DO
- Make a list of companies in the industry you are in our entering. It’s important to research and proactively know your market. For instance if you’re wanting to work as an Accountant in Australia, you should research and make a list of the top 100 Accounting firms and then regularly check their company websites for job listings.
- Do a comprehensive search of job board websites. Below (?) we give you a more detailed run through of how to apply using the two most popular and important job boards SEEK and LinkedIn. It’s also worth searching CareerOne and Indeed for relevant roles so that you’re covering all your bases. There could be job listings that only appear on one or two job boards and you don’t want to miss out on these.
- Apply for relevant positions. Make sure that you read the job descriptions carefully. You want to make sure that you have the skills and experience necessary to do the job. Some roles will be the next step up from where your currently at in your career and it’s okay to aim for these types of roles. However, you must be realistic, if the employer is looking for seven years experience and you’re a graduate, it will be a waste of everyone’s time if you apply.
- Tailor your application for every single job you apply for. Even if you’re a great candidate for a role, it would be hard for a recruiter or hiring manager to consider your application if it’s cookie cutter and doesn’t demonstrate you have looked at the job specifically. For example, if the company and job title are listed make sure you are referencing this. Sometimes we see applications for jobs that have the job title listed wrong and this is such a bad look.
- Check over your email address and social media to make sure they are private and professional. It’s common practice for recruiters and/or employers to look over prospective employees social media profiles to make sure there aren’t any red flags. Companies don’t want to waste time and money hiring people who don’t align with their values, so make sure you don’t have a publicly visible profile photo where you’re doing something unprofessional I.e anything overtly sexual, or displaying egregious behaviour.
- Keep a record of your applications. It’s a waste of your time and a bad look to apply for the same job twice. So keep on top of which jobs and companies you’ve already applied for. It is important that you know where your resume has gone. For most places you should wait 6-12 months before applying again to the same company. Recruiters need to be aware of where you’ve applied, so make sure you inform your recruiter of all your previous applications. We don’t want to go to the same places you’ve already gone. Recruiters will work hard for you but you need to be transparent. Do yourself a service by keeping track. There is no harm in saying you applied but didn’t hear back.
- Follow up with a call. If you’re applying for jobs without the help of a recruiter then it’s your responsibility to keep track and follow up on your applications. A good rule of thumb is to wait two weeks after you’ve applied before phoning to check in.
DON’T
- Don’t leave sections of the application unanswered. If you can’t be bothered to fill out all the questions in your job application what else won’t you bother to do as an employee? It may be time consuming but it’s important you fill out all the relevant sections to the best of your ability. Take the time to show that you care and want the job you’re applying for.
- Don’t have spelling or grammatical errors. Your application is making a first impression with your recruiter or hiring manager and first impressions count! Do everything in your power to present yourself as a skilled, professional who is able to meet the requirements of the job.