Stop! Read this before accepting a new job!

Many of us have experienced the feeling of utter relief and happiness when after a period of job hunting we are finally offered a position. For many of us, in our desperation for a new position we choose to ignore the red flags our potential employers may be holding up. When offered a new position, it is our natural inclination to accept. Take a step back for just a moment and remind yourself that most of our waking lives are spent at work. Given this, just like you would before investing in a new car or house, we should read the fine print of our work contracts and do some research before signing on the dotted line!

First thing first- ask questions! You are completely entitled to ask important questions such as “what is a typical workday like?” or “do you see any major strategy changes or reporting relationship changes in the near future” and “will I be expected to communicate after hours and on weekends?”

It is for your own benefit to understand what is expected of you before taking a new position. Some people don’t mind working after hours or on weekends and there has been a recent shift from typical ‘nine to five’ work to more flexible working arrangements (and longer hours in some cases!) If you are someone who likes to leave the office at 5pm on the dot, or if you have outside work commitments such as looking after children or parents then be up front with this information so your boss is aware can subsequently make more informed decisions.

Ask how you will meet your new colleagues and work team. This is particularly important if you are taking on a new position as a manager. Establishing rapport with your team is essential to your success in your new position and will make yourself and team members feel more comfortable with the change! It doesn’t need to be an extravagant event; a simple meeting in the conference room over coffee and some biscuits will suffice!

Understand the short-term and long term priorities of the position. By the time you have accepted the job offer, you should be able to set strategic goals to achieve within the first 30 days, as well as the next three months. Once you have an understanding of the high priority tasks and projects, have a conversation with your boss to ensure you are on the right track and get stuck into it! Demonstrating that you have the ability to be organised and strategic and showing that you are committed to producing work aligned with the objectives of your organisation is really important when you are just starting off in a new position.

Make sure all the details are covered. This is your stop and think moment! Sit down with a cup of tea and go over in detail your offer letter, contract and other information regarding your salary, bonus eligibility, benefits and any other significant terms related to your employment. This is the perfect time to ask any questions or clarify information. Or if you are feeling very brave- negotiate your terms!

Last but not least… Ensure your new position meets your needs. Is there room to grow professionally? Will you be eligible for promotions? You do not want to take on a job only to realise that it is stagnant position.

Ultimately, by researching, asking intelligent questions and being curious about your new position you will gain the confidence required when choosing to accept or decline your new position. If you do sign the dotted line- fantastic! You will feel more prepared and understand your working environment to a greater extent which will relieve those first day nerves. 

If you choose to decline- well done! You have clearly taken the time to re-assess your fit within the organisation and by doing the research you have given yourself another fantastic opportunity to find a job that suits your needs and career aspirations!

Questions Job Seekers Should NOT Ask in the Interview

A few weeks ago we told you all how to ‘turn the tables on the interviewer’ by asking intelligent, knowledgeable and considered questions to impress your interviewer and give you an edge over other applicants.

To equip you with the right questions, it is essential you also are aware of questions you should not ask in the interview.

What does this company do?

Always do your research on the company prior to the interview. Being prepared will ease your nerves and may help you anticipate some questions. Linking back your responses to the core business activities will strengthen your case and impress your interviewer. Not knowing what the company does may come across as insulting to an interviewer and this may seriously hurt your chances of progressing to the next stage.

What is the pay?

The purpose of the first interview is to see how you present yourself, your skills and experience and to gain a greater insight into how you might fit into the company. In other words, are you the right fit for the culture and role within the company? If you progress to the next round, questions around pay and remuneration are acceptable but hold out until this time.

What are the hours?

When you start asking eager questions about the hours and work schedule in the first interview, this could cause the interviewer to doubt your level of commitment to the role. No one wants to be known as the person who leaves at five o’clock on the dot, regardless of progress made. Unless there’s the possibility that you would be working “shift work” you should stay away from time related questions.  Other similar questions that you should avoid are:

• How many breaks do you have and for how long?
• Can I work from home?
• Am I required to be in the office every day?

What are the benefits?

Similar to the pay question, this could signal to interviewers that you are more concerned with ‘perks’ of the job, rather than what value you can bring to the role and what value the job can give you in terms of career progression, job satisfaction and engagement.

Final Tip

Your first interview is a time to demonstrate your expertise and skills, as well as learn more about the company and position.  Stick to questions related to the company and the job responsibilities.  By doing this, you will leave a great impression on the interviewer and this will increase your chances of progressing to the next round and finding out the answers to the questions mentioned above!

Make sure some of your questions are related to the mission vision strategy of the company – enough so that you can intelligently talk about ‘where the company is going’ and infer the competence and competencies it will require to get there – which is where you come in! Be careful of asking purely operational questions as this may indicate that you need an operational plan to function, rather than follow a strategic plan.

Job Search Advice Nobody Tells You

Struggling to show your interviewer or potential employer the unique contribution you can make to their organisation? Well, never fear. The team at Snagajob have got you covered for the tips, and we at Career Exchange have you got you covered for your next job in allied health! 

1. Practice the drive or transport route to your interview

This will allow you to plan how much travel time you will need and also ease those pre-interview nerves by knowing where you are going.

2. Don't be better, be different

Play up your unique skills and attributes or things you have done that are likely to impress your interviewer (volunteering, travel, extra-curricular activities, starting a side business) 

3. Patience is a virtue

Finding the perfect job is often not as easy as it seems because if the job appeals to you - it will likely appeal to others too! Realising that the job process may take longer than anticipated will help you overcome any rejections more easily and give you more of a chance to reflect and improve for the next opportunity.

4. Listen and learn

Listen to the feedback interviewers give you. Learn from the mistakes you and others make and apply that to your job search. The more you know, the easier the process will be.

Tools and Strategies for Effective Job Hunting

It’s always a toss-up between spending time on an application and applying for more jobs. The truth is that many people miss out on securing employment because they simply aren’t able to meet the application deadlines or do not allow sufficient time to submit quality applications.

There are many tools available to help you manage your job-seeking-presence online. Here are some tools and strategies that you can implement to help you through the stressful time that is job hunting.

Strategy #1: Allocate time
One of the hardest things about job hunting is getting started. One of the easiest places to start, however, is by making lists and scheduling time. Allocate time in your calendar to job hunting and make it a part of your routine. The more you practice applying for jobs, the more it will become like second nature. It is important to allocate time to this task to ensure you give yourself the permission to work solely on job hunting, and not do anything else. In addition to allocating time, set targets and goals to help motivate you and keep you on track.

Tool #1: Subscribe to job alerts
Nowadays, all job seeking websites have tools to help you manage your online job-seeking-presence. Subscribing to job alerts is a great way to get the right jobs, that are relevant to you sent straight to your inbox. This will save you time from heading to multiple places to see what is out there. It will also help you stay up-to-date with jobs as they are placed out into the market.

Strategy #2: Create the best online profile possible
Job boards generally allow you to create a 'Job Seeker' or 'Applicant Profile'. This allows you to pre-upload your resume so as soon as you see a job that you like; making it quick and easy to apply for that job. Creating an online profile also allows employers to find you when they are actively searching for the right candidate. To improve the effectiveness of your application, use key words that are common in your Allied Health profession.

Tool #2: Organise your skills
Each application should be adapted to suit the job role and company, which can be a time-consuming process. Make this process easier by organising your skills (e.g. in an excel spreadsheet) so that you can easily link the skills you have with how you demonstrate them and the type of jobs that require these skills.

These steps will help make the job search easier in the midst of a busy schedule. Remember, it's never too early to start the process of finding your next great role! For more information relevant to you, check out the Career Advice section on Career Exchange.

How to Sell Yourself in a Job Interview: Succeeding Over the Rest! 6 Simple Steps for Success

In a job interview, you might like to fancy yourself as a salesperson. The product? Yourself! You must have enough confidence in yourself and your abilities to succeed over the rest. As Allied Health professionals, one thing that does not come naturally is the ability to sell yourself. Unfortunately it is not good enough to be highly skilled at what you do, you need to be highly skilled at telling others of your skills! Here are 6 simple steps to selling yourself to get that job!

1. Find out exactly what your interviewer wants: 

Do your research and come prepared. Don’t be caught out not knowing everything a potential employee needs to know.  This may mean thoroughly reviewing the company’s website, looking up articles in online newspaper archives, all the way through to connecting with current employees of the company before the interview and asking some strategic questions about what the company values and is looking for.

2. Do not flood your interviewer with irrelevant past experience: 

Although it is great that you have a list of past experiences, your interviewer is interested in what skills you have that they can utilise. Keep it simple, to the point and only mention the recent experiences you have that are particularly relevant to the field you are interviewing for. Try to avoid the narrative and 'story' approach in an interview. Keep it crisp, short, and "headlines and bullet points". Know when to STOP in an answer.

3. Believe in yourself: 

Just like in sales, if the salesperson does not believe in their product, they are going to have a hard time convincing others to believe in the produce, or coming across as genuine. An employer will only hire somebody they have confidence in. They are not likely to be confident about a person who isn’t even confident in themselves. So believe in yourself and present a positive vibe. An interviewer will remember an interview that was a pleasant experience for them.

4. Never give up: 

This does not mean be a pest to your potential employer. Be patient and keep following up on the application process- not only does that show that you’re interested in the job, but it will also give you an opportunity to source out other openings if you are not successful this time around. This can be as simple as a follow-up email a day or two after your interview.

5. Be enthusiastic about the job:  

Being enthusiastic about the company and the job you wish to apply for shows your potential employer that employing you will benefit them. You may wish to couch your interview responses in terms of "benefit statements". Perhaps you can identify how you can help the company achieve its goals through the role you are being interviewed for. If you are enthusiastic and show that you care about the success of the company, the potential employer is inclined to think you are in it for the long haul and are not just applying for the job to work at until something better comes along.

6. Let the interviewer know you are available: 

Once you have nailed your interview, let your interviewer know that if they require any further information that you are easily contactable. Inform them of when you are available to begin so they are confident you are able to take up the position at a time that suits them if you are successful. Be sure to put a "messagebank" longer than 10 seconds on your phone, and don't answer calls with "yeah?"
                                              

So you missed the job application deadline…Apply for it anyway!

It is closing onto midnight and your eyes are half closed as you mind-numbingly scroll through the endless list of jobs on your favourite job seeking website. Suddenly something catches your eye! Can it be? IT IS! The perfect position that you’ve been dreaming of! You’re filled with excitement as you gloss over the selection criteria: qualifications- check, experience- check, location- check, availability- check. And then you reach the application details and your heart sinks. Closing date... yesterday.

Before you melt into a puddle of disappointment, it’s not the end of the world! The reason why the closing date is there is because the employer will need to start selecting potential candidates at some point and likely have internal processes and systems to adhere to, but they aren’t going to decide who gets the job as soon as the clock ticks over the specific time and date necessarily.

While it is best to get your application in before the specified date it’s important to realise the employer is going to want to hire the candidate who expresses the most interest and enthusiasm with the best job-fit, not whoever waltzes through first. Many human resource managers agree that it’s worth submitting an application even after the deadline. Unless strictly stated that they will not accept applications after the date (e.g. some government departments or large organisations), apply for the job anyway!

Here are some handy tips for applying after the deadline:

Call someone: Definitely get in touch with the contact person or the hiring manager listed on the job ad. Express your genuine interest for the position, and rather than ASK if it’s still okay to send in an application. TELL the person that you are very interested in the role advertised and you would truly appreciate the opportunity to send through an application.

Once you have called ahead, the hiring person is going to be anticipating your application. Send it in as soon as you can. Ensure you thank them for their consideration.

Be honest in the cover letter: They know you’ve applied late, might as well own up to it. Remind the hiring person you’ve already spoken to them; this may even put yourself ahead of other candidates, as it’s much easier to remember a personified applicant over a piece of paper. Tell them that you only discovered the role through a network/colleague past the deadline, or that you were told about the position by a colleague late, or whatever other reason. It is important to be honest and thankful for their time and consideration.

Consider a special delivery: Hand delivering an application may be an effective way to get your foot in the door. Going in person can have many advantages over submitting an application, such as, the opportunity to speak directly to the decision maker, and getting a feel for the organisation you want to work with. And who knows, you might just catch them at a good time and land an on-the-spot interview! Even if they are adamant in keeping to the deadline, you might learn about upcoming job openings. This could give you an advantage over other applicants as you are in a great position to detail your interest right then and there to a potential future employer.

If it’s that particular company or organisation that you love and missed an opportunity with, leave them an application for future openings. They might contact you sooner than you think!

Move on and forward: If you have tried all you can in applying but are still unable to land that dream job, try and view the experience as a positive one.  You have made another contact and are now aware of another organisation to keep an eye on and one to keep in contact with. Use this knowledge to research other similar organisations that may have roles like the one you just missed out on. 

The 5 Ps of Preparing for a Video Interview

Many companies are increasingly utilising video interviews as a means of making the recruitment process more time and cost efficient. As hiring is becoming a more global process, video interviewing has become an easier way for both employers and employees to speed up the process. What a lot of interviewees are unaware of, however, is that on average only 7% of all communication is verbal.  Tone of voice, how you present yourself, and body language are therefore essential components of communication, especially when you are being video interviewed.

So how can you best prepare and nail that video interview?

Place
Try finding an area for your interview with a plain background. Although an ‘office/study’ area might look nice, it can be distracting to the interviewers. Beforehand, try to record a mock interview in this area to see how the interviewers will see you. Practicing also allows you to prepare for speaking into a microphone clearly and maintaining eye contact with the camera (and not the screen).

Position
Position yourself in front of a camera that is at the same height as the top of your head. This will give the hiring staff a professional view of you. In addition, be aware of your posture and ensure you don’t slouch, squirm, or look bored. Instead, seat yourself just as you would if you were in the interviewer’s office.

Presentation
Even though you’re behind a camera, take the time to brush your hair, clean your face, and dress in business attire. In addition, check the lighting before the interview and clean that smudge off the camera lens to ensure that you are visible. Present to the camera as though you are making eye contact with the interviewer.

Preparation
If it is a live interview, ensure that you have all the materials you might need in front of you at least 10-15 minutes in advance. In addition, double check all internet, camera, and microphone connections to ensure no technological issues arise during the interview. Turn off your mobile (or at least on silent and out of your sight) and minimise the amount of distractions that could occur via family members, pets, etc. 

Pacing
Take your time when composing your answers. There can be a transmission delay when doing a video interview, so pace your speech at a slightly slower rhythm whenever there is an internet connection involved. Nodding when you have heard the question and waiting three seconds before you respond is a useful strategy to overcome interruptions due to lagging internet connections.

As the chances of being interviewed by video is becoming more and more likely, being well prepared in advance can help increase the probability of securing a job. Even though you may be in the comfort of your own home, remember that it is no less formal than a regular interview. Therefore, make sure you treat it as if you were actually in the employer’s office.


Voice Advantage, is our recently launched sleek and advanced interviewing platform
As a job seeker, you can interview via phone or video (depending on your tech) in your own time. To try it out, take a quick 3 minute demo here.

Finally, remember to be confident and GOOD LUCK!

Phone Etiquette For Job Seekers

These days, we are all expected to be accessible and available 24-7 and in the workplace, this is the time when we need information and we need it now! For recruiters, calling a candidate is the quickest and easiest way to get the information you need, when you need it. However, as a Seeker, if you are not expecting this, your surprise phone call from a recruiter can sometimes be a surprise phone interview. When speaking to or leaving a message for hiring managers or recruiters, it’s important to follow some basic etiquette rules.

1. Always sound professional and ready to speak to the hiring manager/recruiter… but also be prepared and have a well memorized or written out message in case you need to leave a message

2. If you leave a message, always leave your name and number twice…name at beginning and end of message and number twice at end of message (repeated back to them)

3. Leave the message slowly and carefully so they can take notes without having to replay the message

4. Let them choose when to call you back by stating in the message “please give me a call at your earliest convenience.”

5. If you do speak to someone, always start off with a brief introduction and question the call time: “Hi this is Matt Warzel calling about the sales position advertised in the newspaper…is this an OK time to speak?”

6. If you do speak to someone, use that time to schedule a meeting in person and not to speak in further detail, unless they wish to do so

7. A great time to call is Friday afternoon after 3:30.

8. Do not bug recruiters constantly because if they need someone with your skills, they will call you. They might not have an opening right away that fits your qualifications, but if they do, they will call you. (Quick non-phone related note: Only apply to the openings that fit in your realm. They do get the “jack of all trades” candidates who in actuality only fit the bill for one or two jobs at most. So be aware of your resume submissions. Follow the job posting directions and make sure you do what they tell you to do if you want to apply to their job. They implement rules for a reason)

Need Capable People? When you need fast and accurate performance indications for your next hire, you need Capable People!

Working with assessment partner, Psych Press, Capable People’s recruitment process integrates the full strength of online assessments and interviewing for fast, job-fit relevant, data-driven results. We use science, not ‘face value’; we learn your goals and company intricacies, not an off-the-shelf solution; and, we are fast and cost effective. Contact CapablePeople on 03 9670 4275 or email info@capablepeople.com.au to find out how we can assist your next campaign.