October 05 Newsletter

Temp of the month

Outstanding performance from our temps doesn’t go unnoticed. We truly appreciate their efforts and therefore would like to acknowledge the great work they are doing for us.

Our October Temp of the Month award goes to Leah Murphy, she has done a sterling job over at Challenger with her supervisor saying “she has been fantastic, I could not have done without her”. So congratulations to Leah.

Leah is pictured here whilst on assignment at Challenger. She gets a $100 voucher from a store of her choice.

Stay Motivated

Top Ten tips to maintaining motivation whilst looking for a new opportunity...

1. Surround yourself by positive people - ideally those who have been in a similar place to you right now and have succeeded.

2. Focus on what you want from your new job. - Avoid spending time / energy / emotion focusing on what is wrong in your current situation - it is a complete waste, the decision to move on has been made. Instead focus your time / energy / emotion on building a strong, vivid picture of the type of work and position you do want.

3. Don't get hung up on your age. There is a joke going around that you are only the 'right age' for three years out of your working life! This is completely false. Companies tend to hire young people for their energy, flexibility and enthusiasm and older people for their experience, stability and life skills. Aim to demonstrate the positive attributes of both and you will succeed whatever the date on your birth certificate!

4. Ask five trusted friends and colleagues that you respect to tell you a) what they most admire about you; b) what they consider to be your greatest strengths; c) what they value most about your relationship. You might be surprised with the answers that they give. (NB: It is also good to reciprocate and tell them what you value about your relationship with them!)

5. Arrange your schedule to devote time to job hunting and preparing for interview. You are seeking an exciting and profitable new opportunity and it is those who get-up-and-go who will get it first. There is an equation that reads Luck = Preparedness meeting Opportunity. Ensure that you are fully prepared.

6. Enthusiasm secures more jobs than any other attribute. Remember it is relatively easy for a company to fill any hard skills gaps with a training course (or for you to do so yourself!) but enthusiasm cannot be 'given' to you. It comes from within. If you do not feel genuinely enthusiastic for a role, think again. If you do, display it - it will be one of the most attractive things about you during the selection and interview process.

7. Take action towards your new career every day. Even if it is something small, like one phone call, completing a task every day will maintain momentum and will ensure that you are one step closer to success.

8. Keep yourself well. Changing jobs can be stressful, so ensure that you are in tip-top condition to meet any challenges that face you. That means plenty of sleep, drink loads of water (sorry, heavy drinking sessions are not recommended!), take more exercise, enjoy good-tasting healthy food and feel great about your increased energy levels.

9. Notice when things get you down and eliminate them. These can be small things that you would normally brush off, like the blown light bulb in the cupboard, or bigger things such as a friend who leaves you feeling flat and depressed after a meeting. So limit the time you spend with that friend and eliminate five of the smaller items each week.

10. Clear the decks - be primed for an interview at a moment's notice. Work on your personal space: create the psychological feeling that you are ready for this new job at any time (sometimes things can move very quickly indeed). Ensure that your clothes are in tip-top condition with all dry cleaning up-to-date and gain the confidence from knowing that you are ready to go!
(Prepared by Carole Gaskell)

Making that career change

A recent survey has found that Australians will have on average up to three careers over their working life. That means a great many people will be trying to "break into" a new career at any given time.

For many others, the real struggle is actually choosing a career path in the first place. Whichever group you fall into, solid research will help you on your way to explore your options.

Find out what you're suited to

Answering this question is often the hardest part of your career research.

Start by making lists of:

Things you are great at and love doing
Things you are good at but hate doing
Things you love doing but are not that great at
Things you are not good at and hate doing

Are you an extravert who loves meeting people or an introvert who prefers working behind the scenes? Do you like working with numbers or words, animals, children or adults? Ask friends and family for their input.

Your list should identify as many of your skills and attributes as possible. Skills are things like written and verbal communication, book keeping, analytical skills, computer skills, dress making, being good at fixing electronics or cars, typing and so on.

Getting career ideas

After taking a really good look at who you are and what you enjoy doing most, use books, websites, career expos, newspapers and contacts to gather information on career options. Also check the Wednesday and Saturday employment sections of newspapers and clip any career profile that interests you.

Make a point of going to any Career Expo’s, make sure you ask exhibitors about the job roles and career paths they offer; entry level positions; training and development opportunities and the roles they anticipate will be most in demand in their industry.

When you meet people doing interesting jobs, don't be shy about asking questions. Most people love talking about themselves and what they do.

Key questions would be:

• What's involved in your job?
• What sort of qualifications and personality traits do you need to succeed at the job?
• How did you get your job?

Finding your dream role is never easy, but if the time and effort is put into really thinking about what you want, you will only reap the rewards in long run – good luck.

Joke of the month

My kids love going to the Web, and they keep track of their passwords by writing them on Post-it notes.

I noticed their Disney password was "MickeyMinnieGoofyPluto," and asked why it was so long.

"Because," my son explained, "they say it has to have at least four characters."

(a bit tame i know, but it is so hard to find a clean joke these days!!)

Quote of the month

I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it - Thomas Jefferson