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[G135]Get Me A Job

by Natasha Zurnamer, Nat

I have just found out that it's possible! In the competitive world of fashion you need to look at a point of difference; an experience and life skill that is going to set you apart from the graduating masses from Australian Uni's, Tafe's and Private Colleges. The short of it is you all qualify to work in the industry, it's just the jobs are so few and far between you need to be able to show a future employer you've got something different to offer… So let me tell you a few ways that you can get some savvy o.s experience and knock the socks off any employer in fashion when you return…

Option One – buy a ticket and knock on doors. This is expensive and can be unfruitful! Many have scored it lucky when they pack their bags and knock on the door of their favourite fashion house overseas but it often has its pitfalls. If you find a company that will take you on often due to visa problems you can't work for an extended amount of time and more often the pay can be very low or even work experience (unpaid). So yes, you can say you worked for so and so but ultimately it was not real in-depth experience and you will probably need to wait tables at night to fund the rest of your trip!

Option Two – buy a ticket and visit a temping agency when you arrive. I have seen many fashion graduates work for fabulous companies in the UK, Europe and USA thru Temporary Agencies. If you don't mind lots of variety and you can be flexible about the type of companies you work for you can find yourself in great roles with fabulous brands. In terms of really learning the ropes the major pitfall can be a day here and a day there which is not going to leave you with any solid knowledge but the upside can be that you could score it lucky and have an extended stay in a company you love… it has happened..

Option Three – finding an internship before you go. I recently came across a company who arranges 18 month internships with amazing companies in the USA. If you have the qualifying experience, usually a fashion degree or diploma or 18 months fashion work experience you can apply. The amazing thing with these internships is that you get a Visa to work for a whole 18 months with one company and you also get paid a salary while you work (and there are more benefits on arrival too!). There are some costs to get your visa and your travel costs as you would expect but the fact that you have a guaranteed job when you arrive and 18 months experience with one company is a great deal. The internships that I have seen are really comprehensive and take you thru an 18 month program, so you clearly learn the ropes – not pack boxes and run errands. For more information you can contact Chris Gegg at cgegg@globalrecruitment.com.au or go to the global recruitment website www.globalrecruitment.com

What can you expect when you return! Overseas experience is great and many employers are happy when you Gen Y's have the ‘travel bug' out of your system. The solid experience that you get from an internship would be considered like working in a full time job and the knowledge you have gained is highly attractive to Australian Fashion employers.

Don't fall into the trap of over stating your experience when you return if you have only worked for a flick of an eye with major brands overseas – a week here and a week there. Unfortunately you just don't get given much autonomy when you are a ‘fill in staff member' and even though the experience may have seemed intense to you. In the eyes of an employer it's the longevity that counts. So a few weeks here and a few weeks there may not impress them enough…

What ever you end up doing here are my golden rules… Record all jobs overseas and at the time that you end each job write a list of the experiences you had while they are fresh in your mind. Get a reference or at least a ‘certificate of work' from each employer. Also get email addresses and phone numbers of referee's. Make sure the referee's are Management level and not just colleagues you befriended! Explain gaps in work while you traveled and don't overstate any experience, the global hub of fashion is a small community – you just never know who knows who!

Above all good luck, enjoy the experience and don't forget to stay in touch with your loved ones while you are away!

But it's a job search myth!

There are several compelling reasons why counting on your resume to get you a job is a job search myth.

1. There are millions of resumes in circulation at any given moment -- in print and online. The chances of your masterpiece getting directly into the hands of the person who is going to hire you are very, very slim.

2. Assuming your resume does match some of an organization's needs, it's going to go through an institutional screening process. A lower level HR associate or assistant to the assistant manager is going to be deciding whether or not you're a worthy candidate.

3. You've got competition. When you submit a resume, you're putting yourself right in the middle of your competitors with nothing but the cleverness of your document to distinguish you from the rest of the crowd. What are your chances that's going to happen?

4. My resume will be carefully reviewed by a qualified decision-maker. NOT! We know from studies that an employer spends a maximum 20-50 seconds reading a resume. If something doesn't pop off the page at him/her in that first cursory reading it lands on the reject pile,

5. Employers aren't interested in what you used to do for someone else. Your resume details how you've helped someone else be successful. Someone who's interested in hiring you wants to know how you're going to fit into their organization. And how you can contribute to their bottom line.

So, if I can't count on a resume to get me a job, what good is it? How do I avoid this job search myth?

An excellent question! You see, no one is going to hire you unless they have a chance to meet you face-to-face. It's in the course of that engagement that the initial (not final) screening decision is made. If that's the case, then your resume can serve as a summary of your accomplishments to hand an employer AFTER you've met.

In a sense, it serves as a business card. It's a reminder to an employer of some of the highlights you brought to his/her attention in the course of your meeting. And it becomes the basis for a follow-up letter, phone call, second meeting, etc.

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have a quality resume. But you should be spending a lot more time researching organizations and decision-makers you'd like to go to work for. And then designing ways to get in front of them so you can make your case in person where it really counts.

That's how you turn a job search myth into a job search success story!

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Both Natasha Zurnamer & Paul Bowley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Natasha Zurnamer has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Careers and Job Hunting. Natasha Zurnamer Director of Ragtradejobs.com Global Hub of Fashion . Natasha Zurnamer's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.

Paul Bowley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Marketing and Communications, Interview Questions and Debts Loans. Paul Bowley manages EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and innovative e-business strategies . . . since 1985. Check out THE WORLD'S FASTEST JOB SEARCH PLAN! And grab our stunning FREE REPORT!. Paul Bowley's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.