Top tips to secure the job you want in 2017

Many of us spend the first few days of a New Year pondering what the year has in store for us; thinking about what elements of our lives we would like to change or improve upon and career is often at the top of the list.

Job hunting can be a daunting prospect; trawling through job boards and websites, tedious application processes and never hearing back! Bear in mind the average job search takes time and generally requires a lot of effort and activity on your part. A scary US statistic states that it takes 24.9 weeks to get hired!

Here, one of our senior recruiters, Lucy Hibbert, shares her top tips to help you win that prize!

Your Resume

The first step needs to be producing a great resume. It has to be clear, concise, readable, truly reflective of your skills and experience and most importantly relative to your profession and the market you are targeting.

For example, if you are in a creative profession such as Graphic Design, your resume needs to be a reflection of your portfolio and skill set and we would expect the CV to have a creative flair to it – that said it still needs to have all the content of a traditional resume. Conversely, if you are in a more corporate function we would not expect to see graphics/ pictures/ charts or animations!

Example resume 

Personally, I don’t mind a bit of colour on a resume, for example if you use a different colour for sub-headings it can break up the monotony of reading multiple CV’s and make yours stand out; however, don’t make it a rainbow of colour! Think about using different sized fonts (but always the same in one document) and bold to highlight different sections of key areas.

Obviously, the following all apply; spell-checking, having your work history in reverse chronical order (most recent work experience first) and including your contact details goes without saying! You also need to get someone to proof-read your resume, multiple times and be open to feedback and constructive criticism. Typo’s and errors are a pet peeve for me in a resume, especially if the role they are applying for requires you to have strong attention to detail and/or impeccable written skills. Even if your actual experience is strong, these errors can see you sent to the reject folder in a flash!

Keep it concise; no one’s resume should be more than three pages and I mean NO-ONE! Even if you have 20 years work experience the roles from the first 10 years should be title and organisation only. At the other end of the scale if you are a recent Grad with limited experience, of course include extra-curricular activities and experiences gained but do not submit a 10-page CV telling me about essays you have written in Year 10! 

You do not need to include; age, DOB, address, photo (please don’t), referees (at this point) or hobbies (unless remotely linked to the job/ industry).

Now let’s talk personality…… Of course, what makes you is what makes you great! And you may be keen to give us insight into “you” in your career statement/ objective statement at the beginning of your resume. Again, I am not averse to this but it is a fine line between quirky, cheesy and out right odd! So you collect Star Wars figurines – cool if you are applying for a job in a marketing agency or tech-start up not so cool if you are applying to clerk in a top-tier law firm. Choose your tone carefully and again get a friend, mentor or family member to review.

Cover letters – Yes or No?

I’ll be honest, I rarely read them and if I do it’s after I have already selected you to be screened. If you do attach one make it short, sharp and insightful. Explain why you are interested in the role/ organisation and address any anomalies in your career history such as gaps in employment or work rights.

Going back to my earlier point about personality, perhaps this is the best place for you to include this insight…….

LinkedIn

Now that you have perfected your resume approaching your LinkedIn profile should be a piece of cake! Make sure it is up-to-date and that you have linked your experience to the correct companies, with correct dates.

Always include a photo but make sure it’s appropriate. Think smart business casual; a head shot is best and no sunglasses or selfies! I’m not a big fan of you using your wedding photo either! You need to look professional, approachable and normal! A smile goes a long way and make sure it is reasonably recent.

Like all social sites, LinkedIn works on an algorithm based on key words – therefore if your profile contains the matching words someone is searching for it is more likely to come up in their search. Your dream job might find you! For example, if you work in HR make sure you also use the full words Human Resources and then think about including variations on theme e.g. People & Culture, Talent, Performance, ER & IR, Business Partnering etc.

Make some connections! ‘Link-In’ with people you know first; former colleagues, people you have met at conferences/ seminars, current colleagues, tutors and friends who are in professions. Then think about expanding your connections to people of interest in organisations of interest. Top tip: make sure you activate your privacy settings on LinkedIn so connections cannot see your activity. (you don’t want your current boss to know you are on the hunt for a new role!)

Follow companies of interest and like and share their posts. Follow LinkedIn ‘Influencers’ you are interested in. I also recommend following a few media outlets/ publications/ distributors as your LinkedIn ‘feed’ can be a great one-stop-shop of catching up on some business/ industry news.

Job applications

Do your research: Before applying check the role is one you are truly interested in and check the company is one you would like to work for. Are they based in a location you can get to? What are their products/ services? Can you review them on Glassdoor or Job Advisor? Look at them on LinkedIn – do you know anyone that already works there? When we ask a candidate what they know about our business and the answer is little to nothing, I question their level of genuine interest.

Be honest: If you are asked to fill out a questionnaire or form, be honest. Nine times out of 10 there is a prescriptive brief that the recruiter is trying to meet and whilst you might still be an ‘interesting’ candidate they will prioritise those that more closely meet this brief. If you are unable to progress your application, as you cannot move on from a selection criteria page as you do not meet it – do not lie! Make a note of that organisation you are interested in and Recruiters name, if you can access it, then email their recruitment team directly. Explain that you were disappointed not to have been able to apply as you didn’t meet all of the selection criteria but are still interested in an opportunity with the organisation and were wondering if there was anything else you could be considered for. #greatcandidatebehaviour

Keep a tracker: I’m a big fan of a spreadsheet! Keep track of the role/ company/ date you applied (and any other info you want) so that you can follow up and remember which roles you applied for. I would also suggest saving a copy of the ad copy/ printing it out, so you can use it for reference. There is nothing more off putting than when you call a candidate to chat about the role they have applied for and they say “Sorry, which role is this I have applied for so many in the last few days I’ve forgotten.” #badcandidatebehaviour

Follow up: By all means sending a follow up email after the closing date or a few weeks after an application is fine. Do be mindful that if you have been informed ‘only successful candidates will be contacted’ then there is a chance you haven’t been successful. Of course, this is disappointing if you felt you were the right candidate for the role but pitch your email/ phone call appropriately. Be upbeat and friendly not aggressive or challenging. Ask for some open feedback and be open to what you might hear.

Selection & interviews

If you are selected for a telephone interview/ 1^st interview……… congratulations!

Be prepared, have the job advertisement to hand and if the first point of contact is a phone-call make sure you can really talk and that you are in a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. Hearing a candidate whisper and be insistent they are “okay to talk” when they are clearly at their desk or in a stairwell is not setting yourself up for success!

Do your research, be on-time and look the part! Check with a recruiter about the dress code if you are unsure. Smile, try and relax (as much you can) and take your time to listen and answer questions.

It’s inevitable that you will be nervous and all good hiring managers/ recruiters will be sympathetic to this, to a degree. An interview is an artificial environment so the more you prepare the better it will go. Practise your answers to standard questions & think of examples you can provide of certain scenarios. If you can’t answer a question, the perfect answer is “I’m afraid I haven’t had that experience yet but what I would do is X, Y & Z” or “I don’t know the answer to that but I would be honest and up front and want to research and learn. I’m not afraid to ask questions where needed”.

Have a notebook and pen (that works) so that you can jot any interesting points down and have some pre-prepared questions to ask at the end of the interview. If you aren’t told what the next steps are – ask so that you know what to potentially expect & timeframes.

Offer

You get the call and are offered the job you wanted…… again massive congratulations!

Negotiating: Be reasonable. At some point in the process you should have been asked about your salary expectations, now is not the time to add on an extra $20k to try your luck! If the role has grown in size in terms of responsibility/ scope and you now think it is reasonable to negotiate on the package, then do so, but you will need to be able to justify why.  

Accepting: If you want the job it’s ok to be excited! Follow all the instructions of documents that need to be completed and sent.

Yay!!!

Congratulations – can’t wait to see you on your first day at SFG! 😄

Being rejected

No-one likes being rejected and if you really wanted the role and were genuinely excited then it can be a genuine blow. Try to contain your emotions but it’s perfectly ok to say you are disappointed. Ask for feedback and if you can, make some notes. Ask for more clarification/ examples if they can be provided. Then go away and reflect. Is there some constructive feedback there that you can take away and work on? On reflection can you agree with any of the points made and how would you improve for next time? Remember no-one shots the bulls-eye with the first arrow nor without practice.

Then pick yourself up and dust yourself down and get back out there – the right job for the right person is out there for all of us. Happy Hunting!

How a creative approach to job applications can work in your favor

• Want to know how to secure your dream job?
• Want to stand out from the crowed and get noticed?
• Tired of applying on-line and not knowing if your application gets seen?

If you’ve ever been on the hunt for a new role then it’s likely you have answered ‘Yes’ to one or more of the above. In a crowded and competitive market it can be hard to stand out and grab your perspective employers attention. However, one of our newest Team Members did just that! Hear how Stuart Christie took control of his job search and landed a Buying role with our Katies brand!

“When I first moved to Australia I became aware of SFG through a friend who was temping on reception; she raved about the offices, the team members and of course the SFG culture in general. After working in fashion in various capacities in the UK I had set my sights on re-joining the industry and when the time was right SFG was my first choice. I did some investigations and set my eyes on the prize, coming up with a plan of how I would make it happen.

I had been working in an Australian Government recruitment role trying to place people with disability into work and we had to employ various innovative strategies in securing opportunities for the candidates. This got me thinking about my own job search and I came up with a creative way to put myself in front of the right people at SFG. I wanted to show that all my previous (and very varied) work experience, in the fashion industry, would be right for them and make for a great investment for the company.

Having had a great deal of contact with employers and businesses it was clear to me that many candidates fail at the first hurdle due to their resume so I wanted to tackle this head on. I set about creating a document that was both visually different and also included content presented in a fresh and easily digestible way. I used logos instead of company names and formatted the whole thing to A5; placing the finished document into a blank cardboard folio style binder.

With the use of LinkedIn I created a mailing list of all the important people in HR and Buying across every brand under the SFG umbrella. This list ensured I had a targeted approach and made sure my document landed on the right desk. In addition to my creative resume & target list I decided to give each recipient an incentive to take time out of their day to review my skills for relevancy; so  I popped a gorgeous, individual tea bag into each 'resume pack' in the hope they would enjoy it while reading 'my story'. 

 

Stuart's awesome resume 'pack'

It worked. 

I was contacted by SFG a couple weeks later to arrange a telephone interview, they didn't have any opportunities at the time but thought my approach and initiative, coupled with my skills(!), suited SFG's ideology and of course the SHIRT values at the core of the business.

I wasn't hired immediately, as there wasn't an opportunity, but as soon as one came up I received the phone call I had been waiting and here I am working at SFG and I am VERY happy about it. The team at Katies are amazing and have been very supportive in me learning the role and business. Everyone is really friendly, approachable and hard working.

I thank SFG for being open to my unusual approach and I really feel it is a true reflection of the open-mindedness and resourcefulness of the business to go outside the box to improve the business at every level. I hope to be a member of the team here for a very long time to come." By Stuart Christie

Stuart Looking very happy in his role at Katies! 

Notes from the Editor - As a lucky recipient of a 'resume pack' including yummy peppermint tea bag I can assure readers that this was one of the most innovative job applications I have received in over 10yrs. We LOVED receiving it! Well done Stuart we hope you have a long, happy & successful career with SFG!  

Job search tips that make a real difference…

Whether you’re actively on the hunt for a new role or just passively looking at what’s going on in the job market, we've compiled a few tips to revamp your search to get the best out of your job hunting!

Network, network and network some more!

This is crucial - here at Specialty Fashion Group, the first thing our recruitment team do when embarking on a new search is to review who’s in our network/ talent pool. You need to network and create relationships with recruiters as well as directly with companies you are interested in regardless of job search status. You never know when you will want to tap into your network. Think outside of job hunting; you might want to call on some market intelligence, a consulting offer or competitor information!

You would be surprised at the amount of roles employers do not advertise; therefore don’t rely on your typical job boards, wishing and hoping your dream role will just appear! This is where your network is crucial - key relationships are at a core of how you tackle your job search and networking will be instrumental to finding and securing the perfect job for your career progression.

Follow-up

Do you want to leave a great impression? Do you want to leave a lasting impression? Then follow up!! Make notes of who you have contacted and when, then diarise a follow up with those professionals you want to keep in contact with. A quick phone call, short email or Inmail via LinkedIn means that you remain front of mind and demonstrates your interest in actually working for the company. Persistence is key and it definitely pays off! (Just don’t harass them!)

Get social

Like, share, follow & comment!! Social networking on various platforms is a great way of getting insights into the organisations you are interested in. Companies are increasing turning to social media tools to connect with talent. Sometimes advertising a role but more often than not showcasing what it is like to work for their business. Follow companies that interest you on LinkedIn, like their pictures on Instagram, share their content on Facebook! By becoming their biggest fan and a brand advocate you are demonstrating genuine interest and gaining knowledge about the business.

Identify yourself with a top-notch cover letter and resume

Show your skill set, abilities and accomplishments with a clearly organised and well thought out resume. Here are some tips:

• Don’t over complicate it with fancy font’s and borders
• Check  spelling grammar & syntax 
• Do not include a photo
• Make sure all your contact details are there 
• Check that your work history is chronological 
• Explain any gaps in employment that are longer than six months 
• Keep the length of the document appropriate to the volume of experience you have – if you have two years’ experience don’t send us a seven page resume! 

It won’t be a sure successor to landing you the job, but a bad resume with errors and a poor layout will eliminate you.

Job Alerts

Not actively looking around but still curious to know what’s going on out there in the market? For all the passive job seekers, why not let the jobs come to you? Sign up to receive job listings by email from a range of websites that are tailored to what you are looking for. This tip is a great time-saver plus you can track what’s going on in the market & industry.

As a recruitment team, we encourage our candidates to keep in touch with any changes in their situation even if at the time we don’t have a suitable opportunity. By developing those professional relationships, along with persistence and interest in a company, you’ll be the first to be contacted when a new opportunity arises!

Best of Luck!!!

SFG Recruitment Team xx

Top 5 questions to ask in an interview

"Do you have any questions for us?"

It’s the one question that comes out in just about every interview but many job seekers out there overlook preparing for this.  

As the recruitment team here at Specialty Fashion Group, we encourage candidates to ask questions at an interview as it demonstrates a candidates’ interest in the job and their enthusiasm to work for our company. Asking questions helps build rapport with your interviewer and enables you, as the candidate, to get a good idea if the company is really where you want to work.

We have complied a list of the top 5 questions you could ask in an interview – Obviously, there loads more to consider but we think if you prepare a list of a few good questions to bring to an interview, you’ll be on the fast track to success and landing your dream job!

1. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?
Don’t forget how much a company culture can impact your job performance. Generally speaking, this is a great question to show your interest in hearing about the company culture and how your personality would fit into the current team. A company is defined by its culture, values and core purpose. Get a good understanding of this aspect to ensure you understand how you will contribute to the team. 

2. What qualities and skills will make me successful in this job and what are some of the challenges I might face?

This question is great for demonstrating your ambition to succeed as well as gathering an insight into the expectations of role. As you query the challenges that may be faced, this helps to bring out possible skill gaps and highlights areas for growth and development.

3. What are the opportunities for growth and development within the company?
Show your interest in the job by emphasising you are looking for a stable long-term opportunity with prospects for growth, development and a strong desire to improve and learn new things. By putting this question forward, you are showing curiosity in making a difference in the company and a willingness to participate in training for self-improvement.
 
4. What does a typical day in the job look like?
An interview can only give you so much information about the company and role. A great question to ask is what the actual day-to-day duties will involve and how a normal working week will look. You want to ensure this is the right job for you from the onset and by hearing what the responsibilities involved would be, it shows you are realistically considering the role and how well you will fit into the job.
 
5. What is the next step in the process?
A vital last question not to be overlooked by any candidate as it shows your interest in moving forward to the next stages of the recruitment process and gives you the clarity around time frames to help manage your expectations. 
 

With this interview preparation on some of these key questions we can assure you will be well on your way to landing that dream job you've always wanted!

Best of luck!

SFG Recruitment Team