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by Jolee Wakefield on 13-Mar-2017 06:00:00
Applying for a new job can be daunting. You might question, "is my resume good enough?" or "have I got the right experience for this role?".
No matter the job position, you probably have a bunch of questions... and that's where we come in.
We caught up with Flight Centre's QLD Recruitment Leader, Sonja Smith, to get her top tips and recruiter advice to some common questions, to hopefully calm those pre-application nerves so you can land your dream travel career!
What does the role of a travel sales consultant with 
Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) entail?
A lot of people think the role is just talking about wonderful holidays all day long and as much as it does include that, this job has a whole lot more that goes with it. The number 1 thing that I tell all of the candidates I interview is that this is first and foremost a sales role. Our consultants pride themselves on building a solid customer base and what better way to measure your success than through your sales. That is, the customers that want to book with you. The role also requires an abundance of persistence, resilience, multi-tasking plus drive to succeed.
What are the key things your Recruitment Team look for in a resume to get through first stage?
We are fortunate to receive quite a number of applications through every month and personally the first thing you notice is the professionalism of the resume - things like clear format, correct spelling, proper grammar etc. Then it allows us to really identify the skills and experience that we're after. Being a customer-focused sales role, we generally looks for experience in this area - retail sales, business development, influencing and persuasive experience is great especially if it has been in a similar environment to ours. On top of this, we also look for education plus travel experience.
What are your top 3 tips on how a candidate can develop themselves?
- Do something about your opportunities - if you don't have experience or skills in an area then gain them. Whether it's getting experience in a similar role or educational development in a certain skill.
- Listen to the feedback given from a Recruiter - and then improve on it.
- Research a company (Read!) - really find out what they are looking for and where they're coming from. It's important to align your skills, experience and values with a like-minded employer.
What's the best thing an unsuccessful job candidate can do between now and their next application?
I might sound repetitive but really listen to the feedback given from your last unsuccessful interview. If you're not given feedback, ask for it. Good employers want candidates to strengthen their application and apply again. If we say that you need to more exposure to sales - then get a job in sales or do a sales course. If we say that your travel and geography skills let down your application, then study and improve them.
When is the best time to apply for a job with Flight Centre?
Anytime! We are a company that continues to grow and expand and always looking for amazing new people to join us.
Be a step above the rest by enrolling in one of our short courses today!
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