June 09 Newsletter

Temp of the Month

We have a fantastic team of temps currently working on behalf of Beaumont and the feedback we have had for this month has been absolutely brilliant! However, there can only be one Temp of the Month and the award for this month goes to… Helen Campbell-Cann!

Helen is currently in her second assignment for Beaumont and has excelled in both roles she has undertaken for us. Here is some feedback from Helen’s current employer – "Helen is the one of the best temps I have ever come across. She is professional and an excellent worker and just gets on and does the job. She started with us in our Inbound Call Centre and was doing such a great job we moved her into our Recoveries area. Recoveries is our hardest team to work in as most accounts are very old and hard to recover the debt. Helen excels in whatever she does and really deserves to be recognised. Her commitment to the company and her colleagues is fantastic, she is always helping others and will do whatever is required to get the job done. She has a friendly happy nature and gets on very well with her team mates." Helen – we are so proud of you – congratulations!

We would also like to give a special mention to Tiffany Liao, Tiffany’s employer thinks very highly of her and had some lovely things to say - "Tiffany is always efficient, accurate and pleasant in the performance of her work. She is punctual and has a great helpful way with all employees." Thanks for doing such great work Tiffany, keep it up!

And finally…A HUGE thank you must go to Leonie McCarthy, Mary McGrath and India Thornton for their hard work, dedication, willingness, flexibility and great attitudes. You are absolute stars - THANK YOU!

tax

Tax Time

Tax time is upon us again and if you have received payments during the year and have had amounts withheld from those payments, you should receive a PAYG payment summary from your payer (employer) within the first two weeks of July. The payment summary will show the total payments you received and total amounts withheld for the financial year. Payments may include income earned from part-time or casual jobs.

The PAYG payment summary will include:

your gross income from that payer
total tax withheld, and
your payer's Australian business number (ABN) or withholder payer number (WPN).

The PAYG payment summary will assist you in completing your tax return.

If you worked for Beaumont Consulting this year and your contact details have changed, please let us know so we can get your payment summary out to you as soon as possible.

what

What are the most common job interview questions?

Although there is no set format that every job interview will follow, there are some questions that you can almost guarantee will crop up. Here’s a list of the most common questions and a guide to the kind of answers your interviewer wants to hear.

Tell me about yourself - This is usually the opening question and, as first impressions are key, one of the most important. Keep your answer to under five minutes, beginning with an overview of your highest qualification then running through the jobs you’ve held so far in your career. You can follow the same structure of your CV, giving examples of achievements and the skills you’ve picked up along the way. Don’t go into too much detail – your interviewer will probably take notes and ask for you to expand on any areas where they’d like more information. If you’re interviewing for your first job since leaving education, focus on the areas of your studies you most enjoyed and how that has led to you wanting this particular role.

What are your strengths? - Pick the three biggest attributes that you think will get you the job and give examples of how you have used these strengths in a work situation. They could be tangible skills, such as proficiency in a particular computer language, or intangible skills such as good man-management. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at the job description. There is usually a section listing candidate requirements, which should give you an idea of what they are looking for.

What are your weaknesses? - The dreaded question, which is best handled by picking something that you have made positive steps to redress. For example, if your IT ability is not at the level it could be, state it as a weakness but tell the interviewer about training courses or time spent outside work hours you have used to improve your skills. Your initiative could actually be perceived as a strength. Try to avoid saying “I don’t have any weaknesses”, your interviewer may not believe you, or “I have a tendency to work too hard”, which can be seen as avoiding the question.

Why should we hire you? or What can you do for us that other candidates can't? - What makes you special and where do your major strengths lie? You should be able to find out what they are looking for from the job description. “I have a unique combination of strong technical skills and the ability to build long-term customer relationships” is a good opening sentence, which can then lead onto a more specific example of something you have done so far in your career. State your biggest achievement and the benefit it made to the business, then finish with “Given the opportunity, I could bring this success to your company.”

What are your goals? or Where do you see yourself in five years time? - It’s best to talk about both short-term and long-term goals. Talk about the kind of job you’d eventually like to do and the various steps you will need to get there, relating this back to the position you’re interviewing for. Show the employer you have ambition, and that you have the determination to make the most of every job you have to get where you want to be.

Why do you want to work here? - The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought. If you’ve prepared for the interview properly, you should have a good inside knowledge of the company’s values, mission statement, development plans and products. Use this information to describe how your goals and ambition matches their company ethos and how you would relish the opportunity to work for them.

What are three positive things your last boss would say about you? - This is a great time to brag about yourself through someone else’s words. Try to include one thing that shows your ability to do the job, one thing that shows your commitment to the work, and one thing that shows you are a good person to have in a team. For example, “My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can always rely on me, and he likes my sense of humour.”

What salary are you seeking? - You can prepare for this by knowing the value of someone with your skills. Try not to give any specific numbers in the heat of the moment – it could put you in a poor position when negotiating later on. Your interviewer will understand if you don’t want to discuss this until you are offered the job. If they have provided a guideline salary with the job description, you could mention this and say it’s around the same area you’re looking for.

You should always have some questions for your interviewer to demonstrate your interest in the position. Prepare a minimum of five questions, some which will give you more information about the job, and some which delve deeper into the culture and goals of the company.

benefits

Benefits of temping

Temping is often unfairly seen as an inferior choice when compared to permanent work.

Temping in fact offers a host of benefits which can make it a preferable choice for many jobseekers.

Benefits of temping include:

Giving you greater control over your working life – you can choose if and when you would like to work as well as for which companies.
Allowing you to work and experience different companies, industries, working cultures and management styles all in a relatively short period of time.
Giving you the chance to test yourself in different working environments and work out your relative strengths and weaknesses.
Providing the chance to develop new skills through exposure to different systems and processes.
If you’re unsure what direction you want to take your career in then temping can provide you with the opportunity to work flexibly until you can make a decision.
Temping might be a way to get to work for a desirable company when no permanent positions exist. By getting a foot in the door you will be well placed to apply for a permanent position when one becomes available.
Employers often use temping as a way to assess a person’s suitability and compatibility for a particular role. Temp to perm positions are a popular method of long term assessment for employers.

How to be a successful Temp

There is no real secret to being a good temporary employee, temps are judged mainly by the same criteria that permanent employees are. If you work hard and get your tasks done then you will be well regarded and often asked to return for future assignments.

Temping does, however, present some unique challenges that require some thought and preparation:

Make sure you know who your boss is and the names of the key members of staff at the company.
Always be punctual (especially given that you are paid by the hour).
Ensure you maximise your time and learn as many new skills in each role as possible. The wider your skill set the more temporary assignments you will be suitable for in the future.
Don’t sit around waiting for work to be given to you, if you aren’t busy then ask for work.
Similarly, if you are unsure how to do something make sure you get clarification on what you should be doing.
Stay focused on the tasks you have been given and don’t spend your time chatting on the phone or surfing the internet.

And, most importantly:

Always remember that you’re there because the company needs you and your skills. It can sometimes happen that permanent employees have preconceived ideas about temps that can be difficult to overcome unless you remain confident in your abilities.

doing

Doing some good

Nikki Beaumont is taking part in the St Vincents CEO Sleep Out on 18th June to raise funds and awareness for the 105,000 homeless men, women and children of Australia.

She will get to experience spending a night on the streets… with no food or shelter, whatever the weather.

Nikki is aiming to raise $1000 which will enable a survivor of domestic violence, and their children to make the supported transition from a St Vincent de Paul Society refuge into independent housing. But just $50 provides a homeless person with a bed, a meal and a fresh change of clothes for a night.

If you would like to sponsor Nikki and support a great cause, you can do so here .

Maybe you can pass on the idea to your CEO?

Also in the true spirit of the new Beaumont not-for-profit division, we thought this was a very good idea and well worth sharing. Guide Dogs Australia have an online shop with all proceeds going back to training of the dogs and supporting the services they provide. Its got some really good products and gifts, take a look when you get the chance.

june

Whats On in June

Sydney Film Festival - 3rd – 14th June

World Envionment Day Cycling Breakfast - 5th June

Jazz and Blues Festival – 6th – 8th June

Public Holiday – Queens Birthday – 8th June

Fire Water – 12th – 14th June

National Climate Emergency Rally – 13th June