Transcript Make Work Experience Work for You!

QUT Careers and Employment
www.careers.qut.edu.au
Make Work Experience
Work for You!
May 2011
Services for Students
Careers Fairs
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Careers Fair – March 28
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Engineering Careers Fair
Career Mentor Scheme
Career Counselling
Specialising in:
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Undergraduate
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Postgraduate
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International
QUT CareerHub
 Casual Jobs
 Graduate/postgraduate jobs
 Jobs whilst studying
 Vacation Jobs
 Events and Workshops
On-Campus Employer
Presentations
Resource Guides and Publications
Graduate Outcomes
Work Experience Insurance
Job Seeking Resources
Workshops and Workbooks
Resume Feedback
 Response in 5 working days
 Email [email protected]
Access to Going Global
Career Development Programs
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on Blackboard
Finding us via the QUT homepage:
Search for “careers”
Finding us via QUT Virtual:
www.careers.qut.edu.au
Register for your FREE online profile on the QUT CareerHub link at www.careers.qut.edu.au
Welcome
Preparing to apply for graduate jobs?
Need some casual work while studying?
Want to find work experience?
FAQs
Daily job listings
Useful weblinks
Career development guides
Upcoming events
New jobs are added daily by
employers who want to employ
QUT students… that means
YOU!
Career development strategies
Employment preparation
information sheets
Going Global
Accessing Going
Global
@ QUT Careers
QUT Careers and Employment
Workshops
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Resume Writing
Addressing Selection Criteria
Interview Skills
Get Ready for the Careers Fair
Accessing the Workforce
Careering Through Uni – Career Development Strategies
Evening Workshops
International Student Program – workshop series
For dates and locations see:
Volunteer Career Assistant
@ QUT Careers & Employment
We are looking for enthusiastic students who can
share 3-4 hrs/week and who want to gain
experience in:
• Working in an office environment
• Customer service
• Marketing & event coordination
• Administration & HR
As well as gaining valuable experience, you will receive a
personal reference from the Manager Careers &
Employment and special access to resources and Careers
Counsellors
APPLY NOW! Go to the QUT CareerHub
link at www.careers.qut.edu.au
Contact Careers and Employment
LOCATION
PHONE
Gardens Point:
07 3138 2649
Kelvin Grove:
07 3138 3488
Level 2, X Block
Reception: Room X222
Caboolture
07 5316 7400
Kelvin Grove Campus:
EMAIL
Level 4, C Block
(Above the Refectory)
[email protected]
Gardens Point Campus:
Caboolture Campus:
Student Centre - J Block
WEBSITE
www.careers.qut.edu.au
Overview
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Identifying opportunities
Applications – cover letters and resumes
Interview tips
Managing and thriving on placement
Career Development Modules
Questions
Decision Making
Making decisions
• Collect all the info
• Weigh up alternatives
• Check out the consequences
• Prioritise highest value
• Make the decision
• Review it after some time
Implementation
Taking action
• Information vs
application
• Prepare a resume
• Understand what you
offer
• Make contact
How do people access jobs?
• They can respond to advertisements on the Careers and
Employment website, etc.
• They can try to find jobs through friends
• They can hope that someone finds them
• They can apply through a recruitment agency.
Advertised Jobs
• Go to the Careers and Employment website and get
application details
• Go to CareerOne, etc and follow directions
• Look in newspapers, Faculty information and apply
Easy!
However:
A recent survey found that candidates found their positions by a
number of means and had the following success rates:
• Recruitment agency
• Newspaper
• On line (such as seek.com)
2%
5%
15%
The remaining 78%? Through contacts, networking and
approaching companies directly.
Most jobs aren’t advertised. This is the hidden job market.
Why are positions "Hidden"?
• Time taken in the advertising process – QUT about 12 weeks!
• Expense of advertising
• May have part time or short term job only (think IBM and 20
hours a week) -it would not be worth the time to advertise
• May have not thought of what you are offering – languages
and customer service + skills from degree + flexibility??
• May have employee resign tomorrow and need someone
immediately.
Decide what you have to sell!
• Previous work skills such
as reception duties,
customer service, team
work
• Expertise from a previous
degree
• Passion
• Voluntary work
Process for Accessing the Market
• Research the company you
want to work for. (Web site)
Graduate Outcomes??
• What does it do?
• Match yourself to its profile.
• Offer what it wants through
passionate letter/email and
resume.
Let’s discover the Cover...!
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It is a vital link between your resume and the organisation and provides a
personal perspective on why you would be a good candidate for the position.
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Highlights key skills and matches them to the employer’s requirements.
Indicates what attracts you to the role and the organisation.
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Encourages the employer to read your resume.
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Equally as important as your resume.
Customise the Cover!
• Create a new cover letter for each position
• Align your cover letter with the organisation
Contents of the Cover..
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Opening paragraph - Introduction
Paragraph 2 Why are you applying?
Paragraph 3 Why you?
Paragraph 4 Highlight your skills
Closing paragraph See you soon!
Resumes!
Your skills, knowledge, education and experiences – in only 3
pages!
• Evolving document and therefore needs to be updated
• Research the organisation via website and media releases – will
you fit in?
• Tailor your resume for the employer, highlighting your skills and
abilities
So...how do you make your resume stand out
from the others?
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Research the employer/company – what skills and attributes are
they looking for?
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What does their website look like?
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Resume:
Presentation...
Package...
Colour...
Document format...
Balance information and creativity.
Target your resume!
Who do you send it to?
• HR Manager?
• Head of area you wish to
work for?
• Friend/acquaintance?
How do you find such
addresses?
• Website
• Phone book?
• Ask them?
Work Placement Interviews
Work placement interview tips
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Be prepared
Know where to go and arrive early
Dress appropriately
Take relevant paperwork
Manage your nerves
Be polite, respectful and smile!
What do I do DURING the Interview?
Make a Good First Impression
• First impressions are hard to change
• Take between 30 seconds & 2 minutes to form
• Need to appear to be confident & enthusiastic
• Be in control in the first 2 minutes
• Practice possible entry routines
Strategies to be in Control
• Arrive early
• Keen/relaxed posture
• Make & keep eye contact
when speaking
• Don’t fidget (distraction)
• Slow deep breaths
• Shake hands firmly
• Listen – Think - Speak
• Lay your paperwork out on
the table in front of you
Non-verbal Messages
What Questions will I be Asked?
• General
• Behavioural
General Questions (traditional or technical)
• What did you do on the weekend?
• What aspects of university have you found interesting?
• Tell me about your weaknesses?
• What is your least favourite subject?
• What practical experience do you have?
• Why do you want to work for us?
Behavioural Questions
• Describe the biggest challenge you faced at uni
and how you overcame it?
• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a
difficult co-worker or customer
• Give me an example of a challenging group you
have had to gain co-operation from
• Tell me a time when you failed and the lesson you
learned from this experience
The Key to a Perfect Answer
Situation (context)
Task(s)
Actions required
Result
Learning
Use recent examples from study, work, social, sport….
Stick to 1-3mins response. Then ask if they want more
information.
Example:
'Can you tell me about a time when you had to organise a major event?'
• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Results
'Yes - earlier this year I had to organise the 2010 QUT
Careers Fair.
'To do this, I was required to market and advertise the
Fair to both students and employers. I also had to
organise venue hire, catering and booth construction,
and exhibition equipment.
'To market the Fair to students, we had a postcard
designed and mailed out to our target audience. We
also used banners, flyers and posters to advertise. In
the week leading up to the Fair, we used a video wall for
the first time.....
'We had 65 employers at the fair, which was the largest
number of employers to attend to date. And there were
over 2500 students, which was also a record number.'
What will they ask me about?
• Problem solving
(conflict management, challenges)
• Leadership
(initiative, responsibility)
• Team work
(relationships, roles)
• Communication
(oral, written, interpersonal)
• Time management
(deadlines, multi-tasking)
Example General (Personal) Questions
“Tell me about yourself”
“What has been one of your greatest achievements?”
http://lmsstream2.qut.edu.au/media/CARDEV_Interviews/_2921994_1/labs
Stream_Market_your_skills_and__ach_384K_Blackboard.wmv
Source: QUT Careers & Employment Career Development
Modules
Practise, practise, practise...
Record yourself
Practise in front of
the mirror
With friends!
Choose one question from the list that you most
dislike – interview a neighbour with your chosen
question – give feedback!
• What did you do on the
weekend?
• What aspects of university
have you found
interesting?
• What is your least
favourite subject?
• What practical experience
do you have?
• Why do you want to work
for us?
• Describe the biggest
challenge you faced at uni
and how you overcame it?
• Tell me about a time when
you had to deal with a
difficult co-worker or
customer
• Give me an example of a
challenging group you have
had to gain co-operation
from
Feedback
• What did the person being interviewed do well?
• What could they improve?
Think about:
– Content
– Body language (eye contact, posture etc.)
For further interview skills assistance
• QUT Careers & Employment has an information sheet
on interview skills
• You can get a hard copy at the Career Resource Centres
on each campus or download one from the website at
the following link:
http://www.careers.qut.edu.au/student/resource/InterviewSkills.pdf
Interview Coaching
WHAT?
• A ½ hr mock interview with a Career Counsellor
WHEN?
• Whenever you book!
WHERE?
• Careers & Employment (Level 4 C Block)
Ph: 3138 3488
Thriving in the workplace
Thriving in the workplace
5 key stages
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Anticipation
Disillusionment
Confrontation
Competence
Culmination
Developmental Stage Model Swietzer & King (2004)
Anticipation: Your concerns about the
workplace
• This can be relieved by preparation
– Know what is to be expected from you – workplace
and uni
– Understand what you can expect from the workplace
– learning agreement/induction
– Familiarise yourself with the company
– Create (and maintain!) a good first impression ...
1st impressions – creating and maintaining
• First impressions are formed immediately and are then
very difficult to change.
• It takes between 30 seconds and 2 minutes to form a
first impression, so how you perform at interview and
begin your first day at your workplace is very important.
1st impressions – creating and maintaining
• Dress to impress - fit with the environment.
• Be positive and upbeat and...
Maintaining that positive 1st impression
• Be careful with mobile phone use…
• Make sure you understand the rules surrounding e-mail
etiquette. Also internet/social networking sites etc
• Show respect and flexibility and offer to help others.
• Don’t assume something is acceptable practice.
Establish the rules first.
Disillusionment: The workplace isn’t what
you expected?
– Know how uni and the workplace differ, e.g., amount
of direction, feedback, control over your time
• This can be relieved by support networks
– Identify who can support you in your transition, e.g.,
Academics, family, mentors, roommates, friends
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– Identify the kind of support each can offer, e.g.,
provide advice, praise current efforts, affirm your
experience
Confrontation: When we’re challenged by
interpersonal relationships
• This can be relieved by learning about supervisory styles
and dealing with feedback
– Identify which supervisory styles you relate to best and
how you might manage each kind
• Autocratic
• Paternalistic
• Democratic
• Laissez-faire
http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_5_
1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2FcourseMain%3Fcourse_
id%3D_45841_1
Receiving feedback
• Constructive:
– Accept, evaluate, choose what to do with it
• Negative:
– Denial, anger, withdrawal, acceptance
Competence: Developing your capacity to
manage the workload
• Learn to manage your time and workload
– Set goals
– Plan your time
– Make a daily ‘to do list’
– Prioritise
– Manage emails
Culmination: Reflection and assimilation
• Reflect on your experience
• Assimilate the work placement experience into your
broader career planning (hint – use eportfolio!)
– Keep a training and activities log
– File all relevant documents in one place
– Keep a list of useful contacts
Thriving in the workplace –
Career Development Module
• Link to overview of the modules:
http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?t
ab=community&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fex
ecute%2FcourseMain%3Fcourse_id%3D_37761_1
Final Tips
• Use the opportunity wisely
• Network and build up contacts
• Be positive
• Keep communicating – colleagues, supervisor
• Follow up with a thank you
Further help
• Use each other as support
• Talk to Faculty staff
• QUT and Careers & Employment website
Good Luck!
QUESTIONS?
LOCATION
PHONE
Gardens Point:
07 3138 2649
Kelvin Grove:
07 3138 3488
Level 2, X Block
Reception: Room X222
Caboolture
07 5316 7400
Kelvin Grove Campus:
EMAIL
Level 4, C Block
(Above the Refectory)
[email protected]
Gardens Point Campus:
Caboolture Campus:
Student Centre - J Block
WEBSITE
www.careers.qut.edu.au