by Loren D'Souza | Jul 4, 2019 | Resume Basics
2,062 Views
The only way to stand out from the crowd in the earliest stages of your career is to present a cracking resume. What are the rules for effective resume writing?
Before we begin leave an enquiry with ECA Internships and get connected with internship opportunities from around Australia. Our experts to guide you through the application process for the company of your choice and help you with your resume and interview process.
Do’s
- Do Limit Your Resume Text to 2 fonts.
- Do Include Your Contact Info.
- Do Use Powerful Verbs.
- Do Show Your Tech Skills.
- Do Include Soft Skills.
- Do Highlight Your Achievements.
- Do Keep It Updated.
- Do Include a Summary Statement.
- Do Use Appropriate Alignment.
- Do Consider Volunteer or Other Non-Work Experience.
- Do Highlight Your Most Relevant Experiences.
- Do Proofreading.
Don’ts
- Don’t Misrepresent Your Education or Job Experience.
- Don’t State “References available upon request”.
- Don’t Include your High School Education if you’re a College Graduate.
- Don’t Give Reasons for Leaving Each Job.
- Don’t Experiment with a Crazy Format.
- Don’t Use your Company Phone Number or Email Address.
- Don’t List Past Salary Information.
- Don’t Reveal Confidential Information.
- Don’t Add Hobbies or Interests that Are Unrelated to the Job.
- Don’t Overload the Resume with Details.
Once you’ve got your resume perfected it’s time to move to writing a stellar cover letter.
by Loren D'Souza | Jul 4, 2019 | Start with Work - Life
2,033 Views
If you’re like most Aussies, your work life balance could use a bit of an upgrade. We get it! It’s tough to make time for yourself and your family and still feel like you’re accomplishing your goals. There can be pressure in the workplace to meet deadlines and appear dedicated, particularly for career focused, ambitious individuals who don’t want to miss out on professional opportunities. It can be easy to get carried away, especially if you love your job! However, it’s always important to remember that life is short, and we need to make the most of every aspect of it, not just the professional side. If you adore your job and want to make it to the top of your field, then maybe throwing yourself into your work is what makes you happy, but for the rest of us, striking a balance is paramount. So, how do you know if you’ve found the best balance? We’ve got you covered.
Know your priorities
If your family is the most important thing to you, then make sure your family time is off limits and don’t let work projects seep their way in. Block off time to spend with them. If you career is what you’re focusing on right now, then communicate that to the people who matter most in your life so they can support you and understand when you need to spend more time at the office or attending professional development events. Trying to learn a new skill, focus on your health, take a class, join a social club, travel more, begin a new relationship, or chase after any other personal goals? Carve out time in your weekly schedule for those things. Don’t let work run your life.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
You’re going to have days where work takes over. You’re going to have days where your health or your kids or home maintenance takes over. You’re going to have days when you just collapse and need a break. These are all normal parts of life. Every day doesn’t have to go exactly as planned in order for you to achieve a balanced life. As long as you can look back on the past week or month and say you achieved the goals that were most important to you (no matter if they’re personal or professional), then you’re doing great! Let a deadline slip at work due to a family emergency? That’s bound to happen and if your boss is decent, then he or she will understand. Get home later than planned because you’re working late on a project at work that’s really important to you? We’ve all been there. It’s alright, so long as your family or partner knows they’re a priority.
Use your leave!
This is a no brainer! Did you know that Aussies enjoy some of the most generous paid leave packages in the world?! In some parts of the world, there is no paid leave whatsoever. Thankfully, that’s not the case here in the land of Oz. We enjoy vacation time, sick leave, maternity leave, carer’s leave, long service leave, and the list goes on… so USE it!! Take a vacation, even if you’re not travelling, just to have a long weekend to relax, read a good book, go to a footie match, or just sleep in. Give yourself a break. If you’re sick, for goodness sake stay home! In most cases, the office can survive without you for one day. Your HR department will generally be a good place to start to see what your leave entitlements are, but since we live in a country that values work life balance enough to make paid leave available to just about everyone, there’s no reason not to enjoy it.
Get Creative!
There are loads of modern solutions that can help you get a bit of extra time on your hands. Try getting your groceries delivered instead of spending half your Saturday at the shops. Become buddies with your slow cooker so dinner is ready when you get home and you can enjoy more free time. Use cloud storage so you can work from anywhere, when it’s convenient for you. Conduct meetings via webcam, so there’s less travel to client sites and you can get more done in the office. There are heaps of options out there!
Switch up your Commute
Did you know that commuters who take public transit on average are more relaxed than commuters who drive to work? Why is this? Because they use their commute as extra downtime to catch up on Netflix, read a book, make phone calls, pay bills online, and cross things off their to-do list. Alternatively, they can opt to use the time as extra work time if there’s an impending deadline, which allows them to avoid cutting into personal time with work. If you have the option, try switching to public transit a few days per week and use the time to do whatever you like. Alternatively, workers who have the option to work from home, even once or twice per week, not only report better work life balance, but in general tend to be more productive. If this option is available to you, you should definitely consider taking advantage of it.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I’m not happy with the way my time is divided now,” then it’s time to do something about it. Try planning your week in advance or checking with your HR representative to see what sort of flexible work arrangements might be available to you. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but putting in some effort to make sure your time reflects your priorities is definitely worth it!
by Loren D'Souza | Jul 4, 2019 | Resume Basics
2,958 Views
If you take a group of 10 people from any given group, chances are your going to get some debate about whether you should or shouldn’t do a cover letter. From my experience in HR and recruitment, the truth is that there is no right or wrong answer. Each company’s HR or recruitment team are different. Some will skip a cover letter, while others will use this document to make their decision about your suitability for a job. In my opinion, it is always beneficial to include a cover letter. Below is a comprehensive guide about how to write an effective cover letter. This guide is useful for anyone from school leavers to chief executives
So, what is a cover letter? Your cover letter provides you with an opportunity to introduce yourself and create a strong link between yourself and the role you are applying for. You should ensure your cover letter addresses each of the job requirements outlined within the advertisement/position description. It should also be written from the perspective of “what is in it for the organisation”. You also need to ensure that keywords are used in your cover letter and resume. Keywords are the main words that feature in the job information, such as the advertisement and job description. It is also vital, however, that you not only use these words
but do so in a way that demonstrates you are what the employer is looking for. It is important to have a unique cover letter for each role.
Cover letter fundamentals
Your cover letter should be no more than 2 pages (typically 1 page is perfect), with between 4-5 paragraphs. It is vital that you analyse the job information and align the content of your letter accordingly, including keywords and/or phrases. This will enable the employer to draw a link between you and the role.
If you have a contact name for the organisation you are applying to, the letter should be addressed to them. If you don’t, call the organisation and ask who will be considering applications and address the letter to them. This helps to build a connection with the employer.
Cover Letter Structure
The first paragraph should include how you found out about the opportunity – for example. “I am writing to formally apply for the position of Compliance Manager, which is currently
advertised on your website.”
Focus on what you can do and mention any transferable skills. You should only use positive language and highlight areas of the job criteria that you do satisfy. Do not highlight any skills you do not have and do not mention areas where you lack experience.
Including some specific achievements is a valuable technique to stand out from other applications. For example, “I recently demonstrated my outstanding project management skills through my successful leadership of the relocation of the operations team to a new office. This was achieved on time and on budget, with almost no time lost”.
The final paragraph should also be positive and should include a call to action. This may include phrases such as “Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing my suitability for the role in more detail at an interview”.
Make sure you get someone else to read your letter, for grammar, spelling and typing errors.
When there is no advertised vacancy, it is best to research the type of role you are targeting on other job sites such as Seek and Indeed, so you can target your cover letter and resume to what is typically required for this type of role.
Sample Cover Letter
15 Oxland Street
Indooroopilly Qld 4068
Date
Hiring Manager’s Name
ABC Company
Company address
Dear Name
Reference: HB35 Stakeholder Engagement Consultant
I am writing to express my interest in the Stakeholder Engagement Consultant role currently advertised on your company LinkedIn page. I have been following your company for some time, as I am passionate about the environmental sector. With my extensive relationship skills and experience, I am confident that I can make a significant contribution to ABC Company in this role.
In my most recent role with XYZ Company, I had a successful history of driving marketing and communication strategies across multiple operational sites. As an example, I developed targeted community programs that supported business goals, enhanced stakeholder awareness and staff engagement at all levels of the business.
Key to my success has been fostering a climate of transparency and opening up and maintaining honest, open lines of communication across the company. As a consultant, I provide people with flexibility and project ownership and I offer them the freedom and opportunity to have input into final solutions as they are developed.
Please refer to my enclosed resume, which provides further insight into my career and qualifications. My primary focus is to grow professionally and to make a real difference in environmental issues.
I believe my unique skills and knowledge will add value to your company. I am confident my depth of experience will be a good fit with your organisation. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my application further with you at interview.
Yours sincerely
Name
Second Example:
Dear (try to obtain a name if possible)
Reference: Part-time Bookkeeper role
I am writing to express my interest in the Bookkeeper role that you recently advertised on Seek. I have had a longstanding interest in the education sector and am confident that this, and my excellent bookkeeping skills, will be an asset to Achieve Education.
In my role with XYZ Company, I have had a successful history preparing and maintaining the accounts for the three businesses that formed the company group. I consistently met the key performance indicators for this role, including the timely submission of BAS, PAYG, payroll tax and all other business compliance activities. Soon after joining the company I identified an opportunity to improve the recording of assets by introducing a central online register. This initiative saved substantial costs and managed risk for the business by minimising duplication, improving the accuracy of accounting control processes, and triggering scheduled maintenance.
For the past three years, I have been the volunteer treasurer for the local C&K Kindergarten. I have really enjoyed this role and it has confirmed my ongoing interest in working with accounts.
I completed a Xero course in 2015 and have consolidated these skills by supporting several small business owners in my network with their accounts this financial year. I have met all of the compliance targets for these businesses while supporting the kindergarten and managing a busy household. My ability to multi-task, strong attention to detail and achievement orientation have been critical to my success.
I am looking forward to re-engaging with the workplace and feel that a two days per week role will be a perfect opportunity to allow me to do this successfully. I love to work in a team and greatly enjoy interacting with others at work. I know that my strong work ethic and friendly personality will be an excellent fit for your business. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to discussing my application further with you at interview. I may be contacted on 0400 000 000.
Kind regards,
Name
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by Loren D'Souza | Jul 4, 2019 | Start with Work - Life
1,907 Views
At various stages in our life we have had to negotiate our way into getting things done and surprisingly enough, this is a skill we’ve mastered growing up! Remember leaving secret notes for our parents or trying to negotiate a late night out with dad – we always knew who the go to person was!
However, we walk into adulthood as experienced negotiators, but not necessarily good at the game. Mostly because we end up repeating the same strategies we used as kids, and naturally, ‘childlike’ tactics don’t necessarily get us what we want.
This week, we look at two key effective workplace communication strategies.
Practice Active Listening
Trying to convince someone is not about talking more, but to listen and listen actively. If you’re trying to frame your response in your head while the other person is still talking, you’re not really listening
– but to mildly put it, simply trying to shut the other down with your seemingly smart response. Active listening takes effort, to bring your focus to the conversation and pay attention to what is being said. Understand the other perspective, even though yours is not being understood or acknowledged. Tip! Every time you see yourself going into your head, trying to frame a response – pause and get back to listening. Try and understand that person’s position and identify areas that you can contribute to. This is especially helpful if your role involves dealing with people a lot.
Pick the right tool
This is such an important and often overlooked aspect of communication! Take an example – if you know your friend or colleague is not someone who prefers discourse over texts, using that tool with that person will further aggravate the situation and make an already difficult conversation tough. Similarly, in a workplace setting, we often see emails being shared, sometimes out of anger even, copying in managers and people who’d only add to the grapevine. Not only is this being escalated, this is being perceived very differently by the recipients. On a more practical level, even the tone in your head reading the email can lead to interpreting that email very differently. Say someone has sent a seemingly neutral email, but you have preconceptions about what that person means – naturally when reading that email, your judgement is colored and already biased. Tip! If you truly want to have an effective conversation, especially in situations where your instinct is to vent, take a moment to reflect on what you truly want out of that situation. In most cases, it is conflict resolution. Then, make an objective assessment of the person you intend to resolve conflict with and then pick the appropriate tool. Keep your intentions clear.
Click here to send in an enquiry and get connected with internship opportunities from businesses across Australia.
by Loren D'Souza | Jun 28, 2019 | internship program
2,155 Views
Business is changing & the job market is getting competitive
The way business works is changing. Business disruption is now not a new term. New world is replacing old world and IT-enabled services are changing the way traditional business works. An internship experience exposes you to this real-world environment. Getting an internship (or more than one internship) is a great way to quickly add depth to your profile. With internships, you can apply what you’ve learned as part of your studies and you can quickly boost your understanding of business dynamics and the modern workplace.
Transition from uni to the workplace
The transition for many students from uni to the workplace is tough. From waking up at noon to waking up at the crack of dawn (or earlier if you live out in the suburbs and commute to the city). Internships can help to get you ready for the workplace and they help you to build positive routines which will assist your transition from uni to paid employment. The transition for many students is not only about when you wake up and when you sleep, but about what to wear at the workplace, transitioning from casual communication to business communication, email etiquette, managing meetings and much more. An internship exposes you to new experiences and helps you to build a solid foundation so you can make a successful transition to the workplace.
Click here to send in an enquiry and get connected with internship opportunities from businesses across Australia.
Understand what your competencies are
The way we work is rapidly changing. “Flexiwork” is the new term now because employers want to see you as an “owner” and not just someone who completes tasks at work. Understanding your competencies is an important factor in relation to this. “Competence” is the ability to do something successfully or efficiently. See the list of key competencies below and ask yourself how your skills stack up. Understanding yourself is the first step, acting on where you need to improve is the second step. Completing an internship before you start your first job is a great way to better understand yourself and identify your competency gaps so you can improve.
Mark your competency scores below ( 1= Low, 5 = High)
Agility – Are you able to move quickly through challenges and deal with whatever comes your way?
Communication – What you speak and write and how you speak and write matters, but knowing when not to speak is also important. As is understanding non-verbal cues.
Problem Solving – The workplace is not always straightforward. Disaster is bound to strike when you least expect and getting into critical thinking mode and quickly finding solutions to problems is what employers want, rather than people who just constantly talk about the problems.
Collaboration – In today’s world, collaboration goes beyond borders. You could be collaborating with a team internally within your organisation or you could be working
with people on the other side of the world. Get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your stakeholders so you can get the best out of each collaboration.
Ownership (or Intrapreneurship) – This is about the employee behaving like a business owner, taking full control and responsibility for their own work, owning their actions, successes and failures.
Negotiation – This is not just about contracts with clients, customers or suppliers. Negotiations happen every day in the workplace. For example, you may need to negotiate deadlines, salary, bonuses, or even your workload. As an intern, you need to start learning the art of negotiating. You may need to negotiate with internal departments or your own supervisor. Keep in mind “BATNA” always – this is your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. Knowing your BATNA will help you to negotiate better outcomes.
Creativity – As an intern, you have that spark and enthusiasm. Companies are always looking for that new idea and that igniting spark. Be seen and heard during your internship. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and ideas. Internships can be an important stepping stone to your career success and can lead to other valuable professional opportunities.
It’s a global game
Business today is global. Multinationals have teams working across various geographic zones. Companies outsource many aspects of their business and an internship can provide you with a solid understanding of how you need to work across borders, across cultures and across time zones. This valuable work experience gained as part of your internship will allow you to think more broadly and, as you step into the workplace, you will have a greater insight into what direction you would like your career to move into.
No risk, no reward
My last tip is, as some say, where there is no pain, there is no gain. You must sow first to reap rewards and internship experiences are an investment in your future career. No investment is risk-free, but there is no better time to take the leap than at the start of your career. Make the most of your internship experiences – I would even recommend completing more than one internship experience. You should consider international internships experiences as well, because they can provide you with extraordinary experiences, skills and knowledge outside of your home country.
“The only source of knowledge is experience” – Albert Einstein
If you are considering interning in Australia, check out ECA Internships latest internship listing for available positions from over 500 companies.
