Based in North Queensland we are exposed to a range of disasters on a fairly regular basis. Aside from obvious COVID-19 pandemic and resulting crisis, we had the 2019 Townsville floods, Cyclone Debbie, Cyclone Yasi and many other events. The impacts on our local community are wide ranging and devastating.
During each event people are required to step up and undertake additional responsibilities. Sometimes this is part of their normal roles in emergency services and other times it is beyond what is expected. What is the impact on your resume and future job applications when this happens?
It is important to include any additional responsibilities or acting role in your resume. This can be in the form of additional duties or a completely new role. Many people miss an opportunity to include this information and accurately demonstrate their responsibilities. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Did you lead a special team or project in response to a disaster?
- Did you undertake any duties not normally associated with your role?
- Was additional training required?
- Have you developed new procedures or processes?
- Were you required to review legislation or Government policy?
- Did you receive an award or recognition?
- Would your responsibilities stand out in a recruitment process?
Using this information in your resume does in no way disrespect or take away the challenges that face the community. It is just an opportunity for you to showcase your skills.
Here are a few ways in which this information can be presented in your resume or job application:
COVID-19
The impact on the workplace from this pandemic has been massive. If you have undertaken a specific role relating to this pandemic, then adding this to your resume is straight forward. If your role stayed the same but you undertook additional responsibilities, you can add duties like this to your resume:
- Research and implement Government policy for social distancing or allowing customers, clients or members of the community to access the workplace
- Deliver training to staff on Government policy
- Organise and implement signs and other resources
- Provide regular updates on Government policy to management or staff
- Implement personal hygiene procedures
- Resolve customer complaints or issues in relation to Government policy
All of these areas are legitimate duties and demonstrate your capability to adapt to a changing workplace. You can simply add them to your current list of duties, or you can make a new section with an additional heading. An example of this would include:
Addition Duties – COVID-19 Response:
- Research and implement Government policy for social distancing or allowing customers, clients or members of the community to access the workplace
- Deliver training to staff on Government policy
- Organise and implement signs and other resources
Other Disasters – Floods / Cyclones etc
As a community that was directly impacted by the Townsville floods we got a first hand and very real exposure to the devastating effects. In this experience there were a number of notable impacts on the workplace. The first and most obvious was the immediate response from emergency services and the Australian Army. While these agencies train for such events and usually have the required skills and resources the actual application of these skills in real life is not so common. In these situations, we have assisted personnel to include items such as:
- Mobilise equipment and personnel to respond to the Townsville floods
- Conduct risk assessments before responding to requests for assistance
- Support members of the community in a safe manner
- Educate and support out of town staff and allocate responsibilities
- Assist in the movement and relocation of community members
- Inspect dwellings and make safe
- Support and assist community members in the recovery process
When your role normally incorporates these responsibilities, you can include a section such as the following:
Community Disaster Responses:
- Townsville Floods [2019]
- Cyclone Debbie [2015]
- Cyclone Yasi [2009]
The list of roles and positions impacted through a disaster is huge. This can range from those above to insurance assessors, builders and landscape people through to medical staff and Government agencies providing support and funding. If you were tasked with setting up any kind of response this can be presented as a small project.
The purpose of including this information is to provide a point of difference in your resume. This will make you stand out and be noticed.
Best of luck and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.
