Video Transcript:
Hello my name is Melissa Pratt and I have been the Recruitment Manager at AMES Australia for the past 5 years. Today we are going to be speaking about Referees and the importance of having the right referee to support your job application.
Choosing the correct referees to provide to prospective employers can be a difficult decision. Usually you won’t need to provide your referees until requested after an interview, however for some jobs you may need to provide them when submitting your application.
The best referee is someone who:
- Has a leadership role, preferably in the industry you’re trying to find work in
- Has Managed you in the past, or is your current Manager
- Is someone who has been supportive of you and you can count on them to say good things about you
- Is articulate and will provide your prospective employer with a good idea of your skills, experiences and ability to complement their team
- Is responsive with communication! There is no point in having a fantastic referee if they’re too busy to return a recruiter or prospective employer’s call
If you can’t find someone who meets all of these criteria, then get as close as you can.
For example, a Manager from a previous job who worked closely with you, but you didn’t report directly to them would be a good referee, if not the absolute perfect choice.
Also, a referee based in Australia is preferable, but overseas referees are alright as long as they are contactable (preferably by email) and can communicate in English.
Speak to your preferred referees in advance to make sure they’re happy to provide a reference for you, and make sure you get their current details (their full job title, and up-to-date contact details including phone or mobile number and an email address). And make sure you know what they will say about you.
Let them know you’re actively applying, just in case they get a call without your prior notice that the prospective employer is calling them.
If you do get selected for interview, and the prospective employer advises you that they plan to call for references, you should let your referees know and even send them whatever details you have about the job, such as the job ad or position description, so they can be prepared. The better they understand the role you’ve applied for, the better they’ll be able to relate your past performance to the role in question.
If you’re really struggling to identify suitable referees, you may need to consider speaking with a Teacher or Trainer who has instructed you, a leader in your community, a family friend with a prestigious job, and if you have run your own business you could ask a past or current client or someone else you know who seems appropriate and would say good things about your character.
I hope this has helped you to understand the importance of providing the right referees.
Thank you for your time, and all the best with your job searching.
Video & phone interviews
Hello everyone, and welcome again to another video from the exciting Career Tips video series by AMES Australia to help those who are looking for work. My name is Thaqi and I work for cybersecurity at AMES Australia, and today I’ll be talking to you about how to prepare for video and phone interview.
With physical distancing and self-isolation requirements currently in place, video and phone interviews are critical not just for large, technologically advanced organisations, but for most employers in almost every industry. Phone screening has been around for a long time, but it has never been more important for job seekers to be comfortable and confident in their professional phone manner. Video interviewing is a more recent practice and may require some experimentation before you become comfortable with it. Take the time to review the technology available to you, and become familiar with its operations.
It may just be something simple like practising a Facetime or WhatsApp video call with a friend or a family member so that you understand how to get the best sound quality and lighting, or it might be something technical, like updating the webcam software on your laptop so that everything works properly. Make a recording of yourself so that you can watch and listen to the results, and what you need to consider is audio, lighting, body language, and the controls of the app or the software. It’s much better to do this now, rather than rushing through it when you get a short notice for a video interview for your dream job! That’s it for today, good luck, and look out for more videos in this Career Tips series. Bye!
General interview preparation
Let's talk about how to prepare yourself for a job interview.
Good preparation is critical if you wish to perform well in your job interview. Of course, you should start by finding out everything you can about the role, the department or the company. Anticipate some of the questions you may be asked and arrange someone to do a mock interview with you – this is not so that you can memorise your responses, it is so that you can practice and work through your methods in formulating those responses. STAR method is a good formula to use. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result . What is the situation you are demonstrating the skill or behaviour, what specific task and action did you take, and what was the result of your actions? Try to provide an example that is relevant to the role you’re interviewing for if possible.. But remember, your example should be from your own experience, so be honest – don’t use an example from somebody else or from what you’ve read online.
In addition to all of that, your preparation should be holistic! In your mind, work backwards 48 hours from your interview timeslot and plan everything, including:
- your interview location (if you have a phone interview you’ll need a quiet space and your mobile to be charged and turned on)
- your morning meal/coffee (no coffee if you’re very anxious!)
- if you’re on video, select your outfit and have it ironed and laid out (make sure it looks good on camera!)
- discuss with your family or housemates to ensure they understand and are supportive (and can keep quiet whilst you are interviewing)
- get a good night’s sleep
- be on time! Whether you are interviewing face to face or on video or phone, it is important that you are on time for your interview
- And remember to take notes of your examples and any questions you want to ask in the interview and have them handy to refer to during your interview
If your interview is in person, make sure you plan your journey and have a detailed schedule to ensure you arrive on time. If you arrive stressed because you had to rush you’re unlikely to perform well!
This preparation, complemented by the role and company research, will allow you to present in a confident, positive and professional manner, which creates a fantastic first impression. Good luck!
This update is produced and reviewed by AMES Australia Employment Team.
Producer: Drue Vickery
Content Production: Arthur Chan
If you have any questions or wish to get in touch with AMES Australia to see how we can help you in your career journey, call 13 AMES (that’s 13 2637) during business hours.
#AMESAustralia
#AMESCareerTips
Please stay tuned with #AMESAustralia to get the latest updates on social media.