Welcome: GK Career Panel and Networking

Golden Key Career Panel and

Networking

Clive May cmay@usc.edu.au

Anne Bowden abowden@usc.edu.au

Careers & Graduate Employment Officers

                              

USC Careers Fair 2011

Practice your networking skills!Networking Event2:30 - 3:30pm @ Upper Deck of C Building

• Network with prospective employers• Ask what employers look for in their graduates• Opportunities for internships or work experience• Ask about work in a particular industry• Create contacts and discover the ‘hidden job market’.

Graduate Opportunities:What are the employers looking for?

Academicachievement

• Grades/ Performance• Subjects studied• Knowledge acquired

Non academicachievement

• Placement/Internship• Previous work history• Work skills acquired

Extra- curricular activities• Clues to achievement and

motivation• Leadership qualities• Teamwork skills• Attitude

Personal qualities• Motivation• Values • Communication• Commitment • Teamwork ability

How are graduate employers assessing you?

Can you do the job?Skills, qualifications, experience

Will you do the job?Motivation, attitude, career goals

Will you fit in?Culturally, values, attributes

Applicant

Criteria 1

Criteria 2

Criteria 3

Total

Applicant 1

Applicant 2

Applicant 3

3= meets 1= partially2= satisfies 0= does not meet

Graduate Application Processes

Examples:www.graduateopportunties.com.au

www.unigrad.com.au • Each employer will have different expectations

- read the instructions carefully:

– Cover Sheet – Covering Letter – Resume– Selection Criteria– Work Samples, references– Referees

Research ‘The Hidden Job Market’

• Draw up a list of organisations you would like to

target for graduate employment

• Access employer websites and other online

information e.g. www.yellow.com.au

• Attend careers fairs, employer information sessions,

professional association events to network with

organisations

• Use Social Media to stay informed of opportunities

What skills do employers want from you?

These include:

• Ability to recognise, accept and constantly seek

opportunities for change = Professional Development

• Self Awareness and Self Reliance

• Organisational skills – teamwork, problem solving,

communication, management

• Oral and written communication skills, interpersonal

skills

• Knowledge and understanding of different cultures and

values

Prepare examples of your experience for each Key Skill

Requirement

Assist the selection panel by providingexamples in a structured format:

S.T.A.R • The Situation/Task• The Action you took• The Result/outcome achieved

Making Applications

• Research the organisation and the

position

• 10 second rule - information can be

scanned at a glance

• Highlight your accomplishments,

credentials and/or qualifications

• Never use one generic resume

Your all-purpose resume

• Personal Details• Key Skills• Secondary & Tertiary Education• Employment History• Professional Associations/ Licenses• Interests & Hobbies/Achievements• Referees

Writing a Cover Letter

• Clarify the job you are interested in and why

• clearly define your level of education

• Promote the skills you possess to fulfil the job

requirement

• Identify how your skills will benefit the

company and what strengths you will bring to the

role

• Identify areas where you have excelled

Writing Selection CriteriaExample criteria

• SC1 - Demonstrated highly developed conceptual and analytical

skills.

• SC2 - Ability to provide high levels of customer service and

establish and maintain effective client relationships.

• SC3 - Sound oral and written skills, so as to be able to prepare

concise, relevant, accurate and timely correspondence, reports

and practical recommendations.

STAR Method Example• Selection Criteria

– Demonstrated ability to develop tools and procedures that streamline work processes.

• STAR Response– Situation

• While completing my studies in Marketing through the University of the Sunshine Coast, I undertook work experience with the Centre for Multicultural and Community Development

– Task• My role was to coordinate the registrations and enquiries of

delegates who were attending a conference– Action

• To effectively perform this task, I developed an excel spread sheet to track registration, including flags to ensure I remembered to update relevant information

– Result• This approach enabled me to effectively and efficiently track

registrations and the time I saved by implementing this tool, meant I could spend more time liaising with prospective participants and attending to issues as they arose

Preparing for the Interview

CONGRATULATIONS!

You’ve landed the interview…..How do you prepare?

RESEARCH THE COMPANY AND THE WORK

• Understand the organisation/company:

– Look at their website, publications,

brochures!

– What is their vision, mission, values?

– What is their core service or product?

– What are they about?

POSSIBLE INTERVIEW SCENARIOS

• Assessment Centres/Group Interviews may be a

requirement

– Presentations, testing, exercises and activities

• One on one interviews/Telephone interviews

– May be informal or formalised

• Panel interviews

– More formalised

– Notes may be taken by the interviewers

The Interview – Arrival

• Be on time… to be late to an interview is rarely acceptable.

• Introduce yourself when you arrive at reception… you need to impress everyone and it starts with the receptionist.

• Dress appropriately… pay attention not only to your clothing, but to your hair colour/style, visible piercings and tattoos.

• Prior to the interview you may receive questions to consider. If you do, spend the time reviewing the questions and jot down some replies.

Types of Questions

• Behavioural

• Hypothetical or Scenario

• Job Knowledge

• Presentations• Skills Tests• Psychological Tests

?

Interview Conclusion – ask Questions!

Have some questions prepared to ask the panel…

Examples:

• What would you consider to be the priorities and challenges an employee would face in this position?

• What work or projects are the priority in the first six months?• What level of input would I have in determining my objectives

and deadlines?• How do you measure an employee's performance and provide

feedback?• How does the company acknowledge outstanding employee

performance?

Thank the panel members for their time, confirm your referees

with the panel and ensure your contact numbers are correct.

Final Tips…

• Body language is important so be aware of how you

present yourself. Be sure to maintain eye contact

and good posture.

• Avoid waffling … be clear, concise and to the point.

• Swearing is never acceptable … even if you are

quoting someone else.

• Do not make disrespectful or discriminatory

remarks… be professional and courteous with your

answers at all times.

• Do not bring too much information.

REMEMBER:The Interviewer’s 3

issues…

Your Preparation - Research, Research, Research!

• For graduate employment opportunities, part-time work, work experience, volunteering and internships use Careerhub http://careerhub.usc.edu.au

• For further information on a variety of professions - go to www.graduatecareers.com.au

• For ‘Occupations’ information on job duties and skills - go to www.myfuture.edu.au ‘The Facts’

• For information on graduate opportunities see - http://www.graduateopportunities.com/ and http://www.unigrad.com.au/home/ and http://www.apsjobs.gov.au

• Golden Key Career Opportunities information - http://www.goldenkey.org/GKIHS/MemberBenefits/CareersandRecruiting/

“OK CLIVE - STOP TALKING !”

Clive May and Anne BowdenCareers & Graduate Employment Officers Ground Floor Building J Tel: 07 5456 5038Email: careerconnection@usc.edu.au