Create a job search strategy
To achieve your job goals, you need to know where to look
for work.
Many jobs are advertised in the open job
market, but the majority are not. They are found in the
‘hidden’ job market. They require to
you take the initiative and approach employers to ask for
work.
The open job market
The open job market refers to vacancies that are publicly
advertised. You’ll find them in the following places.
Centrelink
When you register with Centrelink, they will give you
information about searching for jobs and Centrelink
services or programs you might be eligible for. In
Centrelink offices, you can use the touch screens to view
jobs on Australian JobSearch.
Visit the Centrelink home
page to find out about their other services.
Career or
job expos
Some recruitment agencies, universities and industries hold
job expos. At a job expo, industries promote themselves as
career options, and employers give out information about
employment with their companies and list their current
vacancies.
You can often apply for a position right there at the expo,
so take a few copies of your resume with you, and be
prepared in case there’s an opportunity for an on-the-spot
interview.
Newspapers
Only about 20–30 per cent of all available jobs are
advertised. Competition for the jobs advertised in the
newspaper is strong. Keep an eye on the classifieds, but
don't make them your main source of job leads.
Jobs are advertised daily, but mostly on Wednesdays and
Saturdays in Australia's major newspapers. Most jobs are
advertised in the careers or employment section of the
classifieds, but some jobs are placed in the main news
section, or in the business section.
Read the careers and employment sections of newspapers
thoroughly. Advertisements are usually grouped by
profession and industry, but the job that suits you may be
under one of the other headings.
Job titles can be confusing. They can mean different things
in different workplaces, and requirements for jobs that
sound the same may vary. Read the job descriptions and
requirements carefully to make sure you don’t miss a
suitable job.
Take your newspaper search one step further. Note the
employers who are advertising positions. If you’re
interested in the kind of jobs they have, find out who
their competitors are, or other employers who operate in
similar industries. Approach those employers, too, about
possible current or future vacancies.
Don’t just read the ads. More general articles in the
career and employment section, or in the business section,
will tell you about trends, businesses or projects that are
starting up or expanding. You can apply before jobs are
even advertised.
Don't forget to check your local papers, too. The job you
want may be just around the corner from you.
When you find a job that looks good, you might find
this article useful in deciding how to go for it.
Radio
Some radio stations regularly broadcast local job
vacancies. Listen in for these ‘job spots’.
Internet
The Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a place to
advertise and search for jobs.
A wide range of employers lodge job vacancies with
recruitment agencies, who advertise them online.
Internet job searching is convenient, because you can:
- visit the government’s Australian JobSearch site and
search the National Vacancy Database
- visit privately run job search sites. Jobs are
searchable by category, and you can apply for many of
them online.
- search by industry, by job type, and/or by location
- lodge your resume in an agency’s resume database
- register to have e-mails sent to you alerting you to
job vacancies you might be interested in
- obtain job descriptions and send applications by
e-mail.
Some job sites specialise in specific industries or areas,
such as information technology or hospitality. Some popular
Australian sites that recruit for all industries are:
Many workplaces advertise vacancies or career opportunities
on their home page, and with some you can lodge your
details online.
Australian JobSearch
Whether you are looking for a job or career change, you can
use jobsearch.gov.au, Australia's largest free
online job site. Job seekers can upload their resume and
browse for thousands of jobs across all industries and
regions of Australia.
Job Services Australia providers and many employers
advertise their vacancies on jobsearch.gov.au. Job seekers can access
JobSearch on computers at over 1300 Job Services Australia
provider sites and 316 Centrelink Customer Service Centres
nationwide.
There are many free services available on jobsearch.gov.au. You
can register for free, use the online resume training tool
and apply for jobs online. Create your own personal profile
page and find out about apprenticeships and traineeships.
Public
Service
The Australian and state or territory governments advertise
for a wide range of staff in the general press, and
periodically recruit for entry-level (graduate) positions.
Permanent vacancies are advertised in the Australian
Public Service Gazette, which is published each
Thursday and is available at most public libraries or
online. Most jobs in the Gazette are open to
external applicants (people who aren’t already employed by
the Australian Public Service—APS).
Australian JobSearch Government helps you
search for Australian Government vacancies.
Graduate recruitment for the APS is now carried out by
individual departments, usually during March and August.
To
learn more about government agencies, go to the Australian
Government's home page and visit each agency's home
website.
Job Services Australia
Providers of Job Services Australia are private and
community organisations set up to find jobs and provide
employment and training related services for unemployed
people. They are funded by the Australian Government.
Employment agencies
Usually an employment agency will ask you to complete a
registration or application form. For certain kinds of
jobs—computing or administration, for example—they may
conduct tests of your skills (e.g. typing speed, spelling,
numeracy or various word processing tasks).
Employment agencies can be useful to you. They know about
job leads that aren’t advertised elsewhere. They’re active
in tracking down new job openings. Employers come to them
with job vacancies, and many employers have exclusive
arrangements with certain employment agencies.
Employment agencies differ in their focus and size, and in
the services they provide.
- They can be small business enterprises run by
individuals, or branches of large international
corporations.
- They may specialise in one occupational area, or in
several related areas.
- Some specialise in entry-level positions, others in
executive jobs.
- Some offer training, such as Advanced Word Processing,
to help you upgrade your skills.
Find and use agencies that suit your needs.
Privately run employment agencies are set up to match
people to jobs. You register with them as available for
work, and they contact you when employers lodge suitable
positions with them. The more agencies you register with,
the greater the chance of being referred to a job.
To find an appropriate agency, look under ‘Employment
agencies’ in the Yellow Pages, and take note of the
agencies that offer attractive jobs in the newspapers.
Tip!
- Once you’ve registered with an agency, don't sit
back and wait for them to do all the work. Continue to
manage your job search, and regularly contact the
agency to make sure they haven’t forgotten you.
- Prepare for your meeting with an employment agency
as you would for an interview; dress appropriately.
- Always be courteous in your dealings with agencies,
as they will be the ones who recommend you—or don’t
recommend you—to employers.
Tertiary institution
careers services
If you’re studying or a graduate, your university or
tertiary institution’s careers and employment service can
tell you about current and upcoming job vacancies.
Go to the Graduate Careers Australia website.
Select ‘Campus Contacts’ and click on the name of your
university to find the centre’s contact details.
Labour hire or
temporary agencies
Just like employment agencies, privately run labour hire
or temp agencies match available workers to available
jobs.
Unlike employment agencies, which fill employers’ jobs
and charge the employer a flat fee, the labour hire or
temporary agency actually employs the workers it deals
with. Once registered with the agency, you become its
employee whenever you are on temporary assignments or
projects where it has placed you.
Temporary jobs are an excellent way to build up your
skills and get experience while earning money. Many
people get full-time work after they’ve spent time in
temporary positions, as some employers use temp agencies
to evaluate workers before they offer them permanent
employment.
Group training
organisations
Group training organisations employ apprentices and
trainees and place them with ‘host employers’. As an
apprentice or trainee with a group training organisation,
you are assured of continuous work and training.
Professional and industry
journals
Professional and industry journals often carry job
advertisements, or run in-depth articles about industry
trends.
You might want to subscribe to these journals if they
regularly advertise jobs you’re interested in, or you might
be able to find them in local, university or TAFE
libraries.
Notice
boards
Keep an eye out for job vacancy notices in such places as:
- shop windows
- shop counters
- community notice boards (often found at supermarkets,
libraries, shopping centres)
- at the front entrance to a business
- near on-site projects
- outside factory gates.
The hidden job market
Many employers need workers, but don’t advertise jobs. Others
circulate information about upcoming jobs before they
advertise them. This ‘hidden’ job market requires you to be a
bit more self-motivated than the open job market does.
Networking is one way you can find out about jobs that
aren’t advertised, or are not yet advertised. Start off by
researching the industries you’re interested in. The Yellow
Pages is one place to start, but there are
other sources where you can find contact details and
information about employers. Write down a list of employers
you think it would be useful to approach for work.
Approach employers confidently and with a clear idea of how
you can meet their needs. This shows that you can take the
initiative and are committed to finding the right job for
you. There is always the possibility that an employer will
create a position after meeting you and realising that they
can use your skills.
This article about
researching jobs, employers and their needs may help you.