If you feel that a lack of industry experience is holding you back from getting hired, you are not alone. In 2019, 12% of job seekers surveyed* said that lack of experience was one of their largest barriers to gaining employment.

However most of us, including you, already have a broad set of skills gained throughout your life that can be applied to all types of work. We call these transferable skills.

The best thing about transferable skills is that you likely already have a tonne! Let’s unpack some common life experiences and how to demonstrate your transferable skills to a potential employer.

CARING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER

If you have taken time away from employment or school to care for a family member or children, think about the skills that you demonstrate in this important role. They may include:

Time management
Managing appointments or daily activities for your loved one or kids, as well as managing your own day shows that you can juggle multiple priorities.

Cooking and housekeeping
Skills gained through preparing meals for family members or cleaning the household can be directly applied to careers in hospitality and tourism.

Budgeting
Whether you managed income for one person or ten, the responsibility of managing cash flow shows that you are the right person for a range of administrative roles.

Extra tip: You may consider whether you are passionate about delivering care to others. A career in disability, social or aged care work may be for you, or even childcare!

 

PLAYING A SPORT

Participating in sporting teams shows dedication and motivation. During your sporting career you have likely learned:

Accountability
Attending training and game day shows to employers that you are reliable and can be accountable to contribute to a team.

Problem solving
Think of a challenging time that you have experienced on field or off. Maybe you had a disagreement with a team mate. How did you overcome it?

Communication and team work
During an interview employers will be looking to see if you will fit into their team culture. These experiences will help to demonstrate that you are able to adapt.

Extra tip: You don’t just have to be a player to have transferable skills from sports. Coaching a team shows that you have planning and leadership qualities, and arranging fundraisers may highlight that you have excellent organisation skills and can follow through on tasks.

 

TAKING A COURSE OR GOING TO SCHOOL

Much like participating in sports, attending classes shows great commitment, time-management and accountability. You have likely also gained skills in:

Listening and learning
Being able to listen to your teacher and take the information away and apply it is an excellent quality.

Personal motivation
Employers will value that you can work as part of a team as well as being able to work effectively alone. It is important to demonstrate that you are able to take responsibility, avoid distractions and achieve objectives.

Personal development
By showing interest in development opportunities, employers will see that you are enthusiastic and keen to take on new challenges.

Extra tip: Not ready to commit to a formal course? You can still demonstrate your passion for a subject by explaining how you use the internet to investigate and learn.

 

Need more help to articulate your transferable skills? Speak with our experienced Employment Consultants today! Give us a call on 1300 SUREWAY (1300 787 392).

*Sureway job seekers surveyed in December 2019.

 

The examples in this article may not apply to your personal experiences and circumstances.

Your resume is often the first point of contact with your potential employer, and first impressions count.

Presenting a professional document will not only help you stand out amongst the many other applicants, but will increase your chances of gaining an interview and securing employment.

Resume not getting responses? Here are our top 9 resume mistakes to look out for before your next application:

 

1. Spelling and grammatical errors
Ensuring your resume is grammatically correct and error-free will not only demonstrate that you have good written communications skills, but that you pay attention to detail and take care in your work – All qualities that a potential employer will look for. Make sure you read it over and ask someone else to proofread it as well.

 

2. Visually too busy or inconsistent formatting
Stick to a simple, clean resume design that makes the information easy to read. Ensuring formatting is consistent across all sections will help your potential employer to quickly understand why you are right for the role.

 

3. Missing or incorrect contact information
An employer cannot get in touch with you if your contact information is wrong or phone is disconnected. Also similar to spelling errors, if you aren’t detailed-oriented enough to provide the correct phone number what does this say about how you will perform as an employee?

 

4. Using an unprofessional email address
Remember, every word on your resume builds a story about who you are. Don’t miss your chance to make a good first impression by using an inappropriate email address. Using your name is a good choice (e.g. [email protected]).

 

5. Listing too many roles or qualifications
Most employers will agree that your resume should be 2 pages or less. If you have information that exceeds this try to focus on your last year, or get some advice on how to highlight only what is relevant.

 

6. Listing duties rather than skills and accomplishments
Employers want to know which skills you will bring to their business. What were you responsible for and what did you learn from this? For example, rather than listing ‘cafe cleaning duties’ you could summarise your knowledge of cleaning standards for food processing equipment.

 

7. Including irrelevant information
Avoid listing your age or family status on your resume. Likewise, unless you are using your hobbies to demonstrate skills that you can bring to a role, leave them out. A general rule of thumb is that if it isn’t relevant to the workplace it doesn’t belong on your resume.

 

8. No references or information incomplete
Stating that your references are ‘available upon request’ or listing no references at all won’t always be a deal breaker, however for the best chance at making a good impression you should aim to include two current references at all times. Get more tips on references.

 

9. Not customising for each application
To get the best results, you should review and tweak your resume as required with every job application. Sending out the same general resume and cover letter month after month is unlikely to get results. Read the application criteria for each role and ensure you address it directly.

 

As you can see, getting your resume ‘right’ can be tricky! Our experienced Employment Consultants can help you find the right balance.

Give us a call on 1300 SUREWAY (1300 787 392).

Sometimes called referees, most job applications will request that you provide references. Whether or not the job ad specifically calls for references, you should always aim to include contact details for 1-2 when applying for jobs.

 

While job references are ideal, the good news is you don’t have to have employment experience to build a great list.

 

Here are our top 5 people to consider as your referees:

 

1. An Employer or Manager

A current or previous boss will be able to provide your future employer insight into your work ethic and ability to complete set tasks.

 

2. A Co-worker

There may be reasons why you don’t want to list your boss, for example, you may not want your current Manager to know you are applying for new jobs. In this case, a colleague that you have worked alongside is another excellent choice. They will be able to vouch for things like how you worked as part of their team.

 

3. Your Activity Supervisor

‘I don’t have any employment experience!’ I hear you say. Have you volunteered for a community group? Participated in a Work for the Dole activity? Completed a work experience placement? Consider adding your supervisor or team leader to the list who can attest to your commitment and enthusiasm.

 

4. A Teacher

Similar to the above example, a teacher is another great choice when you have limited employment references. Your Trainer will be able to endorse the skills that you learned throughout the course, as well as your soft skills such as being on time and communicating with the group.

 

5. Personal references

Consider people that you know from sporting groups, long-time friends or other professional services that may be able to advocate for your good character. You may like to consider asking these contacts to provide a written character reference.

 

The most important component in selecting references is to not only be sure that they will be able to say positive things about you, but that they are kept in the loop about when to expect a call.

Be sure to touch base with your referees regularly to let them know that you are applying for work.

 

Need more help? Chat to your local Employment Consultants about the best choices for your next job application.