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As you embark on your job search, the following lists a few less obvious tips for you to consider. It is often the smaller details we overlook that can determine our job search success.

• Think about EVERY touch point the recruiter/potential employer has with you and what impact each interaction may have. For example, ensure your email address is professional (email addresses like dancewithsatan@hotmail.com are not appropriate), and that you have a voicemail message that clearly identifies who you are and when you will return calls. Please avoid messages that include long, loud music or gimmicky/crude recordings that may be fun for your friends, but unprofessional for a future potential employer.    

• Your resume is about the recruiter, not YOU.  This means that your resume may only be viewed for thirty or so seconds and if you do not quickly and articulately communicate in line with the job requirements, you may be overlooked. In other words, no fluff and no stuff in the resume that does not align with the requirements of the role. Think of yourself as a product on the market - you need to consider what it is that an employer wants and then how to market yourself according to their requirements. The more you can demonstrate that you meet the requirements they have, the better your chances. See the article on Resume Tips.

• Be VERY mindful about where you live online.  Ensure your Facebook and Instagram profiles are ‘private’ (visible only to friends), and that there is nothing online that a recruiter will find that could reflect poorly on you. If you ‘live’ online, the employer can find you, or others can be willing to share what you think is private information more broadly on your behalf.

• Keep track of your applications.  When you have a number of applications or expressions of interest lodged, maintain a database or spreadsheet so you are prepared when you receive a call. Nothing sounds worse to a recruiter when they call, to be greeted with...”what was the job I applied for again?”

• NEVER respond to a regret letter with a derogatory email.  Whilst the rejection email may look like it is coming from a generic back-end company database, the recruiter receives it directly. You would be surprised at the number of times recruiters receive highly unprofessional emails in response to a rejection; it only confirms that they made the right decision not to select you, and generally results in a comment against your record.

• Talk to as many people as you can about your goals and work preferences; many organisations employ people through word of mouth.  Larger companies may offer current employees a ‘spotters fee’ for any new employee who is subsequently hired because of their referral (this is called an Employee Referral Program). This means current employees are on the lookout for people they think have the skills, experience and personal attributes to join the company.  Because employees only are paid for successful candidates, they will only refer those they believe have a very good chance at getting a job.  Therefore, be mindful of the way you conduct yourself around others and the more people who know you are open to opportunities, the better your chances.

• Think very carefully about your referees – too often people will select referees without knowing exactly how well those people will or will not speak about them. Referees are generally asked to cite strengths and weaknesses and to provide examples - so the more these examples can align to what you have already provided in an interview, the stronger your application. 

• Register on SEEK.com; as Australia’s largest job board, it is important to register to receive Job Alerts for positions that meet your specified criteria. This will ensure that you are immediately notified when a new job is posted – allowing you to apply, or to simply keep informed on what job opportunities are around for specific job types and locations of interest.

• And finally......the simplest tip of all. Please answer the phone with your name.  It is highly frustrating for a recruiter to have to ask, “Is this so and so” when making a call to a candidate.

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