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Challenging Year Ahead FY2011

July 20th, 2010

Cairns Region has been experiencing a great start to the financial year. Four new flights from Taiwan and the national school holidays increased the tourist numbers into our region which was well received by local business. Hospitality and Tourism industries are enjoying the influx of dollars coming through much needed boost to our struggling economy.

The construction industry on the other hand has not been so lucky still struggling and it doesn’t look like it will be picking up for a while. Commercial, Mining, Financial Services are also on a steady rise.

Cairns has recorded 8.9% unemployment for June and should be dropping further in the next few months.

business team worriesEmployers have been challenged with new legislations coming into the 2011 Financial Year.

Federal wage increase has been fairly confusing for most SME due to number of Modern Awards being in the transition period. ATO has made a new ruling with regards to the Salary Sacrifice being recorded on the payment summaries for last financial year. And not to mention Modern Awards are still is a state of confusion for most employers.

WHSQ is slowly getting through auditing all medium size business, so if you are a business and declared over one million but less then ten million in workcover for the financial year 2009 your turn is coming.

Here are couple of useful links:

FWA: http://bit.ly/c4NnqS

Pay Rate Calculator: http://bit.ly/arG2J7

If you’re finding it just too much to take in and would like some assistance we are offering Employer Coaching Program.

Covering the following:

  • Recruitment Process
  • Employment Process
  • Employment Procedures and Policies

To find out more please contact Vlasta Eriksson on 07 4050 3888 or vlasta.eriksson@signaturestaff.com.au

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Posted in Employers - Tips and Hits | 2 Comments »


Signature Staff – Training Room Hire

July 16th, 2010

Are you based in Cairns and looking for training venue?

Located in Cairns North right on Sheridan Street.

Close to public transport and plenty of free parking space.

This venue is perfect for:

  • Classroom Style – 15 Participants
  • Seminar Style – 25 Participants
  • Boardroom Style – 10 Participants
  • Stand up capacity – 35 Participants

For more information please see flyer, link below.

Training Room Flyer

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Winner Job Ads

July 6th, 2010

Wtiting Winner AdsWhether it is an employer market or candidate market, the number one priority is to attract the right candidates to your job vacancy. Being too broad in the description could see you receiving droves of non-related applications whilst presenting uninspiring, boring descriptions of roles and ideal candidates may give you nothing.

Writing a professional add is best left with professionals, however there are a few basic rules to make your advert attract good candidates. Using the WIIFM method (What Is It For Me) is simple and will give a better than average chance to capture the right candidate.

Who is your target – Identify who is the right candidate to fit your vacancy not just by the skills you are searching for but also the culture they need to fit into. Use language that your ideal candidate uses. For example if you wanted to make sure to reach Generation Y, you could include SMS abbreviations. Probably no one else will understand it, but that’s exactly the point!

Innovating Headline – You need to have a catchy headline, people look at job vacancies that will stand out from the rest. By displaying the right catch-line you will have people wanting to read more. Most online job boards also include a teaser text. A job position is not always enticing hence a few more innovative words could catch people’s attention

Wtiting Winner Ads 2

Interest and desire – Emphasize what’s unique about the position/company. People want to work for great employers and are generally not motivated to get employed with ordinary and boring organisations. All job seeker wants to know “what is in it for me”. This is the time to shine and let them know of the rewards, benefits and the culture they will have by joining your company.  Consider saying ‘imagine yourself’…. However, make sure your statements are credible. Positions that sound too good to be true will only attract dreamers.

Forth Coming – Make it an urgent call to action so people apply to your vacancy before they apply somewhere else. After building information in an interesting way and creating Desire, you must prompt an urgent call to action. Your job advert should follow this step by step format to be effective. Consider saying, ‘Apply now before your dream job disappears’. ‘Call or SMS now for more info’  ‘Go to our website and apply now’. Also consider making it easy for jobseekers using a phrase like, ‘All you need to do’
If you don’t have a sense of urgency, why should they?

Move to your target audience –Place your vacancy where you are going to attract your audience. Imagine yourself being the candidate. For example, if you’re running an ad for a sales manager for an IT company, your audience may look under ’sales’ not IT. Also think on what job boards you would be most likely to find your ideal candidate and utilise other way of advertising such as local papers and social media.

So think before you advertise and place your add where your audience is.

Author: Vlasta Eriksson

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Posted in Employers - Tips and Hits | 3 Comments »


Background checking

June 3rd, 2010

CVHaving been in recruitment over a decade, I know all to well the importance of background checking. Let’s face it, the CV is a major selling point for the candidate and is written to portrait him/her in the best possible light, but is it all true?

As a hiring manager or a recruiter your first point of doing background checking is to assure that the information on the CV is true. Being deceitful or bending the truth on a CV is quite a common occurrence. These flouts mostly appearing in the employment history especially with regards to the duration of each employment and the duties preformed.

As a crude example of this, I recall a candidate applying to us recently. The candidate noted amongst the work history, 6 months employment duration as a temporary with our company. Upon checking this, we indeed found an employment record, but only over 3 days. I thought it a pretty brave move, but I was not too surprised as this kind of gross exaggeration is quite common and used to cover gaps in employment history or to replace another employment that may not have worked out that great.

Cross referencing of dates and duties should be first port of call in the background checking process. Referees that are supplied by your candidates should be the first call, but ensure that these referees have professional / reporting links to the candidate and not personal or a co-worker.

Other types of checks that may be preformed are criminal checks, character profiling, psychological and value checks as well as technical skill checks.

Part of Wiki’s interpretation of background checking says:

These checks are often used by employers as a means of objectively evaluating a job candidate’s qualifications, character, fitness, and to identify potential hiring risks for safety and security reasons, which sums up why you should do this pretty well.

When it comes to character checks and to be able to identify whether the candidate will culturally fit into the workplace can be quite difficult. Social Media is being used more frequently to identify the character and cultural fit.social_media_sites

It is legal to use Social Media as part of the recruitment process; however it needs to comply with the Commonwealth and State Discrimination and Privacy laws. As recruiter or a hiring manager you need to understand the laws of Australia to avoid any possible lawsuits. The best and safest way to use Social Media for background checking is to ask your candidate for the permission to do so. If you do not ask your candidate for permission, you should ensure that your decision is not influenced by information specified under the Anti-discrimination Act, Australian Human Rights Commission or the Privacy Act.

There haven’t been many discrimination claims of this kind simple because the candidates are not able to prove who is checking what on the web. In the future this might change as Social Media such as Facebook start upgrading their privacy, so be careful when you enter this space.

Note: If you are a candidate, you are able to create a professional profile on sites such as LinkedIn. If you mention this on your CV (and/or create a electronic hyperlink) as part of your personal details, you will direct the recruiter or the hiring manager to the right profile in the Social Media space.

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Posted in Employers - Tips and Hits, Jobseeker - Tips and Hints | 8 Comments »


The 2nd Centrelink Jobs Expo is coming to Cairns.

June 3rd, 2010

Job ExpoAs a follow on from the previous expo held in Cairns in December last year, the Australian Government has recently given the green-light for the 2nd Centrelink Jobs Expo to be held at the Cairns Showground, Friday, 25 June 2010.

The Centrelink Jobs Expo is part of the Australian Government’s Keep Australia working strategy to support Australian industry and jobs, connecting employment and training opportunities to job seekers. The main aim is to provide real job opportunities for local people.

The Jobs Expo will bring together employers, industry groups, recruitment providers, government and community organisations, as well as training and education providers. There will also be special guests and other activities to entertain and engage visitors. Local job seekers are being personally invited to attend the Expo. Special announcements, advertising and promotion will ensure a huge turnout on the day.  Entry is free for jobseekers and there is no charge for exhibitors.

Cairns’ employment coordinator, Peter Doutre is confident that this expo will be even more successful than the last one. “The last expo was a much needed shot of adrenaline for the region and resulted in a number of employment outcomes” Mr Doutre said. “By involving additional industry sectors, such as Aviation, Logistics, Marine, Mining and Resources, we are looking to have 150 exhibitors displaying more than 400 jobs this time around. The Cairns expo is run by the people of Cairns, which just prove that the Cairns community is taking ownership of its own destination”

If you want to get involved with the expo, you’ll be provided with all the essentials to make your exhibit a success, including: Job Expo 2
• Exhibition stand including a backboard, table and chairs
• A sign featuring your company name
• Access to people looking for employment and training opportunities
• Promotion of your job vacancies and job pathways on the Centrelink Jobs Expo ‘Jobs Board’
• Promotion of your business or organisation on the day
• Light refreshments.

All this will be provided at no cost.

If you are an employer and would like more information, you are welcome to call Peter Doutre direct on 0411 671 672

Link below info on 2009 Job Expo including a video

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/individuals/jobs_expos_09.htm

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Posted in Cairns, Employers - Tips and Hits, Indigenous Employment, Jobseeker - Tips and Hints | 2 Comments »


What’s up Cairns

June 3rd, 2010

CairnsSo what’s happening Cairns? The rest of the country is getting back to normal and we are lacking behind with an unemployment rate @12.4%, which is more than double the national rate of 5.4% with the Tourism and Construction sectors suffering the most.

There have been a range of forums and meetings of late to discuss and address this problem and I recently attended a business forum “Cairns 2010 – The Next Decade”, sponsored by Cairns Post. David Koch  “Kochie” as most of us would know him, was the guest speaker / MC with high profile business figures of Cairns community as the panelists. They were:

  • James Cook University Deputy Vice – Chancellor Dr Stephen WellerKochie
  • Advance Cairns Chief Executive Ross Contarino
  • Economist Bill Cummings
  • General Manager of The Cairns Post, Nick Trompf
  • Cairns Airport Boss Stephen Gregg
  • Smithfield Centre Marketing Manager, Deborah McKilligan.

The idea of this forum as was to acknowledge as to where Cairns is situated at present and where could it be in the next decade. The ballroom at Sebel Cairns was packed with over 250 local business people seeking the very same answers.

The topics in the forum were tourism, aviation, agriculture, education and mining.

Here is a summary of points / issues and concerns raised:

  • Cairns Tourism Industry depends on Aviation
  • Cairns Airport has lost 300,000 seats in 2008
  • We have slowly increased in seat numbers from international and domestic markets and should regain all the lost seats by the end of the year
  • Tiger Airlines will be flying into Cairns as of September from Melbourne
  • Cairns domestic Airport will be finished in September
  • Cairns to be developed into FIFO hub for the mine industry and PNG
  • Building strong business links with PNG through Advance Cairns and Cairns Chamber of Commerce
  • Strengthening our relationship with China with outcomes for the tourism and education sector.
  • JCU bringing some conferencing into Cairns one being International Rainforest Tourism Symposium.
  • Investment into our Tropical and Environment expertise, through JCU and Australian Tropical Foods
  • Hectares of uncultivated land in Tablelands not being utilized and ready for development
  • Local dairy farmers have been forced to cut production by 30% for milk and axe butter and cheese production. Our farmers need support from local community – Buy local produce

These are some of the points that were discussed at the forum. As the discussions continued it was evident that our business community was unsatisfied with our current economy and leadership. Kochie mentioned Cairns needs to diversify it’s core business and learn from other destination’s success stories. We are diversifying through our education, tropical expertise, environmental studies, tropical agriculture and mining. Is this enough? Organisations are being funded for projects but not working in unison; it was apparent that we need a body that can collate these projects together giving us a clearer future path.

Great Barrier ReefCairns tour operators are world leaders in eco-tourism but this subject was not touched on. People around the world are concerned about the climate changes, so why not showcase this benefit to the world by promoting our region as the “Green Tourist Destination”?

Cairns has been struggling for awhile with many businesses either folding or moving on. It was obvious at the forum that if things are not going to improve for us soon, there will be more and more businesses closing their doors. We need a co-ordinated response from the federal and state government to invest through infrastructure and jump start our economy. We need strong local leadership to help Cairns smash the walls that are surrounding us.

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Job Assist – QLD Business Grants – Update

May 18th, 2010

Business-InsuranceIn our January e-Newsletter we have run an article on the Queensland’s Business initiative with regards to the the Job Assist – Business Support program.

Click on link to view Jan 10 issue: http://bit.ly/cZiuWF

Queensland has recently changed the criteria for Job Assist with regards to the customer eligibility and the outcome in both of the stages.

The following are the inclusions:

Customer Eligibility:

The eligibility criteria under this activity are that the business must:

be experiencing one of the following:

  1. the variation in working capital is negative and has declined by more than 25% between the two points in time i.e. 30 June 2009 and the most recent reporting period, or
  2. the business begins the two point period with negative working capital and remains in that position at the end of the two point period.

Outcomes for the Customer

Stage 1

A business assessment is undertaken by an experienced consultant to:

  • identify deficiencies in the working capital

Stage 2

Proposed outcomes include:

  • improved working capital position

Please read our article for the full criteria  http://bit.ly/c4L17l

Additional Information as per QLD Government Information Sheet:support

Consultant Acceptance and Engagement Process

Suitably qualified consultants who can provide the services outlined in Stage 1and/or 2 can make application to the Department to be included on the Consultant Database.  Applications must be submitted for each individual Key Person who will deliver the service.

Applications will undergo a due diligence process and will be included on the database at the Department’s sole and absolute discretion based on their qualifications and suitability.  When accepted, applicants details are placed on the Consultant Database that will be made available to eligible customers within the region.

How do I apply

  1. Complete an Application Form and return it to the local Regional Centre.
  2. Internal governance checks will be undertaken by the Department. The consultant will receive confirmation of acceptance or decline after a review and determination of your suitability. Should the application be accepted, your details will be placed on to the Consultant Database for selection by customers.
  3. Where you are selected by a customer, you will receive a Letter of Engagement.
  4. Provide a current Certificate of Currency for Public Liability insurance and Public Indemnity insurance prior to commencement of any service provided to the customer.
  5. You will commence contact with the customer and provide the services under the respective stage within the nominated timeline.
  6. Upon completion of the contracted service, you are to provide a report and invoice to the Regional Centre.
  7. Your invoice will be assessed against the costings provided in your application form for the services provided and payment arranged.

Additional Consultant Services

Where the costs for the provision of services for stages 1 and 2 exceed the amount specified for each stage, the amount in excess of the specified amount is to be paid by the customer.  Any additional arrangement between the consultant and the customer is not part of the support offered by the Department and the Department accepts no responsibility for any such arrangement.

For any further information please contact your local Regional Centre of the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) on 1300 363 711.

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In Search of Human Talent.

May 11th, 2010

happy working enviromentIn today’s challenging market finding an employee who is the perfect fit to your workplace is utmost crucial to your business health and survival.

Signature Staff delivers solutions for your business through building business partnerships with our clients. Our ultimate goal is to provide our clients with an employee who will enhance their workplace environment and giving their business the advantage it deserves.

The benefits to our clients are within our points of difference in our values, our business ethics and our systems:

  • Giving you freedom to utilise your time on your business through tapping into our inimitable 360 recruitment process
  • Putting you in contact with over 1.2 mil candidates at a finger tip
  • Connecting you to a unique network structure
  • Making your decisions easy by offering candidate profiling, skills and psych testing
  • Advantage in utilising our consultants knowledge of varied industry background offering you effective solutions
  • Putting you in a strong position and giving you quality choice of talent pool by our marketing and advertising power doubled up with our revolutionary database search capabilities.
  • Your needs and requirements are matched by our dedication offering you 24/7 service, delivery time, superior guarantee structure and post placement support.

Signature Staff has an outstanding success rate by matching the right talent to the right workplace and position. Our transparent and thorough recruitment processes are modelled to the unique nature of our clients and candidates.recruitment

Did you know that our services are only billed at the acceptance of our candidate and the services to jobseekers are absolutely free?

For sound and professional advice please contact our dedicated consultants.

Posted in Employers - Tips and Hits | 1 Comment »


Interview preparation – Emotional Mastery

May 6th, 2010

Interview handshakeLets face it failing to prepare for an interview is a crucial and unforgiving mistake. The paraphernalia available on this subject is phenomenal however most it covers the processes of the preparation but not many touch on the how to prepare emotionally for the interview.

You might have blown great jobs because you were not confident or too confident, perhaps too enthusiastic and eager or just too nervous and did not answer the questions how you could have. Are you one of those people who go from one interview to another and always just miss out?

Preparing for interview consists of number of things:

  • Researching the company
  • Researching the position criteria
  • Researching the culture of the company
  • Rehearsing for the interview
  • Presentation

So you have done all that homework and should feel comfortable but you don’t why is that?

I will ask you a simple question. How are you feeling?

Are you afraid that you will not get that job?

Are you angry because you have gone for so many interviews and here is another one what’s the use?

Are you sad because you can’t see a way out if you don’t get that job?

Are you feeling this job is just too below you and you can do better than the manager who is interviewing you?

There are six emotions:

Love                            Sadness

Joy                               Anger

Peace                           Fear

Understanding these emotions and dealing with them is a key success your success of your interview turning out exactly as you want.

Usually love, peace and joy are positive emotions to have, however if over emphasized these could cause you to come across as over confident, not being serious about the position or just too complacent. By tuning into these emotions and accepting them into your mind set in natural way you will benefit immensely.

Sadness, anger and fear are emotions usually associated with interviews and they need to be addressed prior to the interview.

Identify that emotion:Got the job

What is the emotion I am feeling? Is it fear, sadness or anger?

Once you have pin point that emotions:

Why am I feeling this way?

Once you have identified and targeted the source of that feeling it’s time to replace it with a positive outlook.

This job is my true calling.

In this job I will succeed my goal of career advancement.

In this job I will be able to help others.

In this job people will benefit from my knowledge.

In this job I will be a great support to my family.

Okay, you have replaced the emotion and now you need to believe in the outcome.

There are number of ways you may choose to do this. It is totally personal and needs to feel comfortable with you. You may wish to write it down and stick it on a wall that you walk pass a number of times through the day. You may wish to write it down over and over again. Or perhaps you wish to visualise the outcome.

There is no right or wrong way as long as it fits and you feel comfortable. Power of positive mind set is what you deserve.

“Change your thoughts and you change your world” – Norman Vincent Peale

Author: Vlasta ErikssonVlasta2

Follow on twitter @VlastaEriksson

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Posted in Jobseeker - Tips and Hints | 7 Comments »


Temporary Recruitment – Enhance your Business

April 30th, 2010

happy working enviromentA strengthening economy means many of our clients have an increasing workload and new projects, but with fewer admin or specialist support staff. Then you also need to think about leave periods and seasonal peaks etc.

Signature Staff can provide you with staffing flexibility, with high quality, cost-effective Temps and Contractors across all specialist work-types and locations. These may be short-term admin temps, or more specialist contractors. Time-frames and pay rates are very flexible, so please contact us for an obligation-free quote.

The benefits of temp employees remain consistent for employers in both buoyant and challenging economies:

  • Reduce your salary bill, overheads and employment riskssupport
  • Adjust your business more easily and quickly to workload fluctuations eg. projects, leave periods or your seasonal peaks
  • Maintain staffing flexibility in uncertain economic times
  • Specialised skills for all industries and work-types
  • No permanent commitment while you evaluate the performance and ‘fit’ of potential employees
  • Transition high-quality temps and contractors to permanent status, with ease and certainty


Did you know we also offer a discounted Payrolling Only service? This means if YOU source and secure a temp, you can place them on Signature Staff’s payroll – and simply be charged a modest, hourly flat fee for the service and convenience.

Posted in Employers - Tips and Hits | 1 Comment »


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