June 05 Newsletter

Temp of the Month

We appreciate and acknowledge outstanding performance from the amazing temps that are currently working for us.

Our June Temp of the Month award goes to Caroline Gubbins. Caroline has received consistently excellent feedback with clients saying she is “very pleasant, enthusiastic and helpful” which is why we wanted her to receive the Temp of the Month Award.

Caroline is pictured here with our Louise Guilfoyle, whilst on assignment at Challenger. Well done Caroline.

How to Make a Pay Rise Pitch!

Do you often feel underpaid though overworked? Do you frequently take on new tasks and responsibilities though don’t get the reward and recognition you feel you deserve? Getting a pay rise depends on a range of issues. These include the performance of your industry sector, your company, your division, your department, your team and then you. The next thing to consider is how your company uses pay rises – to reward or retain people or both?

Many companies have a structured remuneration review process in place, usually annually, sometimes every six months. While remuneration is often an important factor for employees, it is important to keep in mind other attractive benefits of the position before approaching your employer about a possible pay rise, and there is a right and wrong way to go about it should you feel you are not being paid what you are worth. If this is the case, we hope this is of some help.

Negotiate From a Power Position

The more power you have, the better. This means that if your business unit or role is critical, or your team is at an important stage of a project, or you are in a revenue-generating role then you have bargaining muscle.

Get a Good Idea of Your Market Worth

Talk to people in your industry and use the salary surveys. Check in with your personal and professional network, professional society and your favourite recruitment agency.

No one is going to pay you more than the top end of your market value. If you have friends working in the same industry, ask them what they believe the salary range is for their role – not what they earn. Also if you work for a large corporate, utilise your HR department.

List Your Duties Outside Your Original Job Description

All jobs change because organisations are not static. Record all the extra things that you now do that are additions to your assigned job. This is always useful for when you sit down for performance reviews with your Manager, and may well justify your salary being reviewed positively without you having to ask.

A Matter Of Timing

Timing is critical. When it is easy for a boss to say ‘no’ then they will do so. Friday afternoon is a good time to ask for a pay rise because the boss can spend the weekend worrying that you might leave as well as giving them time to work out how they can justify your pay rise!
Do not rush your boss into a decision: ‘Jane / Jack, as you know I have been with you now for nine months and the job has developed in some interesting ways, particularly in xyz. I would like you to review my salary arrangements. As you know the range for my job is from x to y. I don’t expect an answer immediately as I know you will want to think through my contribution and market value. However, you can appreciate that I would not have mentioned this unless I had given it a lot of thought. Thank you for this opportunity Jack / Jane.’

Interpreting the Answer

If your boss says ‘we can’t right now but let’s look at in three or six months’ then they probably mean it.

If your boss delivers an outright ‘no’ then seek justification. Are the reasons they provide valid? If there is a significant difference in the perceptions of your role and the responsibilities maybe it is time to consider your options.

What To Do If You Are Turned Down

It is a good idea to have a “reaction plan” in case you don’t get the pay rise that you wanted. If you are willing to move jobs, then that’s the plan. For those who want to stay put without looking like a push over, then the plan should be to ask for some other sort of reward. Is there a compromise that will suit you?

Rewards could include time off to accommodate a lifestyle or study commitment. It could be having your name put forward to work on a particular project or committee, getting the next parking spot, a new laptop, working one day from home per week, a mobile phone allowance or even extra annual leave.

Three Points To Remember:

When asking your organisation for anything your starting point has to be your strong performance over the last year.
Your rewards also have to be a direct link to improving your work performance over the next year.
“If you don’t ask you don’t get”.

Horoscopes

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb 19)
The Aquarius employee can't tolerate unfairness in the office! Hair brained schemes will get the positive attention they deserve if an Aquarian has anything to do with it. They'll try to help everyone see the good side of a bad situation if it's the last thing that they do. They usually have strict personal codes that include a strong work ethic. Their bright, off-beat intelligence and trustworthiness will typically gain them many friends in and out of the workplace.

PISCES (Feb 20 - Mar 20)
The Pisces employee can be loyal and hard-working and in the right position they are able to keep their daydreams in check and buckle down! They need to know that what they are doing is worth something on a grander scale. Acceptance of their unconventional organisation and planning will be necessary. Keep their environment bright and upbeat and an after work cocktail wouldn't hurt!

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 20)
Aries employees make excellent troubleshooters! They'll usually want to be out in the field at a variety of different work sites fixing things. They certainly won't be happy for very long behind a desk in a 9 to 5 schedule. They typically like to have a sense of responsibility and need to feel needed. They will literally work themselves to exhaustion to prove themselves.

TAURUS (Apr 21 - May 21)
Taureans make some of the best employees! They are loyal, hardworking, and no-nonsense. They work methodically and follow projects through until they are complete. They thrive on structure, schedules, and routine. You'll find them doing the same exact thing at the same time every day!

GEMINI (May 22 - Jun 21)
Gemini employees can have difficulty concentrating on one thing for long periods of time! They have quick-moving minds and love to talk and communicate their ideas with others. They thrive on social interaction even if their jobs don't particularly support it. They can be powerful persuaders in their speech and make ideal salespeople and mediators. They love to negotiate and can work out the best Deal for everyone involved.

CANCER (Jun 22 - Jul 22)
The Cancer employee isn't at work to feed their ego – their job is just a job and a means to get paid! They work steadily and are usually very reliable. You'll be able to depend on them to show up on time and do what is necessary. They won't get involved in power struggles or get upset when someone advances before them. They are able to accept the situation
because they see it simply as a rung on the ladder up. Their motivation is security.

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 23)
Leo workers want to be first and at the centre of the office! Even if they can't lead they'll look for every opportunity to increase their own status and if someone else seems ahead of them, look out! Leo’s want to lead and will be pushing for more responsibility and rewards. They are happy to train and mentor new co-workers as they enjoy giving advice and being in positions of authority.

VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sep 23)
In the right situations Virgos love to work! They make ideal employees, happily working late into the night to make sure everything is perfect and in order. If you are looking for an employee who doesn't mind starting in the most entry-level position at the company, hire a Virgo. They'll have no complaints about the position being beneath them. They are content with basic, honest hard work.

LIBRA (Sep 24 - Oct 23)
Libra employees are detailed, dedicated workers with sensitive natures. Managers and co-workers sometimes find them difficult to get a handle on. When Libra employees are in a balanced frame of mind, they can be a powerful presence at work-they have a way of gracing everything they touch. They are capable of profound logical thought and evaluate all sides of a situation before acting. They are one of the most intelligent Signs around!

SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 22)
Scorpio employees usually exude a quiet self-confidence! They are self-sufficient and do not depend on others for a sense of self-worth. They keep their private life separate from work and take complete responsibility for their actions and their situation. They don't make excuses; they just take care of business and expect everyone else to do the same.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 - Dec 22)
The Sagittarian employee is head strong, cheerful, and willing to help. They exude self-confidence and take on tasks like there's no tomorrow. They are willing to tackle even the toughest of projects as long as it is challenging and gets them out of the routine. Lucky for them, their shining personalities and honest enthusiasm seem like a bright spot in the office.

CAPRICORN (Dec 23 - Jan 20)
A Capricorn employee with too much to do is a happy worker! They need plenty of projects and responsibility. There is no sadder sight than a Capricorn worker without a sense of responsibility. They need to be needed. They are covertly ambitious - usually not flashy or obvious about it but you will usually know that they are serious and determined about
advancing themselves.

Where’s Nikki been?

I've just returned from a 4 week trip to Peru to trek in one of the remotest parts of the Central Andes, the Cordillera Huayhuash, made famous by the fairly recent movie Touching the Void, a true story about a couple of climbers attempt at the summit of Siula Grande (alt 20,808 feet) that goes terribly wrong...

The trek itself took just under 3 weeks travelling an average distance of 15km a day, not that far at sea level but far enough considering that our starting altitude was 11,398 feet. To put some perspective on this, our highest mountain in Australia is Mount Kosciuszko at 7,307 feet. Over the course of the trek we climbed a number of peaks and high passes, reaching the dizzying altitude of 18,368 feet at our highest point. Just 2,000 feet lower than the summit of the Siula Grande. I did struggle a little bit with altitude sickness, you know... head aches, nose bleeds, nausea, shortness of breath, feeling of exhaustion, upset stomach, and a cold for 2 of the 3 weeks... just the normal stuff most people tend to go through, I took medication for it which helped enormously as well drinking litres of the local coca tea (made from the leaves of the coca (cocaine) plant!).

Our guide Val Pitkethly is a personal friend who I'd trekked to Everest base camp with some years ago and an expert having climbed in this part of the Andes for over 20 years. Joining us were 5 other trekkers, all Canadians and 6 local Peruvian trek crew. We had 22 donkeys and 5 horses to carry our gear, 6 live chickens and 3 sheep, the chickens and sheep obviously weren't with us for the whole trip, we seemed to loose one every other day or so........ Now this may seem like a lot of gear for 6 trekkers but the main point of the trip was to take some solar lights to one of the most remote villages, so half of the donkeys were carrying lights. This area is so remote, there are no shops, there is nothing to buy, so we had to take all our own food for the entire trek. The only food we could catch on the way was trout out of the rivers and lakes, pretty yummy actually.

The highlight of the trip was taking the lights to the village and taking gifts and school supplies for the children. This part of Peru has 12 hours of darkness a day, from 6pm to 6am, so even just one solar lantern per family made a huge difference to the quality of their lives and their health. The locals usually burn wood or dung for heat and lighting, which in an enclosed space causes serious lung/ breathing problems as well as not being readily available. The solar lights were designed by Anthony Harkam (one of the trekkers) and were funded by Anthony and his wife Faith as well as the other trekkers. The village we were donating the lights to, Tupac, had been told they were getting the lights some months before and had planned a huge reception to welcome us and thank us for the gifts. It was an amazing experience I shall never forget, throughout the merriment, singing and dancing I even somehow managed to get a wedding proposal from one of the locals who seemingly owned 6 sheep yet no teeth! Nice!

We’re on the up and up……….

It only seems like yesterday that we moved into our brand spanking new offices and already one of us is looking to move out! Tara is off to pastures new, well, she’s looking to open up another Beaumont office in Chatswood anyway. We’ve been helping so many clients find star performers on the North Shore that we need to expand in that direction.

As a result, we're currently looking for an experienced Recruitment Consultant to join our NEW Chatswood office. Based initially in the city office they’ll be responsible for further developing new business in the North Shore, moving to the new Chatswood office soon after. The position will develop into a 360 degree recruitment role across Office Support and Finance both temporary and permanent.

Why are we telling you this?

Well, if you happen to work with any Recruiters who you know are looking around, please feel free to pass Tara’s details on to them. Tara Robinson, Manager of Chatswood on 9279 2777 or email your resume to tara@beaumontconsulting.com.au

Quote of the month

Avoid employing unlucky people - throw half of the pile of CVs in the bin without reading them.
David Brent (‘The Office’)

(We would like to point out that in no way does Beaumont Consulting endorse such an approach!)