Where to find mining jobs - iMINCO Mining Training Information

Where to find mining jobs

Mining jobs are everywhere

Mining jobs are everywhere, however one of the biggest problems is that many people have no idea how to go about finding them.

Where to start, who to call, what to look for and how to prepare for mining jobs is a hot topic.

If you’re confused about where to start looking for jobs in the mines, we can help. The following information gives some inspiration for job seekers who are frustrated and flustered.

At iMINCO, we receive weekly enquiries from people who want to get into the mines. Even as the industry changes direction and it adjusts to a new era of productivity and efficiency, there are still plenty of opportunities to work in a mining job in Australia.

Typically, here are some of the questions we get asked (exactly as they were written to us);

  • “I am looking for a relevant job in the mining industry please. Please contact me for more information” [transport & logistics]
  • “I am looking for jobs in the mines as a driver, drilling assistant or general labourer” [labouring jobs in the mines]
  • “I am local an have tried to get into the mines for a couple of years now, please can you let me know we`re to apply for these jobs” [welder]
  • “I am very keen to secure entry level position, anyone who can provide contacts or additional info is appreciated” [entry level mining jobs]
  • “Can you let me know if there is any employment prefer WA?” [cleaning jobs in the mines]
  • “Hi guys need a challenge, been in civil for most of my life as supervisor, I just need a start” [mining supervisor & management]
  • “How do I get an entry level mining job as a cleaner or utility person” [hospitality & cleaners jobs in the mines]
  • “My resume is not up to scratch to get me a job in the mining and resource sector” [mining resumes]
  • “How can I get a start in the mines as a carpenter?” [mining trades and services]
  • “I’m looking to work in the mining industry as a kitchen hand or cleaner but its so hard to get into one I don’t have the money to apply for the course do you have any suggestion?” [cleaners & kitchen hands]
  • “How to get plumbing jobs in the mining and resource sector” [plumbing jobs in the mines]

The real problem

As you can see from the list above, one of the biggest issues people face when trying to get a job in the mines is “themselves’.

Let’s explain…

Finding work in any industry, let alone the mining industry is always going to be a challenge. The world of work is changing and evolving and has been doing so for some years now. Gone are the days when the mining industry had ‘jobs for life’. Even with the new technology rolling out and fears of automation taking many jobs – there are still plenty of good jobs out there. It’s not all robots and diverless machines yet.

The outlook for mining jobs

Global competition has made Australia wake up and review its work ethic and attitudes towards being accountable for its future growth as a productive mining nation.

This has been especially so in the mining industry where there has been a radical shift in the way mining companies view employees and contractors. An article by iMINCO called BHP Billiton Jobs Outlook highlights the situation faced by Australian mining company BHP Billiton as they set about developing a new phase in their development as a global leader in energy exploration and processing.

BHP Billiton has been focussed on developing new mining operations in Australia, as well as shedding those mines that reduce their profit margins.

People are the key to growth and profitability in mining

What’s interesting is that BHP went ahead and built this new mine using a mostly FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) workforce. They refused to employ locals who lived in close proximity to the mine and insisted their new workforce would be FIFO only. This decision was a tough one for locals to accept as it meant many people who had the right experience missed out on a good job.

Why do you think BHP preferred a FIFO workforce? One of the reasons it went down this track is it could tap into a whole new mindset of people who wanted to work in the mines. Reports circulated that about 50 per cent of the new FIFO workforce as the BHP Daunia mine was made up of ‘cleanskins’

“cleanskins – people who have never worked in mining before”

The term ‘cleanskin’ is given to people who have never set foot on a mine before – a sort of ‘newbie’. In some of the more seasoned mining camps, ‘cleanskins’ can be viewed as a safety risk owing to their lack of experience and awareness of the dangers of working in a mining environment. But this is rapidly changing. With site-specific inductions and the Standard 11 mining induction safety training – mining is a safe place to work.

BHP Billiton took another view which was to use a fresh workforce that could be trained up in a new way of thinking of how mining needs to be conducted in the coming decades. There were thousands and thousands of applicants applying for the jobs being advertised and this created the perfect human resources situation for the recruiters.

The mining mindset

Owing to a thorough and diligent recruitment and selection program, BHP could select the best people who met their criteria. One of the prime objectives for BHP Billiton was to employ people with a certain mindset – the skills to perform the job can be taught, but the right mindset is something that takes longer to implement.

“problem-solving skills are in high demand”

A new breed of mine worker is emerging, where employees have a positive outlook and a natural ability to work well in teams and are prepared to work diligently towards achieving their targets. People who have a natural ability to work safely, who can think for themselves and have good problem-solving skills are in high demand.

Being able to find information and knowing how to act on the information is the first steps to a mining job. Mining industry knowledge is critical for everyone who has their sights set on a mining job. The use of technology will give access to a wealth of free information that sits on thousands of websites, just waiting to be downloaded.

“there is a big disconnect”

Unfortunately, many people fail to see the opportunities that sit right under their noses. Not everyone is clued up on how to use the internet either, so there is a big disconnect for those people who don’t know where to start looking for jobs.

The advice to people who have no idea where to start looking for jobs in the mining and resource sector is – start learning how to do this. Improve your computer skills and get someone to help you understand how the internet works and where to start searching for jobs.

How to start searching for mining jobs online

The days when the newspaper owned the job ads market are almost over. Everything you need is online and it’s only a click or two away. But how do you take advantage of the new technology? Which websites are the best? Which ones provide the best jobs and how do you set things up to you get the best jobs sent to your phone?

Let’s start looking for specific mining jobs for someone who wants an entry-level job.

“I am very keen to secure entry level position, anyone who can provide contacts or additional info is appreciated”.. he said.

This person was looking for help on how to get job in the mines and they want to start anywhere they can.

So we will start at the very beginning.

    • Go straight to Google and type into the search box “how to get an entry level job in the mines” or “entry level mining jobs”
      TIP: You can also use different types of phrases and questions like “how to find mining jobs entry level”, or “how to get a job in the mines with no experience”. You can see the search words are similar, but each phrase will return different results. TIP: One of the better ways to get good results is to add more words such as your State, or the location of the mine.

      e.g. ‘entry level mining jobs Mackay coalfields’.

      A list of websites will show up on the Google search results page offering information and advice on how to get an entry level job in the mines.

      This information can be confusing and time-consuming to read. One of the best ways to start this process is to click on this link and get the free iMINCO e-book about how to get a mining job with no experience.This is a very good book, packed full of information for new starters in the mining industry – it’s highly recommended and should be read by everyone who is looking to start working in the mining industry in Australia.

    • Be specific about the search term you type into Google
      For instance if you are looking for entry level positions in WA as a cleaner, then the ideal phrase to type into Google would be something like ‘mining positions cleaners WA entry level’. There will be some information websites like iMINCO show in the results, which will allow you to read more information on Entry Level Mining Jobs.
    • Finding entry level positions on mining jobs boards
      There’s a lot of information on the internet relating to ‘how to get a job’, what many people want to do is ‘find the jobs’. This is where we start to look for the mining jobs boards.
      Mining jobs boards are special websites that list thousands of mining jobs. The jobs could be advertised through a recruitment company, the mining company or via a third party mining jobs website.With so many to choose from, how can we decide which ones are the best?
    • A list of the best mining jobs boards
      Below is a recommended list of mining jobs boards to help locate jobs in the mining industry in Australia.

These jobs boards are a good place to start collating information about jobs and the companies who advertise them. There is a lot of information to be gathered from the jobs ads, such as the location of the job, links to further information and what types of mining induction, training and mining qualifications are required.Spend the time researching the company who you hope to be working for, as this information will really help you make a good impression at the interview stage.

  • SEEK
  • CareerOne
  • iMINCO
  • Indeed
  • JORA
  • Adzuna
  • Simply Hired
  • The Go2 People
  • Programmed
  • WorkPac Group
  • Stellar Recruitment

 

Shortlisting jobs and preparing a resume and cover letter
We recommend keeping a list of the jobs that are suitable to your experience, skills and expectations.This list will help manage the application process and allow a method of tracking and following up on every job that has been applied for.Before all of this can be completed, you must take the time to review your resume and cover letter.

The information contained within these documents will be the deciding factor to whether a job application sets the stage for a future interview or not.

Many people find it difficult to create a good-looking resume that is mining focused and contains the right information and keywords to stop the ‘resume scanning software‘ – which recruiters use to weed out weak applications – from placing your application on the ‘rejected’ pile.

Take the time to review whether a professional mining resume is the best option, or perhaps you prefer to create your own resume – either way, the resume has to be 110% accurate and relevant to the job being advertised.

Whichever way you want to look at it, and whether or not you are prepared to do the work yourself – there isn’t a 100 per cent guarantee you’ll get a job in the mines first go. If you’re not prepared to do a lot of the ground work yourself, then your chances of being able to make a positive impression in a job application are slim.

Mining companies will have a preference to employ ‘switched on’ people who can think for themselves and be able to ‘go the extra mile’ to get the job done.

If you’re finding it hard to get off the starting blocks and find the jobs yourself, iMINCO can help.

 

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