Identify Opportunities Online
Employers are using a combination of methods to source candidates. Job vacancies are advertised through several online mediums, including employers’ websites and social media, university careers service sites, job boards, recruitment agency sites, graduate recruitment directories, and professional association and industry-specific sites. You need to be regularly exploring all mediums, so as not to miss an opportunity. Identify the online platforms best suited for your career goals.
Employer websites and social media
Many employers manage their recruitment internally, and their own website may be the only place they post an opportunity. Employers, both government and non-government, often host a ‘Careers’ section on their website providing detailed information on jobs available, the company’s values and priorities, details of the application process involved, recruitment timelines, and testimonials from past successful graduates.
State government departments advertise opportunities on their ‘Careers’ pages. For example, the Queensland Government main job portals are:
- Queensland Government Graduate Portal – this site connects you to graduate and student opportunities with Queensland Government
- Queensland Government Smart Jobs - main Queensland Government job portal
The Australian Public Service advertises opportunities via:
- APS Graduate Portal - Australian Public Service departments and agencies advertise their graduate programs here
- APSJobs – main government job portal where you can search via APS classification, Department, employment status, location.
Employers are also increasingly utilising social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter) to promote their organisation and job opportunities, find and attract the ideal job candidate, and research job applicants (you). If you follow and subscribe to potential future employers’ social media, you will keep abreast of their job opportunities and current business activities, which will help with any future applications you submit. Identify how employers you are interested in are connecting with future employees, and then connect with them via those platforms. Employers will notice your engagement with their social media platforms.
Job boards
Many employers and employment agencies will advertise job opportunities via online job vacancy sites – also known as job boards. Downloading job board apps will assist with easier access. It is important that you identify the job boards most relevant to your job preferences and regularly check them for any opportunities listed.
General job boards
Industry job boards
- To identify industry specific job boards relevant to your studies or career goals, do a web search for ‘[degree/major/interest area] jobs Australia’ ie NRMjobs is a specialist industry site for jobs in environment, water, and natural resource management fields in Australia
- JCU Careers Snapshots provide further information on industry-specific job boards
JCU job board
- Remember to regularly check your JCU job board – JCU CareerHub, which lists graduate, course-relevant, part-time, and casual job opportunities currently available for JCU students and recent graduates. Ensure your profile settings are current and reflect the types of work you are currently looking for, so that your weekly e-newsletter reflects appropriate opportunities.
Effectively utilising job boards
Set up a profile
Identify your industry of interest and location of preference. You can customise your profile visibility settings to control the types of information that employers can see about you. When a recruiter or employer uploads a job ad, the job board will often send them a list of suitable candidates from their talent pool. Your aim is to be on that list.
Aim for your online profile to speak directly to the employers and positions you most wish to achieve. While it is good to be open to various job possibilities outside your target area, an online profile that attempts to speak to all jobs and employers will have far less impact and risk being overlooked by employers.
Use keywords in your profile
This will help you get noticed by employers. Seek has identified five top terms that employers use to search a candidate’s profile. These are:
- Job title – employers search for candidates with previous experience that matches their requirements, so ensure the titles of your previous jobs align with the most typical name used for that role e.g. Accountant.
- Skills – many employers are looking for specific skills (‘payroll’ or ‘java’), so ensure you complete the skills section and are clear on all skills you have developed.
- Industry – employers often use industry keywords when searching, so ensure you are specific about the industry/industries you wish to work in.
- Role preferences – employers want to know their role suits your preferences, so they will look for this in your profile information.
- Career level – ensure you are clear on the level of your previous experience, so employers can determine if you fit the level of the position. In your personal summary, ensure you include indicators such as ‘graduate’ or ‘manager’.
Upload your resume or complete online application details
Use job board sites where recruiters from your industry or interest area are searching for candidates. Posting your resume makes you searchable and accessible to recruiters. Ensure your resume is targeted to your desired graduate jobs. To increase efficiency, employers utilise keyword searches to shortlist suitable applicants. Your uploaded resume must contain keywords that match the skills, experience, and duties of the job you are seeking. Identify important skills sets and key words and include them in your resume.
Customise your job search and set up personal job alerts
Most job boards allow you to search for jobs by keywords, occupation, location, employment type (full time, part time) and salary rate, and allow you to save your job searches. You will be sent targeted email notifications of new vacancies in areas that you have nominated. You will need to experiment to make sure the parameters of your search are not too narrow (you do not receive any emails) or too broad (you receive hundreds every day!). Regularly review your customisation to ensure you are receiving relevant job notifications.
Safeguard your privacy
Check the privacy policies of the job board platform to understand how they will use your information. Before you share any information with an employer, research them online to ensure they are legitimate.
Employers are entitled to ask you personal information that is relevant to your ability to perform the role you are applying for. This generally includes your name, email, phone number, employment experience, driver’s licence details, evidence that you can work in Australia, a police check, or working with children check. Employers cannot ask for information that discriminates against you or ask for invasive and irrelevant information, such as your bank details or credit card history. If they do, check why. If you have any concerns, be careful with what you share and ask how employers will protect this information.
LinkedIn is a professional database and social networking site that helps you connect with professionals and identify job opportunities. It is an important platform when looking for work and will help you find jobs suited to your skills and qualifications. LinkedIn is fast becoming a recruitment hunting ground for employers. As of October, 2023, 67 million registered companies are on LinkedIn and 140 job applications are lodged every second through the platform. Employers are actively promoting their organisation, advertising job vacancies, and searching for staff on LinkedIn. A LinkedIn Mobile App is available to assist with ease of job search.
Set up a LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn enables you to build a professional online profile that reflects your skills, knowledge, and qualifications. Your profile is essentially an extended and richer version of your resume. Ensure your LinkedIn profile is well written and targets the jobs you are interested in. Your profile allows you to elaborate on your resume and provide more information on your work, volunteer, and study history. According to LinkedIn, over 75% of hiring managers look at LinkedIn profiles to learn more about a candidate’s background and 50% will decide whether to progress with a candidate’s application based on their LinkedIn profile. Grow your Career with Linkedin website provides advice on how to maximise your LinkedIn profile.
It is important you showcase your skills, strengths, expertise, career interests, and goals relevant to your targeted graduate positions to ensure the right employers find you in their applicant searches. Use keywords and job titles in your profile that employers will use to search and identify suitable candidates.
LinkedIn email alerts
Check your ‘Job Seeking Preferences’ under the Settings and Privacy section of your profile and turn on the notifications that alert employers to the fact that you are actively seeking employment, and are open to being contacted. LinkedIn will help you connect to jobs that match your profile, and will use information in your profile to generate email alerts for new job postings that you may be interested in.
Job search via LinkedIn
You can search for jobs listed on LinkedIn via the Jobs icon on the toolbar at the top of your LinkedIn homepage. On the Jobs page, you can search for jobs and then further refine your search using the filters (date posted, company, experience level and more) on the Results page.
You can organise your job search through LinkedIn by saving jobs and job searches, tracking, and viewing jobs you have already applied for, and updating your job preferences. To ensure your privacy, no updates are shared with your LinkedIn networks when you are searching and applying for jobs on LinkedIn. When searching for jobs on LinkedIn, it is recommended you use Boolean modifiers to refine your search and find positions that are right for you.
Graduate recruitment directories
Graduate recruitment directories are key resources for Australian university students. They provide information on graduate employers, graduate programs, graduate jobs, internships, vacation programs, cadetships, scholarships, graduate salaries, application dates, plus industry advice and job search support. Sign up for their Facebook posts and email alerts about job opportunities.
Two key recruitment directories within Australia are:
Professional association / industry specific job listings
Professional associations and industry groups, such as AHRI (Australian Human Resources Institute), are a critical part of your career development and graduate job search strategies. In addition to providing professional development and networking opportunities, they are a great source of information about careers in your industry and possible employment opportunities. Many professional associations and peak bodies have a ‘Careers’ section within their website. Recruiters will utilise these professional associations to list job opportunities as they have a targeted audience.
Search professional associations or industry organisations relevant to your field of study or industry of interest. Include their online job boards or career pages in your job search plans. To identify a professional association relevant to your studies, do a web search for ‘Professional Association [insert name of profession] Australia’.
Check JCU alerts
Make sure you check your College and JCU Careers and Employability emails, Facebook and Instagram posts to keep informed of employment opportunities.
Action: Go to your downloaded workbook and complete Activity 2