WORK IT LIKE A PRO
Finding a job on the Gold Coast can be a difficult process, but with this advice from the experts you’ll be a working class man (or woman) in no time
Looking for work on the Gold Coast can sometimes feel like you’re caught in a rip with hundreds of other swimmers and you’re trying to convince the lone surf life saver to rescue you.
You’re drowning in bills and you can’t seem to find enough air to gasp out that you’ve got skills and experience to offer.
Unemployment figures on the Gold Coast for the last quarter are 5.3 per cent which, while not catastrophic, still means more than one in 20 of us are unable to find work. The good news is, between the Commonwealth Games and the many major expansions and redevelopments of Gold Coast retail and entertainment precincts, there is work out there if you know how to find it.
Whether you’re a new graduate or an experienced employee a good first point of call is a recruitment agency.
Centrelink clients will usually be signed up to an employment service provider as part of the conditions of their welfare payment, but proactive jobseekers can also self-refer to a commercial recruiter such as the Gold Coast’s New Point Recruitment.
According to the Private Employments Agents Act 2005 it is illegal in Queensland for a recruitment agency to charge jobseekers (they are paid by the companies doing the hiring) so you’ve got nothing to lose.
New Point Recruitment director David Ford says you need to come to the agency prepared to start interviewing immediately.
Are you worried it must be not what you know but who you know?
Don’t waste time being disheartened you don’t have a well connected uncle – update your LinkedIn profile and connect with companies you are targeting.
David says you also need a polished, comprehensive resume and a cover letter template, which you should personalise for each job application.
“If you’ve got a work history that’s a bit all over the place I’d say it’s better to list it rather than leave big gaps,” David says.
“When you get hundreds of resumes you just fly through them and big gaps are a red flag.
“It happened to me once. A role that I was promised didn’t come through, so I had a stint in a recycling plant because I had financial commitments. It didn’t last long because I’m not much of a labourer, but it was something I had to do for a short period of time and so I listed it.”
David says George Thorogood wasn’t wrong when he sang that people need to get a haircut and get a real job.
He says appearance and attitude during the interview process are crucial to landing the gig.
“So many people are not being self aware. They’re turning up in thongs when that first impression counts,” David says.
“Tattoos were a bit of a craze that went on and people put them in the wrong places. Even if a workplace is liberal their customer base may be conservative.
“You may have interviewed awesomely but if you reach out to shake hands and there are tattoos on your knuckles it’s not going to work.”
David says, while there’s a current shortage of web designers, programmers and digital marketers on the Gold Coast, roles such as administration, sales and human resources regularly attract 400 applications.
That number is swiftly whittled down.
“We will ask for simple things like for applicants to include a cover letter and you’d see at least 60 per cent who don’t,” David says.
“Our clients are on to that because the applicant is not following instructions. The next biggest mistake would be a poorly presented resume with a bad choice of photos. I can’t even describe some of the things we’ve seen.”
Investing in a professional resume and cover letter writer is highly recommended by recruiters.
Pauline Clayton, CEO of Elanora based Five Star Resumes, has been in the business for 14 years.
She says jobseekers need to be wary of resume-writing services advertised on platforms such as Gumtree and urges potential clients to ask for the qualifications of the writer.
Hers include a Bachelor of Business plus additional qualifications in performance management and leadership, training and assessment and strategic marketing.
“The days of walking on to a worksite and shaking hands with the manager are over,” Pauline says.
“Major employers often do a spelling and grammar scan, so if you have one spelling mistake your resume could be automatically deleted.
“The second scan they do is a key industry word scan, so regardless of certification and experience if you don’t get the score they are looking for, in the bin you go. The average Joe doesn’t know about these processes or how to pass them.”
Pauline says, particularly for people who have either stayed home with children or been made redundant after a long stint in the same role, not having the right certification can be the biggest problem.
“It’s a shame in a way because we all know the person who has 50 certificates but doesn’t have a clue and then we know the person who has none but has so much experience,” Pauline says.
“You can do courses online and you can get a higher education loan from the government.
“Training providers today will bend over backwards to help you and they do recognise prior learning.
“So if you’ve been a secretary for 20 years but have no pieces of paper instead of making you start from scratch they will look at the skills you have and tick them off so you might only actually do one unit out of 20.”
“SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING SELF AWARE. THEY’RE TURNING UP IN THONGS WHEN THAT FIRST IMPRESSION COUNTS.”
The Star Entertainment Group is one of the biggest employers on the Gold Coast. General manager of human te-sources Queensland Leith Wiblen says they employ staff in a broad range of roles, including sales, events, marketing or finance, gaming, housekeeping, food and beverage.
“As we progress with our investment of up to $850 million at The Star Gold Coast, it’s important the recruitment of our team reflects our overarching vision to become Australia’s leading integrated resort company,” Leith says.
“We want our team to be engaging and enthusiastic about working in a dynamic entertainment and dining destination, so candidates who are passionate about delivering exceptional service for others – who are authentic, warm and inclusive, and who look for ways to create the ultimate experience for our guests – will excel in our culture. Bilingual language skills are also advantageous.”
Leith says the company offers an abundance of job and training opportunities across a broad range of departments, roles and levels.
“With the expansion of our existing facilities and our new six-star tower expected to be completed ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, we are always on the lookout for passionate and dedicated people with varying degrees of experience to join our team,” she says.
“Being a 24-hour business means we offer a great deal of flexibility – catering to all needs from fulltime roles to part-time or casual positions.
“We’re actively working with universities and teacher networks to offer effective training pathways, and have partnered with TAFE Queensland to establish The Queensland Hotel & Hospitality School which aims to train the next generation of five and six-star hospitality workers.
“Meanwhile, our $3 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane integrated resort development will require 8000 operational roles across a variety of job types, including hospitality and office roles when it opens in 2022, making The Star Entertainment Group one of the state’s largest employers.”