Tag: Recruiter

Tips for a successful meeting with your recruiter.

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Recruiters – necessary evil some say. Others believe their careers have been developed and enriched by the support of a recruiter and are thankful that they exist.

Here is a quick read to help you gain the best out of your first meeting with a recruitment consultant.

  1. Don’t be late – don’t be early. I’ve said it a million times, a scheduled time is a scheduled time and no-one knows this more than a recruiter. We can be managing literally hundreds of tasks in any given week and our diaries will be blocked out back to back. Be mindful of this.
  1. Be the best version of yourself – Whilst many businesses are moving away from the traditional corporate attire they still expect you to be presented in a way that says you are ready for business (as opposed to being ready for the beach). Always better to be over dressed than underdressed. If you’d like to arrive in thongs and shoe-string strappy tops, that’s a-ok but just remember it will hinder your ability to be placed as you’re not going to be a professional representation of the agencies brand.
  1. Don’t take a coffee in – it’s a business meeting. Even if you ask when you arrive (with your cup already in your hand) “is it ok if I bring this in” and the recruiter says “sure that’s fine!”. Trust me, it’s not. They’re just being polite. You’ve just brought down your professional brand.
  1. Be ready to sell yourself – yes, sell yourself. Open up, communicate, talk about what you liked in previous roles, what you are seeking in the future and most importantly what makes you stand out from the crowd. Recruiters are essentially the middle man between candidates and clients. They are being paid to find something the client cannot source themselves – unique talent. Be that talent. Don’t assume that the recruiter knows everything about you even if you feel it is listed in the words on your CV. Be better than words on paper – be a personality!
  1. Keep the lines of communication open – Whilst it is definitely the responsibility of the recruiter to keep in touch with you, assist this process by reaching out to them every so often as well. Keep them in the loop with your movements, where you are up to in the process with other roles and any changes to your circumstances that will affect your work (eg moving house, booking holidays in the near future, changes in your career path).

The recruiter can be your best ally – you’ve just got to work with them so that together you can find the best possible job and career for you.

Part Time Jobs – The Low Down from Naomi

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Part time jobs have always existed but in reality, they are usually few and far between. Whilst there has been a steady increase of candidates calling in over the past few years requesting part-time hours, I’ve certainly noticed a marked increase over the past 12 months. For any part-time advertisement that we place we are well and truly inundated with candidates and plenty being really top quality candidates.

Who is in the market for part time jobs?

There is a very high volume of Mums (and Dads!) keen to stay in the workforce, who are seeking flexibility with their working hours. Childcare costs are escalating and there is a fine line between what they can earn in a day versus putting the child in childcare. Working part-time often helps with this balance and means they keep one foot in the workforce (e.g. helps keep their skills up and in addition it can better their chances of being considered for full time roles down the track).

Additionally, there are a vast number of people studying and they too are requesting work around their study hours.

Let’s be blunt – Sydney is a rat race and it can be exhausting! I’ve had lots of people who have spent the majority of their working life in full time work (sometimes up to 50-60 hours a week). They’re still ready to give a lot to a business, but they are looking for a work life balance. Working either a 4 day week or even a 9 day fortnight will help with their well being goals.

People can be dealing with all sorts of personal matters – e.g. caring for elderly parents, which can affect their ability to commit to full time work.

So, what are the benefits to the employer?

One of the main aspects to consider is the financial side of things, as this can be dramatic, particularly for smaller businesses. When you take into account that for every day the person is not working the business saves 20% on the salary, it can be an attractive option. The wage bill for many companies can be one of their highest costs. Without a doubt, there are many roles that must be performed on a full-time basis. However, support roles are key ones that can, at times, be under taken part-time – often with virtually the same output as a full time employee.

Quality part-time work is hard to fine, so when I place a candidate in a part-time role, I find that they are generally extremely appreciative and therefore loyal to that employer for the opportunity; for that reason, the candidate often stays for the longer term. As all business owners know, longevity of a team pays off in many ways.

When a part-timer can be flexible with the days they work, it can be very beneficial for a company to have adaptive support for the business in line with the peaks and troughs.

Job share arrangements (e.g. sharing a week of work between 2 people) can be a fantastic solution for clients looking to bring two different skill sets into the business. E.g. 2 x Office Managers, one might be better with staff management, the other with business finances – between the two people they handle the main administration workload and also add value by bringing in additional skills (that are not required all day, every day).

Reception roles are perfect for a job share arrangement – particularly if there has been high turnover in the role. Truth be told, whilst reception roles are critical to a business, many are simply not that exciting, nor do they offer any career progression. So finding a candidate willing to stick it out for the long haul can be a challenge. Two great part-timers e.g. 2.5 days each or 2/3 days can be an excellent solution. A part-timer will often be happier to take on these types of duties, for a longer period of time and as mentioned earlier, will often be loyal and appreciative of the opportunity.

Ultimately what we find is that a candidate is willing to be more flexible on the actual role e.g. take on something that doesn’t challenge them as much as they may like because the option of part-time outweighs other aspects. For an employer, that may mean they are getting and paying for someone who has a lot more experience and skills that the job requires (on tap when, and if needed) for less money.

So as you can see there are NUMEROUS benefits for all parties involved when it comes to part-time employment. I can appreciate that it may not work for every role or every company; however, next time you are looking to hire a new support staff member maybe stop to consider all options.

Feel free to call Naomi Marshall directly on 9271 0011 should you have any questions – always there to help.

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

What do I bring to my interview with Sprint People?

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Congratulations! You’ve been asked in to meet with the recruiter for an interview. This is the first step to securing that dream job you applied for. Now is the time to shine. Please don’t get complacent about this recruiter interview and fall into the trap of thinking “it’s just the recruiter, it’s not a real interview”.

Meeting with your recruiter is as important as meeting a client. If we don’t love what we see and we can’t see you sitting in front of our client, answering the same questions with the same fabulous answers you are giving us…we won’t be sending you anywhere! Least of all, to our client who are expecting only the best from us. When we send a candidate to a client, you are representing us as well as yourself so we want you to *Shine*.

Which brings us to our question in the title. What do you need to bring to your interview, to demonstrate not only your skills and how right you are for that job, but also to make sure you are a bonafide, registered candidate on our books?

Come prepared
Know how you want to present yourself and your experience. Know your strengths, weaknesses and accomplishments. A job interview is not the time to wing it!

Arrive on time
Early or late – neither looks good. Arrive on time (maybe 2 or 3 minutes early) and announce yourself. Remember how you speak to the reception staff – they will taking in the first impressions and are often called on for insight.

TEMPS – Bring your Paperwork
If you would like to be considered for temp work (now or in the not too distant future), you will need to bring your paperwork so we can pay you!! This includes:
* Tax file number
* Bank details
* Superannuation information
* Any appropriate visa documentation

Bring your Testing
If you have done prior testing with another agency, bring a copy of these results for your file.

Know your Referees
We may need to do a reference check. It is a good idea to have a couple of referees up your sleeve that you can call on if need be. We won’t be calling them without your prior consent (and time for you to give them a heads up), but come prepared with their details.

Bring your Best You!
We want to see you at your best. That way – we know that we are recommending our client hire the right candidate and the best person for the job.

If you would like to know more about how you can prepare for an interview. Please refer to Sprint Coach on our website or get in touch with us directly.

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).

 

To call or not to call – “I am perfect for the advertised job – what do I do now?”

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Some of you may read this and think that the answer is quite simple… but there are a few key points to consider before you pick up the phone.

When a recruiter or hiring manager advertises a role they can sometimes be absolutely inundated with calls and a large majority of those calls can be from people that are calling about…. (wait for it)….. absolutely nothing!!!  We know that you must be calling for a reason, however unless you state your question, unfortunately we cannot read your mind (though we often wish we could) to guess what piece of information it is that you might be looking for.

Moral to this story – call with a purpose! Identify what you want to achieve from your call before you pick up the phone (e.g. Is it close to public transport? Is my experience suitable? etc.) Simply stating that you are calling in regards to “job xyz” is not giving the recruiter the piece of information they need to help you.

The second most important thing to consider about that call, is making sure that the questions you have aren’t already addressed in the advert. E.g. If the advert states that “the role is part-time and  located in North Sydney”, don’t call and ask “is the role full-time?” or “where is the role located?”. Ultimately this is telling the recruiter that you have poor attention to detail.

Again, some might think that what I am explaining is quite straight forward, however just this morning I advertised a temporary assignment and was inundated with no less than 20 calls in the first hour from people that had absolutely no reason behind their call except to say that they have seen my advert.

Lastly, when you do call, try to sound enthusiastic and let the recruiter know your name before you start shooting questions at them!!! When a candidate calls and they sound like they have just woken up and they can barely string a sentence together – they are doing themselves more harm than good!

When I do get a phone call from somebody that speaks clearly, calls with a purpose, sounds friendly and engaging and can clearly tell me why they think they are right for the job advertised – I will often book them in for an interview without even waiting for their resume to come through!