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Answers from An Australian CV seminar at Engineers Australia Careers Expo
Answers to questions from participants at a seminar An Australian CV at Engineers Australia Careers Expo, Melbourne, April 2008.
Q When customising my Australian engineering CV for a mining job application, can I just change the words to make my experience from another industry, such as oil & gas, to make it look like it was obtained in the mining industry?
A No! No! and No! - Everything in your Australian engineering CV and job application must be the truth and nothing but the truth. When customising your Australian engineering CV for an employer or job application, the changes you make must be from your experience. All this experience is in your basic (vanilla) Australian engineering CV. This is the database of all your experience from which your take a specific tailored view to suit each employer, industry and position. Your aim is to show an employer the the parts of your experience that he is most interested in.
Do not make up experience that is not true to try and impress. In an interview you will be asked questions about your experience. If you have written something that is untrue, interviewers will sense the lie from your responses in the interview. One lie will totally discredit your Australian engineering CV. The interviewers will think: “If that part is not true, the rest of the engineering CV may also be a total fabrication.” Your application will be rejected and you will never be able to work for that company as you will be viewed as dishaonest - not unfair if you do not write the truth.
Q For on-line applications I can only attach two documnets, what do I do? Do I include my selection criteria matching statement with the cover letter or with my Australian engineering CV?
A For on-line applications attach you selection criteria matching statement to your Australian engineering CV. You want to keep your cover letter brief, with short sentences and paragraphs that ‘pack a punch.’ Remember that the first thing that will happen with applications is the selection panel will want to reduce the number of applicants that they have to look at in detail. If your cover letter does not say “I have just what you are after” the readers may not even look at your Australian engineering CV.
Q What is the difference between a job, a position, or a situation vacant?
A None. These are synonyms - they have similar meanings. In newspaper classified advertising, engineering positions will be advertised under the professional section. Trade and unskilled jobs are advertised in the situations vacant section.
Other words you may come across are post, occupation, and function.
Anyone with similar queries, please let us know. We are putting together a page to help explain the mysteries of Australian English.
Q How many job applications should I be doing each day ?
A Quality is more important than quantity. If you are applying to companies that you are not familiar with, you could not do enough research to do more than one quality job application a day. You need to do research on each company to find out what they do and produce, their competitors, their values, where they are developing their business, and try and talk to an engineer in the company to find out in detail what the opportunities are for your discipline, experience level, particular skills and specific interests. Armed with all the company information, you then have to customise your Australian engineering CV and application to highlight the skills, experience and interests you have that the company is after.
This post is taken from an Engineers Australia seminar, An Australian CV, given by Ian Little
Read more about Project Australia - The Engineers Australian Migrant Pack
©Ian Little. All rights reserved, no part of this may be reproduced without permission rights from the publisher. Contact us www.tribuslingua.com.au
An Australian CV - your name
Your Name
Australians like simple, monosyllable first names. Like Ian. Even David is too long for them. They prefer Dave. Likewise Bob for Robert, Tom for Thomas and Tim for Timothy.If your first name is long, unusual (to Australians) complicated, or difficult for Australians to pronounce, it will be shortened or you will be renamed. So in an Australian CV shorten your name yourself to a name of your choice rather than leaving it to others. It will greatly help acceptance if you adopt an abbreviation or an English-style name. Chinese people are good at this. In China, the children have English names for using on the internet, and Chinese students studying in Australia adopt English-style names. It is not necessary to take an English style name, but it should be a name that Australians can say easily such as Tad or Siva. You will probably feel most comfortable if it sounds like a shortened version of your native name.
Research has shown that if people cannot pronounce a name, they do not use it in conversation and then will exclude the person from activities. Ironically this happens because people are embarrassed if they cannot say a persons name properly and do not want to insult them by pronouncing heir name incorrectly. So they do not use the name at all, and this leads to exclusion.
If you choose to take on an “Australian” name, put your native first name in brackets after you Australian first name ? for example, John (Srivananapal) Ranje. Some people prefer putting their adopted name in the brackets, but this can be confusing because it can be difficult to work ut which is the family name.
Incidentally in an Australian CV, Australians put their family name last. They will assume that your last name as written is your family name. Cricket commentators still get this wrong sometimes when referring to Indian and Pakistani cricketers. No-one means to be offensive; they just make the wrong assumption.
Adopting an “Australian” name in your CV will make you feel more Australian, and shows employers that you are flexible and adaptable, qualities that employers look for.
This post is taken from Project Australia: Land That Engineering Job in Australia by Ian Little
Read more about Project Australia - The Engineers Australian Migrant Pack
©Ian Little. All rights reserved, no part of this may be reproduced without permission rights from the publisher. Contact us www.tribuslingua.com.au
Australia CV - Australia Resume
Australia CV or Australia Resume
In Australia the terms CV and resume are use interchangeably - although resume is now more common. We recommend you use the term that is stated in the Australian job advertisement.
A well written and properly presented Australian CV can be your ticket to finding an Australian job. Like other countries the Australian CV is a marketing tool to enable you to get that first step in the door. It is extremely important to present yourself the Australian way.
How do Australian CV’s or Australian Resumes differ from those of other countries?
Firstly and most importantly the now popular 2 page resume commonly used in the USA, UK and other Western countries has yet to reach Australian shores! Using this style of resume will yield little or no result no matter how good your experience may be in another country. This is possibly the biggest stumbling block for new migrants arriving in Australia.
In order to present yourself the Australian way we recommend you Australianise your Resume-CV. Firstly Australian CV’s are expected to be long and detailed. If responsibilities, achievements and duties are not written clearly and backed up with supporting evidence it is assumed you do not have this experience at all. Although length of an Australian CV depends on your individual experience, generally speaking Australian employers prefer resumes to be 3-4 pages long, and up to six pages for senior roles.
Key Points to Ensure You Get Your Australian Resume right:
Ensure you tailor EVERY application to suit the job for which you are applying. If you are going to stand out from the crowd as a new migrant you have to make sure that your application is outstanding. Sending out generic resumes for Australian job applications will not answer the specific needs of employers. If you went to a shop to buy a pair of pants what would your response be if every time you asked for a size 12 they gave you 14!! Spend as much time as possible ensuring you address what EXACTLY the Australian Employer wants.
Use British English ONLY in your Australian Resume (there is an official Australian Dictionary - the Macquarie Dictionary), unfortunately American English is really disliked in Australian CV-Resumes.
Use plain clear language and avoid long wordy sentences. Remove any slang/jargon that may be specific to your country
Referees: Written references are no longer in use. You should list 2-3 referees at the end of your Australian CV. Include their details along with International Dialling Code and email addresses. Use an Australian email address even if you have not arrived in Australia yet.
Ensure Your Australian CV-Resume is Suitable for the Australian Labour Market:
Reframe your professional experience so that it can be understood in an Australian context. Make reference points to Australia where possible, for example that your qualifications have been assessed as an equivalent to an Australian degree.
If you do not have work experience in Australia then there is no advantage to have worked for the number 1 company that Australian employers have never heard about. In your Australian CV include links to the company website and a profile of the company.
The Australian CV or Australian resume is the most important part of finding a job in Australia. Make sure you get that Australian CV and Cover Letter right - its critical to getting shortlisted.
*One point of note. Although Australian’s are informal in general when it comes to Australian job applications assume absolute formality. Generally the opening address of an email will begin with “Dear Employer” (although the first persons name will be used ) and end the email with “Best Regards”
Australia CV - Australia Resume Sample
Kith Jayavendra
42 Sanctuary Lakes Telephone: (07) 93428502 Brisbane QLD 4700 Mobile: 040 122 298 Email: jayavendra@isp.com.au
Career objective
To secure a bookkeeping role in the personal/company tax area to capitalise on my accounting expertise specifically in the tax area. I wish to utilise my people management and strong IT skills gained through extensive experience in a variety of accounting roles.
Education
1992 Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
ICFAI University, Sri Lanka (recognised by the Australian National Office for Overseas Skills Recognition and CPA Australia as comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree)
2005 MYOB accreditation Brisbane Training College
2005 University of Southern Queensland (Australia) – CA conversion exam (First attempt)
Skills, experience and personal attributes Accounting expertise
A varied finance background in both the public and private sector, and my experience in the Sri Lankan Tax Office (the equivalent of the Australian Tax Office) have provided me with a thorough understanding of financial reporting requirements. I have extensive experience working in the areas of taxation and general ledger including the application of standard accounting packages available for large accounting firms. In addition to these skills I am confident using Windows, Excel and Access at an advanced level.
Attention to detail and people management skills
Attention to detail was an essential performance criterion at Helicopters Ltd. I pride myself on delivering a quality reporting product that the management team can have confidence in. In my last staff appraisal I was rated highly commendable in all criteria. I have provided a full set of accounts with the support of a team of three people I directly manage, delivering timely and accurate information to management.
Multitasking and management skills
I was often required to work to deadlines at Helicopters Ltd. Through careful planning and delegation, I have been successful in fulfilling all processing and reporting deadlines. I am able to achieve the best result possible by taking a team approach, managing group activity to achieve desired outcomes.
Employment history
Part-time bookkeeper 2005-current
Brisbane High School, Qld
This role involves invoicing, journal entries, payroll, accounts receivable and payable, bank reconciliation, tax returns and BAS statements.
Key Achievements
• Successfully delivered all reports to the school accountant on time and have received very favourable comments about my performance
Financial Controller 2000-2005
Helicopters Ltd, Sri Lanka
Helicopters Sri Lanka is a world leader in the manufacture of helicopter parts, exporting to five countries-including Australia. As Financial Controller, I was responsible for preparing, consolidating and reviewing management accounts, covering all foreign exchange exposures, liaising with banks for provision of security for contracts and subcontracts and supervision of staff.
Key Achievements
• 80% of courses conducted out of core business hours to minimise selling downtime.
• Successfully managed a department of three staff, providing direction and professional development to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Designed and implemented an in house sales training course which contributed to a 25% increase in sales.
• Achieved participant and manager satisfaction ratings of 4 and above for 85% of courses.
• Training budget on target ($150,000) and expenditure on external consultants reduced by 18%.
• Achieved compliance will all insurance contracts and successfully liaised with banks for the provision of security for contracts and subcontracts.
Assistant Financial Controller 1995-2000
Helicopters Ltd, Sri Lanka
Reporting to the Financial Controller, I was responsible for consolidating and preparing management and statutory accounts, tax returns and budgets, review of capital expenditure proposals and analysis of operating results for senior management.
Key Achievements
• Implemented new foreign currency exchange trading procedures and systems enabling accurate monitoring of foreign exchange exposures at all times.
• Oversaw the preparation of monthly board reports and successfully met all reporting deadlines.
• Successfully analysed operating results and reviewed capital expenditure proposals in accordance with budgets for the fi nancial year.
Taxation Advisor, 1992-1995
Sri Lankan Tax Office
During this three-year period, I developed comprehensive knowledge of taxation law and gained practical accounting experience after completing my degree.
Memberships
• Associate member, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Sri Lanka
Referees
Mr John Smith Principal, Brisbane High School Tel: (07) 9875 4321 email: jsmith@rockhigh.com.au
Dr Wasantha Perera, Sri Lanka-Australia Association, Rockhampton, Qld Tel: (07) 9875 4321 email: wperera@acc.com.au
Skilled migrant Australia CV Resume career checklist:
* Name, full address, telephone numbers, up-to-date email address
* Full details of all paid jobs
* Details of any voluntary work in Australia
* Full educational qualifications-showing recognition by Overseas
* Qualifications Unit
* Any short courses taken in Australia
* Emphasis on achievements and results
* Believable competency statements, with evidence
* Evidence of sustained achievement
* Evidence of energy and enthusiasm
* Snappy career statement
* Two referees (already approached for permission) including full contact details
Australia CV- Resume excerpted from Land That Job in Australia: Successful job-hunting for Migrants
by Jim Bright and Karen Bright
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