Steve Semmens

The Networkers secret!

2009-08-01T04:36:00.000-07:00

Networkers are made not born. The best Networkers I have met, in their earlier days were shy, lacked confidence, and had low self-esteem. The majority of those top Networkers are women and there is one reason for that.

That reason is most women know how to make a person feel important by listening to them as if they only person in the room.

“Conveying to others is that you're willing to listen the keys you value what they have to say is a way of demonstrating that you care. It is the way of being inspiring of listening like God…Who sets the example for allowing you to be what you choose to be. Be a good listener!” – Dr Wayne W. Dyer

This means that you do not necessarily have to be that good with people. You do not necessarily have to be extrovert. You do have to show that you are interested and that you care.

So the biggest secret of how to be a successful networker is to Listen!!!

Dare to Dream!

2009-08-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

As a child you have no fear and the world is a fascinating place to explore. Fantasy and imagination are encouraged and all things seemed possible.
You may wish to be a fireman or a policeman a superhero, a sporting hero, a wizard, a witch, a hobbitt or a rock star and you truly believe that is what you will be.
What did you want to be??? A Nurse a Doctor, a President, a hitman, a politician, a judge, or an actor.

“To be or not to be, that is the question!” and as a child you believe it to be!!!
Slowly, the rigours of everyday life start to creep in as certain trials and tribulations set us back one after the other. We start to question ourselves as to whether we can succeed. We lose confidence in our abilities and we gain fear. Much of our fear is unfounded but it occupies our thoughts like an invading army of darkness.

As a Teenager the anxiety, stress, and frustration of growing from a child to a man or a woman is intense. Many handle it on their own without support of family and friends. Life darkens and some do not make it! Dreams are twisted and distorted and we are often bashed into submission not to dream, not to achieve, not to be different, and not to use ones imagination. These dream smashers are often those closest to us, or sometimes society as a whole.

Moving into early adulthood we are steadily locked into slavery, conforming to the main stream. Dreams and Dreamers are not allowed! Those who dare to dream are severely punished!

Then a small spark of a bright cheery thought. It ignites into a flame and then into a fiery passion and a dreamer is reborn! The dreamer goes against the tide and fights the crowd. Adding others to their vision. Encouraging, excitement, imagination, happiness breathe ecstatic Life! Their struggle is often long and hard but sustainable by their everlasting belief that gets them through no matter how tough it gets.

My dream is to have the time to spend with my family, to travel, to write, to do an acting course and to lead others to their financial freedom. Who knows perhaps I will be a Super Hero after all!

So remember your dreams! Do not let them die! Protect yourself from the dream smashes Get your PHD in life!

People Have Dreams!

Dare to Dream!

Job Tips No 3 - Referee's are VIP's!

2009-07-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how many reference checks we do where the candidate has not asked their Referee for permission to use them as a Referee. Some are very surprised and get quite upset. You can hardly blame them. It also reflects badly on the candidate.

Referees need to be treated like VIP's at all times. They put their reputation on the line whenever they give out a reference. Often they have a conflict with their company's policy of not giving references. Giving several references for the same candidate can also take up a considerable amount of a Referees time. Many of whom are very busy Managers.

I would suggest the following:

1. Always ask a Referees permission before forwarding their name and contact details to potential Employers or Recruiters.

2. Give your Referees a regular update on the types of roles you are applying for.

3. Ask a Referee to highlight any achievements that are relevant to the role you are applying for.

4. Find out when is the best time for a Recruiter or potential Employer to ring them.

5. When you get the job take your Referee's out for a drink or a meal to say thank you and to celebrate your success.

Remember Referee's are VIP's!

Job Tips Number 2 - Get your Resume Right!

2009-05-27T03:03:00.000-07:00

Eight month ago I would make allowance for any number of errors in a resume because of the shortage of quality candidates and lack of competition. The labour market as changed dramatically and because we now get a large number of applications for each role we advertise we now focus on every resume error to cull candidates to arrive at our client short list. For example we had a Customer Service role recently and received over 200 applications.

To get that elusive role and beat the competition you now need to ensure that your resume is perfect and proactively "sells" your skills and abilities.

I have literally reviewed thousands of resumes within the last ten years and the following comments are my observations ...

1. Resume formats - Most recruitment systems process resumes in MS Word format and if they have asked in the advertisement to put it in a particular format then please do so.

2. Spelling mistakes - Take care that you do not have any spelling mistakes in your resume as that may indicate that you are possibly careless and you may be eliminated because of it. The worse spelling mistake I have seen is when the candidate spelt their own name wrong. Always use spell check.

3. Work history - Always put your most recent jobs first. I am more happy with a ten year work history but sometimes you will be asked for everything you have done since you left school. (too far back for me to remember).

4. Gaps in work history - These days if you leave gaps Recruiters do not have time to guess what you were doing. Put in the dates as you would with a job and then add what you were doing It could be reasons such as "Travelling around Australia", " At home looking after my family" , "Studying at University".

5. Achievements - The most important thing you can put on a resume is your achievements. These differentiate you from other candidates and proves to recruiters and employers you have been there and done it! It also helps the Recruiter sell you to their clients.

6. Contact details - Make sure your contact details are correct so that a Recruiter can contact you quickly. Mobile phones are fantastic but if you do not have message bank or it is switched off then you could be missing out on job opportunities, When applying for jobs make sure you regularly check your messages and return phone calls as quickly as possible.

7. Photos on resumes - This is really a personal choice. I like them myself but make sure you use a recent photo. I had a candidate who used a photo that made him look twenty years younger than he actually was. At the interview I saw the real him and felt he had misrepresented himself. If he used a more recent photo I still will have interviewed him anyway.

8. Referees - You do not need to put these on your resume but do think about who can comment objectively on your previous work history. Make sure you ask your referees if it is ok to list them on your resume and let them know what sort of roles you are applying for.

Hopefully these comments have been of some help!

Job Tips Number 1 - No Shows!

2009-05-05T04:23:00.000-07:00

There are many mistakes you can make when searching for a job. Some we learn from and grow to be better people and others we continue to make without realising we are doing anything wrong.

As a Recruiter one thing we never forgive or forget is when candidates do not show up for interviews we have organised with our clients. We feel humiliated and betrayed. the client may start to doubt our abilities and it is not unheard of for us to even lose the client.

Recruiter's record everything they do in Databases and "No Shows" are always highlighted. When a candidate does not show up for an interview it suggests that they are unreliable, uncaring, and untrustworthy.

If you cannot make an interview for any reason then let the Recruiter or Employer know. I have had a candidate call me to postpone an interview the day after their father died. Another, candidate called me after being badly injured in a car accident on the way to the interview to let me know she could not make it. If they can make that call then anyone can!

If you have made the mistake of not showing up for the interview and you have a good reason then ring the Recruiter and apologise. They may give you a second chance...

Lunch with Kevin Rudd - Prime Minister

2008-10-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

On Friday 24th October 2008 I had lunch with Prime Minister Rudd ... along with 542 other business people. I was attending the "Small Business Summit on Global Financial Crisis"

Nice food was provided and I networked with several other Small Business Owners awaiting Prime Minister Rudd's arrival.

His opening remarks were optimistic and he recognised the importance of small business to the Australian economy. Apparently Small business employ 4 million people and that is a lot of votes!

Then questions were opened to the floor and the first one appeared to be a "Dorothy Dixer" and was promptly answered by a Senior Executive from the NAB. This Gentleman (just being polite) continued to espouse the virtues of the NAB and how good they are to Small Business. He carried on so long that most of us forgot about the question. Oh, that right something about the ease of small business to get credit now.

There were many questions from a broad range of people and I was lucky enough to be able to ask my question:

Why do petrol prices rise so quickly at the bowser when the price of oil goes up and when the price of oil drops why does it take the oil companies so long to drop the price of petrol at the bowser?

The Prime Minister gave us the standard answer that we have all heard before about the “free market forces” and Fuel Watch was stopped in the Senate. So I emailed my question again to Craig Emerson and the following is what I wrote:

From: Steve Semmens [mailto:steve.semmens@semmensexecutive.com.au]
Sent: Friday, 31 October 2008 2:32 PM
To: 'Small Business'
Subject: RE: [TRIS] Small Business Summit on Global Financial Crisis - Follow Up question

Dear Craig

I enjoyed the lunch and appreciate the efforts of yourself, Mr Swan, Mr Sherry, and Prime Minister Rudd for spending time with owners of SME’s.

However, though I did get to ask my question, I felt that there are solutions to my question that could be implemented by the Government and were not answered by Prime Minister Rudd.

The price of petrol impacts on all businesses and consumers but especially small business.

My question was:

Why do petrol prices rise so quickly at the bowser when the price of oil goes up and when the price of oil drops why does it take the oil companies so long to drop the price of petrol at the bowser?

My solution is this:

Take all taxes off petrol other than the GST. Is it legal to have a tax on a tax?

Petrol is a need not a want. The oil companies have a captured market therefore the Government has a responsibility to ensure that consumers are not being ripped off.

Give the ACCC more powers to obtain the information they need to properly investigate these differences in prices and if required prosecute the oil companies if they are indeed taking advantage as it appears that they are.

Get a Petrol Commissioner who is assertive and who will go after these large companies when they do the wrong thing. (I am more than happy to step in and have ago)

Ensure that the Independents get a fair go.

The Fuel watch idea sounds OK but I think the oil companies should be stuck with the same price of petrol for a week and not a day. I find it had to believe that they can use all of their reserves bought at one price and use it up all in one day. I think that is what the public finds so hard to believe.

Anyway, thank you for your time and I hope that you will consider some of my strategies in reducing the price of petrol thereby assisting Small Businesses effectively by reducing one of their major costs.

Kind regards

Steve Semmens

Director

Semmens Executive Recruitment

PO Box 3402

Tingalpa DC QLD 4173

Phone: 07 3890 7090

Mobile: 0412 522 771

Website: www.semmensexecutive.com.au

Placing Human Resources, Sales & Marketing, and Finance Professionals

I will post the answer when and if I get one.

All in all it was an interesting lunch! 4 million people is a HUGE amount of votes so lets see if Small

Business get the recognition and support from this Government that they deserve.

2008-06-28T01:49:00.000-07:00

What is a Résumé???

The Macquarie Dictionary definition:

Résumé – A summing up a summary –

What is the main purpose of the resume or CV?

Essentially it is a sales tool for applicants to put forward their strongest case as to why they are the best for the position.

You are competing against many others applicants so first impressions count. Your resume and covering application letter has to stand out because it not only creates the first impression, but tells them how well you fit their job.

A résumé is a concise account of your experience, education, interests and job-related skills. This information helps an employer to determine if you meet the requirements for the job, and/or what you have to offer.

You have 30 seconds to impress either the recruiter or the employer!

So what do Employers want???

Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine you are the hiring Manager of the your dream company who has to fill a Graduate position.

How would you go about selecting the right person?

As an Employer you would need to:

- Identify what is required for the position
- Write an advertisement to fit this requirement
- Write a job description and a person specification
- Shortlist and interview
- Ensure person selected fits the requirements specified
- When writing your résumé and particularly your application letter put yourself in the shoes of the employer and always ensure that you address the requirements.

If you lack exact experience or it is your first job, a potential employer may well be swayed by a show of enthusiasm, high values, flexibility and self-motivation to give you a fair go. Skills are much easier to teach than attitudes.

When an Employer is reading a resume and covering letter they generally look for proof that applicant has:

- Intelligence
- Motivation
- Other interests
- Stability
- Adaptability
- Dependency
- Appropriate attitudes and values
- Leadership potential
- Decision making ability
- Organisational skills
- Effective communication skills

And most importantly, a proven track record of achievements!

Later, at the interview stage they try to confirm this before making their final choice. Try to keep these elements in mind when writing both your resume and your covering letter.

The major factor that applicants leave of their resumes, which can distinguish them from other applicants, is their achievements.

Never! Never! Never leave achievements off your resume!

If you have written proof of your achievements so much the better. For example:

I won the “Employee of the Month” Award for the past three months
Outstanding Academic results – Semester 1 and 2
Organised our Annual Charity event and raised 200k
Brisbane Grammar School ‘Certificate of Merit’ (2001, 2002)
Dean’s List Award
Netball Finalists 2002
I have a 6.208 GPA
Developed a company newsletter including writing, editing, and graphic design

Know your Referees well….

Ensure that you remain in regular contact with your referees. I have stayed in contact with one of my referees for over 15 years. He is now a great friend and a client. I would strongly suggest that you call your referees and explain what roles you have applied for so they are not surprised when a recruiter or employer rings up to ask questions about you.

Recently, a candidate put a Marketing Managers name down as a referee without the courtesy of asking them. Though there were no performance issues the Marketing Manager was a little surprised and annoyed that the candidate had not asked permission.

Referees are extremely important people in your job hunt so please treat them with the respect they deserve and do not take anything for granted.

Resume Formats

There are two main formats for resumes; functional format and chronological format.

The functional format lists skills and experience under particular categories or headings without specifying when or where these are obtained. Employers and dates of employment are not listed. Personal information need not be included at all. The Functional format highlights what you are capable of doing. For example, when returning to the workforce after a long break, lack qualifications or obvious experience, wanting to emphasise the skills and experience you have, and are concerned that your age may be a barrier.

The chronological format is where you list employers and experience gained in date order. It is the most common and usually used when you have had a few jobs at a similar level or you want to show progression in a certain field. It is the one I prefer and recommend. An example of a resume with a chronological is attached.

Resumes for every occasion!

If you are multi-skilled, as most of us have to be these days, it gives you the opportunity to write your resume and application letter to emphasis how you match the criteria and requirements of a specific job advertisement. For example, in one of my roles I was Operations Manager but I also had the duties of a Human Resource Manager, a Training Manager, a Payroll Manager, and Accounts Payable Manager. If I tried to put down everything in a resume I had done and achieved in that role it would more than twenty pages. So I have a different resume that covers each area depending on what sort of role I am applying for. No, it is not lying provided; you in fact have done, what you have said you have done.

Try to keep your resumes to four pages and no longer than eight pages.

Be Prepared! Always Keep your Resume Updated!

Regardless of your current position and how long you have been in it I would recommend that you continually update your resume.

Firstly, it is a great way to track your achievements so when it comes to performance or salary review time you have the information and proof to support your pay claim.

Secondly, in this day and age there is no such thing as job security. You can be retrenched in an instance. Having your resume ready to go is not a sign of disloyalty it is simply being prepared in uncertain times. People often say how tough it is to go into business for myself but my view is it is much tougher being a permanent employee relying on job to always be there.

Photo’s

Unless you are asked for a photo to be included with your application and it is relevant to the position you are applying for, I do not see why you would put a photo in. A photo may give the recruiter or employer a positive or negative perspective of who you are before they even look at your skill set.

A Fate Worse than Death!

2008-06-28T00:54:00.000-07:00

Which is worse Death or Redundancy?

The easy answer is death is usually quick and final. Redundancy can be just as traumatic but if not handled properly will develop into a long lingering sufferance for the person involved and their friends and family.

Restructuring, resizing, downsizing, takeovers, relocating, buyouts, mergers and liquidation. No matter what name they use for the cause the result is you have just lost your job. The decision to leave is taken out of yours hands and the situation is forced upon you. Since the early nineties so many credit people have been affected by this phenomena. From July 1999 to July 2001 596,400 employees were made redundant in Australia. 83% of those people made redundant obtained other jobs.

Credit professionals, on the whole, are dedicated to their work, loyal to their companies and take seriously the role as protector of the organisations life blood – cash flow! Perhaps that is the reason being made redundant takes such a toll. If you are a Credit Officer or young enough it is not generally hard to get another role but as you get older or have a more senior role, choices become more limited. I know it is not politically correct to state but it is a harsh reality.

As a recruiter, I expect any Credit professional that utilises my services to find them a role, to have been made redundant at least once. A growing number have been made redundant several times and it does not appear to get any easier to handle than it did the first time. I hate to see technically brilliant credit staff with their confidence shattered and obviously not coping with finding themselves in the market for a new job.

Part of the issue is that once having been made redundant people do not realise the enormous affect it has on them. It is often life changing and is hard to cope with as death of a loved one, divorce, ill health and separation. You go through many of the same emotions such as disbelief, disappointment, sadness, and anger. Without going through the grieving process redundant employees still carry a heavy load of bitterness and that alone can put future employers off hiring them or recruiters putting them up for suitable roles.

At one stage, jobs found successful credit staff but now they have to actively hunt for jobs. Those that get through the grieving cycle early or see their redundancies as a new opportunity and actually embrace the change find work quickly. It is easier said than done but it is people’s attitude to change that gets them through. For example, I know a Credit Manager who was made redundant three times. Using the same attributes in Credit he moved to the dark side and became a very successful sales representative, is highly marketable, and has never looked back. On the other extreme a credit professional was made redundant in the early nineties after many years of dedicated and loyal service and unfortunately never got over it. That individual has been unable to adjust back into a permanent credit or accounts role.

What employees may need after redundancy is not necessarily outplacement services but trauma counseling to teach them how to handle such a devastating change, and how to embrace change.
“Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.” - Ramsay Clark
After interviewing many credit staff that have gone through the trials of redundancy I would like to share several of the most common points mentioned as to how they coped especially in the early stages:

1. Never think you are the only one who has been through it. You are not on your own.

2. Reassess what you put in to a job, and a company then what you want out of it.

3. Review your balance of work and home life and create a career/life plan.

4. Talk to friends and family about how you feel.

5. If suffering from a severe lack of confidence or depression get professional help.

6. Assess what you really would like to do. Work out if you wish to stay in credit or are there other opportunities? Good credit people can do anything!

7. Find a Recruiter or Human Resources consultant who understands the affects of redundancy and who can assist you to adequately prepare for a successful job hunt.

Redundancy is a challenge that we will all face. sooner or later. Always remember that it is the employer’s loss and your open door to new and wonderful opportunities!

Networking Rules 2!

2008-06-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

Thinks not to do…

1. Give up

When you first start networking it is not always easy. The more you do it the better you get at it. So never, never, never give up!

2. Listen to negative people

I am not sure who said this quote but it is very important to remember, “ If you can't CHANGE the people around you CHANGE the people YOU are around”

You will come across people who whinge and whine that networking does not work. Usually, they are people who are out for themselves, cannot serve others easily, and want instant results. Avoid them!

3. Make a BAD first impression

Ideally you try to avoid speaking about politics, sex, and religion especially when meeting people for the first time. You need to be yourself and when you are on your best behaviour not your worst. That means drinking responsibly at functions and looking after others who do not.

4. Pick your worst performing time

What I mean by that is to take into consideration when you perform best throughout the day. I am a morning person and I am extremely successful networking at breakfast meetings and lunches. After working at 10 to 12 hour day I struggle with evening networking events because I am tired and would prefer to lie in front of the TV watching DVDs. I still attend a large number of evening functions but I do not expect to be at my best and rather than doing a lot of talking I simply ask an open-ended question and listen.

Networking Rules!

2008-06-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Things to do…

1. Arrive early

In my experience I have found that if I arrive to Networking functions around 15 minutes early I am greeted by the organisers and that breaks the ice for me. I then stand close to the door and greet people as they come in. They think I am one of the organisers and speak to me easily and freely.

2. Grab the best seat

I will go and pick the best seat to see and hear the guest speaker. I figure if I do not meet anyone of interest I am still getting my money's worth. However, in all the years that I have been networking I have never been to an event where I did not pick up at least one business card and spoke to at least one interesting person.

3. Approach those standing on their own

If I see someone standing on there own they are usually in the same boat as us and do not know anyone there. I will approach them just say hello and then the conversation develops from there. They are relieved they have someone to talk to and both of you now look like you belong.

4. Make an effort to meet the Guest Speaker

I have had a chat with some amazing people over the years such as Tom Peters, Bob Dwyer, Jonah Lomu, Joe Bugner, Stephen Lundin, Kim Beazley, Pauline Hanson, and Robyn Henderson. You often gain a nugget of wisdom that was not in the presentation and it is great for name-dropping. “I had lunch with Kim Beazley last week.” You do not have to tell them that it was with 300 other people.

5. Aim to meet two people only

Many new Networkers make the mistake of trying to get their business card out too as many people as possible at a Networking event. Networking is about quality not quantity. Most of those cards will end up in the bin. If I meet two people and they give me their business cards I am more than happy and see it as a positive result. Sometimes I will meet some one who is definitely not my cup of tea. However, I have learned that I may have something to teach this person or they have something to teach me. I pay them 110% attention and listen to what they have to say. I may not end up doing any business with them but they often refer other people to me.

6. Be Consistent

The most successful Networkers consistently attend the same events each month. This gives them creditability with other Networkers and soon you become part of the furniture and other people will introduce you to their guests. At the Australian Institute of Credit Management, AICM, which I have been attending for the past nine years nearly every member in Queensland knows me or as heard of me. I am very fortunate to get a lot of business from that association and am very comfortable there. It is like visiting a group of wonderful friends every month. I still remember the first meeting I attended. A friend invited me and I was somewhat daunted by the calibre of the aged members and was petrified. It took me another year and in another state to attend another meeting. Now I scare new members!

7. Be memorable

The issue with many Networking functions is there is usually more than one person from each profession there. For example, the AICM focus nights I attend usually have four recruitment companies, three solicitors and four debt collection agencies being represented. They may have as many as three staff each there and sometimes the suppliers and sponsors out numbered the Credit Managers.

It is important that you stand out amongst your competition and that you represent yourself rather than your company. I have several competitors vying for some of my customers and I welcome them with open arms. It keeps me on my toes and ensures I look after my clients as much as possible.

The relationship I have with my clients is strong enough and most competitors treat me with respect being the “Elder” in the Credit industry. When I first attended credit Focus nights as a recruiter I was the only recruiter in Brisbane aside from the owner of the recruitment company I worked for who had credit and collection experience. That made me memorable immediately.

8. Be of Service

Networking is about serving others. It is the one quality that determines the difference between a good Networker and a great Networker. Those that approach networking as a way simply to sell their goods and services for purely their own gain will only be successful in the short term until the industry or that Networking group find out what they are really like.

Great Networkers start thinking about a person they have just met and whom they can link them up with so that they can successfully do business together.

“Ask not what they can do for your business but ask what can you do for their business.”

9. Be the Knowledge Expert

In continuing with the philosophy of being of service one of the easiest ways to become well known and valued to customers, suppliers, and potential customers is to be a knowledge expert.

When you hear an issue it may not be in your area of expertise but the important thing is that you know where to find that knowledge and pass on those details to your customer to make life easier for them and solve their issues. For example, if you needed a good solicitor, accountant, bookkeeper, industrial relations specialist, car finder, cleaner, trainer, Speaker and even a marriage celebrant I would be able to refer you to someone immediately. Because many people know that I network constantly I get called for all sorts of information that does not relate to training or recruitment. In fact, I have been called a walking Yellow Pages.

10. Smile

The most important tool in your networking kit is your smile. When you first greet people, smile. That breaks the ice and nine times out of 10 the person will smile back and greet you. On the rare occasion where a person does not smile back it is usually because they are under some kind of duress and it is their problem so do not take it personally.

One of the reasons I love living in Brisbane is I can still walk down Queen Street mall and smile at everyone that passes me. I get lots of smiles and greetings back. Ok, some people do think I am crazy!

What my Favourite Teacher taught me!

2008-06-21T03:17:00.000-07:00

My early life has often been one of constant turmoil, instability, and tragedy. Looking after myself since I was sixteen meant that I learn many lessons the hard way and unfortunately sometimes I made the same mistake more than once. Many people over the years have taught me many things. Some of the things I learned were very good and some of the things I learned were very bad. Most of those people are no longer in my life.

So who is my favourite teacher?

He is a man who lives the way he talks. He is one of my most positive and continuous role models I have had and though he now lives in another city he still strongly part of my everyday life!

Ced Freeman is a kind hearted fair dinkum genuine bloke. He is one of only remaining true gentlemen who would give his last dollar to help a stranger in need. Much of what he has taught me over the past twenty-two years has shaped who I am, what I have achieved and who I will become.

Ced is retired auto electrician, who took me under his wing when I first came to Australia. His “further education” was a wealth of straight forward, no bullshit, common sense, which he actively imparted to me. He has a heart as big as an elephant and would help anyone whether it was family, a friend, or a total stranger.

He taught me to fight with words and not my fists. He taught me how to avoid trouble, most of the time. (I did not always listen) When I got into trouble he was always there, never judging, never putting me down. Most of all he showed me that he cares - as much as an old bugger can show that sort of thing.

I was 27 years old when I started University and Ced supported me financially and emotionally. At times when were both broke he could come up with another original way to eat rice and when we had money we lived like kings. If we had written a book it would have been called a “1001 ways to eat rice for Uni Students and Pensioners”.

When things went bad he could always see the positive side of the situation. “ Things happen for a reason” and “What goes around comes around” Ced demonstrated by the way he lives that you can be a real man without being aggressive and yet still constantly be true to yourself. I leaned what was worth fighting for and what you let go. He taught me that I was worth something and he taught me I could achieve anything I set my mind to. He taught me to believe in myself.

He still thinks if an honest politician can make it in to Parliament that I will be Prime Minister one day. Maybe I will be. He is my oldest mate and that is not just because he is in his seventies.

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly!

2008-06-21T02:58:00.000-07:00

The landscape of recruiting Credit Staff in Queensland has changed drastically in the past twelve months with strong business performance leading the charge to bring the value of quality credit staff into the light. The following is a few highlights and lowlights that encompass the everyday life of a recruiter specialising in credit, fighting the war for talent…...

The Good!

Candidates:

Quality Credit employees are finally getting recognised as being valuable assets to their companies. The average salaries of the credit staff we have placed in the past twelve months have increased a whopping 10-12%. This trend does not show any signs of abating. Average performers are already on 40k bases and you will need to pay at least 42k to get them. You will pay a little more for a top performer and much more for an exceptional one.

As a capable Credit Officer looking to move twelve months ago you may have had one or to career options to choose from now you would have at least five. Not only will your salary increase by at least 10% but you can usually negotiate other benefits such as financial support for study and time off.

The candidate shortage has created opportunities for credit people to move in other industries and for candidates from other industries to join the illustrious ranks of credit. This flexibility will enhance the Queensland job market where previously as an employee you were encouraged to stick in the same industry or career. For example. we have had several credit and collections officers who are undertaking Accountancy Degrees now moving in to roles as Accountants within Insolvency.

Employers:

Are providing many more roles with variety and rewards. Some Government Departments have slashed the requirements on selection criteria to entice good credit staff to apply. Collections Agencies and Finance Companies are paying more realistic base salaries with performance incentives matched to goals that can actually be achieved. Employers are placing much more focus on retaining staff with reward systems other than monetary.

Many companies are realising the importance of using specialist recruiters because of their knowledge of candidates in that industry. Using a generalist is taking pot luck and unfortunately employers are finding that using their preferred supplier will only cover certain staffing areas effectively. Recruiter have more work they can handle because companies who were employing staff directly have found that the usual advertising mediums they use are not giving them the quality or quantity of candidates required. Where in the past you would get 20-30 suitable applicants on Seek you would be now lucky to get 3.

The Bad!

Candidates: -

Pride cometh before a fall. It is surprising how quickly the pendulum of power swings with candidates, short in supply, sitting in the drivers seat calling all the shots. However, confidence in negotiating is something that can be respected but arrogance and unrealistic expectations cannot. Remember the pendulum always swings back the other way and employers have long memories. Treat people, as you would like to be treated not do un to others as others have done to you.

No shows - A growing number of candidates make appointments with the recruiter and don’t bother to call if they can’t make it and some do the same thing with an employer. It shows a distinct lack of respect and integrity. I have heard the argument that employers and recruiters lack integrity too especially, with returning candidates calls or emails. Some candidates ask “so why should I care?”.

Not all candidates are the same, neither are employers or recruiters. Some are good and some are bad. If someone lacks integrity why stoop to there level? From a recruiter’s perspective, if you do not have the courtesy to call me to cancel an appointment why would I ever consider you for a role? If you can do it to me you can do it my client.

Employers:

Some employers do not believe that there is a candidate shortage out there. Our industry is getting plugs in the Australian Financial Review with blazing headlines “Credit Controller Shortage”, It’s dog eat dog in talent quest”. If you don’t believe it and any of your key credit people leave see how hard it is to replace them not to mention the cost involved.

It surprises me that some employers still drag the chain with their recruitment process. As a recruiter, time is of the essence, and we provide quality resumes as quickly as possible. When we get a job order it is always urgent. By the time the employer is ready to interview the candidates we put up they the candidates are now no longer available. We then have to start the whole process again. The second time around is much harder than the first.

Yes there are Credit Staff left but they are bottom of the barrel stuff. Take them on and you will get no end of trouble. It is extremely difficult to get good quality Credit Officers, Accounts Receivable Officers, and Collection Officers. Not many young people are coming in to the industry and many are getting out. Credit staff have found that there skills can be utilised in several different areas such as sales, marketing recruitment, accountancy and being self employed. They are finding that they are more valued in other fields and very undervalued in Credit.

No! No! No! It is not necessarily about the money(although it does help). It is more to do with being recognised for achievements, getting time off as a reward for top performance and effort or simply being valued as a major contributor of the company team. Even getting movie tickets, footy tickets or time off to see their kids school play can be the difference of someone staying or going.

The Ugly!

Candidates:-

The Counter Offer is the new weapon in the arsenal of the incumbent employer in the war for talent. “Let the buyer beware” The majority of candidates do not leave for money. They leave because of abuse, hate their boss, undervalued, micro managed and simply unhappy to come to work each day.

Yet this same candidate finds a great job with a great company resigns, accepts the role. Within a few days of them leaving their current employer, (the one who has made their life hell for the past three years), offers them a massive pay rise, I mean huge. You guessed it the candidate’s stays with the current employer. They are on more money but are still unhappy.

This same candidate will be back on the market within six months.

Employers:-

Perhaps I should have started with the ugly first, as I always like to finish on a positive note. There are still employers who treat candidates with contempt in the belief that they are thee “Employer of Choice” and you should be grateful that they would even offer you a job. These Employers have a rigorous employment process that puts off quality candidates or by the time they get around to interviewing the candidates whose resumes they select the candidates have already taken other roles.

There is still a resistance to take on older workers. This absolutely amazes me with today’s candidate shortage. Older workers are a valuable resource just sitting there which is constantly overlooked. I believe that each Credit Team should always have a more mature member. They have a wealth of knowledge that is difficult to replace, are effective stable workers and are a strong support for less experienced members of the team. They take less sick days, are usually much easier to manage, and they know their role backwards.

And the next twelve months?

I predict a continual shortage of superior credit people and the war for talent will be fiercer than ever. The main casualties will be small business who will not be able to afford quality staff. The scarcity of Credit Staff will be replaced by skilled people from other industries such as Hospitality, Administration and Customer Service. There will be less resistance to hiring mature workers. Salaries will continue to rise as will employee benefits.

Employers will improve the efficiency and speed of their recruitment processes but will be very selective about who they take on. Many companies are now using benchmarking and psychometric testing as an added tool to test cultural suitability, ethics, and integrity.

Recruiters will spend much more time with candidates than they have in the past and improve their performance in following up by getting back to candidates in a timely manner through the whole recruitment process.

Candidates will have a multitude of fantastic career opportunities to explore and many will realise that taking counter offers can be unproductive to their futures, unless of course the only reason they are leaving is simply money!