Author: Naomi Marshall

Using Recruiters: The Difference Between Success & Failure

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

We all know the challenges of recruiting new employees.  It’s distracting and done incorrectly fraught with a high risk of failure. Is there a better chance of success if you use a good recruiter?

In my experience, there appears to be an inverse relationship between the time you take to hire and the chances of landing a brilliant candidate.  The less time you take the greater the chance you will be unhappy with your selection in the long run.

Poor selection processes are amplified in small business environments where there is no room to hide and the propensity for damage is greater.

The Recruitment Consultant

Enter the recruitment consultant.  For a large part of my career, I thought recruiters were a waste of time and money (I might also add I felt the same way about personal trainers until I turned 40!).  Why would I engage a recruiter to do what my HR department should be doing? It was only through experience that I learnt that HR professionals don’t necessarily make the best recruiters.  It’s a bit like asking a nutritionist to cook your dinner.  Just because somebody understands the fundamentals of a healthy meal doesn’t mean they know how to combine the ingredients into something edible.

I discovered the benefits of using recruiters about 10 years into my career.  Time poor and focused on managing a business, I finally gave in to my inner voice and engaged a recruitment consultant to assist with backfilling some difficult roles.

I was initially surprised when the consultant insisted on coming out to visit our office.  “Surely you can take the brief over the phone?” “Absolutely not” – came the terse reply. “I need to get a feel for what I am getting my candidates into”.  Although I felt it unnecessary at the time, nowadays I wouldn’t engage an agency that didn’t have a deep understanding of my business, the staff and its culture.  If you want a recruiter to write the kind of killer ad that would lure the best staff from your strongest competitors then it had better stand out.  A recruiter needs to be able to walk the talk and you can only get this from on-site experience.

Make no mistake crafting a great advertisement to attract the best possible candidates is an art form.  Good recruiters know how to write great ads.  SEEK and others offer limited opportunity for your ads to visually stand out, so the choice of words matters.  If the ad isn’t SELLING the job and your business then you’ve probably engaged the wrong agency.

Once the ad is placed and the responses start rolling in then the real work begins.  Years ago it seemed a great covering letter could make a difference.  Nowadays they seem almost superfluous to needs.  Most recruiters worth their salt will jump straight to social media to ensure that a candidates backstory matches their CV and determine whether there is likely to be a cultural fit.

I’ve never been one to make a hiring decision solely based on skills and experience. If it’s a line ball call I’ll take attitude and energy over a lesser skill set every day of the week.
I insist that my recruiter meets the short listed candidates in person before sending them for interview.  If they live out of town, get them on SKYPE. I expect candidates to know as much about my business as we know about them.  It’s a recruiters job to ensure that candidates are fully briefed.  Most good candidates will do their own research, it’s a  recruiters job to fill in the gaps.  If a recruiter isn’t meeting the candidates in person they’re not doing the job your paying them for.

By the time I meet a prospective candidate I expect that they can do the job.  That should be without question.  I’m interested in ‘how’ they will do the job.  It then becomes an issue of cultural fit and individual personality.  Will they fit in with the team? Will they add a new dynamic? In a small business, look  for a broader skill set – beyond the job description, something that will enhance business performance and add that slight edge.  Candidate selection can be a very subjective affair.  I never interview with a list of pre-existing questions.  I prefer the process to be organic.  What makes the person tick? What drives them? What makes the job appealing? Candidates can become pretty adept at rote learning responses to typical Dorothy Dixers.  Encourage them to lower their guard and you might be surprised what you learn.

Successfully hiring the right candidate is a challenge at the best of times, but using a recruiter should take a lot of the guess work and time out of the process. A good recruiter should not only be submitting candidates to you, but consulting with you, your team and the candidate throughout the process to ensure that everyone is on the same page and no nasty surprises pop up last minute (or worse, once the candidate has started and you’ve invested your money into them).

 

Welcome 2015!

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Welcome 2015 – it’s arrived with a BANG at Sprint People!

We trust that everyone had a great Christmas, a super fun New Year’s Eve, spent time with loved ones and enjoyed had some well-deserved R&R. The start of a new year is the perfect time to put new plans in place, both personally and professionally. Here at Sprint Headquarters we are no different.

Personally I’ve committed to a dry January (day 27 and I’m killing it!). I am undertaking the Peter Walsh 31 day anti-clutter challenge and I am off the high amounts of bread and sugar I used to consume and quite simply I have to say, I’m feeling on the top of the world!

Sprint is also going through some exciting changes that I’d like to share with you…

Nyome B (Boyd) has now morphed into Nyome B (Blanchard) as she was married in beautiful Queenstown over the Christmas break. And after close to 4.5 years with Sprint, NB has made the decision to further explore the world of HR and will be leaving us in the coming weeks. It will be a sad day for me as I’ll be losing my little buddy, but also a very happy and exciting day as I’ll be so proud to see her take that next step in her career. She has literally grown up before my eyes and I couldn’t have asked for a better employee. Whilst NB could never be ‘replaced’ we do have a couple of exciting new starters joining the team.

Introducing:

Ben Pearson – Operations Manager Extraordinaire! I’ve known Ben for close to 15 years and have recruited for him across every business he has been a part of. His ability to whip a business into shape, drive productivity and efficiencies, manage people and essentially ‘make things happen’ has always astounded me. Our worlds collided, the time was right and I feel very fortunate to now have him join the Sprint family. He’ll be running the Sprint ‘Engine Room’ and trust me when I say he doesn’t’ muck around, so watch this space!

Alexandra Cosby– Candidate Manager (CEO of all Candidates). Having literally just arrived in Sydney over the Christmas holidays from the UK, Alexandra registered with Sprint for temp work. I knew within about 1 minute that she was never actually going to be sent out to a client, I was keeping this one for myself. Super bright, energetic, engaging and polished. That fact that she’s drop dead gorgeous didn’t pass me either but besides that she is one of those girls that you just can’t help but like.

Alexandra joins us with a Bachelors’ degree in Theology, is a born leader and a natural over achiever. She has represented her school in numerous sports including Netball and Athletics, was Sports House Captain, School Prefect and is very well traveled.

She has gained valuable office, customer service and events coordination experience over the past 4 years and is now ready to really kick start her career here in Australia. With her infectious energy we know for sure that our candidates will love working with her.

We are also seeking two new Recruitment Consultants and are currently interviewing to fill those positions. If you know of any consultants who are currently looking, or if you have met a great Consultant in the past who you feel would fit well in our team then we’d love to hear about them (referral fee of up to $1000 payable).

There is also an office move on the cards in the coming months, a new website is in production, on-line timesheet system, a Sprint You-Tube channel and plenty of fun events (e.g. trivia night, training groups, wine appreciation course, open air cinema night and make-up lessons by MAC cosmetics). So it’s All HAPPENING in 2015! We are looking forward to working with you in the future, getting to know you better and hopefully helping you not only in your ‘World of Work’ but also in your quest to be the best version of ‘You’ that you can be.

As always, you can contact us anytime via Facebook, email us at sprint@sprintpeople.com.au or call on 92710011.

Naomi Marshall – Director
P: (02) 9271 0011
M: 0422 139 910
E: naomi@sprintpeople.com.au

How Should I Handle Gaps in my CV?

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Gaps in a CV are common. But the big question is, how should you handle the gaps in your CV? Do you mention them or ignore them? Do recruiters and hiring managers really notice gaps?

YES! Yes, we notice and yes you need to address them.

First and foremost – be honest! Honesty and transparency are important in writing your CV and when you are in the actual interview. If you try to pull the wool over your interviewers eyes, we can tell that something funny is going on (remember this is our day job and we are paid by our client to make sure everything checks out).

On your CV, any extended gaps should be explained clearly. Just jumping from January 2013 to October 2013 with no explanation leaves question marks. In this employment market, where there is a lot of competition, you don’t want question marks. It makes it too easy to be put in the “maybe” pile instead of the “must meet” pile.

We understand that sometimes, things are sensitive or difficult to discuss. However, you still need to address it. If you’ve had a long gap due to illness or caring for a family member, etc., put context around this gap. You only need to be brief but put some background around the gap and highlight that you are now in a position to meet the requirements of the job description and the employer won’t be affected.

Fill the gap – If you are currently experiencing a “gap” in your career (for whatever reasons), think of your CV and try to find some fillers whilst you are looking for your next role.

“Various temporary assignments” is a great filler. So whilst looking for the right long term position, take on some temp jobs. Temp jobs are not only a great way to fill in gaps on your CV, they are also the perfect way to increase your skills and build some important networks (which may just lead to a longer term position). Read our blog on temping if you want to know more about why you should temp.

Studying short courses or online courses are a great way to up-skill while filling a gap. Taking an extended holiday is also valid reason for a gap in your CV.

Alternatively, look at some unpaid, voluntary work or taking on an internship. As far as your CV goes, these are great ways to fill in some time whilst looking for your next career move. They are also great points and topics to bring up in your interview. Just think how impressed a hiring manager will be if you say you were volunteering with “X-Company” in between interviews, as opposed to saying “I was catching up on Ellen and other day time TV”.

The important thing to remember is it is not so much about the reasons for your gaps as how you handle the gaps. Take some time and think about how you can honestly address these in your CV and during your interviews.

If you want to fill in your current gap by taking on some temp work – get in touch with the team here at Sprint. We have some great temp roles on at the moment and we would love to speak with you.

 

Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side?

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

We’re all really busy. More so than ever. Everything is at our fingertips providing instant results. It’s the age of technology and it’s amazing.

 

However, there are some things that haven’t caught up to this go-go-go revelation. And probably should. Common courtesy and politeness are two things that come to mind.  It is only too often these general manners have been lost or forgotten in our fast paced ever-ready indulgence.

 

The one thing that I find completely disheartening is the lack of response in returning phone calls, both as a prospective candidate and on the job. I’m sure this fits into the common courtesy category.

 

As an experienced Executive Assistant currently looking for new opportunities, I’ve had to swiftly adapt to the changing market and methods to a get a look in. The job market moves very quickly, blink and you’ve missed an opening.

 

Occasionally the standard thank you email comes through. Occasionally the phone rings for a great chat about a position, which may lead to interview. Sadly a large proportion simply don’t respond. I’ve experienced positive conversations ending with “you’ll receive a phone call by the end of the week either way”, yet that phone call doesn’t come. I’ve experienced being the final candidate with referees lined up to never hear about the role again. But these types of behaviour happen in the every day workplace too. I’ve experienced people not responding to me on the job simply because I am the EA and not the boss.

 

A good EA is integral because they are organised, savvy and well connected. We know as much about the goings on as our boss. We’re the movers and shakers behind the Executive, the glue that binds the pages of the book, if you like. We can be influential and we usually have good memories.

 

Take a moment out of your busy schedule. Call if you said you would. A short email is quite acceptable, even the standard response is ok, at least then we know exactly where we stand. Either way, have the common courtesy to respond. It is always appreciated.

 

Written by Sharon Herzog

The Must Have Interview Preparation Checklist

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Do you have an interview checklist? You can only be so prepared for an interview, especially when you are still working in your current job and you are interviewing for multiple roles. However, every candidate needs to do a little bit of preparation before every interview. It’s not only common sense, it will end up being what sets you apart from the competition!!

So with that in mind, and to keep it simple and easy, I wanted to share with you my Interview Preparation Checklist. These are the absolute MUST DO’s before you go into each and every interview (yes…even with us recruiters)!! You can of course do more than this but these are the basic ones that too often, I see candidates skipping some or all of and then losing out on a great opportunity.

Bookmark this page and come back to it before you go to your next interview!

Interview Preparation Checklist:

  1. Research the company
    Hello Google!! But also, ask around, get some insight from any contacts or friends who work there or have worked there. Ask your recruiter for their insight!
    HINT – Did you know that if you type in the name of a company and then under the Google search bar, click on “news”, the results will bring up all the latest news articles about said company. This is a great way to know what is currently going on in this organisation!
  1. Research your Interviewer
    LinkedIn makes this easy – but also take the same approach as above. Ask around, do some Googling. Know whom you are meeting with and what their background is. (It is even better if you can find some common ground or people you both know).
  1. Review your resume!
    I know, this sounds simple but look it over and make sure you know what you have included and left out!! The better you know your resume, the more confident you will be when talking about your experience and your career to date.
  1. Plan your Answers
    Crazy right, how can you predict what you will be asked? Most interviews include some behavioural based questions (click here to find out more). It is really important you have a list of examples you can give to these questions and don’t try to think them up on the spot.
    Have a handful of really good examples you can call on. Usually one example would suit a variety of questions, you just need to be prepared!
  1. Rehearse your examples out loud!
    Don;t worry about sounding silly! You need to practice articulating your answers and examples of your experience out loud. You don’t want to stumble on your responses (and it is an easy thing to do during an interview). Check out what Nyome had to say about this recently here.
  1. Plan YOUR questions.
    Make sure you are prepared to ask the interviewer questions (more often than not, candidates forget this step). Asking questions is so important in an interview and it is an opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role as well as the fact that you have researched the company.
  1. Have your outfit planned
    Make sure your shirts are ironed and clean. Suit up and dress to impress. It is always better to be overdressed for an interview than underdressed.
  1. Triple check the interview details
    You are human, mistakes can happen – trust me I’ve made many. Triple check you know what time your interview is, where you are going and how you are going to get there (on time)! Nothing worse than rocking up to your interview flustered because you got the time wrong or couldn’t find the address, etc.
  1. Tell yourself You ROCK!
    Be confident and believe in yourself. As recruiters, we believe in you, that is why we’ve sent you to our client or called you in to meet with us. Remind yourself of your skills and that you are a valuable team member.

Of course, there are other things you can do for an interview and there are sometimes homework “tasks” you are asked to do before specific interviews. But as a rule of thumb, the above checklist works! Being prepared and demonstrating this during your interview (and believe me, clients and recruiters know if you have prepared) really sets you a part from what most of your competition is doing. So take a little time, the day or night before an interview and go over this checklist.

If you are still not feeling confident or have other questions you want clarity around, contact us at Sprint. We are here to help and will always go over any interview preparation you think you may need.