Finding a Job

The key to finding a job is research. Have a look at the following websites to view some key job search sites.

Seek - Australia's no.1 jobs, employment, career and recruitment site

Career One - Job search, Australian jobs, job listings

My Career - Jobs, employment and careers

Jobsearch - Employment portal providing details of job search and career sites

First Timer

So its your first time at an interview. Here are some common do's and dont's in interviews.

Do's

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
The key to a successful interview is preparation. Do some research on the company and practice some interview questions. Most importantly, be confident, but not too confident. Interviewers like candidates that are natural and seem easy to get along with. So just be yourself. See Common Interview Questions for useful tips on key interview questions that you are likely to face.

Have a Checklist
The last thing you want when you are nervously preparing for an interview is to forget something. The best way around this is to have a checklist. Common things to include are:
- Confirm the time, date and location of the interview and who's the person interviewing you.
- Check the available modes of transport to get the the interview to ensure you arive on time. If that means public transport, make sure you check the timetables for available times.
- Have your clothes ready the night before. Make sure these are neat, clean and ironed.
- Maintain eye contact with the interviewer and watch your body language. Make sure it is upright and postive
- Have a copy of your resume with you, along with any other certificates or references.
- When you arive at the building, greet the receptionist to let them know that you have arrived.

Dont be late
Make sure that you are on time. Remember first impressions count so you dont want the interview to get off to a bad first start. Come in a bit earlier and make sure you know the building where the interview is. Don't turn up too early though. Around 5 minutes before is ideal.

Make an impression
Interviewers see hundreds of applicants, so it is important for them to remember you. Always remember to:
- Smile
- Grett the person by their name
- Maintain eye contact throughout the interview
- Sit straight, don't slouch over the chair, and watch body language
- Shake their hand when leaving
- Look interested

Answer the question
If a question is asked, make sure you answer it. The most frustrating thing for an interviewer is an applicant that gives a different answer to the question. Try to give examples of actual things that you have done to demonstrate your skills. For example, if asked what are your strengths, say something like you are good with dealing with difficult customers and then give a specific example where you showed this.

Ask questions
Asking questions indicates to the interviewer your interest in the job. It is also a good chance to show them your knowledge of the company. But if you are going to ask a question, make sure it is relevant. Don't just ask a question for the sake of asking a question.

Most of all, be yourself
An interview is meant to get an idea of who you are. So most importantly, don't try to be someone else, just be yourself.

Common Interview Questions

Some common interview questions are listed below.

Q: Tell me about yourself.
A: This is your chance to tell the interviewer a little bit about you. Really, they are after your ability to make a first impression. Give a brief description of your qualifications, previous employment, key interests and anything that may set your apart from the others

Q: What have been your achievements to date?
A: The interviewer is looking to see if you are an achiever. Prior to the interview, you should establish some key achievements, whether these be academic or from your previous empoyment.

Q: Describe a difficult situation you have had to face and how did you handle it?
A: Most people get shocked with this sought of question and begin to panic in an interview. Prior to an interview, prepare some common examples that may be relevant to you. The interviewer is looking for a few things:
- Discuss the situation and what the problem was
- Demonstrate that you acknowledged the problem
- Give specific actions on how you dealt with the situation to arrive at a win-win situation for all

Q: What do you dislike about your current role?
A: This is basically to understand what you dislike and whether this will mean that you will dislike the job that you are interviewing from. Try to be as general as possible rather than being too specific.

Q: What are your strengths?
A: Here's your chance to shine. Show them what you have to offer. The interviewer wants to know how you are going to add value to their business.

Q: What are your weaknesses?
A: Often this can be a hard question to answer. Pick something about yourself that you would like to improve and describe to the interviewer that it is something that you are aware of and are trying to improve. Give specific examples of steps you are taking to improve it. A common example is that when work piles on, you become stressed. So to manage this, you plan ahead for likely peaks in workloads and try to priortise what needs to be done first.