Last week we started looking at the behaviours that stand out employees display in the workplace.  These are the employees who seem to always be getting recognition from the boss, who get the promotions, the raises and all the opportunities!!  And thankfully, it is really easy for you to be one of these people with these simple tips!

1. Keep your word: you can be sure that your job and tasks impact upon others in your workplace, so always ensure that you keep your word.  Stick to deadlines, or ensure that you communicate to those who will be affected if you can’t meet them and keep them informed.  If you promise that you will assist someone, or take responsibility for something, ensure that you always keep your word.  This is a very simple concept, but you would be surprised the number of employees who don’t see this as important!
2.  Give credit where credit is due:  much the opposite of ‘not my fault’, you will hardly find a situation in the workplace where you have achieved something all on your own.  Yet too many managers (and co-workers) don’t take the time to recognise and specify the contributions of others.  Always be willing to share credit for accomplishments, ideas and contributions, this builds strong and healthy work relationships!  The other distinct advantage is that it removes fear: people work better in an encouraging environment, by thanking, rewarding and recognising others contributions you build an effective and collaborative team environment!
3. Help others to be their best: as mentioned directly above, a collaborative team environment that recognises the contributions of all is a strong and healthy work environment!  Another way to capitalise on this is to help other individuals to be the very best they can be.  Every employee has unique talents, skills and experience, by helping individuals to use the best of all of these and encouraging them to grow and prosper: you benefit the entire company.  By creating a positive and motivating environment you allow individuals to achieve their own individual flair and proficiency and any individual who can help others achieve their own greatness stands out as the type of person everyone wants to work with!

By using this 6 tips, you can become a stand out employee – the type of person everyone wants to work with, the type of person who is enjoyable to be around.  When you focus on solutions (not problems), take responsibility, show respect for others, keep your word, give credit where it is due and help others to be their very best you show your employer that you are exactly the model employee that everyone likes to have around!

Do you have any other tips or ideas that would make you a stand out employee?

In Australia there are laws in place to protect individuals aged 40 and over in the workplace, but it doesn’t always mean they are upheld.  The Age Discrimination in Employment Act was passed in 1967 and makes it against the law for businesses to discriminate against workers aged 40 or older, either in current employment, or seeking employment.

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there was a steep increase just as recently as 2009 in the number of age-related discrimination claims. In that year, the EEOC noted 22,778 age discrimination claims, close to a 38 percent uptick from only 16,548 three years earlier.

In most cases, age discrimination is often cleverly disguised as something else – so it is up to employees and job seekers to be aware of how they can protect themselves from this type of discrimination!

So, below we have suggested some ways for you to protect yourself from age discrimination:

1. Keep your skills updated: Technology is one of the main areas that comes to mind!!  Keep up with new fads and changes!  Sometimes your employer will even offer courses – take up the offer, make sure you face anything new so that you don’t become overwhelmed,
2. Network: keep connected with people – this will help remind you of your worth AND also keeps you in the know for any job opportunities coming up,
3. Document any discriminatory practices: make sure you keep a record of any situations where you suspect you have been discriminated against.  Include as MUCH detail as possible.
4. Document your work record: be sure to keep a record of your good work performance!  If you have good attendance, good results in line with your job description and are ‘easy to work with’ your employer will have to have solid reasoning behind letting you go!
5. Out of the usual: be aware of anything that seems out of the usual , ie: surprise evaluations, new benchmarks that aren’t universal for all staff.
6. Promotions: if you are getting passed over for promotions, or notice that younger staff are getting better chances, you may need to consider that a red flag.
7. Training new staff: it is not uncommon for companies to ask their senior staff to train up new arrivals or groom younger staff members, but be aware (and keep notes) if you are being asked to train a “successor”.

Now all this being said (because reading back over it, it seems like a huge scare mongering story), the most important thing about age discrimination is that it doesn’t seem to happen to people who have the confidence in themselves and their ability.  If you are in a work environment that seems skewed to younger people, that can be damaging to your self esteem, so perhaps you are better off looking for a work environment that is a better fit?

If you are looking for a job, scrutinize the want ads!  Check the language, are they using young colloquialisms? Are they asking for ‘youthful’ aspects? Does the interviewer ask questions that seem to revolve around age?  If so, perhaps this is not the job for you!

I would like to think that age discrimination is becoming a thing of the past, both the employer and the employee are responsible for ensuring that older workers are of value to a company!

There has been a missive shift in the workplace in the last decade (or two): the 80’s was the era of the power worker – long hours, no room for anything but a career.  Then we started to shift, started to understand that all work and no play isn’t how we are designed!  Enter Gen Y to the workforce and the shift snowballed!  Gen Y showed us that it is indeed possible to work smarter when we balance our personal needs.  The shift also reflects in the number of roles that are now offering work from home and flexible hour options.  The growing economy and increase in job opportunities also adds to the options employees now have.  Yes indeed, the workplace has changed for the better!

Employers are now really understanding just how important their employees are to them and how important it is to keep good employees!

New information reveals changes

According to Max Messmer, chairman and CEO, Robert Half International. “For a growing number of workers, corporate culture is the key determinant in their choice to stay with an organization long term.”

In 1993, only 9% said that the work environment was an important factor in keeping employees satisfied. Other critical factors include the importance of praise and recognition, and compensation each cited by 28% of those surveyed. Six years ago praise and recognition was at the top of the list, cited by 47% of those surveyed.

What does this mean for Employers

Employers need to realise that the quality of the work environment has become a critical factor for employees, if they are dissatisfied, they don’t stay and quietly grumble (and quite frankly this isn’t a good thing either), they find employment elsewhere!

What does this mean for Job Seekers

For job seekers, the shift has happened!  Now you know that you can have a career that provides you all you need, balance for work and play, satisfaction and recognition and a job you can be happy going to!!

So how do you achieve this?!  The number one trick is to look at the work environment!  Understand if it is indeed the type of environment that you will be happy in!

Is it a social workplace?  Is there a lot of recognition for jobs well done?  Do the employees feel a sense of purpose?

When you go for your interview, what should you be asking

There are a few ways you can get a good understanding of the work environment BEFORE you accept the job!  Here are some questions you can ask to get a feel:

P  Why is this role available

P  What is your staff turnover like

P  How social is the work environment

P  What recognition is in place for achievements

P  How much input do workers have

Now – there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions, you just need to know that the answers match with what your ideals are!

Let’s face it – a happy work environment that provides a sense of satisfaction is far better for any employee!  Do your homework at the interview and ensure that you are looking at a workplace that suits your needs; if the environment sounds like it will suit you, then you have an important piece of the puzzle to ensuring you have a satisfying career!

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!

If you have ever looked for a new job, you know just how daunting it can be!  One of the BEST ways you can help yourself to secure your dream job is to enlist the help of a recruiter, but the problem is most candidates have NO IDEA just how a recruiter can help them.  So instead of it becoming a useful and viable tool to help you get a job, candidates get frustrated and disillusioned with recruiters.

To help you take advantage of the enormous support and assistance a recruiter can provide we’ve put together a little handy guide for you!  These top 10 tips will help you to understand where the recruiter is coming from and thereby help you to capitalise on their knowledge and assistance!

1. How recruiters are paid: Recruiters are paid to FILL THE JOB.  They are not paid to FIND you a job.  This means that a recruiter is ALWAYS going to put forward the best person for the position.  How does this help you?  Keep in communication with your recruiter!  Make sure you ask WHY when you are not suitable for a role!  This is the simplest way to find out what you need to do to be the best candidate!  You may need to improve your skills, experience, training, attitude – your recruiter will be honest with you, if you demonstrate that you are genuine about wanting to improve!
2. Recruiters are BUSY: I know that sounds like a cliché, but it is absolutely the truth.  You think about it, for every position that a recruiter needs to fill, on average there are 100 applicants!  A recruiter needs to vet those applicants on a whole host of levels (as mentioned above, skills, experience, training, attitude, etc).  If you are the quiet reserved type, or if you never put yourself forward, you could be potentially lost amongst the dozens if not hundreds of other candidates.  So again, keep in touch with your recruiter!  I would recommend a call AND an email once a week.  Ask the recruiter what roles they have on their books and what is coming up. Make sure you ask what THEY think you are suitable for (it does help your recruiter draw the links between your skills and abilities and any vacancies they may have!).  PS: don’t waste their time – make sure when you are communicating with them that you capitalise on your time and theirs – it will be truly respected!
3. Are you a good candidate: Again recruiters are busy and usually have far more candidates than roles to fill, so you have to make sure you stand out from the crowd.  The easiest way is to make sure that you’re in the forefront of your recruiters mind is to make things simple for them.  Is your resume up to date and effective?  Do you have polished interview skills?  Are you up to date with industry standards and requirements and news?  Ask your recruiter what you need to do to make yourself a stand out candidate! And remember to ALWAYS be professional!
4. Knowledge base: a recruiter is actually an absolute wealth of knowledge!  Not only will they know about the standard information about the positions and the companies that are hiring, they will know a host of information about specific hurdles and opportunities.  They will have personal information and tips that can help you get your foot in the door!  The best way for me to demonstrate this is to tell you about a job I once got because I played netball!  It was a senior sales role and I was by far the youngest candidate, but the recruiter said that the employer was big into team environments and that because I played a team sport it would be viewed well!  I made sure that I discussed that I was the captain and what my responsibilities were to ensure a strong sporting team AND got the job!  Make sure you take advantage of your recruiters breadth of knowledge
5. Referrals: lastly, like any job that deals with people there is a very large element of networking and referrals that impact the success of a recruiter.  So if you want to take advantage of what a recruiter can offer you, remember to pay it forward!  Recruiters really appreciate referrals and recommendations!  If you go out of your way to help them, it is only natural that they will extend the same courtesy!

Recruiters really are an excellent way for you to give yourself the advantages you need to secure your dream job and now that you understand them better, you can make sure that you know how to work with one successfully!

Let us know your stories of dealing with recruiters – good or bad, we love to hear and would love to help you!!

It is often the case that we dread going back to work after the silly season.  Having a break, enjoying ourselves, spending time with family and loved ones all serve to remind us that perhaps we have lost the love for our job.

The problem usually sets in then, that we start to think about our options, we think about what we would like, why we have lost the passion for what we are currently doing.  Or as may be the case, New Year means big changes and perhaps the staff/role changes just don’t suit you.  For a small percentage of people their desire to change roles or find a new job is enough to push them along.  But for most of us, the fear grips us, we tell ourselves:

• Well at least we are secure,
• well at least we know what to expect, or
• I’ve spent most of my life building this career, I don’t want to throw it away.

What if you could actually find a job where the above still remains true, where you can tap into your passion BUT find new challenges?!

There is never a better time to consider recruitment!  To be successful as a recruiter, you need certain base skills that building a successful career in a particular role or position, makes you especially suited!  The best recruiters are ones that have successfully worked in their field of choice – it makes them most suited to understanding the intricacies of a role and the key factors that make a candidate successful at it!  If you know the job well, you are able to help your employer understand exactly what they need to successfully fill the role – with skills, experience, aptitude and ability, you are able to truly understand what candidates would be most suited to an employers needs!

If you would like to know more about a career in recruitment have a read below and pop along here: Become a Wise Recruiter to apply!  Or simply drop us a comment below and we’ll get back to you!

Control your own work / Life
Earn very well
leverage your network contacts

There are many different ways to find a new job, from online seaching (eg: Seek) to mobile alerts (eg: www.jobezy.com.au), from recruitment agencies to government schemes, but there is one method that time and time again works as THE most successful tool for securing a new job!  In fact study after study lists networking as the dominant method used by successful job seekers – more than 75% of the time!

Think about it from a prospective employers’ point of view, if you had a choice between:

1. a stranger: someone who has responded to an ad, who interviewed well and seems to have the right qualification and experience.  They have good references and their work history seems pretty stable, OR
2. a referral: someone that a co-worker has worked with before.  Your co-worker can vouch for their strengths and abilities, the person is well respected and has a good reputation.  They also interview well, have the right qualifications and experience, good references and stable work history.

Who Would You Hire?

The simple fact of the matter is that hiring someone is a massive cost to any business and even worse if the new hire doesn’t work out.  Employers will always hedge their bets!  You can bet that an employer is always going to choose someone when they know more about their suitability to the company and the role, the known is always safer than the unknown!

How do you start to network?

This is the part that can be most difficult if you have never thought of networking to find a new job.  But it is really easier than you think!

1. Tell a trusted friend or colleague in your industry that you are perhaps on the lookout for a new job, if you know that it can be kept confidential from your current employer – tell more than one!
2. Find out what events are attended by people in the same industry/roles you are interested in and go along!
3. Ask your recruiter to steer you in the right direction to events or groups that would assist you in your endeavours!

What is the secret to successful networking?

Once you have found some events to attend or people to connect with, the most important thing is to ensure that you maximise your time networking.  The BIGGEST mistake people make networking is going into it thinking it is all about them.

REMEMBER: networking is a two-way street!

Remember that networking is about listening as much as talking and about helping others as much as helping yourself and you will always find that networking is enjoyable and beneficial!

Come along next week when we’ll give you specific steps in how to network successfully!

The new reality is that the overwhelming majority of vacancies now require post-secondary education for ENTRY level jobs!!  A fascinating overseas article I read (read here) talks about the statistics for Occupation projections through to 2018.

The statistics project that the growth in jobs will be highest for the highest level of education (eg: post-graduate degrees) and will follow suit to the smallest growth being in industries that require vocational or technical education (eg: trade certificates).  The forecast proposes that over 60% of jobs in 2018 will require some college education and up to half will require at least a Bachelor’s Degree.

So what does this mean for job seekers moving forward??

For the younger generations

Stick it out at school!  Take for granted that if you are currently in school (ie: under grade 12) you would be seriously jeopardizing your job prospects if you don’t gain some University qualifications.  I could write a whole new post on the merits of study and where you should direct your interests, but suffice to say a generalist Bachelor’s degree would be worth having under your belt, as experience in the retiring generation of Baby Boomers will be replaced by the need to have at least shown the tenacity to obtain a degree!  In other words, much like is the standard in London, a degree in anything, even if it doesn’t relate directly to your ultimate career path, is going to be viewed better than experience and no degree.

For the older generations

Time to start looking at upskilling on the job.  Many Certificates can now be ‘RPL’d” (Recognition of Prior Learning).  In Australia there are subsidies available to employers to help their staff (for little or no cost) to formalise their experience.

The benefits of study

Ever heard the saying the more you learn, the less you know?!  Although it might seem ironic, the truth is the more you learn the more it opens your eyes to things previously unknown and you begin to understand new things and the more you understand things the more you see that you can learn and understand more!

Employers understand the benefits of people who have engaged in study and who have broadened their understanding of new and varied topics!  Use this to your advantage and find a way to make study a priority!!  You will be rewarded with more doors opening for you!