For a lot of people across Australia, today represented the first day back at work after a few well-earned weeks off, recharging the batteries and spending quality time with family and friends-  and of course, taking the opportunity to see Australia regain the Ashes!

However, for many small businesses, the last few weeks haven’t been filled with mince pies and rum balls. Instead, they’ve been in the office working on client projects, at the factory keeping the lines moving or plugging away trying to keep bread on the table. The life of a small business owner can be tough. In fact it is tough. The buck stops with you. But, we love it, otherwise we’d be out in the corporate world, earning money for some suit or other.

However, don’t under-estimate the importance of a break.

While the Christmas period might not be the time when you can get a break, it is critical during a given year, that you do stop, reflect, recharge and re-set.

At Coral Recruitment, we didn’t officially close during the Christmas Break. Yes, we took some time out on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but from 27^th our clients were working and so were we! I will share though, how spent a little down time over Christmas.

With our head office based in Brisbane, Queensland, we are lucky enough to have some of the most gorgeous beaches and hinterland, anywhere in the world. South of Brisbane, the Gold Coast boasts over 57km of coastland and some lovely beaches, including Currumbin Beach. We spent a day down in Currumbin, enjoying the great coffee on offer opposite the SLSC and then relaxing watching surfers try to catch waves into the Currumbin Alley. But, bizarre as it sounds, this wasn’t the highlight. As we still had work to do, we started the day early…and I mean really early. We were lucky enough to be down at the beach for first light and for sun rise. There’s something special being on the beach with no one around and first, the night becomes day – with the sky going through may iterations of blue and pink as the sun starts to burn through the cloud cover. Then progressively, the sun makes its way over the horizon and within seconds is blinding. Elephant Rock catches that light magnificently as do the towers over at Surfer’s Paradise over in the distance.

When the sun is up, the surfers are up and out in the water. They come to the beach in their numbers and on the day we were there, mother nature did not disappoint. The waves came in big strong sets and there were many wipe-outs and some greatly skilled wave-riding.

If you said that first light was around 4am and sunrise prevalent just after 5am, after a few hours on the beach it was time to head back to the reality of a working day. However, it was no ordinary day, I was extra motivated, extra inspired and ready to smash through the day. I’d only been away from the office for a matter of hours – but it just goes to show, as a small business owner, grab that time or make that time – it will pay you back in spades.

Danni

Danni Lopez is a recruitment specialist at Coral Recruitment Solutions – a Brisbane-based recruitment agency. If you need some assistance with future recruitment, reach out to Danni to see how she and her team can assist you.

Unconscious bias is present in everyone and is an issue that companies need to be aware of in their hiring processes. Many organisations have been trialling blind recruitment as a means to combat these biases and therefore increase the diversity in their workforce.

What is Blind Recruitment?

Blind Recruitment seems to be a buzz term at the moment however the concept has actually been around for a while. One of the first examples was the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Back in 1980 they were comprised predominantly of white males, so wishing to improve their diversity, they held their auditions behind screens in order to disguise any gender, ethnicity or other so that they could only be assessed on their performance a la The Voice. The result? A nearly 50:50 male to female mix and a more diverse orchestra.

Blind Recruitment is the process of removing references to gender, ethnicity, education, age or any other details that could provoke a biased response.

It is assumed that by dong this a hiring manager can only assess a candidate based on their merits and as a result produce a more diverse shortlist. This is a tool to overcome unconscious bias and promote diversity in the workforce and is becoming more popular in companies.

How do you implement Blind Recruitment?

It needs to be implemented carefully in order to be of maximum benefit. Firstly you need to decide which factors you need to omit from resumes. You may be aware that your company has a gender issue, so would need to remove names, or perhaps there is a bias towards age, in which case concealing age, date of birth and dates on education would be appropriate.

Now you have your blind recruitment criteria you need to decide what process to put in place after initial shortlisting as you will still need to speak to or meet with the potential candidates. One way of doing this could be providing a test or assessment that the candidate needs to complete that is relevant to the job position, such as an online psychometric test or a case study for them to complete.

Finally by knowing what your biases are you can train staff appropriately, not only on the techniques of blind recruitment but on the reasons for implementing it in the first place, so that ultimately you can hire the best people for your roles.

Is it effective? 

There is a lot of evidence to show that Blind Recruitment increases diversity and is an effective way of tackling bias in the hiring process. However a recent study from the Prime Minister’s Behavioural Economics Team suggested that Blind Recruitment practices in the public sector had backfired. Participants were 2.9% more likely to shortlist female candidates and 3.2% less likely to shortlist male applicants when they were identifiable compared with when they were deidentified. This particular study showed that public servants actually engaged in positive discrimination towards female and minority candidates.

However another example, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, when they advertised 19 senior roles and concealed the name, gender, and other identifying details from recruiters they ended up with 15 women appointments into these senior positions and doubling the number of female executives in their ranks from 21% to 43%.

So perhaps the best way forward is more training around bias and being aware of your own personal tendencies to make hiring decisions that are not based on merit.

Danni

Danni Lopez is a recruitment specialist at Coral Recruitment Solutions – a Brisbane-based recruitment agency. If you need some assistance with your next job, reach out to Danni to see how she and her team can assist you.

Social recruiting – “recruiting using social media”.

Advertising online for staff has been around for a long time but in recent times it has changed dramatically, in particular with the advent of Social Recruiting which has had a significant impact on how organisations advertise their job vacancies.

Linkedin

In terms of social media, LinkedIn is the first platform that comes to mind. Allowing employers to create a network of potential talent, it also has a job ad posting function. Recently LinkedIn launched its matched audiences program which means targeted ads based on location, skill sets, education etc. Launched 6 months earlier than expected, it will be interesting to see how effective this is for job advertising as previously advertising roles on LinkedIn has been too expensive for many businesses.

The great thing about finding candidates on LinkedIn for both employers and job seekers is that there’s no forwarding or reading through resumes – the job history is right there in the profile making the application and shortlisting process much more efficient.

Facebook

Facebook is becoming much more popular, again with the option of targeting as well as creating specific job ad posts. This is a great way to reach passive candidates or those that have had enough of sending their CVs into the traditional job boards “apply now” blackhole.

Snapchat

Snapchat is releasing a self-service ads manager which will let any advertiser buy, manage and view reporting for their campaigns, this will be available in June.

Downside of social recruiting

The flipside with using social media is that you still need to make sure that you are targeting your ads to your audience, it may be the best written and best looking ad but if it’s not aimed at the right people it just isn’t going to get results. Knowing who your target audience is means knowing exactly what your role is and who you want, this is the key first step to having a successful recruitment campaign. Check out Neil Patel’s blog for tips on how to get your targeting on Facebook spot on.

Conclusion

This is just scratching the surface when it comes to social recruiting, but there’s a lot of info out there on the subject. A great advantage of using social media is employer branding, even if your ad doesn’t get the person you want it’s still great exposure and visibility for your business.

So, does this mean that traditional job boards like Seek and Indeed are dead? Absolutely not. Jobseekers will still use them and they are still one of the most effective ways to recruit for many businesses. However, when used in conjunction with social media and/or targeted ad campaigns it becomes so much more powerful.

Danni Lopez – Recruitment Specialist

How we can help your business

At Coral Recruitment Solutions one of our specialities is creating effective advertising campaigns for your role using a range of avenues and working with you to understand exactly who you are looking for and targeting the candidates you want. Call us on 07 3353 9134 to discuss your requirements or visit our website

Time to hire a specialist? If you have ever had to hire a specialist into your business you will probably know that it can be a hard ask. There are a number of reasons finding someone to fill a niche role is difficult including:

• A shortage of people who have the skill set that you need
• High demand for the specialisation so you are in competition with other companies that require the same people
• All the people with the specific skills and experience appear to be employed and happy in their current roles
• You don’t just need someone to tick all the boxes in terms of skill set but also culture fit too.
• You have a limited budget and not able to meet the market rate for the role

Hiring for niche roles will always be a challenge but there are several ways you can make it easier and increase your chances of attracting and securing the ideal person you are looking for.

1. Word of mouth

This is a very powerful method of finding staff. Often it will also mean good quality if they come as a referral. Many people in highly specialised fields will have a network of people in the same field so getting the word out there is a great place to start. If you have someone in the business already with this specialisation then they are likely to know other people with a similar skill set so perhaps a referral scheme for employees would be something to think about.

2. Linkedin

Depending on who you are looking for, this professional networking site is a great tool to see who is out there with the skills that you require. Even if you are unable to secure the person you want LinkedIn can give you a good indication of who is out there and which companies you are competing against for the talent you need. LinkedIn is also a great way to get referrals, you may connect with someone that isn’t looking but knows someone who is.

3. Industry specific groups and boards

This is a great way to focus in on the people you are after. Many professional bodies will have their own job board for members or a newsletter that they email out. This method also has the benefit of not attracting people that aren’t suitable which can often be more frustrating than not having anyone at all.

4. Talent pooling

If you know that you are likely to be needing more than one person or will be growing and need people in the future this is a great way of recruiting for the long term. Make sure that you engage relevant specialists or potential talent by communication with them through social media, attending careers fairs or partnering with universities. This way when a role comes up you will already have a talent pool of candidates who know who you are, what you are offering and you are more likely to attract the right type of candidates. Studies have shown that companies with a positive image increase the number of people who want to work with them.

5. Have a great offering

It’s all well and good getting the word out that you have a vacancy, but the chances are you won’t be the only choice for these highly skilled candidates. Make sure you know what benefits you can offer and why someone would want to work for you. It’s not all about the dollars, do some research and find out what people in the sector really value. Is it autonomy, flexible working arrangements, training or exposure to new technologies? Be clear on your offering and what value you can add to their career.

6. Use a recruiter

There are many recruitment companies out there – choose wisely and if you find a company that is willing to partner with you and learn about your role and a business then they may be able to help.

Danni

Coral Recruitment Solutions can assist you hire a specialist by working as part of your business. We will be able to advise the best strategy for your business to maximise your chances of finding the right person and provide efficient and cost effective services to take away the hassle.

For more information contact us on 07 3353 9134 or via the contact page.

Danni Lopez is a recruitment specialist at Coral Recruitment Solutions – a Brisbane-based recruitment agency.

If you’d like an extra resource – a cheat sheet for hiring specialists, please fill in your details below and we’ll send it straight to you.

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It’s Easter week! For many of us that means fitting in 5 days of work into 4. So to help you out we want to save you some time so you can enjoy Easter with your family and have more time to eat chocolate!

Package 2 is a favourite among our clients as it takes away one of the most time consuming and frustrating parts of finding new staff – wading through hundreds of CVs and filtering out unsuitable candidates.

Package 2 is normally $399 + GST but for a limited time only this Easter, we are offering it at just $339 + GST saving you a huge $60!

To take advantage of this offer you will need to purchase the package between now and midnight AEST Thursday 13th April 2017. But don’t worry if you don’t need any staff right now, all purchases are valid for 12 months.

Call us on 07 3353 9134 and we can get the ball rolling.

Have a great Easter from all of us at Coral Recruitment Solutions.

So, you have a position you need to fill, therefore you are going to need to let people know. Enter the Job Advert. But there’s more to writing an ad than penning your wish list and telling people to “Apply Now!”

Here are a few things to think about next time you are advertising a role.

1. Choose a title for your job advert

This should be something that is easily recognisable and not too vague or too fancy. Unless the job really is something novel and you want to catch peoples’ attention, such as Hamilton Island’s “the best job in the world”, it’s better to stick with something familiar and descriptive. So, whilst “Customer Experience Facilitator” sounds great, “Customer Service Advisor” is more likely to get you the people you want.

2. What’s the role in a nutshell?

By providing a clear and concise description of the purpose of the role, it becomes obvious to everyone what the role actually is. You can then put this in a summary before they click into an ad or in the first couple of paragraphs.

For example, you may be looking for a Sales Representative. Now there are lots of Sales Reps out there, call centre, door to door, shop assistants, pharmaceutical sales, field sales, fundraising sales, the list goes on.

Say you are looking for a Field Sales Rep in the Agribusiness industry. Your description may read “Outgoing and experienced Sales Rep needed, must be driven and ambitious and can meet and exceed targets.”

Well any Sales Rep will read this and think yes that’s me! However, your Agribusiness Field Sales Rep role is pretty specific and most of these people are ruled out.

A better description would be, “Generate and follow up leads to promote agricultural products to rural businesses, drive across Queensland (Qld) and use your agrichemical knowledge to sell and advise of the use of these products”

This way you can really target your advert and make it stand out to those that have the skills and avoid unsuitable applications. It is also a great basis for the rest of your ad as you have set the scene and can then fill in the gaps with other duties or responsibilities without the ad sounding like a long-winded Position Description written by someone that doesn’t really understand what the day to day job really involves.

3. What’s on offer?

Many employers go into great lengths to outline a long list of the skills, experience, qualifications and qualities that they are looking for in the successful candidate and forget that the ad is supposed to be attracting people and enticing them to work for their company or show interest in their role. So instead put yourself in the candidate’s shoes, yes they want to see what skills are needed to determine if it’s worth applying, but more importantly is this a role that will offer them what they need. So, have a think about what you are able to offer. Maybe a bonus scheme, free onsite parking, a canteen, gym membership, opportunity to become a manager, annual trips to Fiji, paid training courses, state of the art equipment, extra annual leave. Not everyone is motivated by dollars so the more perks you can think of the better – put them in and show that you value your staff.

4. What are the deal breakers?

You will need to be clear about any requirements, but be as specific as possible and highlight the non-negotiables. Don’t put things in for the sake of it, such as, “great team player and can work on own initiative” unless they really are necessities for the role. This is something you can gauge at interview so better to ask for the qualifications or specific industry experience as these are things that people can use to rule themselves in or out. Check out the Australian Human Resources Institute for some better practices in recruitment and selection.

5. Be specific

Two of the most important pieces of information that applicants want to know is how much is the role paying and where is it based. State exactly where the job will be located, this is especially important if you have multiple locations or branches.  If you are able to put in a salary or rate range then you will get more interest. Yes, it may put some people off if it’s below their expectation, but that’s better than discussing dollars at the end of a process and them pulling out at that point. Many people can be flexible and if they know upfront what it’s paying there are no nasty surprises for either party when it comes to offer.

6. Make it eye-catching and clear

Don’t have a long-winded advert full of words. Break it up. Use headings, bold type, dot points. Perhaps you could include photos or a video depending on where you are putting the ad. Make the language easy to read and suited to your audience.

7. Next steps

Provide a name and number of someone they can get more info from, or a website so they can find out about the company. Make it clear if you want a covering letter or anything specific you would like them to outline in their resume. If you have a deadline or a timeline for shortlisting let them know or if you are expecting a large volume of applications and won’t be able to get back to everyone, put it in the ad.

Finally get your ad out there, sit back and enjoy the many well qualified and talented candidates that come pouring in

Danni

Danni Lopez is a recruitment specialist at Coral Recruitment Solutions – a Brisbane-based recruitment agency. If you need some assistance with your next job advert, reach out to Danni to see how she and her team can assist you.

The job interview is the stage in the recruitment process is where most employers make their decision to hire. Whilst a number of candidates may have glowing CVs and references that suggest they could be the next superstar in your team, it can all fall apart at interview for a number of reasons. They may not be all they cracked up to be, or they are exactly who you are looking for but unfortunately they don’t feel the same way about you. The best thing you can do to make sure that they are definitely the person you are looking for and to give you the best chance of securing them as an employee if they are, is to make sure the interview is top notch.

So, what makes for a good interview? Well, many would say, that depends if you are the employer or potential employee. We don’t agree, a good interview is a good interview and should work for both hirer and candidate.

1) Plan ahead

Read the CV. It may seem like an obvious place to start but you would be surprised how much this one gets overlooked! Check them out on LinkedIn – does their profile match their resume? Understand your candidates – as I’m sure you are expecting them to have done their research on you!

2) Interview location

Find a good location for the interview. You may have this one sorted if you have meeting rooms or your own office. However, if your office has a desk piled high with paper, you are sitting behind your computer or the phone could ring at any point forget it! This doesn’t give a good impression. Instead find a local coffee shop or perhaps a meeting room in a library if you wanted to keep things more formal. Wherever you choose make sure it is not too noisy, has enough privacy for the candidate to feel comfortable and most importantly, no distractions!

3) Be on time

Now if your candidate rocked up 10 minutes late without a really good reason I think it would be safe to say their chances aren’t looking great. If you keep the candidate waiting or turn up late it’s just as bad. You are basically letting them know that your time is more important than theirs or that as the interviewer you are in a position of power. Neither of these is true. If there is a genuine reason you are running late, let them know as soon as you can, if not just be on time.

4) Ask great questions

Interviewing is a two-way process. You need to understand if they are right for you and they need to know that the role is what they are looking for. By asking well thought out and appropriate questions you can make sure that you obtain the information that you need to make a well-informed decision as to their suitability. It will also give the candidate confidence that you know what you are looking for and most candidates enjoy interviews in which they can answer relevant questions to showcase their skills. Often questions will easily rule a candidate out not just from your perspective but from theirs too. This means that if you are in the position of telling them they have been unsuccessful it may not come as a surprise to them and hopefully you will be able to provide them with meaningful feedback based on the insightful questions you have asked them.

5) Know the role

The interview is an opportunity for the candidate to learn about the organisation and the position and make an assessment on whether it’s the right move for them. Make sure you fully understand the role so that you can give the candidate a thorough and honest overview of what you are considering them for. The candidate may have unrealistic expectations of the position, it’s no use selling the dream when two weeks in your new employee realises the role is not what they thought it would be and moves on only for you to have to start the process all over again…  On the flip side the role may have some amazing benefits and career development opportunities that they are not aware of, let the candidate know and their reaction will also give you a great insight into what really motivates them.

6) End on a high

However the interview went, good or bad, it is important to finish it well. This will be the last impression the candidate has of you and your organisation so make it count. Thanks them for their time and let them know what next steps are. Will you be taking until the end of the week to make a decision? Perhaps there is a second round or you may have more interviews. Let them know when and how they will find out what has been decided, will you call or email them, will they hear from your HR team or perhaps you can let them know there and then if they are progressing / unsuccessful. Whatever you decide you must ensure that the candidate has an outcome. They have taken the time to meet with you, don’t leave them hanging.

These are just a few of the steps you can take to make sure the interview process is a worthwhile one for both of you, so next time you are meeting a candidate, give them a try.

Danni Lopez is a recruitment specialist at Coral Recruitment Solutions – a low cost Brisbane recruitment agency. Danni and her team can provide tailored solutions which include interview coordination and we can provide you with the assistance you need to make your next hire as smooth a process as possible. Coral Recruitment Solutions can be contacted on 07 3353 9134 to talk through your requirements.

Like many business owners and managers, these are the questions we ask ourselves when we go out into the market in the hope of finding good people. We are time poor and need to get it right first time. However, more often than not, we don’t get it right and this can be both expensive and time-consuming.

• Why does no one have the skills I want?
• Why isn’t my job ad working?
• What do I put in a position description?
• Where can I find good people to hire?
• How do I find out what salary to pay for my job?

Below are a few of the reasons why we don’t get it right and a few of the simple solutions we can bring into play to make our recruitment processes stronger and have great outcomes.

The key to attracting great talent is to tell them what your role is in detail but also what you can offer them as an employee. Do you have staff discounts, on-site parking or gym, generous parental leave options or great training opportunities? Sell yourself and you will get the great people in the market interested.

So, if you’re in the market for finding good people, and need assistance with any of the above, Coral Recruitment Solutions can provide services to address these issues and help find you great people.

Our packages start from as little as $249 + GST so call today on 07 3353 9134 Or visit us on online at www.coralrecruit.com.au