Author: Naomi Marshall

Before you Can Sprint…..You Need to Intern!

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

It is common knowledge that all jobs require a certain level of experience. Even graduate jobs. Having a degree is simply not enough in the increasingly competitive job market.

As a soon to be graduate, I found myself in a catch 22, knowing that I needed experience to get a job, but not being able to get experience/a job because I didn’t have prior industry experience!! Very frustrating.

Recognising this problem, I sought experience in anyway possible! I spent a weeks salary (from my part-time job at the local pharmacy) on a new suit and a great pair of pumps to showcase my positive, ambitious, and professional attitude. I then set my sights on getting those pumps into the door of a great company. I was happy to sacrifice salary for experience through an internship, knowing that in the long run it would pay dividends!

I have gained so much from being an intern, I have now done this twice.

My first internship was for a psychology organisation…in New York!!! Having dreams of living and working in the city that never sleeps, I Googled. I spent hours wading through company websites searching for internship opportunities. I finally found a company that inspired me, one I thought would be a perfect match. Despite not stating that they offered internships, I emailed them, explained I was a bright-eyed girl from Sydney, Australia looking for the opportunity of an internship. After a Skype interview at midnight to sell my case I was booking tickets for a 3 month adventure, ticking items off my bucket list as I went.

My second internship is here with Sprint People. I responded to an ad on Seek, called to follow up my application and made sure I put my best high-heeled foot forward when I came in to meet with Naomi and the team.

And I can honestly say, that as good as the Big Apple experience was, nothing beats local experience and networking. THANK YOU SPRINT PEOPLE!!!!

Internships not only give you the opportunity to gain experience, but they prove to any potential employer that you are hard working and dedicated. It shows that you have “go getter” attitude and it looks fabulous on your CV!

Here are my top 7 Tips for anyone looking to Intern:

1. Keep a positive attitude and wear a smile
2. Be prepared to start at the bottom (filing, shredding, cups of tea etc)
3. Show initiative – rock up early to get some work done, stay late, offer to do anything and everything!
4. Network while you are there! This is a biggie. You never know where these networks can lead you
5. Learn about your industry – read industry reports and articles and ask questions
6. Find a mentor and value them
7. Enjoy the journey and make it worthwhile.

If you would like to know more about how to take the next step in your career – be it your first step in the working world, a side step or a giant leap forwards – check out Sprint Coach for some tips.

 

Personal Branding and Facebook- Part 2 – “Friending” your boss

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

Entry Level Candidates Rarely Stay in their First Role….

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Employers take note! A quick explanation as to why entry level candidates rarely stay in their first roles for 2 years anymore….

Young candidates (code for entry level or those who have very little office experience – or none at all) are simply NOT going to sit at your front desk for 2 years as your Receptionist, unpacking dishwashers, organising couriers and filing for months on end waiting for someone to notice them and promote them to their next job. Nor are they going to be in customer service roles with repetitive tasks, nor are they going to handle mundane or routine tasks over and over…and over for years on end.

This doesn’t mean that the days of ‘earning your stripes’ or ‘starting at the bottom’ are over. It’s simply to say that young candidates today CRAVE new tasks, new information and new experiences. They have access to so much more information than we ever did at school. They’re naturally tech savvy and are connected to the world in ways that we never were.

They’re prepared to do their time in the junior roles but they want recognition and attention – and they want it now!

Often clients say to me: “I need a Receptionist to sit on front desk for a minimum of 2 years before I can promote them”. Or, “I don’t want to have to keep re-recruiting that role.” And “Why don’t they stay long term anymore?”

Employers wonder why after 6/7 months she/he has left and found a job at the place down the road with their friend – with a salary increase and with a slightly pumped up job description.

In my opinion, and from my observations and experience, the days of finding a ‘stable’ job out of school or uni, staying in it for years and working your way up are over and gone. If Company A won’t coach/train/promote then guess what? They’ll just go to Company B to find it. Simple as that.

I hear employers crying out “Young people don’t stick at anything, they’re fickle, they’re just chasing the $$$”. And I am sorry, I sympathise, however I’m just here to state the facts from years and years of seeing this pattern (and it’s getting worse).

Now there is the flipside to this of course – Accept it – Don’t fight it – And come up with innovative ways to keep them engaged.

So… To The solution! What can you do?

• Knowing and understanding that they crave new tasks and new experiences, try to add in new tasks every few months (or even weeks if your new starter can handle it).
• Quite simply if they are unpacking dishwashers, running errands, filing and cleaning up the meeting rooms you can hardly expect a young, bright spark to want to do that for years on end. Even 6-12 months can feel like an eternity to a young person when they have a super sharp mind. Maybe that role is best suited to a traveler who can work a maximum of 6 months, maybe the job simply has a ‘lifespan’ of 6 months?
• If the tasks are simple and you’re consistently having turn over maybe you just need to accept that the job is boring and you won’t keep anyone there for longer than 6 months anyway.
• Discuss small salary increases on a quarterly basis, or even a small bonus. It doesn’t have to be massive. At that level every dollar is being watched so if it’s the extra that pays for their weekly travel pass or a few sandwiches in the city each week then trust me, they’ll be appreciative.
• Or consider shopping vouchers, $150-$250 Westfield vouchers can feel like gold to a young employee. They simply do not have access to surplus cash to spend on themselves when they are on minimum wages.

The short end of the story is that Sydney is a very expensive place to live. Travel is costly, food is expense, don’t even get me started on the cost of living out of home when they’re first setting up a flat.

If that young employee is truly a valued member of your team then start working ‘with them’ and not against them otherwise company B, C, D and E will happy snap them up then you’ll be back to square on training the next junior on how to book a courier……

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

Employers Remember…The Candidate is Interviewing YOU Too!

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

At Sprint we are fortunate enough to recruit for some of the best businesses in the market (not that we’re bias at all). However, though we know they’re great and we tell our candidates that they are great, we always remind our clients to remember that in an interview situation, the candidate is interviewing them as well!

It is important for business owners and line managers to remember that as an interviewer, it is also your responsibility to get the candidate excited about the role/company etc. You can’t always rely on your brand to attract the right potential employees to your business. The way that you engage with the candidate and the level of interest that you show in them as a person could determine whether they choose another role over the one you’re offering when it comes to the crunch!

Clients often say that an hour interview is such a short period of time to try and decipher if a candidate is going to be right for their business, but remember, it’s the same for the candidate too! They want to know that you will care about them, foster learning and development and provide them with opportunities to create a true career path for themselves.

Often employers are so focused on “testing” a candidate that they forget to engage with them. I can’t tell you how many times we have had clients come back to us telling us how they really “put the candidate under pressure” or “threw the candidate a curve ball”, or “had their interview poker face on”. When the employer then comes back wishing to offer the candidate, they are often miffed that candidate declines the role because they didn’t get a good vibe from their interviewer and they felt disengaged with the process.

Yes – it’s true that there are a lot of candidates on the market at the moment, but the top quality, hard working, loyal candidates, that most employers seek are still hard to find! If a candidate is sitting in front of you, ticking all the boxes, then it would be such a shame to miss out on them simply because you were trying to trip them up, rather than engaging with them.

Chances are, if you think they are fantastic, other employers will too! So don’t miss the opportunity to tell them how amazing their life is going to be if they choose you. At the end of day, given multiple options, candidates will most likely choose the employer that;

  • Was friendly in the interview and made them feel comfortable
  • Showed genuine interest in them and their development
  • Moved quickly
  • Gave the impression that they would really add value to their business and that they were excited to have them on board.

Yes, it may very well be your brand that made a candidate apply in the first place, but as they sit in front of you in an interview situation… all nervous and excited… subconsciously (or sometimes even consciously) they are waiting for you to sell your company back to them.

Generation What Now…

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

I recently read, with great interest an article in the Sunday morning paper titled ‘Generation Why?’

Basically it talked about the stresses young people are facing now due to the budget changes. Quoting the authors words “Generation Y are struggling to cope with the transition to adulthood as they face rising education costs, unaffordable housing & a lack lustre job market”.

Yep, that’s the truth – It’s tough now and the prediction is that there will be more tough times ahead. Education and rental prices are topics I know a little about, I can’t claim be an expert. However the lack lustre job market, is something I can talk about. ALL day!

I’m not here to say that the market isn’t terrible. It’s slow – and competition is rising – fast. After 20 years I’ve seen plenty of highs and lows however, what I do know after interviewing and interacting with hundreds of Generation Y (and younger) candidates, is this…..

“They don’t want it badly enough”

And by ‘it’ I mean success. I notice in interviews that they DON’T push themselves out of their comfort zone. They DON’T want to do the hard yards, and DON’T tend to know what it means to be on the edge and have to find the strength in themselves to stop from tipping over the edge.

I say this because I see it every single day. I hear them say “I’ve applied to hundreds of jobs, no-one responds.” and “I can’t get an interview”.

So I ask:

“Did you call the company/recruitment agency directly to introduce yourself and follow up? (Did you use an engaging voice, following a script or written notes in front of you, ready to answer any questions – remembering you only have one chance to make a great impression in that call, you HAVE to be ready to speak about yourself and ‘sell’ yourself).”

No.

“Have you done any research regarding companies you would like to work for and contacted them directly, first sending your CV, then following up with a phone call 24 hours later, or even a handwritten card outlining a few points as to what they have to offer an employer”?

No.

“Checked on LinkedIn as to who is hiring? Sent off an email or message introducing yourself, acknowledging that you are young and don’t have years of experience, however, what you do have is the most amazing attitude towards being successful, starting from the bottom, hard working etc etc.”

No.

“Or have you set up a LinkedIn account”? – I advertised a junior role last week, ideally 1-2 years experience, 189 applications, I just looked up the first 8 applications and not one of the candidates had a LinkedIn account.

No.

“Have you offered your time up for free in a short-term internship in order to gain experience, prove that you truly back yourself and are prepared to work for free to show an employer how determined you are”?

No.

What many candidates have done is set up a Seek profile, flicked off a couple of emails and are hoping for the universe to align and everything to fall into place – chances are, in this market, that’s not going to happen without a fight.

Competition is FIERCE out there at the moment. Responses to jobs are very large, clients want the absolute best of the best and if you want the job, you have to stand out from the crowd. So we are asking candidates, “What are you doing today to drive your career and get the job? Are you sitting at home reading this waiting for someone to call”?

In this market a job does not come knocking on your door, YOU have to make things happen. You have to pick up the phone. You have to sell yourself. You might feel out of your comfort zone, but what other options do you have?

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