It’s no secret – many of us start looking for a new job from a place of dissatisfaction.  We hate our boss, there has been restructuring, we want more money, we want something more satisfying, we don’t like co-workers, we are overworked.  All of them have such negative connotations – we start from a place of lack – where we are looking to fill a need that is not currently being fulfilled.

How do we end up on the back foot

This can actually skew our opportunities.  Instead of coming from a place of knowing our own worth and abilities, we start from a desperate point – we start on the back foot.  So we start to wonder if we can do the job, if we are good enough, what did we do wrong to get us to this place where we are so unhappy,

If you are coming from this point of view, you can almost bet that there will be someone else who will win your dream job over you!

You truly can’t be looking for a new job and expect the best for yourself if you are unhappy and feeling lack of self worth.

Don’t get me wrong – a little bit of contrast is good for us.  That realization that we want more or deserve better can be very very powerful!  BUT if you want to find your dream job, if you want to be the one to win out over the other candidates, it is important that you make sure you give yourself the best chances for success!

How to get in front

1. The very first step is to truly know why you are looking for a new job, write down the tangible and measureable reason/s;
2. Once you have identified the reason/s, make sure that you remove any lack of self worth feelings (ie: don’t allow your reason to be because you have failed or have shortcomings) if the reason is more money – make sure you know how much more you want and why you deserve it!
3. Now CLEARLY identify what it is you do want!  Please – don’t say “I want a better job” get SPECIFIC!!
4. Now you need to decided WHY you would be good at it and all the good things you will bring to a new role, and finally
5. Go get ‘em!!

Once you remove the ‘emotive’ responses, once you clearly identify the facts of what you don’t want, what you do want, what you deserve and why you deserve it – THEN you are in front!!  Then you will shine at interviews and impress potential employers!

Employers are looking for someone who can convey their confidence and self worth, their ability to perform and earn.  This is not a call for arrogance, but simply putting in place the above steps will help you to shine and put your best foot forward!

There are 2 distinct personality types in any office (well in life actually), the introvert and the extrovert.  The truth is that the extroverts are usually the ones who tend to have much focus upon them; of course we do – we’re loud and not afraid to have our opinion heard!!  Not to mention, we are more than happy to pat ourselves on the back when we have done a good job!  Based on this, most businesses utilise a management structure that helps extroverts excel, ie: big meetings, brain storming sessions, training groups.

I recently read an article that talked about the benefits of an “agile” work environment, that is a workplace that is defined as an open environment – where input from all staff is encouraged, where brain storming sessions and group discussions (which can sometimes be heated discussions) are encouraged.  Agile is often credited with company success, but opponents call this into question as this often doesn’t suit the introverted personality (read the opposing view here).

Instead it has been suggested that introverts excel in closed environments as opposed to open ones.  I read with interest some snippets of Susan Cain, the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking.  By the way – a GREAT book for us extroverts who are trying to understand our introverted friends and co-workers!

Susan, a self- confessed introvert, talks about how a closed environment brings out the creativity in an introvert.  Introverts learn and gather through independent research and work better without distractions and lots of ‘noise’.  However, what has apparently proven effective is pairing introverts with one other person to solve problems, as opposed to working in chaotic brainstorming sessions or by themselves.  Granted, introverts usually work much better by themselves, but pairing allows differences of opinions to be explored and boundaries to be expanded – the important factor here is that for the creative growth to be effective there must be some challenges and expansion of ideas.  This is not to say that introverts can’t contribute in agile environments, but just that there are solutions that are more suited to their creativity!

So for employers, it is important to identify if your staff are introverts or extroverts and adapt your environment to ensure that you are extracting the best creatively from your staff!

Last week we started discussed the importance of networking and what a huge part it can play in you landing your dream job.  The problem is that most people are terrified of networking, so last week we started giving you some tips as to how you can learn to network and embrace this job search skill!

This week we have another 4 tips AND A little know GOLDEN RULE, so that you can get comfortable with networking:

1. Listen: now I know that you know you need to listen, we are all taught that from a young age, but adding to what I mentioned last week about ‘making connection natural’ you need to listen BEFORE YOU SPEAK!  By actively listening to what someone else is saying you will be able to RESPOND to them, not just ‘keep talking’.  People like to feel heard, if you can reflect back you have heard what they have said and continue on a conversation in the same vein you will find they will feel naturally comfortable with you!
2. Don’t take advantage: remember that networking is usually about interacting with a number of people, don’t overstay your welcome!  If you are speaking with someone, especially as networking is often an informal setting, feel free to be open with them about not wanting to monopolise them and state that you have taken up 15 minutes of their time already and appreciate their time.  It is not only polite, but allows the other person then the opportunity to choose to continue a conversation with you!
3. Set goals:  this one is important!  Set yourself an achievable goal, perhaps to speak with 3 new people, or meet one particular person.  You will feel so much better with a goal and so much better when you have achieved.  Let’s be honest, networking is a goal oriented exercise, don’t waste time with encounters that aren’t meaningful, or you will leave feeling drained (remember to be polite to whomever you meet), but make sure that each interaction has value!
4. Follow-up: this is what networking is all about – giving you the opportunity to build relationships that will be mutually beneficial in the future!  Don’t waste the connections you have made, it is extremely important that you send a follow up email or make that follow up call!  So you actually need to diarise some time to do this after a networking event, if you don’t MAKE the time to follow up, it will get away from you!

The little known GOLDEN RULE!

In networking (as in any business interaction) there is definitely one thing you can do to stand out from the crowd!!  This trick makes you memorable, well liked and well regarded! And it is so simple: REFERRALS!  When you meet people, you may actually be able to help them connect with others that you also know!  Personally, I advise you do this with an open and helpful heart, otherwise it is a waste of time.  If you are only doing it to get something out of it, you will end up coming across as someone who is only using others.  But, if you can genuinely and gladly help someone connect with someone else, I promise you that it will make you stand out and make you memorable!!

So now you are armed with some actionable tips to get the most out of networking, time to get out there and put them into practice and I PROMISE you, you will reap the rewards!

Be sure to drop us a comment below if you have any questions, or would like any specific networking advice!

Traditionally we think of networking as a negative thing.  Unless you are an extrovert and a social butterfly, the thought of networking my indeed strike fear into your heart!!  But networking is not just schmoozing, in fact networking is one of the MOST effective ways to land your dream job!!

How, I hear you ask? Simple: all employers would prefer to have someone whom they already have the benefit of knowing will ‘increase success odds’!  Before a job is advertised most employers will often look close to home: consider internal promotions or recommendations from trusted friends, staff members and/or industry professionals.

So it’s time to realise some important things about networking and how learning to network successfully can really help you to land your dream job!

1. You don’t have to like it: but you do have to do it AND if you want to take advantage of this clever way to ‘promote’ yourself, you should at least look like you like it!  Even for extroverts like me it can be nerve wracking – here’s what I do, I put a smile on my face and talk to as many people as possible and the BIGGEST tip: I ask questions – everyone loves to talk about themselves, this is a GREAT way to cover up your nerves and get someone else doing the talking!
2. Make connecting natural: Like I said above, start with a smile and ask others about themselves.  Also, have a small simple spiel about yourself, but make it professional, what you do for a job and what career path you are interested in, leave the personal stuff for a different situation!  Relax, smile and act natural – when you are tense and putting on a front, people feel it intuitively and it makes everyone uncomfortable!
3. Never underestimate ‘the little guy’: too often we see people tripping over themselves to talk to ‘the big guys’, forgetting that though they may appear to be the final decision maker, there are often many people below them whose advice they will be influenced by.  My favourite saying is the receptionist has more power than you can ever imagine – and let’s face it ALL people deserve your time and respect!  Ignoring anyone can have dire results.  Remember to treat all people with interest!
4. Remember your manners: ugh, I know that you are all thinking this is common sense, BUT you will actually be amazed at the number of people who simply forget the polite niceties of meeting people.  Work on remembering people’s names (I look them in the face and say their names 3 times in my head, this has really helped me as I used to be terrible at remembering names!).  Thank them for their time and for allowing you to talk about yourself as well!

Next week we’ll have the 5 final tips for successful networking for you!!  Be sure to drop us a comment below if you have any questions, or would like any specific networking advice!

It’s probably no surprise to any employee or potential employee that the leading criterion for employers is that their staff members be someone who can do the job AND will do the job!

Yes, we colour this to look like:

Can you do the job

• What is your experience,
• What are your qualifications,
• What skills do you see as necessary to perform this job,
• How would you handle XYZ,
• Give me examples of when you have handled something like this before.

Will you do the job

• Why did you apply for this job,
• Why do you think you would be good at this job,
• Why do you want to work for us,
• Will you stay at a task until it is completed,
• How do you handle set backs,
• What is your time management like.

Further employers want someone who is going to ‘fit in’.  The social element of a job can’t be underestimated.  In fact in the vast majority of exit interviews I have experience with, the main reason for leaving a job was dissatisfaction: usually with a person or persons in the work environment.  Issues such as job responsibilities or money can generally be solved if an employee has a good relationship with their manager and is able to communicate with them, as these are issues that most employers are willing to address to keep a key employee!

The issues that most employees site are the inability to be heard, the inability to change faulty systems, or indeed plain old personality clashes.  I recently read an article that stated up to 40% of senior executives leave a position within 18 months: they were either fired, or pushed out, due to not ‘fitting in’ culturally.

Showing that you are a good fit is usually more difficult than demonstrating your qualifications and experience.  Employers don’t want to hire someone who can’t get along with co-workers, so it is important that you know how you would handle different personalities and be able to effectively demonstrate that to a potential employer.

Lastly, employers like to know that you are affordable!  This is the part that often tricks people up in an interview and it is something you should be prepared for!  The potential employer is likely to ask you what you were earning before, or what you think you are worth.  Personally – I don’t answer the “what were you earning before”, I make sure that I know what the current market rate is and I have myself armed with that knowledge before the interview.  That way I can clearly state what I would be happy to accept!  This means that the potential employers knows exactly where they sit with you and you know you won’t accept any less.  Don’t be surprised if some employers can’t afford you – but at least you are in the position of deciding if you want to accept what they will offer; and sometimes they may not be able to give you what you want straight away, but you can negotiate it after the probation period!

So, if you want the job, make sure you know how to:

1. Demonstrate you CAN do the job,,
2. Demonstrate you WILL do the job,
3. Demonstrate you can FIT in,
4. And know what you want to be paid when you can do all of these things for a potential employer!

This is the part most employers become stuck on, they think that it would be cheaper and more effective to handle hiring in-house.  Employers think that someone within the work environment would understand what is needed better.

Statistics quote the cost of hiring a new employee fall somewhere between 50% and 200% of the annual wage.  Granted, some of that cost would be in training the new staff member, but an awful lot of it is tied up in the advertising, interviewing and deciding on applicants, not to mention the expense if the chosen applicant doesn’t work out, doesn’t accept the offer, or withdraws from the running.  Take then into account the number of people who don’t make it past the probation period (cripes I can give you examples of people going out for lunch on their first day and just not coming back!); why would you risk not having a professional help you succeed?!

Ask any manager what percentage of their success is dependent on the performance of their direct reports.  Most figures are around 90%.  This may seem high, but the simple fact is that most managers, by nature of the role, are dependant on their staff performing successfully.  That being the case, wouldn’t you want the BEST people for your team?

Here are some compelling reasons to consider just what having a recruiter can do for you and how that translates into savings in time and money:

1. To begin working with a recruiter, they will require a carefully constructed criterion for qualifiying an opening.  This will actually assist the right hire for the job, as opposed to the candidate who interviews the best!
2. A good recruiter simply has access to a wider range of candidates!  These candidates will have already been qualified too – even better, they are likely ones who are currently employed with feelers out, ie: the cream of the crop is who every employer wants access to!
3. Good recruiters use stringent processes, this can dramatically reduce the likelihood of candidates withdrawing from the process (another expensive part of recruiting)
4. Having a recruiter working for you will also increase your chances of the candidate accepting the offer!  (it is simple truth that candidates often get cold feet at the time of the job offer!).
5. Likewise a good recruiter actually reduces the likelihood of the candidate accepting a counter offer or changing their decision during your decision making process.
6. For an employer, a long-term relationship with a recruiter actually makes good sense, because as a manager you will never again have to settle for sub-rate staff who simply seemed good on paper, or interviewed well!
7. Finally, a recruiter will save you time sifting through the chaff and finding you quality staff!

So get on with what you are supposed to be doing and let a recruiter do what they do best!

Feel free to comment below if you have any specific questions about how to best utilise the service of a recruiter!

Ask just about anyone who has ever hired someone and they will say that the best interviewee is more likely to get the job over the best candidate.  As much as we want to deny it, as much as we’d like to say the most qualified and experienced candidate scored the role, the fact of the matter is, the vast majority of employers will pick the person who interviewed well!  And this is ok for some roles, but for most roles there is a standard that can’t be measured in someone’s charisma and ability to interview well.

When is charisma an important skill?

There is no denying that charisma can be a desired skill – in fact if you are recruiting a cult leader it’s the only skill you need!  For positions like retail roles, customer service roles or sales roles, charisma is also extremely important – you need to know that the person you employ is able to deal well with the public.  However, there aren’t many jobs where people skills are more important than paperwork skills, so someone with charisma but lacking the ability to complete their paperwork may not be the best person for the role – even though in the interview we can be blinded to the shortcomings.

The truth of the matter is that charisma is only one small part of the reason you should hire someone and this is where employers can benefit from the skills of a recruiter and becomes a strong selling point for recruiters.

Why recruiters are important

Recruiters are skilled to be able to look past the charisma and understand the skill level and emotional intelligence of an applicant.  Because no amount of charisma is going to cut it if the candidate gets going as soon as the going gets a bit tough!

What does a recruiter do that you can’t

Recruiters are skilled in understanding the balance of charisma, education, experience AND aptitude of applicants.  Recruiters also understand the nature of YOUR business and have ways to make sure that applicants would suit your work environment!  Recruiters are not blinded by one ability over another and understand that the best employee is one that provides you with a balance of all of the required elements.

The other big advantage a recruiter provides is the ability to remove themselves emotionally from the need, so that they can make an informed choice of the correct balance needed for a new employee to integrate and successfully fulfill your vacancy.

How do you find the perfect recruiter

Once you find the perfect recruiter, you will truly know that you never want to handle the employing procedure in-house again!  Start by looking at recruiters that offer placements within your industry.  They will have an experienced knowledge of the unique quirks that you need to successfully fill a role.  Ask other industry professionals who they recommend and finally talk to a few – you will get a feel for who knows their stuff… but don’t be tricked by their charisma!!

Who doesn’t want more money?!  It is the curse of our modern have now society!  We could all do with a little (or in some cases a lot!) extra moolah!

Often we have been in a job for a while and the pay has stayed much the same, but as we have gained more experience in the role and within the work environment, we become aware of the fact perhaps we deserve more.  Perhaps you have seen what other employers are paying for the same type of job role, perhaps you have taken on a lot of extra responsibility, or perhaps you are aware that you are really creating benefits for your employer (eg: sales people exceeding their budgets or accounts people clearing the debtors list).

The truth is – most of us would like to ask for a pay rise, but we often don’t because we are too scared of the response.  Or worse still, we do ask, but because we ask the wrong way we end up with a ‘no’ and that can be very damaging to our self-esteem!

So, if you want to ask for a pay rise, if you think you deserve it, we have some tips for you to go the right way about it!!

1. Preparation: this is the MOST critical part.  Don’t go in unprepared, you just hang your reputation on the line.  To successfully ask for a pay rise you need to be able to justify your ask.  The best way to do this is have supporting evidence as to why you deserve it and know how much you want!  I personally have successfully used a 2 prong approach:
   1. How much you want: show evidence of what other employers are currently paying for a similar role (check current job ads and salary surveys), and
   2. Why you deserve it: give real life examples of where you have contributed to the company, eg: have you saved them money, have you saved them time, have you increased their income.  Be sure to provide SPECIFIC examples of how you have achieved this.
   3. Questions and objections: make sure you also think about potential questions and objections your employer may bring up and how you would respond to them.  By being fully prepared, you reduce the likelihood of your employer not taking you seriously.
   4. Timing: believe it or not, the timing has to be about your employer.  So many people asking for a pay rise take a “not at the moment” response personally.  The fact of the matter is, if the company is currently going through some difficult times, it doesn’t matter how you justify yourself, the answer will likely be no.  I have successfully used the ‘toe in the water’ approach, asking your boss when would be a good time to discuss a salary review (also be fully prepared to have your boss discuss a goal oriented or strategic review of your position, responsibilities and achievements – and all you have to do here is see point 1-be prepared with your evidence!).  The most popular time for a successful pay review is when your company is hiring, because you can bet that the new employee/s will be paid according to the current market rate, which has most likely increased since you started.  This is a good time to show your loyalty and commitment to your employer too!
   5. Confidence: here is the all important ingredient!  Don’t be intimidated asking for a pay rise – if you have done your research and prepared your justifications, it should be very simple for you to see in a clinical way that you deserve this pay rise!  If you lack confidence in the facts you bring before your employer, they will know that they can say no and nothing will change.  Try to approach the topic as you would any work meeting, remove the emotion attached and present the facts!  Go in fully expecting that you will be successful – confidence (not arrogance) is the key magic ingredient!

Good luck and don’t forget to let us know how you went! Drop us a comment below, or feel free to ask any questions if you would like some help!

Last year Fair Work upheld a decision that saw an employee being sacked for comments made against a fellow employee on Facebook.  The decision was upheld as it was deemed that the employee’s use of Facebook to post abusive comments about a manager at his workplace was related closely enough to his work because “the separation between home and work is now less pronounced than it once used to be”. The case also demonstrates that the line between work and personal life is increasingly narrowed: employers need to be alert to the fact that social media can be more than harmless fun.

SmartCompany reported: ‘The decision is potentially an important one because even though the employee had posted the comments on his home computer and out of work time, the Tribunal found that it constituted a breach of the employer’s policy requiring employees’ conduct to be “courteous and polite” and not to use “offensive language, resort to personal abuse or threaten or engage in physical contact.” The employer also had policies against sexual harassment and bullying’.

Employers need to be keenly aware of the potential for an employee’s social media comments to lead to more serious consequences, eg: a claim of harassment by a workmate, is very real.

Which leads to the question – as an employer do you have policies with regards to social media use?  Many companies think that by simply stopping staff using social media during work time that they have done enough to protect themselves.  (By the way – you may be interested in reading a previous post of ours referring to productivity and social media use at work.  You may just be surprised at the negative impact of altogether banning social media use!).  But in light of the above ruling, employers need to be aware that even if an employee is using social media outside of work time, there is a massive potential for their company name, brand, reputation or other staff members to be put at risk. Employers should ensure that they have clear policies which cover extreme antisocial use of social media.

What should your employee handbook cover about staff behaviour

Firstly, the employer in the above case had clear guidelines in their staff handbook that required:

• a courteous and polite code of conduct
• no use of offensive language
• no use of personal abuse
• no use of threatening or engaging in physical contact

These points were all used in the employers successful bid against their unfair dismissal charge.  This is not an exhaustive list and we recommend that you seek advice as to the best guidelines for your particular workplace.

What should your employee handbook cover about social media use

Even further, with the prevalent use of social media these days, employee policies and handbooks should include particular reference to social media!  You can engaged an HR specialist (drop us a comment below if you would like any recommendations for Australian HR providers), you can utilise legal counsel/advice or you can simply write something yourself (disclaimer: be aware that this may not be legally binding if an employee tries to refute it).

The important point is that employers can no longer bury their heads in the sand and think that by banning social media use in the workplace, they have protected themselves and met their duty of care to staff members.  It’s time to make sure your staff manual includes reference to what is allowed or not allowed when it comes to your company or staff being referred to in any social media format!

Every employer should know that if you keep your staff happy, they will stay AND give you their best.  Last week we discussed ways you can build a ‘talent firewall’ and looked at specific steps you can take to build programs and solutions for your staff members (see post here). This week we’ll look at specific steps you, as Executives and Managers, can take to improve the workplace environment:

1. Cut the red tape:two of the biggest gripes of top talent (based on exit interviews) are extraneous meetings and big company bureaucracy.  The easiest way to avoid these 2 issues is for management to remember that although systems and processes are helpful for a business functioning smoothly, at the heart of every business is the people and people don’t always fit into a process.  For companies with HR divisions this may be easier, as they tend to have resources to listen to employees on an individual level.  For companies that don’t have dedicated HR staff, the following tips may be helpful:
   1. Is that scheduled meeting required? Before the meeting assess if is it actually required AND make sure there is an agenda so you stay on task!
   2. Have a contact that staff members can speak with I know that many businesses worry that providing someone to listen to staff complaints increases the likelihood of complaints, but it has been shown that it is in fact quite the opposite.  The important factor is to have a process that includes identifying the issue and listening to the staff members preferred solution.  Businesses may still choose to deal with the issue according to the Staff handbook, but you will find that by at least hearing out a staff member and allowing them the opportunity to be part of the solution, you will increase good will with top talent!
   3. Never promote on potential: It’s an issue that actually often sees an implosion within a previously great company.  Up and coming employees usually have a dynamic personality, which can often blind senior management to their experience (or lack thereof).  Middle management/executives need to be able to DEMONSTRATE success BEFORE being promoted, otherwise the risk of failure is high.  Sadly, it is often this failure that creates bad blood that flows down the chain, so who is promoted and why is a very serious consideration for anyone who hasn’t demonstrated performance ability.
   4. Eliminate ‘Deadwood’: It is such a SIMPLE thing to do and yet SO MANY businesses fail at removing the cause of the disease and spend wasted time treating symptoms.  The simple fact is, if there is dissention in the troops you can bet it has filtered down from somewhere.  Companies should actually make a point of being aware of the impact of negative senior staff and those who have a lack mindset.  These people should not be in positions able to influence other staff.  Be aware and make sure that you are removing people who cause negative environments, it will actually increase morale and thereby lift the work output of everyone!
   5. Recognition: reward talent, it’s very simple!  At the same time know how to give CONSTRUCTIVE feedback.  Too much recognition and reward without some challenges to help people extend themselves can actually have reverse effect.  There is no need to over praise, but certainly taking the time to recognise people who put in a huge effort and go the extra mile is a great way to make your top talent feel valued!