[CHAT] Work it
Whether:
- you are going for your first ever after school job at 14 & 9 months, or
- you've left school and looking for an apprenticeship/traineeship or
- you are trying to work to support your study at uni or tafe or
- you've finished your study and you want your first full time job or
- you haven't worked for a long time but it's time to get a job...
- you are working hard for the money...
Looking for a job and/or working can be a pretty nerve wrecking experience, especially trying to keep everything running smoothly!
You might be wondering how you can find the right kind of job that suits you; how to make it through the dreaded interview; how to make sure you are not taken advantage of; how to manage your pay & make it last the fortnight; and before any of that - resumes these days have become an art form!
Or what about this age old conundrum:
Here's a story from a forum member, Chonty
"The first job I ever had was working in a fast food joint after school and on weekends. I remember wanting to quit in the first week because it was all too new and I didn’t like the manager. I also remember how exciting it was to get my first pay, and I’m pretty sure I spent it immediately on new clothes and forgot all about wanting to leave. That’s pretty much how I spent every pay for two years straight, without a thought about saving for future things.
It wasn’t until schoolies came around that I realised I didn’t have enough saved to do all the things that had been planned! Luckily in the end my family were all able to chip in in and it all worked out, but they let me sweat it for a while. Being in a position where I realised I hadn’t managed my money as well as I should have wasn’t the best.""
@j95 Maybe look into joining a union, from my experience they are well worth it 🙂 Maybe even post a separate thread about this? It's a pretty important thing that should be adressed and I'm interested to see how your situation unfolds. Hope you can sort it out soon and you get what is fair 🙂
that might be an idea @j95 Have you checked out the fair work site? I reckon you should be able to find some helpful stuff here
http://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/how-we-help-you/help-resolving-workplace-issues
Also, if you're wondering about unions, check this out
@j95 I think that's a great idea, either them or fairwork australia or someone similar. You can even contact places like that anonymously if you're worried about repercussions from your boss (which can happen sometimes 😞 )
This was a really great topic and everyone was able to bring their own expertise and experience to the forum, which is awesome! So much constructive comments went into this to create quite a solid wealth of information 🙂 Here are the key points that we covered tonight.
- What do you think employers look for in their ideal candidates for a role?
SO MANY AWESOME SUGGESTIONS! social skills, confidence, leadership skills and initiative, strong skill set, experience is the best proof of your talents. Two way street, you need to be a good fit for the org and vice versa. Bottom line, be your genuine self!
- What are some of your tips for making the best resume when applying for jobs?
Short, concise, well-written and full of relevant information. Tailor your resumes to the position and always have your relevant references on hand! Create a hierarchy of important information, and lay it our clearly!
- what are some of the websites or ways you apply for jobs?
Gumtree, seek, jobsearch, job agencies and volunteering are all great ways to find job openings. Also word of mouth, and casually dropping your resume in. Don’t forget to be ol school and check the paper too 😉
- What kind of activities do you think people could participate in to help them get their first job?
Volunteering, work experience and sports and community work are all a great step into the workforce and just simply building your skillset in general. Having a direction is also a great way to hone in your skills on what you value.
- How would you prepare for a job interview?
Prepare sample questions, research the company, don’t just memorize answers but know the information so you can answer the questions comfortably. Put a bit of effort into your presentation so you feel and look confident! Also practising relaxation methods to be cool, calm, and collected.
- what kind of jobs do you think are best to do while studying?
If you can, try and get a job related to your studies, even if it’s basic. Hospitality offers great, flexible hours for students and helps build your people skills and work ethic. Pretty much any casual job is great!
7.What tips would you suggest to people applying for jobs after being unemployed for a long period of time?
Show the employer that you have been keeping busy, building your skill set and working hard e.g. volunteering. Focus on what you have been doing, not on the time you’ve spent doing “nothing”. Use of the cover letter is vital here!
- If you were employed and unhappy with your working conditions, how would you try to resolve the issue?
Follow the right avenues, e.g. manager, HR, CEO, union etc. Try and submit your complaints via email so you have a record of them if they’re being ignored!
Thank you again to everybody for their contributions and making this such an enjoyable and valuable discussion 🙂
Good night all!
@j95 that sucks to hear. I think @FItzChivalry had a good point in telling him that you will escalate it if he doesn't do anything to resolve it. It def sounds like something you should be entitled to so I think it's fair.
@j95 Well that certainly puts you in a tight spot 😞 and you're not a part of a union? those guys usually fight tooth and nail for their workers to make sure everything is fair
Even worse that its hands on labour... tiring as!!
@j95 It's hard to say without knowing the structure of your work, but have you tried going over the top? Mentioning it to his boss? Or are you part of a union or anything? Maybe try bringing it up one more time, but mention that if it isn't resolved you will have to escalate it. You have rights and you should feel comfortable in your workplace!
@j95 That def sounds unfair, you should be entitled to getting breaks on the job. Is there anyone else that you can go to other than your boss to raise the issue? If you're serious about it, is there anyone above him that you could raise it with ?
@j95 That's true! It can sometimes be pretty difficult to do but it's much more effective 🙂
Gonna keep it moving guys, time for next question!
- If you were employed and unhappy with your working conditions, how would you try to resolve the issue?
The first thing I would do is try to talk to my manager. If that wasn't a good option, for example, if my manager was part of the issue and I couldn't solve it by talking to them directly, I might try speaking to someone else in a management position such as HR or a supervisor.
If you were employed and unhappy with your working conditions, how would you try to resolve the issue?
I agree with you @benjamin_ I've heard a lot of stories of people complaining, and they feel like they can't go to their manager or their manager won't help, but they forget that there are other avenues, like HR, who pretty much exist for this sort of stuff! There are people in your company that want to help you, and if it's such a struggle to find them then maybe they're not the best company to work for...
Another thing to note is (if possible) try and submit all your complaints via email, so you have a record of them if they go unattended or you feel like you're being ignored or treating poorly!
