June 07 Newsletter

What’s New?

It seems like the Beaumont Team are always growing! This month we welcome a new consultant to the Banking and Finance team.

Sara Dawson has joined us to look after business support roles specifically within the banking and finance industries. Sara (pronounced Sarah!) has recruited for temporary and permanent business support roles both in the UK and in Australia since moving to Sydney in early 2005. Sara believes that an honest and open approach is essential in successful recruitment and strives to develop relationships which are based on trust and good communication. If you need to recruit from within the Banking and Finance industry or would just like some career/ recruitment advice then Sara would love to help.
Contact Sara on (02) 9279 2777 or email sara.dawson@beaumontconsulting.com.au

When Top Candidates Are Hard to Find!

By Rhonda Dunn

There is no doubt that there is an incredible candidate shortage in nearly every market segment and discipline. This means that when our Consultant’s identify a strong candidate it is critical that we introduce them to our preferred clients as soon as we can. As recruiters, we play a very important role as professional advisors to our clients in ensuring that you not only have first choice at the best candidates, but that you manage to secure and retain key employees over time.

One of the biggest challenges we face, as recruiters, is that we must convey to our Clients that the lengthy hiring process you have been used to in the past, has long gone. As recruiters and Clients, we must understand that we no longer 'rule' – the Candidate does. To procrastinate or unbalance the recruitment momentum when selecting a new employee is often now the primary reason clients miss those top candidates. When the ‘ideal’ candidate we are looking to hire takes another role, employers assume recruiters have not done their job properly, and as a result, our reputation is damaged. In reality, that top Candidate is so in demand, they can pick and choose the role they want. If our Client procrastinates in making a job offer, the Candidate will go off the boil and end up taking another role.

We must remember that market conditions and dynamics have changed. It is up to our Consultant to communicate with our Clients in terms of what you need to do to give yourselves the best chance of success. Remember - Consultants are paid to successfully manage the recruitment process. We are driven to achieve a successful outcome. It won’t happen, however, if we don’t make strong quick decisions when we come across a top Candidate.

By educating our Clients on the recruitment process needed these days, we know positive outcomes will be achieved all round. As recruiters our credibility with our clients will improve, we will make more placements and candidates will also be better served. What's more, these positive outcomes will mean Candidates tell their friends opening up a whole new Candidate access point.

So rest assured we are focused on setting and exceeding your expectations right from the start of the recruitment project. Clients can also be under the illusion that if we advise a higher salary may ‘clinch the deal’, that our advice is based around the potential increase in our fee. That is certainly not the case. Our goal is to ensure all parties are happy and that the placement we make with your Company is long term. We also pre-empt counter offers from a Candidate’s existing employer, an issue that is becoming prevalent more and more. Also, don’t think you are being lucky if you appoint a Candidate on a lower salary than what their true value is. Rest assured it won’t take long before they are persuaded to move elsewhere by either another organisation to receive remuneration more in line with their skills and experience.
Remember, we recruit all day every day and have a firm grasp on market salaries. If you want to attract the best people, then reward programs need to also be the best. If you don’t do this, then you need to adjust your expectations in terms of the level of candidate you will attract. By all means speak to your Consultant to provide you with justification in relation to salary levels after all, we all want to achieve a ‘win win’ outcome.

What's going on in Sydney?

By Blake Mason

Hey Mambo, Mambo Italiano!

Sydney's original Little Italy will become an Italian piazza on Sunday 3 June complete with a fountain, al fresco dining, fresh food markets, music, dancing, street performers, and wine tasting.

The City of Sydney's Primo Italiano is a free street festival which celebrates the Italian flavours and heritage of East Sydney.

Sample classic fresh Italian produce such as cheese, olive oil, bread and pasta, pick up fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables, or indulge in some of the best Italian food Sydney has to offer at stalls by premier restaurants.

Primo's resident DJ will play Italian pop music at the Primo Beer Garden of the Lord Roberts Hotel and popular Italian performers, big bands and crooners will entertain across three stages.

Where and When: Stanley and Yurong Streets, East Sydney. 3 June 2007, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Germs in the workplace

Work in an office environment and ever wondered why when one person gets sick, others are never far behind?

It's no surprise that germs get passed around. After all, we breathe the same air-conditioned air, share bathrooms and kitchens and when one of us catches a cold, chances are the rest of us will too, especially during this time of year!

Considering half us spend our lives slaving away at our desks, you may be wondering what exactly is passing the germs on?

The test

As seen on Channel 9’s “what’s good for you” reporter Jessica Rowe collected swabs of all common office surfaces including: the phone, door handle, toilet door, toilet bowl, keyboard and mouse.
So what turned out to be the germiest place in the office responsible for passing all the nasties on from person to person? The toilet or desktop? The toilet door handle I’m sure most would think, but the results may surprise you…

Results

Turns out the keyboard is the winner! Although traces of E-Coli were found on the toilet door and cubicle door, an average desktop has 400 million times more bacteria than a toilet bowl and a more diverse range of germs and higher levels of e-Coli, which can cause severe abdominal cramping and diarrhoea (not the sort of stuff you want to be ingesting while eating at your desk, as many of us do!).
Other high germ areas to keep in mind showed to be the photocopier, door handles and lift buttons.
Respiratory disease can be transmitted through the phone, although not in dangerous levels, but still something to keep in mind.

Conclusion

Standard hand washing should be enough to keep these germs at bay although antibacterial desk wipes can also be helpful, as can remembering to avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
And you might want to keep these findings in mind the next time you drop a piece of food on your desk and pop it in your mouth!

Ninemsn health. http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=268375. (For full article details)

2007 Virgin Blue National Small Business Summit

The 2007 Virgin Blue National Small Business Summit is being held at the Sydney Hilton on Tuesday 3rd July, where more than 300 small business leaders and CEO’s from all over Australia will gather to present on important issues affecting the small business arena.

The Federal Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd, will address the conference, along with the Taxation Commissioner, Michael D’Ascenzo, and Graeme Samuel, Chairman of the ACCC.

A Summit dinner will be held on the 2nd July, addressed by John Howard.

You can find more information on the Summit, along with how to register at www.mybusiness.com.au/summit/07.

Are your Employees Attached?

HCM Global hosted a successful and thought provoking presentation for us last Thursday at the MGSM.

As the candidate shortage increases, the presentation highlighted the importance of understanding the psychology behind employee attachment & engagement if organisations are to retain their staff.

HCM Global indicated that the first 90 days of employment are critical to determine the success of new employees. During this time, employees may sometimes form irreversible perceptions of the organisation and management practices. The induction process, in combination with the climate and leadership of an organization will impact employee productivity in addition to satisfaction levels, trust & loyalty. If we are to attract, develop and retain the best talent, understanding how your employees attach and engage is vital!

Everyone who attended the presentation was given a free "Employee Attachment" survey valued at $295 to use with any new employee. We have negotiated a special offer with HCM for all additional surveys purchased in June. We are offering a special price of $265 (10% off) if booked through Beaumont Consulting this month.

Beaumont Consulting use this tool internally with all new staff and rate it very highly!

To order surveys or find out more, please contact Beaumont Consulting's Office Manager Lucy Wells on 02 9279 2777 or email Lucy

Thank you to all those who attended, we hope you enjoyed the presentation

If you would like to hear about our next client workshop please contact your Consultant

Top Tips for Top Performers

Dr Adam Fraser shared some useful tips to improve performance with the Beaumont Consulting staff.

Circadian rhythms play a big part in our performance and energy levels. To make sure that you are keeping in sync with these rhythms, try the following:

Get at least 10-15 minutes of sunshine everyday, this helps our bodies to know it is day time, and gives us a quick does of Vitamin A.

Wake up around the same time everyday, (Including weekends!). If you are tired, go for a short 20 minute nap latter in the day. This will help to reduce that foggy Monday Morning feeling…Yuk! A bad nights sleep can reduce productivity by up to 30%.

Other useful tip are:

Consume less sugar! Sugar plays havoc on your glucose levels. Eat low GI foods, such as fruit, nuts, grains, etc. Anything dark and grown in the ground, or with a face is great! Ideally eat a smaller meal every four hours.

Take a break when you can. This may only need to be 2 minutes, while sitting at your desk. Just close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. After 2 or three minutes you should feel more relaxed and refreshed.

To find out more about Dr Adam Fraser, visit his website www.energyfactory.com.au

Amusing Facts

The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

'Stewardesses' is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver and purple

The word "samba" means "to rub navels together."

A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second

More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes

Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots.

Quote

“Life is like a blank canvas, throw all the paint you can at it” - Anonymous