DavePE Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 (edited) Hi all, Been in Sydney since early September and I havn't found employement yet. I'm starting to worry. December is creeping up fast where everything pretty much shuts down like in South Africa. I really really don't want to have to survive until late January without a job. I've had one interview so far which I think I pretty much blew. I'm terrible at interviewing. My CV is strong but convincing people in the interview is where I fall short. I'm consdering going for "interview coaching"... I don't know if this would be a waste of money or not. I've put "interview coaching Sydney" into Google and there quite a few people who do it, prices range from $200 to $400 for an hour so it's not exactly cheap... How did everyone who found a job find the interviewing process? I battle with knowing what the interviewing wants from me in the process. I hate these behaviour type questions too. "Tell me of a time you had to deal with conflict, how did you react"... I could give you a million example of how I've had to deal with conflict but highly doubt they'll like any of them... lol Rant over... Edited October 6, 2016 by DavePE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottg Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 52 minutes ago, DavePE said: I hate these behaviour type questions too. "Tell me of a time you had to deal with conflict, how did you react"... If you cold on the question then it sucks but if you work them out before the time (at least 2 examples per criteria) and swot them up them it comes easier Some more behavioral ones: - Give us an example.... - Tell us about the time when... - What has been your experience with... - Describe the situation when you had to.. -We would like to hear about how you have.. To get a complete list get hold of Write a winning job application by Lloyd White ebook == $20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberJoe Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Hey @DavePE. Been a bit absent from the forum for a while because we also landed early Sept. The first few weeks flew by and job searching has been nerve wrecking since as you said, it feels like the pressure is on to get something before December. Ive been fortunate enough today to receive a formal offer and also another verbal offer with paperwork to follow so keep the faith, it is possible. If you want to, we could perhaps meet tomorrow or over the weekend to have a chat about the interview process and address some of the questions you mentioned? I previously found its a lot less stressful if you actually soundboard a interview before the real interview and would be happy to help where I can. As part of my previous job I had to do a lot of public speaking and was also coached previously specifically for the interview process as interviewer and interviewee . I feel this really helped me this past two weeks since I was told twice that I interview really well. Oddly enough neither of the companies who mentioned this made an offer yet so I wont let it go to my head and you might have to reconsider my credentials We live in Wolli Creek at present but I will gladly meet you closer to the CBD if its more suitable. PM me if you are interested, I have tomorrow completely open except for searching for a washing machine (Exciting stuff ,I know!) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavePE Posted October 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 That would be awesome CyberJoe, PM incoming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Another example of why this forum is so great !!! Good on ya CJ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FromDurbs Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Hi Dave I am not sure if this is helpful, since I am still in SA, and their might be cultural differences. But I interview a lot (as the one asking the questions) and can tell you that people who came across as real people do much better. Laugh at a joke, be real, smile and say that is a hard question, etc. Interact with the people, do not just answer the questions as a robot. It is a fine line though, you don't want to come across overbearing or too informal. And if at all possible, be there for an in person interview. I try so hard to give the phone candidates a fair chance, but they do not come across as well as the in person candidates. You just can't really connect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 Great advice from everyone @DavePE Just as an addition, it is always a good idea to do some research on the company beforehand so that you can ask relevant questions. Asking what does success look like in this role also shows a focus on delivery and gives you an opportunity to showcase your relevant skills and knowledge. Hope all goes well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yuvi Posted October 6, 2016 Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 (edited) Hi @DavePE, i might have missed this but what industry are you in and what roles are you looking for? I am in Software Engineering, so back in SA i was one of the hiring managers and interviewed allot for those types of roles. I also had quite a few interviews whilst i was here and i was lucky enough that they were almost all positive. I gave this advise to my wife the other day when she went for an interview. I found that i could not be 100% prepared for an interview. But what i found worked was, be yourself, they definitely seem more casual here in their interviewing process than SA. Know your CV well and be able to elaborate. Communication is key. Also research the company and map out your skills to how you think you can add value to them and what you bring to the table. I got the feeling that they more interested in the person you are and what you can bring to the company, specific skills can always be taught. Those 3 key points worked well for me. Let me know if you want to chat further. Glad to help. As stated, this was just my experience thus far, i am sure it varies between companies and industries. Edited October 6, 2016 by Yuvi 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsta Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Hey guys, As I always say, it all comes down to what you do, where you want to to it and how much you want to get paid for it. By the time you get to the interview, they are just checking you are not "a crazy", that you speak English properly, didn't lie on your CV, etc.. You only need to "rock" the interview if you are asking for a high salary. Look, you are probably not getting interviews because of my first sentence. I have helped interviewing over a dozen peeps here in Australia and am in my 3rd job. Think of it as if you were buying something. e.g. I saw a pair of safety shoes at kmart. They were $50, but they felt cheap. I saw some ones for $54 at big w that were better quality (but still cheap). Then I saw some much nicer ones that were $90 at big w. They looked better quality, but I wasn't entirely sure if they would last 2x as long as the $54 pair. My example of the shoes is exactly what managers are facing when they hire someone. Its hard if you are the $90 pair of shoes... you are much more likely to get the job if you re the $54 pair of shoes P.S. I eventually bought a pair of shoes online for $60. They were good quality, but weren't compliant with the AUS/NZ safety shoe standard. My work didn't specifically require the AUS standard, so buying shoes online from the UK felt like the smart thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiermelk Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 DavePE, maybe you should focus on your CV which might lead to more interviews? The CV is what gets you into the interview, once you get more interviews you get better at them. I have an achievements section on my CV for each position I`ve had and I answer most interview questions referring back to those achievements. Once you have those achievements clear in your mind you should be able to relate most questions back to them. Also have them and try and answer them in the STAR format. I`m also in Sydney, if you let us know what area you work in someone might be able to introduce you to a recruiting contact. All the best mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsta Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 @Tiermelk -> On 06/10/2016 at 6:36 PM, DavePE said: My CV is strong but convincing people in the interview is where I fall short My worry was he called this CV "strong". Not everyone buys the Pierre Cardin shirt . If your goal is to get a job quickly, then you want to be the $15 shirt at target... Sometimes having a CV that makes you out to be the Rolls Royce of employees, might actually hurt your cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiermelk Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 10 hours ago, monsta said: @Tiermelk -> My worry was he called this CV "strong". Not everyone buys the Pierre Cardin shirt . If your goal is to get a job quickly, then you want to be the $15 shirt at target... Sometimes having a CV that makes you out to be the Rolls Royce of employees, might actually hurt your cause. @monsta I guess it depends where they plan on wearing the shirt to... But I agree that your CV sets an expectation, being better in the interview than the expectation set by your CV is probably better overall than being worse than your CV... if that makes any sense! On 10/6/2016 at 6:36 PM, DavePE said: I've had one interview so far which I think I pretty much blew. I think I read this as DavePE had one interview so far, but maybe he meant he had one that blew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavePE Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 @monsta and @Tiermelk I get what you are saying, but when over 100 people apply for the job you need to make sure your cv sticks out. What I've done now is cut it back to two pages and kept everything as simple as I can but trying to match it exactly to the job spec I'm applying for. Hopefully that gets me more interviews and will set a realistic expectation from the employer which places less pressure on me in the interiew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiermelk Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Another thing (cheat) that I`ve done in the past when actively looking for jobs is the copy and paste the job description into my CV make the font very small and white, ie. hidden. This way any automated screening software should pop up your CV as a 100% match Do you know about applydirect.com.au ... You skip the recruiters and apply directly with the company. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yuvi Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 8 minutes ago, Tiermelk said: Another thing (cheat) that I`ve done in the past when actively looking for jobs is the copy and paste the job description into my CV make the font very small and white, ie. hidden. This way any automated screening software should pop up your CV as a 100% match Do you know about applydirect.com.au ... You skip the recruiters and apply directly with the company. lol, brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavePE Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Thanks Tiermelk, That's actually a very smart thing to do! A lot of recruiters ask for the CV in "Word" format, so this would be a good way to get passed the first hurdle. I will take a look at that website. Didn't know it existed. If I can avoid recruiters that's a good thing in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 I dont do recruiters anymore, lost all faith in them in essence. all my work now comes from referrals and word of mouth. That said, they are still a valid if archaic channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFreshStart Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 17 hours ago, monsta said: Hey guys, As I always say, it all comes down to what you do, where you want to to it and how much you want to get paid for it. By the time you get to the interview, they are just checking you are not "a crazy", that you speak English properly, didn't lie on your CV, etc.. You only need to "rock" the interview if you are asking for a high salary. Look, you are probably not getting interviews because of my first sentence. I have helped interviewing over a dozen peeps here in Australia and am in my 3rd job. Think of it as if you were buying something. e.g. I saw a pair of safety shoes at kmart. They were $50, but they felt cheap. I saw some ones for $54 at big w that were better quality (but still cheap). Then I saw some much nicer ones that were $90 at big w. They looked better quality, but I wasn't entirely sure if they would last 2x as long as the $54 pair. My example of the shoes is exactly what managers are facing when they hire someone. Its hard if you are the $90 pair of shoes... you are much more likely to get the job if you re the $54 pair of shoes P.S. I eventually bought a pair of shoes online for $60. They were good quality, but weren't compliant with the AUS/NZ safety shoe standard. My work didn't specifically require the AUS standard, so buying shoes online from the UK felt like the smart thing to do. If you're not happy with the $50 pair of shoes, buy a $160 pair, made in Aus to AUS/NZ safety shoe standards, because you're on your feet 8+ hours a day and your feet and health maters, then ask to be reimbursed $80 of that from HR because they value you and that you value yourself. If they can't see your value and what you bring and aren't willing to meet you half way, aim higher. At least that felt like the smart thing for me. Cheers Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFreshStart Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 1 hour ago, DavePE said: @monsta and @Tiermelk I get what you are saying, but when over 100 people apply for the job you need to make sure your cv sticks out. What I've done now is cut it back to two pages and kept everything as simple as I can but trying to match it exactly to the job spec I'm applying for. Hopefully that gets me more interviews and will set a realistic expectation from the employer which places less pressure on me in the interiew. @DavePE Your CV doesn't need to be more than 2-pages, and your cover letter should directly answer the ad, pointing out your skills and how they meet the brief/requirements. Keep your options open, you don't have to apply in your field, use this opportunity to look into a different field or avenue. I applied for 16 jobs in 4 fields, took 4 interviews, was the prime candidate in 2 and took the offer from the one that best suited the lifestyle I wanted - it paid well, by the hour and I was able to negotiate my terms, working from home, limiting my hours etc and saw it as a short term post, to build local work experience. I was open and honest, never hid this from them and basically knew I would be working my way out of a job, but they were desperate for help/support and I had the skills, 6-months later I landed my dream job. I kept my then employer in the loop, I only had to give 1-weeks notice, but gave them 3-weeks, arranged a handover and provided detailed scopes of work for my current projects. Be yourself, if you don't understand an interview question, ask them to repeat it and don't be afraid to set high goals. In my first interview with my new employer the manager asked me what my 5-year plan was, I told her, within 5-years I wanted her job. I was honest and confident, she admired that, and believes I have the skills to do just that, in fact she responded, "I think you can do it in 3". She's been with the company for over 12-years. She's since has been by biggest advocate and has arranged the most intense and well thought out induction for me. Cheers Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsta Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 @AFreshStart Well done on landing a good job. I had to go through two jobs to find a decent job. I was lied to in the interview for my 1st job. I even worked for a company that tried to be a cool, mini startup... but landed up being a shouting match! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurferMan Posted October 12, 2016 Report Share Posted October 12, 2016 My CV is not a CV, its a profile. 2 pages. Period. Up front...my achievements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavePE Posted November 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2016 Finally have an actual job offer! Been bloody tough. Just shy of three months since I landed. I suppose three months isn't really that long, but was really starting to feel the pressue money wise and getting really dispondent with all the rejections. Thanks to everyone for their encouragement and advice. Very big thanks to @CyberJoe who came all the way to Edgecliff to give me coaching in interview skills. I've had so much experience with interviews now I could write a book. I'll start a diary on this site and put my experiences down in writing to help others coming over trying to break into the job market. I've learnt a hell of a lot over the past three months, definately want to help others avoid some of the mistakes I made. Time for beer!!! 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberJoe Posted November 29, 2016 Report Share Posted November 29, 2016 Congrats @DavePE!! Really been holding thumbs for you Did you get the job offer through an agent or was it a seek application? Makes no difference, I am purely curious! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavePE Posted November 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2016 Hey CyberJoe, it was through Seek but it was posted by the hiring company not through an agent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 On 11/28/2016 at 3:58 PM, DavePE said: I've had so much experience with interviews now I could write a book. I'll start a diary on this site and put my experiences down in writing to help others coming over trying to break into the job market. I've learnt a hell of a lot over the past three months, definately want to help others avoid some of the mistakes I made. Yes please! (RedPanda puts in pre-order...checks cart...what is the expected delivery date?) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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