JOB GUIDE

Job Guide 1
 Introduction
Whether youre unemployed, or currently employed and looking for a better
opportunity it pays to be as strategic as possible in your search. The job
market has changed significantly in recent years and to help you weve put
together our Ultimate Secret Guide to Finding Jobs in Australia.

In order to create this content, we have spoken with hundreds of recruiters,

HR professionals and hiring managers. Their brutally honest and sometimes
controversial commentary lifts the lid on what employers are looking for in
todays job market; and how the hiring process really works.

While many job guides take you through the basics of writing resumes and
preparing for interviews, this guide goes deeper.

We will teach you not only how to apply for jobs, but how to find them,
prepare and present yourself in the best possible light and to importantly
avoid the crucial mistakes that many job seekers make.

In this e-book, we will walk you through the seven things you must do and
be aware of to maximise your job prospects in this current market. We have
also included a bonus section of the top 33 reasons why you didnt get the
job (and what to do; and not do next time to improve your chances).

To get the most value out of this process we recommend that you read this
guide carefully and also take the time to complete the workbook exercises at
the end.

Job Guide 2
 CONTENTS
1. Where are the Jobs? 4

2. Your Resume/Cover Letter 7

3. Getting those Referrals 10

4. Your Recruitment Partners 11

5. Its not about you! 13

6. Get Organised 14

7. 33 reasons why you didnt get the job 15

Job Guide 3
1. Where are the Jobs? I

I was really struggling to get a job in Perth
that utilised my skills (I am a graduate
chemical engineer). One of my friends
got me a temp job at Port Headland and I
havent looked back. It was hard to leave
my girlfriend and house, but soon Ill be in
a great position to come back with heaps of
experience and much better prospects.
- Kieren. Job-Seeker.
By the time weve put an ad online, weve
already exhausted internal applicants, asked
our staff if they can refer anyone and thought
about people we can head-hunt from our
competition. None of us enjoy trawling
through 500 online applications so we avoid
it if we can!
Andy, Recruitment Officer
Large Pharmaceutical Corporation

Physical Location
Whilst its normal to limit your job search to areas comfortably close to your home it can pay to look further
afield. Employers in remote areas sometimes struggle to fill jobs (particularly professional ones requiring
substantial experience). If you are prepared to make the move you may get some great experience that
you may not be able to secure otherwise. Then, armed with this experience you can use this as a stepping
stone to an even better opportunity in your preferred location.

When applying for roles in other towns/states it is essential to make it very clear in your cover letter
(and preferably at the top of your resume, in case they dont read your cover letter) that you are keen on
relocating for the role. If you do not make this clear, the employer might decide on your behalf that youre not
interested, or that it would be too much of a hassle to hire you.

We also suggest offering to pay for the relocation yourself and committing to a 2 or 4 week (maximum)
notice period between being offered the role and commencing. If you need to pack up and move an entire
house and family you should consider flying up and getting started in the job ASAP. You can then go back
on weekends to facilitate the move. You need to make it as easy as possible for the employer to hire you by
removing barriers such as added expenses and time delays.

Job Guide 4
WHERE TO FIND THE OPPORTUNITY
Online Job Boards
The most obvious place to look for jobs is online. While most people go
to the well-known sites like seek.com.au it might pay to visit some of the
lesser-known sites. To find a comprehensive list of the job boards available
in Australia go to the following link and choose Generic and Australia
from the pull-down menus. http://www.broadbean.com/au/job-boards/

Company Web Sites

Most companies include current vacancies on their websites. If there is a
particular company youre interested in working for be sure to visit their site
regularly or if possible sign up to receive an alert when new jobs are listed.

Networking Sites
Sites like Linkedin and Facebook are great sources of job opportunities,
particularly those that are shared through your friendship/network groups.
Join any online groups/pages that are of interest to you and be as active as
you can in conversations. Remember to include groups like sporting clubs,
general community interest pages etc... as they sometimes advertise jobs
and prefer to hire locally.

NOT ONLINE
Contrary to popular belief the majority of jobs ARE NOT filled through
applicants that come from online job boards. Currently it is estimated that
job board applications account for only 30% of successful appointments in
Australia.

So, if 70% of the jobs are NOT being filled by online applicants, how exactly
are they getting filled and why is this the case?

How?

?
These jobs are being filled through what we will broadly term networking
ie. the successful applicant is not a totally unknown random person that
sends their resume in; rather someone who has some sort of existing
connection (however tenuous) to the company, job or hiring manager.

Why?
To understand this, you need to be aware of an underlying principle of
human psychology Fear of the Unknown, which has been discussed in
research papers going back decades
?
Job Guide 5
What does this mean for your job search? It means - all other things being equal
(ie. two applicants are both qualified and experienced enough to do the job) the
employer will generally hire the person that they know.

You can also seek out jobs that are advertised in your local community as this
increases the chances of the employer feeling comfortable with you as an
applicant (after all, if youre from the same community what is there to be afraid
of?). Good places to look include: shop windows, shop counters, community
notice boards (often found at supermarkets, libraries and shopping centres), at the
front entrance to a business, near on-site projects and outside factory gates.

So, this is all very well and good but what if you dont know anyone who is in a
position to hire you? Well, in that case its your job to get known by as many
possible employers as you can!

Luckily for you, people will generally consider that they know you if you meet one
of a myriad criteria including. To qualify, you might be:

;; a friend of a friend

;; a friend of a co-worker

;; a friend or former colleague of someone they used to work with

;; someone who theyve spoken to a few times on the phone

;; someone who theyve had a few email exchanges with

;; someone who shares a common community link (eg. being members of a

sporting club, a professional group)

;; someone who lives in the same suburb; and even

;; someone who has the same name as them!

So, it seems that getting known is really important in improving your job
prospects. Well tell you all about this in section 3 Referrals. Before you start
gathering those referrals though, you still need to get your application documents
in order....

Job Guide 6
2. Your Resume/Cover Letter II

I was recruiting a logistics role and rejected

a candidate who sent through a resume
that was poorly formatted and hard to
read. I really tried to but it didnt make
sense. Funnily enough I got a call from that
applicant later that day querying why he
had been rejected. As it turns out he was
absolutely perfect for the job but you really
couldnt tell from what he had written. He had
been applying for so many jobs lately and
never got anywhere. Ultimately we hired him
and he is one of our best employees.
- Sarah. HR Officer
I hate it when people send through their
cover letter addressed to someone else.
Its obvious they have just re-used the last
application without even checking it. If
youre that careless in putting together your
application (which Im assuming is very
important to you and seriously affects your
livelihood), why would I want you working for
me? I dont hire idiots...
- Bradley. Small Business Owner

Your resume is the number one tool that you need to perfect in order to secure yourself
your next role.

Whilst it sounds unbelievable (and more than a little unfair considering how long youve
spent working on it), HR officers and recruiters will generally skim through your resume in
around 10 seconds. If you catch their attention they will then go back and read it in detail
but to get past the first hurdle it needs to be easy to read and jump out as being perfectly
suited to the job at hand.

Job Guide 7
Cover Letters
A great cover letter is the first step in cutting through the countless resumes a recruiter may receive for the
role you want and getting yourself to the top of the pile. It is a key piece of information, which acts as an
introduction of yourself to the company and tailors your application for the role. It also demonstrates to the
recruiters that you are a genuinely interested and not just applying to anything and everything.

Information that is in a cover letter wouldnt necessarily be information contained in your resume.

Show how you can add value to the company by using your initiative and addressing your knowledge of the
company i.e. company culture, goals or the company direction by utilising any information you can get on the
company be it from the website, newspapers or networking.

When writing a cover letter some simple rules to stick to are:

Do Dont
use a standard font, such as 10 or 12 point use multiple fonts, patterns, graphics etc
Times New Roman or Arial font and align on your cover letter. It looks messy and
your paragraphs neatly unprofessional.

break up your cover letter with good sized
margins, blank lines between paragraphs and
the use of bullet points
Keep it to 3-4 paragraphs
ask for what you want (a interview or phone
call) politely but with conviction
make it clear absolutely why you want this
role
tailor your cover letter to suit the
advertisement youre applying to. Ensure to
address to the right person
carefully check your spelling/grammar and
ask someone to proofread for you
use extensive lines of text and very long
sentences
write more than one page
be pushy or sound desperate
submit a cover letter that leaves the employer
wondering if youre really interested in this job
use the same cover letter for every
application and/or leave the previous
employers name at the top
risk ruining your chances with simple spelling
or grammatical errors

Job Guide 8
 Your Resume
A resume showcases your qualifications, experience and skills to an employer. As with a cover letter, the
time and effort put into making it the best it can be can make or break your chances when searching for
the ideal role.

Many of the Dos and Donts (above) that apply to writing a great cover letter also apply to resumes.

As with a cover letter, it is worth tailoring your resume for the job you are applying for especially if you
are open to working in more than one industry. For example a resume extensively detailing your retail or
hospitality industry background isnt going to be appropriate when applying for a scientific role and vice
versa.

Keep your resume to 2-3 pages or no more than 5 if you have extensive experience and number the
pages.

Negotiating all of this can be really difficult, so we

suggest that you use a template, resume-building
software or even a personalised resume-writing
service.

We have created CV and Resumes templates and

conducted a comprehensive review of available
tools and services. We have links to these on our
website www.cteaa.com.au

If youre really serious about your job hunt you

must not skip this most important step so please
take the time to make your resume (or resumes)
as compelling as they can possibly be.

Job Guide 9
3. Getting those Referrals III
On our job ads we always state the specific skills and experience that
were looking for and never hire anyone who doesnt have these. On
the other hand we often hire people who dont have those skills as long
as theyre referred to us by one of our good employees. People tend
to socialise with friends of a similar mindset and calibre, so if one of my
valued employees vouches for someone, Im usually prepared to give
them a go. Actually I prefer to do that rather than hiring some random
stranger from the internet even if they do have the right skills. It might be
unfair. But its the way it is and I dont apologise for that.

- Mark. Temp Recruitment Officer, Manufacturing Company.

I have never gotten a job through online applications in my life and would
never hire a sales person who relied on getting a job that way.

- Rebecca. Sales Manager

You may have heard about the hidden job market. What this means is that many jobs are filled through
personal and professional networks and referrals, rather than through advertising in public places like Seek.
com.au. To understand why this is the case you need only to put yourself in the position of the person doing
the hiring.

Would you prefer to hire someone you know only through their resume, or an actual person that has been
recommended by a colleague, friend, family member or is a member of a local group that you are involved
with? In many cases, you will still need to have the skills and experience that they are looking for, but if you
can manage to achieve a referral into a business your chances of getting hired are greatly increased.

To obtain referrals you must talk to everyone in your social circle and try to put aside any feelings of
embarrassment. You should advise everyone you know (friends, family, acquaintances) and even people
that you dont know (e.g. shop assistants, customer service staff) that you are looking for work. You never
know what conversations they have been having with their friends just now and what opportunities they are
aware of.

There are also many ways of leveraging networks in your community such as joining online forums and
community interest groups.

Use our Job Search Checklist (which forms part of the workbook at the back of this guide) to remind you who
you need to speak to get referrals. When you get a good lead, you can then enter the information into our
Referrals and Targets checklist. Its important that once you have obtained a referral you follow up faithfully.
If you do this you may just be surprised how many opportunities open up to you.

Job Guide 10
4. Your Recruitment Partners IV
People may not realise how busy we are as recruitment
consultants. We get hundreds or thousands of applications
a week and people expect you to be able to drop everything
and speak to them for half an hour about why theyre not
able to find work. Then they call you every single day asking
you if you have a job for them! Ill tell you why they cant find
work because theyre stalkers. And nobody likes a stalker!

Cathy. Recruitment Consultant.

I think a lot of job-seekers think that signing up with a Job

Search provider is just something you do so you can get the
dole. Were so much more than that and I believe we can
really help people if they want to be helped.

Simon. Job Search Case Worker.

Believe it or not, there are companies out there who actually have a vested interest in seeing you get work!
Recruitment Agencies and Job Search Providers (JAPs) both make their money by placing people into jobs,
although they do operate a bit differently.

Its worth knowing that recruitment agents get paid by their clients for finding great employees. They
generally wont be able to put you forward for a job unless youre a perfect fit as their client provides them
with a very particular brief and expects them to stick to it (especially as they are paying a premium for this
service).

Job search providers, on the other hand, get paid by the government to help you find work and stay in work.
If youre not currently working or studying full-time you may be eligible for assistance from a JAP. This
can also include access to subsidised training to improve your job prospects. To take advantage of these
services you will need a referral from Centrelink. https://employment.gov.au/jobactive

Once you have your referral you have a choice of several JAPs.

Please visit our site for more details www.cteaa.com.au

Job Guide 11
Working with Recruiters and JAPs
Building a good relationship the recruiters and JAPs can give you access to an array of jobs many of them
temporary, but some leading to permanent opportunities. They often have clients wanting to fill temporary
jobs really quickly (eg. within 24 hours) and will usually prefer to place people that they are already familiar
with.

To speak with your JAP you will need to make an appointment. Once you are registered they are obliged
to meet with you and will normally require you to actively participate in activities such as job searching and
workshops.

Note that getting in front of (or on the phone with) a recruiter can be difficult they are very busy people and
receive hundreds and thousands of online applications a week. As a first step, we recommend dropping in
to the office to present your CV in person. Dress as you would for an interview. Obtain the name and email
of the relevant person and ensure to follow up by sending your electronic CV that same day. You may or
may not get a meeting but if you have dropped in and happen to be suitable for a job that theyre currently
recruiting, you have just greatly increased your chances of getting that job!

Once you have been interviewed by a recruitment consultant, stay in touch with them, but do so in a non-
harassing way. As mentioned above they can be very busy so sending an email to confirm your interest
in roles they have advertised and your availability for work can be very helpful. You could also try a phone
call, but be aware that they get many phone calls a day and cannot possibly return all of them in between
interviews and client meetings. The key is to remain uppermost in their minds without
becoming annoying, stalking them or making them feel pressured.

Also very important to remember your recruitment consultant or JAP case worker may well be your
connection with your next great role. Be honest with them, dont jerk them around, dont condescend to them
and dont waste their time. Treat them as well as you would treat any employer with great opportunities on
the horizon...

Job Guide 12
5. Its not about you! V
I cannot believe how many unemployed people apply for a job and then turn it
down because the site is too far away (and often less than an hours drive too
not that far in my book). I mean, come on! You dont have a job, you havent
had a job for six months and youre being picky! No wonder youre unemployed.

Jordan. Agency recruiter

Never bring up money in an interview. If asked you should state your

expectations, but never, never be the one to bring it up. Dont jump the gun and
talk about things like that until you have an offer. Then you can negotiate.

Sophia. HR Officer.

One of the most important things that job-seekers can learn is that in this current economy, the job-seeking
process is not about them. There are many more qualified and experienced workers than there are jobs at
the moment in Australia. If you want one of those jobs you need to put yourself in the shoes of the employer
and ask what are they looking for and what can I do for them?

In general terms, the answer to this question is always someone with relevant qualifications, skills and
experience; and most importantly someone who is reliable, punctual, honest, genuinely interested in the
job, keen, hard-working with great communication skills and who will always turn up to work with a positive
attitude.

Focussing too much in your job application about what you are looking for, how much money you want and
what you will and will not do creates a negative impression. You can raise all of these things once you have
an offer on the table, but to do so before then jeopardises your chances.

If you are out of work, you should welcome ALL opportunities to work. You never know what getting into a
company and meeting people will do for you there may be opportunities for advancement or you may make
friends who will introduce you to people who can find you a better job. Conversely, sitting on the couch at
home will not present you with any opportunities at all!

You can still apply for new jobs whilst working and most employers who are keen to hire you will agree to
early morning or late afternoon interviews. This way youll only need take minimal (if any) time off work.

Whether its politically correct to say or not, there can sometimes be a perception that if someone isnt
working there is something wrong with them and even that theyre lazy. Taking a job that is beneath you, or
in an area that is different to your specialty just shows that youre keen to work, (which as youll remember
from above is one of the key criteria employers look for when hiring).

Job Guide 13
6. Get Organised VI
If someone started looking for a job today, there is no way of knowing how long it will take. You have to make
looking for a job a job itself. It needs to be a 24-hours-a-day, seven-day-a-week, 365-days-a-year job. Ive
known people who have taken one year and nine months to find temporary work. Most people get in cycles
with going on a couple of interviews and then they stop. You cant stop. Until you have an offer, you have
absolutely nothing. People dont realise that theres no such thing as a hidden job market. You may not know
about it, but its not hidden. Finding a job is all about catching a potential employer at the right time when they
need to hire someone with your skill set.

- Dr. Phil McGraw.

The number of people who apply for jobs (I recruit mainly office administration roles) and then have no idea
which job youre talking about when you call them is ridiculous. They dont even keen a record of what theyve
applied for or have any kind of system. It makes you wonder whether theyd be able to do the job at all.

- Kelly. Recruiter.

I went on holidays and didnt check Seek.com.au for a couple of weeks. When I got back I found out that one
of my friends from work was interviewing for my dream job. Applications were closed so I couldnt get a
look-in. Of course he got the job which sucks because I know that I was the better candidate. I have
subscribed to get job opportunities emailed to me every day now so that I dont miss out again.

- Samuel. Job Seeker.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when looking for a job is to do it in a hap-hazard way. You
need to treat getting a job as your job! Would you be so disorganised at your workplace? Would you stop
and start working and chop and change your strategy all the time or would you stick to a method or plan?

We urge you to use our Job-Seeking workbook which is included at the end of this guide to track the
opportunities you have applied for, the companies you would like to work for and the referrals you have
obtained from friends and family.

Dedicate some time every day to your job hunt. Many activities can be done after-hours but some (eg.
phoning potential employers and recruiters) need to be done during business hours. Unless you work from
8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday with no breaks whatsoever there is no excuse not to make a quick call.
Even if you are currently employed and dont have any privacy at work, there is no reason you cant go off
site to get some lunch or duck out to the chemist.

Job Guide 14
7. 33 reasons why you
didnt get the job
VII
(and what not to do next time!)
When you are rejected for a job it can be really tough, especially when you dont really know why. After all,
how are you meant to do better next time if you dont have anything to work with? To help you improve your
performance on the next job application weve consulted with our recruitment industry friends and come up
with a comprehensive list of all the reasons why you may not have been successful in your application.

Please note that some of these reasons are not fair. Some of them are even illegal and were not sanctioning
them in any way merely reflecting the reality of the market at this time. We wanted to give you the low-
down, the real reasons why youre not getting those jobs... and not just the old there was a better applicant
or even worse, the silent treatment!

So, without further ado... The top 33 reasons why maybe you didnt get the job (in no particular order) are:

1. Your resume is too brief, too long, not targeted, unclear, not quite right in some way.
As discussed in the resume writing section above a less-than-perfect resume can be a big road block to
getting an interview and ultimately the job.

2. You dont have the right skills and experience. If youre really, truly honest with yourself, do
you have the exact skills and experience that the employer is seeking? With so many job-seekers
in the market they have the luxury of being choosy. Unless you meet every single one of their key
selection criteria, they are well within their rights to reject you. Its tough but its a legitimate reason...

3. They didnt like you as politically incorrect as it may sound interviewers tend to hire people that
they like. http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/12/03/employers-hire-potential-drinking-
buddies-ahead-of-top-candidates.

Do people in your daily life tend not to like you? Do you have issues with people? To improve your
likeability there are many resources you can refer to online. In all seriousness it might be worth putting
some time and effort into improving the way that you come across. If you have concerns about your
likeability, check out the following articles/sites:

;; http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Likable

;; http://www.careerealism.com/likeable-10-today/

;; http://lifehacker.com/how-to-develop-your-charisma-and-become-more-likable-1673988208

4. Your presentation did you present appropriately for the interview? Its important to
really look at yourself through the eyes of the interviewer and adjust your presentation appropriately.

Wearing a suit to a labouring job, and conversely wearing a sun-dress to an office job are both major
faux pas. Dress appropriately and if in doubt ask your interviewer what the dress code will be.

Being well presented means that you need to make yourself the most attractive version of you that
you can. You dont need to be a supermodel but being grossly overweight, having badly aligned or
yellowing/missing teeth, badly marked skin and unkempt hair (eg. obvious roots, needing a hair cut)

Job Guide 15
 does nothing to further your job-seeking mission. It may not be fair or politically correct to suggest this
but consider investing time and whatever resources you have in improving your appearance, especially
for sales or internal/external customer service roles.

Did you shave, brush your teeth and wear deodorant?

Did you smoke before the interview? The importance of personal hygiene cannot be overstated
and no amount of gum chewing can remove the stench of cigarette smoke... Bias against smokers,
although illegal, definitely exists. At least try to combat this by having your last cigarette, showering,
changing and then slapping on a nicotine patch just before the interview. Dont wear a shirt that will
show excessive sweating and also dont wear too much perfume or aftershave. Those interview rooms
are small!

Unless you are applying for a job in a tattoo parlour or piercing shop, cover or remove anything that
may potentially jeopardise your job chances. Yes its unfair. If you want the job deal with it and move
on.

5. You sledged your current/former employer or colleagues in the interview. Saying

negative things about anyone or anything in your interview is a big NO NO NO! It paints a picture of
you being a whinger and no-one likes a whinger (see point 3, above).

Learn to be diplomatic and include positive statements when answering tricky questions. For example,
rather than saying The management werent very smart, they didnt even know how to run the
company; you could say I didnt really agree with the management decisions, but I loved my team.

6. Did you convince them that you really want this job and only this job? Commitment,
enthusiasm and genuine interest in the job are some of the major factors employers take into account
when hiring. Even for temp jobs. If you dont really feel this way about a job, then for your own sake
learn to fake it!

7. Did you focus too much on what opportunities the role will provide for you, rather
than what you can do for the employer? In this current job market, you must remember that an
interview is NOT a two way street. Negotiating an offer is a two way street, but youll never get to that
street if you come across as too self-involved at the interview.

8. Were you flexible in terms of your availability for interview times? If you werent
prepared to attend interview at a time to suit the employer they may question your commitment to the
role, your genuine interest and your attitude in general.

9. Does your work history look patchy and unstable? There may be good reasons why you
keep jumping around from job to job (for example, they were all temp assignments) but if this is the
case be sure to explain this clearly in your resume.

10. Did you answer the questions directly and succinctly? Waffling and dodging questions is a
major turn-off. To counteract this: next time role-play with a friend and record yourself answering mock
interview questions. Listen to the recording with your friend and ask them to be brutally honest about
whether you actually answered the question and whether you could have been more succinct. Also
try to predict the questions that you may be asked at interview by reviewing the key selection criteria.
Write brief answers to these questions and bring them with you in the interview to keep you on track.

Job Guide 16
11. Do you live too far away? Although its unfair, many employers like to hire locally to help out the
community and to also ensure that you dont burn out and quit due to a long commute. If you do live a
long way away make sure you clarify that you love to drive, have a reliable car and perhaps would even
consider relocating if its a long-term role.

12. Are you too young or old? Although its not fair (and its illegal) age discrimination is rife in the
workforce. The good news is that if you have been rejected for being too young for one company, the
next company is equally likely to hire you because youre young and cool... Age discrimination works
both ways and you just have to find the employer with a penchant for hiring someone in your age
bracket.

13. Are you always looking for the next big thing? If your resume or answers at interview
suggest that you are too ambitious, the employer may be wary of hiring you. If this is a problem for you
try to moderate the way you present yourself and keep confirming that youre keen and committed to
the role at hand.

14. Did you come across as arrogant? Being overly confident is a big turn-off for most employers.
Watch your language (including body language). The trick is to be confident without being arrogant.

15. Did you come across as too shy/boring/timid especially if you are in a customer-focussed role
being too quiet can kill your chances at interview. Again, role-playing and practice is your friend.

16. Were you on drugs/intoxicated during the interview? No explanation necessary. And yes, it
happens a more than youd think! Also be aware that if youve had a big night before, the interviewer
may be able to smell alcohol on you...

17. Your notice period by the time they get around to recruiting and interviewing for a role most
employers are really keen to get someone to start. For a temp job they will usually expect an
immediate start. For a permanent position, the usual notice is 2-4 weeks. Anything longer than 4
weeks and youll have them wondering if you really want the job. Especially if you want more time off
because you need a holiday they may wonder if youre mentally tough enough to handle your new
role.

18. Were you on time for the interview? If you cant find the interview site and get there on time
for a meeting that could change the course of the rest of your life, why on Earth would your interviewer
think you would turn up to work promptly on a normal day? Thats right... they wouldnt.

19. Are you the wrong gender? It sucks, but on the upside gender discrimination (like age
discrimination) works both ways. Rest assured that if youre a great candidate with the right attitude,
skills and experience you will find a team that appreciates you for your gender too.

20. Did you lie on your resume or in the interview? Even just a little bit? You would be
surprised how easy it is to tell if someone has changed their work history/left jobs out by cross-
referencing their Linkedin profile, old versions of resumes on file and by doing unofficial reference
checks.

21. Were you super-responsive to all of the employers requests throughout the
recruitment process? If you didnt fill out your forms, answer your phone or return calls in a timely
fashion you have probably created an impression of being unreliable or disinterested in the role.

Job Guide 17
22. Were you able to provide contact details of at least two recent and relevant
referees? By relevant we mean your direct supervisor/manager from your current
role, or the role before that? If you cant do this it raises alarm bells and may put them off your
application.

23. If you provided recent and relevant referees (see 22 above) are you absolutely
certain that they would say nice things about you if contacted for a reference? You
would be surprised how often referees say negative things. Privacy law prevents the employer or
recruiter from passing this information back onto the job-seeker so you may never know. The best
approach is to not only ask your referee if they would be happy to provide a reference, but also ask
them what particular feedback (positive and negative) they would be likely to give if contacted.

24. Were your salary expectations too high? Even though you may be willing to drop them, the
employer will always assume that youre looking for something bigger and better and that you wont
stick around. Be careful about disclosing your salary requirements upfront (ie. before an offer is
imminent) and research similar roles with similar companies online extensively to get an idea of what
the role is truly worth.

25. Someone else was better than you. Sometimes its really disappointing but you may have all of
the right skills and experience, motivation, commitment and interpersonal skills required of the role and
still miss out. On a brighter note that person who was better than you has just been taken out of the job
market, so your next application might go better!

26. The employer is racist. Again, its not politically correct to say so but racism still exists. To improve
your chances you may consider adopting a Westernised name for job applications and emphasising
your cultural fit and things like sense of humour, easy going nature in your application. Then again,
if they have dismissed you out-of-hand because of potential cultural differences maybe you dont want
to work for them? Often what may look like racism is actually more about your communication skills,
rather than cultural background (see 27 below)

27. Your English wasnt so great. Poor communication skills are a turn-off for many employers.
As unfair as it may be (after all, how good is the interviewers French, Hindi or Mandarin Chinese?),
its a reality for many workers who have English as a second language. If the interviewer has trouble
understanding you because of a very strong accent or poor sentence structure they will not be inclined
to hire you, especially if there is an equally qualified applicant who is easier to communicate with. If
English is your second language it is important to dedicate time to study and practice. Spending a lot of
time with native English speakers and speaking English in the home is also recommended.

28. You have had a long break out of the industry that you have applied for. Most
employers prefer to hire someone with very relevant and recent experience (ie. someone who is doing
the same job right now for another company). If you have been out of the industry for a long time you
may realistically have to consider the fact that you may not get back in unless you are prepared to take
an opportunity in a remote location or very low paying company.

29. Someone within the company has prior knowledge of you and has said something
negative about you to HR or the hiring manager. These sneaky back-door references
happen all the time and are horrible. To check whether you do know anyone who works in that
company do a comprehensive LinkedIn search. If you find someone, it might pay to contact them and
smooth over any potential issues before you apply.

Job Guide 18
30. You were too good for the job. Although it isnt much consolation, if the employer thinks
that youre destined for bigger and better things they may get cold feet about hiring you. Making
your intentions and interest in the role clear can help, as can playing down things like PhD level
qualifications if they arent relevant to the role.

31. You have family responsibilities that may prevent you from dedicating yourself 100%
to the job. Again, its illegal and unfair but if you are the primary carer of small children or an ageing
parent we recommend keeping mum about these responsibilities during the interview. If the subject
comes up (which it shouldnt!) say something like I rarely take time off work, I have great support
networks in place and would much rather be at work than at home with the kids, wouldnt you? That
should do the trick!

32. You swore or used otherwise inappropriate language in the interview. Really? Stop it!

33. You put a picture of yourself on your resume. Unless you are extremely good looking
AND you are applying for a sales/customer service role dont take the chance. If youre still keen
on including a picture make sure its professional (no, your head cropped out of a picture of you at a
nightclub is not professional), natural looking and presents you as attractively as possible. If in doubt,
ask a friend to give their honest opinion on whether you should include it or not.

Job Guide 19