My approach to job hunting is heavily influenced by my background in software development. I'm fairly confident that the following applies to all fields though. If you think otherwise, use that 'register' link, and start contributing your own thoughts.

Tax File Number (TFN)

You'll need a TFN prior to starting a job. You can apply for a TFN online (use the 'Next' buttons) if you have a residential address to recieve mail at. TFN applications are usually processed in under 4 weeks.

Preparing your Job Application

Applications usually consist of a cover leter and a resume/cv. The resume-slash-cv is used intentionally, since Australian employers expect a hybrid somewhere between a resume (brief) and a curriculum vitae (detailed). Your resume/cv should consist of the following:

• Name and contact information (address, phone, email)
• Skills summary (e.g. leadership skills, process oriented)
• Employment History (in reverse chronological order i.e. newest first) (employer, position, dates, responsibilities, and accomplishments for each role)
• Education and academic qualifications (tertiary education, i.e. university degrees and diplomas)
• Referees (professional reference) (I included three (overseas) references. This included names, professional relationship, phone, and email)

It could also include the following:

• Other accomplishments (e.g. volunteer work)
• Languages spoken

The following can be inferred from your professional details and interview, and need not (should not?) be included on your resume/cv:

• Age
• Nationality
• Sex
• Marital status

The need to tailor and customize each cover letter and resume you send out can not be over-emphasized. If you're not sure how to do that, use the NSW government applicant guide as a benchmark: It requires a 'claim for position' statement whereby every requirement in the job description is addressed specifically and separately. Each software development opening I applied for usually took 3 hours (filing the job description by date, customizing the cover letter, customizing the resume, filing it all away to prevent overlaps in the future).

Online Job Listings

Most of these job boards consist of postings by recruitment agents, which explains the poor (and inaccurate) job descriptions. These agents usually have backgrounds other than the field that they are screening applicants for, therefore it can be a challenge presenting your skills in a manner that enables unqualified agents to assess them.

• http://jobsearch.gov.au
• http://seek.com.au
• http://mycareer.com.au

For software development, I found it useful to join mailing lists of technology-specific user groups, and to run the following google queries 'sydney software job opportunity -seek -mycareer' (which found the career pages from individual companies).

Application Followups/Interview Tips

Got a call for an interview? Congratulations! The basics:

• Dress: neat and clean
• Personal hygiene: clip nails, odour control (mouthwash, deodorant)
• Body language: shake hands, sit comfortably without slouching, smile (!)
• Get interviewer names and contact details so that you can send thank you follow ups after the interview.

And the clincher:

• Ask astute questions!

Salaries and Superannuation

When applying for software development jobs, I was asked for my salary expectations really early in the process (initial phone call, at the interview, and during the offer). This was the case when speaking directly with companies, and with recruitment agencies. I wasn't comfortable with this approach, and tried to put the ball in their court by usually responding with: "I've just entered the Australian market and am not ready to quote figure as yet."

Superannuation, or 'super', is a guarantee that your employer must pay in 9% of your earnings, for example an extra $4,500 if you earn $50,000 each year. See the Finance page for more details.