Here are some basic pointers…

• Understanding the job and Key Selection Criteria (KSC)
• Find out about the employer
• Decide whether you are qualified to do the job
• Understanding the Key Skills and Attributes
• Interviewing
• Reference Checking

Understanding the job and KSC

If you don’t fully understand the job requirements you may have difficulty demonstrating that you are the best person for the job. Study the Position Description, including KSC, along with any other relevant information you have collected. If you are unsure about any aspects of the job, call the Contact Officer during normal business hours. They’ll be happy to answer your questions.

There are three main parts to look at in a Position Description:

1. Values: These tell you about the way the organisation works and what it expects of its employees. The values will also give you an indication of the attributes they are looking for. Check that you are comfortable with these values and that they fit with the way you want to work.

 2. Accountabilities: This is a list of the day-to-day responsibilities and tasks of the job. Each job has a key focus — for example some roles supervise staff, some manage resources or provide policy advice; others deliver support services. Your career background and interests should match the requirements of the job. You will need to be able to demonstrate that you have the capabilities — personal qualities, knowledge and skills to do the job.

 3. KSC: The KSC outline the qualities, knowledge and skills needed to do the job. You will need to write short statements that sell your specific capabilities for each criterion. It is important to include specific examples or situations where you have demonstrated the behaviour, knowledge, skills and personal qualities asked for.

Find out about the employer

• It is important that you find out what the employer does — its objectives and functions and how the job you are applying for fits in. A good starting point is to look at the corporate website. There may well be a question asked at the job interview to explore your understanding of the organisation. If you’ve done your homework, you will be able to impress your potential employer by describing what you understand the business does.
• The organisation structure — an organisation chart sets out the reporting arrangements and may tell you where the advertised job fits in. Usually the organisational context will be stated in the Position Description.
• Values — these vary for each business but can include responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect and leadership.

Decide if you are qualified to do the job

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I meet all or most of the KSC of the job?
• Could I do the job with some training — formal or on-the-job?
• Do I have skills gained in other fields of work that may be transferable?

 If so, then you are ready to apply. But before you start your online application, make a few notes on all the information you have gathered

• Summarise the background and skills you can offer
• Highlight your strengths and relevant experiences, achievements and capabilities
• Address any obvious weaknesses and what training you are willing to do to address them
• Address each KSC for the job.
• Prepare or update your resume

Talk to your referees about the job you are applying for and what they will say about you to a prospective employer.

Understanding the Key Skills and Attributes

From time to time you may be asked to demonstrate an understanding of the Key Skills and Attributes of the role you are applying for, here is some information to help you understand a Key Skill and Attribute.

A skill is the ability to perform a task well. It is usually developed over time through training or experience. A skill can be used to do work in many jobs or it can be used in learning.

A personal attribute is a characteristic, quality or behaviour. Organisational attributes relate to the company environment, vision, values and goals. An organisation may sell these attributes to attract a customer to a service or new product.

The best way to understand the Key Skills and Attributes is to have a good understanding of the role and consider the duties you will need to perform and the important characteristics you would need to be successful in this role.

For instance, if you are applying for a role as a Customer Service Representative in a Call Centre environment it is important that you understand your role and your environment. A Customer Service role in a Call Centre is predominantly telephone based and your number one focus is customer service. You then need to consider the attributes/characteristics of a Call Centre operator e.g.

• Clear communicator
• Team player
• Friendly and approachable
• Self motivated
• Resilient
• Adaptable
• Punctual and reliable

Interviewing

You’ve been advised that have got an interview. Preparing for the interview may be a little daunting. Here are some basic interview tips to help you prepare:

• Dress appropriately for the interview. How formal this is will depend on the type of job
• Arrive at least 15 minutes before your allotted interview time — allow plenty of time for travel and to find the venue. Try to relax.
• Bring your application and relevant documents with you so you can refer to them. Focus on the job requirements — refer to the Position Description
• Introduce yourself to the interview panel members with a firm handshake. Look the panel members in the eye.
• Show interest and enthusiasm when responding to questions and answer in a clear and concise way. Think about your answer first
• Allow the interviewer to finish talking before you answer the question — don’t interrupt. If you don’t understand the question, ask the interviewer to repeat it.
• Be prepared to talk about your understanding of what the organisation does, and why you applied for the job — how your skills and achievements meet the criteria. These are common interview questions.
• Don’t forget to mention any skills you have gained in another field of work, through projects at school, or as a volunteer. Sometimes we don’t realise that we have transferable skills.
• The panel will give you an opportunity to ask any final questions. You could ask when you are likely to hear about the interview outcome.
• A thank you to the panel for inviting you before you leave would provide a good last impression.

What do employers look for?

Employers look for the following attributes in people they interview:

• Honesty and integrity — don’t lie about your experience or achievements
• Good communication — be clear in your responses
• A good fit — they want to work with someone who can do the job and fit in with their culture

Behavioural interviewing

Unless an interview question is looking for yes or no response or a specific figure or definition, the best way to answer an interview question is to try to recall recent situations that show favourable behaviours or actions, and present these experiences in story format for the selection panel. When telling a story, ensure each situation has a beginning, middle and an end. The process is similar to preparing your written application. The SAO method can be useful during interviews, with the Situation, Action and Outcome format providing a good structure for story telling during the interview.

HINT: For more information on Behavioural-based Interviewing or BBI, jump on the Internet and search for information relating to this topic. Also, Government websites can be a major source of information.

Reference Checking

Conducting a reference check is a prerequisite for all Government roles you apply for and for the majority of roles you apply for outside of Government, therefore keeping your referee’s informed when you nominate them as a contact for a new role is imperative. Make sure your referee knows what role you are applying for and give them some indication as to when they will be contacted, it’s normally best to do this once you have been called for a face to face interview or just after your interview.

Your reference check is normally conducted after your face to face interview with your prospective employer and is usually a sign that you have done well so far, however, it does not mean the role is yours yet! A reference check is conducted to verify your previous employment, position title, behaviour and responsibilities as outlined on your resume. Generally the questions asked will directly relate to the position you are applying for, keep in mind that our consultants are trained to run reference checks objectively and will contact you if unable to obtain an objective work related reference check.

Now you are ready to apply… To see what’s available, go to the Regent jobs page

What type of jobs are available to those seeking sales & marketing jobs?  In reality, the sky is the limit.

Anything that is manufactured or delivered as a service can be sold.  There is a sales person who sells vacations, a sales person who sells medical equipment, and a sales person who sells homes.  Technical expertise may be required, but not necessarily.
So how are sales and marketing different?  Sales involve dealing direct with customers and asking them to buy the product or service.  Marketing means reaching those same customers with information about the product or service to educate them about it and prepare them for the sales call that asks them to buy.

Sales jobs often pay by commission: a percentage is earned for every item sold.  In marketing jobs, you typically will receive a salary.

Sales & Marketing jobs are available in all different fields.

When thinking about healthcare jobs, be sure to think about your personality and where you might be best qualified.
If you enjoy working with people but can’t stand the sight of blood, opt for a clerical job in the healthcare field.  You’ll still have plenty of opportunity to interact with doctors, insurance professionals, and nurses, but you won’t have to worry about assisting wounded patients.

If you have a strong aptitude for science, and you can handle the long hours and intense training, consider going to college to be a nurse, physical therapist, or physician.  The years of training pay off with a long career of opportunities.  Making it through the courses can be the toughest part, but if you’re a good student, you can do it.

The best reason to look for healthcare jobs is because you really care about people.  There is no other career field that makes you more directly responsible for the lives and care of others.  Best of all, the jobs will be there no matter how good or bad the economy may be.

There are a few key things to keep in mind when getting ready to fire someone:

1. You can say, “It’s not personal” all you want, but the truth is, it is.
2. It’s probably easier to fire someone in the morning rather than worry about it in your interactions with the individual all day.
3. Fridays are the best day to fire someone.  It sounds bad, but the good thing about Friday is it gives the employee the weekend to figure out a plan, and it gives your remaining employees a few days to adjust to the idea of someone being gone.
4. Don’t underestimate the reactions of your other employees.  The employee you fire is someone’s friend and co-worker.  You will not be “Mr. Popular” on the days you fire someone.
5. How you fire someone says a lot about you.  Do it swiftly, fairly, and professionally, and no one will ever say anything bad about you.

Career planning for those who have entered into that phase of life called “mid life” can be traumatic and exciting all at once.  It all depends on your focus as to which emotion wins.

For those with an open mind and a can-do attitude, career planning in mid life is fun.  When we were kids we all knew how to answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up.”  It’s a little harder to answer that question right now, and yet that’s what career planning is all about.

Career planning is as simple as starting with the question, “What do you want to do,” and ending with a strategy out of “How do I get there.”  Additional training or research may be required, but for most people the hardest part of career planning is the “what” part, while the easiest part is figuring out the “how.”

When should you do further study to help career aspirations? Whenever what you aspire to and what you can achieve do not line up.

If you can’t find a job because you don’t have enough education, should you do further study to help career hopes?  Absolutely.

If your current job is not satisfying or the hours are wrong or the pay is too low, should you do further study to help career opportunities?  Of course you should.

Whenever you find yourself dreaming of something more is the time to start moving toward that goal by doing whatever it takes.

Today with the changes in technology and the difficult job market we’re in, it’s important for everyone to continually retrain in order to stay sharp.  Whether you want to advance in your current career or move on to something else, furthering your education is a great way to keep your career moving in the right direction.

Experts at writing cover letters say the most important thing to remember is to make your letter appropriate to the audience at hand.  In other words, write your cover letter for the person who is reading it.

Sifting through resumes can be a tedious job, so if you can do something to your cover letters to make them stand out, you do two things: set yourself apart and make an impression with the HR representative.

“HR reps can be your best friend or your worst enemy when you’re looking for a job.  They are the people who screen resumes, and they are the people who put you in the “in” or the “out” pile,” says Hayden Lore, cover letter expert.

Lore says that if you can, find out as much as you can about the HR department and the hiring manager where you are applying, then write your letter tailored to the individuals that will actually be seeing your cover letters.

When was the last time you were talking to your friend on the phone and she said, “Tell me, Jan, what would you say is your greatest weakness?”  It never happens.

That’s why interview questions need to be treated like something special.  Never go into an interview with your only plan being to “wing it.”  Take some time to think about the questions that might be asked, and then carefully prepare your answers.
Here are a few of the top questions people hate to answer, but that interviewers almost always ask:

1. Why did you leave your last position?
2. Where do you see yourself in five years?
3. Why should I hire you for this job?
4. How much money are you asking for?
5. What specific training do you have that prepares you for this job?

Before you go into any interview, think carefully through the answers to the above questions.  Make yourself some “cheat sheets” with key messages, which can be used for telephone interviews and preparations for your in person interviews.

“Someone who can write a good, concise cover letter has an advantage in getting an interview,” says John Baker, a recruitment officer with Standard Manufacturing.

“I can look at resumes for chemical engineers all day long.  At some point, something has to stand out.  In most cases, it is the engineer’s cover letter. Usually, that cover letter says something different that other letters don’t say.” Baker says.

Don’t waste time with your cover letter saying, ‘my resume is attached and I’m interested in the job.’  That’s a given,” Baker says.
Use your cover letters instead to talk about your accomplishments, to show you’ve researched the company you want to work for, and to say something that sets you apart.

“When I was in college, my professor taught us to never use the word ‘I’ in our cover letters.  It’s not easy to do, particularly when you’re selling yourself.  But if you manage to do it, it’s probably because you’ve said things about the company you want to work for or shown some creativity in your presentation.”

In fact, there’s no guarantee that even if you pay your people better than anywhere else and provide excellent career opportunities you will keep them.  More people leave an organization because of how they are treated by others than for any other reason.

Jane, for example, was very happy with her work.  She enjoyed helping her customers and solving problems.  She liked her hours, enjoyed her co-workers, and even felt her pay was fair.  But when the competitor across town offered her a lateral move, she jumped at the chance.  Why?

Jane says that she experienced what many who leave an organization do.  She never felt valued at her job.  No one ever told her she was doing a good job.  No one ever thanked her for a job well done.

If you have employees that you want to keep.  Be sure you tell them regularly how much they are appreciated.  Why people leave an organization is often based on emotion rather than fact.  Treating employees well will help keep them where you want them to be – with you!