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We all know how stressful it is dealing with irate candidates, and to the best of your ability, you are the calming factor to them while they deal with the frustration of not having a job.
Sitting in an office of recruiters, I have noticed the ever emerging double edged sword when it comes to dealing with your candidates, or potential candidates politely. Sometimes they forget their manners, and the consultant becomes their new punching bag. Naturally, you as the recruiter was to be professional, and put that across to your candidates.
All you want is to place your candidate on the right path, and help them nurture their careers, so when they become unruly and create ridiculous expectations, it is a recruiters worst nightmare.
Let me break these candidates into 5 categories, and share light on how to deal with them accordingly:
This type of candidate usually has ZERO work experience, and expect the perfect job to fall into their laps. With the perfect salary to go with it. The frustration starts when they keep pestering you, and fail to understand why you are taking so long to place them (because they are so perfect, right?). Even if they do possess an impressive skill set, the delusions of grandeur are even more impressive, and telling them that will backfire in the most dramatic way.
The easiest way to deal and help these candidates is to make them realise their own shortcomings. When these candidates are forced to think about their inadequacies, a more realistic way of thinking may set in.
Recruitment is tiring and beneath them. Why would anyone want to have a good work ethic, surely that is for losers only? The candidates are the ones that typically cancel an interview an hour before it starts because they couldn’t be bothered.
Somestimes, and it is unfortunate, but you have to cut your losses. Why stake your reputation on someone who doesn’t actually want a job. Unless you are the reason they have become so unreceptive (in which case, apologies and try rekindle the relationship), these candidates will be ‘unmarketable’.
These candidates never have an answer to your questions. They fumble with their words, and honestly have no idea what is going on half the time. Researching isn’t an obvious choice, and GOOGLE is a foreign entity. Sometimes, this is because they are inexperienced. They have never been for an interview and are unsure of the work needed to progress to the second stage of interviews.
Job applications can be daunting and stressful, but if you think these candidates have potential, invest in them! Coach them into becoming interview machines! It never hurts to mentor, and build a strong relationship.
You’ve just done their first face to face interview before sending off their documentation to the respective client, and your cellphone hasn’t stopped ringing. These are the candidates that over-think everything. From what font to type out their C.V’s in, to what colour socks they should wear to their interview.
They need to establish boundaries, for themselves and for you. The only way to truly help them is to keep them updated when you have information, and not respond to every single whatsapp you receive from them. Each consultant has several candidates they are looking after at any given time, so a precedent needs to be set. For fairness sake. Plus, you need to let your candidate try and figure out the answers for themselves.
These candidates want a job, but heaven forbid you pair them up with the wrong industry.
‘How dare you put my CV forward for a sales position that is beneath me! They are the kings and queens of the condescending voice tone, and it’ll be hard to get them to answer their phones.
Do they understand the error of their ways? Are they aware of the fact that they easily offend people? Sometimes the best way to get them to understand their bad manners, is to tell them, point blank.
If they are truly keen on finding a job, and allowing yo to help them, they will change their attitude and be more amicable.
Please visit our jobseeker page, and upload your C.V to our nationwide database! Should a potential job offer open, and you are considered, we will contact you!
Let our dedicated and hard working team of consultants find you the perfect candidate. Please visit our employer page and tell us what you are looking for!
Leadership is something that is developed over time, it’s not something you are born with.
According to Bernard Bass, there are three ways a person can become a leader:
Now that we understand how one can become a leader, what sort of qualities does a leader need to possess in order to be a great mentor?
One also needs to realise that it is very hard to mentor, without being a leader.
Want to learn more about how to become a great leader and mentor? Why not check out our blog on Be a Mentor and a Leader, or How To Be An Effective Mentor?
Please visit our jobseeker page, and upload your C.V to our nationwide database! Should a potential job offer open, and you are considered, we will contact you!
Let our dedicated and hard working team of consultants find you the perfect candidate. Please visit our employer page and tell us what you are looking for!
Ever wondered what it takes to be a leader and a mentor? This blog article aims to help highlight how you can, in fact, be both.
I’m pretty sure that every human on this earth longs for a work environment that is conducive to progress. We all want to learn. We all want to be appreciated for putting in the effort to learn as well. The push and pull of leaders and their students is a two way street however. The mentor must be willing to teach, and mould. The student needs to be willing to learn, and apply what they have learnt.
I’ve always said the fundamentals to becoming a great leader is to learn how to mentor.
I have found, in my time, that your designated leaders in each job are often not well enough equipped to take on the ‘extra task’ of actually mentoring. Be it for reasons of time or energy, or the most common reason, not wanting to.
The truth of the matter is, you will not help anyone by just ‘managing’ them. By managing your staff, you are only telling them what they already know. That’s why they got the job. By mentoring, you may be surprised at how their performance increases! Your young employees, especially, are the future leaders, and why wouldn’t you want to be a part of what makes them great future leaders?
Please visit our jobseeker page, and upload your C.V to our nationwide database! Should a potential job offer open, and you are considered, we will contact you!
Let our dedicated and hard working team of consultants find you the perfect candidate. Please visit our employer page and tell us what you are looking for!
In today’s world, we need to arm ourselves with as much information regarding our rights. Especially when it comes to fair and unfair labour practices., according to Labour Relations in South Africa.
Every employee/worker is entitled to fair labour practices in South Africa. Let us elaborate a bit more on fair labour practices, and the different types of unfair dismissal.
The Labour Relations Act applies to all employers, workers, trade unions and employers’ organisations. It does not apply to:
The Labour Relations Act (LRA), Act 66 of 1995 aims to promote economic development, social justice, labour peace and democracy in the workplace.
For a fuller understanding of The Labour Relations Act, please download it here.
Under dismissal, every employee or worker has the right to not be unfairly dismissed.
“Dismissal” means that, or the reason for ‘Dismissal’ is –
There is really only 3 grounds for fair dismissal;
As stated by (www.labour.gov.za), fair dismissal is also when;
If an employer wants to dismiss an employee, there are 5 vital elements to substantive fairness:
There is something called ‘Pre-Dismissal Arbitration’, where, with a worker’s consent, an employer may want to seek assistance from a council, agency or Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration also known as the CCMA, to arbitrate on a workers conduct or ability.
Only after the employer has paid the necessary fee, and the worker has given consent, will an arbitrator be appointed.
When the time for arbitration arrives, a worker may represent himself, or be represented by the following individuals:
Now that we understand a bit more of the processes included before and during a dismissal, what exactly constitutes and ‘Unfair Labour Practice’?
Means any failure to act or unfair act of an employer towards a worker.
Concerning:
In the event of this happening, a worker may dispute their dismissal.
When unfairly dismissed, a worker may refer disputes for conciliation in writing to:
Referrals must be made within –
Please note: A dispute may be referred to after the above periods if the worker can show good cause.
The employer must receive a copy of the referral.
This is what needs to happen if a dispute remains unresolved: –
A council or the CCMA must arbitrate immediately if –
For more information on the CCMA, please visit www.ccma.org.za
Thank you for reading!
It is pertinent to bring yourself up to date with current labour laws, not only to perform better in your job, but to know your rights too. With that in mind, we have put together a basic guide to ‘sick leave’ for you.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
As stated by the Department of Labour, ‘workers may take the number of days they would normally work in a 6-week period for sick leave on full pay in a 3 year period’. Employees can also insist on proof of illness (doctors’ note and so on) before paying a worker for sick leave.
APPLICATION:
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act applies to all employees and workers, but;
See, Basic Conditions of Employment Act
APPLICATION FOR SICK LEAVE:
The provisions for sick leave do not apply to;
NUMBER OF SICK DAYS:
As stated by the Department of Labour, ‘workers may take the number of days they would normally work in a 6-week period for sick leave on full pay in a 3 year period’.
However, during the first 6 months of employment, workers are only entitled to one day of paid sick leave for every 26 days worked.
PROOF OF ILLNESS:
An employer may require a medical certificate before paying workers who are absent for more than 2 consecutive days, or who are absent often (more than twice in an 8-week period).
That is your basic guide to sick leave in South Africa. Be sure to read our article on Annual Leave, and how it works.
We all know the job market is rather saturated, so we need to equip ourselves to stand out from the rest of the herd. One of the ways we can do this is by understanding the interview process and preparing ourselves beforehand.
Knowledge is power, and you should understand the employer, requirements of the job and some background of the people that will be interviewing you. Doing this will help you better answer all questions that will be thrown your way!
HOW CAN I RESEARCH PROPERLY?
Look up the company website, and any other published materials associated with the company. Do you have a wide network of contact? Chat to them too!
Having researched common interview questions that you expect will be asked, you can actively prepare yourself for these questions ahead of time. You can ask the hiring manager what type of interview set up you will be experiencing. Will it be one on one, or in a group? You need to know this in order to prepare concise and to the point responses, that cover your experience, accomplishments and skill set.
HOW CAN I REMEMBER MY RESPONSES?
A good way to do this is to put all the information into a story, there is no need to remember specifics points an=s you want to engage in conversation.
Every company/organisation has their own culture, and you need to plan your outfit accordingly. It’s always better to overdress than under dress, and wear clothing that is clean and neatly pressed. One thing to remember, try not to smoke or eat right before the interview – and keep your teeth and mouth fresh with a breath mint or mouth wash.
There is no excuse on this earth for arriving late for an interview. If something catastrophic has happened, don’t leave the interviewer waiting, call them and explain what the situation is. They will appreciate the professionalism. As a best practice, try arrive to the interview 15 minutes before, this will also give you a bit of time to observe the workplace dynamic.
WHAT SHOULD I TAKE WITH TO AN INTERVIEW?
Take a pen and notepad to jot down notes you may need to remember, take copies of all qualifications, certificates, portfolio pieces and awards. Also, remember to switch of your cellphone and throw the gum you have been chewing into the bin.
Always be poilite and offer warm greetings to everyone you meet on the way to your interview. You want people to rmemeber you for the right reasons. Also, the impression your interviewer gets of you may make or break the rest of your interview. When greeting your interviewer, stand, smile, make eye contact and offer a firm handshake (but not bone crushing). Studies have shown that within the first 20 miuntes of an interview, the hiring manager has already made critical decisions about you, the job applicant.
Now you are in the interview, yikes! Another best practice here is to make sure the quality of your answers and the delivery thereafter is on point. Remebering you want to get to the point where you ca showcase your skills, experience and fit within and with the job and employer. You don’t want to ramble and bore the interviewer, so practicing, as mentioned in point #2, your answers, will help you avoid boredom.
REMEMBER TO NEVER BAD MOUTH A PREVIOUS COLLEAGUE OR EMPLOYER.
Not many of us actively think about our body language, but it can tell a story to your employer. Poor body language can distract your future employer to such an extent that they don’t listen to your well prepared interview answers.
WHAT SORT OF BODY LANGUAGE WORKS BEST?
A smile, eye contact, solid posture, active listening and the occasional nod are all best practices when it comes to body language in an interview.
Don’t just ask anything, however. Insightful, reaearched questions are what we are talking about. This shows you have put the effort in to do your research, as well as the fact that you are curious to learn more.
Sell yourself, and then close the deal. The most qualified candidate doesn’t mean the first hired. The candidate that ‘wins’ will be the one who answers questions the best, and clearly shows their fit within the company.
NOW THAT THE INTERVIEW IS COMING TO AN END?
Ask about the follow up process, and when the employer will be making his/her decision.
Always send a follow up email or letter to say thank you. Politeness goes a long way in the interview process, especially after the fact.
Now that you have a better idea of how to prepare for and conduct yourself in an interview, why not try and figure out what career path to choose?
Also, check out what jobs we have available for you to apply for!
Measured Ability SAWhen you start thinking about your future and choosing your career path, your heart beat may increase and your brow may sweat, but never fear; the complete guide is here!
No need for settling, no need for dreading work; here are some of the best ways to make sure you choose your career wisely.
1.
What are you passionate about? Explore those fields.
What are some of your hobbies?
What do you like doing?
Once you have a better idea of that, start exploring the different job opportunities within the parameters of what you like, or possibly what you are good at.
You don’t have to only explore your likes, or interests, but understanding this provides you with a good starting point. Also, don’t compare yourself to others, choose a path that YOU would enjoy and perform the best in.
No matter if you are analytical, practical, creative or technical, you may even be a socialite; there will definitely be a range of career paths that will suit you.
2.
Now that you have jotted down your skills – Use them.
By now you should have written down your skills, qualifications, like, dislikes and experience. With this information you can further refine your potential role research, and have them actually play to your strength.
Bare in mind, no matter how well you excel within different skills, hard work will always pay off and there is always more to learn, but those skills you possess will make it easier to find an achievable job prospect.
This also means that your strengths will be recognised and used to their maximum potential. You don’t want to be stuck in a career that doesn’t use the skills you have developed.
3.
You may not enter the perfect job straight away, but you can always plan it out.
Once you have made your decision, think about the steps you may have to take to work your way into your dream position in the career path of your choice. If you are a people’s person, and have great sales and customer service skills, your chances of becoming the Sales Director is greater, especially if you are willing to start from the bottom and learn all the tricks of the trade.
Also ask yourself: is what I’m study going to bring me closer to my dream? Is the experience I’m gaining beneficial? If not, consider changing your game plan.
Remember, if you feel stagnated in your current job, there are courses you can take, volunteering groups and further educational training. These steps also help you better understand your value, and it makes you more employable.
Also, remember that a field of work is far more than a single job. Fields are broad; try looking for 5 jobs within that field
4.
Experience is key.
So, the well-known double edged sword of, how do I gain experience, if I need experience beforehand?
People seem to forget about work experience and internship opportunities, and this is a good place to start. Within these, you will be able to use the skills you have in a practical fashion, in a work environment. You will also gain more skills while doing so. If you work hard, it may turn into a permanent position and you may leverage key connections within the industry. Networking is very important.
Learn as much as you can about the qualifications needed to enter this field.
Even if the position doesn’t work out, you have still learnt something, and knowledge is invaluable. You’ll also have a better idea of what you truly want to do.
Here is a list of current internships in SA.
5.
Always research what the career actually entails.
Remember, nothing is what it seems, until you’ve dug a little deeper.
Speak to people in the industry, try and get an idea of what their day to day tasks are, and what sort of lifestyle they lead.
Lifestyle is extremely important. A high status roll like a doctor or a lawyer may seem great, but they aren’t for everyone.
Dedication is key to any career, so make sure you can commit to your chosen career path.
6.
Expectations, don’t make them too high.
Be realistic when setting goals and looking for your future career path. As much as we all want to follow our childhood dreams, if they aren’t attainable, your career may not go anywhere.
Go into every career with an open mind. Expectations can trump the reality of the job and you may not enjoy it as much as you thought because you set them too high.
For example: You may not like your job at first, but by keeping an open mind, it may turn into the best career decision you could ever make.
You also don’t want your CV to put forward the notion that you are a ‘serial job happier’.
Keep this in mind: Leaving a job after 6 months because you have realised that career choice is wrong for you is acceptable. Leaving after a day is not.
Let’s have some fun:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleyperez/what-career-should-you-have?utm_term=.xmglXxYZb#.ik31DrQ4W
We hope that this read has helped you move along to your dream career. For more information on how to write a CV, how recruitment agencies work and more visit https://measuredability.com/blog/
In a world where the job-seeker pool is rather saturated, people are looking for different ways to make their CV’s stand out, and stay memorable. This thought process can also be used when updating your personal bios on different social media platforms and professional networks.
The first way, by updating your “About Me” we will discuss today, but be sure to stay tuned for more tips in the future!
Did you know the average time spent by recruiters looking at CV’s is around 5-7 seconds?
So, how does one make their CV stick in the minds of their possible future employers? Without making it seem silly? If you don’t know how to write a CV, go here.
The first way, we will discuss today, but be sure to stay tuned for more tips in the future!
Your “About Me” is one of the first things an employer sees, or looks for when going through a candidates CV. One thing to remember, don’t make the mistake of focusing only on your professional history, throw in an interesting and fun fact about yourself, let the employer find out about your personality.
Personality is an important facet, as each organisation has their own organisational culture. Some people fit in better than others, and to maintain a great work environment, employers’ make sure candidates also have what it takes to gel with their colleagues.
Who you are and what you have accomplished, go hand in hand.
Some questions you can ask yourself before writing your “About Me” are as follows;
You want your CV to be easy to read, but you also don’t want it to be boring. Remember not to go too of topic, and try connect your ‘About Me’ to the type of job you are applying for. Always do your research.