Barack Obama In Australia

Barack Obama visited Australia in March for a series of speaking engagements, and had some valuable nuggets of wisdom to share.
Recruitment Trends in 2023

This year has been an interesting one in the world of recruitment! View the top trends shaping the Australian job market in 2023
Keeping Pace and Being Prepared for Change

Change is a certainty in life. It’s inevitable. Read these tips on how to create a proactive, positive response to any changes as they arise.
Do you have a Recruitment Strategy?

Do you have a recruitment strategy? There are a few questions I ask my clients, especially when we are meeting for the first time. Two key questions are “How do you recruit new people into your business?” and “What recruitment challenges do you have?”. I find that most clients will have the same challenges no matter what industry they are in. We can’t seem to find people quickly enough. There is a shortage of skilled and experienced people. It’s costing us too much money to recruit people. I then ask what their recruitment strategy is. Most businesses will not have one. They will have a business plan, a plan for growth and a plan for expansion yet rarely a plan for recruitment. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you have a recruitment strategy in place. The methods of attracting the ‘right’ people to your business have changed exponentially in the past few years. People are not just looking for a job; they want a career with a company that they believe in. They want longevity (that’s at least 3-5 years nowadays!) and they want a work/life balance. It isn’t always about the salary (but they still want to be paid a competitive remuneration package). How do you put a recruitment strategy in place? If possible, do this with your HR manager or preferred recruiter. They do this on a daily basis and know the industry and, most importantly, they know your business. Research This is the first step in creating a successful recruitment strategy. Historical: Create a report of your current recruitment function including the cost and time associated with it. List the past ten hires (at least) – how long each recruitment process took, the calibre of the successful candidate, the total direct and indirect cost and what sourcing method(s) was/were used. From this review draw conclusions about what’s working and what’s not working as well as you would like? Talent pool: Who is in it? How large is it? Where is it? What are their motivators (money, work/life, new location, etc. …)? Attraction: What are you doing now? What’s working? What’s not working as well? What else can you do to attract employees? What is your retention rate? Are you an employer of choice? Do you have an Employee Value Proposition? Future planning Plan out where you want to be in a year. Is expansion on the cards? Include the following: Pipeline: Do you need to start mapping out potential new employees? Advertising: How are you going to attract these people? Internal: Do you have people internally that are trained and ready to move into these new roles? Competitors: What are they doing or what might they do to impact the market for the same candidates you are seeking to hire? Measurables Finally, you need to cost out this strategy and what benefits you expect to be delivered during this period. For example: The cost per hire. Are there savings you can make? How quickly do you wish to engage people? What size and type of talent you wish to see in your talent pools? Companies that are reactive rather than proactive will recruit in a hurry and frequently will employ the wrong person because they are desperate to just ‘fill the job’. I graciously refuse to work with clients who need a new employee ‘yesterday’. I will, however, work with them to map their talent pool and attract the right people into their business. If you want any success in your recruitment process, you must have a recruitment strategy in place. It will save you money and improve the quality of the people you employ, trust me. At Elite Executive, my team and I only work with a select number of clients so that we can truly understand each client’s business. This enables us to provide each client with honest feedback and be in the best position to endorse that business to future employees. If you, as an employer, are serious about putting a recruitment strategy in place, contact me today for a confidential conversation on how you should proceed. We look forward to speaking with you! Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane
The Importance of Being Positive

The Importance of Being Positive A person’s ability to deal with uncertainty is influenced by many factors. Those who are more mature or older may be able to deal with uncertainly better because they have experienced uncertainty in the past and have made it through and trust that things will turn out okay or perhaps the way they’re supposed to. Those who practice a faith or religion may also be comfortable in uncertain times because they have a higher power to look to. Putting all that aside, a person’s ability to deal with uncertainly depends not so much on external circumstances but on what they allow themselves to think about. Our thoughts create our experience of life – worried thoughts create worried feelings whilst hopeful or optimistic thoughts create hopeful feelings. Of course, there are circumstances out of our control that can cause worry and distress: natural disasters, unexpected death, financial security and at the moment; a pandemic. Yes, even though these events are out of our control, we DO have control over our reaction. Our reality equals our thoughts. I am a firm believer that attitude is everything. Maintaining a positive outlook is essential during times of crisis. For example, rather than focusing on things that ‘may happen’ have a look at the good things already in your life. Today. Be grateful for it. The benefits of staying positive through uncertainty are not just about feeling better – they will impact the outcome. You will be better able to seek support from others when you remain positive, as people tend to gravitate towards positive people. So, what can we do to stay strong and keep positive? Here are some ideas which may help: TAKE A MOMENTReflect on things that you are grateful for. This is a powerful tonic for your mood. Take the time to write down three things that you are grateful for at the end of each day. We all have at least three things to be grateful for – health, roof over our head, food on the table, good friends, etc. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLEMoods are contagious. Turn off that TV, stop reading negative news stories and instead talk with people who know and love you and are ultimately positive people. Be with people who will make you feel good. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF PHYSICALLYNo matter whether you enjoy walking, cycling, are a gym junkie or just hate any form of exercise, it is essential to do something. It is well documented that if you feed your body you will feed your mind. When we are tired and run down we are more vulnerable to lower-quality thinking. Eat well, sleep and exercise, trust me, it helps! Don’t get me wrong, we all have good days and we all have bad days, but it’s how you respond to the bad days that matter. Do you just give up, or just keep on pushing through? There are numerous examples out there of people who have fallen time and time again but kept trying to eventually become a success. Two that immediately come to mind are Walt Disney and Bill Gates. Gates was a Harvard dropout and Disney was fired from a newspaper because ‘he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.’ What??? Imagine the world without either of them? Remember you are the one who chooses how to respond to events outside your control. Recognise that in life and business, a fair number of surprises will cross your path, and some may come with immense challenges. When that happens, remember: Stop. Think. Decide. Only you can make a conscious decision to take a more effective course of action. Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane
Putting your best foot forward

Putting your best foot forward As a recruiter in the engineering sector, we have noticed a misalignment of supply and demand. The civil infrastructure sector is booming, everyone is looking for an extra civil engineer for their growing number of projects. But if Civil Engineers are in such high demand, why is it so hard for some highly qualified engineers to get a job? As a candidate, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of landing that ideal role. With continuing investment from state and local government, we are seeing continued growth of construction projects across Australia which looks like continuing for the foreseeable future. These projects include new road developments, road upgrades and rehabilitation works, buildings, dams and other complex structures, all of which require experienced engineers to oversee the design and construction. We are also seeing a resurgence in the mining sector in Queensland and Western Australia, with mines restarting, expanding, and new mines being developed, again all of these requiring experienced civil and other engineers. Although this is fantastic for the economy, companies are struggling to find suitably qualified engineers. There is a nationwide shortage of civil engineers, with engineering job vacancies higher than any other employment market throughout the country with civil engineering positions dominating this landscape. At the same time, engineering companies are becoming more discerning with their hiring choices even though there is a current skills shortage. There is a big demand now for Australian engineers with ‘soft skills’ like communication, digital literacy and critical thinking. Additionally, engineering companies in remote and regional areas are increasingly focused on culture fit to ensure their current teams are not too disrupted. In Cairns especially, most engineering offices are fairly small (under 25 staff) and they need someone with a broad range of experience that can work on any project, as employing a number of specialists is not in the business budget. What can you do? If you are an engineer, looking for your next opportunity, you need to be focusing on developing your soft skills. Take a course to learn how to use the various programs used in engineering, broaden your areas of experience, develop your communication skills by attending a toastmaster’s session, exercise your brain in other areas to develop more critical thinking skills. We are finding that if you develop your soft skills you will put yourself in a much stronger position in the eyes of your next employer. We are interested in hearing your thoughts or experiences as a civil engineer looking for work. What have you done to secure an interview? Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane
Going Regional to Advance Your Career

Going Regional to Advance Your Career As Recruitment Specialists, we are often discussing people’s career objectives and what is standing in their way of achieving them. Unsurprisingly, management level roles are high on the list of career aspirations. But what is the best way to get into a management position? Do you wait until your direct manager moves up (or out) and go for their position? Do you apply for management roles in other companies? We have interviewed countless senior engineers and designers who tell me they can’t seem to break into the next level of their career. Most of them don’t have opportunities in their current company. They could be waiting years for their manager to retire, and they’re still not guaranteed to move up into that role. But if they apply for management roles with another employer, they most likely won’t be considered as they don’t have any existing management experience. It’s a cycle that traps a lot of good people who could go on to become great managers if they had the chance. Most people who work in major capital cities don’t consider the opportunities that moving to a regional or remote area can provide them. Regional and remote engineering firms find it hard to get good staff with experience and can provide a great career boost for a mid-senior level professional to take that next step. It can also give you a much broader experience in your field by being able to work on a wide range of different projects. There are other benefits as well. It will broaden your view of the country, and you will experience a whole different culture. It’s not unusual for people in the major capital cities to not be aware of what’s going on in other parts of the country, especially in regional or remote locations. Outside of where they live, it can seem that everywhere else is just a tourist destination. Before I moved from Sydney to Cairns, I too thought the same. I saw Cairns as just a small tourist destination people went to see the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest and there was nothing else there. But after moving to Cairns, I can see that it is so much more. There is a booming commercial sector as well as the tourism, the locals are much friendlier and more approachable than people in Sydney, there is so much more to do as a family, and the commute times are far less, meaning there is more time to enjoy everything available here. Now I don’t think I could ever leave as I love it here so much more than I ever thought I would. Have you reached a plateau in your career progression? Have you ever considered moving to a regional area to advance your career? Even if it is only for a couple of years, get the management experience, then you can move back with better career opportunities available. Who knows, you might like it so much you’ll want to stay too! Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane
Recruiters Can (And Do) Change Lives

Recruiters Can (And Do) Change Lives I often get asked why I got into recruitment and why I set up my own business. As most people in the industry would attest to, I ‘fell’ into the industry, purely by accident. However, after over a decade in the hospitality and tourism industry throughout the world and being very familiar with diverse cultures, languages and personalities, it was the perfect fit for me. Now into my 10th year in the Elite Executive business, I still jump out of bed every morning, excitement brewing in my stomach about whose life will I change today. When I decided to go it alone ten years ago, it was a combination of flexibility and the desire to be different. To shake things up and to ‘change the face of recruitment’. There are good and bad recruiters out there and I have heard many horror stories, in fact, I experienced a few myself before entering the industry. But there are also many amazing, passionate recruiters in the industry who truly believe in what they do and genuinely want to help. Many of us spend copious amounts of time researching industries, companies and people before we even engage with them. At Elite Executive, we’re all about relationship building and focus on the long-term benefits of working with our clients before we agree to partner with them. Being that extension of your business and knowing your future goals, internal fit and key skills are imperative in assisting us in finding that perfect candidate. Our candidates however, are absolute gold. They are the key to our success. In searching and through detailed interviewing, we really delve in deeply as to what their key motivators are, not only in their career but their lives in general. As we move people all over the country and in some cases, internationally, we take this very seriously. It takes a lot of work to uproot a family and move them somewhere else. We spend a lot of time ensuring firstly that as a family you are clear on what it takes to move away from your current home. We also assist in preparing them for the move, from researching your new town or city to finding the right schools and even assisting your partner in securing employment also. Each and every placement is not taken lightly and we put our heart and soul into each role we place. We only work exclusively with our clients so that we can give them 100% of our time. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that ‘spreading the love’ amongst recruiters will give you three or four times the number of qualified candidates, if recruiters know that they are up against three or four other companies, you will also only get that fraction of work from them. Then there are those that will race to the finish line to get resumes to you first, but at what cost? Have they been thoroughly vetted, or are they just wanting to get that resume to you before their competition? I learnt early on in business that the clients I work with will value what I do and the hard work and passion that goes into every single placement. I would rather work with less clients and deliver more quality than more clients and not be able to deliver what they need. So how does a business engage with a recruiter and how do you pick from over 7,000 agencies currently in Australia? I recommend that you work with a recruiter that sits well with your values as a business and take the time to grow a professional relationship with them. Be honest and keep communication as open and fluid as possible. Good recruiters will ensure confidentiality and knowing all aspects of your business, warts and all, will enable them to better access the right candidate for your business. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing a candidate contribute to the growth of a business and also their own career. In fact, today I am catching up with a valued candidate that I placed in a successful and growing business over three years ago. They have been promoted twice and absolutely love their job. This is why I do this and this is why I can and do change lives and I’m so very proud of that. Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane
Professionalism

Professionalism. Professionalism. The Oxford English Dictionary says it means “The competence or skill expected of a professional: the key to quality and efficiency is professionalism” but what exactly is ‘expected’ in this context? I once made the mistake of ‘assuming’ a candidate knew what I meant by dressing professionally for an interview at a global (and very professional) business. When speaking with my client afterwards, they said this particular person gave a very bad first impression by turning up in casual pants and a polo shirt. Tidy, yes. Professional, no. Needless to say, they were not asked back for a second interview. However, to be professional can take on many forms, not only how you present yourself (your attire and your grooming) but also how you interact with others (attitude and competence). Are you reliable, respectful and competent? Do you perform your tasks with genuine intent and honesty? Do you maintain professional etiquette and ethics in the workplace? Depending on your workplace this can take on many different forms, however, there are and always will be a few common traits that make us valued and respected, that it helps to be aware of: Respect – Treat everyone with respect, all staff at all levels, vendors, clients and customers. When I worked on cruise ships, we had a 10 foot policy whereby we had to greet everyone we passed within a 10 foot radius with a ‘Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening’. I still do it sometimes to strangers on the street. Yes, they look at me funny! But it’s only good manners and isn’t it nice to get a greeting and a smile from a stranger? Competence – Know your role, your skills and what is required of you. Don’t just ‘talk the talk’, ‘walk the walk’. If you don’t know what’s expected of you, then ask a person who can tell you. Reliability – Be dependable, turn up to work, meetings and appointments on time. Honesty – Be honest, admit your mistakes and take responsibility for rectifying them. Support others – Be sure to include your team in on any accolades, share the spotlight. Be a team member. Be positive – Smile and see the good in everything! Stay work-focused – leave your personal life at home and do not use the company time for personal issues (unless there is an emergency of course) or to bog your colleagues down with negative energy from non-work matters. Project a positive business appearance – dress professionally and speak positively and confidently about your company and yourself. Integrity – This is one of my company (and personal) values. Do what you say you will do and you will become known as someone whose word can be trusted. It goes without saying (or does it?) that unprofessionalism includes gossiping, being negative, poor attendance or tardiness, unprofessional body language, presentation and disrespect. The more you practice ‘being professional’ the more chances you will have to create a positive reputation and image for yourself, this can ultimately translate into a better job, promotion and more chances at exciting projects or opportunities. But most importantly, you will benefit from feelings of increased self-worth and dignity and isn’t that the best reason of all? Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane
The Only Resume Advice You’ll Ever Need

The Only Resume Advice You’ll Ever Need If you have ever been looking for a job I’m sure asked yourself: “What can I do to make my resume stand out and get an employer to seriously consider me for a job”? If you Googled the term “resume”, you know that there’s a dizzying array of information and advice out there about what works best in putting something together that presents you best. How do you make sense of it all? I’m going to make it easy for you – I have looked at well over 50,000 resumes and talk daily with Recruiters and HR Directors who are often the ones making the first pass at your resume. No matter your experience level or what kind of job you’re looking for, these are the most important “insider tips” you will need to know and do: The “one-size fits all” approach won’t cut it in a marketplace of increasingly specialized needs. So plan on having several versions of your resume adjusted for the different jobs you are applying for. Include ways you can make an immediate contribution to the organization that reflects the homework you should be doing about the organization you’re applying to. Make sure that you – and at least one other person you trust – carefully review your resume and adjust it to contain the “key words” that recruiters will be searching for. Don’t worry about an objective – employers will skip over this, or worse, will screen your resume out based on an objective that is not a perfect match for the job they are hiring for. Instead let your experience, skills and results-driven descriptions make the case for you. “Space equals importance”, so put the most critical information first and spend more time and space talking about the skills, experiences, and results that are directly related to the job you are applying for. Avoid all complicated fonts or design elements. To be considered an applicant, you will likely be uploading your resume to an applicant tracking system (ATS) on a company or third-party web site. These systems have a difficult time deciphering elaborate fonts or design elements and if your resume can’t be read easily, it won’t be read at all. Quantify whenever possible. We live in a metrics driven work culture and it’s no longer enough to state that you increased sales or productivity, you need to back it up with quantifiable data whenever possible. Check your resumes for errors of fact, typos, formatting woes or omissions. After you checked it and before you send it to an employer, let a trusted person in your network review it as well. One inaccuracy or misspelling could cost you a second look. Omit any unnecessary, or potentially controversial, information, including sexual orientation, religious or political affiliations. It’s illegal for employers to ask for this information and irrelevant to whether you are a strong candidate for the job. “Size matters” and no one has the time to spend a long time reviewing a resume. Keep the resume to one or two pages depending on your experience. If your resume is more than a page, be sure to include your name and email contact on subsequent pages and do your best early on to make sure the recruiter will want to read more!