English CV to Aussie Resume

[Guest mandisfam]

Hi folks, been reading a lot recently about how you should change your CV to be an Aussie Resume. It would seem there are many companies or individuals who will take a good few hundred dollars of you just to make your CV into an aussie resume.

 

I was wondering, how many people have actually paid people to do this and surely its nothing you cant work for yourself on the net.

 

Just be interested in peoples views on this.

 

Many thanks

Mandisfam

[suzer]

Well, I do this for people, but don't charge $100s. My 'fee' is just a purchase of 4 items off my amazon.com wishlist, and I've had quite a few people find jobs after using my services. I started doing this for friends, for free, then thought I might as well help out a few more expats. Example: http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11083

 

You can always look for templates on seek.com etc; it all depends on how well you write, how much time you want to spend, and whether you want input from someone else etc.

[andyhus]

i had no joy with my uk cv, paid a women who worked in a recruitment agancy $100 to re do mine, got 2 interviews after that. Haven't had to use a cv in uk for 10yrs so stupidly thourght it would be the same!!!!!! durr!! I am sure nothing you couldn't find on the net but worked for me so don't mind paying the $100 as she was starting her own thing up as well.

[Guest fatpom]

Hi folks, been reading a lot recently about how you should change your CV to be an Aussie Resume. It would seem there are many companies or individuals who will take a good few hundred dollars of you just to make your CV into an aussie resume.

I was wondering, how many people have actually paid people to do this and surely its nothing you cant work for yourself on the net.

Just be interested in peoples views on this.

Many thanks

Mandisfam

 

Unless you're a high powered exec or something I'd say using the advice given off the Aussie job web sites should do it? When you arrive its worth talking to a job agency consultant & asking them how your CV stacks up against the industry expectations. They'll usually give you some good tips.

 

Getting your UK quals officially validated against Aussie standards is a good idea? Most Aussies don't have a clue about UK quals & frankly couldn't care less either? Its your problem not theirs.

 

As foreigners newly arrived you have the advantage of being assumed to speak good english but other than that you probably have to convince an Aussie that you're better than all the other applicants including other Aussies. No different to the UK in this respect?

[suzer]

Unless you're a high powered exec or something I'd say using the advice given off the Aussie job web sites should do it? When you arrive its worth talking to a job agency consultant & asking them how your CV stacks up against the industry expectations. They'll usually give you some good tips.

 

Getting your UK quals officially validated against Aussie standards is a good idea?

 

Agency consultants generally won't assist on the CV/resume end. You can do it yourself but it takes some elbow grease.

 

And yes, always check the qualifications end out beforehand! Some people come over here, only to find it could take them years to get re-qualified, then all the time and money spent making the move is wasted, as I lot end up repatriating back to the UK.

[Guest timeisallwehave]

There are a lot of companies out there that want $300 - $400 for a resume?!? Has anyone tried these companies?

[Guest fatpom]

Agency consultants generally won't assist on the CV/resume end. You can do it yourself but it takes some elbow grease.

 

And yes, always check the qualifications end out beforehand! Some people come over here, only to find it could take them years to get re-qualified, then all the time and money spent making the move is wasted, as I lot end up repatriating back to the UK.

 

I can recall three occasions where employment agencies have offered advice on my resume. Probably used employment agencies half a dozen times in total? If they're trying to "sell" you to their clients... they'll help. :smile:

[suzer]

I can recall three occasions where employment agencies have offered advice on my resume. Probably used employment agencies half a dozen times in total? If they're trying to "sell" you to their clients... they'll help. :smile:

 

Not in Adelaide:/

[suzer]

There are a lot of companies out there that want $300 - $400 for a resume?!? Has anyone tried these companies?

 

That's a lot, but it is the norm, however you're better off going for one that charges based on time spent, relative to content of your CV, if you are going for a professional resume writer/company, rather than a set fee.

[Guest fatpom]

Not in Adelaide:/

 

People of Adelaide take note! :biglaugh:

[Guest proud2beaussie]

Certainly in the hospitality industry,in which I have a lot of experience,if you register with a recruitment agency that is worth it's salt they do all they can to ensure that you are ready to present to potential employers so they do help with resumes.

After all it is in their interest because they get commission for placing you.

I have a close friend who is a senior consultant with an agency in Sydney and she does her level best to help candidates and does not charge them.

[Guest mandisfam]

Hi folks, thanks for your comments.

 

What I am not sure about is, how can Resume Revampers revamp Resumes for people for all professions. Surely, they need some understanding of the profession to be able to taylor a resume for someone. Im sure many professions are fairly straight forward but what about professions like my oh, who is specialises in a certain area of IT and it is a specializm, it is not general IT, how can these resume revampers revamp a resume for a profession they have little knowledge about and probably do not understand a lot of the industry jargon???

 

Mandisfam

[Guest fatpom]

Hi folks, thanks for your comments.

What I am not sure about is, how can Resume Revampers revamp Resumes for people for all professions. Surely, they need some understanding of the profession to be able to taylor a resume for someone. Im sure many professions are fairly straight forward but what about professions like my oh, who is specialises in a certain area of IT and it is a specializm, it is not general IT, how can these resume revampers revamp a resume for a profession they have little knowledge about and probably do not understand a lot of the industry jargon???

Mandisfam

 

Very fair question? Agency consultants specialise in various industry & service sectors, so they know what's required & what works. Just be aware that agency consultants are "selling people" to companies. That's what motivates them. The potential employer is the customer, not you, and so long as you understand this relationship you generally go OK with them.

 

I recken a resume also depends on the level of job you're going for. The type of confident (boastful even?) resume required for a high powered exec would backfire big style on a hands on tradesman for example. Its very much "horses for courses" I suspect?

[olly]

Hi Mandisfam,

Not sure if this helps, but as I was updating a resume the other day, I got on to a site here which is careerone.com.au you should be able get into the resumes section and they have templates there, you can print them out and write your own stuff according to their setting out etc. It has some good advice there as well. Check it out, worth a try. All the best:hug: OLLY

[deb8181]

Hi Suzer

Would you be able to help us out with our UK cv's?

Debbie

[Lazy Cow]

Not in Adelaide:/

 

I hate people who do this, but it appears I just can't help myself......here goes!

 

'Not in Adelaide' wouldn't be everyone's experience (sorry:unsure:). Maybe we've just been lucky or maybe it's just as Fatpom says, but my OH had heaps of help from the agencies he approached. They were very proactive and helpful. Perhaps they simply recognised him as a potential cash cow?!

 

I'm not well-up on resumes but I do think it's interesting* that some high schools are taking part in a trial teaching a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for future SACE. The kids learn how to prepare a resume and letter of application as part of that. It's weird helping a Year 10 prepare their resume but I think it's a great idea to de-mystify and prepare kids for this most important first contact....specially when kids are so keen to start work the minute they hit 14!

 

So sorry Suzer. I really don't mean to be contentious, I just wanted to reassure that your experience - wide though it is :notworthy:- is not necessarily everyone's so that people aren't panicked into thinking they'll necessarily be left on their own by the agencies here.

LC

*Apparently I find a lot of strange things interesting so feel free to mock!

[suzer]

Hi Suzer

Would you be able to help us out with our UK cv's?

Debbie

 

Yes Deb, I'd be happy to. Will send you a PM with contact details.

[suzer]

I hate people who do this, but it appears I just can't help myself......here goes!

 

'Not in Adelaide' wouldn't be everyone's experience (sorry:unsure:). Maybe we've just been lucky or maybe it's just as Fatpom says, but my OH had heaps of help from the agencies he approached. They were very proactive and helpful. Perhaps they simply recognised him as a potential cash cow?!

 

 

So sorry Suzer. I really don't mean to be contentious, I just wanted to reassure that your experience - wide though it is - is not necessarily everyone's so that people aren't panicked into thinking they'll necessarily be left on their own by the agencies here.

LC

*Apparently I find a lot of strange things interesting so feel free to mock!

 

Lol, no worries. I know you don't really hate me;)

 

Thing is I've temped in 5 different countries, and my experiences in Australia (Adelaide only) have been that the temp agencies are much less helpful. Then again, I'm sure it does vary by profession as well, but as someone else said, you do have to remember that to the agencies, we are sales tools, and our needs are secondary to theirs.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

you do have to remember that to the agencies, we are sales tools, and our needs are secondary to theirs.

I really don't think you can make a judgement of a whole profession from your admittedly limited experience,as I have pointed out any agency worth its salt will do all it can to help a candidate because it is in their interest to do so,they get money for placing people with employers and the good ones will do all they can to help.

As I said I have extemsive hospitality industry experience and have hired staff using agencies and also used agencies myself to find work and I can't speak highly enough of the service I have received.

Of course there are employment agencies that don't give good service,just as there are travel agents that don't offer good advice but I would never tar all agencies with the same brush because of a bad experience with one.

By the way the worst experience I have had from an agency was in the UK last year when I was hiring a manager for a recently purchased restaurant-I left phone messages for a consultant 3 days in a row asking for a return call which was only received after I threatened to take my business elsewhere,but I'm not going to judge all UK employment consultants by the standard of one poor performer.

[Lazy Cow]

Lol, no worries. I know you don't really hate me;)

QUOTE]

 

:smile: and :wubclub: LC

[Guest Sunsh1ne]

In the UK it's the norm to produce a cv of 2 maximum 3 pages - with short overviews of achievements of each role. Here they want the detail so my suggestion for layout would be the following headings:

 

Career Profile - what is it you are looking for as your next career move - make sure this is the same as the terminology for Oz - check out seek.com for comparisons

 

Key Areas of Expertise - what is your expertise that you want to highlight - use all the key words here that may be reflected in the job description / advert

 

Career Summary - Name of Company, Role, Dates of Employment - be sure to cover off any gaps with an explanation - also put the country location - show you're from overseas

 

Employment Details - give an overview of the company. An explanation of your responsibilities and an overview of your key achivements. This is needed for every job you listed in the career summary.

 

Personal Details - qualifications, memberships of any specific bodies

 

Resumes are often 7 - 8 pages long here and although an agent/recruiter doesn't necessarily read everyone they will pull out key words to see if they're reflected in your resume.

 

Any reference to financials that have a GBP amount change to A$.

 

Ideally, dependant on the role you are applying for your resume will need slightly changing each time to really reflect the role being advertised and that can be a right pain in the bum.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

Sunsh1ne

[suzer]

Resumes here aren't 7 to 8 pages, unless you're a Dr and/or have many publications to list!

[Guest Sunsh1ne]

I didn't say 'are' - I said 'often' !

[Guest fatpom]

Resumes here aren't 7 to 8 pages, unless you're a Dr and/or have many publications to list!

 

My resume/CV was the required "no more than two pages long" in the UK. I kept it at two pages for the first couple of years here in Aus until an employment agency told me to change the format & add more detail which upped the resume to about 6 pages long. Its 8 pages now and that's probably a bit too much.

I'm definately not a doctor & pretty sure I'm not published either.

 

Admittedly it still goes against the grain a bit to have a resume so long. I still make sure the first two pages have all the important filtering points. :smile:

 

 

 

http://www.careerone.com.au/news-advice/resumes/resume-writing-the-basics-20071209

"How long should my resume be?

 

For school leavers and those that have been in the workforce for a few years, two pages is fine but for everyone else three to five pages is advised. That is the advice from career experts like Amanda McCarthy of Brisbane who is currently writing Resumes for Dummies and from Geelong-based business consultant Steve Gray."

 

 

 

Not exactly definitive though!

[suzer]

My resume/CV was the required "no more than two pages long" in the UK. I kept it at two pages for the first couple of years here in Aus until an employment agency told me to change the format & add more detail which upped the resume to about 6 pages long. Its 8 pages now and that's probably a bit too much.

I'm definately not a doctor & pretty sure I'm not published either.

 

Admittedly it still goes against the grain a bit to have a resume so long. I still make sure the first two pages have all the important filtering points. :smile:

 

Yes, it's more about detail than length though. Australians employers are very much about the how and specifics, so you have to give examples and not be overly general, but it's also important not to include information that's not relevant.