Articles

A range of articles curated from around the internet that we think are relevant to the pursuit of excellence in recruiting, selection and staff development.

Heading back into the office as a manager after working from home and need some tips?

The return to office can be a daunting task for any manager, but there are some things you can do to make the transition smoother for both you and your employees. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: Communicate with your team regularly and keep them updated on any changes or new policies […]

Returning to the office after Covid lockdowns and working from home? Here are some tips to get yourself ready.

It’s been over a year since most of us have been in an office. We’ve gotten used to working from home, in our pyjamas, with our pets by our side. But now, as vaccine rollout continues and Covid-19 cases decline, many companies are planning to bring their employees back to the office. If you’re one […]

How to create the perfect cover letter (with template)

Including a cover letter for every position you apply for is crucial. It outlines to the hiring managers or recruitment agency who you are, what your experience is, and how your skill set will fit into the company. It also shows how much effort has been put into applying and not just sending off applications […]

How to Portray a Professional Image Online

More than 70 percent of employers are now turning to online searches to help them decide on potential candidates when hiring – usually after they have met with the candidate. It’s important that you as a job seeker learn how to not only pass a Google search, but how to make sure your search results […]

The Right Way to Check Someone’s References

Click here for our Reference Check Template You think you’ve found the right candidate to fill your open position and now it’s time to check references. What’s the best way to get the information you need? Should you ask each person the same questions? What do you read—if anything—into the tone of their voice? And […]

Why You’re Still Struggling With A Career Change Despite Having Career Clarity

  Career clarity is only the beginning of what you need to make a career change. I know how it feels to go through a significant change in career paths. I’ll never forget the day I realized my Fashion promotion degree didn’t feel right, but I kept at it for fear of letting others down. […]

How to figure out your transferable skills

  Figuring out your transferable skills is key to transition into a new role or a new area of your career. Most people get extremely intimidated by exploring career opportunities outside of their comfort zone, however, what people often don’t realize is that there are a lot of skills that are transferable between careers. If […]

8 surefire signs someone is about to quit

  Is it possible to tell when an employee is on their way out? An extensive study revealed that you don’t need psychic abilities to know when receiving a resignation letter is in your future.  Researchers at Harvard Business Review asked nearly 100 managers how the behavior of their peers and subordinates shifted in the months prior to […]

43% of workers to look for a new job in the next 12 months

  Forty-three percent of workers plan on looking for a job in the next 12 months, new research from global staffing firm Robert Half says. A separate survey finds that 81% of employers are concerned about holding on to top talent, with one in three being very concerned. A full 43% planning to look for a job […]

Is Your Company Culture Toxic? Here Are Six Warning Signs To Watch For

  A healthy company culture is crucial for a business to operate efficiently. Given that employee well-being often depends on how well they interact with each other, fostering a positive company attitude helps growth within the business as well as promotes a healthy work environment. However, it can be easy for leaders to miss noticing when a workforce is turning sour, […]

Why You Should Help Your Best People Get Better Roles Working For Someone Else

  When experienced leaders look back on their careers, almost inevitably their number one regret is not moving fast enough on people. For most that means not getting poor performers out of bad roles fast enough. For the most effective leaders, that also means not getting star performers into roles that are better for them […]

How To Spot Valuable Moments At Work

  Meaningful work is experienced as an accumulation of moments, not through all-day experiences of transcendent bliss. Thankfully we don’t need meaning all of the time in order to love our work, as I discussed in a recent article. Research shows that if just 20% of our moments at work feel meaningful, we’re less likely to burn […]

How To Motivate A Happy, Productive Workforce

  A happy employee is a productive employee, but what does it take to create an enjoyable work culture? Mathilde Collin is the co-founder and CEO of Front, a San Francisco based company in business since 2013. The front offers an inbox for teams that replaces tools like Outlook, Gmail and instant messaging. The company claims […]

How To Find Purpose At Work When Your Career Is Constantly Changing

  You’ve defined the purpose, taken stock of your days and crafted every aspect of your job. But more often than not, the meaning isn’t found in a matter of moments, and even if it is, it’s likely that what you consider to be fulfilling today will change over the course of your life. “Individuals […]

Unhappy At Work? Persuade Your Boss To Redefine Your Job

Every morning, Jonas backs into a parking spot at work so he can leave faster at the end of the day—if only by seconds. Like nearly half of all workers, Jonas is dissatisfied with his job. His colleague, Ranjana, disliked her job too until she persuaded her manager to redefine her role. As a senior manager […]

Make something different out of yourself every 3 years

  When I was finishing grad school by the end of 2010, like everyone that leaves school, I had to build a career. Instead of getting a management traineeship, like most of my fellow business administration students did, I started a business. That forced me to totally reinvent myself. As an employee or student, you’re […]

How To Break Free From An Unfulfilling Career

Do you ever feel like life just happens to you? One job leads to another and now you find yourself five, 10, or 20 years later in a career that is not especially fulfilling. Maybe you feel like you arrived there by accident—never making time to deliberately think about what you’d like to do or […]

How To Tweak Your Leadership Style When Your Employees Are Feeling Anxious

Even though anxiety can sometimes be frustrating to deal with, it’s actually not all that bad. When people hit the anxious state, at least in the workplace context, it means that they’ve acknowledged that an issue exists and that it needs addressing. They may not be quite ready to take full accountability of the issue, […]

5 Ways To Keep Your Resume Out Of The ‘No’ Pile

  Most job applications today still require you to send in a résumé. It is the place where you get to position your background and highlight your unique promise of value to potential employers. But if you are sending out résumés and not hearing back, one or more of the following five mistakes might be […]

These are the most common things people lie about on their resumes

  Sometimes, resumes have to be… massaged. Tweaked to fit the job listing. Walked back a little. But none of tooling around is a lie, right? As it turns out, only 5% of all people said they’d lied on their resumes – but Millennials do it twice as much as anyone else. In that category, […]

Here’s a resignation letter sample for when it’s time to move on

Many professionals have a false notion of what should be included in a resignation letter. Use this resignation letter sample to clear things up. Resignation letters often cause confusion in the professional world. While you might think letters should vary based on the quality of your experience at the company or seniority level, that actually isn’t […]

How to ‘algorithm optimize’ your resume to get past the bots

  More and more companies today are using screening algorithms to aid in their recruitment of new hires. It’s not practical anymore to have human resource professionals sift through hundreds of resumes for a single position, and so companies are turning to software with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities to do the heavy […]

10 ridiculously smart questions you should ask in a job interview

Depending on the position you’re interviewing for, some of these questions might really make you stand apart. In a crowded job market, the last thing you want to be in a job interview is forgettable. Yet people do it every day with this one mistake: not asking any questions in a job interview. The mistake […]

Ten Ways To Spot A Truly Exceptional Employee

  A recent international study surveyed more than 500 business leaders and asked them what sets great employees apart. The researchers wanted to know why some people are more successful than others at work, and the answers were surprising; leaders chose “personality” as the leading reason. Notably, 78% of leaders said personality sets great employees […]

9 Signs It’s Time To Quit Your Job

    If you’re like most people, you spend more of your valuable waking hours at work than you do anywhere else. It’s critical that you spend your time at the right company, pursuing the right opportunity. Bad management does not discriminate based on salary or job title. A Fortune 500 executive team can experience […]

Nowhere to Go: Advancing Your Career at a Small Company

  When you took a job at a small company, you saw an opportunity to gain resume-enriching experience. As a member of an all-hands-on deck team, there seemed to be no limit to the projects you could take on. After all, a growing company is full of opportunity—right? Sure. But the thing about small companies is […]

10 Ways to Achieve Effective Employee Development On a Small Business Budget

    Hiring and retaining talented, qualified employees is a key concern for small businesses. The market is competitive and the best talent expects a good salary as well as perks and benefits. We can’t all be offering debt-free graduate programs though and industry qualifications such as accountancy exams are no joke either. So what […]

5 Employment Trends Every Hiring Manager Should Watch Out For

    Recruitment, like every other aspect of modern day business, is undergoing a massive transformation to keep up with the technological evolution of the 21st century. Gone are the days when an applicant, after submitting a job application, had to wait in the dark for a long time before receiving a response. In today’s connected […]

Job Search Tips for 2018 and Beyond

  The world of recruitment is rapidly changing and the way we need to approach changes in our career is changing as technology and new platforms enter the industry.   Don’t Overestimate Technology and AI Artificial intelligence is a big deal with recruitment agencies, many people claiming that chatbots will help you get your next interview. The […]

How To Hire and Recruit in a Candidate Driven Market

  What is a candidate-driven market? It’s good news for job seekers. Basically, a candidate-driven market means waves of hiring surges are bringing competition back to the job market.  A candidate-driven market means now is a great time to be looking for work as there are more jobs for talented people, but also means a […]

5 Tips for Hiring the Talent You Need in a Tight Labour Market

There is a labour shortage. Employers whine they just can’t get the right people, or they keep losing promising candidates, or the people they are interviewing just don’t have the right skills. Well, in the words of every woman who has ever dumped me, “It’s you, not me.” Maybe it’s not the talent. Maybe it’s […]

How to (Non-Awkwardly) Reach Out to Old Contacts

  According to a recent Inc. article, the most valuable people in your network are your “dormant ties,” defined as people you used to know but don’t currently keep in touch with. And while that may be true, I’d argue it’s only the first piece of the puzzle. How you reach out is just as […]

48 Questions That’ll Make Awkward Small Talk So Much Easier

    How many times per week do you find yourself talking about topics you have no interest in or have already discussed a million times—just for something to say? Whether it’s waiting for a really slow elevator with a co-worker, talking to an acquaintance at an industry event, or chatting with a complete stranger at a […]

Great Leaders Have An Attitude Of Gratitude – Do You?

The combination of leadership and gratitude is extremely powerful. Gratitude helps you feel better and see the good things in life. When combined with a gratitude practice, you will also be able to anchor that positive feeling into your brain and body, thus being able to call on that positive emotional reserve whenever you need to. […]

The #1 Tool Successful Leaders Use To Radically Shift Their Reality

As a leader, in what area of your life do you need to shift from being disempowered to being empowered? We form our own reality based on visual, auditory, and kinesthetic cues. These cues recall our beliefs about the world and ourselves (our identity), which results in either feeling good or feeling bad. If you’re on […]

10 Reasons You Should Use a Recruitment Consultant When Looking for Work

Anyone currently job searching will realise there are two sorts of roles. Those listed by agencies, and those listed directly by companies. Businesses have clear choices for choosing a recruitment agency – they get the right candidate, in a short time frame saving valuable time and resources. Job seekers however often ask: Why would I […]

6 Advantages of Hiring Through a Recruitment Agency

Are you an employer considering using a recruitment consultancy to assist with hiring new staff? Find out here why it’s a great idea! Knowledge of the market The best recruiters will have their finger on the pulse of their specialist markets, and can give the hiring team insight in to what is happening. They should […]

7 Tips for Giving Your Boss Feedback

Feedback is key to skill development and performance improvement in any role. It’s how we know if we’re doing a good job and how we learn where we can improve. But what do you do when your boss asks for feedback on how they’re doing? We’ve all been there before, and there’s no denying how […]

How to Give Negative Performance Feedback to a Defensive Recipient

So how do you give negative performance feedback that results in positive change when the person you’re talking to gets defensive? Here are five questions to help ensure you’re maximizing the feedback process: 1. Is the feedback a surprise? When a correction or other negative feedback is unexpected, it is often greeted with defensiveness – […]

7 Things to Consider When Relocating for a Job

Congrats, you’ve gotten a new job offer or a promotion! Just one thing—it requires you to move. Many people are faced with a job relocation at some point in their professional career, and it is no easy decision. If you’ve been approached with a promotion with the caveat of a relocation and you’re having a […]

Global Mobility: A Win-Win For You And Your Employer

Global mobility is on the rise, and many employees want a passport filled with foreign-nation stamps to bolster personal growth and career development. Increasingly, they’re seeking expatriate, commuter, rotational or other alternative assignments to build their resumes. International assignments are a great career development tool and, at the same time, help organisations address talent shortages, […]

Career Changers Make Great Hires

If you have an open position that you just can’t seem to fill, consider hiring someone interested in a career change. Career changers tend to be more flexible, which might make up for some skill deficiencies. Someone on the verge of changing careers may also be willing to take a pay cut to learn new […]

5 Undeniable Signs It’s Time to Leave Your Job

The five signs that you should leave your job or change directions are: #1: You’re unhappy most of every day doing this work. This is not brain science here – the clearest sign that you need is a change is how you feel about the work you’re doing every day. The majority of the time, […]

Soft-skill intensive professions to make up 63% of Australia’s job market in 2030

Digital disruption, globalisation and demographic shifts are shaping Australia’s future skill needs, with soft-skill intensive occupations expected to account for two-thirds (63%) of all jobs in Australia by 2030, according to the Soft skills for business success report by Deloitte Access Economics. The report, commissioned by DeakinCo., analyses the importance of obtaining and measuring soft […]

12 Effective Ways to Assess Candidates’ Soft Skills

When asked, recruiters say that screening candidates for soft skills is one of the top areas they want to learn more about. That’s because soft skills (think leadership, relationship building, communications, adaptability, strategic thinking, learning and interpersonal skills) take up to 25% of the skills required to do the job and to be a great […]

My Difficult, No-Fun First Few Years as a Manager

Today, I’m the head of global talent at LinkedIn, running a team of approximately 475 people, creating and implementing recruiting, culture, learning and compensation strategies for 10,000-plus employees around the world. It’s an awesome job and one I’m thankful for every day. To an outsider, it may appear like I’ve cracked the code on leading […]

11 Powerful Traits of Successful Leaders

Successful leaders are the power and intellect behind their organizations. They are the visionaries charged with steering their brand around pitfalls. They must know when to seize opportunities and how to rally employees to work hard toward their company’s goals. Effective leaders transcend the title of “manager” or “boss.” They have found a way to […]

9 Tips For Recruiting Millennial Talent

If you’re a millennial business owner seeking to recruit other millennial talent, you’re in luck. Social media is good way to go. Eighty-six percent of working people who are in their first decade of employment will use social media to look for jobs and research employers. That should be more than enough reasons for you […]

Social Media Mistakes to Avoid in 2017 to Save Your Career and Job Search

Nearly everyone is on social media, enjoying the connections it offers to friends and family. With that said, it can also wreak havoc on careers and job searches for those who aren’t careful about what they post. What may seem harmless to you may be offensive enough to others that it could prevent you from […]

Why Personal Branding Is Essential To Career Success

Creating a strong personal brand for yourself establishes you as a natural leader and opens doors. At this point, it’s established that personal branding is important for a number of reasons. It provides a clear focus for personal development while establishing yourself as a thought leader. It also works wonders for career success, allowing individuals […]

CEOs Need to Pay Attention to Employer Branding

As the global economy picks up, there is growing concern among CEOs about finding and keeping the best talent to achieve their growth ambitions. Different surveys show that in 2014, 36% of global employers reported talent shortages, the highest percentage since 2007, and in a more recent 2015 survey, 73% of CEOs reported being concerned […]

4 Ways to Effectively Train Employees

Yesterday was a long day for Dawn and Jeff. Along with the rest of the sales team, they spent five hours learning about a new software supposed to make their jobs easier. Although a little burned out from all the information they had to process, Dawn and Jeff return to work, excited to use what […]

Get the most out of Training – Before, During, After

  If you ask people if they need, or would like, more training, chances are they’ll say yes. Whether it’s to learn something new; consolidate existing knowledge; reassure that we know what we’re doing; or even just a change of scenery, most of us jump at the opportunity to attend a training course. Yet businesses can […]

7 Practical Ways to Reduce Bias in Your Hiring Process

A vast body of research shows that the hiring process is biased and unfair. Unconscious racism, ageism, and sexism play a big role in whom we hire. But there are steps you can take to recognize and reduce these biases. So where should you start? And how can you help others on your team do […]

Skin deep: Should Australia consider name-blind resumes?

Ashley, Ashton, Ashish and Ashanti are four incredibly talented people with outstanding resumes. A copy of each is sitting on your desk, and you can’t help but notice that the four resumes are completely identical! So do they have an identical chance of getting hired by you? An interesting parliamentary debate is taking place in […]

Nine reasons why you didn’t get a raise

“In today’s tight economy, companies and managers are having to make tough decisions about where and how to allocate rewards like raises and promotions,” says Mikaela Kiner, Founder/CEO of UniquelyHR. In other words, raises are no longer a given — you can’t simply expect them after you’ve put in X amount of time at your […]

Employees you should consider giving a raise to

Paying out more funds can be tough for anyone – especially if you’re an entrepreneur or owner of a small-business or startup. However, you have to remember that you’re only as strong as your best employees and rewarding their efforts, loyalty, and talents is crucial. Otherwise, you might get a surprise two-week notice. You don’t […]

Signs that your employee warrants a pay rise

Promotions make a lot of business owners nervous. They struggle to know who to promote and when to promote them. Plus, this recognition accompanies a raise, which is expensive for small businesses. But if you think about it, promotions are a key business tool that supports employee retention and performance. Millennials, in particular, actively work […]

Eight managers share the best way to ask for a raise

I asked for a raise for the first time a few years ago. At the time, asking for what I thought I deserved and having a frank discussion about money was outside of my comfort zone — but I did it anyway. I researched the typical salary for my position, consulted mentors and confidants (and Google), […]

How to manage a toxic employee

There’s that one person on your team — the bad apple who has nothing positive to say, riles up other team members, and makes work life miserable. If you can’t fire him, how do you respond to his behaviour? What feedback do you give? How do you mitigate the damage he inflicts?     What […]

Tips on coping with a toxic boss

In Australia, workplace health and safety legislation effectively holds employers responsible for ensuring the emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing of employees. Mental stress claims lodged by affected employees against their employer increased by 25% from 2001 to 2011. Although the proportion of stress claims specifically relating to “poor relationships with superiors” was not reported, a Medibank Private […]

Five Signs of a Toxic Workplace

Right before I started my own business, I worked in a truly toxic workplace. Despite the good pay, it was impossible to imagine myself working there for long, since complete, unquestioning obedience was cherished above all other employee qualities. Frankly, that didn’t jive with my analytical, curious, growth-hungry nature. The whole office – except for […]

Will You Lose Your Job to Artificial Intelligence? Here’s What Experts Really Think

Originally Published On: Jan 10, 2017 On Inc.Com By Kevin J. Ryan   A few months into my time as an insurance claims adjuster, a customer called and said he thought his house was breaking apart. He’d heard what sounded like wood beams snapping in the basement, so he went downstairs and crept into the crawl […]

Implementing an effective workforce plan

1 – Establish where your business is going – Business strategy drives the organizational structure The first step in the strategic workforce planning process is to have a clear understanding of your business strategy. At the end of the day, your workforce is there to implement the strategy and achieve the expected business results. Elements […]

Is workforce planning applicable to small business?

  Workforce planning is a term that gets thrown around in all sorts of ways for all sorts of reasons. But what does it achieve? It is crucial in small organisations where losing an employee or two can have a significant impact on the business, as they make up a large proportion of your workforce. A […]

How do I make my Resume stand out from the crowd?

  Emphasise accomplishments with power verbs. When describing your previous employment experiences, emphasize how you solved problems and added value to the company. Begin phrases with keywords like “increased,” “initiated,” “resolved” and “improved”; these power verbs go beyond simply stating your duties to emphasize how you produced results. Here is a list of other power verbs.   Quantify […]

How Can I Prepare for a Psychometric Test?

Find out what the employer is looking for in the right job applicant When advertising and seeking to fill a position, all employers want the best person for the job by finding the right applicant. It’s about hiring the person who will best fit the job; from a skills, intelligence, personality and cultural perspective. Psychometric testing […]

What are the Different types of Psychometric Tests?

1) Achievement tests Achievement tests measure what a person has learned or achieved in the form of training, formal education or instruction. This test measures what his/her knowledge is in a given area, and to what extent the individual’s proficiency will be compared against a given population. In other words, this kind of test helps […]

Charting Future Talent

Talent mapping should form an integral part of a broader talent management strategy, allowing organisations to assess their existing skills and identify those required for the future According to Mark Hodgson, practice leader at talent and career management firm Right Management:  “Talent mapping could be described as the process of linking talent management with strategic […]

What is employee engagement anyway? Let’s start with what it’s not…

Employee engagement does not mean employee happiness. Someone might be happy at work, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are working hard, productively on behalf of the organisation. While company game rooms, free massages and Friday keg parties are fun–and may be beneficial for other reasons–making employees happy is different from making them engaged. Employee […]

5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance

By Jen Uscher If you’re finding it more challenging than ever to juggle the demands of your job and the rest of your life, you’re not alone. Many people are putting in extra hours, or using their smartphones to be on call when they’re not physically at work. “A lot of people are having a […]

How Organisational Culture Affects Work-Life Balance

By Eryc Eyl Working folks who aspire to integrate their work with a meaningful, fun, and fulfilling life are often lone rangers — desperately and individually striving to achieve all they want to achieve at work, at home, in their communities, and within themselves. But the pursuit of work-life balance doesn’t have to be a […]

Five tips for taking quality time off

By Hannah Braime The busier we get and the more commitments we have, the harder it can become to take quality time off. We’ll go into the weekend or our much longed-for vacation iPhone in hand and laptop at the ready—just in case we need to deal with any emergencies. Time off becomes “time to get […]

4 Ways to get employees moving after the holidays

By Heather R Huhman It is the most wonderful time of the year — but these days it’s also the most stressful. After the holidays, employees reluctantly return to work to face a mountain of work, stuffed inboxes and year-end goals that still need to be met. In a study of 1200 individuals surveyed in December […]

How to spot the signs of a great place to work

By Gill Buchanan If you’re looking for a new job, remember it isn’t just the job description you should focus on. It’s just as important to look for an organisation which will be a good fit for you, making it a great place to work. It’s where you will spend a significant amount of time and, […]

A bad reputation costs a company at least 10 per cent more per hire

By Wade Burgess A few years ago, domain registrar and web hosting company GoDaddy was known for its racy ads. While they may have gotten attention in the media, they didn’t help the company do one important thing: hire women. In 2014, women constituted only 14% of GoDaddy’s engineering interns and new graduate hires. Realizing it had […]

Top tips for passive job seekers

By Alison Doyle Do you love your job? Don’t want to even think about looking for a new position? Even if you’re lucky enough to have a job you wouldn’t ever consider quitting, you should be prepared to move on. There are also reasons that it can make sense to quit a job you love. Companies reorganize […]

Why referrals make the best hires

By Sharon Florentine Most HR pros say job candidate referrals are safer bets when hiring, but most job seekers aren’t networking effectively to get those referrals, according to a new study from Future Workplace and Beyond.com. Looking for a new job but can’t seem to land one? Maybe your poor networking skills are to blame? A […]

Personal brand is more than your digital presence

By Laura Montgomery When you think about brand identity, what most frequently comes to mind will be a company logo, overall business reputation and the products associated with a business. Yet one of the most important brands you can focus on to support your company and your career is yourself. Ultimately, people want to do business with […]

Your personal branding strategy in 10 steps

By Rose Leadem Your personal brand communicates your value to the world — not only to potential employers, but to everyone. It is essential today for personal development, career advancement and even establishing yourself as a leader. Expressing who you are, what you do and why you do it will help you position yourself for […]

4 Simple strategies to build resilience in your job search

By Rebecca Wagner There is a tendency to view a job search solely as a means to an end. Conduct a job search, land a job. Landing a job is of course the primary purpose of a job search. But there is a host of benefits that the job search process itself entails. Embracing a […]

What resilience means, and why it matters

By Andrea Ovans A small but intriguing new survey by a pair of British consultants confirms the importance of resilience to business success.  Resilience was defined by most as the ability to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change, and keep going in the face of adversity. But when Sarah Bond and Gillian Shapiro asked […]

When recruiters look at resumes, what vital information do they focus on?

by Ambra Benjamin, engineering recruiter at Facebook I think this varies from recruiter to recruiter and also depends on the role for which you’re applying. For one, I don’t look through stacks of resumes anymore. I hate paper. I do everything online. But I’ll highlight briefly how I personally absorb a resume. I should preface this […]

How to combine early job experience on a resume

by Eric Strauss  How you handle early job experience on your resume depends on its relevance to the job for which you are applying. The more relevant the experience, even from years ago, the more likely you want to highlight it.  Conversely, the less relevant, the more you will want to consider omitting or shortening […]

The festive season brings risks for employers

By Clayton Payne, Special Counsel, Thynne + Macartney The mix of informal interaction and alcohol at Christmas functions can lead to a raft of possible legal claims and complications. That time of the year is fast approaching. With the end of the year comes Christmas functions laced with a fair dose of fun and frivolity. […]

Risky business: Six steps for preventing and managing sexual harassment in the workplace

By Simon Billing (Partner), Cara Leavesley (Senior Associate) & Rosemary Roach (Consultant), Corrs Chambers Westgarth Lawyers Workplace sexual harassment creates significant legal exposure for employers, but it can also have a devastating effect on the health and wellbeing of employees, damage personal relationships and ruin careers. Just by way of an example, last year, an employer was ordered to […]

How to manage passive-aggressive people

Do you know people who are frequently sarcastic? Do they tease others cruelly or put them down, either directly or behind their back? If so, do they then use the phrase “just kidding” to appear to lessen the blow? Perhaps they respond to conflict by shutting others out and giving them the “silent treatment,” rather […]

This might get loud… Handling difficult conversations at work

By Alison Hill You know the feeling – your shoulders tense up, your heart is racing,  your palms sweat and you tell yourself, ‘This is awful, I have to tell Joe the analysis is really bad, and the work has to be redone. He’s going to be so angry and hate me for this’. We […]

Dealing with unhappy customers: Turning a challenge into an opportunity

One of Tim’s most important clients has just walked into his office, unannounced. Tim stands up with a smile on his face, ready to greet him, when the dam bursts – his client explodes into an angry tirade because Tim’s organization has failed to make a delivery on time. Because of this, the client was unable […]

Turning your complex career path into a coherent story

By Anna Ranieri It’s hard when you’ve had a non-standard career trajectory and you want to re-enter the work force, move to a higher position, or enter a new field.  Will a marketing firm see you as a good leadership candidate if you’ve always been a professional fundraiser and small business owner? Would a medical devices […]

Hidden lessons: transferable job skills university teaches you

Woohoo! You survived uni. Sure, you’re up to your eyeballs in debt, you’ve not eaten a proper meal for a good few months, your liver has taken a bit of a bashing and is that a grey hair you can see coming through? But all the instant noodles, sweat and tears were worth it. Not […]

What you can do about bullies in a small business

By  Andrea Beattie Bullying in the workplace takes a toll on the mental well-being and productivity of workers, and it’s also costing the Australian economy more than $6 billion annually. The Productivity Commission estimates that the cost of a workplace bullying case averages between $17,000 and $24,000; far higher when compared to payouts for “traditional” physical […]

10 tips to tackle workplace bullying

Workplace bullying is a serious issue and a major risk factor for anxiety and depression. Employers have a duty of care under work health and safety legislation to provide a safe working environment – and that includes banishing bullying. Although bullying is often seen as an individual issue, research suggests organisational culture is a significant influencing factor. […]

How to unplug from work during the weekend

by Sabrina Son Whether it’s Thanksgiving, a standard weekend, or a week-long vacation, we all need to give our brain a break from work. But let’s face it: it’s difficult to avoid working while we’re not actually on the clock. We have loose ends, projects that we’re accountable for, and deadlines to meet. However, burnout comes […]

Five ways to boost your resilience at work

By Rich Fernandez Currently, a quarter of all employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization describes stress as the “global health epidemic of the 21st century.” Many of us now work in constantly connected, always-on, highly demanding work cultures […]

Seven keys for highly effective hiring managers

By Edward Davis Here are seven keys that hiring managers can use to unlock the door to efficient and effective recruiting. 1. Planning. Often our urgency to implement (recruit) translates into a lack of planning. This can lead to poorer outcomes in recruiting if we haven’t properly considered our organizational design, leadership team alignment, competencies, etc. Also, […]

How to introduce yourself at a new job

By Alison Doyle Whether you’re the new kid on the block at a company of 5 people or 50, introductions can be difficult. However, properly introducing yourself is a very important to step in building both professional and personal relationships with your coworkers.  You should first find out if your hiring manager is planning on sending […]

Be grateful; grow your relationships, your organisation and yourself

By Dan Hartman Last week a colleague helped me win the business of a new customer, so I sent her a short email: Thanks again for taking the time out of your day to discuss our Handyman product with me. I had a second meeting with [xxx] today and was able to give much more […]

Eight ways to cope when you’re a team of one

Angharad is a small cog in a big wheel. She goes to work each day and sits in a big office, but she works alone. When the people around her go on team ‘away days,’ Angharad stays at her desk. When she attends company updates, her successes don’t get a mention. And when her co-workers […]

Emotional intelligence in leadership: learning how to be more aware

By James Manktelow and Amy Carlson When you think of a ‘perfect leader,’ what comes to mind? You might picture someone who never lets his temper get out of control, no matter what problems he’s facing. Or you might think of someone who has the complete trust of her staff, listens to her team, is […]