Benefits of Using a Gold Coast Recruitment Agency For Your Next Hire

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Recruiting new staff on the Gold Coast can be a challenge, especially in our current market.

There are many benefits in outsourcing your recruitment process to a recruitment agency instead of taking this task on for yourself.

New Point Recruitment has been operating in the Gold Coast marketplace for over 12 years now and from our experience, we have seen a lot of change as well as being at the forefront of adopting new search methods to source highly skilled talent for our clients’ businesses. The challenge we have seen from our clients is that they are just too busy doing what they do to have to drop everything and focus on a recruitment campaign. Instead they turn to us as the local industry professionals to shortlist and present candidates for them to select from.

We have summed up some of the benefits of outsourcing the process to a recruitment agency, instead of in-house hiring:

Market knowledge

Recruiters have current market knowledge (we know the Gold Coast job market very well). We have direct insights into roles that are in high demand, what the candidate pool is currently like, knowledge of current salary / pay rates, hiring processes and current trends in attracting those in our market. Your Recruiter can be a powerful ally in helping your company attract the best talent; not only do we know the market, we also have built relationships with candidates that have become part of our network in the Gold Coast market to be able to present to our clients.

Access to skilled candidates

Recruiters have pre-existing relationships with active and passive candidates in the local market. Our role is to build and nurture relationships with job seekers and expand our network so that we have a database to refer to when we receive an enquiry for a vacancy from an employer.  Using a range of platforms we can either advertise for new candidates to receive inbound enquiries for your role, reach out to candidates through our network that we are already aware of, or conduct a specific search (often referred to as headhunting) for talent to meet a specialised need for our clients.

Higher retention rate

Another major positive of using a recruitment agency instead of in-house hiring is the potential to increase your retention rate of new hires. As we are specialists in recruitment, we use a defined methodology in our search and selection process to screen out candidates that may not be the right fit. From our experience, we have often spoken with new clients that turned to using our services due to not being the expert themselves in hiring – they’ve had repeated failures from hiring the wrong people or by just not being able to find the right person and hiring to just fill the gap, hoping the person would work out. Using a Recruiter can help minimise the risk of hiring the wrong person for the role –  a really good Recruiter will focus on culture fit as well as doing the appropriate background checks to ensure that the person is a strong match technically and from a team fit with the focus on long term retention of the new hire. Most agencies also offer a guarantee period, meaning that if a new hire doesn’t stay for the guaranteed period (usually 3 months), the agency will replace the person without additional costs.

Save time and costs
Finally, using a recruitment agency will most definitely save you time and also have the benefit of being cost effective for your company. Whilst there is a focus on the fee that an agency charges, when weighed up against the cost benefit to securing a skilled candidate for your company and the process involved to do so, it can be quite an attractive proposition. The hiring process can end up being an expensive activity for any organisation. Think of the costs of advertising, the use of internal resources (think of everyone involved, the time taken and the hourly rates for all of those people), screening of resumes, interviews with multiple candidates, reference and background checks through to offers and final negotiations; there’s a lot involved by the time you’ve secured a new hire, that is, if you were successful in doing so! A Recruiter will manage all of that process for you, effectively, this is what you are paying them to do – seek out and deliver people that match your criteria – you only become involved when necessary for final interviews and any questions/decisions that pop up during the recruitment process.

There are many benefits in using a recruitment agency and the above that we’ve outlined are a few really good examples of how we can help you source great people for your company. If you are contemplating using a recruiter for an upcoming hire or would like to know about the current marketplace, please visit our contact page and reach out to us to talk further about how we can help you.

How To Get a Better Response from Job Applications You Submit

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Have you been sending out a heap of job applications and just not getting anywhere?

Applying for numerous roles with no response can be extremely disheartening for you as a candidate during your job search. What we’ve found from our end as a Gold Coast Recruiter, is that often there are many reasons stopping your application from proceeding. Some of these could include:

Applying for roles that don’t align with your experience / qualifications

The term ‘Fake it till you make it’ doesn’t always work when it comes to applying for roles. As a Recruiter, our client pays us to find what they are looking for and that means if you sit too far outside the scope or specification of the role, your chances of being shortlisted are slim. Yes, if it’s a role whereby we have stated that our client is open to training a person into the role, by all means, apply. However, if we are requiring a candidate that is experienced in the role, our expectation (and our clients’) is that we will have applications from candidates that align with the skills and experience outlined. To save disappointment and increase your chances of getting shortlisted, it’s imperative that you apply for roles that align with your skills, qualifications and experience.

Not tailoring your resume and/or cover letter to a specific role

This is quite common. From our experience as a recruitment agency, we can often read between the lines when looking at a resume to get a picture of what you’ve done in previous roles however, an up to date, well laid out and detailed resume will always win for the reader. When we can get a clear indication of how you match the role we are recruiting for, it makes it very easy to put you in the “YES” group of candidates in our shortlisting process.  

A lot of cover letters that we see  could be summed up as saying to the reader: “I am applying for the role” – yes, we know, you submitted an application to us! Your cover letter can sometimes be a secret weapon to get you to the next stage and should always be tailored to the role you are applying for – treat it that way. Look at the job advertisement closely, note down the requirements in bullet point form and then outline your relevant skills and experience on the cover letter, cross-referencing them with the list you formed from the ad – this will ensure that you address the criteria for the role to the reader. The cover letter also gives you the opportunity to outline WHY you are interested, what you can bring and what makes you the right choice for the role.

You may have a large unexplained gap in your employment

There are numerous reasons why an individual may have a gap in their employment history; whether it is taking time off for children, recovering from an illness, looking after a family member, further studies or a difficult job market due to COVID-19 factors. The reason doesn’t matter as much; it’s more about highlighting the actual gap on your resume to explain it. It removes any red flags as it is addressed to the reader rather than leaving them guessing. Longer term unemployment can be a tricky one though and will require good narrative to explain this to the reader.  

You aren’t following up after you apply

Once you have submitted your application, follow up with an email, a phone call or reach out via social media (LinkedIn is highly preferred for business). This is an opportunity to introduce yourself, ask more questions about the role and to thank the hiring company in advance for considering your application. This will put your name in the employers’ mind, which will give them a sense of familiarity when reading your application, potentially improving your chances. 

By reaching out to the company and following up after you submit your application, you are proving to the employer that you are interested and that you’re showing initiative. 

Job hunting can be really tough mentally, especially if you’re applying for numerous roles and not hearing back from any. Keep in mind that depending on what you do,  you may sit in a candidate pool of hundreds, This means that the companies you are applying to may have a large candidate pool (your competition) to screen through. Make the changes in what you send and what you do now to give yourself the best opportunity to be shortlisted, hopefully get selected for interview and ultimately, win that job! Stay focused, be positive and stick to a job search strategy that works.

Over the comping months, we will be dropping job search products, interview tips and other employment-related ebooks, templates and forms on our Resources page to help both candidates in their job search and employers on the recruitment side.

gold coast workplace culture

Creating a Positive Workplace Culture in Your Gold Coast Business

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The phrase ‘workplace culture’ is a term that has definitely seen more light of day in recent years and yet still, there is huge speculation about what workplace culture actually means. As a recruitment agency based on the Gold Coast, New Point Recruitment has gained some great insights on some local businesses that do ‘workplace culture’ well. 

The term ‘workplace culture’ can be interpreted in many ways and it’s not totally uncommon to imagine bean bags, a ping-pong table and free staff lunches when envisioning what a ‘positive company culture’ looks like. Although in the last few years, attitudes have definitely shifted in what employees actually consider to be a ‘positive workplace culture’.

Whilst having features like a pool table and free healthy snacks is a fantastic way to show your staff you appreciate them, it’s not the pinnacle of a positive workplace culture. Culture should be considered to be more about the overall ethos of the company and the attitudes and feelings towards the organisation.

Some important factors that we found were essential to creating, maintaining and improving a positive workplace culture included:

Offering and supporting employee development and growth

Clearly outlining to employees the ways in which they can grow within the company, is definitely a trait of a positive workplace culture. Promising future promotions and growth opportunities without having definitive goals that can be reached in order to grow will leave employees confused and disappointed.

Whilst dangling the corporate carrot may sound like a good idea to increase employee productivity and work efficiency, it will soon wear off when staff realise the goals aren’t actually obtainable. A way to combat this is to set real goals that staff can reach and support them in their mission of workplace development and growth.

Another tactic managers need to remember is to not move your goal post half way through the game, as they say. Give your employees a clear outline of goals that will need to be met in order to be promoted within the company.

Ensuring a safe place to work

When people generally think about safety, they think of physical safety in the workplace. Whilst that of course is very important, we’d like to think of workplace culture extending to a different type of safety. 

What we’re pertaining to is an employee feeling safe to be able to work in their workplace, safe to have an opinion regardless of their beliefs, safe to not be harassed or bullied, safe in the sense that they are paid adequately for their role, safe that they can meet KPI’s.

What we found is that an employee who feels a particular safety in regards to the items outlined above, is able to focus on their work and build value for their employer. They are respected for their work and respected for who they are, including their opinions and ideas.  

Ways of facilitating change to ensure you are creating a safe work environment could include changes to policy, education of the team as well as team bonding activities. The best way for staff to align with each other is to learn more about their colleagues. All team members deserve an inclusive work environment and to feel safe and happy at work, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or age.

Other ways to ensure that you as an employer are doing what you can is to undertake salary reviews to see that you are meeting market expectations, reviewing KPI results to see if your team is actually hitting KPI’s (are they actually achievable?) as well as holding regular team meetings that allow differences of opinions, even with management. Your team will always have differing opinions and they should feel safe to share their thoughts and feel valued.

Positive culture starts at the top

A positive workplace culture should start at the top and filter down throughout the organisation. Whilst it is important for all staff to contribute to the company’s culture, it’s essential for management to lead by example.

This can be achieved through transparency and by leaders making sure they are visible and accessible to all staff. Leaders using the phrase ‘My door is always open’, is very unsubstantial if it’s not actually true.

Managers should consider doing an anonymous survey to actually get insight from employees about how they feel in regards to the company’s culture. Whilst this isn’t always a suitable option for smaller companies with only a few people, managers could consider talking to the staff in a judgement free conversation where staff will be supported for honestly describing any issues or improvements they want to see within the organisation.

The characteristics of the workplace and attitudes towards the company by both employees and consumers denotes the overall culture of the company. Companies should be aware that it’s not just the internal workplace community that feels the presence of the culture, but also the external community. Creating a positive workplace culture can increase staff retention rates, increase productivity, attract new professionals as well as attracting new clients. 

If you feel that your workplace is falling behind, it’s never too late to review what you are doing and implement change to turn it around. A positive workplace culture is always going to be of benefit to the team and it is quite likely it will produce better results including less headaches for management and retention and development of the team.

We would always be happy to speak to you further about our insights. Contact our team to find out how we can help you.

3 Tips to Create a Smooth Transition For a New Hire

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When recruiting a new employee, there is a lot of time, resources and organisation that goes into creating a smooth transition into the company. This transitional process from candidate to employee is known as onboarding and is one of the most important components within the recruitment process.

An article published by the Harvard Business Review found that more than 33% of new hires start searching for a new role within the first 6 months and 23% actually leave their job within the first year! To ensure that you as an employer don’t add to these statistics, there are ways that you can minimise your level of risk during that period.

Here are our 3 top tips to making sure your new employees’ first weeks run as smooth as possible:

  1. Start onboarding ahead of time

Keep in mind that the employee experience commences before their first official start date and first impressions count. Our recommendation is to create an orientation pack as well as processes around bringing new staff on board. The pack can be forwarded to the new recruit prior to their commencement date, to familiarise themselves with company policies, procedures, expectations and current systems.  By providing new employees with this information prior to their first day, you will be able to effectively communicate important company information, expectations and requirements, helping to familiarise themselves with the company and minimising confusion when they do commence with you.

  1. Ensure that new recruits have all the necessary tools they need to succeed

This step seems pretty self-explanatory however you’d be surprised to know that a lot of new employees turn up on their first day without even a desk set up for them. Setting up a checklist for new starters is essential. It should include all necessary tools such as computers and access, phones, stationery, keys/cards, desks, any special requirements, vehicles if included and any other tools for the person to effectively work in their role as well as a location and furniture. By having this in place prior to the commencement date, it will ensure that the new starter feels that adequate effort was made for their arrival. Other items could include; staff directory, contact list, reporting schedules, emergency protocols and a person organised to undertake a short orientation and introduction on their behalf to the team. It goes without saying that, having this in place, will make the first day welcoming to the new recruit.

  1. Set aside time for new hires to meet other colleagues

We consider this step to be one of the most important. The first day and week of your new employee can go very quickly, making it all the more important to set aside time for the new hire to meet with their team, manager and other key staff members to get acquainted with reporting lines and support staff. These initial interactions could be as simple as a team meeting and / or lunch or could be in the form of assigning a buddy / mentor from the same team. For companies that are still working remotely, this activity can still be done by setting aside time for Zoom / online meetings. Through this process, your new recruit will feel part of the team as well as understanding the culture better and building some early bonds with their colleagues.

The first day, week and month on the job can make or break a new employee’s impression of your company and the people within it. By implementing onboarding processes and creating an engaging experience right from the start, you will create a more welcoming environment, build engagement and create ‘buy in’ from your new recruit. Set up and done well, it will become the easiest process you can undertake to ensure a longer tenure of the new recruit. It will also give you the employer, satisfaction that you have done what you can to ensure that every new employee has the tools, information and support to excel within the business.

If you need assistance with understanding or setting up onboarding processes, please speak to our consultants who would be more than happy to discuss this further.

Rejecting candidates the right way

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As recruiters, we often get asked by our clients when is the ideal time to send out a rejection notice.

Generally, most of us have a good sense within 30 seconds of reading an application or meeting a person, whether or not they would be the right person for the position.

Rejecting candidates is a double edged sword… You can be criticised for sending them ‘too’ soon and also for not sending unsuccessful candidates a notification at all. Although it is challenging to find the balance between being efficient and professional, we believe that the most courteous solution is waiting a couple of days before sending them.

Whatever your choice of medium, whether it be an automated email, personalised phone call or text message, sending any form of a rejection notice too soon after an interview often makes people feel defeated – making them feel that not enough consideration was made regarding their application and/or interview performance.

Allowing time however, between applications or meeting with the candidate and notifying them of their unsuccessful application ensures that the candidate feels that they have been considered for the position.

Another slightly less obvious reason to wait before rejecting unsuccessful candidates is on the recruiting side – you want to ensure that the person you’ve selected for your role is happy to proceed with your offer. You don’t want to burn your bridges too quickly with other candidates to then find out that your front runner has decided to not proceed.

At New Point Recruitment we have found that the best way to manage interactions with candidates and ensure the delivery of correct information is through the creation of a candidate response checklist. We start with a clear response to every single application, outlining our process and points of contact along their recruitment journey (even if it may be very short). The aim of this strategy is to ultimately lower confusion around the application process, minimise candidate frustrations and ensure communication is consistent for applicants.

If you would like to learn more about what we do, please contact with us to discuss this further.

Returning to Work… Soon. The New Challenges

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I was speaking with a Lawyer the other day about how everything has changed in the employment landscape at the moment, and not just that, more so about how a lot of things moving forward are likely to change.

The interesting thing is that a lot of people are working from home, both employers and employees, with the occasional stint of being in the office when needed. At first it was a bit of a novelty, then time dragged on. Some people loved working from home and the ‘freedom’ it brings whereas others have really been hit mentally – they miss the interaction with their peers.

This brings me to two primary things that I (giving my two cents) can see happening in the months ahead:

  1. Flexibility in Working Conditions – Some employees are going to ask for flexible working arrangements. They proved they can work from home and be productive (in some cases even more productive), then why can’t they do that from home when we return to regular work? There are arguments for and against this – what makes a team, how are people going to truly interact and retain the culture / vibe of the office if they aren’t here? Does Zoom / Skype / FaceTime / WhatsApp compensate for being ‘part of the team’ when we all return? Do you really feel that having a Zoom meeting with 5 ‘work from home’ people and 25 staff in the office works for team morale? If you let one person and not another does that really work? If you have 20+ employees, a large office space that you pay rent on and expect people to fill, does that also hit you as an employer? Lots of questions to ask. I think the deciding factor is – what is the market going to do – what will your competitors do to make a more attractive workplace for your employee to consider, and do you want a hybrid structure with your workforce?
  2. Cultural change – This brings me to the next thing – culture. We’ve been practicing social distancing. Have you walked through the shops lately and noticed people intentionally walking away from you? You may have unknowingly been doing it yourself. Imagine a lunch room now and all the people in the kitchen making coffees and lunch, what germs are in that fridge now (that were always there) that you’re now worrying about? Will you sit together again and have a laugh? Rick was so funny during our Zoom meetings but do I really want to stand at his desk and chat? I don’t know where he’s been! What about birthdays and events, the things that brought teams together to have a moment away from the daily routine to laugh and share a moment in person? I really feel that the HR Managers and Business Owners / Managers need to look at how they will reintegrate staff as well as their plans to conduct team building activities, otherwise I feel there could be a real change that happens culturally in the workplace.

Really, it’s up to you and your team to consider the options. There genuinely is a lot of opportunity to mix things up a bit, within reason.

Maybe you can have a flexible workforce and rotate your team to have a work from home day fortnightly, weekly or even monthly whilst retaining your team culture. I think it’s going to come down to people caring about each other and supporting the return to work activities we’ll all be undertaking.

Take care and stay safe!

How to Get a Job Quickly on the Gold Coast

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In the current economy you will have to act swiftly to pick up work. With people being displaced or being made redundant due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) there is a large influx of jobseekers into the market all vying for the limited opportunities available. Make no mistake – it will be a challenge.

So, how do you find work?

You need to be across all channels such as LinkedIn, being active on job boards and scanning social media to see if companies are hiring. The good news is that companies are still hiring. Reach out to friends, family and your contacts to have them alert you of anything they see or hear.

How do I get a job on the Gold Coast?

Firstly, you need to do a few things. The most important thing is to drop any ego and take something that will pay the bills. So many people often worry about what others think. Who really cares if you end up doing taking a job that you last did when you were 17 such as stacking shelves at Coles or Woolworths? They are hiring at the moment for those exact roles, they pay money and you will feel good doing it – it could actually be a breath of fresh air from a high paying, high pressure management role you have been doing. It’s most likely only temporary so just do it. David, our Director, wrote a blog a few years ago about this exact scenario for himself: Have You Ever Had a Character Building Job?

The next thing you need to do is get your resume and application letters into order. At this moment in time, if someone asks you for your resume, you need to have it ready to send to them. It’s unacceptable to send it 2 days later when you’re scrambling to put one together – the other person did and they’ve been given the job.

As mentioned, reach out to your contacts, scan jobs boards, LinkedIn, social media and the news – that’s where the current opportunities are listed or discussed. We’ve seen a number of people on our LinkedIn feed with full lists of jobs in government, healthcare, supermarkets and telecommunications companies who are seeking large volumes of workers to  assist those businesses in the current situation.

The real question is how badly do you want or need a job and what type of job are you willing to do in order to make money and live comfortably? If you are really needing fast employment and are willing to drop the ego, put some preparation into your job search and reach out to people for help, then yes, you could find a job quickly. If you however, you are unwilling to drop these ideals then finding a job will be a challenge in the current environment. We’re not stating that you should deviate from your career, we’re saying that whilst hunting for your regular work, have a broad mind at other opportunities that are out there that will provide financial relief for you and your family.

It’s a crazy time in the world. We really wish the best for you to get back on your feet if you’ve been affected. We hoe that life returns to normal for everyone as soon as possible. Take care and stay safe!

5 top tips for overcoming rejection from interview

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Being unsuccessful or rejected for anything never feels great. Whether it is the dreaded rejection letter, phone call or email; being rejected can severely dent your confidence especially if you have had several rejections in a short space of time.

As a candidate it is important to remember that this is not an uncommon experience for job seekers and that the right job for you could be just around the corner. By thinking objectively, actively asking for feedback, revaluating your career path and seeking external help, you will be able to best manage rejection and strategically work toward your career goals and future job prospects.

Our top 5 tips for overcoming rejection from interview includes:

Don’t take it personally

The first piece of advice for any unsuccessful candidate is to not take it personally. With a single job opening attracting hundreds of applications, even the most qualified individuals get rejected, with the probability of rejection higher than landing the job.

Whilst it can be a hard pill to swallow, you’ve been rejected for a reason. From our experience, a lot of hiring decisions from our clients have been based on the skills, experience and qualifications you have demonstrated to meet their objectives for the role. The role wasn’t created for you – they didn’t know of you at the time. An important factor is how you personally fit with the team and the people hiring – sometimes you just don’t click, that is just how things go sometimes.

By acknowledging the rejection, not dwelling on the situation and focusing on new opportunities, you will be able to maintain motivation and positivity whilst keeping the job search momentum at a maximum.

Ask for feedback from company / interviewer

Asking for feedback is a valuable tool that can be used to better understand why you have been unsuccessful in obtaining a specific role. Methods can include calling, email and face-to-face interaction dependent on the initial rejection delivery of the interviewer / company. Asking for feedback can provide several benefits including; improving future job search parameters, a heightened self-awareness, building rapport with the interviewer/recruiter, and most importantly providing closure, allowing you to move on to the next opportunity.

It’s really important to take all feedback objectively and understand that an organisation is looking for very specific candidate and that you are not going to be suitable for every role, organisation and/or industry that you apply for.

Personal evaluation

Aside from the feedback sought from the company / interviewer, it is important to personally evaluate your application and interview performance and reassess areas that could be improved. Through this process you might find that you need to work on your interview presence or upskill in specific areas to meet industry demand and outperform your competitors. By continually re-evaluating your application (resume, cover letter), interview manner and skills or qualifications, you will be able to put your best foot forward for future opportunities.

Redevelop your career path

Once you have asked for feedback and subsequently re-evaluated your application and interview performance, reassessing and developing your career path is a great way to ensure you achieve your specific career goals. By identifying your individual unique selling points (USP) you will be able to better market yourself during the job search phase and allow you to evaluate whether the career path you want is right for your specific skills, personality and strengths.

Seek help

If you are struggling with direction, or evaluating your current application, seeking help can be the best place to start. Depending on the challenges you’re facing, there area  number of avenues you can take including advice from a your friends and peers, all the way through to professional recruitment services and career coaching. Assessing your own situation is the best way to better understand the level of help needed to achieve career goals.

 

It is important to remember throughout your search that you may be only one application away from your dream job. Remaining motivated, confident and contactable throughout the job searching stage is essential to keep momentum flowing and to be that person.

At New Point Recruitment we’re always focussed on matching the most appropriate candidate to an organisation. If you would like to join our growing database and submit your resume for future job opportunities head to www.newpointrecruitment.com.au and register with us.

Personality / Psychometric Testing – Is it Needed?

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I never believed in personality or psychometric tests, until I took one. I couldn’t understand how answering a series of multiple choice questions could determine my personality and character traits. So given my nature of being an explorer, I took a test to prove myself right.

To my surprise, my results were so well aligned to the point where it actually felt like someone had written out my character description. So if you’ve ever taken a personality test to find out whether you’re an introverted or extroverted type, you’re not alone. However, there’s a big difference between scrolling down your Facebook feed at home and clicking on a personality quiz than being asked to take one in the recruiting process to land your dream job.

It’s human nature to have the desire to better understand our characteristics and as individuals we love any opportunity to gain a deeper insight into our true self. We’re all too eager to find explanations as to why we act a particular way or why certain personal and workplace relationships didn’t work out. We’re in the tech savvy age where reaching for the phone and googling our star sign compatibility is an acceptable and logical way to better understand a situation. Which brings me to my next point, how acceptable is it for an employer to ask you to take a personality test after being interviewed for a job?

Why we do them and are they effective?

Personality tests have helped employers determine whether or not a candidate may fit the culture of their business as well as how they may perform in their designated role.  From our experience at New Point, we found that the accuracy of a personality test weighs heavily on the individual answering the questions – is it new for them or are they well-versed in knowing the responses required and can manipulate the results? In the recruitment process, a personality test can give the employer false reassurance that they’re hiring someone who has the right qualities for the job. We have found that a personality test will only be accurate if the candidate is truthful with their responses. We’ve manipulated our responses to deliver a different result and this could be the approach taken by a candidate, depending on what answer they feel the employer is looking for. We have found that a personality test will only show some level of accuracy if the candidate is truthful with their responses and in the right frame of mind to take the test. There is a certain level of self-awareness that is required of the candidate to be able to answer the test truthfully. In reality though, this can be a difficult process to face when put under the pressure of being shortlisted for a job. If the person genuinely want the role they shouldn’t feel fearful about their results. They should feel comfortable enough with who they are and know the value they can bring to the employer to answer the test truthfully. Altering your answers will leave you with a test result that doesn’t align with your characteristics and is often obvious to a recruiter. At New Point, we advise candidates to be truthful with their responses to ensure an accurate result.

What to choose or do you choose one at all?

There are a large number of personality / psychometric tests online to choose from. We have found that starting with a basic one such as 16Personalities which is free, is a good place to start. You be the judge and test it on yourself and your team (if they are willing), otherwise you can also delve into the deeper and paid tests such as Talent Dynamics, Keirsey and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or Jung tests. Having stated this, all of those tests have been open to scientific criticism with no real evidence supporting them or any clear linkages to defined results in the workplace. Do you go on gut feel, demonstrated examples of what a candidate has done and reference checks? Is that enough to make you decide?

We would like to hear your feedback on this. In the meantime, if you would like to know more about these tests or would like to have us help you navigate through the recruitment process, please email us at gc@newpointrecruitment.com.au or call 1300558979.

Thanks for reading,

Sophie and David.

All I Want For Christmas Is…

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Christmas time is commonly associated with drinking, socialising and loosening up for what many people call the ‘silly season’. Businesses tend to wind down and the office begins to clear out as the year comes to a close.  What many employers don’t know is that they could be missing out on some great talent by not recruiting in the lead up to this busy time of the year. A number of employers generally dismiss the idea of sourcing new staff at this time, rather leaving it to the beginning of the New Year. From our experience, we have found that this period can actually be the most valuable time to recruit. Are you still on the fence? We’ve put together the top three reasons that explain how hiring in the lead up to Christmas could positively impact your business, positioning you in front of your competitors.

New Year: New Career

On Instagram, the hashtag #newyearnewme has been shared on over 1.3 million posts. You’ve heard it before and we’re going to tell you again. There is nothing that stimulates change and the desire for a fresh start more than heading into the New Year. This means that the number of job seekers on the market will increase and employers who are ahead of the game will jump on this opportunity to recruit new talent. It’s this time of the year that people tend to reflect and reevaluate their current position, leading them to feel more open to the possibility of a career change. Entering the New Year in a new role could be the ultimate gift for a prospective candidate.

Less Competition for Talent

It is likely that your competitors will wind down recruiting efforts towards the end of the year however, from our experience; job seekers will still be in the market, giving you the opportunity to maximize your own recruiting efforts to attract talent. Employers are generally less motivated to make the effort to prioritise recruitment due to potential sales downturn (depending on industry), closures and staff holidays. Less competition will give you access to a wider variety of candidates seeking employment and recruiting now, will give you the opportunity to beat one of the most challenging aspects of recruitment – having access to great candidates.

People are thinking about money

For most people, Christmas is an expensive time of the year. The weight of juggling the cost of gifts, holidays, flights and entertainment can be overbearing, making people reexamine their financial position. Given the increase in workplace wellbeing strategies, a lot of people are making career choices based on an employer can offer them in addition to their remuneration package. Workplaces will often propose several perks alongside the salary, such as gym memberships, bonuses and healthcare services. These all contribute to the decision making process of employment and can drive individuals with money issues to explore their options and enter the New Year feeling more financially secure with a new role.

Executing a well-thought out and targeted recruitment strategy in the lead up to Christmas has the potential to attract top level talent to your business whilst your competitors are waiting for the New Year to come around. Our team at New Point have the experience to develop a solid campaign to help you win the recruitment game and strengthen your position in your market with quality staff that will help you grow. Call us on 1300558979 to get started now.