Get the job YOU want! (Part 1)

Resume

Before you decide to apply for any positions online or directly it’s vital that you ensure that the one document between you and a hiring manager or even worse an Applicant Tracking system (ATS) is your resume.

Please promise me that you’ll not pay for a “professional” to design or create a resume on your behalf! The thought of somebody charging for this service makes my blood boil especially when I know how simple it is to put such a document together.

We don’t profit or benefit whatsoever by recommending hloom.com this website is one of many examples that is firstly safe to download a quality resume template free of charge. My best recommendation is to find a design that you like and start editing from there, I’m a big fan of these templates as they’ve clearly been designed with the reader in mind.

Watch this supporting video to confirm the main tips we have for creating a quality resume.

Cover Letter

If you’re sending your resume to a potential employer – take the time out to write a quality cover letter! The amount of candidates who don’t do this well is astonishing! Hloom.com also have a heap of cover letter examples that you can use as a starting point but to make it easier for you we’ve created a simple video to highlight the main things to consider when writing a successful cover letter.

Networking

Literally the last thing we want to do in this world is encourage candidates to “work a room” when it comes to networking, however if your open to new opportunities and you are driven then booking in regular networking events could be the easiest way to build relationships with decision makers within your niche. You don’t need to overdo this activity, a quarterly attendance i.e. four times a year once every three months. Networking events have been proven as a fantastic way to start a relationship with reputable likeminded professionals within your space, here is a short video which steps you through the main things to consider when looking to attend networking events of any variety.

Recruiters

I’ve worked with and managed countless amounts of Recruitment Consultants all with their own unique style and approaches to the role. The one thing that is evident throughout all of these professionals is that they like you to present your skills sets and experiences in black and white. They’ll all ask you open ended descriptive questions to probe you to answer questions around your ambitions but ultimetly what their client is looking for in a candidate. Make the time to prepare for this prior by following these simple steps in this video.

Before an interview

Good practice can make perfect but nobody needs you to be perfect, what is expected mind is that your prepared for your conversation during an interview. Spending three hours preparing for an hour interview is about what is required to present yourself as somebody who clearly understands both the opportunity and company in question. Again here is a short video which steps you through what is required to ace this process.

Part two will cover what to do during an interview, after an interview, your personal branding, LinkedIn profiles along with explaining how Applicant Tracking systems work and how you can beat them.

Karl Rowlands is the National Manager for ProCare Australia, AustraliaÕs go to Community Services recruitment agency and heÕs agreed to take the time out to help our nurses in laying the foundations to becoming successful with your careers. Part one outlines 5 key steps to writing a great resume and connecting with the right people to get the job you want.