People have a pretty stereotypical view of employees who work remotely. It’s something along the lines of of spaghetti-stained track pants worn by a slacker with their blinds drawn, binge-watching their favourite show with a trail of snacks from their shirt to the coffee table. All while they’re on company time ‘working remotely’ while the other suckers are stuck in the office.

Working remotely and being productive aren’t typically seen as going hand-in-hand. But statistics say that it can lead to happier, more productive employees who are less inclined to be distracted by office banter, politics, or the ‘who stole my lunch from the fridge’ dramas.

So, how do you challenge stereotypes and demonstrate to the world how to be an awesome remote employee? Communication and accountability are the keys.

Give timely responses

Responding to emails, voicemails or other communication in a timely fashion shows your employer and colleagues that you’re attending your work as you would in any office setting. By making sure you’re taking care of time-sensitive or urgent requests as they come through, or even just acknowledging you’ve received the info, you’re reassuring your team or boss that even though you’re not physically there, you’re paying attention to your colleagues and workload.

Don’t spare the detail

There are a lot of context cues that occur when you’re communicating in person that no amount of text can replace. Speaking in person also has the added perk of getting an immediate response and being able to clarify any details that are unclear on the spot. Email and messenger are a little trickier to navigate.

You can answer any foreseeable questions and clarify details by pre-empting them and covering off the information in your initial communication. Read the message aloud and ask yourself any questions that you would think of when reading it.

Pencil in regular meetings

You can keep your finger on the pulse of your organisation by having regular team meetings or one-on-ones with your boss and keeping up to speed with projects, changes, or news. Regular meetings are also a great way of providing a personalised snapshot of what you’re up to with your workload and offer the opportunity to get real-time feedback on ideas and topics raised.

Provide regular updates on your progress

Once a task is assigned to you, your employer is trusting that you’re being productive and working towards achieving it in a reasonable timeframe. Don’t leave your boss drumming their fingers on a desk wondering whether you’re actually working on what you’re supposed to be.

Providing regular updates on your workload and task completion via email, chat, or any other task-based software program will help set their minds at ease that you’re getting it done.

Stay focused

There might be lots of temptations around you if you’re working from home. Things need to be cleaned, the dog needs to be walked, the new season of your favourite show just launched… Staying focused in a home office can be a challenge, but one you need to power through if you’re going to make working remotely successful.

Having a dedicated space to work from is a great way of utilising the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ technique for resisting distractions. If you find that you’re not able to separate work and home as well as you need to, changing up your environment might be necessary. Find a café with free Wi-Fi, or a quiet outdoor space that will allow you to focus on the task at hand without feeling like you’re neglecting your laundry or pets.

You’ve seen it happen. Someone did something on social media that landed them in hot water with their boss, forced them to resign, or sparked outrage. Lifting the veil on our personal lives via social media has become somewhat of a social norm with anything and everything accessible by conducting a quick search.

Job applications are all about selling yourself. You’re giving recruiters a reason to want to shortlist and interview you based on what you’ve done, but more importantly, who you are.

Now, imagine you’re recruiting someone for a job. Picking a person who is the right culture fit is arguably considered more important than ticking the boxes on paper, so you want to make sure of a few things, right? What better way to gain a snapshot of a candidate than by having a sneaky look at their social media profile?

Here are the top major mistakes recruiters are searching for across your social media.

Posting or sharing inappropriate content

This is a giant no-no. We’re not just talking about the obvious stuff such as anything attributable to views that are racist, sexist, or posting sexually explicit content. Employers want to know that your morals and values align with their organisation, which means the list of things that can affect your application extends to: swearing, personal views that are offensive to any particular groups, posting information sensitive to a company, evidence of illegal activity, threats towards people or groups… you get the idea.

Posting during work hours

Were you a serial poster in your previous job/s? Sharing those hilarious cat videos at 2pm on a Wednesday could cost you the consideration of a would-be employer. It demonstrates that your productivity and focus isn’t at a desirable level and that you’re easily distracted.

Inconsistencies

Your resume says that you have no gaps in your employment, but your social media says you took 6-month trip overseas. Something doesn’t add up. Recruiters are looking for inconsistencies with the profile you’ve presented them on paper versus the one you’ve posted online, and any discrepancies won’t be a good look for your integrity.

To dive even deeper, recruiters will also be looking at inconsistencies between your social media profiles. If your LinkedIn and Facebook are squeaky clean but your Instagram is full of content that says the opposite about your personality, they’re going to notice.

Inappropriate photos

Whether you’ve put them up yourself or have been tagged in them, photos that are considered in poor taste or character revealing could send you to the bottom of the pile. For example, multiple shots of you drunk, drinking or engaging in questionable/offensive behaviour might give your prospective employers the impression that you indulge a little too much outside of your work hours which could affect your job productivity, enthusiasm, and attendance levels.

Complaining about previous jobs

Ever posted about your crappy boss, chucking a sicky, or how much you hated your job? You should probably revisit those posts. Recruiters are on the hunt for glimpses into your attitude towards your previous workplace/s and colleagues. Calling your Manager, Gary, a ‘grade-A jerk’ or slagging off your previous company isn’t a great look when you’re attempting to sell yourself to a new place of employment.

A final few tips

1. Keep an eye on your grammar and watch for any typos. It can come across as unprofessional and might be attributed to your quality of work.
2. Don’t make everything It looks a little suss if you have zero public visibility available. What are you hiding?
3. Lots of negativity can make you seem like you will be a bad fit for a company that is promoting a positive workplace culture

Job hunting can be an intense process. Sifting through the dozens of seemingly identical novel-length position descriptions to find the right fit causes information overload and has prospective candidates putting job listings in the ‘too hard’ basket.

Attracting the right candidates can be an equally complicated task if your job ad is guilty of one (or all) of these mistakes:

1. The ad doesn’t explain the role properly

Some job ads pull out all the stops when it comes to overcomplicating language, using too many adjectives and missing the main points of the role entirely. For example, “this role requires a dynamic and versatile person to facilitate growth and promote culture through communication strategies and relationship management.” The entire sentence is confusing, unclear, and not really saying anything at all.

Candidates need to know what the job involves in order to determine if they’re interested. Don’t use wordy jargon and drawn-out explanations when simple points will do. Consider writing a smaller, more concise version of the job ad that the candidate can expand and read on if they choose.

2. You’re missing the ‘how much’

No salary range listed? One in two candidates will likely scroll past. Earning potential is one of the top deciding factors for prospective candidates. They want to know whether the job is paying what they’re worth, that it’s worth the effort of applying, and that it aligns with the responsibility level of the role.

Being transparent about ‘how much’ will give candidates a good sense of the role’s responsibility levels, expectations, and your organisation as a whole.

3. No location or clear duties listed

The role’s location is a crucial piece of information that if left out, will rule out a huge number of applications. How far will they have to travel? Does the role require a relocation? Is the area accessible by public transport? Is there parking? How much will it cost to get there and back? All of these questions rely on knowing the location of a job. By the same token, if you’re not clear on exactly what duties are required of the person successful for the role, it’s impossible for candidates to determine whether they’re suitable or capable of performing.

Ensuring you have a suburb listed for the role’s location will answer a dozen questions in a candidate’s mind that decide whether or not to apply. And, clearly labelling and listing the duties involved in the role will quickly help candidates make a call on whether they’re a good fit.

4. The application is assumed to be time-consuming and complex

If you’ve overcomplicated the job ad, chances are candidates are going to expect the application process to be a lengthy and painful one. This assumption coupled with no information on the salary range, location, and/or a clear list of the duties involved is a sure-fire way to your ad being filed under the ‘not worth it’ category.

Employers can make the application process complicated by not giving clear instructions on how to apply, leaving key information out of the ad that makes writing the application difficult, or introducing other obstacles such as tests or other tasks to be completed that stand between a candidate and their application.

If candidates do make it past the hurdles to apply, the process doesn’t end there. Communication is key when it comes to keeping candidates remaining interested in the role and invested in their application. By acknowledging their application and communicating what to expect throughout the process, you’re more likely to retain their interest and find the right candidate for the job.

Chat to us about how we can help you to attract the best candidates for your organisation.

A lot of work goes into the human resources recruitment process, from the initial interview itself to the signing on arrangements, you can be sure it is not only the interview candidates working up a sweat before their interviews. It’s normal for interviewers to feel unsure of what to do in their interview and miss the questions they need to know answers to. Take a look at the following tips to keep you on top of your interviewer game.

Key questions:

Jot down questions that directly relate to your advertised position and its job tasks and responsibilities. You will find that you will naturally think of more questions as the conversation progresses. Having the main ones relating to the position description in front of you will give you a good start.

Adopt the mindset of a salesperson:

A big part of an interview is you ‘selling’ the benefits of the company, the position and the opportunity you provide to potential candidates.You can explain the in’s and out’s of the job and why you love working there yourself.

Re-read over your files:

To build your confidence and impress your candidates re-read each resume and look through their Linkedin and Twitter accounts to get an idea of who they are. This will make you feel more comfortable as you’ll become more familiar with who they are, and you’ll be more organised in preparation for your interview.

Watch non-verbal signals:

Candidates will hopefully have brushed up on their interview skills just as you are. For them this includes eye contact, good posture and appropriate dress. Be sure to keep this in mind for you as the interviewer. Dress professionally, be aware of eye contact, and keep your conversation friendly and professional. Afterall, you are representing the company overall.

Outline the structure of the interview:

At the beginning of the interview be sure to give a run through of what will be discussed and include if you are offering a quick tour or meet and greet with the staff afterwards. Give a brief overview of the company, job duties, and then ask your candidate questions and answer to theirs. This will enable you to stay focused and keep track of time.

Do you need help hiring new staff? Centastaff can help you. We have supported our clients with growth and success for over 20 years. Get in touch with our friendly team today.

These days people are on the search for a workplace that they enjoy going to. Employers have found themselves making the extra effort in job interviews and job ads to convince potential candidates why they have the best workplace for them.

Finding employment in a workplace that is not only enjoyable but highly motivating is a standout feature for employees who want to do well. Here’s what you can do to keep the motivation in the workplace up.

Supportive leadership

Leadership is an important part of how the staff in a workplace work productively. To provide supportive leadership being able to work closely with your staff and understand their workload, efforts and concerns can help to keep them focused and confidently grow. The best leaders are those that role model and set an example to the staff around them. They work with them not above them.

Set clear goals

Make sure your team goals are clear. Have them written down in a spreadsheet or ensure all staff have a written copy. This way staff have goals they can work towards for the company and their professional development also.

Encourage teamwork

A great way to keep staff motivated and feel a part of a workplace is to encourage teamwork. This way employee’s learn to take notice of the positive qualities of those around them and the attributes they bring to the team. This is a great way to increase not only motivation but creativity and inspiration of team members.

Empowerment

Employees who feel valued as an individual are more likely to be motivated to keep up the great work they are doing. Be sure to have opportunities available that allow employees to play to their strengths and continue to grow. This shows them that you believe in their talent and want you to use it.

Can-do attitude

Role modelling a can-do attitude for your employee’s will install confidence in your team overall. As staff spend the majority of their time at work, having a work environment that is positive and uplifting will instill motivation in your team and give them the confidence to take on challenges.

Are you searching for aviation staff for your business? Centastaff can help you. We have supported our clients with growth and success for over 20 years. Get in touch with our friendly team today.

Are you having trouble finding the right candidate for your business? Are you starting to think it’s time to call on a recruitment agency for support? Having agency assistance is highly beneficial for time-poor companies and will help them find an employee that meets all of their standards. Take a look at how your business can benefit…

Saves you time:

No one knows how long a recruitment process they enter into will take. It can take hours and even days of employers feeling like they are getting nowhere. Aviation recruitment agencies are able to screen CV’s, organise initial interviews, negotiate salaries, general administration duties and chase follow ups with the candidate. Recruitment agencies can take tasks off the hands of managers which allows them time to do other important work.

More candidates, more choice:

It takes time to find the right employee. Aviation recruitment agencies can take the search up a notch and dedicate their time, resources and expertise to find that perfect candidate. With the ability to create job ads to get the word out, recruitment agencies are also able to connect with skilled and enthusiastic candidates who approach them looking for work. Not only that but with the use of different forms of media (telephone, email, social media) recruitment agencies can encourage potential candidates to apply.

Specific market knowledge:

Recruitment consultants continue to upskill by keeping up with the latest news and developments in the industry they are finding candidates for. This insight enables them to ask the questions they need to ask and look out for any red flags. Having recruiters with market knowledge can make the recruiting process a lot more smoother.

Agency understanding:

Aviation recruitment agencies are trained to properly question a candidate and use methods to reveal the knowledge of potential employee’s to find out if they are suited to your company. By understanding the customer and the needs of the workplace, the recruitment agency can then have all the boxes ticked when finding the perfect candidate for the company.

Is your business looking to recruit new staff and need some help? Centastaff can help you.

We have supported our clients with growth and success for over 20 years. Contact our team today.

Have you always wanted to follow a career path into human resources? Well now is a great time to work your way into it. Human resources is a fast-growing career field and there is a need for employees of all abilities and qualifications. It provides multiple opportunities for career progression, perfectly suited to those that like to continue the growth of their professional development. A career in human resources is popular with those who like the opportunity to be of help to a number of areas within an organisation. Be it assisting the growth of the organisations employees or getting involved in business decisions and considerations.

Responsibilities of a HR assistant:

• Customer service and enquiries
• Processing mail and email documents
• Creating and preparing documents and reports
• Scheduling meetings and appointments
• Entering and maintaining data entries
• Assisting in the planning of job interviews
• Point-of-contact for employees and organisations
• Prepare new employee documentation
• Collect employee and tax information

Qualities of a HR assistant:

The skills and knowledge that employers look for in a HR assistant include:

• Problem solving skills and the ability to calmly resolve errors or mistakes.
• Strong communication skills along with the ability to listen and understand others and to relay any information needed.
• High organisational skills and the ability to do accurate and thorough observations.
• Able to prioritise and plan time.
• Reliable and able to work to deadlines.

Who can apply:

This will depend on your region and what exactly it is you want to professionally get out of HR. It will also will depend on the organisation and the skills they are wanting to see of you. In searching for a job in human resources, anyone who has (or is willing) to gain experience can find a HR position to suit them. You can choose from an endless amount of institutions to become certified in human resources. Having a qualification will also mean you will be on a higher rate than those without one.

Are you seeking a job in human resources? At Centastaff we strive to find the perfect candidates for positions in this department. If you need help to find a job in this industry, get in touch with the team at Centastaff today.

The team within a business is paramount to its success, which makes hiring the right staff a crucial element to the productivity of your workplace. Not only are you trying to find the right people to work with you, but it is worth paying extra attention to how your workplace can provide the right environment for those that consider applying for your position. A lot of thought can go into the employment process, and the clearer you set yours out to be the easier you will find the right staff members for you. Before you begin your recruitment process it is important to consider…

The staff member that will propel your business:

To find the right employees, you will need a thorough understanding of what it is that you want and need in an employee to help your business grow. Review your company’s values and goals in preparation for reading through the applications, as well as the skills needed that will help your business grow. Entering the recruitment process with a clear direction of what is best for the company is worthwhile when choosing to hire more members.

Advertising:

There are numerous avenues for advertising and promoting positions that you need to fill. You can advertise the business by placing the ad on your website, on job recruitment websites, or through your social media channels. It is important to remember that word-of-mouth is also a powerful way for potential employees to find you. Positive word-of-mouth will come from happy staff members so it is also important to review why your workplace is the best place for employee’s to find work at.

Review your procedure:

Take a look over your recruitment procedure and make any adjustments that may make the process run smoother. Read through your interview questions to ensure all questions are relevant to the applicant and the position they are applying for. Also establish who will be interviewing the applicant with you. It is beneficial to the company to have more than one person conducting an interview as someone else can pick up something that you may have missed out on.

Interview process

After establishing your companies values and goals, it is time to get ready for the interview process. Shortlist applicants and confirm their referee’s listed as well as their contact details, this will save time should the applicant have needed to make any last minute changes. Remember this is also a time for potential employee’s to get to know you and your business, making it the perfect opportunity to highlight why your workplace is the best place for them to work. After having found the right person, you can then proceed to hand out your offer of employment.

Are you having trouble recruiting staff for your business? Centastaff can help you. For over 20 years we have provided support for clients across Melbourne looking to expand their business and recruit new members. We understand there is a demand for cost effective recruitment services and are proud to provide that to clients throughout Melbourne. Get in touch with one of our friendly consultants today.

Flying is a favourite mode of travel amongst Australians, making recruitment and employment within the aviation industry a demand that is growing rapidly. As with any other job or profession, a certain set of skills are required to successfully carry out a job in aviation. Recruiters will look for particular skills held by applicants that will put them ahead of the other candidates. If you are thinking about applying for a position in the aviation industry, here are some highly valuable skills that recruiters look for.

Healthy people skills:

It is important that you are confident being around people and communicating with others. Good customer service is a vital attribute you can bring to any position within aviation. Positions vary from customer service agents who handle your enquiries and check ins, to flight attendants who are in contact with passengers for long periods of time. Being able to practice patience, listening skills, problem solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team are all favoured amongst industry recruiters.

Critical thinking/problem solving skills:

With the ever changing nature of a day in the aviation industry, having the ability to adapt to changes that happen in the daily routine is a skill that employers look for in their candidates. This skill is favoured to keep up with challenging situations that may arise during the day or during a flight, or those that require you to make last minute decisions. Having the ability to effectively and calmly solve problems puts you in a favourable position to becoming an employee within Aviation.

Positive Attitude:

Like all jobs, you will succeed if your attitude towards work stays positive. This applies to your every day interactions with passengers and work colleagues as well as duties you may have to undertake. The more positive approaches you take to your working conditions, the more productive you will be. It is important to remember that we bounce off those around us, our moods can have an impact on those around us.

Emotional Intelligence

This refers to the ability to respect others views and practice empathy toward their situation. You may encounter stressed passengers who have to sit with a disruptive passenger or ones who are upset that they misjudged their check in time and have missed their flight. To be able to sympathize with their situation and understand how they must be feeling is important as it shows you are someone they can rely on to help them.

Leadership

Being self motivated is a useful skill to have in the aviation industry as well as your ability to respectfully take lead in matters that call you to. With the array of leadership opportunities available in the industry, those that are natural born leaders will thrive. Leadership roles include ground staff supervisors, pilots, quality assurance positions, as well as airport managers and directors.

Are you seeking a job in the aviation industry? At Centastaff we strive to find the perfect candidates for airport and aviation employment positions. If you need help to find a job in this industry, get in touch with the team at Centastaff today.