Employability: Professional Career Start Strategies & Job Search

Employability: Professional Career
Start Strategies & Job Search

Katrina Sardellis
AUSTRALIAN RESUMES &

COVER LETTERS
23 June 2015
Tell your story to stand out from the crowd Swinburne
Most jobs require written applications to assist recruiters to

identify the candidates to short list for interview
You need to ensure ALL aspects of your written application

tell your story in the most effective manner to market you as
a qualified, talented individual who matches the employer’s
selection criteria
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 2

A key document for job applications is your Swinburne
resume
What is a resume?
• A marketing/sales tool - a brochure that tells your story
and QUICKLY promotes your skills and achievements
• A document that presents you as a professional
• Maps why you are a match to the job on offer AND to the
organisation
• The key to gaining an interview

Common mistakes in written graduate Swinburne
applications
- Bland applications - candidate does not stand out from the
crowd
- No obvious links to the job – the reader has to join the dots
- Not addressing selection criteria
- Poor written communication skills

- - Spelling
- - Grammar
- - Expression
- - Presentation
- Expression
Swinburne
How long does it take for a recruiter to

assess a resume?
Often less than 20 seconds
So what makes a good resume?

What makes for a winning resume? Swinburne
Content Layout
- Matches the requirements - Clear and easy to scan

of the employer
- Uncluttered
- Uses short, clearly written
phrases and paragraphs to - Appropriate format
demonstrate your skills &
experience
- Adequate margins and
whitespace white space

Resume Layout / Presentation Swinburne
- Make the résumé as simple and easy to read as possible
- Consider type styles and font size (eg Times New Roman,
12)
- Avoid font mania - use only one plain font – Arial or Times
New Roman set at 11 or 12 point in size
- All indents are in alignment (use Tab & indent settings
NOT spacebar)
- Use bold / italics / boxes (borders) wisely
- Avoid italics or underline as they don’t fax or scan into a
database well
- Don’t OVERCAPITALISE
- Use page breaks so lists and paragraphs are not split
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

Vital resume content Swinburne
• Targeted to the requirements listed in the advertisement

• Use of key words
• Highlights the strengths of your brand
• Tell a positive story
• Achievement focused
• Concise
• Honest

It’s a crowded market! Swinburne
On average 250
resumes are
received for each
job position
The average time
a recruiter spends
looking at a
resume is 5.7 76% of resumes
seconds are ignored if your
email address is
unprofessional
The first
applications are
received 200
seconds after a job
is posted
Source: The Recruiters

Lounge
Recruiters often short list job applicationsSwinburne
into three categories
Which pile will your story end up in?
YES MAYBE NO
Resume Styles Swinburne
- Reverse Chronological
Arranges your experience and education in reverse chronological
order (from most recent to least recent)
- Functional
Headings relate to your relevant skills and competencies rather than
time-line order
- Creative
Using the resume as a tool to demonstrate your design/creative skills
using colour and images etc
Being creative – what do you think? Swinburne
What roles would this type of resume be best suited?

Resume builder & example resumes Swinburne
- Access SwinEmploy at www.swin.edu.au/careers

Resume content – sample headings
Education / Associations / Professional

Contact Details
Qualifications Memberships Development
Project
Extra Curricular Demonstrated Employment Work/Industry
Activities Skills Summary History Projects
Career
Referees Hobbies Volunteer Work Objective/Career
Profile
NOTE: Not all of these headings are

required for all resumes.
Resume content – irrelevant information
• Date of birth / age • Religion

• Place of birth • Political persuasion
• Nationality • Health
• Ethnic origin • Height / weight
• Marital status • Photograph
• Number of children
WHY?
Contact details
Name (first name and surname)

Address (optional)
Telephone Number
Email Address
Link to your LinkedIn profile
Link to on-line portfolio (esp. for Design students)
* Work visa status for international students

Resume: Personal details Swinburne
 Best to type your name in capitals and

bolded (centered) top of page
 Include: address (optional), contact

telephone number(s) and email address
 Do not include personal information that

could create potential bias, i.e. date of birth,
religion etc.

Career Objective or Professional Profile Swinburne
Following your personal details you may choose to include either a

Career Objective or Professional Profile
Example
 Marketing graduate with expertise in research, social media and

campaign development
 Experienced in telecommunications sales and regularly exceeded

sales targets
 Winner of Business Sales 2014 Telstra Award
 Strong communication skills, self-motivated and driven to learn and

succeed
 Targeting a graduate marketing position with a focus on xxxxxxxx

Resume: Career Objective (optional) Swinburne
Example:
Highly motivated, professionally focused

Bachelor of Business (Human Resource
Management) student due to graduate in
2015.
Excellent skills and experience in business

analytics and strategic planning, now
seeking a challenging graduate role within
the retail industry.

Resume: Professional Profile (optional) Swinburne
 A marketing professional with substantial

experience in sales and advertising.
 Experienced in product development, consumer

research and social media.
 Skilled in relationship building, branding and

communications.
 Targeting a marketing role within the retail

industry with a social media and branding focus.

EDUCATION section Swinburne
EDUCATION
2013 - Current Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resources)

Swinburne University of Technology
Key Study Areas:
 - Recruitment and selection

 -- Training and development
 - Remuneration
 - Strategic workforce planning
 Distinction average achieved to date

Related headings Swinburne
(directly after education)
 Professional Development (seminars, short courses,

certificates RELATED to the position you are seeking)
 Industry specific headings
Eg Aviation Licences / Ratings / Endorsements /
Certifications / Software Licences
 Short Courses
 Academic Awards
 Industry Projects / Capstone Projects

Professional Memberships/Associations Swinburne
2013 – Current Student Member
Australian Computer Society
2013 – Current Student Member
Australian Institute of Management

Employment History Swinburne
 A chance to demonstrate how your brand differs from

others
 Present in reverse chronological order
 Include dates and duration
 Do not include any position beyond 10 years (unless
highly relevant)
 Document ‘Responsibilities’ and ‘Achievements’ for
each role held
 Consider separating relevant employment / experience
from other experience (this is especially useful when
your most relevant experience is not necessarily your
most recent)
 Consider using sub-headings, i.e. Professional
Employment, Other Employment or Volunteer Work
Example of employment section Swinburne
PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT
2012-2013 HR Officer (Industry Based Learning)

Blue Chip IT, Hawthorn
Responsibilities
▪ Preparation of selection criteria and position descriptions
▪ Coordinated recruitment of administration and technical staff
▪ Induction and training of new staff
Achievements
▪ Streamlined induction procedures by developing web based
materials
Use of Achievements Swinburne
- Wherever possible describe achievements quantifiably
- Promotions
- Increasing sales figures or improving efficiencies
- Being part of a team that….(what your team did) – implementing or

designing systems or processes
- Winning an award or prize – even a trivial one
- Employee of the month / year
- Customer service / quality awards

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: cont’d Swinburne
Example:
Other Employment (or Casual Employment)
June 2012 – Present Crew Member

McDonalds, St Kilda
Responsibilities:
- Dealing with customers
- Preparing food and cleaning
- Working in team of approximately10 people
- Handling cash and balancing tills
- Following OH&S practices
- Training new staff members
Achievements:
- Awarded ‘Crew Member of the Month’ on two occasions
- Regularly exceeded sales targets via effective cross selling
Industry Engaged Learning Swinburne
This section can be used to demonstrate relevant industry projects or

case studies you have been involved in. These could include examples
of:
- Relevant capstone university projects
- Team projects
- A final year project
- Relevant volunteer work
- Professional organisations and participation

Skills Summary Swinburne
• Opportunity to match yourself to the job and to convince

employer of your potential
• Highlight 4 - 5 professional skills that you can offer an

employer which are relevant to the position you are applying
and match the selection criteria
• Give two examples of how you have demonstrated the skills
• Focus on providing strong examples that highlight your

capacity and that differentiate you from other applicants
Skills Summary - example Swinburne
Communication Skills
 Highly developed interpersonal skills strengthened

through four years of customer service experience as a
Supervisor at Coles Supermarket
 Strong written communication skills demonstrated in

university assignments and in preparation of position
descriptions and training manuals at Blue Chip IT
Skills Summary – cont’d Swinburne
Proof / Demonstrated Evidence

Communication skills
Written
- Planned and wrote reports and researched essays.
- Publicised student events as part of sporting clubs. Developed promotional
flyers.
- Wrote the project briefs for a market research survey on fast foods in
convenience stores for Heinz Watties Ltd.
- Completed the business plan for a proposed new business venture for the
Brotherhood of St Laurence.
Oral
- Presented papers at tutorials.
- Instructed laboratory classes on how to conduct experiments.
- Gave an introductory welcome and presentation to 1st year international
students.
- Developed the ability to communicate effectively under pressure as a sales
assistant at a 7-11 convenience store.
Skills Summary – cont’d Swinburne
Leadership (Initiative and Enterprise)
- Proactively taken leadership roles during group projects, leading and guiding
teams into meeting deadlines and providing effective solutions to problems.
- Actively managed, organised and co-ordinated team workload and tasks, set
due-dates and deadlines for components of system design and
implementation for university projects and assignments.
- Ensuring involvement and support of team members as a critical part of
working as a team to ensure productivity while allowing the expression of
individual talents.
- Undertaken leadership camps and teamwork courses provided by the co-op
scholarship program with companies such as Operation Challenge and
Oxygen Learning.
Planning and Organising (Organisational)
- Prioritised daily, weekly, monthly tasks to meet university deadlines.
- Effective at managing time and balancing full-time study with part-time work,
as evidenced by handing in all my assignments on time.
INTERESTS section Swinburne
 Employers are always interested in you ‘the person’ and

your potential fit to the organisation
 They are curious to know about your hidden talents or

interests – especially if they relate to the profession you are
seeking to enter and the organisation
 Make sure you highlight a wide range of interests
 Clubbing, swords, surfing the net, Facebook, meeting new

people and hunting are NOT appropriate on resumes
Referees Swinburne
• No matter how good your application and interview were –

if your references are not positive – you won’t get the job.
• No one is obliged to give a positive reference – make sure

you choose someone with whom you had/have a good
rapport
• Should be work and study related
• Show your referees the courtesy of asking for their

permission and notifying them when you apply for jobs.
Resume case study ACTIVITY Swinburne
Jay Kapoor is a final year of student at Swinburne and is

looking to develop his resume to apply for graduate
Accounting positions.
Jay is confused about what information to include in his
resume.
Based on your knowledge of a resume as a personal
marketing document, identify which information you think
should be:
Included
Omitted from the resume
… and note reason for your decision (next slide) 35

Bio of Jay Yashwant Darshan Kapoor
1. 1. Full name
2. 2. Home address, telephone, email
3. 3. Linkedin profile address
4. 4. Single
5. 5. Age 23
6. 6. Good health
7. 7. Completing a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting with
minors in Finance and Commercial Law
8. 8. Overall pass average results achieved to date with credits and
distinctions in accounting subjects
9. 9. Started a Bachelor of Sports Management at Deakin University –
completed first year
10. 10. Primary School – Rowville Primary School
11. 11. year 7 – 9 Dandenong High School. Won a ‘distinction’ award in Year
9 Westpac Mathematics Competition
1. List continued on next slide … 36
Bio of Jay Yashwant Darshan Kapoor
1. 12. Year 9 – 12 Rowville Senior Secondary College
2. 13. After dropping out of Deakin studies travelled overseas for 18 months
visiting South America, Europe and India
3. 14. Part-time and casual jobs include: Cleaner for 6 months, Customer
Service Assistant at Coles for the past 9 months (still working), paper
delivery for 3 months at age 14, Waiter for 2 weeks, Bookkeeping and
Customer Service with his parent’s newsagency business, Industry
Based Learning accounts position for 6 months
4. 15. Advanced excel, basic Word and PowerPoint, intermediate MYOB
5. 16. Hobbies: Poker, hunting, basketball – member of Rowville Rockets for
past 5 years and captain for 2 years.
6. 17. Volunteer with Liberal Party of Australia (current) and RSPCA (in Year
10 at school)
7. 18. Referees: Family friend, father, Tutor and Work – contact details
37
Swinburne
Cover Letters
Your résumé focuses on you and the past.

The cover letter focuses on the employer and
the future.
Tell the hiring professional what you can do

to benefit the organisation in the future.
What is a cover letter? Swinburne
 A formal letter of introduction
 States your interest in the position or organisation – why

do you want to work for them and your skill match
 Provide an overview of your qualifications
 Outline your employment history or relevant experience
 Match your skills to those required for the job – Technical

and Generic
Good indication of your communication skills

Swinburne
Purpose of a Cover Letter
- Can you do the job?
Show you have the abilities, skills, knowledge and
experience to perform the role.
- Will you do the job?
Show you are interested in the work itself and that you
have the personal qualities necessary to succeed in the
role and the organisation.
- Will you fit in?
Show how your values and goals match those of
the organisation. The examples that you choose to share
can also demonstrate how you might fit in with clients and
co-workers.
Swinburne
Amanda Kaur
22 Henderson Rd
Epping Vic 3071 Your name and address
Ph: 9878 4456 Mob: 0432 907 123
Email: [email protected]
18hFebruary 2015 Date

Mr Robert Brown
General Manager
C&E Employer or agency name, title, address
Thomastown Vic 3074
Dear Mr Brown, Salutation (eg Dear Mr Brown or Dear Sir / Madam)

Re: Book Keeper and Office Assistant Reference line
Please accept my application for the position of Book Keeper and Office Assistant with C & E as advertised on the Seek website on the 18th
January 2015. I believe my skills and relevant experience would enable me to make a significant contribution to C&E.
I am undertaking a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting at Swinburne University of Technology (TAFE) and am looking forward to
utilising the skills I am gaining in my course to join a company devoted to environmentally friendly car care products. This course is providing me
with the knowledge and skills to efficiently work in an accounting and office administration role and the assignments have strengthened my ability
to process accounts payable and receivable; update customer accounts records; produce a variety of financial records; and enhanced my office
administration and keyboard skills. I am a confident internet user and familiar with MYOB and the full MS Office suite. This can be supported by
my referees who will also be able to confirm my enthusiasm and ability to problem solve client and financial discrepancies.
Utilising my good organisational skills I have balanced full-time study with part-time employment with Mumbai Property Exchange. My duties
include reception and general office administration. As Mumbai Property Exchange is a market leader in the area, I was expected to demonstrate
high level communication skills, professional standards and client confidentiality. At times, I am in charge of the office so I am very capable of
dealing with high volume customer service and a wide range of client enquiries.
Enclosed is my resume for your consideration. I look forward to discussing the position and my application further and can be contacted on
0432 907 123.
Yours sincerely, Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully

Amanda Kaur Sign and type your name
Targeting Your Cover Letter Swinburne
EVIDENCE
Draw on skills,
RESPONSE
experience and
accomplishments
• I am a hard
worker
REQUIREMENT
• Must be a
hard
worker
42
Cover Letters - Useful Tips Swinburne
• Be relevant. Review the advertisement and reply

specifically to what you see are the main requirements.
How do you believe you can contribute to achieving what
they are looking for from the role.
• Be personal. Write your cover letter in the first person.
• Be concise. Keep your cover letter to 1 page only.
• Be direct. Address the letter to the relevant contact listed
in the advertisement, by name where possible.
• Be specific. Refer to the advertised job title, reference
number and where you saw the job advertised.
Customise your letter to each job you apply for.
• Be purposeful. Outline the reason for your interest in the
role/company.
Cover Letters - Useful Tips Swinburne
• Be positive. Demonstrate an upbeat and

enthusiastic attitude to work.
• Be correct. Use spell check and proof read your
letter before submission.
• Be complete. Re-read the advertisement and
make sure you have covered all of the
requirements.
• Be professional. Even if you reply to the
advertisement electronically or via email, include
a cover letter.
Common Cover Letter Mistakes Swinburne
Generic Cover Letter The one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective because
it doesn’t allow you to address the company's goals,
objectives and specifications.
Providing too much Never include information that isn’t relevant to the
unnecessary information company. Keep your cover letter to four or five
paragraphs; never exceed a page.
Focusing on yourself The employer won’t contact you if you share details
that aren’t related to the indicated job requirements.
The question shouldn’t stop at “What can you do?” It
should rather be “What can you do for the company?”
Emphasising Weaknesses Carefully read your letter several times and find both
spelling and grammatical errors.
45
A WELL WRITTEN COVER LETTER Swinburne
SHOULD:
• Convey your interest and motivation to work in the

company and/or role
• Connect your qualifications to the company's goals
• Indicate your value proposition to the organisation
• Encourage the reader to learn more about you in your

résumé
46
Cover emails Swinburne
Most applications are submitted via email also require a

short cover email
Tips
 Mention the job title and reference number
 Express interest in the position highlighting that you
possess relevant qualifications and experience
 Refer to attached cover letter and resume
 Ensure your written expression, spelling and grammar are
perfect – or the attachment will not get opened!

Selection criteria Swinburne
- Separate document often used for government and

academic positions
- Cut and paste the key criteria and these become your
headings
- Demonstrate your skills by providing specific evidence of
your past experience in relation to the criteria
- Can use examples from study, part time jobs, extra
curricular activities etc

Additional Swinburne resources to assist you Swinburne
Resumes
 Resume builder
- “Developing Your Resume” handout (the“Sam
Chronological” resume example is an excellent guide)
- Resume podcast
 Cover Letters
- Cover letter handout
- How to write a cover letter podcast
 Selection Criteria
- Online applications and selection criteria handout
-Access at www.swin.edu.au/careers & on Blackboard

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Employability: Professional Career

Start Strategies & Job Search

AUSTRALIAN RESUMES &

Most jobs require written applications to assist recruiters to

You need to ensure ALL aspects of your written application

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 2

• A document that presents you as a professional

• The key to gaining an interview

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 3

- Not addressing selection criteria

- Poor written communication skills

How long does it take for a recruiter to

Often less than 20 seconds

So what makes a good resume?

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 5

- Matches the requirements - Clear and easy to scan

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 6

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

• Targeted to the requirements listed in the advertisement

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

Source: The Recruiters

Which pile will your story end up in?

What roles would this type of resume be best suited?

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 12

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN 13

Education / Associations / Professional

NOTE: Not all of these headings are

• Date of birth / age • Religion

Name (first name and surname)

* Work visa status for international students

 Best to type your name in capitals and

 Include: address (optional), contact

 Do not include personal information that

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

Following your personal details you may choose to include either a

 Marketing graduate with expertise in research, social media and

 Experienced in telecommunications sales and regularly exceeded

 Winner of Business Sales 2014 Telstra Award

 Strong communication skills, self-motivated and driven to learn and

 Targeting a graduate marketing position with a focus on xxxxxxxx

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

Highly motivated, professionally focused

Excellent skills and experience in business

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

 A marketing professional with substantial

 Experienced in product development, consumer

 Skilled in relationship building, branding and

 Targeting a marketing role within the retail

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

2013 - Current Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resources)

Key Study Areas:

 - Recruitment and selection

 Distinction average achieved to date

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

 Professional Development (seminars, short courses,

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN

2013 – Current Student Member

Australian Computer Society