Research the Industry You Want to Work In

What kind of person are employers looking for in your chosen industry? What qualifications will you need? And what kind of attitude, energy and image are they after? Forewarned is forearmed so do the research and be willing to adapt yourself to their requirements.

Some General Tips:

Experience: Some work experience will go a long way towards getting that job. Look for work experience in your chosen industry, volunteer, take an entry-level position in a job you're interested in or ask family and friends to help you out. You can also draw on experience at school or university, in a sport club or community organisation.

Qualifications: Find out if you need official qualifications or if you can start an apprenticeship or traineeship with them. Remember there are 600+ apprenticeships available in just about any industry. You can learn and earn at the same time.

Social Skills: Key areas employers are looking for are teamwork, positive attitude and good communication skills. Work on developing those.

Reliability: Be a dependable and trustworthy employee. Arrive on time at work everyday and take responsibility for your job. If you make a mistake, own up, fix it up and keep your job!

Initiative: See what needs to be done, and get on with it. Get good at solving problems that come up and be ready to learn new things and master new skills. You'll become the most valued employee on the team!

Need help to get your career started? Call Sarina Russo Institute on 1800 078 776.