The mining industry needs workers – but can you get a mining job?
Currently the mining sector is powering ahead, with many experts predicting it to continue for years, if not decades, and there are many jobs that need to be filled.
The question is are you able to put yourself forward to get that mining job and what can you do to enhance your prospects?
Make Sure You are Suited to the Job You are Applying For
It sounds obvious, but surely no one would apply for a job they would find themselves unsuited to? Apparently not so; engineering graduates quite often lean toward a totally different career path. Some find themselves in banking where their organisational skills are valued, while others find a niche in developing their own businesses – businesses totally unrelated to their field of study such as chiropody, commercial interior design or café proprietor, even if it means going back to study.
Maybe it would be a good idea then to at least consider if the career path you have chosen is for you. You may even find it beneficial to consult a Career Consultant, who can independently assess your attributes and wishes, before you make some serious applications or decisions.
Prepare a Good Resume
So much is written on this subject, but the people to listen to are surely the people who sift through resumes to find candidates for a short list. Check out the current style, keeping in mind some basic concepts:
- Keep it short – 3 to 4 pages at most.
- Make sure it reads well and spells well.
- Ask someone else to read it.
- Tailor the resume for each application, omitting irrelevant details. You only need to usually change a paragraph or two.
- Get professional help if you think you need it (or even if you don’t!)
Add Useful Attributes
Get some useful attributes to put on your resume that would be helpful in the mining job you want – a First Aid Certificate, a MARCSTA Course, a course in Project Management. Any attributes can put your application into the “ones to look at pile” instead of the bin.
In the early days of women in engineering, one young woman included on her resume that she had a “Shot Firers Ticket” for explosives. Although not required for the position she was applying for, it demonstrated that she would be cool under pressure. This attribute got her onto the short list and into a job interview.