We know it can be overwhelming when trying to choose which recruitment path to follow (even at the best of times) – with so many different options available, it can be difficult to know which the right one is.

With the ever-changing situation in the world, and with technology constantly evolving, you may not even know which options are out there – or how they can help you and your business.

Every organisation will have different needs and priorities throughout their recruitment process, so for the clients we work with there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

We know that you don’t want to miss out on the extra talent currently in the market, but you also want to ensure you’re following Covid19 social distancing measures. One very useful option to help your recruitment team’s ability to interact with applicants is Video Interviewing.

Video interviewing provides candidates the ability to showcase their knowledge and personality through more than just their resume. There are endless options available for both live and pre-recorded video interviews, and it’s hard to know what would work best for you and your needs.

Having made use of automated Video Interview technology consistently for over 6 years, we know our clients can really see the value it brings – not just in getting to know candidates better, but in streamlining their recruitment activities in a shorter and more engaging way for both applicants and the company – thus saving them time and money.

For some of our high volume roles, ensuring that our clients gain a solid understanding of candidates prior to a face to face interview is vital and definitely helps with shortlisting. Entry level IT roles for example, often receive hundreds of applications with perhaps 20 who actually meet the requirements of the role. Rather than spend 30minutes on the phone with each of those 20 candidates, we ask them to complete a pre-recorded video interview which we can share directly with our client.

The video interview shows both the communication and personality of the candidate, and allows our client to streamline their recruitment process so they only need to interview 2 or 3 candidates in person (or via live video interview now that social distancing is in effect).

By 2025, 75% of the workforce will be made up of millennials and their successors, Gen Z. Attracting, engaging, and retaining these generations is very different to their predecessors. To ensure that you are able to access the widest pool of quality candidates, you may consider adapting your recruitment process.

Video interviewing is certainly here to stay. Why? Not only does it save time and money, but it also appeals to both candidates and employers. This means that even if you implement Video Interviews now in the short term to manage Covid19 restrictions, there’s no reason that you can’t continue to use them in the long term.

 Why Not Outsource YOUR recruitment and save the Headache, Time and Money?

 Kim Acworth is a recruitment expert and director at Acworth Recruitment.

Acworth Recruitment utilises an integrated online candidate platform that also incorporates Automated Video Interviews – Saving you from sitting through hours of Recruitment Video Interview provider demonstrations, painful implementation and setup, and hefty monthly subscription fees.

Acworth Recruitment is a genuine outsource recruitment option with a cost-effective hourly charge model. You can outsource as much or as little as you want. No job is too big or too small – $50 to $5,000.

For an obligation free discussion feel free to give us a call on 0411 278 281 or email at finders@acworthrecruitment.com.au.

Find out more Here

I gave myself a little time out this morning to reset…..and look at things from a different perspective.

I gave myself a slow start…….the fur babies in my bed clearly have that agenda every day……and my phone and email isn’t exactly running hot now (nearly ALL of my clients are small to medium sized businesses being hit hard with the sudden COVID 19 impacts……so recruitment is the absolute opposite for them at the moment)……Just had to make sure to get the teenager off to school (only 2 days to go now for him as notification was received from the school late yesterday advising that the decision has been made to start the Easter School Holidays a week early so they can finalise the online learning plans for start of Term 2 on 20^th April……..GREAT decision Hillbrook, I think the other schools should follow this in Qld as well).

I did 30 minutes of basic exercise and stretches before taking the 20min walk to the local shopping centre to grab just a couple of items. I passed 4 people on the way to the shops and only 1 on the way back……I quickly learnt the unspoken rule for “Social Distancing” was to use the footpath as a measuring stick……1 of us on each side, with the cement path in the middle. I paid close attention to each of these people – observing their body language, facial expression and general demeanour. Everyone was very respectful and gave a friendly smile and nod……except for one more elderly lady walking her small dog in a section of the footpath that had barriers on both sides which meant that we could not walk on either side of the cement path……she prepared herself and the small dog by standing sideways up against the fence with her back facing outwards making it very simple for me to respect her obvious need for “Social Distancing”. Hopefully we will be able to continue going for walks over the coming weeks with people being so attentive in this regard.

Walking through the shopping centre, I took my time to look into every store and to take notice of the workers. Almost all of the small retail stores were void of shoppers and the retail workers were either trying to look busy moving stock around, or standing out the front watching the world pass them by…..we would exchange a half smile and a slow nod acknowledging the situation to each other. I could see that they were happy to have a job (unlike soooooo many), but also felt useless while knowing that it is only a matter of time before they join the rapidly growing jobless numbers.

I grabbed my handful of items in Woolworths and headed to the self-service checkouts and stood on the “X” marker behind the person in front of me. The 15 items or less lane had 3 or 4 elderly people fussing between themselves clearly confused over the “Social Distancing” etiquette and markers on the floor.

These are the people I am genuinely most concerned about at the moment……I really don’t think we are doing enough to protect the elderly as they are the most at risk here. Over their lengthy lifetimes, they have contributed sooooooo much to our society. There were WAY TOO MANY elderly people in that shopping centre this morning. I was SUPER CONSCIOUS of maintaining a good distance from them….while at the same time desperately wanting to assist them. How many of our Grandparents and Great Grandparents are we going to lose in the coming weeks and months????

I haven’t visited with my parents in over 2 weeks now as I KNOW that if my mother gets THE VIRUS, she will almost 100% DIE due to her existing lung conditions. My sister and I have had numerous and lengthy discussions with both Mum and Dad to ensure they understand the seriousness of their actions and they made the decision to self-isolate. It’s Mum’s birthday tomorrow……so 2 weeks ago, we arranged for family portrait photos to be taken in our backyard (Thank you Awesome Photoz)……she now has a package to open in the morning with portrait prints ensuring that her family is with her.

Jarrah’s (Most of you know that Jarrah has been the Assistant Finder here at Acworth Recruitment for the past 4 years) 18 year old sister is now finally on a plane heading home from England after having 2 other flights cancelled. The plane is due to land in Perth this afternoon….and then HOPEFULLY a domestic flight to Brisbane and into self-isolation for 2 weeks.

Am I worried and stressed at the moment…….ABSOLUTELY !!!!!

BUT, I also know that there are MANY, MANY, MANY people out there in WAY WORSE situations than me.

However, I still have a mortgage to pay, car repayments, insurance premiums (don’t these add up…..house & contents, car, health, income protection….), water, rates, electricity, school fees…..plus all the normal costs of living.

So what am I doing????

1. I made sure all my invoicing was up to date and sent out……as long as they all get paid…..it should by me a good month.
2. Communicating openly and honestly with Jarrah……she’s not just an employee to me…..we’re in this together.
3. Working with my Accountant (thanks Kevin from Jones Howard Chartered Accountants) to make sure we understand the Government Stimulus options and how to access them.
4. Researching the markets that are really busy (such as food delivery services….YouFoodz, Marley Spoon, Hello Fresh etc) to try and find contacts to reach out to…..Let’s face it…..the online recruitment technology and candidate recorded video interviews will be more than just helpful now…….ANY contact links in this regard are HIGHLY WELCOMED !!!
5. Looking at what we can do differently here at Acworth Recruitment…..for when we come out the other side……there are going to be A LOT of people looking for work.
6. Review the budget and spend……know where money is going 100%……and cut out any unnecessary items.

Whilst it feels like we are caught in a swirling tornado that keeps growing and changing directions……we ARE still RESPONSIBLE for OUR OWN ACTIONS…….reactions and behaviours…..and to be CONSIDERATE to those around us……..

Business Owners and Managers are quick to make judgements about Candidates during the Recruitment Process….. But have you ever considered the impression you’re giving them???

The impression you give to your next potential employee/s about your business, its work culture, management style & capability all starts from the advertising stage, and continues even after they commence. If you want to attract high calibre candidates to the role and your business, and have them accept the offer to come work with you, YOU NEED TO IMPRESS THOSE CANDIDATES.

The NUMBER ONE MISTAKE I see employers make – Taking too LONG in the DECISION making PROCESS!!! As a Recruiter, I play the role of a “Middle Man” acting in the best interest of both the clients and the candidates. To facilitate the recruitment process, I need to be proactive, professional, positive and honest. Encouraging my clients to make decisions on who they want to see for the interview, and to whom they want to offer the job, whilst fielding phone calls and emails from candidates seeking an update. This is not only frustrating, but also challenging when trying to maintain a professional image for my client. The result of a drawn out process with wishy washy reasons for delays, usually results in the Top Candidate taking another job offer or simply declining your job offer.

Put yourself in the shoes of your top candidates – most of whom are likely to be in a job and looking to improve their current situation – whether that be the work itself, the work environment, the Manager or a combination of these. Do you want to work for a Manager and Business that is disorganised and ineffective in their communication process??? NO ONE DOES!!!

If you want the best people working for you, then you need to be a GREAT Manager with a Great Business…. and potential new staff need to see this!!!

So how can you make a GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION???

There are 15 things that are a MUST if you want to make that great first impression. They are:

1. Your Job Advertisement needs to paint a positive and clear picture about the role and your business.
2. The Shortlisting Process needs to be carried out Efficiently – Where possible, you should hold face to face interviews within two to three weeks from when you commence advertising.
3. The Interview MUST include the Immediate Supervisor – Consideration should be given to include other key stakeholders such as the Business Owner/ Senior Manager – this will save time in needing a second interview.
4. Be Prepared for the Interview and be On-Time – Review the candidate’s application again prior to bringing them into the room and have the details with you.
5. Be Professional in how YOU Present yourself and Communicate – This is your first opportunity to gain the respect of your potential new employee.
6. Be Aware of the Candidate – Give them the chance to ask questions as well.
7. Be prepared to make a final decision ASAP and communicate this with the Candidate so they know when they can expect to hear from you again.
8. Do your background checks quickly, and make your decision within three days.
9. CALL your preferred candidate to offer them the job – Congratulate them, let them know you’re looking forward to having them on board and give them details around the salary and start date – And that you will be sending them the Formal Offer of Employment by EMAIL.
10. Email the Formal Offer of Employment within 24 hours of your phone call – The Formal Offer should ALWAYS include a copy of the Position Description.
11. Phone them a couple of days before their start date to make them feel welcomed and ensure they know what time to start, whom to ask for and what to expect.
12. Ensure you have their work station with computer, emails and logins all set up ready to go.
13. Have a formalised plan for the first week – which is centred around their training and who will be facilitating it.
14. Ensure others in the business know that a New Person is starting and what their role is – encourage them to make their newest team member feel welcomed.
15. You as the Manager MUST take the time to meet them on their First Day, conduct regular check-ins during the week and again take the time to meet with them again at the end of the week. Regular check-ins are a MUST for a Manager to conduct throughout every employee’s time with your business.

I don’t believe that any of these points are difficult – with a little bit of time and planning you can create a lasting positive impression that will ensure your staff respect you and want to stay with the business.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Acworth-Recruitment-185674054963527) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

Hiring employees is based on your operational needs. You need the additional resources and support to ensure that your business operates efficiently and to ensure that your customers are happy and keep coming back. So it’s CRITICAL that you know EXACTLY what the job is.

Even if you’re needing to replace someone who is leaving, it is important to take a step back and review the role. Consider the tasks that need to be completed, how it sits and interacts with the other roles in the business, the required work hours and the salary.

Having a CLEAR understanding of these factors upfront is KEY to getting the right person for the role in your business. A good Job Description performs a number of important functions:

• It describes the skills and competencies that are needed to perform the role.
• It defines where the job fits within the overall company hierarchy.
• It is used as the basis for the employment contract.
• It is a valuable performance management tool.

Job Title

The first fundamental element of the Position Description is the Job Title. A good job title will address the following:

• It accurately reflects the nature of the job and the duties being performed
• It reflects its ranking order with other jobs in your business
• It does not exaggerate the importance of the role
• It reflects similar jobs in the industry for comparable pay and conditions
• It is self-explanatory for recruitment and attraction purposes

A good example of this is Office Manager verse Office Coordinator or Office Administrator – An Office Manager is reflective of a medium to large sized business with 10 plus office based staff where “management” responsibilities are undertaken on a daily basis – and is likely to attract a salary of around $80K……..An Office Administrator is more likely to be the sole administrative staff member of a small business or perhaps works with a receptionist – to provide a broad range of hands on administrative and office support functions – and is likely to attract a salary of around $55K up to maybe $65K.

Duties & Responsibilities

The Position Description needs to contain a list of tasks, duties and responsibilities required as for the role. This will define the differences between roles within your business and provide the basis for “who does what”.

The level of responsibility (ie. the level of accountability, authority, control, power, leadership, management or influence) you include within the role, needs to be considered carefully to ensure that it is accurate and is reflected in the salary (more on this on my next blog). Whilst this needs to be comprehensive – don’t make it too long as it isn’t meant to be an operation manual.

Skills and Competencies

It is best to list these separately from each other, as they are two quite separate things:

• Skills are activities the candidate can perform based on what they have learned in the past, or from qualifications they have obtained (eg Professional level MYOB user). Skills can be learned through study and/or practice.
• Competencies are the traits or attributes you expect the candidate to display in the role (Strong communication and interpersonal capability). This is an innate characteristic displayed by a person.

Qualifications and Licences

Often a formal qualification is required for the role – or preferred. These may range from a TAFE Certificate in Information Technology or Administration – through to a Degree in Architecture with Registration. However, it is important that you be REALISTIC about the level of qualification you REQUIRE for the role – Does your Finance Officer really need a Degree followed by a CA or CPA?

Other critical areas to consider and must be included are the Licences and Tickets that are ESSENTIAL for the role. These may include a Blue Card for working with children, Safety Inductions, a Civil Drivers Licence, etc. If the role REQUIRES the employee to drive to client premises, the supplier’s warehouse, etc. then you must include this in the Position Description as a requirement (eg. Current clean Manual Drivers Licence). If you don’t have this as part of the Position Description and the employee loses their drivers licence – you cannot dismiss them!!!

Reporting Relationships

It is important to include reporting lines and working relationships in your Position Description.

• Reporting lines clarify the responsibilities of the position by showing whom the employee reports to and as to who reports to the employee. (Reports to the Finance Manager).
• Working relationships are the people and departments the position requires the employee to work closely with. (Work closely with Production and Sales to provide accurate and timely reports).

Salary

The salary that you pay the employee is a VERY important consideration. It needs to be reflective of level of duties and responsibilities, competitive within the market and fit within the salary structure of other roles within the business. In addition, it has to fit within your budget. By its very nature, the notion of SALARY is a highly EMOTIVE subject, for both the employee and the employer.

My next blog will look at salary and remuneration options in detail….

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Acworth-Recruitment-185674054963527) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

If someone is looking at your Job Advertisement – there is ALWAYS a reason!!! That reason generally lies in one or more of their “needs” not being met at their current place of employment.

An employee spends more time at work that with their near and dear ones. Therefore, the ‘working relationship’ needs to be FULFILLING. If “something’s missing” – then they will treat it similar to a personal relationship and try to FIX IT! However, if their needs still aren’t being met, then they will eventually start looking elsewhere.

So what are people generally looking for within their employment to be HAPPY?

• FAIR PAY OF COURSE!!! No one expects otherwise.
• A sense of SAFETY!!! Everyone expects to be able to go home after work.
• To feel VALUED!!! No one wants to be just ‘another number’ or constantly ‘criticised’.
• OPPORTUNITIES to learn new skills, scope for career advancement and future rise in pay.
• A sense of FIT in their personal values and ethos to that of the CULTURE of the firm.
• To actually LIKE WHAT THEY DO!!!

To attract the right candidates and have them apply for your job vacancy, your Job Advertisement needs to paint a clear picture of the job, and must addresses all of the points mentioned above. When I ask my top candidates, “why did you apply for this position?” The answer always refers to one or more elements from the job advertisement that resonated positively with them.

In a nutshell, a Job advertisement is an ADVERTISEMENT!!!

Advertising is a form of marketing communication used to promote or sell something, usually a business’s product or service. (source: Wikipedia)

Your ‘Job Advertisement’ is an opportunity for you to paint a POSITIVE and ACCURATE picture of your business, the workplace and the role itself. The importance of being accurate and realistic when outlining details cannot be UNDERESTIMATED!!! You will not only cost yourself TIME & MONEY, but also lose potential CLIENTS by appointing someone under false pretences!!! By writing a Job Advertisement that is more or less a shortened (cut and paste) version of the Job Description, you’re not taking advantage of the opportunity to SELL the role. REMEMBER, a job advertisement is a tool to attract potential candidates, by communicating the function of the role, the business and essentially promote the business as an ideal workplace.

Here are some Headings you can use within your Job Advertisement:

• About the Business
• About the Role
• Your Skills and Experience or What skills and Qualities are we looking for?
• What we Provide or What’s on Offer

Don’t be afraid to put the business out there!!! If you’re a ground level IT business dealing with everyday business and people – then don’t be afraid to say we offer “IT help for HUMANS!!!”. If the role requires the candidate to be detail oriented and possess a high degree of analytical ability to the extent that they are ALMOST ANAL, then state it OUTRIGHT!!! People who refer to themselves in this way are the people you want to apply. When I work with my clients, I take the time to really listen to what they are describing about their business, the type of people within their business, what works well for them and of course what the role will actually entail!!! Only then will I work on designing a Job Advertisement that accurately reflects the role, the Brand and the people they are looking for. Thus, providing the best marketing opportunity to attract quality candidates.

Make sure you’re following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Acworth-Recruitment-185674054963527/) as I’ll share some other great tips and information.

Business is busy and as a Manager or Owner you’re in a constant state of juggling while wearing the many hats of responsibility.

Then you have one of your key staff resign.

Your immediate thoughts go to “I don’t have time for this”!!

So you go to your files – grab a copy of the last advertisement – make 1 or 2 quick changes – then wack it up on SEEK and watch your inbox fill up with applications.

STOP !!! Rewind and let’s go back and ask a couple of simple and important questions. After all, you’re running a business and staff cost you money.

1. Once that particular staff member has gone, what REALLY needs to be done to support the business functions?
2. What background experience, knowledge and qualifications will this person need to have?
3. What do I need to pay to get the right person?

Chances are that over the past couple of years, things have changed in your business and the market. This is an “Opportunity” for you take the next step in moving forward.

Now advertising a vacancy is no different in principle to a marketing advertisement – it is a form of communication used to encourage or persuade an audience to take some action.

Your advertisement needs to grab the ATTENTION of quality candidates then raise their INTEREST in the role – they need to be able to see themselves in the role and the benefits to them in working for YOUR business – and finally lead them to ACTION – you want them to apply.

Quality candidates rather than quantity is the response you need from your advertisement – after all there is only one position to fill and you have better things to do with your time than screen 100 resumes.

To do this effectively, YOU need to be CLEAR as to what the role really is, what type of person you are looking for and what stands out about your business – then reflect this in the advertisement.

Perceived “benefits” obviously vary for each individual and it is not always the salary that is the deciding factor. Your role may offer part-time hours or flexible working arrangements. The location could be close to home for someone and save commuting and parking costs. The size of your business and strong team culture may be attractive. This could be a step up for someone who feels that there is no room for growth in their current position.

So put yourself in the candidate’s shoes and don’t be afraid to SELL the role and your business. The perfect candidate may be working with one of your competitors and ready to make the move!!

Now that you have identified what you actually need someone to do as well as the skills, experience and qualifications they need and you have an advertisement that is attracting a quality pool of applications – you will be able to recognize awesome candidates with confidence.

Taking the time to review your business needs and the role as well as writing a quality advertisement will save you time during the screening process – and we know time is money – as well as ensure that you employ someone who is the right fit for your business.

For assistance to source great staff without outrageous fees, please contact me to see how Acworth Recruitment’s “Finder’s Model” can be tailored to your individual needs. We provide a genuine professional outsource option – outsource any part of the process and only pay for the support you need – no job is too small.

Keen for a Rally Experience without having to spend the big $’s……

2 People will have the opportunity to jump in the left hand seat and get the REAL Rally Experience (without all those nasty trees).

All you need to do to go into the draw is ANY of the following between now and Friday 5th October Friday 23rd November:

– Place a job vacancy with Acworth Recruitment

– Refer Acworth Recruitment to someone needing help with their recruitment

– Place a positive Google Review about Acworth Recruitment or Bruce the Acworth Recruitment Rally Car on Google Profile for Acworth Recruitment or Google Profile for Manufacturing Recruitment

You will have 1 entry go into the draw for EACH activity !!!!

The 2 winners will be drawn on Friday 5th October Friday 23rd November.

Your Rally Experience Ride will be  Saturday 13th October on Sunday 2nd December at Queensland Raceway – Willowbank.

You can take the ride yourself – OR pass it onto a Customer, Colleague, Friend or Family Member of your choice.

www.adbuzzdemo2.com.au/acworthrecruitment

www.manufacturingrecruitment.com.au

Finders@adbuzzdemo2.com.au/acworthrecruitment 

0411 278 281