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June 2007: Issue 42
Editor: Tara West
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In This Issue
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> Welcome
> A note to our South African subscribers / clients
> Article: A Cosmopolitan Job Search by Rachel Gordon
> Positive Quote
> Article: Emailing Your Résumé
> Positive Quote
> Subscribe / Unsubscribe Information
> Contact Information
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Welcome
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A NOTE TO OUR SOUTH AFRICAN SUBSCRIBERS / CLIENTS
Given that we have a large South African client base, I was contacted by a
Journalist from the Baltimore Sun newspaper in the USA who is seeking contact
with a family in South Africa.
As we have a strict privacy policy and do not provide contact details of our
subscribers or clients to third parties, I have included his request
below. If you are interested in the journalist making contact with you
please email me direct: tara@aussieresumes.com
and I will forward his details to you.
"I am the Johannesburg correspondent for the Baltimore Sun newspaper in
the U.S. and am interested in interviewing a South African family that has
chosen to emigrate for whatever reason but that remains in South Africa. I am
looking for a family that has a teenage child or children. While my preference
is to find a family in Johannesburg or Pretoria, other areas would be fine. My
plan would be to interview both the parents and the child/children about what I
imagine is a very difficult decision -- leaving one's beloved country but
convinced it's the right decision for the sake of the family/children in the
long run. The story would be published in the Sun, which circulates in Baltimore
and Washington."
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ARTICLE:
A Cosmopolitan Job Search
By Rachel Gordon
With increased globalization and cosmopolitan approaches to life, the job
hunting process is also undergoing changes. People are increasingly looking for
jobs outside the borders or their countries, in various fields regardless of
their education, and in a more competitive world then ever. While the companies
from developed countries are struggling to hire the most qualified work force,
it is becoming more likely that this work force will be coming from countries in
transition or developing states. As an example, Eastern Europe was able to
supply the EU labor market with increased numbers of highly educated
professionals who were willing to work for less.
When you are looking for a job, and you care less about the country this job
will take you to, but you are more concerned about you role in the job, it is
important to take the following into consideration:
Particularities of job search approaches
When looking for jobs outside any state borders, we cannot assume that the jobs
search process is the same worldwide. While the overall process may be the
same, there are certain things that are done differently. In some countries it
is important that you call the employer to discuss the job before applying,
while in others you are discouraged from contacting the employer. These are
details you should be aware of so that you can have a successful application
process. It might be best for you to:
- Contact people who work in the country of application (even if it is on an employment
or career forum and you don’t personally know the people you are
addressing) and talk to them about the recruitment process they went through;
- Take a look at a few resumes of people who work in the country of
destination and check if your resume follows a similar pattern (at the same time
don’t try too hard to make yourself blend, differences can be positive in
bringing your resume forward in front of an employer);
- Learn more about the culture of the country you seek employment in and
incorporate this knowledge in your job search strategy and decision making.
Cultural differences
Being cosmopolitan in your job search does not mean you have to be ignorant of
culture and life outside the borders of your country, or assume that everything
is the same everywhere. The world is very diverse, and you are cosmopolitan when
you learn to embrace the differences and respect various cultures. Before you
apply for a job in another country – take a few hours time to learn more about
the country, the people, and the culture of that place. Knowledge of the culture
will help you prepare a resume and a job search strategy that will generate
results. This process will also help you decide if you would really be happy in
that country. When you want to have a life outside the office, this becomes even
more important. As an example, I know a job seeker from the US who decided to
move to a company in the UK, and without making any research assumed that London
would be the same as Los Angeles. It does not quite work this way.
Honesty and integrity
Applying for a job thousands of miles away does not mean that the employer or
recruiter will never check your background. Make sure that in your application
you provide only verifiable information, and that you can support the provided
data with more details during the interview. Also, make sure you can undertake
legal employment in that country, and do not forge any documents that will help
you get that job. It is not only dishonest – it is also not worth it.
The world is a very small yet diverse place, and every culture has a certain
impact on the overall life and job-hunting process of its people. If you are
looking to apply for a job outside the boundaries of your country, make sure you
understand what you are getting yourself into. This will help your put together
a successful job search strategy. I understand that this is complicated when you
are looking at 10 or more countries at the same time, but who said life of a
cosmopolitan careerist is easy.
About the Author:
Rachel Gordon is a recruitment consultant at MasterEmployment.com.
She can be contacted by e-mail at info-at-masteremployment.com.
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QUOTE
“A non-doer is very often a critic - that is, someone who sits back and
watches doers, and then waxes philosophically about how the doers are doing.
It's easy to be a critic, but being a doer requires effort, risk, and change.”
-- Dr. Wayne Dyer
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ARTICLE
Emailing
Your Résumé
(extract from "How To Write a Résumé That Blows Away the
Competition" - available in The Aussie Résumé Writer software
- www.aussieresumes.com/software.htm
If emailing your application, attach the
file. Do not include it in the body of the email.
The cover letter and résumé
should be one file / document only. To do this open your résumé. Insert your
cursor at the top of the document (i.e. in front of Personal Details). Press
control and enter at the same time, or go to Insert > Break > Next Page.
This will insert a hard page break, giving you a blank page to either a) start
typing; or b) copy and paste your existing letter.
Follow all instructions in
the job advert to the letter! Do
they ask you to include your name and job reference number in the subject of the
email? Make sure you do!
There's nothing employers hate more than someone not following
instructions. What does this
demonstrate? That you have a lack of
attention to detail and quite possibly cannot follow instructions / take
direction.
Double check the body of
your email. It shouldn't be blank.
Write a brief note. For
example:
"Dear Sir / Madam (or
person's name if advertised),
Please find attached my
application for the position of Job Title. I
look forward to hearing from you and can be contacted via email or telephone on
xxxx xxxx for further clarification. Thank
you for your time.
Yours faithfully,
Your Name"
Do not be too
"gushy" in your email, and refrain from statements like "I look
forward to working for your esteemed organisation" etc.
And
lastly, check your email for errors!
If your spell checker is switched off within your email preferences you
should consider changing it. Every
time you send out an email you are relying on your eye to pick up something –
when you're in a hurry this can prove quite disastrous!
With the spell checker function enabled within your email program your
email is automatically checked when you hit the send button.
Employer
Comment from the Aussie Résumés Employer Survey:
“Communicate
correctly. Advert stated to be
emailed or faxed to me. 50%
couldn’t be opened. 30% couldn’t
get the specific job title right, and 70% of those received had no relevance.”
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QUOTE
"Life is either a daring adventure or
nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the
presence of fate is strength undefeatable."
-- Helen Keller
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Editor: Tara West
Résumé Action published by Aussie Résumés, PO Box 3654, Mt Gambier, 5290
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