How Has the Mining Down Turn Affected Entry Level Job Hunting?

Produced by:
http://www.MiningJobsNoExperience.net.au

Introduction:
Australia has been blessed in previous years with a booming mining industry, which had resulted in a continually increasing job market and a lot of hype being created in regard to mining jobs and the money that workers looking to enter the industry could be making.

However, the hype has turned to frustration with thousands of interested entry-level job seekers struggling to find employment in the mining sector.

This article looks at the recent down turn in the Australian mining sector and what this means for job seekers with little or no mining experience.

About the Mining Down Turn

While few people are daring to say that the mining boom is over, recent commodity price drops has resulted in various project closures (or new project postponed) and thousands of jobs cut around the country.

The down turn is well documented in news sources around the country, such as the following:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/figures-will-tell-the-real-story/story-e6frea6u-1226495650745 http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/mining-companies-prepare-for-cutthroat-future20121017-27qw8.html

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2012/s3609131.htm?site=tropic

Why Does This Affects Entry Level Job Seekers?

The recent down turn seems to have had a direct negative affect on entrylevel job seekers, and there are several reasons that this could be happening:
1. Less Jobs Available

With all the current job cuts, the simple fact is that companies just don't seem to be hiring as many people as as they used to.
2. More Experienced Workers in the Job Market

And to add to the difficulties of job searching in industry with a shrinking amount of new openings, you add to the mix all the workers who recently lost their employment due to mining job cuts and you are now competing with a more experienced work force.

So taking these points in to consideration, how has the down turn changed the way entry level job seekers need to approach job hunting?

Changes You Need To Make To Your Job Hunting

While this definitely changes things, it doesn't mean that it is now impossible to get a start in the mining industry in the current environment. We are still hearing from people getting their start and there are a couple of things you can do to increase your chances to be one of them and they won't const you any money.

Your Resume Your resume is usually your first impression on a potential employer or recruitment company. The problem is that the majority of job seekers get this part wrong.

Here is an exerpt from a resource from our website about resume tips that highlights this point:

The biggest mistake that I see is in the presentation of work history details. Either they write a paragraph waffling about their experience in nondescript generic terms or they dont include any details about what their tasks and responsibilities were. Your work history needs to be detailed appropriately. Include more details about jobs that are relevant and recent and less details about those jobs that arent as relevant or were ten years ago. This information should be bullet pointed so it is easy to read and can be skimmed down looking for keywords. (source)

You need to find a way to catch the eye of the person reading your resume and this usually comes down a well formatted and structured resume that has all your important information easy to find at a glance.

And don't forget to make small changes to target specific jobs that you are applying for.

The Application Process When it comes time to start applying for jobs, just searching the major job sites, sending off your resume and just waiting for a response just doesn't cut it anymore.

Contact Companies & Recuiters Almost everyone who is looking to get a start in the mining industry is searching the jobs sites like Seek and MyCareer. This is a good start, but the competition for these positions make even the chance of getting a response at all, very slim.

By contact the actual mining companies, contractors and recruiters, you are slowly trimming back the amount of competition for positions and also giving yourself the opportunity to sumbit a general expression of interest.

Try to Get a Contact Name This can sometimes be difficult, but if you see a job listing at a company trying and find out the name of the person in charge or recruiting. This will give you the opportunity to personally address your application something that barely any job seekers are doing.

Follow Up Your Application Don't forget to follow up your application with a quick call. This is a little easier if you already have a contact name, but even if you don't have a direct contact, a quick call to the company to check out your application

can be a great way to show your enthusiasm and potentiall talk about your application with the employee or recruiter in charge of recruiting for the position you are applying for.

In Conclusion
While the current mining down turn has definitely affected the job market in the industry, there are still opportunities available for people who have little or no experience, it just may take a lot more effort.

About the Author

MiningJobsNoExperience.net.au is an Australian websites that provides news & free resources for job seekers who are looking to enter the mining industry with little or no direct mining experience.