Valley Youth

Jobs

Finding a job can be hard and competitive.

We’ve got the low down on how to find a job you’d like to do,

ace your application and score your dream gig.

It can often be overwhelming to find suitable work. Your local Jobs Victoria Advocates work closely with Employment Agencies, Learn Local providers, TAFEs, Job Centres, and even Apprenticeship Services to find the best pathway for you.

Our Advocates support local community members looking for work by connecting you with information, advice, and the right services. Working with the unemployed or underemployed, they can also assist you in connecting with support services outside of employment and training.

Find out more info and connect with Moonee Valley’s Job Advocates.

Finding Work

Resumes

Cover Letters

Key Selection Criteria

Interviews

Workplaces

Finding Work

When you’re job hunting for the first time, it can be tough to figure out where to start, and really frustrating to see all the ads that say ‘experience required’.
If you’re about to scream ‘how does anyone ever get any experience if every job requires them to have it before they start?!’ then take a deep breath, and read on!

Network

Tell everyone you know that you’re looking for a job!

Ask around friends, family members, family friends, neighbours, people at your sports club or other activities you do. You might be surprised by how many opportunities are at your feet, just because they know you.

If you’re interested in working in a specific industry, find out if anyone you know works there or know someone who does.

Grab a coffee or chat to them over the phone, it all helps get your foot in the door.

Hit the streets

Talk to people at cafes and shops you often go to and where they know you, and find out if (or when) they might be hiring. Or next time you’re at Highpoint, Westfield or your local shops, keep an eye out for signs in front windows – especially in the months before Christmas.

If there’s somewhere like the look of that’s hiring, be brave! Go in and ask to speak to the manager.

Personally introduce yourself with a big smile, let them know you want to apply for the role being advertised, and ask any questions you might have.

You’ll stand out from the crowd immediately, and a good first impression can go a long way to help you score that job! (Just don’t forget to apply for it afterwards!)

Volunteer

Doing things for free when you want a paying job might sound silly, but stay with us!

The experiences you have, skills you learn and contributions you make while volunteering are very valuable on your resume, especially when you’re starting out or looking to career change.

Sometimes volunteering can lead to getting a paid job. Other times, regular volunteering shows you’re committed, motivated and reliable.

All types of volunteering counts, even if you don’t think of it as ‘work’ – from helping out at your sports club, school, church, mosque, temple, even with one of Valley Youth’s committees!

Search online

Lots of people advertise entry-level jobs via sites such as Seek, Ethical Jobs, Career One and Indeed. So there are a few things to watch out for:

Look at each jobs required skills and experience, to check you have them (or at least most of them) before you apply
Give your correct phone number and email
Check them regularly! You don’t want to miss an interview because you haven’t checked it for a few days
Lots of others will be applying for this job too, how else can you make your application stand out?

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More helpful links:

Youth Central - How to find a job
Centre for Multicultural Youth - Pathways
Youth Central - Organisations seeking Volunteers
FYA - How to hunt for a job

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Resumes

Having a good-looking resume is super important tool when applying for a job. If you’d like a job it’s a good idea to have your resume ready so you can send it out and apply for things. A resume should include:

qualifications
experience
industry knowledge and skills
updated contact details.

Some great things to include in a resume (usually in this order) are:

an opening statement about you
a list of your previous skills and experiences
your education history
your work history.

Remember, even if you haven’t worked in a paid job before, there are always skills and experiences you have. This can range from volunteering, roles at your sports club, or leadership roles you have taken on in community groups you're part of (e.g your sports club, school, local community centre, church or mosque).

Tailor your resume to include information relevant to the job you are applying for.

You’ll also need to include some references or referees at the end of your resume. These are people you know who can talk about your skills and abilities and how you are a good worker to a potential employer. The main rule is, you can’t use a reference who is related to you personally. Instead it could be a teacher, coach, pastor, imam or someone who has supervised you. Just make sure to ask them for permission and their contact information so they can be prepared for a call when you've applied for a job.

When you've written your resume, check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ensure that the language sounds like you, but is also formal and professional. Pass it to an adult to have a look at to give you some feedback and help.

More info on resumes

Youth Central - how to write a resume

Zety - how to tailor your resume

Check out example resumes

Youth Central - sample resumes and cover letters

Just after some more inspiration?

FYA - job application tips from a HR professional

Jobted - How to write an effective resume, a practical guide

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Cover Letters

WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

A cover letter goes before your resume – think of it as the thing that explains the overlap between your resume (all about you) and the job description (all about the role)

Cover letter DOs:

DO keep it one page
DO find out the name and position of the person you’re writing to
DO make it clear exactly what job you’re applying for
DO include at least three paragraphs, explaining:
- Who you are and why you’re interested in the job
- Your best and most relevant qualities, skills and experience
- What you can offer the organisation and why you’d be a great asset
DO explain how you have to any skills or experiences asked for in the job ad
DO include your contact details and when you’re available for an interview
DO end the letter on a positive note and a point of action (e.g. ‘Thanks for consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you about an interview soon.’)

Cover letter DON’Ts:

DON’T include everything that’s already in your resume
DON'T use the same cover letter for different job applications
DON’T list all your past achievements or jobs – pick the best and most relevant
DON’T send anything with typos or mistakes in it
DON’T overshare too much information – they don’t need to know what days you can work, that you’re going on holidays later in the year or that you’re applying for other jobs
DON’T use a quirky email address – bae4lyf@datcrew.com.au might be fine with your mates, but a more professional one that includes your full name is more safe for work.

More useful links:

Youth Central – Sample resumes and cover letters
FYA – How to hack your next cover letter
Zety - Cover Letter Templates, Layouts & 20+ Samples

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Key Selection Criteria

Not every job asks you for key selection criteria. Often the ones that do are for government jobs in Australia...like Moonee Valley City Council. We know it can be off-putting to answer key selection criteria but it's important to answer them as best as you can. If a job has asked you to answer it then they expect you to complete it. Some employers won't even look at your application if you haven't answered the criteria!

We have a foolproof formula to help make it easier. Introducing the STAR model!
This model makes your application easier to read and get to the point.

S = Situation
Give a brief summary about the problem you were trying to solve or something you were trying to achieve.

T = Task
Explain what you had to do to try and achieve your goal/resolve your problem.

A = Action
What steps did you take to get to your solution? Explain your process.

R = Result
Describe the outcome of your actions and what you managed to accomplish and learn.

To answer the selection criteria well make sure you have answered all areas of their question. You can provide more than one example if it helps. Be specific with your examples about what you have done and what the result of your work achieved. Best of luck!

More helpful links:

FYA - How to nail key selection criteria
Seek - How to address key selection criteria

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INTERVIEWS

All that hard work of sending job application after job application has finally paid off! You've scored an interview! Now you just need to show your potential future employer why you're the best person for the job.

Here are some hot tips to help you prepare.

Do some research on the company.

Do some practice interview questions

Get a friend or relative to ask you questions so you can come up with the best answers.

Prepare for some questions like:

Tell me about yourself.
Why did you apply for this job?
What are your strengths?
Tell me about a time you had a problem and had to solve it.
What are your weaknesses?

Similarly to the key selection criteria (see section above), structure your answers using the STAR model to give the interviewers the best answers.

Youth Central has some tips for these questions on their page here. They've also got some tips for trickier questions here.

Dress professionally.

Bring some notes with you.

Follow up after the job interview.

As a courtesy and sign of interest, take the time to send a follow up email a day or two after your interview.

Some places can take up to 4 weeks to hear back from, depending on the type of job you are applying for. Depending on what the company has told you to expect, if you don't hear from them it's a good idea to follow them up yourself.

In the meantime, keep applying for other jobs and go to interviews for other positions you might have applied for.

What if you get/don't get a job offer?

They offered you the job!

Great! Thank the employer for the opportunity. You don't have to accept the job straight away if you want more time to think about it. Let them know you'll give them an answer within the next two days (you don't want to keep them waiting).

If you are happy to accept the job immediately, ask them what the next steps are.

Didn't get the job?

That's okay. It can suck getting knocked back from a job. To get to the interview stage is a pretty big deal, so you were definitely one of their top candidates.

Thank the employer for the opportunity. If you were really keen to work with them, ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities.

Ask them for some feedback too. They'll be able to tell you what they were looking for to fill the position. This can be helpful to know what to work on for the next job interview you go to.

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Workplaces

Congratulations on getting a job!

In case you didn’t know, you have rights at work too, even as a part timer or casual worker. If you ever have any issues at work with your employer or workmates treating you unfairly, it’s good to know your basic rights and entitlements as a worker.

Health and safety are also very important in the workplace too. If you feel something doesn’t look or feel right, say something!

Australia has a designated minimum wage and gives protection for different kinds of work and situations. For example, there is a minimum amount of leave your employer must give you in certain situations and there is a maximum number of work hours in the week.

Casual work is a bit different. The hours might be longer/shorter and you are paid more as you don't get paid holiday or sick leave. This is called casual loading.

Sometimes you may discover that your employer is not treating you according to the rules. If this happens, it’s important to get some advice about what to do, how to raise it with them, and to protect yourself and your rights.

You may find this information helpful:

Young Workers Centre

Know your employee rights Youth Central - Employee rights

Check out Work Safe Victoria’s website: Work Safe Victoria