The Power of Personal Presentation – First Impressions Count!

Speaking recently with Rita from Rita Noon Image Consulting about a candidate that was a nice kid but just wasn’t presented for interview (thongs, shorts, cigarette packet on the table), I thought that it would be great to grab her insights into personal presentation that may just help you score that next job or career move that you wanted. Rita has previously worked in the recruitment industry and has seen what we all have seen – sloppy presentation that turns you off and immaculate presentation that creates a great first impression. Rita kindly contributed the following piece for our blog:

Personal Presentation – First Impressions Count!
Just as you spend time honing and perfecting your resume and cover letter for the job or career that you want; you must spend time honing and perfecting your personal presentation to make that first impression count.

Your job application (resume and cover letter), being the perfect documents, will gain you an interview. Your personal presentation will set the tone for that interview.

If you present for the interview looking neat, professional and groomed as you should, you will immediately find yourself in “positive territory”. Should you choose to not make an effort – ie not checking your shoes (for run down heels, level of cleanliness, general maintenance) your shirt for fraying sleeves or loose buttons, your pants for loose buttons or faulty hems and your jacket for bulging pockets or signs of wear – you are telling your prospective employer that they are not worthy of your respect nor attention to detail. You are, in fact, displaying to them how you may present for work. Either in a neat, professional and polished manner or in a “that’ll do”/”she’ll be right” haphazard way.

In an interview situation, you have approximately 5 seconds (being very generous) to make a first impression. When you capitalise on that time, you can give yourself a very strong advantage over your competitors. Equally, if your waste that time you have given an advantage to your competitors. It is fundamentally important to make a good first impression as there are no second chances at the interview process!

Personal Presentation and Promotion in the Workplace.
Now that you have landed the dream role in the company, it is time to think seriously about promotion and how to make yourself stand out – in a positive way.

Everyone knows of or has worked with “that guy” or “that girl” who shows up everyday looking as though he or she slept in their clothes or has “something with sauce” for breakfast/lunch most days that drips onto their shirt. You do not want to be known as “that guy or girl”.

Maintaining a high standard of personal presentation is a guaranteed way to keep that positive first impression going. It is your opportunity to demonstrate that you take your role seriously, you are proud of your role and your employer, and you are consistently performing to a high level.

It is not about cost – some people that spend a lot of money on their clothes still actually don’t dress well for work, whereas others know how to spend cleverly and create a perfect work wardrobe without breaking the bank. Quality clothing is a career investment and can often be purchased at a very reasonable price during sales.

Your career and your day-to-day work is NOT a fashion parade (Miranda Kerr, being one of the exceptions). Your work wardrobe should be comfortable, on the conservative side and suited (no pun intended) to your employer’s brand and your workplace. Your clothes must be clean and in good repair, your personal hygiene must be exceptional and it must be so, every single day.
When it comes to promotion time or even at your annual reviews – you want to be the person who is consistently good at their job, has an excellent attendance record AND represents the company in a professional and positive manner.

Your personal presentation can be your advantage in your career. Make it a priority!

Thanks Rita
We would like to thank Rita for her contribution to this week’s blog. Visit her website at www.ritanoonimage.com to pick up some tips on how to dress appropriately for that next job or career move.

2012 – The year that was… and it was great!

As the year draws to a close today we would like to reflect on the year that has been 2012. For both clients and candidates we have seen a positive shift for the Gold Coast in terms of jobs and growth this year and already have placements and job orders lined up for January to kick off the new year. If we are recruiting, we see it as a good thing.

Clients

There have been a lot of things written and said in the media regarding the economy – one moment it’s fine, next thing we’re on the verge of another collapse. Looking at the Gold Coast from a recruitment perspective, it has been the busiest year that we have experienced since 2008, with a good shift occurring in March this year including a large number of new clients. It is the first year since 2008 that we have worked alongside current and new clients without any of them closing their doors for good due to a downturn in business. Whilst we are not all in the clear just yet, it’s good to see some positive things happening locally.

Speaking with clients (new and current), we found that most job orders were for new roles that had been created due to growth of individual businesses rather than just filling roles due to turnover of staff.

Candidate and resume services

Whilst we have personally experienced a positive outlook for jobs on the Gold Coast, we can report that we have seen a slight increase in candidates coming our way seeking work. This has been especially true for those from the Government sector, where redundancies have hit hard. Having said that, we have seen a good jump in administrative, sales and IT-related roles that have come our way this year and expect even more in 2013.

Our resume and application services have been very busy this year with a regular flow of jobseekers requesting assistance in re-creating or constructing a new resume to present themselves more professionally in the market. What we have found is that most jobseekers have a resume and it presents well but doesn’t work for them in today’s competitive market.

2013 – what will it bring?

We already have orders for January as well as projected orders for the first quarter from current clients to start the year off well. It looks like it could be a good year ahead for those looking for work.

For New Point Recruitment, we are continuing with a regular Blog with a new twist, there is a new office on the horizon including new staff on board before the second quarter, and we will be expanding further into the Brisbane market. We have some new and exciting products that will come online for both candidates and clients that will enhance your user experience of our services and we have also partnered with Fresh HR Insights to offer a complete HR and payroll service to our clients.

Again we would like to thank all of those that support us in our network and also to those that use our recruitment and candidate services. We wish you all the best for the New Year and may 2013 be the best year yet for all of us!

Can enthusiasm make up for a lack of skills?

The hot debate with every recruit that we do always comes down to skills, experience and personality. Does our client like our candidate enough to accept that they may need some mentoring or guidance at first or do they need to absolutely hit the ground running? What would you prefer if you were to recruit right now – all the skills and an OK personality or enthusiasm and a slightly lesser skill base?

Your wish list
When you are creating a job and person specification before hitting the market with advertising, you are essentially creating a wish list. Some of those traits and skills an applicant will have, some they will need to learn in the role. You should write down everything that you want that person to have, then highlight the skills that they really need to perform effectively in the role – your essential list. Everything after that point is secondary and are skills that can be learned if the person has demonstrated the aptitude to do this. Focus on the essential list when screening applicants – this is the minimum standard for the role and then look at the secondary skills and experience to screen further. Time and time again it has proven to be the most successful process. The failure with screening too heavily in the first round, generally results in having candidates that are typically from your industry, have been working for your competitors (which isn’t always a good thing) and are people that you may know of and don’t want working for you. This is very true for tight industries and we have had those experiences to back this up.

Ambition versus enthusiasm
Once you have determined your short-list and start meeting with candidates don’t mistake ambition with enthusiasm. There is a massive difference. We have interviewed candidates previously that have seemed highly enthusiastic only to find that they were highly ambitious – to the point that the most likely scenario was that they only wanted to know that they had won the job (and didn’t take it). This can be a real time-waster from a recruitment perspective as you essentially have to start again. There is a real art to focusing on a person’s intention – why do they want it, what will it do for them, what do they want to do with the role, where will the role take them (is it a stepping stone to something else), why would they relocate (if they have to). This is where you can often pick up signs that there is an ulterior motive, or on the flipside, really find out that they are enthusiastic about the opportunity being presented to them.

The problems with enthusiasm
The one problem with an enthusiastic candidate can be the interview itself – have you ever really wanted a job, got to interview, should have “nailed it” and walked away kicking yourself, thinking that you did a terrible job at the interview – your enthusiasm may have got in the way. We like to interview away from a desk or formal setting as it relaxes the candidate and allows them open up to have a conversation rather than feeling like they are being drilled. It is still structured of course but engages better. If you have a panel interview setting, this is quite difficult to manage however, try to have this at the second interview stage and watch the results. One other problem with enthusiasm is that the candidate may have done a lot of homework before the interview to understand your business, researched the role thoroughly and could give you answers that sound right rather than giving you examples of what they have actually done that are related to the role. This could be really clouded in their enthusiasm and it is best to have structured questions that specifically identify whether a candidate has actually done the task or not.

Be calculated in your approach to recruitment, work out what you need now and what can be learned and then focus on getting the right team fit for your business. The wrong personality with a great skill base is not always the right answer.

Have you ever faked it… and got the job?

Quite a number of years ago I had a friend in the retail sector that always had a couple of made-up stories to use in an interview to showcase his skills… and they worked! Firstly, I would like to say that we don’t agree with making up stories however, the science behind his approach is excellent and I have used it as a training tool for candidates throughout the years.

Why are stories good?
People relate to stories. It gives them a picture of what you have done and helps them to picture you doing similar things in their role. When you think about it, you have already been selected based on your written application. This means that the employer or recruiter has already made the decision that you have some or all of the skills and experience that they are seeking. Now it is up to you to provide examples of where and how you have demonstrated this when asked questions about your skills and experience at interview.

What kind of stories do you tell?
When we say stories, they need to be short and to the point – think more about them as a paragraph rather than a page-long story that puts the interviewer to sleep. Going back to my friend’s approach, he was in retail and thought about the questions he was always asked – customer service, sales targets, process improvements, conflict resolution and communication skills. Whilst he went ahead and made up short stories for each one of these, he could have easily found examples in each category and created a real story for each.

Examples to think about
Here are some examples of likely scenarios that you may have encountered in your job :

  • Retail – customer service example of assisting an elderly customer in the store with their shopping (I’m sure that a lot of us have done this at some point). Another one may be about conflict resolution – a customer may have had a complaint about a faulty product and you were able to rectify it, creating a happy customer
  • Administration – Streamlining an administrative process in the office to cut down time spent on a task. Another one is to write a list of what you actually do in each program that you use so that when asked, you can create a picture in the interviewer’s head of what you do in those programs – sounds easy but we rarely hear it from a candidate
  • IT – Examples of where you have managed a project, examples of troubleshooting systems – what was the issue and how did you rectify it?
  • Management – examples of leading teams, the number in the team and how you managed them in particular scenarios. Financial management, size of the budget, how you were involved and results. 
  • Kitchen hand – Did you improve processes or find another more efficient way to prepare food – explain what you did. Did you save money on minimising wastage.

It doesn’t matter what job or role that you have been in or are applying for, this strategy can work for you. If you can think of examples of your work for the type of questions that you have previously been asked, you can create a short story around each one. Then you can hone it to be exactly what the interviewer needs to hear to help them picture you in the role.

Don’t fake it, use good and factual stories in your interview that your referees can back up when asked. Good Luck!

The Dreaded Salary Question!!! “What salary are you seeking?”

When you have been called by an employer or recruiter in response to an application that you submitted, have you ever been asked the dreaded question: “What salary range are you seeking for this role? If the answer is yes, and you never heard from them again, there is some important information that you need to know.

Why we ask?
There are a number of reasons why we ask this question:
• We need to qualify you for the job specification from our client. They have set a range based on budgets available, what they believe the role is worth and the type of skill/experience required
• We need to see what the market is currently paying or expecting for this type of role so that we can compare this with what was specified originally and then advise our client on the expected range from applicants
• We need to know where you actually sit in your predetermined worth as a candidate – you have skills, experience and qualifications that have a value

How to be prepared?
Start doing some research. Even if you have already started sending out applications, spend some time looking at what the market is currently paying. Some salaries have slipped whilst some more in-demand roles have risen. Write it down and note what each role is asking for in qualifications, responsibilities, skills and expertise, then compare this with what you bring.

How do you find this information?
At least 60% of jobs advertised don’t have a salary or hourly rate listed. It is not a trick or the fact that an employer or recruiter doesn’t want to reveal their cards too early, it is simply an attraction strategy to keep the salary open for a range of candidates of varying skill and experience levels. You can find out a salary range that is being paid when viewing jobs that are posted online through advanced search functions, which you should do before calling a recruiter or employer. Take SEEK for example, when we load a job into their system, we must indicate a salary range for the job to upload. The range can vary but it is generally fairly close to the mark. The exception to this is in cases where there are bonuses/commissions – it may be the base or a target range selected instead. We then select whether to display this salary range or not. For you, this means that you can go to SEEK and use the advanced search function to narrow your search based on a salary range as well. Try it for yourself, go to the advanced search function, fill in the usual details that you would and click the search button, write down the number of jobs that appear and then do the search with a salary range that you are seeking and note down the number of job that now appear – there should be a difference. When you find a job that you like, keep playing around with the salary range selector until your job disappears, then you will find out where it sits, and hopefully it will sit where you hoped!

The phone call
If you research better and know where you sit, when you get (or make) that call it will be for a job that you targeted in your range and the person at the other end of the phone won’t have a heart attack when they hear you say a figure $10,000 above their target. The best part is that if you are getting the phone call, they are interested in you, and if you meet that salary range, an interview could end up being the next step!

Job Application Strategy – do you have one???

I made a phone call to an applicant the other day for a role that we have been recruiting for and was really impressed. The applicant’s phone rang and she answered with “Hello David”. This is a very rare occurrence, I hadn’t even introduced myself! Would you believe that she was also successful through our interview process and commenced in the role only a few days ago.

Now… you don’t have to be that switched on to impress us from the first phone call however ‘first impressions count’ and what this candidate showed was a very good first impression. She knew what she had applied for, knew who was looking after it and must have saved my phone number into her phone to know who could be calling her. Too often, we make calls, the candidate asks ‘which job is this for?’ or ‘where are you from?’ and then we have to explain ourselves, and at the same time thinking whether this is actually going to work out for all of us.

How do you get yourself in the spotlight?
Have a job search strategy. When you have a strategy and the right tools, you will know exactly where you stand, what you’ve applied for, particulars about the jobs, contacts and where the application process currently is. When we train jobseekers in job searching strategies we focus on them having the following tools first:

  • A current resume – sometimes you will make a phone call and the employer or recruiter will ask you to send it straight through to them . Unfortunately a number of candidates will respond with “I just have to update it first”. Don’t be that person – it shows that you are disorganised!
  • A draft cover letter prepared for the type of role(s) that you would generally apply for that outlines your skills, experience and intention
  • A spreadsheet or table to track job searching activities. I recall seeing a really good one prepared by a candidate that was applying for one of our roles a few years ago – she also made it to final selection. It should indicate the date that it was advertised, title, company/recruiter, contact name, phone, particulars, the process and outcome
  • A phone that works – you may laugh however a good number of candidates are uncontactable… and are unsuccessful as well!
  • A schedule of when you may be available to interview – this goes a long way for us as we can then book in to see you sooner rather than later

Most importantly your strategy should be aimed at applying for jobs that match your skill base. We receive a number of applications every day that make us stop and scratch our head to ask why this person is applying for this role? We get used to repeat offenders and start hitting the delete key instead of opening up your application to save wasting time. Don’t be that person. Be strategic – it is far better to apply for one role this week that matches your skill base rather than three that ‘kind of do’. You will stand a much better chance against other candidates this way and possibly come out on top – we are sure that you would rather that!

Get all of these tools in place, focus on your strategy , impress us and win that job!

Reference checking candidates… do you actually do it?

Do you believe what a candidate says in the application process or do you contact referees to verify this information? We know a number of employers out there that do and also a number that don’t. In short, the answer is that you should conduct reference checks.

Do you ever get a bad reference from a referee?

YES!!! We have had some really poor reference checks in the past; however, more than 80% of referee checks turn out to be positive. Sometimes we pick up areas that a candidate may need improvement but overall they are quite good. Reference checking is definitely worth it if you have the right questions to ask the referee and you receive a range of answers that fit in with what you are seeking. If not, don’t waste the phone call or email.

There are a number of good reasons to conduct referee checks and here is what you can find out:

  • Whether a candidate actually worked at a previous employer and their job title – the candidate’s actual job as an “Administration Assistant” is very different to their perception as the “Office Manager” – we actually see this quite often!
  • The referee’s understanding of why the person left or is leaving
  • Verification of wage / salary / employment tenure / attendance record (sometimes, due to privacy all of these details may not be verified) – did the candidate tell you that they were on $75,000 when they were really on $60,000? It happens!
  • The actual tasks performed by the person in the role and their competencies
  • Verification of what part the person played in large projects or initiatives – did they lead the project, do a large or small part of it, and was it their idea – the candidate’s recollection of their role in this may be very different to the referee’s
  • Relationships – did they work well with clients, other staff and supervisors?
  • Strengths, performance and developmental areas
  • Attitude to work and personal attributes
  • Would they re-hire this person – sometimes this is all that you need to know about how they feel about them!

Written references

We often receive written references however they often don’t tell us a lot. We like to have the conversation and use a written reference to compliment other information that we receive during the phone call based on what we need to know.

We always reference check a candidate with a tailor-made form with specific questions about the candidate. We focus on the areas outlined above to draw a picture of how the candidate performed in the previous role(s) to assess future performance for our client. You can also create a form to keep on file and modify each time that you recruit a new staff member.

I am a referee – what should I say / not say?

As a referee it is your responsibility to be truthful in what you say. Sometimes we contact people that are unaware that they are a referee – they have not been asked and it was assumed by the candidate that it would be ok. If you feel uncomfortable about the legalities of saying something bad work by the rule that if you have nothing good to say about the person, respond with “I would prefer not to comment on that” and leave it at that. Verify details about the person’s employment if requested but don’t delve any further. The person calling you should get the picture and cease the referee check.

Reference checks are certainly worth it and offer you a better insight into a candidate than just your interview and perception of who they are.

Job Applications – The Interview… Don’t ruin it now!!!

Congratulations, you have made it to the next stage in your application – the interview. You have beaten all of the other candidates and most likely have a one in three chance of winning the job. You have no idea what the other candidates possess so… now it is yours to lose

Ok, you have done something right in your written application, have the skills on paper to perform in the role, answered the right questions over the phone and have now been called to come in and meet your prospective new employer face to face. What now?

Generally when you are called for interview you may only have 24 hours or less to prepare for it so how do you prepare, and what are the main things that the interviewers are looking for?

When we interview a candidate on behalf of a client, we focus on the following aspects:

  • Intention – why are you looking for work, why did you choose this role and what do you know about the company (if revealed), what would you like to gain from taking on this role?
  • Skills and qualifications – we read about these on your resume and application letter or selection criteria, we now need for you to spell out what you do, how you have done it (examples) and the outcomes of applying these skills in the workplace
  • Capacity to perform the role – do your examples and applied experience give us the confidence that you can perform in the role?
  • Do we like you and could our client work with you? I know that this is a tough one to grasp but this is a major factor for us. So many jobs have been won or lost on this very question and it just doesn’t get the attention it deserves.  All of the above mean nothing if you have the wrong attitude, show arrogance or overconfidence, or just have qualities that don’t fit with the culture of the organisation that we are recruiting for

How do you prepare?

Look back at the bullet points above and answer those questions. Look at your intentions, write out examples of how your work experiences meet the criteria and competencies of the role advertised and do you have examples that will draw a picture for the interviewer? Focus on what you have done over what you can do (we can all do things but not everyone has always done something – prove it). Lastly, get friends, family or those in your network to give feedback on how you actually come across. Be honest with yourself and tell them to be honest… you may be surprised at how you come across to other people and it’s just that nobody told you. If it is a bit unfavourable or, at the other end of the scale,  doesn’t show any confidence, work on it.

Interview day

Have appropriate clothes prepared, know where the interview actually is, have your mobile with you with the contact’s phone number (cars do break down, accidents do happen), and leave with enough time to get to the interview on time. All of these are “no-brainers” however, we have experienced these issues with candidates in the past. It is also a really good idea to bring your resume and application, some of the notes that you prepared about your application, a few questions jotted down about the role and a notepad and pen to write down some information. These last few things show interest in the role, a demonstration of good organisational skills and could work as ‘cheat sheets’ to look back on if you get stuck or nervous during the interview.

The rest is now in your hands… good luck!

Job applications – Getting back to basics!

We often get asked ‘what is the best way to apply for a job?‘ Sometimes we really think it’s as easy as writing a quick cover note and sending a resume/CV for the role. Well… it’s not that straightforward. More than ever, especially in today’s climate, you have to get it right from the start – first impressions count!

What do we mean by that?
You need to have all of your tools together before you even attempt to apply for a role – a current resume, draft cover letter, a good social media profile and a range of answers about your skills and experience, your motivation, and salary expectations. We receive so many applications on a daily basis, especially when advertising administrative roles, and it is really obvious when a prepared person applies for a role – they really stand out (in a good way). If you are not prepared, send an old resume, have no cover letter, no referees prepared, do not meet the criteria and have not outlined your intentions for applying… there’s a very good chance that you just wasted your time.

Now let’s break down what makes a good application:

  • Reading the job advertisement – it is really amazing that candidates do not do this. We always say – print it out and highlight the points that the employer is seeking – experience, qualifications (if any), and the type of company. Do you meet some or all of the criteria mentioned? If unsure call the employer/HR/ recruitment agency to find out more.
  • Preparing a cover letter – It is good to have a draft letter on file. It is most likely that you will be applying for similar roles during your job hunting. The best way to create a letter is to highlight the position title at the top, state where you found the advertisement, then open with a paragraph introducing who you are and what you currently do and draw on similarities with the role advertised. The next paragraph should state your intention for applying and what you are seeking from the role and company (not always known if through an agency). Next outline your skills that directly relate to the advertisement in bullet points so that they stand out. Close with a short blurb about how to contact you to discuss the application further.
  • Current resume – yes… a current resume. We have a lot of resumes that come through that have not been updated. Update it so that you area ready to submit it. Whilst this is a broad statement, we do not believe that any resume is wrong. What we find however, is that most resumes do not sell your skills and experience very well. A good recruiter can read between the lines and will call you to clarify past roles to get a better picture of what you have done.
  • Social media – Check out your profile(s) on Facebook, LinkedIn and other ones that you have. Make sure that they are clean and professional. If on Facebook, close your profile to friends only if you want to keep it private. We still see quite a few ‘bad things’ that can influence a decision to call you.
  • Referees – Ask for 2-3 referees to vouch for you. Let them know that you are looking for work and ask if they would be happy to speak about you. At our end it makes all the difference and can speed up the process of recruiting you.
  • Be ready for the interview. The tools above will already have you prepared and we will cover the interview in our next blog.

Now is the time to revisit what you are currently doing and get back to basics. Get these things right and you are well on the way to moving to a short-list.

How do you retain staff? What do you consider as a long term employee in today’s market?

Doing what we do in recruitment, we see a lot of resumes coming through our system on a daily basis. The stand-out thing for us is the short tenure that most applicants have in their work history, which makes us ask the question – what is considered a long term employee? We also ask, do you hold employees longer than 3 years, and if so, do you do anything special to retain them?

Reading a story from this month’s BRW magazine about ‘The 50 Best Places To Work’ we saw some common themes about engagement of staff, team building, flexibility, having fun at work, recognition and professional development. We also read with interest some of the other activities such as free holidays, competitions, Kung Fu sessions (yes, Kung Fu!!!) and thought, what do our clients do to retain staff? We select and work with some great businesses on the Gold Coast and each has something to give that helps retain their staff. We have found that the culture plays a huge part, recognition for effort, flexibility in work hours (this one needs clear policies in place) and being paid appropriately were the major factors. Minor factors included the workplace perks such as bbq’s at lunch, Friday drinks, gym memberships and huge Christmas parties, that are all real factors for some people and they really love to tell their friends (or brag) about it.

Now we ask the question of what is considered a long term employee? Again we spoke to clients and our candidates about their employment tenure, and whilst we had quite a few that were 10 years plus in the one organisation, we are seeing more and more that employees are leaving around the third year mark or earlier. With this in mind, have you ever thought of working the opposite way to others and decided to recruit your next role with the focus on the person being in the role for 2 or 3 years maximum? Obviously there should also be a longer term plan for the role, as we always hope that they would stay longer, but what if they don’t?

Some may think that deciding on your next employee only lasting 2 or 3 years in the role as a defeatist attitude however, it can also prove to be a very smart and practical way of working within the current employment environment. Consider this for a moment:

  • If you have committed to having the person for 2 years, you can now plan what outcomes you want from that person (and the role) in the 2 years, break it down into quarters and set targets and/or projects for the role over that period
  • The role and KPI’s / targets will actually be better defined, giving the new employee a purpose in their role and better engagement as they know where they currently stand
  • By doing this, you may find that the new employee is focused on and may actually enjoy, achieving those targets (all roles can have targets, not just sales) and could become a long term employee and ultimately, an asset to your business
  • It could also help you develop a new recruitment strategy and succession plan for developing staff internally – recognition is valued by employees including the opportunity to advance their career

What you may find from taking a different approach is that morale and focus could be boosted, employees are more engaged, employees develop faster, and you lower the attrition rate in your business. There is no magic pill; however a small change in strategy can yield very good results.