How to land yourself an apprentice or trainee position with a new employer

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How to land yourself an apprentice or trainee position with a new employer

If you want to know the best way to get a trainee position or apprenticeship with an employer, then it’s a great way to earn some real vocational experience and gain access to new skills. However, with no former work experience and no connections in the right place, landing a role that like this isn’t easy; but, it’s not impossible either!

Finding Apprenticeships and Trainee Jobs in Australia

Although there is a range of sites and agencies that can help you find a temporary or permanent job, there aren’t any dedicated places where you can find out about trainers or apprenticeships posts. Because the agencies generally won’t be paid a commission, there is no real incentive for them to advertise or promote these opportunities. So, it’s usually left down to the employers themselves. They might approach local colleges or advertise on their own websites, but these posts aren’t often easy to find!

#1 You Need to Know How to Sell Yourself – In Person and In Writing

When these types of positions come up, then you can expect to be up against some fierce competition. Being able to stand out from the crown and articulate to employers why they should hire you is essential.

#2 The Right Skillset

When you start a new job as a trainee or apprentice, you are often required to learn new skills from the ground up. Being able to follow instructions, retain information, listen and be a good team player are all essential soft skills for these types of positions. So, you need to make sure that you highlight and demonstrate these skills and attributes whenever you have the opportunity to do so.

#3 Know Your Strengths

You might not realise it, but everybody has a unique selling point! If you are uncertain of what your strengths are, asking friends, family or former colleagues for their opinion can help you get started. Even if you have very little work experience, try to draw from other areas of your life, such as hobbies, social life, or even during your education.

  • Are you good at meeting deadlines?

Then your strengths will probably be that you’re organised with good time management skills.

  • Are you very confident when you meet new people and don’t mind speaking up when needed?

Then your strengths will be that you are confident, good with people and enjoy working with others.

You do not need a ton of work history to have strengths and skills that could help you get a job as an apprentice; it’s just knowing what they are and making sure that you have examples of a time/times when you have demonstrated these skills in the past.

#4 Create a Great Resume

Whether this is your first time at writing your own resume or not, you will need to make sure it is tailored to the apprenticeship or trainee job you are applying for. You have to make it easy for the company to see why you are most suited to the role.

Useful Resume Writing Tips and Resources from Explore With Us

If you want to a list of tips for writing a resume, the article we posted a little while back will tell you everything you need to know about what to include.

With most jobs, especially those with an online application, you often need to add your resume and other details into an online form on a website. Use these tips to help ensure your resume gets you through the screening process.

With little or no job experience, knowing what to write on your resume can be a challenge. This post will give you a few key pointers about what type of information to include should you have no work experience.

#5 Be Enthusiastic and Present Yourself Well

Regardless of whether you are applying for your first or fiftieth apprenticeship job, always be upbeat and positive. Treat every application, follow-up call, and interview as if it is your first! Demonstrating you are positive, have energy, and that you are passionate are all great skills and they can help you to stand out and be noticed!

Presenting yourself well doesn’t just apply to the clothes you wear. It also refers to how you handle the application and the follow-up calls after you apply. Making sure your resume is free from any errors is key.

Even if you are applying to work in a trade, you will be expected to dress smartly for the interview. It doesn’t matter what you’re expected to wear when you get the job; looking smart and making an effort shows you care about making a good impression, and that you took time to plan a smart outfit to wear.

In Summary

Being new or inexperienced isn’t a bad thing. Employers often lie the fact you have no bad habits and can be trained in their precise manner and method. As an apprentice, the employer will usually be getting some form of government incentive to hire you, so they will benefit from the process as well.

When an employer trains you, you are more likely to remain loyal to their business. This isn’t just a perk for you, it helps your employer as well.  So, while finding the right type of apprenticeship or trainee job might not be a walk in the park, if you follow the tips provided in this post and read some of the other posts from our blog too!

We’re right here with you, and are always happy to help!

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How To Find A Job In Australia With No Local Experience

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How To Find A Job In Australia With No Local Experience

If you’ve just arrived in Sydney and are about to embark on an intrepid job hunt, this article will give you key advice to help to land a job without having any prior local working experience. It might not be easy at first, nor should you expect it to be a walk in the park, but follow the steps we outline to give yourself the best chance of securing a job in Australia with no experience.

Why Do People Ask About Local Experience So Much?

You may already put some legwork in and had little success so far. Don’t despair. While you might be who can demonstrate local experience, there might be a genuine reason for this. For instance, some professions require their staff to understand the local laws and regulations. For others, this is often a brush-off, and there could be another underlying issue that you haven’t fully addressed in your application.

After all, when you’re new, how can you get experience without somebody stepping up and giving you that first break?

 

Tips for Finding Work in Australia with No Experience

#1 A Clear CV that Highlights RELEVANT Skills and Experience

Less is more when it comes to writing a CV. There are still people who submit 4-5-page CVs and wonder why they aren’t being shortlisted for jobs. The key is to make it as easy as possible for them to see that your skills and experience align with the job role they are trying to fill.

Some companies even use automation software that allows them to screen all applications submitted. What this means for you as the job seeker, is that your hard work and efforts might not ever be seen by a recruiter at the company if your CV doesn’t contain the right skillset data.

Tip: Tailor your CV for EVERY application you make.

Make sure your skills and experience match what they are asking for on the job posting. If you do not have professional experience that demonstrates these skills, that’s fine. A lot of people have work or skills experience they gain in clubs, hobbies, college or through volunteering that can be drawn upon when needed.

If you don’t actually have practical working experience whatsoever, fear not! There are still lots of things you put on your resume when you have no experience. Take a look at the link for detailed guidance about the different things you can include.

 

#2 Compare Companies You’ve Worked At With Local Equivalents

One of the major factors of employers seeming to prefer candidates that have local work experience is they often know the company, they understand the type of work you will have done, and they have a level of assurance regarding your credibility as referencing is far more easily done locally that having to contact companies who are based abroad.

Tip; Do your research and make comparisons with Australian businesses that are either local or well-known nationally.

#3 Make the Right First Impression

There is no truer saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Especially where the job market is concerned. You want to put your best foot forward at all times. If you have no experience and need a job in Australia, there is zero room for error. On all of your job applications, you need to twice and triple check your texts are correct. Read them once, then again, and then again.

While you might not A-grade perfect writing skills in your job, a sloppy CV application is a testament to the quality standards they can expect from you in your job. If you’re not prepared to double-check your work for something THIS IMPORTANT, then are you going to be prone to making errors in the job they are looking to fill? Sure, it’s a rash assumption, but you can understand their logic!

Tip: If writing isn’t your strong point, hire a proofreader to edit your CV for you. You can also go a step further and hire a content writer for help with an application.

Ok yes, this is an initial cost outlay to you, but that small investment can safeguard those essential first impressions and help you get a foot through the door and at the least, having the opportunity to attend an interview.

#4 Write an Impactful Summary Statement

In some cases, an employer or recruiter could be so compelled by your personal statement, they want to meet you as soon as they possibly can. A well-written personal statement summarises why you are right for the role and why they should meet with you for an interview. It should instantly put them ease, as it gives a very high-level review of your RELEVANT experience, talks of your career aspirations, and why you want to work for them.

Tip: Make sure you adapt this statement for each job application you make

Again, if you struggle with your writing skills, you can ask a friend or family member to help, or you might hire a copywriting service to help you create a summary statement that you can revise and tailor for each application yourself.

#5 Persistence ALWAYS Pays

Never give up, never lose hope, and never stop trying. You need to be putting in just as much effort with your last job application as you did with your first. If you lazy, demotivated or tired, then this will show up in the quality of the job applications you are sending.

Think about this for just a moment, there are thousands upon thousands of people looking for jobs at any one time. Everyone is going through those same motions as you. If you consider the time it’s taking you, imagine how much time the recruiter is going to be spending reviewing things on the other end.

By emailing your job application and hoping things will result in a positive outcome, be a little more curious, and be persistent. Don’t settle for mediocracy; call them, ask them questions about the job, check the status of the application process rather than asking them to tell you information about your application specifically. Be empathetic, be understanding, and build a relationship with them. This might not help you land the job, but it might help improve their first impressions of you.

#6 Start Networking TODAY

Gone are the days you need to be a high-flying business professional to network. You can create new relationships through sports, hobbies, and volunteer opportunities too.  Having connections in an area that is new to you in important. Of course, leading with the question; do you know of any jobs that are hiring’ might not be the best way to make new friends, but the better-connected you are, the easier things should become.

Tip: If you aren’t that confident with writing, but you are comfortable and confident dealing with people in person, networking is a great way to make connections and leave a positive lasting impression with others as well.

#7 A Job Is a Job

Regardless of your long-term career aspirations or your former position, work is still working. Registering with temping agencies could be the key to opening the doors to employment. Even a short-term gig can lead to other opportunities; and before you know it, you have local work experience and should find it easier to get a decent opportunity that better aligns with your longer-term career goals.

Looking for a new job in Australia isn’t easy, but landing that first job, especially with the added inconvenience of not having any experience; feels all the sweeter when it happens. Practice these tips with grit and determination, and you’ll have the right recipe for success!

If you’re applying for jobs in Australia but aren’t getting much in the way of interviews or feedback from recruiters, then ‘WHY AM I NOT HEARING BACK FROM RECRUITERS’ could help you take a vital step towards a more successful job search!

Photo by Thought Catalog

How To Find Your Perfect Role On Explore With Us

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How To Find Your Perfect Role On Explore With Us

If you are in Sydney or plan to live here, you might be about to embark on a job search; you can use our site to help you find your perfect job! In this post, we explain exactly how!

About Explore With Us

At Explore With Us, we are proud of the community we have created! We help people make the most of their time here by giving them instant access to the information and services they need. We’ve been doing this since 2017, and we intend to carry on our mission for many more years to come.

We are a one-stop-shop for students, backpackers, and tourists; we make it easy to find useful information that takes the hassle out of having to learn a new place and get acquainted with everything that Sydney offers quickly.

You will save time, you will save money, and you will be living like a local in no time!

How To Find a Job on Our Website

At Explore With Us, you can quickly and easily search thousand of part-time, casual, and internships roles in Sydney and beyond. The most obvious place to start your Sydney job search is here. Knowing the right way to use the search tool can save you time and make it even easier to find the right jobs in Sydney. In the next section, we will explain the different search filters you can use.

How Explore With Us Sydney Job Search Works

Once you land on the homepage of the website, you’ll see it’s packed with useful resources that are designed to help you in every possible way. We encourage you to take a look at the site and explore everything we have to offer.

However, if you want to get straight to the job search, you can use this link to go directly to the jobs page. Here, you will see a white toolbar at the top of the page that gives you a list of useful options.

Just below this box, you will be able to get started with your search for local jobs in an instant. Unlike other sites, we don’t ask you to create an account or upload a CV, it’s quick and easy, just like it should be.

To start your Sydney job search, you can enter a specific keyword, location or company. Further to this, you can define your search criteria even more by choosing a specific category of interest.

The available categories are:

  • Hospitality
  • Retail
  • Internships and College
  • Restaurants – Food Service
  • Sales
  • Skilled Labor – Trades
  • Telecommunications
  • Warehouse
  • Other

If you decide to only the category search only, then please be aware that there are lots of other vacancies that will default to the ‘others’ tab. Be sure to check this out to make sure you do not miss out on a job opportunity that could be of interest to you.

Unlike other job sites that hide who the employer is, with Explore With Us, we believe in complete transparency, and as long as the employer permits, you will see the name of the company listed in the description as well.

Additional Features

  • For any new job listings, we make sure these are highlighted for you to be able to see our new listings quickly. If you want to be amongst the first to get your name in front of these employers, be sure to get your application in quickly when you see the ‘New’ icon next to the vacancy.

 

  • To save you from having to come back to the site throughout the day, you can quickly and easily subscribe to our job alerts. Just lookout for the green ‘SUBSCRIBE’ box and enter your name and email address. We will then keep you posted and let you as and when the newest jobs are added to our site.

 

  • If you click on a job description of interest, you will find a list of ‘RELATED JOBS’ at the bottom of the page. This can help you save time and makes it even easier to find any local Sydney job listings that match your current search criteria.

 

Applying for a Job on The Explore With Us Website

If you see a job you like, then you will need to register with us to be able to submit your application. It’s straightforward and can be done in under a minute. Once you have confirmed your registration, you are then free to apply for any of our listed positions.

Tips for Making the Most of Explore With Us

At Explore With Us, we have made it our mission to make your Sydney job search as easy as we can. On our blog, you will find a huge range of useful tips and resources to help your job search go as smoothly as it can.

Some of the most popularly accessed resources include:

We are always adding new topics and titles to our blog, based on what our visitors tell us they want, and using the most frequently asked questions from people who are new to Sydney.

We also have a range of links to vocational courses in Sydney too; so if you have no experience and want to add a few more skills to your resume, taking a 1-day course is a low-cost, effective way of gaining a little experience in the field you want to work with. Some of the most popular job courses we have listed on our site include:

Most of these courses run over a single day and cost around $100. They can help you with your job search by giving you relevant and up to date skills in the area you wish to work in.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this post and we want to wish you every success for your forthcoming Sydney job search. If we can be of assistance in any way, please contact us here, and a member of the team will do what they can to support you.
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