Katie Roberts Career Consulting

Job hunting can be a daunting and demoralising experience. It’s a tough market in Australia at the moment and applying for jobs without hearing anything back can put a dent in even the most positive person’s confidence. There are a raft of online and digital resources out there to help, but how do you make sense of them all and what are they all used for? This article contains a list of recommended resources with a brief summary on what they’re useful for.

Our number one tip for job seekers is to do your research. Research the role you are seeking to achieve, gain an in depth understanding of the requirements of that role in terms of qualifications, skills and experience, and know the keywords used by employers. Without a keyword optimised application you may not achieve the success you deserve. Some of the many resources we use to help clients include:

1.  www.katieroberts.com.au/career-advice-blog – our own blog contains a raft of articles with diverse career advice, tips and tricks; as well as up to date job market news. It contains articles on diverse topics from searching for a job, to writing your application and preparing for interviews.

2.  www.myfuture.edu.au – a comprehensive national career information system that helps you identify different career options by analysing your skills, interests, values and aspirations. It is a great resource for people of all ages, at any stage in their career – from those just starting out to older people seeking new directions. It also provides detailed descriptions of different careers, comprehensive study and training options, advice for people re-entering the workforce after a break, and assistance for mature age workers and people with specific needs. NOTE: The government has announced that funding to this website will cease as of June, 2015.

3.  www.seek.com.au – in addition to listing open positions all around Australia, as well as many countries around the world, Seek provides separate sections on courses, volunteering opportunities and businesses for sale. You can quickly and easily set up job alerts to ensure you don’t miss any viable opportunities and you also have the option to establish a personal profile which can be viewed by potential employers who then make contact with you. I also recommend that clients use Seek as their personal online career database – it’s a great tool to help you clarify many aspects of your job search – use it to understand what roles are being advertised where, identify keywords and transferable skills, clarify required qualifications, pinpoint companies and industries that may currently be advertising, and access current salary information.

4.  www.jobguide.thegoodguides.com.au – this site contains a wealth of information on a range of occupations, as well as their education and training pathways. It contains information on around 1500 occupations which can be narrowed down to specialisations and alternative jobs using the search functionality. It also provides valuable tools to help young people explore different career options and make subject choices while still at school.

5.  www.careerone.com.au – this site lets you browse jobs in a variety of ways and offers a range of career advice, time saving and job hunting tips under the career advice section. It can be used in a similar way to Seek to better understand your different career options.

6.  www.google.com – using Google can often turn up many helpful links to industry specific information and relevant keywords. There are so many resources on training and career advice available at a national, state and local level. It’s worth spending some time researching to find out what’s available to you in your particular area.

7.  www.moocs.co – this is one of many sites offering Moocs (Massive Open Online Courses) – and not specific for Australian job searchers. A Mooc is a relatively new concept offering free online courses available to anyone. It’s a great concept if you don’t want to commit to a long term study or would like to ‘try before you buy’. Most courses are structured in a similar way to paid online courses in terms of the teaching and learning methods – where video, group chat, assignment and tests are all included – but they do not generally provide academic credit for use in other traditional courses, nor will you have much (if any) interaction with the lecturer. An Australian specific site that is also great in this area is the Hobsons Course Finder.

8.  www.business.gov.au – if you are considering setting up your own consultancy or business, this site provides all the information you need on starting and registering your business; taxation, financial and insurance information; general business planning advice; information on employing people; available grants and assistance; and a vast array of other useful facts.

9.  www.flyingsolo.com.au – another one for people considering starting their own business. This is an especially great forum for solo or micro businesses and provides loads of tips and advice on going it alone.

Are you searching for the right career but unsure which path to take? Are you struggling to make sense of all the career resources out there? Perhaps you are confused about which course to study?

If you would like a Career Coach to help you develop a comprehensive job search plan or career strategy, please see our Career Counselling and Coaching Services which can be provided over the phone or in person in locations across Australia.