We have moved, new website and new services

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Things are moving!

Hey, it’s David from New Point Recruitment. We have had a busy month at our agency with an office relocation, a new website, new staff and also an addition to our services. Not only that, we have seen an increase in vacancies over the past 6 months including good sentiment with employers across the Gold Coast and Northern NSW markets.

New office

We have relocated from our last place of over 3 years to our new premises at Suite 10A, Level 1 at 47 Ashmore road Bundall. A big thanks to my lovely wife who painted whilst I worked on filling some vital roles. We are loving the new space and it already feels like home. There is also ample free parking on site for clients and a cafe downstairs “Cafe 47” that serves very, very good coffee and refreshments.

New website

We have launched a new look website that has improved functionality, is easy to follow and has a live integrated job board for candidates to view current vacancies. Visit www.newpointrecruitment.com.au to have a look. We are always interested in feedback or suggestions/improvements that we could action to improve the user experience.

New services

To provide a holistic service to our clients beyond recruitment, we have full HR services as well as business consulting and business improvement services. In conversations with our clients, we have always spoken at a deeper level due to our interest in business and as such, have expanded our services to help clients improve their business. Visit our Employer Services page to find out more about what we do and how we can help you further.

New staff

Brian Vadas has joined our team as a Business Consultant. He brings a lot of experience to the team and is a really personable guy that thinks outside the square. He continues to work with start-ups right through to multi-national clients.

Thanks for reading. We are also firing up our Blog again after a long break to bring you some interesting reads, insights into the market and hopefully a few laughs to go with it.

Regards,

David Ford.

what are you worth in the market?

What are you worth in the market?

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You work hard, build your career, gain the skills, experience and training required and deservedly increase your salary and worth in the process. When it comes to applying for the next opportunity in your career, what are you worth to the next employer? What do they perceive you are worth and what is the new role in their company actually worth to them?

This is generally one of the hardest and biggest sticking points when looking to jump from your role to another – how do you answer the salary/remuneration question that always has to come up at some point “What salary range are you seeking?” There are many ways to answer this question and a lot of them can make or break whether you progress to the next stage. You just don’t get a second chance on this.

You need to do some research first before applying for any role, especially if it is a step up from where you currently are – talk to recruiters, study similar roles on job boards and talk to people in your industry. Your current employer may be paying you well above the market, in the middle or well below. If the role was advertised on a job board for example, you need to do some research first to evaluate where you sit in the market and where the role sits in the salary slider on the job board. At least 70% of roles advertised do not overtly advertise the salary band however every role that we enter onto a job board must have a salary band applied for us to load the job. Do a search on the type of role you are seeking, get your results and then use the salary slider function on the  job board to find out where the role that you are interested in lies. If it disappears from the salary range results you entered, it may not fit your criteria. On some occasions, you can  narrow this search to within $5000 increments.

Get informed so that when you get asked the question you are confident in your worth and also aware of where the role sits for the employer you are targeting.

personality testing

Personality Testing – The First Test

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We are all familiar with personality profiling and testing however the one personality test that is not always considered, well before that, is the interview. We have interviewed many candidates that have the right skills and experience however, personality wise, they just don’t pass the test.

The real world

In reality, we are all different. We like some people, we tolerate some others and then there are those that we just don’t like (I bet you are thinking of someone now). The hiring manager or recruiter’s role is to assess how you fit the actual role, their client base (if any) and the team around you. When you are brought into interview, we have already made a short assessment on your skill base, training and experience, now we would like to discuss what you really know, and ultimately, whether your personality fits.

How do others perceive you?

I am sure that a lot of people don’t know how they come across. Think about yourself for a moment… have you ever asked someone what they really think? (Hopefully they think that you’re great!) Are you opinionated, brash, negative, very passive, or on the other side, overly happy, energetic, or a bit ‘in your face’? Ask someone the truth as some of these traits may come across in interview and not match the profile of the role that you are seeking or match the culture of the organisation that you are seeking work from. Not all of the traits just mentioned are bad; it’s just about how they may fit a particular role. A passive person may be fantastic behind the scenes or be very creative, whereas the person that you personally perceive as ‘in your face’ may be great around your clientele and in a sales environment – everything has its place.

Can you change how you are perceived?

The answer to this question is a tough one – sometimes yes and sometimes no. The better way is to be aware of how you present to others so that you can make small adjustments in the things that you can change. Some of that may be interview training; some of it may be personal changes. I conducted interview training with a person this week that was a great guy personality-wise; however he seemed very indecisive and fluffed around his words, giving the interviewer no faith in his abilities. He had been unsuccessful at interview previously and came to realise that he needed to be direct in what he said. He really knew his stuff however just didn’t know how to relay this to another person properly and be succinct.

There is also a great guy in my circle of friends that is tall, big framed and has a very deep voice – he intimidates people in interviews (not meaning to) and is certain that he has missed selection on a few occasions because of how he presents himself. In reality he’s actually introverted and very intelligent however with his size and deep voice, there is not a lot of movement to change how he is immediately perceived by others. The main thing is that he is aware of it and we decided on a different approach for him. Networking and building a range of contacts in his industry has been the answer. People that are now interviewing him already know who he is and have moved past the ‘damn he’s a big and scary guy’ part. Most importantly, he’s had success from shifting the way he looked for work.

Be aware of yourself and make it work for you!

At the end of the day you are who you are and we often get comfortable with ourselves. I know that you would hire you for the role but it’s not your decision. Think about the role that you missed out on and analyse what you said in the interview and more importantly how you expressed it. You may have been judged on the way you responded. Yes it’s a feeble excuse and you have to accept it, but if there is an opportunity to work on that, the next interview may be a piece of cake – good luck!

character building jobs

Have you ever had a ‘Character Building’ job?

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Would you work in a recycling plant sorting people’s recycling by hand? I did… and yes… I survived! It was definitely one of those character building jobs that made me step far outside my comfort zone and one that I am still glad that I did.

At the time of my move from Sydney to the Gold Coast I was an Office Manager and had just completed my studies in HR. I had just purchased a new place on the Gold Coast, had a new mortgage and bills to pay. I thought (silly me) that I had a new job lined up to fall straight into, however when I arrived, it just wasn’t the case. That means, I had to start looking for work quickly. Through a good number of applications, my ideal role was not coming off and I needed a strategy to get work quickly. This I found, is where we normally draw the line with our pride – what do you choose – lose my house or take a hit to the ego, get a less than perfect role, and keep my house… the choice was very easy.

Answering an ad in the paper for labour hire staff, I turned up at a local recruitment agency and to my surprise, looked a little bit out of place. Me, being from Sydney, turned up in a full suit and tie, not like the other 8 guys who were in a combination of high-vis, king gees and work boots. Basically, because I turned up (and they needed people) I had a job that I could go to. My options were the chicken plant or the recycling plant. Easy decision – the recycling plant. Now, if anyone has actually done this job, it’s hot, dusty and physically demanding – not really suited to an office boy like myself. I definitely take my hat off to the guys that do this work – it’s really hard! In hindsight, I think that the chicken plant was the ideal choice for me but I stuck it out for 6 weeks until I scored the job that I was seeking. Added to this, it was my first Gold Coast summer, it was very hot, I was working day and night shifts, wore a hat, face mask, jeans, long sleeved shirt , glasses, and a lot of dust and debris, which mostly ended up in my car. It was like a dust cloud each time I sat down to drive home. Added to this, I learned that people don’t know what is allowed in a recycling bin. I wish to forget how many dirty nappies, dead animals and waste that I touched but I knew that I was burning my clothes when I was done!

Whilst this is my story, it’s actually your story that really counts. If you have been made redundant, the business you were working in closes, or you are just let go, are you the type of person that will take a stance and draw the line at jobs that you are too proud to do or are you a person that would suck it up and take it head on to keep the money flowing in? Believe me, these ‘character building’ jobs motivate you even more to get the job you really want and also to be a bit more creative in ways to beat your competition to get the job you want. Ordinarily, most labour hire, contract and temp jobs are equally suitable and can bridge the gap between your next role.

Basically, on a resume and at an interview it is far easier to explain a few months of undertaking labour hire work due to your redundancy or whilst you are looking for your preferred role than it is to explain a large gap in your employment history. One gives the impression (and it is just an impression) that you value work and actually need it, whereas, the other may give the impression that you have done nothing since leaving the last role. We all know that in most cases this is not always the truth however, again, it could be an impression formed by the employer.

It was 12 years ago since I worked in that recycling plant and can now have a laugh at the characters that were there and the situation I was in. I will never forget it. If you are in a rut looking for work and your bank account is getting lower, ground yourself a bit and see what else is out there for the meantime. As they say, the race is only against yourself, not anyone else. Who really cares what they think?

We would love to hear about your ‘fill in’ or ‘character building’ jobs. How did they push you to get the job you really wanted?

recruiting is tough

Recruiting – It’s a tough audience at the moment!

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… and comedians think that they have a tough audience! Lately, the market has been flooded with some great candidates. A lot of them are vying for that one opportunity that’s being advertised and are becoming increasingly frustrated when not getting to the next stage, which to some extent, is understandable. Just the other week, I was on the receiving end of some rather abusive language from a frustrated candidate that I was actually trying to help.

It’s also tough being a job seeker

It’s not easy being a job seeker and sending out a large number of applications for roles that you never hear from – I have never forgotten the struggle that I had to break into a new industry (and that was over 10 years ago). I still recall sending out 83 applications, receiving 2 phone calls and only 1 interview, which actually got me the job. By the end of that process and 8 months of looking for the right role that would launch my career in this industry, I had lost quite a bit of confidence in my actual ability – I knew I could do it but being constantly rejected can take a big toll. What I learned during the process was to really focus on a range of roles that you have the skills in, work hard on your resume and application letters and network hard to get known by people in the industry that you’re targeting. The good news is that we do work with job seekers to update their resume (there are some great people out there that just don’t know how to sell their skills and experience on paper), create engaging cover letters and have better interview skills, so that they can stand above their competitors in a tough job market.

The good news

Whilst everyone is hearing mixed news about the economy, the lack of jobs, redundancies and businesses closing, there are also some really good stories coming through that just aren’t getting reported. We currently work with some great clients that have been growing in this market – that’s right, growing. They’ve broken with tradition, been innovative in their approach and are taking on new staff to build their businesses. Some have been start-ups that had the right business model and others have revisited what they and their competitors do, and have decided to do it differently. The great news in all of this is that they are recruiting additional staff and this means new job opportunities for candidates. By no means are we saying that the economy is fixed and that we are in boom times (I think we all know that it’s a while off yet), what we are saying though is that it’s good to know that amongst all the negative reports out there, we actually have some positivity in our local economy.

Innovation – how can we help?

Just like our clients, we have added additional services for our clients and job seekers so that we can differentiate from our market. With the latest software to track and match candidates like never before, as well as live updates, job boards (within the fortnight) and job matching for candidates registered with us, we are hoping to assist candidates even further in their job search. We are also in the process of implementing some new services to add further value to our clients when selecting staff.

How can you help?

We are always networking, meeting with employers, and speaking with our clients to find out how they are tracking, what projects they have in the pipeline and also what forecasts they have for staffing. We believe that by having this information, we can educate our local community and also give candidates some hope and guidance in their job searching efforts. If you would like to provide any information to us regarding what you know about the current market, we will always welcome your feedback. Working together can make a difference.

Thanks and have a great day.

Best regards,

David Ford.

Job Offers – the fun part of recruitment!

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This fortnight we are looking at our favourite part of the recruitment process: Job Offers. We all love this part and there are some things that you should know… Watch our video blog and see what we think…

Feel free to call us on 1300558979 to have a chat about how you recruit and what would be the best way for you to attract great candidates to your business.

you snooze you lose

“You snooze, you lose!”

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I am sure that we have all heard this term before and I am also sure that at least once, we have let an opportunity pass by from over-thinking or procrastinating. I definitely learned this in my early days as a recruiter when dealing with great candidates – if my client took too long to make a decision, or my side of the recruitment process was too long, we missed out on some great candidates. Don’t let it happen to you.

To change things up from our normal written Blog, we have recorded our first video blog for you to view:

Remember to always plan out your process so that you keep candidates interested. Feel free to call us on 1300558979 to have a chat about how you recruit and what would be the best way for you to attract great candidates to your business.

Why do you want this job?

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For both the employer and the job applicant, this can actually be a very difficult question if you looked at it in detail – for an employer: why does this person want the role or, as a candidate: why do I want this role?

We have had a range of applicants with a range of answers to this question. We have had high end executives that just wanted to win the role but would never take it, to junior level candidates that have given a fantastic answer with a real intention to create a career for themselves.

I recall when I first landed on the Gold Coast and needed a job urgently to pay the bills. I spotted a telemarketing job ad in the newspaper – ‘I can do that’ I said and picked up the phone and called them.  After answering a few questions I was asked ‘Why do want this role?’ Stuck for words I said “I actually don’t know’ and the conversation finished quite quickly after that. The truth was that I didn’t want that role and my answer proved that immediately. We often hear this response and it makes us question what a candidate’s intention is.

When screening candidates over the phone or in person at interview, we always ask this question. Everyone has a reason for leaving their current role just as someone has a reason for applying for the advertised role; it’s just that 60% of the candidates that we interview don’t express the reason confidently to us.

What do you do – get your story right!

We don’t mean that you should make up a story, we mean be clear on why you may be leaving a role or looking for work.

  • If unemployed, was it a redundancy, termination or other factor that influenced you leaving before finding work such as a relocation
  • If employed, look at the 4 major factors on why people leave – was it career opportunity, the people that you work with, money, or personal factors?

Once you have sorted that out, work out the best way to express this so that the interviewer has a clear picture of why you are looking at their role.

Intention

Your intentions for the role are high worth to the interviewer. If you know what you can bring to the company, why you want to bring your skills and experience and what you would like to achieve in the role, this may be the tipping point that gets you over the line above the other candidates. If you turn up to the interview and take for granted that you should get the role based on having the skills and experience and don’t express a genuine interest in the role, chances are that you may be unsuccessful. The role could go to a less experienced person that has expressed a real desire to be part of the team. Sitting on interviews with our clients, we have been witness to candidates that have been so nervous at the interview as they really wanted the role to candidates that have just sat back as though the role was theirs – guess who gets the role every time? Being nervous and fluffing the interview doesn’t always mean that it’s all over. Your skills, experience and desire for the role can sometimes outshine all of the negatives and prove that you are the one. Nervousness can mean that you really, really want that role. We have definitely seen this happen before and I am sure that we will see it again in the future.

Think about this question the next time you are applying for a role; “Why do I want this job?” and write it down. Equally, as an employer, ask “why do you want this role” or “what would you like to achieve from this role” The response could be the difference between the right candidate and wrong candidate.

Job applications – Are you getting noticed?

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You recently applied for some roles that you really felt matched your experience and skill set and …. would you believe it… no phone call for an interview. Not even a response. What happened?

We have all been in this situation before and it isn’t fun. I remember when I landed on the Gold Coast in 2001. I had a ‘job’ but not in the industry I had studied and was trying to get into, which was HR and/or recruitment. I applied for in excess of 80 specific HR/recruitment jobs over a 9 month period, with not even a response from almost all but 3 employers. It made me feel really deflated and like I was doing something wrong. During that time I realised that I was not selling myself well enough and worked out a few new strategies to start getting noticed

How do you get noticed?

There are plenty of ways to get noticed, some good, some bad. We don’t expect you to hang outside the employer’s office and stalk them  – you will get noticed this way but it really won’t end well. We do believe though that you should have a good strategy in place and carefully prepared tools to sell who you are and how you fit when applying for an advertised role. What we mean by this is:

  • A carefully prepared resume or CV (we have written about this in previous Blogs) that sells what your skills are, where you have worked and when, training and/or qualifications and your contact details… yes, contact details! We mention this as some people actually forget to put this on their resume!
  • A cover letter outlining your suitability to the role and your intentions. We often get cover letters that basically just say “I am applying for the ….. job”. That just won’t cut it! Outline What you have been doing, why you are interested in the role and what relevant skills and experience (read the job advertisement) you have that meet their criteria
  • Interview clothes and shoes – have some clothes and shoes prepared for interview. We always have clothes ready to wear when going out on the weekend but how many people have a set of clothes put aside ready for an interview? They should be appropriate for the type of roles that you are applying for
  • Keeping a diary or spreadsheet of applications submitted. The best call that I made to a candidate (and she got an interview with me that day) was a young girl who had a spreadsheet of all the jobs that she applied for. I called her and she actually answered my very first call with “Hello David” rather than the usual “What job is this for… I have applied for quite a few” She really stood out! It showed that she was prepared and took her job searching seriously
  • Do some research on the company – We don’t have to say much more on this one. If you do some research you will be better prepared – you may even be asked by an interviewer what you already know about them – stand out by actually knowing about them and being able to relay this information. Going through a recruiter you may not be privy to this information just yet. In that case, find out what you can about the role and the industry that it’s in to see how you may fit.

Where to from here?

At the end of the day you may still put in this work and not get selected – the role is advertised in a way to outline job requirements and the needs of the employer. There are other factors that will always make up the rest of the job specification, and in the employer’s or recruiter’s eyes, you just may not fit. On the bright side though, if you do make an effort to put the above strategies into place and prepare great applications, you may see your strike rate increase significantly in a very competitive job market.

Good luck!

 

Recruiting the right way – it can be enjoyable!

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We had the joy of recruiting a new staff member recently and it was great to have the feeling of not just offering a role to someone for one of our clients, but to actually offer them an opportunity with our own company. It gave me a really good insight again into the feeling that our clients get when they give someone a great opportunity to start with them, and that is why I enjoy recruitment.

How do you normally find the right one?
Finding the right person can be easy, sometimes really difficult and sometimes just down-right frustrating! Speaking with our clients and those in our network, we have heard many ways that they have recruited over the years including their frustrations. Generally, you may advertise for a role, you may know someone in your extended network or someone may approach you and they are too good to refuse, and you may have a recruiter that you trust to do the recruit for you. We have found that all of these methods work and having a solid strategy and strong recruitment process are two of the key elements to finding the right person for your role. If you don’t have a good strategy or good recruitment process, you can still find staff (especially with the large number of applicants presently in the market). However, you may not find the right one and more importantly, you may exclude or miss the best ones.

What strategy do you use?
Getting back to basics, let’s say that you have costed out and also decided that a role does exist and can be paid for. We advise to not just hit SEEK / CareerOne / other job board or the newspaper and place an advertisement. If you trawl through either one of those you will see quite a number of bland and clearly unprepared advertisements that are unappealing to good candidates and may also have the chance of attracting the wrong candidates due to an incorrect job title. We do advise the following:

  • Clearly define the role – responsibilities/duties/qualifications/skills/personal qualities/hours/pay/conditions/ when it will commence
  • Work out how potential candidates will find out about it – your network, advertising, recruitment agencies, internal staff looking for promotion or movement
  • Structure a good advertisement that is appealing, well laid out and includes information pertinent to the role, then advertise through those channels
  • Have a clearly defined recruitment process to screen and handle applications, interview properly to ensure that candidates do fit the criteria, reference check to your criteria, and negotiate well with the successful candidate

Enjoy the recruitment process!
By having the right strategy and process in place, recruiting that new staff member can be an enjoyable process. Yes, people can let you down – they may have another job offer, may not be as good as their resume suggests, or may start and then leave for personal reasons. A lot of these things are just out of your control and may happen from time to time. Good processes will ensure that better applicants are selected from the beginning, having the right skills, qualifications and experience, and that they are actually choosing to work for your company or small business. The best part is that when you do find the right person, you can have that great feeling of saying “Congratulations and welcome to our team”. I enjoyed it and I am sure that you will too.

If you would like more information about our process and how it could assist your business, feel free to email or call us at any time. We would be happy to share this with you.