Here are a few excellent CV tips & advice we’ve seen this week:

• How To Write A CV (Fundamental Elements) – For busy employers and executives who may skim, scan, and filter tens if not hundreds of job seekers CV’s a day, how can you make sure YOURS is the one that gets put in the right tray, as opposed to the trash?
• How To Make A CV Standout – You could be the perfect person for the role, based on your skills and experience, but if you can’t portray this in that all important time frame, then you could be losing out. You wouldn’t want to lose out on the basis of a bad CV would you?
• How To Keep Your CV Updated – So even if you are happily working away with that perfect employer or recruitment agencies, or have a great job opportunity lined up when you finish your studies, it really doesn’t hurt to keep that CV bang up to date.

Australia has always been the western immigrants’ country of choice when it comes to travelling and or working abroad. Sydney remains a popular destination, but the city of Melbourne presents many attractive opportunities for living and working away from your home country and finding that ideal job in the sunshine!

Many residents and observers would vote Melbourne as Australia’s capital for fashion and creativity music and events, no doubt down to the city�s multicultural roots and outlook. This makes it one of the country’s most dynamic destinations.

Within a couple of hours range of the city visitors and residents alike can do everything from ski in the mountains and surf in the sea, hike through forests or across desert plains, see penguins or kangaroos and sample food and wine from the four corners of the earth at the broadest range of international restaurants available on the planet!

Climate: Melbourne is known for it�s �four seasons in one day� attitude to the weather. Layers are good thing, clothing wise. Summers are generally sunny and warm, and winters, of course, are cooler, but other seasons are rather unpredicatable.

Accomodation: Homes usually include one to four bedrooms, a kitchen, one or two bathrooms, laundry and living space. Larger homes also include a second or third living areas/dining rooms, and a garage or carport.

Melbourne is the second most expensive city in Australia after Sydney . Housing costs are reflected in this with the average weekly median being approx 315 AUSD per week, rising 12% in the last year. Renting property in Melbourne can be quite competitive and if you are single and on a budget, there are online resources for matching potential new flatmates with your budget for a roof over your head.

To buy, median house prices in metropolitan Melbourne go from $360,000 AUS for a unit or apartment to $410,000 AUS for houses.

Here’s 10 tips on how you can make an international career move.

It’s that time of year when many of us jet off to warmer climes in search of a bit of rest and relaxation away from home and the daily grind of work.

It’s also the time when many of us think about how it would be if our lives were to remain abroad for the rest of the year too.

Working abroad isn’t for everybody, but I doubt there would be many of us who haven’t thought about getting a job somewhere more exotic than our home countries. Getting a job abroad can be one of the most fulfilling life experiences you ever take on. But it’s not quite as simple as packing a bag and heading off to the airport hopefully.

1. PLAN! – It’s the only way to manage a successful move. If an internal secondment within your current employment isn’t an option, you are going to need a job hunt strategy to ensure you are not still dreaming of the challenge by the time your next vacation comes around. If you’re planning of grabbing jobs in dubai or London jobs, think of all the search tools available to you (online, networking, personal contacts etc) and plan how you are going to utilise as many as possible to your best advantage.
2. DRILL IT DOWN! – You need a very clear picture of the type of job you are actually looking for, or your search could prove disjointed. Do you want the same job, but somewhere else? A step up the ladder within your chosen profession or something completely different? A vague notion of simply ‘working abroad’ will be apparent to potential employers and won’t go down well.

Well, it’s always nice to start with some good news, and it appears that Singapore jobs market outlook for those looking for employment, or those wishing to move up the career ladder, is at least stabilising before making a hopeful turn for the better.

The second quarter of 2009 reports fewer redundancies and more jobs in Singapore openings compared to previous months. The overall unemployment rate (albeit seasonally adjusted) stayed unchanged from the first quarter, according to the latest research released by the Ministry of Manpower, late September.

After declining by 6,200 in Q1, total employment fell for the second consecutive quarter in Q2 by 7,700, said the report.

Services and construction also laid-off fewer workers in Q2, with 2,850 and 230 redundancies respectively, than in the previous quarter (3,170 and 330 respectively). As manufacturing accounted for over 90 per cent of the decrease, the proportion of workers made redundant from manufacturing shrank from 72 per cent to 48 per cent, while the share coming from services rose from 25 per cent to 48 per cent, and construction from 2.6 per cent to 3.9 per cent.

Dubai Jobs Market Update – Dubai dusts itself off??

Whilst the global economic climate has had a disastrous effect upon the Dubai property bubble, there could be sunshine over the desert horizon in the Middle East finance and media sectors.

The Financial Times has reported news of Goldman Sachs starting an ‘aggressive recruitment drive across all regions’ with a view to placing 200 new staff members within asset and fund management.

This news comes on the same day that financial newswire Bloomberg reveal that they are planning to almost double its Dubai jobs workforce to 90 over the next year and increase its terminals by at least 2 percent this year, a sign the region’s banking and finance sectors are headed toward better health.

“The pipeline is healthier today. Removals are down as a result of stabilising head counts (at banks). The prospect pipeline is starting to grow again. (Banks are) taking on a more welcoming attitude toward the future,” Bloomberg Chairman Peter Grauer was quoted as saying by UAE daily the National on Monday.

For a vibrant city with a history of setting global trends in the arts and culture categories, London has always enjoyed a multicultural hustle and bustle not dissimilar to other major capital cities across the world.

Like its other global counterparts, London is in the depths of recession. Whilst I always feel it is vital to portray a truthful picture on employment prospects anywhere in the world, I also don’t believe in doom mongering in order to satiate a media frenzy. The idea that nobody is recruiting and everyone is displacing is clearly an exaggeration. Economic downturns however naturally mean that the job seekers.

However, the real key to success is not to panic. For those who have been forced to look at new employment, through no choice of their own, jobs in London will still remain extremely competitive, perhaps even more so, now there are many more applicants for each job advertised. Many firms have downgraded their job opportunities and will be more selective in their shortlist, than they were 12 – 18 months ago. But remember there will always be many organisations and firms who are still hiring and looking for skilled staff.

Back in the heady boom days of, well, 2008, published reports forecasted a growth of 16% of London jobs opportunities within professional services, property, technology, media and financial services to name a few sectors, This was of course with no indication that 12 months on we would be faced with a depressed job market, or, job seekers faced with the task of learning what to do and how to cope with the possibility of redundancy or being unemployed for the first time.

As an interesting insight into Australia’s economic state and job potential, take a look at an article written by Michael Pascoe on Business Day – “It’s On! Economy hot-spots taking off”.

As I couldn’t put it better myself, I didn’t even try! But seriously. It appears that at least the inner city areas such as Sydney and Melbourne may be faring a bit better than the suburbs. For those thinking of taking off to Oz for your next job, you might want to stick to the big cities.

Economists from Bankwest have recently compared employment numbers from July 2009 with November 2007, in the early stages of the global financial crisis, to determine which areas and which industries were most affected by the downturn.

The analysis shows that inner Melbourne, where employment rose 10 per cent, and south-east Melbourne, where employment rose 6 per cent, were among the best performing areas. Similar strong jobs in Sydney growth was reported, as well as in eastern metropolitan Perth, and Ipswich, near Brisbane.

You have that polished resume, and excellent letter, and that elegant suit for the next job interview. Now what? You don’t really want to ruin that opportunity with a nervous state of mind. No need to worry, we’ll help you prepare for that much awaited discussion with your future employer. Here are effective job interview tips that you should know by now.

1. Do Your Research – Don’t go into the war without ammunition. Do your homework and research about the company especially if it’s for an international job opportunity, their profile, products/services, history, etc. Having familiarized the company profile gives you an idea what exactly they are looking for in a candidate. Besides, doing your research will give you that jumpstart point in the interview.

2. Be Honest – Do not ever underestimate the power of background check. You can’t get away with lying on your resume or on your interview. Do not embarrass yourself with false information. Be honest. Lay down your limitations and weaknesses in the job profile. Employers will appreciate you for it and they’ll know what (and not) to expect from you on the job.

3. Be Neat (Physically!) – This must be the oldest trick in the books. Just as presentation is a vital part in your resume, your physical appearance is

Getting an overseas job is always a golden opportunity, whether you have the vision of working on a foreign economy or pursuing a career from a foreign study. It’s not only the traveling that attracts individuals; it’s also the thought of diversity in people, culture, and opportunities that inspires you to want to grab that opportunity abroad. But remember, starting an international career, is never a smooth road.

Those who have lived the successful expat life abroad have a few things in common: a genuine college degree, years of experience, and endless perseverance. Of course I won’t let my article end on those 3 denominators.

There are also these aspects which I would like to share to jumpstart your overseas careers:

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is really making its mark as a centre for business, tourism media and culture. Although Dubai jobs may have been more appealing for most expats, Abu Dhabi also has its share of excellent opportunities for every professional.

Abu Dhabi, although often thought of as Dubai’s less glamorous neighbour, is, however, the epitome of a modern Middle Eastern city – vibrant, cultural and lively.

Its strategic importance is significant as it houses the government of the UAE. Furthermore, Abu Dhabi holds nearly 9% of world oil reserves. Naturally, a large proportion of workers are employed overseas in the oil and gas industry.

For those into the hustle, bustle and bright lights, Dubai is only a 90 minute drive away.
Waqaar Hussain is a 31 year old British national living in Abu Dhabi, he says;

“I’ve lived in Abu Dhabi almost two years and I fell in love with the place on the first visit, it’s so much more relaxed and green compared with other Middle Eastern cities I have been to. The people in Abu Dhabi are friendly, warm and welcoming and the food choice is awesome. There are many nice hotels and bars to socialize in and importantly, it is much cheaper than Dubai. For a change of scenery, Dubai is only a 45 minute drive away, so the best of both worlds. I would definitely recommend Abu Dhabi for anybody wishing to relocate here. The only advice I could give would be to buy a one way ticket!”

Abu Dhabi: The facts.