Q:  I graduated from university with a degree in journalism in 2007. I have been trying to get a job in a corporate communications or public relations position for the past 6 months. I have applied for advertised jobs and I have sent my resume to recruitment firms to see if they can help. So far, I have had no luck, not even a look in with an interview. I have around 18 months experience in PR. I thought that with this experience along with my degree, I would have no problems finding a role but the situation is quite the opposite. Can you please offer any suggestion about where I may be going wrong? I feel so frustrated.

A:  It's no consolation but I'm not surprised that you are having trouble. Graduate/entry level journalism/ comms jobs are rare and there are nowhere near the number as compared to engineering, accounting and the like.

That being said, even graduate accountants struggle as employers are generally risk avoiders and like to have people with experience. Yet they complain about skills shortages, so that's a whole other story.

You'll find recruitment firms deal mainly with experienced people, although some assist with graduate recruitment campaigns. So you could apply for these. But I wouldn't rely on them for your first role.

What you'll need to do for journalism is try to build up your contacts. Going freelance may be one way to do this, as many of the major papers are using more and more freelancers. Contact people direct. Pitch ideas.

With comms jobs I'd be looking at larger organisations who will have huge marketing and communications departments. Check out websites and see who does media releases in-house, rather than outsourcing this to an pr agency. You may want to approach whoever is media contact and ask for their advice on breaking in. Small roles may drop out of this.

If you need to show what you've done, you could always volunteer your pr and writing skills to a not for profit and undertake some sort of project for them. People debate the value of this type of experience, but I believe it's all in how you present it. Find a cause you are passionate about, look and work for them. You could re-write a website, come up with media releases etc. You'll find you build up useful networks of contacts.

Q.  I have been working for a family company owned by my parents. Can I list my mum and dad as referees?

A.  Recruitment consultants and HR managers frown on relatives serving as referees for obvious reasons. Put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes. How would you feel if you saw a referee listed who was related to the candidate? Fair or not, you would doubt that referees' ability to be objective and/or unbiased. On the other hand, it is a bit tough when your work history revolves around working for mum and dad but that is the way it goes I'm afraid. If you have no other work history then I recommend you write "Referees available upon request" on your resume and then scout about for work-related contacts who are not related to you. These could include suppliers, clients or other managers within the organisation.  

How do I answer the job interview question: 'What motivates you?'

By figuring out what does indeed motivate you. A sales person might say results motivate them and having the ability to earn more purely based on their performance success. However, for most roles, nominating money as your great motivator is not a good idea. A customer service person would hopefully be motivated by solving problems and making customers happy and accounting professional by saving the company money by introducing new systems or more efficient processes. A personal assistant might say they are motivated by being included in important business decisions and being directly involved in the success of their manager or department. It is a highly personal thing. Grab a friend or family member and practice attempting to explain what motivates you at work. The answer will reveal itself and you can use that in future interviews.

Q:
Hi Kate & ZZ

I am a qualified chef. I finished my apprenticeship in November 2007 and i have worked as a kitchen hand for 7 years and 4 years as an apprentice, mostly in catering.

At the moment I am job hunting but keep getting knocked back because I have little "A La Carte" experience, but how can I get "A La Carte" experience if no one will not even give me a chance?

So far I have applied to about 40 jobs and am now relying on Centrelink payments. I am getting so down and sick of looking for work, what is the best way to get back into the kitchen?

There are not many catering jobs advertised on web sites or newspapers in the area I live in, so maybe i should change careers? Please can you help?

A:
Hi Pete

Are you just relying on advertised jobs or are you approaching places you’d like to work as well?

You may have a better chance if you do this. I would target restaurants where you like to eat, and visit with your resume. Be very well presented and explain why you’d like to work there. 80% of jobs are not advertised and I know hospitality is a word of mouth industry.

ZZ & K