the industry.

Salary on offer is $80k-$95k + super, dependent on experience.

The post Public Practice Accountant – Port Macquarie appeared first on Eather Recruitment.