How to apply for a job in Australia?

[Iruka]

A friend of mine wants to do an internship/placement at a company in Australia. She already knows where to apply and information about visa and stuff can be easily found.

What she had trouble with and where I want to help is the following:
What are standards for job applications in Australia, for example is a photo usually included, in which style is a CV usually written (flowing text or tabular) and so on ...

So if anyone here could give some tips from personal experience or knows a good website on this, I would be very grateful. :smallsmile:

[Lioness]

I don't have a great deal of experience, but I think it depends on what type of job.

For example, I got my first job in a supermarket. They got a brief, two page resume, and an online application form. Most places require a resume/CV, a cover letter detailing your interest and suitability for the job, and perhaps an application form.
As far as I know, a photo isn't standard to include. If they like the sound of your resume/cover letter, they interview you for the job.

[Felixaar]

A bit of a stupid question, but what do you mean by flowing text or tabular? We nomally have a simple straight forward letter for a cover letter and then a list of details for Resume/CV, like


Name: Josh
Phone No: Cmon, really?

Education:

Institution: blah blah
Certificate: blah blah blah[

And so on and so forth.

As for photos, no, not often. A friend of mine who got hers professionally done put one in once, but shes not doing any better getting jobs than the rest of us. So unless shes going for a job where appearance is of consequence I'd say no.

Also, super good luck to your friend! The more the merrier down here. Do you know what part of the country she'd be coming to?

[Serpentine]

No photos.

Cover letter is always a good idea (and follow up with phonecalls).

I just used the Microsoft Word resume template...

I think CV depends on the job?

A lot of the time a particular job will specify what they want. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem for her to contact the company and straight-out ask them what they want. Hell, being in communication with them could just be a bonus.

[Iruka]

Thanks for the replies, I knew the Playground wouldn't fail me. :smallbiggrin:


A bit of a stupid question, but what do you mean by flowing text or tabular? We nomally have a simple straight forward letter for a cover letter and then a list of details for Resume/CV, like

...

Also, super good luck to your friend! The more the merrier down here. Do you know what part of the country she'd be coming to?

Back in school I was told a CV should be written as a continuous text, but now the standard seems to be to just list the stuff in table form, just like your example.
And I have no idea where she might end up, but I guess in one of the bigger cities.

[Felixaar]

Yeah, pretty much, that seems to be the way things are. The idea of calling is a good one, but fairly expensive. Maybe try email. And the very best of luck to your friend.

[Erloas]

Not sure about Australia, but I've never heard of including a photo with a resume in the USA. In fact I know it would get HR in trouble if they asked for them and if including one got a better chance of getting hired then it opens the company up to a lot of potential lawsuits. Age, gender, race, looks, religious beliefs and a few other things I'm probably forgetting should never even factor into someone getting a job or not getting a job since they have no impact on someones qualifications. Although some of that can usually be inferred by other information (gender based on name, age based on previous jobs), they are actually questions that can't be asked here.

As for the layout of a resume and other documents, for most jobs it shouldn't matter. As long as it looks good and consistent and all of the needed information is easy to find then the exact form doesn't really matter.

[loopy]

No photos.

Unless you are going for a job at Supre.

Although you can circumvent that part by knowing the manager... or so I heard. :smallsmile:

EDIT 2: Hey, they asked me if I wanted a job. I'm broke, and there were pretty girls. I mean, come on! :smalltongue:

=====================

EDIT: And to be honest, I'm rather surprised that no one has mentioned the traditional method of killing and skinning a crocodile and bringing it to your preferred place of work as proof of your commitment and physical capability...

[Felixaar]

You work at Supre, Loopy?

Heh.

Hehheh.

*snigger*

AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!1

Ha.

[loopy]

No, I don't. I used to, however.

I work at iiNet, an ISP, doing Tech support.

[Moonshadow]

No, I don't. I used to, however.

I work at iiNet, an ISP, doing Tech support.

Does that mean YOU'RE the one holding up our high speed broadband which will probably be slower than the rest of the world anyways? :smalltongue:

[loopy]

Does that mean YOU'RE the one holding up our high speed broadband which will probably be slower than the rest of the world anyways? :smalltongue:

Nope, that'd be Telstra and Conroy.

[Moonshadow]

Butttttt how do I know that you're not Stephen Conroy...? Oh right, he's one of them DnD hating Christians or something... or is that Fielding I'm thinking of.

Anyways! Jobs here are the same to apply for as anywhere! Keep it nice and concise, I think my dad told me that putting job experience thats more than 3 or 4 years old is usually not very useful, try and keep it to a 2 page maximum, cover pages aren't strictly neccessary unless specifically asked for.

Oh, and do try to be unique. You need to try and make your CV stand out so that it doesn't get turfed in the do not read pile straight away. Other than that, patience! It will take a while, and no doubt you'll get knocked back a few times, but persistance is the key :smallsmile:

[Serpentine]

Frigging Telstra.
...cover pages aren't strictly neccessary unless specifically asked for.I strongly recommend it regardless, unless it's specifically not asked for. In large part because of this:
Oh, and do try to be unique.

[Rawhide]

Cover letters are always a good idea. The only time you shouldn't include a cover letter is if they specifically ask you not to include a cover letter.

Do not include your age/date of birth or marital status. Likewise, do not include any information about your religious beliefs or sexual orientation (by law, they are not allowed to ask you).

Do not include a photo unless the job is in a field (modeling, acting, etc) that requires it.

---

Make sure the resume/CV is no more than four pages.

When listing chronologically, place your most recent employment, experience or qualifications first and work backwards (i.e. reverse chronological order).

Play to your strengths, if you have lots of employment, you don't need to focus as much on your work experience. Otherwise, you need to list as much as possible in a lot of detail.

Include at least two referees and no more than four, preferably one from your current or most recent workplace.

[Iruka]

Thanks again for the answers, I'll forward them. :smallsmile:
In Germany it's usual to include photo and age, so it's important to know those little differences.

[Amiel]

When she does decide to come down here, don't forget to tell her that one needs to smear vegemite on one's face to ward off drop bears.


As for applying for a job in Australia, it's really the same as applying for a job anywhere else in the western world (and presumably throughout the rest of the industralised world).

Resumes need not need to include a photo; applications and offers are decided based on qualifications and experience rather than appearance.
For the resume itself, it is up to your friend whether she wishes to dot point her experience and qualifications or lay it out in essay form; both are acceptable.

Please note though that in Australia, work experience carries a bit more weight than in most or other countries; if one's degree is at a high level yet if one does not have much work experience , most employers would very well pick/are very likely to pick the one with more work experience.
Hope that's helpful.

[Skeppio]

Nope, that'd be Telstra and Conroy.

I will be cursing Telstra down to my dying breath, I swear...