SMStheJOB Blog

Top 5 tips for successful recruiters

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:35:00 +0000

A lot of people are drawn to recruitment. Like sales, if you have extensive experience within a particular industry, it makes sense to utilise that knowledge to build a successful career within the recruitment industry. Even better if you are the type of person who likes to work with people and you have some skill at discerning peoples abilities and aptitudes within your career specialist area.

But not EVERYONE who goes into recruitment becomes a successful recruiter – why is that? If you have the basic building blocks (ie: now the industry, are good with people and have a knack for matching employer and candidate), you should be able to make a killing yes?

No – the one thing that is often overlooked by new recruiters is that you actually have to learn some specialist recruiting skills!! With thanks to Jessica Lunk for her great post (read here) The good news is that the top 5 skills you need are extremely easy to master, as long as you know what they are!!

Metrics: yes, you need to TRACK what you are doing and how you are going. It’s not the type of career path you just ‘wing’. The measurement you start with is filling a role, work backwards from there and understand and identify how many steps it takes to achieve this, make sure that you then understand what you need to be doing each day to move things forward, to ensure the flow is kept! This will also help you to measure how many contacts you need to secure a placement, and then you can work out how many calls you need to make to get there, so now you need to:
Pick up the phone: yes, if you don’t like making outbound calls, please reconsider recruitment as your chosen career path! You need to drum up business, you need to make calls to find vacancies you might just be able to help a struggling employer fill! You have to commit to doing this for yourself! Yes word of mouth and referrals are very powerful, but to keep a constant and consistent flow of business, you need to PICK UP THE PHONE!
Adopt new technology: well adopt any technology really! It is amazing the array of tools we now have at our disposal! To be successful, you need to be AVAILABLE and have tools ACCESSIBLE! Smart phones are a godsend: you have access to the web and email and I recommend you look into apps that will help you track where you are at with clients and candidates (ie: your own personal CRM).
Speed: never more true than in recruiting – the early bird gets the worm! It is human nature, when we want something, we tend to respond to the quickest not always the best, make sure you use this to your advantage!
Purpose: there is one stark difference between average and great: PURPOSE! It is the thing that helps you pick yourself up when you’re down, it is the thing that helps you re-group and re-focus. Know what your purpose is, I find a short mission statement usually works best. It will help you to move past the inevitable difficulties that sometimes happen!

Time to go from good to great people!!!

How to pursue your dream career II

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:34:00 +0000

Last week we discussed how to get started ‘Pursuing your dream career’. We looked assessing where you are at career wise and then deciding what you want; understanding that it is NEVER too late to make changes and knowing that the hardest part is deciding what you actually do want!

This week, we want to help you with some tips to get you started on the right path! Once you have a plan and get started, things will snowball and you will find that chasing your dream will be worth it!

Research

The first thing that you need to do is check job search sites for vacancies, this will give you in-depth details about the position you want. Job ads will give you all of the information you need to know to put yourself on the starting blocks. They will tell you what qualifications you need, what experience is required, what sort of remuneration you can expect. You can also get an indication of the number of vacancies that are available (the more vacancies, the more likely your move into your new career will be easier)!

The next idea is to contact a recruiter – they will be able to help you determine a way to get started. Once you start to map out a plan, it will seem less overwhelming. Often the “requirements” to fill a role are weighted so the qualifications may be more important than the experience, or vice versa. You may find that the right aptitude and personality are more important than qualifications. You may find that some employers will be willing to have you embark on ‘on the job’ training. A good recruiter, who has specialist knowledge in your particular field of interest will know this important information and will help you find the places you need to go to get the qualifications or experience you need!

Qualifications

Find out what you need and work towards it! For many adults, the thought of going back to study can be quite overwhelming. The truth is, as adults we are much more easily able to apply ourselves to study and the truth is if it is something you are interested in you will likely enjoy study! Often you can RPL to gain qualifications (ie: Recognition of Prior Learning) – this is where you demonstrate on-job experience to gain some or all of your qualifications. Your local TAFE is a good place to start to research RPL as an option!

Experience

This is probably the one that seems the most difficult. In my experience, most employers are wary of someone who has little to no experience. To be honest, I have seen cases where an employer puts on a person that they didn’t particularly like, because they weighted the experience as more important than the right aptitude. There are 2 solutions to this issue: 1. Get comfortable with letting prospective employers know that you have more than enough aptitude to make up for experience, and/or 2. Volunteer! There is no better way (in my humble opinion) to demonstrate your dedication and commitment to a career or cause than to voluntarily give of your time and the best benefit is that the experience will be immeasureable!

You will be amazed that by simply setting an intention and starting the ball rolling your change will gain momentum. The hardest part is just starting!

How to pursue your dream career I

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:55:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again – we get close to assessing our past year and making resolutions for the new year. Many people are in unsatisfying jobs, but because they are comfortable, or it is stable, or they have money worries – they stay stuck.

There are plenty of ‘how to’ guides out there to help you change jobs, but the biggest challenge is usually in your head! You might like to read some of our previous posts: Don’t be afraid to change jobs and Why stay at a job you hate, if you are already at the point of deciding it is time to change jobs.

Time to assess where you are at careerwise

However, the truth is for most people, we stay at the point just before the above trigger, we stay at the point where things aren’t bad enough for us to make any changes – we justify why we should stay at perfectly good job, even thought it has become mundane or it is not our dream. I often tell people to stop for 5 minutes and think if this is what you dreamt of doing when you were a child, or for those of us that changed our minds regularly, are we ‘living the dream’?

First you have to know what you want

This article is to help people who KNOW what their dream is – you already know what it is that you dream of doing for a living! If you don’t know, you need to carefully consider. The reason I say this as it that it will require some work from you to chase your dream and if it’s not a true passion or dream, you may find it difficult to keep going when you hit the inevitable difficulties.

It’s never too late!

If you find that you are not truly happy, if you have a nagging urge to follow a dream, now is the time to step up! You can do it if you have the right tools! You don’t need to settle, or feel that time has passed you by. I recently read an article by a lady who changed careers after her children left home, she quoted lots of people who had done the same. In fact statistically we now have 2 to 3 major career changes in our lifetime (as opposed to our grandparents who stayed in one role and usually one company for their entire working career).

How do you start?

The first thing that is important is that you don’t have to throw out the baby with the bath water! You don’t have to throw away everything you have spent half a lifetime building. It is very possible to make changes in easy to handle increments. Next week we’ll give you some specific tips to give you the confidence to get started on pursuing your dream – no matter what age you are!

What if mobile ads never take off?

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:26:00 +0000

I recently read a great post about Mary Meeker and her prediction about Mobile Advertising

Mary Meeker was once known as the ‘Queen of the Net’, her predictions are often scarily accurate – she is gifted with truly understanding how technology and the desires of the people fit together!

Meeker’s recent internet presentation on ‘Top Mobile Internet Trends’ made some very insightful predictions about mobile advertising (you can see her presentation here it is great!).

Look out – here comes mobile advertising

In short however, Meeker discusses the youth of Mobile Advertising, the efficacy of mobile ads vs other media and the imbalance of the amount of advertising there compared with the amount of time we spend online - in fact Meeker’s last slide with bar charts is a clever depiction to explain the discrepancy.

Don’t hold your breath

Those who rebut her sight the slowness in the take off of internet advertising (ie: it has been available for over 10 years, but still only small companies and spammers seem to utilise online advertising).

Who’s paving the way

Companies like Groupon & LivingSocial may indeed be paving the way and changes to Twitter and Facebook seem to be increasing momentum to online advertising starting to play in the serious league.

Information overload

One think those who predict online advertising is about to skyrocket and those who argue this happening both agree on is that we live in a world of increasing overwhelm. There is SO MUCH information now available to us that the way to get smart is to ensure that YOUR market is seeing you. That you can capture the attention of the demographics and psychographics that matter, those that want what you have to offer!

Why does all of this matter for job seekers and advertisers

That is one EASY question to answer – this all matters because:

the amount of time we spend online is increasing, and
the amount of time we spend on smart phones and tablet devices in increasing

Along with these increases the amount of information we are accessing is becoming more specific.

Simply look at the largest job board in Australia – there is just WAY too much information going on. Advertisers can have their brand new vacancy up to 12 pages in within 4 hours of the ad being placed. How many pages do jobseekers tend to go when looking?? Approximately 4, before they report overwhelm and lack of ability to discriminate clearly between different positions.

The solution?!

The solution is simple – offer your target audience a way to access exactly what they want, WITHOUT having to sift through all of the noise. JobEzy offers this by simply allowing our advertisers and job seekers to plug in their job categories and location. Then we push the job alert to the interested seeker and better still allow them to respond via their mobile to apply for the position!

Check out how simple it is to use our services! http://www.jobezy.com.au/

How to get fired at your office Christmas Party 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Christmas is such a great time of year! It’s time to celebrate and let your hair down and what better way to celebrate the year than at your work Christmas party?! So here’s a few tips to make sure that you don’t become fodder for office gossip and that you do indeed have a job to go to on Monday!

Consume too much alcohol: it’s tempting I know (because generally someone else is paying for the alcohol) but just about everything that can go wrong at your work Christmas party starts with too much alcohol!
Go on a rant: it is not the time to air your grievances! It is not the time to complain about the co-worker that is rubbing you up the wrong way; or the boss who uses you to inflate their own career; or how overworked and under appreciated you are.
Attendance: attendance is pretty much compulsory – don’t be late, don’t leave too early. Your attendance and your level of mingling will be noted by HR and management. And if you’re in management – plan on staying late!
Attire: Christmas parties are usually the time to get all frocked up (well for us girls anyway) – make an effort to look good, make sure your private parts are all adequately covered!
Humour: Be careful!! Most jokes have an offensive component to SOMEONE. Choose carefully what jokes you will tell, it’s not the time to try out your amateur comedy routine
Networking: yes – your Christmas party is about networking, it is not about who you can score with!!! (do I need more exclamation marks here?) don’t kiss a co-worker – you know the saying what goes on tour stays on tour, this does not apply to Christmas parties, hook-ups are definitely off limits!
Dancing: now I LOVE dancing but I am the first to admit that whilst I may not be particularly talented in this area, I could dance all night. The trick to dancing at your Christmas party is to ensure that you have good clean fun, it’s not the time to pretend you’re pole dancing or stripping, or guys – don’t get grabby, just get dancey!
Pick a fight: last but not least, DO NOT GET INTO A FIGHT! Walk away if a conversation is going in a way you don’t like, do not ask provoking questions (like asking the big boss just what she actually does all day!), do not engage in a topic that heats you up.

Christmas is a great time of year and it is a fantastic time to let your hair down and spend some enjoyable time with your colleagues! If you keep in mind that too much alcohol is the undoing of many a man (or woman!) and remember that everyone owns a phone with a camera in them these days, so your every moment could be captured for all eternity; you will be likely to have a good time and leave still have your job on Monday!

Save time increase business

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:46:00 +0000

Do you have a worksheet? As a busy recruiter, you are probably aware that systems and processes make your life easier, but it strikes me as funny the number of recruiters that don’t actually have a working job order, or worse still a job order that is not working effectively!

There are 2 main purposes to a job order, most recruiters think there is only one, to gain the information for the vacancy in a clear and detailed manner; but the other important part of the job order is to create rapport with the client and build trust.

What should your job order include

Your Job Order should include the regular things you need to know when accepting a placement order:

a detailed roadmap of the position,
the work environment,
the manager,
the company,
the industry,
the salary,
the reporting relationships, and so on.

But if you just start asking your questions like a machine gun firing off, you are doing yourself a disservice!

How do you present your job order

Your job order is the foundation to gaining all of the information you require to successfully match a job seeker, so it is critically important that you have all of the basic information you need. But you will find that you can actually gain a LOT more knowledge when you strike up a conversation with your client!

What sort of questions should you be asking

Well before we tell you what you should be asking, it is important that you know what it is you are doing for your client. You want your client to quickly feel comfortable and connect with you (create rapport). The simplest way to do this is to ‘fix’ their problem. So your questions should be coming from this angle!

Why is this job open?
What problem do you want the person to solve?
Is there someone internally that could fill the role? What is it about them that you like?Why would someone quit a job to come and work for you?
If I had the perfect candidate you could make a competitive offer and have them start
in a few weeks?

These sorts of questions get your client talking. Once you have a picture of what it is they REALLY need, then you can fill in the blanks and ensure you know all the ‘details’, eg: qualifications, experience, salary and your fees!

Just remember, start with the purpose of creating rapport and finding out what need you are there to fill, the rest will flow from there!

Do you have a specialist mentality

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:31:00 +0000

Recently I read an interesting post entitled ‘No thanks – I’m just not that nice…’ and it got me to thinking. All too often we devalue ourselves and what we offer – it’s not something that is unique to recruiters, lots of people who are passionate about their job or experts in their fields are naturally drawn to help others in their chosen career specialties.

Think about it – do you have family, friends and maybe friends of friends all asking you for tips and advice when they are looking for a new job or wanting to update their resume? If you’re like us, you are probably happy to have a look and offer some advice! And there is nothing wrong with this – it is a compliment that others look to us for advice and respect our professional advice.

The problems start when either a. your advice isn’t implemented and somehow you’re made responsible for any jobs not secured, or b. they don’t listen or understand and keep coming back to you. This is where is starts to get difficult to draw the line in the sand. But it is important that you know when you are being helpful and when you are actually providing a service that should in fact be a chargeable job.

Think of it this way: if you go to a specialist for advice you expect to pay for it don’t you, so why should you sell yourself short?

How do you decide when enough is enough

This is actually one of the most important aspects of not giving too much away! If you are in the habit of happily helping family and friends, you might never have established how much is too much. As a general rule of thumb, I work on initial advice being comprehensive and encompassing. Any follow up from this point actually invites a repeat transactional relationship, ie: just look at this, ok I’ve done as you said, now look again – ad infinitum! So I am more than happy to have a look and offer you advice, how you implement it, or choose to action it is then up to you. Sounds easy right? It has actually taken me YEARS to get to this point!

Listen for the triggers

Once you are aware of your tendency to give away that which actually is of value, you will start to become aware of when and where you are selling yourself short. It might just start as finding yourself annoyed at being asked the same questions, or feeling put out that the person isn’t listening to your advice. It might be that you out and out realise you are being used, even thought the person doing the ‘using’ is not likely at fault (after all you have allowed and perhaps even encouraged them)! Whenever you start to notice that it seems the relationship has become unbalanced, it’s time to take action!

What strategies can you employ to value yourself?

Firstly, remember that you are not a personal career consultant – you have mastered your craft to assist those who will ultimately provide your income, so don’t cut yourself out of your deserved income! Secondly, there is nothing wrong with owning the fact that you have a specialist knowledge and this is a service you have a right to expect payment for! Finally, remember that YOU set the boundaries – make it clear from the outset that you are able to give initial advice and from there on they have the tools to make it work for themselves!!!

Time Optimisation tips for recruiters

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:03:00 +0000

There is certainly no argument about the ‘timing’ of things in the recruiting world. In a perfect world, your ideal candidate is looking for the exact job that your current client is looking to fill. This is the perfect scenario we are all trying to achieve!

We’ve all heard the saying ‘time is money’. The truth for anyone in business is that the ability to optimize time allows for increase in performance.

Traditionally time for a recruiter is split between candidates and clients and each of these can be split into 2 equally important area’s

finding clients and candidates, and
meeting/developing relationships with both.

Successful recruiters

Successful recruiters understand the need to dedicate sufficient time to each of these two areas. More importantly though, successful recruiters understand the need to maximise their time in each area, so that they are able to gain the best results without being overwhelmed or overworked!

Finding clients and developing relationships

What will make that HR manager, owner, or hiring manager take your call and listen to your sales pitch, or carve out 5 minutes to read and reply to your email? You might enjoy our previous post “Recruiters – what is your sales pitch?”. Most recruiters are very adept at developing relationships, the key is the ability to attract clients. The main way to do this is to get people to know, like and trust you! This, in most cases, takes time – so be prepared that the first telephone call you make is not likely to win you business every time, prepare yourself for the time and process it takes to develop a relationship!

Don’t forget the all important aspect of referrals and recommendations – ask your existing clients to assist you in finding new ones!

Finding candidates and developing relationships

What will make spending time with you – whether it’s 5 minutes on the phone or 30 minutes + travel for an interview – enticing to a candidate? You might like to read our previous post on ‘How recruiters can find the BEST applicants”. Most recruiters have a well defined process for categorizing applicants and measuring abilities and suitabilities for roles. This process is important to ensure that you are maximizing time with candidates and also ensure that you don’t waste time. Where possible conduct follow up interviews over the phone, to save you travel time.

Time is Mobile

Our final tip – remember that If a candidate or client is taking time out of their day to spend with you, you better be prepared. Utilise mobile solutions where possible. Make sure you have documented processes that are quick and simple to follow. Get to the point smartly, don’t waste time with fluff – respect everyone’s time is precious and be professional and prompt!

When and where you can, ensure that you save time – take 10 seconds to ask yourself “can I do this quicker, smarter, better?”. Keep up to date with industry trends. Ask successful colleagues what tricks and tips they use and remember – YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS!!

Don't be afraid to change jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:39:00 +0000

I have a friend who recently received a call from a recruiter – went along these lines:

‘Hi – I got your details from someone about a vacancy I have, they thought you would be perfect for the role’.

After some discussion, seems indeed he will be perfect for the role AND it’s more money!

Snap hey?! Isn’t that everyone’s dream? To be headhunted for more money, because your reputation precedes you!!! Ok – if you have a background in sales, this is a pretty common occurrence, but for most people it can be a bit daunting. As a matter of fact, my friend was so caught off guard that he didn’t know what to do. So he called me (as I mentioned before, I have a sales background and have been headhunted a few times). He wanted some advice, seems he really likes the idea of the new role, but he has thought up about 100 excuses not to make time to attend the interview.

Now comes the fear

The more thought he has give to this new opportunity, the more filled with fear he gets: ‘what if they don’t like me’, ‘I’m not worth that much money’, ‘at least where I am now I know what I am in for’. He is now thinking that even though he is in a job where his appreciation is extremely low and his pay is on the bottom end of the scale, that at least he has a secure job.

People fear the unknown, the fear of failure (or for some success), the fear of making bad decisions – these can all be debilitating.

Why should you fight the fear

This is not uncommon – the media has us in a tizz about the lack of good jobs out there, we all know people who are finding it difficult at the moment and so it can be understood if your default mode is fear and rejection of opportunities. But what if this is exactly the opportunity for you! After all, if you have been sought out, you can guarantee that someone thinks highly of you! People don’t tend to recommend others if it will make them look bad!

How do you fight the fear

In simple terms, the known is better than the unknown – so assess the risks, break them down and look realistically at whether the ‘risk’ can be justified. If you are a naturally cautious person, look for some help and advice from someone who is a calculated risk taker!

Ask yourself some questions:
What do you stand to gain from taking the new job
What is specifically worrying you about making the move
What’s the worst thing that could happen
What can you do if the worst thing happens
What can you do to minimise the worst thing happening
Are the negative thoughts I have about myself REALLY true

As you answer these questions, you might find that you can avoid the worst, you might find that you can address the worst in the job interview, you might find that you have made it bigger in your mind than it actually is.

Remember that failure is not the end of the world, in fact risk takers understand that failure is an opportunity to grow and learn. Indeed most failures are small compared with how large we make them in our minds! You can embrace the fear – as fear is always the feeling before a big breakthrough!

The bottom line is you DESERVE to better yourself and you shouldn’t let fear stand in the way – go on, get out there and reach for that dream!!

Recruiters - what is your sales pitch?

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 02:26:00 +0000

I read an interesting article recently – it was talking about a sales pitch and how it missed the mark. It got me thinking…

We recently discussed What Sales Skills Recruiters MUST Have and it occurred to me that we didn’t discuss the whole idea of the ‘pitch’!

What is a sales pitch

If you want to attract business, you can’t avoid the fact that you will need a sales pitch. One of the biggest mistakes made however, is an ill-conceived sales pitch. Don’t get me wrong – it may well be that you have spent a lot of time and energy on it, but that doesn’t equate to a good pitch! Your sales pitch is the presentation of your service and its’ purpose is to garner business (see Wikipedia definition here). So what most people now do is they madly design a speech where they talk on and on about all the things they are wonderful at! They will try to tell you EVERY little thing they have ever achieved and how wonderful they are at it. Some people will even run down their competition (FYI: NEVER a good idea). In Australia the ‘traditional’ idea of a sales pitch is just not cricket!

What should a sales pitch be

Ok – there is no getting away with the fact that your sales pitch does have to spend a little time talking about you and what you do – but the important word here is LITTLE! Your sales pitch is your opportunity to connect with your prospects, it is your chance to build rapport and start on your way to your potential client knowing, liking and trusting you. You can’t achieve this by bashing someone over the head!!

How do you design your sales pitch

Start with knowing your BENEFIT!! What is it that you can do for people? And this is where you need to spend some time thinking – you are not just a recruiter. Perhaps you have a talent for understanding what personalities fit an office environment, perhaps you have a talent for finding people with just the right qualifications, perhaps you have an aptitude for getting to the bottom of what an employer is really looking for. These little things that make you GOOD at what you do, that is what people buy! They can got to any Recruitment company, but they will choose the one who displays the confidence to fill their most important need.

Once you know your unique points, keep them in your arsenal – don’t whip them out too soon! You need to know get to the bottom of what the employer wants (or what the candidate wants). And how do you do this??

QUESTIONS!!

Yes, questions my friends… Start by asking questions – once you know what is important to your prospect, THEN you can match your unique skills! Only when you know what is important to them do you launch into your sales pitch – give them examples of experiences that you have had before and how you have solved them. This will set in your prospects mind an understanding that you know how to meet their needs!

Good luck and drop us a line if you have any questions!!

If you would like any more sales tips, advice or assistance– feel free to pop along to StrategiCall Sales for lots of free tips and advice on our blog, or Sales Coaching for individuals or Sales Training for teams. Or contact me directly: mailto:Stephanieb@strategicall.com.au

Do you have a strategy for promotion

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:32:00 +0000

In the current unstable job environment many employees are wondering how to ensure their job security. The simple fact is that many businesses in Australia are finding it hard at the moment. Recently I have read articles that state the last financial quarter has seen the biggest losses for small business in over 16 years and recently a report claimed that SME’s have suffered the worst financial year in 30 years. The sad fact is that many businesses have had to cut back on staff to survive.

In my experience as a manager, the last person to be cut is the one who is versatile, dedicated AND looking to make their way up in the company.

Who is suited to promotion?

Firstly, businesses will NOT promote the employee who just ‘does their job’. Employers are interested in those staff who can find a positive, who motivate others, those who are team players and those that are predominantly interested in the success of the company as a whole. If you are in a job where you are unhappy, you’d be better off looking elsewhere – managers don’t want to keep whingers or people who stir trouble.

How do you let your manager know you are wanting to make your way up the ladder?

You need to look at this from a very practical standpoint. It is not enough to simply tell your manager you are keen to be promoted within the company – anyone can say the words!

If you are genuinely interested in growing within a company, you should be able to demonstrate how you have successfully mastered your current role – write down your achievements beside your job descriptions. You should also demonstrate where you have gone above and beyond!

Have a general idea as to where you want to go – eg: if it is management, be prepared to demonstrate how you can facilitate team activities and complete projects as a team player. Show how you can be directive AND lead by example.

Finally, ask what skills and abilities you need to improve upon to be considered for growth within a company AND LISTEN!! Too many people are all happy to point out their skills and abilities, but are unable to see how they can improve on their weaknesses.

PS: remember that none of the above counts though unless you show the attitude and aptitude to be part of the success of the company!

What does a Hiring Manager REALLY want from their Recruiter

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:17:00 +0000

As a recruiter, it is pretty much safe to say you live and die by the number of vacancies you have. So whilst a good portion of our time is matching clients and candidates, we also need to remember that a significant portion of our day needs to be dedicated to finding Hiring Managers who need our services!

Many recruiters find this the hard part – there are two areas:

The prospecting – FINDING THE VACANCIES, and
The closing – once you have found the vacancy how do you demonstrate that you can actually HELP the hiring manager ease the process.

Prospecting is the ‘salesy’ part that a lot of people in this profession don’t have the confidence in. (pop along to our post earlier this month for ‘sales’ tips, to help you get past the nerves many recruiters feel in finding business!).

But today’s post is about what you do WHEN you have found that potential vacancy you can help with and need to close the business – when you are convincing the hiring manager that they actually do need your services!

Mindset

Firstly, and most importantly, remember that the hiring manager is actually down a staff member, so they are likely to be handling extra workload, as well as a bit stressed about finding someone. REMEMBER that your primary focus is about HELPING THEM!

Process

In my experience, the recruiters who get the vacancies are the ones who are able to simplify the process for the Hiring Manager. How do you do this? HAVE A SYSTEM!

My best suggestion is to let your potential Hiring Manager know that you are there to solve a problem for them and the best way to achieve this is to have a measureable list of requirements, so you are both on the same page!

Schedule

Bearing in mind they are probably flat out, don’t be calling in a haphazard fashion. At the start tell them:

how many candidates you will put forward and in what time period,
tell them that you will conduct the follow up calls at predetermined times that suit them (and make sure you diarise this with them at your initial meeting), and
that you prepare a check list for each candidate you are putting forward and you will clearly define what your recommended candidates meet or able to meet!

Finally – MAKE SURE you fully understand what the Hiring Manager wants BEFORE you embark on finding them their perfect candidate! There is nothing more frustrating for a Hiring Manager than feeling like they are not being heard and understood. The MOST successful Recruiters are able to understand and meet their Hiring Managers needs and REDUCE the stress!!

Have you got a process in place? Do you have any questions about how you can implement one, or improve? Or do you have a successful process you would be happy to share?

Online mistakes that stop you getting considered for a vacancy

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 02:52:00 +0000

There is no denying the power of the internet and all things mobile – in fact we have built a successful job site based simply on the demand for job vacancies and the ability for job seekers to apply quickly and easily online!

In this current world of instant gratification, there are some critical mistakes that MANY job seekers are still making. We’ll tell you how to avoid the top 7 mistakes, so that you can be the front-runner when you apply for your dream job!

Outdated resume data – in this day and age, everyone should have a CURRENT resume. In fact if you keep your resume up to date with the skills and experience in your current job, you will find that it is much easier to keep on top of your resume when changes occur! Take 10 minutes once a month to make sure your skills and experience are up to date!
Old fashioned resume – if you are on the job hunt, take the time to google some current resume formats. They have changed in the past few years and if your resume starts with ‘My goals’ you can almost bet you are going to the round file! You may even decide it is worth a couple of hundred dollars to have a professional service update your resume for you – if you can justify a new interview suit, I think you can justify the tool that will get you to the interview!
Not following instructions – now when you are using www.JobEzy.com.au you can opt to just send your stored resume straight from our system – very quick and simple!! BUT if the job vacancy requires a cover letter and you don’t complete one – no amount of saving time is going to get you to the head of the pile. Make sure you understand the instructions for applying!
Lose the glitz! – unless your industry is graphic, interior, or fashion design (etc), the pretty tizzy stuff actually distracts from what is important! Don’t get me wrong – make sure your formatting is neat and clear – make sure the important information is easy to access and the overall look is pleasing to the eye; but don’t forget that professionalism is more highly regarded over bling!
Be professional – no matter what generation you are from, we all have our ‘isms’. Drop the emoticons and sms speak; spell check AND grammar check. Leave off your Facebook profile, but feel free to include your LinkedIn profile!
Be confidential – just be careful!! In our current ‘oversharing’ lifestyle, make sure your FB friends don’t blab that you are on the hunt for a new job – block your boss, or better still, keep the job search close to your chest; otherwise you might just find that your current employer will think you have already checked out and beat you to your resignation.
Finally, FOLLOW UP – yes, you would be surprised at the LACK of candidates that actually make the effort to follow up their job applications! Keep a note, word doc, spreadsheet so that you know when and what you have applied for – wait a few days and then follow up!

Take the time to make sure you present yourself in the best light – these simple tips will help you make sure you move to the top of the ideal candidates and avoid the ‘round file’!! Best of luck finding your dream job!!

What Sales Skills MUST Recruiters Have

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 02:16:00 +0000

Recruitment – finding the perfect candidate for their ideal job right? Well, yes… but if you are a recruiter, you will know that it is just as important to make sure that you HAVE the vacancies to fill!

For most recruiters this can be the hard part. Initially recruiters are drawn to the role because of their people skills – their ability to understand their clients needs and match their candidates desires, experience and qualifications accordingly! Interestingly the personality traits and work experience that make recruiters good at this are the same innate skills they need to be able to ‘sell’ their ability to potential hiring managers.

So why do many recruiters come unstuck here? Simple – lack of sales training. For just about every business there is, sales is a necessity – without sales there is no business! The disappointing thing is that most businesses forget this and expect their staff to successfully find business without understanding some basic sales skills!

What sales skills do recruiters need?

People buy from people they know, like and trust. So how do you get people to know, like and trust you?

Firstly, a recruiter MUST be able to communicate that they can comprehend the needs of a client. If a recruiter is able to put a client at ease and demonstrate that they are able to be of assistance, the client is far more likely to trust the recruiter and give them the opportunity!

The best way to demonstrate ANYTHING is through narrative. If you are able to tell a story that your potential client can identify with, they are more likely to trust you and more likely to spend time getting to know you!

Where do you look for business?

This is another very important part of the ‘sales process’ for recruiters: define your market. Anyone who has a vacancy right??? NO!! – not EVERYONE who wants to hire someone is your ideal client. Hiring Managers are more likely to identify and trust someone who has experience in the field they are needing their hire in. SO, make sure that you start with roles you have EXPERIENCE with!! This is the same for new recruiters – don’t try to secure a vacancy for a Drill Operator if you have a background in IT.

How do you approach potential clients?

Most recruiters start with current vacancies – this is a great place to start, BUT not the only place you should be offering your services. You should also identify:

Who are the market leaders in the industry you specialise in?
Who are you current clients that would be happy to refer you?
Who are past clients that have moved elsewhere and may be happy to introduce you?

What’s the ONE thing you just HAVE to do?

PROSPECT - Pick up the phone! Yes – you have to make calls!! If you don’t want to do it directly, outsource it – but you have to be constantly prospecting for business and it is much cheaper and more efficient to make calls to start with! DON’T waste your time visiting offices when you don’t know who the Hiring Manager is and especially if you don’t know if there are any current vacancies.

Ever notice how many times you get told ‘we already have a recruiter we like’ – this is because this is definitely the type of career where rapport is critically important!

The cold, hard truth is that people aren’t going to hire you on the spot (well – you may strike it lucky on the odd occasion), but the truth is that you build rapport and when potential clients know, like and trust you – then they will come to you when the need arises!!

Turbo charge your LinkedIn Profile

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:10:00 +0000

LinkedIn is fast becoming the go to place for employers wanting to research their potential new employees!

There is no doubt that Social Media has taken the world by storm! In my honest opinion (can I use the social media convention IMHO?!), I'm one of those people who applauds the freedom of information, the connections, the personalisation of once untouchable idols, the opportunities that are becoming available for the classes that previously were disadvantaged. I have made many fantastic new friends on line – I have found support for my ideas that challenge my family and close personal friends, online connection has opened up so many dimensions for so many people!

I am also a HUGE fan of how social media has been a game changer for business! No longer are there a small handful of generalized experts, but we are now able to access the larger pool of specialist knowledge that traditionally cost an arm and a leg! Businesses are able to expand their reach and influence, they are able to invest in virtual knowledge and talent and there is no excuse anymore for the ‘uneducated’ buyer! The Web 2.0 is all about opening doors, creating connections and growing our capacity to reach, learn and influence!

No, I can’t sing the praises of Social Media enough!! In saying that though, I have to admit that it surprises me the delay with which many larger companies are adopting to take advantage of the SUPER information highway! It seems to me that smaller businesses, entrepreneurs are the early and made keen adopters (and I am happy to stand corrected if anyone can show me differently). The one exception to this rule though seems to be LinkedIn!!

When I joined LinkedIn sometime ago (feel free to connect with me if you like: Stephanie Bressan), there were mainly my fellow entrepreneurs and small biz owners – but NOW I am linking with many of my corporate colleagues from pre-baby days! With just 238 connections I have access to a network of OVER 5 million professionals! I have found old customers, old friends and new business!

LinkedIn is an AMAZING tool for anyone who is serious about business! Some of the fantastic features include:

Who has viewed your profile
How many times you have appeared in search results
Job vacancy suggestions – and the connections you have to introduce you to the job!! (ok – I now I’m probably nerdy being super excited at this, but you have to admit – this is a WINNER!! It’s not what you know but who you know!!!).

JobEzy also sees the innumerable benefits of LinkedIn and we are pleased to announce that you can now copy your LinkedIn profile into our special page and it will notify Employers and Recruiters explicitly for you to receive information about relevant** job opportunities!!

**Relevancy is calculated by Job Classification and Position Location

So why not turbo charge your LinkedIn Profile and give yourself the BEST chance to find your dream job with your ideal employer!

And let us know if you have any questions we can help you with!!

The smart recruiters guide

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:08:00 +0000

Last week we discussed the 'lazy' recruiter syndrome - that process that was acceptable 10-20 years ago, where we as recruiters were unique experts in our market and we could play the numbers game! These days most recruiters are telling me the same objections keep cropping up - mainly that clients are choosing in-house solutions to fulfill vacancies.

What can Recruiters to do win back the business?

This is the recruiter that people want to work with! This is the recruiter who will successfully fill the positions to the mutual benefit of their client AND their candidate! This is the recruiter who understands that it is not a 'numbers' game of checkers, but instead it is a strategic game of chess!

What does the 'Smart Recruiter' do?

The Smart Recruiter works on 'matching' techniques, utilises metrics and measures the things that most people find unquantifiable! The Smart Recruiter is about relationships and understands that when they have successful relationships with their clients and with their candidates they are in a much better position to be able to define the metrics to make successful matches!

How do you become the 'Smart Recruiter'

Firstly, REDUCE the number of clients and candidates to a level you can manage (yes, I see you rolling your eyes)! I know you think I am crazy, but the truth of the matter is for most of us, we are so overwhelmed with the amount of work that the quality is suffering. Start to focus on QUALITY, reducing the quantity usually has this effect, as it makes us plug-in and see things that previously we where too overwhelmed or overworked to notice!

Once you reduce the number of clients, you then need to REALLY assess your clients’ needs. This is NOT just what they tell you they need, this needs to include what you intuitively know as a recruitment specialist - start with the job spec, but also look at the culture, the product/service, the environment and the types of people who are successfully working for the client!! THEN look at your candidates, not just their qualifications and experience, but the personal stuff that accounts for why someone will stick with something (or conversely walk out at lunch on the first day and never come back).

You have to ask the hard questions - it is never the positives of a clients' work environment, or the strengths of a candidate that are to blame for a unsuccessful placement - it is the stuff that goes wrong! Take the time you have freed up from reducing the number you have overwhelming you and find all the elements that go together to make a successful placement!

Drop us a comment below - let us know if you have any questions about processes that can help you or if you have any advice that's worked for you!

The lazy recruiters guide

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 01:25:00 +0000

We've all been there - 'The EASY placement', you know the one:

client pops a vacancy in your lap (with minimal work on your part),
perfect candidate is actually already on your books and you've been in recent touch with them,
candidate interviews perfectly,
job is fulfilled,
client is happy!!

It's exhilarating isn't it?? You're on fire, it lifts your mood, you feel 10 feet high - can you see why it's easy to become addicted to the EASY placement?! But it's a trap, because the error we make is that we keep chasing the 'high'.

We cold call company after company, we amass CV's so that our real and virtual filing cabinets are bursting - then we spray our clients with a bunch of applicants hoping for the kick of the Easy Placement. Instead of playing strategically, we play the numbers game - tell ourselves it's just a matter of having enough. Enough candidates, enough vacancies - we struggle to find more and more to fill that pipeline, when in effect what we are doing is filling our pipeline with noise!!

Gone are the days of the 'Lazy Recruiter'

The market is different now - 10 years ago the lucky placement was enough for recruiters to get by, but these days there are more HR managers, more awareness of company obligations and employee rights. Companies use In-house 'recruitment' as they have lost the trust in the Recruiters as being the experts.

Most recruiters tell me the same thing, their biggest objection is that companies are handling it in-house. I believe this is because clients have lost faith in our expertise. The mistakes of the numbers game and the easy placement are catching up with us.

So what can we do to build our business?

These days, to be a successful recruiter, you actually have to change the way you work.

Welcome the 'Smart Recruiter'

Come along next week and we'll discuss how easy it is for you to become the Smart Recruiter and build your pipeline with active business instead of 'noise'!

Equal Pay Day - 1 September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:12:00 +0000

Today is "Equal Pay Day" - today was specifically chosen to highlight the fact that, in general, women have to work an extra 63 days after the end of the financial year to earn the same pay as their male equivalents earned by 30th June.

Susan Wareham McGrath notes that the equal pay issue seems to have been lost in the concept that the gender gap has closed since Julia Gillard became Prime Minister (read the full article here):

While this inequity has been evident for as long as I can remember, since Julia Gillard’s ascendancy to the Prime Ministership, I’ve noticed a growing – and incorrect – belief, amongst both men and women, that Australia’s gender gap has closed.

It is interesting that the issue of gender equality in pay has been overshadowed by some prominent females in traditional male roles, BUT it doesn't alter the reality is:

Not sure about the gender pay gap? Here are the facts:

A 17% gender pay gap costs the Australian economy around $93 Billion
Some women in CEO and finance positions earn less than half of their male equivalents
The average superannuation payout to a woman is projected to be $150,000, that’s half of the average payout to a man in 2010-11
The 17.2% gender pay gap is a national average that opens up to over 30% in some industry sectors
Equal pay for women raises family income which means more money to spend on food, housing and child care
Single mothers and working families lose thousands of dollars annually to the wage gap
A NATSEM report released in March 2010 shows that simply being a woman accounts for 60% of the difference between men's and women's earnings
If things don't change, the average 25 year old male will earn $2.4M over the next forty years; for the average 25 year old female, that figure is just $1.5M

(source: http://www.equalpayday.com.au/)

So, now that we have established that there is still a very huge issue to address, what should female job seekers in Australia be doing about it, to ensure they are mitigating long term financial loss??

If you are at the start of your career:

Obviously you need to give thought about the type of industry and role, but also give some thought to what will give you flexibility in the future! Many women don't stop to think about roles in traditionally male dominated industries, eg: jobs in technical area's, science and trades, but there are definitely advantages to the pay expectations of these types of roles compared with the traditional "soft" or "feminine" stereotype.

When you are established and looking at ensuring your financial future:

Do your research! Find out what the market is paying for your level of qualification/s and experience. Ensure that you know what your current employer or potential employer's EOWA policies are! Find out if there is an equal pay for equal work standard, find out what the gender balance is and find out if there is transparency for those people in comparable roles!

When you are interviewing for a new position:

Make sure that you are prepared to ask for what is fair and equal pay! Again, do your research, know what is fair in the market! I would suggest ASKING the employer for them to give you a figure BEFORE you state what you are wanting, this way you can ensure that you aren't underselling what the company may actually be willing to pay!

Other elements for women to consider for your future:

It is a fact of life that if women choose to have children, there will be some time out of the paid workforce. Most women I know have ended up taking more time off than they planned to prior to having children. Considering job roles that will allow you flexibility, such as part time or work from home options! If you are pregnant or thinking about starting a family - think about how you can contribute to your employer on a flexible basis and don't be afraid to suggest this to your employer before you take maternity leave!

Overall, women deserve to be paid the same as men in the same role, so make sure that you are not afraid to ask to be paid the same as a man doing the same job!

Mining Skills Shortages - what can rectuiters do?

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:03:00 +0000

It’s everywhere – in the news, in job figures, on discussion boards… The news that the Mining Industry is suffering from one of the worst skills shortages in history is no surprise to any of us. The hit is estimated to have directly impacted 40% of the industry.

"As one of the most important industries in the Australian economy, it is without surprise that within the last six years, employment within the sector has risen by 56 per cent," the Australian Bureau of Statistics states. With forecasts that there could be growth of AT LEAST 30,000 construction jobs EVERY year up to 2015 and the number of jobs in mining and gas operations may grow by 65,000 – growth expected for this sector is astounding! (reference here).

As the peak of skills shortage is not expected to ease until at least 2020 (reference here), it puts those with specialist training and experience in the very nice position of being in demand and therefore being able to take your pick of the jobs on offer!

What exactly does the skills shortage mean?

The skills shortages have been referenced as the industry not having enough workers with at least 10 years of experience. It is fascinating to note that “qualifications” have become the enemy of the skilled worker – with many experienced workers believing that their lack of qualifications excludes them from many roles within the mining industry. In fact the opposite is the case – the Mining Industry is not as concerned with a piece of paper as they are with hands on experience.

What are some mining roles in demand?

There are limitless roles in demand at the moment, but some of the areas include:

electricians
fitters & turners
mechanics
truck drivers
boilermakers
riggers
crane operators
blast hole drillers
construction
excavator operators

in fact – the list goes on (and on and on!). Skilled tradespeople could indeed benefit from a change of industry!!

What do recruiters and experienced staff have in common?

Now you need to do YOURSELVES a favour and capitalise on this grand opportunity! The best way to keep your profile in the forefront is to use a job seeker service that GUARANTEES the quickest response!!

At JobEzy we are aware and have responded to the increasing use of the mobile phone to receive and apply for jobs!! When any industry has an overload of vacancies, it can be overwhelming to try the traditional job board systems to find your ideal position.

As a recruiter – you want the quickest and simplest way to stay in touch with your ideal candidate pool.

As a job seeker - you want to be at the forefront of the applicants, especially when you could potentially be in demand!

It makes sense then to utilise a system specifically designed to help you to quickly and easily stay in close touch! More than any other industry the remoteness of the mining communities means that both job seekers and recruiters need a system that can be easily accessed any time, that has real time notifications and allows real time responses. So come on over and try JobEzy - Job Ads that FIND YOU!!!

How recruiters can find the BEST applicants

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:41:00 +0000

HR specific software has come a long way!! These days there are many fantastic products on the market that help us to categorise, track and manage our candidates. Certainly this makes it MUCH easier for us when it comes time to fill a placement, as we have already qualified and categorised those who would be the best match/fit for our vacancy - and quick response times with well matched applicants is one of the foundations to bringing us more business!

Now, whilst we all have our favourite Applicant Tracking Systems to help us automate, optimise and streamline managing our candidates and allow us to cleverly match through skills matrices, the actual problem really lies in FINDING the good talent!!

Surveys list one of the BIGGEST challenges for Recruiters as lack of good candidates. There's no arguing the point that it is much easier to place a "good" candidate and therefore they are the ones that stay on your Talent Management System for the LEAST amount of time. But the difficulty actually lies in attracting more of those "good" candidates!

What are some tips for FINDING good applicants?

Many recruiters are looking to Social Media to access new and great talent - FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter are all a fantastic way to expand your pool of talent, but they can be time consuming!
Another way to fill your applicant pipeline is Talent Generation, which is certainly becoming a science! Talent Generation software is designed specifically to help recruiters PROACTIVELY find the best talent available in a fast, efficient and cost effective manner - capturing these ideal candidates into the hiring process. It also allows recruiters to market open positions in a broader manner and better engage with clients! and finally
tapping into a great Job Board partner! In Australia we all know who the big gun is - there is no denying they do what they do extremely well - BUT there are a lot of fantastic applicants who are utilising other methods of promoting themselves as they don't want to get lost in the tide of vacancies and applicants!

In fact we know first hand the talented job seekers who are attracted to our site love our fresh quick mobile solution and they love having another Ace up their sleeve, when compared with the average "Seek - er"!

Isn't this exactly the type of applicant you are seeking?? Someone who doesn't just want to be a sheep and follow the others, but who makes the next step to utilise services that give them the advantage in their job hunt! We welcome all recruiters to come and try our services out, see for yourself that you can access excellent candidate talent!!

Fill more roles faster by utilising the talent pool we already have!

PS: we'd love to hear about how advances in HR software have helped your recruiting processes, feel free to drop us a line!

Tapping into Talent

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:17:00 +0000

2011 has been touted the year of the "Skills Shortage". Earlier this year International Business Times stated that almost 1 in 3 businesses in Australia are being directly impacted by skills shortages, with data also highlighting the mining states of WA and Qld being hardest hit (stats showing 40% directly impacted).

So what can employers do?

It seems so obvious, yet it is something that employers are overlooking. The good news is that there is an effective way to find and tap into the talent pool that could be just the solution for employers who are suffering in the skills shortage!

FLEXIBLE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS!

Why flexible solutions?

There is a growing pool of qualified and experienced employees who choose not to, or are not able to work in full time roles, most notably:

parents with young children,
adult children taking care of their aging parents, or
those who are of retirement age but not ready to stop working altogether).

What are flexible solutions?

There are many different ways that a workplace can implement flexible solutions:

Part time work,
job share,
variation in start and finish times,
more hours less days,
contract.

How to implement flexible solutions

There are actually quite a few specialist companies out there who can help you if this seems to be an overwhelming task, BUT if you want it to be something you do yourself, here are a few tips to get you started:

assess your needs - this is around the workplace, do you need people on the phones or in the office at particular times, is there time critical aspects to the business etc.,
assess your staff needs - find out if your staff are caring for young children or elderly parents, those with disabilities or study needs. Usually staff surveys are a non-confrontational way to achieve this, but you can also conduct staff interviews or focus groups,
consider past employees who have the qualifications and/or experience that can be of benefit, but are not wanting full time employment!
communicate to staff your intentions (this can be the critical mistake employers can make as staff can get uncomfortable when they feel change is afoot - even if it is good change!), and finally
implementation - now this is the area that you will need some advice and support: you will need to ensure that policies you introduce comply with workplace standards and laws.

Flexible workplace solutions are an excellent way for employers to reduce skills shortages, increase staff satisfaction and engagement and attract high quality and skilled staff! There is a huge untapped pool of perfect employees just waiting for the type of role to suit their need for flexibility AND employment!

Workplace Flexibility has some great advice and a sample Flexible Work Practices Policy here.

If you have any questions, or advice on how you have implemented a flexible solution drop us a comment, we'd love to hear from you!

How to avoid "buyers remorse" after you've accepted a job

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 03:31:00 +0000

Ok - so I am willing to take a stab in the dark that we have pretty much all been here at some stage or another. After all, the fact that there is a coined phrase "buyers remorse" should tell you that you are not on your own: wondering if a decision you have made is actually the right one?!

The fear of a new job!

Believe it or not, I think we ALL deal with doubts when we accept and are starting a new job. It is widely recognised as one of the top 10 things that cause stress in our lives. The scenario is usually similar - we have had a rotten time in our current job, start looking elsewhere, get offered a job and all of a sudden THE FEAR creeps in. Ummm... is our current job really that bad? I'm secure here, I know what I'm doing, I can slack off, I know how to work the system. These are the types of thoughts that sabotage us from finding something better - from trusting that the vast unknown could provide us the challenges and results we seek!

Guard against the fear!

So how do you guard yourself against the fear - how do you ensure that it is truly not a bad decision, but just nerves that make you want to walk out and not come back after lunch on the first day?!

Ammunition!

My Mum always told me "the first day is the hardest". You are a fish out of water - everyone else seems to know what they're doing and you feel lost. BUT it helps to remember that everyone there started the same way.

BEFORE you start the new job, find out about the company (actually it's ideal if you do this before the interview, so you can ask intelligent questions!); this way you have something to remind yourself when the nerves attack, "I want to work for this company as they XXXX (fill in appropriate blanks!!)",
make sure you have work to keep you busy on the first day. Whenever you start at a new job, there invariably are a number of people too busy to show you everything you need to know - make sure you ask for tasks that will help you to quickly learn about the other staff and the company! I always used to like to take a notebook and write down info about staff within their teams and what teams are responsible for which work!
Take a deep breath! It is normal to feel stressed in a new environment, taking a breath is a quick and simple way to reduce any heightened emotions and help you to be calm.
Turn up on the 2nd day - it's never as bad as the first! In fact, at least turn up for a couple of days to a week before you make any rash decisions. Chances are you will feel right at home quicker than you thought!

You never know where it might lead!

I remember one job I started at was an EXTREMELY competitive workplace and the "wonderful" boss had no idea how to manage apart from strike the fear of God in everyone. The kitchen was a feral mess and the soap had this peculiar pungent aroma that made me gag (in fact it was the soap that was my tipping point - I had to hold a bench to stop myself walking out - extremely funny when I think about it now!!). But I was determined to stick it out and the first miserable day turned into a sort of ok week, which turned into the company being bought by a bigger company a couple of months later, which turned into me being the national "expert" instead of the geeky girl in the wrong product line. Still one of the best moves for my career to this day!

So suck in your breath, remind yourself of why you wanted this job and give it your best shot - you could be truly amazed at where it will lead you if you just beat the fear!!

Tell us how you have coped with first day jitters!!

How to impress at your next job interview V

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:41:00 +0000

So you've made it past the initial application stage and you've been successful in gaining an interview! What now? In our series of "How to impress at your next job interview" posts we have some advice to help you make sure you put your best foot forward and nail that interview for your dream job!!

We have discussed the preparation that you need to undertake earlier than your interview day (see post here). Then we discussed the preparation that you need to put in just prior to the interview (see post here). Next we gave you some tips to help you during your interview (see post here) and last week the sorts of questions you WANT to ask the interviewer (see post here)! Today our final post is about the questions YOU should be prepared to answer!

For this post, it is a bit difficult for me to give you examples as the answers to these questions really are personal, BUT if you get stuck, please drop us a comment below and we'd love to be of assistance!

The one tip you need to ANSWER any question

The one tip I can give you is this: all your answers should aim to give practical examples. It is no good to just say you have experience or qualifications, you need to be able to give examples of where you have applied these skills and/or knowledge.

The questions you should be prepared to answer

In no particular order, these are the questions you should be able to answer without a pause!

Your work history and experience,
What knowledge, skills, training and experience you will bring that is relevant to this role (make sure you know your answers in relation to the skills required in the job description!),
Your achievements, awards and rewards (this is especially so for job roles like sales),
Highlights and successes in your career (it helps to think of a few examples of when you were really proud of yourself and your achievements!),
The most difficult challenge/s you have had to deal with and how you resolved them,
your strengths in line with the skillsets required (again, relate this to the criteria in the job spec),
your strengths in your personality/traits.
your weaknesses (BIG TIP: everyone has them, employers will be wary if you are not self aware here, BUT I always mention what I do to counter my weaknesses - I am not perfect, but I know what to work on!),
What parts of your career you have enjoyed and what parts you've disliked (NB: if you are applying for a secretarial job, you really don't want to hate filing! The answer to this question helps an employer know if you are willing to step outside of the job spec and what area's you would not like to venture into!),
your plans for the future, your ambitions and goals!
why are you interested in this job and this company?
what your communication skills are like (eg: do you prefer person to person or email, or are you adept at both?),
how do you categorise your self management skills?
what motivates you? (you should also know what de-motivates you, for me it is a boss who micro manages and is critical in a cruel way)

Thanks for joining us for our series on how to nail your interview - we hope the tips and advice help you to land your dream job! Just before we leave this topic there are a quick couple of final tips I want to leave you with:

Final Interview Advice

Follow up!! Seriously - in my experience, less than 10% of applicants follow up a job application. This follow up can actually make all the difference (especially when you think about the huge number of responses and interview data employers are usually weeding though and trying to find "the one" that stands out!). Some people suggest a thank you letter, I try to obtain an email address (usually from the receptionist, before the interview!!) AND THEN I also make a phone call within a day or two (or depending on when they have told you they will make a decision by).

Salary

Most people will advise you not to bring up salary at the first interview, or at least wait until the interviewer broaches the subject. Personally I think it is important - there is no point going through the motions to find that the pay they are offering is out of your acceptable range! I usually leave asking til late in the interview - there's no point asking if I don't have a good feeling about the job or indeed if I'm finding I'm not interested as the interview goes on! But one thing I always recommend is to let the employer give the first figure - don't let them browbeat you into giving a price, as you could well be short changing yourself!! Before you go to the interview, make sure you know what the market is paying for this role (remembering that if you have been at your previous employer for a while or out of work, the market price could be quite different to what you expect)! Make sure you also know in your head what is the minimum amount you need/want! Negotiation can come later - but it never hurts to find out where you stand straight up!

We'd love to hear how you go at your next interview - did these tips help you nail the job? Let us know if you have any questions as we'd love to help! Please feel free to re-post any of our interview tips and advice, but please ensure that you give us the credit and include a clickable link to us at www.jobezy.com.au

How to impress at your next job interview IV

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:31:00 +0000

We have discussed the preparation that you need to undertake earlier than your interview day (see post here). Then we discussed the preparation that you need to put in just prior to the interview (see post here). Last week we gave you some tips to help you during your interview (see post here) and this week’s post covers the sorts of questions you WANT to ask the interviewer!

Firstly you need to gear yourself up to ASK questions! Many people feel uncomfortable asking questions, as if they are being rude when they are forthcoming. But in fact, the vast majority of employers (well I think all employers, but I shouldn't be so absolute in case I can be proven wrong!) prefer a candidate who is well versed enough and comfortable enough to ask questions. Asking questions shows that you value yourself and value the work environment you are part of and that you have done some research into the company you will potentially be working for!

The one tip you need to ask ANY question!

No matter which of the following questions you decide to ask or not ask, the one piece of advice I would like you to take away from this post is HOW to ask questions. You can ask ANY question (just about) if you ask it nicely!! Seriously - I'm sure you've heard you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar?! It is just so true. I often preface asking somewhat difficult questions with things like:

"I hope you don't mind me asking..." or
"Would it be ok if I asked some in-depth questions that help me to better understand the company and the role I would potentially fill?"

If your not naturally the type of person to ask questions, you might want to practice with someone trusted before your interview. But trust me!! You do want to practice, as this is a very important part of the interview that should not be overlooked!

Types of questions 1 - The Basics

So I have listed below a few types of questions you should ask, as the answers will help you make an informed decision if you are offered the role (NB: remember, just because you've got an interview doesn't mean the job is right for you - the interview is as much about you understanding if this is the best match for you, just as much as it is about the potential employer sussing you out!). In no particular order:

Who would I report to? What is their management style (eg: hands-on, mentor-like, structured, laissez faire)?
Who would I be working with? What is the team structure like (eg: hierarchical, goal oriented, team-focussed)?
What are the terms and conditions of employment? (eg: is there a non-compete agreement, or legal contract to sign, how long is the probation period),
Is training or mentoring offered?
Is there the opportunity for advancement?
Why has the vacancy occurred (this one is important!)

Types of questions 2 - The Indepth

These questions you might find a little more difficult to ask, but in the current economic times, they really are important as you want to be sure that you protect yourself as much as possible! (Again, any order is ok, but I have ordered them from most innocuous to the ones that are a little more personal/in-depth!):

What is the company's reputation in the market place (do your research before you ask this one!! Check out their website and see if you can work out who their competitors are!),
What are the major threats and opportunities for the company and the industry?
Are there any plans to expand, downsize, relocate or make major changes?
How secure is the company? (you may want to ask about financials, future growth plans etc), and finally
What investments are being made in the future of the business (eg: marketing, products and/or services, growth etc)

Types of questions 3 - The MUST ASKS!

These are the questions that you would be silly to leave an interview without asking (in any order!):

When will you be making a decision?
Do you think I am the right person for the job?
Are there any questions you would like to ask me?
When would the successful applicant need to start?

I know there are many different questions above and you may not have the time or inclination to ask all of them, BUT it is critically important that you do ask SOME of them at the very least! Asking questions shows your potential employer that you are keen, that you have done some research and that you are capable of thinking outside the square. It will also give you the information you need to decide if the position and company is the right fit for you!

So get comfortable with the power of asking questions!! Practice asking, find a polite way to ask the delicate questions and DON'T be apologetic or timid, this is for your career - one of the biggest decisions of your life - you deserve to know all you can to make an informed decision!

Good luck and let us know how you go!!

PS: next week for the final post in our "How to impress at your next job interview" series, we will look at the types of questions you should be prepared to answer about yourself!

How to impress at your next job interview III

noreply@blogger.com (Steph - SMStheJOB) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:26:00 +0000

Last week we discussed the preparation that you need to put in just prior to the interview (see post here). The previous week we discussed the preparation that you need to undertake earlier than your interview day (see post here). For the next post in our series, we have some tips to help you DURING your interview!!

How to conduct yourself

Firstly you want to try to be as relaxed as possible. Easier said than done I know, BUT you can help yourself by ensuring you are at the interview early enough to sit calmly and take some deep slow breaths. It helps to remember that they have called you in for an interview as they are very interested (or they wouldn't be wasting their time). NB: on the flip side of this coin, don't be too cocky or full of yourself either - it is an instant turnoff! You are aiming to be calm and clear - if you are panicky you can't think to respond properly!

What you should and shouldn't say

In the interview you don't want to do all of the talking! Likewise you don't want to use single word answers. It is best to think about the shortest but most detailed response you can give! Where you can, give examples of how you have achieved results that demonstrate competencies in line with the position requirements of the job you are interviewing for!

REMAIN POSITIVE! No employer likes to hear you bad mouthing your previous employer or colleagues. They don't want to hear you complaining about issues or difficulties in your past; when you're in an interview people want to hear how you can be a solution!

BE HONEST don't overstate your experience or lie about qualifications, you will get found out1 I remember once working with a lady who said she had a university degree, but once she was in the role it was obvious she couldn't cope; upon further investigation she had quit after only completing 1 year of a 3 year degree.

Find out about the existing team, you want to be able to demonstrate how you would fit into the team dynamics. You also want to find out how the job role contributes to the operation and success of the business - it will help you to know the hierarchy and work flow and understand just how you will contribute and fit in; it will also help the interviewer if you can demonstrate to them that you understand the structure and how you would fit in.

Completing the interview

At the end of the interview you want to ensure that there are a couple of key questions you ask:

ask if there is anything further they want to know about you,
ask if you are what they are looking for! and finally,
ask when they will be making a decision!

Although it could make you slightly uncomfortable to ask such direct questions, it will be well regarded by the interviewer - it shows you are interested and keen; it will also help you as you will be able to better gauge how you are faring in the running! Showing a little bit of confidence in this area goes a long way to making yourself memorable to the interviewer too, you'd be surprised how many people do NOT take this initiative.

Some final tips

Don't smoke - even before your interview, it can be smelt by non-smokers!
politely decline the first offer of a tea or coffee, it can get in the way, BUT if the interviewer insists or says they will be having one it would be better to then accept.
don't be too passive, asking questions and being curious demonstrates your interest (see next week's post about questions to ask!), and finally
make sure the employer knows the benefits of employing you!

Next week we'll cover the sorts of questions you want to ask and the following post with cover the types of questions you should be prepared to answer.

We'd love to hear how you go at your next interview - did these tips help you nail the job? Let us know if you have any questions as we'd love to help!