A Year of Job Hunting in Australia: From Zero Interviews to Success – The Resume Makeover Story
A Year of Job Hunting in Australia: From Zero Interviews to Success – The Resume Makeover Story
Background and Job Market Entry
After facing a layoff during the financial crisis, Baishakhi Connor, having recently married an Australian, decided to relocate to Australia. Despite her extensive work experience globally, breaking into the Australian job market proved to be a formidable task. Reflecting on her journey, she emphasized the importance of tailoring resumes to local norms.
Initial Resume Approach
Connor initially crafted her resume following a format common among Indian Institute of Management students. A one-page document with font size 8, the resume began with academic qualifications and then detailed her experiences and internships. However, this approach wasn't conducive to the Australian job market.
Here is the resume she used to apply to jobs in 2009. She has since changed her last name.
Resume Mistakes and Lessons Learned
Reexamining her resume roughly 15 years later, Connor acknowledged several mistakes in she would rectify today. She pointed out the absence of a summary, starting with academic qualifications instead of experience, and the need to translate achievements for better understanding. Additionally, she stressed the importance of using local lingo and catering to the preferences of Australian employers.
1. **Add a Summary**
Connor highlighted the missing summary or profile in her original resume. Today, recruiters manage multiple positions simultaneously, making a concise summary crucial for helping them place a candidate effectively. A two-to-three-line pitch about the candidate provides recruiters with a quick overview of the individual.
2. **Experience First**
Despite having seven years of experience in investment banking and tech consulting, Connor's resume began with academic qualifications. In hindsight, she recognized that this approach made her resume resemble that of a new university student. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing professional experience in the current job market.
3. **Translate Achievements**
Connor stressed the need to translate achievements for a foreign audience. For instance, her Indian Institute of Management (IIM) background was prestigious but not widely recognized in Australia. She recommended expressing the scale or prestige of one's background in terms that are familiar to the local job market.
4. **Cater to Local Employers**
Understanding the nuances of local language is crucial when crafting a resume. In Australia, Connor suggested using terms like "Career Highlights" instead of "Work Experience," as the latter is associated with unpaid student internships. Furthermore, she noted that Australian employers prefer multi-page resumes, contrary to the one-page format common in other regions.
Transformative Resume Revamp
Implementing these insights, Connor revamped her resume by adding a summary and emphasizing her professional experience. The result? She started receiving more interview calls and secured her first job offer within three months. This transformation propelled her into roles within consulting and consumer goods, eventually leading to her current executive position at a retail chain.
Career-Building Consultancy
Drawing from her experiences, Connor now runs a career-building consultancy that specializes in resume reviews. Her top tip for crafting effective resumes is to focus on the narrative you're building for your future. Resumes, according to her, should serve as a tool for marketing oneself for upcoming opportunities rather than just cataloging past experiences.
In conclusion, Baishakhi Connor's journey through the Australian job market serves as a valuable lesson for job seekers worldwide. Tailoring resumes to local norms, emphasizing professional experience, and translating achievements for a broader audience are key strategies that can significantly impact one's success in a competitive job market.
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