The term “ethics” comes from the Greek work ‘ethikos” which describes the authority of custom/tradition and a form of common law.

Much more complex than a straight right or wrong, in fact 50 shades of grey for many of us!

It may help to think of the people around you as an ethical compass guide. Before you act or react to what others say or do, consider the following self-analysis …

• If the media published what I did /said, would it reflect the community’s feelings also?
• What would my family and friends think of my decision?
• What would others within my profession think of me?
• What would my peers and my manager think?

I’m not talking about peer pressure and/or taking advice from unethical people. Just because people are educated or your friends does not mean that they may be the best to consult.  Qualifications alone do not mean that people will act professionally or ethically. Honesty, fair play, and correctly representing yourself is still most important. Congruence with a professional image is vital. Professionals dress and act appropriately; they respect other’s differences; they are fair and honest in business dealings; and abide by legal, industry and workplace standards.

Ivana Agapiou
Career and outplacement

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Recruitment for a job vacancy is more than just skill-matching

Selecting the right person, means less work and angst later on in the employment phase, it means taking the time to carefully source the best candidates.

We receive daily calls from employers seeking skilled and work-ready candidates, often the request goes something like this,  ” Could you check on your books for a good….. and get back to us?”.

Yes, we can check our data base against any employer’s criteria and we do this often, however permanent placement is more than finding a basic skills match!

We wish recruitment was that easy, and through many years of employment recruitment experience, we believe that is not what  an excellent Recruitment service is all about.

Quality recruits means quality sourcing, screening and selection.

It means that the following steps must be followed

• Gathering information along with a comprehensive briefing from the employer on the role, responsibilities and rate of pay
• Meeting and forming a long lasting relationship with the employer and potential employee
• Consulting and advising on IR, HR and salary benchmarks
• Advertising and promoting the role to source the best candidates
• Sourcing and screening appropriate candidates
• Setting deadlines and touch points for the final selection
• Organising final interviews
• Obtaining reference checks and resume authenticity
• Remaining and maintaining contact with both parties post commencement

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JOB Wardrobe? yes it’s a must!

A number of independent studies maintain that clothing can affect a first impression dramatically; it also can affect promotional opportunities.

How? Well whether we like it or not, humans are very judgmental! We base many of our decisions on first impressions and on on-going encounters. Women especially can be quite critical of how other women present. Men will note factors also.  The main point here is to dress for the job you want. If you are dressing “down” you are not reflecting the importance you place on the work.

Here are some basic rules: clothes should always be clean; ironed and well-fitted; use deodorant and only light after-shave or perfume; check the mirror before you leave; avoid piercings or showing tattoos on the first impression; for females, the rule of the less flesh on show the better applies; girls – makeup should be light-on and research has proven that a bit of lipstick is better than none (it shows you pay attention to the detail) check that your shoes are clean and polish if necessary.

White collar/clerical positions

For females – white or light coloured tailored blouse with a dark skirt or well-fitting trousers is a wardrobe must.

For Males – tailored trousers that can be matched to either a business shirt or a classy casual shirt dependant on the role you are interviewing for.

Blue Collar Labour Hire

Again the plain, simple rule – be clean, tidy, shaven and smell nice!

In summary, a great idea is to dress the way an employer would expect for their workplace. Will you be serving customers? Will you be representing the company? Always aim high…. Dress like the job you want – it is a simple Law of Attraction working for you

Ivana Agapiou
Eather Recruitment and Labour Hire

The post A job wardrobe? advice for the employee who wants to succeed in the job! appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Looking for work or a new job can feel like running into barbed wire!

Lots of barriers and hurdles….  the whole experience can be filled with challenges and it is important to know what/where/when and how to best climb over any obstacles –  so that you can get to the right target employers and at the right time.

Finding a job in Regional NSW is a little more challenging that the Metro areas, however, there are tried and true methods that work in any job market.

Let’s explore the fishing analogy

The Right Bait

I believe your resume is the “Bait” that catches the attention of the reader (or not!). What results have you got from your resume? Have you sent heaps out with little result? Did your resume “bait” the reader enough to invite you to an interview? If not, change your bait! Each time you fish for work, make sure your bait is adapted to the role  or the “catch”. Sending the same resume out for various jobs, is NOT helping you bait the right catch!

The Right Employer

A good fisherman reads the weather reports, checks for the best areas for particular catches. Looking for work is no different. Research the companies you are keen on; (don’t be afraid to make a phone call and ask questions!) Examine the future of this industry – is it viable?; check that you have the right qualifications; skills and experience; Written job applications need to be tailored to the job advertisement.

The Right Time

Seeking a career change? or looking for a new job in the same industry? Just like fishing for the same breed of fish means working out what that particular fish likes best. What would be the best bait and what times are best to catch them? Employers and industries often have “down times” or seasonality too! If you are seeking a complete career change – what have you learnt from previous experiences and jobs that would be relevant in your new path? This is known as “transferable skills”. Fishing in new zones, requires the Angler to utilise what they have already learnt and be prepared to fail sometimes. List all your capabilities, skills and make sure that this is what your new employer is looking for. As a recruiter, I rarely get a call from applicants asking questions on an advertised role, if I do receive a call, many just rave about themselves, without asking ONE question on the role! This is not to right time to rave… that is for the formal application. First and foremost, find out all you can…about the role!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://eatherrecruitment.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ivana-permanent-and-temporary-staff-solutions.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Eather Recruitment Ivana Agapiou[/author_info] [/author]

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Employers looking for staff and frustrated with the process? Regardless of your industry or role, finding great staff is the key to building your business and your profit potential. The real challenge in Regional NSW is attracting and retaining great staff. Certainly in areas such as Port Macquarie with limited tertiary education facilities, many of our Gen X & Y’s are leaving for the larger cities where their career opportunities may increase. Many of these young people, find that in small towns, jobs have limited career progression, so unless they are prepared to “settle” for less salary and less diversity and progression, there is little to no career development opportunities. There will be other potential applicants who come with a wealth of experiences and it is up to you to see if these skills and experiences will transfer to the position you want filled.

If you are currently seeking staff, here is a quick checklist of must do’s

• make sure you really need the role filled (some roles can merge or perhaps dont require replacement)
• conduct a thorough job analysis
• prepare a clear, simple job description
• ensure you have the salary sorted prior to recruitment
• decide if you will recruit yourself, or if you need to contact an agency
• have a good idea when you want the person to commence
• prepare a good orientation or induction plan
• provide a training plan that includes some mentoring, particularly in the first 3 months (or probationary period)

Once you have this new recruit, there are thousands of ways to retain and reward… many of which are FREE!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.eatherrecruitment.com.au/about-us/our-team/[/author_image] [author_info] Eather Recruitment [/author_info] [/author]

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Sick and tired of rejection? Are you fatigued with applying for jobs and either never hearing back from the employer, and/or receive an unsuccessful letter? What innovative and creative thinking do we need to have to ensure we are realistic about the job market?  When living in a regional area, jobs are not only scarce, they are often Linear and let’s be honest, often way below our pay grade!

Not only do we have to innovative about HOW we seek work – we have to re-think what work we can adapt to and sometimes even create our own employment. I don’t mean create your own small business, and work for yourself, although this is an option. I mean increase your marketability and suitability withinthe job market. The Metro areas have a number of positions available that specialise in various roles.  However, in Regional areas, many workers have to wear several hats and be flexible in their approach to work.

Here are just some key points for job success…

1)  Define your assets – take a  stock take of your skills and i.

2) Good Advice – seek mentors and people who are qualified in this area

3) Take car of your self – remain fit and healthy

4) Develop your network – use LinkedIn and social media to increase your networks and promote your skills

5) Surround yourself with supportive people – keep away from negative influences and spend time with those who encourage and support you

In summary,  if you approach job seeking the way you always do, you will end up with similar results. Think about ways that you can enter the job market that increases your chances of success. Read and research furiously and most of all, be persistent and patient.

Ivana Agapiou

Eather Recruitment

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Wasn’t that long ago….that we all had a job for life!

New jobs and career paths are created every day. If you are a baby boomer or a child of the 70’s, I bet that many of you are not aware that the following jobs exist, let alone what they actually do! How about these apples…..

• A Mash up Artist – someone who composes unique music from hundreds of tracks from diverse artists
• Or  Social media strategists;  innovation strategists, creative technologists and video drifters to name a few.  Surprised? Here are a few more!
• Mobile Marketing Jedi – a growing area for business advertising where a career can be forged helping people develop marketing strategies for this device
• Gesture Writer – touch-screen and motion-controlled devices are the norm, not a novelty. Getting things done with a keyboard and mouse will feel archaic and weird. User experience will depend on the insights of experts in gestural movements, who will combine the disciplines of kinesthesiology, cognitive science and interaction design to develop Minority Report-style interfaces.
• Data Storyteller –  Just having access to mega data will no longer be a competitive advantage. The challenge will be in determining what to do with it all. Successful organizations will invest in staff who not only analyse the data but also present it in forms that attention-starved executives and time poor clients can act upon.
• Content Archivist – Competitive and legal pressure will require more demands for storing, indexing and retrieving the vast amount of content that brands produce. A content archivist will be the person everyone turns to when the Manager asks, “What was that post we sent about that thing five years ago?”
• Details Despot – The explosion and fragmentation of consumer touch points are already difficult to manage and will only get more complicated. Marketers who strive to surprise and delight their customers will hire executives to ensure that every gift card, error notice and photo caption is on-brand.

PHEW … and that is just the tip of the ice berg….. excited or scared.. and you dont need Google Glasses to see that it’s here! ………………

Ivana Agapiou resume writer and career advisor

The post Future Employment some new Job Titles appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Does this headline attract your attention? It should! According to the 2013 August edition of Recruitment Extra (page 10), young unattached men are perceived as closest to the “ideal worker”. This data was gathered from a Kronos survey of 500 employers and 2,000 employees within Australian organisations. They found that employers believed being male, constantly available for work, and with outside responsibilities or interests were amongst the most desired qualities in an employee. When asked what qualities they looked for in a candidate – the responses were

• 76% like their workers to be willing to work extra hours
• 57% prefer their employees to have had unbroken work history
• 73% look for ambition in their employees

The reseach indicated that many employers like their staff to be male rather than female (38%) and 40% also preferreed workers who did not have children.

This was all quite a revelation for me! It feels to me that many employers are missing out on the many of us who manage our lives successfully outside of work and also perform to high standard within our jobs!  What about the human need of a work and life balance? Are we beating our heads trying to get employers to consider diverse employee profiles, especially when according to the survey  53% felt that mature-aged workers who face retirement were less appealing as employees because they would expect to work less and have some flexibility! – that counts me out then… I’m nealy 60, I’m female, I -lack ambition ( I mean I only want to work another 10 years!) and I have a broken work history…. It’s a miricle that I have a job!

Australian employers can not afford to over look workers like me, who boost productivity; are loyal; committed; talented; act as mentors and maintain a diverse culture!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://eatherrecruitment.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ivana-permanent-and-temporary-staff-solutions.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Content goes here[/author_info] [/author]

Ivana Agapiou

Eather Recruitment

The post Ideal worker? Jobs for single, young, unattached and males? really? appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Eather Recruitment Pty Ltd has been established for a number of years, established to specifically service the needs of Regional NSW.   With offices and personnel located in Mudgee and Port Macquarie, we can be close by and ready to assist.

This clear, strategic positioning of our services is to assist Regional councils and businesses with recruitment needs as we understand the challenges and the difficulties of living and working away from the centralised areas.  Our years of extensive experience with bulk recruitment and with providing staffing needs to diverse industries and job roles from Executives to blue collar labourers places us as experts in our field.

Our prices are lower than Metro suppliers; our service is more personalised and timely due to our locations and experienced staff!

So use your regional businesses…. The money is made and stays within the Region!

Need help with recruitment – call us now on 02 65838222

Ivana Agapiou

Eather Recruitment Pty Ltd

The post Recruitment and Employment in Regional NSW appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

As Christmas hits and the end of the year draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on our good fortune. Often we are too busy concentrating on what we don’t have, that we miss the wonders of what is right in front of us. Yes, there are numerous people working in jobs that are not fullfilling and barely sustaining them a living.  In this blog, I’m focussing on those of us who have work that does utilise our skills, stimulates, and provides for our family. Even if the work is not within our “dream job” category, we need to be thankful that it this economic environment and at this time of year, we can enjoy the bounties at Christmas.

At Eather Recruitment and Labour Hire we are often hear from job seekers who are desperate for work, any work… and in a Regional Town, finding work is a real challenge. We all need to take stock and thank the universe for the jobs we do have, regardless of what they are.

Australia is the envy of many countries, we are relatively wealthy, and ecomonically stable. Good fortune does not have to be 100% financial! A good friend of mine who recently suffered massive brain injuries and is on a very slow road to recovery remarked ” this misfortune has highlighted that there is a very fine line between being here on earth and not being here….”

Value the wonders of your life, the beauty that surrounds you, nature’s bounty , as stunning sunset, and the fact that work, whatever it is, is a highly prized possession!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://eatherrecruitment.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ivana-permanent-and-temporary-staff-solutions.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]General Manager Eather Recruitment and Labour Hire[/author_info] [/author]

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I’m sure you have all heard the saying “if you want to work, then there’s work out there for you“?  Do you agree with this statement? I think it’s easier said than done!… easy to say, but a little more complexity than just being determined! Finding a job requires skills as well as determination! It requires an updated,  relevant resume along with specific marketing and promotional ability.

Each day we receive calls from job seekers who tell us that they will” do anything” and yet when an “anything” job presents, they often have an excuse as to why they can not perform that role.  The most important thing is to be 100% sure of what you can do and what you are “willing” to do, for example, I can clean homes, but I don’t want to do this for a living – unless I’m homeless and desperate that is…and then who will employ me based on my desperation and not my skills-set and experience? tough call!

Our advice is firstly, to seek advice! consult with the recruitment professionals and with potential employers. Ask them what jobs are in demand, in fact, ask a lot of questions… and don’t forget to ask yourself this dream question ” If you could have any job you wanted, and there were no barriers, what would that job look and feel like”

Your response will be an indication of what you really want.. and then you can set a plan and goals to achieve this! Life and work is not meant to be a prison…

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.eatherrecruitment.com.au/about-us/our-team/[/author_image] [author_info]Ivana Agapiou  Eather Recruitment [/author_info] [/author]

https://www.eatherrecruitment.com.au/about-us/our-team/

The post Jobs, jobs and more jobs appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

The Recruitment Agency Expo is a trade event that is dedicated entirely to the recruitment industry, providing an excellent showcase to promote your products and services to your target market.

The post Recruitment Agency Expo 2017 appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Last week the fall in the unemployment rate brought some good economic news but, as always seems to be the case, it was tempered by the quarterly vacancy figures which shows life is pretty tough out there now for those looking for work – indeed as tough as it has been for more than a decade.

The labour force figures released last Thursday by the Bureau of Statistics showed that the unemployment rate was steady at 6.2% in trend terms but had unexpectedly fallen in the more volatile seasonally adjusted measure to 6.1%.

The fall in the seasonally adjusted measure was a surprise to financial traders who had been expecting a higher rate, one that would make it more likely for the RBA to cut interest rates next month. This set currency exchange dealers into a frenzy, sending the value of the Australian dollar to rise to around half a cent in under a minute.

Because the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is prone to jumping up and down a bit from month to month, the ABS says you should treat such monthly movements “with caution”. And given the drop in December was the biggest monthly change in almost two years, it is better to wait for a month or two to see if it was just a bit of statistical noise or the corner being turned.

Moreover while a fall in the unemployment rate is to be welcomed, the reality is it is currently harder to get a job than any time in the past decade – even harder than during the global financial crisis.

Last week the ABS also released its quarterly job vacancy figures. These showed a slight increase in the number of vacancies from August to November, and a 6.7% increase in vacancies in the past 12 months. While this would seems good news, the number of jobs available remains well below what is required to cause the unemployment rate to fall.

The latest figures meant that the job vacancy rate – which is the number of vacancies as a percentage of the labour force – rose to 1.21%, up from the low of 1.15% in November 2013.

This is a good thing: as a rule, the higher the vacancy rate, the lower the unemployment rate. The relationship between the two is known as the Beveridge Curve. Data over the past 20 years suggests that with a job vacancy rate of 1.21% you would expect the unemployment rate to be around 6.2% to 6.3% – what it was in November.

However to get the unemployment rate down to 5.8% we would need a job vacancy rate of around 1.28% – or about an extra 10,000 more job vacancies than there was in November.

The current difficulty for those looking for work is highlighted when we look at the number of unemployed per vacancy. On this score, things in November got worse – going from 5.12 unemployed for each job vacancy to 5.17.

The increase was not universal across the states, driven mostly by Western Australia and Queensland – reflecting again the difficulties of the end of the investment phase of the mining boom.

According to the ABS, Western Australia still remains the easiest place to get a job, but the situation there has deteriorated very quickly. In the middle of 2012 there were just a mere 1.55 unemployed for each vacancy; a year ago this had risen to 2.5; now there are on average 3.55 unemployed fighting over each vacancy in the state.

Fellow mining state, Queensland, has also seen the situation worsen – from 5.3 unemployed per vacancy at the end of 2013 to now to just on 6.

But while those two states have become worse, the fight for jobs on the mainland remains toughest in Victoria and South Australia with both states having 6.9 unemployed per vacancy. In Tasmania it is an extraordinarily tough 8.5 for each vacancy.

Despite their poor situations, the fight for jobs is actually easier now in South Australia and Tasmania, than it was a year ago. But in South Australia’s case it can partly be explained through a decline in its participation rate – people have in effect found the fight to get a job so hard they have given up and are no longer actively looking for work.

The Department of Employment’s monthly vacancy report shows that, of the job vacancies in November, a quarter were for professionals and 13% for managers. This is actually higher than the proportion of the managers and professionals in the total workforce, so it is a good time to be looking for work right now in that area.

Would-be labourers, technicians and trade workers or machinery operators and drivers, however, will find the going rather tougher. While they account for 31% of all currently employed, they only accounted for 25% of all job vacancies in November. This would suggest that opportunities for work in such occupations are not growing and that in the future there will likely be fewer such jobs than there is now.

The Department of Employment’s leading indicator of employment fell in January, making it 12 consecutive months without a rise – the longest such run since 2003. The department suggests that this “indicates that employment growth is likely to be below its long-term trend growth rate of 1.2% in coming months”.

So the fight for jobs looks set to continue and despite a nice improvement in some measures of the unemployment rate, it doesn’t look to be getting easier anytime soon.

– See more at: http://www.staffingindustry.com/row/Research-Publications/Daily-News/Australia-Fight-for-jobs-continues-32832#sthash.3wqZ7tAk.dpuf

Source – http://www.staffingindustry.com/row/Research-Publications/Daily-News/Australia-Fight-for-jobs-continues-32832

Ivana Agapiou Career and outplacement Advisor

The post Employment – jobs – statistics appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Our client is currently seeking an experienced telemarketer to work on a part time basis based in port Macquarie. Candidates must have good admin skills, excellent telephone manner and enjoy telemarketing. And excellent hourly rate is on offer for the right candidate. Candidates must be available in the next fortnight to 3 weeks.

The post Telemarketer -Part Time (Position Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Our client is a reputable company currently seeking an experienced HR truck driver, skid steer and loader.

To be successful you will:

• Have previous experience in a similar position
• Have a clean driving record
• HR Licence
• High regard for safety and professionalism

This is a temporary on going position.

To be considered please apply now.

The post HR Truck Driver/Machine Operator – MUDGEE (Position Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

Position available for a responsible and hardworking and experienced Concrete Labourer located in Kempsey area. To start as soon as possible.

to be considered for this role you will need

• Current WH & S White Card
• Concrete Labouring Experience (Min 2 Years)
• Availability at short notice
• Relevant licences
• Strong references
• Recent experience in concrete labouring jobs and tasks

The post Concrete Labourers – Kempsey – Vacancy Closed appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

We are currently seeking an experienced customer service officer to work on a casual basis, based in Kempsey on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

Working within in a strong team environment, you will have exceptional customer service abilities,and enjoy working within a team, along with liaising with customers over the phone.

You must posses strong admin skills, be available 4 days per week and be available immediately.

The role will be on going for the successful candidate, with the possible opportunity of a permanent role in the future.

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Our client, a leading entertainment venue in Taree, currently is seeking a chef all rounder to start immediately.

Working within a team environment, you will have 2 + years as a kitchen hand or Chef, have worked within a restaurant or club and enjoy working in a team environment.

The role will be initially casual with the option to become a permanent staff member in the future.

An excellent hourly rate is on offer along with stability and long term employment.

The post Kitchen Hand/Chef – Taree (Position Closed) appeared first on Eather Recruitment.

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