Author: Naomi Marshall

The biggest mistakes made after interview… by clients and candidates

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

As recruiters, we try to ensure the most streamlined process as possible for both our clients and our candidates. However, there is only so much an agency can do for both without help from both sides. The recruitment process (through an agency) is more than a two way process, it involves three parties, all of which must act quickly, professional and honestly throughout. We at Sprint recognise that the recruitment industry especially is renowned for its poor treatment of candidates, we hear horror stories from our candidates daily about their past experiences but we endeavour to be different – a cut above the rest we like to promote! In order for us to maintain our good reputation there are a few things we ask from our clients and candidates

Some common mistakes made after client interviews by clients and candidates are:

Follow up: As a recruiter I am the middle man between both the client and the candidate. As a client, even if from the introductory handshake you knew this person was not the right fit for the job, it is imperative that you let the recruiter know ASAP (ideally within 24 hours) that you will not be progressing any further with this particular applicant. There is only so much time that a recruiter can buy for you with the candidate while maintaining a positive image about your company.

The same goes for candidates, without providing us with feedback, we are covering for you to the client so that you don’t look disinterested or too laid back about the position. A recent candidate when talking about an experience outside of Sprint said to me “Even if the interviewer called me and lied, any update would have been better than none at all”. I think that in itself speaks volumes……. I am not taking the blame away from recruiters who don’t call but candidates – call your recruiter if you haven’t heard (within 24 – 48 hours).

Interview feedback:  This is going a step further than the above point – not only do we request follow up from an interview but we also ask for feedback from both the client and the candidate. Clients, if you feel that the candidate was not right – tell us why, tell us what they were missing, what additional things you are looking for etc. We want as much information as you can give us… Don’t worry about keeping us on the phone for 20 minutes!

As a candidate, tell us what your experience was like with the client. Were they friendly?  Did they engage you? Did they excite you about the role? How long did you wait at reception? Feedback is appreciated from all avenues and it gives us a better understanding of our clients and our candidates.

Fostering a long term relationship: Okay the candidate might not be suitable for this role or the client might just not say what you want to hear about the company or the role…. but rather than not trying or not putting your best foot forward how do you plan on making a lasting impression? People cross paths again more often than you can imagine, you could be sitting across from your candidate one day while they interview you or you could be sitting again in front of this hiring manager down the line. Just because this certain scenario is not what you are looking for doesn’t mean that you should fob it off. Remember clients that candidates are your best and cheapest advertisement!

The onus cannot always be put back on recruiters when they fail to provide sufficient feedback (don’t get me wrong some are simply to blame). However, clients and candidates do have a part to play in order to make the recruitment process quick, easy and to get results!

Remember the recruitment process is a two way street (George not Pitt!).

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

You want one thing (great job, great title, lots of money, fun culture, lots of perks) and the employer wants another (a hard worker, loyal and trustworthy employee, skills brought into the company, a positive attitude all for a fair salary).  You need to meet somewhere in the middle!!

As a candidate:

In an interview you need to ensure you offer up as much information about WHAT YOU CAN OFFER them. Don’t just bring up the negatives about previous roles this happens more times than I care to remember (even though everyone says they won’t do it in interview it is one of the main things that a clients come back to us with) and it’s a key reason why people are not hired!!

Stay positive, stay positive, stay positive!! Tell them all the great things you are capable of, what you enjoy, what praise you have received in the past and why you feel you have been a great employee in the past. Yes – you HAVE to speak up about yourself! Don’t be afraid. It’s not big-noting yourself if you can give demonstrated examples about HOW you have excelled in the past.

Remember a company or employer is hiring new skills and experience into the business, but they also hire a new personality. Therefore you need to show both of these sides – what you can offer and your energy levels to perform those tasks.

As an employer:

It is absolutely, well and truly your job to sell your company to a prospective employee. Why else would they want to work there?  What are you offering over other companies? What benefits or perks? What is the culture like? Open up about your company and let the candidate in on what it’s really like to work there – engage them! People don’t only work to be remunerated. Different things drive different people so try to work out what it is that is driving that person and you’ll have a much better chance at making an educated hiring decision that will result in the perfect match for the role, and business overall.

Both candidates and employers need to meet in the middle in order to get the best from each other. Candidates sell yourself, employers sell your company!!

Naomi Marshall – Director

P: (02) 9271 0011

M: 0422 139 910

E: naomi@sprintpeople.com.au

All employers are looking for the same thing!

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

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Throughout your childhood do you remember the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At that moment in time most of us wanted to be ballerinas, footballers, firemen or astronauts and where are we now? One thing’s for sure I’m certainly not a professional dancer….

In interviews today you are asked a more “grown up” version of the childhood question – “where do you see yourself in five years’ time?” and a worthy answer is often hard to muster. The problem is these days your childhood dream of being a dancer isn’t so well received (unless you are interviewing for Dancing with the Stars!).

I always ask a variation of this question in an interview and too often I am greeted with a long silence… Finally I hear the three dreaded words “I don’t know” coupled with a confused look. Before stepping foot inside a recruiters office you must prepare yourself for this question – if you don’t know where your career is headed I assure you that I don’t either. We are recruiters here to help you secure your perfect role not your career guidance councillor.

Your answer to this question shows us your ambition, realistic goals and self-motivation. By answering that you are unsure, what message does that send to us? Think back to the confidence that you had at ten years of age and learn from it! If you really have absolutely no idea what industry, company, or position you want to be in five years from now then think back on what you have thrived on in the past – what is it that has brought you here today? Maybe you thrived in a previous role when you had two directs reports then perhaps management is for you? Sit down and have a good hard think before going for an interview!

If you see yourself moving on after two to three years, keep it to yourself during the interview. This type of answer is a little too honest. An employer isn’t going to hire you and train you up for two years for you to take off, so avoid revealing this if it’s your true intention!

Answering to a hiring manager “in your job” as you can imagine, may be a little brazen-and awkward- if you tell your interviewer you want to replace him/her. Likewise “married and a stay at home mum/dad” isn’t the best of answers either. Stay away from talking too specifically about personal goals in your answer. Interviewers generally want to hear about career plans, not life plans.

So before you go to an interview THINK about where it is you want to be in five years and how this particular job is going to achieve that goal. Plan your answers and tailor them to the job, the company or the industry that you have applied for. This may all seem incredibly logical but believe me you would be surprised at the amount of “I don’t knows” we hear every day. Who knew we would be still answering the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” when we grew up!

“So you’ve scored an interview – but what should you wear..?”

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

What to wear? What not to wear? Are bright colours okay or should I stick to dark? What about creative companies??? And the list goes on in terms of questions I regularly receive regarding “What to wear to interviews?”

My answer has always been very simple “It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed for interviews, you need to look smart and show your prospective employer that you are ready for business….however, you always want to show some of your personality”

I’m sure you are saying “What the hell does that mean?!”

Let’s break it down to a couple of key bullet points…

  • Irrespective of what type of company, corporate or creative, CBD based, out in the sticks, large or small….an interview is an interview. End of story. It’s not a gossip catch up with the girls where jeans, thongs and t-shirt is okay. It’s your first chance to impress someone. Would you go on a date with a hot guy or girl that you REALLLLYYYYY like looking like you’d just been pulled through the bush backwards? Of course not, you would spend all day agonising over your outfit, how to wear it, how to do your hair, you’d shower, make yourself smell nice rada rada.
  • Well an interview is probably nowhere near as exciting as a hot date (unfortunately!) however, it is still the time for you to show a prospective employer what you are made of and as clichéd as it sounds “FIRST IMPRESSIONS LAST”.
  • It DOES matter if  you iron your shirt, it DOES matter if your shoes are scuffed and it DEFINITELY DOES matter if you turn up to an interview looking like you’ve just rolled out of bed with no make-up on and your hair all over the place.
  • Ask yourself as you walk out the door ‘If I was in a position to hire a new employee, would I hire ME???.
  • Not to be too harsh about this but staff are the single biggest risk and cost to businesses in Australia. Australian salaries are high compared to other countries and on top of that companies are required by law to make super contributions, pay workers compensation as well as payroll tax to the government – in short, staff are a major cost to companies so don’t act surprised when they say they want to hire THE BEST OF THE BEST! If you don’t look the part, if you can’t make an effort (and I mean a real effort) they why should they make an effort to hire you?!

So again what does this all mean in terms of your dress and appearance for interviews…

  • For girls nothing beats a dress with a jacket or a straight pencil skirt, modern shirt and top with jacket as well as heels and some tasteful jewellery. None of this needs to cost a fortune. You can buy one great black dress (try to buy it in wool, it will breathe and also last longer) and change the look with different coloured shirts underneath, different coloured belts, even coloured shoes. You also don’t have to wear a black jacket, something with a bit of colour is fine as long as it’s not too loud (avoid neon’s for 1st interview).
  • You can jazz it up a bit with coloured necklaces or a groovy bangle but don’t go overboard.  A bit of colour is fine, too much and you’ll look overdone.
  • For boys, if it is a very corporate company then I would suggest a suit. Pants, matching jacket, tidy shirt and possibly a tie. Even you don’t wear the tie but you have the other things on you’ll still show them that you are there for business. For less corporate you should still make the effort to wear dress pants (not jeans, no matter what they cost, what brand they are, how good they make you look) and a well ironed shirt.
  • For both guys and girls the following applies:
    • Get a haircut if you need it or for girls, pull your hair back and ensure it is tidy. This is not the time to be showing off your creative new birds nest teased creation with coloured bow clips. Keep it simple.
    • Shoes – make sure they are clean, if you have heels that are scuffed then buy a new pair and try to keep them for interviews or important meetings. Use your old ones to do the leg work to get you around (or even better, wear ballet flats) and pop your new ones on just before you walk in. If you can’t afford a new pair ask a friend to borrow a pair and tell them you’ll shout them a movie once you are offered a new job.
    • Make up (for girls)….sorry girls but it’s a must, it really is. You don’t need much and less is always best but wearing none can make you look washed out…don’t you want to look your best?? Especially for a first meeting. Strive to be the best you can me, you want to be remembered. A bit of foundation or even a wipe of face powder, slick of lipgloss and a quick brush of blush will at least brighten you up.
    • Shopping bags – don’t take them. If you must, state the point as soon as you arrive that you are very sorry you have shopping bags, it was just due to timing and circumstance that you couldn’t drop them off somewhere first etc etc.
    • If it’s freezing cold outside and you are wearing a large overcoat, take it off when you arrive. Sitting in a bulky overcoat not only looks uncomfortable but chances are you will get hot and you don’t want to have to be interrupting the interview to take it off midway through.
    • Rings on your fingers (excluding wedding rings of course!) keep them to a minimum eg. one or two, you don’t need one on every finger, it just looks messy. Interviewers look at your hands a lot, so on that point make sure your nails are tidy as well (e.g. no chipped nail polish).
    • Earrings – keep them to one in each ear (small studs, avoid anything that jangles, dangle or is distracting for the interview).
    • Piercings – take them out (YES, I MEAN IT!) Some clients are ok about them, others are not. Don’t run the risk of putting a client off in the first 30 seconds they meet you by wearing facial studs. I can’t tell you how many people I have interviewed where I ask if they would take them out and they say “of course, I’d never wear it to an interview’…It always amazes me (so an interview with an agency is not an interview??) You need to impress us too! Every single meeting you have with anyone to do with your career is your chance to build a positive and lasting first impression. Always remember that.
    • It is absolutely fine to wear the same outfit to 1st and 2nd interview, do not freak out about that. No client in my entire career has ever come back to me and said “we really like the candidate however, we did notice she had the same outfit on’. Never! They only notice that you made an effort and looked smart.

One a final note, please remember that interviews are your chance to build a lasting impression on someone and the truth is a vast majority of opinions are formed about someone in the first 10 seconds…because of how you look. Before anyone goes off at me and says ‘so you have to be pretty, you have to be thin’….that is absolutely NOT the case. You have to present yourself the BEST way you can. Dress well, dress appropriately, do your hair, do your make up, iron, carry a handbag not a plastic shopping bag and smile! THEN after that comes your performance in an interview….to be discuss in our next blog.

It’s sad but I have had clients reject candidates on presentation….deemed as discrimination? Sure is…but the cold hard truth is that it happens. So don’t allow it happen to you and rise above the rest – present yourself the best you can, not just for interviews but for every single interaction you have with people…… and see how positive that can make you feel.