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.

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.

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.

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.

Your resume is your passport to a new job.

The resume can be the most valuable tool in your job search. A good resume is as important as the rising of the sun. Don’t underestimate its value and DON’T take it for granted. Each time you apply for a role, your resume MUST be suitable and relevant for that position. Your skills, knowledge and experience need to marry and match with the job advertised or it’s a wasted effort. Following are some suggestions that may help you gain the winning resume.

1. Research the Regional job market.

How different is it to the Metro requirements? Where are the bulk of the jobs listed? Are they to be found in Health; Retail or are there other opportunities?

2. Seek a professional resume writer

Still unsure of how you can best position yourself, then you may find a professional consultation with us very useful. You may like to take advantage of  a Talent Review Service – Resume writing & Career counselling

In summary, a Career consultation could be useful. To Secure a personal interview with one of our HR specialists who will help you develop a vital job marketing plan, you only need to call 0404056278. The session includes a professional consultation and review of your career path and your goals; comprehensive information on the Regional job market and transferable roles as well as referrals.

Finally, our Resume Basic Service provides a review of existing resume, conduction minor edits and enhancing formatting so as it aligns with industry standards. Interviews can last for approximately 35 – 60 Minutes (Copy of current resume in Word format may be required) your investment $185

Resume – Superior Service

• Resume & job application review – approx 60 mins
• Complete Resume rewrite

For more information and to avail yourself of this exclusive offer, arrange a suitable time with us on  contact Ivana on 0404056278 or visit www.figjamresumes.com.au

In summary, many people find it difficult to write their own resumes, therefore it’s often beneficial to engage an expert resume writer.

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor 0404056278

http://www.eatherrecruitment.com

The post The Resume is your passport to a brighter future appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Your Resume needs to contain your Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.

These can be also disguised under Key Selection Criteria (KSC), each have distinct differences between them. Know the difference and win the interview.

Knowledge: The level of education, experience and training an individual must have at minimum to be considered qualified for the position.

Skills: Specific skills such as ability to create manipulate and utilize spread sheets, word, processing programs

Ability:  Tasks you have performed and the length of time spent in a particular role.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (SKA’s) are often contained in a list of special qualifications and personal attributes that you need to have for a particular job.  These are the unique requirements that a recruitment agency wants to find in the person selected to fill a particular job.  A primary purpose of KSAs is to measure those qualities that will set one candidate a part from the others.   How well an applicant can show that he or she matches the position’s defined KSAs determines whether that person will be seriously considered for the job.

Knowledge statements refer to an organised body of information usually of a factual or procedural nature which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible.  A body of information applied directly to the performance of a function.

Skill statements refer to the proficient manual, verbal or mental manipulation of data or things.  Skills can be readily measured by a performance test where quantity and quality of performance are tested, usually within an established time limit.  Examples of proficient manipulation of things are skill in typing or skill in operating a vehicle.  Examples of proficient manipulation of data are skill in computation using decimals; skill in editing for transposed numbers, etc.

 Ability statements refer to the power to perform an observable activity at the present time.  This means that abilities have been evidenced through activities or behaviours that are similar to those required on the job, e.g., ability to plan and organize work.  Abilities are different from aptitudes.  Aptitudes are only the potential for performing the activity.

Some job applicants are not sure whether the KSC requirements apply to them or where a response is optional.  There’s an easy way to decide when to pay attention to KSCs.  In a word –  “ALWAYS”.

Recruitment Agencies may emphasize the most important aspects of a job by assigning relative weights to each KSC.  Others will designate particular KSCs as being Mandatory (M) or Desirable (D).  Obviously the job applicant will want to focus the most effort on responding to the more heavily weighted KSCs or the mandatory ones, but it is important to remember that you need to address everyone on the list.  If a vacancy advertisement makes no distinction among the position’s KSC, the applicant should assume that all KSCs are equally important.

A key point to remember about all KSCs is that they must be job-related.  An agency cannot ask for anything in a KSC that is not in the job’s position description.

That’s enough on KSC for now, watch this space on “How to respond to KSC” and  Capability Statements along some writing tips and tricks.

In summary, if you need help with your applications or resume,contact Ivana, our resume writer on 0404056278

Ivana Agapiou career and outplacement consultant 

The post Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, why you can’t ignore them! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Your resume is your career passport.

Is your resume a passport to a better future? or is it a stagnant, ordinary piece of  work that doesn’t attract much attention?

I believe it’s a VITAL career Investment, and in this post we will evaluate whether your resume is helping or hindering your future security, satisfaction and success rates at the job application stage.

I have a picture in my head of how I would like to spend the rest of my life.. it looks something like this.. loads of freedom, loads of money, and loads of dreams fulfilled!  Your future may look a bit different, but deep down we are a all a bit the same.  Very few of us want to be working so long and hard that we forget, or don’t have time for the simple stuff!  Now what has this got to do with your resume? well, EVERYTHING!   

Your resume gets you either noticed or ignored It holds POWER and may mean the difference between staying in a dull, poorly paid job to gaining a career filled with job satisfaction.  It’s the KEY to unlocking a new pathway and perhaps a better life!

Resumes need to be all of the following:

• continually updated and revised by adding new jobs/skills/training etc
• meet current industry/workplace standards by using correct terms and contemporary language
• be a true reflection of your worth and potential
• not arrogant yet not too humble either
• totally free of spelling and grammatical errors
• pack a punch and engage the reader – not looking like a cookie cutter resume
• have relevant referees who you KNOW are 100% trustworthy
• be truthful and honest without “too much information”
• match the job you are applying for, and include details of skills, experience and knowledge that can be reconciled against the job advertised (making the reader’s life easier as they can see a correlation /connection, enough to place you on the short list)

It’s THE most important career document you possess. It can either yield you an interview or it can make your application obsolete.

So, where do you start? here’s a guide

Get hold of your resume, read over and better still, have an objective third party review the layout and contents.

Obtain an expert opinion -HR professional or recruiter

Test the market – if your resume is successful, then more often than not, you will be called in for an interview, if however, you are NOT contacted… Houston, we have a problem resume!

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post Your resume is your passport to a better future appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Your resume is one of the main ways employers have of making a judgement of your ability to perform a role.

Your document requires structure and a pathway of understanding for your reader. It should not be a difficult maze of distracting information to navigate.

It should  reflect who you are, what you have done and what you could offer a new employer; it should not be an example of how much you don’t care about the impression you’re making.

Seriously, the resume that is highlighted below was an actual, live application (yes all the names and contact details have been changed to protect the innocent)

The font size and the layout is exactly as it presented and Dear Ruby (not her real name) was applying for a role as an office assistant. We have left all the errors intact so that you can judge for yourself.

This IS a BAD resume and it will not be able to allow Ruby to get to an interview.

• How many errors can you find?
• What judgement did you make of Ruby as a potential employee?
• Would you refer her to a position within your business?
• What advice would you give Ruby on improving her resume as well as he approach to work outside of Hospitality industry eg for Office work?

check this real example (names changed ) READ ON!

 …………………………………………………………………….

RESUME

 NAME:                Ruby Brown

ADDRESS:          Yada Yada NSW 2444

DOB:                    6^th December 1996

MARTAL STATUE:      single

MOBILE:            0400 600 211

EMAIL:               hotchick96@hotmail.com

PREVOUS EMPLOYMENT:                                  

September 2010 – currence

Company: Flynns on the water Café

Place: Port Macquarie

Position: Barista, Waitress and Cook

Duties:

• Taking orders
• Preparing food
• Customer service
• Cleaning
• Cooking meals takeaway and dine in
• Opening and closing the café
• Ordering stock
• Barista – Making Coffees
• Waitress
• Cash handling

November 2011 – April 2013

Company: Real Expensive Property

Place: Port Macquarie

Position: Traineee Property Manager –

Duties included:

• Answering the phone
• Scheduling and Conducting viewings of rental properties
• Scheduling and Conducting routine inspections

November 2012 – 2014

Company :Boring as anything

Place: Hell on Earth

Position: Admin

Duties included

• Organising repairs/sending work orders
• Entering new tenants in REST
• Updating owners on their investments weekly
• Sending emails
• Receipting rent and water
• Adding, editing and removing rental properties on Port Plus
• Archiving and allocating documents

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS                                                           

2014 Peak Coffee Coarse Module 1, 2 & 3 completed, Port Macquarie

2012 McCafe Barista Certificate completed, Port Macquarie

2013 finished highschool

REFERENCES:                                                                                                      

Joe Blogg

Manager

Mcdonalds

Hobbies

Surfing; swimming; crafts;singing; dancing; going out with friends; music; football; social media;gym; singing

How many errors did you find? This resume is in serious need of an overhaul!

Having your own troubles with resume writing – talk with our expert Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor 

0404056278

The post OMG! A Resume with a bad attitude! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

A job that equals your passion. Are you capable of blending both?

Does your passion translate well into your resume?

Some applicants insert  famous quotes in their resumes? not sure how effective this is, however, inspirational ideas and quotes from successful people are useful to help us remain focused and motivated.

Here are some inspirational quotes to help. Which one resonates the most to you?

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” —Nelson Mandela

I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing that I wanted to do.” — Georgia O’Keefe

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there’s love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” —Ella Fitzgerald

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” —Theodore Roosevelt

“What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” —Bob Dylan

“Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” —Farrah Gray

“I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” —Vincent can Gogh

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” —Mark Twain

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” —Nelson Mandela

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.” —Neil Gaiman

“It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” —Mae Jemison

Do you have a quote that encourages you to follow your passion? Write your own here!

Ivana Agapiou resume writer

The post Does your JOB equal your passion? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Every day we meet with candidates who have not grasped the basic fundamentals of a simple resume.  This is very easy to do as many of us have difficulty writing about ourselves. There is no right or wrong way to write a resume, there are just some golden rules.

There are two considerations before you commence composing on any resume

 1) what is the purpose of you  resume ?

2) who  is the audience / reader?

OK,  let’s examine these two considerations first

1) What is the purpose of a resume?

In our opinion, a good resume is one that gets you to an interview… pure and simple! Therefore the purpose is to influence, persuade and attract the reader’s attention! It should make them want to interview you and spend time getting to know you better.  The resume must be inviting and contain the key elements that pertain to the listed, advertised job. This is the one chance to entice the employer to “buy” you, and not someone else, so your resume needs to be hitting the spot in regards to key criteria and relevant skills. Employers (the readers) can not perform “leaps of faith” and draw the right conclusions unless you make it quite clear that your skills, experience & qualifications match the job that they need filled!

2) Who is the audience /who will read this document?

Research shows that most employers take 6-8 seconds to read a resume.  WOW! that is not much time eh? Especially consider how long the average person spends writing a resume!  So you must pack the punch and hit the target for that job in that short time!

Here are a two most important  hints

1) Phone the employer before sending in an application. Have questions prepared in regards to the job. One of the best questions is “In this role, what does 80% of the day look like?”

2) Write the resume with the job advert in mind. What are they really looking for? Highlight the skills and experiences that you feel will translate easily to the role. Examine the information you have gathered on the role and the content of your resume and see if you can match them both to this job.  If you can’t then just maybe the reader will have difficulty seeing the alignment also. If the advert calls for “experience” in a certain field and you don’t have that experience, what can you write in a positive way that explains how you gained similar experience elsewhere? It’s called transferable skills… but you will have to help them “see” the easy transition,,Whatever you do, DO NOT write “I DON’T have the experience required!”

If you need help devising a winning resume, Eather Recruitment offer a great service https://www.eatherrecruitment.com.au/jobseekers/resume-writing-and-reviews/

or contact Ivana on 0404056278 for a chat about how we can help you! Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post Resumes mean a lot! Is yours good enough? what is enough? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

A relevant resume is still required, but you also need to get a grip and smooth your way around responses to Criteria or Capability statements.

As well as a great resume, you need to understand how to provide relevant responses,  you have to make your job application look & read like the process was effortless! Just like these pelicans in the pic, you can’t see the mad peddling under the water, all you see is smooth operation and a “glide”! we know that JOB applications & Resumes that require you to respond to Key Selection Criteria can be – NO, ARE  a very time-consuming task that requires great skill. 

 Responding to key criteria

In this article, I provide a sample criteria that comes up often for  many roles, and that is,

“High-level written and verbal communication skills including well-developed presentation skills.”

Good communication is a core competencies for all jobs.. regardless of the level! Notice that this statement also asks for 3 skill-sets – written/verbal and presentation to an audience. You can try to “bundle” all three,  or you can divide it up, either way, I strong suggest a very basic formula to follow:-   S.A.R  – Situation/ action / response

Summarise what you understand is effective communication first, then provide a great examples of when you used your communication skills effectively ….

Here is an example scenario –  when you were Managing Director’s PA and had to place a convincing argument to upgrade communication systems/phones which included Data base acquisition.

Situation – MD not sure about necessary change – no systems in place and antiquated phone and IT

Action – What did you actually “do” in this instance…  acted – took initiative to consult / listen/ research data… report. .cost analysis  – demonstrate benefits to Manager

Result – implementation of new process and procedures along with new IT supporting the changes – cost saving; time efficiencies; streamlined systems

The same formula applies to  Presentation skills

Explain how it is all about the audience! Who are they? What are the objectives of the presentation? To persuade? To inform?

Situation – you recently presented a mini – education assessing to Business Women’s network meeting

Action – had to prepare and present on Eather Recruitment – why use a recruiter?

Result – audience informed of services and persuaded to consider when next recruiting – connecting with a larger audience and personalizing the contact. Three leads were made and followed through with successful sales

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post Job criteria-Capability statements, How to respond… and get the Job Interview! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

BEST advice on Interview questions

Your resume got you to an interview!!! YAH congratulations… now Here are some guidelines for responding to some potentially “tricky” interview questions  ..You may have some idea of what might be asked of you at interview, but many of us don’t have a clue how to respond (especially if we are also a bit nervous!)

So, check out the list of frequently asked questions and click on link to discover how you might respond.

1. What is your greatest strength? – Best Answers
2. What is your greatest weakness? – Best Answers
3. How do you handle stress and pressure? – Best Answers
4. Describe a difficult work situation / project and how you overcame it. – Best Answers
5. How do you evaluate success? – Best Answers
6. Why are you leaving or have left your job? – Best Answers
7. Why do you want this job? – Best Answers
8. Why should we hire you? – Best Answers
9. What are your goals for the future? – Best Answers
10. Tell me about yourself. – Best Answers

More Interview Questions

Job Interview Questions and Answers
Common job interview questions, plus sample answers you can use to practice for a job interview.

Want more information – click below

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest.htm

The post Cheat Sheet – Top 10 Interview Questions & Responses 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.

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.

Resumes generally don’t reveal much about the real “you”. Yes, it’s an historical snap shot of your work life.. but what does it say about your unique personality? What do you want it to “say” about you?

Want to stand out? Want your resume to get you to an interview? Then a simple  ELEVATOR speech or an “About me” statement is a great way to differentiate your resume from the rest!

Definition: An elevator spiel in job searching includes a 15-30 second overview of an individual’s knowledge, skills, and accomplishments. The term comes from the time it takes to complete a normal elevator ride from the top to the bottom floor. An “elevator speech” is an opportunity to sell you!

So it’s basically a spoken commercial that explains to people who you are, what you do and what kind of position you’re seeking. Most people don’t understand, though, that an elevator pitch should also be a crucial part of your resume.

Need help?

Then answer these questions in a “real” voice. Like you’re speaking to your mother, or a couple of friends (I even recommend that you speak into a voice recorder, or just go ahead and call your own voicemail, and answer these questions out loud. That’s the best way to get a conversational tone….)

• Why do you want to work in Retail/ Hospitality or Tourism?
• What is it that you find interesting about it?
• No, seriously, don’t talk to me like I’m your boss, what do you really find interesting about it?
• Why do you want to stay in this field?
• What do you like about this industry?
• When you’re in the shower in the morning, what types of challenges at work make you excited to get to work as soon as possible?
• When are you having the most fun?

It’s like establishing your very own personal brand allowing you to differentiate and position yourself from the competition and claim your job!

Here are some examples to help you get going!

A Marketing role

The Pitch: “I like to shine from behind the scenes. I am an office support professional with experience managing Marketing Programs and Initiatives for the manufactured consumer products industry. Being the people person that I am, I enjoy being hands-on in getting to know what the customer wants/needs and then working within company guidelines to make it happen. I’d be thrilled to share more about my background.”

A Sales Role

The Pitch: “A sales professional with solid track record of winning new and repeat business. I’d like to continue that success for a company that wants to generate more business. My background shows that I have exceeded sales targets and helped boost market share. I’m technological proficiency, particularly in web research. Being a great listener, helps me understand and address client needs. I’ve been fascinated by the sales process and am driven by the impact I can have on a company’s growth”.

A Barista

The Pitch: “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; 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!”

A Reception or front line role

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: “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 t 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”.

Explaining why you for the role?

The Pitch: “Currently I am seeking work for my gap year. I am keen on a role within………..?because….. …?

I am a personable, naturally curious person who is keen to further develop my communication and work skills. I know I will be working when others are partying, however, I enjoy helping others have a great event. I am available for any shifts and for week-ends”.

NOTE- 25 – 50 words IS ENOUGH… but make sure you do make it 100% about you! NO lies; no made-up stories! Still stumped? Try this free career Quiz… the results may help you describe your self in more individual terms!

http://www.carecareers.com.au/page/career-quiz Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

RESUME WRITING PORT MACQUARIE

Good luck!

The post Why you for this job? The elevator statement is a must! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Resumes are not just  a snap shot of your career, they can tell the reader a whole heap more…

A resume was recently emailed to me for a job within administration.  Under the heading of Personal Details and along with DOB, there was a heading of “Marital Statue”.  Now, if whilst reading this resume in a hurry, or for the very first time, you may have missed the misspelling, the writer of this resume, helped to see the heading by encasing with and underline, used large font and highlighted in bold. It was proudly displayed for all to read, not once, but several times.

Firstly, let’s talk about marital status (status, being the right word, albeit, in the wrong place/context)

The definition of marital status, is any of several distinct options that describe a person’s relationship with a significant other. Married, single, divorced, and widowed are examples of marital status.

So why insert this into your resume?

One it’s not needed

I mean who needs to know and why do they need to know? I kinda, sorta understand if the role was working in the isolated  icy cold Tundra for months at a time, and therefore  the job may place a strain on any relationship – but really? Many workers cope with remoteness, many people work well away from family and friends for extended periods.

Two, it’s a typo and/or spelling error

Oh God, here’s my passion project! READ REVIEW SLEEP AND READ AND REVIEW again!  Repeat and rinse! Then get a person who has a profound eye for detail to check the resume again BEFORE pressing send!  My spellcheck would not allow Marital Statue to pass muster, even a computer insisted that I make it marital status.

Three, it shows a sloppy application and therefore, rightly or wrongly,  judgements are made about YOU

The job advertisement specifically called for “attention to detail” but even so, who wants to employ a sloppy worker? One that could be great, but, well that’s just it … the reader is left in doubt..

There used to be a time with Marital STATUS was an important factor in assessing a candidate for a job. I believe that was when Noah gathered animals for the Arc, but perhaps I’m wrong.  Perhaps there still are pockets of prejudiced people who think that relationship status is important. Perhaps they watched too many episodes of Mad Men. I digress.  Please ask yourself when relationship status would be important and how this status could affect an individual’s performance? And even if this could be explained, why would you want to work for an organisation that has this as a criterion?

Finally,  YOUR RESUME is YOUR Image…. Pure and simple… make it read like the person  they want to hire!

Ivana Agapiou Resume writer and career advisor

The post Your Resume…Your image…your choice appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Are you enhancing or damaging 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 us based on their perceptions. 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!

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 and Labour Hire’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
Eather Recruitment and Labour Hire

The post What image are you projecting? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Finding and keeping skilled staff in small regional areas can be a challenge. Often locals or people moving to area have decided to relocate for financial reasons, some are unskilled or semi-skilled,  or if not, the demographic statistics indicate that many move to more remote areas for retirement purposes. The general lack of major industry and employment opportunities does not always attract the best candidates. So how do employers in regional areas attract the best staff? Here are a few helpful hints that we have gathered from working with top employers who have managed to attract and retain their good staff.

• Offer an attractive “package” deal. This may not always be financial, there may be “other nice to haves” that will act as incentives, for example, help with re-location, finding accommodation options or subsidies. An inclusion of use of a car, petrol allowance, 9 day fortnights are just some ideas.
• Refer to employee and employer tax relief incentives that could benefit you and the employee
• Involve them in decsions that will affect them, ask for opinions and listen to suggestions
• Create and maintain a positive, warm work environment, praise often and provide opportunities for feedback and conversations on expectations
• Recognise effort and good work. A simple “thank you” or a small gift is always gratefully accepted
• Discover why they have moved to area or have chosen to live there. What will keep them there? What motivates them? once you have found out more about them, their family and their interests, you will be able to choose the best rewards! for example, if spending time with family is of great importance, an extra day off here and there may just do the trick!
• Learn to read between the lines in a resume. Many metro candidates have specialised and if you can read “transferable” skills, you may have found a great candidate!

These are just a few simple suggestions. Recruitment is an expensive exercise, so it is important that when you do get the best person for the role, that person feels valued.  There is no guarantee that they will remain, however, there is a higher probability that they will!

Most of all, your reputation as a great employer will grow, and with this, more quality staff will be attracted to your business! what goes around comes around!

Ivana Agapiou

Career advise and Resume writer

The post Looking for staff in Port Macquarie or within Regional NSW? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Soft skills – take it seriously for job success

Daniel Goleman, Author of “Emotional Intelligence”,  claims that the best predictor of a highly successful person include the following 6 traits

1. Possess a natural courisity about others

They ask a lot of questions  when meeting new people, They actually listen to their answers!  They are highly empathic people, someone attuned to the needs and feeling of others, and may also mark high on openness to experience – this trait opens up creativity and inventiveness.

2. They are self-aware

To be emotionally intelligent, Goleman says, you need to have confidence. To have confidence, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. Then you work from that framework.

3. They pay attention

If you are distracted you can’t make connections!. Additionally, the ability to remain focused–and not carried away by texts and tweets–predicts not just the ability to form strong relationships and cultivate self-knowledge, Goleman says, but also your financial success.

“Your ability to concentrate on the work you’re doing, and to put off looking at that text or playing that video game until after you’re done,” he tells the Huffington Post. “How good you are at that in childhood turns out to be a stronger predictor of your financial success in adulthood than either your IQ or the wealth of the family you grew up in.”

4. They can say “No”

People with high emotional intelligence, Goleman says,  can avoid unhealthy habits and otherwise discipline themselves–which also allows for relationship-nourishing, success-engendering non-distraction.

5. They know precisely what’s upsetting them

People with a high EQ acknowledge emotions as they come rather than repressing them or misattributing their causes. You could call this is Emotional Fitness.

6. They trust  intuition and take heed of Red Flags

There are neuroscientific reasons for trusting your gut: the red flags; the warning signs: Part of having a high EQ is learning when to trust them!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://eatherrecruitment.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ivana-permanent-and-temporary-staff-solutions.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Ivana Agapiou Eather [/author_info] [/author]

The post Important job skills for a successful life appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Everyone has networks, but not everyone has networking in their job marketing plan. This is a well-proven strategy to assist job seekers source work.

So many jobs are found through word of mouth and many say “it’s who you know”.  Who do you know in your networks that are in positions of power or even people who know other influential people?  Are you maintaining contact with your networks? Do they know you are seeking work?

Don’t forget that small business is a BIG employer and many don’t have very sophisticated recruitment processes, even though they have very profitable businesses. Sometimes they may ask  current employees to refer “someone they know” for one or more of their vacant positions. If you have not connected with your circle, how will they know to mention your name?

In this Blog I am only discussing the face to face encounter. Social Media is a whole other chapter! However, it is vital that all your marketing is congruent, ie. your image on FB should reflect your professionalism too!

In summary, use each  encounter/ event/seminar/introduction to showcase your professionalism, your commitment to your industry of choice, your positive personality and most of all your advanced communication skills. When “working a room” – (more on this great tactic in another blog- shish so many interesting angles  to this topic!) make sure you ask questions and don’t monopolise a conversation – yep.. it’s 10% talk and 90% listen rule that applies at business and social functions. Keep your business card handy and collect ones from others. Follow up with a nice to meet you email. You want to be remembered and remembered for all the great things!

Just like meeting the Fockers for the first time – every meeting is a chance to impress!

Ivana Agapiou

Eather Recruitment Pty Ltd

The post Networking is Working and working often appeared first on Eather Recruitment.