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Winning Talent with Candidate Care & Client Experience

Tue, 24 May 2022 06:21:28 GMT

Job candidates are more mindful of what they need and want when choosing an employer. With that, companies need to be more aware of what those preferences are so they can attract, engage, hire, and retain these talents. To win top talents, it is important to fully understand what candidate care and client experience mean from a recruiter’s perspective

Candidate Care

Candidate care can be easily defined by the way recruiters and employers treat job candidates. But candidate care is so much more than that. Candidate care is something that can morph into either an employee engagement strategy or EVP (employee value proposition). That is why it is important for companies to align their recruitment and employee engagement values.

Here in Australia where there are more than 7000 recruitment firms and agencies, companies availing the expertise of recruitment firms is a norm. Most of these recruitment providers are accessible to companies but the real challenge is choosing the right one, and that can be broken down into one question, which recruitment firm operates with authentic and credible candidate care.

Going back to its definition, candidate care is the practice of a recruiter who acts accordingly to what would be progressive for the candidate. This includes providing employment and industry insights that would be valuable to candidates as they navigate their job search. Also, to help them determine a candidate’s skill set is best served.

For example, if a full-stack developer was unsuccessful in the job he applied for, a responsible recruiter would then help that candidate plan his next steps. Right now, the inbound tour operator and online travel booking industries in Australia are booming. Several businesses are looking to create interactive websites or portals and others to improve their existing ones.

Candidate care starts the second you write a job description and it connects to probably hundreds of people within minutes after posting. As recruiters, we must be honest about what we put out there and we should never mislead candidates.

Client Experience

Dealing with clients can be more complex compared to dealing with candidates. Client experience in recruitment is all about a company positioning itself as a reliable partner. There will always be candidates out there for recruitment firms to engage with. But without clients to work with, everything stops.

Just like with candidate care, client experience should always be authentic. Providing market insights, discussing salary ranges, talent acquisition, and more. In recruitment, clients don’t just focus on the results, meaning the candidates placed in each role. The process of getting there matters. Is there good communication? Are candidates endorsed for final interviews well-informed on the role and the company?

Trust between clients and recruitment firms is established in the process and it’s strengthened with the results. For us here at Quay Appointments, the main goal for both candidate care and client experience is retaining.

We hope to retain our clients by building strong relationships through client experience. And we want to place candidates in the right roles for the right company that would most likely lead to their employee retention.

Here at Quay Appointments, we invest heavily in candidate care and client experience and we’ve seen great results. Recently, Quay Appointments was recognised as one of the top recruitment firms here in Australia during the first quarter of 2022 by Recruiter Insider.

In an industry where rejection is consistent, it is important to always provide value in whatever interaction we have with clients and candidates.

Taking Better Care of our Mental Health

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 04:18:32 GMT

Taking care of our mental health is important inside and outside the office. According to the National Health Survey 2017 – 2018, 1 in 5 Australians reported having mental health or behavioural condition. Here in New South Wales, 17.7% of adults 18-years of age and over “experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress” as per the estimation from the NSW Adult Population Health Survey in 2019. To this day, millions of people all over the globe are struggling with different mental health issues. That is why it is high time to better take care of our mental wellbeing and inspire others to do as well.

Here are some tips to start with.

Acknowledge the struggle.

The first step is to accept that you are struggling with mental health issues. Accepting your vulnerabilities makes you strong, not weak. There are those who suffer from anosognosia, a condition of being unaware of mental health conditions or are unable to perceive them. If you feel something is wrong, get help. Let’s put an end to “It’s all in your head.”

Get help. Talk to the right people.

There are several organisations both public and private at the ready to help you better understand mental health and learn how to conquer mental health issues. The MHFA (Mental Health Foundation Australia) is the oldest not-for-profit, non-government mental health organisation in the country. Last month, the MHFA launched its first ever Mental Health Appeal to raise awareness and take action in expanding mental health programs in the country. Thousands of people have donated money for the progress of this great initiative.

There is also Mental Health Australia, Way Ahead, Mind Australia and more. They offer a range of services centred on support groups and education. It is important to direct your questions to the right people.

Stay active physically and be mindful of self-care.

Exercising regularly can do wonders for your mental health. Simple workouts like jogging can help you relieve your stress and energise your body to take on the day. Be flexible, try yoga, meditation and whatever works best for you.

Maximise breaks.

Remember to always take time to re-energise and refocus. If you are getting overwhelmed, take it slow or even stop to take a breather. Never disregard the power of a good break, either a lunch break or a week off work. You can be productive when taking a rest.

Embrace mental health education.

As much as you can, learn anything you can about mental health that can help you better understand the different components and factors linked to it. Attend seminars (online and offline) and consume reading materials. Education institutes here in the country are encouraging people to learn more about mental health, especially the younger generation. According to a 2020 report about psychological distress by Mission Australia and Black Dog Institute, young people in Australia were five times less likely to ask or seek help with their psychological distress. This will then lead to them suffering from mental health issues on a greater level as they grow up.

That is why it is important to educate yourself and your loved ones about mental health. It might be challenging but it is important to promote the idea that mental health education should start at a young age.

Sleep’s sweet spot

Getting enough sleep, mostly 8 hours can help you better manage your stress, feel more proactive, be more focused and better connect with others. According to a study by Dr Alex Agostini and Dr Stephanie Centofanti from the University of South Australia, “sleep is intrinsically linked to mental health, but is commonly overlooked by health practitioners as a contributing factor.” As per the study, it is important to promote a healthy cycle of sleep, especially during an individual’s teenage years. A good night’s sleep sets off a domino effect of positive turnouts. Get your sleep on.

Check on others.

You are not the only one struggling with mental health issues. Your colleague you sit next to might be struggling as well. The pandemic accelerates mental health issues, so it is more important than ever to check on your loved ones, friends, colleagues, etc. By sharing both your struggles you find courage from each other. Being sociable also helps.

Your mental health is important, never think otherwise. By taking care of yourself, you inspire others to do the same.

Strategic Candidate Care is the New Norm

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 04:21:50 GMT

To recruiters and employers out there, mastering candidate care is non-negotiable in the future of work. Candidates are looking for more meaningful interactions they believe and see, which is of great value for them. The big question or challenge now is, how can candidate care be more strategic than they are today?

Candidate care more strategic

A candidate experience can be either good or bad, with no middle ground around it. A negative candidate experience can and will result in a negative effect on your company’s employer brand talent acquisition team. A positive candidate experience on the other hand can greatly increase your offers stage conversions in a tight labour market.

You don’t have to complicate your candidate care process for it to be more strategic. You just need to make it more comprehensive. Start with…

Determine what you need to improve

No matter how good things are going, there will always be more room for improvement. Let’s say your candidate response time is effective and you’re communicating very well. But, some of your candidates feel like the hiring process is too long. From there, find out ways on how you can shorten it without losing anything valuable.

What makes a recruitment process fool-proof is the consistency and persistency to always improve it. If you can’t pinpoint the problem in your process, then maybe you can ask the candidates you’ve met to do it for you. Never underestimate the power of asking for feedback. Believe it or not, this is a big deal for a number of candidates out there. According to a 2019 survey report by Talentegy, 75% of 4,000 candidates were never asked to give recruitment feedback, which is a big letdown for them.

If you need help with this, ask yourself this question, “Is my hiring process built around the candidate experience?”

Technology is your friend

Recruitment technology is big nowadays with most recruitment firms and companies investing in some sort of software or program that helps them streamline and automate their processes. Taking a tech-driven approach ensures top quality experience for everyone involved. Technology can of course make your hiring process more strategic in terms of communication and continuous engagement.

But, the way I see it, it makes recruiters more empathetic as well. Here is an example. During virtual job interviews, I am able to really connect with candidates because when I talk to them, they are in a place where they feel safe and that enables them to share things they wouldn’t normally share during a face-to-face interview. From there, we are able to find key motivators that really align with candidates’ career aspirations.

As much as you can, curate your communication plan according to industry or sector

Here at Quay Appointments, we cover recruitment for several sectors both public and private. It is no surprise that candidates applying for jobs in different sectors can have various preferences. It is important to learn what engages and disengages candidates. For example, jobseekers in the tech and telecommunication industries are highly interested and become engaged when discussing topics about tech reskilling. The same goes for professionals in finance and accounting. They want to keep up with evolving roles and skills most relevant to their niche. Learning about these things might help you out. Make sure to focus on industries or sectors you are active in.

Candidate care becomes more strategic not because of innovation, it is because most dedicated recruiters want to strive to improve themselves and their methods to benefit their clients and candidates’ professional goals.

Recruitment in IT: How to stand out among thousands of great candidates

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 03:16:56 GMT

According to the 2018 Australia’s Digital Pulse report by Deloitte, Australia’s ICT workforce will grow to more than 750,000 professionals and over 3 million Aussies will be employed in jobs with ICT functions or integrations by 2023. That projection is very much possible with what we are seeing today in the ICT and tech industry. Because of emerging innovations and digital solutions, new jobs centred on digital skills are being introduced. With that, the competition in the job market is getting harder for both recruiters and candidates.

For IT professionals out there looking to stand out in a sea of capable candidates, here are some tips and insights.

IT certifications, gather as much as you can

These days, thousands of IT certifications are available online. People can apply for online education programs that would complement their skills and field of work. These certifications are more valuable for a lot of people these days. From the perspective of a recruiter, a professional active in learning through these certification programs is someone who is eager to learn and discover new solutions, meaning he or she is qualified.

According to a 2021 study by Pearson VUE , the demand for IT certifications is growing. The study also found that 91% of its respondents felt more confident after pursuing these certifications. Here in Australia, IT professionals have access to some of the world’s top IT certifications including AWS Solutions Architects, Certified Scrum Master, PMP (Project Management Professional) and more. You can complete all of these certifications from the comfort of your own home.

But, before you choose which certification to take, make sure to align your skills and experience. This is important if you want to progress your career towards the right path.

Learn the top IT players in your country

When I say, the “top players,” I don’t mean the biggest ones. Professionals can choose their top providers according to their own preferences. Start with asking yourself, “What is the best company that would help me grow my skills and expertise?” There are hundreds of IT or tech providers here in Australia and choosing one in particular you want to work for can be tricky. It is not about being picky, but about choosing the company that will give you the right opportunity. If you want to work for a company, learn everything you can about that company in terms of its services, industries it is engaged with, clientele, culture, workforce and more. That way, you can align yourself, your skills, and your mindset.

Accept that reskilling or upskilling is a must

Digital reskilling or upskilling is a must, not only here in Australia. According to an article by Hudson, Australia’s ICT market is set to reach $100 billion this year, the estimated total can be even bigger than that with the pandemic making organisations come up with new solutions focused on tech. No matter how advanced your skills and knowledge are, you should always look to improve.

On July 22, 2021, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment informed the public that the Digital Skills Organisation or DSO is testing new “approaches to designing digital qualifications and training that meets the skills needed for a job in the digital sector.” In short, how to promote and drive digital upskilling and reskilling in the country. DSO is in the midst of determining key challenges to helping the digital workforce evolve alongside jobs and skills.

Expand your job search globally

More and more organisations are open to hiring remote workers whether they be from another city, another state or even another country. Expanding your job search geographically will open up new opportunities you never expected. This is also a chance for you to enter new markets and industries. Because of remote work or outsourcing, several IT professionals are open to working full-time and part-time or freelance jobs.

IT is one of the top industry sectors we engage with here at Quay Appointments. We are seeing see new trends affect the job market and we are certain that the industry will continue to grow in the coming years. If you are looking for the next suitable IT role, get in contact with us today on 02 8257 0500.

Winning the War for Talent with Candidate Care

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 04:27:04 GMT

The war for talent rages on. It is getting harder and harder to find the right talent for the right role at the right time. Several organisations are incorporating technology to improve their recruitment capabilities in terms of quality and time of hire. Some hiring teams are spending thousands of dollars to integrate AI in their recruitment function. Others are relying on recruitment agencies to gain access to a larger talent pool. However, money and technology are not the deciding factors to win the war on talent. Everything will be centred on how you treat people, how you communicate with jobseekers, and how you take care of employees.

The way organisations treat people from jobseekers to employees will determine whether they win or lose the war for talent.

Empathetic Candidate Care is Strategic

If you want to keep your best employees, take great care of them even before you hire them. As I always say, professionals often forget people who got them the job or what advice they got, but they will never forget how you made them feel. It is true that job seekers must make a great impression on employers or recruiters. That should also be the case the other way around.

1. Positive and developmental feedback

Empathy can be subjective and objective at the same time. In my years of experience, caring for jobseekers can enable a recruiter to provide positive and developmental feedback effectively. Let’s face it, recruitment is more on rejection than new hires. So, it is important that there is value in the experience even if they didn’t get the job.

2. Rejection is part of it

It’s not jst jobseekers, recruiters get rejected as well, just not as much. Let’s say you found the “perfect candidate” and you made him or her an offer. You wait a couple of days because the candidate had to think things through, then you receive a reply saying it’s a no. This can be frustrating and even hurtful for us recruiters. But, this is part of the job. You give and you receive no’s. Getting edged out by other recruiters is normal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the experience.

Get in touch with the candidate and ask why he or she took another offer. You’ll probably get answers around better pay, better benefits or better growth opportunities. That does not diminish your worth as a recruiter. You did great and you tried to help an individual looking for a job. The more you understand your candidates and assess the decision they made, the more you grow as a recruiter.

3. Giving everyone a chance

I’ve met a lot of candidates who were skeptical during interviews, some even before it starts, that they won’t get the job. When I asked them why they still push through with it, they would give me an answer of, “I wanted to give it a try.” Right there is an opportunity to impact someone’s life for the better. Recruiters can boost the confidence and cadence of an applicant. Not by feeding them lies, but by fully assessing their skills and aligning them with the job description. Out of 100 people, only 1 or 2 can make it through. But all 100 deserve a chance.

4. A healthy culture for all

The culture of an organisation is something that impacts the lives of everyone, including candidates and outside communities. Here at Quay Appointments, we always ask the question of “how can we improve our recruitment solutions and candidate care?” We come up with big and small ideas, some a bit complex but always for the sake of improving our services. Maintaining a healthy culture means asking the right question and assuring that all voices are valued.

These days, job candidates are not just after money. They want a strong organisational culture wherein they can thrive in the present of work and eventually, in the new world of work as well. They also want workplace flexibility and safety. When hiring someone, ask questions you would ask your existing employees.

Again, if you want your employees to stay, take great care of them when they are still candidates. Even if they decide to leave to take on more challenges but for the better, you’ll still feel glad because you did your part as a recruiter.

Timely and Timeless Job Interview Tips from Quay Appointments

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 03:27:02 GMT

Can you recall your first job interview ever? Some people can, while for others, the image is a bit blurry. First-ever job interviews can either be memorable or forgettable because of right or wrong reasons. But, it is always a great learning opportunity even if you didn’t get the job. Today, there are thousands, maybe even millions of resources people can access online to learn more about job interviews like the do’s and don’ts and common questions interviewers ask.

I stumbled upon an article by the New York Times published in 1996 about how to ace a job interview. Back then, recruiters are just starting to integrate the internet in the recruitment process like engaging candidates through email. The tips were mostly general like considering the interview as a sales pitch and knowing when to just listen. I then read more articles and blogs on the same topic published in the 1990s and you know what, they are not that different to the ones we read today. There are similarities and differences of course. I realised the importance of timeless job interview tips, may it be your 1st, 2nd, 3rd or even 50th interview. With that, we asked our team members here in Quay Appointments, of different age brackets, on the advice they would give their younger selves for their first job interviews. We share those answers with all of you.

Job Interview Tips from Quay

“Be brave! This is an opportunity for you to share with everyone how good you are at what you do. Don’t forget you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Is this the right job, company or person I would like to work with?” – Heidi Livingston, Executive Director

“Listen, don’t speak before the other person has completed speaking. Research the company you are interviewing with. Dress with pride (professional suit), know what your strengths and weaknesses are, have questions prepared for the interviewer.” – MaryJane Pollock, Senior IT Recruitment Consultant

“No matter how nerve wracking interviews may be to some people, I would say to always be yourself, always believe in yourself and that confidence is key. Soon enough you’ll find yourself in the shoes you always imagined yourself to be in!” – Sophia Marzolini, Recruitment Consultant

“It is not always what you know, it is also who you know. Also maybe do some research on the company and the culture.” – Sarah Bonzer, Recruitment Consultant

“Be yourself, just the best version, if someone doesn’t like you then you probably shouldn’t be working there anyway!” – Jessica Priebee, Practice Team Lead

“I would advise my younger self to just be yourself, don’t try to be someone you’re not.” – Kayley Quinn, Recruitment Consultant

“Firstly Breathe! Remember you are interviewing them as well, to see if this is the right role for you.” – Joanna Stott, Senior IT Recruitment Consultant”

“Practice makes perfect! You’re going to get a couple of No’s before you get a yes.” – Rachael King, Office Manager

For me, my advice to everyone is this – Be yourself! Actively listen, then when the moment permits, focus on what you can do well, this helps with confidence. Take part in the conversation, don’t be a bystander, this shows your enthusiasm. LIVE – LEARN – REPEAT. Finally, what is meant for you – won’t pass you.

Remember, mastering the art of job interview is real and you can do it.

How Your E-mail Address Can Torpedo a Job Search

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 10:42:55 GMT

Have you done an audit on your e-mail address lately? I don’t mean opening up your account and looking for messages. I mean taking a closer look at the actual e-mail address you are using.

I have received a number of e-mails from some very interesting address names lately. That being said, if you were to ask me if these names sounded professional, I would have to say absolutely not! Sometimes, we get so acclimated to that personal address we simply forget about how others might perceive it.

Add in the close scrutiny of a prospective employer, and your resume containing that social e-mail address COULD be destined for the round file.

Dead-giveaways unwittingly revealed in your e-mail address name can lift the curtain about the personal you during a job search …and absolutely need to be tightened up, or even replaced in favor of more sanitized versions.

I’m not saying you need to “ditch” your personal/social e-mail; you need to bury it or at the very least, not volunteer it when presenting an otherwise professional document for consideration for a job.

Think about this…what would you think “Gnarly1941@emailaddress.com” might convey? Or “MaryJaneReefer@emailaddress.net?”

Don’t laugh. I’ve seen similar e-mail addresses like these on resumes more often than you would guess.

A surprising number of people continue to send out resumes that have what I call “goofy” e-mail addresses.

Even if it isn’t goofy, an e-mail address could potentially torpedo your job search before you even get it off the ground because the one you are using doesn’t project a professional image.

If you have to create a new “professional” e-mail, then do so, but don’t forget to check it. Sometimes, candidates get so caught up checking their social e-mail accounts that they forget to open up their business one…only to find a message from an employer dated 3 weeks ago waiting for them.

Oops. Game over.

You can pretty much bet that opportunity has already passed and is now a dead end. Lack of response means the employer is moving on to the next candidate.

It’s now up to you to conduct a quick review and see if your e-mail address needs triage help, stat.

Here are some key e-mail address-naming tips to help you in maintaining your professionalism on your resume:

1. Stay away from things that might tip off your age.

Avoid year of birth, graduation, or age references. Oh, and mentioning you are a member of the AARP. It’s illegal, downright despicable, but yet difficult to prove – employers are discriminating against people because of their age, so you should make sure to remove age references completely.

2. Avoid political, gender, or religious references.

You may be very passionate about a particular belief, cause, or affiliation, but you don’t need to be in an employer’s face about it. After all, they aren’t hiring you for what you believe…they are hiring you for what you can DO.

3. Be careful about health references too.

Being a cancer survivor is great, but if you let an employer know that before you get to the interview, their concern about health care costs might cause them to “lose” your application…if you know what I mean. Seriously. It can and does happen.

4. Keep it simple, stupid.

If you have an e-mail address that looks like some kind of code and doesn’t make any kind of logical sense, create an easy one to type into a message. No one likes peering at their keyboard to hunt and peck out a random assortment of letters and numbers.

5. Safest bet? Your name.

Your name as the e-mail address is your best bet. If you have a common name, then add some random number or variation that still makes it clear that this is your name.

Make sure to remove any and all objections an employer might find in your career materials and documents when making an application. Your future could depend on it!

5 Things We’ve Learned Amidst the Covid Struggle

Tue, 25 May 2021 04:44:25 GMT

It’s been more than a year now of living with the pandemic right outside our doors. The struggle is indeed real as we witnessed Covid-19 caused massive upheaval across our entire operation here at Quay Appointments. As recruiters continue to push through, it is important to pay attention to opportunities to improve ourselves, to learn more about our business in order to better serve our clients and employees. Here are some of our learnings right here that we plan to bring with us after this pandemic.

Camaraderie is more than just about teamwork

Last year in March, the entire team of Quay Appointments rallied together to keep each other motivated during trying times. We didn’t spend a lot of time together because we were sent to work from home. During those times we felt more connected than ever before. It became a default setting for us to check on each other and even our families. Crisis management is strategic but must be guided by empathetic principles.

We wanted every interaction to be authentic and bring value to one another. It is about professional and personal purposes becoming one big purpose, to be more human, be more present.

Technology will enable us in the future, not render us obsolete

We have really got to dive deep into incorporating technology in our everyday operation and it has been liberating, to be honest. I am pretty sure that after this pandemic, technology will remain imperative not just for us but for other organisations as well. If we play our cards right, technology will enable us to create more fulfilling jobs to help us perform better.

“Utilising technology as the enabler and always putting humans first at the heart of our decisions,” says Caleb Baker, Managing Director for Will International, Quay Appointments’ parent company. Tech reskilling here in Australia remains a big agenda. The tech workforce here continues to grow and is expected to exceed 1.1 million professionals according to the latest Australia’s Digital Pulse report by ACS .

Expand your thinking when taking care of your team

For organisations to thrive, it is important to create a culture wherein everyone is inspired and driven to be part of. Taking care of your team is more than just checking on them or giving them recognition for their hard work. I realised that to really take care of my team, it was important to understand what motivates them, not what I think would motivate them. There are a lot of ideas we can consider for this, mental health support, reskilling and upskilling, EVP, etc.

Job candidates, especially the younger ones as asking for growth and guidance

In my previous article, I’ve talked about helping job candidates better envision their career . There are Gen Z and Millennial professionals pursuing career journeys different from their college degrees or what they’ve been studying for pre-pandemic. Then there are those who just got out of college and are unsure of what track to take. As recruiters, we must be mindful when determining the indicators that would motivate job candidates to engage.

Ensure great candidate care or experience for everyone

Let’s face it, recruitment is mostly job rejections. However, there can be added value to a candidate’s experience even if he or she didn’t get the job. Candidate care or experience should always be on top in recruitment. We can attest to that. Because of our focus on maintaining our level of candidate experience, we were nominated by the RCSA Industry Awards for the category of “Excellence in Candidate Care.”

These are the things we should continue to instill in our business DNA and practice beyond this pandemic and into the future.

Helping Candidates Better Envision their Career Journey

philip.divilly@quayappointments.com.au (Philip Divilly) — Mon, 17 May 2021 09:38:07 GMT

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” This is a common job interview question. If I were to ask you again, where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Or maybe even 30 years from now? The answers we often hear for this question are hopeful and optimistic. Some people tend to focus on challenges they might face in the future, whereas others simply can’t give an answer at all. Today and tomorrow, one of the biggest opportunities for recruiters is to help job candidates better envision their whole career journey. Despite uncertainties in the future, we can help our candidates future-proof themselves in the present.

Career Crunch in Australia

In their 2021 global talent trends report, think tank Mercer described career crunch as a situation wherein professionals are unable to find opportunities to move up in their careers. This strongly affects mature aged workers and those in the middle. According to their 2020 report, 72% of baby boomers worldwide plan to work past their retirement and that the ideal concept of retiring is long-gone in Australia. Will it be the same case for Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z? Competition across different job markets is getting more and more competitive. Then there is the issue of skills gap or mismatch, meaning employees today lack the skills needed for present and future roles. The future of work requires a holistic approach to the whole development agenda for employees and organisations.

We can start with…

Next Level Job Candidate Experience

Organisations must rethink their approach to candidate experience and make sure it provides authentic and sustainable value for job candidates as they transition to employees.

The candidate experience is not just about hiring an individual for a role. It is about preparing that individual to succeed in the role, find value in the role and be able to take on higher roles. There should also be renewed focus on improving candidate experience done online and remotely. Organisations must start coming up with strategies to better engage job candidates at online hiring events.

Another important thing is to respond to every applicant. Acknowledge every application and then provide updates afterwards. Make sure to communicate possible next steps for unsuccessful applicants. For example, always accompany an acknowledgement message with “if you are not selected for the role, we will keep your resume in our records for future roles that might suit your credentials. Also, make sure to visit our careers page for new job openings.”

Remember to utilise recruitment technology to help you with the speed and quality of hire. But never ever remove the human element in recruitment. Make the effort, invest the time.

Talk up reskilling and upskilling

After asking the 5 years question, why not follow it up with insights about skills development. Help them determine the skills they need to learn and improve on. If you have the information, maybe you can encourage them to enroll for free online lessons or courses you think can help them improve and be more competitive. In Australia, one of the top workforce transformation priorities is to reskill and upskill employees especially those in critical talent pools. According to PwC’s 2021 Upskilling for Shared Prosperity report, Australia’s economy can experience tremendous growth if it invested more in upskilling programs.

When talking about reskilling and upskilling with job candidates, it is important to always talk about digitalisation. Several roles considered as “non-tech” now include some aspect of automation. Explain the importance of digital dexterity in their respective field of work and how it can benefit them in the modern world.

Establish Authentic Diverse Working Groups

Diversify working groups in terms of race, age, sexual orientation, years of experience, expertise, etc. No matter what it is. Establishing diverse working groups is not about taking a chance. It is a proven way to continue doing business especially nowadays when business continuity is threatened by different factors. Mature aged professionals working alongside young professionals is always a great way to go. The older people can share their experience from which the young people can learn from. Young people can help older people be more tech-enabled.

In Australia, there are HR leaders discussing phased retirement strategy to better accommodate more mature aged workers. It is a great way to create opportunities for everyone, no matter the age.

There is so much value and learnings we can provide professionals during the recruitment stage. In doing so, we help them better envision their career journey. We also help them come up with better and more authentic answers when they are asked where they see themselves after a number of years.

Job Hunting in 2021: Tips and Tricks – Part 2

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 03:30:57 GMT

According to the latest labour force report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics , there are more than 770,000 people unemployed in Australia as of March 2021. All those people, if not, most of them are in the job hunt. That is actually an improvement as the unemployment rate went down to 5.6% by March. Employment continues to improve here in Australia and as recruiters, we must do everything we can to help more people get back on track. With that, here is the second part of our “Job Hunting in 2021” series. Feel free to revisit part 1 as a refresher.

Here are some more tips to help job candidates out there.

Strengthen your LinkedIn profile

Majority of recruiters rely on LinkedIn to find top talents. If you have not opened your profile in a while, then it is time for you to head back. Make sure to incorporate vital information about your job experience and skills that would be relevant to recruiters. Take online coursed offered on the platform and collect certificates. These achievements can help you stand out among recruiters. You can also reach out to your former supervisors and managers and ask if they can write recommendations and endorsements for your profile. Just remember to be honest with the information you enter and present. Neve ever mislead people, especially recruiters.

Visit your potential employer’s blog or insight page

You can learn a lot about an employer from their website’s about us and home page. But if you want to learn more, why not consider accessing their blog or insight page and reading their publications. Most organisations write about topics, issues and/or developments that are important to them. Some use it to share their own insights, while others for announcements. You can make good use of that information to learn more about your potential employer.

Familiarise yourself with different video communication apps or programs

Virtual recruitment is here to stay and it is best that you practice using different video communication programs. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Skype, Marco Polo and more. Most of these programs basically offer the same features but they have unique strengths of their own. This is mostly a bonus but it won’t hurt to go the extra mile to improve yourself

Do a practice interview

When I send out invitations for job interviews, most candidates quickly ask me what questions are going to be asked. Most candidates are more nervous waiting for the interview more than during the interview. Instead of just waiting around, make better use of that time and practice for the interview. Review the job description and from there, write a list of potential questions you might receive and practice answering those.

Ask more questions than the interviewer

In the first part of this series, I mentioned asking about career mobility during the job interview. There are more important questions. For example, you can ask about short-term and long-term goals for the role you are applying for. Don’t also forget to ask about company culture and employee wellbeing. Remember that these important questions can help you find more value in a job you are applying for and that would allow you to provide more value to the role. Remember, you don’t have to settle for a job that offers little value or no value at all.

Show them you are willing to grow

“Fast learner” or “willing to learn” are common attributes when it comes to resume. Simply saying those phrases won’t be enough. During the interview, show the interviewer or the employer that you are eager to grow, not just learn, and in doing so, present ideas of your own.

One of the biggest fears among recruiters nowadays is that job candidates and employees don’t have the ideal skills for both present and future roles. The willingness to learn, no matter the industry is key to being competitive and helping an organisation be competitive as well. Before the interview, take the time to reflect on your career path and reposition yourself towards the direction you want to take. And then, take action.

Job markets here in Australia, for different industries, will only continue to be competitive. That is why it is important for job candidates to grow alongside these changes and circumstances. As recruiters, we must provide all forms of support we can to the best of our abilities.

Job Hunting in 2021: Tips and Tricks – Part 1

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 03:33:45 GMT

Job hunting and recruitment drastically changed amidst the pandemic and we need to adapt to these changes in 2021. Job seekers must shift their approach to stand out and get the job they’re gunning for. However, this does not mean you have to forget everything you knew about job hunting, focus on what drives value, and readjust. Here are some tips to help you out throughout the entire process of job hunting from networking all the way to asking the right questions to a recruiter.

Embrace Digital Networking

With corporate events, seminars and other business activities limited due to safety protocols, face-to-face networking is difficult nowadays. That shouldn’t stop you from building your network. Interact with people through online platforms, primarily on LinkedIn. Develop professional relationships with people. Browse through your LinkedIn feed and see connection activities. If you see posts that are connected to your industry or field of work, give them a like or better yet, write a comment. Expand your digital networking to other platforms as well including Facebook. Create opportunities and in doing so who knows, your connections might create opportunities for you as well.

Consistent Learning

Upskilling, reskilling or whatever you prefer, the point is to expand your skills and knowledge that would increase your hireability. Through digital learning, you can get all the training, seminars and resources you need to learn something new or improve an existing skill. You can also get certificates from different learning organisations and institutes. Many people who lost their jobs turned to online learning to continue making a living during the pandemic.

For example, flight attendants attended online classes for web programming and are now working as web developers. Chef and bakers attended content writing classes and they are now earning through written words. These examples are based on real life. You can learn from the top universities across the globe for free. Harvard offers great programming courses. Stanford University’s online course for media technology is receiving great reviews. Here in Australia, you can attend online courses and professional development programs. The University of Sydney offers short courses for business, architecture, social sciences, education and more.

Incorporate consistent learning in your life.

Employer Hunting

When looking for a job, most job seekers are keen on learning more about a potential employer. This is of course after they see the job ad. Next time, why not list down a list of employers you want to consider working for. Think of it as reverse-engineering the process. It is not just about looking for a job but looking for a job with value. These days, organisations are rallying behind the idea of human capital, meaning they put the needs of their employees first. This means enriching company culture and maintaining a healthy working environment wherein employees find value in their work.

Start with the list and then regularly check if there are job openings among these companies that would be perfect for you. You can apply digital networking to this. Connect with people within the company and introduce yourself.

Ask About Career Mobility

When you managed to land an interview, preparing for it is a given. Make sure to equip yourself with information that would be relevant during the interview. Make sure to ask questions. Career mobility is an important topic to raise. Ask about the growth opportunity for the role. You are not being demanding, you are positioning yourself as a driven candidate.

Amidst the pandemic, one of the biggest fears among employees is job insecurity. Job seekers are now concerned about the stability of organisations and jobs. Knowing more about career mobility will give you the assurance that would allow you to work efficiently without the fear or losing your job. Of course, it is also up to you and your ability to perform. Again, you are not being demanding when you ask this question. We understand where you’re coming from and it is our objective as hiring managers to encourage and empower.

Job hunting is not completely different from what it was a year or two years ago. There are some key changes you need to assess and improve on. This is just part 1 of this article and we have more tips and tricks for you. In part 2, we’ll focus on the recruitment and interview stages of a job application and the role of technology in the process.

Witnessing Women Excellence Elevate the Workplace

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 04:48:02 GMT

Women excellence in the workplace is breaking down barriers that held so many female professionals back from reaching their full potential for years. In my many years in recruitment, one of the greatest things I witnessed and still witnessing is how women professionals impact the lives of so many people positively. I am very fortunate to work alongside brilliant women professionals in HR and recruitment. Women excellence is strengthening the world of work and with it, the world of recruitment.

Women Leadership

The days of exclusion and marginalization in leadership are numbered. Women are no longer willing to settle and they are fighting for what they deserve. However, that does not take away the fact that discrimination and misogyny in leadership is still a big issue, not only here in Australia but across the globe.

During a crisis, female leaders are said to be more effective compared to male leaders. And during one of the biggest global crises ever, the Covid-19 pandemic, this statement was proven true by research. According to a Harvard Business Review article, women leaders outscored men on most leadership attributes including taking initiative, developing people, collaboration and learning agility. This article was backed up by research done by Zenger/Folkman last year.

We have seen improvement in the statistics of women in leadership here in Australia. According to the latest Gender workplace statistics released by WGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency), women hold 14.6% of chair positions and 26.8% of director positions. Women also represents 17.1% of CEOs and 31.5% of key management roles. All four recorded an increase as compared to last year’s report. There is also an improvement in the percentage of women directors in the ASX 200 as well as new appointments to the boards. According to the 2020 report, 30.7% of directorships in the ASX 200 are women, now we are at 32.6%. Great improvements but still a long way to go.

Gender Diversity in HR and Recruitment

HR and recruitment both play pivotal roles in furthering gender diversity. HR is one of the top industries embracing stronger female representation inside the workplace. Recruitment has the power to diminish gender bias and stereotypes during the hiring process to give everyone the opportunity they deserve.

HR is taking the lead in advocating gender diversity in the workplace is important as it improves social cohesion to make way for better collaboration among employees. HR is also making its way to the boardroom and is taking the discussion of gender diversity to the table.

In recruitment, the global agenda of cracking down on gender inequality during the hiring process is moving forward. There is a lot of developments in recruitment tech mainly in developing algorithms to be more gender inclusive. However, it is important to remember that recruiters should still take the lead when it comes to practising gender equality during the recruitment stage.

Women Excellence here in Quay

Quay Appointments is home to so many talented, empathetic, innovative and strategic female recruiters. Speaking from experience, the ability of these people to emphasize employee development with integrity and champion change is truly amazing. Listening and working with my female colleagues also gave me a profound understanding of communicating powerfully. Heidi Livingston, our Executive Director is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met in my life. Working with her made me better understand what it means and what it takes to lead by example.

I truly believe that women excellence is a primary accelerator for the future of work. Women leaders today are working tirelessly to guide the women leaders of tomorrow. Women excellence is and should remain a vital part of business DNA.

AU Employment Recovery: An Uphill Battle for Recruiters

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 03:36:12 GMT

Employment in Australia is seeing better days with jobs being recovered or reinstated. According to the latest figures on Australia’s labour force report released in January, nearly 13 million people are employed while more than 875,000 are not by January 21. Those numbers represent a 6.4% decrease in unemployment and 8.1% decrease in underemployment.

Things are definitely looking up, but it is still an uphill battle for the land down under, especially for recruiters. The job market remains competitive and it is up to recruiters to help candidates secure the job they need to recover.

Australia’s Covid vaccine rollout is in motion and is hoping to vaccinate all Aussie adults by October. According to the federal health minister, the rollout is “slightly ahead of schedule” which is a great thing. When the time comes that Australia managed to establish herd immunity, we will have to learn to live with pandemic-driven changes inside the workplace.

Part-Time vs Full-Time

One big change amidst the jobs recovery is the substantial shift of balance between full-time employment and part-time employment. Initially, part-time jobs dominated the recovery, but now, slowly but surely, we are seeing full-time jobs on the lead. The pandemic generated newfound appreciation for part-time or contract employment. Moving forward, part-time employment might be a stopgap to mitigate the damages of long-term unemployment for thousands of people in the country.

Growing Candidate Concerns

Candidates have more concerns than usual when applying for jobs. Most of them are asking about company stability, career mobility, reskilling opportunities and mental health support programs. There should be a renewed focus on mental health support and that employees should receive those programs right from the recruitment stage. Professionals are demanding more from their employers. We can’t blame them after the nightmare of losing their jobs and financial security last year. Recruiters are now dealing with a more enlightened workforce.

Moving forward, recruiters must be more transparent and accountable during the hiring process. This is a great opportunity for recruiters and talent acquisition specialists to reinvent or improve their recruitment models to address pandemic-driven changes among candidates. It is important for recruiters to determine accelerators and disruptors that would influence engagement across their target market.

A Tough Market Still

There aren’t enough jobs for everyone and that will remain a reality for months to come. From the candidate’s perspective, the competitive market is a big problem. One job post would surely generate hundreds or even thousands of candidate applications. As recruiters, it is our responsibility to hand job roles to the most deserving candidates and of course, break the bad news to those who didn’t.

A Future of Uncertainties

There are definitely reasons to be happy about, for example, the permanent $50 increase in the JobSeeker allowance. According to the Australian Taxation Office, there has been a significant fall in the number of people relying on the JobKeeper subsidy with the scheme to end on March 28.

However, there are more reasons, I am not saying to be scared about, but to encourage my fellow recruiters to work harder moving forward. The future is still full of uncertainties and all we can really do is to go to work everyday and help people land jobs they deserve and need.

Here at Quay, what we value above all is our candidate care engagement. There is no substitute for the human connection during the recruitment stage and this way, we are able to be strategic and at the same time, empathetic. We recently received our accreditation as Candidate Experience Experts from Recruiter Insider after receiving a 94+ candidate feedback score. We are truly thankful for this and it fuels us to even better ourselves.

Helping Millennials and Gen Z Employees Succeed in the Workplace

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 04:50:02 GMT

In 2019, Millennials and Gen Z professionals accounted for more than 30% of the global workforce. Throughout this decade, we’ll continue to see a rise in that number as more and more of these younger individuals join the workforce. Moving forward, it is important for organisations to recognise key accelerators and disruptors when managing these employees to help position them for growth and eventually, for success.

Tech is an Enabler

Millennials are considered the tech-literate generation and Gen Z are who you’d consider as the digital or tech natives. The utilisation of technology at work for different means is a key component in engaging these younger generations. It is important that technology is a fundamental factor when it comes to upskilling and career mobility for them. Millennials and Gen Z are hoping for further innovation to help them not just with communication but with collaboration and critical thinking.

Retraining, reskilling and upskilling in the digital landscape should be a top agenda for employers to enable millennials and Gen Z employees to grow professionally and personally. Here in Australia, there is a strong call for digital reskilling for employees and students. The Digital Transformation Strategy of the country will position its government, organisations and people as global tech leaders.

Unforgettable Candidate Experience

Candidate experience is a significant stage for all professionals. Can you recall your first ever job interview experience? As I’ve always said, candidates often forget recruiters and hiring managers. But, they never forget how those people made them feel. As employers or hiring managers, it is important that we leave an unforgettable candidate experience for all the right reasons.

When interviewing millennials and Gen Z, it is noteworthy to remember that the former strongly prioritise job flexibility and the latter prefers job stability. But after the pandemic, both are now significant for millennials and Gen Z. It is important that key opportunities for millennials and Gen Z are well discussed in the candidate experience stage. This includes discussion on work-life balance, career mobility or advancement, leadership programs, well-being, community engagement and salary.

A proactive candidate experience can establish a positive outlook for candidates that they will instil within themselves for future job interviews and job offers. Both millennials and Gen Z professionals are hoping for a strong sense of purpose.

Transparency and Accountability in the Workplace

It is important for millennials and Gen Z employees that there are transparency and accountability within the workplace. Transparency in wages, transparency in recruitment, transparency in financial reports and more. The younger generations of the workforce are refusing to settle and are willing to fight for what they deserve inside the workplace. That is why transparency is one of their key indicators to determine whether a potential employer is a good fit for them that champions sustainability for all stakeholders.

When it comes to accountability, it is a two-way street. Employees must take responsibility when at fault and employers must do the same. Not just millennials and Gen Z, but millions of employees from different generations are sick of employers and executives who won’t admit their errors and would rather point fingers. For these employees, transparency and accountability are fundamental factors for building a strong corporate culture.

Employee Wellness

Employee wellness or wellbeing is no longer just a “nice to have” in the workplace. Amidst the pandemic, we realised the importance of ensuring a healthy, both physically and psychologically, workplace. Incorporating wellness programs within the workplace is a top selling point for millennial and Gen Z candidates. These employees are also at the forefront of championing mental health support and programs in the workplace. The discussion of mental health will boost employee engagement for millennials and Gen Z.

The Future of the Workforce

All these factors promote productivity in the workplace which is a key employee-related metric when measuring progress. Millennials and Gen Z employees by the next decade might account for more than half of the global workforce. If it is important that we, the older generation provide the right guidance so they do can do the same for those next in line.

The Ideal Candidate

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:53:28 GMT

How would you characterise the ideal candidate? As recruiters, we’ve heard and asked this question many times. I’ve heard and read a lot of answers different from each other but always have something in common. Other people would be specific according to their professional and/or organisation preferences. Kind of like Bill Gates, Co-Founder of tech giant, Microsoft Corporation. In an interview with NBC back in 1989, Gates described the ideal candidate for him as someone “super energetic” and able to “make personal computers easy to use.” See, one trait is general and the other, distinct.

If you ask me this question, I’ll answer with this.

Problem Solvers and Finders

The ability to solve or resolve a problem efficiently is something all employers are looking for in candidates. No matter the field of work or industry, a problem solver is always a great human capital asset. However, critical thinking and analysis aren’t only for solving or fixing issues. Most times the problem is the inability to determine or find the problem/s. Some problems or issues are right in front of us.

The ideal candidate can find a problem, acknowledge it, analyse it and then collaborate with the team on how to approach and fix it. In 2020, we witnessed complex problems spiralling, mostly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the majority of organisations sent their employees home to work. Work from home protocols did the trick but many employees suffered from anxiety and depression because of many reasons including the pandemic and job security. A problem solver takes a step ahead, a problem finder thinks ahead – we need both.

Driven to Learn and Reskill

The speed of change in the workplace is relentless. It is an unfortunate truth, but some roles are obsolete because of technological advancements. Back in October 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Aussie workers the importance to “regularly reskill” in the digital space. “The pace of technological change means people are more likely to need to regularly reskill. These are the facts,” Morrison said. This is a challenging reality but at the same time a great opportunity. Success can be arbitrary. Confidence and drive to learn are everything.

The ideal candidate needs to acquire as much information he or she can, and then convert that knowledge into a skill. Talk the talk, walk the walk.

Selflessness and Compassion

During an interview, candidates tend to talk more about their competency, experience and ability for the job. The closest thing they commonly mention during the interview related to selflessness and/or compassion is their willingness to work with a team, in short, teamwork. Last year, we’ve seen what a small kind gesture towards a colleague, an employee or a candidate can do. Moving forward, these two traits are important not only for candidates but for organisations and employers as well. We’ve seen so many people inside and outside the office suffer tremendously because of the pandemic, unemployment, financial security, social inequality and more.

The ideal candidate never loses sight of his or her professional goals and inclination to help others achieve theirs as well.

Emotional Intelligent

“In a very real sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that feels,” Daniel Goleman, renowned author. According to Goleman, there are five components for emotional intelligence; self-awareness, self-regulation, internal motivation, empathy and social skills. Emotional intelligence strongly resonates with selflessness and compassion. This can put an end to the toxic environment in the workplace.

The ideal candidate is motivated to understand feelings and distinguish differences in them that would allow him or her to better interact and communicate with other people. Having emotional intelligence should not hold us back but the opposite. It should help us reach out more and better connect with our colleagues and managers.

Ready for 2021?

As the curtains closed for 2020, we look forward to a better 2021. That means people getting back on track with their lives and employment. Do not limit your perspective of an ideal candidate based on this list. I encourage you that you make your own list and I am sure that there will be a connection between yours and this.

For your next interview, make sure to tackle these traits of yours and really connect with the recruiter.

Making your Mark as a Recruiter

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 04:55:23 GMT

Have you ever seen an article dedicated to honouring the best job recruiters in the world? Pretty sure that are a few of them out there. Anyway, recruitment is a rewarding job and there are times it can be punishing. But if you really love it, even the punishing times can also be rewarding.

For me, it is important for us recruiters to make our mark among candidates, either they get the job or not. What does that mean exactly and how to do it you ask?

What it means

Making your mark as a recruiter means encouraging and empowering candidates towards a promising career. Us recruiters are like gatekeepers between candidates and employers. We decide who is in and who is out. That moment is pivotal for each candidate because of what it entails and that is why it is important that they always find value in the process, whether they get hired or not. I believe its poor recruitment practices that derail the value that candidates should be receiving. By providing value to candidates, they will appreciate the care factor you invested in them.

Now, how exactly do we do that?

Go Beyond Resumes

A resume is a strong assessment document for recruiters to evaluate if a candidate has what it takes. However, that only scratches the surface given that most resumes are only 1 to 3 pages long. There is always something unique about candidates despite applying for the same job. Unique in this matter is something that stands out. Don’t hesitate to be very specific when it comes to learning more about a candidate’s problem solving and critical thinking skills. You need to know what a candidate is like when they are at their best and worst.

If you can, present some work scenarios derived from experience and find out how candidates approach and resolve it. Again, be very specific and make sure to include certain work elements according to the role being filled. Resumes are going to tell you the good things about a candidate, however, how they perceive and address their weaknesses, is important for them and you.

Transparency and Empathy

According to several reports, transparency and empathy are driving factors for employers to attract top talent. This a scary time for so many people today. Candidates are not just mindful of getting a job but also wary of who they’ll be working for, especially for those leaving their current stable job to work for your organisation. They are placing a lot of trust in you and your organisation, it is only right that you respond to that by being transparent and trustworthy. After talking about their skills and qualifications, inform them about important company policies, especially about layoffs and furloughs. What are they entitled to and what they can negotiate for. From doing that, you are being an effective and empathetic recruiter.

Give them some homework

A proactive and effective recruiter is cognizant of what a candidate should improve on. Many of my colleagues have specialisations so they can focus on specific recruitment spaces and really help candidates better themselves.

If the candidate gets the job, then give him or her something to do. Don’t order around, rather encourage the candidate to tap on something that can improve their skills and knowledge in the job they are about to take on. If they didn’t get the job, give them a justification, whether it has something to do with their qualification or experience. Provide them insights on their strengths and weaknesses. Give them feedback from where they can improve on, so they’ll surely hit the target for their next job application. That way, they get value out of the recruitment process despite not getting the job.

Remember, candidates may forget who got them the job, what advice they received, but they will never forget how you made them feel. That is how you make your mark as a recruiter. We’ve got more insights and tips coming your way so make sure to check back and Goodluck on your next recruitment process.

Significant Candidate Concerns and How to Address Them

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 03:39:28 GMT

According to the latest Labour Force report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate increased to 6.9% in September 2020 meaning there are nearly a million people jobless. Unemployment itself is just one of the top concerns among candidates today in Australia. Moving forward, millions of candidates fear employment uncertainties.

Job Security

We can’t blame candidates and employees for being scared about the possibility of future layoffs and furloughs. It is unfortunate, but people losing their jobs everyday became normal in the workplace this year.

We highly advise candidates to build and maintain a professional network outside the office. Establish strong connections that will position you better when you launch a job search. As much as possible, learn new skills and programs that is relevant to your field and can be applied in others as well. Attend online seminars, mentorship and trainings programs to enhance your skills and knowledge. In summary, INVEST IN YOURSELF!

Before signing employment contacts or even submitting job applications, candidates must review their target organisation’s policies around severance. That way, they are aware of what they are entitled to get and can negotiate.

Regeneration and Wellness

The level of fatigue, anxiety and burnout millions of candidates and employees are struggling with is way too much to handle. Some people are able to cope while others not so much. According to a survey report by The Workforce Institute at UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), burnout and fatigue are equally top concerns for employees working at home and at the office. Think about it, if working from home is not the ultimate solution, then what is?

Many organisations embraced the idea of workplace regeneration and wellness. These are not just strategies for the sake of health. They improve productivity, inspire camaraderie, establish mental resiliency and provides a positive outlook to candidates and employees despite trying times.

It is important for candidates and employees to focus on their wellness and health. As explained by Matthew Chapman, Managing Director of Will International, Quay’s parent company, there should be a strong focus on regeneration and wellness. “The art of regeneration has never been more important than now. If we are not working on the solutions, we find ourselves in a precarious predicament,” Chapman said.

Candidates and employees alike must learn how to turn it on and off. There should be a fine line between working and resting. Online yoga is now on the rise and is really something you should consider. There should be newfound value and understanding for work-and-life balance beyond this pandemic.

Corporate Governance

Office politics, nepotism, corruption, lack of transparency, lack of accountability and so much more issues with corporate governance. People on the job hunt nowadays are in need of more than just a job, but a job with dignity. As a candidate, feel free to ask questions that concern not only you but other candidates and even employees as well. Deliver your message with respect. There should be a strong sense of responsibility for both candidates and organisations.

Candidates should not be afraid of being vocal about their dilemmas and organisations need to start addressing problems they didn’t acknowledge before. Corporate governance should be built upon empathy and compassion for all, not just the ones at the table.

An Uphill Battle

These concerns and issues won’t be solved overnight. It is indeed scary moving forward but as we do so, and in the right direction, we usher in a better future of work for ourselves and those next in line. For candidates out there, don’t give up and be strategic on your job search.

True Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Where are we?

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 04:57:45 GMT

How would you define true diversity and inclusion (D&I) inside the office? Most people would say a workplace that values all employees and candidates no matter their race, sexual orientation, age, religion and other differences. Some people consider true diversity and inclusion as a strategy to improve performance and profitability. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t acknowledge diversity and inclusion at all. Australia is on its way to embracing a future of work that breaks down diversity barriers and bias in employment, recruitment and service.

Developments in Australia

Issues of diversity and inclusion in Australian offices are still there but we are seeing significant developments, both big and small. According to the 2019 – 2020 Inclusion @Work Index report by Diversity Council Asia, 43% of workers fully support their organisation for taking steps towards establishing a diverse and inclusive workplace. That is an improvement from 37% in 2017. There is still a long way to go.

Here in Australia, diversity and inclusion enable organisations and employees to be more creative and innovative as well as develop progressive policies. Diversity concurrently benefits client needs and demands. Organisations with strong diversity and inclusion are also able to attract and retain a wide range of capable talents.

Australia’s Department of Health is at the frontlines of championing different types of diversity not only in health but across all industries. According to the department, the mission for better diversity and inclusion in the workplace leads to a vision of ‘good relationships, respect and opportunities’ for all employees.

The Diversity Council Australia is working with the University of Sydney to better understand the value of diversity and inclusion for organisations and employees. This partnership is trying to figure out how organisations can measure ‘the degree and breadth of culturally diverse talent in their leadership team, workforce, customer base, and labour market pool.’ They are calling it, ‘COUNTING CULTURE’ and is expected to progress in 2021.

Diversity and Inclusion Starts at Recruitment and Candidate Care

Photo by Diversity Council Australia

To achieve true diversity and inclusion, we must first establish it in recruitment and candidate care. Australia for many years has been plagued with race, age and gender discrimination and bias that hindered growth and opportunities for capable employees who are deserving.

Organisations and their talent acquisition teams must rid of all forms of discrimination and bias with age, gender, ethnicity, cultural background, caring responsibilities, beliefs and intersex status. There are organisations not only in Australia on board the idea of artificial intelligence to implement diverse recruitment. There are strong cases to support this concept, but true diversity and inclusion should always be centred on human interaction and compassion.

It is the ability of recruiters to assess all candidates fairly without an ounce of discrimination against anyone. Focus on skills, credentials, experience and drive. From there, we realise that great talent with so much promise can come from anyone, no matter who they are, where they came from, or what they believe in.

Many industries in Australia are struggling with skill shortages and it looks like the problem is here to stay. That is something we can resolve together as Australia has one of the strongest workforces in the globe. Experts and industry leaders are now greatly considering true diversity and inclusion as the primary solution to the country’s skill shortage dilemma. The call for diversity and inclusion is getting louder and stronger in health and technology.

Something to identify with

If you search the internet, you’ll see dozens of articles telling you how to achieve true diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We advise you give them a read. However, we want to leave you with this, diversity and inclusion is more than just making people feel like they belong. It is about helping people find value in the things they do for the sake of others and helping them break down every piece of discrimination they’ve endured in the past. Encourage and help them enable themselves to be the best they can be.

Here in Quay, we have a diverse team that enables all of us to create strong relationships, personal and professional with our clients and candidates. That is something we will always be proud of.

The Battle Against Mental Health Issues in the Office

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:59:15 GMT

Mental health remains a big issue in the workplace today. Mostly because most organisations are unaware of its presence or maybe just disregard its existence. Well, it does exist, and it is affecting millions of employees, especially right now with the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), promoting mental health support and programs inside the workplace is good for morale, productivity and economic gains. Employees need more mental health support than ever now.

Consequences of Mental Health

The WHO also found that anxiety and depression cost the global economy USD 1 trillion or AUD 1.4 trillion annually. But money should be the least of our concern as mental health is truly a health crisis affecting many people as of this moment. Mental health problems result to both employees and employers suffering from poor productivity, lack of trust, active absenteeism, toxic work environments and bureaucratic constraints. These issues can also increase employee attrition and decrease retention.

These mental health barriers can impact an individual’s life inside and outside of the office. Even worse, it can affect other people, especially loved ones. It’s a chain reaction of negativity and stress that deteriorates the quality of life. All of you are surely aware of these, so why is it so hard for many organisations to talk about and accept the fact that is mental health? In addressing mental health issues inside the workplace, we are paving the way for professionals to not only feel valued but to find value in their respective roles and actually feel engaged and encouraged to work harder.

Mental Health in the Australian Workplace

The Safe Work Australia under the government reported work-related conditions or psychological injuries “have become a major concern in Australian workplaces.”

Australia is no stranger when it comes to mental health. According to the National Health Survey: first results with the reference period from 2017 to 2018, one in five Australians “had a mental or behavioural condition.” The report also found that there is an increase in people suffering from depression and anxiety disorders.

In a 2014 report about mental health in the Australian office by TNS Global and beyondblue, one in five Aussie employees reported having taken off days for feeling “mentally unwell.” In that report, 91% of employees believe that mental health initiatives and programs in the workplace are important. What more today?

The impact of this global pandemic on mental health is like no other. According to the June 2020 report of The Medical Journal of Australia ( MJA ), many Australians are experiencing serious depression, anxiety and irritability. To make things worse, some people are thinking they were better off dead. Other than the fear of contracting the virus, unemployment is a significant problem not only in Australia but around the globe. Millions of Australians were fired when thousands of businesses were forced to shut down temporarily or permanently.

So, we need to put our foot down and acknowledge the reality of mental health. That is the first step we take.

What’s next? Waging war against Mental Health Issues

Mental health is here, and it is here to stay. Under Australia’s WHS or harmonized work health and safety laws, there are extensive support, education and service programs for mental health-related issues. There is no magic cure for mental health problems inside the workplace and resolving it will take time. The most important thing we do as HR professionals is to strengthen our candidate care and employee engagement. Candidate care, as the gateway, should always be human-centric and compassionate, especially these days. According to the MJA, “The mental health of people who lost jobs will benefit from employment assistance that is emphatic, courteous and encouraging, and that does not rely exclusively on individual initiative to find jobs.”

HR must be strategic and empathic in battling mental health issues. This goes beyond workplace communication and the usual “be there for your employees.” You are already there for employees and now is the time for you to be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to different mental health issues.

It is important to tell your employees that things are not going to get better, for now, but it will eventually. We need to think of programs and activities that have long-lasting effects on our employees.

Multitasking: Does it Work?

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 03:43:53 GMT

Right off the bat, does multitasking make you more productive? It is impossible to come up with a definitive answer to this question. According to a long line of research, multitasking mostly leads to poor results or performances. Yet we continue to see multitasking as a key skill for many job candidates and one that millions of employees across the globe continue to do.

Let’s break it further down if multitasking is really a myth or an actual gameplan for productivity, especially inside the office.

What is Multitasking?

Multitasking is defined as ‘to deal with more than one task at the same time’ by Oxford. That definition is lacking and does not say anything about the outcome and its quality. If people were to stick to that definition alone then multitasking is easy and that’s what they’ve been doing all along. However, employees are not limited to that definition. The real meaning of multitasking for employees is to take care of more than one task at the same time to save time and be more productive. All of that without sacrificing the quality of the work put in. That is the definition we all want to achieve.

There are different deciding factors to determine whether multitasking works or not including the individual’s skills and focus, the tools available, deadlines, the difficulty level of tasks at hand and possibly more.

Several research studies concluded that multitasking does not work. One common finding among these studies is that people are not really multitasking, rather they are simply switching from one task to another. It has been proven that the brain is not built for multitasking, therefore the act itself is an illusion in our heads that makes us feel productive. Multitasking is also highly associated with making many mistakes given that an individual’s focus is divided.

However, there are emerging evidence that the illusion of multitasking actually improves performance for simple tasks. According to a 2019 research study from Yale University, multitasking works at some circumstances and that there is a credit to it. However, we are talking about simple tasks that don’t require much focus and cognitive thinking. ‘How close or far the nature of one task is from another could have a big effect on the outcome,’ Gal Zauberman, professor at Yale School of Management explained.

If you think about it, multitasking is mostly a matter of subjective perception and the best way to determine if it is working or not is to wait for the results or the assessment of the tasks you’ve accomplished.

Switchtasking vs Background Tasking

What most people consider as multitasking is often switchtasking or background tasking. Switchtasking is attempting multiple tasks, all requiring focus at the same time, that mostly results in loss of time, poor outcomes and increased stress levels. Background tasking on the other hand is accomplishing a primary task while something passive or mindless occurs in the background that doesn’t require much attention. For example, writing an annual report and then replying to a text message from a loved one. Background tasking, unlike switchtasking is actually known to improve productivity.

Multitasking, switchingtasking and background tasking are not completely similar, but they all share the same objective, to get things done better and quicker. Knowing which one of these you are doing is key to assessing what you need to improve on to succeed in multitasking.

The Right Approach to Multitasking

Multitasking doesn’t always work, but, it also doesn’t always not work. In the last couple of years, instead of shutting the entire idea of multitasking, some people are finding ways on how to improve on it. The first step in improving your multitasking skills is acknowledging your limits and then improving. Getting it done and getting it done right are two different things.

The right mindset is not ‘multitasking improves productivity.’ It should be ‘productivity improves multitasking.’ By being productive at work, you improve yourself giving you better grounds and understanding of your role and what needs to be done.

No one gets multitasking right the first time, the second time or even the third time. But, it is not all that bad. Multitasking works because you make it so.

Future of Work: What it looks like?

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 04:33:01 GMT

How would you describe the future of work today? Before COVID, many organisations envisioned the future of work to be centred on innovation and business intelligence. Not anymore, although they are still in the conversation. COVID-19 served as a catalyst for change in business and restructured the future of work. Here is how Quay sees the future of work.

Work Flexibility will Stay

Millions of employees here in Australia were forced to work from home to comply with social distancing measures and infection control protocols. There were concerns regarding productivity and communication as it was an unforeseen leap for many organisations. But to many people’s surprise, it worked.

According to a study conducted by the University of NSW and CQ University with the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), working from home resulted to employees getting more autonomy, more productivity and more time with their loved ones. The study also found that two-thirds of managers are on-board in allowing employees to continue working from home in the future.

The work from home approach we have now is far from perfect and there are still factors to be considered and built-on. The bottom line, it works, and we expect employees to have more work flexibility beyond COVID.

Employee Care and Health

Employee care and health took the spotlight because of COVID-19. Organisations are more willing to spend more money and other resources to keep employees safe and healthy. Extensive and timely health benefits will be a big factor in attracting and retaining employees in the future of work. A safe work environment will empower employees and also position an organisation positively among candidates and clients.

Business agility will also greatly rely on employee care. For organisations to cope, better yet conquer the challenges moving forward, they need a strong and healthy workforce. It is important to know that the challenges ahead are not just complicated but complex, meaning unknown. Just like the case with the pandemic.

Candidate Engagement is King and Queen

This is something close to home. Candidate experience has always been important, but it is more crucial today and surely in the future. Candidates are sick of poor and frustrating engagement from employers. Candidate engagement will be more human-centric, as it was meant to be in the first place. There is a lot of brainstorming on how to improve the candidate engagement to give better value to candidates. We’ve said these many times, but we need to nurture our candidates, provide them with a platform they can excel and innovate. Without candidates, there would be no future of work.

Humans, Bots and AI

The future of work will be human first, technology second. Technology will never replace human intelligence and intervention. It will help humans create more meaningful work and improve the accuracy of tasks that can be automated.

In HR, AI offers timely and timeless opportunities within its functions including talent acquisition, recruiting, reporting and employee engagement. Little by little, organisations are seeing more value in human capital as HR is able to come up with indicators to show there is ROI in it.

Quay: Where we stand

Candidate engagement and employee care are top priorities for us here in Quay and we encourage other organisations towards this direction as well. The future of work demands we put people first at the heart of every decision we make. There is no substitute for the human touch just like there is no substitute for hard work.

The future of work is filled with uncertainties and many of us still struggle with current circumstances. But this is a pivotal moment to take a stand for our employees, our organisations, our communities and together, we build the future of work.

No Substitute for the Human Workforce

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 04:23:16 GMT

It is one of mankind’s greatest fear, to be taken over by robots. To be more specific, the fear of technology replacing the human workforce. This is nothing new as we’ve already seen thousands of our fellow workers put out of jobs because of technology in farming, customer service, delivery and more.

Innovation is not slowing down, we are at the cusp of yet another technological wave and this time, AI and robotics are at the frontlines. So, will we ever see the day when technology completely renders the human workforce obsolete?

Unemployment, Robots and COVID-19

Unemployment surged when the COVID-19 pandemic forced many countries to impose total lockdowns to slow down and manage the contagion. Business as we know it, shut down. We are talking about millions of people jobless since March this year up to now. Many organisations found themselves unprepared, while others were able to cope just fine. Some organisations saw the challenge as an opportunity to further integrate tech into their daily operations.

We are already seeing robots replace human workers in manufacturing, food service, sanitation, security and more. Robots don’t get sick, robots don’t take breaks nor day offs, making them perfect for repetitive tasks. According to ACS , at least 2.7 million jobs for Australians are at risk of automation over the next 15 years.

Artificial Intelligence is Getting Smarter

Just recently, The Guardian released an article titled “A robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human?” It was written by OpenAI’s new language generator GPT-3. “I know that my brain is not a ‘feeling brain’. But it is capable of making rational, logical decisions,” one of the most notable statements in the article. It’s not just with writing.

AI is enhancing medical imaging significantly. AI is helping talent acquisition teams source highly qualified candidates quicker and better. AI is also making anti-money laundering systems more robust. On top of that, Deep Learning is gaining high grounds in various industries. AI is slated to lead new technologies in the future to transform the way we work.

According to a 2018 report by McKinsey Global Institute , AI might add 16% or $13 trillion (USD) to the global economic output by 2030. The AI global market is experiencing tremendous growth this year mainly because of the pandemic with more organisations investing more in tech.

So, is the fear of being taken over by robots becoming more and more of a reality with each passing day? No!

No Substitute for the Human Touch

Robots and AI might be able to handle advanced jobs, but they can’t create new ones. This is a matter of being driven or being the driver. In regards to that article written by AI tech GPT-3, a few days after, The Guardian followed it up with a new post , with the title, “A human wrote this article. You shouldn’t be scare of GPT-3.”

The author of the article Albert Fox Cahn wrote “these machines do not have will, they do not have originality and they cannot claim authorship.” This is true, no matter how advanced or innovative AI or any technology is, they are not capable of making critical and most important of all, human-centric decisions.

Without human insights and inputs, AI and all other techs out there would cease to exist. Robots, nor AI, nor other future technologies will never replace the human workforce.

This is not human vs technology. It is humans, enabled by technology, building a better future of work. HR will play a pivotal role in establishing the future of work. The future of work is being built by humans. Humans are also in the process of creating new works, where individuals find more value and feel more valued.

Finding Value in Job Rejection

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 03:51:59 GMT

No matter how resilient and optimistic you are, hearing ‘no’ over and over again when you are on the job hunt is tough. ‘Am I not good enough?’ ‘Is there something wrong with my resume?’ ‘Did I say something wrong during the interview?’ ‘I really thought it would go the distance.’ It will, you just need to go further. There is strong value in job rejection. All you need is the right mindset to stay motivated and keep going.

It’s not personal

A job rejection doesn’t always mean you’re not good enough. Maybe you were good enough, but someone was just better. It is not a personal attack nor was it a professional attack from the employer. Keep in mind that in recruitment, there are different factors at play, and you can’t focus on aspects you excel at.

The employer or recruiter is doing what is best for their organisation. That means recruiting the ideal candidate for the role. It just happens that you weren’t that candidate. But, pretty soon, you’ll be that candidate and someone else will feel the same way you did before.

You need to be kind to yourself and avoid fixating on the negative side of things. This is important here in Australia and across the world with millions of people on the job hunt. Most of these people lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Grant Blashki, lead clinical advisor of Australia’s Beyond Blue said employees and job seekers ‘go well beyond their jobs.’ He also urges everyone to avoid ‘thinking errors’ and to remind themselves that the situation will improve over time. ‘Our work life is important to many of us, but it’s not what makes us who we are,’ he said.

Ask for feedback

‘I demand justification!’ Not that aggressive though. It would be advantageous for you to make it a habit of asking recruiters for feedback after job rejections and even when you get the job. This is ideal for entry-level employees who are just getting started. Good and bad feedback are both good. Good feedback gives you something to build-up on. Bad feedback reveals room for improvement.

Expect that some recruiters won’t provide any feedback at all. Assess your job application process and determine what went well and what didn’t, then ask why, on your own. On our previous Career Advise blog post, we shared timely tips for jobseekers amidst the pandemic . One of those is to upskill and reorient oneself. Feedback you get after job rejections might help you get a clear target on what to learn and develop.

It’s not you, it’s them

In some cases, it is not on you. Many organisations post up phantom job openings, basically vacancies that never existed in the first place. Their purpose for doing such thing is to build-up a candidate database they can contact in the future for real job openings. This is not a practice Quay Appointments support and we encourage our clients to avoid this talent pooling approach as it can damage your brand quickly in the candidate market.

It is also possible that you are overqualified in terms of skills or experience. Recruiters are going to be mindful of your target salary. They want to make sure as much as possible that your target salary suits their budget for the role. Many qualified candidates get rejected without being asked the question, ‘how much is your target salary?’ Or by making other unfounded assumptions.

Keep Going

It’s not the end of the world, it’s just a bad day or maybe even a bad week. Here in Quay Appointments, it is part of our culture to always provide feedback to all job applicants. Feedback after a successful or failed job application goes a long way in bringing you a step closer to the right job for you.

Empowering Employees Through These Trying Times and Beyond

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 04:42:30 GMT

In our previous blog , we talked about ways on how to create a COVID safe office for employees. However, safety is only one side of the problem. Empowering employees and keeping morale high is another challenge amidst the pandemic. Yes, it is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity to establish a positive and nurturing office, especially during these trying times.

Emphasis on Human Capital

Human capital problems existed pre-COVID and many organisations still struggle with it. What employers do for the sake of their employees these days will be of value for them beyond this pandemic.

Human capital and employee engagement are not the same, but they work hand in hand. Human capital is referred to as the abilities, skills, attitude, knowledge and competencies of individual workers. Employee engagement is a fundamental approach or concept to understand the nature of employee and employer relationships. Something they have in common, they drive employee growth and success.

Job security for millions of people went into limbo after the pandemic struck globally. Millions of people are jobless, and many employees are afraid of losing their jobs. Emphasis on human capital means giving employees the opportunities and resources they need to grow and upskill themselves as professionals. In creating the work of the future, we are also building the leaders of the future. There are different ways of doing this, but the focus is to enable employees to further their capabilities and in doing so, their careers. It’s about keeping employees busy and engaged at the office not for the sake of work alone.

Connect Through Concerns

Communication is key these days. To be exact, virtual communication is. Your employees and even you yourself have concerns. It is difficult to focus nowadays with the fear of contracting the virus and then coming home to our loved ones. In these frustrations and fears, we find something in common – we are all struggling. This is the best time we connect with each other through our concerns. Together, we talk about office problems and together we come up with solutions.

As we connect in virtual worlds and social dimensions, we become more resilient, both online and offline. Assure your employees that it is ok to raise their concerns.

Further Educate Employees about Health

It is simple to announce social distancing and hand sanitising rules. Infection control does not stop there. It is important to effectively communicate to employees their insurance and medical benefits and claims. Make sure that your employees are aware they have easy access to medical services and resources. It is advisable to consider providing additional medical benefits to employees during this pandemic.

Next would be to schedule weekly meetings to talk about ways on how to improve health and well-being as well as to navigate COVID-19. You can present ideas and tips on how they can better protect themselves from getting infected or strengthen their bodies to fight the virus.

It is advisable for employers to work with government and health entities to get valuable information they can then share with the office. In doing all of these, employees will feel safe, cared for by the company, and that will improve morale.

Here in Quay Appointments, we feel more connected with each other after we shifted to working from home. Now that we are slowly going back to the office, we’ll capitalise on that momentum. It’s been tough on all of us as it has been for others as well. But collectively we rallied around to come out stronger on the other side. What we do for our employees today creates a very strong culture of resilience and hope for the future.

Timely Tips for Jobseekers Amidst the Pandemic

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 03:54:29 GMT

There is still no silver bullet for the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption it has brought upon the world affecting millions of people. One big challenge these days is empowering jobseekers, many of whom lost their jobs due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. Nowadays, there are more jobseekers than there are job opportunities. It is now more important than ever to empower and encourage jobseekers to not give up and continue pushing through.

Let’s start with this.

Focus on Mental Health

Assessing mental health these days is important. The stress of finding a job, the frustration of getting rejected, and the fear of getting infected with the virus can become too much. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, among age groups in the country, young people (aged 18 – 24) are “more likely to experience high or very high levels of psychological distress.” This can be rooted from different reasons but the biggest circumstances we’re all facing right now are around the pandemic.

To battle mental health issues during the pandemic, the Federal and State Governments are coming up with health guidelines and programs for everyone. In New South Wales, the Mental Health Commission released a support guideline with a list of organisations and groups providing mental health services. You can access the report by clicking here. Most of the providers on the list are servicing people digitally to minimise the contagion.

Upskill and Reorient Yourself

There are some positive outcomes from the pandemic. One being that jobseekers have the chance to upskill themselves and to refocus the trajectory of their career. One reality we saw and continue seeing in this pandemic is that technology will play a big part in the future of work.

Several organisations are investing heavily and strategically in tech. Jobseekers now have the opportunity to learn new skills with technology as the enabler. Despite that, it is important to know that tech will not replace human effort. It is ideal to capitalise on this opportunity of having focused time.

This is more than just making the best out of it. Advanced technology will influence the globalisation work in the future and that is why professionals, employed and unemployed should prioritise connected learning.

Fear, Frustration and Anxiety are Normal

If you are feeling scared, frustrated and anxious in the present and of the future, you are not alone. It is normal to feel these things. Many people around you fully understand what you are going through. Losing a job is not easy for anyone. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate rose from 7.1 per cent to 7.4 per cent in June.

Finances and health are the biggest concerns not only for people who lost their jobs, but for everyone. Many households here in Australia rely on monthly salaries. That is why jobseekers need to know that it is ok to be scared and frustrated. There are small but significant improvements in employment. According to the same report by ABS, employment increased by 210,800 people being hired between May and June.

HR’s Role

HR and talent acquisition teams must now provide more value in the recruitment and onboarding stages. A focal point in the recruitment process is providing TIMELY and VALUABLE feedback. COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT.

If there is something jobseekers hate more than not getting a job, it’s not getting any feedback or updates at all. It results in a frustrating experience that leaves a bad taste among jobseekers. They deserve to get value when they get the job as well as when they don’t get the job. Establish a communication channel via email, phone calls or any online messaging platforms.

HR is at the forefront of establishing a more progressive recruitment process for candidates. Here at Quay Appointments, we identify with the value and importance of progress for jobseekers. Our intention is to respond to all job applicants in a timely manner with an update of what stage their job application is at. We welcome open conversations with all applicants, even if they are not successful on progressing to the next stage, at least we can share some specific feedback and updates on the jobs market.

Create a Safe Office for Employees to Go Back To

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 04:57:09 GMT

Millions of people here in Australia continue to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been tough for all of us here as well as everyone across the globe. When the pandemic broke out globally back in March, many organisations were forced to implement working from home arrangements to minimise the contagion and keep people safe. Now that some employees are going back to the office, what’s next?

Follow Government Guidelines

Federal and State Governments handed down requirements for offices to be deemed COVID safe . Here in New South Wales, those requirements are divided into three steps. First is to complete a COVID-19 safety plan. Next will be to register the business as COVID safe and then finally, display COVID safe posters all over the office to make your employees and customers feel safe and confident.

Infection Control

Employees working in the office must be at least 1.5 metres away from each other. Face masks are encouraged to be worn at all times. Everyone must practice good hygiene, especially by handwashing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. You can also use alcohol or alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Put up hand sanitizer stations all over the office.

Pre COVID-19, a simple cough or low fever wouldn’t have stopped you from going to work. This is not the case anymore. Inform your employees not to report to work if they are experiencing cough, fever, sore throat and shortness of breath. If these symptoms appear at work in one of your employees, send him or her home immediately. Also, a thermal gun is useful to check employees’ temperature as they come and go.

Keep Workstations Clean

This is for both employers and employees. Keep work desks clean at all times. For once, let us all be neat freaks to keep ourselves and our colleagues safe. Always have a tissue or wet wipes with you to clean surfaces and avoid having too much clutter on your desk.

Take Short Breaks

Tell your employees to take short breaks to do some light exercise or stretching. These easy activities improve the immune system to battle other conditions that can increase susceptibility to the contraction of COVID-19.

Get the Flu Vaccine

Encourage your employees to get vaccinated to fight off the flu. If you have the budget for it, why not cover the fee for them. Flu vaccinations are encouraged these days for all workers, especially those in direct contact with customers. A flu vaccine won’t protect you from contracting the COVID-19. However, it would help prevent influenza and make it easier to identify COVID-19 symptoms.

#Itest4NSW

Encourage your employees to get tested. The New South Wales government is hoping to increase testing in the state. Especially for people within the age range of 18 to 35. This group has the highest rate of infections in the state. This is for everyone. The government is asking for your help. You can give a hand by posting a video on social media of yourself talking about why you got tested or would get tested. When you post that video, make sure to include the hashtag #Itest4NSW.

Establish a Crisis Team

A Crisis Team within HR will coordinate efforts and objectives amidst the crisis. This is something all organisations can practice beyond this pandemic.

Inspire Responsibility

Finally, inspire your employees to be responsible because it is if for their own sake, the sake of their colleagues, and the sake of their loved ones waiting for them at home.

How I am keeping sane “WFH” during COVID

Sat, 09 May 2020 05:18:45 GMT

The first few weeks were exciting: more time to enjoy with my family, staying up late, sleeping in, staying in pyjamas all day… Week 7, I am desperately ready to go back to the “normal” world. This is how I am keeping it all together:

1. Be in the present

COVID has definitely brought fear, anxiety and uncertainty to me. So, focusing on my mind has been a very important part of my journey. Practicing Mindfulness helps you to stay positive, optimistic and grateful, which is critical for our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well being. Here are some mindfulness apps:

Insight Timer has over 25,000 free guided meditations
Smiling Mind
If meditation isn’t for you , try doing an everyday activity in a mindful way

2. Staying Active

The first few days when working from home, I made the mistake to stay in most of my days, sitting at my desk behind a screen without much movement. Very quickly, I realised that this wasn’t sustainable: at the end of each day, my eyes, head and body were hurting.

Besides taking regular breaks and stepping away from your desk, keeping active when we don’t move as much as usual is critical to our health. Every day at 7:45am, I am doing a 15min workout through the 7 minute working app ( iOS and Android ) either with the team via Zoom (great way of motivating you) or on my own. Here are some other apps you can use:

Yoga with Adriene : yoga classes lasting from five minutes through to an hour
Nike Training Club : heaps of free workouts you can do from home.

3. Stay socially connected

Even being an introvert myself, after 7 weeks being isolated from everyone I am starting to miss people. Here are some different ideas so you stay in “virtual touch”:

Daily team catch up
Have a virtual lunch with a colleague, friend or your recruiter
Organise Friday team fun activities: we have been doing trivia each Friday arvo, Beer catch ups or online fun team activities ( MarcoPolo , Letsdrawit , Houseparty )
Morning work outs – great way of staying socially connected

4. It is okay not to feel okay

This is a very tough time for most of us and it is okay to be down or not be yourself. In these circumstances, reach out and don’t deal with it alone, after all we are all on the same boat.

On that, I am making myself available every Monday morning from 9:30 am to 10:30am for anyone who would like “free” advice on resume writing, career planning, or just “staying socially connected” – You can reach me on 0416 460 683.

Finally guys, this is a great time to reconnect with what it is truly important to us, take a step back from the business and focus more on you.

Japan vs Australia: Differences in Work Culture

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 12:36:17 GMT

My name is Joi and I am currently working as an intern here at Quay Appointments. While working in Australia as an intern from Japan, I found that there are three major differences between Japanese work culture and Australian work culture. For the duration of my 12 weeks of work, I have noticed that the Australian work environment is more casual in the work place than the Japanese work environment.

Work attire

Most Japanese offices tend to be conservative and very formal regarding work attire. People can be seen as rude or informal if they are not wearing the appropriate attire. Most Japanese businessmen wear navy, grey or black suits with ties. Japanese businesswomen dress similarly with a white button shirt with a navy or black blazer and a matching skirt.

Australian worker attire is more casual than Japanese. Men wear long trousers and button shirts to the workplace, and woman also have more freedom in their clothing choices in comparison to Japanese women. Many workplaces have a “casual Friday” where they are encouraged to wear smart casual attire such as jeans and T-shirts.

Working hours

Most Japanese employees work long hours, and it is common for them to work 60 hours per week despite the labour law. It has led to a phenomenon called Karo-shi (かろし), which literally means “death by overwork.” It is considered impolite to leave the office, so the boss and workers have to work overtime, sometimes unpaid. They believe that the amount of time they work, determines their chances for promotion, and the quantity of their work is more important than its quality. It is also common for Japanese workers to go for drinks after finishing work. It is not necessarily required, but it is socially expected in order to enhance the relationship with their boss.

The standard working week in Australia is 38 hours, and working hours in most offices including Quay, start from 8:30 – 9:30am and finish from 4:30 – 5:30pm, with a one-hour break for lunch. Workers basically can leave the office anytime (with their bosses’ permission) and they do not work overtime. It is because Australians try to establish a balance between their work and free time, and spend more time with their families. Because of this, they would typically go straight home and not socialise with their colleagues after finishing work.

Work environment

The Japanese work environment is normally quiet and focused. This is because of the Japanese working culture. Workers can be considered rude if they disagree openly and directly. Because of this, they tend to keep the office quiet and do not communicate with their colleagues frequently.

On the other hand, Australians like to socialise with their colleagues and keep things casual in the office. Australian workplace culture allows people to socialise during their working hours. Communication in the work place can be considered a good work ethic for creating good team work and work environment. At Quay, every Friday at 4:30, the staff gather around the kitchen to socialise with snacks and drinks. It is an effective way to get to know each other, and they can relax outside the work place. In order to keep the office casual, they don’t mind playing music in the office too.

I am impressed about how the Australian work culture is casual, and it has been a beneficial experience for me to see the differences between Japanese and Australian work cultures. As some Japanese workers are literally working themselves to death. I hope that one day the Japanese workplace will look to Australia’s working culture to improve their employee’s work environment for the future.

Acing Your Recruitment Job

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 05:28:39 GMT

With so many things going on at once, recruitment can sometimes be a juggling act. If you are a recruiter working at an agency, you will most likely be juggling candidates, clients and organizational processes all at once. So how can you get yourself organized so that this juggling act becomes second nature to you?

1. Plan out your day and make a ‘to do’ list

Whether this is in your diary, on your computer or on a scrap piece of paper, the first step to becoming organized is planning out your day so that you don’t become overwhelmed. Take note of a couple of important things that you must get done for the day and tick them off once they are completed. That way you’re not relying on yourself to remember and you have one less thing to keep organized.

2. Set & keep track of deadlines

Once you have planned out your day or week, set yourself deadlines and stick to them. You may start your working day by blocking out timeframes in which you will do specific tasks eg BD calls, candidate interviews or client meetings. Things don’t always go to plan and there may be ad hoc tasks that pop up so you need to keep this in mind and manage accordingly.

3. Keep your emails organized

Emails are a necessary and major way of communicating with your clients and candidates. If you ignore your email inbox completely, they will keep piling up and will get too hard to manage. To keep your emails organized, once you have actioned the email, the best thing to do is put this into a folder so that you can easily navigate back to it if you need to refer to it later. You can also set up ‘rules’ where any emails from a particular person will be automatically moved to a folder.

4. Keep your desk clear

There is nothing worse than sitting at a desk that is covered with papers strewn all over it. The first step to tackling this is to do a major cull and get rid of any papers that are no longer necessary. Work out a filing system that works for you, or even better, keep everything online! If your desk is clean, you are more focused and more work is going to get done!

What Type Of Candidate Are You?

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 12:43:21 GMT

Have you ever taken a personality test? I know that after I take one, I’m naturally intrigued by my results and will read everything about what it reveals. I’ve always been really interested in these type of tests and wondered how my personality traits would influence my choice in pursuing a compatible career.

Most people have heard of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test, based upon 16 different personality types. Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Are you more of a sensor or an intuitive? Are you a thinker or a feeler? And are you a more of a judger or a perceiver? I always assumed that this test was the holy grail of personality tests, however I still questioned if personality tests were accurate. Maybe they are just categorized in such a way that could be universal. So at the end of the day, is there really a valid value in personality tests? I’ve come to realize that the answer is yes.

It wasn’t until I came to Australia and interned here at Quay Appointments that I learned how much organisations care about a person’s personality. Recruiters use the interview process to really get a feel for a candidate on their personality, abilities, and character. By making them feel as comfortable as possible, recruiters are able to see how a candidate acts and potentially will act in a role.

Aside from an interview, companies also want to get an all-round feel for their candidates. I’m talking about a psychometric assessment. These types of assessments take both a personality test and an aptitude test and combines it into one. More often now, companies will implement different versions of psychometric assessments to measure a person’s compatibility for a role and even their suitability within the organisation as a whole. It is a test based upon personality traits and intellectual capabilities. Though they can sometimes be lengthy, companies can test candidates on various types of reasoning such as numerical, logical, verbal, etc. and assess a candidates personality type as well.

Companies are looking for honest answers. They want to see if the candidate matches their company’s trend and environment or if the candidate would actually bridge or fix a gap in their company’s dynamic. The personality portion of an assessment is purposed to see how well a candidate does at making decisions, persevering, and being thorough amongst other categories.

If a company asks you to take this test, don’t fret too much. Remember that companies don’t base their decisions solely on an assessment like this. They just use it to further evaluate and weigh their options. This assessment provides them with an all-around view of what a candidate has to offer. So, whether you are an extrovert or an introvert or if you are a thinker or a feeler, just be yourself and put your best foot forward.

It amazes me how the idea of administering a personality test, even in the form of a psychometric assessment, has grown more common over the years. More companies are using this technique and through my internship with Quay Appointments, it has truly opened my eyes to the field of recruitment from a different perspective. The things I wouldn’t normally think about from the side of the candidate has been brought to my attention and has given me insight into what career I want to pursue after college. It has made me ask myself, “what type of a candidate am I?” instead of “what type of candidate do they want me to be.”

Signs of a Healthy Workplace Culture

Sat, 28 Sep 2019 05:33:36 GMT

A healthy, happy work environment is where staff want to come to work, they want to work their hardest and at the end of the day, feel good about what they are doing. A work environment that they brag about, and one they never want to leave!

Did you know that disengaged employees have:

37% higher absenteeism rates
49% more accidents in the workplace
60% more errors, mistake and defects in their work

Here are some signs of a healthy workplace and some tips on how to ensure it stays!

People are inspired, not scared

You want your team to come in each day inspired to change the world, being challenged and engaged by the business. You don’t want your staff thinking they will never achieve what’s been asked of them, and therefore unwilling to try.

TIP: Getting to know your team is really important. Learn their motivators & their challenges – go as far as even knowing where they’re going on holiday or what their favorite coffee is!

Team Collaboration

If you have a team that are happy to work together on a project and are pulling in people with different skills from other teams to solve a problem, that’s a good sign of a healthy workplace.

TIP: Show people how they contribute to the business; set a clear business strategy of where you want the business to go, and then clearly communicate this to your team. Everyone should understand it and be able to see how their work directly contributes to the goal.

Responsibility & Trust

No one likes to make mistakes, but it happens. In a healthy workplace, when someone makes a mistake they don’t try to hide, and they don’t point fingers at other people. If people feel comfortable to take responsibility for what’s gone wrong and get help from their colleagues to fix it, then you’re in a good place.

Trust follows on from taking responsibility and working collaboratively. If your people trust each other, then they’ll truly be able to work as a team to better the business – that is a true sign of a healthy workplace.

You can take some down time without feeling guilty

Work hard, play hard right? But sometimes you need down to time to recover. If your team feels they have the space to take time for themselves, like a sick day or actually switch off over their holidays, then it’s a clear sign that you’ve got a healthy work environment.

TIP: Encourage your staff to take regular breaks from their desks. Regular breaks help increase productivity and concentration.

People feel like they belong

Thee has been a lot of talk about diversity in the workplace but very little about inclusion. Inclusion means that everyone feels like they’re part of the team and they belong to the business. If team members feel isolated or that their opinion doesn’t matter, this can inhibit their active contribution to the team and weaken overall collaboration within the workplace.

TIP: Celebrate people’s differences – professional or personal. This reinforces that you see each of your employees as human. Don’t forget the power of saying thank you – this can cause people to feel appreciated and recognized.

No Gossip or Politics

Gossip and politics are the worst! This can be incredibly harmful to the morale of the team and something that needs to be fixed immediately!

TIP: Make sure everyone in your business feels like they have the means, and a safe environment to communicate with others. Having regular open meetings is one great method! Communicating about hot tops, projects and any concerns allows you to hear out your teams’ opinions. Communication is all about listening. You want everyone in your team to feel values and respected and know their voice is being heard.

Congratulations! You’ve got the interview. Now what?

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 12:50:23 GMT

Interview Preparation

Congratulations! You’ve got the interview. Now what? For some, it’s just a wait until interview day, put on business attire and walk into the interview with a smile. For others, there’s a bit more prep involved, and those are the candidates that land the job. Let’s talk about some of the finer points of your interview prep, the details that will help you outperform your competition.

What’s The Interview And Selection Process?

Prior to your interview, you should ask the company what the process will be. Not only does this show you’re engaged, it will help you prepare. How many stages will there be? What is the focus of each interview or stage? Will there be ability or psychometric tests? Understanding the answers to these questions and having a good knowledge of the process will ensure you can develop a good plan of attack, which ultimately will lead to an offer.

Who Is On The Interview Panel?

It’s always a good strategy to know who you are about to speak to at the interview. What do they do at the company? Why might they be on the panel? What will the relationship be between them and the role you are applying for? Understanding your interviewers, their role in the company, their relationship to the position will help you understand exactly what they are looking for in a potential colleague. Have a look at their LinkedIn, their posts, their work history. In doing so you may have a better idea of what the company culture is like, the questions they may be interested in asking you, and what questions you should be asking of them.

Speaking Of Questions, Bring Some

Don’t be afraid to ask questions at your interview! It shows your interest, your attention to detail, and shows you are taking the whole process seriously. I’ll admit, I’ve had a few interviews where I’ve come out feeling great but thought of a question or a topic of discussion after the interview was over, which annoyed me to no end. How do you combat this? Bring a note card of course. Write your must ask questions and must share experiences. In doing so, you free your mind to concentrate on the conversation at hand and on new questions that arise from it.

Get In The Groove

Have you ever startled yourself with sound of your own voice? I know I have. Usually first thing in the morning, in an unexpected conversation with someone I don’t know well. It’s hard to speak, isn’t it? Well, what is an interview but a conversation with a person or persons you don’t know well? You don’t want your voice to startle yourself at the interview. How do you avoid startling yourself and ensure you are in the conversation groove at interview time? Talk to people before the interview of course. A lot. And Smile. A lot. Smiles brings on conversations, continues conversations, makes conversations more memorable. And don’t forget to bring that smile into the interview.

Remember, anyone can show up to an interview and tell them their job history and achievements. What will separate you from the competition and ultimately make you stand out are the details. Not only the details on your CV, but the details in how you present yourself at the interview.

Work, Social Life and Study – How Do You Keep Up?

Fri, 03 May 2019 13:06:37 GMT

At first glance, a good work-life balance for students seems to be easy to achieve because most timetables contain just a few lectures per week and a lot of spare time. However, in reality this looks a bit different.

Besides the lectures, there are many other obligations you need to manage such as writing assignments, preparing presentations, working on projects and learning for the exams. Moreover, most students need to work part-time to finance their studies and of course, they also want to enjoy their life and have fun with friends.

So how do you find the balance between study, work and social life?

Make a timetable and follow it

A timetable is a great way to organize your week. Make sure to fill in everything including class time, work times, study times and other obligations. By doing this, you will know exactly when your free time is and where you can hang out with friends or do anything you like. The more detailed your calendar is, the more likely you will stick to it.

Be realistic! You need to be honest with yourself and how much you can handle. It is important to priorities your tasks. Sometimes it seems like everything is important, but there are things that are more important than others and sometimes you may have to say no to the less important things such as outings with friends.

Choose a suitable job

If you choose a job that is aligned with your studies, you are able to apply the skills and knowledge you learn from your lectures, and vice versa. You earn experience and feel more confident in your chosen career path.

However, take care that your job is flexible and fits into your schedule!

Learn how to handle stress

As mentioned earlier, life as a student can be stressful. There are many ways to handle stress, you just need to figure out what works best for you. Some people like to do sport, others like to do meditation and others need some quality time with their friends or family.

Look for a study group

It is important to realize that you are not alone with this feeling! Building a study group is a good way to handle the stress and pass the upcoming exams. You can support each other and complement your skills.

Stay healthy

A healthy body is the fundamental requirement to be successful in managing your study life.

Make sure that you take enough time to look after yourself. Eating nutritious food, exercising and getting enough sleep can boost your brain and body’s performance. It will improve your productivity and helps you to stay focused.

Reward yourself

There is nothing wrong with being proud of yourself and your work. If you’ve completed a task successfully, then reward yourself! Moreover, planning something that you are looking forward to will help you to stay motivated and focused.

My job experience in Australia – how is it different from California?

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 13:14:51 GMT

Work Life

In California, when we work, we must clock in and clock out. Before you are hired, the hiring managers are nice and create a diverse workplace. However, after you are hired, the managers can be biased. In my belief, there is not as many job opportunities as in Australia because of the strong competition.

Australia is a multicultural society, with a lot of job opportunity. So far, Australian people don’t mind using slang and some profanity in the workplace. Californian people try not to use it because they want to be professional.

In Australia, the minimum salary pay is $18, and currently right now, it’s $12 in California. If you are working as servers, you do get tips however, it’s never a set amount because it depends on how busy the business is. I noticed in most of the restaurants in Australia, you order and pay first in the front and then sit down. Also, you get water by yourself in the front. I feel like this is more convenient, because you do not have to get the server’s attention. The servers in California can be slow, forgetful, and hard to get their attentions for refilling water and getting the check. Plus, you still have to pay around 10-20% tips.

After Work

In California, there are many places that close around 10PM. For example, the mall closes at 9PM, and the latest the restaurant closes is at midnight. After work, I can hang out with my friends just anywhere. The food in California is cheap, good, and served in big portions.

Australia has a large variety of beautiful nature. After work, people walk around, explore, or chill at the parks. It’s not weird to walk alone because there are so many people walking around and crossing the street. In California, everyone drives, so there are a lot of pollution and people just want to go home or go out to eat.

Australian people are very nice and laid back. No matter where you are, some people just talk to you randomly if you’re alone. In California, people mind their own business.

Bonding Activities

During my time at Quay Appointments, I believe it is a very chill place to work. Every Friday we all gather around the kitchen to bond. We sit down and chat about anything, with some snacks and alcohol. It’s the best way to get to know your colleagues better, and end the week with laughter.

My Uncertainties Before Coming To Australia

Before I came to Australia, I didn’t know it was such a diverse country. As an American born Chinese, I love Asian food, and thought I’ll miss it. However, there are so many different cuisines in Australia. I thought I would not fit in to the country, but Australians are respectful, cheerful, and helpful.

Resume Tips To Secure Your Dream Job

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 13:30:03 GMT

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received regarding a resume is, ‘ consider your resume like your passport, it is your pass to getting that job you’re seeking . ’ This advice was given to me by Quay Appointments Operations Manager, Philip Divilly. You would want your resume to be a reflection of yourself and to be noticed. After all, it is your one pass to securing that dream job!

Begin your resume with your name, email address and a contact number. You can provide an address as an indication of your location, although this is optional. Make sure that if you do provide an address, it is a permanent one.

Objective/Professional Summary

This is your time to shine. Your opening statement will indicate to the employer your goals, values and whether they could support you on your journey and vice versa. Think about what motivates you, what you would like to achieve and how your experience relates to the position you are applying for.

Skills

This could be a crucial component of your resume, depending on what you choose to outline. Listing your strengths could demonstrate your ability as an employee. Alternatively, if an employer is looking for experience with a specific program, it could assist them in determining your skills relevant to their requirements.

Education

List your education with the most recent first. State the qualification obtained, followed by institution and date of completion. You should tailor the education section of your resume to fit your current circumstances, including whether or not you are still a student, your work experience, and how many academic achievements you have. By including the right information in the education section of your resume, you can impress your employer and secure an interview!

Employment History

Similar to your education, structure your employment history with your most recent experience first. Include the company name, dates of employment and position held. Briefly outline the responsibilities you held in that position. (You can always elaborate on this at the interview!) Don’t forget to include any key achievements made during your employment.

References

Before you put anyone down as your reference, make sure you have their permission to do so. List two references and include their name, position held, company and contact number. Alternatively, you could opt to include “references available upon request”.

Working with Passion

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:54:48 GMT

”I love my job I absolutely enjoy what I am doing. What else can you wish for than a good job? A job which is a passion at the same time? I have a very good reason to wake up in the morning.”

Hearing this feedback from a previous candidate was breath-taking. Every recruiter’s dream is to hear these words being said. I was so happy to hear that she is enjoying what she is doing. Not only is this the best thing she can wish for, but it is also generating an achievement for us as well.

She was using the word “passion” many times. When you work with passion, you have an inner motivation to succeed in what you are doing. Part of the work might not even feel like working at all, as you are spending your day with something which is meaningful for yourself.

Where does this passion arise?

People have to inherent the need to be enthusiastic about what they are doing. The importance of inspiration for the work does not just stand out as a present-day phenomenon. Enthusiasm and passion have motivated you to do this through the history of mankind. But is it a passionate work of an unkempt calling or a selfish desire for pleasure?

A healthy amount of selfishness is good for a person. It is important for your well-being to dare to give time to meaningful things that you enjoy. Work enthusiasm can often arise from being able to help others or to be influential.

However, the same rush does not keep going the entire working day. Moments of excitement come and go all day long. The positive enthusiasm, however, is to recognize that you are working close to your interest and values. Work, in turn, affects your whole quality of life. That is the reason why to try and find moments of enthusiasm, in order to impact your own wellbeing.

This is our goal, and this is what we want to hear from our candidates. We want you all to reach your own, personal goals. We want to get to know you and to find you a job you feel comfortable in. I think it is an important way to achieve success as well as great results. This is why we do our best to try and find a perfect candidate to match a perfect working environment.

Furthermore, it is not just you who gets the positivity out of work, it is the whole work environment, including our clients. Your well-being is not just for yourself, but for others to experience as well.

I think I was writing this in a flow. In a mood of satisfaction but honestly, I think we all should have a look and think what we want to do in life. What are the same things that bring us the same passion as the candidate has in her work? We should go towards those goals and dreams, as then we can achieve the best for ourselves.

Working in Australia as an Intern from Mexico!

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:05:05 GMT

My name is Diana and I am currently working as an intern in Australia here at Quay Appointments. I have spent my whole life in Mexico, and when I travelled over to Australia, I came to find that it is a whole new world for me. There is an obvious difference between Mexico and Australia – the language, the culture, the people, and the food (in my view, Mexican is better of course!) One major difference that I have experienced during my time working with Quay Appointments, is the working environment and the organizational culture. Mexico is an unbeatable country in so many aspects, however Australia has a better organizational environment. Here are the reasons why:

Working Hours / Work-Life Balance

In Australia the balance between personal life and work life is incredible. If your finishing hour is 5PM, you leave at that time. In Mexico, leaving the work place on your finishing hour is often translated as sign of a laziness or a ‘bad employee.’ It is not unusual that Mexican people work up until 9PM every day, with a large percentage of them working under $5 AUS dollars for the entire day.

Wages

In Mexico, the minimum wage is $80 pesos per day which translates to around $5 Australian dollars. 42% of Mexican workers are under this pay rate or less.

The Australian minimal wage $18.29 per hour , which is $146.32 pesos per day in Mexico. Think about how lucky you are to even receive the minimum wage per hour when someone in Mexico may not even earn that in 3 days!

Employee Performance

I feel that Latino people are excellent employees because we are passionate about things we believe are right. We are raised with this hard-working mentality and are the first to look for solutions when there aren’t any.

If we need to work 14 hours a day, we will without complaining about it as that is considered normal in Mexico. From my time in Australia, I have found that companies have set working hours and will close their business at that specified time. I recall this experience when I travelled to the Blue Mountains, when a waiter told my friends and I that he wasn’t able to attend to us because he had too much work going on. Back in Mexico, if you ever said that to a customer, you would be immediately fired!

Bonding Activities

One of the best things about working in Australia and particularly Quay Appointments, is the possibility to have alcohol in the office. By law in Mexico, there can’t be alcohol on the workplace. Here, every Friday afternoon I share some food and a couple of drinks with my fellow and lovely colleagues. I believe it is a very nice way to bond with your colleagues, wind down for the week and relieve some stress!

Working Environment

My absolute favourite aspect of an Australian working environment is the fact that everyone is treated with respect. All ideas are welcome, and each person in the office has their own personality to which they bring to the office each day. The opportunity to express yourself without being judged or put down is lovely to be a part of in Australia.

Overall, any form of bullying or discrimination is NOT accepted. People must treat you like a human being, and not a machine that is easily replaceable. The way managers view employees is very different in Australia than it is in Mexico. Employees in Mexico are sometimes seen as ‘disposable,’ and something that can be easily be replaced. This can be a big problem because, if someone doesn’t want to do the job or can’t do it correctly, there are 5 more people who can do it for less money even. In Australia, everyone matters and everyone deserves and is treated like a human being.

I think each country is amazing in their own way for very different reasons. Australia has the beauty of a first world country, while Mexico has a millenary history and culture. I am finishing up my internship here at Quay Appointments in February 2019, and I will take so many new ideas and insights back home with me. I am so glad I got to experience working in Australia!

How to get the most out of Networking Events

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:17:13 GMT

Networking is about meeting people, introducing who you are and what you do and gaining valuable contacts and information that you can then use throughout your working career whether at present or in the future.

In the past, Quay Appointments have provided many breakfast networking seminars to cater for this, and ultimately help our clients to network appropriately.

Along with my networking experience; follow the below networking tips and tricks to get the best out of these events

1. WHY ARE YOU ATTENDING THE EVENT?

Before you attend the event ask yourself what you want to get out of it.

Knowing what type of people, you want to speak to, and what you are hoping to accomplish out of these interactions will help you to make the most of your time. You could even do some research on LinkedIn beforehand to prepare yourself.

Make sure you wear something comfortable and dress to impress!

2. SMILE!

It is important to be confident and presented well whilst you are at a networking event. Make sure you bring along your smile as you will come off as more open and welcoming, making it easier for people to connect with you. Avoid sitting in the corner by yourself, otherwise you may come off as a closed book.

Make the effort to talk to new people otherwise you will miss out on new opportunities.

3. HOW WILL THEY REMEMBER YOU?

Again, before you attend the event, grab plenty of business cards and a pen. Business cards are an easy way for someone to contact you and they should have your company, name, primary phone number and email address. You don’t want to be wasting time writing down your details every time you want to pass hand them out.

When you make a genuine connection, you can hand out your business card and the other person can easily remember you.

4. HOW SHOULD YOU SPEND YOUR TIME

Whilst networking, you need to get out of your comfort zone and speak to new connections.

Don’t talk to your friends or people you have already met for a long period of time and try not to get stuck in the one conversation for too long.

You want to meet a lot of new people in a short period of time and expand your network so that you can help yourself in the future.

5. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AFTER THE EVENT?

If you want to establish rapport with another person, create a reason to keep the new relationship going.

A few days after the event is over, follow up with anyone you wish to keep connecting with. The best way to do this is by email or through LinkedIn. Make sure to personalize each message and let them know you that you enjoyed meeting them. You are then able to suggest another time to catch up and go over important points in more detail.

If you are struggling in your job search or just want some more future career prospects, networking is the perfect tool. If you know what you want to get out of the event, how to introduce yourself, time management and following up when the event is over, the event will be extremely beneficial to you.

The more people you know, the more likely it is that you’ll know the right person at the right time, which could lead to future job opportunities.

Quay Appointments Breakfast Seminars are starting back up in 2019 so keep an eye out on our website and social media pages!

Graduates: New Skills Frontier

Sat, 03 Nov 2018 04:56:44 GMT

The concept of a career is an ominous task for even the most accomplished people. What do I commit to? What do I train for? Will I still like it in 10 years?

Today’s graduates spend the bulk of their young adult life working toward their aspirational career goals. They spend their young high school lives being top of class to get into the degree and university they need. They spend their time at university training and taking internships to be well set up to win graduate jobs. They spend their time in graduate roles to secure a permanent role in a well-respected company. Its go, go, go until all of a sudden you reach 40 and realise – what am I doing with my life?

The sad reality is that a lot of money and time is invested in upskilling and specialising in a field, that many students are ill-prepared to face the changing nature of the job market. The reality is that “…two-thirds of today’s five-year-old’s will, in about 15 years, find themselves in jobs that don’t exist yet,” (Forbes Online, 3 October 2018). The flip side of this is that the majority of graduates entering slowing industries could face a need to reskill and rethink their concept of career as new unknown fields take over the job market.

It is a bleak outlook. But it is possible to do something about it now. Many large-scale firms are already anticipating a ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ and refocusing their hiring efforts on areas that very few people consider – ‘soft skills.’

Soft skills are those innate abilities that some people have such as ease of presence, engaging communication, social and emotional intelligence, adaptability and problem solving. These are what employers -particularly graduate employers- are looking toward. “…Corporate giants such as KMPG and PricewaterhouseCoopers… now value [soft skills] … more than technical ability,” (SMH Online, 15 March 2015).

If you are one of the unlucky who are not born with an innate sense of soft skills, entering into a career of your choice with the knowledge that it may not be around by the time you expected to have three kids and a Maserati can be daunting. The good news is there are ways to develop these skills.

First – stop relying on your education. Education is always a fantastic thing to have, but do not forget the importance of problem solving and adaptability. You will likely find a number of company restructures in your career and the ability to be flexible and succeed in the face of adversity is a skill your employers will always desire, regardless of your industry.

Second – be active. You only get in what you put out. There are many fantastic opportunities to get involved and develop your soft skills to better prepare. If you happen to still be studying, get involved in campus life – there are a multitude of societies and groups that will encourage you develop soft skills as well as offering potential connections as you develop your career. For those already on the full-time work grind, there are a multitude of professional development courses established specifically to enhance your soft skills in the areas you need most. If you are lucky, you may even get your workplace to help cover the cost!

If you are currently on the job hunt now, have a chat with your recruiter or the hiring manager for the roles you apply to. They will be able to provide some much-needed industry advice and enable you to better prepare to win you the role you most desire.

A Day in the Life of A Recruiter

Sat, 13 Oct 2018 05:38:44 GMT

In a very competitive market with highly skilled workers and perhaps not always a lot of job openings, the role of a Recruitment Consultant is more important than ever. Here at Quay Appointments we take the title of “Recruitment Consultant” very seriously – We “consult” our candidates to ensure they get their dream job and we also consult our clients to ensure they are attracting the best possible talent to their role.

I have been a recruiter at Quay Appointments for over a year, so I am familiar with the ever-changing market and the steps to complete in order to recruit successfully. As I said before, every single day is different, however I have come up with a couple of responsibilities that generally happen on a day to day basis.

Checking emails

Usually the first thing I would do when I turn on my computer each morning is respond to any emails. These could include emails from my candidates asking questions about their current role or sending their updated resume, so I can put it forward to potential clients. On the other hand, emails from clients are also common, outlining what is required for their next role to be filled. The occasional Quay Appointments internal email is thrown in the mix also! It is necessary to keep checking emails throughout the day to keep up to date with your candidates, clients and job postings.

Posting a job advertisement

Posting an advertisement is another duty of mine, which may happen every couple of days. Our extensive database makes it easy to search through willing and active candidates, but sometimes it may be necessary to post an advertisement through SEEK or on our website for harder to fill roles. This generates a pool of new people, which excites me as I can work closely alongside them to help them find a job.

Screening resumes

After an advertisement has been posted, I am then able to screen through the resumes. It is crucial that I am actively in contact with the client if possible, so that I know the certain skills and personality type that is needed to fulfill the role. Our current database has a step by step process to cull resumes for a job, making it easy to differentiate the good ones from the ones that may not be suited to this particular job. Depending on how popular the job is and how many resumes were received, this may take up a big chunk of my day.

Interviewing candidates

Another priority in my job is interviewing candidates. Without an interview, it is hard to tell how a candidate will truly perform in a role. I always try to be friendly and interactive with the candidates, as I know how hard going for an interview is! I try to ask behavioral questions to delve deeper into what type of role the candidate is looking for. It is essential to match the candidate’s personality and what they are looking for to the client’s job posting.

Networking

I spend some time browsing on LinkedIn and Seek Premium to see what is happening in the market and to see if anyone is potentially looking for a job. This allows me to be proactive with candidates, and I am able to keep them in mind for future opportunities. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with clients, and Seek Premium is perfect to get a behind the scenes look at anyone looking to get a job.

I wish I could articulate a typical day in the life of a recruiter, but I don’t think this is possible as every single day is different! Of course, there are the typical tasks – answering calls / emails, reading CV’s, posting jobs and screening candidates – but the role of a recruitment consultant is so much more.

What have I learnt at my time here at Quay?

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 05:07:26 GMT

1. Expectations

When we commence in our new role we have different expectations.

We look for a job that can provide us with steady employment and security. We research the company and look for reviews which highlight a company’s strong reputation, providing a place where we are proud to work.

We look for a Manager/Supervisor who is competent, supportive and fair in their dealings.

We want friendly and motivated co-workers who also like to have a laugh.

We look for opportunities and the ability to progress in one’s job.

We want to be paid a salary commensurate to our experience and qualifications.

Our hours of work are usually set but require flexibility when the need arises for unexpected events where we may be late.

The four weeks of annual leave is most important to recharge the battery and enjoy a holiday or two.

We like to work at a company that appreciates their employees by supporting a weekly Friday afternoon drinks and nibbles. This also extends to celebrating birthdays and other community events.

This is the type of working environment you will find at Quay Appointments.

2. Relationships

Human beings are naturally social creatures – we crave friendship and positive interactions, just as we do food and water. It makes perfect sense that the better our relationships are at work, the happier and more productive we’re going to be in the workplace.

Positive working relationships within our workplace gives us several other benefits: we enjoy our work more when we have productive working relationships with our fellow colleagues. What’s more, good relationships energise us and inspire us to be the best we can be. Instead of wasting time and energy overcoming problems associated with negative relationships we can focus on opportunities for growth and forming cohesive and open relationships where we can work together towards a common goal and achieve great outcomes.

We also need good working relationships with our candidates and clients. Both our candidates and clients are essential to our overall success. It’s so important to build and nurture these relationships.

We communicate with our clients and candidates on a daily basis whether we are speaking over the phone, emailing or meeting face to face. By nurturing these relationships in a respectful way with open and clear communication the richer they become. This will impact the decision-making process and hopefully lead to a positive outcome.

3. More than a Business

Quay Appointments is more than just a recruitment business. We as a company have a corporate responsibility. It is good to be part of a company that gives back to the community. It opens our hearts and makes us realise how fortunate we are. Raising money for the farmers, providing clothing for Dress for Success, holding monthly casual days where we give a gold coin to charity or educating our candidates with monthly breakfast meetings with a specialist guest speaker. These are just a few causes we contribute to and there are many more.

It makes us feel proud to be part of such an organisation.

4. Growth

When you need top talent to drive your business growth, you need to look at ways to allow growth and learning opportunities. Is there training on a regular basis? Are there opportunities to present or write articles for the company website? Are there opportunities to earn bonuses or other financial incentives? If this is a resounding yes, then this will give support to employees for their personal and professional growth and overall satisfaction on the job.

While there are employees who are happy and content to perform their duties, many career-minded employees want to know that there is opportunity for advancement and growth. They want to be given opportunities to step up and perform higher duties and in turn to be compensated for this.

Work environments and company cultures that incorporate opportunities for personal growth will help build a fun and positive work environment which in turn motivates and keeps employees from becoming bored or disenchanted with their work.

Each day we want to be moving in a positive direction. We have the opportunity to present a topic at our weekly meetings or writing articles on our company website. This may push us out of our comfort zone but it could light up a part of our life that has laid dormant which is seeking further exploration.

We at Quay Appointments have all of these and more to help us reach our potential.

5. Success

What does success mean to you? How do you measure your success?

Everyone has a different interpretation of success. Success is getting all that you want and more in life.

However the road to success is full of a lot of hard work, rejection, pain, often disappointment as well as obstacles and discouraging things but when you reach the heights of success you feel victorious.

Matching the right candidate to the needs of the client and getting a successful outcome is what we are about. It’s being persistent and really listening to both client and candidate. Maintaining those relationships to achieve a win/win result and knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life is a great feeling.

Bring these ingredients into the workplace and you’ll achieve best practice for the company.

What are the market salary trends?

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 05:19:13 GMT

It’s the question on everyone’s mind. What is the market like? Am I being paid appropriately? I’m here to tell you, with the information readily accessible today, both of those questions can be answered.

The first question, what is the market like? I could tell you what the unemployment rates are in Australia or give you a generalist overview of what industry have the highest number of employees, however short answer is ask your recruiter!

They are the subject matter expert for their designated industry. Assuming you are speaking to a recruiter in the correct field they will be able to find these answers for you, if they don’t know them already. The questions you want to be asking are specific. Eg “What areas have you seen the most jobs in?” “Is my experience appropriate for these positions?”

Secondly, am I being paid appropriately for the position and my experience? Some companies have grades and salaries relevant to your duties and responsibilities. These charts or tables are generally found on intranets or via your human resource manager. If you do not have a grading system at work you will need to know your Award. The following link can be used to calculate the minimum salary for your current position. https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/FindYourAward .

However, many employees are not looking for a base salary. People want to know where the rest of the industry sits. This is where you might use a broader search at https://www.glassdoor.com.au/index.htm or http://www.payscale.com. These sites can give you an overview depending on your job and location.

In conclusion, salary trends are always changing depending on the supply and demand in the market. Use information from the subject matter experts like your recruiter and free information sites to find out if you are being paid appropriately.

Reducing New Employee Turnover

Sat, 04 Aug 2018 05:43:34 GMT

As an employer, hiring new people can be an expensive and time consuming process. That’s why it’s important to get it right first time and avoid having to hire for the same position twice. The cost of a losing a new employee is more than just money lost, it’s the time you have invested in on-boarding, training and nurturing the new employee into your business.

Finding the best talent is increasingly competitive so when you do find a star candidate, making sure that they stay on board is crucial.

Once your amazing new employee has accepted your offer, how do you manage their post-hire experience? What do you do during their notice period? What experience do they have in their first week on the new job?

As recruiters, here’s our advice on some of the main things to keep in mind when hiring new employees

Set realistic expectations

It’s important to be realistic with all candidates during the recruitment process so that there is nothing they’re not expecting when they start in the role.
Always discuss the challenges of the role during the interview stage and be honest about what will be expected from a person in the position they are going for.
Give candidates the chance to experience the working environment before they start; show them around, introduce them to their co-workers and give them an insight into what a typical day looks like. This will eliminate the chance of new employees being shocked by the culture of your company when they start.

Effective on-boarding & training

As an employer, you’ll know the first few weeks in a new job are the most important when it comes to retaining employees. 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a business for over three years when they experience a good on-boarding process.

Successful training will put employees in the best position to get off to a flying start and help them to be as productive as possible when they get going in their new role.

To ensure you provide a valuable on-boarding process, consider the following:

Be clear about compliance and exactly what is expected of employees to avoid any problems further down the line.
It can be easy to overload new employees with information in their first few weeks so try to diversify training with practical sessions where they can effectively learn on the job. Employees will probably retain information better and be more engaged with training sessions that are interesting and hands-on.
It’s still important that they settle in and feel comfortable with their new environment. Arrange an informal event to welcome them like lunch out with the team or a few drinks after work.

Maintain mentoring

After their training period; your new employee is still fresh to the business and probably requires some attention. Unfortunately, only 37% of companies extend their on-boarding program beyond the first 4 weeks.

Match your new employee with a mentor; someone who they can turn to with any queries or concerns that can provide them with the support and advice they need.
Post-training period, schedule in regular informal reviews with the new employee so there is no risk of them feeling lost. Provide them with a clear sense of their role and purpose within the organisation.

Remember, your employees are your biggest asset and if managed effectively, happy employees are the biggest advocate of your company too.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your business find the best talent get in touch on 0282 570 500 to chat to one of our consultants.

Do you have any questions?

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 05:28:50 GMT

You’ve reached the final stage: your CV was selected among many other applicants, you conquered the telephone screen and now, here you are, sitting in front of the interviewer, talking confidently about your skills and major achievements when then, all of a sudden you’re asked: ”Do you have any questions?”.

A job interview should be a two-way conversation. After all, asking questions at the end of an interview not only allows you to gain a better understanding of the work environment, but also it shows you took the time to think about how the role would further your career, align with your core values and evaluate if there is a cultural fit. In other words: it shows your interest.

Motivation and commitment are key factors that your potential employer wants to assess and they are as important, if not more, than some of the specific technical skills listed among the selection criteria.

It’s true that you cannot build soft skills or work experience overnight, you need to WOW your interviewer presenting yourself at the best of your possibilities and this entails doing your homework.

Take the time to research the organization: understand its vision, its fundamental values, how it makes money, what are the day-to-day operations, what its core business is.

It’s crucial to make sure that you leave the interview with a clear idea about the position itself and how your typical working day would look (isn’t this the reason why you jump out of the bed in the morning after all?).

We’ve outlined 7 smart questions you could be prepared to ask at the end of a job interview:

1) What is expected to be accomplished in the next 6 months?

Job briefs are often not updated and provide vague ideas about the major responsibilities and the goals to be achieved. It’s paramount to understand what is expected out of a role. This is also a valid metric for you to assess whether you possess the capabilities required for the role.

2) What project management tools do the company use and why?

Project management tools are a valuable resource when it comes to assign tasks to employees, track the various phases of a project and promote a smooth collaboration. By asking this you would be able to get an idea about how you will communicate with the other team members and how your work will be acknowledged by others.

3) What challenging projects are the company working on and what is its impact on the community?

This is to evaluate the involvement of the organization in the society and the level of corporate responsibility. Once again, values must be aligned! No one wants to spend 8 hours a day working for a company whose vision clashes with his own beliefs.

4) Who is the company’s typical client and what are their requirements?

By asking what a client expects from the firm, you will also gain an insight into what is expected from you, on a smaller scale.

5) What was the department biggest challenge last year?

The role may sound fantastic at the beginning and you may be very enthusiastic to take on the opportunity. However it’s important to have a realistic picture of the challenges that you may come across, what could potentially frustrate you or even hamper your performance. You may also take this as a chance to explain how you have been able to overcome challenges in the past.

6) What learning opportunities for development does the company offer employees?

Conferences, mentorships, subsidies for study programs, seminars and trainings are all signs that a company values learning and puts a big focus on satisfying and retaining employees.

While curiosity, interest and a proactive attitude are always appreciated, there are some questions that are red flags and, at least at an early stage, must be avoided.

Here are some tips on the biggest DON’Ts:

Don’t question the salary package or ask too much about what benefits the company can provide: this is something that will come at a later stage.
Don’t ask yes or no questions: you want to gain as more details as you can, closed ended question will limit the amount of information the interviewer can give.
Don’t share – and don’t ask – personal information: although it is beneficial to build a rapport with the interviewer, the context should remain professional.

Social media guide for job seekers

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 05:39:11 GMT

In today’s digital society, with almost everyone active on at least one form of social media, we each have a digital footprint that follows us wherever we go whether we like it or not.

Managing your online reputation is increasingly important, especially if you are actively searching for a new role in the job market. 56% of HR professionals admit that a candidate’s online reputation has an influence on their hiring decision and 65% admit to Googling a candidate during the hiring process. For this reasons it’s really important to be aware of the information that can be found about you online.

On the flip side, as a job seeker, social media can be an incredibly useful tool in finding your new role.

We’ve put together a handy guide to tap into the power of social media to make searching for jobs easier and the pitfalls to avoid.

Here’s our top tips for tidying up your social profiles:

Google yourself and find out what employers can see. Take the opportunity to clean up unwanted photos and embarrassing status updates.
Think carefully about your privacy settings. A potential employer isn’t likely to be impressed by your drunken photos from a night out with friends…
Be careful about the things you say online. Foul language and posting about your ‘hangover’ is unlikely to be what a prospective employer is looking for. If you can’t resist, then make your accounts private and definitely leave this type of thing off LinkedIn.
You may wish to hide the personal details and information that’s public on your social media profiles; it is illegal for employers to make decisions in the hiring process based on your gender, sexual orientation, religion, age or any other information, so don’t leave yourself open to any kind of discrimination.
Choose a profile photo that reflects the professional and sensible side of you… especially on LinkedIn.
Finally, don’t speak negatively about your current or previous employers. So you’ve had a bad day at work? Turning to social media to vent your anger is not the solution. You never know who might see this and you don’t want potential employers to think you’ll do the same about their company should they hire you.

Our top tips on using social media to benefit your job search:

Use your social channels to ‘like’ and ‘follow’ companies or connect and interact with influencers who work in the industry you’d like to get into. This is a great way to show recruiters and employers that you’re engaging with relevant people in your sector.
Companies use social media to advertise their job vacancies, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for vacancy updates in your field and with companies that you’re interested in working for.
Use your social channels to network with people in the industry you want to work in and engage with prospective employers to show you’re taking an interest in their business and what they do.
Connect with and follow recruitment consultants who tend to share useful advice for job seekers such as CV writing tips, interview advice and how to manage job offers.
Use social media (especially LinkedIn) to let people know that you’re in search of new opportunities. A connection may know about a job opening that you don’t or be able to point you in the right direction to leverage your search.
Use your Twitter and LinkedIn accounts to share and comment on relevant industry news. Social media can be a really powerful tool to build your personal brand and it’s also a great platform for showing employers that you are commercially aware, making you a much more attractive candidate.

Sick or not so sick? Dealing with employee sick days…

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 05:47:01 GMT

Winter is well and truly upon us and it’s clear that the work force is feeling the effects of the cold and gloomy weather.

During this season, you may find your employees calling in more regularly, complaining of their unwanted coughs and sniffles, but how sick should really be if you’re too sick to go to work?

We’ve all experienced scenarios where staff have taken a questionable day off. Following a heavy weekend of partying or on a day with a dreaded meeting, and then others who wouldn’t take a day off unless they were at death’s door and bring their sickness to work with them…

Here’s our advice on how to handle both situations:

The problem – sick employees going to work

High pressure jobs and demanding working environments will mean that employees feel the need to turn up for work even though they’re sick. Recent research has found many employees admit to going to work when unwell because of their sheer workload. A lack of resources, elevated job demands, strains of staffing levels and stress, are several reasons why employees feel they can’t afford to take a day off.

Some employees even admitted to still going into work whilst despite being ill, purely down to the fact that they enjoy what they do and can’t keep away!

The solution –

Businesses and their HR departments must communicate to employees the importance of taking time off when unwell, not just to recover and rest, but also to prevent the sickness from being spread around the organisation and causing more employees to have to take time off work too.

Employees need fair and reasonable sick leave programs for security; to know they can take time off without having to worry and reassurance that there will be someone to pick up their workload whilst absent. This will improve honesty and trust between management and employees when it comes to absenteeism and improve overall performance.

The problem – employees that aren’t sick missing work

A recent study showed that almost half of the employment workforce admitted to calling in a ‘sickie’, when they were perfectly healthy, and 1 in 4 employers say they have had to let a member of staff go after faking a sickness.

Employees will use sickness as an excuse to cover up many different reasons for not wanting to come into work, but this is something to be dealt as the cost related to absenteeism are high. The kind of costs incurred include overtime pay for other employees, hiring temps, missed deadlines, lost sales, sinking morale and lower productivity.

The solution –

To deal with attendance problems, organisations should have a clearly written policy that specifies the standards and employee requirements for days of absence. Be sure to specify that anyone abusing and misusing the policy will be disciplined. Keep the policy flexible, since it is virtually impossible to list every single potential offense!

A clear policy can help you understand as a business why people are taking days off, is there a pattern leave in a particular department or under a specific manager? Monitor sick leave trends and put in place procedures to deal with and encourage more positive behaviours.

To summarise, there are many different reasons people may take time off sick and really there is no right or wrong in going to work or staying at home sick. It’s up the individual and the business to assess the situation properly. Business must take the responsibility to talk to employees and get to the root of the problem, be it staff that aren’t taking leave when they need it or staff taking time off when they don’t…

If you’re sick of your job and that’s what you’re missing days of work, then contact Quay Appointments who can assist in helping find the solution and your dream role!

The Most In-Demand Tech Roles in 2018

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 05:47:57 GMT

I have been recruiting IT professionals for State Government for six years now, which means keeping up-to-date with the ever-changing set of in-demand skills in the tech industry.

With technology advancing faster than ever, companies are having to adapt with a modern workforce of employees with the necessary skills to keep them ahead of the competition. In fact, the Department of Employment expects the largest job growth this year to be in professional scientific and technical services.

Forecasting for the demands for ICT skills in the public and private sector have been continuously strong and continue growing year-on-year.

In this blog, I wanted to focus on the demands for ICT skills in the space in which I mainly recruit for, which is for NSW State Government agencies.

See below the 4 main areas in which my clients are currently experiencing the most growth and recruiting the most IT professionals:

Business Intelligence and Analytics

Data is becoming increasingly important in all organisations so having people in place who can make sense of this data is vital. Additionally, more organisations, including Government departments are deploying BI solutions to elevate and accelerate their data-driven decisions. Business intelligence specialists need experience in database technology, analytics and reporting tools.

Roles in demand: Data Engineer, Data Scientist, ETL/ Tableau developers, Data Warehouse, Datastage & Technical Data Analyst (Tableau, Power BI, Excel, SQL…)

2. Cyber Security

There has been significant growth in Cyber Security specialist roles due to a recent surge in cyber threats. The demand for these roles is currently higher than the supply, which is why this particular skills set is one of the highest paying IT roles in 2018 and this trend is one that applies to the Government too.

As we rely more and more on Cloud providers and internal networks, a skilled security team is essential to any business to protect against a variety of security threats and attacks.

Roles in demand: Cyber Security Consultant, Security Analyst, Security Engineer & Security Architect.

3. Project Management and Business Analysis

With huge investment taking place in a large number of projects across the State Government, they are always on the lookout for experienced Project Manager’s and Business Analysts to deliver projects effectively and efficiently within specified deadlines.

Roles in demand: Technical Project Manager and Technical Business Analyst with experience in the application, networking or infrastructure space preferably.

4. Cloud Space

The spending on public cloud services in Australia is expected to grow by 18.5 per cent year-on-year in 2018. The uptake of Cloud services within organisations is moving fast and to make the switch, there is a need for people with the knowledge of the complex cloud migration process and the risks surrounding this.

Roles in demand: Cloud Architect, Cloud Developer, DevOps, Cloud Systems Engineer / Network Engineer with AWS certification or/and Microsoft Azure.

Quay Appointments strive to provide our candidates and tech contractors with the best advice and a broad range of training opportunities, helping you to keep up-to-date with the top in-demand skills in your field in 2018. If you’re looking for a new tech role this year, get in touch for more information and find out how we can help.

IT careers in NSW Government – what are the benefits?

Tue, 29 May 2018 05:56:44 GMT

One of the biggest drivers for the IT labour market is the increased needs for the integration of new technologies into everyday business practices.

We’re finding a lot of our candidates and clients talking to us about the ‘Cloud’ being a particularly prominent piece of technology, used in a range of businesses and prized for its ability to store information securely online. Using the Cloud means that data can be accessed from anywhere, so organisations are able to utilise a geographically dispersed workforce and therefore have access to talent outside of their immediate location. IT professionals are central to a company’s ability to innovate, and the demand for skilled technology workers is often higher than the supply as a result.

The above trends can be seen across almost every industry that we work with and recruit for, including within one of our biggest clients – the NSW Government.

The NSW Government is the biggest employer in Australia, with just under 400,000 employees, and provides some of the most flexible and varied career choices available. NSW Government employees contribute directly to the wellbeing and productivity of the NSW community in a variety of areas, such as education, health, environment, justice, tourism, emergency services, transport and more.

Within these departments there are exciting opportunities for IT professionals at all stages of their career – from entry level jobs, through to specialist roles to managers and executives.

There are numerous benefits of working within IT for NSW Government and these benefits vary from person to person, here’s just a few:

Diversity

NSW Government is a workforce that values diversity and is a proud employer of a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and culture. The strength of the workforce lies in this diversity and embracing different talent right across the sector in a wide range of roles, and at all levels.

Progression and Career Development

There are many opportunities to advance and progress in your career within the NSW Government. They offer continual learning and development as a key part of your role opening up unparalleled opportunities for mobility and gaining more experience. Employees are encouraged to be proactive and update yourself according to market trends. This will enable you to grow according to your interests, ambitions and capabilities as new opportunities become available.

Investment in Technology

NSW Government plan to invest heavily on major ICT, cloud and digital projects. Investment in digital technologies is at the heart of innovation in service delivery and better management of assets The NSW Government has improved service quality and efficiency in various sectors through more connected infrastructure, and data and technology investment. They’re a progressive employer always looking for ways to improve and move forward with technology.

Work-life Balance

NSW Government is committed to working with staff to maintain work-life balance. Managing work and personal life responsibilities is one of the greatest challenges for people in workplace but with flexible working hours, leave arrangements and more benefits this is made possible.

Investment in Infrastructure

NSW has a long pipeline of investment already underway or in advanced planning as a result of previous plans. NSW is in infrastructure delivery for the long haul. As a result, the new strategy switches the focus from developing an infrastructure project pipeline to achieving sustainable growth in the NSW population and economy – aligning investment in infrastructure with the way we build our communities and achieve innovation in service delivery.

Involvement in Decision making

Employment within the NSW Government will give you the opportunity to be involved in business decisions that help improve the everyday life of the people of NSW while working in a dynamic environment that offers job satisfaction and a high level of commitment to social justice and equal access to all Government services.

Exciting and Varied Work

All departments within the NSW Government are undergoing transformation projects so your work will always be varied, interesting and you’ll always be face with new challenges and learning opportunities.

Resilience: It’s Importance in Modern Business

Sat, 19 May 2018 06:06:18 GMT

This week’s Quay Appointments Breakfast Seminar was around the topic of ‘Resilience’ and its importance in modern business. We heard from two inspirational guest speakers, Annabelle Chauncy & Janepher Nansubuga, from the School for Life Foundation.

Annabelle founded School for Life at the age of 21. Along the way she has dealt with a multitude of obstacles thrown at her, including running two high-performing businesses in different continents, tight budgets, gender and cultural bias, shifting mindsets, and raising capital. It is through her tenacious attitude and resilience that she has managed to build School for Life into the successful charity that it is today.

Janepher grew up in rural Uganda where education was extremely harsh and family life was difficult. Janepher decided she herself had to change things for her family, eventually completing studies to become a teacher. She’s been involved with School for Life since the beginning; her diligent approach to education and belief in making a change, have seen her develop to be the Director of Schools.

Both have demonstrated true resilience and persistence in the journey to achieving their dreams for the foundation. Today the foundation has raised over $3.5 million; building 3 schools, educating over 400 students, employing 65 adults, providing meals for staff and students and clean water and healthcare facilities for the Katuuso community.

The key takeaway lessons from Annabelle and Janepher’s story are:

1. When you’re purpose driven, you’ll attract purpose driven people

The power of a clear vision is fundamental in being successful. By being purpose driven in what you are trying to achieve, you will attract other purpose driven people to join your journey.

2. Invest in continued professional development

If the business that you work for isn’t investing in your development, this is something you must do yourself. Make the most of all of the resources and people that you have available to you.

3. Refine. Improve. Enhance. Adjust.

You should be continually building upon your existing skill-set, learning from roadblocks and making changes where necessary to improve for the future. Measuring your impact can help you to pivot and innovate to be more successful.

4. Surround yourself with people who lift you higher

The power of having a mentor is hugely instrumental in your self-development. Utilise the people around you for greater success and never be afraid of asking someone that you would like to learn from. People are much more willing to share their knowledge and experience than you would think.

5. Every challenge that you face is a golden opportunity for growth.

There is a real importance in making mistakes and learning from them moving forward. It’s vital that you have the ability to evolve your mindset to view challenges and setbacks as opportunities to grow and not let them get in the way of your progress.

Keeping these lessons in mind will give you what you need to build upon your existing skill-set and exercise more resilience in both your professional and personal life.

How to streamline your recruitment process…

Mon, 14 May 2018 04:16:35 GMT

“Measure Twice – Cut Once” is a saying used by a wise carpenter. This proverb means to save the wood from being ruined. In other words, it’s faster to double-check than to make a mistake.

This same proverb could be just as easily applied to the recruitment process of any organisation. If we don’t measure twice, we may actually be wasting time and money and harming our brand by running an inefficient recruitment process.

Below are some common sense approaches to help streamline your recruitment process to maximise getting a positive outcome.

Be Clear

Decide on the skills and attributes you need the ideal candidate to have. Occasions where hiring managers are unclear about the ideal candidate can lead to a failed or sloppy recruitment process.

Lack of clarity can lead to a downward spiral; have a conversation and agree on exactly what you’re looking for before you start the recruitment process. Of course, you may need the input of a recruitment professional to ensure you are asking for a realistic candidate skillset and not setting yourself up for failure.

2. Be Interview Ready

It’s important to be prepared for interviews once you have identified which candidates meet your shortlist criteria. Decide what questions you’re going to ask. Will the questions be technical or behavioural? Do you want to see a presentation or example of previous work? Consistency is key here so you can truly benchmark the candidates against each other and make an educated hiring decision.

3. Keep the Process Efficient

Avoid a lengthy, drawn out recruitment process with too many interview rounds or unnecessary assessments. Minimise the time between 1st and 2nd stage interviews so that candidates don’t lose their enthusiasm for the role.

Also, don’t waste any time on ‘maybe’ candidates; it may sound harsh but if you have any doubts you must follow your instincts and only spend time on people you’re genuinely interested in.

4. Make Notes

It’s important to make notes and document throughout the recruitment process; how many candidates have you seen, what were they like on the phone screen, what was the level of detail in their answers in the face to face interview? Can you visualise them working in your business and representing your brand?

By documenting, you can compare notes and make an informed decision. These notes will also help you to go back and probe in a second round interview or gain more details from a targeted reference check.

5. Give & Receive Feedback

This is a crucial part of the recruitment process. The ability to give feedback requires courage and it will serve your business well to share constructive feedback based on your interview notes. The unsuccessful candidates will learn from and appreciate the honest approach. You never know, perhaps there is another role in the business for them. Now is also the best time to give the successful candidate some constructive feedback too, they will be more inclined to listen and take on board the feedback before they have the job offered to them. Use this feedback process as an opportunity to gain feedback from the interviewed candidates also, what they valued or didn’t in the recruitment process, this can help you to tweak your process where necessary.

6. Onboarding

Now that you’ve made the decision to hire, ensure that the onboarding process is detailed and streamlined. This is an important part in the recruitment process that is often overlooked. You need to set the tone and kick the working relationship off as you mean to go on. IT system access set up, meeting and greeting new colleagues, clean desk with stationary and training program prepared are all part of the induction process to have ready.

So, there you have it, 6 ways to help streamline your recruitment process, most companies have this in place by default. Do you need to give some of these stages some more thought or are there areas you feel you could improve?

If you would like to talk about your recruitment process, feel free to reach out to talk to the Quay Appointments team on 02 8275 0500 or email quay@quayappointments.com.au

What are the top 5 essential skills of a Receptionist?

Wed, 09 May 2018 06:23:01 GMT

Today, 9th of May 2018, marks International Receptionist Day; a day to appreciate these often unsung heroes.

The aim of this day is to raise awareness of the value a Receptionist brings to a company and appreciate the way they keep the day-to-day activities of a business running smoothly.

Receptionists have multiple responsibilities, often juggling incoming calls and managing the front desk along with setting appointments, filing, record keeping, office paperwork and generally keeping everything in order; their work is never done!

If you’re a Receptionist or looking to become one, here’s the top 5 must-have skills that you should be able to demonstrate:

1. Communication skills and professional manner

Being polished and professional is a must as you tend to be the first contact that people encounter within the business. You’ll often be speaking to people on behalf of your colleagues, so excellent verbal communication skills go without saying and it’s important that you represent the business appropriately.

Whether it’s over the phone or in person, dealing with people in a friendly manner (no matter how difficult or challenging a person is being) and passing on messages effectively is a huge part of the job.

2. Technical skills

Technology is an integral part of any office so as a receptionist you must be comfortable using computers, phone systems, email programmes, copiers and printers. Word processing skills are a must and most reception roles require some familiarity with Excel, desktop publishing, social media and even industry-specific software.

3. Organisational skills

Multitasking and handling several different jobs at a time is the status quo for a receptionist so the ability to stay organised is essential. You’ll often be required to balance lots of priorities, deadlines and last-minute changes within your daily activities – and remain calm and efficient whilst doing so!

4. Dependable team player

The rest of the team need someone they know they can rely in the role of Receptionist. You must be able to finish tasks on time and always follow through on commitments you’ve made to your colleagues.

It’s likely that you will be dealing with confidential information related to the company and the private details of clients, therefore it’s vital that the rest of the team can trust you and be confident that you’ll handle all situations professionally.

Adaptability

A receptionist will rarely have two days the same. You must be adaptable to things changing and have the ability to react fast, using your initiative to quickly solve problems if something goes wrong.

On this year’s International Receptionist Day, maybe a take a minute to reflect on what you’d do without the Receptionist in your business and show them the appreciation they deserve…

If you’re looking for a Receptionist role or looking for an exceptional Receptionist to join your business, get in touch for a chat today on 02 8257 0500.

“Thanks, but it was a team effort”: The art of accepting a compliment.

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 06:39:05 GMT

I have always been a person who vehemently denies compliments and expressions of gratitude. On an honest, realistic and truthful note, I like many other people, thrive on praise.

Praise helps me strive for better and motivates me to work harder. However, the fear of appearing as a cocky egomaniac has often paralysed me into learning to become a master refuter.

Researchers at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Nagoya Institute of Technology and the University of Tokyo found a scientific explanation as to why compliments stimulate the striatum of the brain and encourage people to perform better.

Norihiro Sadata, one of the study authors stated, “To the brain receiving a compliment is as much a social reward as being rewarded money.”

However, somewhere along the line we have convinced ourselves and conditioned others around us to believe that putting ourselves down and diminishing our achievements makes us humble and equates to approval from our peers.

Needless to say, this doesn’t mean when someone compliments you, that you need to take it to the opposite end of the spectrum and say, “Yeah, I know I’m fantastic right?” but rather to communicate that accepting compliments is not necessarily a bad thing.

“It was a team effort”

“Don’t thank me, it was all you”

“It was no big deal!”

These are probably the most frequent lines I have used when someone has tried to thank me for my time, work or energy.

I am painfully aware of the problematic nature of my inability to accept a compliment and this has motivated me to delve a bit further into why we can’t accept the thanks we deserve for the work we put in.

Recent research studies published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that people have numerous reasons of varying degrees of severity that explain their inability to accept compliments. Including but not limited to: Low self-esteem, cognitive dissonance and the appeal of humility.

The study found that people with low self-esteem have the most difficulty accepting compliments. They often feel that they are in someway flawed and undeserving of compliments. This often is quite interlinked with the concept of cognitive dissonance, whereby the way you see yourself does not line up with the way others compliment you. You reduce their compliments with turns of phrase like ‘Well, I got lucky this time’, which helps ease the discomfort of this disconnect.

Bragging is not commonly linked to being a desired or attractive trait in friends, colleagues or partners. Often it is simply the fear of appearing to like yourself more than you should that stops people from reacting positively when showered with accolades or compliments. This hyper realised fear serves to convince people their peers and colleagues wont want to hang around with them if they are overly arrogant or have a big head, even when they are not risk of doing so.

So, how do we accept a compliment without internally cringing, feeling uncomfortable or reducing the compliment being delivered?

I issue you with a challenge this week. Take this common exchange as an example:

Co-worker: “Good work on that project today”

What you’d normally say: “Thanks, but it was a team effort.”

What you should say: “Thank you!”

Invest in a little self-care and take ownership of your achievements and hard work. Support your peers and colleagues by complimenting them honestly and then encouraging them to not diminish their achievements when they make excuses for doing good work.

Who knew that simply by saying, “Thank you!” your performance at work could improve as well as how you feel about yourself?

Vanessa Song, Social Media Coordinator, Quay Appointments

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What are the most effective ways to search for a job?

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 06:49:41 GMT

Back in the day the norm was to find a job straight out of school and stick with it until retirement, these days are certainly in the past. Nowadays people have become more adept and creative in utilising new avenues in searching for new job opportunities.

Below I have listed some of the best ways to benefit you with your job search.

Networking: As some may know the majority of job vacancies are not advertised, often these are referred to as the “hidden job market”, in order for job seekers to secure these jobs you will need to find a way to get a foot in the door. Networking with friends, past colleagues or managers, Recruitment Agencies and approaching companies direct is the way to go to get your name out there and remembered so when these “hidden jobs” become available you are the person that comes to mind.
Job seeking Websites: There is no doubt that the majority of the population has at least once viewed or applied for a job through a job seeking website. These too have changed throughout the years and the number of Websites that post jobs have increased drastically, some of the ones you may see and hear of very often are; Seek, Indeed, Adzuna, CareerOne, Glassdoor and for Government these are I Work for NSW and JobSearch.gov. If you are looking for jobs there is always a hesitation if you should apply or not, the question you have to ask yourself is “what do you have to lose?” applying for jobs through these avenues is a way of networking and getting your name out there in several different businesses which in turn will increase your chances in finding the right role for you.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn has become the biggest professional social app there is today. This tool is very powerful in the way it is created to make it as easy as possible for you to connect with the right people, search your target market based on industry, qualifications, interests and apply for jobs as LinkedIn has become another large and successful website for job seekers. LinkedIn can also be considered as the best way of Networking as this is where you can connect with whoever and as many people as you like to benefit your Network.
Recruitment Agencies: If you want to get your name out there quicker than ever call a recruitment agency for example at Quay Appointments we have several Consultants that are constantly recruiting for jobs across the board. All it takes is a phone call to have a conversation that could either get your resume passed around the business or even better land yourself a job. Agencies are the best and quickest way to build your network and to apply for jobs.

In this current job market, finding the right job opportunities often requires a combination of methods. Always keep in mind that there are a variety of methods available for finding job opportunities, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, so don’t be shy to experiment with a variety of techniques.

Sylvia Koutsoubaris, Recruitment Consultant, Quay Appointments

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What is Snapchat? The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 04:51:21 GMT

The simplicity of the platform, Snapchat, is one that many millennial members of the workforce are readily rallying behind. It is a mobile-only app, which means that it has the capacity to reach people that are not often available through traditional forms of marketing or advertising.

The use of Snapchat also encourages growth; this is because around 60% of users fall around the ages of fifteen to twenty four thus encouraging workplaces to engage people that may in future filter through their workplaces and companies.

There are around one hundred to two hundred million users on Snapchat to date according to IOfficeCorp. Normal users spend around twenty-five to thirty minutes every single day on the platform. Snapchat and a workplace’s ability to utilise it to its maximum capacity will revolutionise the way we communicate with potential customers and potential clients.

Snapchat content has a one-day lifespan and personal images sent between people can self-destruct from anywhere between one to ten seconds. According to Amy Morin, a contributor for Forbes magazine; Generation Z teenagers respond the fastest to email ranging anywhere between thirteen minutes or less in response time. Millenials (aged between 20 – 35) normally have a sixteen-minute average response time and older generations taking twenty four to forty seven minutes on average to respond.

Snapchat satisfies the need for transparent and authentic content, without the added pressure to create lasting content, the content displayed and perpetuated on this platform is instant and allows users to freely share content without the added concern of its longevity.

The succinct simplicity of Snapchat content also allows users to reach greater audiences with significantly more reach and success rates. Communication on Snapchat meets the current consumerist demand for immediate and convenient communication.

Along with the benefits there are also numerous risks relating to an organisation’s private content and its accidental consumption. This is important to acknowledge before introducing Snapchat into any professional context. It calls on companies and organisations to readdress their cellular and mobile phone policies in order to ensure the safety of confidential and private information.

On a more interpersonal, serious and human note, Snapchat has been used in the past to bully and harass individuals. With most cases occurring around high school aged children. Although not completely uncommon in the workplace, it is something employers should be wary of when constructing their anti-bullying, harassment and discrimination policies for the workplace. Snapchat can often feel like a consequence-free social platform and should thus be treated carefully and with the utmost consideration if ever introduced into a professional workplace environment or context.

What are the best pathways for Kiwis to find jobs Down Under?

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 06:54:36 GMT

There are more than 600,000 New Zealand citizens in Australia, around 500,000 of which were born in New Zealand.

Having experience and exposure in the industry you are looking to break into is very helpful and can often kick start your career.

Starting a new role also means taking a leap of faith and really embracing change and new experiences. Registering with a recruitment agency can help keep your options open.

Contract roles are extremely common in Australia and it doesn’t always mean that you will be out of a job after the first week. Perseverance and persistence is the key to success when transitioning to work in Australia.

The benefits of being a Kiwi or New Zealand citizen is that is makes it much easier for citizens to get into jobs based on the face that companies don’t have to worry about sponsorship because most citizens fall under the ‘special category visa’ in Australia.

It is important to remember that moving to a new place is difficult and can often be very challenging. This daunting experience can also be very rewarding in the long run so it is important to maintain a sense of perseverance and dedication.

The history and record of New Zealand citizens in Australia’s labour market is good, but a keen attention to skills acquisition and desirable attribute retentions are important in order to meet the current skill selection standards in place and the demands of the labour market itself.

Australian governments have worked to continue better target the migration program to acquire skills that will benefit Australia and its labour market. The emphasis is now placed on employer sponsorship – on the grounds that employers are the best judges of the skills needed.

The best advice for Kiwis hoping to work in Australia is to provide skills that Australia’s job market is lacking in and needs. Education and Upskilling with a positive attitude is the key to achieving success in the Australian job market.

Vanessa Song, Social Media Coordinator

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Game Changers: An In Conversation Panel

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 05:03:25 GMT

On Wednesday 20th of September, Dress for Success Sydney held a panel discussion hosted by Prof. Larissa Behrendt , the Chair of Indigenous Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS.

Each year, the charity organisation “Dress for Success Sydney” helps more than two-and-a-half thousand women in need, to get jobs.

The charity improves the employability of women in need, by providing, free of charge, professional clothing, a network of support and career development tools.

This past week, the body held a public panel discussion with three outstanding Indigenous leaders, talking about their life journey to a successful career.

The speakers included: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar

Co-Chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, Dr. Jackie Huggins,

And the CEO of the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service in Victoria, Antoinette Braybrook.

These three proud indigenous women of great achievement are just as happy when out in the bush in their own country as they are in the board rooms of Sydney and corridors of power in Canberra.

But how did they get to where they are now? What were their life journeys? And what is it that has imbued all three with such determination and such a palpable sense of mission to serve their communities? These are the questions the panel delved into.

It was great to hear from these amazing, inspiring and Game Changing women. We had the opportunity to experience a very special evening filled with the stories of each phenomenally phenomenal woman on their journeys.

To listen to the In Conversation Panel just click the link below:

http://www.abc.net.au/…/pr…/speakingout/speaking-out/8955240

Friend or Foe? Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 07:01:33 GMT

Artificial intelligence is exciting in conceptualisation at its best but for some people in certain work forces, terrifying at its worst. With its potential for automating various jobs, roles and processes in most organisations it can both revolutionise the efficiency of a business and deliver services faster, but it also has the potential to devastate an entire workforce of labourers. So the question comes to pass, should we fear Artificial Intelligence or embrace it?

Investment into Artificial Intelligence has accelerated from $282 million in 2011 up around 746% and in 2016 sat at about $3.9 billion dollars. Businesses in the modern age are attempting to keep up with the technological revolution. With more and more consumers demanding efficiency and shorter and shorter wait times.

According to Forbes, automation exists to save manual labor. Currently, AI and automation temporarily displace workers and tends to target certain industries. The fast food industry and some of the larger grocery store chains are the industries that have currently undergone technological changes with the introduction of self service checkouts. The fear of automation is mostly concentrated around these fundamental changes that have seen the responsibilities of staff of these organisations, who already receive low wages.

The key to easing and addressing these fears is to, on one hand, fight the popular understanding of what artificial intelligence is and what it means for the workforce and on the other hand maintain the balance between labour and efficiency in order to ensure no roles or positions are being unnecessarily automated.

Artificial intelligence also has the ability to create new careers, much like the shift from an agricultural economy to a manufacturing and urban based economy. It is about incorporating the labour front of the manufacturing workers with the efficiency of the technological age of artificial intelligence, in order to make the jobs of these labourers easier, rather than to replace their roles all together.

Artificial Intelligence has so much potential and can be more of a force for good than bad. The idea of a rampant and self autonomous intelligence is frequent and many within popular culture, however it is important to not allow this to halt people’s attempts to understand, control and utilise artificial intelligence to make people’s lives easier and better.

Vanessa Song, Social Media Coordinator

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What is an acceptable travel time to and from work?

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 07:04:48 GMT

When you move from a city where the average travel time is normally 40 minutes or less, moving to Sydney can often be a game changer. In Sydney, ‘down the road’ can often mean a thirty to forty-minute or more drive when travelling to work.

Moving from little Auckland in New Zealand to Sydney really opened my eyes to the importance of where you live and travelling to work regardless of whether you drive or take public transport.

From my personal experience, travelling no more than an hour to work is what I would consider a reasonable timeframe.

9 in 10 Australians spend more than 90 minutes a day commuting. In an address to the annual State of the Nation conference hosted by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten referred to an estimate that traffic congestion would cost the Australian economy $53 billion by 2031. He stated that the distance between where Australians live and work was growing fast and this was affecting the quality of life and the amount of time families spent with each other.

We all know the importance of sleep and without a good night’s sleep you will not be able to reach your full potential at work. Therefore, I would suggest organising a daily schedule that will be reasonable for an everyday 10-12 hour day.

A day that will include extra activities you enjoy, a social life and accommodate any other priorities you may have. This could possibly help you decided whether or not time spent traveling more than an hour to and from work is manageable.

“Most of the new jobs are within 10km of our CBDs. Yet most of our population growth is occurring in our outer suburbs, more than 20km from the CBD,” Bill Shorten stated.

Many people have to travel ridiculous times to get to and from work; it also comes down to the public infrastructure and the amount of money governments invest in public transport.

A colleague of mine lives in Picnic Point, a south-eastern suburb near Georges River. Her closest bus stop is a twenty-minute walk from her home; her closest train station is a forty-minute walk. The buses are infrequent and come every half hour or forty-five minutes. On average it takes my colleague around an hour to an hour and a half to reach work or home.

As someone who moved from New Zealand, my colleague is an eye-opening snapshot into the daily struggle that many people in the busy and bustling city of Sydney.

Catherine Ali, Recruitment Consultant

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RUOK?

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 05:13:34 GMT

Mental health issues and illnesses can affect anyone, regardless of their social background, age, race, ethnic origin or intelligence level.

However, according to Bupa Healthier Workplaces, there are important trends of affect and industries that employers should take note of, mental health conditions affect an estimated one-third of employees working in the financial insurance, media, telecommunication and essential service sectors. Anxiety conditions are most commonly found to affect workers in the IT, media, financial and insurance industries and substance use conditions are the most common mental health problems affecting workers in the mining, construction, accommodation and food service sectors.

All employers and managers have a corporate responsibility to take appropriate steps to address health and safety risks in the workplace. Mental health is often not something that is taken into great consideration. According to SANE Australia mental health issues and mental illness is the leading cause of long-term workplace absence in most developed countries.

A 2014 return on investment analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that for every dollar spent on creating a mentally healthy workplace, there would be a $2.30 benefit to the organisation.

Employers have a corporate responsibility to ensure that their employees are working under safe conditions. Mental health issues and illnesses are considered disabilities and under the Anti-Discrimination Act employers are required to provide workplace adjustments if they are needed.

According to Dr. Graeme Edwards, an Occupational and Environmental Physician, in any one year, 17% of Australians will experience mental illness. In a study of 60 000 public servants, 6% fell into the highly distressed category and of that only 20% were receiving any treatment for their condition and 30% did not recognise they had an issue.

It is vital for employers to identify mental illness in their workplaces as early as possible. Recognising the warning signs in workers is the first step to addressing any potential issues regarding mental health in the workplace. It is important to respond supportively early on, assess the needs of the employee and come up with a sensible and pragmatic management plan in which employers can help keep their employees on track with their work and also seek the support from the services they might need.

Each employee experiencing difficulty in the workplace with their mental health should be given effective and individual case management. The purpose of which is to ensure the benefits of returning to work, staying at work and being productive at work are well communicated and supported within a strong framework and plan of action.

Research has shown that the longer an employee is away from work, the less likely it is they will ever return. Addressing these issues as soon as possible will ensure the best outcomes for both the employee and the employer.

Winsome Bernard, Managing Director

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How to Use Language in an Interview

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 07:10:55 GMT

“Mastery of language affords one remarkable opportunities.”

― Alexandre Dumas

The words we choose in an interview are important. We only get to say relatively few to tell our entire career story so the ones we select must be worthwhile, impactful and poignant.

As Alexandre Dumas alluded too, our choice of words are the stones we pave on the road of our careers and lives. We can potentially pave a smooth surfaced highway or we can drop rocks and cover them in dirt. We are judged everyday by the language we use, it’s our ability to communicate our ideas and our histories to others. If that is made easier for others to understand and trust in then our road will surely be a smoother one.

In an interview, it’s all about first impressions. Colloquialisms, bland words and clunky sentences are all out in the open and they are unfortunately a big part of an impression we are making.

So how should we use language in an interview for best results?

First thing is own your words. Own every word that you speak. You’ve owned every word you have ever have spoken, so make sure you feel like they’re yours. This will come across far better and more confident and self-assured. No one else is speaking them so take a breath, construct the sentence and speak it directly.

Secondly, own your stories. If you worked at Company X and the Project was to build a sand castle, and you collected the sand, dug the hole, built the castle then say so. Don’t say “when I was working at company X, we had to build a sand castle, we got the sand, we built it and our boss was happy”.

The language tells us you were a passenger in the building of a sand castle. Examples in interviews must begin with what “I” started and “I” completed. Speak from a place of pride. You did the work so tell the interview in your words about all that hard work and what it meant for your employer.

Thirdly, think before you speak and allow yourself the space to trust in yourself to find your words. The answers and words are within you. A *University of Arizona (1) study tells us that men and women speak about 16,000 words a day! You’ve had the practice, you’ve lived your career so breath, relax, pause then speak. This will also create a little routine you can settle into for each question and answer. Don’t fill the air with your train of thought. “Ummm, ahhh, well, I think, I seem to recall”. That should all be silent thinking time. If you’re comfortable with a short pause then they will be too. If the words refuse to come then so be it, tell the interviewer you will circle back to that one later, next question please.

Finally, if you really want to master language or are struggling with words when you need them, then you need to read more. Read books, read novels. You will not only become a much better wordsmith you will also have a gift for life.

* (1) https://ubrp.arizona.edu/study-finds-no-difference-in-the-amount-men-and-women-talk

Cian, O’Dwyer, Recruitment Consultant

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Being an Intern at Quay

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 07:27:27 GMT

Hi there,

My name is Vera Hinkelmann. I am from Germany and study Psychology in the UK, but this summer – or winter for the Australians – I am interning at Quay Appointments’ city office in the Sydney CBD.

In general, doing an internship in HR is a great opportunity for me to figure out what a career in recruitment could look like and to test first-hand how much I enjoy it. Not to mention, it provides me with relevant work experience that will be helpful when I apply for jobs – a reality that every student has to face eventually.

More specifically, I am happy that I get to do my internship here at Quay Appointments, because the company as well as the whole international internship experience is giving me the opportunity to experience a serious but also enjoyable role. I can assist people with getting a job they will like and be suited for; furthermore, I get to work with motivated, hardworking colleagues in the centre of an amazing metropole.

If you are considering doing an internship here now, let me tell you how I experienced work life at Quay. In contrast to the quite horrifying stories of other interns, who do not have any work or are not trusted with anything but the simplest tasks; the work I get to do here is actually very similar to what some of my younger colleagues do, which is how an internship should be.

The workload is also not too little; and neither too much – most of the time anyway.

For someone who has lived in the UK, the Australian winters are mildly cold – much like British summers. Here at Quay, most people at the office seem to be from various parts of the UK and Ireland, so the accents I hear are quite familiar too. In combination with the news featuring an unexpectedly large amount of UK matters and celebrities; it sometimes seems as if I never left the UK.

When I spend my weekends exploring Sydney with all the stunning beaches and see the surroundings’ fascinating nature and unique animals, it is quite clear how different and special Australia is; in my opinion: definitely worth a visit!

By Vera Hinkelmann, Intern at Quay Appointments

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Hear about the Abolition and Replacement of the 457 Visa

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 05:18:38 GMT

On the 18th of April, 2017, the Government announced that the Temporary work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457 visa) will be abolished and replaced with the completely new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa in March 2018.

The TSS visa programme will be comprised of a Short-Term stream of up to t wo y ears and a Medium-Term stream of up to four years and will support businesses in addressing genuine skill shortages in their workforce and will contain a number of safeguards which prioritise Australian workers.

This new visa is part of the Government’s significant reform package to strengthen the integrity and quality of Australia’s temporary and permanent employer sponsored skilled migration programmes.

Key reforms include:

Introducing the temporary skill shortage visa with new requirements, including but not limited to:

New, more targeted occupation lists which better align with skill needs in the Australian labour market
A requirement for visa applicants to have at least two years’ work experience in their skilled occupation
Employers must pay the Australian market salary rate and meet the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)1 which Ensures that overseas workers cannot be engaged to undercut Australian workers
Mandatory labour market testing, unless an international obligation applies,
Capacity for only one onshore visa renewal under the Short-Term stream
Capacity for visa renewal onshore and a permanent residence pathway after three years under the Medium-Term stream
The permanent residence eligibility period will be extended from two to three years
A non-discriminatory workforce test to ensure employers are not actively discriminating against Australian workers
A requirement to pay a contribution to the Skilling Australians Fund
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection will collect Tax File Numbers and data will be matched with the Australian Tax Office’s records, and
Mandatory penal clearance certificates to be provided.

Tightening eligibility requirements for employer sponsored permanent skilled visas, including but not limited to:

Tightened English language requirements
A requirement for visa applicants to have at least three years’ work experience
Applicants must be under the maximum age requirement of 45 at the time of application
A requirement to pay a contribution to the Skilling Australians Fund, and
Employers must pay the Australian market salary rate and meet the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT)1.

– Toni-Marie Muirhead, Recruitment Consultant

Why you should include Emotional Intelligence (EQ / EI) in your recruitment process?

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 05:26:07 GMT

Why you should include Emotional Intelligence (EQ / EI) in your recruitment process?

According to Harvard Business Review Emotional intelligence is “the key to professional success”. Especially in this changing, innovative and complex environment.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability of an individual to understand his or her own emotions and the emotions of others. Daniel Goleman psychologist and award-winning author of Emotional Intelligence describes EI as self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills.

When recruiting, I strongly believe that EI should be assessed as much as other areas like reference checks and job competence, let’s look at the reasons why:

Getting the top performers

First of all, targeting not only Intelligence Quotient (IQ) during the interview process and including EI will help identify and get you top performers or leaders in your company. It is proven that the stronger the EI a candidate has, the higher they will perform in the job. Emotions are essential for effective decision making and motivate.

Ways of assessing EI can be either by asking behavioural questions or a psychological based test. Here at Quay Appointments, when recruiting internal staff, we use Six Seconds an Emotional Intelligence Assessment to validate the answers provided at interview.

Best Fit For Your Team

Diversity in the team to attract and retain talented people is more and more important in organisations. When looking at EI, we will need to look at it individually and also as a group. To get a high performing team, you will need to get a balance and know the EI of each team member in order to help navigate emotions and get their strengths to be fully successful and work best together.

Managing your people to the best

I personally use EI assessment to understand and work better with our staff. It is important to have a great overview of what makes your staff behave the way they do, their strengths and the areas they may need development in.

Unlike IQ, EI can be changed at any time of our life as long as awareness is there.

I also use the EI assessment as a personal development tool for the staff. It helps them to build personal awareness, leading them to make a choice to become the best they can be.

How to use social media appropriately

philip.divilly@quayappointments.com.au (Philip Divilly) — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 07:50:07 GMT

Social media is the collective of online communications channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration.

Some common platforms include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and You Tube.

Using Social Media for your business can have the following positive impacts;

Grow referral traffic to your website
Drive lead generation or e-commerce purchases
Increase company credibility
Exhibit a corporate identity and culture that makes people more likely to want to do business with you
Cultivate the quantity of feedback that they receive from customers and leads

In order for Social media to have these positive impacts, you will need to be clear of why you are using social media in the first place.

Below are some appropriate ways to help manage what you share so it keeps you on track and engages with your audience.

Ensure you have social media goals, know what you want to achieve. Make your goals measurable
Get the resources for your social media plan. Put the tools and staff in place to meet your objectives
Share relevant facts, statistics, research, and industry knowledge only to your followers
Let the passion for your cause come out and highlight the stories by using pictures, videos, and a narrative to tell the human stories that inspire
Use your social presence to create new relationships and strengthen existing ones
Share updates about your programs, mission, and events to show customers how their business/contribution are used
Connect and develop relationships with social media leaders to further spread your message and have a supportive voice
Spread positive messages to gather interest. Sharing positive experiences might encourage others to learn more about you or share your message
Thank your community. Whether it’s a comment on your blog or a helpful recommendation, it’s important to acknowledge the kind gesture
Promote your company events. Attract a larger following by sharing your message on the social web
Share messages about others more than messages about yourself. Retweet other organizations’ posts, share web content relevant to your industry and post kind words and questions
Use social media to reveal data about your audience. This includes market demographics, relevant conversations, where they spend time on social media channels

Monitor your social media activity and take time to analyze and take stock of if you are achieving what you set out to achieve. If not re-evaluate and perhaps drop a particular platform and concentrate on the ones that work for you and your audience.

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Successful tips on dressing for a job interview

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 08:11:26 GMT

Interviews can often be high pressured, stressful and intimidating. However, knowing you look good, well-presented and prepared for your interview can not only help ease the nerves but also boost your confidence.

Ask yourself… Would you show up for a job interview wearing jeans, sneakers or a t-shirt? Would you chew gum during the interview or arrive in disheveled or wrinkled clothes? The answer should be NO! Wearing inappropriate or outlandish attire to a job interview can potentially cost you the job. How you present yourself during an interview is important. It is much better to be overdressed than underdressed.

First impressions are everything and they are made to last, this is why people stress over what to wear. It is a good idea to make sure you have your attire prepared the night before.

When people are told to dress professionally, in corporate attire or dress to impress for an interview this is sometimes perceived as having to wear the biggest brands or the most expensive attire. When in fact, dressing professionally can cost you a lot less than you think. Effort is the biggest key factor that everyone looks out for, if you make effort in your appearance it will not go unnoticed.

Here are some of the best tips on how to make sure you dress successfully for an interview. These looks will not only make you look professional and corporate but also fashionable and still on budget.

What to Wear?

Women’s Professional Interview Attire

Keep the outfit simple with limited bright colours
Pants/ Skirt: If you prefer pants make sure they are not creased or old. If you prefer a skirt, keep it knee length
Shirts: If you do not have a blouse or collared shirt which is preferred, you can get away with wearing a plain top (no flowers, low-cut or colourful tops)
If you wear a skirt you MUST wear stockings/ tights (light or black coloured)
Hair: The hairstyle you choose must look professional and neat, you can never go wrong with a bun/ ponytail or leaving it down as long as your hair looks groomed
Jewellery: Keep this to a minimal, a nice small necklace, bracelet and small earrings will do just fine. No hoop earring or over the top necklaces/ bracelets as this is considered TOO much for an interview.
Makeup: Sparse makeup and perfume- no dark eye makeup or too much foundation- keep this look for afterhours not for an interview
Shoes: Wear small or medium heels (MUST be closed toes)
Nails: Must be manicured as this will be noticed.

Men’s Professional Interview Attire

Suit: Try go for a matching suit- nothing too out there but a plain black/ navy blue or grey will look professional – keep the colours and patterns to a minimum
No suit no problem: If you do not own a suit the easiest look to pull off is plain black pants with a nice long sleeve button up (the key is to keep it plain and simple)
NO t-shirts or short sleeves are acceptable – Pants must be long below the ankles
Conservative tie : No bright colours or pictured ties or strong patterns- again keep it simple
Shoes: You MUST wear professional shoes (closed black or brown formal shoes)
Jewellery: Very limited jewellery
Aftershave: Go easy on the aftershave as this is not everyone’s cup of tea, be considerate of the interviewer
Hair: Keep it neat and styled.

Now that you know what an interviewer looks for in your first impressions it’s time for you to take your first steps in making sure you successfully give a good and lasting first impression.

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How to write a business email that scores an ‘A’ grade and not a ‘F’

philip.divilly@quayappointments.com.au (Philip Divilly) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:17:50 GMT

An email (electronic mail) is one of the most common forms of communication in business today. There are many advantages to using email to send and retrieve information. However, there are also many pitfalls to avoid. Another way to think about an email is that it’s like a letter – as in it has a beginning, middle and end. In school as 7 years olds we were taught how to write a short story that captures the imagination. We were given a structure in which to put our thoughts onto paper to help create a story that held a meaning or purpose.

Now 20 years later as adults we are liaising with business professionals on issues that could have a significant $$$ impact. If our ‘short story / email’ is not constructed properly or have a sense of purpose we may be graded an ‘F’ by a CEO and not our forgiving primary school teacher! With this in mind, how do we receive an ‘A’ grade; and earn some gold stars in the business world when writing an email:

Subject Line:

Make your subject line clear, concise and meaningful. It should capture the topic, not describe it. Also avoid one-word descriptions (e.g, Important, Help, or Urgent), these are overly used and often gobbled up by spam filters. An example of a Good Subject Line: “Important: Project SAP Timeline Acceleration ”. The subject line highlights the importance of an Email and the key information or topics within the message.

Greeting:

Use the person’s name you are emailing and title if it is a formal message.

When it’s a more relaxed business email, you will not do not always need a formal greeting – they can often just list the recipient names.

Your greeting makes your first impression – ensure you present to people pleasantly and properly!

Purpose:

Be clear and concise and explain the purpose, question or issue and the reason why you’re sending the email.
One or two sentences at most – you will add the necessary detail below.
Avoid long emails that have more than one topic or request, unless they are closely related or linked.
The purpose should provide a summary of the issue or request. By reading the intro, the recipient understands the context of the detail to follow.

Detail/Body:

Usually the longest part of the email, here you provide the necessary background or supporting detail. Limit yourself to few bullet points or short paragraphs.
Only provide the minimum information needed to explain the issue or ask the question.
You should only provide a brief explanation where required, on the five key questions; What? When? Where? How? Why?
If you need more than a page of detail, consider attaching the detail in a Word document or set a meeting to discuss.
When the Email has a file attachment, ensure you refer to it in the message, what it contains, and any actions needed.
Be polite, professional, and respectful when presenting issues or asking questions. Avoid sarcasm, jokes, humour, or tone that can be misinterpreted.
If there is too much information to convey in a page, consider if another type of communication or even a formal meeting is more appropriate.

Ask/Action:

Provide a specific call for needed action. State the response or action you want to receive.
Ensure you are clear about exactly “who” needs to perform “what”.
If there are deadlines, provide the “when” prominently to the recipients.
The ask/action is one of the most important components of the Email message and where you state exactly what you are looking to get, from whom and by when. Regrettably, it is often absent or not well defined.

Closing/Sign-Off:

Use phrases or words conveying respect and formality (e.g., “Sincerely,” “Best regards,” “Best”).
Include signature lines that contain helpful contact information.
Relaxed, routine business communications often do not use formal sign-offs.
The sign-off is where you provide a courteous “thank you” for assistance and provide required contact information.

By using the tips above, you will improve your ability to quickly and reduce the chance that your message will be misunderstood or not responded to at all! Take a bit of extra time up-front when composing an Email; you will save yourself a lot of time, repetition and miscommunication down the road. By now following above point as a guide, you should be getting an ‘A’ instead of an ‘F’ grade!

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Why is the work, life, balance so important?

Sun, 04 Jun 2017 10:21:32 GMT

It’s a term we’re all probably familiar with. Research has shown that the more we have of it, the better we perform at work. I asked my colleagues at Quay Appointments what it means for them and flexibility, planning and downtime made the top three.

Based on a recent study by the Australian National University, where data was collected from 8,000 working adults, the work limit for a healthy lifestyle should be set at 39 hours per week.

What can you do to strike your right balance?

Relax: Whether it’s spending time with family, friends or cooking dinner find what energises you and get your weekly dose of it.
Exercise: Research has shown that regular exercise is not only a great stress reliever but, if you’re new to Sydney this can be an excellent way of getting to know people too.
Be present: Mindfulness is an increasing trend that unpacks the idea that by being present helps us to enjoy whatever we are doing in that moment. Go on, give it a go.
Start the day right: This is one for morning people – start the day doing something you love. By starting the day with a win, you’ll win the day.
Unplug: Set a technology free zone where you have time away from devices.

If you are living life to the fullest, it’s likely you’ll perform well at work too. To unpack this idea further, generally people who strike their version of a healthy work life balance are more efficient, more creative and able to help colleagues win their days too. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, a staggering 89% cite flexible working arrangements as a key indicator of employee retention.

For any employers reading, here’s what you can do:

Offer flexible working hours
Organise team-bonding events (Escape rooms are one of the latest trends)
Encourage employees to take short breaks throughout the day
Partner up with a local gym to offer membership discounts or run team fitness sessions such as yoga.

What are you waiting for? Jump in and give some of these a go! Or sing to your own tune and create your own.

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Formatting a CV for success

Fri, 26 May 2017 10:55:46 GMT

The first known CV was created by Leonardo Da Vinci 500 years ago. Since then, things have moved on slightly and it is essential for any job seeker to have a well presented, professional CV. It is your first introduction to potential future employers and as we all know, first impressions count!

First things first, the basics.

What is a CV?

CV stands for Curriculum Vitae (which is Latin and just means your story). It is an outline of a person’s educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications. Another name for a CV is a résumé. It conveys your personal details in the way that presents you in the best possible light. A CV is a marketing document in which you are marketing something: yourself! You need to “sell” your skills, abilities, qualifications and experience to employers.

Why is it important to have a well-constructed CV?

To put it simply, a good CV is the gateway to the job you are applying for. Landing that job is then the gateway to earning an income, earning an income is a crucial part of functioning in the general community and contributes greatly to our feelings self-worth. Don’t compromise on the time spent on a document which could determine how you spend your entire working day! The reliance employers place on a well-structured and well written CV cannot be underestimated.

What makes a bad CV?

Irrelevant personal information
Burying important information
Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar
Unexplained gaps in unemployment
Lying or misleading information
A long, waffly CV
Badly formatted CV

The list could go on, but you probably get the point! If you are guilty of any or all of the above you need to rethink what are you sending out to represent yourself in the marketplace.

What makes a good CV?

One survey of employers found that the following aspects were most looked for;

There is no single “correct” way to write and present a CV but the following general rules apply:

It is targeted on the specific job or career area for which you are applying and brings out the relevant skills you have to offer
It is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered, easy to read and not cramped
It is informative but concise
It is accurate in content, spelling and grammar . If you mention attention to detail as a skill, make sure your spelling and grammar is perfect!

Remember these key points when creating or improving your CV

Get the basics right!
Presentation is key
Keep it concise
Tailor the CV to the role
Make the most of your skills and interests
Include references
Always keep it up to date

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The importance of soft skills in the IT industry

Fri, 19 May 2017 11:10:35 GMT

It’s hard to keep your skills up to date in today’s workforce in general, not just IT, and it is a lifelong task to identify what are the emerging skillsets that will get you ahead of your competition and build a long, rewarding career. In the midst of this turmoil of changes, there are very important skills that will never go out of date. SOFT SKILLS!

There are a range of skills within the soft skills category, in this article I will talk mostly about people skills and communication skills. Here’s a link to a list of soft skills if you’d like to find out more.

Why are they important in the IT industry? Isn’t it enough to have good technical skills so you can get the job done? There are many reasons why, but today I want to talk about 3 benefits of having strong soft skills.

More job interviews

They will help you score more interviews! According to the Labour Market Portal 2016, 1 in every 3 jobs is not advertised. That is 33.33% of the job market. Click here for more info. This means that these positions get filled internally, by word of mouth or via recruitment agencies. Whichever the case might be, you could have a higher chance of finding out about these opportunities if you have a good relationship with people around you.

2. Technical skills become redundant

Another reason why soft skills cannot be overlooked in today’s IT market is that technology changes so quickly. According to Moore’s Law (which hasn’t kept up with the emerging technologies itself), computer power doubles every two years which enables technology advancements in ways we can’t imagine. With the fourth industrial revolution upon us, thinking that your job is safe because you believe you are an expert in certain technologies is quite dangerous I have to say. I believe for this reason, it is critical to continue honing your soft skills which will never be outdated, if not strengthened over time.

3. Hiring managers DO care about your soft skills

Lastly, reflecting on my own experience in dealing with hiring managers almost every hiring manager says they can’t stress enough the importance of people skills in particular communication skills. On the other hand, I have spoken to some hiring managers who didn’t really care about the soft skills or attitude because the skillset they were requiring were very niche and hard to find. Unless your skills are very rare, it would be in your best interest to give your people skills their fair share of attention. Having said that, if your skills are very rare it probably also means that your job market is very small.

There are myriads of other benefits to paying attention to your soft skills. You are more likely to succeed if people like you. Thanks for reading!

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Life in Australia

Fri, 05 May 2017 11:19:29 GMT

G’day mate, hows it going?

So, you are finally making the move across the globe – CONGRATULATIONS!!! As exciting as packing your bags and moving your life to the other side of the world is, here are a few things I wish people had told me before I made the move over 2 years ago.

TFN AND SUPER – You may be thinking ‘what are these?’ (I know I was). TFN is also known as your Tax File Number and Super is Superannuation fund.

TFN – This is essential if you would like to work in Australia. You can apply for your TFN online and it can take up to six weeks until you receive one. If you have applied for a TFN and you haven’t got your number yet but would like to work in the meantime it is possible to give it to your employer once you receive it. You have up to 28 days to provide a tax file number to your employer.

SUPER – Superannuation is a way to save for your retirement. The money comes from contributions made into your super fund by your employer, your employer must pay 9.5% of your salary into a super fund. This is called the super guarantee and it’s the law. Most people can choose which super fund they’d like their super contributions paid into – if you want to choose your super fund, tell your employer by filling in a standard choice form from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or from your employer. However, if you are on a working holiday visa or choose to leave after your sponsor visa has expired you will be able to access your super money once you leave the country.

JOBS – Research jobs in Oz before you leave. Australia may have a good economy, but it might not be as easy to get a job as you think. If you’re on a working holiday visa, you’ll be restricted to six months with each employer so plan what you want to do to save time. Register with as many recruitment agencies as possible and keep your eyes peeled on job sites such as Seek and Indeed.

Now we have covered the important stuff, here are some fun facts that I really wish I had known!

You assume trying to find an apartment to rent will be hard. Nothing will prepare you for exactly how hard it will be. Seriously, clear your diary and get on the apartment hunt.
Everything will seem so expensive at first…You will get used to the crazy prices – eventually!
You probably won’t go to the beach all that much. SHOCK! I know but this is true.
Australia gets cold. Very cold! Especially Melbourne – Maybe bring that Zara winter coat from last year.
Everyone in Australia drinks coffee. If you don’t drink coffee then start.
Regional work – Everyone dreads this but if you want your 2nd year visa, then you need to do it – No one tells you what a great experience it will be – DO IT.
Getting into nightclubs and pubs might not be as easy as it was back home, carry your ID everywhere.
If you’re looking for very fashionable clothes at the high-street stores then don’t bother! The clothes are expensive and not that great. Second-hand, vintage and charity shops all have great finds and wealthy Australians often use them to get rid of last season’s fashions so you’ll be able to snaffle up some bargains for a few dollars.
You’ll find lots of new food experiences in Oz: Kangaroo, Crocodile, Smashed Avocado. The list is endless. Brunch is also a major thing, if you don’t eat breakfast then start.
Last but not least Enjoy it!!!!!

I hope this has helped you prepare a little bit more for your move. It really will be the best thing you ever do and who knows maybe I will see you Down Under. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

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Learn how to sharpen your langauge

Mon, 01 May 2017 05:33:51 GMT

Sharpen your language

In memory of the poet and playwright William Shakespeare.

This focus will be on the practical use of words, metaphor and other literary devices for the business context – to help you notch up your spoken communication impact.

To be clear, the focus is not on showing off with new words and phrases. Rather, the focus is on avoiding staleness of language – where everyone seems to be speaking and sounding alike. The focus is on promoting richer word and language usage.

Your choice of words –can make people want to listen to you and act on what you say.

It can make your voice be heard, above the cacophony of buzz words and acronyms. It can make you more articulate.

Here are examples of 10 sports metaphors used in business and where they came from.

Many of the metaphors are from the U.S. You might be surprised at their origin of some. In addition, here’s a superb AFR article by Michael Dirda, What does that remind you of? The power of metaphor.

The article ends with this vignette.

‘Let me end with a glorious passage from H.L. Mencken in full throat as he destroys the prose of Warren G. Harding :

“He writes the worst English that I have ever encountered. It reminds me of a string of wet sponges; it reminds me of tattered washing on the line; it reminds me of stale bean soup, of college yells, of dogs barking idiotically through endless nights.

It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it. It drags itself out of the dark abysm of pish, and crawls insanely up the topmost pinnacle of tosh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and doodle. It is balder and dash.”*

Lord, what I’d give to be able to write like that!’

How can you make your LinkedIn profile appealing to hiring managers?

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:33:28 GMT

LinkedIn is a must when looking for job opportunities. There is no doubt about it anymore. Either you are an active or passive candidate, hence why I strongly recommend you make your LinkedIn Profile active.

What do I mean by that?

You should have a profile which can be found easily by a recruiter or hiring manager so you can be contacted about different roles and be aware of what is happening on the job market.

Having a profile picture and an overview of your resume won’t be enough unfortunately. In 2017, the total number of LinkedIn users stood at 467 million. What could you do in order to be found amongst the world’s largest professional network?

KEYWORDS

When sourcing for candidates, my search on LinkedIn will go by keywords so let’s say if I am looking for a business analyst who has experience working on Adobe captivate and has previous experience with government, I will use these keywords to search: Business Analyst + Adobe captivate + Government. This search will bring me a list of candidates who have all these keywords on their LinkedIn Profiles. Therefore it is very important that all your skills set are listed on your profile and make sure not to have any spelling mistakes.

YOUR HEADLINE

Your headline is very important as it will make me want to click on your profile to explore further or not.

Your headline should be a summary of your skill set using again relevant keywords.

If you are not in a job and looking for work immediately, why not let the prospect employer know: ‘’available immediately for Business analyst role or Specialist BA with captivate experience available’’ immediately for example.

NUMBER OF CONNECTIONS

Making connections is what LinkedIn is all about. Here it is how it works: the more connections you have the more chance you have to appear on a hiring manager/ recruiter search.

Simple rules, make sure you are connected to at least 500 people. The more connected you are to people the more chance you have to be viewed by relevant people.

It might take time to get those 500 connections, however make it a habit, every time you meet someone or talk to someone, take action and add them on LinkedIn.

BEING ACTIVE

Having a presence on LinkedIn is crucial.

The more active you are on your LinkedIn, the more visible you will be. Here are all the activities you can do to be visible across your connections: sharing posts, commenting on other posts, adding yourself to groups, following companies, writing and posting blogs etc.

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What are the benefits and challenges of being on a Working Holidays Visa?

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 12:20:14 GMT

Year after year an increasing amount of working holiday visa holders are coming to Australia to live the dream down under! I hate to break the news but realistically the dream does not become a reality until you can secure employment. Sydney is an expensive place to live with accommodation at an all-time high and everyday living as expensive as it has ever been! Your savings you thought would last when you arrived might not last that long. Speaking first hand and having experienced everything this time last year I can’t express enough how important it is to get work ASAP! I can openly admit I was lucky to find a role I enjoy and in a role I am constantly developing within has definitely been the key factor to me personally living the dream down under!

Working as a recruitment consultant I can see firsthand how many working holiday visas apply to each and every role along with every other applicant. The market is extremely competitive. In Australia you will have the right to work with one employer for up to 6 months and then another employer for a further 6 months on a 417 WHV. This is an obstacle for long term roles as you will be immediately excluded from the process with the restrictions coming into play for any roles over 6 months. You have the option of doing 88 days of regional work to gain your second year visa which can be a great experience. If you manage to complete your 88 days you can apply for your second year visa and you can work again with the same employer on a 6 month restriction basis.

Why use a working holiday visa?

Firstly, anyone on a working holiday visa will be committed to a role and will perform to the highest level in order to stay in the position. As a recruiter there is no better feeling than giving someone the chance to impress and then getting great feedback about the candidate. This will immediately make a consultant try their utmost to keep you working and gives you the best chance for extending your contract and also getting that Sydney work experience. Another bonus will be that short term roles will be no problem with the restrictions and the fact someone on a WHV will need to work makes a WHV the ideal candidate. Short term roles will be an area where a skilled WHV will accept and then possibly extend if excelling in the role. Location is a key factor and with the amazing public transport in Sydney being on a working holiday visa you will be happy to move and travel for work if the opportunity arises. Finally a working holiday visa is a restriction but everyone should be looked at the same. If the position is within the 6 month restriction and the candidate possess all the skills they should be considered for the role and given the chance because I know I was!

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Why Coffee is Good For You and the Different Types of Coffee.

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 11:14:14 GMT

Coffee, dating back to 800 BC in Ethiopia in a province called Kaffa, is the staple of many office workers’ diets.

These days we are normally hear what’s not good to consume, why we should cut out certain food groups and what is damaging your temple that is your body. Sound familiar?

This time you are going to hear it from a different perspective, someone who was not only a barrister for 3 years but also an officer worker who utilises the benefits of coffee to be more productive and successful at work.

Before I start I would like to emphasise the “everything in moderation” rule. As the chart below displays, there can be too much of a good thing.

Too much coffee can dehydrate your body and result in an inability to focus.

Moving forward, coffee can increase your intelligence. Yes, you heard it here first. Caffeine which is an ingredient in coffee stimulates the adenosine receptors in the brain, improving your reaction time, memory, vigilance and other cognitive functions.

Coffee can help you to kick start your metabolism. As many of us in spend time sitting at a desk or in a meeting room, our activity levels would be much lower than others who might spend their time outside working in a labouring or more physically demanding job.

Following on from the earlier point of coffee improving your memory, it can also reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s. Being the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world, it is something that many of us have come into contact with. It is no coincidence that coffee drinkers have 60% lower chance of suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Coffee types:

If you are only just getting into coffee, then perhaps you haven’t discovered the joy in finding, “the one”, that coffee that has a perfect amount of kick, but not too bitter, with an element of sweetness without feel like your drinking a can of soft drink.

Ultimately everyone has different taste buds so the right drink is a trial an error. However see the chart below to make a more educated guess on how to tinker the beverage to your taste.

Now you are well learned in the art of coffee. So the next time you hear “Your having another coffee?” or “you shouldn’t be drinking that” you’ll have a retort.

Best of luck on your search for “the one”, if you ever need any advice on the type of beverage or how to tinker your current coffee more to your liking you can reach me at: ben.niejalke@quayappointments.com.au

If you see me in the street, I drink a double shot Macchiato. Stay tuned for information on the variety of beans and how they can affect the flavour of coffee.

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Common interview mistakes & how to avoid them!

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 12:52:45 GMT

Congratulations, you’ve impressed with your application and landed a job interview. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned professional, when it comes to job interviews it’s surprisingly easy to trip yourself up.

Interviews are often the first chance you get to come face-to-face with potential employers, so it’s important that you make yourself memorable for the right reasons. However, with other talented candidates up for the role this can sometimes be a challenge.

Here’s how to nail your interview and avoid those common mistakes:

1. Turning up late

Work out exactly where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. If you can, do a practice run. On the day, allow yourself 30 minutes extra for traffic problems or delays. If for some reason, you’re running late, call your interviewer to let them know.

2. Inappropriate clothing

What’s appropriate varies depending on the job you’re going for, so try asking someone who works in the same industry. If you’re still not sure, go for something more formal – a suit or dark trousers/skirt with a smart shirt or top. Never wear casual clothing to an interview! It doesn’t give employers the right impression.

3. Failing to do your research

A lack of research into either the company or the role will leave you feeling unprepared. You need to know your CV inside out. If it’s a competency-based interview, make sure you’ve prepared relevant examples. Research the employer, go over the job description and take notes on how your skills and strengths match up.

4. Criticising a current or previous employer

It’s fine to talk about what you would like to achieve and why this may not be possible in your current job, but never bad-mouth a current or previous employer. It could give your interviewer the impression you’re difficult to work with.

5. Not asking any questions

Asking a few questions towards the end of the interview shows you’re confident, thoughtful and interested in the position. Some good fall-back options are asking what kind of training opportunities the employer offers, what the workplace culture is like or what career opportunities are available.

Follow these 5-easy steps and be the best version of yourself and you will soon bag that dream job you have been hoping for.

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Got a difficult boss? This may be why

Fri, 10 Mar 2017 13:07:27 GMT

This week our guest blogger Corrinne Armour talks about difficult bosses

Most of my messages are directed towards the leader. Today I am talking to you about the leader you report to – your boss.

Do you have a tricky relationship with your boss?

While you both come to work to do a good job, something is getting lost in the translation.

Is it their entire fault? Not quite! It’s time for you to step up too.

Five reasons why your manager may appear difficult

They are behaving ‘badly’. Behaviour is external; it’s what we see. Intentions—the inside drivers for external behaviours—are hidden. Are you judging behaviour without considering their intention?
They don’t provide constructive feedback. Your manager is probably more uncomfortable giving you critical feedback than you are at receiving it. They may be concerned about how their feedback will heard, worrying they might offend or upset you, or perhaps damage the relationship. They may also fear a strong emotional response.

3. They don’t know it’s their job to develop you. As a junior, success is about growing yourself. As a people-leader, success is about growing others. Not all managers understand this, nor have they been supported to make this transition.

4. They’re under pressure. When leaders are under pressure—stressed, time-short—they have less mental bandwidth. Managing staff well can often fall into the ‘non-essential’ category and so the focus is lost.

5. They’re not perfect. Just like you, they are a work-in-progress, and lack certain skills.

So how can you help them to help you?

Look for the positive intention behind the behaviour. It may not be obvious, and you may need to ask. Soften your attitude and make it easier for them to be a better manager.
Move from judgement to curiosity. Get curious about what’s going on for them. If they feel judged, they will be defensive. It won’t help either of you if you continue to think that as the manager, ‘they should know better’.
Speak up. Stop whinging. Instead talk to someone who can help—yes, your manager. A. Offer helpful feedback, being sure to make your intention clear. B. Ask for assertive feedback in return. C. Stipulate you want the good and the ugly, as this will help you develop.

Difficult managers aren’t fun. What are you willing to do to shift the working relationship?

Go fearlessly

International Womens Day.

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 05:44:42 GMT

International Women’s Day theme is Be Bold for Change.

‘Be Bold for Change’ is a call to both organisations and individuals to help forge a better, more gender inclusive working world. It challenges all of us to become leaders, no matter our gender, to progress gender inclusiveness in our own sphere of influence – to help woman reach their full potential both in the workforce and in the public sphere.

This call to the masses is all well and good but will the masses step up and answer? According to the groupthink phenomenon, coined by social psychologist Irving Janis, the desire for moral justice and common sense is often overrun by the need for consensus. While in a group setting, individuals’ personal beliefs are no longer the main factor, as it becomes more important for the group to agree, to be in harmony. Personal interests are pushed to the background; the main goal is to ensure the continued success of the group through common thought. This groupthink is very prevalent in the theory of Bystander Apathy, a theory that seeks to explain why individuals are slow to act in a group setting. People believe that because no one else is doing anything, there is no reason for them to as well.

Bystander Apathy is a factor in gender equality as well, particularly in the workplace. Whilst gender equality continues to be an issue in the media, in the workplace the status quo of a lack of women in leadership roles continuing from the factory floor to the boardroom in employability, seniority and remuneration. Challenging that status quo requires boldness. It falls especially to the managers of business to promote change in this area, not just to sit on the sidelines. Male managers must become more aware of prejudices about gender roles that they have internalised. Women in positions of authority and status must in the words of Michele Obama “Reach back and pull up the woman behind her” and encourage other women to reach out and realise their best aspirations. We must all be bold for change.

Leadership

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 06:12:55 GMT

This week our guest blogger Corrinne Armour talks about Coaching and Leadership Skills.

If you finished last year tired, stressed and with a long ‘to-do’ list still outstanding, it might be time to add coaching capabilities to your leadership toolkit. (The people you lead will benefit too!) Here are five things that you may not be aware of, and that leaders who coach know:

1. It’s okay not to have all the answers

This is an especially important one for new leaders. Nobody expects that you will have all the answers yourself. In fact your team want to be involved in creating the answers!

Leaders who coach are curious and draw wisdom from the team. In doing so they empower others to contribute, resulting in shared accountability for the outcome.

2. Leader’s technical expertise is secondary

Your technical expertise is often what gets you promoted. You are an excellent lawyer – let’s get you leading the legal team! Here the rules of the game change. As a leader, your success comes from the team’s success, and not your own – it’s now your leadership expertise that matters.

3. People want feedback

People actually want the bad news that you don’t want to give them. Research* has found that people want corrective feedback more than praise, providing it’s given in constructive manner. 72% said their performance would improve if their manager provided corrective feedback.

4. Questions trump directions

When you give directions, the person’s ‘rational brain’ may be listening, but this won’t necessary help with recall or ownership.

Questions are more likely to lead to self-discovery and insight. Solving a puzzle is inherently rewarding to the brain, engaging the ‘emotional brain’ and increasing the chance they will remember and apply the learning. Stop telling – start asking.

5. Working less is working more

The need to control people and situations is exhausting! Having a queue of people outside your office door looking for you to provide the answers may be good for your ego, but it’s not good for your career or your health! And it’s certainly not good for your team. A coaching approach helps you ‘work’ less and empower more.

A client recently told me: ’I am getting the best results ever. My team is engaged, my direct reports are learning and stepping up. I am having great conversations that push boundaries. And yet I feel like I am working less! I wish I had learned a coaching approach years ago.’

With coaching skills added to your leadership tool kit, you will be equipped to engage, develop and lead your people. Imagine the impact of that right across the organisation.

Go fearlessly

Corrinne Armour

Corrinne works with leaders and teams to play their big game by embracing Fearless Leadership. Speaker, mentor and coach. Co-author of ‘Developing Direct Reports:

Taking the guesswork out of leading leaders’ and ‘Cracking the Code for Workshop Performance’.

If you are ready for Fearless Leadership, get in touch. http://corrinnearmour.com

http://corrinnearmour.com

Corrinne Armour

Professional Dress Attire in the Office.

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 13:18:46 GMT

‘You never get a second chance to make a great first impression’

Dress better, work better?

A number of recent studies suggest that dressing up for work in a suit or blazer could do wonders for an employee’s productivity, whether going into a negotiation, making a sales call or even participating in a video conference with business associates.

Using a number of measures, including simulated business meetings at which subjects wore formal and more casual clothing, the studies offer indications that wearing smarter clothes may raise one’s confidence level, affect how others perceive the wearer, and in some cases even boost the level of one’s abstract thinking, the type in which leaders and executives engage.

So we know that dressing better may actually improve the performance and confidence of an employee. What are some other reasons to always present your best self at work?

Dressing in proper business attire is important for every business professional because it gives the message that you are dedicated to your position: Although this may sound cliché, it is true. If you were to walk into an office and see one person in torn jeans and a stained t-shirt and another person in a sleek business suit, you would assume that the one in the jeans does not care about their job.

You never know when you will be required to have a meeting with someone from outside the company: The way in which you present yourself will be the image that this outsider has of your company. Anytime you have a meeting with someone who is not from your company, you have to realise that you are representing the company. Most managers and owners would want this message to be professional. It actually could indirectly mean the difference between landing a new deal and being passed up for it.

You also have to take the company for which you work into consideration when you are planning your business wardrobe: There are many companies that are using business casual these days, so look around and see what the majority of your co-workers are wearing. Business casual is a term that can vary greatly from company to company. Although dressing professionally is important, it also is important to dress relative to your co-workers. What is acceptable at one company could be looked down upon at another.

The importance of a dress code for professionalism varies somewhat by industry. However, the correlation between the two is generally strong. Appearance ranked second only to communication skills when respondents named qualities most often associated with professionalism, according to a national poll conducted by the Centre for Professional Excellence at York College.

Matthew Randall, executive director of the CPE, said, “How an individual dresses for work can be a powerful extension of their personal brand. Clothes, accessories and even the footwear an employee chooses to wear help to reinforce or diminish there skills and qualities in the eyes of the employer, co-workers and clients.”

Although a one-size-fits-all or universal dress code may not be achievable or realistic, some universal guidelines are possible and could include the following:

Professional attire almost always means:

Suits (with tie) for men, paired with a solid-coloured dress shirt
Suits, trouser suits or dresses with a jacket for women
Neutral colours and conservative footwear for all
Clean grooming, ironed clothes and attention paid to detail

Business Casual – The key is to maintain a professional presence, even if you’re not in a suit or tie.

From day one: Dress more formally, and observe your peers, which can help you decode your office. That said, even if dress is more casual, it may show ambition to dress it up a bit.
For her: From tailored trousers to dresses (not more than an inch or two above the knee), women have options. Aim to keep footwear relatively conservative.
For him: Smart trousers, a collared shirt and a belt are standard. Blazers, tailored sweaters and leather shoes work as well.
For everyone: Avoid jeans until you’re certain they are acceptable which can range from Fridays-only to never. This is not an area in which to be a trailblazer. Trendier clothes may be ok, within reason, but take cues from others.

Some more tips to ensure you are always on top of your game when it comes to meeting the dress code of your employers;

If you don’t know ask!
If it’s business formal suit up
Professional attire is just what it sounds like
Let (a little) loose if dress code is business casual
For fully casual, just about anything goes
Creative offices usually mean you can have more fun with clothes
However, even in the most casual or creative of offices, some articles of clothing or jewellery are never acceptable.

Dress like you own the bank…not like you need a loan from it

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Where to find information about work rights when you arrive in Australia

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 13:43:15 GMT

Australia is a beautiful place to live, work and travel. To work in Australia, you have to apply for and be granted a valid Australian visa with work rights. A number of different temporary or permanent skilled visas are available to apply for.

Let’s talk about the 4 most common working visas in Australia:

Note that when you start a job in Australia, you will need the following documents:

Tax File Number(TFN) – the TFN is your personal number in relation to tax purposes click here to apply for your TFN
Superannuation Details – the superannuation is 9.5% of your salary and is a contribution for your retirement. Ask your bank or employer to open a superannuation account. To avoid high fees, we advise to keep the same superannuation account during your whole stay in Australia.
Bank account – Easy & Free! It will take about 10 minutes to open a bank account with for example Commonwealth, Westpac and NAB. You can either do it from home online or in person when you arrive.
Insurance – don’t underestimate the importance of insurance in Australia. Even for a simple injury, it can cost a lot of money.

Why Agility & Innovation is about more than just technology.

Thu, 23 Feb 2017 06:45:27 GMT

Our guest blogger is Patrick Hollingworth who recently gave a very well attended presentation at one of Quay Appointments successful breakfast networking seminars . In this series of blogs Patrick explores how teams can deal with business in an ever changing world.

The Problem – Disruption

In today’s rapidly changing business world, there are two words that we are hearing spoken of on an ever-increasing basis: agility and innovation . These two words are being touted as the solution to a third word that is also being used with increased regularity: disruption . A commonly heard dialogue goes something like this:

“We are in an age of unprecedented disruption. If we want to survive this disruption, we need to become more agile and innovative.”

The general thesis of this statement is correct. Driven by never-beforeseen growth in technology, which in turn is smashing incumbents’ fiercely guarded barriers of entry to mostindustries, every industry on earth is being—or is about to be—disrupted. To go beyond the day-to-day hype of disruption and understand one of the more important drivers of this change, check out the description of Moore’s law on the right. The dangers for every existing organisation today are very real.

For example, in 2011, Babson College, one of the US’s leading private business schools, predicted that by 2021, 40 per cent of existing Fortune 500 companies would no longer exist . Others have made similar alarming predictions. Also in 2011, global strategy and innovation company Innosight noted the average lifespan of an S&P 500 company had decreased from 67 years in the 1920s to 15 years today. They predicted that at the current churn rate, 75 per cent of companies on the S&P 500 today would be replaced by 2027. Sure, all of these above examples relate to American businesses, but don’t think for a moment that if your organisation is not American it’ll be safe. On a 2014 business trip to Silicon Valley, David Thodey, former CEO of Australian communications giant Telstra spoke of industry insiders telling him bluntly that ‘ his business model was dead ’. The threat is the same the world over .

disruption [dis-ruhp-shuh n]

noun

forcible separation or division into parts

a disrupted condition a radical change in an industry or business strategy, especially involving the introduction of a new product or service that creates a new market.

The Solution – Agility & Innovation

It’s great to see increased levels of awareness about how things are changing at speeds and in ways that we have never before seen, and the beginning of conversations about how we can respond to these changes. But we need to be very mindful that we run the risk of complacency by using the language of agility and innovation as a solution, without truly understanding what agility and innovation actually look like in practice.

In other words, simply talking about agility and innovation as a counter to the threat of disruption isn’t enough.

In addition, we also run the risk of seeing both the problem and the solution through only one lens; that is, through the lens of technology. Whilst technology is undoubtedly the main driver of the change (along with people and places; see the circle on the right), technology alonewill not be the solution . Whilst technological improvements such as cloud computing will save our organisations a lot of money and enable us to operate lighter and faster with more agility and capacity for innovation, the deployment and utilisation of this technology will only be successful if the organisation itself can be supportive of the deployment. To create an agile and innovative organisation, there needs to be a supporting platform from which the technology can operate and in turn drive agility and innovation.

noun innovation [in-uh-vey-shuh n]

something new or different introduced
the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods

noun agility[uh-jil-i-tee]

1. the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness
2. the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly; intellectual acuity

www.patrickhollingworth.com

How to make a successful partnership with a recruiter

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:59:32 GMT

Nowadays, many permanent or contract roles are handled by recruitment agencies like ours. I am happy to say that recruitment agencies play a strong part in the employment market. Therefore, as I discussed in one my previous blogs, registering with a couple of recruitment agencies needs to be part of your job search.

Keep in mind that working with a recruiter is different from dealing with a company directly. Let me give you some advice on how to best deal with recruiters and create a successful partnership.

Relationship

It is very important that you build a strong relationship with the recruiter. Pretty basic right?

What I mean by that is, you want them to know you well at an employment level: understand your background, your skills, your strengths, personality etc.….

Why? So we can find you a suitable job matching your skill set and also a cultural fit. As a recruiter we often have the advantage to know the “behind the scenes” of the company we are recruiting for. We will have been onsite to meet the client, the team, and have insightful information from candidates we placed in the past. How? Only one way: take the time to meet the recruiter face to face and giving them a good overview of your background. Ask for a meeting, if you haven’t already take the relationship to the next level.

2. Availability call

Yes we mean it when we say to you, keep in touch! Let us know about your availability on a regular basis.

Why? Each week a recruiter meets and talks to at least 100 candidates a week. After a while, if we don’t hear from you, you might not be the first person coming to mind when a job comes through.

How? Telephone or email on a regular basis, once a week or a fortnight, let us know about your availability, your interest in any role you have seen advertised and how you are finding the market. You are increasing your chance to be one of the first we call when jobs become available.

3. Reliability

Personally this is a big one for me, don’t let us down as you will damage our reputation but also yours!

Why? Working with a recruitment agency is in my opinion, a partnership. A partnership should be based on trust. We are working closely with hiring managers and they have the same expectation. If reliability and transparency are not part of your vocabulary, you could hurt our relationship with our client and worst scenario we could lose them.

How? Do what you say you are going to do, be on time for an interview, show up at interview or at your first day at work, come back to us as agreed on time, return missed telephone calls promptly.

Reliability is also being transparent. Tell us about your concerns about the job, other roles you have in the pipeline, simply keep us in the loop.

This can apply to you when you work with a recruiter. If they never get back to you, do not give you updates on your interview, they are not reliable so why continue this partnership with them?

We both want the same outcome, securing you a role, so let’s work together towards it and create this strong partnership.

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Want to know more?

Contact one of our consultants who specialise per job industry at Quay Appointments

How a Working Holiday Visa works

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 06:11:12 GMT

G’day, mate!

If you are planning on travelling, working or living in Australia? Don’t really have a clue what to expect? Here is some helpful advice for you! After spending the past year in Australia I would like to share my knowledge with you! Find out everything about visas and working the Aussie lifestyle! Don’t worry I won’t tell you where to go and what to do. I know you are a backpacker. You don’t want to follow a strict schedule or a fix route. Working in recruitment in Sydney, Australia, I know what kind of information backpackers are looking for, to make sure you get the right information, here’s a collection of the most important things you should know.

VISA

If you would like to legally work and live in Australia for up to a year, the visa you might consider is the (417/462) Working Holiday visa depending on where you live. The Working Holiday and Work and Holiday programs encourage cultural exchange and closer ties between arrangement countries by allowing young people to have an extended holiday supplemented by short-term employment. The visa application can be filled out online and it takes about 20 minutes to answer the questions. After the application has been submitted it can take a couple of hours up to a couple of weeks until you find out whether your application has been granted or not. Once the application has been granted you are allowed to work for the same employer for up to six months. After six months you are legally obligated to change employer.

Once your visa has been granted you have 12 months to enter the country. From the day of your first entry the visa is valid for 12 months. Within these 12 months you can leave the country as often as you want and re-enter again. However, if you leave the country for let’s say a month you DO NOT get an additional month at the end of the year.

Both programs also offer the possibility to extend your stay for another year. In order to do so you have to meet a number of requirements. You will find an exact list of what is required. If you do meet all the requirements you can apply for the second year visa while you are still in Australia or while you are outside the country. If you’re first Working Holiday visa has been expired but you still haven’t found out whether your second year visa has been granted you are allowed to stay in the country on a bridging visa until you get notice.

TFN

TFN refers to the Australian Tax File Number and is essential if you would like to work in Australia. You can apply for the TFN online and it can take up to six weeks until you’ve been provided a TFN. If you have applied for a TFN and you haven’t got your number yet but still would like to work in the meantime it is also possible to give to your employer once you receive it. You have up to 28 days to provide a tax file number to your employer. In order to apply for the TFN you need an Australian residential address which can be the address of the hostel/ hotel you are staying. The TFN will be sent to this address and will not be provided online. Make sure you don’t leave the hostel/ hotel before your TFN has arrived or make sure that someone can forward you your TFN details.

BACKPACKING JOBS

Finding a job in Australia can be difficult but those who are really keen on working will find a job. Of course there are a few points that are extremely important when looking for a job:

An up to date CV is required with references
You have to be flexible on location
You have to be flexible on contract duration
Salary will reflect your experience and availability for a role.
Reliability and efficiency will also go along way

Keeping these points in mind, let’s move on to the next big question. Where can I find a backpacking job ? Most hostels offer notice boards where all kinds of jobs are offered. But to be honest emailing your resume to Recruitment agencies stating the following will help speed up the process.

Job you are looking for
Duration you will be in this location
Available start date
Salary you seek
Any holidays planned
Finally be patient as finding a job right for you is not easy and may take some time

Many agencies specialise in certain fields so just sign up with as many job agencies to give you the best possibility. Another way to get one of these popular jobs is simply type in to the google search the field you are interested in, e.g. traffic control and the city you would like to work in and the results will most likely provide you a few names of companies.

Finally if you decide to make the move enjoy the plane ride and maybe I’ll see you down under! Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

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How Important is Team Bonding?

philip.divilly@quayappointments.com.au (Philip Divilly) — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 05:36:17 GMT

How important is team bonding?

We have all heard of the phrase; “There is no ‘I’ in TEAM” and instantly understand its meaning.

So what does the word team mean to you?

A team can be defined as “A group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a task, job, or project” according to businessdictionary.com

Whether it is in sports or in our professional work environment, we have all been a part of a team in some form.

In order to help make a team high performing and successful, there are a number of key components that need to be present. One of these components is the importance of team bonding, so why does team bonding matter and what part can it play?

Below are some of the benefits of Team bonding:

You get to know each team player better

By taking part in team bonding activities, you learn much more about each other and can make friends in the workplace. This is one of the best ways to increase productivity in the office. Not only does it increase morale in the office, it also allows for the office to work better solving everyday workplace issues.

Teamwork helps with boosting team performance

Team bonding activities also improve workplace projects that involve teamwork. After completing team building activities together, employees better understand each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. This understanding helps them work even better together on future progress vital to a company.

Increased competition and bragging rights

Competition has been shown to increase productivity. By harnessing increased productivity into a fun, inclusive team building activity, employees can bond in a way impossible by other means.

The celebrations lead to team spirit

After any sports team wins a major championship, they celebrate and have fun. This motivates them to want to win even more. This shows that the celebration and fun that come with every team bonding event can motivate employees to bring their job to the next level.

Strengthens communication among the team

It’s no surprise that communication and working better together is the one of the top benefits why people choose team building activities. Everybody wants a friendly work environment, where people are comfortable and happy to talk and work with anyone.

A successful team building activity will surely mean a more comfortable and successful workplace environment for any company, large or small. So go on, start planning your next team bonding activity today.

Customise your resume

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 05:46:56 GMT

3 Ways to Customise your Resume to the Position

According to a scientific study, recruiters spend “6 seconds before they make the initial ‘fit or no fit’ decision” (The Ladders, 2012) on candidates. The study analysed recruiter’s decision making behaviour by using a scientific technique called eye tracking. Based on that result it is tremendously important to make those few minutes count. By tailoring your resume to the specific job description you want, potential employers need to get the most information from your resume as quickly as possible. In the following I am going to present 3 ways to tailor your resume to the position.

Read the Job Description carefully

First of all, print the job description out. By having the job description in front of you, you will find out about the job’s requirements and expectations and you are able to refer back to it at any time. This is crucial information for the hiring manager, since this person is looking for someone who understands the job specification. By including this information in your resume, you can confirm this and increase your opportunity of getting invited for an interview. Therefore, do not underestimate the first step of reading the job description carefully.

2. Present your relevant Achievements, Experiences and Skills

Secondly stop for achievements, experiences and skills that you have acquired while reading through the job description. Make a note of everything you have experienced and are skilled in relating back to the job description – bear in mind experiences are not limited to previous jobs but also include voluntary work for example. This is crucial information that needs to be included in your resume.

3. Customise your Information to the Position

When you have finished steps one and two it is time to customise your information to the position. Take your notes about relevant achievements, experiences and skills acquired and include these in your resume. Use key words here, since most recruitment agencies use a specific recruitment software, which identifies key words in your resume. If you are not able to show the relevant key words that match the job description you may never get a call back.

To conclude you will receive more attention with your customised resume from the recruiter. By tailoring your resume to the position you demonstrate serious interest in the job opportunity and you are the best candidate. Make your resume last longer than 6 seconds!

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Upskilling

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 05:57:30 GMT

Skills you can never have enough! Are you planning a career change? Or perhaps you want to just upskill yourself, upskilling your skill set will definitely help you “Stay on top of your game”

As today’s market is so competitive upskilling has its benefits:

Keeping up with industry demands, this may be anything from gaining an extra qualification, taking your employer up on extra training or even something as simple as reading a blog
Salary Increase, with some new skills to show off the more valuable you will be to a company. This could lead to chance of a promotion or if you are looking to change career put you more step ahead of other candidates
Having a fresh skill set may reduce the chance of redundancy. Businesses look to become more cost efficient and effective, is it often employees whose skills are outdated and no longer needed that feel the effects. Ensure that you can show your significance to an organisation.

People often don’t know the best way to upskill themselves or where to start. Upskilling doesn’t need to be scary, look at what options are available to you and use them to your advantage:

Create a new resume, be very specific about your skills and achievements, this will help you stand out to employers
Network, talk to people both in career areas that interest you and also people who have done courses that might suit you. Go to industry events, read blogs, join social media platforms etc..
Find a mentor, learn from someone who is already where you want to be, talk to them about how they got to where they are and what they learned along the way, they can also give you feedback on areas where you need to improve.

These are just a few reasons why and how we should upskill, with the industry changing every day we should all take some time to work on upskilling ourselves then we will always be “On top of our game!”

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How to get into a government job

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 06:21:05 GMT

Let’s face it getting into a government agency can seem more difficult than it actually it is. Recently, restructures have been hitting the public sector for the last few years and I have noticed that government employers consider more and more employees coming from the private sector. Don’t worry if you don’t have previous government agency experience as you still have opportunities. Here are some avenues to look at if you are looking to get into a government agency:

Iworkforjobnsw

Government agencies advertise their permanent or fixed term contract jobs on their website called Iworkforjobnsw . The process to apply can be long as you are required to respond to targeted questions for each job you apply for and then you sometimes have to wait a few weeks before you get to the interview stage. Therefore patience will be your key to success…I personally found that as an individual you have some chance even thought at time you might be competing with internal employee or contractors who occupy the role they are advertising. What I have seen, in average you will get an outcome within 1-3 months from the time that you put in your application, so keep that in mind. Therefore an easier avenue may be contracting.

Contract work

Contract work has many benefits . One of them that I have seen over the years, it is a great opportunity for people to get their foot in the door within Government. After working 5 years in this sector, I have seen many candidates without government experience getting a contract in the public sector. Besides, contracting within a government agency can also sometimes lead to permanent opportunities. If not that would open the door for you for other government roles. Moreover, when you go through contract, the recruitment process is quicker than for applying for a permanent job and you don’t have to respond to targeted questions. For your information, most contracts are managed by recruitment agencies.

Recruitment Agency

Recruitment agencies manage most of contract work for NSW State Government agency. So it is important than you build a relationship with recruitment agency who are on the panel to supply staff to State Government agency. We have been working with State Government for over 20 years so contact us to discuss how we can help you.

Networking

Use your contacts, people you know who might be currently working in government. They will direct you as well to their favourite recruiter! To conclude, getting into government is not as hard as you might think it is. If you have a great skills, can do attitude and positive work ethic you will get there.

Do you have a background and are interested to get into Government contract, contact us on 8257 0500 to talk to our specialised recruitment consultant or follow us on LinkedIn.

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Market Salary

Sat, 10 Dec 2016 06:34:45 GMT

It’s the question on everyone’s mind. What is the market like? Am I being paid appropriately for my skills and background? I’m here to tell you, with the information readily accessible today, both of those questions can be answered.

In conclusion salary trends are always changing depending on the supply and demand in the market. Use information from the subject matter experts like your recruiter and free information sites to find out if you are being paid appropriately.

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Recruitment Agencies – How they can help you !

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 06:51:41 GMT

Recruitment agencies are becoming increasingly popular. As more and more businesses and organisations turn to recruitment consultants to find their perfect candidate, more and more candidates are turning to recruitment agencies to facilitate their job search. The job market is competitive, it can be a complicated, expensive, lengthy and frustrating process for both the person hiring and the person looking for a new job to find the ‘right fit’. Recruitment agencies speed up and smooth out this process, acting as the middle man between both parties and performing always in a strategic and consultative manner to ensure the best match between job and candidate.

For candidates, the benefits are numerous;

Recruitment agencies are free of charge for candidates. Agencies only charge their clients, therefore candidates obtain help, advice, support and potential new job offers for free
Recruitment consultants are experts in their field and will be able to provide an in depth and realistic overview of the current labour market
Consultants build their careers on networking, can use these contacts to tap into a huge market of potential employers for every candidate they meet with
Due to years of relationship building between agencies and their clients, consultants will often have access to jobs that a job seeker cannot yet see. An agency is often the first sounding board when a client is looking for new talent and can give suitable candidates a jump start in the hiring process
Consultants want every candidate they place (or work with in any form) to be successful in their job search and subsequent career. Therefore giving feedback, tips, advice and support are intrinsic in how they do their work. Depending on the nature of the role, they can also assist with salary negotiations and give support for any other issues that may arise in the workplace.

The bottom line is, recruitment agencies are built on the sourcing, placing and support of great candidates. Without the right candidates, an agency has nothing to offer their clients. It is in an agencies best interest to do everything they can for their candidates, this can only be a positive thing for all those seeking new job opportunities.

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Successful C.V writing tips!

Fri, 11 Nov 2016 07:04:09 GMT

How to write a successful resume

A resume is your key to get your next job. I personally consider your CV being the most important step in your job search. In our industry, we have seen many candidates with amazing skills but without an attractive resume struggling to get an interview. Put all your chances on your side and write a successful resume and here below is how to do it.

1. Your goal is to produce a document which wleila-blog-pic-1ill attract the eyes of the Hiring manager or recruiter. Recruiters look at hundreds of resumes every day so they only spend a few seconds on a resume before deciding if it is worth having a deeper look. Hence it is vital that your resume is clear, neat, and spacious and also highlights at a glance your most relevant skills. Firstly, make sure to have same theme font, text size, same space, bold coordination. Limit the colour to one maximum. Secondly, bullet points are a great tool for making your CV easy to read and straight to the point. List your job responsibilities with bullet points. A line is ideal. Moreover when using bullet points for your responsibilities, choose keywords relevant to the job you are applying for to describe your duties.

2. Tailor your c.v.

You have heard it millions of times, it is essential you tailor your CV to each role you are applying for. Highlight your relevant experience matching the job description and remove any which are not irrelevant. Most importantly, pay great importance to keywords! Keywords are the main skills or responsibilities that the employer is looking for and will be the first word we will look for on your resume. A lot of recruiters will search by key words before going in details in your resume. Make sure to demonstrate by using the same keywords or sentence how you have the skills required in the job description. Start by using action words at the beginning of each bullet points such as Responsible for, Coordinating a team of, Assisting with etc…Please note that if you have the experience required but don’t have the right keywords on your resume the recruiters might miss out on your background.

3. Key Achievements.

Key achievements are great as they will make you stand out from another candidates. There are two ways of describing your key achievements. One way is inserting them on the first page of your resume and list all your achievements during your career. The other way is after each work experience write about 1 or 2 big achievements you have done during this role. Don’t forget they need to be relevant to the job you are applying for. It is all about getting the attention of the reader!

4. Length of your resume.

For some employers the length of the resume makes a big difference. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter as it depends how you present your CV. Ideally a 4 page resume is great as it is concise and easy to read. However, if you have many years’ experience and find it hard to keep it to 4 pages, what you might want to do is to have a synopsis of your job experience on the first page so reader can have a quick glance at where you work, what you did and if they want more details, they can go look for the work experience on your CV.

5. LinkedIn needs to mirror your CV.

Consistency is the key to success! For your CV, make sure it is consistent with your LinkedIn profiles as we recruiters might find this suspicious if it is not. Particularly, pay attention to your job titles and start and end dates. Each time I receive an application, I check the candidates Linkedin profiles and confirm there are no gaps. To conclude, it is very important to spend time on your resume, you will see a return on your investment pretty quickly. Remember a resume can always be changed and tailored as many times as you want. A way of making sure your CV is successful is by measuring the amount of call backs you are receiving when applying for a jobs If it is too low, then review your CV and apply with your new resume and see if it works better. Last but not least, spelling needs to be absolutely perfect. Always ask 2 other people to review your CV to correct any spelling mistakes.

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My experience as a recruiter at Quay Appointments

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 07:19:46 GMT

I started working as 2IC to Philip in the Accounting and Finance recruitment team with Quay Appointments. Philip provided me with excellent training and coaching. Still does to this day. Sitting beside someone who has years of experience in the industry gave me a fantastic insight as to how a successful desk ran, the hours it took and the customer service provided to our clients. Having gained a great insight into the day to day running’s of a successful desk I was given the opportunity to take on my own clients. The management here at Quay work with an open door policy. I knew having great support behind me was the start of something exciting.

Early mornings, late evenings, numerous interviews and clients meetings soon launched into a brand new experience. I was now responsible for what happened on my desk. The buck stopped with me. I now was the main contact across a number of clients and contractors. Soon the desk grew and I became more confident in my ability to take on more. Working in recruitment proved rewarding, challenging but always rewarding, you are dealing with a number of different deadlines, client requests, contractors working for you and candidates looking for work.

Over the years at Quay I’ve worked across numerous client portfolios, projects and changes in the recruitment industry. I’ve always received top quality training, advice and mentoring. It was a tough decision to make, you work up and over 40 hours per week with your colleagues, you deal with difficult situations, you share the success stories as they know how things can change so quickly. It’s exciting! After 5 years I still enjoy it. I find myself very lucky in being able to say I love my job. The people, the culture, the support – all second to none.

I have to say a special thadfs-gala-2015nk you to Winsome and Heidi – over the years and working on numerous projects and the guidance they have provided has been incredible.

What am I going to miss most about Quay?? My team or my friends? Both! Winsome, Heidi, Philip, Leila and Jacqui to name a few have worked closely with me over the 5 years. You can’t put a price on the experiences you share with your team. Of course it’s going to be different in Ireland, it’s going to be a big shock to the system but I feel confident with the experience and knowledge I’ve had with Quay that I can tackle it..

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How to keep your contractor motivated?

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 08:42:12 GMT

Recognising your contractors for their talents and skills and what they can bring to a business, has a serious motivating effect which can be contagious. It builds team morale and partnership among co-workers which will have a knock on effect on all business relationships and motivation.

First of all, the recruiter, manager and contractor must be on the same page when it comes down to career aspiration for the contractor. A transparent discussion about finding out about their career goals is essential. Once this is discussed, get the contractor to draw their career plan and describe the steps to get there. Once identified the contractor will be more inclined and motivated to achieve this. It is important that we are all aiming and have agreed on the next career steps and goals for the contractor.

Keep in mind that they need to agree and understand what’s right for them. When a contractor agrees and is ready to take the next step in their career the motivation and drive will follow. It is then up to the contractor to do their utmost to achieve the position.

Secondly keeping the contractors motivated is about sharing feedback with them about their work performance on a regular basis. Good or bad feedback is still feedback to a contractor; it all depends on how the information is delivered and motivating the contractor to continue their good work. Constructive criticism also pushes contractors to make improvements in areas that could use a little more attention.

Communication and transparency is essential for keeping your contractor motivated as we need to understand what drives the contractor, what they enjoy but also what motivates them to succeed.

Thirdly acknowledgement is very important. Don’t wait for annual reviews to praise, share positive feedback and reward your contractors. Let them know they are an asset for the organisation regularly.

Finally keep your contractors motivated by giving incentives. Pay rise and monetary rewards is an option however not the only one. Using non-monetary incentives such as recognition programs (Temporary of the Month and Highly Commended) are ways you can reward a job well done.

Ultimately, contractors hold some responsibility for staying motivated and challenged within their positions. As their consultant, our job is to help achieve and motivate the contractor to reach their career goals.

When is time to move out from your job?

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 07:41:32 GMT

We are living in a vicious circle which circulates around home-work-home, perhaps this makes life boring at times by doing the same thing’s all day every day. However, it is very important to know when you are reaching that stagnant point in your life the only thing you want is “CHANGE’ which is usually changing your job.

Is there is a particular time or day to change your job? I guess the answer is “NO” because it is subjective to perception.

In the Recruitment Industry, we hear common reasons in different words why people are leaving their jobs, so it is very important to define your career goal.

Below are the most common reasons why people decide to leave their current jobs.

No Acknowledgement
People get really frustrated when they are not acknowledged or recognised for the work they have done which pushes them to the exit door.

Headhunted for a Dream Job
Sometimes people are not looking for a change and are quite happy where they are until they get headhunted for their dream job which is offering them career progression, higher salary plus flexibility.

Just not happy in the Job
Some people are just not happy in their jobs and they have no idea why, sometimes there is not just one reason it is multiple reasons. The only thing they know they are not happy but if you ask them what will make them start liking their job again, they might give it a thought and address the gaps

Regular Restructurings in Companies
These days we hear all the time, restructures are happening in the companies. The new re-orgs can provide an opportunity to step up and shine; but more often than not, they signal turbulence. More importantly, they create a challenging environment for your career development needs to get any attention.

Actual Job is different from the Interview
Sometimes what was mentioned in the interview reflects differently in the practical job. People join new companies based on what was explained about the role in the interview and Profile Description. It doesn’t happen very often but when it does it is very disappointing and leaves a bad impression for the company.

In brief, it is worthwhile to sit and think about the things you want in your job and initiate the necessary gaps with your line manager. You never know things can change with one meeting and you might even start loving your job again.

Looking for a job from scratch

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 08:03:42 GMT

Where do I start? That’s usually the first question coming to our mind when we are starting our job search!

After working for the same organisation for many years, looking for a job change can be definitely daunting. Nevertheless the job market has been changing dramatically and you definitely need a new approach in your job search now than you did 5 or 10 years ago.

So let’s look at what we need to do step by step when looking for a new career change in 2016:

1. Whom do I know?

First step before all, look at your network.

I know it is very old school however it is still a very powerful tool. Think about people around you who could point you in the right direction and also introduce you to the right decision makers. Use your network and don’t be afraid of asking for help you will be surprise of what can it bring to you. Ask your friends, your partner’s friends, your ex-colleagues, your business partners, previous stakeholders and let them know you are on the market.

As a recruiter I often get referrals from contractors that I placed and I am always happy to help them and often we find them a job as “good people refer good people”!

2. Job Posting website

Employment websites are very popular and you are probably already applying right now on Seek while reading this blog. There are many job posting websites around, some for specific industry too. So expand your search and don’t limit yourself to Seek.

One generalist job posting website I see growing and I advise you to check out is Indeed.Also, make sure to create an account on these job platform, upload an attractive CV so employers can contact you directly with job opportunities.

Please keep in mind that spending as much time as you can on producing a relevant and attracting resume is worth it. Tailoring your CV to the job you apply for is the key for success. I know it is very much time consuming and it is hard work, however believe me it will pay off! At time one job posting might attract 100 applicants so investing time on producing an attractive resume will increase your chances of getting an interview!

3. Social media

You don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet? Have a look at our blog about how to write a Linkedin profile that get results . Nowadays using Linkedin is a must and you can make the most of it as a job seeker.

Hiring managers are using Linkedin more and more to source candidates. If you want to be found by prospective employers, make sure to have an updated and attractive Linkedin Profile.

As a IT recruiter, I constantly use this social media to source profiles. You can also use LinkedIn as a job platform. Jobs are advertised regularly on it.

Finally you can use this social media platform to contact a company directly that you are interested in and show your interest. I often get candidates making contact with me and expressing their interest to work as contractors in Government agencies, and it works out.

There are plenty of other social media such as Twitter, Facebook you can use too, I found Linkedin being the most relevant one.

4. Talk to Recruiters

In this market, you need to register with a couple of recruitment agencies. Nowadays many hiring managers prefer to go to recruitment agencies to fill positions. In the government sectors, most of the contracts position go through recruitment agencies like us. It is important that you build a relationship with a few recruitment agencies who can help you find the right role for you.

Remember working with a recruitment agency is a partnership so if you find yourself working with one where there is no connection and who never call you about jobs, try another one. To choose which recruitment agency to work with ask around for advice and also have a look at this directory where you can find agencies by speciality and location.

5. Expression of interest

Last but not the least, approach a company directly.

Personally I have always found my jobs by EOI. The benefit is you are not competing as much as when applying for a job and not many candidates approach the company directly. The cons are that is definitely time consuming as you need to research about the company, find the key contact and then write a tailor made letter and CV. With Linkedin around, it helps find who are the best people to contact.

There are many different avenues when looking for a new job. The key is to stay positive and be persistent! Don’t give up after getting a rejection email or being unsuccessful at a job interview, it is perfectly normal and part of the game!

“Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm” – Winston Churchill

Want to know more?

Follow us on our LinkedIn web page and get the latest tips and trend on the job market
Contact one of our consultant who specialise per job industry at Quay Appointments
Connect with me on Linkedin, I recruit IT contractors for NSW Government agencies

4 steps to recognize and deal with emotional intelligence

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 08:29:19 GMT

Powerful disturbing emotions – such as anger, sadness or fear – can take us off track. Being able regulate to strong emotions – learn from them and not allow them to overwhelm us – is a characteristic of good leadership. It’s also the basis of emotional intelligence.

The notion of ‘Antidote Emotions’ comes from the teachings of Buddhism. The idea is to neutralise afflictive emotions with a specific antidote – think medicine and the use of antivenin.

Two diametrically opposed mental processes cannot happen simultaneously – we can’t feel love and hate at the same time.

The Method

1) Determine a disturbing emotion, That limits your leadership, and identify the antidote that corresponds to that negative emotion.
Examples might include

Hate => Love
Fear => Safety
Anger => Patience

2) Develop the Antidote, Associate with the antidote emotion by going back to a specific time and place where you felt that emotion in the past. For example, if my antidote emotion is Joy, I might go to day I first held my daughter.

Fully sense that emotion – notice what you see, what you hear, what you feel, where you hold that emotion in your body. Fully live that emotion again. Then go to a second and third specific past experience of that emotion and do the same thing. This will increase your access to this emotion when you need it in future.

Try this when you are calm! The time to begin this practice is NOT when you are mid-stream in a strong outburst of disturbing emotion!

3) Practice, Strengthening your antidote emotion takes practice. This is not a one-off activity; it is a progressive development, just like building any new skill.

4) Apply the antidote, When you recognise that you are heading towards your disturbing emotion.

What disturbing emotion will you start with to develop your own Antidote Emotions?

How I found successful work/study balance

Fri, 16 Sep 2016 09:23:40 GMT

It’s a topic that many people struggle with. Working a long day at work and then finding the time, motivation and energy to put your head down and study. By the end of this blog, you will hopefully have a better understanding on how to balance the two giants that are work and study, and gain some techniques to help you get the most out of your time.

“You miss 100% of the shots you do not take” – Michael Jordan

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Blind Recruitment

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 08:22:09 GMT

In recent months there has been growing conversation around “blind recruitment”. Research from the Australian National University shows that people from culturally diverse backgrounds with the same qualifications and experience, often have to submit many more job applications to get as many interviews as an applicant with an Anglo-Saxon sounding name, an Indigenous person must submit 35 per cent more applications, a Chinese person must submit 68 per cent more applications, an Italian person must submit 12 per cent more applications, and a Middle Eastern person 64 per cent more applications.

In an effort to promote diversity and prevent discrimination and bias from the recruitment process, the Victorian Government is currently trialling the removal of personal details such as name, gender, age and location from job applications.

There might be a little more required to reach the aim of creating a more cultural diverse workforce than just redacting certain information from a resume, including concentration on skills and experience or even using practical project trials to assess suitability. Relying on blind interviewing alone may not be enough.

In the interests of ensuring successful as well as fair recruiting it is also necessary to consider the culture of the organisation or business; invariably the face to face interview will still take place. Given the tendency is to recruit people from similar demographic background as ourselves, there may be an argument for changing interview styles within the organisation and perhaps even inviting others in the organisation to assist with the process. If we really want to ensure the recruitment of the very best candidates, strategies to allow for and encourage diversity are important and an organisation wide training program may be necessary to eliminate ingrained biases.

Jobs of the future

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 08:16:09 GMT

Anniversaries often give cause to reflect on years past as well as on the possibility of things to come, Quay Appointments is celebrating 22 years in the recruitment business.

In that time our economy, our technology and our processes have seen great change, and as a consequence of all 3 factors we have seen substantial change around the sorts of roles that we have been working with as recruiters. Jobs like Secretaries and Typist have all but disappeared. Positions for computer operators are now also gone, with computers having become part of the daily reality for all of us in our working lives.

Other roles have changed status. Buyer and purchasing manager positions (traditionally held by mature males often approaching retirement) are now pretty hip, and “Procurement Advisors” now attract emerging professionals who even have their own conferences. The dated title “Personnel Officer’ is now “Head of People and Culture”. The “Driver” has now been glammed up and has become an “Uber Driver”. There is this other new role of “Change Manager” that is now often attached to HR. In a dynamic environment with constant change that’s got to be a big job.

There is also a whole raft of new positions that weren’t around at all a decade ago; Digital Marketing Specialist, Blogger App designer, and Big Data Analyst. Also on the rise is the small start-up providing highly specialist personal services.

In June 15 CEDA released a major report focusing on the future of Australian workforce. It said 40% of the Australian workforce – some 5 million people – could be replaced by automation within the next 10 to 20 years. And futurist Graeme Codrington sees 25% of today’s employees working on demand, with freelancers increasingly replacing workers in companies where the job can be done from a digital distance. So the pace of change in the workplace will only increase.

What are some of the roles that might be in demand in the next few years? One hot job by 2025 would be an end of life planner. Health workers and carers for the elderly will also certainly be in demand; there isn’t an App for that yet.

Stress & Mental Health: When was your last Check up?

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 08:07:46 GMT

As a Leadership Consultant & Coach, I am always hearing about the Stress we are all under.

While the term Stress is nothing new the frequency of which the term is being used at every level within the organisation is certainly on the rise! Stress-related illness costs the Australian economy $14.81 billion a year in absenteeism and presenteeism, where people come to work but have low levels of productivity. The direct cost to employers is $10.11 billion and, on average, more than three days are lost to stress per worker per year.

Mental stress causes the body to move into a fight or flight reaction which releases adrenaline and cortisol, raises the heart rate, boosts glucose levels in the bloodstream and diverts energy from the immune system to other areas of the body. This reaction helps people remove themselves from danger at which time the body usually returns to normal. When mental stress is prolonged, the body will not return to normal as easily as it previously did and many key body systems can start to breakdown causing major health problems.

Today coincides with the famous R U OK day and I have prepared some questions to allow you to check in with others any day of the year.

However, this blog post is about you so I wanted to focus on you. We are taught so much about physical health – our parents train us to clean our teeth though what about our physiological health. Emotional Hygiene should be our #1 priority and here are 7 Power Tips & Reminders to get you back on track:

#1. Relax – Take time out. Sit in a park, go for a walk or read a book

#2. Self Care – Eat well and get active as physical and mental health go hand in hand

#3. Unplug – Take a night off from looking at anything with a screen

#4. Refresh – Get plenty of sleep and go to bed at a regular time

#5. Stretch yourself – Learn a new skill or take on a new challenge

#6. Connect with Others – Nurture your relationships as they are important

#7. Ask for help – Speak to a friend or visit a doctor.

Now pause and take a deep breath and please read these again! This is about making daily choices as it’s not what we know but what we do that gets results! Choose at least 1 to do for today!

For concerns about your or others mental health you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Steve Fearns is a Leadership Consultant and Life Strategist who assists teams, organisations and individuals to reach excellence in every area of their personal and professional life.

You can contact Steve on 0422 913955 or Steve@DoTheSteps.com

Blogging? How to write it? How do I do it?

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 10:21:51 GMT

For a beginner to write a blog, first let’s look at what a blog is;

“Blog” is an abbreviated version of “weblog,” Blogging is one of the oldest forms of Social Media, which is a term used to describe websites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information. Basically it is an online journal or diary that is related to you, your brand and your industry.

Now who writes a blog? A person who likes to record and share knowledge on their subject matter of expertise with good narrative and persuasive skill writes a blog. There are few things to be considered when writing a blog;

Concentrate

To do this, you must first ask yourself this question, who are your target readers? Once that is settled, you can find your specific space or niche category and be the expert on it.

Be yourself and connected

What sets bloggers apart from newspaper articles and feeds is writing style . Let your readers get to know you and hear you through your words. Your content is what draws attention and your style in writing is what will keep the readers interested.

Selecting a topic may be the hardest part to writing a blog. To keep ideas fresh, create a list of every possible thought that pops into your head at random moments. Keep them on your desktop, laptop, smartphone, notepad or even write them on a napkin if this works for you. Then transfer regularly to your master list.

Battling with topic

Create a working headline, crafting a headline keeps you focused on your topic and your purpose. Even if you end up re-wording your headline, this should be the main focus point.

Having trouble? Write one sentence that describes the topic and the value you’ll provide. Now try variations in rapid succession for 5 or 10 minutes. Just let go and write freely. Sooner or later you’ll get a few good ones. Finally decide on one and go with it.

Lateral Thinking and Brainstorming

Helps you choose and develop two or three main points associated with your topic, generate a list of every step, idea, concept, or element that comes to mind and list them all.

What’s important? What’s not? If you can only think of one or two key points, your topic might be too narrow. What’s the big picture? Can one of those points be developed into two? If you need, list 25 steps to be systematic, narrow it down or combine them.

Do some quick research, if needed, and use your headline as search terms. Then sketch out a rough draft that gives your readers the information they need to know.

Introduction

Leaving the introduction for next-to-last or last is great because you’ve warmed up to your topic. How many times have you wrestled with beginnings? By now you’ve caught a rhythm and have your readers in mind. You’re talking to them, thinking of them, imagining what it’s like to be in their shoes. Your introduction should create a scenario that invites readers in. Show you care and understand the reader’s problem with lively, empathetic writing. It doesn’t have to be long or elaborate. Just tell your readers what’s ahead and how you’ll solve the problem or provide some answers.

Share useful links within your blog

Whether you are linking to other blogs or websites that contain great information or linking to past posts on your own site, do it whenever you can. This will help not only increase your clicks but also help with your blog’s search engine rankings.

Content

Content is equally important as the readers are expecting to get some useful inputs reading your blog. Make sure you stick to your topic and deliver. Adding more content doesn’t help you get more readers. The math just doesn’t work. You don’t have to create content, day in, day out. You just have to work on getting the content you already have in the hands of more people. The secret lies in your ability to promote the content you already have.

Tools to help you do effective Blog writing : Internet has become a universal home of answers for most of our questions. Check out the links listed below which can guide and help you build your blog:BuzzSumo, Quick Sprout, Trello, Google Calendar, Evernote

Add Pictures

While readers come to your blog for information and personality, they also need to be stimulated visually. Not all posts will lead themselves to an image, but when they do, take advantage of it. We can use pictures online for Free!!

Conclusion

Sum up your main idea, and tell your readers what to do next. Offer encouragement or tips on how to reach the goal. Express hope that at least a few of your points struck a chord, resonated deeply, or seemed helpful. Even a sentence or two about your own struggles can be great: “You know, I’ve been there. It’s frustrating, but when you master these steps like I have, you’ll be free of that problem forever.”

Review and Proof Read

The most important part of your post is to check that you’ve given equal attention to all your key points. Read out loud: Is it smooth? Lively? Be sure you’ve included all necessary steps or points and developed them effectively. Don’t forget to check grammar and punctuation.

When you’re done writing, proofread carefully for spelling, capitalization, list numbers, extra spaces, and missing or doubled-up words. Nobody’s perfect, but many bloggers would have 100% better posts if they’d take the time to edit and proofread.

Final leap

Post the Blog, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Proofread again in your blog’s preview mode. Try a different format, you’re likely to spot something you didn’t notice before.

Be sure to double-check your formatting, text wrap for graphics, photo credits (if any), and your metadata. And proofread that data description before search engines or Facebook snag it!

Retort to blog comments

This is an opportunity to connect directly with the people who are reading your work. Not all comments need a response but be sure to respond to ones that do. And sometimes it’s worth just popping on and posting “Thanks for reading my blog.” Be open for Comments from people be it positive or negative, if positive criticism thank your reader, if negativ
e criticism take it as a learning curve . Remember blog is a public diary.

Reach out to Public

Post your blog in all social media fields like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ , Linked in groups and on all possible avenues.
Don’t be afraid to use social media to promote your posts. Anything that makes it easier for potential readers to find your blog is a must (and friends and family def
initely qualify as potential readers).

So now we know how to write a blog ? so what’s stopping you? Now get blogging !

How to prepare an interview

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 05:33:46 GMT

For any job you want, remember that generally employers want their staff in place yesterday. They want someone who can do the job now. You have one opportunity, to understand the client’s expectations and to pitch yourself for the role.

We all know there are uncertainties as to what questions your prospective employer may ask and what exactly you should prepare beforehand. What do you need to do to ensure you can do that in this small window of opportunity:

Key areas to consider for interview preparation

Do your research on the organisation and the position. Match your research with your key strengths to emphasise the value you will provide them.

Reflect on your past work experience. Prepare a brief summary of your career to provide an overview of your relevant employment. Categorise the KPIs you had in each job relevant to the role you are interviewing for.

Understand the key accountabilities and the selection criteria for the role. Focus on 3-4 key areas and prepare key examples for each. Know your transferrable skills.

How to structure your examples for interview

The STAR method is a strategy for answering interview questions that provides context, highlights your skills, and quantifies your experiences to provide clear examples.

It provides organised information with attention to detail to demonstrate your value.

S – Situation (Describe the situation that you were in)

T – Task (Outline what KPI were you working toward)

A – Action (Describe what actions you took to address the situation)

R – Result (Describe the outcome of your actions and quantify the results)

Use the STAR model to articulate the experience and bring the story full-circle

Employers love to evaluate candidate’s accomplishments and using numbers enhances your experiences. It demonstrates your ability more concisely and directly, giving you more credibility. When considering the tasks that you are responsible for, quantify your examples with volume, value and frequency. When structuring your examples, ask yourself these three questions.

Volume – how many?

Value – how much?

Frequency – how often?

General tips for during the interview

Following any interview, you should thank your prospective employer. Preparing for interviews takes time and practice! And remember, if not successful this time, imagine how better prepared you will be for the next time.

How to write a Linkedin profile that gets results

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 07:34:31 GMT

If you are looking for a new role or a new client, LinkedIn is where it’s at. The beauty of LinkedIn is that if you write a great personal profile you open yourself up to the opportunity to be found for work. Yes, that’s right, found for work. Potential employers or clients find you – you don’t have to seek, hunt or cold-call for work. A relatively small investment of time to write a profile will be rewarded with opportunities.

A great LinkedIn profile will turn you into a Job Attraction Magnet. You simply need to write a captivating headline, add in an engaging summary, include key achievements and then throw in a few key words and rich media. That’s it, then just wait for the good times and the LinkedIn Inmails to roll on in.

There is a common misconception that LinkedIn is your “online CV”. This is not the case. Firstly, the format for demonstrating your experience and the value you can bring to any potential employer is completely different. Secondly, the platform offers so much more than an opportunity to post your work history. LinkedIn is your online personal brand. It allows you to be sought out for your expertise, expand your professional network, and learn from and engage in conversation with other brilliant minds in your industry and beyond. LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to raise your profile, and, if you are a senior professional or a specialist within your niche, to publish content and position yourself as a Thought Leader. You can use LinkedIn as your own mini-blog.

Many people find LinkedIn a bit of mystery. It needn’t be. Simply read on and we’ll demystify it for you.

Some Things to Think About

First and foremost, you need to update your profile to reflect your personal brand and speak to your audience, be it potential employers, clients or colleagues. The more complete your profile, the more likely you are to be found on LinkedIn also.

Your profile should concisely communicate who you are, why you do what you do, what unique value you bring and be targeted to your specific audience.

It is a good daily practice to be checking LinkedIn to keep up with Industry News and people moves. It is also recommended to get involved by commenting on posts and news with thoughtful and relevant commentary.

If you are posting short or long-form posts, depending on your particular audience, generally after 12pm until after the commute hour is over, Monday through to Friday, is the best time to post to get maximum exposure

The Strategy

You need to create a standout Headline that captures the reader’s attention and ensures they click through to read your profile. You engage them with a summary that connects.

Your experience and achievements Wow them. The rich media on your profile makes it visually appealing and ensures that are enticed to stay on your profile and read on. Finally, your testimonials seal the deal; you really do have what it takes to work with them or for them. Hello new job or new client!

Create a Standout Headline

Write a standout headline. LinkedIn automatically populates your headline with your most recent job title. It’s best to modify this and list your speciality in order to speak directly to your audience. If you want your profile to be searchable, include important keywords. Aim to keep your headline to approximately ten words.

The headline is your opportunity to grab your reader’s attention. For that reason the importance of a great headline cannot be underestimated. You don’t want potential employers or clients to scroll past you, so you need to make your headline clickable.

Create a Standout Summary

The summary really is your Why – why you do what you do. This is your opportunity to speak directly to your audience. Think about what your target reader needs to know about you. Write about why you do what you do, what excites you and a very high level summary of your career journey. The summary really is your Why – why you do what you do? List your key achievements and what value you can bring to your reader.

Depending on how conservative your industry and audience are, there are a number of different approaches you can take here. If you are in the creative space, you can write your summary as a short story. If you need to establish your authority, you can write a summary that is based on your career accomplishments.

1 Key Words

You need to include Key Words in your profile to ensure that you are found in search results. Key words are really just the specific words you use to describe your craft or technical skills. They are the words that employers and clients will use when searching for someone with your skill set. It’s super important to get these right so that you are found on LinkedIn and found for the things you want to be found for.

Testimonials

If you are in marketing or sales, you’ll be acutely aware of how important Social Proof is. Testimonials are your social proof on LinkedIn. Although some people are skeptical, for the most part great testimonials hold weight.

Rich Media

Rich media is a fancy word for pictures and videos. Quite simply, if you have images (still or moving) on your profile, people will view your profile for longer.

Complete as much of your profile as possible

Include education, volunteer experience and associations. The more you have in your profile, the more likely you are to come up in tailored search results.

Can We Help Further?

If you’d like further guidance, engaging headlines to choose from, summary templates to work with and an expert review then just click here and we’ll show you how.

If, instead of writing a profile yourself, you’d like one written for you by an expert writer, we have a cost and time-effective solution with a Standout LinkedIn profile .

How to write a compelling cover letter

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 05:58:54 GMT

Job applications are scanned in seconds by a human eye or a piece of software. In both cases the reader is looking to see if your skills and experience match the criteria detailed in a job advertisement.

Nowadays our job market is becoming more and more competitive. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who present themselves as suitable fit to their business. They want prospective employees who can think outside the box and add value.

Therefore every aspect of applying for a job counts; including writing a compelling cover letter, which appeals to the recruiter or hiring manager to review your profile. The objective of a cover letter is to entice the reader to examine your curriculum vitae / résumé and invite you to an interview.

Sometimes cover letters are not needed or specifically not requested, however when they are necessary, this is your opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

Your first step in writing a cover letter should be to go through the job advertisement and underline the key words used by the Hiring Manager /recruiter. As long as you can back up your claims, try to mirror these words in your cover letter, in other words – talk their language.

Just remember, a cover letter should not regurgitate your CV. It should be zone in on why you are a good match for the job role in just 3 or 4 short paragraphs.

Your second step is also vital: tailor your cover letter to each job you are applying for. Make a personalised letter using the relevant manager or recruitment consultant’s name. No one likes to receive a generic letter, make it personal. It may save you that embarrassing moment when you have forgotten to change the name from the last employer you applied to. Triple check these details – it’s important to show you take the process seriously.

Include the date, your name and contact details so your cover letter and resume so they can be matched together in case they get separated on the potential hiring employer desk. Also a prospective employer can call you and discuss your application easily over the phone.

Your third step is to use simple plain language (In our case English) with the same font and style as your resume. The experts recommend using a font that is easy to read such as 11 point Calibri as well as A4 white paper for hard copies of your cover letter.

Now let’s get into a little more detail with the content:

The first introductory paragraph should state the job you are going for and why you are interested in the role. For example, “I would like to express my interest in POSITION at COMPANY, as seen advertised on WEBSITE X”. “The role interests me because of the nature of the work involved and it helps generate safety in the world”.

The second paragraph should highlight your relevant skills and experience, and also your suitability for the role. “I believe my skills and experience are a good fit for the role as I have worked 5 years in a similar role and used the niche software you are looking for”

The third paragraph could be used to highlight one of your career achievement relevant to the job you are applying for. “In my last role I was awarded the employee of the year for my values adding skills to our customers by the CEO”

Finally, the closing paragraph should bring the letter to a polite close. For example, “Thank you for reading my application, I would welcome an opportunity to meet with you in person to discuss how I could contribute to your team”

Yours sincerely

XYZ

Mobile number

I hope this has helped you get a better understanding of what hiring managers what to see in your cover letter.

Happy job hunting.

How to demonstrate your experience in a job Interview

Sat, 20 Aug 2016 06:11:35 GMT

Job interviews are easier for employers and the candidates if you have prepared, planned and use the proper interview techniques. They are critical to the quality of an organization. An Effective job interview processes and methods increase the quality of people in an organization.

Succeeding in an interview is often more of an art than a science. While your experience, education, and other qualifications play a significant role in the hiring decision. It is known fact that employers want to hire experienced workers who will use their skills, experience and attitude to continue to learn and grow for the benefit of their organization.

The employer will decide on hiring you is not based on your qualifications, but also on whether your experience and personality will fit in at their company. Interviewers need to be convinced that you will be able to resolve their problems and help their organization meet their goals. One of the best ways to answer interview questions is to use your career experiences. Experiences are tales of the defining moments in your career when you overcame significant challenges to succeed.

While answering these questions, you should not only focus on number of years of experience, but also demonstrate with some realistic examples of how your efforts helped to change the needs of your previous employer.

Validate the skills and experience in your resume

Exhibit, don’t state

Exhibiting and stating are two very different things. Instead of simply stating what your skills are, show them with actionable words and proof to back them up. You can incorporate how many years you have spent working in your industry, touch upon your duties and responsibilities, and briefly summarize your successful work or projects. By providing evidence for your skills, you are reassuring the interviewer of your competency for the position that you are being interviewed for.

When you illustrate how you went about handling a difficult situation at work. Here’s a thought at some point in your career, you were faced with what seemed to be an insurmountable problem. If the problem continued, there would have been severe consequences. Rather than sitting back and watch things fall apart, you took initiative and implemented a plan to solve the problem and bring about a positive result. For each appropriate interview question, relate it to a similar situation earlier in your career, talk briefly about how you handled it and highlight the results. These stories demonstrate to the interviewer that you have specific experience in dealing with similar situations.

Use Insider Jargon

All industry have their own unique phrases and terminology. You should attempt to incorporate industry-specific terminology when relevant during your interview. An easy way to display your insider knowledge is by talking about how this knowledge applies to the work you’ve done at previous positions. This is an excellent opportunity to let your skills and knowledge within your field shine. You can be sure that your interviewer will be impressed.

Ask Questions

Be Comfortable

Interviews can be nerve-wracking. But if you’re nervous, you’ll not deliver the best during the interview and this won’t work in your favour. Make sure that you try to relax and calm your nerves prior to the interview. Focus on your experience, what you bring to the table and project confidence with a firm handshake, strong eye contact and good posture. Be sure to listen closely to the questions that are asked and trust your preparation. By staying calm and collected you’ll improve your chances of getting the job.

The key to any job interview, Is to make the connection between your unique abilities and related situations through your experiences. Although it may be a new industry or job you are pursuing, there are many similarities to the day-to-day challenges and opportunities.

Your career experiences bridge the gap.

How to avoid employing a workplace bully ?

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 07:23:30 GMT

At Quay Appointments’ last networking seminar last week, Keryl Egan clinical psychologist and Joseph Catanzariti vice president of the fair work commission presented on how to manage Workplace Bullying. The seminar provided a unique psychological and a legal perspective on this difficult to manage problem.

Keryl and Joseph are the co-authors of the book workplace bullying – an essential guide, with practical advice for lawyers and HR professionals on how to handle such situations.

Joseph outlined how such matters have been handled by Fair Work since changes to the Fair Work Act in 2013 created the power for the Commission to deal with workplace bullying matters. Keryl explored the psychological and personality factors which lead to bullying behaviour.

How do you recognise traits of those predisposed to bully behaviour during the recruitment process and avoid recruiting a bully in the first place?

No one is going to display bullying behaviour during the recruitment process and will try to cover their tracks, but with some good skilful questioning and some careful listening a lot can be learned in interview about the candidate is likely to behave in a role.

In particular, check for consistency by asking the same key questions a number of times in different ways. For example, when it comes to the reason for leaving a previous position, most candidates will have one answer prepared and be able to quickly think of a second one. Asking for a third time will may reveal the true reason if it was being hidden.

Concentrate on questions such as ‘what do you when..’ or ‘how do you handle that…
Reflect on values and attitudes, and on what they feel they will they be bringing to the organisation

Tease out what problems have they had with managers or colleagues in the past

Look at how they present themselves on their social media profile and Linked in, or at what are they saying on twitter

When reference checking, ask the referee to give you examples to support their comments regarding good or poor behaviour. Seek to learn about their relationships with their colleagues, particularly with those who they were supervising.

An emotional intelligence profile with a proper debrief is also great addition to the process.

It is worthwhile remembering that a workplace bully can injure your or lose your best staff, damage your workplace culture and seriously cost you in productivity. Workplace bullies can also be very clever at hiding their activities from their managers and once you realise you have a problem it can be tricky to prove it. It is all the more reason to try to avoid the problem in the first place.

Top five interview tips

Tue, 09 Aug 2016 06:24:10 GMT

Getting to the interview stage means the employer is interested in your skills and background. Now all you need to do now is to confirm that they are right! The ball is in your court so optimise your chance of getting the role by following these five interview tips.

PRACTICE

Practice is the key to success! Many candidates go for an interview without preparation and find themselves struggling or hesitating when answering simple questions. To avoid that embarrassing situation, practise at home beforehand, reflect on your last experiences, successes, failures, key achievements, strengths, weaknesses, motivation…

Then, pretend you’re in an interview by answering suitable questions to either your friends, partner or even in front of the mirror.

Another great exercise is to look back at the job description and for each selection criteria, describe how your skills match the standards by providing detailed example.

Practice will help you being more confident and therefore less nervous at the interview.

BE ORGANISED

Plan your trip in advance. Aim to arrive to the interview location 10 minutes early. Also write down the details of who you are meeting. Arriving late for an interview will give you the worst first impression and decrease your chance of being successful.

Also, have some professional clothes ready to go, you want to give a strong first impression it takes only three to five seconds for someone to form a good first impression.

QUESTIONS

SELL YOURSELF

To help you, there are different techniques to use to make sure your answer the questions appropriately: one of them is the STAR approach: Situation, Task, Action and Result.

Now it’s down to you!

Professional attire tips for your Interview

philip.divilly@quayappointments.com.au (Philip Divilly) — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 06:38:35 GMT

First impressions count. According to Dr Les Parrot’s book, 3 Seconds: The Power of Thinking Twice, ‘it takes just three seconds to register a negative impression in your brain’’. With that in mind, it’s important that you at least give yourself the best possible chance to make a positive impression in an interview by getting your dress attire right.

In my 9 years of interviewing candidates for prospective job opportunities, I have often been surprised with how some potential future employees choose to present themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the fashion police and I’m sure Calvin Klein won’t be hiring me for fashion tips on how to create the latest designer suit. Regardless, I am a person who like you, makes judgements (rightly or wrongly, conscious or subconsciously) based on first impressions. So before you even have the opportunity to give that first important hand shake – ensure the interview is not already over before it begins, by getting your dress code right. Remember, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

I really like the writing style that Elizabeth Harmon – A Social Media Consultant uses to outline some of the professional attire tips; I have reiterated some of her tips below;

– Avoid being too casual: Don’t rock up sporting a hoodie and flip flops for an interview. You may want to go for that easy going look, friendly chilled out person approach, that doesn’t mean you can turn up to an interview in the same attire. Avoid wearing items such as jeans, trainers, sandals, t-shirts and shorts.

– Dress professionally: A good place to start is a dark suit and tie for men and a plain skirt and shirt for women.

– Formal business attire: Despite some offices starting to take a more “business casual” approach to workwear, it’s always best to dress in formal business attire for your interview.

– Consider the job you’re applying for: If it’s a creative role, don’t be afraid to add some colour, as long as it’s in moderation. Jobs in the certain industries may also be more casual, example IT or retail, however you should still remain smart and conservative. If you’re unsure, perhaps ask your recruitment consultant for some advice as they will know the dress code.

– Pay strict attention to detail: Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed ready for your interview. Don’t forget about your shoes – it’s important that they are clean and properly polished.

– Don’t forget accessorise: Add a nice watch or necklace to complete your outfit. Make sure it is not too flashy though, otherwise this could give the wrong impression. A coffee in one hand and a mobile in the other with sun glasses on your head are not fashion accessories for an interview.

– Go beyond your clothing: Consider your entire appearance from head to toe. Make sure your hair is well presented, men should have a shaven face and women’s makeup should not be overdone. If you add perfume or aftershave, make sure it’s not too overpowering.

– Final check: Before you go into your interview, do a final check, making sure your shirt is tucked in and your shoes are tied.So there you have it, some tips to help you make the best first impression when it comes to your clothing for an interview.

Benefits of Contracting

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 06:50:39 GMT

In comparison to permanent employment, contracting is defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary as an employment of irregular period and it is estimated that 35% of Australia’s workforce is now employed on a casual or contract basis. Why wouldn’t you consider contracting when it offers the following benefits…

Competitive rates $$$

Opens doors – Contracting gives you the opportunity and flexibility to target your dream job or organisation, showcase your skills and align continued work without the need to apply permanently.

New skills – Exposure to a broader range of responsibilities, best practices, environments, and cultures will give constant stimulation along with invaluable and specialist experience attractive to any prospective employer.

Temporary work – Gives you greater control over your work life balance allowing the freedom to choose when you work with short term opportunities available and the flexibility for time off between contracts.

Referrals – Quay Appointments is a company that rewards talent. If you refer a successful candidate who works more than 4 weeks you will be the lucky recipient of 2 cinema tickets.

Agency – Job hunting can be a daunting process. Take the stress out of securing your next role by utilising agency networks, expertise and advice to compliment your search.

Change in career – For those looking to diversify, contracting focuses on core competencies and transferable skills aiding in transfer to a new sector.

Try before you buy – Contracting allows you to explore a position, company and its culture assessing the fit and can even lead to permanency.

Immediate start – Speedy turnarounds and streamlined processes can allow candidates to secure their dream job in a matter of days.

Networking – Building relationships across your preferred sector will help to affirm your reputation as an expert and can accelerate progression in your field.

Government contracts – If interested in how Quay Appointments can assist with your next government contract please call us today on 82570500.

Being Persistent During Your Job Hunt

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 07:02:27 GMT

Been rejected for your dream role… Feeling disappointed… Maybe your dream role is the best next step for your career.

Either way, getting the company to reconsider you for that dream role is possible….Here’s how.

Persistence can be a great quality to have when you are in job-search mode or when you have a dream or a goal that you want to reach. The key to persistence is to not give up, even though you may feel discouraged or feel like throwing in the towel.

The definition of persistence, according to Webster, is “to continue steadily in any business or course.” If you look up persistence in Roget’s Thesaurus, you will find the following: continue, last, endure, go on, remain, seize an opportunity, and permanent. These are all positive words with positive meanings that can be applied to a role / job search or goal.

Persistence is an attribute that continues to be important as we get older, playing a part in everything from our relationships to our health to our careers.

When it comes to careers, persistence can certainly pay off. Employers want workers who are truly interested in and passionate about their jobs. But what about when a worker gets rejected for a role from a company that he/she really wants to work for? Can they continue to pursue for that role, or could their persistence work against them?

Joshua Siva, co-author of “BOLD: Get Noticed, Get Hired,” says that job seekers shouldn’t be discouraged from applying again to a company that has turned them down. “When an applicant has taken the time to understand the company, the people and the customers, getting rejected the first time around should never discourage that applicant from future prospects with the firm,” Siva says. “Any number of reasons could have led to the rejection.”

Here are some simple tips that will help you:

Believe in Yourself

Keep going even when the odds are against you

Be Passionate

Keep your goals in front of you at all times

Be bolder and more creative the next time

Above all else, you need to be bolder and more creative the second time around in order to stand out from other applicants, in addition to their former self and application.

Understand the gap in your previous application

1) The first is to understand the gap in your previous application. You could get in touch with your recruitment consultant, who could help you out with this, but if not, just be honest with yourself. Make a list of things that you feel could have caused the fumble and spend whatever amount of time is needed to close the gap

2) Follow up periodically with your consultant involved in the hiring process from the original rejection. It is always a favorable position when an applicant is on the mind of the consultant since there would be more chances of the consultant referring him to another similar potential opportunity within the same organisation he was once rejected.

3) You maybe tempted to re-apply right away, especially if there is something that interests you. The ideal decision would be to allow enough time, before you jump into taking a wrong step (Research, seek advice, Be innovative and then go for it when you are confident)

In order to get noticed, you must be willing to leave your comfort zone and show more initiative… be ‘Pleasantly Persistent’!

How to prepare your LinkedIn Profile

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 07:53:57 GMT

Let’s break this question into 2 parts:

1. What are recruiters looking for in your profile?

Your profile picture, heading, summary and skills play a pivotal role in this aspect of your Linked In profile. A profile picture should be professional, remember the expression “a picture paints a thousand words” this reflects how serious a candidate is towards his/her professional career.

For your heading, summary and skills use relevant keywords so that your profile matches the industry. A recruiter views a profile maybe less than 10-20 seconds, which means they are giving the candidate less than 10-20 seconds to influence them. Your LinkedIn profile is a platform to showcase your skills and experience. A recruiter already has a mindset about their Ideal Candidate, so your profile should match their professional expectations. Always mention ‘take away’ points, i.e. what benefits the recruiter or employer is getting by hiring you in their organisation.

Next, when it’s come to experience, it is very important to highlight your current & relevant experience. Let a viewer of your profile know that you are active in your industry by participating in group discussions and blogging. Always update your phone number and email details to demonstrate that you are open for discussing market trends, topics about your industry and hearing about potential new challenging opportunities. This shows the viewer of your profile that you are prepared to engage in a conversation after the recruiter/employer sees you have the relevant skillset that match their checklist.

2. How strong are your connections & communication skills?

Let your profile explain that you are very capable if not an expert, because everybody wants to consult with an expert in their field. There are ways you can prove your expertise

A strong professional network is crucial to maintain a healthy LinkedIn profile. Having people in the same industry/organisation in your network is a professional way of networking. Don’t just add all of your friends and acquaintances for the sake of numbers. The more relevant and suitable your connections are, the stronger your recommendations and endorsements will be and remember to highlight and outline your achievements throughout your career. Once you practice and master in the skill of showcasing your accomplishments, your career and connections network will grow in rocket speed.

Delegating? Address intention not behaviour

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 07:15:25 GMT

Delegation is a productivity multiplier. Despite this, delegating is difficult for many leaders.

Gerard is swamped with work. He likes the idea of delegating more work to his team but finds the reality challenging, and ends up doing most of it himself. The long hours are beginning to impact, while his team appears increasingly disengaged.

A focus on behaviour would suggest that he learns delegation skills. That probably won’t work! It’s highly likely that Gerard already knows HOW to delegate.

It’s not a skill problem. It’s a will problem.

To effectively support Gerard to develop, we need to address his intention – the underlying motivation driving the behaviour.

Gerard’s intention is to perform well in his role and ensure a quality outcome. Having recently been promoted, he is still redefining his identity from operational leader to strategic leader, resulting in an inner conflict over the definition of his role, how to carry it out and what constitutes success.

His desire to be seen as ‘part of the team that creates success’, rather than a ‘management overhead’, has created a reluctance to delegate. He is so used to ‘doing’, that ‘thinking’ and ‘strategising’ don’t seem to be a valid use of his time.

Rather than focusing on delegations skills, a wise leader would support Gerard on the job to:

Discover – Build awareness of the need for change.
Decode – Create insight and understanding of the underlying drivers causing the behaviour.
Design – Agree on the pathway to create new behaviours.

Do you work with Gerard? Are you Gerard? Start by getting curious about the intention driving the behaviour.

Go fearlessly,

Choosing The Right Job For You

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 07:30:02 GMT

Choosing the right job sounds very easy in theory, however, in reality it can be a long journey; just like a Cinderella story… I hope the following tips will assist in finding the perfect job for you.

TIP Number 1: Self-Awareness

Awareness in life is everything, the more you know about yourself, the easier everything will become; this also applies when you are looking for a job. Before you start your job search you need to be aware of; exactly what you want? What drives you? And what motivates you?

Picture in detail what the ‘right job’ for you looks like. Ask yourself, what will I need in my next job so that every day when I wake up I am happy at the idea of going to work?

Make a ‘dream job list’ and write down everything you are looking for, for instance, list all of the positions you will consider, your main transferable skills, ideal company values, environment and culture, career progression opportunity, type of Industry, company size, ideal salary etc.…

Once your list is complete, prioritise what is mandatory and what is optional. This will be a great guidance to follow from the initial stages of applying to the final stage of accepting the right offer for you.

TIP Number 2: Investigate

TIP Number 3: Ask the Right Questions

Once you have gathered all necessary information about your prospective employer, look back at your dream job list and see what you are missing in order to prepare your questions accordingly.

There are two main things to keep in mind: First, an interview is about selling yourself to the company but also an opportunity for you to assess if this is potentially somewhere you want to work. Secondly an interview is short, so make the most of it and ask the right questions.

Your questions should target your expectations from your ‘dream job list’. Ask open ended questions as much as you can to get more detailed answers. For example: How do you value your employees? What do you think I will enjoy the most working for your company? What do you think I will find most challenging? How would you describe the culture of your department? How do you reward high performers within your team? What are the main reasons of your staff leaving you? Etc.

Time Management

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 07:38:36 GMT

Let’s face it – we’ve all used the term ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘if I’d more time’. Ask yourself why you have used these terms. Nowadays people are very quick to tell us how busy they are – busy with meetings, client functions, social networking or attending conferences.

Fred Allen put it ‘A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done’

Before you even starting to think about time management first of all we have to think about Time. A dictionary defines time as “the point or period at which things occur”. Simply, time is when stuff happens. How productive are you with time?

There are a number of different ways we choose to spend our time each day; conversations, actions and thoughts. We know in our day to day working life that there will be times when we are pulled in different directions. While we cannot stop these distractions occurring we can work on how much time we spend on them. We decide on how much time is given to our conversations, actions and thoughts.

Here are a few tips to managing time;

1) Most important things first. It doesn’t matter how many items are on the ‘to do’ list it is of the most importance to handle the important aspects first. Completing the most important task first gives you a great sense of achievement early in the morning. All other tasks will fall into place afterwards.

2) Don’t start your day without an action plan. This can be completed the day before or first thing in the morning. The most important time in your day is planning and working on the tasks that make you successful.

3) Decide on what you want to achieve and plan accordingly for the day. Take a few moments before each task and find out what you want to achieve as the result. If it’s not achieved – ask yourself ‘why not’ or what stopped you from achieving the result.

4) Reduce the number of distractions – Social Media and Facebook have become a must for most people in the work place – illuminate this until it is revenue generating for your business.

5) How quick are we to get caught up in emails and phone calls that could be actioned in non-productive time. By saying ‘Yes’ to a particular task what are you saying ‘No’ to?

6) It’s OK to have time allocated to ‘Do not disturb’ when you absolutely have work to complete. Have the discipline to keep these times.

It is the little changes that will make the most significant changes.

How to turn a weakness into a strength for an interview

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 09:19:18 GMT

Preparing for an interview can be stressful. They can be tough, as you typically have no idea what to expect. There are however some topics that may come up to address. As we go ahead I will share with you how to approach this.

Most individuals have a weakness and are not usually comfortable or confident to talk about them. The objective of this question is to measure or self evaluate oneself and be aware of one’s own short comings.

Being honest about your weakness will be the best policy, as it will always be validated by your new employer during the reference check before coming on board.

During the interview no one is interested to know your personal weakness, this question is framed to see if you demonstrate self-awareness and are willing to accommodate, such as enroll in a training course for development.

Being Confident

In order to build confidence, you must practice. This question is not about confessing your weaknesses or exposing yourself. It’s about demonstrating confidence, honesty and composure when asked a difficult behavioural interview question.

Don’t be Ignorant

The silliest response that anyone can answer to this question is “I don’t have a weakness”. Well every human is born with some integral natural traits which puts the person at disadvantage against other individuals. If you really think that you don’t have a weakness, it shows you lack self-awareness.

Turn your positive to negative

Another avenue is to convert your strength and turn it into a weakness. This will represent you as humble and modest professional.

Beware of using the old trick of turning a weakness into strength by saying, “I work very hard”, or “I am a workaholic” can be deemed as you are inefficient or bad at time management.

Interviewers would like to hear how you have managed to overcome your weakness and how you are able to demonstrate with a few examples.

An interviewer has heard them all before and from numerous candidates. Again don’t come up with a weakness that directly relates to your current work. For instance, if you are interviewing for an accountant role and you say, “I am bad at numbers”, nothing can save you.

Why is an interviewer interested in your weakness?

This question can often pop up in an interview. The interviewer’s efforts are to get past the nice, deceptive, disguise that you have put on for the interview and get an idea of the real you. Even a dishonest or clever answer ends up saying something about you as an individual. An interviewer can assume that you might be secretive, less self-aware or too self-obsessed.

Things to prepare:-

What is your greatest weakness – Choose wisely
While choosing your weakness, it’s often advised to choose something work-related and fixable.
Make sure that it’s not something crucial at work, but that it is something related to the work.
Your goal is to represent a literal weakness that does not impact your potential towards the job but also does not come across as an impractical or staged.

By the way, the person on the other side of the desk wants you to prove to them that you are the best person for the job. With your experience, come up with a few examples of how you have dealt with a weakness you comprehend in yourself and you will easily demonstrate your value to an interviewer.

At the end of the day we are all individuals with our own shortcomings. It’s all about how we work towards weakness and overcome the barrier.

How to Crack an Interview

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 12:25:14 GMT

We are all working in a highly competitive world and finding a job is a lengthy process. First of all it’s hard to find a job and getting an opportunity to interview but once you get the interview, secondly it all boils down to how to crack that particular interview.

Imagine how you can make someone believe in those 30 minutes that you can do this job and you are the best candidate for it?

It is a fact that most of us aren’t very good at giving our best during interviews. Here are a few tips to convert the interview into your advantage. Here’s how:

Prepare for the Interview

Even if you are a master of your job, you should prepare for the day by doing research on the company, reading employee reviews on portal, projects, competitors, mission statement, etc… This gives you a better understanding of what the company is really about.

Keep Plan B

It will be fantastic if the interview goes according to your plan but what if it doesn’t. For example interviewer/company representative can focus on certain questions or have an addition panel interviewer last minute. Basically prepare for the worse and stay calm and composed.

Answer with an example

Try to answer the questions with examples in a concise manner. Use facts and figures so that the interviewer can understand the project, your skills and responsibilities and relate to the job you are interviewing for.

Ask Questions at the end

Yes it is important they should like you but it is more important you should also like them so ask the right questions, for example – what is the project about, which phase is the project is in, team size, team cultures, who are the stakeholders, etc…

To wrap up “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any” and to top it off “if you don’t get the job you do get the experience from the interview and can better prepared for the next one “Good luck”

Nail your Q&A session

Fri, 27 May 2016 07:10:36 GMT

Mike Tyson, former heavyweight boxing champion, made a famous retort before one of his boxing matches. You may have heard of it. This is what transpired. Before the match a group of journalists was quizzing Tyson and one journalist mentioned that Tyson’s opponent had a plan to defeat him. Tyson retorted: “Everyone’s got a plan, until they get punched in the mouth”.

What’s the point of sharing this story. Simply this. When you have a Q&A session, it can be like opening up yourself for ‘punch in the mouth’ type questions. That’s why it’s good to be prepared.

Here are two key principles for handling Q&A and other pressured interactions:

1. SODA* (Stop – Observe – Decide – Act) . Let me explain SODA. Whenever you feel pressured, the SODA sequence technique is a good one to use.

Often you’ll be tempted to immediately Act in response to pressure. Don’t do that.

Rather, Stop. This means you Stop speaking. Observe the environment around you (ie. The people and how they are responding/acting in the moment. Decide on a response option from the option choices available. (Response options will be covered in the next principle). Act on what you have decided.

By using the SODA technique, you’ll be perceived as someone who is a fast thinker. Paradoxically by stopping your speaking and slowing down your body movement, you’ll be quicker in finding and accessing your thoughts.

Here’s how it could work in a Q&A scenario:

Someone asks you a question.
You Stop for a moment.
You Observe that there is another person in the room who seems eager to respond.
You weigh up responding first or letting the other person respond first, and Decide on the second option.
You Act and say for example,“Before I respond I see the gentlemen in the front seems to have a view. Please respond sir and then I’ll comment.”

The above steps may only take a few seconds. But those seconds are vital. By going through the sequence you’ll also project presence and poise.

2. Know and Use TOYF (Think On Your Feet) options. Michael Valvo, a chess champion has said the downfall in chess is the same as the downfall in life. That is, people concentrate on one or two moves, when there are at least seven or eight moves available. So too, when you’re in a Q&A session, you have numerous options.

Knowing what those options are and wielding them wisely in pressured situations will serve you well. Here are options you can use:

1.Use the ‘Engagement Nod’

This means whenever someone asks you a question, makes a remark to you, gestures to you for a response – that you nod your head to indicate that you are engaged in the present moment and that you are paying attention and processing what they have said.

When you’re under pressure there can be a tendency to ‘freeze’ your head (as if stunned). This ‘head freezing’ can make you look disengaged, nervous and fearful.

2. Choose and Use Response options

a) Say, “Tough question”– if indeed it is a tough question. You don’t get marked down for labeling the question for what it is.

b) Say, “ Give me a moment to think about that .”Then you need to trust yourself, ‘park’ the audience, go inside your head and choose a response (even though it may not be the best response). You have about four seconds for this process.

c) Say, “ On first thought let me respond this way”or “Top of mind I’d say this” . Then you would trust whatever thought first comes into your mind, and speak it.

d) Say,“ I don’t have fixed view on that. ” This option is under-used. One of the markers of top leaders (eg. Barack Obama, Bill Clinton) is that they are willing to admit that they don’t know something. Counter-intuitively this is a behaviour of a confident person.

e) Self-disclose your internal monologue. Say for example, “ A number of thoughts spring to mind in response to that question – let me elaborate on one of them.” Self-disclosure and transparency of your thought process is a marker of confidence.

f) Say, “Let me stop there.” When you are unsure where your train of thought is leading you or you feel that you have talked too much, this is a good option to use.

g) Say “It’s not appropriate for me to answer that question.”Sometimes people will ask you a question which is not appropriate to answer because of the audience, situation etc.

h) Offer the floor to someone else before you respond, if you notice that the person is keen to respond.

i) For leading or aggressive questions say, “I don’t accept the premise of the question.”

j) For aggressive comments, for example,“ All this stuff you’re saying is rubbish” , respond firstly with, “Feedback is great” or “ Thanks for the feedback ”. Then you would counter the claim.

For example, my response to the “ All this stuff is rubbish” comment could be, “Feedback is great – actually the people I work with get great value from the ideas and techniques I share . . . I’m always wanting feedback and willing to learn – what are you getting at?” Then the person who has made the aggressive comment has to back it up. I’d listen to their response and respond accordingly.

Your CALL to action/HOW to apply for this post: In the next seven days trail the SODA (Stop, Observe, Decide, Act) and TOYF (Think On Your Feet) options for your Q& and other pressured interactions.

*SODA is an adaptation of John Boyd’s OODA loop

A Quay Appointments Intern Experience

Thu, 12 May 2016 12:54:56 GMT

Internship: Just like footprints in the sand, each step signifies the journey taken.

There are so many reasons to apply for an overseas internship. One of the most popular reasons is the language, especially if you want to learn or improve it. Another big reason is the opportunity of getting practical and international experience. Nowadays the professional world is high competitive and the smallest difference on a resume makes a difference. Not everyone has the opportunity to achieve experience immersed in a different culture with new challenges and for some people, the opportunity of discovering a new lifestyle is their goal. Is not easy to leave everything and start in a new place alone, however, thanks to agencies, international agreements and government grants it’s easier to start this adventure. Honestly, the application process is quite tedious, it is necessary to fill a lot of documents, get all the certificates in English (depending on your country that’s not always easy or free), arrange interviews and deal with relatives, friends and farewells (it doesn’t matter if the undergo is for one month or one year, everyone wants to be part of it). Saying this, the experience is absolutely worthy. See why!

“The true challenge that I met with was the language barrier: adapting myself to each different accents being in a multicultural country of Australia and working at Quay Appointments. Listening to a mix of Australian, Irish, South East Asian and a range of other accents, but even if sometimes they were hard to undestand, they were always lovely. Thanks to a friendly team at Quay Appointments, the hard work was easier to get through. I feel myself improving every day whilst being in an internship, I have not only grown work wise but also personally with building relationships.” Soumaya

In first instance, the feelings are a mixture of happiness and fear. Will my performance be good enough? Will I understand everything? Will I make the biggest mistake of my carrer? And so on. Nevertheless all the doubts disappear at the greeting of your tutor, the person who is going to teach and guide you along your internship. At Quay Appointments everyone is a key member for each intern, because everyone has different skills and abilities that are highly valuable. The first week is a 360 degrees training session, where you learn different aspects related with the company; culture, core values and workstyle. They base the training in lessons and shadowing. Lessons are related with hard skills such as administrative process, computer systems, policies and documentation. On the other hand, the soft skills rest on the shadowing. This system consists in following one consultant at time and performing all the different tasks together. Thanks to this system, in less than one week you can afford enough knowledge to be autonomous at certain levels. As the weeks go by, you have as much responsibility as anyone in the company and the differences between real workers and interns are almost priceless.

“What is most motivating for me whilst at Quay Appointments, is meeting the client and the candidate face to face on site in the newly placed position and receiving positive feedback from both the client and the candidate about the placement that I was involved in. It is important for me to get the right fit for all involved. This has been my first time working in recruitment and I am grateful for the opportunity of this internship as I can positively say that I want to pursue this field of work in the future.” Katharina

Everything goes so fast that by the time you realise you aren’t the coffee guy or the printer master, it is inevitably to feel some pride. You are there, working with people who trust in your job, overcoming the cultural and language differences, achieving goals and the company running (apparently it is not that easy to make the biggest mistake).

“During my previous positions, I have dealt with a number of agencies but I have found Quay Appointments to stand out above the rest. Thanks to my internship I am able to understand the process that requires finding the perfect candidate for the right role. Being a consultant doesn’t mean you have to collate a number of candidates, it means you get to know as much about the candidate as you do with the client. What their needs are and how to match the ideal candidate with the ideal client. I find this process fascinating and I am grateful for the opportunity.” Fabiola

Months after, when the excitement of the first placement or the nerves of a first meeting with a client is left behind, this is when you realize that the internship is coming to an end. At this point you don’t only know how to deal on the phone (in English) or the whole process since we get a vacant position until we fill it (with all the work that it implies, search candidates, arranging interviews, administrative process and so on), but you learn things that are not in any subject at the University or training session. No one explains how important the culture in a company is, how we celebrate birthdays or special days like Chinese New Year’s Eve or the Irish day with typical food and its traditions makes the workplace a better place. In the same line the core values start to make sense. For example, one of them is “being generous with time, information and help”, which means that we are not here to compete with each other, we are here to compete as a team for the best results. Weekly meetings for catching up or team training on Fridays are only a little way that Quay Appointments as a company take care of each worker. Each intern loves the company that gives the very first opportunity and it’s hard to say goodbye (maybe due to the Stockholm syndrome), but the end of these amazing adventure is the start of a new one. It’s time to bring back to your country the best of your experience and transfer all those skills and amazing domain of the English to the new step in your professional career. It could be one of the thousand companies that are in Australia, however, in this case, the company is Quay Appointments and sincerely there are too much to thank, not only as a workplace, but as a place with incredible people.

Fabiolla Sotillo in collaboration with Katharina Trabert & Soumaya Benyassine

Resume Roulette

Thu, 05 May 2016 05:02:56 GMT

A resume by any definition is a documentation of skills, experience and achievements presented by persons with the prospect of securing employment.

A recruiter will spend on average 5-7 seconds reviewing your resume (frightening I know). Everyone loves a gamble but when it comes to your career; is it really worth the risk? Unfortunately there is no formula for a winning resume as they can take many forms, yet each can be effective in their own right…

A chronological resume is a listing of work history presented in reverse order. This format works well for candidates who have held consistent and comparable employments. If a chronological resume is your choice, please note that it’s not enough to list responsibilities. Give recruiters an overview of the purpose of your roles held and, most importantly, present your achievements and value added. A career summary is also effective with chronological resumes as it gives you the opportunity to customise your offering and provide a strong match by highlighting skills, abilities and professional expertise in a short but catchy statement.

On the other hand, a less traditional approach would be a functional resume which places emphasis on your skill-offering rather than your chronological work history. This format works well for those early in their career, those who have worked on multiple short term projects, for those who have gaps in their employment or for job seekers wanting to change their career. By categorising your offering of specific skills and capabilities, there is less emphasis on length of service or industry exposure.

If in doubt why not utilise a combination of a chronological and functional resume. First highlight your qualifications, trainings, skills and achievements and then follow with a brief breakdown of your working history.

Remember there is no formula for a winning resume but if you focus on your strengths, know your audience and tailor your approach; you’re sure to be backing a winner. You may find the following DO’s & DONT’s helpful when finalising your resume.

Face Your Fears

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 05:14:12 GMT

Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fear comes in many forms. All of us fear something or the other. Some of us are afraid of darkness, some fear the spiders, some are scared of people, while some fear making mistakes – the list is pretty endless.

Regardless of what the fear is, the way our body responds to that fear is strikingly similar – a chill in the spine, numb feet, frozen body, eyes wide open, a butterfly in the pit of the stomach, unconscious sweating etc.

Fear keeps us in the background

It convinces us that we can never accomplish our dreams, tells us to keep quiet and separates us from the ones we love. Fear has an unparalleled ability to freeze us in our tracks and limit what we are willing to try. Fear makes us lead a smaller life.

Truly, if we think about it – the origin of all our fears is within us, that is, our own ‘Brain’. Over a period of time it has been programmed to warn us about anything that is remotely unsafe. Under any such situation our brain takes control of our body and sends us this little reminder in the form of reactions, either emotional or physical. Fear is mainly a battle in our heart and in our mind.

Face your fear

The process of facing fears is called EXPOSURE . Exposure involves gradually and repeatedly going into feared situations until you feel less anxious.

Exposure is one of the most effective ways of overcoming fears. However, it takes some planning and patience

How to do it?

Make a list: Make a list of all the situations, places, people or objects that you fear.
Rate your fears: Arrange things from the least scary to the most scary.
Facing fears (exposure): Start with the situation that causes the least anxiety and repeatedly engage in that activity. The longer you face something, the more you get used to it and the less anxious you will feel when you face it again. Be patient and go at a pace which is comfortable for you.
Practise: Practise on a regular basis. Keep a track of your gains and re rate your fear ladder. The more you practise the more your fear will fade away and the more confident you will be.
Reward: Facing fear is never easy. Reward yourself when you do it and use that as a motivation factor to achieve a goal. You could involve your family, friends, colleagues or work mates over here.

Facing fear is never easy. It keeps creeping back time to time, especially during stressful phases. This is normal. Keep facing and keep practising.

Remember, coping with fear is a lifelong process – It’s how you face it that matters… So LETS FACE IT AND RISE !

How to become a better negotiator

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 05:32:45 GMT

Negotiating is not only part of everyone’s job but also part of our lives. It is not always enjoyable but it is unavoidable.

I strongly believe that “Negotiation” is a skill that you improve on by working on it; that is the reason why I would like to give you some tips on it.

1. Win-Win or Win-Lose relationship?

2. Indispensable negotiating concepts in successful negotiation

Alternative

An alternative makes it possible for a negotiator to say “If this negotiation fails to produce what I need, I can always do…”. Roger Fisher and William Ury called that “BATNA”, Best alternative to a negotiated agreement. By doing this, it will give you a position of strength and confidence because you have an alternative and know when to walk away from an offer.

Reserve price

This is the lowest price the seller will accept for an item. Every negotiator should determine their reserve price in advance for any negations. If you can learn the other sides reserve price without revealing yours, you will know how hard to push without forcing the others to walk away.

3. Communication Style

Listeners: they are people oriented and want to build a relationship but they can’t say ‘no’. In negotiation, listeners always seeks to make all sides happier.
Creators: they are enthusiastic and excitement driven people. They can be impulsive and make a decision on the spot.
Doers: they are pragmatic, assertive, result oriented, competitive and competent, they want to win.
Thinkers: They are detailed oriented people. Always looking for the perfect solution. They need rules, regulations and predictability

4. Listening skills

A good listener hears, interprets, evaluates and reacts.

Studies shows that we spend up to 80 percent of our waking hours communicating and at least 45 percent of that time is spent listening. Also, one reason why so many people are bad listeners is because they lack training.

Why should we want to become better listeners? A failure to listen can cost lives. Listening mistakes can also cost money.

5. Managing conflict

6. The importance of assertiveness

One test of assertiveness is the ability to say no. Do you often find yourself saying yes to requests when you really want to say no. Offering an alternative might help to say no.

7. Prepare to negotiate

Like every other important task, preparation provides a foundation for success

To be prepared you must:

Identify issues and interests
Develop a mental picture of an ideal agreement
Determine your alternatives to a deal and reserve price and try to do the same for the other side
Improve your negotiating position

To conclude there are 5 steps that you want to follow when negotiating:

Getting to know each other
Getting the negotiations started even though some of them can be difficult
Expressing disagreement and conflicts – Don’t view the conflict as a test of power but as a chance to find out what people need
Reassessing and compromising
Reaching agreement – ideally in writing

Source: “How to become a better negotiator” from Richard A. Luecke and James G. Patterson.

Personal Branding

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 05:48:00 GMT

Branding when you think of it usually refers to a company, a representation of who they are, what they are about or the service they provide. Nowaydays there is more discussion of our own Personal Brand. This essentially the ongoing process of establishing an image or impression in the mind of others about you. Both professionally and personally.

Everyone is aware of branding on a business level but in today’s term’s personal branding is just as important. You work for a business or with other businesses if you are self-employed, but essentially it is people working with people. This is what makes business relationships so important and special.

Here are some tips to assist with Personal Branding;

Identify your strengths;

Share your knowledge;

Be You;

People have a tendency to get caught up in what others are doing. You are unique and have a specific skillset. Find your own style. Use this uniqueness to find a new position or clients to work with you.

Set your priorities;

Building a personal brand is going to take time and effort. Hunter S. Thompson is quoted as saying “Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.”

Take the time to get it right and decide where you want to go.

How to Address Selection Criteria

philip.divilly@quayappointments.com.au (Philip Divilly) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 05:59:30 GMT

Panic is a word that many of my candidates use when they talk about how to address selection criteria.

There is sometimes a fear attached to the very phrase selection criteria. Many reasons account for this nervousness, mostly however it is because candidates want to impress, they want to give a good impression of their skills and experiences but fear they might fail to showcase their skills.

Most importantly candidates want the opportunity to get to the next phase of the recruitment process which tends to be the face to face interview (that is another blog topic)! Here I will share with you, some common sense tips on how to best address the selection criteria.

Firstly, what is selection criteria? It’s basically the standards that job applicants need to meet. These often include qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities and experience.

Remember this is not an interview, so read each of the criteria carefully, tailor your answer to each point and always keep the job you are applying for in mind. Use examples from your past to highlight how your experience is relevant. Your answers don’t need to be long; they simply need to answer the specific questions/criteria.

Sue Adams Coaching outlines some useful points on this:

Respond to key words in the selection criteria
Address all parts of the selection criteria
Stick to the wording of the selection criteria
Avoid statements of belief or claims without evidence
Write evidence-based responses
Be results oriented
Pitch to the level of the job
Use short, direct, active sentences.

An easy to remember formula to address selection criteria is the STAR method. This assists in describing your examples. For each criterion think about the following and use these points to form sentences:

Situation/Task – Describe the Situation or Task briefly (set the scene, what was the situation? What was your role?)

Actions – Specific actions taken by you (this is about you and what you did – this is where you put most of your information)

Results – The impact or consequences of the actions taken by you (just a brief statement at the end of the example)

(Adams, Sue, 2010, Addressing Selection Criteria)

So now you have it, with some preparation and structure to follow you will have confidence in addressing selection criteria. The fact that you are applying to a job in the first place would usually indicate that you feel like you are capable of performing in the job. Don’t let some selection criteria get in the way of your career progression.

Finally after you have prepared your response to the criteria, ask a trusted person to proof read it for you, such as your recruitment consultant. As individuals we often don’t sell ourselves enough, so a consultant will help you keep you on track to help highlight what you have to offer.

The Questions of a Quota System to See more Women on Boards

Tue, 08 Mar 2016 06:09:58 GMT

The theme of International Women’s Day 2016 is ‘Pledge For Parity’. It is a call to action for every man and woman to commit to taking a real step towards helping to achieve gender parity in whatever way we can – whether it is helping women and girls achieve their ambitions, developing more flexibility in the workplace, allowing women to return to work, promoting women in leadership roles, and of course pay parity.

Over the years the movement toward gender parity has been rather like a foxtrot slow: slow, quick, quick, slower. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2014 that it would take until 2095 to achieve global gender parity. Then one year later in 2015, they estimated that a slowdown in the already glacial pace of progress meant the gender gap wouldn’t close entirely until 2133.

International Women’s Day was first observed on the 8th March in 1914. British suffragette leader Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested in front of Charing Cross station on her way to speak in Trafalgar Square in London.

International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations in 1975. Then in December 1977, it was agreed for the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions.

This International Women’s Day we do indeed have much to celebrate but we still have a long way to go. I want to focus on the issue of women on boards, or rather the lack of them, and how we get to something that reasonably represents the gender balance in the general population.

Elizabeth Proust, on her appointment as chair of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), has set 2018 as the deadline for 30 % of board positions in the nation’s top 200 companies to be filled by women. And whilst not previously being in favour of using quota’s to achieve these targets, she sent a message to companies that if they don’t act then they may eventually be required to by government legislation.

But there has been some progress. According to an ASIC report on the 31st January 2016 43% of all new board appointments were women, up from the 22% for same time in 2012.[3] And the latest percentage of women on ASX 200 boards is 21.9% a whopping increase from 2009 when that figure was 8.3%

There is plenty of debate out there for and against using quotas, but the conversation is not that simple and needs to acknowledge a range of issues. These include the availability of child care so that women can return to work if they want to as well as providing a flexible family friendly work place, giving equal opportunity to allow women to progress their careers. As Sheryl Sandberg COO of Facebook puts it, it is about women gaining the confidence and belief in themselves to “lean in.” Organisations must also focus on creating an executive pipeline, one that recognises the skills and talents of female employees and what they bring to the table, providing mentoring and training opportunities.

Those that disagree with quotas argue that chairs of companies and recruiters just need to look harder, that there are candidates out there, and that we just need to break the cycle and create role models for others to follow on. Others argue that quotas will simply correct existing discrimination.

There are some lessons to be learnt from Norway about board quotas. In 2003 Norway passed laws requiring companies to have 40% women company board members by 2006. Their rate of women on boards is currently 35.5%. Whilst not 40% it’s pretty impressive compared to Germany (20%), USA (17%), Australia (22%), and Japan (3%).

The arguments initially raised against quotas in Norway were: lack of suitably qualified women, interfering with the market forces, and a top down focus rather than a bottom up approach. Indeed the move did initially create a lack of women in positions just under the board level, thereby reducing the availability of women to follow on. However 10 years on, the legal requirement for quotas in Norway is now a non-issue.

Germany this year passed laws on quotas of 30% rising to 50% by 2018. They may have a woman Prime Minister in Angela Merkel, but none of the top 30 German companies have a women CEO.

For all the talk of tokenism and appointments for numbers rather than talent, quotas would be a quicker and more effective way to address gender imbalance on boards, particularly if it is accompanied by other initiatives to modify workplace culture. It’s by no means a perfect solution but we have spent a lot of years trying to encourage change, and perhaps it’s time for action.

[1] International Women’s Day. 2016. Accessed 6/2/16, via http://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme

[2] ABC News. 2015. Quotas may be needed to boost female representation. Accessed 6/2/16, via http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-16/quotas-may-be-needed-to-boost-female-board-representation/7032310

[3]Australian Institute of Company Directors. 2016. Accessed 6/3/15 via, http://www.companydirectors.com.au/director-resource-centre/governance-and-director-issues/board-diversity/statistics

Consider First Impressions Like First Lovers

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 07:46:15 GMT

Can you remember your first date with someone you found attractive? I can!

How long did it take you to decide what you’re going to wear, how you would stand, speak, smile, you played it out in your mind, right?

And yet we have this important meeting with a potential client, a good impression to make on our boss, or a job interview for a career move that will improve our lifestyle and we don’t go to as much trouble as our first date.

People size us up quickly and change their minds slowly. Researchers tell us that somewhere between eleven milliseconds and five minutes, people make judgments that do not differ from impressions made after much longer periods.

Dianna Booher says “packaging and preparation can pay off handsomely. Consider the difference packaging makes in how much you are prepared to pay for an item”. Presence has much to do with perception.

Know what works and what doesn’t

Look in the mirror and ask yourself, is this the best I can look today?
Know yourself and know whom you want to serve.
Consider your accessories, do you have a bulging handbag, tired shoes or worn out watch?
How do you move, sit, stand and present yourself.
Consider your first impression like first lovers, you rarely forget them.

Whenever you walk into a room, you assess the scene. Expect others to do the same.

Originally posted by Ondina

Join us and raise money and awareness for Cancer Council

Sat, 13 Feb 2016 06:17:58 GMT

So call us crazy but we are always up for a challenge so when the chance to run a marathon right in Martin Place came up we couldn’t turn down the opportunity.

So we jumped in head first as they say and registered. We are aiming to raise $2000 to help fight against the cure for cancer but we cannot do it without your help.

Are you a runner?? Great. Join our team and run some of the marathon with us. We know we will need the break and would love to have some more people in our team.

Not much of a runner?? No worries. You can help us raise money and make a donation towards our goal. All donations go towards Cancer Council and the fight against cancer.

Are you free on the 18th March? Please come along and support us and cheer us on. The more people we have cheering the faster we will run and the closer that we will get to our target of 3 hours completion.

If you haven’t heard of Outrun Cancer they are a non-for-profit organisation that raises money for Cancer Council. Their aim is to not only raise much needed funds but also to change the mindset of people and encourage them to get healthier and therefore prevent cancer. The founder Luca set up Outrun Cancer initially as part of his fundraising attempts to run 20 marathons in 29 days. However the corporate challenge was born and has become an event in its own right. Luca’s Mum died of pancreatic cancer this is his way of “getting back at cancer” So together lets help him do just that.

Smart Work in the 21st Century Workplace

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 07:49:47 GMT

We all complain about being busy. Too much to do, too many emails, too many meetings. Our modern workplace demands so much from us. You may have numerous productivity tools at your disposal to help you plan your time and manage your priorities, but are you really leveraging your technology to meet the challenges of the 21st century workplace? Are you working smart?

To truly work effectively today it is critical to harness the power of your technology, and to use it in a co-ordinated way to manage three core aspects of your work – your Actions, your Inputs and your Outcomes.

Centralise your Actions

Most of us made the transition from paper diaries to electronic calendars over a decade ago. We have one central place where we centralise all of our meetings, and we collaborate with other peoples schedules using an electronic scheduling system. Yet, when it comes to the other side of our activity management, task management, most people are still very reliant on paper systems, and tend to manage their priorities in fragmented, ineffective ‘piles’. Piles of emails in our inbox, piles of paper on our desk, piles of actions in our notepad and piles of thoughts in our head. No wonder we are stressed, reactive and behind the eight-ball.

One of the most powerful ways of getting in control of your priorities is to embrace technology and centralise all of your tasks into the task system that sits alongside your calendar in your scheduling tool. MS Outlook, Lotus Notes and Google Calendar all have this capability – you just need to take advantage of it.

Organise your Inputs

Once you have a solid system in place for managing your actions, you need to think about how you deal with inputs. You probably get many inputs every day, including emails, paperwork, phone calls, interruptions and meeting actions. Inputs have become a real challenge for the modern executive. Firstly there is the volume. Where a few years ago 100 emails per day was a lot, now 300 per day is common. Secondly, how most people tend to manage these inputs is problematic. Many of us have hundreds (if not thousands) of emails piled up in the inbox.

The secret to staying on top of your incoming work is to treat your inbox like a post box. It is simply where you receive emails. It should not be used as a to-do list or a filing system. It should be cleared to zero at least once per week. When you process your emails, be decisive. Delete what you don’t need. File the things you are finished with, but feel you need to keep. Delegate anything that is not a good use of your time. But most importantly, schedule your actions into your task list or calendar rather than keeping them highlighted in your inbox. This will give you greater control over the action as you will be managing the priority within the context of your time.

Realise your Outcomes

How often do you feel like your job has become a series of endless meetings and emails? What about the time that you need to work on the really meaningful work? That time just seems to evaporate or get stolen by somebody else’s urgent crises. While meetings and emails are a critical way of getting stuff done, your ability to deliver in your role requires more. It requires time to think, to plan and to work on the activities that are driven by your outcomes, rather than just your inputs.

The best way to create a connection between your outcomes and your actions is to invest some of your time in personal planning. Sometimes we need to stop doing, and take some time to plan and prioritise. Having a robust weekly planning routine in place is a good way to build a habit around this. Each week, review last week, organise next week, anticipate what is coming up, and realign your priorities with what you are trying to achieve – your outcomes.

Tools like MS Outlook are seen as email tools, but they are so much more. They are designed to help you manage your actions, inputs and outcomes. If they are used in a co-ordinated way they can give you the leverage you need to stay productive in the modern workplace.

Nelson Jackson once said “I do not believe you can do today’s job with yesterday’s methods and be in business tomorrow”. I would also suggest that we cannot do today’s job with yesterday’s tools and be in business tomorrow. Technology has contributed to our productivity challenges over the last decade, and it can also be a part of the solution. But only if we learn to use it in a smart way.

Absenteeism in the Australian Workplace

Sat, 09 Jan 2016 07:53:35 GMT

Absenteeism is an issue that affects businesses all across Australia and while some level of absence is inevitable due to unforeseen, unfortunate life events, there appears to be an alarming ‘entitlement culture’ within the country when it comes to taking leave from work.

This infographic by payroll and contractor management company Ayers investigates the scale of absenteeism in Australian businesses, outlining the costs to companies, which industries score the worst for absenteeism, and how the problem can be fixed. It’s certainly an issue of concern when you consider that one in 20 employees in Australia calls in sick on any given day.

5 Reasons why clients should use a Recruitment Agency

Wed, 06 Jan 2016 08:10:52 GMT

If you have ever found yourself asking the question, “Should I use a recruitment agency?” We want to share with you with 5 reasons why the answer to that question should be; YES.

1. Candidates

Candidates are important in the recruitment game , we take the time to listen and understand what the candidate is looking for, know their work ethic, strengths and capabilities and have open and honest relationships. This allows us to address their objections and concerns before, during and throughout the recruitment process, ensuring a positive outcome for both client and candiate

Our candidates are interviewed, reference checked and tested before being sent for a role. They are prepared and educated on the hiring company (as we have already invested time to understand the needs of the business and what is important to them) and we hide no aspect of the role to them. What you see is what you get. This saves the hiring company time on meeting with candidates that are not a right fit for the business.

We know the trends of companies in industry vertical markets and may have candidates on our books looking for a change. This gives the hiring company access to a particular set of skills with industry knowhow. Our networks stretch far and wide and through our strong candidate relationships, referrals are the best way to find you people who aren’t actively looking. As the saying goes; Good people refer good people.

2. Cost Effective

Like most people, we find the most expensive item you spend is ‘Your time’ We understand how valuable time is & the cost impact to the business if you spend majority of your day screening resumes and interviewing candidates. This is part of the reason why you hire a recruitment agency to complete this time consuming work in a professional manner for you. A common objective to using agencies is that we are too expensive. I challenge you to calculate how much per hour “you” would cost versus our fees. You may be surprised how a recruitment agency fees compare in the end versus your time cost. Of course there are many hiring companies that use a Cost vs Value model and this in many cases this leads them to outsource the recruitment process. In temp recruitment we payroll the candidates and take care of on costs saving your payroll team additional work.

3. Diligent with Time

We work to your deadlines and in most cases are successful in finding you what you want quickly. We work hard, we work smart and we understand the impact on your business by not having the best person in the vacant role. On top of this, it’s worth remembering that most recruitment agencies are paid by results. Therefore, if the hiring company isn’t 100% satisfied with the candidate from the recruitment process – they pay $0 – imagine if you could do that with your internal recruitment team?

4. Experts in the Industry

We have consultants who specialise in particular areas of work specialism, such as Accounting , Sales , ICT & Business Support meaning we have inside knowledge of trends in that vertical market within your industry. We understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate and how to demonstrate the value they will add to your organisation for a particular job. You are not going to leave the most valuable asset of your business (your people) to chance by not dealing with a specialist in that field, are you?

5. We like what we do

Finally, we enjoy our jobs and take pride in providing exceptional service to both our clients and candidates. We demonstrate passion and accountability in our work, we show respect and will support you through your next recruitment start to finish.

Be Mentally Prepared for Your Next Interview

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 06:23:18 GMT

There are many practical words written about attending a job interview so it’s not hard to find out what you should and should not do.

I would like to focus on what is going on in your head when you are given the opportunity to present yourself for a new position.

I get it – you’re nervous and you want to make a good impression, but you should begin your thinking by patting yourself on the back, as not every candidate is offered the chance to prove themselves in front of the client. Therefore your CV must have shown them something that peaked their interest.

You are already ahead of most of the pack.

If this is a job that is important for you then preparation is key. You don’t want to be caught without the answer to any questions and you want to be able to give examples wherever possible as this shows proven experience when you can put yourself in a real life representation.

You need to imagine yourself in the job. Once you have done your research of the company you should think what you would do in certain situations and imagine yourself actually doing the tasks.

Dressing appropriately is always a must, but not only for the message that you give the client but for the way you feel when you walk in the door. If you dress correctly you will feel more empowered and that will come across in how well you sell yourself. For that is what you are doing in an interview.

Think about all the reasons why you should be given the job and state them at the end of the interview. You need to be convinced yourself that this is your job so go out and take it.

Confidence is the key and the mental preparation you do beforehand will always pay dividends.

Some things you may want to ask yourself before your interview to help you mentally prepare.

Why?

What is your motivation for leaving your current job? Why do you want this job? There is nothing worse than self-doubts in the middle of your efforts

Be yourself everyone else is taken.

Don’t be something that you’re not. Be honest, be definite and believe in yourself.

Be Motivated

There is nothing worse than walking into an interview feeling low or down on energy. Get a good night’s sleep the night before and have your travel plans well laid out so you arrive feeling rested and energised and at the top of your game.

And finally a quote from Napolean himself

“Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in”

Control Your Own Personal Brand

Tue, 26 May 2015 08:15:04 GMT

I interviewed a candidate recently and he told me how proud he was to be represented by Quay Appointments – the reason being, his wife had been represented almost five years ago by one of our consultants and she was happy to refer her husband to us. He mentioned the consultants name several times throughout our conversation and was keen to be represented by a consultant at Quay Appointments.

This got me thinking – ‘isn’t it so important to represent your own personal brand to its absolute best’. Although this particular consultant represented Quay Appointments, he was also representing his own personal brand. What this consultant promised, he followed through… when he said he would call, he called. Everything he could do to make this a memorable experience for his candidate, he did it… And this is why people referred his name and his organisation to their colleagues & friends – because of his excellent customer service.

I decided to think of a few steps to ensure I am on the right track to represent my brand, the way I would want my brand to be spoken about in the market…In other words, what would my customers say about me?

Step 1: Listen to what other expect of you – (candidates, clients, managers, teachers, parents etc) – communication is key!

Step 2: Understand what is expected, then suggest what you can or can’t do. Never exceed your abilities or give false promises, you are effecting your personal brand here remember.

Step 3: Put an action plan is place, and agree with that person(s) what will be done & when it will be done. Planning is key here – both parties must understand What, Where, When, Who & Why (The 5 W’s).

Step 4: Follow your plan through to the end – if this is not the outcome that was expected – refer back to you steps.

If you have followed all these steps correctly, then you have lived up to your expectations. You have done what you said you would – 9 times out of 10 your effort will be appreciated & you will have promoted a positive personal brand for yourself.

After all, we cannot help everyone in this world but we can put in the effort for those willing to help us to help them.

This can be relevant to any recruitment consultants out there, any candidates looking for new opportunities in the market & any companies looking to hire – represent your personal brand to its absolute best.

ARE YOU ON LINKEDIN? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

Thu, 07 May 2015 06:50:52 GMT

The Job Seekers guide to a killer profile – Land you dream job with a few simple steps

You may have all noticed that we now live in, and have done so for some time, the “Digital Age”. When it comes to your professional world and career I have no doubt that it has affected the way you do things on a daily basis compared to 1, 2, 3 or more years ago!

By “Digital Age” I mean the use of technology, computers, handheld devices, internet, social media, and mobile optimisation – basically the almost immediate ability to transfer information quickly and freely worldwide.

As a Recruiter, a huge game changer for our industry has definitely been LinkedIn. This by definition is THE professional social networking site (like Facebook, but definitely NOT Facebook!).

What I have found shocking is the amount of people who are not on board as yet (no profile at all), or who are only skimming the surface of this amazing networking tool. LinkedIn is like your public resume, it’s your Professional Brand – Don’t you want to put your best foot forward to ensure you land that dream job?

I thought I would put together a simple ‘how to’ guide to get your profile up and running, or revamp your current one to ensure you get noticed by future employers, recruiters and other like-minded professionals.

1. Put the Time and Effort

You must complete your profile! The wonderfully helpful team at LinkedIn actually step you through the process to ensure that you complete every field. This is important for two reasons: 1) you will be found when we’re searching for your skills and experience; and 2) That when we find you, you give us enough information to tell us how amazing you are so that we can’t wait to contact you about your potential dream job! The good news? LinkedIn will actually measure the “completeness” of your profile as you work and offer suggestions on how to make it stronger and become an “All Star” profile. Easy.

2. Customise a few key areas

Just as your LinkedIn Profile doubles as an online interactive resume, you should be adding a link on your resume, email signature, and other areas you feel professionally suitable to be sure you GET NOTICED. Before you do this it is best to customise your LinkedIn URL, rather than using the automated number/letter combination LI provides, here’s how: On the Edit Profile screen, at the bottom of the gray window that shows your basic information, you’ll see a Public Profile URL. Click “Edit” next to the URL, and specify what you’d like your address to be. When you’re finished, click Set Custom URL.

Next your photo. Choose a clear, friendly, and professional image, and pop that up there. (Pro tip: “If you can show yourself in action, do it,” says a blogger who experimented with multiple LinkedIn photos to see which garnered the most attention. “A photo can go a long way to convey passion, energy, charisma, empathy, and other soft skills that are hard to write about.”

3. Write a catchy Headline

Your headline doesn’t have to be your job title and company—in fact, if you’re looking for a job, it definitely shouldn’t be. Use this space to showcase your skills and expertise, what sets you apart from the crowd!

Pro Tip! If you are currently not working; Between contracts, recently made redundant, returning to work etc. I highly suggest that you write something along the lines of “Seeking new opportunities in… (Insert types of roles/industries here)”. As a recruiter I often search this for those contract, temporary, ASAP start roles. Easiest way for me to know that you are available NOW

4. Your Summary is Key

This is a brief bio explaining who you are and your intentions.

According to LinkedIn’s official career expert Nicole Williams, your summary should look similar to that of an objective statement on a résumé.

Are you looking for a new job? Do you want to meet investors? Maybe you’d like to find a mentor,” Williams says. “This is the place to express that.”

“The summary statement offers an opportunity to project some personality,” Williams explains. “This a great place to reflect your professional brand — explaining why you got into the industry, what you love about it, and what kind of professional you are.”

The level of formality you employ may depend on your industry or intent — “but either way, remember this is a place to infuse personality.” Williams also suggests writing the summary in the first person, regardless of how formal you want to be.

5. Include a Current Job Entry, Even When Unemployed

“If you’ve only listed the past positions you’ve held in the experience section but show nothing current, you’ll probably get missed in most searches. Why? Because most recruiting professionals exclusively use the current title box to search for candidates; otherwise they’d have to sort through thousands of candidates who held a certain role (for example, graphic designer) as far back as 20 or more years ago. The simple workaround, if you’re unemployed, is to create a dummy job listing in the current section that includes the job title(s) you’re targeting—‘Full-Time Student/Financial Analyst in Training’—followed by a phrase like ‘In Transition’ or ‘Seeking New Opportunity’ in the Company Name box.” University of Washington

6. Add Visual and Multimedia content

“A picture truly is worth a 1,000 words, especially when it comes to showcasing your work. LinkedIn lets you add photos, videos, and slideshow presentations to your profile summary. So instead of just talking about your work, you can show examples. Or show yourself in action. Or share a presentation. Click ‘Edit profile,’ scroll down to your summary, then click on the box symbol, then ‘add file.’” Business Insider

7. Be mindful of your Job Search (Privacy Settings)

“Many people don’t realize that LinkedIn does have privacy settings—for a reason. ‘When you’re out looking for a new job, and are actively engaged in your current job, you want to be discreet,” Williams explains. ‘A telltale sign to an employer that you’re leaving is that you overhaul your profile, connect with recruiters, and have an influx of new people. You can tailor your settings so that your boss doesn’t see that you’re looking for opportunities.’ The privacy settings are easy to find: Just sign in, and then select ‘settings’ from the drop-down menu, where your name appears in the upper right-hand corner.” LearnVes t

8. Be Active!

Ask for Recommendations! From current or previous employers, team members, clients, suppliers, contacts that you have worked with. This adds credibility and is someone putting their reputation on the line to back you!

Update your status! Like other social media platforms you should be posting regularly to raise your profile and professional brand. Things like blogging about industry relevant information, market trends, tips & tricks etc. If you’re not a confident writer or have the time to blog as such, sharing other user content and adding your opinion works as well – it’s all activity!

Join Groups! By joining groups relevant to your profession or industry, you’ll show that you’re engaged in your field. But more importantly, you’ll instantly be connected to people and part of relevant discussions in your field—kind of like an ongoing, online networking event.

Connections – How many do you currently have? If it’s under 50 it’s not enough. Fewer than 50 connections tells recruiters one of three things: 1) You have started your profile and not finished it, 2) You’re paranoid about connecting with others, or 3) Technology and social media are scary to you. None of these are good. Get out there!

At the end of the day, the best people to hire are the people who are the most excited about what they do. So, make sure your LinkedIn profile is engaging, current, and authentically you.

There’s no ‘I’ in team. But there is a ‘me’ and that’s the key

Wed, 22 Apr 2015 08:24:03 GMT

Whenever I hear a manager make a comment that someone is ‘not a team player’ and as a coaching tool, they’ve reminded them that there is no ‘I’ in team, i’m always curious of its effectiveness as a comment. It’s true, some people are naturally more ‘I’ focused and aren’t as thoughtful of others. Some environments are specifically set up for individual success (sales environments spring to mind) yet still purport to foster a team environment.

When we look at the bulk of performance and development plans that are set, they focus on individual results, individual behaviours tailored toward achieving team and organisational results. That makes sense. However there are some simple things we can be more mindful of if we wish to facilitate better team cohesion and therefore drive better results. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, in fact, engagement has been proven to be a key driver in success by a recent Gallup survey.

Here are three things you might wish to consider in getting the best out of your ‘I’s within your team.

Manage the storming process quickly and make the team aware that it’s a necessary part of team development. Bruce Tuckman (1965) nigh on 50 years ago identified the stages that groups need to move through before they become a high functioning team. The storming stage is one of conflict, asserting individual power, jockeying for positional power and developing a surface level understanding of each others strengths and weaknesses. Herein conflict rears its ugly, but necessary head as we realise we are different. That’s a natural progression and if we really and truly wish to have a diverse team of approaches to our role, technical ability, personality styles, abilities and the like then we need to learn what they are and how to leverage them. It’s our job as managers to help our staff through those differences. If we don’t, in some respects we are engaging in just as much of a lack of understanding as our team members. If we can’t have honest debate, then we’ll never get to a norm.

This leads me to the second point. Take time to learn our role approach preferences. How do we like to make decisions? How do we like to process information and build rapport? And how does this translate into real world difference. Rather than just being repelled by difference, explore the nature of it and learn the benefits of each approach.

Develop an honest culture of feedback. Both positive and negative. Most people when polled would argue that they don’t receive enough feedback in the workplace, but unless we take time to learn what kind of feedback people like, HOW they like to receive feedback and how to GIVE feedback and be courageous about it, we don’t develop deeper understandings of ourselves. Ken Blanchard famously quipped that ‘feedback is the breakfast of champions’. I would say most people are going hungry in the morning by that account.

And finally, when was the last honest ‘health check’ you did of your time. A SWOT exercise is useful to work out what we are doing well and what we aren’t. But then developing a kind of ‘moving forward” activity such as ‘what do we need to STOP doing as a team; what actions or behaviours to we need to START engaging in and what actions or behaviours, norms etc are working well that we need to keep doing.

Try these simple tips. Let me know of your successes. Thanks!

Eureka Training brings years of experience to the table to help you get what you want from your people. They do this in such a way that they build rapport with unique facilitation styles, our commercial-savvy manner, and by taking a truly ‘consultative’ approach. Their consultants are a collection of talented individuals, all with business acumen, who understand the bottom line. If you would like to find out more about Nick Mills please visit www.eurekatraining.com.au

Always put your best foot forward when approaching an interview

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 07:08:48 GMT

While the average lengInterview Successth of an interview is 40 minutes, statistics show that 33% of employers know within the first 90 seconds if they will hire that candidate.

With this in mind interviewing can be daunting, however it is a skill you can learn. The following checklist should step you in the right direction…

While waiting for the interviewer take a few deep breathes. This may seem pointless however it will lower your heart rate and help you compose yourself;
Be aware of your body language. Don’t slouch, endeavour to engage, smile, and mirror the interviewer’s positive body language;
If you needlessly speak with your hands or are a self-confessed nervous fidgeter, keep those hands clasped together on your lap;
Sometimes candidates nervously avoid eye contact. Show your enthusiasm by keeping an interested expression. If you have more than one person interviewing you at once, make sure you briefly address all then and return your attention to the person who has asked you the question.

Best of luck in securing your dream job

7 Traits our Clients Demonstrate for Successful Staff Hires

Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:34:21 GMT

The Secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows – Aristotle Onassis Tweet This

In all lines of business where you exchange good and services; you will have clients, customers or suppliers. No matter what title you label these groups of people, there will be some key components involved in order to make the whole business transaction a smooth and positive experience for everyone involved.

Here at Quay Appointments we are in the business of adding value to organisations by solving some of their challenges. One of the biggest headaches for our clients is the ability to find and hire skilled staff to complete critical tasks in order to meet daily business objectives.

Quay Appointments take pride in our ability to nurse a client’s staffing headache by matching a candidate’s suitable skills to perform such tasks. Quay Appointments is and continues to be privileged to partner with many organisations for regular smooth business exchanges.

Below are some of the traits (in no particular order) that many of our clients demonstrate to help get successful staffing recruits in their business with Quay.

1. Open Regular Communication:

Open, regular and honest communication is crucial. Keeping everyone who needs to be aware of any changes on the horizon with all hiring activity is essential. Finding & hiring the right candidate can be a tough business in its self, let’s not make it any more difficult than it has to be by keeping our cards close to our chest. Clients that regularly share and discuss potential roadblocks with their Quay consultant in the recruitment process have a huge hiring success percentage compared to those that don’t.

2. Realistic Expectations:

Another key factor to a successful recruitment outcome is our clients that understand that not every candidate will be the perfect fit. Yes, the candidate will have the essential skills needed to perform the job effectively and although they may not have all the bells & whistles which would be the cherry on top, the right candidate will still achieve positive results. Our top clients know that compromise works on both sides and is a sure element to assist in finding the right person to join your team.

3. Clear Guidelines:

Another core part of the recruitment process is having clear guidelines so that everyone is on the same page. Many of our clients insist on this by following up with a detailed job description after the initial job briefing meeting or phone call. This is done to avoid any miscommunication down the track when both parties have already invested time and money into the recruitment process. Assumption is a dangerous strategy in recruitment, so we partner with clients who work with a clear roadmap or help our clients to create one.

4. Actively Listen & Seek Consultation:

Many clients know the volume of recruitment managed by a consultant.

For example a Quay Appointments consultant will on average:

Telephone screen 2,640 job applicant’s per year
Annually conduct 480 face to face candidate interviews
Regularly keep in contact with over 55 active & passive candidates per week

Our clients understand that we are the experts in our chosen field – this is why they engage with us. As such, our clients often will ask Quay consultants for suggestions on what to do in the recruitment process and common pitfalls to avoid.

They openly seek advice and listen to our comments based on thousands of hours of experience in hiring strategies, behavioural interviewing, reference checking and on-boarding.

5. Keep Promises:

Sounds obvious that if you ‘ keep your word ’ you will have smoother business outcomes.

This is very true in every recruitment process and covers all promises from sticking with agreed timeframes to honouring salary commitments.

Our clients acknowledge that we are selling their brand & unique business opportunity to a range of suitable skilled candidates. They know that a broken promise can cause hurt, pain and leave a long lasting impression of them as an individual professional in the marketplace with frustrated job seekers. They appreciate that their division or even company reputation can be destroyed if promises are consistently broken. Between 1-100 candidates can be spoken with about a job opportunity so our clients ensure they uphold their promise to protect their reputation.

6. Say Thank You:

You have heard it before that good people refer good people.

A At Quay Appointments we know that we are delivering a quality service when our clients take the time to say ‘Thank You’.

Many of our clients will send an email of gratitude, write a letter to express their appreciation or become an ambassador of the Quay brand by consistently recommending us to other stakeholders that can benefit from using our recruitment services.

All Quay consultants know we have done our job well when this happens and of course we then ‘Thank’ our clients by verbally expressing it and then ensuring we deliver a top service to protect our own & our client’s reputation for referring us.

7. Pay on time:

To ensure a healthy professional relationship, all goods and services must be paid for and on time. There can be many reasons why this might not happen, go back to Point 1 if this happens to be the case and talk it through to get a resolution. Paying on time is needed for a healthy cash flow, it also again cements that gratitude for a job well done.

In recruitment, consultants are paid by results. Consultants will work from dawn to dusk to find that best fit candidate for our clients.

Our Quay clients tend to pay on time for 2 reasons;

They want our full attention and focus to help them solve their next staffing problems which as we all know can change dramatically and quickly based to unforeseen events.
They know recruitment is a sales based competitive industry and don’t want to deprive a hard working honest consultant their right to earning commission due to late payments.

So there you have it, some of the behaviours to get a smooth business outcome. Thank you to our clients who professionally work & partner with Quay on the 7 points above.

Reasons You Are Not Getting the Job

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 07:19:08 GMT

One of the toughest things about job searching is when you don’t get a job. It’s always demoralising and disturbing when you don’t know the exact reason of why is it not working out for you. Despite the fact you have a great CV, excellent communication and interpersonal skills and on top of everything you match the clients requirements but why is it still not happening for you?

These are just a few common examples of the reasons of why you may not be getting the job we are pretty sure there will be a couple more. But is it worth looking back and thinking are you following the right approach in order to get your dream job?

Let’s hope these little tips will help you to get the job you deserve and are dreaming of.

Good Luck with your search.

Interview Communication

Fri, 20 Mar 2015 07:29:09 GMT

If you think you’re a good communicator consider for a moment what this really means.

The dictionary defines communications as:

1.The act or process of communicating; fact of being communicated.

2. Imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs.

3. Something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted.

4. A document or message imparting news, views, information, etc.

5. Passage, or an opportunity or means of passage, between places.

So we all communicate but are we being understood and is our message getting across correctly?

In the workplace it is essential that our message is clearly understood but how do we know?

There are many reasons why a colleague may not be receiving and our understanding us:-

Maybe they are distracted or simply not focused – thinking about what they need to do rather than what we are saying. It could even be as simple as the person has difficulty hearing and is too polite to tell you.

But an area I’d like to focus on is where the communication fails due to a poor grasp of the language or an accent that is so strong that words are difficult to differentiate.

As immigration increases and we have more people coming into the workforce who are not native English speakers it is becoming a huge issue for these people when they are looking for work.

In many cases their qualifications and experience are more than adequate to perform the work but their speaking and communication skills let them down. Nearly every job advertised includes the skills “Strong verbal and written communication”. The job seeker may feel they have this skill covered as they often have a university degree and have held senior positions in the land of their birth but when they are invited in for an interview the interviewer has so much difficulty in understanding their responses that they are rejected.

According to The Vacancy Centre – a resource library for candidates:-

Meaning is in the mind of the receiver and not in the message. The way you speak may have a lasting impression on your interviewers.

Avoiding your own special words and jargon should make communicating with the interviewers a lot clearer.

When you are applying for a job where you are required to meet the public, your speech must be clear and understood by the people you have to communicate with.

Some basic factors in verbal communication are:

Speak clearly
Slow down, if necessary
Ensure that your pronunciation is correct

If you are applying for a job overseas or if the interview is conducted in a foreign language, you will need to pay extra attention to preparation. One way to hear how you come cross to others is to listen to yourself on a tape recorder.

All offices are different – FACT

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 07:38:17 GMT

Many offices nowadays try and cultivate a specific environment. Sometimes this may lead to people dressing in a similar style or communicating in a particular way. Effective discussions are also about the actual mode of communication.

Let’s face it; everyone has their own preference on their form of communication – email, telephone or face to face communication. Many people struggle with finding the right type of communication to have with their colleagues. If a person prefers telephone communication are you going to email them? I would hope not! It comes down to understanding how your colleagues work and respecting their decision.

Not sure how your colleague prefers to communicate – ASK?

“Miscommunication – a failure to communicate accurately”

Do people communicate enough? Some do and others don’t! Finding the balance isn’t easy but hey, let’s talk about it within our teams and try to improve on this.

Here are two pointers which I feel are extremely important with communication;

Watch your body language; and
Be direct

Watch your body language;

Body language is key in communication – A major problem you can run into at work is miscommunication through body language. How are you going to improve your body language? The best way to improve on anything is to pay attention to it.

STOP with the negative body language such as sighing, rolling eyes and crossed limbs.

START with positive body language such as genuine smiles, uncrossed limbs and maintain eye contact.

To be fair it’s a tough one to improve on but being aware of your body language will certainly improve office communication. Once you understand what you are conveying it will be easier to convey the right message. Body language is only part of the picture, but it’s a bigger part than you might think.

Be direct

How to Get your HR Department started on the Right Foot This New Year

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:38:26 GMT

Many companies struggle throughout the year because they lack strategies to approach HR issues effectively. However, with the right plans set in place, these issues can very easily be avoided and the business can enjoy a higher return.

What then is the secret behind business success? Experts in this field have cited a qualified human resource department as the main force behind a number of businesses’ success. As such, it is important to start the financial year of any business with set resolutions, especially when it comes to your HR department.

Whilst most businesses tend to focus their new year’s plans around increasing sales, they should instead pay attention to their staff management. This is because managing staff well ensures smooth operation and a lower staff turnover rate throughout the year.

A strong HR department is also likely to lead to the recruitment of qualified and enthusiastic personnel for all tasks in the organization. This is why you need to ensure that you do not neglect it.

What plans should I put in place for HR?

You may be wondering how you should form plans when comes to your HR department. It’s not easy for small businesses to see where they could be making changes and improving their HR departments. Outlined below are several tips on how to get your HR department started on the right foot this New Year.

Look at your training schedule

To begin with, work on your training calendar. In most niche industries, there is a requirement for training, and indeed refresher training for staff undertaking qualified roles within the company. Definitely also look into the other types of training that you can implement to improve your organization in other areas. Some of these can include training on company rules and policies, or safety and sexual harassment, perhaps even customer care or conflict management course would help benefit the company. You should start by reviewing the results of the previous year’s training and match them to those of the New Year.

Also, conduct a license and certification check: If you want to avoid being fined due to lapse of certificates and licenses, ensure that you conduct a full check. You should also make the effort to keep a calendar showing all the expiry dates for different certificates and licenses and circulating the calendar amongst your staff.

Promote an open door policy

Speak to all employees on a one to one at the start of the year to find out how their role within the company fits and whether they are happy in their role. January is often a good time to do this as many companies have a little downtime. Make any necessary changes that may be needed on the side of the employees and look at the worker’s compensation to find out whether it is up to date.

Check Policies

New Year is a great time to review policies that may have become outdated. Look at any HR issues you’ve had throughout the year and put together policies to stop this happening again.

Look forward for growth

It’s important to have a clear recruitment strategy in place for growth, in case your business sees a big upturn in clients. Having the ability to choose from CVs you’ve received, or being able to use LinkedIn to find employees is a great way to be prepared for what’s to come.

Make the necessary changes early enough so that you can allow smooth transition into the New Year and you’ll have a great HR department for 2015.

Written by Hubert Dwight – Guest Writer

The beards are back in town!

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 10:48:27 GMT

From as far back as the Abraham Lincoln days, over 150 years ago, beards have been worn by some of the most successful & influential men in history. In a recent article in Men’s Health Magazine, it was discovered that the beard revolution was upon us again after taking a slight decline in public acceptance throughout the 90’s.

The beards are back in town! Men’s Health state that ‘Facial hair has made a comeback in the past decade as a fashion statement for the guys. Sorry ladies, not so much for you’. Beards can be associated with famous Hollywood actors such as Sean Connery who was one of the most successful James Bonds, in my opinion, and who is still cool as a cucumber even 30 years after his last Bond film. Westlord.com revealed ‘Sean Connery, aka the true James Bond, instills confidence and sophistication with his beard. It’s so powerful we don’t even realize he’s bald’.

The only people in Hollywood you see without a beard these days are the likes of Justin Bieber – enough said!

So when it comes to recruitment, would you hire someone with a beard before someone who is clean shaven? It is a topic of interest within the business world today as more and more men are joining

the beard revolution. The sale of beard trimmers & “stubble-shapers” have risen significantly in recent times compared to that of the standard shaving-razor.

I feel if someone is going to sport a beard for an interview at least trim, shape and wash the damn thing. Nobody can listen about your previous experience as a National Sales Executive with a large MNC when you have bits of tuna salad from lunch stuck in your beard. Of course it will depend on the company and what policies they have in place however here is something to use in your defense. Even social media sites such as Facebook, Tumblr & Pinterest have examples of Pro-beard propaganda to choose from – I particularly like the ‘Trustworthiness of Beards’ chart.

Unfortunately the results from the chart are of no scientific evidence.

Richard Branson, one of the most influential entrepreneurs of all time, rejected the clean shaven look and although he doesn’t state this I am sure a lot of his success is down to his beard. It’s difficult to examine whether the presence of a beard can make you a successful businessman, however it is an area of investigation which would be of great interest to the public.

If you do see someone in your office with a beard, don’t assume they are too lazy to shave it or running short of time following a weekend bender – the beard signifies confidence, boldness & creativity. In fact, here are some suggested comments to make – “cool beard man”, “wow, that beard looks good” or “the beard suits you!”

I am a fond believer that behind every good beard is a great man – Viva le beard revolution!

………………….And remember even Pocahontas had a beard

Tips for Applying to a Job Vacancy

Mon, 09 Feb 2015 07:45:50 GMT

It is always hard to know where to start with a professional application when applying for a job. We asked the consultants at Quay Appointments to give their advice on what they look for when candidates apply for their job.

Takeaways

– Don’t apply for every position

– Make sure your resume has your contact details on

– Outline your skills and make them obvious

– Answer your phone and return calls

– Be honest

Leila Boubahlouli

Sun, 18 Jan 2015 09:19:01 GMT

What was your first ever job?

Waitress in a French restaurant

Where is your favourite place in the world?

Australia, beautiful and interesting diverse landscape

What would be your number one interview tip?

Get some practice before you come in for an interview

What makes Quay Appointments different?

We care about the best interest of our candidates and clients

How long have you been in Australia?

Almost 3 years

What do you look for in a resume?

Keyword matching the job specifications

Describe yourself in one word

Bubbly

What your Business Degree Should have Taught you About the Real World

Fri, 16 Jan 2015 05:57:55 GMT

I just recently completed my bachelors degree from Sussex University business school in the United Kingdom majoring in Business Management, with the hopes of receiving a huge pay check in the future, as did the over 2000 people in my lectures. Like majority of university graduates I spent a lot of my time cramming for exams, learning buzzwords, pulling all-nighters and nursing my hangovers. I loved every moment of my university life but was all too keen to jump into the corporate world straight after exams.

Since working fulltime I have realized that there where important lessons that my degree did not teach me:

1. 9am starts will never be easy: During my university life, I only had one lecture in three years that started before 10am, and it was an achievement if I made it on time. Jumping straight into getting up before 7am five days a week was a big shock and took a while for my body to get used to. The reality of life means you will be starting before 9am, and no one will congratulate you for doing this.

2. Attendance: At University you may have skipped a few classes and still managed to get good grades. This wont fly in the real world, rain or shine you will be there.

3. You will not walk into your dream job: During my degree I had visions of walking out of university and becoming a CEO, alongside Alan Sugar. Reality is that you will work your way up within the business world. Any experience that you can get your hands of will help you get there and help you get noticed when applying for jobs. Tempory work is key to building your experience.

4. The things you learn at university are not the things that land you a job.

5. Congratulations you have just written 16,000 words on innovation, learnt 200 buzzwords and crammed for an exam that you can’t remember the name off, this is important for your degree though the majority of skills required for work you will learn from work experience and how you deal with problems.

6. Professional experience is vital for success: Although being a member of the “Sussex Drinking Society” is a good experience, employers want to see experience on your CV. Working during university and in the holidays will set you apart from others and increase your chances of getting work, involvement in running societies and roles with responsibility will also boost your CV.

7. You will never stop learning. Learning doesn’t end after graduation; you will learn something new every day of working life.

8. Actions will have reactions: During university you can do what you please with little consequences, its ok to come to lectures nursing your hangover. In the real world actions have reactions and these do not go unnoticed by your superiors. The term YOLO should now leave your vocabulary you are now building your reputation.

9. Network, Network, Network: Take time to meet as many people in different types of industries’ that you can, this will come in handy down the line when you are seeking employment and when you require references.

10. Dress to impress: Ugg boots and track pants may suffice at Uni, this attire however will not help you to impress in the real world. Dress for the job you want, it’s always better to be over dressed opposed to under dress.

11. The importance of a work life balance: Once you have found employment this will take up the majority of your time, as opposed to uni where you may find week days completely free. Evenings and weekends are now the only time to relax, make the most of it!

From Germany to Australia

Fri, 09 Jan 2015 06:20:29 GMT

After having 12 years of school and another 3 years of university I got really desperate of theoretical knowledge and wanted to do something practically.

Since I always wanted to go to another country for a couple of months, I thought I could combine both of this.

I registered with an organization, which helped me to find an internship in Australia. I studied economics in my home country and was always interested in Human Resources, that’s why I asked them to find something in this sector.

Once I got the internship at Quay Appointments, I was really joyful, but then I recognized that I had many things to do. I had to get my Visa, bank account, flights, different insurances and had to visit doctors. It was really stressful, but at the end I had everything in time. The excitement was growing.

When I started the internship, everyone was really kind and told me to ask them if I have any questions. At the beginning I learned how the company works and which day-to-day tasks the consultants have. They showed me how to interview candidates face-to-face and by phone, how to review candidate’s resume, write and post job advertisements, complete reference checks and work with their internal system.

One thing I really like about the company is the great team – they stick together and everyone is friendly. I even like the fact that they trust you when you are completing your work.

I think the knowledge I got here will help me with my future career. But not only the internship, even the fact that I’m abroad is a great experience and something that no one can take away from me. I would recommend it to everyone!

Looking forward to 2016

Wed, 07 Jan 2015 06:45:00 GMT

It’s that time of year again! The New Year, the “new you”, the “I resolve too..” etc. etc..

I don’t know about you, but I have listed the same things (in my head! Not even on paper) that are my goals or resolutions for 2016. Usual suspects like, get fit, save more, buy a house, career progression, travel more etc.

It’s not that I don’t achieve these things every year. It’s just more of a two steps forward, one step back kind of scenario – slow and steady win the race, right?

I decided to reflect on this, and there was one time when I did achieve the things I set out to do at the start of the year (and so much more!), and I came to the conclusion that I am obviously not a ‘list’ sort of person… I am visual person!

Enter “Vision Board”

Little bit cheesy, little bit “new age” but if it works it works (and it does!). So I’ve decided it’s time to get on that band wagon again, and maybe you should too.

If you haven’t done this before, here is the what, how and why that you should give Vision Boards a go…

What is a Vision Board ?

A Vision Board is a collage of images that represent your dreams, goals and aspirations = A visual representation

The benefits of creating a vision board:

There is a link between what you put your attention on and what you are able to create in your life. By putting together a vision board, you are cementing in your mind how you want your life to unfold before you.
It serves as a daily reminder to keep you on track. Put it in your kitchen, your bathroom, above your bedside table, pin it up at work, or a combination of all these. It will help you unconsciously move towards your dreams in a very real and powerful way.

How to put a vision board together:

CREATE!

1. Tools: Magazines, scissors, glue (or pins), cork board (or cardboard, canvas), the internet and a printer (anything you can’t find in a magazine than google images is your best friend!). OR… My new personal favorite – Pinterest! Here’s a link to have a look at some examples and great ideas for your next vision board: https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=vision%20boards

2. Vision: Now clip, design, and pin/paste away! The vision board can be simple, with the words/pictures pasted randomly. Or you can create sections on your board, to cover different goal types – it can be arranged any way that makes sense to YOU. It doesn’t have to be word specific, as pictures can evoke a feeling of what you are trying to express (plane taking off equals travel maybe?)

3. Placement of your vision board: Thanks to technology you can pretty much place your vision board anywhere, in any size. You could have the original set up at home, and then you could photograph it and have it as your smart phone background (done that before!), computer desktop picture, poster to hang up at work etc.

Creating a vision board is about thinking beyond what you believe is possible for you right now. Think outside the box, square AND circle! Don’t let logic limit you. You may not think that your dream holiday or dream job is a possibility next month or even next year. This tool allows you to open yourself up to the opportunities to make those dreams actually happen! (You may have heard of the law of attraction?)

And that’s it – Just don’t forget to look at it daily!! The more you look at the vision board, the more it will become a natural part of your awareness. And the more you will intuitively act from that vision to bring it to reality.

8 Survival tips for your Christmas Party

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 07:07:56 GMT

We have just had our office Christmas Party and I can say that at Quay Appointments we are a very well behaved bunch. None of these occurred during the function. However everyone has heard of a few horror stories at an office party. With this in mind we thought it would be great to put together some survival tips.

Don’t get Drunk

You are still at work, the free alcohol may seem like a great idea but turning yourself into the office gossip is not a plan. Some companies do have policies in place about drinking during events; make yourself aware of these before the event.

2. Dress Appropriately

Again you are still at work. Do not have anything on show that you wouldn’t in the office. Some Christmas parties do have themes, play it safe with your choice “but a pink lycra suit would fit the theme so well” I hear you all cry…trust that no-one should wear this particularly at the office party.

3. “I fancy the pants off you”

After a few wines it can be easy to get up that courage and finally tell the cute guy sitting down the other end of the office how you really feel…now is not the time. You will regret that on Monday morning.

4. Don’t bring an un-invited plus 1

This can be awkward for all involved. If it is a plus 1 event then add a plus one and make sure the party organiser knows about this. There is nothing worse for an event organiser to have to add additional people, change seating plans and add additional food. By all means bring your new fancy piece to the after drinks…you are no longer at a work event then and no longer bound by work policies.

5. “That is NOT going on Facebook”

It is always import to remember that your company will have a social media policy. Most of the time these policies will include a clause about what you can and cannot put on the internet to do with the company you work for. Remember that most social platforms are public platforms, check with those involves to find out if they are happy and check that policy!

6. Network

The Christmas party is a great way to get to know the people not in your immediate department. Make sure you make an effort to talk to those that you would not usually speak to. You might find out some very interesting things about people and their jobs.

7. Don’t talk work

Talk personal topics, get to know people. Steer clear of work topics.

8. Remember the reason for an office party

The reason your management throw an office party is to thank-you for all your hard work. They do not have to throw a Christmas party. Just remember that when you are downing all that free booze and eating all that free food.

Stop acting like a man…

Mon, 08 Dec 2014 08:42:49 GMT

As a woman working in civil engineering I realised early on it was really important for me to be authentic, for me to be who I really was. I had to stop acting like a man. I know, it sounds obvious. One might ask why, as a woman, would you even try to act as a man. It’s a good question and if I think back to those civil engineering days it was all about me wanting to fit in.

This desire to affiliate, to ‘fit in’ leads to a ‘group think’ mentality and today we still regularly see this demonstrated across a broad range of organisations. This is where one way of approaching things becomes the norm, to the detriment of other options. The advantage of ‘group think’ is decisions get made quickly. The main disadvantage is they might not be the right decisions and this is very much where ‘group think’ mentality falls down. This is becoming more and more of a problem when organisations are looking for agility with their thinking, they need fresh approaches in order to be able to move with the times and stay ahead in business. And this is where gender communication comes in.

The data shows unequivocally that men and women are different. They not only communicate in different ways, they think in different ways and this is actually a really good thing. These differences, when harnessed, give us more lateral bandwidth in our decision-making. They help us make better decisions whilst still having a focus on speed to market. This is a great opportunity for organisations because when you put these two different approaches together you can create a more agile environment that can produce even better results.

The big question for organisations is how to avoid the ‘group think’ and harness the power of gender communication?

Happily, it’s actually not that hard.

The first step is one of understanding. Everyone needs to understand the benefits of when the genders are working authentically together. It’s good for all, from the individual, the team right down to the bottom line of the organisation.

The second step is one of appreciation. Everyone needs to be able to appreciate the different ways the genders approach matters and to work with these differences not against them. It’s surprisingly easy when you know how and yet incredibly powerful.

Getting everyone playing their natural, authentic game, is not only good for business, it has to be good for the spirit of the organisation.

Talking Genders’ offers insights and straightforward strategies that help both men and women get on the same page. For more information on how this is done visit :

www:talkinggenders.com.au

or email info@talkinggenders.com

Travelling Australia?

Thu, 13 Nov 2014 07:57:40 GMT

I know when you get into Australia it can be daunting and hard to balance working, travelling and having fun…which is ultimately the reason that you left home for. It is important to understand the restrictions of your visa and make sure that you are playing within the rules. I know playing to the rules sounds boring but if you want to make sure that you next visa gets approved it really is important.

There are a number of clauses and catches within the boundaries of your visa but the main thing is to remember:

You can only work for one employer for a total of 6 months

The clauses and catches:

1. Your 3 months regional work does not have to be back breaking banana picking. You could work in construction or even ride horses on a cattle farm. Regional does not have to be way out in the middle of nowhere believe it or not Magnetic Island and Airlie Beach are considered regional areas. My tip – think outside of the box when looking for your work.

2. If you complete your 3 months regional work you can apply for an additional year on your visa. This means that you can go back to an employer and work for them for an additional 6 months.

3. If you are working for an agency you can work for that agency for your entire time in Australia. The employer is considered the end user or the company you are directly working for. As long as the agency can place you at a different company as frequently as needed you are working within the boundaries of your visa.

4. Work counts as any full time, part time, casual shift or voluntary work.

For more information on working holiday visas make sure you check out the official immi website

My personal tip – take advantage of being on a working holiday visa – push yourself to take on a regional job you would never have done at home, live like a local and find out what Australia is really all about and go home with some amazing stories to tell the family and friends. Having a random off the wall job on your resume is also a great talking point with an interviewer.

So tell me why was it you worked in a crocodile farm in Northern Territory, Australia for 3 months?

Is this the future of work?

Thu, 06 Nov 2014 09:29:01 GMT

There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about the change in the way employees see their future career.

Facebook and Google now paying up to $20,000 for female staff to freeze their eggs to make sure that they keep their best staff on board
Virgin is now not tracking employees holidays

Netflix went viral when they posted a Slideshare about their company policy, they said that “Netflix leaders hire, develop and cut smartly so we have stars in every position” basically stating if you are not performing you will be cut with severance.

The way we think about the standard employee is changing. What do you think to the changes?

Spookey Halloween at our office

Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:51:41 GMT

At Quay Appointments we will use any excuse to get dressed up and have some fun together. Last week was Halloween.
Emails were circulated around the office about the celebrations throughout the week. Articles about food ideas and Halloween costumes were sent to encourage the team to participate and get creative.
We ran a best dressed competition and there were pirates, blues brothers, witches and devils walking around the office. The winner of best dressed was Toni the pirate.

We had fun with themed food that people brought in; Spider olives, jellied snakes and lots and lots of sweets. We had halloween music to help with the atmosphere and the Blues Brothers even performed a short sing and dance.

We had a great day but there are sometimes some issues with celebrating Halloween at work. I found an article by USNews that showed some of the do nots to avoid at work during the Halloween period.

5 “do nots” at the office Halloween party:

Do not dress inappropriately . It is great to get dressed up but try to go for the well covered devil rather than the one saved for a Saturday night out.
Assume. Just because you have children that you can duck out early to take them trick or treating. Make sure you check with your management and colleagues. You don’t want to leave them with your workload.
Bring games to work . Some people may not appreciate the childhood games that you associate with Halloween. Stick to festive food.
Ditch your work . It is great to celebrate but don’t forget what you are really there to do and that is to work. Make sure you have everything done that you need to before you start the celebrations. We usually start about 4.30pm as this gives people time to finish everything before the celebrations start.
Be a scrooge. If the office is celebrating then celebrate with them. Make sure you get involved, you may even enjoy yourself and make some new friends at work.

Not another smoking article…

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 08:49:52 GMT

We all know the facts behind smoking and the reason it kills blah blah blah. But this week Camel stopped employees from smoking in their own office they did this to “better accommodate for non-smokers” this got me thinking; look at it from a different perspective…

A smoker takes 2 weeks extra holiday per year in paid smoke breaks? Based on 2 x 10 Min breaks per day. 20min X 5 days = 100 min X 48 working weeks in the year /60 min in an hour which equals 80 hours or 2 weeks.
Smokers on average miss 6.16 days due to sickness compared to 3.86 days for non-smokers
Smokers have a poorer than average work performance and productivity.
A smoker is 18% more expensive to employ than a non-smoker

Companies have been taking drastic action as a result of this.

In 2005 Michigan based company Weyco gave employees 15 months to quit before initialising random Nicotine tests. If tested positive the employee was fired on the spot.
Macy’s started charging smoking employees an additional $35 a month for health coverage. To avoid this charge, employees were to attend a free quite smoking class which was then reviewed 6 monthly to ensure compliance.
Union Pacific and Scotts Miracle-Gro completely refuse to hire smokers.

But remember, when thinking about your smoking policy changing them could become a violation of an employee’s civil rights….Although no case has gone to court yet.
– Written by Deasha Waddup

The festival of lights in our office

Thu, 23 Oct 2014 07:45:48 GMT

We are similar to many offices throughout the world…We have employees from all backgrounds, countries and religions.

So on the 17th October we celebrated Diwali as an office.

This gave us a chance to learn about the meaning behind Diwali and give everyone in the office the chance to get involved.

How did we get the team involved?

We sent out a series of emails throughout the week with teasers of information to build excitement.
We got people involved with creating the pot lunch, everyone was bringing something and some were even cooking from scratch.
We decorated the office first thing in the morning to build excitement throughout the day.

4. Those that had ethnic attire wore it.

5. We had a lunch with so much food we even had left overs

6. Emails were still sent out on the day with team lists and ideas of Rangoli design

7. At 4.30pm everyone was called into the training room for the Rangoli competition. Drinks and snacks were provided and contestants even came with printouts of designs they wanted to create.

For those that don’t know, here are some great facts about Diwali:

Diwali is the festival of lights, spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair.

Diwali is the celebration of this Inner Light over spiritual darkness, knowledge over ignorance, right over wrong, good over evil.

Diwali dates back to ancient times in India, as a festival after the summer harvest.

Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes. On Diwali night, people dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Goddess Lakshmi

Goddess Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

After puja (prayers), fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends.

We not only celebrated the festival Diwali, but also demonstrated the underlying unity and inclusiveness of our multicultural Australia. It shows the bond we share with each other. The entire celebration at Quay Appointments enriched the multicultural fabric of Australia that adds to the vibrancy of our organization.

Please let us know how you celebrate culture in your office we would love to hear from you.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali!

What do YOU bring to the Party?

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 09:33:33 GMT

I run workshops for groups of people who work in medium and large organisations — be they leaders, high potentials, or a team or division.

And the question I most ask of my workshop participants is “what are the attributes of a peak performer?”

I explain that by ‘peak performance’ I mean ‘peak’; not just on time, on budget, and good enough to get the job done. I mean ‘peak’ as in performance that shapes the future and makes a difference today.

This is a fundamental question, that goes right to the heart of work, talent, and great people. And the list of attributes that participants throw up is pretty much the same every time = passionate, visionary, enthusiastic, creative, self-belief, no fear, driven, energetic, goal orientated, open minded, tenacious.

Now there are no right or wrong answers in this exercise. The point is that while we ‘automatically’ recognise and list the attributes that constitute ‘peak performance’, they fall way under the radar when it comes to CVs [your personal branding document] and job descriptions [your own little HR box].

The closest most CV’s come to telling who you really are is in the section headed “Hobbies & Interests” – and you write something like “poetry and rugby” in case you’re being screened and/or interviewed by a guy or a girl. The closest most job descriptions come to capturing the attributes required for peak performance is in the section headed “Duties & Responsibilities”. What a fail!

Imagine now, for a moment, you are looking to hire peak performers for your thriving creative business. The CVs have been submitted, and you’ve short-listed the candidates down to the top 5. One by one they arrive for their interview, and one candidate turns up stark naked.

So you pull out your ‘peak performance’ checklist and start ticking off the boxes = passionate [yes]; enthusiastic [yes]; creative [yes]; self-belief [absolutely]; no fear [for sure]; driven [yes]; energetic[yep]; goal orientated [yep]; open minded [for sure]; tenacious [oh yes].

“Congratulations sir [or madam], you have got the job.”

Now I am not suggesting you turn up naked for your next interview or day at the office. But what I am suggesting is that you DO need to turn up and stand for something if you’re the sort of person who wants to shape the future, make a difference today, and be 100% self-expressed along the way.

So what, over and above our day-to-day job description and function, do YOU bring to the party? Think of this as your own personal Brand You essence. Write it down [in 3 words or less], place it on a huge sign in your head, and be that person.

Thought about your New Year’s Resolution yet?

Mon, 13 Oct 2014 09:37:12 GMT

So Yes…It is October but I am still going to ask the dreaded question…What is your New Year’s Resolution?

How many resolutions have you made that you have simply forgotten about? Well I would like to start a revolution. I would like to start the thought process right now. Make it your Halloween resolution then by New Year the process will be in full swing and you can think positive thoughts as you go into 2015.

Imagine starting the new year with the dream job you wanted, or knowing you are over the hard bit of quitting smoking and have a whole year of smoke free lungs ahead of you, how about knowing that you have already started that saving fun with left over money from Christmas and you are well on the way to saving for your next holiday.

I asked around the Quay Appointments office what their New Year’s Resolutions were and I got some funny looks. The general consensus was that it was too early, when I explained my theory I was laughed at. Some knew that they were not going to keep them anyway so they didn’t need the reminder in December.

Here were some of the resolutions that were made in the office:

Keep going to the gym 3 times a week
Find a new place to live
Reconnect with old friends overseas
Buy a house
Getting involved in a charity
Travel and explore Australia more
Read more books to improve English
More downtime
Lean to meditate and take up Yoga
Increase my savings

I will come back to the office in December and see how everyone is going with their New Year’s Resolution. Imagine starting the New Year knowing you have already achieved what you set out. You can then start the New Year safe in the knowledge that the only way is up.

Written by Deasha Waddup

Looking for a job?

Fri, 10 Oct 2014 09:41:46 GMT

Looking for a job is more than just finding the job you want and applying for it. With a world now obsessed with the internet and social media you, personally can be googled and searched within an inch of your privacy.

Follow the step by step rules to making sure that what you are putting out there is not only your best foot forward but is the social version of your best pressed Armani suit.

Recruitment Algebra

Fri, 03 Oct 2014 07:34:53 GMT

If Algebra + Consulting = Recruitment, then Algebra = Recruitment – Consulting

remember my teacher saying; Algebra is great fun – you get to solve puzzles!

Little did I know years later I would be practicing algebra (recruitment) on a daily basis and making a living from it.

Now I was never great at maths in school, especially the whole money puzzles. Example; Johnny went to the shop with $20 for his Mother, he bought 2 oranges for $1.50 each, 5 bags of apples for $1.70 each, then found another $2 on street, spent it on sweets, paid $4.30 for the bus home, how much change did he give his Mother etc…

I wasn’t good at these puzzles because I would read the scenarios like a joke in my head and think “What’s Johnny doing buying oranges at this time of season” and “did you lie to your Mother when you got home Johnny, you really stole the sweets and then took the bus to the pub to play pool????”

Algebra on the other hand has certain rules and mechanics that must be followed in order to find the value of X . You need to gain an overview picture before you dive in. You need to know the value of other components in the equation before you even attempt to solve the puzzle.

Recruitment is the same, you must understand the candidates values ; on salary, location and their job responsibilities. Clarify with the client ; who you are usually solving the puzzle for (hopefully with), you need to know the value they place on their new hire, their commitment to investing on the equation. Know the interview and feedback times, starting date, salary with or without additional bonus. Truly understand why past equations were not solved. I could write a blog on the recruitment process piece alone – but you get my drift.

Jumping into solving a recruitment equation is a disaster unless you have already a clear understanding of the job, candidate and client values. If you think you can skip steps in the process, what you will discover is by the time you find the value of X . It will often look like a counteroffer, discounted fees, candidate falloff, damaged relationships, dent in personal brand and reputation etc. Whereas when you follow the mechanics like in algebra, sometimes it can take a little longer to solve the puzzle however you will find that more often than not the value of X = Happy successful placement, fair honest fee and flow of suitable referrals from all stakeholders involved.

Mind you if all we recruiters followed the principals of recruitment, we would have more enjoyment & success in our line of work. If we had more courage to truly partner with our clients and candidates, to educate them when necessary, to get more clarity in what the value of X is to them. We would save more time instead of working on recruitment equations we don’t know the value of all components involved and sometimes never will. Therefore spending our consulting hours where we can genuinely solve (wholehearted attempt) the unique puzzle of each recruitment equation. That ladies and gentleman is fun and is what we get paid to do!

What would you like to be when you grow up?

Mon, 29 Sep 2014 09:51:06 GMT

Last year LinkedIn asked 8,000 professionals what they had thought they wanted to be when they grew up. The survey found that the top childhood dream jobs for men in the U.S. were a professional or Olympic athlete, airplane or helicopter pilot, scientist, lawyer and astronaut. Women said that their top childhood dream jobs were teacher, veterinarian, writer, journalist or novelist, doctor, nurse or EMT, and singer.

The Quay Appointments team’s answer was a little different:
History Teacher, Criminal Lawyer, Psychologist, Hotel manager, Cop, Lecturer, Astronaut, Chirographer, Superman, Ironman, Vet, Fashion Designer, Boss, Flight Attendant, Modal, Voice Over, Marine, Guitarist and Yellow Cab Driver.

The next question I asked the team was “why didn’t you do it?” The responses ranged from:
“I wasn’t smart enough”
“It wasn’t something women did”
“My parents didn’t approve”
“Reality hit me”
“There wasn’t enough money in it”
“I had an accident”

So why do we never work harder to reach the dreams that we set ourselves at such a young age? How do we end up in the jobs that we do?

Have you recently taken an hour to sit back and evaluate where you are now? Are you living the life you wanted for yourself when you were young and fancy free? Why not?

I am not saying you have to be the next kickass and turn your life to fighting crime in order to reach your goal of being superman but why not volunteer and be someone’s hero?

Take time to think about where you would like to be and work to that goal. We had so much time to create fantasies when we were younger and I don’t think we allow ourselves this luxury as we grow up. So go ahead dream about what you want to be when you get EVEN older and work out how to achieve it.

– Written by Deasha Waddup

Fridays Afternoon Guide to Technology

Fri, 26 Sep 2014 09:59:48 GMT

With all those different guides to technology that are so boring and informative, here is our very own Friday afternoon guide…you should live and die by this on Friday afternoons only.

Technology Dictionary you cannot live without

* LOG ON: Adding wood to make the barbie hotter.
* LOG OFF: Not adding any more wood to the barbie.
* MONITOR: Keeping an eye on the barbie.
* DOWNLOAD: Getting the firewood off the ute.
* HARD DRIVE: Making the trip back home without any cold tinnies.
* KEYBOARD: Where you hang the ute keys.
* WINDOW: What you shut when the weather’s cold.
* SCREEN: What you shut in the mozzie season.
* BYTE: What mozzies do.
* MEGABYTE: What Townsville mozzies do.
* CHIP: A bar snack.
* MICROCHIP: What’s left in the bag after you’ve eaten the chips.
* MODEM: What you did to the lawns.
* LAPTOP: Where the cat sleeps.
* SOFTWARE: Plastic knives & forks you get at Red Rooster.
* HARDWARE: Stainless steel knives & forks – from K-Mart.
* MOUSE: The small rodent that eats the grain in the shed.
* MAINFRAME: What holds the shed up.
* WEB: What spiders make.
* WEBSITE: Usually in the shed or under the verandah.
* SEARCH ENGINE: What you do when the ute won’t go.
* CURSOR: What you say when the ute won’t go.
* YAHOO: What you say when the ute does go.
* UPGRADE: A steep hill.
* SERVER: The person at the pub who brings out the counter lunch.
* MAIL SERVER: The bloke at the pub who brings out the counter lunch.
* USER: The neighbour who keeps borrowing things.
* NETWORK: What you do when you need to repair the fishing net.
* INTERNET: Where you want the fish to go.
* NETSCAPE: What the fish do when they discover the hole in the net.
* ONLINE: Where you hang the washing.
* OFFLINE: Where the washing end’s up when the pegs aren’t strong enough

If your Computer Crashes?

Repeat this mantra over and over again out loud… It may not fix the computer but at least it will make you smile.
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort, then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash, and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash, and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn’t hash, then your situation’s hopeless and your system’s gonna crash!
If the label on the cable on the table at your house, says the network is connected to the button on your mouse, but your packets want to tunnel to another protocol, that’s repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall.

And your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss, so your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse; then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang, ‘cuz sure as I’m a poet, the sucker’s gonna hang.

When the copy on your floppy’s getting sloppy in the disk, and the macro code instructions is causing unnecessary risk, then you’ll have to flash the memory and you’ll want to RAM your ROM, and then quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom! (Why Computers Sometimes Crash! by Dr. Seuss.)

The reason everyone should be at least trying to break into the technology industry…

Recruitment or Relationship Management!!??

Mon, 22 Sep 2014 07:25:24 GMT

Recruitment is not less than RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT. A few days ago I read something which mentions that “if you treat your candidates as resumes , well then the candidates will remember you as phone calls. ” As per my understanding the thought highlighted the fact that it’s not just about how quick you are in sourcing profiles or closing a requirement, it is also about how you manage the entire process of recruitment and how you go about it post placement as well. This update also took my memory back to something that happened a month ago.

It was a usual day at work. Then rang my phone, an unknown number flashing on it. I answered the call with our usual “Sweta from Quay Appointments…”

The reply from the lady on the other end was enough to make my usual day a special one. She mentioned her name and it took me not more than a second to realize who she was. How could I not recall her for she was my first ever closer? She was my CANDIDATE who I recruited in the year 2007 in one of the leading IT sector in India.

That one introduction of herself and she made me go back to the time when I started my career in RECRUITMENT.

As a fresher and all new to the world of recruitment, I started working on my first IT requirement. I never knew that the first person I had lined up for an interview with my client will also be my first closer.

Wow! That felt great and what felt even more special was the same CANDIDATE reaching out to me after almost 7 years of me recruiting her not because she was looking out for a job again but to let me know that she enjoyed working for 7 years in her last company where I placed her and wanted to thank me for that. She also told me that she has moved to Sydney, Australia and is on a maternity break. She may look for a job after a year or so but would love to be in touch with me.

It’s not unusual of us recruiters to be in touch with our CANDIDATES long after we have placed them but it’s a lot more special when candidates themselves come back to you stating how glad they are that they got in touch with you, their words of appreciation, their confidence in your abilities as a recruiter are the brownie points that you earn. This one phone call and here I am thinking that aren’t we talent acquisition or recruitment professionals more than just a link between the aspiring CANDIDATE and the hiring managers..?? I feel our job responsibilities stretch way beyond the recruitment cycle of sourcing profiles, scheduling interview, following up with candidates and clients, closing the position, etc… But it’s lot more. Can we not add a term “RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT” to our area of expertise..???

– Written by Sweta Khandelwal (Consultant at Quay Appointments)

Struggling to pick a career?

Fri, 19 Sep 2014 10:05:56 GMT

Action will always remove the doubt that theory cannot solve. – Petryl Hsieh

Taking any action at all can help chip away at the uncertainties faced when picking a career. The action can be as small as reaching out to contacts to temping with a company for insight into a particular industry. You don’t need to invest all your savings in launching a business or attend years of graduate school to gauge if a new direction you are contemplating in life will be a good fit for you. But you do need to do something. If you allow your imagination to be the tour guide of your future life, you are taking a serious gamble according to Harvard Psychologist, Dan Gilbert.

According to Gilbert people are poor predictors of what will make them happy due to our imagination’s shortcomings. Our imaginations tend to leave out important details and conjure up details that aren’t accurate. On top of this, when looking into the future we can’t help but project our current mood, when in reality things will feel much differently when they happen.

Don’t Rely on Hunches When Deciding on a Career Path

So what is the solution to all this madness? Gilbert suggests we do away with trying to guess our future feelings and instead base our predictions on the experience of others who have achieved what we are setting out to do. If you’re interested in being an accountant, find out how accountants feel about their work. As you do this, try not to assume you will feel much differently than those you speak with. We all have far more commonalities than we do differences, despite whatever complexities you may hold about being a unique individual.

2. Pay Attention to the People in the Careers You’re Interested In

One of the great advantages of the world today is that you don’t need to ask a third degree connection on LinkedIn to coffee to find out if they like the job you want. Instead you can do a quick search on Youtube and you’ll find a selection of videos to watch. You’ll need to pick up on nonverbal cues to get a full picture of how someone truly feels about their job. Are they smiling? Are they exhausted just talking about their job? Do they seem like the kind of person you’d get along with? People within a particular profession tend to be more homogenous than not. If you seem to fit the mould, chances are you’re onto something.

3. Find Out What Job Tasks You Will Spend the Most Time On

Make sure that the videos you watch or the people you talk to give you a fairly detailed picture of what their day looks like. When deciding on a job, it’s important to get a good idea of what that job actually entails. Yes, we all know each position will likely have an administrative component or one of those other job duties commonly loathed, but most people will not actually know the core aspects of a job other than what they gather from the media (i.e. Hollywood). A prime example of a misunderstood occupation is that of a lawyer.

4. Ignore Televised Dramas of the Career You Want

Now obviously a core component of being a lawyer is representing the rights and interests of the client. But is it so obvious that unless you work in a not-for-profit, earning a salary that barely covers your bills, that you will most likely represent a corporate entity or clients you will rarely interact with? Or that you may never step foot in a court room to argue a case (98% of cases settle outside of court)? Or that even if you do argue your case, it will be based on legal technicalities and not well…justice? You should probably also be aware that the legal enterprise is not a particularly dramatic one. Suits and Law & Order may often have you at the edge of your seat, but working as a lawyer will mostly have you comfortably sifting through paperwork and self-soothing with scotch.

On average millennials are changing jobs less than every two years now. Avoid this job hopping trend by investigating the reality of what you are pursuing and not some poorly supported ideal.

Written by a candidate of Quay Appointments Tracey MacCorquodale

What is your Dream Job?

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 07:47:55 GMT

In our lifetime apparently we will work around 90,000 hours. That is a lot of time to spend doing something you are not passionate about.

When I was researching this article I read something that said:

“Would you do this for free? If so you’re on the right track”

Now I am not sure there are many people that would do much for free but I think you get the point. I started thinking about what other peoples dream job would be. I searched the globe doing my research (well I googled, but it is the World Wide Web).

The top dream jobs in the UK are

Pilot
Charity Worker
Writer
Photographer
Musician or singer
Sports Coach
Formula 1, Moto GP or Rally Driver
Actor
Journalist
Artist

In the USA:

Actor
Baker
Bed and Breakfast Owner
Brew Maker
Chocolatiers
Dog Day Care Owner
Fashion Buyer/Designer
Hotel Manager
Interior Designer
Music Producer

In the Quay Appointments office:

Accountant
Safari Vet
Helicopter ski instructor
Gaming tester for FIFA
Playing international Rugby
Entrepreneur
Singer
Property Developer
Chef
Professional beach bum

According to the Australian Tourist Board the best jobs in the world are right here in Australia.

Park Ranger – QLD
Outback Adventurer – NT
Taste Master – WA
Lifestyle Photographer – VIC
Chief Funster – NSW
Wildlife Caretaker – SA
Tassie Devil Wrangler – TAS

I started thinking about the strange jobs that you could get paid to do. You know the type of job that would really be a conversational starter at a party. A show stopper. Have a look at some of the jobs below that I found.

Panda Caretaker – $32,000 + meals, transit and accommodation

Cuddle and car for pandas 365 days a year. You will need to be over 22 years of age, have basic knowledge of pandas, good writing and photography skills.

Waterslide Tester – $30,904 + Travel expenses, 7 day all expenses paid holiday for 2 people and 6 month contract.

Asses waterslide features including adrenaline factor and biggest splash.

Luxury Bed Tester – $1,600 – 1 month contract

Sleep on different beds every night and blog about your experience.

Chocolate Taster – $30,000 raising to six figures with experience.

Inspect chocolates for aesthetic appeal, smell and taste.

Golf Ball Diver – $30-100,000 depending on amount of dives conducted.

Dive into Lakes, pools and rivers and get golf balls. Must have own equipment.

Dog Food Tester – $34-117,000

Evaluate nutritional value of pet food and taste test it. Must be an innovative thinker for creation of future recipe’s.

Worm Picker – $17-44,000

Collect earthworms to use as fish bait. Source, pick and sort for packing. Must be an early riser.

Not sure all of these would be on my dream job list but some would be fun to do for a day. What would your dream job be?

Become Friends with your Consultant

Wed, 20 Aug 2014 07:54:27 GMT

You registered for a recruitment company.

You smashed the interview process and the feedback was great.

The communication doesn’t stop there. It is important to keep the lines of communication open with your consultant. Make sure that you are at the forefront of their minds and you are the first person they think of when that important role comes in.

Call your consultant once a week and say “Hi, I am still looking” ask them if there is any work coming up that you may be suitable for. At Quay Appointments we offer our candidates complementary computer based training. Come in and complete a module, you will be improving yourself and getting yourself in front of your consultant again.

Link in with your consultant on LinkedIn. Follow Quay Appointments on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Not only do we post about the jobs that we have coming up we also post interesting articles that you may like and information that will be valuable to you.

In return for you being our friend we will be yours. Your recruitment consultant is busy 100% of the time trying to find you your next role. If we work together we can find you the perfect role for your next career move.

– Written by Deasha Waddup

How to Work less and Play Harder

Tue, 12 Aug 2014 08:31:43 GMT

A recent presentation by Dermot Crowley at the Quay Appointments Breakfast Seminar got me thinking about productivity.

There is a lot of information around the internet regarding productivity in the work place. I read an article somewhere that said that the future of the work force is based on a work life balance. Essentially in the future people would work less and get paid more so they could still sustain their spending habits. The article went on to say that if the working day was shorter and people had to complete all their work in a shorter period they would. People would learn to be more productive and manage their time better to ensure they are secure in their high paid, low work jobs.

So how do we be more productive? Most people say similar things, Dermot Crowley cites Paul J Meyer saying “productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort” which pretty much sums up most research that is currently out there on this topic.

Be productive throughout your workday and ensure you leave on time, leaving on time sets out a clear timeline in your mind. If you have to leave then all your work has to be done by then. Work smarter not harder.

Tasks and to do lists

Set out a plan for you day. Put aside 15 minutes at the start or end of your day to make sure that you are being productive throughout the day. During this 15 minutes make sure that you input all your to do lists into your tasks in outlook (yes this includes your sticky notes, scrap paper, random lists and thoughts…I know we all have them so stop hiding from it). This will give you a visual aid of what you need to get done throughout the day and a sense of achievement when you get to tick them off the list.

Dermot Crowley says that you centralise all your meetings in your outlook calendar why don’t you do this with your task list? It would make so much more sense, it is just re adjusting the way we think about our working day.

Meetings

Make sure the meetings you attend need you to be there. Jeff Bezos from Amazon never organises a meeting where two pizzas couldn’t feed the entire group. Jeff says that the more people you have at a meeting the more likely you are to agree with the general consensus and not voice your own views.

Next time you get invited to a meeting ask yourself if the content is relevant and if you really need to be there. Your employer may be shocked when you ask if you really need to be at a meeting but when you tell them you are working on improving your productivity at work and this is detrimental to that they should be encouraging you.

Decide when you are going to have meetings and the location. This will depend highly on what the aim of the meeting is. A study by students in Chicago found that 2 beers increases the creative thinking at meetings. In fact this was the way google was invented. If it is a creative ideas meeting you are aiming at perhaps a bar isn’t a bad idea.

Buffer Time

No one can work at 100% capacity 100% of the time. Take breaks. Schedule them into your time planner and make sure that you utilise the time. Take a walk around the block, get up make a cup of tea. Walking away from your desk will refocus your mind and get you back to that 100% that we all should be working at.

Happy Employees

A recent study proved that a happy employee’s productivity will actually improve by 12%. This study gave participants chocolate and made them watch DVD’s from the comedian Bill Bailey. Now the answer to a happy workforce may not entirely depend on chocolate but…employers it wouldn’t hurt.

For more information on a productive workplace have a look at http://www.adapttraining.com.au/

Pushing your Boundaries

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 08:38:07 GMT

I recently attended a seminar all about creating an empire. The speaker was Sarah Wilson. You may have heard of her, she is an Australian media icon. Long story short she has moved from the editor at Cosmopolitan Australia to entrepreneur starting with blogs, ebooks and more recently print books. Sarah Wilson claims that she didn’t aim for any of this to happen it just went that way.

During question time a lady put her hand up and explained her situation…wedding blogger with over 600,000 followers… she then proceeded to ask when did Sarah know that she should be monetising her blog. Sarah’s response was you should know that when you reach impressive followers like yourself you should do something about it.

This answer got me thinking. How many people could do great things and just haven’t realised it? An article on BRW about women to watch quoted a 21 year old entrepreneur saying “If I had the idea now, I don’t think I’d do it in the same way because your attitude to risk changes.” Is this the reason why as people get older instead of taking the career change they had been thinking about or those new jobs they are not sure they will succeed in, they settle into a job they know they can do?

You will have seen the movie Yes Man, an employee of Virgin Active in London had been teaching Sam (Richard Bransons son) tennis when he received a phone call from Sam asking if he wanted to teach in Mecca. Sam at the time was sat in his car with rain beating down on him in central London. He thought why not Mecca will not be this bad. It wasn’t Mecca that Sam had been talking about but Necker.

Necker is Richard Bransons private island in the British Virgin Islands. This tennis coach in central London then ended up spending 2 years in paradise in what he called the best tennis coaching job in the world. All he did was say yes to an opportunity that could have seen him in the heart of a Muslim Mecca.

The point I guess I am trying to make is what have you said yes to recently? Have you taken a leap of faith at work? Have you tried to move out of the role that you are stuck in? Perhaps it is time you pushed outside of your comfort zone and reached for a job that you could shine and excel in. Why don’t you contact a Quay Appointments Consultant today and see what opportunities might be waiting for you.

– Written by Deasha Waddup

7 tips for the perfect Skype interview

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:56:12 GMT

The technological world is fast moving into every part of our lives including interviews. A Skype interview should be viewed with the same importance as a face to face interview. Here are 7 things to remember when preparing for your skype interview.

Make sure your Skype account is interview appropriate.

Most people have a Skype account and have done for many years sexy_legs is not an appropriate Skype name for an interview, neither is a picture of you in a bikini on your holidays. Make sure you amend everything to give a professional approach to your interview before you send out your contact request for your future employer.

2. Research, research, research

You are not going into the office which makes research even more crucial. Check the company website, facebook and twitter accounts. You are not only looking for information about the company and their daily activities but also the culture within the company. The culture will help you decide what to wear and give you an idea of what type of candidates the company will be looking for.

3. Prepare your surroundings

Make sure that where you have decided to conduct the interview is appropriate. Check the lighting and make sure there are no tatty posters on the walls or unmade bed in the background. You are aiming for a clean and professional. The good thing about Skype is you can have notes. Write important questions on post it notes and stick them to your screen. Make sure your parents/roommates know you are in an interview.

4. repare your technology

Make sure the sound is set up, the microphone is turned on and the camera is facing the right way. Close all other programs during the interview there is nothing more distracting than a Facebook message flashing up on your page. Make sure that the computer is set up so that you can look into the webcam and not the screen, this may need practice as it doesn’t tend to come natural.

5. Make sure you are ready for your scheduled time.

Don’t call first, you are expected to be on Skype on time but the interviewer will call you. If they haven’t called within 10 minutes write to them and ask if you have got the correct time.

6. During the interview

Smile, it is easy to forget when you are talking to a computer screen that you still need to smile. Hang a silly picture behind your computer if that helps. Sit up straight, you may be at home but you are still on show. Dress head to toe, you want to feel professional and if you have to get up to fix your computer or get an extra piece of paper you do not want that awkward moment when you can’t move. Wait for the interviewer to finish talking, do not interrupt. There can be time delays and they miss important things you have to say.

7. After the interview

Make sure you thank the interviewer for taking the time to interview you.

Improving your LinkedIn profile

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:50:27 GMT

NAs part of creating the “You” brand you should focus heavily on your LinkedIn profile. To give you an idea of how big LinkedIn has now become it has 300million members internationally. 6million of these are in Australia and just 4 years ago this was only 1million. A completed LinkedIn profile will always be the first thing that comes up on a Google search of yourself. It can be the difference between getting the interview at your dream

job and not getting the interview. Henny O’Brien the Talent Market Strategist at LinkedIn was recruited via LinkedIn. An Inmail sent to Henny asked if she would go for a coffee to discuss her options. She started at LinkedIn 6 weeks later.

If this doesn’t make you want to sort your profile I am not sure what will. It sure made me think twice about what my profile was saying about me. So how do you make your profile stand out?

I recently attended an evening with Henny and Tara Commerford the Head of Communications at LinkedIn who went into detail about how to improve your profile.

– Make sure that you have a professional photograph on your profile.

– Include a summary of at least 40 words, this should be an over view of your career but you also need to include how you stand out from others. Remember it is the first paragraph that people are really going to read.

– When writing your job titles, the title you give does not have to be your official job title. Henny’s title is “Sourcing great talent at LinkedIn” it means that when people are searching if the key words are in that title you are more likely to come up. Your job title could be obscure and not necessarily match what you actually do.

– Include volunteer experience or causes if you have any. This will make you stand out from another person that has a similar profile to yourself and will also set your LinkedIn profile apart from your Resume.

– Follow groups on LinkedIn and make sure you are active, like and share interesting news feeds.

– Follow influencers that are in your industry, you don’t need to know them to follow them and find out what they are talking about. People like Richard Branson, James Caan, Arianna Huffington all have interesting posts to follow.

– Add rich media to your profile. If you have any videos or presentations that you can post add them, these will make your profile stand out in comparison to others.

– Don’t be afraid to show the company culture within which you work. If you are doing something interesting in the office let LinkedIn know about it and get your colleagues to get involved in liking and commenting on the post.

– Blog, if you have something interesting to say, say it. You will create yourself as an industry leader, people may want to know what you are saying.

– Ask previous employees and colleagues for recommendations and endorsements. It may feel awkward but those recommendations and endorsements from previous working history will help you in the future.

Remember you are creating your professional brand, this is not something that only job seekers do, this is something that will help you network within your industry and call on the experts that you meet at networking events in the future for help, advise or just a chat.

How much does it really cost to recruit the perfect candidate?

Thu, 24 Jul 2014 07:16:12 GMT

I am sure it has been discussed hundreds of times within your organisation on how to reach the perfect candidate. Is it someone that currently works for your competitor? Is it someone that you can promote internally? Is it someone looking for a change of career?

There is no one stop shop that will tell you where to start. It is something that each organisation has to figure out for themselves.

Cost Per Hire

A good place to start is to work out the CPH (Cost per Hire). Think about what you would normally spend to recruit an employee:

– Advertising fees

– Job Posting fees

– Travel expenses

– Relocation fees

– Internal recruiter costs

– Administrative costs

Each should be easy to quantify; work out the yearly costs for your internal recruiter and administrator and divide that by how many people you employ per year. Think about if you outlay this amount per candidate and still cannot find the right candidate? What do you do then? Do you still turn to an external recruiter?

Time to Fill

The next thing to think about is the Time to Fill (TTF) a role. If the position is vacant for some time then this can have an impact on your organisation, after all you a looking for a new employee for a reason either to fill a new need in the business or to replace and existing staff member. Every day that the position is not filled can cost you. Finding the right candidate can be hard work especially if it is a specialist role. An external recruiter would already have a pool of candidates they would be able to draw on to make sure the TTF is as short as possible.

Culture Fit

Finding a new employee that can do everything that you need to be done is hard. Finding someone that can do everything you need to be done and fit in with the company is even harder. As an Internal recruiter you should be able to give a good outline of the company culture, you know the people and the atmosphere that is created on a day to day basis but are you biased? Have you been working at the company so long that you see a blurred view? You may love the fact that everyone works really hard and then goes home, a candidate might want more of a work life balance. Would it help to have an external source understand your company? Once they understand you and the company they can objectively talk about the culture within the company perhaps finding someone that suits the company in a way you had never thought.

Recruiting the wrong person

What happens if you do all this and within a week or even three months the candidate leaves the position? You have to start all over again. People leave positions for many different reasons, can be another job, can be the culture or the work itself. With an external recruiter you have a guarantee that if the person leaves, the recruitment company will find you a new candidate.

Think before you act

With all this said, it is important to consider all the points. Each organisation is different and the way you recruit a new employee will reflect on the type of candidate you attract and the chances that the employee will stay long term at the company.

Branding yourself for your next interview

Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:38:37 GMT

It is all about the way you market yourself.

Think about the process from start to finish.

The start of the process is not your resume or your cover letter.

The start is your marketing…

When was the last time you looked at your LinkedIn account? This is your online resume that recruiters and employers look at as soon as they receive your resume. Make sure this is up to date, current and highlights your USP (Unique Selling Point). Sell yourself like you are a unique branded product. You have to know what your unique characteristics are, what sets you apart from your competitors?

Highlight your passion and dedication to your industry particularly if you take the time outside of work to study and network within the industry.

Once LinkedIn is sorted, google yourself and see what comes up. You don’t want those awful pictures from the weekend showing up on the internet to a future employer. Make sure your Facebook profile is private and just yours. Restrict your profile to your friends only.

Have a look at your Twitter account , who are you following and how does that represent you? Anyone can look at your profile and people will make snap judgements on what they see.

Once you have got the interview, this is the next step in your personal marketing strategy. Research the company and the job before attending the interview. You want the interviewer to know you have taken the time to research about the organisation.

Think about not what the company can do for you but what you could do for the company.

Think about your previous role and how you affected the bottom line in your department. Make sure you can give anecdotes and specific instances. Come back to your USP and think about your unique characteristics.

Remember that it is everyone that you come in to contact with that can affect the decision the interviewer may make. The receptionist and even concierge may be asked for their opinion of the way you acted and handled yourself.

Arrive at the interview early with your CV and even a business card. You can get business cards printed cheaply online and this would make you stand out from any other candidate they may have seen.

Think about how you come across when you sit, talk and communicate with your interviewer. It all leaves an impression. Think constantly about your USP and how to ensure your marketing yourself in the right way.

Remember throughout the whole process you are creating a brand.

It is you they will want over anyone else because you have the unique skills, you will have created a package and the organisation is investing into the whole brand you have created not just a list of previous roles you have completed on your resume.

Lying on you resume…how far does it really get you?

Wed, 02 Jul 2014 10:00:34 GMT

For those of you that have not been following the news, Myer recently sacked their star recruit. One week ago Myer were boasting about their new recruit who was supposedly the former managing director and VP of Inditex group which is the Spanish company that own fashion brand Zara. Myer were so impressed with Andrew Flanagan’s previous accomplishments he was hired as the group general manager of strategy and business development but was fired on the first day of his employment. Myer had not completed their reference checks and after their boasting, they were quietly informed that Andrew Flanagan had never worked for Inditex group and they had no idea of who he was.

This is not the first time an incident of this nature has occurred. In 2012 Yahoo’s CEO Scott Thompson was fired for falsifying his education on his resume. He had claimed that he had a bachelor’s degree in both accounting and computer science when in fact he only had a degree in accounting. It was discussed at the time about how Thompson may have fabricated his education when he first started his career but with the rise of social media and the internet things like this are being picked up on that would have not been picked up on in the past.

The consequences for falsifying your resume can be worse than get fired from the job. In 2002 John Davy was jailed for 3 months in New Zealand for falsifying his resume to secure the role of Chief Executive of Mauri Television Service. Davy had lied about his position at British Columbia Security’s Commission and at Middle East Round Table for International Affairs both organisations denied knowing Davy at all. He also falsified his education claiming to have an MBA from the Ashland School of Business at Denver State University which was later found to have been purchased from the internet

After looking online about what other people had been saying about lying on your resume I read differing reviews some even going as far as

“Once you’ve “updated” your resume, give a second look. Is it compelling? Will it help you get the career you want? If not, go back and add whatever you need because when it comes to getting the interview, you only have one shot to make a first — albeit fictitious — impression.” Robert Pagliarini

Other websites and blogs actually said

“And really, why even get the piece of paper? Why not just write down the name of that piece of paper? Can you spell a school correctly? That’s basically good enough. Hiring managers are very busy people — that’s why they’re hiring, funnily enough. Calling a school and asking about some English degree is very rarely done. If you’re really worried about this, make up the name of a school in a place that looks like it’d be expensive to call.” Chris Bucholz

In today’s modern world of technology and social media it only takes a couple of minutes for an employer to check your credentials. A survey by Employment Office found that over 80% of employers believe that candidates are lying.

“Our clients trust that we will provide them with the best candidate and that all the information we pass to them will be correct. Lying in this current climate is not worth it, we have many ways of checking your credentials and it is our job to give our client the best possible candidate.” Winsome Bernard

Gen Y at Work: Rewarding the Global Generation

Thu, 13 Feb 2014 07:11:44 GMT

On Tuesday 11th February, Mark McCrindle had presented a piece on Managing Generations at Work, which reinforced the fact that there are strong trait variations between the generations at work and how to manage the variations.

In addition to a fantastic session on the day, Mark and his team have provided the attendees with resources found on the McCrindle blog and online library. Here is a very interesting article found on their blog.

http://blog.mccrindle.com.au/the-mccrindle-blog/gen-y-at-work-rewarding-the-global-generation

Gen Y at Work: Rewarding the Global Generation

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Generation Y is the most educated, entertained and materially endowed generation in history, with a novel perspective on work that makes attracting, engaging and training them a challenge for employers to get right. High turnover rates among the emerging generations have posed questions around remuneration and how much is right to engage this flighty cohort.

The global outlook of Generation Y and their desire to travel, fused with their focus on lifestyle and priority focus on work-life balance give insights into how managers can best engage with them. Remuneration remains a key factor in the equation, but it is just one of many retention factors, and by no means the primary one.

Getting remuneration right: a critical issue

Even in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, the attraction and retention of good staff is still a key issue and a growing one as we face growing labour demand in a recovering economy and declining labour supply with an ageing demography.

The ageing of populations and with that, workforces is a challenge across many developed countries. The median age in Japan, Germany and Italy is 44; in France and the UK it is around 40, and in Australia and the United States it is hovering around 37. In Australia we are approaching the point of “peak labour” – where there will be more full time employees retiring from the workforce than there will be younger people entering it. Indeed Australia’s population is growing by more than 300,000 per annum however the increase in the working age population is less than half of this.

Therefore filling skills shortages, ensuring talent recruitment is taking place, dealing with leadership succession, and developing young staff are all essential functions for managers wishing to “future proof” their businesses.

Adding to this strain of attracting employees are the retention challenges faced by many employers, with Generation Y leading the revolution of job churning and career changing. In Australia, our annual turnover rate of 15 per cent per annum means that the medium length of time people stay in their roles is three years and four months. If this trend continues throughout the worklife of Generation Y, they will have 17 different employers and five separate careers during their lifetime (that’s allowing for Gen Y workers entering the workforce at 19-20 and finishing work at 79-80 years of age). In this climate, it’s not only the recruitment and retention that is important, but also re-recruitment. Keeping in contact with departing talented workers has proved very useful for many managers who have been able to re-employ members of this boomerang generation.

Attracting the new generations

Generation Y don’t seek a job as much as they seek an opportunity. They have multiple expectations of an organisation. It isn’t just the job description, but the workplace culture, the variety, fun, training, management style, and flexibility that drives them. In light of this, it is not enough to focus only on financial benefits as a tool of attraction and retention.

We have conducted many studies of young job seekers, we have surveyed thousands of working Australians and conducted dozens of focus groups and interviews with Generation Y investigating the employment factors which attract and retain them and the results of the different studies concur: the size of the employer and or the recognition of the employer brand did not define an employer of choice but rather the job opportunity and challenge, varied role and career pathway, workplace culture, lifestyle benefits, management style, and work-life balance. These were factors often offered by small employers and non-profit organisations, not just larger corporates. Interestingly, salary alone wasn’t the main drawcard, and out of the many interviews remuneration was mentioned less than these non-monetary factors and rewards.

Moving past traditional incentives: retaining Generation Y

Generation Y has grown up in a world where everything is incentivised. Customer loyalty is bought with frequent buyer programs, points, or discounts. And accordingly, so is employee loyalty. By understanding and meeting their needs, motivating through relevant reward and recognition strategies, better retention can be achieved.

Flexibility to study, travel and achieve work-life balance is a basic expectation of new job seekers.

Flexibility to study

Generation Y is the most formally educated generation in history – a title they are set to keep long term with many predicted to return to formal study multiple times in their lifetime. Indeed, the 21st century life is rarely linear and sequential. Life stages were once clearly defined, starting with education, followed by work and perhaps after a career change or two, retirement. Today, the education phase extends well into adulthood, and throughout the work life. The multiple career paths taken by Generation Y will lead them to retrain several times, with an increasing likelihood to take their careers overseas. Flexibility to study is therefore crucial for this cohort.

Flexibility to travel

Having grown up in culturally diverse landscape, where 1 in 4 Australians were overseas-born, it is no surprise that Generation Y is globally connected. New technology and social media allows them to network with friends around the globe, while cheap travel allows them to travel overseas not just interstate.

With a focus on lifestyle rather than just wealth accrual, Generation Y is spending more time living at home, delaying some of the traditional benchmarks of adulthood such as buying their first home, marrying, or starting a family. Nearly 1 in 4 Australians (23%) aged between 20-34 continue to live in the parental home. Of these, nearly half have moved out and returned again with most (52%) lasting less than two years before returning home. For the majority of these, their decision to move back in is often financially motivated.

Flexibility and work life balance

Workers today look to have multiple needs met at work. Of course, working is about achieving task outcomes and receiving financial rewards, but for Gen Y it is also about fun, social connection, training, personal development, greater fulfilment and even environmental sustainability. A job for Gen Y is more than just delivering a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. They have an expectation that it will also help them achieve social, training, and lifestyle goals as well.

Gen Y employees need to feel that their jobs are equipping them for the future, that they are being invested in and valued. The increase in workplace ping pong tables, lunchrooms equipped with coffee machines and sandwich makers, and work meetings held in the local cafe highlight the recognition of staff wellbeing, team engagement and activity-based working in achieving better retention and commitment. The favour is likely to be returned as well – with the advent of technology Generation Y is likely to be found checking their work emails frequently out of hours, as well as working on the weekends as well.

It is self evident that every business, team and brand is just one generation away from extinction. Only by recruiting and engaging with the next generation of employees will we maintain an innovative outlook, a relevant workplace culture and a future proof organisation. Oh, and it will probably be a dynamic and fun place to work too.

Please visit their website for more information
http://mccrindle.com.au

Follower Frenzy

Sat, 07 Dec 2013 10:08:02 GMT

Paul Jones, of Magneto Communications has just released another eye-opening blog post. It talks about how people automatically look to their surroundings to gain cues for actions during times of uncertainty.

Click here to visit the article source

For those that don’t like clicking away, here is the article

How to leverage social proof (consensus)

Follower Frenzy, or Social Proof?

This is the third in a six-part series on influence and persuasion, loosely based on Dr Robert Cialdini’s work .

If you’re writing a proposal or pitching a new approach or idea, this concept is central to you getting a YES.

The idea? Your readers are sheep. Well, they (like all of us) can act like sheep when making decisions.

Ever catch yourself checking what others are doing when you’re uncertain about your situation? We all take cues from others about whether to eat chicken with fingers or a fork, how fast to drive, and how to dress at work.

This is Social Proof in action.

How much more ‘sold’ are you on an Amazon book when you see hundreds of others have ‘rated’ it highly? ‘All those people can’t be wrong!’ (you think).

And the more similar your ‘reference’ is to your reader, the better. For example, a banker’s testimonial will sway an accountant more than one from a plumber. See how Salesforce does this.

Humans, especially time-poor ones in business, love shortcuts; they often react based on only partial evidence. Naturally that means it’s not always right; blockbuster hits, for instance, are more luck than anything else , and if everyone else is selling their shares, you may be smarter to think rationally before selling yours.Still, knowing the triggers can help you maximise your influence. Here are my thoughts on leveraging social proof in your writing:

Testimonials. Ask for them straight after you’ve worked for clients, and include them in your marketing. But keep them short (edit them for brevity and ask your client to approve the change).
Case studies and success stories. Especially powerful when you include the specific, measured results you achieved. Keep these short, too.
Big names. These have big impact, so highlight well-known and respectable companies who’ve used your business. When possible, use their logo, not just their name.
Big crowds. Don’t be shy about sharing that you have 40,000 Twitter followers or subscribers to your blog.
Big profile. Have you or your business been in the media (for the right reasons)? Let readers know.
Visuals. Pictures of your typical target audience enjoying your product/service will reassure your clients they’re in the right crowd. Likewise, if you’re pitching to the big end of town, ensure your graphic design and branding is top quality.

‘Paul, STOP! These are too sales-oriented. I just write “normal” business documents.’ Think again. You can adapt most of these tips to your situation.For example, if you’re convincing your boss to buy System X, your ‘testimonial’ could be mentioning informally the fact that Jack, in IT, used System X at his last company, and loved it. Be creative when applying these.

14 tips to mitigate end-of-year function risks

Fri, 29 Nov 2013 06:57:40 GMT

Last year around this time, we posted a blog which is directly related to the end of year party season. We do, however, feel that this issue will not disappear anytime soon. So we’re bringing the post back!

Here are 14 tips to mitigate risk at your celebrations found from the HR Daily website .

14 tips to mitigate end-of-year function risks

15 November 2012 7:26am

Speech time at the work Christmas party is a good opportunity for employers to pause the flow of alcohol and help prevent incidents arising from excessive consumption, says the Australian Drug Foundation’s head of workplace services, Phillip Collins.

He suggests not serving alcohol while formal proceedings are conducted to allow people to eat more food and drink water, which will reduce their alcohol intake.

The Australian Drug Foundation has developed a checklist, as part of its Good Hosts program, which helps HR professionals and employers plan work events that avoid alcohol-related harm and corporate embarrassment.

Employers should follow all of the steps in the checklist to ensure a fun event that isn’t too focused on alcohol, Collins says.

The first step is to implement an early intervention strategy to prevent incidents occurring at an event, he says.

If someone at an event is consuming more alcohol than everyone else, employers should have a procedure in place to identify the risk and how to handle it, and consider ways to “mitigate any risks in the future”.

For example, increasing the amount of water provided to the person, table or group could be beneficial. Employees should also know who the person responsible for the event is.

This is “absolutely critical”, he says, so that if something happens at the event, there is someone to turn to who will have an action plan.

Employers should also control the flow of alcohol, bearing in mind how they have served alcohol at previous events and whether it was successful, Collins says.

“So historically it could have been you [had] alcohol in a big ice bin and people [could] simply go and grab what they want, or there could be an arrangement on the table.”

Requiring employees to go to the bar to get a drink can help reduce the amount of alcohol consumed, he says.

Alcohol should not be the focus of the night, and instead the event should focus on entertainment, such as speeches or having arcade games at the venue.

Employers should consider whether some of the people attending the social event are non-drinkers, and “engage them in activities where they can actually enjoy themselves without having to… think they need to have alcohol to have fun”, Collins says.

To avoid rapid consumption of alcohol, an event should not have any kind of drinking games, he adds.

Further, employers should avoid placing an emphasis on alcohol consumption, for example by not promoting “drink until dawn” on a communication flyer or having alcoholic-based lucky door prizes.

Employees must know when to leave the venue and how they are getting home, and employers should make them aware of this before the event, “as opposed to on the night”.

Employees should be advised of the event’s start and end time, and whether public transport is available, or if taxis will be provided, Collins says.

Further, if someone at the event consumes a lot of alcohol and is evicted from the premises, “companies must have a policy in place to ensure that that person does get home safely”, he says.

This safe transport policy should require the employer to place the evicted person in a taxi, give clear directions to the taxi driver to take the person directly home, and pay for that trip.

Depending on the length of the event, substantial food should be served regularly to help prevent intoxication. Collins says food should be available within an hour of the bar opening.

It is also important for employers to cater for the diversity of their workforce, so that all employees who might be drinking alcohol can “have that food intake to balance everything out”.

Employers should ensure they have an adequate number of security guards for the event, and that those security guards know the employer’s requirements.

They should be briefed on: the number of people attending the event; the employer’s alcohol policies; how and what people are being served; who’s in charge; and how to take an evicted person out of the venue, Collins says.

“Having security guards there is not only to stop people coming in that shouldn’t be there, but also to ensure that the [employer’s expectations] are actually met,” he says.

Lastly, after an event has taken place, employers should debrief about the event, and discuss what they did right, what they did wrong, what they can do in the future, and document it for next time.

Managers should set the standard

According to Mills Oakley partner Luke Connolly, the biggest mistake employers make when planning end-of-year and other functions is failing to communicate to managers the importance of modelling desired behaviours on the night.

“Management themselves don’t lead by example. They tend to forget who they are and who they’re representing, thereby creating a culture of partying that breaches a number of standards that ought apply at these type of events,” he told HR Daily.

“Ultimately managers need to lead by example. It’s management that the junior staff will look at on the night, to see how they’re behaving. And how they behave will dictate how juniors think they can behave – it becomes a cultural lead by example thing.”

In general, he says, employers tend not to take a highly disciplined approach to Christmas parties, in communicating to employees “what they’re really for, and that is to celebrate the year as opposed to getting as drunk and wild as you can”.

Employers should communicate to employees before the event what the expected behaviours are, and what won’t be tolerated, he says.

“It’s about setting those boundaries and culture prior to the event, and making sure that management live and breathe those cultural boundaries. By not doing that, and by everyone throwing their hats in the air and kicking off their shoes and going berserk, they put themselves at huge risk.”

Melbourne Cup: Should you really be celebrating?

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 06:52:59 GMT

In light of the Melbourne Cup and the “Race that Stops a Nation”, an interesting article had floated into my inbox. Good for a read about the time from now until the New Years. Well worth a look at the article and the comments.

The original article is found here

Here is the article.

Melbourne Cup: Should you really be celebrating?

Engrained into many workplaces, Melbourne Cup Day is seen as the beginning of the end-of-year season. While HR should be interested in making sure productivity doesn’t dip due to the Melbourne Cup, they should also consider the potential alienation of pushing the event.

Steve Shepherd, group director of recruitment and HR services specialists at Randstad, stated that while organisations should allow employees to enjoy the race, they cannot let productivity drop as a result.

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“We all look forward to events like Melbourne Cup and the Christmas holidays, but business leaders need to maintain the energy and motivation of employees to ensure they remain engaged in these final weeks of the year. There are still eight weeks before the end of year, and businesses need to continue trading, often right through to 31 December, so high performance and productivity is required by all employees,” he stated.

Although the popularity of the Melbourne Cup is hard to ignore, HR should not forget that to some employees the event is offensive. Events to protest the races exist, such as The “Not The Cup” Celebrations, run on the same day as the Melbourne Cup.

Employees’ objections may vary – they may boil down to animal rights, an objection to gambling, drinking or a number of other reasons.

“Some employees, due to religious or family values or simply because they’re not interested, may not wish to participate in elements of Melbourne Cup day, particularly gambling and drinking alcohol. Employers need to ensure they provide options for staff who may not wish to participate in race day celebrations – the choice of those who do not wish to be involved must be respected,” Joydeep Hor, managing principle of People and Culture Strategies, said.

Magneto: Should Leaders be Feared or Loved?

Thu, 17 Oct 2013 06:45:54 GMT

Paul Jones, our presenter for our October breakfast seminar “Writing to Influence”, has released a new post. Rather interesting as it converts the findings of Zenger and Folkman and applies it to the world of copywriting. Here is the full article and links to the original blog post on the Magneto Communications website.

Article Link

http://writingtraining.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/leaders-feared-or-loved/

Article

Should leaders be feared or loved?

Posted on 16 October, 2013 by magnetoblog

A mining engineer on my course once said he didn’t see the value in building much rapport with his team. ‘If I tell them to do something, they do it. Why worry if they like me?’

But recent research by Zenger and Folkman shows that leaders who aren’t liked much have only a one in 2000 chance of their leadership being rated as highly effective . Their lesson:

Connect, then lead. Warmth is a powerful key to influence.

To do that, do these when writing:

Check your attitude . Do you really have your readers’ best interests at heart? If you do, they should sense it and trust you more. (Yes, I’m talking ‘ trusted advisor .’)

Think ‘relationship,’ not ‘one-night stand.’ Don’t try to get them over the line too quickly. By all means ask for the sale (or whatever your influence goal is), but show you care more about them than the deal. Trite but true: ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’

Make it look good . How’s your branding, layout, neatness, and correctness? People warm to ‘classy,’ not ‘scruffy.’

Get feedback on your tone . How’s your writing sound to your intended audience? Sounding professional, helpful and/or friendly will win you more friends, and more ‘yeses,’ than sounding officious, abrupt or long-winded.How your writing ‘sounds’ to someone depends, too, on personalities. If you’ve done one of our courses, check your notes around the four personality types. Remember to adjust your style to suit your reader. E.g., for ‘Drivers,’ focus on results, for ‘Amiables,’ emphasise ‘relationship,’ and so on.

How to Eliminate 50% of All Hiring Mistakes in 30 Minutes

Sat, 07 Sep 2013 06:34:17 GMT

Today on Linkedin, I had come across an article by Lou Adler

in regards to avoiding first impression bias when interviewing applicants for your position. As it was a very informative article with tips for avoidance, I needed to share it with everyone.

The original article can be found at the below link and also the full article:

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130903043750-15454-how-to-turn-frogs-into-princes-and-other-interview-and-dating-tips

How to Eliminate 50% of All Hiring Mistakes in 30 Minutes

More hiring errors are made in the first few minutes of an interview than at any other time.

If you’re so inclined, you might want to check out this report in Personal Psychology, “ The Structured Employment Interview: Narrative and Quantitative Review of the Research Literature .” The study reviewed all of the literature regarding the predictability of the interview, coming to the following basic conclusions:

A structured interview is more effective than winging it, overvaluing first impressions, box checking skills, asking brain teasers, or trusting your gut.

Defining the work that needs to be done is more important that a laundry list of skills and experiences.

Specific guidance is required to convert the candidate’s answers into an accurate assessment. Yes/no voting, informal discussions, or judging someone on feelings, intuition or emotions are all ineffective.

Whether your company has an interviewing system like this or not, most hiring errors can be simply eliminated by controlling the tendency to make instant judgments about candidates based on their first impressions.

Despite the fact that there is no research showing any correlation between on-the-job performance and first impressions, many people remain unconvinced. If you’ve ever met or hired a person who makes a good first impression and is not a top performer, you have some proof of its inability to predict performance. If you’ve ever met or hired someone who doesn’t make a good first impression and is a top performer, you have all the proof you need. While a sample of two is insufficient to make the no correlation claim, it does suggest that controlling the impact of first impressions can increase the accuracy of the interview. It also can help when meeting anyone for the first time, whether at a business meeting, party, or first date.

The problem with first impressions is that those who make good ones are given the benefit of the doubt regarding competency. Those who are quiet, temporarily nervous, not natural interviewers or whose appearance is not up to expectations, are instantly assumed incompetent. The balance of the interview is then used to gather evidence to prove these initial false conclusions, or the meeting is cut short. The following tips will help minimize these types of self-induced hiring errors.

10 Simple Ideas on How to Minimize the Impact of First Impressions on Decision-making

Wait 30 Minutes . Force yourself to delay any possible yes or no decision until you review the person’s work-history in-depth. As part of this look for the Achiever Pattern indicating the candidate is in the top 25% of his or her peer group.
Do the Opposite of Your Natural Response . Note your initial reaction to the person and then reverse your normal response. If positive, become more cynical, seeking information where the person has under-performed. When negative, assume the person is fully-competent and seek out facts to prove this.
Treat the Person as a Consultant . People who are considered experts in their field like doctors, lawyers and $500 per hour consultants, are treated with respect and assumed to be competent. Treat all candidates this way, regardless of how they look.
Conduct a Panel Interview . Since they’re less personal and more business-like, a well-organized panel interview naturally minimizes the impact of first impressions.
Conduct a Phone Screen Before the Onsite Interview . First impressions have less impact when the interviewer has already had a personal conversation with the candidate. It’s even better if the candidate has accomplished something important related to real job requirements.
Ask More Questions About Team Skills . Ask everyone what teams they’ve been assigned to, how they got assigned to them, and how successful they were. If these teams are growing in size and importance, you’ll know if the person’s success is attributed to first impressions or leadership ability.
Listen to the Judge . Collect all of the required evidence before making any yes/no decision. Once a decision is made, the rest of the interview is used to collect information to validate it.
Determine if First Impressions Helped or Hindered Job Performance . Rather than being seduced by first impressions, seek out evidence to determine how it affected job performance. If first impressions are useful predictors, those with good ones should be better performers than everyone else.
Measure First Impression at the End of the Interview . At the end of the interview, evaluate the candidate’s first impression objectively, when you’re not affected by it. Then compare this to your initial reaction to the candidate. You’ll soon know what triggers your first impression bias and, as a result, be able to more easily control it.
Systemize It Out . It’s hard to fight human nature. While all of the above steps will help, creating a companywide system that ensures they’re all followed by everyone all of the time is essential.

Allowing first impressions to bias hiring decisions results in two classic hiring blunders. The first, hiring people who make great first impressions, but are not competent. The second, not hiring top performers who are temporarily nervous, or don’t meet your expectations of friendliness and appearance. You owe it to yourself, your company and everyone looking for a job to overcome the simplistic idea of deciding who’s good or bad on superficialities. All it takes is 30 minutes.

What Makes a Great Workplace?

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 06:27:23 GMT

With the recent release of the Best place to Work in Australia 2013 list by Business Review Weekly (BRW). Here is an article published in the Chicago Times which lists 12 attributes that can help your business reach the top of the list.

What Makes a Great Workplace?

Chicago Daily Herald

July 23, 2013

Creating a great place to work is becoming more and more important as new generations enter the workforce with new priorities, values and goals for their career. Growth-oriented organizations will need to plan new ways to engage their employees in challenging, creative and worthwhile tasks. The Great Workplace Transformation, a book written by Tom Klobucher, founder and CEO of Thomas Interior Systems in Bloomingdale, IL, lays out 12 essential strategies for creating a great place to work in detail, but here’s a start:

1. Core values: Identify the organizations’ core values and talk about them frequently with customers and employees. These are the customer-focused values you will hire employees for … and fire employees for, if they consistently deviate from those values.

2. Creative workplace: Design and refine a creative work space. This will attract and retain creative problem solvers and people who care.

3. Human resource right fit: Put the right person in the right job. Use the personality tests at Kolbe.com as a resource to help you accomplish this goal.

4. Understanding your employees: Give constant attention and understand the needs of the whole employee, as well as being intentional about learning their hopes and future career aspirations. The result is greater buy-in to the mission, deeper loyalty, and more intense commitment to the customer. Other needs could include flex time, shift swapping and extended leave when necessary.

5. Awards and recognition: Build public recognition for a job well done into the culture. Thank you cards and emails for colleagues (as well as for customers and vendors) need to become a part of daily life. These should reflect authentic gratitude for any and every job well done. “Most Valuable Player” awards promote an “all crew and no passenger” workplace philosophy, which ultimately serves the customer.

6. Collaborative environment: Support a truly collaborative workplace, both physically and emotionally. This kind of workplace design and interpersonal support promotes: problem solving, quality improvement, brainstorming, think tanks, and effective post-mortems when a project concludes.

7. Director of fun: Appoint someone as “Director of Fun.” Whether it’s a full-time position or an addition to someone’s current list of responsibilities isn’t as important as your team members seeing, and experiencing first hand, the positive experience they are supposed to be delivering to the customer. Find new reasons to celebrate and new ways to enhance enjoyment of the job!

8. Creative after-work events: Create after-work events that involve direct personal contact with customers. These kinds of events amount to a fun, collaborative team effort that improves all aspects of customer service. A few suggestions include: Bulls, Hawks, Cubs and Kane County Cougar games, as well as small group activities like golf, table games and picnics.

9. Community service events: Give something back to the community. Doing this as a group improves team cohesion, gives you a great PR opportunity, and helps customers understand your values. A few ideas to try: helping out with local homeless support groups, food pantries, PADS and adopting a needy family each holiday season.

10. A healthy ergonomics workplace: Ensure that each employee’s work space makes good ergonomic sense. This reduces stress, improves morale, and improves the quality of our interactions with customers (and everyone else)!

11. A learning organization: Invest in ongoing education and personal development for all employees. This pays off for everyone (Thomas University or Learning vs. Training).

12. Employee feedback and evaluation: Give employees regular feedback (recommended evaluation/review time: every six months). Evaluate them against your organization’s core values first and against performance metrics second.

7 Surprising Truths about Body Language

Thu, 04 Jul 2013 10:14:11 GMT

The past 3 months has been a tumultuous time for Australian politics as we now have an ex Prime Minister returning to the captains chair. During any time of political instability in any country, body language specialists return to the scene to provide subjective analysis on political leaders. An article on Forbes.com published back in October 2012 by Nick Morgan titled 7 Surprising Truths about Body Language, provides insight to the various interpretations of body language. The original article can be found at the below link

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorgan/2012/10/25/7-surprising-truths-about-body-language/

Here is a copy of the article in full

7 Surprising Truths about Body Language

Thanks to TV shows like Lie to Me and so-called body language experts commenting on the candidates during the American election season, a number of misunderstandings about body language have become part of modern culture. It’s time to clear the decks. So here goes: 7 surprising truths about body language.

1. Much of what the experts tell you about body language is wrong. The biggest misconception perpetrated by many so-called experts is that specific gestures – of your hands, say – have specific meanings. Rather, gestures are ambiguous. They can mean many things. If I cross my arms, I may be signaling my defensiveness, but I may also be cold, or simply tired and propping myself up with my arms – or just getting comfortable. And I could be signaling all those things at once. It’s possible to be simultaneously cold, tired, defensive, and desirous of comfort.

The misunderstanding comes from two sources. First, the pressure on experts to sound definitive and give instant analyses for TV in an impatient world more interested in sound bites than truth. Second, the history of the study of body language. It began with what those of us in the field call “emblems”; those rare gestures that do have specific meanings, like the middle finger, the peace sign, the OK gesture, and so on. As a result, it was natural to look at all the rest of gesturing with a bias toward specific meanings. But the number of emblems in all cultures is quite small, and after that gestures don’t reliably signal specific meaning.

2. The face is a poor place to start reading body language. By the time most of us are adult, we’ve learned to mask our true feelings — at least as they show up in our face – because we have to get along at work, at home, and in social settings. So we pretend to be interested, we pretend to smile, we assume a bland expression when we’re actually peeved, and so on.

Of course, we’re not perfect at these polite deceptions. We don’t always manage to stifle that yawn completely. But for the most part, the face we present to the world is a polite mask that hides our true feelings. And that’s a good thing, usually: it helps us all get along.

3. But the face does sometimes give away our strongest feelings. You can learn to read what are called micro-expressions – sudden leakages of true emotion through the mask of the face – with some training. These micro-expressions are fleeting – less than a second in duration – and it takes work to learn how to spot them. And they typically only show up when we’re trying to hide a very strong feeling that is at odds with what we’re admitting to. The expression of true feeling will suddenly and briefly break out across our face like a flash of lightning in the dark and be gone.

For more on learning how to read micro-expressions, look here. (I have no financial interest in the training, offered by Paul Ekman , who discovered micro-expressions and is one of the true greats in the field of body language.)

4. Body language signals intent, not specific meaning. What body language does convey, with pretty good accuracy, is our emotional intent. In fact, brain research shows that whatever we’re feeling first shows up in our body, and only later (nanoseconds later) in our conscious minds. So, if we’re hungry, or impatient, or angry, or happy, our bodies know first, and they will pretty reliably signal those feelings. Learning to read body language, then, is a matter of learning to understand other people’s intents, not their specific conscious thoughts.

And while most of us our reasonably good at masking our feelings in our face, we’re not as good at disguising how we feel throughout the rest of our bodies. That’s because our bodies know first. By the time the conscious mind recognizes that anger, or that joy, it has already shown up in our bodies. And that’s what you can learn to recognize and read.

5. You’re much better at reading the body language of people you know than any expert. The truly good news is, for people you know, you are already more expert than the experts at reading this intent. Think about it. You know already, unless you’re completely clueless, when your spouse is ticked off, or your child is bored, or your boss wants something done, now! With people we know, we’ve already amassed many hours of study, and we know the signs.

Of course, even the people that we know best can deceive us, but not usually for long and not on the important stuff.

6. To read body language accurately, don’t think about it. As humans, we’re hard-wired to read other people’s emotions and intents. We have mirror neurons in our brains that fire when our unconscious minds register an emotion in someone else. We mirror that other person’s emotion so that we can share it and understand it. This expertise developed on an evolutionary time scale and is an important part of our ability to survive as a species. When we see fear, we react instantly, and unconsciously, in order to be ready to take quick action if necessary.

That unconscious expertise is your best ally in reading other people’s body language, because you already know what’s going on. It’s just a matter of bringing that knowledge from your unconscious brain to your conscious mind in order to act on the information consciously. So let your unconscious mind do the heavy lifting, and work instead on tuning in to your unconscious for reliable information about other people’s emotional intent.

How to get started? Simply ask your unconscious mind, and wait for an answer. You already know it; this is what people mean when they talk about “gut” or “instinct.” It’s not magic, or the cosmos talking. It’s your unconscious mind automatically registering the emotional temperature of everyone around you. Just pay attention – listen to your gut – and your conscious mind will get it, too. With practice, your abilities will quickly improve.

7. You have 3 brains; 2 of them are good at reading body language. Your conscious mind is poor at reading body language, because evolution pushed that chore down to your unconscious mind, which is much larger and faster and can handle the job in nanoseconds, reacting to danger long before your conscious mind could. But you have a third “mind,” literally in your gut. In fact, your gut has more neurons in it than a cat does in its head. And that brain in your gut is wired to the unconscious mind in your head, so that when you become aware that you’re nervous, for example, that’s the end of a long process of your unconscious mind and your gut exchanging signals about that nervousness. You do get butterflies in your stomach. Your stomach is good at telling you if there’s danger or opportunity because it’s part of a complex sensing system with your unconscious mind (the one in your head) that is constantly scanning your surroundings and especially other people.

So start paying attention to your own expertise; that’s where the real body language insights will come from.

(end of article)

From a HR perspective, the following question arises.

How beneficial is body language reading as an indicator of performance, efficiency and effectiveness within your organisation?

Downsizing: The End or the Next Chapter?

Wed, 15 May 2013 06:14:12 GMT

Christopher Paterson from Alchemy CM, is facilitating our HR Forum Wednesday 15th May. Here is some information regarding his session for those that can’t make it.

Managing survivors, their managers and their engagement.

Downsize planning is weighted to the front end, leading up to the change event itself and at the expense of the post change reality. In all but a few cases, there is little planning or even thought dedicated to the experience of those remaining. This paper discusses why most projects fail and how to drive staff engagement through to the next chapter for the business.

The Post-Change Reality

Change is hard, downsizing is harder.

HR teams focus on the staff members leaving. This is not only the right thing to do, studies show that providing outplacement programs increases the engagement of the remaining staff (Aberdeen Group, 2011).

Then why do 75% of change programs fail?

John Kotter from Harvard Business School shows that one of the main reasons for change failure is declaring the project to be complete too early. During a downsize, the ‘change event’ is only part of the process and we often see two groups being neglected in the planning and execution:

1. Survivors Remaining Staff

2. Managers Direct Line Managers with People Management responsibility

The Commercial Reality

So is it any wonder that the pain of the change event only results in greater challenges for the business moving forward. Failing to support surviving staff and their managers quickly jumps from an HR issue to a commercial issue:

This is clearly demonstrated in the commercial research on downsizing events.

In a meta-analysis of 16 studies across over 2000 firms, not only was there a failure to achieve a financial result, the downsized businesses also failed to decrease costs, experienced a fall in productivity and a marginalised brand reputation (Gandolfini, 2008).

So what do the successful 25% do?

A Guide to Recommitment

The evidence and our own experience has taught us a thing or two about what works and what to avoid when navigating the challenging post-change environment.

Your Checklist

1) Prepare for Post Change at the Start

2) Managers are your Front Line

3) Communicate Early and Often

4) Provide Survivor Training

5) Measure and Track Progress

1. Think about post-change at the start

Build your post change engagement initiatives and training into the upfront project plan. Prepare people early and get ahead of any negativity. When staff know that they are being supported, they are less likely to engage in destructive rumour and false information.

2. Managers are your front line

The overwhelming body of evidence clearly shows that an individual’s engagement at work is largely due to the relationship with their direct manager and the capability of this manager to lead. This is multiplied during and after a change event. Focus on specific change training for your managers including:

 Communicating change

 Push and Pull influencing styles

 Understanding the natural stages of change

 Coaching through change

Training should be practical, not theoretical. Allowing managers to practice their learning in sessions significantly increases their application of these skills on the job.

3. Communicate Early & Often

Regardless of personality differences, the human brain dislikes uncertainty. This is magnified when the stakes are high; when personal income and careers are at stake. Have a clear communication plan, scripts for all stakeholders and stick to it. Regular updates even to say that there is no update are better than a vacuum.

The message may not be pleasant, but the imagination is a powerful thing and people get consumed by nasty “what ifs” when we don’t communicate regularly.

4. Survivor Training

Remaining staff need to be given a bit of time to process the change and the tools to plan their approach. Survivor training gives them the knowledge and builds the skills they need to focus on what they can control and not get distracted by the world of things they can’t.

A little time here goes a long way in helping staff to refocus, reengage and recommit to their careers with the business.

5. Measure and track progress

Get a two way dialogue going to understand what people are thinking and feeling. A good diagnostic of the situation will allow you to identify what is working and focus on the key issues. Rather than assume or work with anecdotal evidence, get hard data through surveys, focus groups, interviews and track this over time.

Combining qualitative and quantitative data gives you the most complete picture.

Five Things Mature Women Want

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:00:29 GMT

Here is a blog post found from our friends at SageCo, the original post can be found here

Five Things Mature Women Want

It’s International Women’s Day on Friday. And we particularly want to raise a toast to mature women. In our experience, Diversity Council Australia bears this out, mature women are a group who are most likely to be undervalued, underemployed, discouraged and departed when it comes to workplaces.

Some years ago, I was working on a major mature workers retention project within the public sector. The project manager – let’s call her Yvonne – was an energetic and insightful senior woman in her early 60s. She had never quite cracked the ‘executive’ level of the public service despite numerous attempts, but she was obviously admired and respected. With surprisingly good humour, Yvonne shared a story of her early working days, when women weren’t invited to the superannuation information sessions. She remembers asking if she should be attending, but was told that given she would be getting married and having a family, she didn’t need to worry about it! Despite the discouragement, she pursued superannuation advice; she missed out on being part of a defined benefits scheme by a matter of weeks. Over the last ten years, she’s watched her male colleagues retire with comparatively lucrative superannuation, indexed for life.

Yvonne loved working, and despite what might look like a really successful career, she found that in her early 60s, she wasn’t considered for new opportunities being “over-qualified”. She’s now departed the workplace and hopes to consult to continue participating in the workforce.

There are tens of thousands of stories like this one.

What do mature women really want? What can employers give them?

Identity: Mature women want to be valued and recognised for their work and non-work roles. The much held assumption of retirement or full-time elder / child care for this co-hort is limiting. Providing support for making decisions about their own future – which could equally include starting a new career or returning to work or developing their role, is something all employers should consider.

Money: Mature women want financial security. Many women have been disadvantaged with retirement savings. Tailored, focussed financial advice for mature women is imperative.

Career: Women aged 55+ form the fastest growing labour pool. Designing roles that particularly attract mature women will stand any employer in good stead in a market where skills shortage is a major challenge. Providing career coaching and development opportunities for mature women will empower them to challenge the assumption of retirement or underemployment.

Health: Mature women spend a lot of time caring for others – often to the detriment of their own health. What programs can employers put in place to particularly support healthy ageing for women?

Relationships: Mature women spend a lot of time caring for others – but who is caring for them? Mature women want happy, healthy relationships. Employers who recognise and acknowledge the relationship demands that mature women juggle and structure work demands accordingly will benefit.

One might argue that these five things are relevant to men and women; and you’re right, they are. But there are points of emphasis in each area that are particular to mature women. Providing a structured framework for women to have conversations and take action will reap benefits. Some organisations we work with have used Envisage as a means of providing this framework to mature women. Some are holding International Women’s Day seminars specifically for mature women; they were oversubscribed in a matter of days!

You can road test the Envisage half day seminar on Thursday 21 March in Sydney. You may like to invite some mature women in your organisation as an International Women’s Day gesture?

We have the opportunity to transform undervalued to valued , underemployed to richly employed , discouraged to empowered and departed to recruited and retained .

Top 5 Reasons for New Hire Failure

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:09:35 GMT

I’ve come across this article on recruiter.com, found it to be an interesting read and wanted to share it. Here’s the link to the original article http://www.recruiter.com/i/top-5-reasons-for-new-hire-failure/

Top 5 Reasons for New Hire Failure

An older but still very illuminating study by Leadership IQ has revealed the worrying statistic that apparently 46 percent of newly hired employees fail within 18 months and only 19 percent achieve what they describe as unequivocal success.

What was most interesting in this study were the reasons for this new hire failure. What they actually found was that, most commonly, employees did not fail as a result of not having the right technical skills; failure was mainly attributed to a lack of interpersonal skills , with many of these shortcomings having been overlooked in the hiring process.

This is an especially interesting study for recruiting and resourcing professionals as it extends the performance impact period of the initial recruiting decision far beyond the probationary period and well in to the second year of service. It suggests that the quality/suitability of the initial hiring decision can have an impact on the overall success of the candidate in the medium-to-long term. This is both a potential cross to bear and a drum to bang for the hiring profession.

But, back to the study, what were the top 5 reasons for new hire failure ? They were:

Coachability (26%): The ability to accept and implement feedback from bosses, colleagues, customers and others.
Emotional Intelligence (23%): The ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions, and accurately assess others emotions.
Motivation (17%): Sufficient drive to achieve one’s full potential and excel in the job.
Temperament (15%): Attitude and personality suited to the particular job and work environment.
Technical Competence (11%): Functional or technical skills required to do the job.

Before I go further, it’s worth pointing out that while the study is a few years old, it is very substantial as it looked at 5,257 hiring managers from 312 businesses who had collectively hired more than 20,000 employees during the period. This suggests to me that the study is really worth listening to and, fortunately, it dovetails with current thinking in strategic resourcing circles, which is bringing a greater emphasis on cultural fit relative to technical competency during the hiring process.

But, what this study helps to define is what is meant by cultural fit, which I feel is necessary as cultural fit is often used in a vague and unquantified way that leaves its open to misuse. This study helps to bring a deeper emphasis on cultural fit, beyond more superficial measures of “do they drink at the same bars?” “do they like the same TV shows?” or “share the same sense of humor?” with the interviewer, to more tangible areas such as coach-ability, and whether the hire will be able to thrive and grow within the team management culture and broader company management culture. And/or do they have the emotional togetherness to work through conflict, or even avoid conflict; the right temperament to function well in our environment?

This study should be a great steer-and-call to action for recruiters and employers. I think it urges them to have a much more surgical focus on cultural fit hiring, which could involve cultural profiling of positions with respect to the qualities needed to work within the team, department and company at large. And then these cultural success profiles can be used in the hiring process to more effectively benchmark candidates for cultural fit – and to help to eliminate the new hires failures arising from cultural fit.

Speak the way a Leader Speaks – Measured Manner: a Winning Way

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:47:14 GMT

Coming across this aged article, the thought of “how do I speak?” blazed through my mind. The article takes a look at the speaking ways of US President Barack Obama with insight to his style by Michael Kelly. This article was press released by AFR.

Measured Manner a Winning Way
Jill Margo

At the best of times, public speaking can be daunting. In theses turbulent times it can be even more challenging, particularly for business leaders who have to talk about the impact if the financial crises on their enterprise.

Michael Kelly, a Sydney speech communication expert, says they can learn much from watching the US presidential race.

Almost every night on television, Barack Obama demonstrates techniques that underpin successful public speaking. He doesn’t rush. He takes his time to move, to pause and to search for the right words. He trusts himself to find the words and others trust he will find them too. His audience is not anxious that he will stumble. What they see is a self-possessed man, whose measured deliver signals authority.

Kelly says composure creates the impression of a person not easily ruffled, of someone who can be trusted. Obama’s body language shows a man who is comfortable with himself and who, in front of a crowd can occupy his space with ease.

“Early on, Barack wrote that he understood a key perception about himself. That is, that white people were relieved and pleasantly surprised to interact with a black man who was not aggressive and angry,” Kelly says

“He put that into practice in the way he moves and uses his body. He never moves quickly or ‘aggressively’ in order not to surprise or startle people.”

His smooth carriage reinforces the notion that he is under no time pressure and his gestures appear so natural they make him appear genuine.

Kelly describes him as graceful and says he meets the criteria for goo oratory set out centuries ago by Cicero, who wrote that and orator “ must practice an economy of movement, with not extraneous effort – the carriage of his body straight and lofty: his pacing measured and kept within bounds…. Governing himself in the expression of his whole body, with a manly torsion from the waist; using powerful gestures when moved, and none at all when calm”.

Obama is also bless with a smooth, deep and balanced voice that can become loud with little effort. Kelly believes his voice is rooted in the “preacher style” of the church he attended. But it also has a lyrical swinging cadence which is pleasing to the ear. : Barack expertly uses pauses and strings words together like a jazz musician.”

During the debates with republican John McCain, Obama listened with his eye. Regardless of what McCain Said, Obama kept looking at him.

“This ‘eye listening’ convey confidence and assuredness. It can be difficult to watch someone verbally assault but doing so, and not flinching, is akin to “taking it like a man”, Kelly says.

McCain averted his gaze when Obama spoke, almost creating the perception that he was not listening. Holding contact with calm eyes, particularly during disagreement, suggests you are not easily riled. When the stakes are high, the audience observers the speaker carefully, alert for subtleties of tone, expression and anything that can give a clue to what the speaker really thinks.

Obama’s facial expression appears to reflect what he is feeling, which helps to portray him as authentic. While McCain’s war injuries have affected his body language and restricted his ability to move and make gestures, both his face and voice lack passion.

Emotional Quotient (EQ) in Leadership Development

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 05:37:55 GMT

The other day, I had come across this fantastic article regarding how emotional intelligence plays a big factor on leadership within businesses. Here is the article and the source

From http://www.dtssydney.com/blog/emotional_quotient_%28eq%29_in_leadership_development

Emotional Quotient (EQ) in Leadership Development
25thOct

Becoming more emotionally intelligent is the implied goal of virtually all leadership training.

Once introduced to emotional intelligence and the impact that emotions have on team performance, productivity, innovation, customer loyalty, employee engagement and retention, leaders will never look at their jobs in quite the same way.

Although emotions and feelings may seem trivial from a business point of view, they have real consequences for getting work done and improving the company’s bottom line. Leaders’ moods have an enormous impact on the performance of those they lead, and since people pay close attention to leaders, even subtle expressions of emotions can have a great impact.

Leaders who exude upbeat moods boost cooperation, fairness, business performance and attract better talent. Negative moods foster conflict, disengagement and higher staff turnover — after all, who wants to work for a negative boss?

Creating organisations that are emotionally intelligent is ultimately the leaders’ responsibility. More than anyone else, it is the leadership team who has the power to establish cultural norms, and the ability to maximise collaboration to ensure that their teams benefit from the best talents of each of its members.

If you want to make an organisation more emotionally intelligent, you must start with the leaders.

How to Introduce EQ to Leaders There is no single best way to coach, train or facilitate a program on emotional intelligence, so what follows is simply a scripted example to help illustrate one way that EQ might be introduced.

Facilitator: “Welcome to [Leadership 101]. Today’s training is about leadership and what separates the average leader from the great one.

What are some of the core qualities that great leaders share? You might like to think about famous political leaders, sports leaders, or business people you’ve worked with in the past whom you think exemplified the qualities of great leadership.

What are those qualities? Charisma? Passion? Integrity? Vision? Intelligence? [Have them come up with a list of qualities]

If we were to make a list of all the qualities of leadership, you might already know that we can separate them into 2 categories: Hard Skills and Soft Skills. The hard stuff is pretty easy to measure: it’s things like your intelligence, knowledge, education and expertise — it’s easy to list on a resume. Then, on the other side, there’s the ‘soft’ stuff, which is harder to quantify. That’s because it’s to do with your personality and character, and includes things like integrity, enthusiasm, the ability the communicate, the ability to build trust, and the ability to influence how other people feel.

How does everyone in this room feel about these two categories? Is there a sense about which is more important: The Hard stuff? … or the Soft stuff? [Group discussion]

So we’ve got some differences in what each person believes is important, which is good. I’ll share with you some of the major research findings on leadership over the past 15 years. What it shows is that the hard stuff, IQ for example, is only sufficient to some extent. That is, it can make you a leader, but not an excellent one. A good IQ is necessary in most leadership positions as the price of entry to the game — it can get you hired, but it doesn’t separate the average from the excellent. In fact, the higher you get up an organisation, the more important the soft stuff becomes.

I think just about everyone in this room knows a story about a highly intelligent, highly skilled executive who was promoted into a leadership position only to fail at the job because they lacked the ability to work well with others.

It was in the mid-1990s that Daniel Goleman released the book ‘Emotional Intelligence’, which provided a completely new language for describing soft skills, and completely flipped our understanding of performance in the workplace.

Goleman and dozens of other researchers have since gone on to investigate hundreds of corporations with both successful and unsuccessful executives, and have found that the single greatest variable in leadership performance comes down to emotional intelligence. In fact, here are a few of the major findings as they relate to leadership:

In competency research of over 200 companies, over four-fifths (80%) of the difference in top leadership positions is due to emotional competence, and only one-fifth (20%) is due to technical skill and cognitive ability. – Goleman

The ability to understand emotions was found as the most consistent predictor of leadership emergence. – Cote, in The Leadership Quarterly

Research by the Center for Creative Leadership has found that the primary causes of derailment in executives involve deficits in emotional competence.

The research has really shown conclusively that emotional intelligence is at the center of leadership. This training will include the role that emotions play in decision-making, the benefits of building emotionally intelligent teams, your own emotional intelligence as measured by the TTI EQ Profile, and how simple adjustments that you can make in your interactions with people on a daily basis can lead to significant increases in productivity and performance; and also a host of other benefits for the organisation as well as you personally.”

—————————————————————————————

Following this introduction, some of the areas you may wish to cover include: the chemistry of emotions and the structure of the brain, the major contributors to the field of emotional intelligence, the difference between EQ and IQ, and major research findings on EQ as they relate to leadership and business performance.

The choice of topics will ultimately depend on the learning objectives and the amount of time available.

In our experience, business leaders are usually less interested in a university-style course that covers the full history and background of EI, and more interested in how to use the tool from a practical workplace perspective.

With this in mind, participants should begin the next phase of the training with an overview of the 5 key emotional intelligence competencies and relevant sub factors. These core competencies help to provide a framework for understanding and assessing the different factors that lead to superior performance not only in leadership, but in every role within the company.

It’s worthwhile to have all the leaders participate in activities and discussions that highlight each of the core competencies by illustrating what a high score could potentially look like, versus a low score. For fun, you might wish you use these famous characters .

At this point, it is a good idea to present the leaders with their EQ profiles (or some specific parts of them) so that they can relate the principles to their own situation.

For those with low scores in any domain, it’s important to communicate that it’s not uncommon and that very few people score high in all 5 domains. What’s more, emotional intelligence is a skill — not an innate talent. Like any other skill, people can get better at it with training and practice.

Once the leaders have a grounded understanding of the emotional intelligence research, core competencies, and a peak at their profiles, you can then move on to what each leader can do to improve and foster emotional intelligence individually and in their teams.

Key Benefits Summary of EQ Profiling and Training for Leaders/Managers and Their Teams:

Identify Links to Business Performance: Understand how the key domains of emotional intelligence have direct links to productivity, retention, team performance, innovation, customer satisfaction and profitability.

Improve Individual Performance: With an emotional intelligence development plan, leaders will learn how to improve their own performance (as well as that of their team members) by identifying and targeting the skills that have the most significant impact on performance within their role.

Shared Language: The leader and team members have a comprehensive framework for discussing the key competencies/skills that are vital to success in their organisation, which were previously difficult to articulate.

Heightened Awareness: Training in EQ helps leaders and teams become more aware of the best ways to communicate and interact with each other, and what steps the leader should to take in order to find the right ‘equilibrium’ with each team member.

Blind Spots: An accurate EQ profile helps reveal potential weaknesses that the individual was not aware of, and further training can help reveal the common blindspots that have been studied throughout the careers of highly successful executives.

Faster Learning Cycle: When a work environment fosters emotional intelligence, leaders are able to be more open to receiving candid feedback and new perspectives so that they can become better managers/leaders.

Better at Critiquing Others: Leaders with well developed EQ are able to give negative feedback (about a person or their work) in a way that the individual does not take offense and actually seeks to improve their performance. Leaders are therefore better positioned to offer useful feedback and identify people’s needs for further growth.

Better at Building Trust : Understand the sort of behaviours that build trust, and the ones that will most quickly erode it, which includes the impact that seemingly subtle moods and emotions can have on others.

Reduce Conflict/Misunderstandings: Emotionally intelligent teams are more aware and sensitive to each others needs and wants, and can prevent problems before they arise within the group.

Better Resilience: Leaders and teams that are emotionally in-tune are better able to deal with disappointments, challenges and obstacles by being supportive and encouraging of each other during tense or stressful situations that might otherwise diminish their performance.

More Energised and Engaged Team: Since a person’s direct manager has the most direct impact on their productivity, health and well being, team members that work for emotionally intelligent leaders are far more willing to pursue goals beyond what’s required or expected of them.

Team is Better with Customers/Selling: Emotionally intelligent teams are alert and responsive to emotional clues given by customers, which will help them show sensitivity and understand others’ perspectives. They will therefore be better equipped to build rapport and trust, which is integral to any service-based organisation.

Coach with Impartial Feedback: Team members will more readily accept negative feedback from a computerised assessment than they would if they were to hear the same feedback from their manager or another individual, making the EQ profile an invaluable coaching tool.

How to Calculate the True Cost of Employee Onboarding

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:24:57 GMT

In this week’s breakfast presentation “Creating Essential Bonds with Your New Employees” By Anthony Sork from Sork HC , Anthony talks about HOW to calculate the true cost of employee onboarding

How to calculate the true cost of employee onboarding

Here’s a quick calculator to work out the true costs of employee onboarding.

1: Add up the direct costs of employee onboarding

Include everything from making the decision to hire through to the end of your probationary period. Jot down the estimated cost of each activity. You may want to break this down into an hourly figure.

Here’s a list of direct costs to get you started:

Position review
Advertising costs
Recruitment agency fees
Cost of interviews
Psychometric profiling
Aptitude testing
Reference checking
Administration
Letters of offer
Employment contracts
Labour costs of recruitment staff
Induction costs
Training and up-skilling costs
Salary of the new employee during the period that they do not contribute

2: Now add up the indirect costs of employee onboarding.
These are the “hidden” costs that are often overlooked or not considered at all.

Some additional cost are list below, but the cost in your business might be differentLost productivity (position): Here we’re referring to the lost productivity of the actual position or role we’re onboarding for. We need to factor this in based on average contribution of the position whilst it is vacant AND whilst the new employee is coming up to speed. We can cover the period of 1 month before a new employee is hired, and 3 months after they are recruited.
Lost productivity (personnel): Here we’re referring to the lost productivity of everyone involved in the recruitment/onboarding/upskilling process based on average contribution. Include the hiring Manager’s time & HR’s time at a minimum.
Lost opportunity: For example, missed sales opportunities, or for those in non-revenue producing roles, we’re talking about missed opportunities to contribute to the company’s profits in an indirect way.
Impact on team morale and engagement

Therefore: Direct costs + indirect costs = total cost onboarding
Sork HC research & calculations shows that the average investment associated with finding, recruiting and up skilling new talent to a minimum performance standard exceeds $100,000 per new employee over their first 3 months of employment.

This means that every time you bring a new recruit onboard, you are investing at least $100k into the onboarding process.

The risk associated with this investment can be managed,

To understand the risk to your onboarding investment, calculate how long it takes to pay back this $100,000 and achieve break even on your new employee. Calculate this figure based on average profit contribution per employee. Our research indicates that an organisation will take between 12 and 18 months to achieve a return on their onboarding investment.

The picture could get very much worst if an employee leaves within the12-18 month period, add to any financial loss the replacement costs of hiring another employee.

3: calculate your break even point (important)

Here’s how:Direct costs + Indirect Costs = Total cost of onboarding

Company Profit/FTE = Average Profit Per Person

Average Profit Per Person/52 = Average Weekly Profit Per Person
Total Costs/ Average Weekly Profit Per Person = number of weeks to achieve break even.

It’s important to know when your business achieves break even on your onboarding investment. Every day after this represents a return on your investment. If you determine that break even is at the 12 month point, then any employee who leaves your business prior to this time equates to a financial loss for your business.

Click here for an additional information brochure

Minimum Wage Increase!

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 05:17:52 GMT

Fair Work Australia (FWA) has released its 2012 Annual Wage Review decision and wage increases will take effect from the first pay period starting on or after 1 July 2012.

The decision increases minimum weekly wages by 2.9% and this will apply to minimum wages for juniors, trainees and apprentices, employees with a disability and to piece rates. The new national minimum wage will be $606.40 per week or $15.96 per hour – the difference for employers will mean paying an additional $17.10 per employee, per week. Following the announcement the Fair Work ombudsman (FWO) warned all employers to check their payroll obligations to make sure they are meeting their responsibilities. FWO also reminded employers of the significant penalties for deliberate underpayment of wages and that under no circumstances can employers and employees agree to a rate of pay which is less than the applicable minimum wage.

FWO is in the process of updating all relevant web content, pay tools, pay and conditions guides and fact sheets and these will be made available by 1 July 2012.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) had submitted that the increase be no more than $9.40, saying employers were not in a position to pay an extra $2.8bn per year required by the submissions from trade unions. The ACTU pushed for low-wage workers to be given a $26-a-week pay increase, and it appears FWA has adjusted the pay increase at half way.

The decision has already been met with outrage from some employer groups. The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) has said the increase is another blow against a growing list of new expenses. “The increase comes at the same time as businesses are already facing higher operating costs due to the introduction of the carbon tax, the requirement to fund a three percentage point increase in superannuation contributions and the loss of the company tax cut previously promised by the Federal Government,” Richard Clancy from VECCI said. “This announcement marks another significant increase in a three year run now and will no doubt prove, once again, to have real significance for employers,” he added.

The employer group also voiced their disappointment that the FWA wage panel did not defer whole or part of the increase to struggling sectors of the economy such as retail, tourism, restaurants and catering, hospitality, manufacturing and housing construction.

Source: http://www.hcamag.com/news/check-your-payroll-minimum-wage-decision-for-2012-released/129623/

Changes to the LAFHA Scheme

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 05:09:09 GMT

Changes To the LAFHA Scheme

From the 1st July 2012, there is a major change to the LAFHA Scheme, resulting on the majority of employees whom have been previously entitled to LAFHA no longer being entitled in the new financial year. These changes will have a major impact on both the employee and employer. As a general rule employees on a 457 Visa (considered temporary residents of Australia for taxation purposes) will not be entitled to a LAFHA from 1 July 2012. The only ‘temporary residents’ that may be entitled to a LAFHA are those that have current residential leases in place and are living away from these premises.

There will be limited concessions for Australians and temporary residents provided:

The employee is maintaining (strict rules will apply, the home must not be rented out) a home in Australia which they are required to live away from in order to perform their employment duties;

The employer requires the employee to live away from that home (rather than an employee’s choice); and

he period of time in which the concessions will apply is for 12 months (however this may be freshened up if the employee returns to the home).

The draft legislation incorporates both of the Government’s earlier announcements regarding LAFH changes in the Federal Budget on 8 May 2012, and also the Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook in November 2011.

From 1 July 2012, the provision of a LAFH Allowance (LAHFA) to an employee will be treated as income to an employee. Where the employee meets the criteria of LAFH, provided they can substantiate the expenditure incurred in respect of food and accommodation, there will be no tax exposure to the employee.

The ‘Living Away From Home’ changes have arrived!

It is expected that the ATO will put in place a PAYG-Withholding variation for employers, so as not to have to withhold tax on the allowance to the extent the employee would be expected to claim a deduction against the allowance. Where an employer pays the LAFH costs directly on behalf of an employee, then there will be an exemption from FBT where the ‘otherwise deductible’ rule would apply to the employee.

Transitional rules

For those employees lucky enough to have an arrangement in place with their employer before the Federal Budget (7.30pm 8 May 2012), which provided them with LAFH benefits or allowance, then the LAFH exemption (in a similar form to the current rules) will continue to apply until 1 July 2014 or the date of a new employment contract, whichever date occurs first. Where the employee is a temporary resident of Australia, the transitional rules will not apply unless the employee is maintaining a home in Australia which they are living away from. ‘Home’ means the employee’s usual place of residence in Australia, which can be owned or occupied under a lease. For Australians who qualify for the transitional rules, they are not required to maintain a home in Australia.

Substantiation requirements

Under the new rules from 1 July 2012, an employee will be required to report the LAFHA as income in their personal tax return. A deduction would be able to be claimed in their return to the extent the expenditure incurred on food and accommodation is reasonable. Written evidence will be required to support any deduction claimed for the cost of food and accommodation. In respect of substantiating food costs, an employee may opt for a simpler approach by relying on the ATO publication setting out what is considered ‘reasonable food component’. The statutory food component will increase from 1 July 2012. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.price@rsmi.com.au

Action

If you have not already done so, all employment conditions for employees receiving LAFH benefits or LAFHA will need to be revisited urgently, with the start date 1 July 2012 fast approaching. You will need to assess their entitlements under the new rules and also consider the renegotiation of employment terms and conditions with employees:

Payroll systems will need to be updated for the changes from 1 July 2012, to include all LAFHA as a taxable allowance;

LAFHA will need to be shown on the employee’s PAYG Payment Summary, commencing with the year ending 30 June 2013; and

Determine if PAYG-Withholding will be required to be withheld from LAFHA payments or part thereof.

Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace: How to perform an investigation – May HR Forum Wrap Up

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:57:08 GMT

Every 3 months, Quay Appointments play host to a HR Forum, where professionals in the HR line of work are invited to come in and discuss key HR related issues facilitated by an industry specialist. At last week’s HR Forum “how to conduct a workplace investigation our facilitator Karen Apps outlined the process

Workplace Investigation Process

Complaint/allegation
Preliminary analysis/investigation
Investigation plan
Fact-finding interviews/evidence gathering
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
Written report
Follow up/feedback

Rules for Investigators

Procedural Fairness /Natural Justice
Right of Reply
Unbiased
Timely Investigation (3 months)

Under the NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011 an employer has an obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees and this extends to bullying.

A complaint or allegation of this nature should automatically trigger an investigation. Here is a sample form from the internet.

http://hrforms.thompson.com/samples/HFGNR004_sample.pdf

Under the NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011 an employer has an obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees and this extends to bullying.

A complaint or allegation of this nature should automatically trigger an investigation

Workplace Investigation Process

Complaint/allegation
Preliminary analysis/investigation
Investigation plan
Fact-finding interviews/evidence gathering
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
Written report
Follow up/feedback

Create an overview of the investigation using a date line and a summary of the evidence

Include supporting evidence, any applicable laws, regulations, code of conduct or workplace policies that relate
Investigator will make a determination based on the balance of probability
HR will make a recommendation based on determination the necessary course of action to be taken
Complicated investigations may require external experienced workplace investigator

Thank you to everyone who attended and to Karen Apps for bringing her wealth of experience into the HR Forum.

Former “generous extras” now an expectation: Report

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:42:58 GMT

Note – This article is from the website www.hrdaily.com.au

Here is a link to the article is here

Providing certain “perks” – like parental leave, L&D opportunities and flexible work – is unlikely to improve an organisation’s engagement levels because employees now expect them as the norm, according to a new report.

The law of diminishing returns sets in quickly with many activities that employers believe contribute to their engagement scores, says the Employee Engagement Capabilities Report 2012, from RedBalloon and coaching firm AltusQ.

“What was once a generous extra for an employee quickly becomes an expectation and stops to deliver ever-increasing engagement returns that perhaps the investment requires,” it says.

Nonetheless, organisations that fail to include these offerings as part of their engagement mix “stand little chance of breaking past average levels of engagement”.

The “core” tools for improving engagement, according to the report, are:

training and development programs;
recognition programs;
non-cash rewards and incentives;
parental leave;
time off for study; and
flexible working arrangements.

Organisations that don’t invest in training and development are highly unlikely to have employee engagement scores over 40 per cent, the report says.

But while the last three initiatives have little effect on engagement levels, not investing in them or taking them away, “would definitely have a negative effect”.

The research involved more than 900 organisations in Australia and New Zealand, assessing their engagement efforts and results in terms of activities, investment and capability. (Read our previous article on “engagement capability” here.

It found the engagement activities that make the biggest difference are:

time off for volunteering;
coaching;
buddy programs; and
company lunches and nights out.

“It’s interesting to note that these activities are often the cheapest to deliver from a dollar perspective but the most time-consuming to manage and set up. Specifically, the combination of coaching and buddying in an organisation results in an 82 per cent chance of having an engagement score of 80 per cent or higher.”

Ideal spend

An investment of somewhere between $2000 and $3000 per year per employee will result in the highest likelihood of obtaining optimal engagement levels (80%+), the study found.

(Some 73 per cent of organisations with engagement scores above 80 per cent spend at least $2000 per employee on engagement programs.)

“In fact there is a 59 per cent chance that you’d achieve an 80-per-cent-plus engagement score if you invest $2000-3000,” it says.

But increasing spend on engagement activities “only delivers to a point”.

“Investing more than $3000 a year only gives you a 29 per cent chance of achieving an 80-per-cent-plus score and a 50 per cent chance of a 60-80 per cent score,” the report says.

Closing the gap

The biggest gaps between the skills of the most engaged organisations, and those scoring 40-60 per cent, are in the capabilities of expectation management, communication, effective meetings, managing capacity and workload, and coaching.

For organisations scoring less than 40 per cent, the biggest opportunities for improvement lie in increasing their capability in the areas of brand, expectation management, coaching, reward and recognition, and effective meetings.

For the second year running, the study found culture is the biggest predictor of a high engagement score. Organisations with highly engaged workers have the highest capability scores in this area, meaning they “manage and bring alive” what is important to people in the business and what guides their behaviour.

Further, the highly engaged organisations were up to 20 times as likely to see increases or improvements in customer satisfaction, attraction of key talent, productivity, turnover and profit, than those with engagement scores under 60 per cent.

Note – This article is from the website www.hrdaily.com.au

Here is a link to the article is here

The Biggest Resume Mistake You Can Make

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:11:10 GMT

Your resume is the most important document in any job search. But what if you’re submitting resume after resume and receiving no results at all — not even a call? Your resume may be fatally flawed.

How can a resume betray a job seeker? It’s not just typos or poor formatting. “The biggest flaw for a resume is when it fails to showcase a person’s accomplishments, contributions and results, and instead spouts a job description of each position he’s held,” says Lauren Milligan, founder of ResuMayDay, a resume-writing and career-coaching firm based near Chicago

Use these three tips to make sure your resume doesn’t betray you.

1. Think Big

Whatever jobs you’ve held — be it as an assistant or a CEO — think beyond the everyday tasks of your position. “People get bogged down in the day-to-day details of their jobs, but when it comes to your resume, you’ve got to get out of the clutter and ask yourself, ‘What does this work mean?'” Milligan says.

If a manager is hiring for an administrative assistant, he already knows what an admin does and doesn’t want to see a resume that says an applicant can type and answer a phone. “You have to go beyond that to point out your specific strengths,” Milligan says.

Start by having big-picture conversations about what you do and how it serves the organization as a whole. “If you’re in a support position, consider how successful the person you support is and how you help her do her job better,” Milligan says. “What role do you have in her successes? Those are your accomplishments.”

2. Be Clear

Focusing on your accomplishments rather than your specific responsibilities will help keep your resume concise. “There’s a huge difference between a resume and the Great American Novel,” says Milligan. “The resumes I’m most proud of summed up a 25-year career in a single page.”

She urges job seekers to remember that resumes are typically skimmed for a mere six to eight seconds. “Make sure you’re identifying the companies you worked for, how long you were there and if you earned a promotion,” she says. “Those are things that people look for immediately.” Also, if your job title is long and vague, tighten it up so that people immediately understand what you’ve done. For example, “Marketing Manager” is much more accessible than “Global Identity Architect.”

Given the time you have to catch a recruiter’s eye, a focused, accomplishment-driven resume is the way to go. “If you are loaded up on peripheral stuff, it’s too hard for a hiring manager to find your story,” Milligan says.

3. Get Real

What if you come up blank when trying to think about how you’ve helped build the big picture for your employer?

“A couple of times I’ve talked to people who insisted they just did their jobs and there’s nothing special about them that jumps out,” Milligan says. She’s asked them outright if they’re in the right position. “It’s a difficult question to ask, but these people may be chasing the wrong job,” she says

She counsels clients that if they cannot speak about what they’ve done in terms of enhancing the position or the company, “You may be just punching a clock — and you and your employer deserve more.”

Look for other opportunities in which you can contribute and grow professionally. You’ll enjoy a more rewarding career and have a more successful resume.

*Article written by Caroline M.L. Potter and posted by Quay Appointments.

Changes in new harmonised OH&S laws by 1 January 2012

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:30:56 GMT

The Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) harmonisation laws are to be implemented by 1 January 2012, a mere three months away.

The concept of uniform OH&S laws across the country has gained support as it became evident that the lack of consistency has been problematic for both employers and employees. Some states initially expressed hesitation; however, once Queensland initiated acceptance of the new OH&S laws, other states, including NSW, moved to pass the set of laws as well.

On 5 May 2011, the recently elected NSW Liberal Government tabled two Bills which not only introduced the model Work Health and Safety Act (“WHS Act”) but also expedited many of the changes by proposing amendments to the current Occupational Health and Safety Act (NSW) 2000 (“OHS Act”).

The Occupational Health And Safety Amendment Act 2011 (“OHSA Act”), introduced to immediately amend the current NSW OHS Act:

removes the reverse onus of proof;
makes directors and officers no longer automatically liable for any breaches by the corporation; and
retains the unions’ power to prosecute. (A provision of the Bill which would have immediately removed unions’ right to prosecute was dropped under amendments proposed by the cross benchers on 27 May 2011.)

Below are a few of the changes the new laws bring in.

Change in onus of proof

Under the old OHS Act, employers had a duty to ensure health and safety in the workplace subject to a limited defence of reasonable practicability, a “reverse onus” duty. This reverse onus of proof has now been removed from the harmonised legislation which restores the presumption of innocence.

Under the new OHSA Act, the onus moves to the prosecution to establish the employer did not take all reasonably practicable measures to prevent the risk to health and safety occurring. [1] The prosecution will now be required to set out what the employer could “reasonably” have done to prevent the risk to health and safety.

This change has been made as a transitional amendment in preparation for the harmonised WHS Act where the prosecution must prove that an employer has not “so far as reasonably practicable” ensured the health and safety of its employees and that they are not put under any risk from work carried out.[2]

Directors and officers

Under the old OHS Act, a director or a person concerned in the management of the company is prima facie liable for any contravention of the Act unless due diligence was used to prevent the contravention.

Under the transitional OHSA Act, section 26 has been amended to impose a duty on “officers of a corporation” to exercise due diligence to ensure that the corporation complies with its occupational health and safety duties.[3] This creates a positive obligation on the part of the “officers of a corporation” to ensure due diligence has been conducted.

Officers of a corporation are those defined by section 9 of the Corporations Act, which include:

a director or secretary of a corporation;

administrators and liquidators of a corporation;

partners in a partnership; and

officeholders in a unincorporated association.

The transitional changes made under the OHSA Act mirror the changes that will be made on 1 January 2012 under the WHS Act.

The WHS Act also imposes a duty of care beyond the traditional employer-employee/ contractor relationship to capture a variety of working arrangements. Duties under the WHS Act are imposed on any “person conducting a business or undertaking”. The duty is broad and is owed not only to employees, but to contractors, labour hire workers, apprentices, trainees and work experience students.

Due diligence

Indications of the requirements of due diligence by officers are provided in a non-exhaustive list of steps under section 26(3). Due diligence requires an officer to take reasonable steps:

to acquire and keep up-to-date knowledge of OH&S matters;

to understand the nature and operations of the trade, business or other undertaking of the corporation and the associated risks;

to ensure that appropriate resources to eliminate or minimise hazards from such operations are available and utilised by the corporation;

to ensure the corporation has processes for receiving and considering information about incidents and hazards and responding in a timely manner; and

to ensure the corporation has, and implements, appropriate processes for complying with its relevant duties and obligations under the legislation, for example, reporting, consultations, training.

A consequence of this duty is that officers may be liable for failing to exercise the requisite due diligence despite the fact that the corporation itself is complying with its obligations, or without an incident or accident in the workplace even occurring. There is now a positive duty on company officers to enquire and monitor their company’s safety performance and assist company officers to better understand their safety obligations.

Under the new amendments, under either the OHSA Act or the WHS Act, an officer of the corporation may commit an offence by failing to exercise the required due diligence, despite the corporation itself complying with its requirements.

Changes in the offences

The WHS Act groups offences into three categories, with penalties scaled according to each category. Category 1 offences are the most serious breaches involving recklessness and exposing an individual (to whom a duty is owed) to the risk of death or serious illness or injury. Category 2 offences occur where a person is exposed to a high level of risk of death or serious illness or injury, but without recklessness. Category 3 offences are breaches without a high risk of serious harm and without recklessness.

The WHS Act significantly increases penalties for breaches, with maximum penalties scaled according to the offences. The maximum penalty for a body corporate ranges from $500,000 (category 3 offence) to $3,000,000 (category 1 offence). Under the old OHS Act, reckless conduct by corporations causing death attracted a penalty of $1,650,000, while breach of general duties attracted $550,000 for a first offence and $825,000 for second and subsequent offences.

The legislation also grants courts a wider variety of sentencing orders. Under the old OHS Act, orders could be imposed on defendants to take steps to remedy any matter the offence caused, pay WorkCover’s investigation costs, publicise the offence, or undertake projects for general improvement of OHS.

Where a court convicts a person or finds a person guilty of an offence against the WHS Act, sentencing options include enforceable undertakings, remedial orders, adverse publicity orders, training orders, injunctions, compensation orders and community service orders, in addition to any penalty.

Jurisdictional changes

The WHS Act takes the jurisdiction for OHS offences away from the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and prosecutions will now be instituted for summary offences in the Local Court (which will have the jurisdiction to order fines of up to $50,000) or the District Court.

Difference in consultation

The WHS Act imposes a broader obligation on the person conducting the business or undertaking regarding consultation. Persons conducting the business or undertaking must consult with “workers”, not just “employees”, as far as reasonably practicable, about OH&S matters.

In addition to this, for instances of specific circumstances, consultation is required when for example, identifying hazards and assessing risks.

There are no transitional arrangements from the old OHS to the new WHS Act as this area was not addressed in the OHSA Act. Every employer, or adviser to an employer, should acquaint themselves with these important new developments.

*Article provided by Clayton Utz and posted by Quay Appointments.

Interviews : The Moment of Truth

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:22:51 GMT

How do you sell yourself and show your potential employer how valuable you can be to their company? You want to make them hire you TODAY and not even THINK about other applicants. You know you’re the right person for the job, so how do you make THEM see that? Here are seven easy steps you can take to really make yourself shine during the interview process.

1. First, find out everything you can about the company you’d be working for. Who are its customers? What is its mission statement? How does the job you’d be performing relate to the company’s goals? Finding out this type of information gives you great insights on what kinds of questions to ask your interviewer and shows them that you’ve done your research and already have some background in the company’s business and objectives.

2. Read over the job description carefully. Analyze your own strengths and see how you can tie the two together. If you have previous experience, make note of those times where you helped achieve a specific result. Employers give more serious consideration to applicants who have a background and a track record in their industry than those who do not.

3. First impressions count. It should go without saying that you should arrive 15 minutes prior to the interview, dress appropriately (if not above) the position you’re applying for, greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and maintain eye contact throughout the discussion process. Be enthusiastic, personable and outgoing. Show a sincere interest in the people you meet and the work you’d be doing. Interviewers can tell if you’re desperate!

4. Show that you can solve problems and work well under pressure, since nearly every job will require both skills. If you can identify a particular problem in your industry or that you may face when doing this job, give the interviewer some ideas of how you would solve it. Be calm, relaxed and confident. Some nervousness is expected, but your overall mannerisms (such as fidgeting, nail-biting, slumping in your chair) will be an instant giveaway on how well you REALLY work under stress. Likewise, if you project confidence and security in how you carry yourself, the interviewer will definitely notice.

5. If your mind goes blank when asked if you have any questions (and you should ALWAYS have a couple of questions ready), consider asking why this position is open. What’s the company’s track record and turnover rate? Are they performing well and keeping employees on board? Remember, you’re not just selling yourself on how you’d be a great fit for this company, but finding out how this company could also be a great fit for you.

6. If an interviewer asks a question that makes you feel uncomfortable, smile politely and ask, “Why would you like to know?” Remember, your employer is prohibited from asking you personal questions, including references to your race, gender, sexual preference, marital status and child care situations. Your interview should be focused on how well you can perform the job, not your home and family life.

7. After the interview, be sure to follow up with a thank-you note. Recount your strengths in the letter and highlight your qualifications. Touch on specific discussions or conversations you had with the interviewer to help them remember that polished, professional, enthusiastic candidate (you). Close the note by letting the interviewer know of your sincere interest in the position and your confidence in doing it well.

If you keep all of these suggestions in mind, you’ll not only have seriously impressed your potential employer, but you’ll come away from it feeling like a winner too! Good luck!

*Article written by Careers Online and posted by Quay Appointments.

HOT TIPS FOR ATTENDING NETWORKING FUNCTIONS

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:32:10 GMT

Everyday there are an unlimited number of networking breakfasts, lunches, dinners, seminars, workshops to attend. Your budget probably determines how many of these you can afford to attend. More often than not your positive mindset determines the outcomes in attending these functions.

Many people arrive at these events stressed, angry, basically not wanting to be there. What they don’t realise is they do themselves a disservice being there because all they will attract is negative people like themselves. They are almost guaranteed to have a miserable time. So how can you maximise your attendance at these events?

1. Decide why you are attending this event. What do you want to get out of it? Is there a specific person you want to meet? Are you looking for a certain service provider?

The clearer you are on why you are going, the more chance you have of achieving it.

2. Remember to take your business cards. A business card that clearly states your name, what you do and your contact details is imperative for effective networking.

In Singapore business cards are called name cards. Give your business card to the person you are meeting as part of your introduction, “Hi, I’m Robyn Henderson, I’m a global networking specialist.”. That is as much as you are going to say about yourself, unless they ask.

3. Don’t sell your product or services at the event. Rather if the person expresses interest, suggest that you phone them to discuss further. You cannot control the situation and you may find “dinner is served” is announced mid pitch and you have lost a great opportunity to make a sale. No one wants to be sold to.

4. Have quality conversations rather than quantity. If there are 50 people at the event, don’t expect to speak to all fifty. Be content with a quality conversation with 5-7 people who the next day will look at your card and remember you and what you spoke about, and more importantly remember you the next time they see you.

5. The best networkers are the best listeners. Anyone will speak to you for ten minutes if you are not speaking about yourself.

6. Listen to the latest news or talk back radio on your way to the event, so that you have a couple of interesting current topics to talk about.

7. Avoid talking about work. 80% of the population don’t get recognition on the job and don’t want to speak about their job at all.

8. Always make eye contact when you are speaking to someone.

Robyn Henderson is the author of best sellers Networking Magic & How To Master Networking.

For a complimentary copy of her newsletter fax 61 2 9369.1053 or phone 61 2 9369.1053

Article written by Robin Henderson and posted by Quay Appointments Recruitment Agency.

Are you being ‘romanced’ by jobs that you shouldn’t?

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:37:08 GMT

As a job seeker it is likely at some stage you have been ‘romanced’ to apply for various job opportunities that were not necessarily in line with where you saw your career path going. It is common for job seekers to become distracted, particularly when searching jobs online or being approached or headhunted about jobs.

As a professional or executive, having a clear career plan and strategy becomes increasingly important. Being clear and focused on the jobs that are going to get you where you want and the industries you want to be building your career within are important. Too often I see job seekers not sticking to their plan and wasting time applying for jobs that are off their career track and are not going to get them where they want, or that they are unlikely to get an interview for.

A few things you can to do to assist keep you focused are:
– Have a career goal and strategy to support it (short and long term)
– List the job types and industry/s you want to develop your career within and keep it handy to refer to when job seeking
– When applying for jobs remain focused – if you do find yourself being distracted by great sounding jobs that are out of your focus, revisit your strategy and list of jobs and industries
– Likewise when approached or headhunted about jobs, revisit your list – if it does not add up walk away

While there is nothing wrong with being spontaneous and carefree, when it comes to your career it is certainly something that requires more considered thinking and a strategic approach.

Article written by Six Figures and posted by Quay Appointments.

How Mothers Re-entering the Work Force Can Find the Job of Their Dreams

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:40:32 GMT

If you are one of the many women thinking about returning to the workforce after taking time out to start a family, you might feel a bit lost.

Technology has changed, your field may have shifted, and your priorities may be different now that you have little ones at home. The corporate job that excited you before having kids, for example, might appear too demanding.

How do you sort it all out? Many women are working on it. It used to be once you were a stay-at-home-mom you would likely always be one. But more and more modern moms choose to return to work after taking time off to have children. The path from mummy hood back to work is different for every woman and can sometime be hard to navigate.

The good news is you don’t have to do it all at once. Returning to the workforce can be broken into small, manageable steps. Just because you’ve decided to go back to work doesn’t mean it needs to happen tomorrow. Break the process down and get started!

Research – What type of work are you interested in? Do you want to go back to your old job? If so, are there any skills you need to brush up on before going back? If you want to do something drastically different, what is it? If you used to work for a bank, but now you want to start a dog daycare, for example, take a close look at how the work will affect your day-to-day life. Evaluate what kind of a lifestyle this new work would offer and how much you could expect to make.

Find a mentor – Nothing can help prepare you for returning to work like an enthusiastic mentor. They’ve already had success in the job you’re looking into and can warn you of the pitfalls as well as encourage you.

Test It Out – Consider taking the time to test-drive your dream job. Spending a few days with a mentor, observing their work, will teach you volumes about whether this is the right path for you. Listen to your gut. If actually doing the work makes you realize it wouldn’t be a practical job with young kids at home, better to know that now then after leaping into the career in real life. Ask yourself, what did I love about this job? What did I not like? What surprised me the most? Could I do this job day in, day out?

Create an action plan – Now that you know what you need to do, set out incremental steps you need to take. Should you go back to school or get certified in a field? If you are starting your own business, do you need to get a loan or find space to rent? Establish a network of supporters, including your mentor, and rely on them for encouragement.

Involve your family – Going back to work will be a big change for your spouse and your children. Be sure they feel included in this process and let them know their support is important to you. If your spouse or kids have reservations about you returning to work, talk through the fears and try to address them specifically. If your children are afraid they won’t have any quality time with you, for example, agree on a sacred time like bedtime or Saturday mornings that you’ll always be available to them.

Returning to work after spending years raising children holds many unknowns. Are you ready to return to work? What kind of work will be the right fit for raising kids? How will the family react? These questions and more can be answered with good research, the guidance of a good mentor and the real-life experience of test-driving your dream job.

Article written by Brian Kurth and posted by Quay Appointments.

7 Errors You Want to Avoid While Job Seeking

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:44:20 GMT

It’s so very easy to make mistakes while job seeking. Even seasoned professionals can struggle some when in the midst of a job search. Don’t be discouraged if you think you’ve made some mistakes along the way. Job seeking is like working a job; you’re always fine-tuning your skills. But before you start searching again, consider the following seven job seeking errors you want to avoid:

1. Searching without organization: It’s a great idea to organize your search so you know which companies you want to apply to, why you’re choosing them, and why they should choose you. Having this type of organization helps you write great resumes and helps you to choose companies and positions that suit you best.

2. Forgetting to check your references: Some hiring managers find candidates list references without ensuring the person actually would recommend them for the job—not good, since some references may not have great feedback to offer.

3. Choosing to close off job options: It’s always a good idea to apply for multiple positions. Just because you think you’re perfect for a job doesn’t mean a manager will think so. To play it safe, keep your options open.

4. Avoiding temporary jobs: Many professionals have acquired great permanent positions from temporary jobs. In fact, some employers prefer to hire from within—even from their contractor pool—so don’t overlook this option.

5. Using your work e-mail on your resume: Employers don’t like to see a candidate readily willing to use company resources when fulfilling personal objectives. So if you don’t already have a professional e-mail address, set one up that either uses your full name only (e.g. JohnDoe@emailaddress.com) or some variation with a title (e.g. JohnDoeAccountant@emailaddress.com).

6. Not utilizing networking resources: If you don’t have a networking pool to turn to—both online and offline—then you’re not fully utilizing your resources. Your friends, family, former co-workers, and strangers in your field are there to help. So keep up with networking associates and grant them favors when asked. Also join social networking clubs and organizations to acquire more buddies.

7. Failing to send out a thank you note: To most job seekers, a thank-you note is the last thing on their minds. This is exactly why it’s a mistake to not send one! Get it done by e-mail or snail mail. And don’t forget to thank everyone—hiring managers, non-hiring managers, secretaries—everyone.

There is no doubt that conducting a job search is like working a job itself; you have a lot of work to do to get hired. Minimizing minor errors along the way works wonders in making your job easier. So keep working hard on your search—and don’t give up—because your next great job is just around the corner!

Article written by Jessica Holbrook Hernandez and posted by Quay Appointments.

Is Your Resume Ready for a Recruiter?

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:48:10 GMT

Great news! You received a call out of the blue from a recruiter who wants to see your resume quickly. But what if you haven’t kept it current?

First of all, consider asking for more time to pull things together. After all, the recruiter’s job is easier if your resume clearly tells the employer why you’re a strong candidate.

Now, on to getting that resume in shape! Here are 3 tips to help you craft a compelling document—even if you’re short on time:

1. Focus squarely on the goal.

Nothing kicks an applicant out of the running faster than an unfocused resume. Therefore, you’ll need to build your value proposition around this particular job, laying the foundation for the strategy behind your resume. (You can always create a different resume for another job type later).

Add a resume title, using as many specifics as possible that reflect your goal, such as Sales Manager, IT Director, CFO, VP Operations, etc.

Next, you’ll need to write down ideas for a summary of your background and why you’re qualified for this particular position. The key to writing an effective summary is to tweak it and keep it flexible during your resume writing process, allowing different ideas to surface so that you can weave them into this section.

One idea that may make this task easier is to use short, brand-focused headlines in lieu of writing a full profile paragraph.

Remember to review your summary after finishing your resume as well. You might find that you’ve uncovered more information to add—forming the basis for a well-rounded, powerful introduction to the rest of your credentials.

2. Jot down your major success stories.

Here is where you’ll need to spend the bulk of your time. Analyzing how your contributions have impacted your employers is a critical step in the resume writing process.

Start by making a quick list of key points that you’d make if you already had the interview. Take special note of the metrics behind each story and the impact of your work on the company.

Flesh each out to a small paragraph, cutting out extraneous details for brevity. It’s best to aim for a sentence of 3 lines or less that describes your role, the context behind each accomplishment, and the results.

Repeat this process a minimum of 3-5 times for each job that you’ve held in the past 10 to 15 years to fill in your resume. This task may take a few extra hours, but it will be time well spent on a resume that gives a compelling picture of your abilities.

Finally, add these stories in bullet-point form to your resume, with a basic job description in paragraph form to introduce each of your jobs. Here, you can describe the teams you’ve supervised, budgets managed, and other contextual details.

3. Get feedback on your resume update.

This is an important step, but it’s one that many professionals miss. Colleagues, spouses, bosses, and friends can help you to recall any important projects you might have omitted, or leadership qualities that you should demonstrate in order to be considered for the job.

Be sure to ask others to help proofread your resume as well, since typos and other errors can escape even the best writer who is pressed for time.

That’s it! Now, take the time to compose a short note to the recruiter that points out your main qualifications and the reasons you’re interested in the job. Your new, superbly crafted resume can then do the rest of the talking.

Article written by Laura Smith-Proulx and posted by Quay Appointments.

5 Resume Basics We Bet You’ve Overlooked!

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:51:55 GMT

Here are five basic resume rules and the mistakes you make that break them. Thousands of job seekers make these mistakes. Are you making them, too?

FORGETTING TO INCLUDE A COVER LETTER

Not attaching a cover letter to a resume is like shooting in the dark. Hiring managers receive hundreds of unsolicited resumes every week. Tell them specifically what opening you are applying to or the position you’re inquiring about. Do not presume they will figure it out from your resume.

USING AN OBJECTIVE

Point blank, objectives are bad form, self-serving and will get you nowhere in this job market. Instead of telling the employer what you want show them what you can do. When you buy something the store doesn’t tell you what they want from you. You know what they want; they want your business and your money. Employers know what you want – you want a job. Instead utilize a career summary that will “show” not just “tell” the employer how you can meet their needs and a completely customized personal branding statement.

UTILIZING HEADERS VERSUS YOUR TARGET JOB TITLE AND PERSONAL BRAND

Titling sections (career summary, qualifications summary) uses up valuable real estate on your resume. Space you could be using to advertise your unique value, talent, passion, and vision. Instead, create a catchy personal branding statement that immediately tells the employer who you are and what you offer.

LEAVING OUT INDUSTRY SPECIFIC KEYWORDS

Forget keywords and you’re neglecting all three audiences that will review your resume. Even worse you’re excluding yourself from being found in candidate databases, job search engines, social networks and more. First, your resume has to make it through the software scan, then the secretary or administrative assistant scan, then on to the hiring manager who actually knows what you’re doing and how you are supposed to do it – you NEED the right keywords. Here’s a hint: check the job description. They are in there I guarantee it.

PROOFREAD, SLEEP, PROOFREAD, AND GO BACKWARDS

One small mistake and you’re out of the running. Proofread your documents carefully. Take a night to sleep on it and then read it again. When you go back to read the resume the second time read it backwards one word at a time. Experts say this simple trick will catch any mistakes you would normally read right over.

Use this checklist to determine if your resume passes the “basics” test. If it does, you are well on your way to a professionally written resume. If it doesn’t, adjust what you can and if you feel like you’re hitting a brick wall check out our samples page for a few samples of professionally written resumes.’

Article written by Jessica Holbrook Hernandez and posted by Quay Appointments.

Selection criteria: The key to your dream government job

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:57:34 GMT

It can be safely said that the key to your dream government job is your selection criteria statement. Selection criteria are central when applying for jobs in the Australian Public Service and state, territory and local governments.

Furthermore, selection criteria are also being widely used by the community sector, professional associations, universities and TAFE, and even by some private sector organisations.

Selection criteria are becoming more and more common and can pose a serious challenge to people who aren’t sure how to answer them correctly.

What exactly are the Selection Criteria?

Selection criteria are the skills, abilities, knowledge, experiences, qualifications and personal qualities that you will need to perform the role you’re applying for. They help the employer to find the right person for the position – and your job is to convince them that is you, by addressing each in turn and demonstrating how well you satisfy each requirement.

Selection criteria can range from general (good communication skills) to very specific (advanced level skills in generating reports and spreadsheets). They can also range in importance, from essential (‘must have’) to less important or ‘desirable’ (‘nice to have’). Candidates need to satisfy all the essential criteria in order to be considered for a job.

Why are Selection Criteria Important?

Many people applying for government jobs for the first time may not be aware of just how important your selection criteria responses are. They are a critical part of applying for most government jobs and essential to creating an outstanding application.

Even if you have a brilliant resume that shows you have excellent skills and qualifications to do the job and you have written an absolutely sensational cover letter, if you don’t address the selection criteria in a separate document that explains how well you fit each requirement, chances are you will be overlooked. Fulfilling the selection criteria to the satisfaction of the selection committee is the only way you can make it across the line to the next stage of the recruitment process – the interview.

The Application Kit

With government positions and other jobs that require a selection criteria statement you will often be provided with an application kit that will tell you exactly what to submit with your application. This can generally be found on the company’s website or attached to the job advertisement. If it’s not on the website, give the company a call and have it sent out to you.

So what can you expect to find in an application kit? They are generally very comprehensive and give you an overview of the department, an application form, instructions, the selection criteria, duty statement and other information such as OH&S procedures. These application kits are usually very clear and explain exactly what you need to do to apply. Follow these instructions and you should have no problem applying successfully.

If you have any queries, give the HR Department a call to make sure everything is clear. It’s better to ask questions than risk screwing up your application, which could inevitably cost you the job.

Writing Your Responses

Once you have the information kit and have written a winning cover letter and sensational resume (specifically for this job of course!), you’re ready to get started on your selection criteria statement. This is the most important part of your application and should always be included as a separate document.

There is no hard and fast rule about how long responses should be. Some agencies and government departments do not want any more than a paragraph per criterion; others do not have a limit. As a guide, keep to about 250 words per criterion (or approximately three paragraphs) and try to be as concise as possible – never more than one A4 page per criterion. You don’t want the assessor to fall asleep before they finish reading your statement!

Ten Top Tips for Addressing Selection Criteria:

1. Be honest – do not make unsupported claims.

2. Read carefully and make sure you understand key phrases such as ‘experience in’ and ‘knowledge of’.

3. Make sure the examples are relevant.

4. Use direct, active verbs and address all parts of the selection criteria.

5. Check to find out the maximum length for each response – never more than an A4 page per criterion and usually half a page is plenty.

6. Use bullet (dot) points to show your ability to write concisely and clearly.

7. Use language that is relevant to the position but avoid excessive use of jargon.

8. Proofread your work carefully.

9. Get someone else to proofread your responses.

10. Give tangible examples of your claim (think STAR – situation, task, action, result).

Article provided from Career FAQs and posted by Quay Appointments.

Guidelines to Effective Follow-Up After Interview

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:02:05 GMT

So you’ve just finished an interview for your dream role, working for your dream company and its only natural that you are anxious, excited and keen to know whether or not you have scored the job.

I have emphasized this before and I’ll say it again, following up with the company via email or phone call is a good thing. It shows you are proactive and that you have a good initiative. However, as a candidate you must keep in mind that over contacting (in other words ‘pestering’) can sometimes be detrimental to your chances of being selected.

In order to know how much is too much, there is a general rule of thumb that applies:

As the interview comes to a close, ask how long it will be until a decision is made. Then once that period has come and gone you can send email requesting to know whether you are still in the running.

Wait one full week from the day you send that e-mail for a response. If you don’t hear anything, send another e-mail and keep it short and polite. Let the company know how interested you are in the job.

Wait three more weeks and if you still have not heard from the company you can pick up the phone and try to find out if the job has been filled.

After that, it’s time to assume someone else has been hired for the position. However don’t be afraid to call back in two months to check how the new hire is working out and if they might be hiring in the future. Suprisingly enough, circling back can lead you to new job possibilities that haven’t yet been posted.

By following the above guidelines you will find a nice balance – you’re not pestering the company but you’re not giving up either.

Goodluck!!

Article written by Monique Gibara at Quay Appointments.

10 Incredibly Stupid Things Networkers Do (or Don’t Do) that Short Circuits Them

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:23:53 GMT

You have one of those “spam blockers” on your e-mail that requires people to fill out a form and ask for your permission before your e-mail will go through. Disable it now! If you’re job hunting and employers want to reach you, forget it if you make them work to get to you. There are plenty of other candidates out there who aren’t as fussy as you are. Put up with a little spam to make life easier for those you want to hear from — or you probably won’t hear from them.

Having a home phone number that is answered by other people. Make sure your networking information only has a cell phone — and you answer it promptly and check messages frequently — if you have anyone living at your house other than you. This includes a spouse, who may either forget to give you an important message, or become aggressive in trying to “help” you get the job. Make sure you and only you have control over your phone.

Having a funny message on your voice mail. “ Hi there. We’re making mad passionate love right now, but we’d love to talk to you when we’re done ,” or, my favorite, “ They’re coming to take me away…hee, haha, hoohoo, hee ” is very funny for your closest friends (maybe), but inappropriate for employers to hear. And, folks, your child on the answering machine is cute only to you, and, perhaps, the grandparents. No one else wants to hear it.

Not having business cards. Get them now. Make sure your name, a mailing address, phone number and e-mail are all on there. Have 1,000 made. Don’t use those flimsy computer printer cards. You can print your own if you have a very good printer and use heavy cardstock, but get them professionally cut (about $6.00).

Not having a concise statement of who you are and what you do. While you may do many things in life and in your employment, if you can’t be put into a mental “box” in about 30 seconds people will write you off. Be sure you can pinpoint what your main professional function in life is. If you can’t, get help.

Dressing inappropriately for networking events. Obviously, you’re going to dress differently for a singles event designed to generate dating from a business event designed to generate new business or make professional contacts. Make sure you know the rules of attire for each event, and don’t dress in any way that makes you seem less than professional.

Grabbing a table or a corner with your friends and camping out there. You’re there to meet new people. Meet them!

Excessive alcohol. A drink or two can loosen you up enough to network well. Five or six drinks can start a reputation as a lush. Carefully watch your alcohol intake. And keep in mind even the best event has very limited food. Eat before you go to an event to counterbalance the alcohol you’re probably going to consume. One glass of wine on an empty stomach can be too much for some folks.

Reeking of cigarette smoke. If you must persist in smoking, please make sure you’re well aired-out before you come into an event. Smoking is a major turn-off for employers, prospective business partners and most of the rest of the sane world.

Reeking of perfume or cologne. I strongly suggest not wearing either perfume or cologne at all, and being incredibly careful about scented hairsprays, lotions and body washes. Many people have severe allergies. Someone who reacts to you by sneezing and coughing in your presence isn’t going to help you in any way. They will avoid you. Of course (see number nine above) if you must continue to smoke, a little cologne smell is probably marginally better than smelling like a stale ashtray. But don’t marinate in it, please!

Article written by John Heckers and posted by Quay Appointments.

Top 10 People You Must Have in Your Network

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:27:40 GMT

In this labor market, having a strong network is critical to your professional survival. There are plenty of tips and articles on where to find people, how and when to connect to them and even what you need to say to attract and maintain your network. This article focuses on WHO should be in your network.

Here are the top 10 people that should be in your network:

The Mentor : This is the person who has reached the level of success you aspire to have. You can learn from their success as well as their mistakes. Heed their wisdom and experience. This relationship offers a unique perspective because they have known you through several peaks and valleys in your life and watched you evolve.
The Coach : The coach is someone who comes in at different times in your life. They help with critical decisions and transitions and offer an objective perspective with no strings attached.
The Industry Insider : This is someone in your chosen field who has expert level information or access to it. This person will keep you informed of what’s happening now and what the next big thing is. Invite them to be a sounding board for your next innovative idea.
The Trendsetter : This is someone outside of your chosen industry that always has the latest buzz. It can be on any topic you find interesting. The goal in having this person in your network is to look for those connections that spark innovation via the unconventional. It will also help you keep your conversations interesting.
The Connector : This is a person who has access to people, resources and information. As soon as they come across something related to you, they are sending you an email or picking up the phone. Connectors are great at uncovering unique ways to make connections, finding resources and opportunities most people would over look.
The Idealist : This is the person in your network you can dream with. No matter how “out there” your latest idea is, this is the person that will help you brainstorm ways to make it happen. Without judgment, they are focused on helping you flush out your dreams in high definition, even if you don’t have a solid plan yet on how to make it happen.
The Realist : On the flip side you still need the person who will help you keep it real. This is he person who will give you the raised eyebrow when your expectations exceed your effort. These are not people who knock down your dreams rather they challenge you to actively make your dream happen.
The Visionary : Visionary people inspire you by their journey. They are similar to the Idealist, but the visionary can help you envision an actual plan to reach your goal. One personal encounter with this type of person can powerfully change the direction of your thinking and life.
The Partner : You need to have someone who is in a similar place and on a similar path to share with. In fact, partners do a lot of sharing. This is a person you can share the wins and woes with. Partners will also share resources, opportunities and information.
The Wanna-be : This is someone you can serve as mentor to. Someone you can help shape and guide based on your experiences. One of the best ways to tell you understand something is to be able to explain it to someone else. And sometimes, one of the best motivators for pushing through obstacles and hardship is knowing someone is watching.

Obviously you will want to have more than 10 people in your network. The trick is to make sure you are building a diverse network by adding people from different industries, backgrounds, age groups, ethnic groups, etc…that fit into the roles listed above. Building a deep network by only including people from your current profession or business focus leaves too many stones unturned, limiting potential opportunities.

Serious about building a strong professional network that can actually provide the leverage you need to make progress at work? Evaluate your current network and get started filling in the gaps.

Happy networking!

4 Telltale Signs of a Good Job Candidate

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:32:32 GMT

1) Willingness to go the extra mile (literally) : It’s a tough job market out there and, while interviews can be done these days by phone or even Sykpe, it’s always more effective to meet face-to-face. Candidates who live in a different city from where the job is and take the initiative to get on a bus/train/plane to come interview in person show a true desire to get the position. Recently, I saw two potential hires who did just this — took the bus from their hometowns, each four hours away from New York City, to show up in the flesh for an interview. Another one, who was a plane ride away, offered to fly in for an interview in case her distance would affect her chances of being hired.

2) More than just a working knowledge of the company : It’s so easy now to pull up a company’s website, set up a Google alert to push relevant news into your inbox and/or follow the company or its officials on Twitter. You can also look up your interviewer on LinkedIn or Twitter to find out his or her professional and personal background/interests. Just don’t bring up every detail you read in the interview (i.e. How’s your daughter feeling? I understand she was sick.) or you’ll seem like a stalker. But coming prepared with information about the company, its recent announcements and what makes it unique and you’ll demonstrate an enthusiasm and genuine interest in working there in particular (versus just wanting a new job).

3) Mastery of the English language : Sounds obvious, right? Well, I’m serious. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve received a cover letter, resume or thank you e-mail with spelling or grammar mistakes in it or had a job candidate curse or use bad grammar in an interview. Recent examples include a note with “you’re” spelled as “your”; a cover letter that said “I am a highly motivated individual who possesexcellent communication skills” (um, maybe not!); and the much-too-frequent use of the phrase “me and her.” All of the above are instant turnoffs. Keep in mind that anything you write or say to a potential employer should be carefully worded and crafted so you come across as intelligent and well-spoken. Have someone else read it before you hit send or, if you can’t do that, set it aside for an hour or a day and then read it aloud. Whatever you do, don’t rely on spell-check alone.

4) Persistence (in a positive way): Again, you don’t want to be a stalker but following up with an e-mail and/or a handwritten thank you note is a good idea and will keep you top-of-mind for a potential employer. Checking in on the status of the hiring process or offering to come back in and meet with other members of the team demonstrates that you’re truly interested in the position. If you read a positive article about the company where you’re interviewing, it doesn’t hurt to drop a note to the HR person or interviewer you met with to congratulate them — it shows that you’re doing your research and staying up on company/industry news.

4 Tips for Connecting with a New Boss

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:36:26 GMT

Undoubtedly, most of us have gone through some kind of transition with our supervisors. Perhaps the person was recruited away to another company or maybe there was a merger and they got reassigned to another department.

Whatever the reason, something important has been lost. When your boss leaves, they take with them that person’s knowledge of your contributions, skills, knowledge, and expertise.

And a new boss means a completely blank slate.

Your new job is to get to know them, ASAP. If you don’t take the time to build rapport, it could have deadly consequences to your career.

The reason?

If they don’t know your value, they could make decisions that don’t factor you in as a valuable asset.

Try using these four tips to connect with your new boss:

1. Speak up in meetings . If you are always in the background, now is the time to jump in. If you aren’t seen as an active participant on the team, this could be a red flag to a boss who might be surveying the landscape for potential house cleaning later. Be a positive contributor.

2. Set up a one-on-one meeting . If the boss has not done so already, set up a time to meet with them to provide an overview of your work and to allow them to get to know you better. Building connections will also help you both assess your working styles to figure out how you will be able to communicate best. This can lay the ground work for a great collaborative work relationship.

3. Provide regular updates. You don’t need to be a classic ‘brown-noser’ but proactively providing updates on project status or other work you are conducting is one less question or request that the boss has to make. If you reliably turn in work or reports on-time and in an organized fashion, you’ll be perceived as professional and as the department standard.

4. Empower, Educate, and Engage . New bosses don’t necessarily want to admit that they are behind the learning curve in getting acclimated to a new company or division. They are struggling to get caught up with priorities, challenges, and opportunities, while trying to get to know the team that will take them there. Be willing to share in a helpful way to give the new boss the knowledge and tools to get them up to speed as soon as possible. You could gain a very powerful career advocate as a result.

If you build a reputation as a helpful, friendly resource who is competent in your work and an engaged member of the team, your new boss will see you as an important asset and include you in key projects and potential promotions.

3 Critical Things to Know Before Jumping Ship in a Bad Economy

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:39:59 GMT

As anyone who has looked for a job knows, there is no such thing as a “sure bet” for employment. A lot of what goes into accepting an employment offer means exercising your “best guess” because, just as you are on your best behavior, the company for which you are interviewing is usually on their best behavior as well.

There are exceptions, of course. Case in point: Many years ago, I was on the fast track to getting hired on to a company which was, quite attractively, less than a mile from my house. (I had been commuting 30+ miles each way and had horrible traffic to contend with – which made this opportunity all the more attractive.)

However, little “red flag” indicators along the interview process started to pop up. Probably the most blatant one was when the human resource manager leaned over in one of my several interviews, and told me that the person I would be reporting to was a real hothead. Really? Wow.

Several other things came up as well that put me at unease, and in the end, I actually took myself out of the running because I could see a very unhealthy workplace in the making. And I walked away, secure in the knowledge I made the right decision. If the HR person told me that the boss was a hothead IN THE INTERVIEW…things weren’t going to get much better once I came on board!

The point is there are several things you need to be thinking about when jumping ship or accepting employment at another organization. If you keep these critical points in mind, you’ll be just a little more secure when making a big decision to go to work for a different company.

1. Do your due diligence – check the company’s financial status – Many larger companies are often in the news. Review company stock reports and read up on the company mentioned in news articles – many times, these business publications provide tips and clues about company fiscal health. Don’t be afraid to ask questions in the interview about the financial health of the company. Some companies are currently at a balancing point that a few more financial hits might send them tumbling into bankruptcy or even closure, and you’ll want to be well aware of their situation before signing on.

2. Conduct a culture check – Hopefully, one of the reasons you landed the job interview is by way of someone who is an internal contact or has insider knowledge of the company. Make sure you plumb your connection’s insights as to the organizational culture. Sometimes, they can provide valuable insights as to personalities to avoid, core organizational challenges, and internal politics. What is the morale like? Are employees energized or cringing? Asking questions such as, “What kinds of professional development does your company offer?”can also tell volumes about how a workplace might value employees. Are they willing to invest in staff to improve their job duties?

3. Turn your radar on – One thing many job seekers fail to do is realize they are interviewing a company just as much as they are interviewing the job seeker. You may be in a bad situation currently, but can you afford to jump ship…literally from the frying pan into the fire? Be alert and watch from cues…if you are in a panel interview with the boss plus several peers, watch the interactions closely to see how people react to the supervisor. Are sideways looks exchanged, body postures tense, or are answers clipped/restrained? Observing employers in the laboratory which is the job interview can provide valuable insights on what might be going on in the background, and those are absolute indicators of what could be problems in the future.

Before you consider accepting employment in another firm, you need to do research…and a lot of it, beyond just understanding what the target company is all about.

The old axiom of “Last hired, first fired” carries a lot of weight. Just as I mentioned earlier, there are no ‘sure bets’ when it comes to finding “secure” employment, you definitely want to do your very best to ferret out any potential problems with a prospective new employer before committing to jumping ship.

You could just save yourself a whole lot of aggravation and will make a much more informed decision as a result.

2 Resume Mistakes… Are you guilty?

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:47:16 GMT

There’s tremendous benefit to using simplicity in writing when it comes to cover letters and resumes. What do I mean by simplicity in writing? Writing that reflects the way you would speak naturally, while remaining professional.

Turn-Off #1: Big Words

I prefer a common one-syllable word to a multi-syllable word (for example, “use” instead of “utilize”) because of its simplicity. With the smaller word, there’s no sense that the job seeker is trying to impress with a big mouthful that could easily have been stated with fewer and shorter words.

Of course I don’t mean you should never use words of more than one syllable. But when given a choice between a short or long word, it’s often best to use the shorter of the two.

Turn-Off #2: Thesaurus Overload

Another word-choice turn-off: obvious use of a thesaurus. Variety of words within a document is great (for example, “manage,” “supervise,” “oversee,” “coordinate”). But a resume or letter that reads like a thesaurus sounds bombastic when the variations on the word are not commonly used in the job seeker’s field and probably are not used by the job seeker himself.+

In other words, it’s a turn-off when the job seeker obviously looked through a thesaurus to find words to make himself look “smart and interesting.”

How To Avoid Poor Word Choices in Your Cover Letter and Resume

Here’s one way to see if a poor word-choice has slipped into your cover letter or resume:

Ask a friend to listen to you read your resume out loud. If your friend hears you hesitate or stumble on a word, then maybe that’s an indication that you’ve used a word that’s not in your natural vocabulary, and should be changed to something that rolls off your tongue more easily. After all, what if an employer asks you a question about that statement during an interview? You’ll need to be able to respond using similar language in a natural way.

So set yourself up for success by writing a resume and cover letter that “talks” the way you do — professionally, of course.

What Do Your Interview Clothes Say About You?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:49:55 GMT

You check yourself out in the mirror several times before your important interview. And, if you do say so yourself, you look pretty spiffy. Or … so you think. The real question, though, is: How do you look to others? How will interviewers perceive you based on your clothing? DiversityInc asked experts for advice on how to send the best message with proper interview attire.

The Message You Send

Whether you’re a fashionista or someone who has been wearing the same suit for years, you should be aware of what message you send with your interview clothes. Your first interview is not the place to be making a grand fashion statement, but, rather, to demonstrate your professionalism.

“You really want them to be engaged in what you have to say, and allow the clothes that you’re wearing to be an appropriate frame that communicates, ‘I am serious. I am mature. I don’t take this opportunity lightly. And I’m coming here for some discussion around an important business issue,'” says Miriam Muléy, a former General Motors executive and founder and CEO of 85% Niche, a firm that focuses on the buying power of women.

No-No’s

A good rule of thumb is don’t wear anything that would be viewed as a distraction. Tight or form-fitting clothing, for example, is inappropriate. While these slim fits may be en vogue for both women AND men, they don’t belong in the office.

Muléy, a Latina, is very familiar with how tight-fitting or revealing clothing can become a misstep. Many Latinas are raised to be proud of, and open about, their curves. But is that something your interviewer should see? No, she says.

“If someone comes in with a red dress that is tight-fitting and really shows your curves, how seriously are you going to take that person? I don’t want that person running my multimillion-dollar business. What judgment are they using to come into my office looking like that? Will they come into a prospective client’s or key business partner’s office with the same attire?” she says.

Anderson reminds women to be aware of the challenges their gender presents in a professional work environment. “If you’re wearing clothing that is not letting people think about your intelligence first, then you’re doing yourself a disfavor,” she says. “Yes, you want to set yourself apart, but do you want it to be about your clothing? I think the answer is no.”

When it comes to other cultural fashion expressions, Muléy warns interviewees to tread lightly. “There is certain attire that is culturally oriented but is for special occasions,” she says. “I don’t view that as appropriate for a business interview, but I think once you’re on the job, [if you] see opportunity to infuse more culture elements into your style, by all means, do so.”

Do’s

What are some can’t-lose choices for interview attire? The ever-reliable suit, of course. “You can’t go wrong with the basics, the classics—the blues, the blacks, the grays, the browns. It’s still a good bet that you will find someone in the organization wearing that,” says Anderson.

For women, Muléy likes to go the old-school route. “I would say the appropriate attire, for a woman, would be a skirt and jacket. I wouldn’t even go with a pants suit for the first interview,” she says.

You might feel drab in professional basics, but choose wisely if you’re looking to spice up your outfit. “Using colors to make you feel better or make your outfit stand out can be a great thing,” says Anderson. “For guys, it can be a colorful tie. Maybe for a woman it’s a bright, beautiful fuchsia blouse. Those are nice accent pieces. But that’s what you have to remember—they’re accent pieces.”

Still confused about what to wear? Try this insider tip from Muléy: If you live nearby, visit the company, even if you just stand in the lobby, to get a feel for how people dress there. Is the office too far away? “Go to their web site and look at their annual report,” she advises. “There are often pictures of their senior leaders [there].”

Lasting Impression

While picking the right outfit for your interview, think about how you may be viewed by the interviewer on the other side of the table. Anderson points out that “[y]our interview clothes can say a lot about you, but it’s [also] what DON’T you want them to say about you. You don’t want them to say, look at me for what I look like versus look at me for what’s in my head.”

Muléy stresses the importance of molding yourself to the corporate culture, but she points out that this shouldn’t be seen as a “sell-out.”

“It’s really about showing that you are able to fit into this larger organization and still deliver outstanding results in terms of the work that you perform on a daily basis,” she says.

A ‘CV’ or a ‘Resume’ – What do they really want?

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:52:45 GMT

For many years the recruitment industry specifically requested a resume to be submitted when applying for a position. The trend has started to change and depending on the agency, the recruiter or the individual writing the advert, you will be asking for a resume or CV. This is where the confusion starts. So what are they really, and which document should professionals be asking for?

The first important thing to remember is that a resume and CV are not the same document. The CV and resume are traditionally two very different documents and serve two very different purposes. The confusion between the terms is one of the reasons recruiters are getting frustrated at the quality of documents being submitted in response to a job advert.

Internationally, the use of the term CV has increased due to its ease of use – it is only 2 letters and no one has to worry about whether it has an accent over one, both or none of the e’s! As the trend started to increase people started to not understand the differences between the documents and then those that were aware of the differences, also started to lose control of the correct use of the term. Basically, it just became easier to go with the easiest term.

So the outcome is that the quality of documents being submitted has reduced, and individuals are submitting a combination of resumes and CV’s which are not meeting the requirements of HR or recruitment professionals. By not understanding the differences, or using the correct terminology, the job of interpreting individual’s skills and capabilities becomes much more complicated.

So what is the difference between a resume and CV?

Globally you will have many different perspectives over what the difference is. Locally there are a number of key differences between the two documents that will help to identify the most suitable one for your requirements. Some key differences include:

A CV:

■Is written in first person.

■Is a summary of an individual’s entire life, the life story both professional and personal.

■Is very suited to research, academic, science or medical positions. Although there are still exceptions to this as well.

A Resume:

■Is a synopsis of the professional career over the last 10-15 years.

■Is written in first person without the personal reference ie: Experienced professional, not ‘Jim is an experienced professional’ or ‘I am an experienced professional’.

■Is written in direct statements utilising bullet points and highlights of information.

■Can be a narrative style or skills based depending on the type of focus required.

Most recruiters in Australia, unless they are in a medical/science, academic or research based position as a rule, should be asking for a resume. A resume is the most powerful marketing tool and document that focuses on quick identification of core skills and capabilities within the shortest time frame!

Article written by Rebecca Fraser from Recruitment Services Resume.

Your Resume is an Essential Marketing Tool – Recruitment Extra

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:11:31 GMT

Many experienced Australian company executives commit basic blunders when submitting their resumes for a job application, according to John Mills, Director of Executive Search and Selection at Vincents Chartered Accountants. Mills said applicants for executive positions were often guilty of providing inadequate details in their resumes and making simple grammatical mistakes and spelling errors.

“Many executives who have worked at a level such as a chief executive officer, chief financial officer or chief operating officer are guilty of committing some of the most basic errors when submitting a resume”, Mills said.

“They should realise that you can sometimes tell a book by its cover and the quality of the resume is a useful indicator of the credentials of the candidate”.

“If the standard of correspondence we see in some resumes and covering letters is any indication, the management reports prepared by some of these candidates must fall well short of the mark”.

Mills said candidates from the public service who are accustomed to addressing specific selection criteria for jobs usually have a much better prepared resume and covering letter.

“These people seem to take the process more seriously and can be a lot more successful when seeking executive positions. But many applicants from the private sector submit resumes with grammatical and typographical errors or incorrectly addressed covering letters – if you are given a name to address a letter to, by all means use it.

“Other mistakes made include failure to address selection criteria in their covering letters, not explaining gaps in their resumes or omitting details about the work they have performed for their previous companies”.

Mills also said there was a misconception that resumes only needed to be two pages long.

“Some resumes are far too short and provide an incomplete picture with vital information missing including details on the companies they worked for, the roles the candidate performed and their achievements in those roles. Managers often do not give any indication of the reporting structure below them or who they reported to in their roles.”

“The ideal resume length is one page for the current role and decreasing in length as you go back into previous positions. Time wise resumes should go back to when the candidate left school.”

Mills said a properly constructed and accurate resume was essential for all positions, whether they be a junior office receptionist or a chief executive officer, “Your resume is an essential marketing tool and one with errors and omissions won’t get you past first base”, he added.

Thanks to Recruitment Extra magazine by Thomson Reuters, published May 2011.

How To Bag The Salary You Deserve

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:56:15 GMT

During a time when there is so much talk of unemployment and job cuts, those looking for work can often feel they have to jump at the first job that comes their way, and possibly even worse than that, accept the first salary offer given too.

Believe it or not, whatever the state of the wider economy, any job or salary offer you receive should be open to some form of negotiation. Let us give you some useful pointers to ensure you have the best chance possible of netting the type of salary you want, and deserve.

Do Your Research

Before you go all guns blazing demanding more money, you need to have done your research, and have full understanding of the situation. You need to know:

How much are people normally paid for the position you are going for industry wide? – Is the offer much higher or lower than the market norm? Without knowing what people are generally paid for the type of work you would be doing you cannot really judge whether the salary offer is high or low.

What are other people within the company earning? - Ideally you want to find out what other people within the department are earning so you can see whether you would be starting out on a much lower wage then them, or whether you would be starting on more of an even keel. You need this information as if you are offered more money than other people within the department, you may be pushing your luck asking for much more. If however you are particularly qualified for the job it may be more acceptable.

How qualified are you? – The amount of experience or qualifications you hold will be a key in how much negotiating power you have. If you have a ton of previous experience you will be in a much stronger position than someone who is just starting out. Be sure you are clear on what value you bring to the table so you can use this in your discussions.

How interested are they? – This is a bit of a judgement call. The more interested a company is in employing you the more scope you may have to negotiate a higher wage. How many interviews have you been on with them? Are you a long way into the interview process? Has there been a firm job offer? Try to get a feel for how much the business wants you on board and try to use this as a barometer for negotiations.

Next you need to have a clear understanding of….

How Much Do You Want To Earn?

Without being clear about how much you want or need to earn you will never be in a position to negotiate one way or the other. Make sure that ahead of any salary discussion you have budgeted and know the figure you are aiming at.

This will also give you a marker so you can consider strategies such as pitching your offer slightly higher than what you would be happy with, in the hope of hitting your target figure as a compromise.

What Are The Benefits?

On top of a financial element, often your salary package will also be made up of other benefits such as health insurance, company pensions, and flexible hours. Would you be prepared to take a slightly lower wage in return for some of these extra benefits?

These extra features can often be very useful in salary negotiations, and should certainly be considered as part of your battle plan.

Be Confident

When you are discussing finances you must always remain confident. You are trying to prove how effective and valuable you are to the business so shuffling around and looking at the floor whilst asking for more is probably not a great idea.

With this in mind you should also make sure you pick the right time to discuss the subject of money. If you are in an interview wait until the subject is brought up, or until the panel ask if you have any questions. Make sure there is time to converse about the situation, as waiting until you are half way out of the door at the end of the meeting is also not going to give you the results you require.

Talk About Them And Not You

An employer wants to know what you can offer them, and why paying you more money will be a wise investment for their business. Hearing that you have a wife and a baby on the way is not going to persuade them as much as hearing you have 10 years experience, and a world class track record in your area of expertise.

Make a note of everything you can bring to the table as an employee and use it during salary discussions. The more value you off the more you can justify higher wage demands.

Just Do It

Many people hold back from asking for more money because they are afraid they will upset the bosses, or that they will not offer you the job based on your demands. The truth is that many employers will be impressed by the fact you have used your initiative and that you value your time and talent highly.

Yes there may be some occasions where you salary requirements will not be met, or times when companies may revoke job offers based on your standing. What you need to think about is this. If they did not value you enough to pay you what you’re worth, are they really a company you want to work for anyway?

As long as you do your research, put forward a strong and defined reason for your wage requirements, and present yourself in an eloquent, efficient, and respectful way, no business is going to resent you asking for a little more money than what is first offered. In fact many businesses will actually expect you to.

To read other articles by Timothy Ng visit Your Balance at Lifestyle Careers.

Common Interview Questions

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:52:20 GMT

Here is a list of the most common interview questions.

How many can you answer?

What type of role do you play in a team?
How do you go above and beyond the call of duty?
Describe to me a situation where you have worked through other people to reach a goal?
Why are you interested in this company? How does it fit with your goals and aspirations?
How can this company best utilize your skills? How can you add value?
What would you do if your team made a decision that negatively impacted your business or a client?
Why should we hire you… Sell me on you?
Take me through a time when you had to be creative to solve a problem?
How do you generally solve problems?
How do you prioritize projects?
What do you like best and least about your current job?
Where do you see yourself in 3, 5, and 10 years from now?
Why are you successful?
What drives and motivates you?
How important is money, title and reputation?
What is a successful candidate and what do you look for when you are hiring?
What stimulates you about your field?
How do you organize yourself to make project or personal deadlines?
What are some of your current professional goals?
Describe a time when you had to help a colleague out that did not directly benefit you?
In the last 5 years how have you improved yourself professionally?
What is smart?
How would you define courage within a professional setting?
Do you have any professional fears? How will you conquer them?
Have you ever confronted someone who intimidates you? What happened and how did you feel?
Who learned more from that situation?
Do you think you intimidate people?
How do you want people to see you?
How do you analyze people?
Would you consider yourself more analytical or conceptual?
Would you describe yourself as a technical person or a people person?
How do you motivate others to meet deadlines?
What type of things do you need to have in your next job to make a move?
How do you work smart?
How do you take pride in your work?

How to Answer Those “Difficult” Questions

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:59:40 GMT

The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is to avoid questions posed by the interviewer. The one question candidates love to avoid is, “What is your greatest weakness?” Most candidates are quick to respond with superficial answers such as “I’m a workaholic” or “I’m a perfectionist.” Not only are those responses boring, but they are also predictable answers interviewers are used to hearing. So much so that an interviewer’s comeback line often is, “That doesn’t sound like a weakness. Now why don’t you tell me about a real weakness?”

Interviewers recognize that jobseekers aren’t forthcoming when answering the “greatest weakness” question. As a result, there is a new trend in hiring circles of interviewers cleverly disguising the question and using a variation of the theme. In doing so, interviewers are successfully stumping candidates, and are receiving responses that uncover the not-so-pleasant side of candidates.

Cleverly Designed “Greatest Weakness” Questions

■We all have aspects of our job we prefer not to do. What aspect of your day-to-day responsibilities do you dislike?

In hopes of making you feel comfortable, interviewers may ask questions that start with “we.” The psychology behind this is to make you feel as though you are with a friend, which can cause you to let your guard down.

■Think back to your last review. What suggestions did your supervisor have for improvement?

The chances are extremely high that your supervisor offered suggestions for improvement. Interviewers are aware of this and anticipate that you will disclose the details of your most recent evaluation.

■Describe a project you worked on that didn’t turn out as well as you expected.

Interviewers find that job seekers reveal more when they are asked to tell a story. The assumption is made that the more you talk, the more likely you’ll disclose your weaknesses.

■In what area of your work do you think you can be more effective?

This question is very similar to “greatest weakness” question. However, interviewers believe the way the question is phrased will make you feel less threatened, and therefore more likely to answer freely.

Bottom line : whether or not you want to divulge sensitive information during an interview, an interviewer is going to try his or her darnedest to dig for skeletons in your closet. Interviewers want to uncover any reasons why they shouldn’t hire you, and they hope those reasons will come straight from you. So be prepared.

To read the full article visit Your Balance.

Top Job Interview Fashion Disasters

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:07:30 GMT

According to Timothy Ng, what you wear to an interview can have a big impact on whether or not you get the job. Not because all employers are fashion crazed perfection seekers who will only take you on if you look the perfect fashion icon, but because what you wear to an interview can actually say quite a bit about you as an employee.

After a small investigation on some of the worst job interview fashion disasters, it was noted to be aware of the following:

1. Casual Wear – Chances are the employee will want someone smart, well organized, efficient, good with people and presentable. So unless told otherwise assume the interview is formal!

2. Accessories – Walking into an interview room with your iPod round your neck, sunglasses on, or a cap that says “I love beer” is not a good look and should be avoided like the plague. Make sure that you remove any unwanted extras before you get into the building.

3. Clothes that don’t fit – If the only suit that you have in your wardrobe hasn’t seen the light of day for many years and doesn’t fit so well anymore then perhaps its time to buy a new one.

Squeezing into an old suit that doesn’t fit will not look pleasant, and also leaves you open to sudden attire failure.

4. Piercings – There is nothing wrong with a piercing (especially ears), however, caution should be taken when showing them off in an interview. If you have more than on piercing in your ears it is probably best to take out all bar one on the day.

Likewise, if you have your nose, tongue, or lip pierced it would be a good idea to take them out for the interview itself. You can always ask what the company policy is on piercings if you get the job.

5. Provocative Clothing – When wearing a skirt, keep the length below the knee at all times. If not, you may run into problems when you try to sit down! Likewise be careful what top you wear. Nothing wrong with a little cleavage but keep it professional.

6. Watch the Shoes – Shoes have the potential to cause a number of problems during interviews. Make sure your shoes are clean. Nothing screams unprofessional more than someone that walks into an interview with dirty, muddy, or scuffed shoes.

7. Fragrance – Hygiene is of the utmost importance at an interview, but don’t take your odour obsession too far. A single spray of aftershave of perfume should do the job just fine. Nothing creates more of an atmosphere than someone walking into a room smelling like they have showered in aftershave that morning.

For more information and tips, read the article from Your Balance.

How to Attract and Keep the Best-of-the-Best Employees

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:26:23 GMT

According to Leah Gibbs, if you want to keep the best of the best; the quality employees who are highly skilled, productive and committed to working for you, then you have to stand out. This is an ongoing relationship that if you nurture and value it, will do more than just get the work done, it will build your brand and attract more clients as well. Yes, it’s true, how you care for your employees directly impacts your bottom line!

Now here is the crux of it: People stay because they are happy and feel valued, people leave because they don’t. Simple.

So you want to attract and keep the quality employees and create more profits for your company? Then becoming a phenomenal leader is your first priority and here are a few things you can do:

1. Recognise their work and contribution to your company
2. Listen to them!
3. Create opportunities for growth, development and new experiences
4. Get perky (Gym memberships, salary packaging, social events (drinks nights), charity events, discounts on health insurance, flexible working hours, work from home opportunities, discounts on childcare or parking).

If at the very least you do the first 2, you are doing more than many companies out there, but if you can manage all 4 and more, then you’re a mile ahead of the pack!

For more information and tips, read the article from Your Balance .

Phone Interviews: Preparation

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:41:14 GMT

Phone interviews are often used to screen candidates in order to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for an interview. You never know when a recruiter might call and ask if you have a few minutes to talk. Here are some tips to prepare yourself and sound your best over the phone. Also look up our previous blog on the importance of phone calls.

For more information watch this video on About.com: http://bit.ly/17Y961

Be Prepared to Interview Prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview. Compile a list of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical phone interview questions. In addition, plan on being prepared for a phone conversation about your background and skills.

Keep your resume in clear view, on the top of your desk, or tape it to the wall near the phone, so it’s at your fingertips when you need to answer questions.
Have a short list of your accomplishments available to review.
Have a pen and paper handy for note taking.
Turn call-waiting off so your call isn’t interrupted.
If the time isn’t convenient, ask if you could talk at another time and suggest some alternatives.
Ensure your kids or pets (if any) are not in the room and turn off the stereo and TV.
Unless you’re sure your mobile phone service is perfect, consider using a landline rather than your mobile to avoid a dropped call or static on the line.

Practice Interviewing Talking on the phone isn’t as easy as it seems. I’ve always found it’s helpful to practice. Have a friend or family member conduct a mock interview and record it so you can see how you sound over the phone. You’ll be able to hear your “ums” and “uhs” and and you can practice reducing them from your conversational speech. Also rehearse answers to those typical questions you’ll be asked. During the Phone Interview

Don’t smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink.
Smile – Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice.
Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.
Don’t interrupt the interviewer.
Take your time – it’s perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts.
Give short answers.
Remember your goal is to set-up a face-to-face interview. After you thank the interviewer ask if it would be possible to meet in person.

After the Interview:

Take notes about what you were asked and how you answered.
Remember to say “thank you.” Follow with a thank you note which reiterates your interest in the job.

Thanks to About.com for all this information!

Top 10 Things Students Can Do To Get An Internship!

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:24:43 GMT

Finding an internship can be difficult. Interviews and providing portfolios can be daunting. However we have found some tips to jump start your way towards getting on your career path!

#1 Get on LinkedIn, develop a network, and find advocates at the companies where you want to work. #2 Build relationships, not just social profiles. Keep those relationships updated with your success (or lack thereof) in the job search. Think quality vs. quantity. #3 Make inquiry calls, utilize your college professors and your student services job placement office. Utilize your network and let everyone know what you are seeking in an internship. Remember to use your family contacts. #4 Ask for help. If people don’t know you need it, how can they help you? #5 Make sure you utilize all the tools like a good resume, proper dress attire, interview skills, communication, follow up, etc. #6 Target companies and organizations that will be able to utilize your current education and experience and that you would want to work for in the future. #7 Use your entrepreneurial skills if you have them and that interests you. #8 Be aggressive. This doesn’t mean being a nuisance. You must do more than apply on line and wait for a response. #9 Quantify your results on your resume. Even if all your experience to this point is waiting tables at Applebee’s or babysitting your parent’s friend’s kids, figure out how that experience relates (think time management, communication, project management, etc.) and make your resume reflect that. Don’t just list a job description or your “responsibilities”. #10 Remember that working as an intern in an area that relates to what you’re studying is the best way to get that great job after graduation. You may not be able to find the perfect internship first time out. Start somewhere and trade up next year.

Thanks to Simon Meth via RecruitingBlogs.com for these tips!

http://bit.ly/e9LVwC

Rising Age of the Workforce

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 04:20:36 GMT

Our breakfast on Tuesday “Raising awareness of the impact of an ageing workforce…..Are you Prepared?” was a huge success. Presented by Alison Monroe, it challenged our thought process on Australia’s ageing population and it’s impact on the available pool of labour over the next decade.

The seminar looked at the unprecedented rate at which the Australian workforce is ageing, and explored the resulting risks, challenges and opportunities organisations face. Alison’s presentation offered all attendees plenty of realistic strategies and succession plans to take away whilst addressing this issue in their organisation. For more information, please contact Alison Monroe at www.sageco.com.au

Why Baby Boomers Won’t Quit Working Ageing Workforce? The Weekend Financial Review’s 31 July – 1 August excellent article by Deirdre Macken provides an up to date snapshot of how our workforce is changing. You need to subscribe to get the full article, but in the meantime, here are seven stats to have up your sleeve: 1. In the past three years, almost 100 000 extra older workers have entered the workforce annually 2. Ten years ago only a third of people aged 60 – 64 were working; now more than half of the 60 – 64 population are working 3. Three years ago, one in seven workers were older than 55; now it’s one in six. 4. 40 percent of all the new workers in the past three years are 55 or older 5. Since June 2007 the only age groups that convincingly increased their participation in the workforce were those over 55 6. The number of workers aged 65 plus jumped 30 %compared with the population increase in that age group of 8.5 % 7. The biggest increase in workers across the country is among women older than 65 As Barbara Pocock says: Compared with 20 years ago, there is a lot more identity-making and meaning-making that has been attached to work. Even people’s friendships are more likely to be based at work than in previous generations.” What’s all this mean? An ageing workforce means that organisations need to re-think the way we work and what a career life cycle is. The mantra we often hear: “Happy to work longer, but not the way I’m working now.” Let’s make our work association enjoyable, social, meaningful and supportive of other facets of our lives. Now that’s something no generation will argue with. – http://bit.ly/fHU400

Quay Appointments’ HR Forum

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 04:16:39 GMT

With the economy picking up and employees feeling more confident with job prospects, what are organisations doing to ensure potential employees are attracted to your brand? Are they keeping their staff are engaged? Do they want to continue working for you?

Find out more at our 3rd HR Forum!

Corporate Branding, Attracting & Retaining Good Staff Facilitators: Tim Grogan & Gabrielle Droulers Date: 17th March 2011 Time: 2:45pm to 5:00pm Cost: Free Location: Quay Appointments’ office – Level 7, 200 George Street, Sydney 2000 RSVP: 14th March 2011

Tim Grogan is Head of Talent and Consulting at Adcorp www.adcorp.com.au Graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Business with Honours, Tim began his corporate career with Ernst & Young as a management consultant. From there Tim worked overseas for a multinational marketing organisation responsible for the management of the European promotional marketing business, with a specific focus on sales. After 3 successful years in London, Tim returned to Australia as the National Marketing Manager for the promotional marketing division. Tim joined Adcorp in 2006 as a Senior Business Development Manager in Victoria quickly identified the strategic opportunities to develop an innovative approach to employment communications. Tim is now Head of Employer Branding with Adcorp.

Gabrielle Droulers BA, MA is Director of the Centre for Career Development www.cfcd.com.au a national Human Resources consulting firm committed to helping organisations effectively manage and develop their workforce. She has a Masters degree in Human Resources and Organisational Development and a Bachelors degree in Communications. She has over 20 years of Australian and US corporate consulting and training experience in training design and delivery, 360 degree feedback, competency modeling, facilitation, executive coaching, leadership development, career development, performance consulting and team building.

The HR forum is run on a quarterly basis and has been developed to provide support to HR Professionals. These interactive forums are dedicated to providing a networking and information sharing opportunity focusing on relevant day to day HR issues. Benefits of participating include sharing concerns and challenges, establishing collective solutions and learning from specialists

For more information and to book your place (seats are limited) please feel free to contact Alban at 9251 7339.

NB: FOR HR PROFESSIONALS ONLY.

Look First Class on an Economy Budget

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:12:22 GMT

Our featured video this week by Elena Reed explores how to dress yourself in the best way possible!

Visit our YouTube channel for more videos by Elena Reed

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aB0aWt5oco]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLcmv6OFHw8]

The Importance of Being A Leader

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:12:27 GMT

Over the years Quay Appointments have interviewed and successfully placed numerous candidates. Many of whom were managers or leaders at the time and many more subsequently becoming one. Hence when we came across this article from Recruitment Extra, we knew we just had to bring it to you.

Leadership is the art of understanding the needs of others and guiding them to achieve common goals. To do so, you need to communicate effectively and inspire people to work as a team. Being a confident leader can lead to a variety of opportunities and benefits. “Engaging the emotions of consultants is critical to winning their commitment to company goals and inspiring them to succeed”.

Here are some tips from an article by Recruitment Extra that present some points of interest that will ensure a confident outlook towards your leadership:

Use emotions more frequently;
Set some challenging goals;
Create a vision of where you want to be, where you want your team to be and where you want your organisation to be;
Communicate, communicate, communicate – consistently, constantly and clearly;
Delegate to develop others;
Coach others;
Involve others in your decision making process;
Set expectations of innovation in your organisation;
Live the values of your organisation, or the values that you want to have lived in your team, project or group; and
Decide what you’re going to stop, start or change – today – to become more inspiring.

For more information and helpful tips, read the article from Recruitment Extra at http://bit.ly/e4cdD4

Colour!

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:05:45 GMT

Looking sharp and presentable is important when attending an interview, however the subtleties of colour in your attire is also fundemental.

Studies have shown that colors do trigger subconscious responses in humans so when entering for an interview, limit the use of colours as they can define you before you enter the interview

Black represents authority and a commanding attitude whereas Blue or Navy is recieved as a calm, stable, honest, and controlled personality.

Grey , being the neutral colour, is non-distracting and sophisticated.

Similarily White defines simplicity, cleanliness and precision.

Red , however, is powerful and intense and displays passion so only use sparingly.

Avoid accessorising in brightly coloured jewellery, shoes or ties, as they send the same message.

Co-ordinating a well balanced attire can be achieved, so keep these tips in mind!

Have a look at these videos by Elena Reed. She gives us some more tips on dressing right for an Interview!

Join our Youtube Channel at Quayappts for more videos by Elena Reed!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_1Q3zNpxf0]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trQmL38x3KY]

What does your Handshake say about you?

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:00:52 GMT

You don’t realise how much you communicate through a simple handshake.

The Fail-Safe

Connect the web between your index finger and thumb firmly with the other person’s and pump two or three times. This is confident and always appropriate.

The Rubber Glove

While shaking hands, cover the other person’s hand with your left hand. A favorite of politicians and clergy, this should be used only with someone you know well.

The Dead Fish

A limp handshake conveys weakness and a lack of self-confidence.

The Terminator

Tips:

Be Friendly

You should always be ready to initiate a handshake, demonstrating your eagerness to meet the person. Although etiquette rules once dictated that a man should wait for a woman to offer her hand, that’s no longer the case.

Show Respect

Make sure you’re standing when you shake hello or goodbye. It shows respect for yourself and the other person.

Be Direct

Look the other person in the eye. Don’t allow the handshake to linger too long, but you can show an extra bit of sincerity by holding their hand a second longer after the last pump.

What Do You Sound Like Over The Phone?

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:23:56 GMT

Phone calls are an essential part of everyday work structure. You receive calls from important clients who have never met you before, and through the call, they are forming their own conclusion about you.

Although we are all familiar with the nature of phone calls, we are unaware of the influence that our posture, tone and background noise can influence. It is crucial to be aware of how your tone presents yourself through the spoken word.

Posture

Try not to slouch or sit too comfortably whilst on a phone call. Prospective employers are aware of the tone, voice and diction that you create, and that can affect the overall outcome of their perspective of you. Slouching or being too comfortable when answering phones will make your caller assume you are uninterested or bored.

It is also important that you do not cover your mouth when you talk. It is the same principal as talking while you eat. Placing you hands over your mouth, chewing on gum or a pen will muffle the sound of your voice and may even be heard by the caller.

Diction

Don’t mumble or say “umm” but be clear and confident about what you are going to talk about. This will demonstrate that you are confident and interested with what your caller has to say.

It’s very important to reflect on what you will say before calling a prospective employer. Thinking and preparing will lead towards a more confident response.

Voice

The phone can alter the volume and pitch of your voice. Be conscious of talking too high or too low, as this can influence your caller’s attitude towards the call. Try to speak in a natural register and don’t shout into the phone.

Be aware of how fast you speak! A fast talker is an instant indication that you are nervous and difficult for your caller to understand what you are trying to tell them.

Noise

If you receive a call, and you are aware of the high level of background noise, let your caller know that it is not a good time to talk, and ask them for a number to call them back. This will demonstrate that you are interested in what your caller has to say.

How do I manage luncheon interviews?

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:48:32 GMT

Corporate lunches have been in existence for years and now a new trend is emerging in Sydney, ‘luncheon interviews’. From PA to management roles, it’s not only great time saver but also an opportunity to evaluate a candidate’s skills in a social environment.

Dining with a prospective employee allows employers review your interpersonal skills in a more relaxed environment. Good table etiquette will give you an edge over another candidate, here are a few important ones to take heed of.

Interview dining tips

It’s a good idea to check out the restaurant ahead of time. Check for parking, menu options and even where the rest rooms are located
Remember to say “please” and “thank you” to your server as well
Table full of silverware? Rule of thumb is to start from the outside and work your way in eg. your salad fork will be on the far left, your entree fork next to it and so on
Liquids are on the right, solids on the left eg. your water glass will be on the right and your bread plate on the left
The napkin is best placed on your lap once everyone is seated
Remember keep your elbows off the table, sit up straight, and don’t talk with your mouth full

During the meal

Avoid the cheapest and most expensive items on the menu
Order food that’s ‘non messy’ and easily cut into bite-size pieces
A dinner roll is always broken into small pieces
If you need to leave the table, put your napkin on the seat or the arm of your chair
Remember to relax, listen, and participate in the conversation

To drink or not to drink

It’s wise not to drink alcohol during an interview. Interviewing is tough enough without adding alcohol to the mix

After the Meal

Once finished place cutlery together at a 6 o’clock position on the plate so that the server knows you have finished
Leave any silverware that you did not use laying on the table
Place your napkin on the table next to your plate
Let the prospective employer pick up the tab. The person who invited you will expect to pay both the bill and the tip
Whilst saying “thank you” is a given, remember to also follow up with a note / card

How to recognise deception at interviews

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:07:03 GMT

Good interviewers are analysts of human behaviour and can tell when a person might be deceiving them, says “the lie guy”, Steve Van Aperen . It’s actually very difficult for the average person to lie, says Van Aperen, who has trained with the FBI and other investigative authorities, and conducted both employment and criminal interviews.

Lying requires a lot of effort, because “when delivering a deception, we’re trying to think of what we want to say and make it sound believable or credible”, whereas telling the truth is much easier because a person can rely on their memory. But while it’s difficult to structure and deliver a lie, it’s also hard for an untrained person to detect one. “Why? Because we listen to the content of what people say without paying attention to the other parameters.”

Lying in interviews
People will only tell you what they want you to know – they’ll edit the information they give you, Van Aperen warns. About a third of applicants lie on their CVs, he says, “which shouldn’t surprise anyone. If I’m competing against 20 other candidates, I want to look like I’m the best candidate.” He says that if you ask a candidate why they left their last job and they respond that the details are in their CV, “never, ever accept that”.

“It’s what we call ‘lying by referral’. It’s much easier for me to sit in front of a word processor and have poetic licence to type whatever I like, than what it is to lie to somebody, face to face.”

Body language
Good interviewers, Van Aperen says, are “vigilant at observing behaviours”. Usually when someone is being deceptive, there is a conflict or contradiction between what their mouth is saying and what their body is displaying. (It’s very difficult, for example, to answer a question truthfully by saying ‘yes’ while shaking your head in the negative.)

Interviewers should “look for changes or things that don’t look in place”, Van Aperen says, and look for “groups or clusters of body language rather than one-offs”.

When people are being deceptive, he says, they might:

fidget or change their position;
sit back in their chair;
cross their arms and/or legs;
avoid eye contact;
lick their lips;
increase their blink rate; or
go into ‘lock down’ and avoid movement.

“Hand-to-face gestures are a really good indicator that people are saying something they think they shouldn’t be saying,” he says. “Watch for those, and often at the last moment there will be a diversion.”

Children find it natural to cover their mouths when telling a lie, “but as we grow up, what we’ll see is the hand will go up to the face but at the last minute there’ll be a diversion, like an ear-tug or an eye rub”. “If you have an itchy nose it will usually need scratching, but deceptive people will give it a cursory touch.”

Van Aperen notes that we have glands in the tip of our nose which, when we lie, secrete a chemical that makes it itchy. “So the Pinocchio theory is not that far removed from the truth”.

He warns that sometimes, however, body language can be misconstrued as a sign of lying. Loss of eye contact alone, for example, does not always indicate deception – often people avert their eyes when they’re trying to recall something. For this reason, it’s important to “benchmark” a behaviour (for example by watching how a person reacts to a question requiring them to use their memory) and then look for deviations from that.

Verbal cues
A person’s words often bring them unstuck, “but often we don’t listen to what they’re saying”, says Van Aperen. It’s important to remember that “people won’t often lie to you but they’ll be omissive, evasive and dismissive. What will happen is they’ll only lie when they’re confronted and they have no other option”.

Verbal signs of deception can include:

• “fillers” – ums and ahs and other superfluous words used to fill the gap while the brain tries to think of the next part of the lie;
• qualifying statements – a deceptive person will deny a narrow part of the interviewer’s question.

• “What they say is factually correct, but they don’t answer the question. That’s what deceptive people do; they’ll find some small issue that they can hang their hat on and know they can hang their hat on because they’re telling the truth. Often the problem is the question itself.”

• evasive or dismissive answers – for example: “I’m pretty sure they should be” instead of “yes”.

Van Aperen says that when using behavioural interviewing, interviewers should ensure they carefully listen to the candidates’ language. For example, if after being asked “give me an example of a time when…” the candidate uses words like “I would have…”, they are not saying what they have done.

“When someone tells you what they would do, it doesn’t tell you what they have done previously. It’s really an opinion; they probably have no experience in dealing with that situation.”

Clear questions the key to avoiding deception
In any interview, if your questions are not clear and concise, a deceptive person is going to find wriggle room through them,” Van Aperen says. “There should be no room for misinterpretation or ambiguity.”

The most important thing to remember, he says, is: “If you ask a question and you don’t get an answer back to that question, go back and ask the question again until you’re satisfied with the answer.”

Don’t interview, have a conversation instead – Part 2

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:16:39 GMT

Wikipedia defines an interview as a conversation between 2 or more people. Why then are we satisfied by only answering questions and come away thinking it was a great interview? The key to a successful interview is to also ask relevant questions.

Once again instead of rubbing the magic lamp, the Quay Appointments’ genie brings you a few ideal ones you could ask.

Can you give me a detailed description of the position?
How has this position become available?
Could you describe the culture of your company?
What induction program do you have in place?
How is success determined in this compnay?
What are the growth prospects within the firm?
Could you take me through the training & development program you have in place?
What is the next step in the selection process?
What are the some of the challenges in this position?
Could you take me through the renumeration and benefit scheme you have in place?
What is your commission structure?

Remember the interview is a 2 way process and your evaluation of the role / company is as important as their evaluation of your skills / potential.

Interview questions asked by clients. Part 1

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 10:59:42 GMT

Ok, so you’ve got that anxiously awaited interview, done your research and read up great interview tips; what next?……. “If I knew what questions were asked, I’d be better prepared to nail this interview” is probably on your mind right now.

No need to rub that magic lamp, your Quay Appointments’ genie brings you a compilation of previously asked interview questions!

Questions relevant to the position you are interviewing for

Why do you want to work here?
How can you add value to our organisation?
Are there any questions you would like to ask about the position / company?
Are you considering any other positions?
How do you think you would fit within our firm? Why?
What do you know about our company?

Questions relating to your current / previous position

What did you like about working at … (last company)? Why?
In your last / current position what has been your level of autonomy in decision making ?
Why do you want to leave your present company?

Questions about yourself

What does success mean to you? How do you measure it?
What are the things that motivate you?
Give me an example of your creativity?
Are you analytical by nature? State an example
What is your greatest strength?
How would you describe your personality?
What do you think management could do to make you function more effectively as an employee?
What are you looking for in a position?
How would you describe your ideal manager?

Questions relating to your past

What have you done to improve your skills during the last year?
Tell me about your greatest achievement at work?
How did you solve some difficult problems you’ve encountered in your past positions?
If you were starting your career all over again, which field would you choose?

We hope this has helped to some degree, for further information contact your consultant at Quay Appointments.

16 Helpful interview tips

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:40:41 GMT

Your resume creates a good impression and you are soon going to be interviewed for the role. What next? Read through Quay Appointments’ 16 helpful interview tips that will ensure you create a positive and lasting impression at the interview .

Know the exact place and time of the interview, the interviewer’s full name, the correct pronunciation and title
Plan your route and start off early – Do a practice run if you are not sure. Should you be delayed, ring your consultant immediately so we can try to re arrange a suitable time for you.
Learn pertinent facts about the company such as annual sales revenue, principal lines of business and locations by looking up their website
First impressions count – good presentation is essential, dress smartly and in keeping with the type of company you are approaching, this also applies to make up and jewellery.
The interview is a two-way meeting, find an opportunity to mention key points about yourself, be positive about your achievements and remember at interviews you have to sell your candidature.
If presented with an application, fill it neatly and completely. Don’t rely on your application or resume to do the selling for you. Interviewers will want you to speak for yourself.
Greet the employer with a warm smile and firm handshake. Walk in confidently and make eye contact. Sit when invited, don’t slouch and fold your arms – it makes you look nervous.
Do always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job you are discussing. Never close the door on opportunity.
Do show enthusiasm. If you are interested in the opportunity, enthusiastic feedback can enhance your chances of being further considered. If you are not interested, your responsiveness will still demonstrate your professionalism.
Don’t answer with a simple “yes” or “no.” Explain whenever possible and describe things about yourself which relate to the situation.
Don’t make unnecessary derogatory remarks about your present or former employers. Obviously, there were issues or else you would not have left a prior company or be looking to leave a present employer. However, when explaining your reasons for leaving, limit your comments to those necessary to adequately communicate your rationale.
Don’t inquire about salary, vacations, bonuses, retirement, etc. on the initial interview your consultant will be able to give you advice on these matters.
If you are interested in the position, let the interviewer know. If you feel the position is attractive and you want it, be a good salesperson and say something like: “I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen here today; your company, its products and the people I’ve met. I am confident I could do an excellent job in the position you’ve described to me.” The interviewer will be impressed with your enthusiasm.
If you get the impression that the interview is not going well and that you have already been rejected, don’t let your discouragement show. Once in a while an interviewer who is genuinely interested in you may seem to discourage you as a way of testing your reaction.
Thank the interviewer for their time and consideration. If you have answered the two questions – “Why are you interested in this position?” and “What can you offer?” – you have done all you can.
Don’t be too discouraged if no immediate commitment is made. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with other people in the company or possibly interview more candidates before making a decision.

Need additional guidance or an answer to a specific question you have? call Winsome Bernard at Quay Appointments for a confidential discussion.

Basic resume tips from Quay Appointments

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:31:52 GMT

The employment market is a very competitive one. Your resume has to stand out in order to create a favourable impression with a decision maker.

To ensure your resume provides an opportunity for you to gain an interview it is essential that it provides accurate and concise information from which relevant details are accessed quickly. The resume must be well laid out and thoroughly checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

Try to limit your resume to 2 pages
Insert your name on each page
Provide your full name and contact details (be cautious about work telephone numbers)
Leave out personal information such as hobbies (unless very relevant) marital status, children etc.
Education – List degrees, relevant training courses, honours, scholarships or study in progress
List other areas of competencies such as computer software used, languages spoken, licenses held, professional memberships
Work History – Start with your last position first, document your work history accurately, record start and finish dates. Ensure the reader is not confused by overlapping dates
Provide position title and detail your responsibilities and achievments
If the position was a short term or one with no relevance to the position you’re applying for, record limited information
It is not necessary to provide extensive information about positions that were short term or a long time ago
Do not use abbreviations
You may want to consider a summary of your work history before commencing with your current position

For your convenience Quay Appointments have put together a resume template on our website www.quayappointments.vanillalabel.com.au

Does Loyalty mean anything these days?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:24:38 GMT

Recruiters face hundreds of questions, so when you are asked “Does Loyalty mean anything these days?“ coming from a candidate with 22 years work experience; you sit back and take notice.

Samantha (name changed for privacy reasons) 22 years PA experience, the last 14 with the same company, excellent skills and credentials has found it difficult securing an interview. Problem was not with Samantha, the job market or her skills, it was her resume! It was structured in the traditional manner and presented only her basic details and responsibilities. The key is to present your long-term work history as a positive attribute and use your stable experience as a selling point in enhancing your resume.

Here are 7 easy ways on how to :

1. Keep Learning - Some employers might view your long-term employment as an indication that your skills have stagnated. Prove them wrong by constantly refreshing your skills through formal education and self-study. Participate in professional development courses sponsored by your employer or paid out-of-pocket. Create a Professional Development section on your resume to list your ongoing education.

2. Remove Outdated Skills – Obsolete skills are a sure sign of a dinosaur, so omit them. If you aren’t sure, ask a trusted colleague or recruiter whether or not a particular skill is in vogue. You can also glean this information by scouring job ads — if the skill isn’t included in job postings, it should probably be omitted.

3. List Different Positions Separately – Promotions illustrate that your company realized your worth and offered you more responsibility. Even lateral moves indicate your employer recognized your diverse talents. Instead of grouping all of your positions under one heading, give your positions individual descriptions along with distinct time periods. Reinforce your internal mobility with terms such as “promoted to” or “selected by CEO to assist with a new department start-up.” If you’ve been in the same position for your entire tenure, show how you’ve grown in this position and made a difference to the organization.

4. Display Accomplishments – Your employment description should go beyond merely listing job duties. To get noticed in this competitive job market, your resume should feature a track record of accomplishments. If you feel stifled in your current position, volunteer for a project that’s outside your core competency to experience new challenges and develop new skills.

5. Use Your Employment History to Your Advantage – Use longevity, dedication, commitment, loyalty, and perseverance as selling points, both on your resume and at interviews.

6. Highlight Experiences Related to Your Goal – If you’ve been with a company for many years, chances are that you boast a long list of achievements. However, your resume should only present the experience, skills and training that relate to your current goal. Edit your experience so that you are armed with a powerful resume that is tailored to your current job target.

7. Create a Career Summary Section – A well-written summary at the beginning of your resume will present your career in a positive light. The summary provides an initial hard sell, demonstrating you are highly qualified for your stated goal.

Conducting a job search after a long period with one company can seem daunting, but realize that your experience provides you with skills that will be of value to your next employer.

Loyalty does matter ………. even in 2010 !!

Thinking of a Career Resolution…You should be

Tue, 06 Dec 1015 07:03:33 GMT

New Year New goals – Career Resolution?

Work is where we spend more time than home every year, so if you are thinking of ways to improve your life and yourself by next New Year’s Eve, it makes sense that your career should factor into those goals.

We thought it would be fun to put together a list of career resolutions that might get you started thinking of your own, and help you get what you want from your work in the coming year.

Some of the best ideas for career resolutions for 2015-

Take on a new interesting and challenging project
Get a raise or promotion
Be an asset to a company
Be more focused and organised

Nurture your network
Improve your relationship with the boss/co-workers
Define your goals and work on the action plan
Decide when to quit /get a new job

Be more productive , Innovative and passionate
Identify your areas of improvement and work on it

“Every time you have to make a choice about anything, think “Does this go toward or away from what I want?” Always choose what goes toward what you want.”

Here’s to 2015- Wish you all a very happy new year

Philip Divilly

Tue, 29 Nov 1015 07:25:44 GMT

I come from the West of Ireland from a family of 6 children. I’m a big sports fan and in particular follow clubs such as Galway GAA, Newcastle United, Sydney FC, Swans & Rabbitohs.

After 4 years of University and achieving my Honours Degree In Business Studies, I travelled South East Asia for a few months. After that I returned home and kicked off my recruitment career in Dublin in September 2007. 2 years later, I decided to travel to Australia to live the dream…I’m still living it

I applied for a casual position through Quay Appointments to earn some money to fund travelling and living costs. At that time Quay were building their Accountancy division and after meeting with the MD and listening to the goals of the business, I knew it was an opportunity I had to grasp with both hands and have never looked back.

I recruit across a number of different industries in Accountancy & Finance. I mainly focus on Qualified Accountants who have a strong work ethic and are passionate about what they do. This way they enjoy their job, while progressing their career and add value to companies to achieve their goals – so it’s a win win.

What was your first job?

My first job was when I was 10 years old, I worked in local village garage as an energetic kid working the petrol pumps. What some of the locals didn’t know was I also got the opportunity to help service their cars too, change oil, spark plugs, change tyres etc… I loved it.

How long have you been in Australia?

Been in Australia since 4th September 2009 and counting…

What would be your number one tip for job hunters?

Be proactive and have a passion in your field. People want to hire passionate people.

What makes Quay Appointments different from any other agency?

The pride they show in their people.

Their people being: Consultants, Candidates & Clients. Quay add value to their people by building relationships and treat everyone with the respect they deserve. Everyone is unique & has a personality / reputation associated to them not a number!

“Show respect to all people, but grovel to none.” – Tecumseh

Is there one thing that you always look for on a resume?

Yes; Good Grammar!

Describe yourself in one word…

Trustworthy

If you want to develop your career to the next level, give Philip a call on 02 8257 0500

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Winning Talent with Candidate Care & Client Experience

Candidate Care

Client Experience

Taking Better Care of our Mental Health

Acknowledge the struggle.

Stay active physically and be mindful of self-care.

Maximise breaks.

Embrace mental health education.

Sleep’s sweet spot

Check on others.

Your mental health is important, never think otherwise. By taking care of yourself, you inspire others to do the same.

Strategic Candidate Care is the New Norm

Candidate care more strategic

Determine what you need to improve

Technology is your friend

As much as you can, curate your communication plan ﻿ according to industry or sector

Recruitment in IT: How to stand out among thousands of great candidates

IT certifications, gather as much as you can

Learn the top IT players in your country

Accept that reskilling or upskilling is a must

Expand your job search globally

Winning the War for Talent with Candidate Care

Empathetic Candidate Care is Strategic

1. Positive and developmental feedback

2. Rejection is part of it

3. Giving everyone a chance

4. A healthy culture for all ﻿

Timely and Timeless Job Interview Tips from Quay Appointments

Job Interview Tips from Quay

How Your E-mail Address Can Torpedo a Job Search

5 Things We’ve Learned Amidst the Covid Struggle

Camaraderie is more than just about teamwork ﻿

Technology will enable us in the future, not render us obsolete

Expand your thinking when taking care of your team

Job candidates, especially the younger ones as asking for growth and guidance

Ensure great candidate care or experience for everyone

Helping Candidates Better Envision their Career Journey

Career Crunch in Australia

Next Level Job Candidate Experience

Talk up reskilling and upskilling

Establish Authentic Diverse Working Groups

Job Hunting in 2021: Tips and Tricks – Part 2

Strengthen your LinkedIn profile

Visit your potential employer’s blog or insight page

Familiarise yourself with different video communication apps or programs

Do a practice interview

Ask more questions than the interviewer

Show them you are willing to grow

Job Hunting in 2021: Tips and Tricks – Part 1

Embrace Digital Networking

Consistent Learning

Employer Hunting

Ask About Career Mobility

Witnessing Women Excellence Elevate the Workplace

Women Leadership

Gender Diversity in HR and Recruitment

﻿

Women Excellence here in Quay

AU Employment Recovery: An Uphill Battle for Recruiters

Part-Time vs Full-Time

Growing Candidate Concerns

A Tough Market Still

A Future of Uncertainties

Helping Millennials and Gen Z Employees Succeed in the Workplace

Tech is an Enabler

Unforgettable Candidate Experience ﻿

Transparency and Accountability in the Workplace ﻿

Employee Wellness

The Future of the Workforce ﻿

The Ideal Candidate

Problem Solvers and Finders ﻿

Driven to Learn and Reskill

Selflessness and Compassion

Emotional Intelligent ﻿

Ready for 2021?

﻿

Making your Mark as a Recruiter

What it means

Go Beyond Resumes ﻿

As much as you can, curate your communication plan according to industry or sector

4. A healthy culture for all

Camaraderie is more than just about teamwork

Unforgettable Candidate Experience

Transparency and Accountability in the Workplace

The Future of the Workforce

Problem Solvers and Finders

Emotional Intelligent

Go Beyond Resumes

Transparency and Empathy

Give them some homework

Diversity and Inclusion Starts at Recruitment and Candidate Care

Consequences of Mental Health

What’s next? Waging war against Mental Health Issues

Artificial Intelligence is Getting Smarter