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Apologies for the lack of writing yesterday, I needed to get my back, back into some sort of order. That’s the trouble with being glued to an office chair most of the time; one forgets that you can move around.
 
So how are you today? I hope you are excited about what the day is going to bring to you. You are aren’t you?
 
If I were to hazard a guess, most people reading this, will probably not be jumping up and down at the thought of another day of doing the same things they did yesterday. And I must admit I can’t blame you. Sometimes I feel that “work” is a habit we have gotten ourselves into. Whilst some of the habits we have are sometimes good to have, you did clean your teeth this morning didn’t you? Some of them are not, like going to work but not enjoying the time you spend in the office. Go on admit it, work is a habit you’ve gotten into isn’t it. Can you honestly say that the job you are doing is the one you chose when you were a kid, and if we are honest it's hardly the one we are planning on doing in the next five to ten years is it?
 
What do you want to do in the next five to ten years anyway? Some people insist they live “in the now”, but some long term planning / thoughts are important. Where can you see yourself? And what are you going to do today to get yourself there? If you don’t do something today, when are you going to do something about living the life you say you always wanted to live?
 
As someone once said – life is not a dress rehearsal, we don’t get a second chance (as far as we know), we don’t have a clock that can “turn back time”.
 
Today I would like you to spend some time (how much is up to you) and sit down and actually decide what it is you want this life to bring you….and then I need you to work out what you need to do in order to get there….that’s called long term planning. OK you might not know all the steps, but we can work some of them out now, others we will work out as we need to.
 
What job do you want? What qualifications do you need? Check the paper for the job you want, get the selection criteria, answer them as best you can – the difference between answering all the questions and only answering some of them is the course of study you need to take, (or life skills you need to learn). Then all you need to do is ask yourself if you are willing to put in the hours of study and learning in order to reach that “goal”. And only you can decide that.
 
But if you don’t know what you want to be “when you grow up” then any old job will do won’t it, after all they pay the bills.
And I know the question will be - but what do you want to be when you grow up? I have to admit that I am on the way to the kind of life that I want. I don't know all the twists and turns yet, and given the state of my back when I don't get the work/life balance thing sorted out, I still have work to do on that score...but I have always wanted to be a writer, and/or an actress. As a published writer I can honestly say I have fulfilled part of my goals, now all I need to do is become a well known published writer (ie., outside my own personal sphere) and I feel I will have made it part way there. Then I just need the money that goes with being a well known writer and I will definitely feel that I have made it. How about you? What are you doing today that is taking you towards where you say you want to be in the next couple of years or are you just spinning your wheels, like a tractor stuck in sand?

Are you afraid to say no to a job offer? After all, you did spend a great deal of time putting your application together, organising your interview clothes and then answering a million questions during the rapid half an hour you'd been allocated to prove you were the best person for the job. So why would you consider turning work down?

There are many reasons for turning work down. It may be you have been offered the perfect job and the one you are turning down doesn't even come close. Or it may be that you didn't like the people or the place - sometimes your instinct knows when something isn't right and whatever "it" is - you don't feel you will stay long even if you did take the job. Which is why - people feel they shouldn't.

Most people are, especially when it comes to turning a job down, they feel that by turning a job opportunity down they are:

• Never going to work again;
• Wasting everyone’s time – including their own, the interviewers, the HR people, the employment agency;
• The job market is so tight there just isn’t anything else going; and
• You need the money.

This internal negative dialogue can be deafening, and most people are afraid of it, so they give in, reasoning that anything will do, and it will solve a few problems after all.

In reality all this does is create more problems than it solves. You may start out by trying to do the right thing by your new boss, you arrive on time, you do what is expected of you – but no more, you don’t make the effort to fit in.

Then what happens?

You don’t want to get out of bed in a morning, your appearance isn’t as sharp as it used to be, you may take longer lunch breaks than you are supposed to. As things start to progress you resent those people who are “getting on”, receiving pay rises that you don’t seem to get any more, people don’t include you in their conversations or out of work activities, you may even start to take time off work because you hate the place and the people in it.

Most people are afraid to trust their instincts that says – actually this job isn’t right for me. The job sounded great on paper, and that is why I applied for it. But it’s not really what I want to do at all.  I know something better is just around the corner, one that will fit my skills and abilities far better, and be far more challenging than this role.

So don’t be afraid to say no.

I was asked to lead a panel of experts on “the employers perspective”  when it comes to selecting candidates to interview, and the answers we expected to receive as part of those interviews. We had about 50 RSVP for the event, which was free to anyone who wanted to take advantage of the knowledge we were about to share. Of those 50, approximately 30 turned up, which says a lot about the motivation of some people to find work.  Of those who did attend, and this was telling – only 4 people (not counting myself and my colleagues) would I have considered to have passed the first “test” of taking the time to present themselves in a manner that said – I am taking this seriously.

Bear in mind that myself and my colleagues represented 4 very large employers in the state, we all have the power to hire – and only 4 of the 30 attendees took the time to dress to impress. What was also interesting though, no-one had taken the time to bring an up to date CV to hand to myself or my colleagues either which seems a little silly.

I know I have rather skipped ahead – you would think that starting a program on Motivate Me to find work I would start with writing CV’s and job applications wouldn’t you. But there are some things that need to be stated with regards to presentation – BEFORE you get to the interview stage.

Handing in your application:

Say you were going to hand deliver your application because you wanted to find out where the organisation was based, what the people looked like and whether you liked the building. Do you go in whatever you are currently wearing, regardless of what it is, or do you take the time to make a bit of an effort – after all you never know who you are going to meet.

Hint – if you are taking the trouble of hand delivering your application, then make sure you are dressed the part. Never assume the person on the reception desk is the receptionist as some people may be covering for the role, and don’t ever think the receptionist is only JUST a receptionist. I know of several organisations who specifically ask the person on reception about the candidates who were sitting waiting for their appointment. And of course there are the people you will meet on the way into the building, or standing in reception at the time you walk in. How embarrassing would it be for you to be called in for an interview only to discover the person you were rude to was actually the person doing the hiring, and had looked down at your torn jeans and daggy jumper. Would you do well in the interview? Probably not – given their “memory” of you will always be tainted by that first meeting.

So – dress to impress.

Go for classic:

If you are planning on working in the corporate world – go for the classic look. Ladies – knee length skirts, jackets and a clean, pressed blouse are always a good choice. Even better if it’s a suit, or a dress with a jacket over the top. Wear stockings and a nice pair of shoes that you can walk in....or put another way – don’t wear heels if you only wear them to interviews – believe me they take practice to walk in and look confident enough to do so. Gents, always go for the suit, shirt and tie. Yes it may sound boring, but it’s expected, and make sure your shoes are clean and polished.

A simple question - What do you look like?

Make sure you haven’t missed bits when you were shaving, ladies – nail polish should not be chipped, hair brushed and if you dye your hair, make sure the roots don’t need touching up. It may sound petty – but remember this one thing – it’s a game, and if you want to win, then you do need to play it effectively.

So what do you look like?

Put on your outfit of choice and get ready as if you were going to attend the interview. Now, go and stand in front of the mirror and assess yourself. Ask yourself the tell all question – would you hire the person standing in front of you?

Until next time.


This was first published in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine on 23rd July 2010

 Is your CV up to date?

Odd thing to start off a job search with perhaps, but it is important. If you "had" to look for a job today - because you had just been made redundant, would you be able to submit your CV in time for the closing date if that date was today?

Tip: Always keep your CV up to date - even in your current position, because we forget what we have done in the spur of trying to get something completed. Your CV should be a working document, not something carved into stone.

What should your CV contain?

All the highlights and significant achievements. Don't down play your role and what you have achieved. Don't make people guess about what you are good at .... tell them.

What should you not tell them?

Age, religion, sexual preferences, no of kids, etc. We do not want to give a prospective employer any chance for turning us down.

When I was studying for my degree I listened in amazement as my lecturer told us that she had been asked how many children she had - of course the assumption is - as a woman, you are going to be taking time off work to give birth and when kids fall sick you are usually the one to take time off (well it was in "my day"). My lecturer said - I have a dozen children and plan to have more.... Of course in today's political society prospective employers should never ask you those kinds of questions, or if they do - they should ask everyone who they interview .... including men and people who it can be deemed may be rather too old to be thinking about babies....but - do you answer? Up to you - I'd be tempted to answer as my lecturer did.

Spell check and proof read (not the same thing).

Homonyms - "correct" word, wrong context - boot (could mean a pair of boots or the boot (trunk) of a car... Then you have the usual grammatical errors - It's, its ... They, their, they're - all mean very different things, and if used incorrectly can prove you
a) do not have good eye for detail
b) do not have good written communication skills
c) makes you appear lazy with regards to your writing. 

So - Read everything out loud before sending things through - as this one technique can highlight errors like nothing else can. And really that goes for any piece of written correspondence and not just your CV.

If you have never had to look for a job before (or it has been a while since you have had to look for a job) you may not know where to look. These are a few of the resources available to you.

• Local Papers
• National Papers - but don't just look in the jobs section. Always check the business pages, find out which businesses are moving into your area and send them a speculative letter as not all their staff will relocate when they move.
• Shop Windows
• Places that need to be "manned" 24/7 - fast food joints, supermarkets, service stations, hospitals, hotels, motels, boarding schools.
• High turnover places - whilst that includes some of the above, think about it - what are the jobs that most people hate to do and can't wait to leave - filing clerks, ironing, bathroom attendants, shopping mall cleaners, security etc. But if you are desperate for money and don't mind what you do - even if it's only for a short period of time, then don't discount these kinds of jobs. I worked in a biscuit factory straight from school. It proves you are motivated.
• Start your own business - gardening, mowing lawns, ironing, housekeeping, cleaning, dog walking, child minding, baby sitting, filing
• Speak to your network - if your networking is not working then neither will you be. Facebook, Twitter and List servs pertaining to your industry.
• Events - but don't go armed with your CV, just listen to conversations and if asked - you can then say you are between jobs at the moment, and if they hear of anything would they please keep you in mind. Bear in mind you can also pay this one forward - if you hear of someone looking for a person and know someone - then do them the favour too.
• Online job boards - get creative with your search terms though, remember what you call a certain job / position others may call it something else.
• Company websites
• Employment agencies - either niche specialist agencies if you have a particular trade / profession or generalist agencies who - like their name says - employ in more than one area. Large companies tend to use preferred suppliers for everything including employment. If you are interested in working for a particular organisation - then call up HR and inquire politely whether they are aligned with a specific employment agency.

And whilst you are working - Ok the work may not be very interesting, it may not even pay very well, but if that's the difference between having money or not - then guess what ... not only do you have something to put on your resume / cv - but you have the motivation to keep looking for something else. After all if you can get 1 job, you can get many others .... And besides you never know where it may lead. Think internal recruitment, secondments and promotion etc.

Good luck with your job search.

This was first published in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

There is one thing you should never procrastinate over and that is applying for jobs / positions.

Don't leave things to the last minute because:

1. You will need time to put together the application, the covering letter, answers to selection criteria and customise your CV for the desired role. It is not something that can be written and sent in the one day. ALWAYS leave a day or two between writing the initial application etc and editing it before sending it on to the prospective employer. In fact this one technique is essential for any professional piece of written communication you write and send. Assignments are always better after being left a day before editing - guaranteed you will find spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.
2. Technology may fail. Not just yours, but if you are sending your application by email - never assume it will get there in time, so make sure you send it a good couple of days before the closing date. Add a read receipt so you know it has got there, or telephone the next day to make sure it has. The same goes for online applications - things fall over, connections break or fail, things that look like they have been sent - aren't. Don't trust anything.
3. Ditto with snail mail.
4. Leaving a job application to the last minute also smacks of a lack of planning on your part and maybe procrastination too - get in early, look keen. But don't rush the application either.

This was first published in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

When you are applying for a position it is ESSENTIAL that you follow the instructions to the letter.

Job application packages are there to help you, so take time to read them thoroughly and highlight the area on how to apply and in particular "what to submit with your application".

Failure to follow their instructions means your application will end up in what we term File 13, or the round receptacle under the desk. If you cannot follow simple instructions will you be able to follow "orders"? It also smacks of a lack of attention to detail....you know - one of THOSE questions the prospective employer always likes answers to. If you don't follow the instructions, you have demonstrated only too well that you don't have what they need.

Sounds harsh?

Not if your life or the life of your colleagues or patients depend upon it. Imagine a science experiment where you think you've added the right combination of chemicals - well it's nearly right... Nearly right is not always good enough.

I have had an ongoing dialogue with a person who seems to have a blind spot with regards to these kinds of instructions. As I have said to him many times, if the prospective employer wants you to hand write the application on purple paper with green ink, then that is exactly what you send them.

    * Follow their instructions as stated in the job application package or advertisement
    * Only send them what they have asked for - nothing else
    * Make sure the application gets to them in plenty of time

This was first published in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine on the 2nd August 2010

Failure to customize means failing to get the job you want

In our Motivate Me to find work section we look at -

Not getting the jobs you think you can do standing on your head? There might be a few Issues and Problems to sort out.

and that includes - Failure to customize your application

Your CV / Resume is not a once size fits all document, you should have a master document and you should then customize different versions for the different types of position you are applying for.

No, this is not about fudging the truth, rather ensuring you have the correct mix of keywords and key phrases in your document(s).

If a prospective employer asks applicants to have experience in a particular type of software, then they want to see that information in your CV or Resume and your Job Application (Covering Letters, Forms and Statements Addressing the Selection Criteria). They want you to state that you are familiar with it, how much experience you have with it, where you used it and how long ago.

Employers don’t like to guess.

Did you know that some employers use software to check documents for keyword density for a designed set of parameters? Well believe it or not they do and applications without the correct density will be rejected.

Can you afford to be rejected because of a lack of basic information such as this?

Why do organizations use software to do the initial weeding of applicants? In a tight labor market, where there are hundreds of applicants for each job it can be a very time consuming and labor intensive job to go through each application individually, so they get the computer to do the initial work for them. If you have ever wondered why you are specifically asked to submit your application online – well now you know.

How do you know what the designated parameters are?

Read the advertisement, the job application package and any other information you are given or sent very carefully. Go through the information with a notebook and pen and / or a highlighter pen. Write down or highlight the re-occurring words or phrases. You should pay particular attention to “Essential” and “Desirable” Selection Criteria. Applicants are usually selected to attend an interview if they are deemed to have met ALL of the “Essential” Selection Criteria and most (if not all) of the “Desirable” criteria as well.

Employers also don’t like to train if they can hire something that already has the right mix of skills and abilities they need.

Does your application prove that or not?

This was first published in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine on the 4th August 2010

When it comes to writing out your application, especially covering letters and statements addressing the selection criteria there are some important points to remember:

• Be positive about your previous roles - it may be hard to do if you have been laid off / terminated / don't like your supervisor and had to leave, but it's important that you are...positive that is.
• When giving examples always focus on the good, not the bad - although you could be forgiven for thinking the prospective employer wants the down and dirty when they ask you what was your biggest challenge to date. Tip 1: Make sure it is a single BIG problem, not several minor annoyances that you faced. Tip 2: What the prospective employer is looking for is how you handled the situation - crying in the corner is not an acceptable resolution. What was the problem, how did you handle it, what were the positives. Believe me - there is always a positive. Your job as a perfect candidate would be to find it.
• Don't just focus on the job role, but the achievements you made within that role.
• Spell check and grammar - this should not need to be said - however, the amount of times we have received applications from people who did neither, or used SMS speak is frightening. Remember too the homonym problem ... right sounding word, completely wrong context - Imagine going for a bored role ... for instance, where there will be lots of bored meetings. Now the meetings may well be boring, but you are hardly going to get to sit in on them if you get that word wrong.
• Get someone else to edit / proof read. If you don't think you are capable of doing it yourself - and let’s face it, we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to selling ourselves, so entrust this job to someone you trust. But then get a second opinion; we want to ensure we give ourselves the best chance of getting through the written application stage and into the interview.
• Make sure you submit the application in good time.

Follow the instructions, make sure you send / give them exactly what they want and ensure the application gets to the right person in time. Yours may be the best application, but if it arrives the day after closing date you have just wasted your time.

This was first published on the 6th August 2010 in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

“My father always told me, "Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.”- Jim Fox

Are you afraid to say no to a job offer? After all, you did spend a great deal of time putting your application together, organizing your interview clothes and then answering a million questions during the rapid half an hour you'd been allocated to prove you were the best person for the job. So why would you consider turning a job down?

There are many reasons for turning a job down. It may be you have been offered the perfect job and the one you are now turning down doesn't even come close. Or it may be that you didn't like the people or the place. Unfortunately, people feel obliged to take a job because they may feel they are:

• Never going to work again, because the job market is so tight, they may think there is not going to be anything else going;
• Wasting everyone’s time – including their own, the interviewers, the HR people, the employment agency;
• Desperate for the money.

This internal negative dialogue can be deafening, and most people are afraid of it, so they give in, reasoning that anything will do, and it will solve a few problems after all.

In reality all this does is create more problems than it solves. You may start out by trying to do the right thing by your new boss, you arrive on time, you do what is expected of you – but no more, you don't make the effort to fit in.

Then what happens?

You don't want to get out of bed in a morning, your appearance isn't as sharp as it used to be, you may take longer lunch breaks than you are supposed to. As things start to progress you resent those people who are “getting on”, receiving pay rises that you don't seem to get any more, people don't include you in their conversations or out of work activities, you may even start to take time off work because you hate the place and the people in it.

Most people are afraid to trust their instincts that says – actually this job isn't right for me. The job sounded great on paper, and that is why I applied for it. But it’s not really what I want to do at all.  I know something better is just around the corner, one that will fit my skills and abilities far better, and be far more challenging than this role.

So don't be afraid to say no, but before you do - make sure you ego and your attitude is completely in line with your skills, abilities and ethics.

This was first published on 16th August in the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

There are some good indications to say the job market IS picking up. However, that may not be the case for everyone and this article aims to give you guidance on how to get ahead in the job hunting market.

Part 1: Written Applications

1.CV’s

Is your CV up to date? Odd thing to start off a job search with perhaps, but it is important. If you "had" to look for a job today - because you had just been made redundant, would you be able to submit your CV in time for the closing date if that date was today?

It is essential to keep your CV up to date, especially during your current placement. We can forget what we have done in the spur of trying to get something completed. Your CV should be a working document, not something carved into stone.

What should your CV contain?

One of the often unstated areas is what we call highlights and significant achievements. Don't down play your role and what you have achieved. Don't make people guess about what you are good at, tell them.

What you should not tell them:

There are certain things that should be left off your CV / Resume, and whilst some of them can be guessed by the person(s) reading your application. It is a little hard to discriminate against you if you have not explicitly told them certain things such as your:

·         Age

·         Date of birth

·         Religion

·         Sexual preferences

·         Number of children

·         Hobbies

People can and do still get discriminated against because of this kind of information, so don’t give the prospective employer any way of eliminating you based on certain biases.

When I was studying for my degree (granted a few years ago now) I listened in amazement as one of our lecturers told us that during one interview she had been asked how many children she had - of course the assumption is - as a woman, you are going to be taking time off work to give birth and when kids fall sick you are usually the one to take time off (well it was in "my day"). My lecturer said - I have a dozen children and plan to have more. At the time I don’t think she had any, but she just wanted to make a very large point.

Of course in today's political society prospective employers should never ask you those kinds of questions, or if they do - they should ask everyone who they interview, including men and people who it can be deemed may be rather too old to be thinking about babies. Bear in mind the job may demand time away from home and / or late nights and they may feel they have the right to ask if your “other” responsibilities will impact on your availability and ability to do the job.

1.1: Not getting the jobs you think you can do standing on your head? There might be a few Issues and Problems to sort out.

1.1.1: Failure to customise your application

Your CV / Resume is not a once size fits all document, you should have a master document and you should then customise different versions for the different types of position you are applying for.

No, this is not about fudging the truth, rather ensuring you have the correct mix of keywords and key phrases in your document(s).

If a prospective employer asks applicants to have experience in a particular type of software, then they want to see that information in your CV or Resume and your Job Application (Covering Letters, Forms and Statements Addressing the Selection Criteria). They want you to state that you are familiar with it, how much experience you have with it, where you used it and how long ago.

Employers don’t like to guess.

Did you know that some employers use software to check documents for keyword density for a designed set of parameters? Well believe it or not they do and applications without the correct density will be rejected.

Can you afford to be rejected because of a lack of basic information such as this?

Why do organisations use software to do the initial weeding of applicants? In a tight labour market, where there are hundreds of applicants for each job it can be a very time consuming and labour intensive job to go through each application individually, so they get the computer to do the initial work for them. If you have ever wondered why you are specifically asked to submit your application online – well now you know.

How do you know what the designated parameters are?

Read the advertisement, the job application package and any other information you are given or sent very carefully. Go through the information with a notebook and pen and / or a highlighter pen. Write down or highlight the re-occurring words or phrases. You should pay particular attention to “Essential” and “Desirable” Selection Criteria. Applicants are usually selected to attend an interview if they are deemed to have met ALL of the “Essential” Selection Criteria and most (if not all) of the “Desirable” criteria as well.

Employers also don’t like to train if they can hire something that already has the right mix of skills and abilities they need.

Does your application prove that or not?

Failing to spell check and proof read your document.
The biggest problems I find are Homonyms - "correct" word, wrong context. One of the ones I am seeing at moment is “bored” instead of “board”. Gives a whole new meaning to “bored” meetings doesn’t it.

Then you have the usual grammatical errors - It's, its and they, their, they're. They all mean very different things, and if used incorrectly can prove you:

• do not have good eye for detail
• do not have good written communication skills – as you know, this is always listed as one of those “essential criteria” we need to have. Failure to get it right on paper means you are less likely to be able to prove how good your verbal communication skills are (interview), and
• makes you appear lazy with regards to your writing.

So - Read everything out loud before sending things through - as this one technique can highlight errors like nothing else can. Yes I did say out loud, not read in your head as you will add words and breathing points where there aren’t any in the document. Reading out loud makes you edit properly. This is a great technique for any piece of written correspondence and not just your CV, and for those people studying, this editing technique can make the difference between a B and an A.

2. Start looking:

If you have never had to look for a job before (or it has been a while since you have had to look for a job) you may not know where to look.  Now these suggestions are not just for “our industry” but if you just need work and you don’t mind what you do until you do find the job of your dreams. The following are a few of the resources available to you:

• Local Papers
• National Papers - but don't just look in the jobs section. Always check the business pages, find out which businesses are moving into your area and send them a speculative letter as not all their staff will relocate when they move.
• Shop Windows
• 24/7 - Places that need to be "manned" 24/7 - fast food places, supermarkets, service stations, hospitals, hotels, motels, boarding schools.
• High turnover places - whilst that includes some of the above, think about it - what are the jobs that most people hate to do and can't wait to leave - filing clerks, ironing, bathroom attendants, shopping mall cleaners, security etc. But if you are desperate for money and don't mind what you do - even if it's only for a short period of time, then don't discount these kinds of jobs. I worked in a biscuit factory straight from school. It proves you are motivated to work, and motivated to keep looking for something better.
• Start your own business – bear in mind there will be certain things you will need to have in place to do this “legitimately” but there are numerous opportunities for self motivated people to do jobs other busy people can’t find the time to do, or don’t want to do.

Speak to your network:

If your networking is not working then neither will you be. Facebook, Twitter and the List servs pertaining to your industry. But don’t just post a message that says “you are looking for a job”. Most companies have a facebook page – including Information Enterprises Australia. Search out the companies you would like to do business with, or be part of and “LIKE” their page. Start interacting with the people who are also listed. Find out what makes them tick and provide them with more than just a sales pitch and your CV. When it comes to applications and interviews you already have an inside edge over the competition. Oh and why you are at it, find us and friend us too, because we may just have your next job lined up and ready to go. Twitter is slightly different – and can be overwhelming to those of you who have never used it. But if you do have time to build a following, and follow other people / organisations, they may be able to point you in the right direction for work opportunities.

Events:

Don't go armed with your CV, just listen to conversations and if asked - you can then say you are between jobs at the moment, and if they hear of anything would they please keep you in mind. Bear in mind you can also pay this one forward - if you hear of someone who is looking for a person and know someone - then do them the favour too.

Online job boards:

Get creative with your search terms though, remember what you call a certain job / position others may call it something else.

Company websites:

If you have always wanted to work for a particular organisation, then surely the job pages should be your first point of call.

Employment agencies:

These fall into either niche specialist agencies if you have a particular trade / profession or generalist agencies who - like their name says - employ in more than one area. Large companies tend to use preferred suppliers for everything including employment. If you are interested in working for a particular organisation - then call HR and inquire politely whether they are aligned with a specific employment agency, and if so, register.

3. Start applying:

When it comes to applying for jobs don’t wait until midnight the night before the closing date before starting your application:

You will need time to put together the application, the covering letter, answers to selection criteria and customise your CV for the desired role. It is not something that can be written and sent in the one day. ALWAYS leave a day or two between writing the initial application and associated paperwork and editing it before sending it on to the prospective employer. In fact this one technique is essential for any professional piece of written communication you write and send. Assignments are always better after being left a day before editing - guaranteed you will find spelling errors and grammatical mistakes and /or bits you missed out.

Technology may fail and not just yours. If you are sending your application by email, never assume it will get there in time, so make sure you send it a good couple of days before the closing date. Add a read receipt so you know it has got there, or telephone the next day to make sure it has. The same goes for web based (online) applications - things fall over, connections break or fail, things that look like they have been sent - aren't. Don't trust anything. The day after sending your application it is a good idea to follow up with the organisation to make sure they received it.

Ditto with snail mail.

If you decide to hand deliver your application – make sure you dress appropriately. There is nothing more embarrassing than turning up in your sweaty gym gear to hand in your application to the person you think is JUST a receptionist, only to find out at the interview they are head of HR and was covering reception the day you went in.  

Leaving a job application to the last minute also smacks of a lack of planning on your part and maybe procrastination too - get in early, look keen. But don't rush the application either.

4. Follow instructions:

When you are applying for a position it is ESSENTIAL that you follow the instructions to the letter.

Job application packages are there to help you, so take time to read them thoroughly and highlight the area on how to apply and in particular "what to submit with your application".

Failure to follow their instructions means your application will end up in what we term File 13, or the round receptacle under the desk. If you cannot follow simple instructions will you be able to follow "orders"? It also smacks of a lack of attention to detail....you know - one of THOSE questions the prospective employer always likes answers to. If you don't follow the instructions, you have demonstrated only too well that you don't have what they need.

Sounds harsh?

Not if your life or the life of your colleagues or patients depend upon it. Imagine a science experiment where you think you've added the right combination of chemicals - well it's nearly right... Nearly right is not always good enough.

I have had an ongoing dialogue with a person who seems to have a blind spot with regards to these kinds of instructions. As I have said to them many times, if the prospective employer wants you to hand write the application on purple paper with green ink, then that is exactly what you send them. If they want 3 copies you send them 3 copies. If they don’t ask you to send a copy of your academic transcript then don’t send it. 3 referees mean they want to be able to contact 3 people.

So:

    Follow their instructions as stated in the job application package or advertisement
    Send them exactly what they have asked for - nothing else

5. Submitting your application:

When it comes to writing out your application, especially covering letters and statements addressing the selection criteria there are some important points to remember:

• Be positive about your previous roles - it may be hard to do if you have been laid off / terminated / don't like your supervisor and had to leave, but it's important that you are...positive that is.
• When giving examples always focus on the good, not the bad - although you could be forgiven for thinking the prospective employer wants the down and dirty when they ask you what was your biggest challenge to date. Tip 1: Make sure it is a single BIG problem, not several minor annoyances that you faced. Tip 2: What the prospective employer is looking for is how you handled the situation - crying in the corner is not an acceptable resolution. What was the problem, how did you handle it, what were the positives. Believe me - there is always a positive. Your job as a perfect candidate would be to find it.
• Don't just focus on the job role, but the achievements you made within that role.
• Spell check and grammar - this should not need to be said - however, the amount of times we have received applications from people who did neither, or used SMS speak is frightening.
• Remember too the homonym problem ... right sounding word, completely wrong context - Imagine going for a bored role ... for instance, where there will be lots of bored meetings. Now the meetings may well be boring, but you are hardly going to get to sit in on them if you get that word wrong.
• Get someone else to edit / proof read. If you don't think you are capable of doing it yourself - and let’s face it, we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to selling ourselves, so entrust this job to someone you trust. But then get a second opinion; we want to ensure we give ourselves the best chance of getting through the written application stage and into the interview.
• Make sure you submit the application in good time. As we have mentioned in previous sections.

Follow the instructions, make sure you send / give them exactly what they want and ensure the application gets to the right person in time. Yours may be the best application, but if it arrives the day after closing date you have just wasted your time.

6. Next steps:

Repeat steps 1-5

It is essential to have more than one application in the pipeline so never sit back and wait for the call from a prospective employer to say you’ve got the job.

You've written the perfect job application, the cover letter is succinct and shows your range of skills and abilities perfectly - what can possibly go wrong?

Have a look objectively at your social media profile and entries especially photographs.

If they are stupid - take them down

If they show you being stupid - take them down

If they show you in a drunken stupor - take them down

If they are on someone elses timeline and you are tagged - either un-tag yourself or ask your associate to do so or better still - take them down.

You may think that what you do in your own time doesn't affect how you do your job - well you may think so, however - the potential employer doesn't know that. And if you think they won't check out your social media profile, then you are mistaken.

One final thing - go to your search engine of choice and type in your name - the results may surprise and / or horrify you.

Do it before they do.

Everything impacts on everything else