November Wellness Programme
As part of our November Wellness Programme we will be offering our candidates and client alike the opportunity to come train with the team!
Those who sweat together slay together … Please get in touch with your relevant Boutique Consultant to confirm your spot! Or Email [email protected]
Thursday 8th November @ 6.30pm
Beyoncé Spin Class at Aurora Place, 88 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Wednesday, 14th November 2018 @ 6.15pm
Boxing in the Domain with Erin from Soul Train
Thursday 22nd November 2018
Yoga … watch this space
Thursday 29th November 2018
Zumba with Natty Davids
Call us today to register your interest (02) 8098 0988
Why you should hire a Recruiter
Recruiters don't always have the best reputation. Here at Boutique we pride ourselves on going above and beyond for our clients and candidates. Read on to hear why you need a recruiter to help you fill your next role.
EXPERTISE
Nobody knows the employment market-place better than a professional recruiter – nobody! In-house human resources, no matter how effective (or Internet-savvy), often view the marketplace through an imperfect or misrepresentative prism. Just as physicians are cautioned against treating members of their own families, so too is it folly for an in-house H/R professional to believe that they have an undistorted and unbiased picture of the employment landscape. They are vulnerable to the pressures of internal politics and cultural dimensions which do not hinder the outsider.
CAST A WIDER NET
A professional fisherman will always have more to show than a weekend angler. Recruiters are in the marketplace day in and day out. They know the unwished coves, reefs and inlets that are unknown to others. The job-hunter bookshelves are filled with lore about the “hidden job market.” The same holds true for professional recruiters who have a detailed roadmap to the hidden talent sources which will never be accessed by newspaper ads, alumni associations, applicant databases, or the Internet.
There are occasional pearls through these sources but you have to shuck a lot of oysters to find them. Recruiters only give you oysters proven to contain pearls. Your only job is to determine which pearl is best. Want to catch what you’re fishing for? Hire a guide.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Advertising or otherwise publicly proclaiming an opening, aside from its cost and demonstrated ineffectiveness for sensitive senior level openings, often creates anxiety and apprehension among the advertiser’s current employees who wonder why they aren’t being considered or worry about newcomer transition problems. Just as often it alerts competitors to a current weakness or void in the company.
SPEED
The recruiting process is always faster through a search professional who is continually tapped into the talent marketplace than one having to start the process from scratch. For every day that a key opening remains unfilled, a company’s other employees must grudgingly do double duty. And this doesn’t factor in the profit opportunities or competitive advantages lost to a company because a position remains unfilled or are done on a part-time basis by others less qualified.
POST-HIRE DOWNTIME
Not only is speed an essential part of the professional recruiter’s process, the ability to locate a person who can immediately hit the ground running -with a minimum ramp-up time - saves time after the hire. All too often, a hire selected through less effective sources requires several months of expensive training and orientation.
REALITY
Professional recruiters often recognize and have a duty to inform clients that they may be mistaken as to the type of person sought, the salary required to attract them or the possibilities that the solution might just lie in areas outside the traditional target industries . . . Something an internal recruiter is politically disinclined to do. Too many hirers fail to understand that professional recruiter’s primary function is not necessary to fill a slot but to provide the right candidate to solve the problem.
NEGOTIATION
As a buffer and informed intermediary, the professional recruiter is better able to blend the needs and wants of both parties to arrive at a mutually beneficial arrangement without the polarizing roadblocks which too frequently materialize in face-to-face dealings, especially in this “show me the money” economy.
REMEMBER, WE ARE HERE TO HELP!
Resignation Do's & Dont's
No matter the reason for resigning, whether you can't stand your colleagues or just ready to move on, resigning the wrong way can really effect your future career and can result in a poor reference.
We have complied a list of do's and don't's for you to follow in order to keep that strong and professional connection with your employer.
Do Clean Up Your Computer. Even if you give notice, your employer may decide that you should be done right now and they may show you out the door. Before you turn in your resignation, clean up your computer. Delete personal files and email messages. Make sure you have the contact information for everyone you need to keep in touch with after you're gone.
Don't Put it in Writing. Regardless of how much you hate your job, hate your boss, or hate the company, don't say it. Even if quitting is the best career move you've made, to date, keep it to yourself. Your resignation letter will be placed in your employment file and it can come back to haunt you—even years after you have resigned. It honestly isn't worth venting.
Do Give Notice When Possible. Unless the situation is untenable, giving two - four weeks notice is standard practice when resigning. If you want to leave sooner, it's appropriate to ask if you can leave sooner.
Do Write a Resignation Letter. It's a good idea to write a formal resignation letter for your employment file even if it's best to resign in person. You don't need to say much more than you're leaving and when your last day of work will be.
Get the Details. When you tell your boss or Human Resources Department that you're leaving be sure to get the details on the employee benefits and salary you are entitled to when you leave.
Don't Be Negative. When you're talking about your resignation with co-workers, try to emphasize the positive and talk about how the company has benefited you, even though it's time to move on. There's no point in being negative—you're leaving and you want to leave on good terms.
Don't Brag About Your New Job. Even if you just got the best job in the world, don't brag about it. Is there really any point in making your soon to be ex-colleagues feel badly that you're leaving— both because they'll miss you and because you've got a great job to go to?
Do Offer to Help. If it's feasible, offer to help during the transition and afterwards. The offer may not be accepted, but it will be appreciated.
Do Ask for a Reference. Ask your boss and colleagues if they would be willing to give you a reference. If they agree, ask them to write you a LinkedIn recommendation as well as being available via email or phone.
You'll have the reference as part of your LinkedIn profile, which is great for your future job search endeavors.
Don't Forget to Say Goodbye. Before you leave, take the time to send a farewell message to co-workers and to let them know that you are moving on to a new position, starting a job search, retiring or doing something else with your life. It's appropriate to send an email farewell message. You can include contact information so you can stay in touch.
Networking tips for the reserved
Networking events can be daunting, especially if you classify yourself as shy, reserved or introverted. But lets face it, these types of events are always presenting themselves, and at the end of the day present opportunities that will open doors and could lead you to big prospects.
Here’s how:
1. See networking for what it is, not what you’re afraid it will be.
The truth is that “networking” is just a bad word for a thing that most of us do all the time: building relationships. Do you attend events with friends who have the same hobbies or interests, or socialize with your co-workers from time to time, or follow that local sports franchise with other fans? If so, you’re attending networking events. You just don’t know it yet.
Not every useful social interaction comes with an Official Networking Event seal of approval. Start your path to networking excellence by recognizing what you’re already doing to build your network.
2. Think of networking as giving, not receiving.
Sometimes, networking is scary precisely because it feels like we’re asking for something – a job, a contact, even a bit of advice. Done well, however, networking is far more about what we do for other people than what they do for us. If you’ve been avoiding networking because it feels like asking for a handout, change your perspective by focusing on helping out other people.
At your next event, concentrate on asking questions instead of giving your spiel, and think about what you can do to help your colleagues, not what they can do for you. You’ll build valuable social capital and feel less like you’re defending your thesis.
Everyone likes a person who likes them, and at least some of them will want to help you out the next time you need a recommendation or a connection. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re helping.
3. Make a plan.
You don’t need to talk to every person at the event, or come away with a stack of business cards the size of a small paperback. You do need to decide ahead of time what success looks like for you at this particular event, and make a plan to achieve it.
If you’re just getting your feet wet with networking, maybe your goal will be to have a conversation with three people from outside your department or company. Once you’re feeling more comfortable, you can use the attendee list to target a few people to talk to about topics of mutual interest.
Whatever you do, don’t spend the whole time hiding with the colleague you brought along for moral support. If you only talk to someone you already know, you’re not much better off than you would be if you’d stayed back at the office or at home.
4. Practice your pitch.
Elevator pitches are the 60-seconds-or-less description that entrepreneurs and business owners develop in order to be able to showcase their product or company to investors and clients. As a job seeker or career developer, you should put together your own elevator pitch to describe what you’ve done in your career and what you hope to do next.
Start with the basics. What do you love about your current or most recent job? What do you want to be when you grow up? Where are you most skilled? What would your friends and favorite co-workers say you do the best? Concentrate on the positive, and if you find any room for improvement, file that away as inspiration for future training and continuing education.
5. Remember that everyone is worrying about themselves, and that’s a full-time job.
Finally, when you’re feeling most self-conscious, remember this: everyone is very busy worrying about their own jobs, careers, and potential professional embarrassments. They don’t have any time to watch what you’re doing. If you stumble, do so with the full knowledge that it’s probably way more obvious to you than to anyone else. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move forward with a clear mind.
Words to avoid using in an office environment
We are all guilty of using the below words in one sentence or another. The good news is there are easy fixes for each of them.
Just
How often do you start a sentence with “Just wanted to check in”? It sounds innocuous, but every time you use “just,” you’re minimizing your request and unintentionally coming off as insecure in the process. Time to press that backspace button.
Try/Hopefully
Yoda once said, “Do or do not, there is no try,” and this same principle is true in the office. If a co-worker asks for something, instead of saying, “I’ll try to get that done this week” or “Hopefully I’ll get it done,” give a specific time, like, “I’ll have that report back to you by 5PM on Tuesday.”
Certainty makes you seem confident and reliable. Who wouldn’t want that in a team member?
I Think
If you’re the one speaking, everyone already knows your thoughts are coming from you! People tend to use “I think” when they’re not sure of what they’re about to say, undermining themselves in the process.
If you stand behind your opinions, drop the “I think…” If your ideas aren’t fully formed yet, take an extra minute to compose yourself so you’ll be self-assured. It’s definitely worth it, and your colleagues and superiors will take notice.
Literally/Actually/Honestly/Really
Honestly, people actually really literally use words like “literally,” “actually,” and “honestly” all the time when honestly they make literally no sense.
See what happened there? Take these words out; they’re just fillers and never add anything to what you’re saying. Plus, chances are you’re using them incorrectly (especially “literally”) anyway.
Sorry
If there’s one word people say too much in the office, it’s “sorry.”
Not sure if something is worth apologising for? Here’s a litmus test to ask before dropping the “s” word: Did I do irreparable harm here, or am I using “sorry” as a substitute for something more concrete?
The next time you mess up or feel the need to apologize for something trivial, admit fault and offer a solution: “I know you were hoping I’d clean the filing cabinet last week, but I completely mismanaged my time and didn’t get to it. It’ll be done by 11AM today.”
Like
You’ve probably heard it a million times: “Stop adding unnecessary ‘likes’ to your sentences, it makes you sound stupid!”
Want to stop? Slow down your speech and focus on choosing your words wisely. It’s the only way to break this bad habit.
Maybe
No one likes that indecisive colleague who keeps saying he can maybe take a look at the investor report at the end of the day or maybe put on a fresh pot of coffee while she’s in the break room.
No matter what it is, being firm in your commitments makes you appear confident and dependable, which can only help you only your career.
Always/Never
Nothing is ever entirely certain in the office, so avoid talking in absolutes like “always” or “never.” For example, instead of saying that you’d never work with a certain client again, be more concrete as to why you didn’t enjoy working with that person (but also don’t take anything off the table).
Stuff/Thing
Instead of emailing a co-worker asking for “that spreadsheet thing” from last week, take extra time for added explanation: “Can you send me our expenses spreadsheet for this month that we created last week?” You’ll be happy you didn’t do that “Wait, what thing?” email back ‘n’ forth.
By focusing on eliminating these everyday words from your vocabulary, you’ll be on your way to bigger and better things in your career in no time.
10 reasons why you should consider Temp work
Temporary roles are on the rise, but there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding the term. Here, we help you understand more about Temp work.
1. Temps can gain great experience, fast.
Temping can provide opportunities to gain a lot of skills and expertise, in a variety of roles, businesses and cultures, at an accelerated rate. It can arm you with important soft skills like adaptability, and provide an intense learning curve of hard and soft skills gained in short assignments. Temps present less of a risk to employers who don't want to invest in people in the long term, so the likelihood of temps being able to gain valuable, broad experience quite quickly is increased.
2. Temps are in an increasingly commanding position
Many organisations bring in temps to help them deliver a project or undergo a challenging period of change on quite a fast timescale. This means that temps can be in high demand; even more the case for those with experience of working through change. Experienced contractors are in a commanding position and many will do very well out of the current economic climate as demand for temps increases.
But even if you're starting out as a temp and haven't yet had the opportunity to gain lots of experience, being a temp means you're quite likely to. Now is the time to make the most of any opportunity to work your way up the pay grade by gaining new skills and experience.
3. Temping can open doors
Entry-level job seekers can assume temping looks bad on a CV and may be holding out for longer-term employment. But think about how much better your CV will look if you have some interesting temping roles you can talk about – it shows you have ambition and drive, valuable skills and experience and demonstrates that you're reliable. Temping also provides great networking opportunities, and many businesses who aren't willing to commit to a new permanent role end up creating one for temps they like.
So temping can open doors. You can sit at a PC and apply for thousands of roles, but it's surprising how much easier it is to be successful when you're already working – you develop contacts, referrals, reputation and you may even get offered a permanent job!
4. It's not true that temp candidates aren't good candidates
Quite apart from (often wrong) perceptions about money, there are a number of reasons people don't like the idea of temping. These are usually misconceptions. One of the most common of these is that temps are somehow inferior as candidates. This isn't true.
As we've suggested above, temps gain good experience, often undergo quite intensive learning curves and, in many industries, are in demand when companies need good people, fast. If you've got some good temping experience but aren't sure how to articulate why it makes you an attractive candidate in an interview for a permanent role, a good recruitment partner should be able to help you to fine-tune your pitch.
5. Temping can help you to "try before you buy"
Temping can provide a great opportunity for you to try your hand at something before deciding whether or not it's for you. If you're new to the market, seeking a change of career or a return to work after a period of absence, temping can provide you with low-obligation opportunities to try a number of different organisations, roles and projects. This in turn can give you valuable breathing space where you can think about your next move and make an informed decision about what permanent role you want to pursue (if any). We've already mentioned that some companies offer permanent roles to temps that perform well – so that "try before you buy" can work both ways.
6. Temping is a great way of "on-boarding" into a full time role
Being a temp and then being offered full-time employment can be one of the most satisfying and rewarding ways of joining an organisation, meaning you avoid the unique discomfort of being on probation. Even if a temp is still expected to undergo a period of probation after being taken on full time, they often feel less scrutinised, more acclimatised and more established as part of the team.
7. If it's flexibility you seek, temping could be your holy grail!
Temping provides great work/life balance. You get to choose when you go on holiday and it's easier to fit studying (or interests, or being a carer or parent) around work. We know of quite a few senior temps and contractors who only work for 6 or 9 months of the year.
8. It's not true that temps "earn less"
On that note, there are various kinds of temporary work, and many interim and contract workers, as well as some good old "standard" temps (people who work through an agency, for a client, for a limited period) can earn very good money.
A whole host of roles can experience "demand highs" that enable temp staff with the right skill-sets to significantly increase their hourly rate, even at a fairly junior level. To cite just one example, a large company needing to quickly process a backlog of invoices might pay well for Junior Accounts Assistants with experience of SAP.
9. Plenty of people choose the temping lifestyle because they enjoy it
We have a good number of candidates who love temping. They say they love the flexibility and the experience of meeting a wide range of people. They enjoy learning about different organisations, gain skills quickly and have a lot of experience gained over a relatively short period of time. We know some who have chosen to advance their careers and become more senior within their skillset, or specialise in a competitive or high-demand function; many of these wouldn't contemplate a full-time role, and choose when they work.
10. A good agency can help maximise your opportunities as a temp
If you're planning to temp, a good agency is worth its weight in gold. If you're going to register with an agency, make sure it's one that works well with temps and that you can develop a strong rapport and a one-to-one relationship with. Having a single point of contact (or as few as possible) who really knows you, your skills, preferences and work history can be invaluable in helping to ensure you get the roles you want. What's important here is YOU.
How to make your CV stand out
There's no denying it, we have all struggled with writing our CV's at one time or another. It can be extremely daunting, especially if you're a first timer. A CV is a reflection of your work, especially in the administrative field. If you don't format your CV properly, it can make you look lazy. Follow these simple steps and hopefully it will land you that interview you've been waiting for!
1. Be clear and structured
There is no way recruiters are going to read all the CVs in detail. They begin by ‘scanning’ the CVs received by reading them diagonally. Only those that catch their attention upon first reading will be examined more closely. Choose an attractive layout by structuring your ideas. For this purpose, use paragraphs and clear titles.
2. Avoid embellishments
A CV is a professional document. Don’t try to make it stand out by using an eccentric font or colours. Keep it simple, clear and to the point.
3. Be concise
Your CV isn’t a novel. Avoid telling the story of your life. Make sure the document doesn’t exceed 1 to 2 pages of A4. Indicate a few relevant elements regarding your professional experience (tasks, responsibilities, etc.) and possibly your education (courses, title of your dissertation, etc.).
4. Make sure you can be easily contacted
If the recruiter wants to contact you, they must be able to find your personal information at first glance. Put it at the top of the first page. Think of putting your age rather than your date of birth to make things easier for the person reading your CV.
5. Remove all unnecessary information
Avoid putting ‘curriculum vitae’ at the top of the document. Similarly, don’t put ‘name’ in front of your name, ‘address’ in front of your address, etc. If your CV is clear and well structured, there will be no room for uncertainty.
6. Put the emphasis on your experience
Your experience is what interests the recruiter above all. It is more important than your training and must therefore be mentioned first. Make sure it is relevant to the job for which you are applying. No professional experience yet? Then emphasise any placements and student jobs. If you really don’t have any relevant experience, begin with your education.
7. Only mention relevant training
Of course you have to mention your basic education and your specialisations relevant to the job, but make it brief. If you have a degree, the recruiter won’t be interested in your primary and secondary school studies, for instance. Have you done any training during your career that you think is pertinent to the job in question? Speak about it briefly.
8. Work in chronological order
Whether you are writing about your experience or your education, the most recent information is the most important. Always put it first.
9. Be precise
Don’t forget to mention your language and computer skills. It is essential but also mention your level of knowledge. For example: excellent, good, average, basic. Regarding languages, make a distinction between your reading, spoken and written abilities.
10. Personalise your CV
Your CV isn’t a standard document. It is in your best interest to adapt it according to the job you are targeting. Some experience or education/training might be more relevant for one job than for another.
We hope you found those tips helpful, and remember we are always here for advice if you need!
What WE look for in a Candidate
Show us who YOU are! Not the 'you' on paper - YOU! The one with motivations, successes, strengths, weaknesses. The real you.
We are here to connect you to the most suitable client possible. Think of us as the 'first interview' in the process, a buffer or filter between you and the client. We take in all of YOU and gauge where your personality will fit in with our employers because at the end of the day, you need to enjoy working with those people.
Of course skills, experience and presentation all come into play, but we want to know your career plans, dreams and aspirations in order to match you with a role you'll love.
So, how do you show a recruiter the 'real you' in a professional sense?
- Tell us what YOU want
Give us the BIG picture. The clearer you are about what you want, the more you will stand out from the crowd and the easier it will be for us to find and propose the right opportunity to match your career aspirations.
- Outline your key successes
Ensure you explain not only what you’ve done in previous roles but highlight your key successes. By giving us solid examples of your achievements, we can outline these to our clients. This will give you a strong advantage getting you through to the client interview.
- Highlight your niche skills
Details, details, details! We know the ins and outs of basic skills, but by promoting niche skills you immediately distinguish yourself and become more memorable and marketable. The more information you share about your niche skills the more opportunities and specialised roles will be presented to you.
- Be upfront and honest
Communication is key in any relationship. Keep us updated with your job search. Let us know other details like what environment you like/don't like working in, what industry you would prefer, what areas you would/wouldn't travel to, etc. We also expect honesty when it comes to other recruiters. Let us know if you have other roles in the pipeline. Remember, honesty is the best policy and will get you further in the long run.
Our best interview advice
Here at Boutique we want the best for you and understand that interviews can be nerve racking. We have put together our best tips and tricks for nailing your next interview and hopefully landing your dream role!
Research
The best thing (apart from yourself) you can bring to an interview is knowledge. The more you know about the employer and the position available, the more relaxed and prepared you will feel once the interview questions start rolling.
Most organisations should have a website you can gather information from, and we will always fill you in on the role.
Personal Preparation
Presentation is key! Remember, first impressions last and the first thing the employer will notice is how you are presented. Make sure you'll look the part by referring to our guide.
For Men: A business suit is preferred. Clean, leather shoes and neat and tidy hair. Clean nails are also a must.
For Women: A pant or skirt suit is preferred. Clean, neat nails and preferably hair pulled back. You don't want loose hair to be distracting. Closed toe, clean heels or flats and minimal make up.
Make sure you have all the logistics down pat. This includes interview location and how to get there, outfit and resume. This will help avoid any additional stress on the day.
Practice! Search for hard interview questions and practice the answers with a friend. Make sure you avoid any 'um' or 'ah' when answering.
The Interview
- Always arrive 10 minutes early. Being late to an interview is inexcusable.
- Greet the interviewer by their first name and give a firm handshake.
- Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright and always look alert and interested. Be a good listener as well as a good talker. Smile!
- Maintain eye contact.
- Follow the interviewer's leads but try to get them to describe the position and duties early in the interview so you can relate your background and skills to the position.
- Make sure you convey your good points factually and sincerely. Keep in mind that you alone can sell yourself to an interviewer. Make them realise why they need you in their organisation.
- Use the 'CAR' technique when answering questions behavioural interview questions.
Context is about describing a situation and setting the scene for a relevant example. The key here is to choose your example well – one that clearly demonstrates the quality or skill the employer is asking about.
Action is about explaining what action you took. Be really specific rather than making vague statements and outline your steps and rationale.
Result is about detailing the outcome of your action. Offer specific facts relating to the result. For instance, quote figures and statistics that back up your declaration.
At the end of the interview, be sure to shake the interviewers hand and say thanks you.
What Next?
Always call your recruiter as soon as you finish the interview for feedback. We will then liaise with the employer and let you know the outcome of the interview.
Remember, we are here to help. Do not hesitate to give us a call for any advice you need.
Good Luck!