With the rise of platforms like LinkedIn Recruiter, Facebook and SEEK Talent Finder we are seeing a greater importance and emphasis on social networking, connection, public profiles and head hunting. From a recruitment perspective, this has had a huge impact on our talent resourcing strategies and supposedly creates ‘limitless’ opportunities to connect with your ideal talent.

Fuelling this shift from traditional recruitment is the rise of Gen Y in an increasingly agile workplace. With this change, we have seen seen the increasing importance placed on position titles. Interestingly, of the talent we surveyed in 2016, 68% rated position title in their top 5 motivational factors when applying for a role.

We are seeing the emergence of creative titles; intended to entice potential talent to organisations and a movement away from traditional titles which have previously ruled the marketplace. For example, a traditional Personal Assistant may now be called an Executive PA, Team Assistant, Secretary, Lifestyle Manager, the list goes on. Similarly, many of you may have seen the traditional Receptionist revived as a Director of First Impressions.

The prevailing title-driven recruitment trend makes it impossible to understand the exact extent of skills a potential talent has – increasingly one cannot make assumptions based on the job titles listed on a resume or social media profile.

Talent finding functions are further exacerbating the problem on some technological platforms. Whilst these social media tools offer extensive exposure to talent and employers alike, they tend to be rather hit and miss or limiting when talent resourcing. Not only can we not get genuine insight into a candidate’s skills and experience when searching for a ‘receptionist’, we are potentially missing an enormous pool of suitable talent, who have the skills we desire but an alternative title.

The moral to the story is double sided:

Talent: W

e really need to think about the titles and use of words we employ on our profiles and in our CVs.

HR and Recruiters: Pick up the phone to truly understand a talent’s role and skillset. Take the opportunity to capture the best talent in the market and ensure that we are not misguided by the everchanging title .

Simply, don’t judge a talent by their title.

Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect and often the fear of the unknown outweighs the excitement of a new beginning. We understand the magnitude of the commitment and the stress that goes with any new job.

To be fair, the start of a new working relationship can be just as challenging for employers. They share many of the fears of the new employee, but simply from the opposite side of the coin. For instance, will the new addition be a good fit with the DNA of the existing team, and will he or she share the ethos and work ethic of the company? These are aspects that are difficult to accurately assess during a conventional interview.

Interestingly, we have seen a trend emerging that alleviates the risks and perils concerning all parties contemplating a permanent placement. We are increasingly finding that temps who embrace the opportunity to shine in their temporary positions are being offered permanent roles. In the prevailing market, we have seen a 30% increase in temporary assignments being converted into permanent positions.

There are several reasons we’ve noted behind this shift. As we’ve seen over the years, temps are often given opportunities in industries and fields that they might otherwise never have been exposed to or considered. Interestingly, there appears to be less perceived pressure to perform among temps, and most appear to embrace and enjoy the experience wholeheartedly from the beginning. This significantly reduces the fear of the unknown they may have experienced if hired on a permanent basis from the beginning. Temp employees also have the benefit of the working experience to help them evaluate if the permanent position is a good fit for them. Working for a company for a short term gives talent valuable insight into the working environment, the job’s demands and the company’s ethos, before committing to a long-term position.

For employers, there are massive advantages in hiring temps as well. They have the benefit of evaluating a talent’s output, skill, and chemistry with the rest of the team first-hand. In the job market, making an unsuitable appointment can be costly and have a negative impact on team and customer moral. Hiring a temp effectively allows employers to ‘try’ prospective talent out, before offering a permanent position.

Traditionally, temping has been viewed as a means-to-an-end rather than a great path for professional growth. Now, temping is very often the door that leads to outstanding and unexpected opportunities.

So you’ve landed yourself an interview – maybe it’s through a Consultant like myself, perhaps through a friend of a friend who passed your details along – however for even the most confident among us, interviewing can be a daunting prospect. Here’s a few tips to help set yourself up to win the interviewer over;

Don’t be late

Even better, be early! Arrive 5-10 minutes before your interview time, this allows you time to make your way to reception, wipe the sweat from your brow and scope out the environment before being hustled into the interview room.

If you are running late, no thanks to matters outside your control, make sure you call ahead to notify your consultant, or direct contact; with plenty of notice!

Be SCHMICK

Always be the best dressed in the room – hair needs to be smart, fresh and styled, shoes should be scuff free, work appropriate, and naturally clothing should be clean, lint free and crinkle free.

Adjust your style accordingly – if you’re interviewing in corporate, you’re not going to rock the same outfit as a creative agency.

Don’t worry about being overdressed! You don’t want to risk being the “sloppy” one out of your interviewee competitors!

It’s all about attitude

When it comes to confidence, you need to operate in a "fake it till you make it" mindset. Unless you're one of those rare bird types who are naturally confident, in which case move to the next point.

Remember confidence isn't the same as arrogance Make the first move: when your interviewer comes out introduce yourself, be the first one to reach a hand out to shake. Body language; make eye contact, don't fiddle, walk with purpose, don't slump

Be prepared

Prep, prep, prep. Research the company, competitors, the management team, your interviewer - I can't stress enough how detrimental not being able to answer the basic "So what do you know about our company?" question will be.

Be prepared with what you physically bring; don't drag along a big handbag you have to juggle and leave the coffee cup or muesli bar in the bin outside.

Be nice to everyone and anyone

Treat the receptionist or the person who shared a lift with you, with the same level of respect as the CEO. Best believe that receptionist is going to give her feedback.

Plus always better to start off on the right foot if they'll be taking your calls and helping you post that urgent package one day.

There has always been the traditional path of life that either our parents or society said we should take.

1. Go to school

2. Leave school and either go to university or undergo an apprenticeship

3. Get a job

4. Work for 40 – 50 years while buying a house and growing a family

5. Retire and pass your life wisdom onto younger people as to how they should go through life

The truth of the matter is, there is no right way to progress through life. Every person’s situation is different and can change at the drop of a hat. So all we can do is learn on the go and from the mistakes we make along the way. Because, one thing we should never stop doing till the day we die, is learning.

Traditionally, most people do the bulk of their studies in the first 21 years of life. They then head off to work, get tied down with life responsibilities and don’t take the time to continue developing. “Why study? I finished it all when I was younger”, people say.

The world is changing so rapidly, that we must continue to learn, study and adapt. For instance, I completed a Bachelor of Commerce- Marketing a little over 10 years ago. This was before the rise of social media as a marketing tool. Now it forms a key part of most business marketing strategies.

Here are my 3 tips as to how you can learn, study and adapt throughout your career:

1. Pick an option to suit your life – Education institutions are now extremely flexible, catering for full-time workers. Online learning platforms are well developed as well as discussion forums to ensure you still interact with other students.

2. Utilise your time – Study does not need to take over your life, if you utilise your time well. Use that hour on the train to work in the morning to read over notes. If it’s a rainy Sunday afternoon, catch up on your assignment. It is easier than you think.

3. There are many different levels of study – Just because you are older, doesn’t mean you have to study a Masters or a PHD. Do a short course to brush up on your skills or study a Diploma to learn a new skill. A Masters can be undertaken if you really want to take your career to the next level.

At TDP Learning, we help guide you through further education options to grow your career. Let’s Chat, even if it’s just to bounce some ideas off us.

The old mentality of ‘a job for life’ is now something of the past but it doesn’t stop us from asking , “what do you want to be when you grow up?”

Most people nowadays will hold many different jobs throughout their career. The increased pressures to increase company efficiency and to give employees more differentiation and opportunity means that you could hold a wide variety of titles by the time you retire. Belonging to one company for life is something that no longer exists with the majority of people leaving a company within 5 years.

Your career is no longer a straight forward and simple path, but more an intricate maze with hidden passages and unexpected turns. The active job-seeker market is filled with people, generally, who are only looking for work when they are unemployed or discontented in their current role. They move on to the next job, to the next employer and work to make progress, develop their role, then…they become discontent and the process starts again.

The problem with this is the mindset behind it; that the job is a means to an end. It pays the bills, maybe a bit extra but there is no forethought of the long-term or in what direction you’re heading. Eventually, what you’re left with is a series of isolated jobs that have probably been deeply unfulfilling. This is why the singular ‘job’ mindset just doesn’t work anymore.

What we should be doing is viewing each new role you take on, each new contract you’re assigned and every new project you engage in as a crucial milestone in directing your career path. You utilise your skill set, gain new expertise, expand your network and stay relevant in the workplace. The focus here is on delivering value, developing your knowledge-base and being ready for the next interesting opportunity.

Your career path is in your hands. You call the shots. It is self-directed and strategic, aligned to your values and you alone have the ability to choose who you want to work for and what projects you want to be a part of.

What is your passion?

It doesn’t matter if your answer is an assortment of responsibilities that you would never think could be tied into one single role. It’s a starting point. Once you know what you love doing the hardest part is over. Go and see a recruiter who specialises in the field you’re interested in and ask for advice. They may know of certain industries and roles that could encompass a majority of your skills and passions.

Resource: The Job Mindset Vs. The Career Mindset. Which One Do You Need to Succeed?

With Christmas around the corner, it’s easy to find yourself sucked into the superficiality of the season. Before you know it you’re staring down the barrel of gifts that need to be bought, wrapped and sent, family get-togethers, and far too many “catch ups” and party invites to stay sane.

To help counteract the “Grinch Effect” we through we’d send some good vibes your way with these tips for a more meaningful holiday season!

Reframe your thinking

Instead of thinking negatively about your growing to-do list, or the family dinner that will likely end with a tipsy spat between uncles – and take on an attitude of love, thankfulness, and abundance. Enjoy the time spent with friends and family, remember how lucky you are to have the opportunity to celebrate with loved ones!

Know your goals

Set yourself up for success and joy this season by knowing what you want to achieve as you celebrate. It might be to spend more time with family, to volunteer with a charity in your area, or perhaps to just relax and take care of yourself.

Reflect

Spend some time down memory lane. Take the time to reflect on your best memories of Christmas’ past. What are your favourite moments from your childhood? How about last year? Why are those memories so special to you?

Build Traditions

Do you have traditions? What traditions can you create that bring your favourite parts to the season together? Start now - you’ll thank yourself as it grows year after year.

Be Present

The simple practice of mindfulness allows you to truly experience the magic of every moment this Christmas. Focusing on being present helps to alleviate stress and fully engage in the joyfulness around us. Take a deep breath and look around you.

Let your light shine

Look for every opportunity to bring love, happiness and laughter this season. You can never have too much Christmas spirit!

Take Care of Yourself

First and foremost this year, look after your personal wellbeing. It’s easy to say yes to everything and find yourself exhausted and sick at the end. Even with the best intentions, the Christmas season can drain the best of us. Take the time out each day to practice mindfulness and mediation. Be conscious of what you put into your body – eat well, enjoy your rest and exercise.

You’re in the hot seat. The conversation is going well, and you feel confident that you’ve made a great first impression. Then, just as you think you’ve crushed it, the interviewer asks: “What’s your greatest weakness?”

All job seekers dread this question. If you’re not prepared, it can trip you up and throw you off.

Bernard Marr, a global enterprise performance expert and a best-selling business author, wrote in a recent LinkedIn post that the reason some interviewers like to ask about weaknesses is to gain insight into how self-aware you are.

“The most cliché answers I have heard are ‘I am a perfectionist’ or ‘I work too hard,’” he says. “Don’t give those answers, they just show that you haven’t really prepared to find a good answer.”

Here are three strategies to consider when faced with this difficult interview question:

Talk about weaknesses that don’t relate to the job.

Marr suggests talking about minor weaknesses that don’t really matter to the job you are trying to land. “It acknowledges that you are self-aware and have weaknesses, like all of us, but none that are any real concern because they don’t really matter for the job,” he explains. For example, if you are applying for a job as a medical transcriber, you might say that you struggle with public speaking.

Avoid general statements.

Try to provide specific situations in which your weakness might surface or be problematic. For instance, instead of saying “I’m bossy,” explain that you sometimes come across as bossy when there’s a lot of pressure on you. “This way you show that it is not a weakness you have all the time but one that you are aware of in that situation,” Marr says.

Talk about past development success.

Another strategy is to avoid talking about any current weaknesses, Marr says. Instead, mention your ability to self-assess and identify weaknesses, and offer specific examples of how you found and dealt with them in the past. Did you take a course or participate in training sessions to improve on a specific skill? Did you seek out guidance from your previous boss or colleagues? Did you simply make a conscious effort to rid yourself of that weakness? Tell the interviewer what you did and the results of your actions.

Marr concludes by saying there are a few weaknesses you should never mention in a job interview. They are:

“I’m not a team player.”

“I’m not trustworthy.”

“I’m not reliable.”

“I have difficulty accepting feedback.”

“I’m not able to take initiative and work independently.”

Author: Jacquelyn Smith

Image: T-Nation

The holidays. Those weeks stretching from about the third week in November and spilling over into the new year. Love them or loathe them, they come around every year, and often signal the end of many job-seekers' pursuits of new jobs until the new year begins in January.

But don't let this holiday season slow your job-search one bit. While you may not have that job offer in hand before the holidays are over, you could be well on your way to landing a new job shortly into the new year.

So, while many other job-seekers use the excuse of the holidays to take a break from job-hunting, now is the time to step up your efforts and gain a competitive advantage in your quest for a new job. Now is the time to strengthen your network of contacts, uncover new job leads, and seek out job interviews.

Use holiday get togethers with family and friends to seek out job leads.

The people closest to you have your best interests at heart, and if you allow them, will assist you in uncovering potential leads to new jobs.

Volunteer your time.

So many organizations need help during the holidays but do remember to network with the people volunteering around you. Job-seekers and career experts surveyed for the networking book, A Foot in the Door, ranked volunteering among the top networking methods, second only to belonging to professional organizations.

Attend all professional holiday events - and bring along networking cards and copies of your resume. People are generally in a good mood - which makes these quasi social gatherings the perfect place to refresh and grow your network of contacts.

Send out holiday cards.

A great way during the holidays to follow up with recruiters and hiring managers, as well as reconnect with more distant network contacts, including former bosses, co-workers, customers, and suppliers

Renew your follow-up efforts for job interviews.

For jobs in which you have already submitted your resume, intensify your efforts to land an interview

Lay the groundwork for a new year job-search surge.

Use the slower pace of the holidays to examine every part of your job-search plan, including elements such as your system for finding job leads, your networking strategy, your marketing tools (including your resume, cover letter, branding), interviewing skills, and follow-up techniques. Take the time to also build your brand while expanding your online networking.

Source: Job-Hunting in the Holiday Season by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Image: The Mirror UK

Oh how time fly’s when you are having fun!It is Talent Connects 3rd Birthday – we remember so vividly our first day back in 2011 arriving at the serviced offices where we would start this journey. We started just how we intended to continue, with a job called in on our first day and a lovely lunch to celebrate the “opening of the doors” and what we envisaged Talent Connect to become.

Over the past 3 years we have achieved many milestones and through being true to our values and ethos to be the best business support agency in Sydney & operate with honesty and integrity always, we have established a brand and have employees to be proud of.

Not only have both founders’ Felicity & Jenna found love and got married in this time; Jenna is now expecting her first child and proving that with a solid support system – women can balance work and family and create the life they want.

For our 3rd Birthday we are launching “Talent Connects Little Black Book” Your complete guide to finding and keeping your dream job. This is designed specifically for our Talent as a pocket-sized resource to do just what the title says.

Too often the recruitment process is described by talent as daunting and a hurdle that they stumble at before getting in front of the client. We invest in our talent. We see them as our biggest asset and work with our talent to ensure that they are having a positive experience throughout the process. Whether we are the agency that ends up placing them or not, the aim is that whoever is interviewing the talent, is blown away by them.

If you know of any exceptional talent that you would like to refer to us please make contact with one of our team today or go to our website www.talentconnectaustralia.com.au and connect with Beth our Talent Manager.

Felicity and Jenna would like to take this opportunity to THANK each and every client, talent, supplier, family member, friend, competitor & supporter for continuing to teach us how to be better and keeping the fire burning to push us to do great work.