people2people news | September 9, 2010
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Welcome to the people2people news site. It is intended that this site will be used as forum for the sharing of ideas and news about people2people, the jobs market and experiences from our clients and those who are seeking new opportunities. We welcome comments and should you wish to start your own discussion contact: news@people2people.com.au
My Boss believes in micromanagement
Posted by manda: August 29, 2008
As published in 9 to 5 magazine on 1 September 2008
comment on this post | read comments (0) | Email This PostTo Call or Not to Call…
Posted by Lisa: August 29, 2008Let me set the scene for you. You are a recruiter looking to do business with a client. I am the client, but not the hiring manager. I call you to say “Hey [insert your name here], I have a manager on the Gold Coast who is very interested in your services. Can I give you his number so that you can arrange to go out and meet with him and find out all the details?” You respond with “Oh just give him my details and get him to call me.”
I must be really old fashioned (or perhaps just old) but since when does someone who wants to charge my business money ask me to do all the work! OK, so the ATO does this all the time J but excepting them, surely we can expect that the person wanting our business should be putting in SOME effort. Let’s just say that I was floored with the attitude and she probably realized it when there was a very long silence after she suggested that I pass on the details.
I am talking to people day in and day out, and I see and hear a lot of things from people looking for work – and I can accept these from them; after all they are naïve and inexperienced and can say or write the wrong things on occasion. BUT if you are a supposed professional touting your services for $X I am going to expect a heck of a lot more in how you communicate and deal with my business.
So here is a note for all recruitment consultants – when you want to provide recruitment services to an organization, you need to be the one to call the client. Seriously, if you want to charge me $x thousands of dollars for sourcing me the ‘right’ person, I expect the following: honesty, timely follow through, an explanation of your process and a shortlist of excellent candidates. I expect you to call me. If I have to call you then you have failed to meet my expectations.
Finally, let me just say that I am NOT going to be passing on the details of this recruiter to my manager on the Gold Coast. In stead, I will pick up the phone and call one of her competitors and see if they are more interested in my business.
Lisa Johnson
manager, onsiite
Jim’s a Winner!
Posted by shannon: August 22, 2008Congratulations to Jim Piccoli from Advertising Advantage who took out the footy tipping for round 23! Jim attributes his success to tipping in bulk and avoiding over analysing things. After missing out on a few rounds, Jim decided to put his tips in early for 5 rounds at a time. So it’s true what they say, you’ve got to be in to win!
Shannon Barlow
Consultant
What skills do I need?
Posted by manda: August 15, 2008
As published in 9 to 5 magazine on 18 August 2008
comment on this post | read comments (0) | Email This PostFooty Tipping Week 16 Winner
Posted by the Editor: August 14, 2008Recruitment is all about forming long term relationships and helping people shape their careers. We at people2people have known Toni Dunn, our Week 16 winner, for over ten years. Manda Milling first placed Toni back in 1996 and Kirsten Garrett placed her again in 2000. Having maintained contact since, Toni is back as an active candidate and hence a participant in our footy tipping competition. Congratulations Toni, we hope you enjoy the Printhies Wine and we look forward to placing you again.
Kirsten Garrett
Senior Consultant
Is there a skills shortage?
Posted by zichuan: August 6, 2008The results from a Monash University study for the journal “People and Place” were released and an article based on this study was published in the Sydney Morning Herald (Migrants add to skills crisis: study, Harriet Alexander Higher Education Reporter, April 29, 2008).
The study looked at a number of demographic factors including if skilled migrants have been able to secure roles and ease the “skills shortage”. The results showed quite a dichotomy between those migrants from an English speaking country compared to those from a non-English speaking environment and a second split based on age.
According to the article, “the majority of those who migrated from English-speaking countries gained employment in professional or managerial positions, only 29.3 per cent of those from non-English speaking countries did.
Among 20- to 29-year-olds from non-English speaking countries, most of whom were former international students in Australian universities, the figure was just 22 per cent.”
The results suggest that there is a mismatch with what the Government and employers are looking for. Given that the Government’s role is to attract people on a large scale basis (148,200 people in 2007), the Government has set its criteria based on technical skills such as qualifications. Employers on the other hand see each applicant on a case by case basis and are often looking for a range of “soft skills” including communication and the elusive “team/cultural fit”.
What happens with this mismatch is shown by the above results. Those candidates from similar countries to Australia find that their technical and soft skills are quite transferrable, those without the same level of soft and technical skills are able to find contract roles whilst many others struggle. The poor result from overseas students with Australian qualifications has been attacked by many groups with calls that include the “dumbing down” of Australian universities for simplifying courses and allowing students to pass despite a poor command of the English language – however it is a clear example of basic economics with the supply of graduates greatly exceeding demand.
At people2people the vast majority of our applicants, candidates and placements in the Accounting and Finance stream are from what would be considered a non-English speaking background (with varying levels of local experience). Far higher than the 29.3% and 22% success rates mentioned in the study.
From our experience there are three interrelated points that are note worthy:
1) 100% comprehension and clear communication skills are essential. Even though most candidates from a non-English speaking background speak a second language better than the majority of us, unfortunately many candidates are hindered by an inability to clearly pronounce words at the speed at which they talk. There is also little tolerance from clients if questions are misinterpreted. If a candidate from an English speaking country misinterprets a question, this does not reflect favourably on them however sometimes they are given a second chance or benefit of the doubt. For a candidate from a non-English speaking background, any misinterpretation is automatically assumed to be an inability to comprehend the question asked.
2) Technical skills still play a part – as mentioned above, those with a strong technical ability and good communication skills are more likely to succeed in securing a role. However, those with poor communication skills are still able to secure a role if they have strong technical skills that are rare to find and suit the role for which they apply, often this group of candidates will find it easier to secure contract roles, however struggle to find a permanent role trapping them in the temporary cycle.
3) A defining factor – the job market is like any other market. Your success depends on your competition. What sets you apart? Given the size of cities such as Shanghai or Mumbai even if a candidate comes out of a Big 4 Accounting firm, this is not enough of a defining factor, as a quick overview through any Assistant Accountant ad response (for example) will quickly show there are many others from overseas with a similar background. The defining factor could be the level of communication, job stability, rarity of skills or even something as innate as personality. Aside from the odd technical question, it is still rare to have interviews where the candidate is actually tested on their ability. Often decisions are made on “soft skills” and likeability. There’s the old saying “people hire on skills and fire on personality”. Understanding and being immersed into the “Australian way” is the key.
A question then is: are local businesses being too intolerant or is there an issue that needs to be addressed for people looking to migrate to
Australia due to skilled migration?
We recently had one senior candidate who moved back to their home country because they were fed up that local companies seemed to only hear his accent and not recognise his skills. On the other hand, one of our clients told us that their wife was sponsored to undertake an English course by her employer to help improve her language ability (as his wife was from overseas).
We are told that accounting is no longer a “back office” role and fluent English is “a must” all the time. However, in our occupation, eventually one is able to understand a wide variety of accents. So much so that what others may deem as incomprehensible, we are able to understand without issue. Perhaps it’s a question of tolerance or patience from the employer’s behalf. As an example, at a recent CPA event, the guest speaker was a senior manager at one of
Australia’s largest banks. During question time at the end of the presentation a member of the audience raised their hand. A moment of tense silence followed the question, slowly the guest speaker leaned across to his counterpart and quietly asked “I couldn’t understand a word of that, what did he say?” to the recruiters in the room the question was easily understood: “I am CPA qualified and was a senior accountant with a multinational in my home country. I have been looking for work for months, why haven’t I been able to find a job?”
With so many technically skilled people out there, the “skills shortage” issue is a misnomer as it highlights the wrong needs. It should be labeled as a crisis in the inability to communicate and accommodate.
ZiChuan Lim
Consultant Accounting and Finance