457 Visa Australia

457 Visa

Working with both individuals and corporate clients, JobContax has extensive experience dealing with the 457 visa. Our Australian partners are able to use their local knowlegde, offering fast and friendly services tailored specifically to your needs. Relocation is a big step and is important to get right first time, every time. You need expert advice and support throughout your case - from applying for the 457 visa to employer sponsorship requirements. JobContax can do it all. The Subclass 457 Visa program allows employers to sponsor overseas workers, enabling them to work in Australia on a temporary basis. It is designed for people who initially wish to work for up to 4 years in Australia. The visa is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor overseas workers in Australia. This program allows applicants to work for up to four years for a sponsoring employer and is restricted to people seeking to be employed in skilled occupations.

Duration

The Subclass 457 visa allows for individuals to work in Australia for a period of between one day and four years. This is one of the more flexible types of Australia visas.

Eligibility

Employers
An employer must be approved as an eligible sponsor before an Australian 457 visa is granted. To achieve approval, an employer must meet a range of criteria set by the Australian Government. Requirements include a demonstrated commitment to employing local labour and a commitment to the training of Australian citizens and permanent residents.

Employees
Employees must be sponsored by an eligible employer to fill a nominated position. A full listing of eligible nominated occupations can be found in the Employer Nomination Scheme List. Employees must have skills, qualifications, experience and an employment background which match those required for the position, as well as demonstrated English language proficiency. Certain character and health requirements must also be met.

Applying for a 457 visa

There are three stages in the processing of the 457 visa: sponsorship, nomination and visa application.

Before individuals can apply for a 457 visa, they must first ensure the sponsoring employer is an approved sponsor. All of JobContax's Australian partners are approved ECPM contarctors.

Employers must submit an application to be a sponsor and are required to meet all eligibility requirements.

The employer must then nominate the position to be filled, along with details of the skills required for the position, the rate of pay and the name of the prospective overseas employee.

The employee then applies for a visa to work in Australia. To lodge a visa application the sponsorship and nomination must have been lodged with or prior to the visa application.

JobContax have helped numerous numerous construction and engineering professionals through the process. Once the employer decides to sponsor someone, the process only takes a couple of months.

Be sure to check out JobContax's current Australian 457 visa approved jobs.

Job Interview Research

Preparing for an interview? Need to impress your boss? Want to improve your lot in your career? Here are points to research, know and use accordingly. You don’t need to look far, but taking the time to consider these four points about a company you may want to work for will serve you well.

The Company’s Goal:  What is the company’s stated reason for being?  What do they need to accomplish and when?

1. What problem does the company’s products or services solve? This may have been easier to answer before the Internet and some of the social solutions we see today. But hey, Twitter gets the word out to followers fast and in many instances that can serve a purpose. Knowing this can help compare the company and industry to other opportunities you may consider.

2. What is the value of solving the problem? In other words, what audience is willing to pay for the products and services and if so how much and for how long? It doesn’t take a marketing whiz to Google and find the data or at the very least ask a few knowledgeable people and take your own swag. And, at the end of the day can help quantify the value of the opportunity.

3. What makes the company’s offerings unique? Compare to competitors own words, research analysts in the market and find out if the opportunity stands with the company or if you should set your sites on another.

4. Does the company have a defined culture known and accepted by the employee base? Almost all companies have grand statements describing their culture – great. Now call into the company or hang out at a lunch spot close by and question any employee about the company in question. If you ask three separate employees and get three different answers, you can bet the company is all talk. Or as we say in Texas, all hat and no cattle. Find the company where the culture is known by all and the prouder the employees recite and describe the culture obviously the better.

We all research a company before an interview or a chance at a promotion, and Glassdoor.com, a jobs and career community, is a great place to get opinions and insight from current and past employees. If you want to know more, show that you’ve done some research and have data that can help make the right decision.

Who Uses LinkedIn?

Many businesses are still unconvinced of how useful LinkedIn will be for them, whether employees should be encouraged to use it or whether there is any real business value in the site. I wanted to put together some essential stats that show just how big LinkedIn has become and why you can’t afford to ignore it. In addition to stats that show the reach of the site such as 100 million users, I wanted to delve a bit deeper to find out more about who’s using it and how.

Tech and finance are the leading sectors

Research compiled in July 2011 by Amodiovalerio Verde gives an indepth look at the demographic breakdown of LinkedIn users which is useful for people targeting other individuals or businesses, but most interesting out of this is the breakdown of industry sector. Tech is leading here at 15.3% of users, but interestingly this is followed closely by Finance at 12.9%. This shows that corporate social networking is also making its way into more traditional sectors, while others such as Media are coming in surprisingly low at 3.3%

More than 80% of members are decision makers

This is likely to get a lot of people’s attention, as it shows the potential to generate real business leads and referrals through LinkedIn. In an infographic released by LinkedIn to show the real make-up of LinkedIn members, they revealed that over 80% of members on there are the decision makers in an area of business in their organisation. Focused marketing efforts on LinkedIn can generate real results if you invest time in building relationships, evidenced by the significant amount of key decision makers on the site.

50% of Fortune 100 companies hire through LinkedIn

Showing just how pervasive LinkedIn has become in recruitment, this statistic, released just over 10 months ago, finds that over 50% of Fortune 100 companies now use LinkedIn for their recruitment strategy. It demonstrates the value in really using LinkedIn when jobseeking and the level of companies that use this alongside more traditional recruitment methods. In addition, top execs from all Fortune 500 companies are on LinkedIn, proving that it’s an invaluable business tool across the board at all levels

62% log in from home

This is an interesting stat, pulled together for the UK specifically. The findings released, revealed that the vast majority of time spent accessing LinkedIn is done from home – at 62%, with 38% logging in from work. This is not necessarily how you would expect LinkedIn to be used and it could suggest that there is a large mix of jobseekers and small business owners on the site, who would typically use it from home. I suspect what’s also at play here is people that are covertly looking for a new job without wanting to be caught at work, so they build out their profile and network at home.

Sales jobs lead the pack

As you might expect, sales is the leading job function on LinkedIn in terms of active members, as shown on the image below. There are 6,080,000 members on LinkedIn that work in sales, followed by academics at 5,277,000 and admin at 5,303k. To put it in the context of LinkedIn’s 100 million total members, over 6% of members are working within sales. As a b2b tool it shows there’s a lot of people on there looking for business in a crowded marketplace. If you want LinkedIn to work for you in terms of generating revenue, you’ll need to work hard on your relationships and community to stand out from the crowd :

What is an Australian 457 Visa?

All JobContax Jobs come with Australian 457 Visas

All jobs in Australia on www.JobContax.com come with 457 visa attached.  Due to the shortage of experienced skilled Construction and Engineering professionals in Australia, suitable foreign national are being offered 4 year working visas (457) by employers. The 457 visa entitles the bearer and their family to live and work in Australia.

The 457 visa is the most commonly used program for Australian or overseas employers to sponsor skilled overseas workers to work in Australia temporarily. The full title of this subclass of visa isTemporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457).

Requirements

Employers must be approved by the Australian government as an eligible employer. Employees must obtain a new visa and sponsorship if they wish to move to another sponsor.Holders of this visa may be employed for a period of between one day and four years and may bring any eligible family members, including same-sex partners, who have unrestricted work and study rights in Australia. Holders of the Subclass 457 visa have no limit on the number of times they travel in and out of Australia.

Employees must also meet minimum levels of qualifications and English language skills, in addition to character and health requirements. Whilst the employer can nominate a person for the particular position they are trying to fill, it is the Department of Immigration and Citizenship that assess and determine whether the criteria for visa grant have been met.

Conversion to permanent residency

457 visa holders can convert to Australian permanent residency status. It is common for 457 visa holders to apply for a permanent Australia residents visa with a view to permanently settle in Australia and become Australian citizens. There has been a recent increase in the number of grants of permanent residence visas to people who last held a Subclass 457 visa.  However there is Australian parliamentary concern regarding overseas agents falsely marketing permanent residency to Australia.

 

Questions to ask at interview

Answering questions doesn't cut it anymore. While job seekers focus on knowing all the right answers and impressing their interviewers, knowing which questions to ask can tell employers much more about you than any answer you might have. We spoke with a number of career coaches, headhunters and hiring managers who couldn't stress this enough. What will stick with them is that you asked the right questions, paid close attention to the answers and really fathomed what their organization is all about.Here's a list we gathered of the best questions you can ask, how to ask them and the right time to do it.

1. What sort of candidate are they looking for?
It's very important to ask questions near the beginning of the interview. Why? "The key to a good interview is understanding what an employer needs, so you know what it is you have to sell." A good questions can be: "What is the most important thing that you need someone in this position to complete in the first 30-90 days at the company?"

2. Get specific: You want to ask questions as "a doctor or analyst might do while conducting a thorough exam"
You’ll want to hear where this organization has been, where they are today and what type of goals they’d like to achieve. "What’s the history of this particular role? How did they come to define it as such? How will they recognize top performance and by what method will they calibrate results?"

3. "If I started this afternoon, what would I be working on?"
You should have a 3x5 card with the three things you most want to tell them about yourself, and the three questions you have for them, says career coach Win Sheffield. Good questions would be: "If I started this afternoon, what would I be working on?" or "How would I be spending most of my day?"

4. Don't ask: "Where might I end up in three years?"
Stay away from questions on your growth opportunities in the company, says Neil. This will make your interviewer question your intentions.

5. DO NOT ask about benefits or vacation time
"It's kind of weird when someone gets into the nitty-gritty of the benefits," says Alison Green, from Ask A Manager. "I've had people ask me who the health care provider is, if we have dental plans, how many vacation days we offer." Sheffield agrees: "Nothing about payment, or any kind of question that is self-indulgent." Once you're offered the job, that's when discussion about payment starts.

6. And whatever you do, don't ask these two questions
A - "Do you drug test?"
B -  "When can I go home?"

7. At the end of the interview, you can finally ask: "I'm wondering where you are in your hiring process?"
Win says the questions you ask at the end of an interview are also equally important, but they all depend on your interviewer's reaction. This question allows you to know when to follow-up with your interviewer.

8. Then ask: "I'm very interested in this job, I'm wondering where I stand compared to your ideal candidate?"
This is a great question, Win says, because depending on what they say, you will know what to write in your follow-up message. In a second or third interview, or if you've developed a friendly relationship with your interviewer, you can reword the question to: "How do I stand against the people you have interviewed?" Like the question before it, their answer can give you clues as to what to write in a thank you note, or how to answer other questions better.

9. After you ask your questions, be sure to listen to your interviewer's answers -- and judge their reaction
"Listen to how they self-diagnose while you make your own private diagnosis. Consider whether your assessment matches theirs," says Jaffe. "Never mind whether you’re the right person for this role. You can think about that later, in the car on the way home."

10. Express concerns you have about the company (within reason)
"Hiring managers honestly want to flush out any questions you might have about the company," says Green. "One of our worst nightmares is having someone take a job and three months after realize that they're miserable and have to start all over again."

11. Your enthusiasm for the job should come across in your answers
Goldman Sachs' head of human resources once said that the most important thing someone can show her in an interview is enthusiasm for the job, according to Sheffield. "If you're not asking questions about a job you're interested in, then I wonder why you're interviewing for it in the first place," he says.

12. The worst thing you can do is wait until the end of the interview to ask your questions

"One of the greatest mistakes you can do is wait until the end of the interview," says Neil. "By then it's far too late."A good way to sneak in your first questions is after the inevitable "tell me about yourself" question at the start of interviews. You can do it by saying "I can talk about my experiences for hours, but today I want to focus on what's most important to you," Neil says, and then ask you can your interviewer a question.

However, phone interviews are different.
In-person interviews allow you to judge someone's reaction. Phone interviews, on the other hand, tend to be more structured, Green says, so it's fine to wait until the end to ask questions.

Taking a Lower-Level Job Position

It’s easy to conclude that taking a lower-level position means putting the brakes on the career track or even taking a step back, but in fact, there can be a lot to gain in such a decision. Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to take a step forward in your career. There are a number of practical reasons to why taking a lower position makes sense.

Career Changers: A large percentage of individuals changing careers will face the need to start near the beginning with entry level workers. If you make a drastic career change, such as going from ER nursing to accounting on the CPA track, you can’t expect an opportunity to jump right to the top until you have honed skills and subject matter expertise. Of course, if you have transferable skills from a previous career that may help to secure an opportunity above entry level.

Field of Practice Changers: There are many people who choose to stay in their profession, but make a change in their field of practice. For example, you may have started your career in marketing for the travel industry, but decided to switch gears to the pharmaceutical industry. A lateral move may not always be possible because, like the career changer, you may not have the necessary industry knowledge needed in the field, especially if it is a highly specialized sector. For instance, technical language used to market pharmaceuticals in the United States follow strict guidelines approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The approaches taken to marketing may be drastically different between two fields.

Job Changers: Job changers include individuals who want to make a switch in the type of company or organization they work for. Certainly, working for a non-profit is not the same as corporate and going from an agency to an in-house position has its differences. So, while you may take a lower position, the title and associated responsibilities may vary widely between employers – and it is important to consider the experiences and opportunities available with the open position. For instance, you may go from an agency to an in-house position at a lower level. Expectations for formal promotions also may vary given different corporate cultures involved. Essentially, you may start off in what is perceived as a lower position, but you wind up with far more advanced experiences that you might otherwise have.

The (Extended) Unemployed Candidate: The difficult economy has resulted in a large pool of unemployed individuals who are well-educated and qualified for positions. Under such circumstances, it’s not rare if you’ve been unemployed for over a year. There have simply been more qualified candidates than job openings available. So, it may come to a point where you have to make the decision to take a lower position in order to: a) bring home a paycheck to pay for essentials, b) maintain your marketability (after such an extensive period of unemployment, it may be a greater setback to remain unemployed – your marketability withers with time away from the market) and/or c) help secure a better job opportunity down the track (employers typically favor candidates who are already employed).

 

Regardless of the situation, here are key questions you should ask yourself to help decide whether taking a lower position is the right move for you and your career.

1. Does this type of job fit into my long-term career goal? Essentially, will it get me where I want to be down the road?


2. After taking this position and settling in, if I go back on the job hunting track, will I be able to communicate to a potential employer how the experience has helped me grow and evolve to be prepared for this next position?


3. Do I believe I can excel in the position and create realistic opportunity to advance within the company?


4. Will I be happier with the position? Most people spend a large part their life working, so it is important to be happy with what you do. Be wary of how dissatisfaction with a job can quickly lead to burnout.

If you answered yes to the questions above and can put your ego aside, making the decision to take a lower position can be a rational move to help steer your career forward. You can expect to be happier with life and your career. However, after taking a lower position, you need to maintain perspective on your reasons for the decision. It is easy to let pride get in the way of things.  Remember this decision is based on a long-term plan, not a short-term plan for your career.

Talent shortage driving up Ex-Pat pay in Asia

Compensation packages at the executive-level are rising in Asia driven by a growing talent shortage, according to one expert. Private executive search firm DHR International, tells CNBC that China and India have shown the highest growth in compensation with senior executives demanding as much as 30% more than in their previous jobs.

"It`s a boom market, so there`s more opportunities then there are candidates that are perfect," says Greybe. "I think compensation is being driven by demand - the demand is outstripping the supply." Greybe says she received 30 new senior level searches from just one energy company in India over a two-year period.

And it`s not just demand. Greybe argues that as the Asian businesses of foreign multinationals have grown from being a small slice of overall global revenues to something much more substantial, the requirements have changed. "So suddenly you`re needing more senior people, the businesses are larger, the demands are greater," she says. "As a result there just isn`t enough talent that`s experienced and available. So people can command greater compensation and it`s driving numbers up."

According to DHR International`s research, compensation packages in the banking sector jumped 25% in Asia in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period a year earlier. "In 2010 you saw the demand increasing, and you saw salaries climbing, but 2011 is where you see the more extensive demands come out," says DHR`s Greybe. Despite the boom, Greybe says she`s surprised that only 30%of all the candidates they speak to in the US and Europe are interested in moving to Asia for senior global roles.

"I would have thought that candidates are much more open and willing to relocate and even when we have really great positions with appropriate compensation," she says. "We still can`t get some of these people to consider it."

How to Google Yourself Effectively and Edit your Online Footprint

There’s a reason that academics–and most everyone else–loves Google: it makes finding what you want just plain easy. Of course, that includes you. But what will someone find when they Google you? Is it what you would like them to see? Now’s the time to find out. Take the next 2 minutes to run a Google search (or Yahoo!,Bing, or your search provider of choice) and see what turns up. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Now that you’ve seen what’s out there, is it what you want representing you? As I see it, there are three likely outcomes for what you’ve found:

1. Your name pulls up one or many other people who share your name


2. Your name pulls up some sites that you’d rather not have others see


3. Your name pulls up the information that you would like to see about you

The third option is the ideal, but how exactly do you get there if you find yourself in the first or second camps?

Grabbing Your Name


I recognize that not everyone is blessed with as such a strange unwieldy charming name as “Croxall.” But you are in control of what you want to name yourself online. If–to pick a name completely at random–you’re just one of several Jason Joneses out there, you might choose to include a middle initial for your online self. There’s quite a different result for searches on “Jason Jones” and “Jason B. Jones.” You could also adopt the strategy of Alex Jarvis, who has decided drop the vowels from his relatively common name and to be “Alxjrvs” online. The point isn’t so much which name or spelling you decide on so long as it’s still recognizably you and something that is as unique as possible. After deciding on your name, make sure that you use it as many places as possible. While you might not always want to be yourself online, your ability to be found will increase as you use one identity which is as closely linked to your real name as possible.

After you’ve decided on how you want to be known, think about buying the domain associated with your name.  I can speak from relatively recent experience to say that buying a domain and setting up a simple website is really very easy. I did it in just under two hours–and I imagine you can too. Once you have your website, it’s easy to provide others with exactly the materials that you want them–and Google–to find. If building a website seems out of reach, you could consider using a service such as Interfolio’s Portfolio.

Something else that you might consider along with grabbing a domain name is to make sure your name is on relevant social networking sites. For example, Julie tweets at@jcmeloni, but she also owns the @juliemeloni account. The latter has a message which points to her real account.

Finally, in the last year, Google introduced Google Profiles, which are intended to help people control how they appear in Google searches for their name. Since this is exactly what you were looking to do in the first place, you will do well to create a profile and use it to point those looking for you to other relevant sites.

Eliminating Undesirables

But what do you do if your problem isn’t that you can’t be found but is rather that what comes up in your search isn’t what you’d like others to see? I first began Googling myself religiously in my first year on the job market, and I was surprised to see that one of the first hits for my name was my Amazon wishlist. There wasn’t anything on that list that I wouldn’t necessarily want others to see, but…it was less than desirable. The fix in this case proved very simple. I had followed my own policy of being myself online and used my real name on Amazon. I simply changed my account name to a pseudonym and within a week the offending wish list was out of sight.

If your results cannot be altered by changing your username–perhaps there’s something outdated on your institution’s or previous institution’s website–you could simply contact the people in charge of administering the space and ask them to remove or update the material. There might not be anything that you can do to force this change to happen, but in my experience people have been very understanding and helpful in making such changes.

But what about those negative comments? Those won’t be removed except under extraordinary circumstances and you cannot change them to a pseudonym. In this case, feel free to exercise the nuclear option: namely, produce and manage content on other sites so that the less-than-ideal material will gradually fall lower and lower on the search results. This is not necessarily a quick solution, but consider it an opportunity to commit to writing.

Questions to ask yourself before relocating

Relocating for a job is a fairly common practice, especially with the low job security of today’s economy.  But moving can result in heavy personal costs and should be extensively thought about before leaping to take a job.  Here’s how you can best enter a relocation type situation.

First and foremost consider why you are willing to move for this position.  Is it for the money? Can you not find a job in your hometown? Are you looking for a life change? Are you being forced to move by your current employer? Have you been looking for a chance to move? The answers to these questions will determine how well you adapt to the new situation.  If you’re putting yourself in this situation for good reasons and not just for the money or because you are being forced to do so you are more likely to have a positive attitude about your move and more likely to be happy in your new location.

Look into the details about the town you are moving to.  Consider the average home prices, what the culture is like, what the weather is like, if you have children consider what the school districts are like you don’t want to move somewhere where you really aren’t happy to live.  Often when the perfect job comes around we think that we will automatically be happy there but if the town you are moving to does not offer a social scene or isn’t family friendly it can take a serious toll on your psychological health.

You’ll also want to take a long hard look at your finances.  How much money will you lose on your house if you sell it right now.  If the real estate market is not favorable in your area, as it isn’t in most of the nation, you’ll want to consider how much you can rent your house or apartment for.  Selling your current residence is a huge part of the relocation process and it is often a bit of a financial burden.  Make sure it’s worth the money, and that you are financially able to do so.

If you have a family consider the effect of the move on them.  Will they be able to find jobs in the area?  Are they willing to say goodbye to their friends and coworkers?  Will they be happy in the new town?  If your spouse and/or children are not happy with the move it may make it difficult for you to be happy.

If you’ve decided relocation is the right decision for you, there are a few ways in which you can make the transition a little less painful.  Prepare yourself for the difficulty of saying goodbye.  Often we enter situations in which we have to say goodbye unprepared and end up fighting with the people we love because it’s harder to be sad than angry.  Give yourself time to say goodbye to the people who have really mattered to you.  Be honest with them about your feelings and they’ll be less likely to be angry with you about your move.  Make a plan as to how you are going to stay close.  For some people talking on the phone is enjoyable, others find it tedious and difficult consider setting up a time to video chat, or making it routine to email each other a few times a week.  Alternatively you could try mailing a journal back and forth, complete with photos, and fun anecdotes. Elizabeth Bernstein of the Wall Street Journal showcased a group of women who did just that, and they have found that it has helped them remain close despite the fact that they all reside in different states.  Old friends can help keep you from feeling lonely after a move, and should be included in your plans to relocate.

Tips for Successful Salary Negotiations

Most job seekers I’ve come across are not comfortable with salary negotiation. Don’t be discouraged to negotiation a fair package when you receive an offer. Many employers actually expect candidates to negotiate and factor that in to the initial offer.  Successful salary negotiation generally takes place at a specific point – after a job offer is presented. So, don’t jump the gun and ruin your chance of obtaining a salary you deserve by setting the bar too high or low.

It is always best to let the employer bring up the discussion of salary. There are a number of drawbacks to discussing this point too early in the process. The first interview is generally used to inform you about the position and company and to discover how your capabilities and skills may apply to the employer’s requirements. By discussing salary before even making a positive impression with the employer, you may cut yourself short.  If you bring up the discussion, the next question from the employer may be about your expectations.  Now, you are in a position to set the bar, but what if the bar you set is lower than what the employer was planning for? There’s also the chance you may be too over the top from what the employer had in mind and they may decide to discontinue discussions with you before there’s even been a chance to help them realize the true value of your experience and skills for the position and company.

There are some general rules to follow to ensure you have the best hand when it comes time to salary negotiation.

 

1. Responding to Desired Salary: It’s a question that may appear on your application and what you may write is “Fair market value.” If you must specify an amount, offer a broad range, not a specific dollar amount. And if asked during an interview, the same rule applies. A generally good response to help you get out of specifying your desired salary is saying, “I am flexible and expect to earn what is fair market value for the position.” You can then follow up and ask for the salary range for the position, putting the ball back in the employer’s court.


2. Conduct Research: Research the field and determine what a competitive salary is. There are a number of online websites offering salary information on different positions by location, industry as well as years of experience. This way, when it comes time to negotiation you have supporting materials to show your request is reasonable.


3. Know What You Are Worth: If you have particular skills that are important to this position or have leverage over other typical candidates for the position, use it to your advantage to support your request for a higher salary. Negotiation needs to be focused on what you can bring to the table versus what you need.


4. Schedule a Time for Negotiation: Follow up with your contact to schedule a time for an in-person meeting to discuss questions you have related to the offer. Explain you are very appreciative of the offer, but believe a few terms fall short of your expectations and you want to discuss it to determine if changes are possible.


5. Ask Questions Rather Than Present Demands: In order to establish a professional and pleasant negotiation discussion, always present your terms in the form of a question, such as, “How negotiable is the salary?” And avoid questions that can lead to an easy response of “No,” such as “Is the salary negotiable?”


6. Present Clear Terms and Know What It Will Take for You to Accept: Present to the employer exactly what it will take for you to accept the offer and be gracious, professional and courteous throughout this process. Negotiation should be a streamlined process. Know your minimum requirements to accept a position if your terms are not met or are only partially met.


7. Create a Win-Win Situation: Negotiation is about creating a win-win situation. Everyone should come off happy with what is to be received. Employers do not want unhappy employees coming on the job feeling underpaid and an employer should not feel they have been left with the short end of the stick.

Never shy away from negotiating for better salary when you receive a job offer. Establish a professional discussion where you are courteous in your requests and ask based on terms that are reasonable within the market, and you will have a good chance of getting what you deserve and want.

Australia - Skilled Migration Programme Overview

Australia’s skilled migration program is being updated as a result of government plans to attract the best migrants into the country. On July 1st the Australian government introduced the first stage of their new immigration program and it could mean significant changes for people who are interested in relocating to Australia. The changes, which represent a move away from the previous migration Occupations in Demand list to a new skilled occupation list is, according to Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), “designed to select the best and brightest skilled migrants" and attract people into the country who have the skills that Australia needs to improve their economic outlook. "The target groups are engineering, medical profession, nursing, scientist etc," said assistant secretary of Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship Peter Speldewinde.

One prominent change in the migration program rules includes the inclusion of higher points for English language skills. However, this has received a great deal of criticism from many organizations, which claim that the DIAC is discriminating against candidates from none-English speaking countries. In addition changes in the skilled occupation list and English speaking requirements, the age limit on skill migration has also been increased: "The age limit for unsponsored applicants is being raised from 45 to 50 if they have the required qualifications and experience," Peter Speldewinde, assistant secretary, labour market branch, Australian department of immigration and citizenship, announced recently. Other changes to the rules include the recognition of degrees from colleges and universities outside Australia.

An expression of interest model that is similar to that in use in New Zealand will be implemented July 1st 2012 and interested applicants will be able to complete a self-assessment online followed by a formal expression of interest. Once this has been completed the candidates will wait to receive an invitation to apply if suitable vacancies arise for their skill sets. "The EOIs will be held on a register and people on that register will be ranked according to what point they score. Australian government would periodically issue advertisement about the job offers and those with high scores on the points test would be invited," Speldewinde said. However, speaking to UK newspaper The Telegraph, Catherine Burnett, a spokesperson for the migration consultancy Migration Matters, criticized this system: “Currently under the General Skilled Migration System, if you meet the legislative criteria you are entitled to the grant of a visa. With an expression of interest scheme, this removes that impartiality and also removes any possibility of appealing if your expression of interest is not selected.

“This is certainly politically expedient for a government under pressure from several directions regarding immigration, but whether this is ultimately of any benefit to Australia is a complex issue.” The Australian government is currently planning on admitting 126,000 people under the Skilled Migration Programme over the next year with this figure representing approximately two thirds of the overall migrant intake.

Questions to ask at Interview

How frustrating when, at the end of interview, you get an opportunity to ask questions and you can’t think of anything! This happens to many candidates – Interviews are stressful situations, they can be emotionally draining and mentally challenging. So at the end of it, interview fatigue might set in and your normally sharp and inquisitive brain can freeze up when you are put on the spot.

This is an important moment in the interview, where you get to show serious interest and initiative. You can also gain critical information about the job, organisation, supervisor and colleagues by asking good questions, whilst also demonstrating your knowledge and research. Of course, don’t ask obvious questions!

Here are a few examples of things to ask – But remember, if the issue was already discussed don’t repeat the question! Take a few sample questions into the interview with you on a note pad to help you along.

What are the most important characteristics someone in this position should have?
What attracted you (The interviewer) to your current role or organisation?
What do you enjoy most in your job?
What do you expect from your staff?
What is your management style?
How would you characterise the management philosophy of the organisation?
What are the current strengths and weaknesses of the staff that would report to me?
How has the organisation changed in the recent past, and where does it expect to go in the future?
What is the top priority of the person that accepts this job? How would this be measured?
What opportunities are available for professional development?
Why are you hiring for this position?
What are the next steps in the selection process?
What is the timeline for hiring?
When can I expect to hear from you?

Brazil’s Job Market is Booming

As it begins preparations to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, Brazil - South America’s largest country and economy, is one of the first emerging markets to begin an economic recovery. With an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, Brazil is experiencing job growth and talent shortages in many sectors.

Brazil’s strong recovery from the global financial crisis has spurred increased hiring activity and a buoyant employment market, enabling the job market to become increasingly candidate-driven. Many workers in the private sector are seeing double-digit pay raises, and last year average salaries in Brazil increased 6.5 percent.

Talent shortages persist in many of the growing industry sectors in Brazil. Recruiting professionals report infrastructure, oil, gas, consumer products, technology, financial services, and capital markets are the most in need of talent. Hiring in Brazil has been active across all sectors, with the heaviest volumes in FCMG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), manufacturing, agribusiness and heavy construction.

Especially scarce in Brazil are engineers with technical backgrounds, experience with big oil finds, and knowledge of infrastructure, but Brazil turns out just 35,000 engineers a year, compared with India’s 250,000 and China’s 400,000 engineers. “One problem Brazil is facing is that their companies and universities have not created sufficiently qualified people to satisfy the new demand,” explains Ms. Thompson. “Multinational organizations looking to hire in Brazil are seeking successful candidates who are flexible, skilled in communications between Brazil and headquarters, adaptable and multilingual. Although many companies invest in homegrown talent, there is also room for skilled foreign-born executives to work in Brazil.”

The talent shortages in Brazil have resulted in high salaries and large executive bonuses. Chief executives and company directors earn more in São Paulo, Brazil’s business capital, than in New York, London, Singapore or Hong Kong. For example, a CFO with 12 years’ experience or more can earn $400,000 to $530,00 USD in São Paulo, while a CFO with the same experience would earn approximately $125,000 USD in New York.

The 10 Jobs Most in Demand in Brazil

1. Technicians
2. Skilled trades
3. Production operators
4. Secretaries, PAs, administrative assistants and office support staff
5. Labourers
6. Engineers
7. Drivers
8. Accounting and finance staff
9. IT staff
10. Sales representatives

How to Write a Professional CV that Wins Interviews

You’ve found the ideal job vacancy. Now you need the ‘how to’ guide to write your professional CV. Most people are aware of the standard professional CV build: employment history, qualifications, contact details – but which key ingredients impress employers and win a place on their interview shortlist?

“Before you start to write your professional CV, write down your ten greatest achievements,” says Peter Appleby, Managing Director of Appleby Associates. “This should help you get in the right mindset, which is a marketing mindset. Your achievements demonstrate your proven abilities and what you have to offer. You’re a product being sold to a company, and the goal of your professional CV is to communicate what you can do for them. By considering your achievements first, you won’t fall into the trap of describing your skills without offering evidence to substantiate them.”

Many jobseekers know the basics of how to write a CV, but they don’t build a professional CV that’s a real killer. Linking key skills and abilities with real-life achievements when you write your CV, such as awards or work successes, is a sure-fire way to impress, according to the employers we spoke to. “It’s important that everything you say about yourself on your CV is supported by concrete evidence,” says Harry Freedman, Chief Executive of Career Energy. “So when you describe your key skills and abilities, make sure you back up these claims. Your professional CV is the only thing potential employers will know about you before they meet you in person, so it has to be convincing and sell you strongly.” And how not to write a CV? One of the things employers tell us they hate the most is CV jargon, which loosely means describing yourself as ‘a highly dedicated worker, with excellent attention to detail’ without giving any real life examples of how you’ve already demonstrated these abilities. Always make sure you back up your claims with hard evidence.

Tailor your professional CV to fit the employer. You should never send an ‘identikit’ version to multiple employers by email. Recruiters really object to being spammed by cut and paste CVs. Instead, find out as much as you can about what your recruiters want from your professional CV beforehand. Employers can be very subjective in their preferences, even if they don’t realise it. For example, Noel Marshall of recruitment agency Finance Professionals, categorically states that a personal summary including hobbies and interests gives recruiters a flavour of your personality. Whilst headhunter Andrew Baber of Planning for People believes unequivocally that personal summaries are ‘white noise’ which no-one ever reads.

Almost every employer we spoke to emphasised the need to keep a professional CV as short as possible: no more than two pages long, with plenty of white space and a good font size. A ‘stuffed’ looking CV was rated as very unappealing by employers and a warning sign that the potential employee can’t prioritise. Your goal is to communicate clearly and quickly that you’re right for the job, and this means keeping text to a minimum. “Your professional CV is a document that must be inviting to read,” says Freedman, “which means making it very easy on the eye. There should be lots of white space and you should only write what’s really necessary.” Most employment vacancies are oversubscribed, so you won’t be thanked for adding to a recruiter’s workload by sending pages and pages of CV material for them to wade through.

Essential items are clear, accurate contact details (including your email address) at the top of each page of your professional CV, details of previous employment and your qualifications. According to ‘Why You? CV Messages to Win Jobs’ author, John Lees, who carried out detailed surveys of employers, for each of your previous jobs you should write a brief overview of your position, and then a separate paragraph listing the key skills demonstrated during your employment.

Lees also notes that the majority of recruiters prefer employment histories starting with the most recent first and appearing before a candidate’s qualifications. According to Lees, only a third of employers were interested in GCSE and A Level grades, and professional CVs that begin with school qualifications, or other irrelevant qualifications, were cited as very unappealing.

Good presentation is very important. “You should use plain, white A4 paper and a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial,” says Appleby. “Absolutely no, shall we say, ‘artistic’ fonts.” Also proof read, double-check and triple-check for errors. Before you dismiss this as an obvious point you would be amazed how many ‘professional’ CVs employers receive with typos and spelling mistakes. According to a nationwide survey of recruitment professionals carried out by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, 47% said that out of all the professional CVs they received, over half (50%) contained grammatical errors, with the worst offenders in the 21-25 year-old age group. For a recruiter with a mountain of professional CVs to work through, even one little error is a welcome reason to file an application in the pile marked ‘dustbin’.

Stand out from the crowd. If your research indicates your recruiter may favour a creative approach, don’t be afraid to be different. With three hundred black and white two-page CVs to get through, a cleverly creative approach can brighten an employer’s day. Examples which have made it through the door include a standard, professional CV coupled with a doll of the potential employee marketed as a super-hero with their employable qualities written on the box. Whilst one creative applicant seeking work with an events company put together an ‘invitation’ to employ her, complete with party poppers and streamers.

Perhaps most importantly, get a second opinion. “It’s a good idea to get a professional to look over your CV once it’s finished,” says Nick Rous, a career coach for Learn Direct. “Career coaches at Learn Direct can check your CV for free and make sure it’s correctly structured and includes the right amount of detail. A professional CV is not about cutting corners, get advice and take the time to do it properly.”

Telephone interview tips

You might think that the best thing about a telephone interview is that, like a radio presenter, you don't have to worry about how you look. But, an interview is still an interview even if you don't have to go to their offices. You need to be as prepared and well presented as you would be for a face to face interview.

Initial interviews by telephone are more common than they used to be. It's an inexpensive way to screen candidates in the initial stages of a recruitment campaign. The recruiter may just be looking for a confident manner and intelligent responses to some set questions. But don't take anything for granted. You may find you are on the phone for an hour and a half and are expected to answer detailed questions about previous roles and achievements.

Don't allow yourself to be caught on the hop. If you're not able to make some quiet time when they call then set a time for the interview to take place. You have to be a bit more organised about the telephone interview because it's on your home turf. Make sure you won't be interrupted and be sure to charge your phone in advance. Keep a copy of your CV by the phone and all the other relevant information you might need. Prepare and compose yourself in advance. If you sound confused and disorganised you might not get a second chance.

You should have some information from the prospective employer about the role and company. Think about answers you might give to their questions, particularly with regard to competency based questions. Do your research and prepare some questions to ask them exactly as you would for a regular interview.

Smile when you talk on the telephone. You'll be more relaxed, you'll sound more confident and assertive. Seriously think about using a headset for telephone interviews. Apart from the fact that it will make it much easier to take notes you'll be able to concentrate on the conversation rather than on balancing the phone between shoulder and ear while you search for a pen.

In all other respects treat the interview as you would a one to one but remember that time tends to be limited for a phone interview. It's a good idea to ask at the start, if not before the interview, about the structure or sequence of the interview process so you know what to expect. If part of the process is going to be that you are offered a choice of topics to brainstorm you don't want to be taken by surprise.

A phone interview is likely to feel less spontaneous and flexible than a one to one. The interviewer may well have a set script of questions and while you may feel rushed, at some points, if the interviewer thinks they have the information they need they will want to move on. This is the tricky thing about the telephone interview - you can't judge reactions in the same way as when you are face to face with an interviewer. It's a little harder to engage the interviewer in a two-way conversation if she has a schedule of questions and a row of tick boxes. As you don't get the feedback or body language information that help in the face to face situation, it might be useful to ask questions such as "is that what you needed to know?" or "do you want me to go into more detail?"

Other things to bear in mind? Make sure you sound enthusiastic, the sort of person they want on the team. Pace yourself, a good interviewer knows you may need a little time to compose a good response, so do take time to think about answers. Be aware that they may be pushing you to answer as part of their interview technique. Listen carefully and if you don't fully understand the question, ask for clarification. Don't allow yourself to become flustered, especially if some of the questions seem either irrelevant or overly-specific. And remember the interviewer may need some time to make notes between questions so don't worry unduly about short silences, be patient.

Make sure you have the interviewer's email details so that after the interview ends you can write them a thank you note, so as to reiterate your interest in the role and outline key points discussed and what you think you bring to the table.

14 million working hours spent job-hunting every week in UK and Ireland

Findings of survey suggest UK employees spend over 14 million working hours job hunting, costing employers more than £250 million

• Almost a quarter (23%) of jobseekers surveyed carry out telephone interviews while at work


• More than one in ten (12 per cent) have been caught by a boss or colleague


• Six per cent of respondents fabricate the death of a relative to excuse absence to attend interviews

Time-poor jobseekers are risking their current roles by searching for new jobs at work, according to a poll by Monster.co.uk.  The survey of over 2,000 jobseekers, all currently employed, found that over a quarter (28 per cent) spend more than three hours per week looking for jobs at work, 16 per cent more than five hours and 7 per cent more than ten hours. If this was consistent across all UK jobseekers, it would amount to a weekly total of over 14 million hours, costing employers more than £250 million every week.

This time is not just spent surfing the internet either. While 60 per cent of respondents say they do search online for jobs at work, 50 per cent say they also update they CV, 49 per cent apply for roles and almost a quarter (23 per cent) shamelessly carry out telephone interviews from the office. But it appears all this job hunting hasn’t gone unnoticed with 40 per cent of respondents saying they think their boss knows they are looking and 12 per cent saying they have actually been caught by their boss or another colleague. One in fifty of those questioned has actually lost their job this way.

Furthermore, over a third (39 per cent) of respondents have attended job interviews during working hours, with a medical appointment being the most popular excuse for absence (23 per cent), closely followed by a home delivery (22 per cent) and a pet emergency (14 per cent). Worryingly, six per cent of respondents fabricate the death of a relative to explain their absence, more than would fake sickness (one per cent) or a domestic emergency (five per cent).

Male respondents are the biggest culprits when it comes to job hunting at work, with 30 per cent spending more than three hours per week looking for a job, compared to 25 per cent of women surveyed. Regionally, those surveyed in Anglia spend the most time job hunting at work, followed by London and then the South East. Age-wise, youngsters are the biggest culprits with 21 per cent of 18 to 30 year old respondents spending more than five working hours looking for a job. Surprisingly those in the 51 to 60 age bracket are also serious offenders, with only slightly fewer (20 per cent) doing the same.

Isabelle Ratinaud, spokesperson for Monster UK & Ireland, said, “Looking for a new role can be time consuming and many people are clearly so desperate to move that they will spend hours looking and applying for roles while they’re supposed to be doing their current job. But while this may be tempting, it is important that job seekers try to limit their hunt to lunchtimes, evenings and weekends wherever possible. If your boss finds out you’re job hunting on their watch, this could not only affect your reference, it could even result in disciplinary action or dismissal - which could make finding a new job even harder.

“To reduce the chance of being found out, job seekers should make use of all the new technology available. iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices mean that you can now search and apply for roles from pretty much anywhere, at any time of the day, whether it’s on the way to work or in a coffee shop round the corner – but during an authorised break of course!” To make life easier for job seekers, Monster.co.uk has launched an iPad app for job hunting on the move. The app uses Monster’s unique 6Sense technology to match skills and experience to the right opportunities. This can be done at home, in a car, at the airport, on the train – taking advantage of those long commutes and downtime at the weekend.

75% of Irish professionals consider emigration

Three out of four professionals would consider leaving Ireland in the next three years if the economy does not improve, a new survey has found. The survey of people from IT, accountancy and engineering backgrounds also found that 14 per cent of professionals who emigrated in the last three years did so for warmer weather.

A desire to live in a warmer climate was particularly evident among accountants, 26 per cent of whom said climate had influenced their decision to move abroad. Two-thirds of respondents to the survey, carried out by Hays recruitment company, said they were no confident job prospects would improve in Ireland in the next three years, while 81 per cent believe the Government’s Jobs Initiative will not help employment figures.

More than a third (35 per cent) of the survey’s 2,173 respondents said they had left the country in the last three years for work – some to pursue an opportunity and others because they had no other option. Some 27 per cent left for the UK, 22 per cent for another European country, 15 per cent for Australasia and 7 per cent for North America. Three in five of those who have moved away from Ireland believe the quality of life is better where they live now.

Queensland: skilled worker shortage

The head of Queensland’s leading industry body says choosy workers are making will make it difficult to fill the skills gaps in the state. In the next year, 30000 workers will be needed in the Bowen Basin, and Queensland Resources Council chief executive said he was shocked to discover 2500 unfilled places exist in the minerals and resources sector alone.
“At the moment the workforce is being very choosy, you really have to move heaven and earth to make it attractive for them because they do have alternatives, particularly the younger generation,” he told The Daily Mercury.
"They are very mobile, they can get on a plane and fly to Mackay or Moranbah or they can maybe stay on the plane an extra couple of hours and fly to Western Australia, and I'm hearing for some of those jobs there is a premium to be paid.”

He said the mining boom will be held back by the skills shortage, despite initiatives to expand the industry.
“The fundamentals are excellent and it has to be good news for Bowen Basin communities and places like Mackay.
"The number one constraint of being able to realise that potential is the skills issue.”
The QRC boss has welcomed the moves by the Gillard Government to find a balance between training locals and allowing skilled migrants into Australia to fill the vacancies.
“We were pleased with the Federal Budget initiatives,” he said.
"A sensible balance between training up the local workforce, accelerating apprenticeships, more money for training and some easing up on facilitation of being able to bring in migrant labour, particularly for those really big projects.
“Hopefully the people of the Mackay region will understand that with projects there is a construction phase with a very high peak workforce and then there are the ongoing jobs.
“My vision is that we make sensible use of, for the short term construction phases, let's use migrant labour sensibly to fill gaps there and let's maximise then the permanent on-going jobs for locals, that is the happy mix and that is what we are aiming for,” Mr Roche said.

In the recent federal budget, treasurer Wayne Swan announced funding to speed up the completing apprenticeships and gaining qualifications. Education Queensland Trade Training Centre project officer Bob Baker told The Mercury offers of big money and ease of entering the resources sectors in other regions were taking young people away from the Bowen Basin and towards south-east and Western Australia.
“At the moment a lot of young people are actually going elsewhere for training as well and then are finding other opportunities in other places.,” he said.
“If they train elsewhere then the transition becomes very easy then for them to move to wherever the biggest money is.
“If we can have the opportunities here for them in Mackay, then they will stay here.
“As a region we are competing with the south-east corner and other major areas of interest like Western Australia, where there is more action, more services, and more resources for families.”
Baker said there needs to be more focus on developing Mackay’s tourism and infrastructure.
http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/choosy-workers-damaging-resouce-sector--qrc-boss

Increase Your Productivity While Working From Home

Whether telecommuting or freelancing, more and more professionals are trading in the cubicle for the home office. We hear all about the perks of the work from home lifestyle — no long commutes, more time with family, conference calls in pajamas, etc. But what about the challenges? It’s not always easy to stay productive in the face of countless distractions.

If you’re working from home, chances are you’re a freelancer, consultant, or small business owner. This means your ability to get paid is directly tied to how productive you are. As a freelancer, wasting time equals wasting money.

Here are some tips on how to stay focused as you move through the workday, while still enjoying all the unique benefits of working at home.

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1. Respect Your Own Time

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When you work at an office, family and friends seem to naturally respect your schedule. But when you’re working from home, you’ll inevitably get calls at 11:00 a.m. or be expected to handle the daily errands. I’m not saying you shouldn’t wait for the cable appointment or chat on the phone, but be mindful of how easy it is to have time ripped from your workday.

It’s important to set boundaries, if needed. People will respect your schedule, only if you respect it first.

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2. Impose Time Limits on Specific Tasks

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It’s easy to become distracted, particularly when dealing with a task that’s challenging or a bit dull. If you find yourself losing focus, tell yourself to dedicate just 15 more minutes to the task on hand. Knowing there’s an end in sight might inject new energy into the project. And if not, move on to something else and return to it when you’re in a better mindset.

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3. Set Strict Deadlines

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Ever wonder why you’re ultra productive when facing a tight deadline, while a simple task can take hours to complete? You might chalk this up to working well under pressure, but it could also be Parkinsons Law, which basically states that a task will expand to fill the time you can give it. Combat this phenomenon by imposing your own deadlines for specific tasks. These can be as complicated as finishing a proposal or as simple as responding to a client email.

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4. Log Off for “Power Productivity” Hours

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Digital distractions aren’t just limited to Facebook and YouTube. For most, the daily barrage of emails and IMs from friends and colleagues ends up being the day’s biggest time sink. If you’re stuck in your inbox, dedicate chunks of the day when you unplug from your phone and email to get work done. You can log back on afterward and power through the necessary responses.

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5. Delineate Your Workspace

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Ideally you can have an area dedicated as your office (and preferably with a door so you can shut out unwanted distractions). Creating boundaries not only helps you be more productive "at work," but also helps you decompress during your personal time.

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6. Slowing Down? Change Your Environment

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If you find yourself stuck (and you’ve already tried the “just 15 more minutes” tactic), change your environment. Go work at the café for an hour, or brainstorm at the park. A change in scenery can spark new ideas and give you newfound focus.

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7. Conduct a Time Audit

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Ever finish up the day and wonder where your time went? If you’re self-employed, it’s important to understand exactly how you’re using your time. Every so often, conduct a detailed audit of your day and keep track of what you did and how long it took. These audits can reveal great insights into your daily workflow and can help you make adjustments where needed — whether it’s getting help for your bookkeeping, dropping an overly demanding client, or condensing multiple trips to the grocery store.

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8. Create Task Lists

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I tend to have multiple lists running at any given time. One list keeps track of longer term goals (for example, the projects I need to complete by the end of the week or month). Then each morning I also create a focused outline for the day’s tasks. Try to keep your daily list as realistic and uncluttered as possible. Nothing can sap your motivation like staring at an overly ambitious list full of items you can’t possibly complete.

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9. Make Your Breaks Count

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Whether you’re working at home or in the office, it’s not possible to stay focused for hours on end. Breaks are an integral part of the workday, but make sure your free time counts. Have you ever denied yourself a trip to the gym or lunch with a friend “because you’re too busy?”

Chances are that on that very same day, you spent well over an hour browsing eBay, watching TV, looking at Facebook, checking your online bank account, or organizing your medicine cabinet. Busy work doesn’t accomplish anything and won’t recharge your batteries. So take your dog for a hike, take an actual lunch, or do whatever you enjoy. You’ll not only end up being happier, but more productive as well.

What are some of the ways that you cut out distractions and stay productive while working from home? Share your best practices in the comments.

http://mashable.com/2011/05/26/work-from-home-productivity/

What You Really Need To Know About Social Media Profiles And Job Searching

These days, most career development professionals will make a point of telling you to get with it in social media. The idea is that your various profiles are a gateway to a new job. Heartfelt advice about whether or not to include pictures of your last drinking binge or photos of your unmade bed is the new career coaching.

Please, get your social media profiles in order. It’s really your call. Be who you are or be willing to be someone else at work. Whichever decision you make, get your profiles together.

But don’t ever get the idea that using social media effectively will get you a job.

Remember the Philosophy 101 question: “If a tree falls in the forest, does anyone hear it?” The very same thing applies to social media. The odds that someone besides your mother and your own social network are actually going to look at you profile are quite low. For the most part, recruiters and HR folks look you up after they’ve come across your name, not as a way to find you in the first place. Just because you infuse your profiles with career information, you are not guaranteed that anyone will look at it or find it.

There are two aspects to the problem;

• Recruiters and HR professionals are not trained to find people using the internet. There is an emerging movement (called Sourcing) to get people some professional training. Only a small percentage of those who are charged with hiring have sourcing skills. Most don’t even realize that they need the skills.


• None of the social media sites (or Google for that matter) make it easy for you to be found. Building resumesthat can be found (regardless of format) is still an emerging art. While you can get some good tips about making your resume friendly to an Applicant Tracking System, little is known about how recruiters actually scavenge the web.

The sourcers may find you. You have to make yourself find-able to the others. Here are a few tips that will improve your chances of being found:

1. If (and that’s a big if) hiring managers come looking for profiles of people for jobs they are trying to fill, they will look for them exactly the way that you use Google. That is, they will search until they have what seems like ‘just enough’. It is imperative that your profile (and resume for that matter) contain the words that they will use for that search. Your best bet is to visit Google and search for people like you.


2. Examine the LinkedIn profiles of other people with your job. Make sure that you include any relevant key words in your profile. Generally, key words are nouns that describe incremental details of your skills and experience. Your profile ought to have tens of them.


3. There is some chance that an employer will supplement the resumes and applications it receives through job boards and its website. If you apply for a job online, make sure your social media profiles get updated with some of the language in those job descriptions.


4. Have a really clear picture of the people you wish would find you online. Tailor the descriptions of your experience to match the kinds of things they are looking for.

It’s early in the social media discovery game. For the foreseeable future, you are going to have to keep your eyes open. Discovering the tricks of getting your resume (or profile) noticed is a time honored job hunter’s tactic. New technology, same game.

http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/social-media-profiles-job-searching/