# Face to Face Job Interview



## webmaster (Jun 20, 2012)

Hi,

I would like to know what all things need be taken care of while facing a job interview in Australia. Is there any dress code for males and females?

Thanks


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2012)

Yes, both men and women need to look smart. Suit, shirt & tie etc. This is even when the job won't need you to wear a suit every day. Employers are impressed by those who obvioulsy make an effort. Turning up in jeans shows you just don't care if you get the job or not.


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## webmaster (Jun 20, 2012)

_shel said:


> Yes, both men and women need to look smart. Suit, shirt & tie etc. This is even when the job won't need you to wear a suit every day. Employers are impressed by those who obvioulsy make an effort. Turning up in jeans shows you just don't care if you get the job or not.


Thank you for the reply. It is really helpful.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Just to add to Shel's post, one of the things that are oftentimes overlooked by prospective employees but that a lot of interviewers look at, are the shoes that you are wearing. A lot of people dress up really nicely and then kill the look with a dirty or shabby pair of shoes or trainers. Polish your shoes and make sure that they are gleaming.

If you use an agent to find a job, once they secure you an interview, they will typically send you some pointers. I got such a document from Hays and it is very useful, particularly if your last interview was a few years ago. It had simple things on it such as not turning up late but also not turning up too early either, making sure you know where you are going and who you are meant to ask for at reception.

Fresh breath is also important - have a chewy/mint beforehand even if you don't need it. There is nothing more off putting that stale coffee breath or smelling someone's lunch on their breath! Little things for sure but they make a massive difference.


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## kb1983 (Sep 2, 2011)

All of these are very generic but important points and not only for Australia but anywhere in world. Proper handshake, smile, confidence all these are basic but most important ones.
I am more worried about getting calls and technical side (as I haven't faced it there once)

I am so much eager to start my job search there after getting visa, but the notice period in India is 3 months long and once it gets over it would be chritmas season, so thinking to postpone it till next year feb-march 

But all the best to all of you who are starting their interviews etc things 
Cheers !


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## webmaster (Jun 20, 2012)

Thank you Maz25 and kb1983 for the pointers.


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## qwerty_asdf (Apr 9, 2012)

Ok, I'm an IT guy from India who never wore a suit in life. I do wear formals to office but without the tie and suit. I noticed during my onsite visit most of the daily office folks come to office in a similar attire(no suits).

I would like to be comfortable in an interview and don't want to wear something in which i'm not comfortable(Tie and suit). Is the below dressing ok for an interview then?


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## Guest (Jul 6, 2012)

I'd say no, it appears lazy as if you haven't made an effort to impress. Adding a jacket and tie for an interview and being a little uncomfortable for a couple of hours is worth it if it means you get the job.


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

qwerty_asdf said:


> Ok, I'm an IT guy from India who never wore a suit in life. I do wear formals to office but without the tie and suit. I noticed during my onsite visit most of the daily office folks come to office in a similar attire(no suits).
> 
> I would like to be comfortable in an interview and don't want to wear something in which i'm not comfortable(Tie and suit). Is the below dressing ok for an interview then?


Don't be influenced what you see in offices nowadays. Most companies are now business casual. But for interviews in a professional/corporate setting, the dress code is suits. It looks more professional and the candidates will look more uniform to the people interviewing them. You may dress whatever you like. However, with the other men wearing suits and you just wearing the dress shirt and slacks that you posted a picture of. You will likely draw more attention to yourself and the interviewers wondering where is the jacket and tie? In the end, your skills and other qualifications and how you compare to the other candidates should be the deciding factor. But with an incomplete dress code, it might send a message to your interviewers that this job isn't that important to you if you didn't make the effort for the complete professional look.

An example: If you were invited to a formal party and it stated on the invitation formal dress, would you come in with jeans and a t-shirt knowing that was the requirement? I would assume not. Unless you want to bring attention to yourself which would not be in a good way. 

Majority of people do not feel comfortable in suits since it's usually only worn on certain occasions. At my work when someone wears it out of the blue, we either figure it's an interview or a funeral since we have a business casual dress code. However, most higher executive level workers usually wear suits in a company to make an impression they have a high level role. The dress code that Steve Jobs represented at his company was an exception. Most executives/ceos don't usually wear jeans on a daily basis.


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

kb1983 said:


> All of these are very generic but important points and not only for Australia but anywhere in world. Proper handshake, smile, confidence all these are basic but most important ones.
> I am more worried about getting calls and technical side (as I haven't faced it there once)
> 
> I am so much eager to start my job search there after getting visa, but the notice period in India is 3 months long and once it gets over it would be chritmas season, so thinking to postpone it till next year feb-march
> ...


You have to give notice of 3 months that you are leaving your company? What if you don't and it was shorter notice? Just curious since in the US, the standard is just 2 weeks. I don't believe that many companies or any in the US would wait for someone 3 months before they are scheduled to come in. A majority of people do not give notice of leaving a company until they have a job offer from another company. So coordinating this 3 months in advance would be very difficult and probably impossible without being unemployed if finding a new job doesn't work out.


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## qwerty_asdf (Apr 9, 2012)

@jb12 thanks for your valuable inputs. Guess I'm going for suit shopping this weekend. 

as for the 3 months notice period. Yes its true many companies in India now have 3 months notice period to control the high attrition rates(20-30% are normal). Its very hard to co-ordinate this 3 months advance, but given the high demand for skilled workforce its not difficult to find a job after resigning. I usually resign and start searching for a job in the last month of the notice period.


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## kb1983 (Sep 2, 2011)

qwerty_sadf.....I assume you are saying "but given the high demand for skilled workforce its not difficult to find a job after resigning." with respect to India. 

Dont know about Australia, but main thing is I dont want to go there during sept-oct....preparing for feb-march, hope that things would be better that time.

This notice period thing is worst...i was in assumption that it is 1 month in probation period, but was surprised to know that it was 3 months. A small mistake but it has held me here.

Just help with your interview and call experiences etc  ....all the best !


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

jb12 said:


> You have to give notice of 3 months that you are leaving your company? What if you don't and it was shorter notice? Just curious since in the US, the standard is just 2 weeks. I don't believe that many companies or any in the US would wait for someone 3 months before they are scheduled to come in. A majority of people do not give notice of leaving a company until they have a job offer from another company. So coordinating this 3 months in advance would be very difficult and probably impossible without being unemployed if finding a new job doesn't work out.


I used to work in Dubai and 3 months was actually standard for executives and directors particularly as it gets harder to find a suitable replacement for senior positions but you are quite right in stating that most employers will not wait this long, unless the person was headhunted and/or had specialist skills and experience that the employer could not find elsewhere.

On the other hand, if you look at jobs in the public sector in Australia, their recruitment process is probably longer than that, so assuming that you were confident in meeting all the conditions that they impose such as passing a drugs and alcohol test, psychometric tests, etc, then you could resign as soon as you have your conditional offer or time it as such that you would not need to be unemployed for longer than 1-2 weeks. Most employees do not want to rush straight into a new job in any case, so those couple of weeks would be handy for having a holiday, etc.

I would suggest that for anyone coming to Australia, that you negotiate a reasonable notice period in your contract. Do not accept anything that will hamper any future job offers. Most migrants change jobs after just 6 months so whilst most people would say that this is not their intention, it is always good to have that at the back of your minds when negotiating your employment contracts as it may come in handy later on.

My company tends to be very flexible with start dates but then again, there are not that many people who do what I do and most of them are snatched up by the mining companies, so when they find someone who is willing to work for a lower salary than what the mining companies are offering, they tend to do everything in their power to ensure that the person actually joins the company.

Most employers are also happy to work with an employee and agree on a shorter notice period - it's a matter of asking as it will not be offered up. Some compromises would be to offer to recruit and train your replacement and/or complete that all important project that you've been working on. That normally helps in terms of convincing an employer to release you from your notice period early.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

qwerty_asdf said:


> @jb12 thanks for your valuable inputs. Guess I'm going for suit shopping this weekend.
> 
> as for the 3 months notice period. Yes its true many companies in India now have 3 months notice period to control the high attrition rates(20-30% are normal). Its very hard to co-ordinate this 3 months advance, but given the high demand for skilled workforce its not difficult to find a job after resigning. I usually resign and start searching for a job in the last month of the notice period.


I would always suggest that you have that one suit that is made to measure and reserved for special occasions. There is nothing worse than an ill-fitting suit that is either too big or too small. It actually makes other people around you feel uncomfortable.

Importantly, wear the suit well. It's not a good look if you appear as if you've never worn a suit before and you spend the whole of the interview fiddling with it, hence the importance to have something that fits you well.


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## aussieland (Oct 14, 2008)

I appeared for couple of interviews & made sure tht I was in suite..(though I dont like it too much)

P.S: I m frm india n feel tht Aussie weather is much suited 4 suites..kind of felt good with suites...

Sent from my iPhone using ExpatForum


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## bangalg (Apr 22, 2009)

kb1983 said:


> qwerty_sadf.....I assume you are saying "but given the high demand for skilled workforce its not difficult to find a job after resigning." with respect to India.
> 
> Dont know about Australia, but main thing is I dont want to go there during sept-oct....preparing for feb-march, hope that things would be better that time.
> 
> ...


Why would you not want to go in sep-oct? Recruitments are on until November.


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## pun-mig (Dec 27, 2011)

I have observed that the standard contract in US has 2 weeks of notice period. In India it is anything between one month and three months. Anyone knows what is the standard notice period in the Australian IT industry?


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

pun-mig said:


> I have observed that the standard contract in US has 2 weeks of notice period. In India it is anything between one month and three months. Anyone knows what is the standard notice period in the Australian IT industry?


Most companies in Australia, regardless of industry, have a one-week notice period during probation, which increases to one month after probation. This is for your average position but as you climb further up the ladder and increase your length of service with the company, this may increase accordingly.

In the public sector, it is slightly different and typically starts at one week, increasing by a week for each year of service.


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## ninawill (Jul 10, 2012)

I would always have a suit on for an interview. It gives a very good impression to your possible future employer, and who doesn't enjoy suiting up  Good luck


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