Career ideas for West Australians.
This infographic supports Step 2 of the Year 10 Magic Happens Handbook.
To subscribe to the insanely great Infocus Careers Newsletter for West Australians email Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au 
Category Archives: Teaching Resources and Research
How to Get Employability Skills – Infographic
You can’t get experience if you don’t have a job. You can’t get a job if you don’t have experience.
Employers constantly complain that young workers do not have any idea about how to work. They complain that doing employability skills in a classroom setting does not prepare them for the workplace.
The How to Get Authentic Workskills infographic suggests 5 ways that Year 10 – 12 students can develop employability skills through authentic workplace learning.
Read Are You Nice Enough to Win That Job for more information and tips on how to develop workskills.
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Email: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Do you know who to call? Career Websites
The number of useful websites keeps growing, so I have updated this Coggle Map. It is useful for career advisors, school leavers and job seekers.
Many of the government sites are duplicate services. You do NOT need to go to each of these sites. You MAY choose to get frustrated that government departments don’t collaborate!!
You can find the Coggle Map of Useful Sites HERE. I have put links to each of the sites so that you don’t have to look up each one.
If you can’t get in, email me and I will send you the link: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
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I just wanted to pass on my appreciation and admiration for the work that you do with this newsletter and your website. Every month, there is something in there that resonates with me on the ‘why’ of our job.
History Careers Mind Map
The History Careers Mind Map identifies careers supported by the knowledge and skills history students develop.
Download the Mind Map to access the links to the different careers.
The Good Universities Guide
In most cases the links are through to the information provided by the Good Universities Guide Career Ladders. Where information wasn’t available on the Careers Ladders I have added a link to the most useful information I could find.
MyFuture
MyFuture has videos and great information about careers. It may be worth subscribing as all States and Territories contribute to that central store of information. It costs about $15 a year to subscribe.
In Focus Careers
I wrote a post recently with updated links to all of the key careers sites.
There is a lot of duplication in these sites, particularly in the government ones, so find which ones work best for you.
Please send me a complimentary copy of your insanely great newsletter for West Australian students.
M: 0434056412
A Robot Will NOT Take Your Job
No no and no.
- Robots are NOT taking your jobs.
- You will NOT spend your life scrambling for 17 jobs in 5 careers.
- Millenials are NOT more focused on meaningful work than baby boomers.
The Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA) is keen to reduce anxiety by debunking these myths.
On their Making Sense of Career Research webinar they debunked three myths.
Robots are NOT Taking Your Jobs
Bad news travels fast and there is reason to be fearful. There are not many chimney sweeps around… even chimneys are disappearing!!
But jobs are NOT disappearing. Since the introduction of IT across industries, the amount of work has actually increased.
Machines haven’t REDUCED housework
Our behaviour will change because of the machines. Before we had washing machines doing washing was hard, and time consuming. Not it is easy, but still time consuming because we wash our clothes more often.
Houses are cleaner, food is more interesting, we stay awake longer.
Machines have changed the way we live, and there are lots of jobs in our new way of living.
Artificial Intelligence Won’t Replace ALL Workers
If a some sauce is spilt on the floor at McDonalds, it takes a person a second to wipe it up. That task would take very sophisticated AI and it would be slower and more expensive than a human.
The same with self driving vehicles. It takes a lot of AI to account for every possible accident. It is more likely that technology will make us better drivers by helping us to park without crashing, showing us which route to take, or warning us when we are about to run out of fuel.
Where will the jobs be?
- The Naked Scientist podcast Life in the Year 2100 talks about all the jobs required to create sustainable futures and build smart cities with intelligent buildings. They claim gardeners will be more important as green space makes people physically and mentally healthier.
- The Future is Human is an optimistic report with lots of practical recommendations for future success. You can see a Press Club presentation on the report by Deloitte economics Chris Richardson, HERE.
You will NOT have 17 jobs in 5 careers
Since 2000 Australian’s have stayed in jobs longer. We used to stay in jobs for 3 years and now we stay for 4.
It is likely that you will stay in a job for a shorter time at the start of your career, as you work at McDonalds or travel overseas, then stay longer as you go through your career.
On the Making Sense of Research CDAA webinar Jason Brown gave this explanation of how absurd it would be to try to totally change careers and start learning from scratch again.
You can relax. In 2000 we stayed in jobs for about 3 years, now we stay in jobs for about 4 years.
Millenials are NOT more focused on meaningful work than baby boomers
I was pleased to hear this. I have always sought meaningful work and I’m a baby boomer. Claims that young people are more focused on finding meaningful work than me, seemed to be dismissing my life’s work.
In COVID-19 and careers: On the futility of generational explanations, Cort W. Rudolph, and Hannes Zacher say:
It is common to broadly group people of different ages into “generations” and to speak of distinctions between such groups in terms of “generational differences.” The problem with this practice, is that there exists no credible scientific evidence that (a) generations exist, (b) that people can be reliably classified into generational groups, and (c) that there are demonstrable differences between such groups.
We have already noted an emerging generationalized rhetoric that has characterized how people of different ages have been affected by and reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic. …..We urge researchers to eschew the notion of generations and generational differences and consider alternative lifespan development theoretical frameworks that better capture age-graded processes.
Thanks to career professionals
It is great to have professionals from the CDAA debunking myths that make us feel bad.
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Getting Your Resume through to the Keeper
If you apply for a job with a mining company, or think you may want to work overseas, you will find yourself writing job applications that go through application tracking systems designed to weed out poor applications before a human sets eyes on it.
You need to know how to get your job application past the application tracking systems.
Nothing Beats a Good Job Application
Don’t turn yourself inside out trying to beat the algorithm. Your application can end up sounding phoney.
Just write a good application. Seek.com provides great advice on writing a good resume, or if you are still at school go to Youth Central for tips.
Key Words
The application tracking system will scan your application for keywords that are in the job advertisement.
If they are looking for a professional tap dancer you need to use the words “professional” and “tap dancer” in your application.
If you do tap dancing but have never worked professionally put in a Career Goal at the start of your document that says that your dream is to work as a full time, “professional tap dancer“.
Then you can talk about your tap dancing qualifications and experience that lead to this dream under traditional headings like:
Qualifications
Just list your qualifications, where you got them and when. A table of qualifications may take on a life of its own in cyberspace and end up a jumble when it is downloaded.
You can put in headings like:
-
- Academic Qualifications
- Dance Qualifications
Experience
Stick to what is important. If the professional tap dancer is required to work in a team you can talk about your experience working in a team at the local coffee shop where you were required to work under pressure and support other team members. Mention “team” in your answer.
If you can’t make your coffee shop experience add to your story, leave it out.
Referees
It will be best if you have a referee who is a professional tap dancer.
The Prime Minister may be your first best friend but he is not going to have any credibility with employers looking for a professional tap dancer.
Don’t Get Fancy
- Pictures of your latest tap dancing performance won’t be picked up by the application tracking system. Leave them out.
- Just save your application in Word or as a PDF, attach it and send. Don’t get fancy with Google Docs or Dropbox etc unless they say that is what they want.
- Use Grammarly to check your spelling and grammar before you send off your application.
- I don’t like pictures of applicants. It is an equity issue AND the application tracking system may not be able to read the picture.
It’s an Online Social World
If your application gets to a human, they will check you out on social media to save time BEFORE you get called in to an interview.
- Start building an online profile that makes you look like the sort of person who would succeed as a professional tap dancer.
- Set up your LinkedIn profile and start building your reputation as a committed tap dancer.
- Join local and world online tap dancing groups. Build your reputation.
The Future of Job Applications
Don’t panic if you can’t get your head around algorithms and key words. Just write your best application. Remember:
- In Western Australia most employers own small businesses so they won’t be using application tracking systems, and even some IGA stores just have a form that you have to fill in.
- 60% of jobs in Western Australia are not advertised. Read Network Your Butt Off to Find a Job.
There are some seriously cool job application apps coming through which will make it easy for employers to find out about you… but probably harder for you to make your application shine. There may be a future in writing seriously cool job applications for these apps.
If you are in Western Australia and want to know about career opportunities subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter.
I work constantly to maintain my knowledge of career opportunities and my careers newsletter is a conduit for information and advice to schools and organisations across Western Australia.
Please send me a complimentary copy of your insanely great and VERY reasonably priced In Focus Careers Newsletter.
Agriculture Jobs Available
This new job service is a partnership between Stadium, State government and a number of organisations in the agriculture industry.
Traditionally backpackers and travellers fill a number of seasonal roles across agriculture but with Corona Virus travel restrictions in place we have seen backpackers denied entry into Australia or leaving our shores for home. This has resulted in a critical number of shortages which presents an opportunity to domestic students.
Stadium.work is an online platform that helps you find a job in your chosen field or find casual work while you’re still studying. Simply click below to register for free with Studium and create your student profile.
Register now to take advantage
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and a number of partners in the agriculture space will use Studium to find suitable students and engage them in a range of employment opportunities.
Employers Search for You
Employers actively search the platform to find you. So, no need for you to make countless applications or search online for jobs.
There are just 3 simple steps to put you in front of an employer
- Click the link here to register for your free Studium profile
- You’ll get an email to complete your profile with anything from videos, upload assignments, and complete a simple profile test so employers know more about who you really are.
- Connect with employers. You can then tag and follow the employers you’re interested in, and they’ll see that you’re interested.
Register today by going to studium.work.
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To find the latest help that government is providing, to find what others are doing to cope or to find job or course opportunities subscribe to In Focus Careers.
For more information email Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
We used to be called the farmer’s WIFE – Information about women farmers
We used to be called the farmer’s WIFE.
At least we have moved on from that! But sadly, not far.
While women make up half the rural workforce and generate half the income, they are still almost invisible when it comes to leadership and power in the rural economy.
As with women in trades and in science and computing jobs, women in agriculture are ignored, overlooked and explained away when it comes to opportunities to participate in decision-making.
Women do not have adequate representation on rural decision-making bodies:
- Agricultural commodity councils: 91% male, 9% female
- Rural representative bodies: 87% male, 13% female
- Publicly listed agricultural companies: 93% male, 7% female
- Only 2.3% of CEOs in Australian agribusinesses are female, compared with an average of 17% across other industries.
Source: Visible Farmer Campaign
There is clear evidence of a shortage of workers in agriculture, the world is craving fresh, clean food and the industry is demanding higher level skills to address issues of climate change.
Despite all this and despite more women than men graduating from uni, women are still not being seen or heard in primary industries.
The Visible Farmer is a media campaign to increase the visibility of rural women.
Check out the series of 15 short videos here. Tell your friends. Show them to your classes.
Join the RRR Women’s Network to see what other women are doing to try to get a fair go for RRR women in WA.
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There are 120 high schools across Western Australia that save time and deliver better careers education by linking into the In Focus Careers Network.
Career Advice Sets Up Social Justice
People roll their eyes and think about their sex life/cat/lunch, if I tell them I “democratise career opportunities”.
No more!! I have finally found my tribe! I have found others who think like me.
One of them is Ronald Sultana.
The Careers Industry Council is putting on a webinar with Ronald Sultana called What would socially just career advice look like?
He argues that, in an increasingly unequal world, we need to take a clear stance in regard to the injustices and widening gap between the “haves” and “have nots” around us.
The webinar is on 18th February. You can register HERE.
Tristram Hooley
I also found this recent presentation on Why Politicians should care about career development by Professor Tristram Hooley.
Some of his slides are so inspirational that I have printed them off and stuck them up in my office. 
Yes. I am *#% crazy about career development.
I will keep you posted as I get inspired by others.
To tap into the expertise of the In Focus Careers Network subscribe here:
Free Year 10 Magic Happens Career Handbook
The Year 10 Magic Happens, Career Handbook is available to schools that subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter and Network.
If your school subscribes and you would like a copy of the Handbook please contact me: