CAREERS MAGAZINE
速
O N L I N E
JUNE 2012
Do something different!
The exciting new recruitment solution for employers and jobseekers alike
CAREERS MAGAZINE
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O N L I N E
What’s in this months magazine?
CAREERS MAGAZINE Regular Features Page 4
A Quick Word
Page 16
Getting to Know You: 8020 Center
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Special Features Page 6
Lousy Employers Attract Lousy Employees And Make Lousy Profits
Page 8
Introducing A Different Kind Of Recruitment Service
Page 10
Things You Should Know Before The Job Interview
Page 18
The War For Talent Is Getting Bloodier And Dumber
Page 20
How To Hire And Nurture A True Culture Of Profitability
Page 34
Ever Wondered Why You Don’t Get A Job Through A Recruitment Firm?
CAREERS MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
速 The exciting new recruitment solution for employers and jobseekers alike
In the spotlight Page 14
What Is Social Recruiting?
Articles Page 22
Is Your OHS Neck In The Noose?
Page 24
Staff Selection: Break All The Rules And Succeed
Page 28
The Best Job Interview Questions You Should Ask
Page 30
Are You Executive Level Material? 10 Tips To Be More Promotable
Page 38
How To Perform Well In Job Interviews
Page 40
Phone Interview Questions To Ask The Employer
Page 44
10 Traits That Make Great Employees Outstanding
Page 46
Where To Find Jobs Online: The Hidden Sources For Employment
CAREERS MAGAZINE
A QUICK WORD with Mark Matthews In a world where the opportunity to build a successful career has never been better, and the mood of individual entrepreneurialism never been stronger, choosing the right career path, employer and job opportunity has never been more important. In this issue of Careers Magazine we look at various ways you can find the right job, build leadership capacity and make yourself more promotable. Welcome to the June issue of Careers Magazine The latest trend in workplace management is to develop a culture of workplace happiness, fun and high performance. In fact these fun high performing workplaces also produce the best profits. So we look into why Lousy Employers Attract Lousy Employees and Make Lousy Profits. And with these high performing workplaces attracting and retaining the best talent The War for Talent Is Getting Bloodier and Dumber. ForJobseekers We take a look at Where to Find the Best Jobs - the Hidden Online Sources for Employment. We let you know the best Phone Interview Questions to Ask the Employer so that you can gain that all important face to face interview… And once you’ve secured it... How to Perform Well in Job Interviews.
For Employers
Special Features
Recruiting the best staff can be frustrating and time consuming. So we discover when it come to Staff Selection: Break All The Rules And Succeed.
We’re also introducing a section called “Getting to Know You” where we talk to a leading company in their industry or sector and find out more about their business and their workplace. This month we talk to Tom Poland from the 8020 Centre, a world leading marketing firm based in Queensland.
Once you have your short list of candidates then you’ll need to know The Best Job Interview Questions You Should Ask. But before you do anything you should read How to Hire and Nurture a True Culture of Profitability. And with all the confusion over OH&S implementation since the introduction of harmonised regulations that have been adopted by some states and not by others, Lionel Hedt from SafetyQuip answers the questions that most business owners want to know when their head is in the OH&S noose.
There is also information about some of our recommended providers ....and a few ads, which are definitely worth reading! And if you hadn’t noticed, on the next page there’s some information about our range of digital magazines. You can subscribe for free and it’s open to everyone! Enjoy the magazine and until next month keep safe and cheers for now. All feedback is appreciated. Please visit our website: www.maxiom.com.au/feedback to have your say.
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LOUSY EMPLOYERS ATTRACT LOUSY EMPLOYEES AND MAKE LOUSY PROFITS Everyone wants top talent, yet few are willing to do the work that is required to be deserving of these people. That’s great news for those who are serious about becoming the type of workplace where everyone wants to work. So why do some businesses have a people lining up outside their door to apply for a job while others have difficulty filling similar roles. It’s all about a company’s reputation. Its’ employment brand. Everyone knows who the lousy employers are. Be open to change How many times have you heard business owners and so-called leaders say that the reason things are done a certain way is because they’ve always been done that way. How many say that they can’t find good employees or that there is a talent or skills shortage. This kind of thinking won’t help you become the type of workplace that attracts people who are innovative, creative or leaders in their sector. In fact, the opposite is true. People who are stuck in their old ways will remain thereby leaving you with company of mediocre performers with poor attitude and an out-dated skillset.
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Rid yourself of toxic employees Nothing brings a workforce down quicker than a negative employee or one that doesn’t fit in with the culture of the business. It’s even worse when that person is a manager or in a senior position. I’m not going to tell you how to identify these people, as you already know who they are. Take action today! Energize your workplace Companies have been running mean and lean for so long that it’s now become the norm. Employees are turning up for work demotivated and disengaged. Candidates who are interviewing with your company will sense the negative energy the moment they step foot in your door. Start investing again in your business. High performing work places are always fun places to work. High performing, fun workplaces result in the most profitable companies. This has been proven time and time again and was rammed home with the huge disparity between the financial results of companies that nurture these
fun, high performing workplaces and those that don’t in the 2011 Australian Leadership, Culture and Management Practices of High-Performing Workplaces report. Tell Your Story You may be a great company to work for, but what good will that do if no one else knows about this? Revisit your vision statement and include a section on your company’s philosophy toward your people. Start a company blog, redesign the career section of your website, ask employees to tweet, hire a PR firm. If you’re not out there telling your story, you’re invisible to the top talent. Everyone wants to be on a winning team. Tell the world about your wins and create the type of organization where only exceptional people need and will apply. How much money are you leaving on the table by not doing this?
Are you passionate about your job? Is it rewarding? Do you have the flexibility to create balance in your life? Can you see yourself in the same job in 12 months? 2 years? 5 years? Are you making the income you want?
If you no longer bounce out bed in the morning, what are you doing about it? The Real Learning Experience is the only Australian corporate training franchise. Our franchise partners receive: A business ready for you to walk in and start working Comprehensive induction and support Freedom to work where you want, with who you want and when you want An exciting and rewarding new career A business with high margins, low overheads and high income potential You don’t need any formal qualifications. If you’re a professionally minded individual looking for a unique and proven business, then call us today!
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We are committed to helping individuals and teams fulfil their potential 7 | Careers Magazine maxiom
Careers Magazine Modern Franchise Magazine| 7| 15
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INTRODUCING A DIFFERENT KIND OF RECRUITMENT SERVICE Maxiom Jobs is built on our network of digital publications with over 300,000 business leaders and talented professionals subscribing across a wide range of industries and sectors, you can now reach a greater pool of active and passive job seekers.
For Employers
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For Candidates
Utilising this network of subscribers, we help you find and identify the best talent that fits your organisation’s culture, business goals and vision.
Advertise your vacancies on Maxiom Jobs and get access to the best talent across a wide spectrum of industries and sectors.
Maxiom Jobs offers job seekers unprecedented access to the best jobs and employers.
From as little as $99.00 per year you can post unlimited job vacancies on the Maxiom Jobs web site.
From just $199 per year you can post unlimited vacancies, search our candidate database, add screening questionnaires, add video to job postings, create a profile page for your firm and unlimited profile pages for your clients.
You can also pay a small premium to have you job ad appear in one or more of our industry or business publications. Maxiom Jobs covers all industries and sectors. With over 300,000 business leaders and professionals subscribing to Maxiom’s digital publications, we can help you secure the best talent.
Maxiom Jobs offers you everything the paid jobs boards do and more. And with more features regularly being added to our site, you won’t be disappointed by the ease of use or the quality of the candidates. Accessing a pool of prequalified talent has never been easier.
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With thousands of business leaders, CEO’s, recruiters and hiring managers subscribing to our digital magazines, posting your resume on Maxiom Jobs is the best way to get found and secure the role you truly desire. Add video resumes, sign up for job alerts and link your Social Media accounts to improve your chances of landing the right job. Maxiom Jobs also provides free advice and tips for job seekeers with practical help for getting the right job. Best of all, it’s completely free and open to everyone!
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A DIFFERENT KIND OF RECRUITMENT SERVICE
Think Big…
Aim Higher…
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Maxiom Jobs covers all industries and sectors. With over 300,000 business leaders and professionals subscribing to Maxiom’s digital publications, we can help you secure the best talent.
Partnerships with the leading businesses, associations and not-for-profits help you to reach a targeted, highly desired audience.
Pre-qualified pool of passive and active candidates and the hiring managers who seek them
www.maxiom.com.au 9 | Careers Magazine maxiom
Careers Magazine |9 Modern Business IntelBuild Magazine Magazine | 45 |3
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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE THE JOB INTERVIEW By J Russell
Getting the basics right is the first hurdle job applicants should make sure they clear. From there getting an interview and job offer is mush easier. You receive the phone call, email, or text message from a prospective employer and the first thing that happens is a calm elation of possibly landing that job.
1. How does this position relate to the company’s mission?
Before jumping around the room or falling to your knees in thanks, get a pen and note pad to write down a comprehensive and structured approach to your interview. It is wise to develop a plan to execute the interview without your responses appearing to be scripted.
3. Why is this position vacant?
Write down 10 questions that you would like to ask the interviewer. The last thing the interviewer wants is a candidate who doesn’t ask any pertinent and relevant questions. Some of the questions that would be beneficial are as follows in no specific order:
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2. How long have they sought someone to fill this position?
4. What are the goals and expectations of a person filling this position? 5. How would he or she describe the corporate culture? 6. What are some of the current or perceived challenges for someone in this position? 7. What do you and the existing employees like about the organization? 8. Are there potential opportunities for career advancement?
9. What are some of the pressing issues needed to be addressed by the position? 10. How are the interdepartmental, supplier and customer relations? The questions above are specifically designed to discover the need from the position, the functions required, the work environment, interpersonal relations, and idea of what is needed by the firm immediately. The goal for asking these question is to have a thumbnail of what it is like to work there and to get a feel for the job itself. You may add other questions, but don’t overdo it. In most cases you will not have time to get through all 10 questions, so just go for those that mix both questions about the position and the corporate culture and work environment.
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Try to avoid asking questions about salary unless it is not in the advertisement or has not been discussed previously. After writing your interview questions, practice the most obvious questions asked during an interview such as follows: 1. Why do you want to work here? 2. Why should we hire you over other more qualified candidates? 3. Do you think that you would be a good fit here? 4. Tell us a bit about yourself. 5. How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 in respect to your ability to do this job effectively? 6. What do you think your previous employer will say about you? 7. What other skills do you have that would enhance this positions?
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8. Have you been dismissed from any previous employer due to behavioural or ethical issues? 9. How would you describe your last employment environment? 10. Would any of your previous employers rehire you? It is wise to study up on the organization by knowing a bit about the organizational structure, the names of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. If it is a listed company, take note of the stock price, and pull up the prospectus and annual report, found on most company web sites. Read the notes because they disclose some internal information that could be beneficial during small-talk to express more of an interest in the welfare of the organization.
For smaller companies, visit and read their website, particularly about the company, its management, services and any information that will help you at the interview. This distinguishes you from someone just looking for a job. It is very important to review these questions because some of these may pop up during an interview and hesitation or slow answers may convey a sense of insecurity. Also, there are some organizations that use the shock interview tactic meaning that the interviewee may have to arrange a three-way phone call with his or her past employer with the prospective employer listening in. This practice is rare, but some companies subscribe to this process.
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Another tactic to be aware of is the situational interview where you may be put into the position during the interview with task to be completed to show competency and proficiency. Again, this is a rare situation, but some firms use this practice. Make sure that you have several copies of your resume on white paper using 12 point print. Try to ensure that it is no more than two pages, filled with only relevant information that links you to the job. A rule-of-thumb would be to use a targeted resume that specifically addresses a position based on your skills and the job description. The goal is to use resume to qualify you for the job during the interview. This does not mean to do a total rewrite
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from what actually got you the interview, but to offer a bit more detail. Make sure that only the last 10 years or less are covered on the resume because the other will usually be ignored or irrelevant. It is a best practice to wear a dark or grey suit or more business appropriate attire. Please avoid wearing casual or revealing clothing, it may sound elementary, but it happens. Besides that, make sure to get enough rest the night before, groom yourself well on the next day, and arrive at least 15 minutes early, make eye contact, smile and be positive, avoid negative comments, because it could well be a meeting that could change your life.
J Russell has over 25 years’ experience coaching job seekers to become more hireable and promotable. He now advises CEO’s in what they need to know about HR.
Learn How to Tranform Your Business into a High Performing Workplace
High Performing Workplaces are Happier and More Profitable. Transform Your Business and Your Lifestyle Attract & Retain the Best Talent Provide an Environment for Your Talent to Thrive Optimise Individual Capacity Build Influencing Skills and Leadership Capacity Ensure Business Results Are Achieved See the Results in Your Bottom Line
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Modern Franchise Magazine Careers Magazine | 13| 51
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WHAT IS SOCIAL RECRUITING? One of the most popular options used to find new employees is ‘social recruiting’. Social recruiting is actually quite a tough term to define. However, we like to think of social recruiting as, “Harnessing the power of online communities to strengthen your recruitment armour”. By building a community of potential candidates or clients and engaging and developing some form of relationship this will help you achieve the benefits of social recruiting. Remember though that the social media sites themselves are just the platforms to allow these connections to be built. Being seen to be on them isn’t enough. Being active on them also isn’t even enough if all you’re doing is shouting out about your latest offers, vacancies or company news. Social recruiting tools Social media sites aren’t the only social recruiting tools though. There’s now a number of others available which help take a great deal of pain out of the process. Sites such as Hootsuite, Ping. fm and Tweetdeck allow you to view each of your accounts at the same time and schedule your tweets; making it easier for you to update each channel with minimum effort. The use of web recruitment
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software for recruitment and team productivity will also reduce the amount of admin and help you reap the rewards of social networks. Benefits of social recruiting You’ll have an expert pool of candidates on hand for when you do have those roles you need filled; allowing you to be first to the best candidates. By actually engaging with your candidates and developing trust throughout the market those who you took the time to provide with helpful information or helped find a new job won’t forget you when they are doing the hiring. Don’t forget, ‘Today’s candidates are tomorrow’s contacts’. And it also means relying and spending less on job boards and other advertising.
Mistakes being made As mentioned above, too many organisations are using these new channels to push out sales messages and notification of vacancies, which quite clearly is not social recruitment. It’s the actual interacting with your candidates and clients through these mediums which makes it ‘social’ so make sure you’re doing just that if you want to continue to increase or even just retain your followers. They also don’t like to be bombarded with lots of information at once so try and prioritise and stagger the release of your material if you’re lucky enough to have a great deal to get out. Target your messages to your audience and regularly “invite” followers to interact with your company, as well as to send in their resume, particularly if you are looking for staff on a regular basis. And importantly, don’t just invite and forget. Let all candidates know how they have gone during the process, successful or otherwise.
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www.maxiom.com.au Careers Magazine | 15|17 Outsource Resource Magazine
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU: 8020 CENTER 1. What inspired you to start the 8020 Centre? What are your goals and values? Well firstly I really like to make money! I know that may not be a trendy thing to say but it’s true. And it’s also true that I love to see the impact on a client’s business life and the significant improvement in the quality of their family and personal lifestyle when their marketing goes well. One of my core values is to publish marketing training, templates and systems that actually work and that are outstanding value for money. I also like to keep things simple. Another core philosophy is that I don’t want people to feel that they have to trust me when handing over money to me for a product or service. I prefer for them to gain outstanding value before they pay me a cent. That way we both sleep well at night. Once someone has received great value from me and I’ve had that chance to prove that what I offer actually works, then I’m happy to talk money. But not before.
2. What was the driving force behind your decision to specialise in the small business marketing sector?
How does 32 years, over 2,ooo clients, 197 different industry types spread over four continents sound?
In regard to my chosen target market: I dislike corporate bureaucracy with a passion and by contract I like fast decision makers and pragmatists. So almost by default that means I want to work with business owners but not necessarily just the small ones. Anyone who has the autonomy to make decisions and the courage to back themself rather than blame someone else, that person is my ideal client.
4. Do you service other sectors as well?
Secondly in regard to why I chose to specialize in marketing services: I like to go where the demand is and in survey after survey, business owners cite getting more clients as their number one need. Marketing is also a very honest profession in that you either get new clients or you don’t. I like the measurability and accountability that goes with that as opposed to some of the fuzzier touchy feely business disciplines. 3. What experience do you have helping small business clients? More than I care to remember.
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I’ve been approached and completed marketing strategy consultancy work for national and international organizations including NFT, corporate and educational institutes. But I don’t go looking for that work. If the enquiry looks interesting and they are prepared to pay and they are serious about cutting through red tape and getting effective marketing in place then I’m happy to talk. 5. What are the main reasons that someone would choose the 8020 Centre to assist with developing their business? Firstly, people can try before they buy. We have various opportunities for a prospect to get great value from us without investing one cent. Secondly, our stuff works. Thirdly, what we teach is simple and can be implemented by any business owner who had a modicum of determination and persistence.
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6. What process, services and support do your clients receive?
8. Tell us about some of the expectations that you had. Have they been met?
12. What would you say to someone looking to grow and develop their business?
A free marketing plan course (21 modules over 30 days delivered online) www.8020Center.com/ FreeMarketingPlan/
That’s a hard one to answer because I keep moving the goal posts! It’s like I get to the top of one mountain and then see the peak of a higher one and go for that.
Get your product or service so that it works very well.
Free daily marketing ideas from world renowned experts called the “Business Owners Marketing Brief” (BOMB) www.8020Center.com/Bomb/ There are also various products in our online store and other programs but it’s best for anyone interested to sign up for the free marketing plan course and the BOMB. 7. What challenges did you face in setting up your business? I guess the hardest thing was coming up with a business model that gave me both the lifestyle and free time I wanted together with making marketing and value delivery as easy as possible. I had a big advantage though because my objective is setting up a business like that is pretty much what I teach my clients so it was really just a matter of swallowing my own medicine!
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So in short, I’d have to say “no” to the question. I don’t think that I will ever be satisfied with my business. I simply don’t like the idea of not continually improving what I offer.
Then focus your time and energy on becoming an expert marketer for your product or service. That’s where the money is and once mastered, many find that marketing is extraordinarily fulfilling because the better you are at it the more people you are able to help.
9. Who is the target market for your business? Any English speaking business owner who want to get more clients, make more money and have more fun. 10. Do you provide services nationally? Internationally to any English speaking business owner in any country in the world. 11. Do you have any plans for overseas expansion? Already doing it. And I love it. I have clients in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and of course Australian and New Zealand.
Tom Poland is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and director of 80-20 Center and shows business owners and business coaches how to “get more clients, make more money and have more fun”. www.8020Center.com
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THE WAR FOR TALENT IS GETTING BLOODIER AND DUMBER By Wally Hauck In the New York Times, a few weeks ago, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a comment that caused me to throw up just a little bit in my mouth. “Someone who is exceptional in their role is not just a little better than someone who is pretty good, they are 100 times better.” Just like Jack Welch who still gives high praise for the false notion that his omnipotent process of rating, ranking, and firing the bottom 10% was a key to his success at GE, Zuckerberg has made an arrogant remark that places credit for the incredible success of Facebook on a false premise. By implication he claims he is exceptional and that exceptional people are the main factor for the success of Facebook’s meteoric growth. Sure talent is important, but the quality of the interactions in a system is more important than the quality of the people. Anyone who knows something about systems thinking will know that and will avoid making an arrogant statement like that. Bill Walsh, one of the very best NFL coaches ever said it best when he explained that “players are only as good as the system that they play in.” You would think after 30 years of books and education about systems thinking that the people as smart as Welch and Zuckerberg would have been more well-read.
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Here is an example. Our microwave stopped working. Our family depends upon the microwave in ways I could never have imagined years ago. I started to experience “microwave withdrawal.” I told my wife, Lori, I would look up the best model on the Consumer Reports website. I found the Sears’ Kenmore rated near the top. I suggested we buy one. She said OK. Later that day she informed me that there is a discount “scratch and dent” Sears’ store. She suggested we go there first. I agreed. I looked up the MapQuest to get the directions. I drove because the car is larger and that makes it easier to transport the new oven. Also, it would have been difficult for Lori to inspect the microwave by herself. They are heavy and difficult to handle alone. The “scratch and dent” had an oven we wanted. I brought a tape measure to be sure the new one would fit in the space. I picked it up so Lori could inspect it on all sides to be sure there were no other blemishes. Everything looked great. I asked the attendant if he could help us bring it to the car. He said he would. He told me where to move the car for the loading dock. Lori paid for the microwave. So which one of us was exceptional in this project?
How could anyone decide fairly who worked harder or who was smarter? Should one of us get a bonus? Which one? Should one of us be promoted? Should one of us be fired? Which one? It is NOT about “who the exceptional person is” Mark and Jack! In a system results come from the quality of the interactions between the people not the quality of the people. Anyone who knows systems thinking knows this.
Learn how to improve employee engagement in your team: http://www.wallyhauck.com Learn to improve leadership skills - The Art of Leading: 3 Principles for Predictable Performance Improvement:
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HOW TO HIRE AND NURTURE A TRUE CULTURE OF PROFITABILITY Profitability is what keeps us in business. It’s the reason we run a business, so we can make a profit. Profits fund employees wages, bonuses and benefits. Profits drive opportunity and safeguard jobs. So it surprises me that many businesses don’t connect profitability to employees the same way they connect sales and customer service. Involving staff in discussions about profitability has several positive effects. • They become more engaged. • It makes them feel valued and as if they are a key decision maker in your business • It makes then accountable to the business • It shows them what works by giving them the data behind it. If you are uncomfortable about giving them the actual dollar figures, then talk about gross margins.
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Maintaining your profit margins demonstrates operational efficiency. Improving them demonstrates operational excellence! Culture of Profitability To create a culture of profitability, you have to hire profitability. It is about who you hire and how you manage them. Every person you hire must be invested with you in building the business. At Maxiom we hire on attitude. Attitude is everything! First, you must define the attitude you want from your staff, the hire it, nurture it, guide it and celebrate it! Employees generally reflect the attitude of the CEO. You end up getting the behaviour you demonstrate and tolerate.
Pay attention to your staff. Everyone on your organisation should be aware of and on the lookout for profit opportunities. Like any skill, this requires information and training. The more information and knowledge we have the better decisions we make. Train you employees to identify profit drivers. It is also up to us to establish standards of accountability. This is simply about delegating. If you haven’t assigned responsibility for a task it won’t get done. If you assign the task to more than one person you have effectively made no one accountable and it most likely it will not get done. Of course you will have to delegate authority to the person who is accountable for the task. Without authority to make decisions needed to complete the task the employee accountable is not really accountable.
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We instil values, shape attitudes, create awareness and structure accountability. None of those things will get you very far though, unless you have provided your employees with the authority to make decisions that will impact both transactional and lifetime profitability. Authority must be earned, but you need to give employees the opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. Align with Your Business Aims For all of the foregoing, none will impact profitability unless you have a shared goal. The adage about driving the most powerful car in the world won’t take you anywhere unless the wheels are pointing in the same direction. The same can be said for your business. Without a shared goal, sense of purpose and common benefit, you’re all going in different directions.
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The key is getting it right from the recruitment stage. Hire on attitude, with a sense of profitability. Nurture that attitude. Train and develop your employees skills and leadership competency and delegate responsibility, then you are on the right track to building a company with a culture of excellence. Accountability, responsibility and authority are not just words but actions that instil confidence and a sense of self worth in your employees.
With work life balance and job satisfaction more important than job security SME’s that can invest their employees in building their business with them have a clear advantage in attracting and retaining the best talent. If you are unsure where to start, talk to a recruitment consultant that specialises in your industry. There are also many excellent training organisations that help you with ongoing staff development and strategies to keep them invested.
Not only does this lead to greater financial success for your business, it also improves job satisfaction and loyalty from your employees helping you retain top performers, experience and knowledge. It is about investing your employees with you in building your business. At a time when many SME’s struggle to attract and retain the best talent, this is one area that they should be able to compete and outperform larger companies.
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IS YOUR OHS NECK IN THE NOOSE? If you’re an employer duty of care requires you to have systems in place to provide employees with a safe working environment – and employees have a duty of care to follow the systems you’ve put in place. By Lionel Hedt While Occupation Health and Safety applies to all companies and across all industries in Australia the implementation of various OH&S legislation can vary by state. The recent National Workplace Health and Safety Act contains provisions whereby company officers may be held personally liable for workplace hazards. But what exactly constitutes an adequate safe system of work? First of all your company’s safety policies and procedures need to be written. Why? A written procedure can bring structure and consistency into a firm’s accident prevention efforts. Imagine a construction crew trying to build a house without a blueprint. Workers need to know what is specifically required of them to do their job safely. Supervisors need written safety guidelines to help them manage a safe
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production process. Business owners and managers have a duty of care to protect their most valuable asset – the workforce.
To that end certain components need to be stated in the safety procedures document: 1. Management’s Safety Policy
Key Components of a Safe Work System
A simple but important statement outlining the management’s commitment to the safety and well-being of employees.
Just because you have a written safety procedures manual doesn’t mean everyone’s going to follow it.
2. Responsibilities of Management, Supervisors, and Employees
To be effective everyone from management team downwards must understand their role in the implementation of safe work procedures and actively promote a safe workplace corporate culture.
Safety responsibilities at every level of the organization must be clearly defined in writing and in training, so everyone has a fair and equal chance to live up to what is expected of them. 3. Safety Rules A list of specific Safe Work Practices must be established for the safety of each employee. 4. Disciplinary Policy The disciplinary policy defines how safety rules will be enforced fairly and consistently.
5. Specific Written Programs
Getting the Right Advice
Legislation requires that critical jobsite hazards must be controlled through specific written programs and extra employee training.
The implementation of a compliant safe work system may be less burdensome for large organisations, but small to medium sized businesses rarely have in-house expertise or resources to do the job.
These include programs in Confined Space Entry, Lock out /Tag out, Fall Protection, Scaffolding Safety, Hazardous Materials, etc. Strict procedures are necessary to prevent exposures, fatalities or serious injuries, and must be followed to the letter. 6. Safety Meetings Responsibilities and safety procedures are rarely followed by everyone without an occasional reminder. Safety meetings provide the opportunity for everyone to discuss safety issues in the workplace and are now required by the new legislation.
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If the services of an OHS consultant are required make sure you’re getting qualified advice.
Lionel Hedt is Technical & Training Manager at SafetyQuip. For more information about safety products, services and consulting contact Lionel by email at; lionel@safetyquip.com.au Or visit the website at; www.safetyquip.com.au
Ask your OHS advisor if they have… • Relevant knowledge, qualifications and an understanding of current legislation • Industry experience, • Technical expertise, • Up-to-date knowledge of risk management principals and a list of referees who can attest to their expertise. With stinging fines now in place your business can’t afford not to be compliant.
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CAREERS MAGAZINE
STAFF SELECTION: BREAK ALL THE RULES AND SUCCEED By Leon Noone
Business has been following the same rules for staff selection for about 100 years. The job description, advert, resume, interview, reference check model has outlived its usefulness. It’s about time to break all the rules. Some Background
• Business owners and managers wielded great power:
2. Shortlisting
• Telephones were still uncommon
and in the 1950s and 60s there were more jobs than people seeking them.
The shortlist is usually prepared on the basis of the written resume. That’s the same resume that’s prepared to serve the candidates’ goals not yours.
• Computers weren’t even a boffin’s dream
The Flaws In The Old Model
3. The Interview
When this model was introduced in the early 20th Century:
• Email, the mobile or cellphone, the PC, social media and all the technology we take for granted today simply didn’t exist • Letters, with a postage stamp on each envelope, were delivered twice daily by a postman • Business was conducted with great formality • Few people could use a keyboard... and typing was painfully slow • Few employees had college degrees • Handwritten job applications were usually demanded
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1. The Resume Would you believe that experts estimate that today more than 70% of all resumes and written applications are prepared by professional writers? And that applies for all jobs. I’m not suggesting that those resumes and written applications are deliberately misleading. I am saying that they are designed with the best interests of the applicant, not you as employer, in mind. And remember, it’s likely that all applicants are complete strangers.
You conduct interviews of shortlisted candidates, still based on the written resume. The process creates a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. Their resume looks good. The interview goes well. Such a candidate becomes highly favoured: whether or not they can actually do the vacant job. 4. Reference Checking You check out past performance with previous employers. The names are usually provided by the candidate. You probably don’t know the nominated referees. You don’t know whether the referee is the candidate’s best friend or worst enemy. This process is all about the past. And
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it’s so patently unreliable that I’ll go no further. 5. Ignorance Except in rare circumstances the employer has no absolute proof that the employee can actually do what they, and perhaps their referees, say they can do. 6. The Offer Everything works out. The candidate submits a very persuasive resume and goes to the top of your shortlist. He or she “interviews well” and is lauded by referees. They seem to you to fit your requirements. You offer an appointment based on: • A resume or written application presented by a complete stranger • An interpretation of an interview performance created by a self-fulfilling prophecy • Comments of referees who are also likely to be complete strangers.
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Does This Make Sense? You simply cannot tell what someone can do merely by talking with them. Yet conventional staff selection places enormous emphasis on so called “interview performance”. That’s OK if you’re appointing someone to “perform well at interviewing”. It’s not OK for any other reason. Positive and impressive interview behaviour is given much greater weight than proven on job performance. Is that wise? Other Impediments The purpose of staff selection is to get a job done, not to choose a person. The person is a resource. • In selecting new staff you try to predict which of the shortlisted resources will be successful for you in the future. Yet this prediction is based almost entirely on what they’ve done for others in the past.
• In some cases no job description is prepared. “The one we used last time” is regarded as acceptable. Jobs change, demands change, people change. Even where a job description of some sort is used it lacks specific, measurable job results that the new staff member must achieve to be regarded as successful and effective. It may contain wordy waffle about “Key Performance Indicators” or something similar. But that’s all. Most job descriptions are simply a wishlist of perceived desirable skills and behaviours. Measuring successful job performance rarely gets a mention. • Employers design the job ad to try to attract as many applicants as possible. This practice too is undesirable. You waste time reading small mountains of resumes from candidates, all of whom are trying to impress you. And most of them are quite unsuitable anyway.
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• The purpose of the job ad is to attract the “perfect” candidate and deter everyone else. Yet few job ads say “only apply if” or “do not apply unless” • Managers believe they must “sell” the company to the most attractive candidates. This too is foolhardy. Selection is a retail transaction. You are the buyer. Candidates are the sellers. Behave like a buyer. Some Ground Rules 1. Never ask for resumes and written applications 2. Create your shortlist based in an in depth telephone screening interview 3. Offer a face to face interview only to candidates who prove to your satisfaction that they can do the job 4. Test, test, test: if an applicant claims he or she can do something, get them to actually do it
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5. Remember, you cannot tell what a person can do merely by talking with them 6. Every time a vacancy occurs prepare a new job analysis based on on-job results and how they’ll be measured 7. Always use a probation period before confirming an appointment. Conclusion Look around your workplace. What are you still doing the way you did it a century ago? Don’t make staff selection the exception. It simply makes no sense.
Leon Noone helps managers in small-medium business to improve on-job staff performance without training courses. His ideas are quite unconventional. Read his free Special Report “49 Practical Tips for Removing Employee Apathy, Aggravation And Resistance In Your Business”. Simply visit: http://staffperformancesecrets. com/ and download your free copy now.
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THE BEST JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK Interviewing prospective job candidates can be frustrating and time consuming and often leave you no closer to finding out anything useful about the people you’ve met. There are, however, questions that you can ask that should give you a clearer picture as to the type of person you are interviewing, their strengths, weaknesses and attitude.
or playing with their kids, family or pet.” Question 2: What’s the nicest thing you’ve done for someone?
Question 1: When you finish your work, what do you like to do? This question is artfully vague, in that the applicant is not told if the answer should focus on work or personal activities. Workoriented applicants who possess fantastic work ethic will give an answer that is work-focused. For example, they may talk about how they ask their boss for more work, ask co-workers if they need help or find another project to start. Applicants who are not work-oriented and have a lousy work ethic will talk about personal, non-work activities they would do, such as eating, going out or other entertainment,
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Nice is a personality trait that’s important to company culture. Generally, the best leaders, influencers and highest performers are considered to be “nice”. It is an important trait that employees who will fit into a fun, high performing workplace will possess. The question usually catches the person off guard, and you usually get a pretty honest answer. Question 3: Tell me about yourself. The “tell me about yourself” question is still one of the best ways for an interviewer to
evaluate a candidate. Since it is a question that is often asked, it is also one that the interviewer would expect a candidate to have prepared and rehearsed. If the candidate is surprised or unprepared, it tells the interviewer that the candidate didn’t do their homework. The way the candidate presents and organises the information is also important. Well-prepared candidates will have researched the company, analysed the job description, and organised their presentation in a way that reflects a good fit between the candidate and the position or company.
Although candidates usually say they hate this question, they should embrace it. The employer is giving them the time and space to really talk about themselves in a meaningful and convincing way.
THE “MUST READ” MAGAZINE FOR ALL BUSINESS LEADERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
Question 4:
Question 5:
I’m interested in learning about a time when you were at your best. What was the situation, the actions that you took, and the end result?
What type of reference do you think your former boss will give you when I call?
The candidate’s response should highlight what they consider their best attributes. If these attributes aren’t a match for what’s needed in the job, then this isn’t the right person. Also note that some interview candidates are great employees, but not interviewees. These are separate skills. For example, someone who is impressive on a first date may not necessarily make a good spouse. If the candidate struggles with providing a complete response to this question or others, the interviewer shouldn’t be afraid to follow up with questions, like “Were there any other actions that you took?” or “What skills did you use?” or “What were you thinking at that moment?”
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MODERN LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE
This forces the applicant to answer questions from their former boss’s perspective. They want to get their two cents in before they think you are going to talk to their boss. You get them to reveal information you would never get as candidly if you called their boss. Question 6: Ask the job candidate to come up with an imaginary co-worker and describe that co-worker to you. Odds are it will reveal what the person is really like.
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ARE YOU EXECUTIVE LEVEL MATERIAL? 10 TIPS TO BE MORE PROMOTABLE By Jean Kelley
Any successful executive will tell you that there’s a game in business. If you’re not willing to play the game, you can’t win at it. So while many people aspire to reach the executive level in their company, they won’t. In fact, most people don’t make it past the $80,000 per year income level simply because they don’t play the game. Why won’t they play? “I hate business politics,” they say. But who said “business politics” had to be a negative thing? For example, if your boss does something commendable in the company, invents something new, or makes a great speech, it’s okay to congratulate him or her. That’s not being political or a “kiss up”; it’s called being gracious and having decorum - two things that will help you climb the corporate ladder.
Aside from your technical skills or job-specific abilities, other big components of the game include your comportment, how you look, how you speak, your attitude, and your daily habits. Following are the key tips to consider in order to make it into the executive level suite. 1. Claim your space. When you’re walking in the office, you need to look purposeful and centred. Scurrying, looking harried,
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or trying to blend into the background will make you appear as though you lack confidence. Instead, walk with your full height and claim the space around you. People need to view you as someone on a mission - a mission to the top. 2. Build your confidence. Contrary to popular belief, confidence is not about selfesteem or self-worth. In fact, someone can have a low level of self-esteem and still become a high-level executive, as the person’s low self-esteem could be driving them to succeed. True confidence is simply the belief that you can do things well. If you doubt your ability to do things well, simply look back at your record of accomplishment. Use those past successes as a way to build your confidence so it’s apparent to others as well. 3. Speak up. During meetings, always weigh
in on the topics discussed. Don’t leave a meeting without having an opinion about something or you will quickly get a reputation for being “wishy-washy” or not concerned with the company’s success. If you’re in a meeting and the discussion turns to something you’re unfamiliar with or is not part of your department’s duties, look engaged anyway. Always remember that the people above you are watching you, and everything you do - or don’t do counts. 4. Build social capital. Building social capital across the board is critical to your upward mobility. Not only should you build social capital with people within your department, but you should also build it with people in other departments and in other companies who might be a resource for you. Social capital simply means building connections with people. Find out some personal information about others, such as their
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hobbies, their birthday, and their kids’ names...and then talk about those items occasionally to build rapport. Remember this: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. When you’re on your way up the ladder, you need to treat people like people and not like objects. Get to know your peers. You never know if one day a peer will be your boss, and even if they aren’t, they can make your work life very stressful.
6. Do what others won’t do. In every department there are a few things that need to get done (or that are important to the boss), but no one wants to do them. Find out what those are...and then volunteer for the tasks. Yes, some people will call you a “kiss up,” but that’s okay. Ultimately, you have to please your boss and to some extent your peers and direct reports, not the nay-sayers who have little chance of reaching the top.
5. Learn about business. 7. Get a mentor. To make it in business you have to know about business. This includes reading about your industry as well as other industries to learn how different companies handle things. If you’re well read you can give examples from other industries and companies of what worked and what didn’t. Remember that in order to be promotable you have to be on top of your game at all times; being knowledgeable is one way to display your competence.
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If your company has a mentoring program, take advantage of it. If you don’t have access to such a program, get a mentor on your own. Look through your network of people and find someone who is at or near the level you aspire to be. Invite the person out to lunch and talk business with them. Learn what they did to get where they are. When you feel enough rapport and comfort with the person, ask if he or she will mentor you. Most people are honoured by the request and will say “yes.” If the person
declines the request, don’t take it personally. Simply find someone else to learn from. 8. Look professional. Tattoos and piercings are popular these days, and if you want one, by all means get one. However, when you’re at work, keep the tattoo under your clothing as much as possible and remove visible piercings from your face or tongue. Today, it’s extremely rare to see executives with visible tattoos and piercings. Twenty years from now, it may be more common and acceptable to see tattoos and piercings in the executive suite, but for now, keep them hidden at work if you work in a corporate setting. 9. Dress at the top of your level. People do judge you by how you look. For example, if you’re in a position or company where everyone wears jeans and t-shirts, you should dress a notch higher. If you’re a man, wear khakis and golf shirts, and
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if you’re a woman, wear slacks or a skirt with a tasteful top. A good rule of thumb is to dress as if you were meeting with your top client. What attire would be professional yet comfortable to accommodate a key client meeting? Additionally, no matter where you work, casual day does not mean shorts and flip-flops. If an executive sees you dressed like that, they’re going to view you as a “kid.” Even an iPod in your ear can make you look like a kid. When you’re on your way up (usually in the 25-40 age bracket), the last thing you want is to be called a kid. 10. Communicate effectively. How you communicate, both verbally and in writing, can make or break your career potential. Using poor grammar, foul language, or an inappropriate tone make you appear less intelligent. Most executives are very polished when it comes to their communication skills. If your communication skills are lacking, find a resource (a class, a book, a mentor, or a coach) to help.
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Get Ahead Today
Your goal of attaining an executive level position is possible. You simply need to go beyond your technical or job-specific skills and add some focus to your executive presence. After all, you can’t become an executive if you don’t act or look like one. By concentrating on these ten areas and keeping your skills up to date, you’ll reach the executive suite sooner than you ever thought possible.
Jean Kelley is the founder of Jean Kelley Leadership Alliance. Her Faculty and Trainers have helped more than 750,000 leaders and high potentials up their game at work in the US and in Canada. Coupled with her books, “Dear Jean: What They Don’t Teach You at the Water Cooler,” and “The Get a Job Keep a Job Handbook,” For information on leadership programs and availability email: jkelley@jeankelley.com or go to http://www.jeankelley.com.
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CAREERS MAGAZINE
EVER WONDERED WHY YOU DON’T GET A JOB THROUGH A RECRUITMENT FIRM? Many jobseekers apply for positions advertised by recruitment firms and agencies, but never get replies. So why is this? Why do most applications fail to get noticed by recruiters? We look at some of the reasons that determine whether you will receive a response and what to do about it. If you have registered with numerous recruitment agencies and have now been sitting, anxiously waiting for the phone to ring or for a “New mail” notification from your inbox, but not had any contact, then read on.
There are a number of things that you should know about the recruitment industry and the techniques that are used to shortlist candidates.
First of all, do not take rejection from agencies personally. A key thing to remember is that recruitment agencies exist to make a profit; it is their interests at the centre of everything they do, and not yours.
Do not be under the illusion that a recruitment firm or agency will go out of their way to find your next career move, as ultimately
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they will be working hard to fill the vacancies on their books. Once you consider this, it doesn’t feel as bad when they fail to call you back.
You will barely ever receive a call from an recruitment firm if you are not short listed or you are unsuccessful in an interview. Their time is spent on the phone to people that will help them earn their commission, not giving you advice on how you can improve your job seeking skills. The fact that this is not good practice and gives them a poor reputation in the eyes of the jobseeker doesn’t seem to matter to many of them either.
The next thing that you should be aware of is how the recruitment firms discover you as a potential candidate. They will have access to a huge CV database, sometimes in the tens
or hundreds of thousands, any maybe the contents of which they purchased from one of the larger job boards, and they will use a keyword search to find candidates that match the vacancy requirements of their clients (the employers).
It is not just whether a keyword appears in a CV; it is also the frequency that it appears. So a recruitment agent searching for a Web Developer will probably search for résumés with multiple occurrences of “Java script”, “HTML” and “CSS” in their search. Therefore it is not enough to briefly mention your expertise.
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You should insure that you mention terms relevant to your desired career move in your CV multiple times. It is also recommended that you tailor your CV to suit each job you apply for so that the keywords match those likely to be sought out by the recruitment firm.
It is also useful to have a ‘Key skills’ section to your CV, a list of your skills which will help you score extra hit points. Be sure that, whilst being aware of the need for keywords, your CV still reads well and avoids “keyword stuffing”.
Once happy that a CV is search friendly and has been submitted to various job sites, the worst thing that a job seeker can do is sit back and wait for the interviews to roll in.
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They should hit the Internet and start searching for vacancies, avoiding the major sites that they have already registered with. Try industry specific magazine sites, industry or trade association sites, local newspaper job sites, industry sector specific sites and direct employer websites to find vacancies. Often these sites come up with a simple Google search for the job you are seeking.
designed to find out if you re suitable for the job now and into the future, not just based on what you have done in the past. More often than not, firms that utilise these sites are also the better employers to work for.
Another thing to look out for is recruitment sites that ask you to fill in a first round interview questionnaire as part of the application process. In general, these sites offer a better chance of you getting to at least the phone interview stage because they are seeking actual information from you that is relevant to the job and don’t just rely on your resume, CV or a keyword search. Most of these sites provide a more level playing field for candidates as many of the questions are
Sometimes when you apply for a position the recruitment firm will send you an automated response email. Most are polite enough, just saying something like “we have received you CV/ resume, we’ve had a lot of replies and we’ll get back to you if you’re on the short list”.
In the meantime, your CV will hopefully be doing some work behind the scenes and you will soon receive calls from recruitment agencies as well.
There are some recruitment firms that “test” out a candidate’s attitude to learning and career development by offering them a free magazine or ebook. I know this because
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CAREERS MAGAZINE
there are several recruiters that offer a free subscription to this magazine to job applicants just so they can find out if the applicant is truly interested in a career or just in getting a job….any job. Generally, the applicants that subscribe to the magazine go to the top of the pile because the employer or recruiter sees they are more engaged and career minded. Recruiters like this as they can generally place career driven candidates in new roles easily when it’s time for you to move up. With the average job tenure now only three years, the more top performers recruiters have on their books, the more commission that they can make from employers by placing them again and again.
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Once you receive the call from an agent in relation to a vacancy, there are certain questions that should be asked.
• Where did they come across your CV? • Who is the opportunity with? • What is the package? • When are they looking to interview?
If the agent withholds any or at least most of these pieces of information, then you should seriously consider whether or not you wish to continue the call.
There are a number of tricks that some recruitment agents use to entice information from job seekers that would be useful to them, such as the name of your current manager who they know will soon be recruiting - to fill your position.
So the purpose of their call may not be to help you but to help themselves make another sale….with your current employer!
Once aware of these practices and techniques, job seeking becomes a slightly less arduous task.
By asking certain questions and avoiding unnecessary emotional turmoil over lack of contact, efforts can be concentrated in the right place. This will ultimately lead to a more effective job search.
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HOW TO PERFORM WELL IN JOB INTERVIEWS For just about any job, you are likely to have to go through at least one and more likely several, job interviews to secure a role. A small minority of people just seem to breeze through job interviews while others find the whole process a struggle, scary, stressful and difficult. Yet in reality all that is often required is small changes to yield big benefits in terms of how you perform in job interviews. So what are my top tips for performing well in job interviews? Know About The Organisation 20 years ago it might have been difficult to get some insights into the organisation by which you are being interviewed. With advances in technology, specifically the web and social media, it is now really easy to access information about an organisation and the sector or industry in which it operates. As a result you are bound to get asked what you know about the organisation. While it is good that you can talk in some detail about the organisation, the underlying reason for asking this question is to find out the person you are. An employer can tell by what you say whether you are the type of person who does just the minimum or goes a bit deeper;
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whether you are someone who does the job or contributes to organisational success. Know About Yourself In some cultures we are discouraged from talking about our achievements. We might even have been told that blowing your own trumpet is a bad thing. If this sounds familiar, the chances are you will not really dig deep to find your achievements. The trouble with that is if you don’t really understand your achievements, it is difficult to sell yourself. At the end of the day you are selling your skill and expertise to the organisation in return for payment of a salary. Anticipate Questions I am continually amazed when people tell me they think ahead of questions and then when we get into role play and start asking really routine questions they fall apart. There are some questions that fall into the almost guaranteed category. My experience is that you can easily anticipate 50% of questions you are asked. Perhaps not the exact question but certainly key themes.
Be Professional And Business Like At All Times An employer might give you a really tough interview and you might feel flustered and even agitated. No matter what demands or pressure you find yourself under, maintain your professionalism at all times. Release The Pressure On Yourself Yes, you might want a particular role and I am sure you will give it your best shot. On the other hand, you don’t want to go into the interview with a feeling of desperation, otherwise you will end up putting yourself under far too much pressure. Cut yourself some slack and keep it all in perspective. This may not be the role for you and there will always be other opportunities. The Bottom Line: Hiring or recruiting someone is a major financial investment for an organisation. Make sure you prepare yourself to make that investment decision as easy as possible.
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PHONE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ASK THE EMPLOYER By Kristin McNicol Understanding the process of a job application is important to landing the right job. Being prepared for the initial phone interview is a vital step in this process. Most face to face job interviews are preceded by a phone interview. They can be used as a screening process and also as a means of narrowing down the applicant pool to the most qualified candidates.
you are uninterested or unable to think for yourself. Keep in mind, though, that these types of interviews are very short, so only ask important and relevant questions.
This process saves the company valuable time and resources by weeding out unqualified or unsuitable candidates.
Phone Interview Questions to Ask
Once you have landed a phone interview, it is important to review some of the more common phone interview questions and prepare some possible answers. Phone interviews are typically brief, so make sure that your answers are to the point and effective. Being prepared will ensure that you will be able to answer any questions promptly and confidently. The goal is to keep the potential employer interested so that you may progress to the next stage of the interviewing process. After you have formulated your list of answers, begin jotting down some of your own questions to ask during an interview. You will have the opportunity to address your concerns towards the end of the conversation. Employers do expect you to ask at least a few questions. Otherwise, you may give the impression that
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• Why is the previous holder of the position leaving? • Should I be offered the job offer, how soon would I be expected start? • What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this position? • How would you describe the company culture? • Who does the holder of this position report to?
These are just a few example phone interview questions to ask. You may want to ask some specific questions relevant to the position or company as well. It is best to ask open-ended or behavioural type questions. When deciding which questions to ask during an interview, there are a few things to keep in mind. The employer will, without a doubt, make a
judgment about you based on the questions you ask. Make each one count. Refrain from asking any questions about salary or benefits. Avoid asking any questions you can easily find answers to on the company’s website. This will give the impression that you are not interested in the organization or are ill prepared. Instead, try asking questions that prove you have done your homework. You may start the question with, “I read on the company’s website that...” There is no set number of questions that you need to ask. Just remember that the interview time is limited. Three to five questions should suffice. Being prepared ahead of time will make the interview process less nerve racking and more pleasurable. Unfortunately, many people underestimate the importance of a phone interview. It is during this time that the employer gets a first impression of you as an applicant. Be professional, courteous and highlight your best qualities as much as possible. Asking the employer the right kinds of questions may have a huge impact on your odds of landing that face to face interview.
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Careers Magazine | 43 Outsource Resource Magazine | 35
CAREERS MAGAZINE
10 TRAITS THAT MAKE GREAT EMPLOYEES OUTSTANDING Everyone knows great employees are dependable, reliable, proactive, great team players, have strong work ethics… all the standard (yet often uncommon) qualities. So what traits take a great employee to the next level and make them a truly outstanding employee? The extra 1%: The qualities that often go unnoticed (and unremarked in performance evaluations) yet make a major impact on performance. Here is our list of qualities that make an already great employee outstanding:
1. A little bit “off.” The best employees are a little different: Quirky, sometimes irreverent, happy to be unusual… they seem slightly “off,” but in a really good way. Unusual personalities shake things up, make work more fun, and turn a vanilla group into a team with flavour and flair. People who aren’t afraid to be different stretch boundaries, challenge the status quo, and often come up with the best ideas. But for this to be a great quality, the people who are a little “off” also need to…
2. Know when to reel it in. A non-standard personality is a lot of fun until it isn’t.
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When times get tough, major challenges pop up, or situations become stressful, even the most eccentric should know when to set aside their desire to express their individuality and fit seamlessly into the team. Outstanding employees know when to play and when to be serious, when to be irreverent and when to conform, and when to challenge and when to back off. Tough balance to strike, but outstanding employees walk that fine line with ease.
4. Eager to prove others wrong.
3. Ignore job descriptions.
5. Praise in public.
The smaller the company the more important it is that employees think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done. When you are in danger on under-delivering on a key customer’s account, outstanding employees know without being told there’s a problem - and jump in without being asked, even if it’s not “their job.”
Few things can boost morale more than praise from a peer, especially a peer you look up to. Outstanding employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater. But they also know when to…
Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. Like a “red rag to a bull”…so to speak. The young employee without a degree or the mum returning to the workforce who was told she didn’t have leadership potential could have a burning desire to prove themselves. Education, intelligence, talent, skill - all are important, but drive is critical.
6. Complain in private. We all want employees to raise issues, but some problems are better handled one-on-
CAREERS MAGAZINE
one. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects because their performance allows greater freedom. The employee who comes to you after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue that if brought up in a group setting would have set off a firestorm does you and the business a favour. And speaking of favours…
7. Ask questions for others. Some employees are hesitant to speak up in meetings. Some are even hesitant to speak up privately. For example, an employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. After the meeting I said, “Why did you ask? You already know what’s going on.” He said, “Yeah, I did, but a lot of other people don’t - and they needed to hear the answer from you.” Outstanding employees have a feel for the issues and concerns of those around them and step up to ask questions others are hesitant.
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8. Work to a Plan.
10. Entrepreneurial.
In an era of flexible work places and when many employees are more mobile, work from home or hold meetings in cafes, the notion of start and finish times is often out-dated or irrelevant. But great employees always seem to hit the ground running at the start of the work day. Truly outstanding employees plan their week well ahead, start early and finish on time, reviewing each day, making sure that they achieved what they set out to and planning for the next day, before they “clock off”.
This is often a contentious quality that some employers fear. But outstanding employees exhibit entrepreneurial qualities such as vision and self-motivation which are vital for any organisation to reach its goals. Having employees that share your vision, can see where your industry is heading and what the future will look like is a key factor in modern business success. Entrepreneurial employees are known for seeing things from a different perspective, disrupting the “status quo” and “breaking the rules”. Better that you lead the direction of your industry than let your competitor take it.
9. Tinker. Some people are rarely satisfied in a good way - and are constantly playing around with something: Reworking a report, tweaking a process, experimenting with a different workflow. Great employees follow processes. Outstanding employees go a step farther and find ways to make those processes even better, not just because they are expected to but because they can’t just help themselves.
Careers Magazine | 45
CAREERS MAGAZINE
WHERE TO FIND JOBS ONLINE: THE HIDDEN SOURCES FOR EMPLOYMENT By Andrew Brown
Search Engines Job search engines are a good place to start when searching for jobs, because you can find jobs from a wide variety of sources with one simple search, but there are other types of sites that come highly recommended. Many niche sites, or sites that focus on a specific career field, industry or type of job, are one type of site that can have great results. Industry specific job boards such as healthcare, engineering and education produce better results than the bigger, broader job boards. Look beyond the obvious job posting boards and you might have better luck figuring out where to find jobs with the smaller, more specialized sites.
Professional Networks & Associations Using a professional association works, as well. Many of these organization host websites and forum that can be a useful resource in networking and looking for otherwise overlooked opportunities. By posting your needs and qualifications among people who are already familiar with your field, you’re doubling your chances of making a valuable contact.
Another good way to find out about job listings is by contacting prospective employers directly. If there is a company that you would love to work for give them a call. This will enable you to tap into the reservoir of numerous vacancies that are not advertised. In most cases, unadvertised jobs will be filled by family members, friends and other contacts of individuals already in the organization. Magazines & Trade Journals
Job Board Sites While there isn’t any one place that is best for finding jobs online, there isn’t any site you shouldn’t use. Use all available resources, and then stick with the sites where you get good responses and inquiries from hiring managers and recruiters. Also look for sites where you see an abundance of job postings in every field. It may take some work figuring out where to find jobs, but thinking outside the box and digging a little deeper will only help your search.
46 | Careers Magazine
Smile and Dial
Probably one of the best sources of the best jobs is industry or business magazines and trade journals. Both digital and printed versions often have excellent jobs advertised. Many more progressive and innovative businesses use these publications to find the very best talent. If you’re not reading these publications you are doing yourself a dis-service by missing out on industry news, education and up-dates plus missing out on the best and most interesting job opportunities.
iness, Marketing, Franchising, Leadership, HR & ruitment, Construction, plus more....
CONSIDERING A CAREER THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE? Then you must read this magazine!
Career Expos Subscribe Other sources of job listings include professional and trade journals. Such journals can be purchased or even sourced from your local library or on the internet. Career expos are another good source of job vacancies. Recruitment agencies, industries, universities and colleges periodically hold job expos where employers can provide information about the opportunities available at their companies. It is often possible to apply for such positions at the expo, so be sure to take along with you several copies of your resume and be prepared for impromptu interviews.
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Social Media Subscribe Connecting with the leaders of the companies that you would love to work for is a great way to get an invitation to apply for a job when a vacancy comes up with that company. While connecting with the CEO may not always be possible, following the company or a recruitment firm can help you keep informed about the opportunities when they arise. If the recruiter or employer sees that you are following them, are connected and engaged with their firm, your chances of getting hired are much stronger. Andrew Brown is the Marketing Manager at Maxiom Jobs, the best Subscribe place to find the best talent. www.maxiom.com.au
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Careers Magazine | 47
Franchise Magazine CAREERS MAGAZINE chiseModern Magazine
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SPECIALISTS WHS TransformINYour MANAGEMENT Business into a AND TRAINING
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Maxiom Jobs covers all industries and sectors. With over 300,000 business leaders and professionals subscribing to Maxiom’s digital publications, we can help you secure the best talent.
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Careers Magazine | 51 Modern Business IntelBuild Magazine Magazine | 45 |3
About Careers Magazine Publisher Maxiom Group Pty Ltd Level 2, 710 Collins Street Docklands Vic 3008 Australia www.maxiom.com.au Editor Naomi Walshe Digital Magazine Created By Careers Magazine Online www.careersmagazine.com.au Advertising Enquiries 1300 855 696 (within Australia) + 613 8199 3586 (International) advertising@maxiom.com.au Editorial, Media Releases & Article Submission magazine@maxiom.com.au
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DISCLAIMER Information published here has been compiled with due care and attention, but it does not clam to be exhaustive. Neither Maxiom Group or Careers Magazine Online can be held responsible for the content of external sites reached via a hyperlink from this site. We accept submissions from outside contributors, and whilst great care is taken, the author of the submitted article is responsible for what they write. Neither Careers Magazine or Maxiom will not be liable for any loss or inaccurate information or any other omission or error by outside contributors. This web magazine is provided for information only. It is not intended to replace a consultation with a suitable qualified industry professional. Careers Magazine and Maxiom cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or injury that arises from the use of this web magazine.
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