S2M Blog

Mastering the STAR Method (Without Sounding Like a Robot)

Mon, 26 May 2025 03:34:58 GMT

Let’s talk interviews—and that thing you’ve probably heard of called the STAR Method.

You know the one:

It’s a great framework. Super helpful. But let’s be real—sometimes candidates treat it like a script. And what comes out is a rehearsed monologue that doesn't sound like them at all.

A 2023 LinkedIn Hiring Report found that 75% of recruiters use behavioural interviews as part of their process. That means the ability to tell a story about how you solved a problem, handled a challenge, or made an impact really does matter.

So here’s a quick refresher on what STAR actually means (and how to make it feel like a natural conversation—not a checklist).

Here’s how to break it down:

SITUATION: Set the scene. Don’t overexplain, just give the “where and when” so there’s context.
TASK: What was your role? What needed to be done? (Even if it was “figure it out as you go”… that’s still valid.)
ACTION: The meaty part. What you did—not “we,” not “the team.” What steps did you take to move things forward?
RESULT: What changed because of your actions? If you’ve got data, great. If not, share the impact in any way you can—on people, process, outcomes.

The trick is making it sound like you. Not a script. Not a robot. People hire people—not dot points.

One thing that’s often shared with candidates: “Think of STAR like bullet points. The structure helps, but the story is what sticks.”

It’s okay if you don’t hit every part perfectly every time. The goal is direction, clarity, and authenticity.

And because stats speak volumes: According to The Muse, candidates who tell clear, structured STAR stories are 40% more likely to move past the first interview rou nd.

For anyone navigating interviews right now—especially if it’s hard to talk about yourself—this method can really help pull your experience into focus. Don’t overthink it. Your stories are more powerful than you realise.

What’s your go-to interview advice? Or have you ever had a STAR story completely flop (or land perfectly)?

10 Common Mistakes That Ruin Interviews (and How to Avoid Them)

brettdickinson@s2m.com.au (Brett Dickinson) — Wed, 21 May 2025 07:17:57 GMT

We’ve all been there—the nerves, the anticipation, the desire to make the best impression.

Interviews can feel like make-or-break moments, and sometimes, even the most prepared candidates stumble and forget the basics.

Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do.

Whilst most of these pointers are quite obvious, after 20+ years in recruitment, you wouldn't believe some of the feedback I have had from clients on candidates at all levels that are not prepared for interview..

Let’s dive into the 10 common mistakes that can sabotage an otherwise potentially stellar interview—and most importantly, how to avoid them.

1. Failing to Research the Company

The Mistake:

Showing up without knowing the company’s mission, values, or latest news makes it seem like you’re just there for any job, not this job.

How to Avoid It:

Treat interview prep like pre-date research (because, honestly, it’s similar). Explore their website, check recent news, and look up your interviewer on LinkedIn. Being informed shows you care.

2. Talking Too Much—or Too Little

The Mistake:

Rambling aimlessly or giving answers so short that the interviewer learns nothing new about you.

How to Avoid It:

Strike a balance with the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This keeps your answers structured, relevant, and impactful —without the dreaded oversharing.

3. Ignoring Your Body Language

The Mistake:

Slouched posture, lack of eye contact, nervous fidgeting—your body language speaks before you do.

How to Avoid It:

Sit up straight, maintain friendly eye contact, and use confident but natural gestures. Your presence should radiate “I belong here.”

4. Not Asking Questions

The Mistake:

Saying “I don’t have any questions” at the end of an interview makes you seem disinterested.

How to Avoid It:

Prepare thoughtful questions ahead of time. Ask about company culture, team dynamics, or challenges the role faces. Show them you’re engaged and eager.

5. Overlooking First Impressions

The Mistake:

Arriving late, dressing too casually, or appearing unprepared can start things off on the wrong foot.

How to Avoid It:

Dress appropriately for the industry, arrive 10–15 minutes early , and have everything you need (resume, portfolio, etc.). Confidence starts with preparation.

6. Speaking Negatively About Past Employers

The Mistake:

Trashing your last job? Big mistake. Even if it was awful, venting about it in an interview makes you seem difficult to work with.

How to Avoid It:

If asked about past challenges, focus on what you learned rather than what went wrong. Growth mindset = major points.

7. Using Generic, Rehearsed Answers

The Mistake:

Buzzword-filled responses that don’t actually tell your story.

How to Avoid It:

Make it personal! If asked about your strengths, don’t say, “I’m a hard worker.” Show it with real examples that highlight your impact .

8. Letting Nerves Take Over

The Mistake:

Rushed answers, shaky hands, or completely blanking under pressure—hello, anxiety!

How to Avoid It:

Deep breathing, mock interviews , and mental preparation can help you stay calm and focused .

9. Forgetting to Follow Up

The Mistake:

Thinking the interview ends when you walk out? Nope!

How to Avoid It:

Send a personalized thank-you email within 24 hours . It’s an easy way to reinforce your enthusiasm and professionalism.

10. Downplaying Your Strengths

The Mistake:

Being too modest or failing to sell your unique abilities.

How to Avoid It:

Own your achievements! Talk about your success stories with confidence and concrete examples. Employers want to hear why you’re the best choice .

Final Thoughts

Interviews aren’t just about proving you’re qualified—they’re about building a connection with the interviewer. The good news? You can prepare for success by avoiding these common mistakes and showing up as your best self.

If you would like to talk to an S2M Consultant to support on your interview technique, feel free to reach out on 02 8396 6800.

S2M are also working with Hiredly.AI to support our candidates through the interview process. Reach out if you'd like to hear more.

Now go out there and crush that interview!

Why Hiring Marketers Who Think Like Analysts Is a Smart Move for Businesses in 2025

Tue, 20 May 2025 06:57:56 GMT

In 2025, the line between marketing and analytics is blurrier than ever. The days of flashy slogans and gut-driven campaigns dominating the marketing landscape are long gone. As the saying goes, “data is the new gold” and the most effective marketers are those who don't just create, but also quantify.

Hiring marketers who think like analysts is no longer just a competitive advantage; it's becoming a business necessity and here’s why businesses that prioritise this mindset are winning in 2025—and why you should too.

Data-Driven Strategy Is the Standard, Not the Exception

Marketing strategies in 2025 are built on real-time data and predictive analytics. Businesses now expect marketing teams to answer not just what works, but why it works and how to scale it. Marketers who think like analysts are naturally inclined to test hypotheses, question assumptions, and seek statistically significant patterns in customer behaviour.

These professionals approach campaigns with an experimental mindset, iterating based on metrics rather than instincts. They know which metrics matter—customer acquisition cost (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), churn rate, conversion rates—and how to optimise them across channels.

The MarTech Stack Demands Analytical Fluency

The modern marketing tech stack is both powerful and complex. From CRMs and automation tools to advanced attribution platforms and AI-powered customer segmentation, today's tools require more than creative flair—they require technical proficiency.

Marketers who think like analysts are comfortable navigating dashboards, running A/B tests, and analysing multi-touch attribution models. They understand SQL, know their way around Google Analytics 4, and can speak fluently with data engineers and product teams. This fluency closes the gap between insight and action, accelerating decision-making across departments.

Personalisation at Scale Requires Analytical Thinking

In 2025, consumers expect highly personalised experiences. Meeting this demand involves more than tagging first names in emails—it requires deep segmentation, behavioural analysis, and predictive modelling.

Marketers with analytical mindsets are equipped to build and refine these personalisation engines. They analyse customer journeys, forecast behaviour, and use insights to craft content and messaging that resonate on an individual level. This leads to higher engagement, stronger brand loyalty, and better ROI.

Agility Comes from Measuring What Matters

The marketing landscape is in constant flux. Algorithms shift, platforms evolve, and consumer trends emerge overnight. Marketers who think like analysts aren’t thrown off by these changes—they thrive in them.

Why? Because they’re relentlessly measuring performance and using data to stay agile. They know how to pivot quickly, cut underperforming channels, double down on winning strategies, and justify every dollar spent. Their mindset fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

They Make Marketing a Revenue Centre, Not a Cost Centre

Ultimately, analytical marketers understand how to tie their work to revenue. They don’t just talk about reach and impressions—they talk about pipeline velocity, ROI, and customer retention. They help sales teams close deals faster by delivering qualified leads. They improve customer lifetime value through targeted, data-backed campaigns.

This ability to quantify impact turns marketing into a revenue-generating engine, aligning its objectives more closely with the CFO and CEO. And that alignment is essential in a business environment where every budget line needs to prove its worth.

We’ll leave you with this...

In 2025, the most valuable marketers don’t fit neatly into traditional job descriptions. They are storytellers with spreadsheets, creatives with KPIs, and brand builders with dashboards. By hiring marketers who think like analysts, businesses are equipping themselves with professionals who can create compelling campaigns and measure their effectiveness with surgical precision.

The future of marketing isn’t just about being louder—it’s about being smarter. And marketers who think like analysts are the ones leading the charge.

Mastering Data Analytics: Essential Skills for Success

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 21 May 2024 23:30:00 GMT

Thinking about a career in data analytics? If so, you're stepping into one of the most exciting and rapidly growing fields in today's job market. Data analytics professionals are in high demand as businesses increasingly rely on data to drive strategic decisions, improve operations, and gain a competitive edge. This is a short guide on careers in Data Analytics, and what you need to succeed.

In today's data-driven world, businesses of all sizes rely on data analytics to make informed decisions, optimise operations, and gain a competitive edge. As a result, the demand for skilled data analysts has never been higher. If you're considering a career in data analytics or looking to enhance your skills in this field, this blog post is for you. We'll explore what data analytics jobs entail, the skills you need to succeed, and how to stand out in this competitive job market.

What is Data Analytics?

Data analytics involves examining datasets to draw conclusions about the information they contain. This process typically involves collecting data, cleaning and organising it, performing statistical analysis, and visualising the results. Data analysts help organisations understand patterns, trends, and insights that can inform strategic decisions and drive business growth.

Types of Data Analytics Jobs

There are several roles within the field of data analytics, each with its own focus and responsibilities. Some of the most common positions include:

Data Analyst : These professionals collect, process, and analyse data to help organisations make data-driven decisions. They often use tools like Excel, SQL, and Tableau.
Data Scientist : Data scientists go beyond basic analysis to develop algorithms and predictive models. They typically have strong programming skills and use tools like Python, R, and machine learning frameworks.
Business Analyst : Business analysts focus on using data to improve business processes and strategies. They bridge the gap between IT and business units, often using data visualisation tools to communicate findings.
Data Engineer : Data engineers design and build systems for collecting, storing, and analysing data at scale. They work with big data technologies like Hadoop, Spark, and cloud platforms.
Machine Learning Engineer : These professionals specialise in creating and deploying machine learning models that can automate data analysis and generate predictions.

Download our Salary Guide to find out how much you can make in these roles.

Essential Skills for Data Analytics Jobs

To succeed in a data analytics role, you'll need a combination of technical and soft skills. Here are some of the key competencies employers look for:

Technical Skills

Statistical Analysis : Understanding statistical methods and how to apply them to real-world data is crucial.
Programming : Proficiency in languages like Python, R, or SQL is often required for manipulating and analysing data.
Data Visualisation : The ability to create clear and insightful visualisations using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or matplotlib.
Data Cleaning : Skill in cleaning and preprocessing data to ensure accuracy and reliability.
Machine Learning : Knowledge of machine learning algorithms and frameworks can be beneficial, especially for data scientists and machine learning engineers.
Big Data Technologies : Familiarity with big data tools like Hadoop, Spark, and cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) is essential for data engineers.

Soft Skills

Analytical Thinking : The ability to break down complex problems and identify actionable insights.
Communication : Effectively communicating findings to non-technical stakeholders is key.
Attention to Detail : Ensuring data accuracy and precision in analysis.
Problem-Solving : Finding innovative solutions to data-related challenges.
Curiosity and Learning : Staying updated with the latest trends and technologies in data analytics.

How to Stand Out in the Job Market

With the increasing competition in the data analytics field, it's important to differentiate yourself. Here are some tips to help you stand out:

Build a Strong Portfolio : Showcase your skills and experience through a portfolio of projects. Include case studies, visualisations, and any relevant work that demonstrates your ability to solve real-world problems.
Certifications and Courses : Pursue certifications like Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate, Microsoft Certified: Data Analyst Associate, or courses on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and edX to validate your skills.
Networking : Join professional organisations, attend industry events and meet-ups, and participate in online communities to connect with other professionals and stay informed about job opportunities.
Stay Updated : Follow industry blogs, podcasts, and webinars to keep up with the latest trends and advancements in data analytics.
Soft Skills Development : Work on improving your communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, as these are highly valued by employers.

Data analytics is a dynamic and rewarding field with numerous career opportunities. By developing the right mix of technical and soft skills, building a strong portfolio, and staying updated with industry trends, you can position yourself for success in this competitive job market. Whether you're just starting out or looking to advance your career, the world of data analytics offers endless possibilities for those who are passionate about turning data into actionable insights.

So You Want to Upskill? The Best Free Courses to Boost Your CV

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 08 May 2024 01:25:16 GMT

The job market is more competitive than ever, making continuous learning and upskilling are essential for staying ahead of the curve. Whether you're looking to advance in your current career or pivot to a new field, acquiring new skills can significantly enhance your CV and increase your marketability. However, the cost of traditional education and training programs can be prohibitive for many individuals. Sure, there are plenty of great bootcamps and short courses to add an extra stamp of approval to your qualifications but for some, it’s not feasible to fork out thousands of dollars to enrol. Thankfully, there's a wealth of free online courses available that provide high-quality education without breaking the bank. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the best free courses across various industries to help you boost your CV and achieve your career goals.

Why is upskilling important?

When finding top talent, hiring managers don't just scan resumes for experience; they seek candidates who exhibit the right attitude and a commitment to self-improvement. Today, many companies prioritise learning and development initiatives, recognising the value of employees who proactively seek to enhance their skill sets. Beyond increasing your own job satisfaction and future-proofing your career by possessing new skills, here's why upskilling is more than just a personal investment: It's a strategic move that can propel your career to new heights.

1. Stay Competitive in a Dynamic Job Market

The job market is constantly evolving, with new technologies, methodologies, and industry trends emerging at a rapid pace. By investing in upskilling, you demonstrate your willingness to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing landscape. Whether it's mastering the latest software tools or acquiring in-demand certifications, staying ahead of the curve can give you a competitive edge in the job market.

2. Unlock New Opportunities

Upskilling opens doors to new opportunities that may have been out of reach otherwise. Whether you're aiming for a promotion within your current company or seeking to transition to a new role or industry, having relevant skills and qualifications can significantly expand your career prospects. Employers are more likely to consider candidates who demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development

3. Demonstrate a Growth Mindset

Employers value candidates who exhibit a growth mindset—a belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. By actively pursuing opportunities for learning and development, you showcase your commitment to personal and professional growth. This proactive approach not only impresses hiring managers but also sets you apart as a motivated and ambitious candidate.

The best free online courses for professional development:
1. Coursera

Coursera is a leading platform offering free online courses taught by instructors from top universities and institutions worldwide. With a wide range of courses spanning topics such as business, technology, data science, and humanities, Coursera provides opportunities for learners of all backgrounds and skill levels to upskill and expand their knowledge.

Recommended Courses:

"Google IT Support Professional Certificate": Learn essential IT skills and prepare for entry-level roles in IT support.

Discover what hiring managers look for in IT Support roles

"Introduction to Data Science": Gain foundational knowledge in data analysis, statistics, and machine learning.

Find out what skills you need for Data Science careers

"Google Digital Marketing & Ecommerce Professional Certificate": Learn the fundamentals of digital marketing and e-commerce to gain the skills needed to land an entry-level job like Marketing Executive or Paid Media Specialist .

2. edX

edX is another reputable platform offering free online courses from universities like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. With courses available in a wide range of disciplines, from computer science to healthcare to humanities, edX provides learners with access to world-class education at no cost.

Recommended Courses:

"CS50's Introduction to Computer Science": Dive into the basics of computer science, programming, and problem-solving.

Explore what you need to succeed in IT jobs

"Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)": Learn about the principles and techniques of AI, including machine learning and neural networks.

Find out what companies look for in Machine Learning Engineers

"Project Management MicroMasters Program": Develop essential project management skills and earn a valuable credential to enhance your CV.

Discover the skills you need to be a Project Manager

3. Khan Academy

Khan Academy offers free online courses and instructional videos covering subjects ranging from math and science to arts and humanities. With a focus on personalised learning and self-paced instruction, Khan Academy provides accessible education for learners of all ages and backgrounds.

Recommended Courses:

"Intro to JavaScript: Drawing & Animation": Learn the basics of JavaScript programming while creating interactive animations and games.

4. Grow with Google

Grow with Google offers free online courses and certifications in digital marketing, data analytics, and career development. With bite-sized lessons and practical exercises, Google Digital Garage equips learners with the skills needed to succeed in today's digital economy.

Recommended Courses:

"Fundamentals of Digital Marketing": Learn the basics of digital marketing, including SEO, social media, and email marketing.

Looking for a job in SEO? Here's what companies are looking for in SEO Specialists .

"Data and Tech Skills for All": Develop foundational data analytics skills, including data visualisation and interpretation.

Want a career in Data Analytics? These are the skills you need.

"Career Development": Enhance your professional skills, including communication, time management, and networking.

Upskilling has never been more accessible thanks to the abundance of free online courses available today. By taking advantage of platforms like Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, and Google Digital Garage, you can acquire new skills, expand your knowledge, and boost your CV without spending a fortune. So whether you're looking to advance in your current career or explore new opportunities, there's a free course out there waiting for you to embark on your upskilling journey. Happy learning!

Attracting top talent with wellness incentives

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:00:00 GMT

Today's job market is evolving rapidly, and one of the biggest shifts we're seeing is the increased demand for workplaces that prioritise employee well-being beyond just traditional perks. The days of relying solely on competitive salaries and basic benefits packages to attract and retain top talent are quickly fading. Now, employees are paying close attention to the overall culture and support systems offered by potential employers.

Offering robust mental health benefits is not just about meeting the expectations of current and prospective employees. It's also about cultivating a positive workplace culture that boosts employee morale, increases productivity, and reduces turnover. Employees who feel supported in managing their mental health are more likely to be engaged and committed to their roles, leading to a stronger, more resilient organisation.

So, how can workplaces attract top talent and truly prioritise mental health support for their employees? Let's dive in:

Foster open communication:

Create a culture where employees feel comfortable discussing mental health concerns without fear of stigma or judgment. Encourage open conversations and provide resources for those in need.

Provide accessible resources:

Offer a range of mental health resources, such as confidential counselling services, employee assistance programs (EAPs), and online mental health platforms. Ensure that these resources are easily accessible and well-publicised.

Promote work-life balance:

Encourage employees to prioritise work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, encouraging regular breaks, and discouraging overtime. Remember, a healthy work-life balance is essential for overall well-being.

Train managers and leaders:

Provide training for managers and team leaders on how to recognise signs of mental distress and burnout in their team members and how to offer support effectively. Empathy and understanding go a long way in creating a supportive workplace culture. Find out more about how to identify burnout.

Implement wellness programs :

Offer wellness programs that focus on mental health, such as mindfulness workshops, yoga classes, and meditation sessions. These programs can help employees manage stress and build resilience.

It goes without saying, these benefits should be clearly listed in your job perks with every job description.

By prioritising mental health support in the workplace, employers not only demonstrate their commitment to their employees' well-being but also reap the benefits of a happier, more engaged workforce. Mental health benefits are highly sought after as employee incentives in the current job market, and companies that prioritise mental health support will stand out as employers of choice.

It's time for workplaces to go beyond the basics and truly prioritise mental health support for their employees. By fostering open communication, providing accessible resources, promoting work-life balance, training managers and leaders, and implementing wellness programs, companies can create a supportive environment where employees can thrive both personally and professionally.

Ultimately, investing in mental health support is a win-win situation for both employees and employers. Employees benefit from a healthier, more supportive work environment, while companies benefit from a happier, more engaged workforce. It's clear that mental health benefits have transitioned from a nice-to-have perk to a critical component of a successful workplace strategy.

Rethinking Performance Reviews: Navigating Trends and Embracing Alternatives

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Let’s talk about something we all love to hate: Performance Reviews. You know, those annual sit-downs where you hold your breath, cross your fingers, and hope your boss remembers that awesome project you rocked six months ago? Yeah, those. Times are changing, and the future of performance reviews is looking a whole lot different. Say goodbye to the days of stuffy, once-a-year evaluations, and hello to a world of continuous feedback, peer shout-outs, and skill-based assessments. Intrigued? Let’s dive in!

Why traditional reviews are yesterday's news
First things first, why all the fuss? Well, traditional performance reviews have their fair share of flaws. This process is outdated and ineffective in meeting the evolving needs of modern companies and their employees. The main pitfall with annual reviews — and why more and more companies are ditching them? There's a focus on rewards and punishments based on past performance, usually at the end of the year. This turns the focus into punishment or praise on past actions rather than improving present performance and nurturing talent for the future, which are key for sustained success. Plus, there's more:

Bias Alert

Humans are great, but we're not immune to biases. Annual reviews leave the door wide open for subjective opinions to sneak in and muddy the waters.

Timing Is Key

Who has time to wait a whole year for feedback? Not us! Timely feedback keeps employees motivated and on track, steering clear of detours.

Stress Central

Just the thought of a performance review is enough to induce panic. Let's ditch the stress and anxiety, shall we?

Narrow Scope

Traditional reviews often zero in on individual achievements, overlooking the bigger picture of teamwork, collaboration, and personal growth.

Riding the Wave of Performance Management Trends

Here are the fresh trends shaking up the performance management scene:

Feedback Fever

Say hello to continuous feedback! Instead of waiting for the once-a-year sit-down, companies are encouraging ongoing conversations between managers and employees. A good manager is marked by being a good coach. Weekly 1 on 1 meetings are much more conducive for growth and improvement.

360-Degree Insights

360-degree feedback is where it’s at! Getting input from your peers, subordinates, and other stakeholders gives you a well-rounded view of your performance. It’s like getting a full 360-degree view of yourself in the mirror – no blind spots allowed!

Goal Getter

Setting clear goals and aligning them with the company’s objectives is the name of the game. When everyone’s on the same page, magic happens! Creating an open dialogue for your team to share their goals for the year, that can be covered in your one on one meetings is a great way to stay on track. Keeps both sides accountable!

Skills Showcase

Move over, past achievements – it’s time to shine the spotlight on skills and potential. Skills-based assessments are like the superhero cape of performance evaluations, empowering you to unleash your full potential.

Alternative Approaches: Breaking the Mold

We have more dynamic approaches to help your team members reach their work performance goals like never before!

Coffee Chats

Who needs formal evaluations when you can grab a coffee and have a chat with your manager? It's all about fostering open communication and collaboration, minus the stress.

Coach Mode

Forget performance reviews – opt for coaching instead! Performance coaching programs are like having a personal trainer for career goals. Company investment in professional development is one of the top valued incentives that employees are asking for in 2024.

Peer Praise

Spread the love with peer recognition programs! Give props to your colleagues for a job well done and bask in the affirmation. This can look like peer voted "Employee of the Month" or simply a company email shoutout.

Data-Driven Delights

Dive into the world of data analytics and technology to gain insights into your performance. It’s like having a GPS for your career path – no wrong turns allowed!

Embracing the Future with Open Arms

So, what’s the takeaway? The future of performance reviews is all about embracing the new world transition out of stuffy business operations. Successful workplaces embody the fact that people are in face, just people. Not a number. The future is embracing human connection and open communication.

You can keep yearly reviews to look back and celebrate another year on the team, but implementing the approaches in this article is a guaranteed way to raise moral and performance in your team. From continuous feedback to peer shout-outs and everything in between, it’s time to ditch the traditional mindset and embrace a new era of performance management.

So go ahead, shake things up, and foster better connection with your team.

Essential Qualities of a Digital Marketing Manager

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 23:46:06 GMT

With the rise of social media, mobile technology, and e-commerce platforms, consumers now have unprecedented access to information and an array of choices at their fingertips. This shift in consumer behavior has reshaped the marketing landscape, challenging businesses to adapt and innovate in order to capture the attention of their target audience amidst the sea of digital noise.

Enter the Digital Marketing Manager – the architect behind a company's digital presence and the driving force behind its online success. In today's competitive market, businesses require skilled professionals who not only understand the intricacies of digital platforms but also possess the strategic acumen to leverage them effectively in pursuit of company goals.

In the digital age, where social media platforms reign supreme, online interactions shape consumer behavior, and e-commerce has revolutionised the way we shop, the role of a Digital Marketing Manager has become increasingly indispensable for businesses striving to carve their niche in the market. As the digital landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, organisations are recognising the pivotal role that effective digital marketing strategies play in driving brand visibility, engaging target audiences, and ultimately, fostering business growth and success.

Digital Marketing Managers are tasked with a multitude of responsibilities, from crafting comprehensive digital marketing strategies to executing targeted campaigns across various online channels. They are the guardians of a company's online reputation, entrusted with the task of curating compelling content, engaging with customers on social media, and optimising website performance to enhance user experience and drive conversions.

Moreover, Digital Marketing Managers play a critical role in the realm of e-commerce, where online transactions have become the norm for consumers around the globe. With the proliferation of e-commerce platforms, businesses must navigate a highly competitive landscape, vying for the attention and patronage of online shoppers. Digital Marketing Managers are instrumental in driving traffic to e-commerce websites, optimising product listings for search engines, and implementing strategies to enhance conversion rates and maximise revenue.

Digital Marketing Managers also serve as the gatekeepers of data-driven decision-making, harnessing the power of analytics tools to glean actionable insights from vast troves of data. By analysing consumer behavior patterns, tracking campaign performance metrics, and identifying emerging trends, they can fine-tune marketing strategies in real-time, ensuring maximum impact and return on investment.

Here's a list of qualities employers want in a Digital Marketing Manager:

Strategic Vision : A Digital Marketing Manager must possess a strategic mindset, capable of not only aligning marketing efforts with overarching business objectives but also anticipating industry trends and consumer behavior shifts. Look for candidates who can formulate innovative strategies tailored to specific industries, driving business growth and staying ahead of market trends.
Analytical Acumen: Data is the backbone of effective digital marketing campaigns. Seek candidates with a strong analytical mindset who can interpret complex data sets to optimise campaign performance, identify key performance indicators (KPIs), and drive continuous improvement. Proficiency in utilising advanced analytics tools to measure effectiveness and enhance ROI is a must.
Creativity and Innovation: In a landscape where standing out is crucial, creativity is paramount. Look for candidates known for their creative thinking and innovative campaign ideation, leveraging cutting-edge trends and technologies to engage target audiences and drive brand awareness. Fresh and engaging ideas coupled with an understanding of emerging trends can make all the difference.
Technical Proficiency: Digital Marketing Managers should be adept at leveraging a wide range of digital marketing tools and platforms to enhance online presence and drive customer engagement across various channels. Look for candidates skilled in utilising diverse tools such as SEO, social media management platforms, and analytics software to optimise online visibility effectively.
Effective Communication: Strong communication skills are essential for Digital Marketing Managers to effectively collaborate with diverse teams and ensure consistent brand messaging across all digital touchpoints. Seek candidates adept at communicating marketing strategies across cross-functional teams, fostering cohesive brand messaging and alignment with client objectives.
Adaptability and Learning Agility: In the ever-evolving digital landscape, adaptability is key. Look for candidates committed to continuous learning and adaptation, staying updated on the latest digital marketing trends and best practices to deliver innovative solutions and drive client success. A thirst for knowledge and a willingness to adapt strategies accordingly are indispensable qualities.
Leadership Skills: Leadership qualities are paramount for Digital Marketing Managers tasked with inspiring and empowering team members to excel. Look for candidates with strong leadership skills who can foster creativity, innovation, and a positive work culture focused on delivering exceptional results for clients.

What else might a company want in a Digital Marketing Manager? Click here .

Want to know the salary for a Digital Marketing Manager? Download our Salary Guide here .

In essence, the role of a Digital Marketing Manager extends far beyond mere promotion and advertising – it encompasses strategic planning, data analysis, creative ideation, and continuous optimisation. By harnessing the full potential of digital marketing channels, businesses can not only reach a wider audience but also build meaningful connections with their customers, driving brand loyalty and advocacy in the process.

The importance of a Digital Marketing Manager in today's business landscape cannot be overstated. As companies navigate the complexities of the digital realm and the ever-expanding world of e-commerce, skilled professionals who possess the expertise to navigate this terrain with finesse are in high demand. By investing in top-tier talent and embracing innovative digital marketing strategies tailored to the e-commerce landscape, businesses can position themselves for sustained success in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

See C urrent Digital Marketing Manager opportunities .

Find Digital Marketing Manager talent.

Creating a WINNING Sales Resume

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 04:10:28 GMT

In today's challenging economic climate, the unfortunate reality is that unemployment rates are on the rise. This surge in joblessness has resulted in an even more fiercely competitive job market, particularly for coveted positions in sales. This post is specifically tailored to guide you through the intricate process of crafting a winning resume, a powerful tool that can serve as your ticket to standing out in a crowded field of applicants.

Recruiters, with our keen eye for talent and expertise in resume evaluation, play a pivotal role in identifying candidates who stand out on paper and in person. With a million resume templates and articles with all the tips, it's baffling that we are still reading through resume's that don't quite hit the mark or leave us asking too many questions.

UNEMPLOYMENT ON THE RISE

As of November 2023, unemployment has risen to 3.9%. This is due to a lack of job vacancies, and that number is expected to keep rising.

“the continued decline in job vacancies suggests that the unemployment rate will rise to well above 4 per cent by early-2024” - Marcel Thieliant , Capital Economics.

With these stats, the competition will get heated. If you're considering a job move, now's the time to harness our expertise and reevaluate your CV. The lack of vacancies coupled with a surge of applicants means you need to stand out more than ever.

How to create the perfect resume

The art of crafting the perfect resume is easy to master. You must remember that the aim is to put your best foot forward and in two pages, show someone why YOU should get the job as opposed to the 100 other applicants.

The perfect sales resume layout:

Keep it simple

You don't need to stand out with an overly creative resume layout.

The hiring managers and recruiters who are perusing through hundreds a day want to see clean, crisp documents that are easy to read.

Make sure the font is large enough - 10 is probably the smallest, but stick to 12 if you can.
You can add personal flair with some colour, but make sure the background is light coloured and the text is dark and clearly visible.
Photo is optional. But really, not necessary.
Make sure to keep your sentences concise. Bullet points in your work experience are great!

How to write a sales resume profile (executive summary)

This is the first thing that a HM or recruiter will be reading about you.

It needs to be short and sweet. To the point and display your experience, strengths and ambition.

A sales pitch of your abilities.
Can include cumulative experience in the industry ("Boasting 7+ years in inside sales..")
Include a sentence outlining your objective in seeking new work.

What skills to include in your sales resume

Highlight your capabilities from all of your experience.

Professional skill/soft skills are unique to your roles, these can also be included in your work experience to highlight your day-to-day.
In sales, the technical skill will come from the CRM software and any other systems you may use or are beneficial for your role and industry.
You MUST outline the CRM systems that you are proficient in.
Don't underestimate the power of showcasing your unique selling propositions and emphasising your ability to build lasting client relationships.

Your work experience

First, let's look at the basics.

Aside from your role title and the company you worked at, there are some basics to your experience section that you should not be forgetting.

The Order

Reverse chronological order is classic CV etiquette.

Your first junior role 10 years ago isn't exactly first page material.

The Company

They don't have to be a cool company. But you do need to sell your skills. Give a brief outline of what they do and what they sell.

ie. Your expertise , what you sell.

The Results

This is where you'll really shine!

Use active verbs (spearheaded, championed)
Its about ACTUAL figures - don't be shy, SHOW OFF!
Include all your personal wins (billings, percentage growth in your tender, clients you brought on, awards
Highlight instances where you effectively collaborated with cross-functional teams, resolved customer challenges, or played a pivotal role in maintaining long-term client relationships.

The Reason

Pretty self explanatory.

A short and sweet reason why you are leaving or left a company is good practice. Particularly if you've moved around a lot. You will be asked anyway so may as well just pop it in!

Crafting a winning resume for a sales professional requires meticulous attention to detail and a strategic approach. By incorporating the essential elements discussed above, such as a compelling summary, quantifiable achievements, and tailored language, you can significantly enhance your chances of standing out in the competitive job market. Armed with a polished and targeted resume, you're not only likely to secure interviews but also to demonstrate your value as a sales professional who is well-prepared, results-driven, and ready to contribute to the success of any company!

Good Luck!

Crafting Compelling Job Descriptions to Attract Top Talent

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 03:21:06 GMT

Boring job descriptions will disappear into the fold. It's all about standing out in the current market to entice top talent to want to work with you!

Whether you're a seasoned HR pro or a hiring manager looking to level up your recruitment game, this guide has got you covered.

In the dynamic landscape of the job market, attracting top talent begins with a well-crafted job description. A job description is not just a list of tasks; it's your first impression on potential candidates. To ensure you're casting the widest and most qualified net, follow this comprehensive guide on how to write a job description that not only informs but captivates.

Start with a Strong Job Title:

The job title is the first thing candidates see, so make it count. Be specific and avoid vague terms. Instead of "Marketing Specialist," opt for "Digital Marketing Specialist" to give candidates a clear understanding of the role.

Open with a Compelling Introduction:

Begin your job description with an enticing overview of your company and the role. This is your chance to sell your organisation and make candidates excited about the opportunity.

Clearly Define Responsibilities:

Outline the core duties and responsibilities associated with the role. Be specific but concise. Use action verbs and focus on the impact of the tasks. For example, instead of saying, "Write reports," say, "Compile comprehensive reports to aid strategic decision-making."

Highlight Qualifications and Skills:

Clearly state the qualifications and skills required for the position. Differentiate between "must-haves" and "nice-to-haves" to attract a broad range of candidates. This section acts as a filter for applicants, ensuring only those with the right background apply.

Emphasise Company Culture:

Give candidates a glimpse into your company culture. We've said it time and time again, this is a must-have in today's market. People aren't just looking for a payslip, but also a balance. Mention any unique perks, values, or team dynamics that set your company apart. This not only attracts candidates who align with your values but also helps in retaining employees who fit well within your culture.

Include Opportunities for Growth:

Millennials and Gen Z, especially, value career growth. Highlight potential career paths within the organisation and any professional development opportunities you offer. This can be a significant factor for candidates deciding whether to apply.

Provide Clear Application Instructions:

Make the application process as straightforward as possible. Include details on how to apply, what documents to submit, and the deadline for applications. This ensures that qualified candidates don't get discouraged by a cumbersome application process.

Optimise for Search Engines:

Use relevant keywords throughout your job description to increase its visibility on job boards and search engines. This can help your posting reach a broader audience, including passive candidates who might not be actively searching for a job.

Review and Refine:

Before publishing, have multiple stakeholders review the job description. This ensures that it accurately represents the role and aligns with the company's goals. Keep the language inclusive and free from bias.

Update Regularly:

Job requirements and company dynamics can change. Regularly update your job descriptions to reflect these changes. This not only keeps your postings accurate but also demonstrates your commitment to transparency.

A well-crafted job description is the cornerstone of successful recruitment. It not only attracts the right candidates but also sets the tone for a positive candidate experience. By investing time and effort into writing compelling job descriptions, you're not just filling a role; you're building the foundation for a thriving and dynamic team.

Of course you can always enlist some help from the pros! (us).

If you'd like an example of some job descriptions, see below:

Head of Marketing Job Description

Customer Success Manager Job Description

Full Stack Engineer Job Description

Media Account Manager Job Description

Building a Strong Employer Brand: Strategies for Attracting Top Talent

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 04:09:17 GMT

The quest for top-tier talent is akin to a competitive sport. A recruitment agency's prowess lies not only in its ability to identify stellar candidates but also in its aptitude for showcasing its clients as employers of choice. Enter the world of employer branding – a powerful strategy that transcends the traditional boundaries of recruitment and transforms companies into beacons that attract the best and brightest.

In the competitive landscape of today's job market, attracting and retaining top talent is a key priority for businesses of all sizes. Developing a strong employer brand is an imperative strategy to attract top talent. An employer brand not only reflects the company's identity but also influences how it is perceived by potential employees. Think about implementing the following strategies for building a compelling employer brand that will help your company rise to the top against competitors and therefore attract and retain top talent.

Define Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP):

Start by identifying and articulating what makes your client's company a unique and desirable place to work. The EVP should highlight the company culture, values, opportunities for professional development, and any other factors that set it apart from competitors. This message should be consistently communicated across all channels, from the careers page to social media.

Create an Engaging Careers Page:

Your client's website careers page is often the first point of contact for potential candidates. Ensure that it provides a clear overview of the company's culture, mission, and values. Include testimonials from current employees, videos, and details about benefits and career growth opportunities. Make the application process user-friendly to encourage more qualified candidates to apply.

Leverage Social Media:

Actively use social media platforms to showcase your client's company culture and values. Share employee testimonials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and highlights of company achievements. Encourage employees to share their experiences on platforms like LinkedIn to amplify the reach of your employer brand. Consistent and positive messaging on social media can significantly enhance your client's reputation as an employer of choice.

Employee Advocacy Programs:

Empower employees to become brand ambassadors. Encourage them to share their experiences on social media, participate in industry events, and refer qualified candidates. Recognise and reward employees who actively contribute to building and promoting the employer brand. A robust employee advocacy program can significantly amplify your client's reach and credibility.

Invest in Professional Development:

Demonstrate a commitment to employee growth and development. Highlight training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement initiatives. When potential candidates see that a company invests in its employees' professional growth, it becomes a more attractive prospect.

Showcase Diversity and Inclusion:

A diverse and inclusive workplace is not only a moral imperative but also a powerful attraction for top talent. Highlight initiatives and policies that promote diversity and inclusion within the company. Showcase diverse voices and experiences in your marketing materials to demonstrate a commitment to creating a welcoming and equitable workplace.

Optimise the Candidate Experience:

The recruitment process is a critical touchpoint in shaping the employer brand. Ensure a positive and efficient candidate experience from application to onboarding. Communicate clearly, provide feedback, and personalise interactions. A positive candidate experience, even for those who aren't ultimately hired, can leave a lasting impression.

Building a strong employer brand is an ongoing process that requires dedication and strategic planning. A compelling employer brand not only attracts top talent but also helps retain existing employees, fostering a positive and productive work environment. By implementing these strategies, your company can stand out in the competitive job market and secure the best talent for their teams.

Christmas Party in the Hunter Valley

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:09:03 GMT

Our whole crew from S2M and ASR gathered in the Hunter Valley for our Christmas Party extravaganza! Wine tasting, secret santa, games and more!

Our teams started with an early morning road trip and met at the beautiful Irongate Estate in Pokolbin. Sam (our founder) presented us all with wonderful gifts and we had a quick champagne breakfast before heading down to the local Hanging Tree Vineyard for our first wine tasting. Brett and Sam even gifted each of us with the crowd favourite, Sparkling Shiraz.

The mercury was rising, and it hit 40 degrees, so we all headed back to the house and enjoyed our second wine tasting in our air conditioned living room. Thank you to Irongate Estate Winery, who kindly bro ught the wine tasting to us.

We then chowed down on a lovely charcuterie board prepared by Sam and Kristy. There was a hit of childhood nostalgia when Sam brought out the water pistols. DJ fired up the barbecue for our late lunch whilst the rest of the kids were backflipping and water fighting the afternoon away. We sat together and enjoyed our Christmas feast full of fresh prawns and oysters, amazing steaks, and gourmet sausages.

We then gathered and sang (or yelled) to Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas as we opened our Secret Santa gifts. Everyone loved their prezzies and most guessed their secret santa correctly!

Just as the heat was starting to get to us, Brett pulled out a Task Master boardgame and a whole new heat hit the team. We paired up into teams and the competition ramped up. If you don't know what Task Master involves, you appoint a Task Master, who draws cards to give challenges to each team and awards points for each challenge completed. Like a short-form scavenger hunt. We ran around like headless chickens striving to win the game. The absolute best moment of the day without question, was the challenge of creating a moustaches in 5 minutes, with whatever we could find. Ross shaved part of his chest and stomach and Luke fixed it on his upper lip (gross). In the end, they didn't beat Annabelle and Pam's time, as they quickly drew on moustaches with mascara. Scores were almost tied and the winners were Cooper and Briaan! They prevailed as the dark horse in the last challenge and were just in the right place at the right time.

As the sun set, we all continued festivities together, card games and trivia dominating the evening, some leaving to go home and other staying for the slumber party.

This year's Christmas Party went off without a hitch. It was such a blast to all come together and celebrate the year that we've had. We shared ups and downs and welcomed new faces. All in all, a perfect Christmas celebration for our teams.

The Gig Economy's Impact on Traditional Employment

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:25:32 GMT

The rise of the gig economy is reshaping the employment landscape, offering both opportunities and challenges for workers and businesses alike. Recruitment agencies play a crucial role in navigating this shift by helping companies source the right talent for specific projects and assisting individuals in finding opportunities that align with their skills and preferences.

Change is the only constant, especially in the dynamic world of work. We're delving into the gig economy, its influence on conventional employment structures, and the rise of side hustle culture. Embracing the changes brought about by the gig economy is key to staying competitive and fostering a dynamic, resilient workforce in the years to come.

The Gig Economy Defined:

Let's start with the basics—gig economy, where short-term, flexible jobs meet the digital age. Freelancers, independent contractors, and solopreneurs converge on digital platforms, connecting skills with projects. It's a shift that's reshaping the employment landscape.

Drivers of the Gig Economy:

Tech-driven transformation:

Digital platforms and technological advancements have erased geographical boundaries, making the gig economy a global network for skills and projects.

Balancing act:

Millennials and Gen Z value work-life balance and flexibility. The gig economy grants them the autonomy to choose when, where, and how they work—a crucial consideration for modern talent.

Embracing entrepreneurship:

The gig economy offers a taste of entrepreneurship, allowing individuals to be their own bosses, set their schedules, and diversify their professional experiences.

Impact on Traditional Employment:

Non-linear career paths:

Say goodbye to traditional career trajectories. The gig economy promotes a project-based approach, enabling workers to accumulate diverse skills and experiences.

Strategic talent acquisition:

Companies are adapting their talent acquisition strategies to include freelancers for specific projects. It's a dynamic approach that aligns with the evolving nature of work.

Fostering diversity:

In embracing the gig economy, employers welcome a diverse pool of talent, fostering a rich blend of skills and perspectives within the workforce.

Responding to employee expectations:

Traditional roles are transforming as employees seek flexibility. Companies aligning with this trend are better positioned to attract and retain top talent.

The Side-Hustle Revolution: Meeting Economic Challenges:

As the cost of living rises, the side-hustle culture is gaining traction, offering solutions for employers, recruiters, and candidates alike.

Flexibility for financial stability:

Side-hustles provide financial flexibility, aiding individuals in navigating the challenges posed by the rising cost of living.

Economic resilience through diversification:

Side-hustles aren't just additional income streams; they are a strategy for economic resilience. Diversification reduces risk in an unpredictable job market.

Encouraging entrepreneurial mindsets:

Beyond financial gains, side-hustles instill an entrepreneurial spirit. They redefine success, encouraging individuals to challenge traditional career norms.

Skill development and personal growth:

Side-hustles aren't just about the paycheck; they're a platform for skill development and personal growth, contributing to a well-rounded professional profile.

Navigating the Landscape of Change

In a world where change is constant, the gig economy and side-hustle culture emerge as transformative solutions. For employers, recruiters, and candidates alike, understanding the motivations driving this shift is essential. By embracing this evolution, recruitment agencies contribute not only to connecting businesses with talent but also to fostering a resilient, adaptive, and empowered workforce. Are you ready to navigate the changing world of work with us?

Unlock Top Talent: Why your secret weapon is to make party season, planning season

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 21:52:58 GMT

As we bid farewell to another year, companies are embracing holiday festivities and engaging in end-of-year reflections. Yet, amidst the celebration, lies a strategic opportunity to kickstart your recruitment game for the upcoming year.

Stay Ahead in the Job Market

In a fiercely competitive job market, companies gear up to fill open positions as the new year approaches. Kickstarting your recruitment process early ensures you're ahead of the curve, securing top talent before your competitors do.

Thorough Evaluation Matters

Rushing through recruitment can lead to hiring the wrong candidates. Starting early allows for a comprehensive evaluation—multiple rounds of interviews and well-informed decisions that set the stage for a successful recruitment process.

Strategic Onboarding Planning for Success

Effective onboarding is the key to new hires becoming productive swiftly. Starting your recruitment process early allows for comprehensive onboarding planning, ensuring a seamless transition into their roles.

Craft Your Customised Recruitment Strategy

Every company has unique hiring needs. Initiating recruitment early lets you develop a tailored strategy aligned with your organisation’s goals, promising more success and reduced turnover.

Quality Over Quantity: The Winning Approach

It's not just about filling positions quickly; it's about finding individuals who resonate with your company culture. Starting early enables a focus on quality over quantity, resulting in more successful hires.

Effective Budget Allocation

Recruitment involves costs, and planning early allows for efficient budget allocation, maximising your resources.

Less Stress, More Success in Hiring

Last-minute recruitment is stressful for hiring managers and candidates alike. Starting early reduces pressure, fostering a relaxed and efficient hiring process, leading to better decision-making and a positive candidate experience.

Build Networks and Relationships Early

Building relationships with potential candidates takes time. Starting early enables you to network with top talent, establishing connections that pay off in the long run.

Ensure Workforce Diversity from the Start

For organisations valuing diversity, starting early allows the effort needed to attract a diverse pool of candidates, ensuring a more inclusive workforce.

Enhance Your Employer Brand Strategically

Demonstrate your organisation's foresight and commitment to its recruitment process. Showcase that you're a forward-thinking company investing in its workforce, positively impacting your employer brand.

Don’t Wait—Act Today for Success

Don’t wait until the new year; act today to ensure a prosperous future for your organisation and new hires. Start planning and strategising now, and you’ll be well on your way to building a stellar team for the year ahead.

A trifecta celebration day!

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 23:47:01 GMT

The team had a blast of a day to celebrate the end of Q3 and Melbourne Cup, which all fell on Pam's birthday!

A Trifecta Celebration to Remember!

We recently had a day that perfectly encapsulated the spirit of celebration, camaraderie, and recognition. On the 7th of November, we combined three fantastic reasons to come together as a team, and what a blast it was!

Celebrating Q3 ��

We started the day with a half-day work schedule, during which we conducted our Tuesday sales meet. It was an opportunity to reflect on all the current happenings with the crew, and our goals looking forward. As we wrapped up our business discussions, we shifted our focus to something equally important - celebrating the incredible people that make our team shine.

Pam's Birthday Bash

A special shoutout to Pam, whose birthday added an extra layer of excitement to our day. We surprised her with a gluten-free Orange Blossom and Honey Labneh Almond cake - YUM! Our team don't usually work on their birthday as we all get a Birthday Day off, but with Melbourne Cup and End of Quarter it was a great day to have Pam with us!

Melbourne Cup Festivities

With business discussions done and cake savored, we headed to the local Dolphin Hotel to embrace the Melbourne Cup Day celebration. The venue served as the backdrop for our team's unwinding, complete with free-flowing drinks and mouthwatering canapés. The festive spirit of the Melbourne Cup truly amplified the joy of the day.

Employee of the Quarter

A special highlight of the day was recognising our birthday girl, Pamela Distapan, who earned the title of "Employee of the Quarter" for Q3. Our Employee of the Quarter is peer-voted, and we share all the lovely affirmations from the team for the winner and runners up!

This celebration was a testament to the dedication and collaboration that define our team. As we reflect on the past quarter, we're also looking forward to the future with optimism and enthusiasm. Here's to more successes, shared moments, and the wonderful people who make it all worth it!

Creating a diverse workforce isn't ticking a box - it unlocks success

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 01:47:56 GMT

Embracing diversity and inclusion can lead to a more innovative, productive, and profitable business while making a positive impact on society.

In an environment that fosters well-being and embraces everyone, achievement flourishes.

Creating a diverse workforce is about far more than simply ticking a box or fulfilling a charitable obligation. It's a strategic move that holds substantial benefits for organisations. Diversity in the workplace isn't to be confused with equal opportunity. It involves a deliberate effort by an company to employ individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, encompassing aspects like race, gender, ethnicity, faith, age, language, disability, and more. An inclusive workplace celebrates these differences, acknowledging the substantial value they bring to a business.

Maintaining a diverse workforce is essential for organisations to flourish and expand in our contemporary society. As indicated in a 2018 Deloitte study , companies that cultivate inclusive and diverse environments are twice as likely to achieve or surpass financial objectives, three times as likely to attain high performance, and six times as likely to exhibit innovation and adaptability.

Neurodivergence-Surgence

Australia is currently grappling with a well-documented talent shortage, a challenge that businesses across the nation are acutely aware of. However, amid this shortage, there is a remarkable and often overlooked wellspring of potential – the pool of neurodivergent individuals. Neurodivergence encompasses a range of conditions, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more, which can offer unique perspectives and strengths that traditional recruitment methods might inadvertently bypass. These individuals bring a distinctive set of skills and attributes to the table, making them an invaluable resource for organisations seeking to thrive and excel in today's dynamic and competitive landscape. By recognising and harnessing the talents of neurodivergent individuals, businesses not only bridge the talent gap but also contribute to a more inclusive and innovative work culture.

How DE&I can benefit your workplace:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) can significantly benefit your workplace in numerous ways. Here are some of the key advantages:

Enhanced Innovation and Creativity

A diverse workforce brings together individuals with varying perspectives and experiences. This diversity of thought can lead to more creative problem-solving and innovative ideas, giving your organisation a competitive edge.

Improved Decision-Making

Different viewpoints in the decision-making process can lead to more robust and well-informed choices. A diverse team is better equipped to consider a broader range of factors and potential outcomes.

Increased Employee Engagement

Inclusive workplaces where employees feel valued and respected tend to have higher levels of engagement. Engaged employees are more motivated, productive, and likely to stay with the company.

Broader Talent Pool

Embracing diversity allows you to tap into a larger talent pool. You can attract and retain top talent from various backgrounds, ensuring you have the best people for the job.

Better Customer Understanding

A diverse workforce better reflects the demographics of your customer base, enabling you to understand their needs and preferences more effectively. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How can you create a more diverse workforce?

Creating a more diverse workforce involves a deliberate and sustained effort to attract, hire, and retain individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. Here are some steps to help you establish a more diverse workplace:

Leadership Commitment

Start by securing the commitment of top leadership. It's essential that senior management champions diversity and actively supports initiatives aimed at achieving it. Strive for diversity at all levels of the organisation, including senior leadership roles. Having diverse voices in positions of authority can reinforce your commitment to inclusivity.

Assess Your Current State

Before you can make improvements, you need to understand your current diversity profile. Collect data on the demographics of your current workforce to identify areas that need attention.

Review and Revise Hiring Practices:

Evaluate your recruitment and selection processes to identify potential biases. Implement changes to reduce bias and ensure that hiring is based on skills, qualifications, and potential rather than unconscious prejudices.

Foster an Inclusive Culture

Ensure that your workplace culture is inclusive and welcoming to all. Encourage open communication, celebrate cultural events, and create a safe space for employees to discuss their experiences and concerns. Provide diversity training and cultural competency education to your employees. This helps them understand the value of diversity and learn to work effectively with colleagues from various backgrounds

Seek External Assistance

To attract a more diverse range of candidates, expand your recruitment efforts to include sources and platforms that cater to underrepresented groups. Attend industry events, partner with diverse organisations, and leverage social media and job boards that target specific demographics.

Outsource to recruitment agencies (like us) who can perform blind candidate searches and consciously remove biases from talent searches.

Creating a more diverse workforce is an ongoing process that requires dedication, patience, and a commitment to change. By taking these steps, you can build a more inclusive and equitable workplace that benefits both your employees and your organisation as a whole. Incorporating DE&I into your workplace isn't just a matter of doing what's morally right; it's a strategic decision that can boost your team's performance, growth, and reputation. It's a win-win for both your employees and your business.

Top Workplace Benefits: Survey Insights and Their Role in Attracting Top Talent

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 02:49:01 GMT

Workplace wellbeing is a pivotal factor in creating a thriving and competitive work environment. In this blog post, we'll delve into the significance of workplace wellbeing benefits, their impact on employees, and their role in attracting and retaining top talent. Our recent survey asked participants to choose a single workplace benefit, but in reality, modern workplaces are increasingly offering a holistic array of benefits that enhance overall employee wellbeing.

Workplace wellbeing is more than just a buzzword; it's a critical factor in creating a thriving and competitive work environment.

The Power of Workplace Benefits:

Workplace benefits are not merely extras; they are integral components of workplace wellbeing. They can be the deciding factor for top candidates when evaluating multiple job opportunities. Workplace wellbeing encompasses its influence on individuals across seven critical dimensions: emotional, physical, economic, social, community, professional, and purpose.

How Enhanced Benefits Contribute to Better Teams:

Elevated benefits have far-reaching implications for both employees and organisations. Here's how enhanced benefits foster better teams:

Greater Job Satisfaction: When employees have access to attractive benefits, job satisfaction levels tend to rise.
Reduced Workplace Stress: Benefits supporting mental health and work-life balance play a pivotal role in reducing stress among employees.
Lower Absenteeism: Well-supported employees are less likely to take unnecessary sick days.
Enhanced Productivity: Happier and healthier employees often translate into increased productivity.
Attraction of Top Talent: Competitive benefits packages are magnets for top-tier candidates in the job market.
Improved Retention: Employees tend to stay with organisations that prioritise their wellbeing.
Decreased Burnout Rates: Adequate support reduces the risk of employee burnout.
Enhanced Company Culture: Offering meaningful benefits contributes to a positive company culture.
Fostering Trust-Based Environments: When employees feel supported, trust and collaboration thrive within the organisation.

Survey Insights on Workplace Benefits:

Our survey results provide valuable insights into the workplace benefits that professionals value most. We asked our LinkedIn network to select one benefit from a list, and the responses were telling:

Flexible Working Arrangements: 61%
Generous Leave Entitlements: 26%
Increased Learning & Development Budget: 10%
Health & Wellness Programs: 3%

Attracting Top Talent with Workplace Benefits:

In today's competitive job market, attracting top talent goes beyond offering a competitive salary. Job seekers are increasingly prioritising workplace benefits as a deciding factor in their job choices. Let's explore how these benefits contribute to attracting and retaining top talent:

Flexible Working Arrangements (61%):

Over half of our survey respondents expressed a strong desire for flexible working arrangements. The parameters of these arrangements can vary, including options such as compressed workweeks, flexible start and finish times, and the ability to work from home. For instance, Netflix is renowned for its Unlimited Flexible Working Policy, allowing employees to set their own work hours, as long as they meet their responsibilities.

Generous Leave Entitlements (26%):

A significant portion of survey participants prioritised more time off for better work-life balance. This can take various forms, such as additional annual leave, parental leave benefits, compassionate leave, wellbeing leave, menstrual leave, volunteer leave, and study/exam leave. Some forward-thinking companies like Asana, Virgin Group, Netflix, LinkedIn, GitHub and HubSpot even offer unlimited leave, combining various types of paid time off into a single, flexible policy.

Increased Learning & Development Budget (10%):

Ten percent of our survey participants expressed a strong desire for higher investments in learning and development. Companies are responding by expanding budgets for mentorship programs, online learning systems, peer-to-peer training, and other initiatives aimed at future-proofing and developing their team members.

Health & Wellness Programs (3%):

While a smaller percentage of survey participants prioritise health and wellness programs, companies are taking significant steps to provide a wide range of options. These include corporate fitness programs, comprehensive health insurance packages, nutritious meals and snacks, counseling services, onsite gyms, yoga and meditation workshops, and even dedicated nap spaces for employee rejuvenation.

Workplace wellbeing benefits are pivotal in creating an environment where both employees and organisations thrive. Understanding employees' primary preferences and offering meaningful benefits can contribute to a healthier, more productive, and happier workforce. This, in turn, fosters a culture of trust and innovation, making companies more appealing to top talent in today's fiercely competitive job market.

10 tips for effective onboarding in remote teams

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 05:24:11 GMT

Last week, we delved into the transformative power of effective onboarding for your team. We explored how a well-structured onboarding process can shape the trajectory of new hires, setting the stage for their success within your team. But what if your team operates in the remote realm, where the physical boundaries of the office no longer exist?

In today's fast-paced business world, remote work has become increasingly prevalent, with companies embracing the benefits of a distributed workforce. As remote teams become the norm, it's crucial to adapt your onboarding process to ensure that new hires integrate seamlessly into your remote work culture. Here are ten crucial onboarding tips for remote teams that will help you set your new hires up for success.

Create a Detailed Remote Onboarding Plan

Start by developing a comprehensive onboarding plan tailored to remote work. This plan should outline the entire onboarding process, from day one to the end of the probationary period. Include a clear timeline, tasks, and responsibilities for both the new hire and their manager.

2. Leverage Technology for Remote Onboarding

Leverage technology to streamline the remote onboarding process. Use video conferencing, document sharing platforms, and project management tools to facilitate communication and training. Make sure new hires are comfortable with these tools from the beginning.

3. Provide Clear Expectations for Remote Employees

Remote employees need to know what is expected of them from day one. Clearly define job roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations, incorporating relevant remote work keywords. Share key performance indicators and success metrics to set the right tone.

4. Develop a Welcoming Remote Company Culture

Building a strong company culture is essential for remote teams. Start by introducing new hires to the company's mission, vision, and values, emphasising their significance in the remote work landscape. Encourage social interactions through virtual team-building activities and informal virtual gatherings.

5. Implement a Remote Buddy System

Assign an experienced team member as a "remote buddy" to help new hires acclimate to the company culture and navigate their new remote environment. This buddy can provide guidance, answer questions, and offer support during the onboarding process.

6. Offer Comprehensive Virtual Training

Deliver remote-specific training sessions that cover the tools, processes, and communication protocols used within the team. Ensure that new hires understand how to access and use all the necessary resources, including remote collaboration software.

7.Establish a Structured Feedback Mechanism

Regular feedback is vital for remote employees to understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Establish a structured remote feedback process that includes regular check-ins, performance evaluations, and opportunities for growth.

8. Promote Continuous Learning for Remote Work

Promote a culture of continuous learning by providing access to online courses, webinars, and resources that can help remote hires enhance their skills and stay up-to-date in their roles. Incorporate keywords related to remote learning and development.

9. Foster Inclusivity in Remote Teams

Remote work can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation. Combat this by fostering inclusivity within your remote team, using keywords related to remote team building. Encourage open communication, diverse perspectives, and ensure everyone feels valued and heard.

10. Monitor and Adapt Your Remote Onboarding

Finally, continuously monitor and adapt your remote onboarding process based on feedback and evolving needs. Regularly seek input from remote hires to make improvements and refine your approach, incorporating remote feedback into your strategy.

Effective onboarding for remote teams is essential to ensure that new hires quickly become productive and engaged members of the company, aligning with the keywords relevant to remote work success. By following these ten tips, you can create a seamless remote onboarding experience that sets the stage for long-term success in a remote work environment. Remember, a well-structured onboarding process not only benefits new hires but also contributes to the overall success and cohesion of your remote team.

The vital role of onboarding for success, retention and productivity

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 03:37:51 GMT

In the ever-evolving landscape of the modern workplace, there exists a silent champion—a catalyst for retention, a driver of productivity, and a source of unparalleled satisfaction. This unsung hero is none other than effective employee onboarding. As the world of work continually transforms, the role of onboarding becomes increasingly pivotal.

In today's dynamic job market, where employees have more choices than ever before, companies are seeking strategies to attract and retain top talent. One such strategy, often underestimated but immensely powerful, is effective employee onboarding. Let's delve into the significance of employee onboarding, backed by enlightening statistics, and explore how it can significantly impact retention, productivity, and job satisfaction.

The Retention Revolution

Did you know that an effective onboarding process can skyrocket new hire retention rates by a staggering 82%? This jaw-dropping statistic reveals the incredible value of investing in a comprehensive onboarding program. With the high cost of employee turnover, retaining talent has never been more critical.

Closing the Satisfaction Gap

However, there's a gap to bridge. Only a mere 12% of employees believe their company offers a satisfactory onboarding experience. This stark disconnect between employee expectations and reality presents a challenge that businesses must address head-on. A satisfied workforce is a motivated and engaged one.

Streamlining Success

Imagine starting a new job and being handed a list of 54 onboarding tasks to complete. The sheer volume of responsibilities can be overwhelming, emphasising the need for streamlining and organisation in the onboarding process. Efficiency and clarity can make all the difference in an employee's early days.

Balancing Act

Surprisingly, 58% of companies admit to prioritising processes and paperwork during onboarding, sidelining vital activities like training, team building, and interactions with management. Striking a balance between paperwork and training is pivotal for nurturing a productive workforce.

Overcoming Challenges

Nearly half of companies (47%) face infrastructure access challenges during onboarding. This highlights the need for a seamless technical onboarding process to ensure new hires can hit the ground running. Embracing technology can be a game-changer in removing these obstacles.

The Transformational Power of Effective Onboarding

Effective onboarding isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity. Here's a closer look at the transformative influence of a well-structured onboarding process:

1. Enhanced Retention

When employees receive an exceptional onboarding experience, they're 2.6 times more likely to be extremely satisfied with their organisation. This directly correlates with higher employee retention rates.

2. Increased Productivity

Companies with standardised onboarding processes enjoy a remarkable 50% surge in productivity among new hires. Structured onboarding pays dividends in terms of employee performance.

3. Positive Attitudes

A structured onboarding process doesn't just boost productivity; it also creates positive attitudes toward employers. In fact, 78% of employees feel that an onboarding program leads to a more favorable view of their organisation.

4. Higher Commitment

Effective onboarding isn't just about getting through the first few days; it's about fostering long-term commitment. When employees feel they've had an effective onboarding experience, they're 18 times more committed to their company.

5. Better Benefits Utilisation

Employees who receive good benefits training during onboarding are 2.6 times more likely to fully utilise their benefits. This means happier, more engaged employees.

Navigating Remote Work

In today's world, remote work is on the rise. However, remote onboarding can be a significant challenge, with 37.4% of HR professionals expressing concerns about it. Effective onboarding processes are crucial in ensuring remote employees feel integrated and valued, enhancing your company's agility in adapting to the changing work landscape.

As we journey further into 2023, it's abundantly clear that effective employee onboarding is a cornerstone of success. The statistics speak for themselves, underscoring the need for organisations to invest in structured, engaging, and technology-enhanced onboarding programs. This not only boosts retention and productivity but also sets the stage for positive employee attitudes, commitment, and long-term success.

So, whether you're an HR professional aiming to revamp your onboarding processes or an employee seeking a stellar onboarding experience, remember that the power of onboarding can transform your path toward workplace success. It's time to unlock your potential through effective onboarding that drives retention, productivity, and satisfaction.

Balancing Automation and Human Touch in Recruitment

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:45:01 GMT

In the fast-evolving landscape of recruitment, where technology continues to reshape the way we identify, engage, and onboard talent, the delicate dance between automation and the human touch has never been more crucial.

Balancing automation and human touch in the recruitment process is a critical challenge for modern HR professionals. On one hand, automation tools can significantly enhance efficiency, reduce bias, and streamline repetitive tasks. On the other hand, maintaining a personal touch is essential for building relationships, assessing cultural fit, and ensuring a positive candidate experience. Striking the right balance between these two aspects is crucial for a successful and efficient recruitment strategy. So how exactly can you walk that fine line successfully? First lets take a look at the benefits and downfalls of automation:

Automated Screening and Matching :

Pros : Automation tools can quickly sift through large volumes of resumes and applications, identifying candidates who meet specific criteria, such as qualifications and experience.
Cons : Over-reliance on automation might overlook exceptional candidates who don't fit the exact criteria but possess valuable transferable skills or a strong cultural fit.

Pre-Interview Communication :

Pros : Automation can be used for initial communication, scheduling interviews, and providing information about the company and the recruitment process.
Cons : If not done carefully, automated messages can come across as impersonal and may deter candidates who seek a more personal connection.

Interviewing :

Pros : Virtual interview platforms and chatbots can efficiently handle initial screening interviews, saving time and resources, ultimately they aren't often used (for good reason).
Cons : Candidates may feel disconnected or uncomfortable without human interaction, especially in roles where interpersonal skills are crucial.

Assessment and Testing :

Pros : Automation can administer skills assessments and tests impartially and consistently, reducing bias in the evaluation process.
Cons : It may not capture soft skills, adaptability, or creativity, which are often better assessed through human interaction.

Decision-Making :

Pros : Automation tools can provide data-driven insights to inform hiring decisions, minimising subjective bias.
Cons : A candidate can look perfect on paper until it comes to the culture fit. A purely data-driven approach can neglect the nuances of a candidate's personality and cultural fit.

Candidate Experience :

Pros : Personalised communication and timely feedback can enhance the candidate experience.
Cons : Over-automation can make candidates feel like just another number in the system, damaging the employer brand.

Cultural Fit Assessment :

Pros : Human touch is vital for assessing cultural fit through conversations and interactions.
Cons : Biases can creep in when assessing cultural fit, but it's essential to strike a balance between objectivity and intuition.

To strike the right balance between automation and human touch in recruitment:

Customise Automation : Tailor automation tools to your specific needs, allowing room for flexibility and personalisation where necessary.
Candidate-Centric Approach : Prioritise the candidate experience by keeping candidates informed, engaged, and feeling valued throughout the process.
Human Involvement : Ensure that there are touchpoints where candidates interact with humans, especially in final interviews and discussions about job offers.
Data-Driven Insights : Leverage automation for data collection and analysis to inform decisions, but complement it with qualitative assessments.
Continuous Improvement : Regularly review and adjust your recruitment processes to optimise the balance between automation and human touch based on feedback and outcomes.

Automation can greatly enhance the efficiency and fairness of the recruitment process, but it should complement, not replace, the human element. Long-term relationships with clients are built through time and human connection. The same goes for candidates. A successful recruitment strategy blends automation to increase efficiency with the personal touch to create a positive experience for both candidates and employers while ensuring the right talent is selected for the company's needs.

Why prioritising continuous learning in your workplace culture matters - and how to achieve it

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 05:55:45 GMT

In today's rapidly changing world, staying competitive and innovative is paramount for any team. From Lunch and Learns to embracing technological advancements, we will explore practical strategies and insights that can transform your workplace into a hub of ongoing growth and development.

In today's fast-paced and competitive world, the concept of continuous learning has evolved from a buzzword into a necessity. Workplaces that foster a culture of continuous learning empower their employees to acquire new skills, share knowledge, and grow professionally. We discuss the significance of continuous learning and offers practical guidance on establishing a thriving learning environment within your company.

Why Continuous Learning Matters:

Continuous learning is not merely a trend; it's a strategic imperative. More often than not, employee benefits now include learning and development programs. Company's are making room in the budget for training and continous development. In a world where markets evolve rapidly, innovation is the currency of success, and competition is fierce, a learning culture is the key to staying relevant and ahead. Here's why it's crucial:

Alignment with Goals: Continuous learning should align with your company's vision, mission, and goals. When employees understand how their learning contributes to the company's success, they are more motivated to engage in the process.
Curiosity and Feedback: Encouraging curiosity and providing constructive feedback create an environment where employees feel safe to explore new ideas, experiment, and learn from their mistakes. This fosters personal and professional growth.
Variety and Flexibility: Recognising that different individuals have unique learning preferences and needs, offering a variety of learning methods and formats ensures accessibility and engagement. Flexibility empowers employees to choose their learning paths.
Collaboration and Sharing: By promoting collaboration and knowledge-sharing among employees, organisations can tap into the collective intelligence of their workforce. Learning from peers, exchanging ideas, and mentoring each other leads to more profound insights and innovation.
Modeling and Reinforcement: Leaders play a crucial role in fostering a learning culture. When leaders model a commitment to learning and integrate it into the organisational fabric, it reinforces the value of continuous learning for all employees.

Practical Tips for Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning:

Identify Learning Gaps: Start by assessing your employees' skills and knowledge gaps. Encourage them to participate in personal development planning and skills audits. This helps create a learning mindset and ensures that learning is tailored to individual needs.
Prioritise Learning: Make it clear that learning is a top priority within your company. Incorporate learning into your onboarding process for new employees, setting the tone from day one.
Encourage Learning: Create a culture where employees are encouraged to set aside time for learning. Ensure easy access to learning resources and consider incorporating informal learning opportunities like masterclasses and discussions with colleagues.
Recognise and Reward: Acknowledge and reward employees for their learning efforts. Publicly recognise their achievements and contributions to the learning culture. Recognition reinforces motivation and commitment.
Provide Effective Feedback: Offer continuous feedback on employees' learning journeys. Monthly masterclasses, one-on-one discussions, or performance reviews can be platforms for constructive feedback.
Lunch and Learns: Create a deliberate initiative, carving out dedicated time for team meetings focused on knowledge sharing, learning, and open discussions.

The Benefits of a Continuous Learning Culture:

Building a culture of continuous learning is an investment that yields substantial returns. Deloitte's research highlights the advantages of such a culture:

First-to-Market Advantage: Organisations with a learning culture are 46% more likely to be first to market with innovative solutions.
Increased Productivity: Continuous learning contributes to a 37% increase in productivity.
Enhanced Innovation: These organisations are 92% more likely to innovate, staying ahead in rapidly evolving industries.
Retention: Employees are less likely to leave organisations that prioritise their professional development.

Incorporating continuous learning into your workplace is no longer an option but a necessity. It's a strategic imperative that drives innovation, enhances productivity, and ensures competitiveness. By identifying learning gaps, prioritising learning, encouraging employees, recognising their efforts, and providing effective feedback, you can build a thriving culture of continuous learning that propels your team toward sustained success.

5 simple ways to improve your candidate experience (and attract the best talent)

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 05:26:05 GMT

In the fast-paced world of talent acquisition, the ability to attract and retain exceptional candidates has become more critical than ever. As businesses seek to build dynamic, diverse, and high-performing teams, the candidate experience has emerged as a game-changer in the recruitment landscape.

In today's fiercely competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is paramount to a company's success. The cost of hiring a bad fit can be staggering, impacting everything from productivity to company morale. To avoid this costly mistake and set your organisation apart from the competition, creating an extraordinary candidate experience is key. We've got 5 easy strategies that you can implement to craft an exceptional candidate experience.

Before diving into the tips for creating an exceptional candidate experience, it's crucial to understand why it matters:

The effects of a poor candidate experience are often felt company-wide, resulting in lost time, a decline in morale, and potentially tarnishing your employer brand. A positive candidate experience, on the other hand, can attract top talent and positively impact your brand's reputation in the talent marketplace.

1. Continuous Candidate Communication:

Nobody likes to be left in the dark, and the simple act of communicating with your candidate can instantly improve their experience. Explain each step of your hiring process to the applicant and be honest about it. Provide them with details about how long it will take, the number of interviews required, and where they are at in the process. Open and honest communication builds trust and sets the right tone with your candidate.

2. Prep Your Candidate for Success:

Set your candidate up for interview success and allow them insight into who they will be meeting with and what to expect. Let them know how many people they will meet and the expected length of time the interview will take. Coach them on the layout of the interview and how to best prepare so nothing is a surprise. Make sure they feel comfortable and confident with the interview logistics such as where to park and how to enter the building. Setting expectations about the entire recruiting process is an essential part of creating an optimal experience for the candidate.

3. Make them choose YOU:

Give your candidate enough information about your company that it leaves them no choice but to choose you. Be passionate about what the company stands for and make sure the applicant clearly understands what their role would be. Let them ask questions and provide well thought out, serious answers. You should also go the extra mile after the interview and offer specific, constructive feedback. Make sure to be open to receiving feedback of your own as well because knowing what you did right and wrong in the process will help you improve future experiences.

4. Candidate Point of View:

To better understand the candidate experience, you need to take a walk in their shoes. Look at the whole recruitment process starting with the online application all the way to after the interview and improve upon any weaknesses and work on what you and the hiring team would not appreciate if seeking a new role.

5. Reputation in Talent Marketplace:

Do you know what your reputation is in the talent marketplace? If not, it is time to find out. Candidates are investigating your company beyond its website and company-controlled information. They are searching reputation sites like Glassdoor and asking current and past employees for insight. Be proactive. If your company has a bad review or two, be prepared to address any concerns. Be transparent with your answers and keep in mind that your candidate might very well post a review of the experience they had with you. So, make sure it is favorable by being straightforward and authentic every step of the way.

Crafting an exceptional candidate experience isn't just about finding the right talent; it's about showcasing your organisation as a friendly and welcoming employer. By focusing on transparent communication, inclusivity, and a warm and respectful approach throughout the recruitment journey, you can leave candidates with a lasting positive impression. An outstanding candidate experience not only strengthens your employer brand but also sets the stage for a motivated and engaged workforce once candidates become cherished members of your team. So, make the candidate experience a priority in your sourcing and recruitment practice to attract and retain top talent and remain competitive in today's job market.

Crafting the perfect CV to secure your dream job

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 01:58:18 GMT

In the ever-changing landscape of job seeking, the first step toward landing your dream role lies in crafting an impressive CV. Here's a simple guide to understanding the distinct features of the Australian CV format and how to tailor it for maximum impact, enabling you to navigate the dynamic Australian job market with confidence.

In the fast-paced realm of job searching, your CV serves as the initial introduction to potential employers. In Australia, where the job market is competitive and diverse, it's crucial to create a CV that not only highlights your skills and experience but also aligns with the distinct expectations of Australian employers. This article provides valuable insights into creating an effective Australian-style CV that enhances your chances of securing your ideal job.

We've surveyed our team of consultants, here are some simple things to keep in mind:

DO:

Clearly outline your role (but keep it concise)
List your achievements
If your role is growth based, include percentage and dollar amounts in your achievements
Edit with a fine tooth comb - perfect punctuation and grammar
List buzzwords
Include your goals and aspirations
Correct dates for your roles, month and year.
Mention a reason for leaving, keep it short i.e. If you have moved around every year because of redundancies, COVID, etc.
Use Active Verbs! Show employers and hiring managers your initiative and impact through the use of Active verbs. Over usage of weak and passive verbs that can deeply undermine the strength and effectiveness of your resume.

- Passive: "Assisted teams...."

- Active: "Championed project..."

DON'T

Include a photo - it's not necessary and could result in conscious or unconscious discrimination on the basis of race, age, gender and other factors
Use long paragraphs of text, bullet points are easy to read!
Go overboard with creativity in formatting, you can jazz it up to be aesthetically pleasing, but keep it simple and easy to read
Use too much technical jargon. The person reading your CV might not just be your new boss but a hiring manager or recruiter

Understanding the CV Format

Unlike some other countries, the Australian CV, often referred to as a "CV" or curriculum vitae, follows a concise and targeted format. It prioritises pertinent information while offering a snapshot of your skills and experiences. Here's how to structure your Australian-style CV:

1. Personal Details:

Include your full name, contact information, and location (city and region).
There's no need to include a photograph or personal details like age or marital status.

2. Professional Summary:

Craft a brief overview of your skills, experience, and career objectives.
Tailor this section to match the specific role you're applying for.

3. Key Skills:

List your core skills and competencies relevant to the job.
This section should be succinct and precise, reflecting the role's requirements.

4. Work Experience:

Outline your work history in reverse chronological order.
Include the company name, your job title, dates of employment, and a concise description of your responsibilities and accomplishments.
Utilise bullet points to emphasise your achievements, with a focus on measurable results.

5. Education:

Detail your educational qualifications, starting with the most recent.
Include the institution's name, the degree awarded, and the year of graduation.

6. Professional Development:

If relevant, incorporate certifications, training, or workshops that enhance your qualifications.

7. References:

Provide the names and contact details of professional referees who can vouch for your skills and character. Not your friends!

Customising Your CV for Australian Standards

1. Highlight Achievements:

Australian employers value accomplishments. Prioritise quantifiable achievements in your work experience section to demonstrate your impact.

2. Maintain Conciseness:

Keep your CV to 2-3 pages. Be concise and focused, highlighting the most pertinent information.

3. Address Employment Gaps:

If you have gaps in your work history, briefly explain them in your CV. Transparency is appreciated.

4. Tailor for Each Application:

Customise your CV for each job application. Emphasise skills and experiences that align with the specific role.
Carefully assess the job description you're applying for and tailor your CV to highlight your skills and experience to match each role you apply for.

Crafting a CV is an art that combines skill, strategy, and meticulousness. By adhering to the format and content guidelines outlined in this article, you can compose a CV that resonates with Australian employers and positions you as a strong candidate. Remember, your CV is your passport to securing that all-important interview, so invest time and effort in its creation. With the right approach, your Australian-style CV can open doors to exciting career opportunities in the vibrant Australian job market.

Future-Proofing Your Career: Upskilling and Reskilling in Australia's Evolving Job Market

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 00:15:01 GMT

In the era of rapid technological advancement and shifting industry landscapes, the key to career success lies in adaptation and continuous learning. Discover how transformative approaches can not only enhance your employability but also empower you to seize exciting new opportunities in the vibrant Australian job market.

In the swiftly transforming tapestry of Australia's job market, the age-old wisdom that "knowledge is power" rings truer than ever before. With industries reshaping, technologies emerging, and global challenges reframing work dynamics, the significance of upskilling and reskilling is paramount for achieving a successful and fulfilling future career.

Adapting to Australia's Dynamic Job Market

Australia's job market is a dynamic tapestry that mirrors the nation's robust economy and innovation-driven industries. However, this dynamism also means that skill requisites are in a constant state of flux. Conventional job roles are undergoing augmentation through automation and artificial intelligence, while burgeoning sectors are birthing entirely new avenues of employment.

In this landscape, adaptability and a readiness to learn are essential. Upskilling and reskilling emerge as the pathways to retaining relevance and competitiveness.

Upskilling: Elevating Your Skill Set

Upskilling entails incorporating new skills or augmenting existing ones to stay in step with evolving job demands. This approach suits professionals aiming to continue within their present fields while staying current with the latest technologies, tools, and trends.

Imagine a financial analyst upskilling to become proficient in data analytics, blockchain technology, or machine learning. Upskilling ensures you remain an asset in your current role while also unlocking doors to fresh prospects within your sector.

Reskilling: Pioneering New Vistas

Reskilling goes a step beyond by acquiring an entirely new skill set to pivot into a different vocation or industry. This avenue is vital for individuals whose present roles face automation risk or those desiring to explore uncharted territories.

Picture an administrative assistant reskilling to become a UX designer, or a construction worker transitioning into a renewable energy consultant. Reskilling necessitates dedication and a willingness to embrace change, but it can pave the way for captivating and fulfilling career transformations.

The Advantages of Lifelong Learning

The pursuit of learning extends beyond degrees or certifications. Lifelong learning is a mindset fostering personal and professional growth. In a world where technology is reshaping industries at an unparalleled pace, those committed to continuous learning are best positioned to navigate challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

By intertwining upskilling and reskilling, you not only amplify your employability but also demonstrate adaptability and dedication to potential employers. These attributes hold immense value in a swiftly evolving job market.

Navigating the Upskilling and Reskilling Expedition

Set Your Objectives: Evaluate your career aspirations and pinpoint the skills required to realise them. Do you intend to progress within your existing field or venture into a new one? Your objectives will guide your upskilling or reskilling choices.
Conduct Research: Investigate the sought-after skills within your desired industry. Seek out courses, workshops, and online resources that can equip you with these proficiencies.
Select Learning Platforms: An array of online platforms, universities, and vocational institutions offer courses tailored to diverse learning styles and schedules. Contemplate enrolling in formal courses, attending workshops, or participating in webinars.
Network and Seek Guidance: Forge connections with professionals in your target industry or those who have successfully navigated similar transitions. Their insights and experiences can be invaluable.
Apply and Iterate: Apply your newly acquired skills in practical projects or volunteer engagements. This hands-on experience cements your learning and showcases your capabilities to potential employers.

Embrace the Future with Assurance

Australia's job market is a realm of opportunities for those embracing adaptation and change. Upskilling and reskilling are not mere trends; they are indispensable strategies for securing your footing in a dynamic and competitive environment. By perpetually enhancing your skills, you invest not only in your career but also in your ability to navigate the exhilarating journey ahead. Take that stride, acquire that new skill, and forge your path towards a brighter and more enriching professional future.

End of Quarter Extravaganza: A Perfect Blend of Pizza, Putts, and Pitch-Perfect Karaoke!

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 23:56:41 GMT

Have you ever wondered what happens when two dynamic agencies join forces to celebrate a successful end of quarter? Well, wonder no more, because S2M and its vivacious sister agency from Newcastle teamed up to create a Q2 end-of-quarter bash that was nothing short of legendary!

The day kicked off at the S2M headquarters with all the excitement and anticipation you'd expect from a party that had everyone buzzing for weeks. But before diving into the carnival of fun, it was time to honor the real heroes behind the scenes. Drumroll, please!

S2M's Employee of the Quarter award was swooped up by none other than the supercharged Ross Gordon! With the gusto of a true warrior, Ross not only managed to rustle up new clients for himself but also spearheaded the charge for the entire team. If that wasn't enough, he topped it all off with his most impressive billing month ever.

The squad made their way to a local pizza haven, where dreams of the cheesiest, sauciest, and most delectable slices turned into a reality. Woodfired, hand-tossed, and lovingly prepared. It's safe to say that every slice was a little taste of heaven, and we all shared more than a few laughs as we feasted on this cheesy perfection.

With our bellies full and our spirits soaring, it was time to burn off some calories in a way that was nothing short of amusing – mini golf at Holey Moley! If you thought our putts were as wild as our ideas, you're absolutely right. We navigated neon-lit courses, avoided sneaky obstacles, and scored a few hole-in-ones.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the party shifted gears. It was time to unleash our inner divas and rock stars with an electrifying karaoke session! Under the watchful guidance of our musically inclined maestro, Brett, the room transformed into a symphony of laughter, groovy dance moves, and pitch-perfect renditions of our favorite tunes.

But the revelry didn't stop there! Just when you thought the energy might wane, we switched things up with a riveting game of charades. From mimicking movie scenes to dramatic reenactments of everyday scenarios, the hilarity that ensued was off the charts.

The clock struck late, but our spirits were unflagging. The night had been a cascade of celebration, camaraderie, and sheer joy. It was a fitting crescendo to a quarter that had seen hard work, dedication, and accomplishments that deserved nothing less than a grand fiesta.

So there you have it, a glimpse into S2M's End of Quarter Extravaganza that saw two agencies unite, pizzas disappear in a flurry of cheese, golf balls defy gravity, and the karaoke stage turned into a star-studded spectacle. Until the next celebration rolls around, remember that hard work and a sprinkle of fun make for the most unforgettable memories.

Mastering Virtual Interviews: Navigating Success in the Digital Realm

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 06:30:23 GMT

In the wake of the pandemic's transformative impact, virtual meetings, interviews, and remote job opportunities have surged to the forefront of professional interactions. Among these shifts, virtual interviews have emerged as a commonplace practice, often marking the initial stage of the selection process. Here, we present a comprehensive guide to excelling in remote interviews, propelling you towards the coveted face-to-face interactions and ensuring you seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

In a world that's increasingly interconnected and tech-driven, the realm of virtual interviews has also evolved. Enter virtual interviews, where the meeting room shifts from a physical space to a digital landscape, and your stage becomes a computer screen. The rise of remote work and global hiring trends have elevated the significance of mastering virtual interviews. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, here's your comprehensive guide to not just surviving, but thriving in the world of virtual interviews.

The New Paradigm: Mastering Virtual Interviews Unveiled

Virtual interviews, conducted via video conferencing platforms, have opened doors to a broader talent pool and transformed the traditional interviewing dynamics. Embracing this shift demands a new set of skills and strategies. Let's dive into the essentials.

1. Technical Preparation: Your Virtual Toolbelt

Before stepping into the virtual interview arena, equip yourself with the right tools. Test your microphone, camera, and internet connection to ensure smooth communication. Familiarize yourself with the chosen platform – be it Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Skype. This technical readiness ensures you can focus on showcasing your skills rather than grappling with technology hiccups.

2. Setting the Stage: Crafting Your Virtual Environment

Select a quiet, clutter-free area as your interview backdrop. Minimize distractions and choose neutral, professional settings. For an added touch, virtual backgrounds can lend a polished appearance, offering a seamless and distraction-free interaction.

3. Dress the Part: Attire Matters

While virtual, the professional decorum remains intact. Dress as you would for an in-person interview, paying attention to both top and bottom attire. Professional dress not only uplifts your own confidence but also conveys respect for the interview process.

4. The Power of Preparedness

Research is your ally. Study the company's values, goals, and recent achievements. Prepare thoughtful questions to demonstrate your interest and curiosity. Having a digital copy of your resume on hand ensures you're well-prepared for any inquiries about your experience and qualifications.

Check out our interview guide here for the full rundown on how to prepare.

5. Nonverbal Communication: Your Visual Voice

In a virtual setting, nonverbal cues are amplified. Maintain eye contact by looking into the camera, sit up straight to project confidence, and use gestures purposefully. Engaging nonverbal cues reflect your engagement and professionalism.

6. Storytelling: Weaving Anecdotes into Answers

Stories resonate deeply. Utilize anecdotes to exemplify your skills and experiences. Narratives add a personal touch, helping interviewers remember you among the candidates. These stories should succinctly illustrate your problem-solving skills, adaptability, and teamwork.

7. The Pause and Pace: Artful Communication

Virtual conversations can sometimes suffer from delays. Master the art of pacing – speak clearly, pause thoughtfully, and give room for your interviewer to respond. This practice ensures a fluid and engaging exchange.

8. Etiquette and Gratitude: The Aftermath

Following the interview, express appreciation with a thank-you email. This gesture demonstrates professionalism and leaves a lasting impression. It's a small yet impactful way to set yourself apart from the competition.

9. Mindset: Confidence in the Virtual Arena

Approach virtual interviews with the same self-assurance you'd have in an in-person setting. Embrace the digital environment as an opportunity to showcase your adaptability and tech-savviness. Your skills remain the same; it's the platform that's different.

10. Continuous Learning: Refining Your Technique

Each virtual interview is a learning opportunity. Reflect on your performance, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. As you accumulate experience, you'll refine your approach, increasing your mastery over virtual interviews.

In this digital age, mastering virtual interviews is an essential skill for professional growth. Embrace this paradigm shift with a proactive attitude, equipping yourself with the technical, communicative, and strategic prowess required to excel. Virtual interviews may be a new territory, but your expertise and dedication will set you apart as a candidate who not only adapts but flourishes in this evolving landscape.

Leveraging Lateral Career Moves: Unveiling New Avenues Within Your Industry

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 06:30:14 GMT

Lateral career moves, often seen as sidesteps within the same industry, hold a unique potential to redefine and invigorate our professional trajectories. This article delves into the intriguing realm of lateral shifts, inviting you to explore their hidden treasures while offering insights on how to harness your existing skills and experiences to unlock new opportunities.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the modern workforce, career trajectories have taken on a dynamic dimension. As we navigate our professional journeys, the notion of lateral career moves has gained prominence. A lateral career move, in essence, refers to a shift within the same industry or field without necessarily moving up the hierarchical ladder. This article aims to shed light on the benefits and considerations of such moves, while emphasising how one can leverage existing skills and experiences to create an impactful pivot.

The Power of Lateral Shifts

Lateral career moves might not always come with a new job title or a significant bump in salary, but they do bring with them an array of opportunities. They allow us to broaden our horizons, deepen our expertise, and diversify our skill sets, all while staying within the familiar territory of our chosen industry. This experience can be invaluable, as it exposes us to different aspects of the business, helping us see the bigger picture and make connections that weren't apparent before.

The Benefits Unveiled

Skill Synergy: The skills you've amassed over the years are like building blocks. A lateral move allows you to assemble these blocks in new and creative ways. Your existing competencies can find new applications in surprising areas, bolstering your value to the company.

Fresh Perspectives: Familiarity can sometimes breed complacency. A lateral shift introduces you to fresh perspectives, challenges, and ways of thinking. This not only keeps your enthusiasm alive but also stimulates your professional growth.

Networking Riches: In a lateral move, you engage with a different cohort of colleagues and peers. This presents an excellent opportunity to widen your network and build relationships that might not have been possible within your previous role.

Transferable Knowledge: While your title might change, your expertise remains intact. This positions you as a bridge between your former and current roles, offering insights that contribute to smoother processes and innovative solutions.

Navigating the Transition

As promising as a lateral move might be, there are considerations to bear in mind.

Clear Intentions: Define your objectives for the move. Are you seeking to explore new areas or enhance your skills in a specific domain? Clarity on your goals will guide your decisions and actions.

Learning Mindset: Approach the move with an open mind. Be ready to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Your previous experience might be your foundation, but embracing new knowledge is the catalyst for growth.

Showcasing Value: Articulate how your existing skills align with the new role's requirements. Highlight your unique proposition and how your background can contribute to the team's success.

Continuous Development: Don't rest on your laurels. Invest in ongoing learning to fill any gaps in your skillset. This proactive approach underscores your commitment to self-improvement and professional excellence.

A Friendly Reminder

Remember, lateral career moves are not just about making strides on the professional front; they're about embracing change and enhancing your personal journey. As you delve into this realm, stay authentic, stay curious, and stay patient with yourself. Each step forward, no matter how lateral, is a step toward your evolution.

The world of lateral career moves is a fascinating terrain that holds the promise of growth and transformation. By leveraging your existing skills and experiences, you can navigate this landscape with confidence and purpose. So, take that step, explore those avenues, and watch as your professional horizons expand.

Here's to embracing change and achieving new heights within the familiar!

Nurturing a Thriving Workforce: The Future of Employee Benefits and Wellness Programs

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 05:39:45 GMT

Discover the future of work, where employee wellbeing reigns supreme. As companies navigate the evolving workforce, prioritise employee benefits and wellness programs. Embrace innovative strategies and cutting-edge solutions to redefine workplace wellness, prioritise mental health, and promote financial security. Join the movement towards a holistic approach to employee wellbeing.

In today's dynamic job market and fast-paced society, companies are increasingly realising the significance of employee wellbeing as a strategic imperative, rather than just a mere perk. Over the years, employee benefits and wellness programs have undergone significant transformations to meet the ever-changing needs and expectations of the workforce. As we gaze into the future, it becomes abundantly clear that employee benefits and wellness programs will continue to evolve, placing greater emphasis on a holistic approach that encompasses the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of employees.

If you're seeking to enhance the overall wellbeing of your workforce, it's crucial to consider implementing employee benefits and wellness programs that cater to the diverse needs of your employees. By adopting a holistic approach, you can empower your employees to thrive in all aspects of their lives, leading to increased productivity, engagement, and satisfaction. Don't miss out on the opportunity to create a workplace that truly values the well-being of its employees.

Beyond a competitive salary, employees are increasingly seeking additional benefits. According to the MetLife Australia 2022 Employee Benefits Trends Study , the top 'must-have' perks include:

Flexible Work Arrangements (56%): Balancing work and personal life has become increasingly crucial to employees, leading to enhanced productivity and job satisfaction.

Professional Development and Training (47%): Investing in employee growth and skill development not only boosts morale but also ensures a competent and competitive workforce.

Additional Personal / Carer's Leave (47%): Offering extra leave for personal or caregiving responsibilities shows commitment to employees' well-being beyond the workplace.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) (44%): EAPs offer crucial support for personal and work-related challenges, enhancing employees' mental and emotional resilience.

A staggering 70% of employees express interest in benefits not currently offered by their employers. This presents an opportunity for employers to cater to unique employee needs, fostering overall satisfaction and engagement.

Key Reasons Influencing Employee Turnover

Understanding factors contributing to employee turnover is vital for companies seeking to enhance workforce stability. In the past 12 months, 42% of employees considered leaving their jobs due to stress/burnout, work-life balance, and level of pay. By addressing these concerns, employers can reduce turnover rates and increase employee retention.

Loyalty and Mental Health Support

Approximately 43% of employees have contemplated leaving their current employers in the past 12 months, with higher figures among females and employees aged 25-39 years. Prioritising mental health support is instrumental in countering this trend.

To support employees' mental well-being, consider offering benefits and resources such as:

Relaxation Activities (67%) : Promote stress-reduction initiatives within the workplace.

Physical Fitness Resources (66%) : Provide access to fitness facilities and wellness programs to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Mental Health Insurance Coverage (64%) : Comprehensive mental health coverage demonstrates commitment to employees' overall well-being.

Expert Medical Support (61%) : Access to mental health professionals can make a significant difference in addressing employees' mental health challenges.

Employers must prioritise implementing wellness and retention strategies in the workplace to enhance productivity. By doing so, they can create a healthier and more engaged workforce. This can be achieved through initiatives such as promoting work-life balance, providing mental health support, and offering opportunities for professional development. It is crucial for employers to take action now and invest in the well-being of their employees to drive long-term success. So, what does the future of employee benefits look like?

Personalised Wellness Initiatives for Employee Wellbeing

One size fits none! The future of employee benefits revolves around personalised wellness initiatives. Companies will leverage advanced data analytics and technology to craft bespoke benefits that cater to each employee's unique needs and aspirations. From flexible work arrangements that enable work-life balance to targeted mental health support, the workforce will witness a transformative shift towards individualised care and attention.

Mental Health Support at Work: A New Imperative

As stress and burnout become prevalent workplace challenges, mental health support will be at the forefront of employee well-being strategies. Employers will embrace Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and confidential counseling services to foster a culture of openness and emotional well-being. In the future workplace, mental health will be nurtured, leading to a happier and more engaged workforce.

Empowering through Flexible Work Arrangements

Flexibility is the cornerstone of the future of work. Employee benefits will embrace the advantages of flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to tailor their schedules to fit their personal commitments. The result? Increased productivity, job satisfaction, and work-life harmony that empowers employees to thrive both professionally and personally.

Financial Wellness Programs for a Secure Tomorrow

Financial stress can be detrimental to employee well-being. The future workplace will address this concern with comprehensive financial wellness programs. Companies will equip employees with tools to manage their finances, offer investment guidance, and promote smart financial planning. The aim is to foster financial security, laying the foundation for a more resilient and confident workforce.

Championing Inclusivity in Workplace Wellness

Diversity will be celebrated, and inclusivity will be integral to workplace wellness. Employee benefits and wellness programs will embrace a diverse workforce, catering to the unique needs of all employees, regardless of their backgrounds. In the future, inclusivity will fuel innovation, inspiring a united and harmonious workplace.

Preventive Healthcare: A Proactive Approach

The future of employee benefits will place preventive healthcare at its core. Forward-thinking companies will invest in preventive healthcare initiatives, offering regular health screenings, fitness incentives, and nutritional guidance. By focusing on prevention, companies can reduce healthcare costs, boost employee well-being, and create a healthier, more resilient workforce.

Technology-Driven Wellness Solutions

The future of employee benefits will be powered by technology. Wearables, health-tracking apps, and AI-driven wellness platforms will revolutionise how employees engage with wellness programs. Real-time data and personalized health recommendations will empower employees to take charge of their well-being, fostering a culture of health and wellness.

Unleashing Employee Engagement through Wellness Programs

Employee engagement and wellness programs will go hand in hand in the future. Organisations will recognise the profound impact of engaged employees on overall productivity and success. By integrating wellness initiatives with employee engagement strategies, companies will cultivate a workforce that is motivated, loyal, and enthusiastic about contributing to team goals.

As the future of work unfolds, employee benefits and wellness programs will continue to play a pivotal role in fostering a thriving workforce. By addressing employees' evolving needs through flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and comprehensive mental health support, companies can attract, retain, and empower top talent. Embracing a holistic approach to employee benefits and wellness programs will not only cultivate a healthy and engaged workforce but also position organisations as leaders in a rapidly changing employment landscape. This will shape a future where employee wellbeing takes center stage, leading to enhanced productivity, job satisfaction, and overall company success.

Managing and Motivating Remote Teams: Strategies for Effective Remote Leadership

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 05:46:12 GMT

With the global workforce experiencing a paradigm shift, fueled by technology advancements and changing employee preferences, the statistics speak volumes. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) nearly half (46%) of the population’s workforce work from home to some degree. Companies worldwide are embracing remote work to access diverse talent pools and promote employee satisfaction, as 98% of remote workers express a desire to continue working remotely. This post will explore strategies for navigating the challenges and unlocking the opportunities that managing remote teams presents in the modern workspace.

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The Indispensable Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 02:57:41 GMT

The ability to inspire, motivate, and guide teams toward success requires a unique set of skills, and at the heart of these skills lies a trait that distinguishes exceptional leaders from the rest: emotional intelligence . By shedding light on the importance of emotional intelligence, we aim to empower leaders of all levels to hone this indispensable skill set and harness its power to build stronger, more cohesive, and purpose-driven teams.

In the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of leadership, one trait stands out as the cornerstone of success: emotional intelligence (EI or EQ). Leaders who possess high emotional intelligence have the ability to connect with their teams on a deeper level, foster trust, and inspire collaboration. Lets explore emotional intelligence in leadership:

Self-Awareness: The Foundation of Leadership

At the heart of emotional intelligence lies self-awareness. A leader who possesses self-awareness understands their emotions, strengths, and weaknesses, allowing them to make conscious decisions that positively impact their team. By acknowledging their emotional state, leaders can avoid impulsive reactions and instead respond to challenges with composure and wisdom.

Empathy: The Glue that Binds Teams Together

Empathy, the ability to understand and relate to others' emotions, is a superpower for leaders. Empathetic leaders create a supportive and inclusive environment where team members feel valued and heard. By truly grasping their team's perspectives, emotions, and needs, leaders can make informed decisions that align with the collective interests of the company.

Effective Communication: The Bridge to Success

Communication is at the core of leadership, and emotional intelligence enhances this essential skill. Effective communication skills in emotionally intelligent leaders can be as simple as the ability to articulate ideas clearly and concisely, ensuring that messages resonate with their team. Moreover, these leaders actively listen to their team members, fostering a culture of open dialogue, trust, and collaboration.

Conflict Resolution: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Conflicts are inevitable in any team. Emotional intelligence equips leaders with the tools to manage conflicts constructively. By remaining composed and empathetic during tense situations, emotionally intelligent leaders can identify the root causes of conflicts and find solutions that satisfy all parties involved.

Motivation: Igniting the Spark in Others

Great leaders inspire and motivate their teams to achieve extraordinary results. Emotional intelligence allows leaders to understand the individual motivations of their team members, empowering them to align goals with personal aspirations. This alignment cultivates a sense of purpose and commitment within the team, leading to increased productivity and overall success.

Adaptability: Navigating Change with Resilience

In today's rapidly changing business landscape, adaptability is paramount. Emotionally intelligent leaders are flexible and open-minded, adjusting their strategies to fit new challenges and opportunities. Their ability to navigate change with resilience inspires confidence within their teams, fostering a culture that embraces innovation and growth.

Building Trust and Loyalty: The Bedrock of Leadership

Trust is the bedrock of effective leadership, and emotional intelligence is instrumental in building and maintaining it. Leaders who demonstrate empathy, authenticity, and reliability earn the trust and loyalty of their teams. Trust empowers team members to take risks, share ideas, and collaborate freely, leading to a more cohesive and productive work environment.

Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill reserved for a select few; it is the essential trait that distinguishes exceptional leaders from good ones. Self-awareness, empathy, effective communication, conflict resolution, motivation, adaptability, and trust-building are the pillars that emotional intelligence contributes to successful leadership. By prioritising and honing emotional intelligence, leaders can empower their teams, drive organisational success, and create a workplace culture that thrives in an ever-changing world. As we move forward, let us embrace emotional intelligence as the driving force behind exceptional leadership and collectively shape a brighter future for all.

The Power of Data Analytics in Recruitment: Unleashing the Potential of Talent Acquisition

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 05:27:44 GMT

Recruitment has come a long way from the days of relying solely on gut instincts and traditional methods. With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to gain a competitive edge and secure the best candidates for their teams. The answer lies in the strategic use of data analytics.

In today's fast-paced business environment, the success of any organisation hinges on its ability to attract and retain top talent. With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, traditional recruitment methods are no longer sufficient to identify and secure the best candidates for critical roles. In the era of digital transformation, the strategic use of data analytics in recruitment has emerged as a game-changer for forward-thinkers. Let’s explore how data analytics plays a huge role in today's talent acquisition game. It's all about empowering businesses to make smart decisions and build a rock-solid, flexible workforce.

Uncovering Hidden Insights:

Data analytics in recruitment allows organisations to go beyond the surface and delve deeper into candidate data. By analysing past recruitment campaigns, employee performance, and attrition rates, businesses can identify patterns and trends that offer valuable insights into the qualities that make a successful hire. This information helps recruiters develop more accurate candidate personas, enabling them to target the right talent with greater precision.

Enhancing Candidate Sourcing and Selection:

With the abundance of job boards, social media platforms, and networking sites, finding potential candidates has never been easier. However, sifting through a vast pool of applicants can be overwhelming. Data analytics streamlines the sourcing process by automating candidate filtering, which ensures recruiters invest their time in assessing the most qualified candidates. Moreover, data-driven applicant tracking systems can analyse candidate qualifications, work history, and skills to shortlist the best fits for a particular role.

Eliminating Bias and Promoting Diversity:

One of the most significant advantages of data analytics in recruitment is its potential to eliminate unconscious bias in the hiring process. By focusing on objective data points, such as qualifications and experience, rather than subjective factors, organisations can build a more diverse and inclusive workforce. A diverse workforce brings fresh perspectives, creativity, and innovation to the table, ultimately driving the organisation's success.

Predictive Analytics for Better Retention:

Retention of top talent is equally crucial as recruiting them. Predictive analytics can play a vital role in understanding and forecasting employee retention rates. By analysing data related to employee engagement, performance, and satisfaction, organisations can identify potential flight risks and proactively take measures to retain valuable employees. This data-driven approach allows companies to implement targeted retention strategies, enhancing overall employee satisfaction and reducing turnover.

Optimising Recruitment Strategies:

Data analytics enables organisations to evaluate the effectiveness of their recruitment strategies continually. By measuring key performance indicators (KPIs), such as time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and quality-of-hire, businesses can identify areas for improvement and refine their recruitment processes. Adjusting strategies based on data insights leads to increased efficiency, reduced costs, and faster talent acquisition, giving organisations a competitive edge in the market.

Adapting to Market Trends:

The job market is dynamic and influenced by various factors such as economic conditions, technological advancements, and industry trends. Data analytics equips recruiters with real-time data on market demands and job seeker preferences, helping them align their recruitment efforts with changing market conditions. By staying ahead of the curve, organisations can attract top talent before their competitors and build a strong talent pipeline for the future.

In the ever-evolving landscape of talent acquisition, data analytics is not just a buzzword but a powerful tool that can revolutionise the way organisations recruit and retain talent. From uncovering hidden insights to enhancing candidate selection, eliminating bias, and optimising recruitment strategies, data analytics plays a pivotal role in building high-performing teams that drive business success.

By harnessing the potential of data analytics in recruitment, organisations can create a competitive advantage, attract the right talent, and foster a culture of innovation and growth. Embracing data-driven decision-making in talent acquisition is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity for organisations looking to thrive in today's competitive job market.

Mastering the Art of Behavioural Based Interviewing

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 04:59:57 GMT

Behavioural-based interviewing is a technique widely used by employers to assess candidates' past behaviours and experiences as indicators of future performance. These are the basics that lead to mastering behavioural-based interviews, allowing you to impress potential employers and increase your chances of securing that coveted job offer.

Preparing for a job interview can be nerve-wracking, especially when you know you'll be facing behavioural-based questions. However, with the right approach, you can navigate these interviews successfully.

Understand the Basics

Behavioural-based interviews focus on your past behaviours and experiences as an indicator of future performance. Instead of hypothetical questions, interviewers will ask you to provide specific examples from your previous roles. These questions typically start with phrases like, "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give me an example of...". Understanding this format is the first step to success.

Prepare with the STAR Method

To ace behavioural-based questions, use the STAR method:

S ituation: Describe the context or situation you faced.

T ask: Explain the specific task or challenge you needed to address.

A ction: Detail the actions you took to tackle the situation.

R esult: Share the outcome or result of your actions, preferably with quantifiable or qualitative measures.

By structuring your responses using the STAR method, you provide a clear and concise account of your past experiences, making it easier for the interviewer to evaluate your skills.

Identify Relevant Experiences

Review the job description and identify the key skills, competencies, and traits the employer is seeking. Then, think of specific examples from your previous experiences that align with those requirements. Choose stories that demonstrate your ability to overcome challenges, work in a team, lead projects, or showcase your problem-solving skills. The more relevant and recent the examples, the better.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Now that you have your stories ready, practice delivering them with confidence and clarity. Consider conducting mock interviews with a friend or family member who can ask you behavioural-based questions. The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll become in structuring your responses and highlighting your strengths.

Be Authentic and Honest

While it's important to prepare and practice, remember to be genuine and honest in your responses. Interviewers appreciate authenticity and can often detect if you're providing generic or exaggerated answers. Share both successes and failures, as long as you can showcase what you learned from those experiences and how you grew as a professional.

Showcase Transferable Skills

Even if you don't have direct experience in the specific industry or role, highlight transferable skills. These are skills that can be applied across different contexts and are valued in various roles. For example, if you're transitioning from customer service to project management, emphasise your communication, problem-solving, and organisational skills, demonstrating how they can be adapted to the new role.

Listen and Ask Questions

During the interview, actively listen to the questions and ensure you fully understand what the interviewer is asking. If necessary, seek clarification before responding. Take a moment to gather your thoughts, and don't rush into answering. Additionally, ask thoughtful questions at the end of the interview to show your genuine interest and engagement.

Stay Positive and Engaging

Maintain a positive and engaging demeanor throughout the interview. Smile, maintain eye contact, and use open body language to convey confidence and enthusiasm. Remember, employers are not only assessing your skills but also evaluating how well you would fit within their team and company culture.

Reflect and Learn

Regardless of the outcome, take time to reflect on the interview. Consider what went well and areas for improvement. If you receive feedback, embrace it as an opportunity for growth. Use your interview experiences to refine your storytelling skills and enhance your future performance in interviews.

Follow Up

After the interview, don't forget to send a thank-you note or email to express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview. It's a simple gesture that demonstrates your professionalism and gratitude. Additionally, it keeps you fresh in the interviewer's mind as they make their final decision.

Mastering behavioural-based interviews is a valuable skill that can significantly boost your chances of landing your dream job. By understanding the format, preparing with the STAR method, identifying relevant experiences, practicing, and staying authentic and engaging, you'll be well on your way to acing your next behavioural-based interview. Remember, it's your time to shine, so be confident, share your experiences, and let your skills and personality shine through. Good luck!

Tips for Salary Negotiations

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 01:00:00 GMT

Negotiating your salary might seem like a daunting task, but fear not! It's a crucial step in advancing your career and getting fair compensation for your skills. So, let's dive into some tips that will help you navigate the salary negotiation process with confidence and secure the best deal possible.

With the right approach, you can increase your chances of success. First, do your research. Understand the industry standards and salary ranges for your position. This will give you a solid foundation for negotiations. Second, highlight your accomplishments and skills that make you a valuable asset to the company. This will help justify your desired salary. Finally, be confident and assertive during the negotiation process. Clearly articulate your expectations and be open to compromise. By following these tips, you can navigate salary negotiations with confidence and achieve a successful outcome.

Research and Know Your Worth:

Before jumping into negotiations, do some research and get a sense of the market value for your role and experience level. Check out sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, and LinkedIn Salary Insights for industry standards and salary ranges. Look at current open roles in your position with similar experience and requirements, and see what’s on offer out there. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be well-prepared to make informed decisions and negotiate like a pro.

Highlight Your Value:

When negotiating, make sure to shine a spotlight on your abilities! Prepare a list of your accomplishments, skills, and relevant experience that demonstrate why you deserve a higher salary. Let them know about any awards or recognition you've received and how you've made a positive impact in your previous roles. By showcasing your value, you'll strengthen your case for a higher paycheck.

Be Patient and Strategic:

Timing is everything! Don't rush into salary discussions right off the bat. First, focus on impressing the employer and showcasing your skills. Once you've won them over and received an offer, that's when you can start negotiating. And remember, negotiations can take time and involve a bit of back-and-forth. So, be patient and stay strategic throughout the process.

Master the Art of Communication:

Communication is key when it comes to successful negotiations. Practice your negotiation skills beforehand, imagining different scenarios and possible counterarguments. It's not just writing down a figure on a post-it. In fact, do not do that. Be confident, assertive, and professional in your conversations. Clearly state your points while also listening attentively to the employer's perspective. And always keep things positive and collaborative – think problem-solving rather than confrontation.

Look Beyond the Salary:

While the salary is important, don't forget to consider the bigger picture. Take into account other perks and benefits like bonuses, equity packages, healthcare plans, superannuation contributions, paid leave entitlements, and opportunities for professional development. Sometimes, a comprehensive package can be more valuable than just a higher base salary. Figure out your priorities and be open to negotiating different aspects of the compensation package.

Have a Plan B:

Be prepared for different outcomes during negotiations. Know your bottom line – the minimum salary you'll accept – and be ready to walk away if the offer falls short. Think Wish, Want, Walk. Sure, we all wish we could bring in the big bucks, but be realistic with what you want. All your market research is helpful in determining what you want and now, you need to know what will make you walk . If they’re not willing to negotiate at all, is the offer off the table? Having alternative options, such as other job offers or prospects, will give you leverage in negotiations and help you make confident decisions. But remember, be truthful and realistic - don’t go making up offers or overshooting!

Gratitude Sandwich

The pièce de résistance of your salary pitch is the delivery, and a gratitude sandwich is proven to work! While it’s important to be assertive and direct, sandwiching your pitch in between some niceties is an effective way to get your point across. How? Begin by expressing your gratitude for being offered the position, etc. Remember, this is your pitch; be authentic. Now, segue to the nitty gritty; this is where all your market research, achievements, and experience get added to the mix, and you request a higher salary. To close, more gratitude! How excited you are to join the team and your eagerness to start work.

Negotiating your salary can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! With a friendly and casual approach, combined with these tips, you'll be well-equipped to secure a salary that reflects your worth and fuels your career growth. Remember to research, highlight your value, communicate effectively, consider the full compensation package, and have a backup plan. Now go out there and give out some sandwiches!

The Role of Gamification in Recruitment and Training

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 01:53:31 GMT

From interactive online training to leaderboards with big-ticket prizes, gamification offers a fun and immersive experience that enhances learning and drives performance. If you're looking to boost productivity and upskill your team, it's time to level up with gamification! Get ready to unlock the power of play and transform your recruitment and training strategies.

Gamification for recruitment agencies is like turning the hiring process into a game, but without the cheat codes. It's all about making the whole experience fun and engaging, while still finding the perfect match for the job. Think of it as levelling up your recruitment game!

By incorporating elements like leaderboards, badges, and challenges, gamification adds a whole new level of excitement to the hiring process. It's like turning a boring old job application into a thrilling quest for talent!

Not only does gamification make the hiring process more enjoyable for candidates, but it also helps recruitment agencies stand out from the crowd. In a world where everyone's vying for attention, gamification is the secret weapon to attract top talent.

Gamification has become a game-changer in the world of recruitment and training. By incorporating game elements and mechanics into these processes, agencies are able to engage and motivate their employees in a whole new way. Not only does gamification make the recruitment and training experience more enjoyable, but it also enhances learning and retention. This approach is a win-win for both employers and employees.

One of the main benefits of gamification in recruitment is that it helps attract top talent. Traditional job applications can be boring and tedious, but when you turn the process into a game, it becomes more exciting and interactive. Recruiters are more likely to be engaged and invested in the application process, which can lead to a higher quality pool of applicants.

When it comes to training, gamification can revolutionise the learning experience. By incorporating game elements such as challenges, rewards, and leaderboards, employees are motivated to actively participate and learn. This approach not only increases engagement, but it also enhances knowledge retention. When employees are having fun while learning, they are more likely to remember and apply what they have learned in their day-to-day work. This ultimately leads to improved performance and productivity.

Overall, gamification has proven to be a valuable tool in recruitment and training. It not only attracts top talent and enhances the application process, but it also revolutionises the learning experience and improves knowledge retention. By incorporating game elements into these processes, companies can create a more engaging and enjoyable environment for their employees. So why not level up your recruitment and training efforts with gamification? It's a win-win for everyone involved.

10 In-Demand Tech Skills for the Future Job Market

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:59:48 GMT

In today's rapidly evolving world, technology continues to shape and redefine the job market. As new technologies emerge and existing ones advance, it is crucial for professionals to acquire in-demand tech skills to stay competitive in their careers. In this blog post, we will explore ten tech skills that are expected to be in high demand in the future job market.

Whether you are a seasoned professional looking to upskill or a fresh graduate planning your career path, these skills will help you thrive in the ever-changing tech landscape.

1.Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning:

As AI and machine learning become increasingly integrated into various industries, professionals skilled in these areas will be highly sought after. The ability to develop AI algorithms, create machine learning models, and apply them to real-world problems will be invaluable in fields like healthcare, finance, marketing, and automation.

2.Cybersecurity:

With the rise in cyber threats, the demand for cybersecurity experts is skyrocketing. Organizations are actively seeking professionals who can protect their digital assets, secure networks, and mitigate risks. Skills in ethical hacking, incident response, data privacy, and network security will be vital for combating cybercrime.

3. Data Science and Analytics:

Data has become the lifeblood of businesses, and the ability to analyze and derive actionable insights from vast amounts of data is crucial. Proficiency in data visualization, statistical analysis, machine learning, and big data technologies will enable professionals to extract valuable information and make data-driven decisions.

4.Cloud Computing:

Cloud computing has transformed the way organizations store, process, and access data. Proficiency in cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud will be essential. Skills in cloud architecture, deployment, and management will help businesses leverage the benefits of scalability, cost-efficiency, and flexibility.

5. Internet of Things (IoT):

As more devices become connected, the Internet of Things offers exciting possibilities. Professionals with skills in IoT can develop and implement solutions that enable smart homes, cities, healthcare systems, and industrial automation. Knowledge of IoT platforms, sensor networks, and data integration will be valuable assets.

6. Blockchain Technology:

Blockchain has gained significant attention beyond cryptocurrency applications. Its potential to revolutionize industries like finance, supply chain management, healthcare, and real estate is immense. Proficiency in blockchain development, smart contracts, and decentralized applications (DApps) will be in high demand.

7. User Experience (UX) Design:

User experience plays a vital role in ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. UX designers who can create intuitive, engaging, and accessible digital experiences will be highly sought after. Proficiency in UX research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing will be essential skills in designing user-centric products and interfaces.

8. Robotic Process Automation (RPA):

RPA involves automating repetitive tasks and workflows using software robots. As organizations strive for operational efficiency, professionals skilled in RPA will be in demand. Knowledge of RPA tools, process mapping, and workflow automation will help businesses streamline their operations and increase productivity.

9. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR):

AR and VR have made significant strides in gaming and entertainment, but their applications extend far beyond. Skills in AR/VR development, 3D modeling, and immersive user experiences will be highly valuable in industries such as education, healthcare, engineering, and retail.

10. Quantum Computing:

While still in its nascent stages, quantum computing holds enormous potential for solving complex problems that traditional computers cannot handle. Proficiency in quantum programming languages and algorithms will be sought after in fields like cryptography, optimization, drug discovery, and artificial intelligence.

As technology continues to evolve, the demand for professionals with in-demand tech skills will only increase. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting your career, investing time and effort to acquire these ten tech skills will undoubtedly make you a valuable asset in the future job market. Embrace the opportunities that these technologies present, and stay ahead of the curve by continuously updating and expanding your skillset. Remember, the future belongs to those who are willing to adapt and embrace the transformative power of technology.

Overcoming Job Search Challenges in a Competitive Market

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 07:00:01 GMT

Finding a job can be a daunting task, especially in a highly competitive market. With so many qualified candidates vying for the same positions, it can feel disheartening and overwhelming. However, with the right mindset and strategic approach, you can overcome these job search challenges and land your dream job. In this blog post, we will discuss effective strategies to navigate the job search process in a competitive market.

1. Polish Your Resume and Cover Letter

Your resume and cover letter are your first opportunities to make a positive impression on potential employers. Tailor your resume to each job you apply for, highlighting relevant skills and experiences. Ensure that your cover letter is concise, well-written, and personalised to the company and position you are applying for. Remember, quality always trumps quantity when it comes to job applications.

2. Leverage Your Network

Networking is a powerful tool when it comes to finding job opportunities. Reach out to friends, family, and professionals in your industry to let them know you are actively seeking employment. This includes expanding your LinkedIn network. Attend industry events and networking meetups to expand your connections. Be proactive and ask for referrals or recommendations from individuals who can vouch for your skills and work ethic.

3. Use Online Job Platforms

In today's digital age, online job platforms offer a plethora of opportunities to job seekers. Utilise popular job search websites and platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Seek to explore job openings. Customise your search filters to narrow down relevant positions and set up job alerts to stay updated on new opportunities.

4. Enhance Your Skillset

To stand out in a competitive job market, consider enhancing your skillset. Identify the skills that are in demand within your industry and invest time in learning them. Online platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of affordable courses that can help you develop new skills and stay ahead of the competition.

5. Prepare and Practice for Interviews

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, especially when you are competing against several candidates. Prepare thoroughly by researching the company, reviewing common interview questions, and crafting well-thought-out answers. Mock interviews with friends or career counselors can also be valuable in preparing for the real thing. Remember to exude confidence, showcase your accomplishments, and demonstrate your passion for the role.

6. Stay Positive and Persistent

Persistence is key when it comes to overcoming job search challenges. Rejections are part of the process, but do not let them discourage you. Instead, learn from the experience and keep pushing forward. Ask for feedback if you can, to help you improve for the next role. Stay positive and focus on your strengths and achievements. Surround yourself with a support network of friends and family who can provide encouragement and guidance during your job search journey.

Finding a job in a competitive market can be tough, but by following these strategies, you can increase your chances of success. Polish your resume and cover letter, leverage your network, explore online job platforms, enhance your skillset, prepare for interviews, and stay positive and persistent. Remember, with determination and a strategic approach, you can overcome job search challenges and secure the job you deserve.

Better yet, get in contact with our team and one of our consultants can help streamline this process for you!

Good luck!

FEATURED: Auspreneur's 14 Talent Management Agencies and Recruiters for 2023

Tue, 02 May 2023 00:50:31 GMT

We are thrilled to be part of Auspreneur's list of top recruitment agencies for 2023! It's an absolute honor to be recognized alongside some of the most talented professionals in the industry.

Of course, we’d like to thank our amazing candidates, clients and partners for their support and trust in us. They are the reason we do what we do, and we're committed to continuing to exceed expectations.

By Auspreneur Staff | April 28, 2023

S2M is an industry leader and specialist talent broker operating across APAC and catering to the public and private sector, FMCG brands, as well as start-ups. Since its inception in 2005, S2M has provided valuable services with a focus on quality relationship management and strategic partnerships with both candidates and clients.

S2M is committed to leaving a positive lasting impact with every interaction and is dedicated to creating long-lasting relationships. This focus has allowed the highly specialised team, led by General Manager – Brett Dickinson , to build extensive networks of candidates and maintain long-standing relationships with leaders and innovators in the industry. With almost 80% of S2M’s candidate pool coming from referrals and networking, it’s clear that they succeed in creating genuine relationships with their clients and candidates.

The stellar team of recruiters comprise professionals who hail from industries that they now recruit for and are therefore reputed for their market credibility, first-hand work experience and strong business liaisons. They have contributed to building teams across Sales, Communications, Marketing, Media, Design, Product, Technology, E-Commerce, Social and Data.

S2M is an expert at uncovering talent that thrives in a culture of creativity and innovation. They have been awarded LinkedIn’s Most Socially Engaged Award and have been featured as one of Australia’s “Top 20 Recruitment Agencies to Watch” for the past two years. With custom technologies and a database of over 250,000 candidates, added to their unparalleled network across the Asia Pacific, S2M’s recruitment offering sets them apart from the competition.

Source: Auspreneur

Read the full article here .

Brett & Annabelle at Marketing Live

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 02:13:06 GMT

The latest Martech, a serendipitous meeting and a magicians surprise! This week Brett and Annabelle headed to Marketing Live to get all the updates on Digital and Marketing.

Our General Manager, Brett and Account Manager, Annabelle kicked off the week learning all things marketing at a brand new event in Sydney.

Marketing Live featured conferences, product demos and live debates surrounding AI, automation, customer analytics and personalisation.

Their goal was to meet new connections, network and learn about all exciting changes in Digital and Martech. With exciting presentations about emerging tech and navigating some of the challenges in the market and a few across talent acquisition, Annabelle and Brett were getting to know the latest shifts and trends to bring home to the team.

All to better support clients and candidates, of course!

In the matter of meeting new connections, the two ran into an old candidate that S2M placed 15 years ago.

He had fond memories of our Founder, Sam Watts, with nothing but positive things to say about her helping him with his career back in the day. Talk about serendipity.

“It's such a small and connected world, and hearing lovely stories of how Sam was able to jumpstart his career across media makes us remember why we love this job!”

Annabelle shared.

Sounds like these two started the week right! There was even an unexpected magician! A lovely and cheerful surprise.

Events, expos and conferences are not only informative but also an immersive form of BD intermixed with networking.

We try to attend these events to enrich our knowledge, which is reflected in our work with clients and candidates.

The team is keen to head to more events this year and share knowledge amongst the crew.

Thanks Annabelle and Brett!

Christmas Lunch at Cottage Point Inn

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 01:27:20 GMT

As the year begins to draw to a close, the team gathered for a truly wonderful Christmas lunch on the 25th of November. A limo, eight course degustation and a stellar location, it most certainly won't be forgotten!

The day began with everyone meeting at the office for Secret Santa. The relationship the team shares is always evident in the gifts we give, each one thoughtful, personal and much appreciated. The gang also each received a beautiful present from the leadership team.

With the clock ticking until our office closes for the year, we announced our Employee of the Quarter. In Adam's first 6 months with S2M he won the majority vote and was recognised by his peers for his hard work. Congratulations Adam!

Following our gift exchange a limo collected us for a champagne breakfast on the way to lunch. Although it was quite a drive, the ride was smooth with great tunes and bubbles. Lunch was set at the beautiful Cottage Point Inn along the Hawkesbury River and the weather was absolutely perfect. On arrival, everyone was in awe at the beauty of the location - and were ready to dig into an equally beautiful meal.

The next four hours were filled with a spectacular eight course degustation, impeccable service and flowing beverages, as we shared laughs and admiration for the year we've had. A few new faces this year but nonetheless, a tight-knit team who sincerely love working along side each other.

For more team love and culture, head to our Instagram to check out all the fun we have at S2M.

High Rollers Lunch at Botswana Butchery

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:51:39 GMT

We've had a wonderful and crazy few months at S2M, but were finally able to celebrate our much deserved high rollers with an amazing lunch at Botswana Butchery in Sydney's CBD.

Last Friday, Brett took our high rollers to lunch at the amazing Botswana Butchery in Martin Place. Our high rollers are team members who have exceeded their stretch target in the last month. We like to take them out and celebrate their astounding efforts!

The day began with meeting at the office to sneak in a half day of work (and some bevvies), then Natalia, Luke and Adam were off to lunch with Brett. Unfortunately, Ross was unable to join as he was ill, tough one to miss! Together they enjoyed an incredible meal that was lick the plate clean delicious. Adam noted he's going to have to bring his partner back as it was so great.

This marked Adam's first lunch after starting his journey with us 6 months ago, which is a fantastic feat! He's absolutely smashing it. We asked him how he felt about his first one, "It was relieving to relax at lunch and be rewarded after a great and busy month." He relayed.

Even at a wonderful and well deserved break such as this, our high rollers were still making calls to get the job done. "There's no break in recruitment - but we're a work hard, play hard kind of team." Adam added.

At S2M, we celebrate our team, whether it's birthday's, little daily wins or big wins like these. We are all about a great culture, with FUN being one of our values.

For more on our events and team culture, follow our Instagram here .

How working from home could actually lead to burnout

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:03:25 GMT

Two new studies highlight the importance of social connection in the workplace and illustrate why working from home may not be the optimal workplace arrangement. Hybrid work-from-home schedules may help prevent burnout and improve mental health.

This is Part 2 of our blog post on preventing burnout last week. For tips to recognise and prevent burnout head to:

https://www.s2m.com.au/preventing-burnout-before-the-holidyays-and-in-general

In any case, our emotional and psychological wellbeing is with us whether we’re at work or at home. As such, it makes sense that we take a holistic view of burnout. Social connection is a key driver of burnout. Studies conducted by Kiffer George Card, an assistant professor in health sciences and his team at Simon Fraser University in Canada:

The social costs and benefits of working from home

In conducting this study, we found that loneliness and lack of social support come out as leading contributors to burnout, perhaps just as important – if not more so – than physical health and financial security. In summary, the study contributes to a growing understanding of burnout as a social problem driven by isolation.

One potential and evolving source of isolation is the emerging trend of working from home. As many people have had the privilege to learn, there are many benefits of working from home. It enables people to save time on their commutes and have more freedom to get chores done around the house or take a quick nap on their breaks. This means they have more time and energy for friends and family at the end of the day.

On the other hand, working from home means losing out on those water-cooler conversations and casual collisions with co-workers – which have a surprisingly profound impact on wellbeing. Furthermore, considering how important workplaces and schools are for finding and building friendships, a loss of these spaces could have serious long-term consequences for people’s social health – especially if the time spent with others at work is now spent at home alone.

The importance of social connection to health and happiness

To understand the impacts of working from home on mental health, the team conducted a second study to look at differences in self-rated mental health across individuals who work only from home, only in person, or who worked partially in person and partially at home. Controlled for potentially important factors such as income, hours of work, occupation, age, gender and ethnicity.

A whopping 87 per cent of those who reported a hybrid work arrangement – meaning they worked partially at the office and partially at home – had good or excellent mental health.

While the type of work done at home and in the office certainly shapes these trends, our findings nevertheless point to the possibility that hybrid work might give employees the best of both worlds – especially within the context of the first study, which highlighted the importance of social connection to

workplace wellbeing. Indeed, hybrid work arrangements may allow employees to maintain those positive connections with colleagues while also providing a better balance between work and life. It really may be the best of both worlds.

This research provides a strong reminder for us to all remember the importance of social connection. It’s all too easy to forget that strong social relationships and communities a the foundation of health and happiness within and outside the workplace.

Source:

Sydney Morning Herald

Best of both worlds: hybrid happiness

https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/best-of-both-worlds-hybrid-happiness-20221101-

p5buro.html

Preventing burnout before the holidays (and in general)

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 01:05:40 GMT

The holidays are creeping up... In fact, silly season might already well and truly be underway for you.

Are you scrambling to fit in extra work before office closures?

If you’re working through the holidays, it may be that you're trying to juggle extra events plus time with friends and family with your workload.

Although it’s a fun and exciting time of year - stressful might be a way you'd describe it as well. It’s crucial to be mindful of the onset of burnout, which can hugely affect your mental health, impacting your work performance and personal relationships.

So, what is burnout?

The International Classification of Diseases describes burnout as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

As a diagnosable condition, burnout consists of three symptoms: physical exhaustion, disengagement with work and colleagues, and cynicism towards one’s job and career.

For many who have experienced burnout, it can feel just like the metaphor that describes it: something akin to a burnt-up shrivelled matchstick, cold to the touch.

The stages of burnout:

Excessive drive/ambition. Common for people starting a new job or undertaking a novel task, too much ambition can lead to burnout.
Pushing yourself to work harder. Ambition pushes you to work harder.
Neglecting your own needs. You begin to sacrifice self-care like sleep, exercise, and eating well.
Displacement of conflict. Instead of acknowledging that you’re pushing yourself to the max, you blame your boss, the demands of your job, or colleagues for your troubles.
No time for nonwork-related needs. Your values are revised. Work becomes the sole focus at the expense of family, friends, and hobbies, which now seem irrelevant.
Denial. Impatience with those around you mounts. Instead of taking responsibility for your behaviors, you blame others, seeing them as incompetent, lazy, and overbearing.
Withdrawal. You begin to withdraw from family and friends. You lack direction and are cynical. Social invitations to parties, movies, and dinner dates start to feel burdensome instead of enjoyable.
Behavioral changes. Those on the road to burnout may become more aggressive and snap at loved ones for no reason.
Depersonalization. Feeling detached from your life and your ability to control your life.
Inner emptiness or anxiety. Feeling empty or anxious. You may turn to thrill seeking behaviors to cope with this emotion, such as substance use, gambling, or overeating.
Depression. Life loses its meaning and you begin to feel hopeless.
Mental or physical collapse. This can impact your ability to cope. Mental health or medical attention may be necessary.

Three ways to prevent burnout:

1. Exercise

This doesn’t need to be a hardcore workout daily, but even a small walk on your lunch break, or adding a longer walk into your commute can make exercise a daily habit and improve your mental health.

2. Practice good sleep habits and self-care

It’s easier said than done, but sleep must be prioritised. Rest and reset is a key factor in preventing burnout. A good amount of sleep will help your brain process the day

you’ve had so you’re ready for the next. This includes processing emotions and stressors – improving your mental health. Take some time for yourself to sleep and unwind with whatever self-care works for you.

3. Ask for help, seek connections, make the most of going into the office

During stressful times, it’s important to reach out for help. If asking for assistance feels difficult, consider developing a self-care “check-in” with close friends and family

members so that you can take care of each other during trying times. Studies have also shown that hybrid working environments can also assist with preventing burnout.

There’s a huge link between social connection and health and happiness. Hybrid work-from-home schedules may help prevent burnout and improve mental health.

Next week, we'll be posting part 2 of this blog post featuring two new studies highlighting the importance of social connection in the workplace and illustrate why working from home may not be the optimal workplace arrangement.

What is a 'cultural fit' and why is it so important?

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 01:28:10 GMT

Just like individuals, businesses have personalities too, many define themselves in the same way as people. An employee who fits well with the company’s culture is a definite advantage. It raises job satisfaction amongst coworkers, which improves productivity. Think of a culture fit also as a values fit. It’s not only a person’s personality but whether or not they meet a company’s values. Logically, the better a person ‘fits’ with their job, the less adjusting they will have to do.

Cultural fit is a term often used in recruitment, but what does it mean for individuals in the job hunt process?

More than ever, the word “culture” feels front and centre of any workplace. It’s no longer enough for candidates to have the right skills; they must be in sync with the personality and values of a business too.

In this respect, “cultural fit” is a lot like other relationships, whether platonic or romantic. A business will be looking for candidates that share similar beliefs, attitudes, and values.

As employers place more of a premium on cultural fit, so too do prospective employees. Candidates are increasingly attracted to employers who match up with their views and mindsets.

For candidates looking to make a fresh start, we’ll take a closer look at what cultural fit is, why it’s so important, and some example interview questions you might expect from employers looking to see whether you’re a match for them.

WHAT IS CULTURAL FIT?

Cultural fit concerns the extent to which the values, behaviours and attitudes of a company align with those of an employee or candidate. Just like individuals, businesses have personalities too; many define themselves in the same way as people.

If a company spends time and money hiring people that aren’t in sync with its values and don’t get on with colleagues, then the working relationship is bound to be rocky – even if they have bags of experience and fit the job description to a tee.

So, whenever a candidate’s core values match those of a business, there’s a cultural fit that proves mutually beneficial for both parties – much like in any strong human relationship. Simply put, a cultural fit values the human qualities of candidates.

WHY IS CULTURAL FIT IMPORTANT?

There are several reasons why employers prioritise cultural fit when hiring, including:

It leads to greater employee retention

Employee turnover costs businesses a lot of money, regardless of how big they are. Employers don’t want to hire someone who’s going to leave in a few months because they aren’t a strong cultural fit, as this can have such a huge impact on their bottom line.

It creates stronger performance

Employees who enjoy their work tend to be more productive and perform at higher levels. On the other hand, those who are at odds with a company’s culture can feel stifled and dissatisfied, which causes productivity to take a nosedive.

This is where asking the right questions at an interview comes in handy. If you’re someone who needs a little guidance when it comes to your work, but the company favours a more independent approach, then you might not be the best fit for each other. Shining a light on these issues at an early stage helps both you and employers in the long term.

It leads to a more positive work environment

When there’s a culture clash, it may affect an employee negatively. And a dissatisfied employee can have a knock-on effect on others in the team, creating low morale that might be felt throughout the workplace.

It attracts the best talent

A great salary and employee benefits can be attractive to some candidates, but for others, it’s the intangible qualities of a company that may be the difference-maker. And these cultural elements are beginning to take greater precedence over things like remuneration.

A company that makes its culture clear through its website or social media allows prospective candidates to better understand what makes them tick. As a candidate, this lets you weigh up whether the company is a suitable cultural fit.

It creates a more positive brand image

Not only are employees a company’s biggest asset, but they can be their greatest spokespeople too. When colleagues sing the praises of the company they work for, it makes potential clients, customers and hires stand up and take note.

EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL FIT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (WITH ANSWERS)

To gauge whether you’re a good fit for each other, employers are likely to ask behavioural questions that hint at your values and attitudes. Your answers here matter, and while they might be tougher than your average interview questions, coming up with effective, impressive answers isn’t impossible.

Below, we’ve provided some examples of cultural fit interview questions and how to answer them.

How would your colleagues describe you?

Here, the interviewer wants to get a sense of you as a person and an employee.

Two things can help with answering this question. First, you should research the organisation to get a better sense of its culture. Second, you should ask a colleague to describe a time when you performed above and beyond and pick out the positives in their answer.

By matching the company’s values to the positives your colleague mentioned, you can start to create a picture of how your attitudes align with the company’s.

What is it that motivates you?

Perhaps helping others on your team or delivering strong customer service gets the best out of you? Or maybe it’s the opportunity to work independently which allows you to thrive? Whatever your answer, the interviewer wants to see if you’re a fit for them. Be honest, but make sure you’re tailoring your answer to the role.

Describe a time when you had to work with someone difficult

Most of us will have encountered someone we struggled to work with. But what the interviewer wants to see here is how you dealt with the situation and whether you’re a strong team player.

When answering this question, aim to describe the context concisely, talk about the actions you took, and end on a positive by showing what the outcomes of your work were. Look to show them you have the people skills that managing conflict requires.

Do you prefer to work in a team or on your own?

Here, the interviewer is asking “are you flexible?”. While everyone has their preference, you don’t want to be seen as inflexible, especially if it’s a company where team morale and camaraderie are part of a day’s work.

Be sure to note that there are positives to working alone and as a team. Mentioning your preference is fine but point out that you’re flexible too.

Maybe you do like working alone, but by mentioning you also like participating in discussions and brainstorming with colleagues, it shows you’re an adaptable colleague who’s open to different ways of working.

Source:

https://www.sefe-mt.com/careers/blog/what-exactly-is-cultural-fit-and-why-is-it-important/

Flexible arrangements are the future of office work

pamela.distapan@s2m.com.au (Pamela Distapan) — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 23:56:33 GMT

Last week, S2M was honoured to be featured on ABC's 7:30 Report. Our CEO and founder David Jackson and consultant Annabelle Gonzalez sat down to discuss flexible arrangements in the workplace. Read their interview below.

When Sydney recruitment officer Annabelle Gonzales heads into the office, she packs lunch for herself and her furry friend Lola.

"Currently, I'm working Mondays and Fridays at home, and I'm working in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays," she told 7.30.

"It makes me feel happy knowing that she's (Lola) with me."

"She can be a bit of a distraction but only like for pats and cuddles and stuff — and that only lasts a couple of seconds before everyone gets back to work."

With staff embracing working-from-home arrangements, employers have struggled to get them back into the office as the nation moves into the COVID recovery phase.

Ms Gonzales' boss David Jackson said with low unemployment he'd had to sweeten the deal for staff, and also offered birthday leave, lunches and holidays for high performers.

"To try to find employees to come back and work five days a week in the office was not easy," he told 7.30.

"I think employees these days are looking for other added benefits apart from the salary. So having a good, wide range of offerings, such as bring your dog to work, can assist with that attraction of the right employees and also retain the ones you want to retain."

Mr Jackson said he accepted work-from-home arrangements needed to continue.

"The future looks like two-three days from home, two-three days from the office.

"I think gone are the days of the five-day work-week nine to five, I think flexibility is key," he told 7.30.

S2M CEO David Jackson acknowledged Australia's cities will look very different in years to come.

"I think the future for the bigger corporates looks like, you know, smaller offices, more communal spaces, hot-desking," he told 7.30.

"They've come back post-COVID, realised none of their staff are coming back to the office, they've got these big towers that are empty."

Mr Jackson said he'd found it positive for staff and his business to continue allowing working from home, a few days a week.

"I think we were all quite scared about what was going to happen when everyone was working from home during COVID," Mr Jackson said.

"We've gradually gone back to three days in the office, two days work from home, productivity hasn't changed. We're still as flat out as ever.

"There's some techniques, obviously, that our managers have learnt to manage people remotely. Everybody's a little bit different. Some people like to have a face-to-face — their one-on-one — some people are happy over the phone. So it's really individualised I find."

Annabelle Gonzales also believed flexible working arrangements were here to stay.

"I don't see us ever going back to the way it was before COVID. This is the new age," she said.

Original Source:

ABC News

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-26/flexible-arrangements-future-of-office-work/101579494

5 ways to optimise SEO in your blog posts

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 12:26:00 GMT

In today’s digital and ecommerce age, there’s a significant increase in the number of businesses who are resorting to blogging techniques to drive traffic to their channels. If your company is into blogging, there’s a high chance that you already know the importance of it. But do you know how to optimise your blogs with SEO?

Here’s how.

1. Keyword research

Including keywords which are important to your business is essential. If you are having trouble looking for the keywords, you can make use of great tools like SEMrush and Google AdWords which can help you figure it out according to your business topic. These tools also enable you to keep tabs on your competitor and understand what keywords they are targeting. Remember that the more relevant keywords you use, the more your ranking will be.

2. Utilise those keywords effectively

Once your keyword list is sorted out, ensure to use them efficiently in the following:

3. Strong blog post title

Ecommerce experts suggest that your blog post title is important because it determines the search ranking. Ensure that the title is short and relevant. It is a good idea to incorporate your focus keyword (most important keyword) in the title to make it SEO friendly. Furthermore, it is important to make the title catchy because it will determine your CTR (click through rate) and this will heavily affect your SEO ranking.

Here are a few examples of catchy blog post titles:

4. Images and videos

According to HubSpot , posts with high resolution photos or videos receive engagement above 2.5% (which is the industry average). Having relevant images/videos add credibility to your statements or proposals. Remember to use images from a copyright free website like Unsplash or Pixabay.

5. Utilise your digital space well

A mistake which many bloggers tend to make is that they forget about their blog post once it’s published. However, there are a few things which need to be done after you have published the post.

By following these tips, you can expect to get higher SEO rankings in SERPS, have higher traffic to your website and socials and eventually higher conversion. If you are interested to know more about similar topics in the ecommerce/digital/tech field, feel free to check out our other blogs here . Alternatively, if you are looking for a job in this field, check out some awesome job openings for ecommerce jobs, SEO jobs and digital jobs here .

Top 3 Ecommerce trends to look out for in 2021

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:05:00 GMT

The Ecommerce sector has seen huge growth during the pandemic and experts claim that this is not a temporary boost, but rather it is here to stay. Check out the ecommerce trends below to keep in mind and implement in your business.

1. Impact on Ecommerce during COVID-19

With heavy restrictions implemented in a majority of the world, there has been a significant increase in the number of people who are resorting to online shopping techniques. Lockdown and closing down of high street stores and shopping centers has pressured businesses to have websites where consumers can purchase their items online. Tech guru Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has already seen an ecommerce growth increase by $24 billion since the onset of COVID. Experts claim that ecommerce businesses are going to get the greatest blessing from the pandemic and hence all businesses should solidify their ecommerce strategy because this trend is here to stay.

2. Mobile apps are the next big thing

Since 2017, mobile app usage has increased by 15% . What’s more, ecomm experts claim that it will go as high as 73% towards the end of 2021. In today’s times of digital media and technology, people use their devices for everything including searching more about a product to analysing reviews and finally making a purchase. With everyone’s trust in online shopping increasing, businesses should make good use of this opportunity. The growth numbers are high and businesses should develop their apps to improve user experience because this will determine the number of sales that come into your business.

3. Role of social media

Since the start of the pandemic, the time spent on social media has rapidly increased, sometimes to even unhealthy amounts. Consequently, with the “buy” button introduced on Facebook and “checkout” button on Instagram, more and more consumers have started making purchases through these sites. Platforms like Shopify have helped by acting as a bridge between the online stores and social media sites. At a time like this, businesses should work on specific shopping-focused social media strategy.

There are several other ecommerce trends such as personalising shopping experience and adopting visual ecommerce but the ones above are the top 3 to follow. Whichever trend you adopt, always remember that the main aim is to improve the ecommerce user experience. We want the buying journey for the consumers to be as smooth as possible. Building long lasting relationships with consumers should be your priority and what better way to do that than to make it easy for them!

Feel free to reach out for advice at moreinfo@s2m.com.au. Alternatively, if you’re looking for Ecommerce jobs, feel free to check this out .

3 ways to avoid workplace fatigue in the E-Commerce, Digital Media and Technology Jobs sector.

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 09:17:00 GMT

3 reasons to take your dog to work

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 15:34:00 GMT

They say that a dog, is man’s best friend!

Over the last few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people bringing their dogs into the work place.

Last week our Commercial Director Brett Dickinson brought his lovely dog into our Sydney office for the day’s work. At first, Geordie was shy and took his time to become familiar with the office space and staff at their desks (whilst Brett was madly sourcing talent for an E-commerce Marketing Manager). Towards the end of the day Geordie had fully acclimatised to his new friends and surroundings and what’s more, all the staff ended up having a fantastic and memorable day at work! Not to mention all the other tenants on our floor.

Bringing your “best friend” to work can benefit everyone. Here’s how.

1. It benefits the dog

Research suggests that dogs face distress when they are left alone at home. There is no one a dog would rather be with than their owners! If you are taking your dog to work-not only are you making them happy but you are strengthening your bond with them. A change of environment for your dog where they get to meet new people can make them feel great too.

2. It benefits the office

Let’s face it, everyone loves dogs. Many studies claim that spending as little as ten minutes around pets can significantly help to reduce stress levels and anxiety.Taking your dog to work can help everyone improve productivity and make them feel relaxed. All employees at some point are bound to have a bad day at work and having a dog around instantly boosts everyone’s spirits!

Playing with the dog at the office is also a great way to socialise with your colleagues. It’s a great conversation starter and discussing shared love for an animal can help to make your relationship with people smooth.

3. Doggy-walk breaks

If you’re bored of getting a coffee with your colleague, you can always take the dog for a walk with them. Not only will this change make it interesting but it can also help you to get some exercise while discussing important/personal issues.

Doggy walks can also enable socialising with other dog owners who work around the same area. It could even be a great networking opportunity meeting likemindeddog lovers around your area!

At S2M, we believe in having a fun and friendly working culture which allows all employees to be productive. Check out our culture on our Instagram page here .

3 Corporate resolutions for 2021

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 09:50:00 GMT

Let’s admit it, 2020 was a very tough year. Our loved ones suffered, jobs were lost and this inevitably had an impact on mental health. However, it is still not too late. We can still commit to making 2021 better than 2020 for everyone. Here’s how:

1. Let’s be more flexible and adaptable

The pandemic has affected majority of the businesses because, let’s face it, we were not prepared for something like this to happen. The most valuable lesson we can learn is to always have a contingency plan in place and to be able to adapt well, within a timely fashion-especially when it comes to technology. Whether it is a small crisis or a pandemic, we must ensure that our business is agile so it can adapt to almost any situation without incurring major losses to headcount, revenue and most importantly customer satisfaction.

2. Let’s prioritise employees and their professional growth

According to Star Staffing , 94% of the employees claim that their chances to stick with a company would significantly improve if the company invested in helping them grow.

With an uncertain 2020, it is clear that keeping sharp and constantly up skilling is essential. This year, as an organisation, let’s commit to investing in training/development and leadership programs. Another way of doing so is to introduce mentorship programs at work to guide employees in professional, as well as personal situations.

Similarly, companies should prioritise mental health and wellness of employees. Being sure to check in to see how everyone is feeling and providing your team with the appropriate resources wherever you can help is essential.

3. Promote inclusivity and diversity

We all know that 2020 was a year of political unrest. With uncertainly and anxiety, let’s all commit to making 2021 all about corporate inclusivity. This movement can be started by asking a simple question: How diverse is your workforce? Are you inclusive in your hiring process? And if not, what can we do to change it? Diversity brings strength.

Having a deep culture of inclusivity can help the team to bond better, thereby, improving productivity and yielding better results.

This year, let’s be adaptable and prepared all situations and let’s promote kindness towards one another.

S2M Digital recruitment wishes you all a very happy and successful new year! If you’re looking for a job or looking to hire, feel free to check out our updates here.

4 tips to succeed with Recruitment Agencies

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Ideally, recruitment agencies should be your first step in the job application process, as they can objectively assess you as a candidate and match you with a job that suits your abilities.

Digital and Technology Recruitment agencies like www.s2m.com.au receive many phone calls and emails on a daily basis not to mention the hundreds of resumes to job advertisements. There is a possibility that many resumes are not viewed due to the tight deadlines or some unexpected issues arise from the client’s side. In an uncertain situation like this, how do you make sure that you build a strong relationship with your recruiter?

Our consultants have put together some tips which candidates can use before reaching out to recruiters.

1. Know exactly what you want

When you call or email the recruiter, make sure you grab their attention within the first 30 seconds. Think about how you can make that recruiter’s life easy and ask specific questions. Be very clear about the type of role you are looking for and your salary expectations.

2. Know your value

Before reaching out, define what value you can bring to an organisation. Align your skills with your future goals and communicate them effectively with the recruiter. Ensure to keep your brand consistent in what you say, on LinkedIn, and any other job seeker platform. While communicating with the recruiter, tell them why you think you deserve that specific salary value.

3. Be professional and respectful

Remember the power dynamic because you’re the one requesting the recruiter to place you. The recruiter does not owe you anything and you are the one who has to prove your worth to them. Remember that recruiters talk to hundreds of potential candidate’s everyday so allow them to choose the time that suits them best. After your call, give them plenty of time to communicate with the respective client and be patient but always follow up.

4. Keep in touch

Whether you got placed or moved on to another job or position, it’s always wise to keep in touch with your recruiter. Stay connected with them via LinkedIn and keep engaging on their posts so they can remember you. You never know when you might need their help-whether it’s for a role or just some career advice.

If you’re looking for a job, feel free to check out our positions here . For career advice, feel free to reach out via email here .

A Day in the Life: S-Core Group Christmas Party

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:28:00 GMT

Last Friday, S2M had their Christmas party on a boat at the lovely Lake Macquarie and it was an awesome event!

The day started with everyone meeting at the office with their presents and drinks in hand ready to hit the road. Thanks to the stunning weather, everyone was in a great mood! With a few pit stops at McDonalds, the team made their way to the Lake around noon. For the rest of the day, the agenda was simple: eat, drink and be merry!

The team bonding activities played a significant role in getting the team members of S2M, LSR, DSi and ASR acquainted. The evening followed with some brilliant team speeches, milestones celebrated and lots of swimming in the lake!

Ross, Kate, Tally and Alex decided to continue the festivities and stayed on board to watch the beautiful sunrise at 5am. Some of the teammates loved the Lake so much; they decided to extend their stay by another night!

Overall, the Christmas event was a huge success with lots of friendships being formed and memories created (as you can clearly tell from the photos!) This was a beautiful way to end 2020!

Company events such as these play a good role in galvanising your team members to understand and work for a common goal. These events also help to reveal hidden talents of employees which then help to form a close-knit team.

Our S2M family is known for its positive and fun culture. Check out our work culture on our Instagram Page here .

Jobs VS Career: What’s the difference?

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 12:14:00 GMT

People often confuse the two terms as they are used in similar contexts. They are both heavily based around how you earn your money but it’s important to realise that they have different significances.

Jobs

People do jobs for the sole purpose of earning money. Jobs are a series of repetitive activities done over a prolonged period of time. A job may or may not require specific skills. Usually, jobs have a relatively smaller impact on your future resume because they are more focused on just getting the tasks done.

While jobs are more focused on getting tasks done, they can definitely help you prepare for your career and can be an important step in everyone’s career path.

Career

Career is heavily focused on a series of professional and insightful experiences that people gain through the various jobs that they do.

Career is all about upskilling and networking with the aim of getting a higher pay with more reputation.

It can be said that carving out a career is a long term process as it involves several elements including gaining experience, building connections, promotions, raises etc.

Which one to prioritise:

It’s crucial to take your job seriously and focus on productivity every day. However it’s important to not forget your personal and professional goals you have. Taking smaller steps such as upgrading your skills, networking with the right people and doing more than what is expected from you will help you to achieve your dream career. A simple tip would be to always remember your career goal while doing your job.

What to consider when defining your career goal

1. Consider what you enjoy doing first and whether you can put a monetary value to it.

Sometimes people have fascinating hobbies but they can’t always get paid for it. Thus, make sure you can create value through the work you’re doing. The more value you bring to the people, the more you can ask to be getting paid.

2. Analyse whether you have the skills you need to do the work you enjoy doing.

There is absolutely no point in starting a job without having any qualifications. This is why you must align your goals with your skills before starting your journey. If you don’t have the appropriate skills, remember that it’s never too late. You can still take up relevant courses and learn what’s required.

3. Define your goals and priorities and have a clear action plan about how you plan to achieve them.

Make a list of what you would like to achieve and what steps you could possibly take to achieve your goals.

If you’re looking for a career change or if you would like some career advice, feel free to reach out to our specialised recruitment consultants on moreinfo@s2m.com.au and search for more information on careers at www.s2m.com.au

Top 4 strategies to create a great work culture

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 13:26:00 GMT

How to appeal to candidates in a job advertisement

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 15:37:00 GMT

5 things to keep in mind while onboarding remotely

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 13:28:00 GMT

Despite the negative impacts of COVID-19, not all companies can afford to halt their hiring process because some roles might actually help them to sustain their current financial condition. For instance, Amazon is in the process of hiring 100,000 warehouse workers. (Profico, 2020)

In a situation where the company needs new staff, the onboarding process which will be heavily relied on technology and this can be challenging considering everyone is now working from home.

S2M has put together some key strategies you can use to smoothly welcome your new hires.

1. Send IT hardware and detailed manuals to your new hires

Make sure that your new staff receives these things well in advance so they get a chance to go through it. Ensure that your IT department members are responsive and are able to help the new members with all technicalities.

A decent laptop with connected company email, mouse and a keyboard is a good start pack.

Another thing to keep in mind would be to get them up to date with all the communication channels that your company uses for instance Slack, Microsoft teams etc.

2. Help new staff in completing all HR and legal formalities

Make use of tools like CamScanner to scan all documents and Hello-Sign to sign all documents online. Understanding terms and conditions of employment can be time consuming so ensure that your new hires receive these documents well in advance. Be available to answer any questions they have.

3. Educate them about your company culture

Getting them up to date about the working culture by providing them with handbooks ad guides can be beneficial. Share presentations, pictures or videos to give them a better idea. It might be worth giving them a welcome package where you can give them your company related items such as any t-shirts, mugs or notebooks.

4. Get your HR leaders to manage expectations

Asking your HR members to t give a session to new hires about your company expectations and role specific expectations would be beneficial. It might be good to define some short and long term goals and set up regular meetings with the supervisor/manager.

5. Arrange role-specific inductions

Role-specific orientation can significantly help new hires to get a much clearer idea about what is expected from them. A great method to do is to create training sessions with games, quizzes to increase engagement. Having a long question and answer session might also help to clear doubts.

While is it difficult to welcome new hires digitally, it is not impossible. Remember that effective digital engagement is the key to employee retention.

For more such advice, feel free to reach out to moreinfo@s2m.com.au

S2M Company retreat: Lake Macquarie

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:21:00 GMT

Last weekend, S2M took their employees to Lake Macquarie for an amazing overnight trip and a spot of boating. The team had lots of fun playing games, swimming, and celebrating some key milestones over champagne and oysters.

Simple activities like eating a great breakfast and watching the sunset together significantly lifted everyone’s energy levels!

Our advice to you would be that your employees are the life of your company and this is why keeping them happy should be your top priority. Getting them out of the office for some fun activities gives everyone a chance to bond in a non-traditional way. These bonds will significantly improve communication and teamwork at the workplace.

1. Improved morale

It is no surprise that the workplace is quite stressful and this is why taking your team out for some fun will help to reduce the stress and boost their motivation levels. Mini get-aways help to bring the team closer and allow them to have conversations outside of work.

2. Identifying fears and resolving them

These days many companies play a game called Nightmare Cards where people reveal their worst industry-related fears and the team becomes supportive and helps to come up with solutions. In other words, together with helping the employees to overcome their fears, these games help the companies to prepare for worst-case scenarios that might happen.

Once the fears are resolved, the team can work effectively work towards common shared goals!

3. Identifying each other’s talents and hobbies

Spending time and getting to know the team can help you to identify fun facts about them or even some hidden talents. For instance, someone in the team might be a great cook or an amazing guitarist. Knowing such things about the team can ultimately help to bring your people closer.

We, at S2M, treat our employees like a family and our aim has always been to create a workplace that feels like home. For more advice on company retreats, feel free to reach out to moreinfo@s2m.com.au

R U OK?

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

‘R U OK’ comes around again, and with the global pandemic and a whole wide world of negativity, it is as important now as it has ever been. The team here at S2M highly support this cause, the health and mental wellbeing of our colleagues, our candidates, our clients, and our friends is always front of mind.

My mother struggled with depression for many years in a time when there was a lot more of a stigma around mental health and she finally succumbed to finding an escape with alcohol. She simply gave up on life, and gave into her demons.

To feel so alone in such a big wide world is tragic, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish that I had been more understanding of her problems and needs back then. I wish I had been more educated on the signs.

There are times in our lives that will seem dark as dark can be, with no way out. Suicide is a long-term solution to a short-term problem and talking to the people that love us, opening up about our fears and problems can help us through these dark times.

Founded by Gavin Larkin in 2009, R U OK is an Australian non-profit suicide prevention organisation which aims to support those who are struggling.

This organisation fosters the need to have meaningful conversations as it can save lives.

R U OK urges everyone to use 4 insightful techniques which we can all use with people around us:

1. Ask “r u ok?”

This simple yet powerful question can help people to understand that people care about them ad love them.

2. Listen to what people have to say

You don’t have to respond or give your opinions each time, but simply listening to the person and their story can make them feel heard and important.

3. Encourage action

After you’ve heard their story, encourage them to take small steps to improve their situation. Encourage them to talk to others and seek help from professionals if needed. If they aren’t sure what to do, help them to identify the resources which they can make use of.

4. Check in with them

If you know someone is struggling with something, always check in with them and ask how it’s going for them. This shows them you’re there for them throughout their journey.

We encourage you to get involved and learn more about this amazing charity here .

4 ways to foster empathy in workplaces

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

This is the “R U OK’ week and we, at S2M, we believe that the encouraging people to be empathetic in the workplace is of huge importance.

S2M has put together a few simple things you can do to foster empathy in your workplace.

1. Ensure your employees are not overworking

Always look for overworked signs in your employees. More often than not, these are the biggest causes of stress and anxiety.

Due to the current situation, it’s natural for people to put in extra hours at work but as a leader, you must ensure that your employees are able to balance their work life with social life. An easy way of doing this would be to take a few extra minutes, check whether they are able to handle their workload, and ask them how you can offer your help.

2. Empathize when someone is sharing details about their personal loss

Everyone faces a loss at some point in their life. It’s important to be kind to those who are going through something now. Friendships in workplaces matter. Be a good friend to your coworkers, listen to their stories and provide advice where necessary. It might also be a good idea to show that you are willing to help them. Hearing simple words can significantly help to elevate stress.

3. Infuse feedback from the employees

No matter how small the issue is, ask your employees about their opinions and feedback. Make them realize that their voice matters. Asking people for their perceptions increases the chance of them delivering excellent results.

4. Make emotional intelligence a part of your organizational values

EQ is as important as IQ. Understanding the reasons behind your employee’s actions can help to give you meaningful insights about what you can do to motivate them. Fostering emotional intelligence can help to build trust between the managers and the team members and can help the members to open up.

Showing empathy towards your team members is the key to team productivity an achieving goals! If you want to get involved with the “R U OK’ cause, feel free to checkout this .

5 ways to ensure your employees are working well from home

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 10:46:00 GMT

While working from home has its own set of benefits, it comes with certain challenges for employees for instance staying organized and managing time.

In order to improve the work from home experience for your employees, S2M has put together some strategies.

1. Equip your team with the right technology

Ensuring that all your members have the right technology is the first step to achieving the goals. If you run your meetings on Microsoft Teams , make sure everyone from the company is connected to the right channels and has access to everything they need.

2. Provide constant source of motivation

Working from home might lead to reduced sense of motivation and disconnect. This is why it’s essential to provide your employees with purpose which makes them feel driven every day. Make use of different ways in which you can motivate them. For instance have 15 minutes all every day to discuss daily team goals. Consequently, if these goals are measurable it is even better because people work best when there are numbers to achieve.

Similarly, together with motivating your members, make sure to encourage and praise them. At a situation like this, some kind words can do wonders and accelerate productivity significantly.

3. Host social events

Sometimes, after a long hectic work week, all the team needs is some relaxation time. It might be great to host say a digital happy hour session for an hour every Friday. Not only will this relieve stress, but it will also help to significantly increase social interactions. Digital social events might also play a huge role in improving the mental health of employees which in turn would improve the productivity.

4. Clear feedbacks

In a situation where everyone is working remotely, feedback is the most important aspect of taking the next steps. In order to establish clear forms of feedback, make sure your employees know how to reach out to you; perhaps it might be a good idea to set apart some time just to provide feedback to your employees. Make sure you provide clear instructions before and after the projects are completed. This will improve the efficiency of the projects.

5. Provide an appropriate system

Providing a clear structure of communication and working would significantly help the employees to work smoothly.

If the team is large, it might be worth considering having a project management system where a PM takes charge of project. It might also be good to have lunch learn sessions where team members can discuss relevant aspects of their projects.

Work from home is going to become the ‘next big thing’ post COVID-19 so ultimately it depends on you to create a good work from home company culture. If you want more such tips, feel free to reach out to moreinfo@s2m.com.au .

What to do when you don’t hear back about your job application?

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 10:44:00 GMT

After all the hard work, you manage to land your dream job interview. Maybe you aced it, maybe you didn’t. Either way, you deserve to know what happened with your application.

Unfortunately, sometimes candidates don’t hear back from the interviewer and this leads to reduced motivation.

We have put together a few strategies you can employ when you don’t hear back after your interview.

1. Take the initiative

There is absolutely nothing wrong in following up with your employer about the application status. If your follow up email is tailored to the timeline you were given, you will come across as a professional individual and it will portray your interest in the role. Set a schedule and make a plan for your follow-up emails. However, bear in mind that constant emails and reminders can come across as desperate and that’s the last impression you want to give to a prospective employer.

Below is an email template you can use to send a follow-up email:

Hi [name of the employer],

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to interview at [company name] as [job position]. It was great for me to get to know the finer details like the company culture.

I am very excited to contribute to [project name] to the best of my abilities and I am particularly interested in the details you shared regarding the upcoming [project/campaign] launch.

I am confident that my Marketing [or any other field] experience and my enthusiasm will enable me to fulfill the job requirements.

In the meantime, let me know if you require anything from my side. Feel free to contact me on {phone number]

Regards,

[Your name]

If you have genuine offers from other companies, feel free to let the recruiter / employer know this.

2. Ensure you keep the employer up to date

More often than not, interviewers give the candidates tasks to complete to understand if they have the competencies they are looking for.

Make sure to complete any tasks set and submit them well within the allotted timeframe.

3. Do not take it personally and always keep trying

Sometimes no news is bad news and it’s important to understand that one rejection is not the end of the world. Don’t take rejections personally and don’t stop trying.

Every opportunity is a learning experience.

Take time to reflect upon your performance and determine how you can improve. Don’t be afraid to ask the employer / recruiter for feedback on the interview process so that you can use this information to better your interview performance.

We, at S2M, work with some brilliant client companies so if you are looking to kick start your career or simply looking for an exciting opportunity, you might want to check out some jobs here .

Newest Team member: Luke Cranswick

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 09:21:00 GMT

My name is Luke, I was born in Zimbabwe and immigrated to Australia with my family 15 yrs ago. In my career I have worked in media sales, construction sales and tourism. I love working with people and I feel the recruitment industry allows me to work with interesting people in the digital industry. Outside of the office I love to play a few games of pool with a beer or two and to increase my ability to speak different languages, currently I’m learning French, Portuguese and Russian.

What’s your nickname?

Bucky.

Name one thing you’ve done on your bucket list.

Swam with wild sharks in South Africa and Australia.

If you were to be famous, what would it be for?

Eating contest.

If you rubbed a genies lamp and got one wish, what would it be?

To fly.

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sadza (traditional Zimbabwean dish)

What is your favourite movie genre?

Horror

Which word or phrase do you most overuse?

“Anyone want a beer?’

If you could go back in time and meet your younger self, what one piece of advice would you give yourself?

Be cautious but remember, overthinking will make things more stressful

If your life was a TV show, what would it be?

Man Vs Food.

How to ace at conducting video interviews

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:35:00 GMT

Due to the current situation, it is no surprise that video interviews are increasingly gaining popularity. In a situation where everything is going online, it is important to conduct video interviews the right way and maintain a great impression about your organization.

Here are some ways in which you can ensure your interviews run smoothly:

It’s crucial to ensure that the software you’re using give good quality. Software like Microsoft Teams or Zoom are some of the best platforms which are user-friendly and are well established.The simple interface of both platforms makes them a popular choice among users.

After you’ve decided the platform, make sure to test it out with a colleague to ensure it runs smoothly. Having technical difficulties during an interview can have a negative effect on the process and the engagement from the candidate.

Do not sit at a crowded area. Select a quiet spot at your workplace or a quiet corner if you’re working from home. Remember that you are also selling your organization to the candidate and they will need to listen to you carefully. If there is too much noise, there can be misunderstandings and that’s the last thing you want.

Before switching on your video, ensure your background is decent and your appearance is clean. It is absolutely essential to have a professional environment as it reflects your company culture.

Video interviewing can seem distant especially if you’ve never met them before. This is why it’s essential to focus on what the candidate is saying by maintaining eye contact -their experience, their learnings, what value they can bring. Taking notes is also a great idea as that shows you’re interested in what they have to say.

Technology can be unpredictable. On the off chance that your software stops working or goes bank due to whatever reason, always have a backup plan. The fastest way to have the candidate’s phone number so you can call them directly. Back-up plans means the interview doesn’t get postponed.

Sometimes you can get different insights by listening to the interview again. Perhaps you missed something during the first time. You can also use the recording to share with your colleagues and get their feedback. Different perspectives also help in solidifying hiring decisions.

Always inform the outcome to the candidate. Even if the candidate didn’t make it through to the second round, keep them in the loop. The number one frustration of candidates is usually to do with lack of communication. Lack of feedback can also have a negative effect on your brand and organization.

In a situation like this where social distancing has started to become a way of life, S2M highly recommends conducting video interviews. Not only do they limit the spread of the pandemic, but they are also cost effective, save a lot of time and enable you to send meeting links to anyone from your team!

We are working with some brilliant candidates at the moment so if you are looking to hire now, make sure to check out this link .

15 MINUTES OF FAME: CHLOE GILCHRIST

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 10:47:00 GMT

Question 1: Hogarth's relatively new to this market; can you provide a quick introduction? What exactly does Hogarth do?

I guess as a headline you could say Hogarth Australia is a “creative production company”. But we’re certainly not your traditional production house or content studio.

Hogarth’s proposition is to create the best content, the smartest way. To that effect; we combine production strategies, in-house talent, technology, platforms and automation to deliver effective, omnichannel content that stretches across the entire digital ecosystem.

At the core of our business is a transformation team who consult with our clients to solve business challenges and map horizons to enable them to deliver more content, more often, to a high standard and with cost efficiencies.

Hogarth has grown tremendously since launching in Australia (we just virtually celebrated our third birthday) and today we have a talented team of around 135 across Melbourne and Sydney, housed in two 2,000 sq. ft high-spec studios, onsite with our clients and at HQ.

We are also proud to be part of Hogarth Worldwide and the WPP AUNZ network.

Question 2: And what's your role at Hogarth?

By title, I’m known as the Chief Operating Officer (COO), working alongside Justin Ricketts (CEO) and Jenn Butler (CFO) as part of Hogarth Australia’s Executive Team.

I’d say my role is split into two major streams. The first being operational strategy – ensuring we continually evolve our business operations in-line with industry and market shifts. And the second being business transformation – leading our client transformation consulting and change management functions.

I am incredibly lucky to have four senior supports who lead our operational, business transformation, content and product teams.

Question 3: You started your career working in creative agencies. Why move to Hogarth?

Hogarth Australia offered me an amazing opportunity to help build a high-potential growth business from the ground up that was able to genuinely respond and meet clients’ needs with smarter content solutions.

As someone who embraces change and strives for excellence; I was looking to find a business open to evolution, willing to challenge the status quo, move with pace and apply operational diligence.

Hogarth’s smarter proposition and future-focused model was the ideal fit against my skillset, values and passion-points.

Question 4: It's been fairly unsettling months. How is Hogarth going?

As a business set up for continual evolution, Hogarth was well-prepared as COVID-19 hit. Our Risk Management Plans were promptly implemented, and we have continued to deliver for our clients as scopes shift, channels change, and as social distancing makes producing content more of a challenge.

Our people have embraced remote working and we knew technologies have allowed our teams to work virtually and seamlessly with clients whether that's on set, in the edit suites or in workshops.

Hogarth went head-on with COVID-19 and we are coming out stronger than before. Our smarter approach has strengthened many of our client relationships as they open their minds to new ways and we have also opened many new business doors.

5 tips for choosing the right candidate for the job

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 10:19:00 GMT

Is the candidate sitting across you the right choice? This can be a difficult and yet an extremely important decision especially now during uncertain and volatile economic market conditions.

Interviewing is an integral part of the hiring process as it not only sets the tone of the company but also establishes a culture.

Hiring the wrong person is not only a major inconvenience and financial burden, it can also be very damaging to your current culture. In order to save you from that headache, we have put together some tips you can use to hire the right candidate.

1. Experiences and accomplishments

Understanding the candidate’s past experiences/outcomes can help to get insights about their strengths. Past experience of a candidate should have a 55% chance of influencing the hiring decision.

It might even be useful to focus on how the candidate has engineered their professional achievements. This can give you an idea about how the candidate works in a team and how they celebrate their victories.

When the candidate is describing their background, make sure to pay attention to their voice and body language-do they sound passionate about their work? Do they sound experienced?

2. Value Alignment

This is undoubtedly the second most important factor you should consider after experience. Culture fit can have as much as a 45% chance of influencing the decision of the hiring manager. It’s important that the candidate understands the values and culture of your company. While it’s not necessary for the candidate to believe in the same values, they should be willing to respect and adopt your organization values. This will speak volumes about the candidate’s work ethic and attitude.

3. Talk about their career journey

Understanding what has motivated the candidate to move from one job to the next is imperative. This can give you an insight into their personality and their passions. It can help you understand what is important to them and what isn’t, what they would prioritize and what they wouldn’t care about. By learning about their journey, you can start t picture them into your organization and the kind of role they would play.

4. Ask them about their life outside work

Having the relevant professional experience is great but it’s important to know what the candidate is passionate about and what their interests/hobbies are. You are more likely to collect meaningful information about the candidate through these open conversations which can help you to determine if they are the right fit.

It might even be a great idea to look through their social media profiles to get a clear idea about the type of people they are.

5. Candidate's adaptablity

The situation has changed over the past couple of months. It is important to ensure that the candidate can work in changing environment and can adapt to different styles.

Open minded and coachable candidates can be a blessing to your organization!

In the meantime, check out some brilliant candidates that we’re working with at S2M: https://www.s2m.com.au/find-talent/ . One of them might just end up being your next employee!

5 Tips to Boost your Resume

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 15:47:00 GMT

According to DMR Business Statistics, there are approximately 100 million applications submitted on LinkedIn each month. With this huge volume, how do you ensure that you stand out?

Here are a few strategies which you can use to boost your resume:

Always ensure to keep your short description at the top as the headline. Make it short and simple and be very specific. Ensure that your headline communicates your value and fits the specific industry that you are trying to get into.

Adopting keywords in your headline is a great tactic as it helps to grab attention.

While the headline might not be the most important part of your resume, it can definitely captivate the hiring manager to read about you further.

While you might have had many job experiences and successes, you shouldn’t put everything in your resume. Be picky with what to showcase. There is no point of discussing your championship in athletics if you’re applying for a software development role. Make sure your content is relevant and fits the job description. In saying that, it’s also important to not fake it just to make it. Always be genuine about your skills and capabilities.

Easy readability makes a great impact. Make good use of the white spaces and divide your experiences into different chunks. Consider this:

Write about your outcomes and successes that you can boast about-interviewers will most likely to ask you details about those outcomes. Make your results stand out. Don’t just stick to discussing your responsibilities. Make use of quantifiable data. Using statistics adds value to your results.

Interacting with recruiters can be extremely beneficial and can get you ahead of the game. Due to their well-connected network, they have the best job insights and can give you honest feedback and even make suggestions of improvement!

If you would like to take advantage of S2M’s CV writing service, get in touch now on moreinfo@s2m.com.au .

Here is why Networking is so important for your career

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 15:01:00 GMT

Over the last few years, I have come to realize the importance and impact of building professional relationships through networking.

What does it mean to network with people?

Many people have the wrong understanding of networking when they think it’s about exchange of information. Networking is much more than that; it’s about gradually establishing long term mutually beneficial relationship with the people that you cross paths with. Whether the relationship is with the guy who makes your coffee every morning or a person you meet at a work conference, establishing a dynamic is crucial!

Does it play a role in your success?

Absolutely! Many experts have stated that the most successful people are often the most connected people. Connecting with people helps to broaden your perspectives, improve your skill sets, stay on top of trends, unlock access to resources and even meet mentors who can guide you in your professional journey.

How to network effectively?

Now that we’ve established the need for networking, let’s uncover some strategies. Everyone is different and this is why you need to know which networking style fits you the most. If you are an introvert, you might prefer to have one-on-one conversations over coffee or drinks. Find out your networking style here and decide the strategy which suits you the most. Once you unlock the style, you can start to connect with relevant people who can help you in your endeavors.

Create concrete goals

It’s essential to have a game plan in place. Have weekly or monthly goals of connecting with 5-6 relevant people who can share some meaningful insights with you.

Attend relevant industry events happening in your city. If you’re looking for new opportunities, you might want to check out Eventbrite Australia or Meetup and look for events related to your industry or interests.

Always follow up

Previously, I have attended several events where I shared my professional card with people with the hope that they would reach out but believe me, this rarely happens! Busy people lead busy lives and you should take it upon yourself to take names and numbers. You’ve invested time and effort in talking to them; you might as well make it count!

Make sure to send the LinkedIn connection requests with short messages reminding them that you met them at the event. It’s always a good idea to do this sooner rather than later.

Before asking for help, see where you can provide help and offer your assistance. Understand the need of the people you network with and know where you can play your role!

On a final note, remember that it is never too late to start networking. Start today!

Here are 5 ways to stay productive during this quarantine season

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:18:00 GMT

The outbreak of coronavirus has definitely changed everyone’s life from being in a productive state of working, socializing and having a home life to being forced to stay at home.

As the situation worsens in some parts of Australia, staying productive will be challenging.

So how do we keep ourselves laser-focused during this time of crisis? We have jotted down a few strategies which you can use after which you might consider this quarantine period a blessing in disguise.

1) First, it’s important to break your day into chunks

It’s important to consider that while you are at home, you are contending your timetable with others at home-so it’s important to schedule manageable time blocks together with taking dedicated breaks during the course of your day.

While everything else going on in the world is uncertain, at least your routine and your activities will be predictable!

2) Do not stop learning

If your schools or offices have closed down, or you lost your job, do not lose hope.

There are a countless number of things you can do to keep going and striving. Pick up a new hobby or focus on your existing one. Enroll yourself in a new course in Coursera or cook a meal for your loved one. Do whatever you can and stay busy and believe you me, once you start working on something, time will fly! I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying ‘an idle mind is a devil’s workshop and makes a person lazy.’

3)Talk to your friends and family every single day!

Talk to your friends and family every single day. Staying connected to people can help to boost your energy and help you stay positive. It also plays a significant role in enhancing one’s mental health.

Additionally, you can always connect with people virtually. Join groups on social pages. Interact with people with similar interests-you’ll be surprised to find some interesting people out there and you never know when you might get some positive insights.

4) Focus on your physical health

Wear your shoes and go for a walk or a run. If you want to stay indoors, there are plenty of home workout options-hold a plank for a minute or jump roles. Move your body and improve your mood immediately!

5) Practice mindfulness

Being present in the moment and centering your attention to what you are supposed to be doing will take you to great heights!

Mindfulness expert Gloria Chadwick says "by focussing on simple things like making your coffee-making it a special time to meditate-it can actually make you calm."

These strategies can help you to stay focused but make sure to listen to your local government and their rules. Take care of yourself because if you are feeling sick, the matter of being productive and getting stuff done won’t even matter anymore.

How to get a job during COVID?

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:06:00 GMT

The outbreak of coronavirus has changed everyone’s personal as well as professional goals for 2020. With the downfall of the economy, it has never been harder to secure jobs.

In such times of uncertainty, what can we do to find a job and stay ahead of the curve?

1)Be flexible to other roles

Don’t restrict yourself to applying for only one type of role. It’s okay to not get your dream job right away and step into a role which might potentially lead you into your dream job eventually. Do a thorough research of what recruiters are looking for and consider learning new skills to upgrade your resume. Remember that it’s never too late to learn!

2)Build your professional network

Keep your LinkedIn profile and other professional platforms up to date and let recruiters know you are open to positions. Join a few virtual groups, connect with people who have similar interests and you might actually land an opportunity.

Perhaps reach out to recruiters to know more about open positions, requirements and company culture? More often than not, recruiters have a bird’s eye view of the job market, and are very well connected with potential employers. They always know who is hiring. Working with a recruiter can give you the advantage of being in front of the queue.

3)Build your personal brand

Everyone has a personal brand, and this just might be the perfect time to build it and showcase it! Take this time off to figure out who you are what you want people to know you for. Ask for recommendations and gradually grow your online presence. Take up relevant opportunities even if they are small and tell your story to everyone!

4)Stay motivated and do not give up

Finding jobs is a time-consuming process and can take up all your energy. Do not get disappointed by rejections-remember that they are a part of life.

5)Revisit and revise your resume

Times are changing and so are corporate requirements. With everything and everyone going digital, you might want to put your innovation hat on. Consider new ideas and strategies of portraying your glorious career experiences-maybe make a video resume? This might be a creative way to talk about your experiences and you might even want to take this chance to show off your outgoing personality!

Remember that there’s always a silver lining! Change your perspectives, broaden your horizons and you’ll be surprised where life takes you.

Newest Team member: Anushka Onkar

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 11:52:00 GMT

Having lived in over 6 countries, Anushka likes to call herself a globetrotter. Working in different countries has armed her with a sense of adaptability and cultural awareness across multiple disciplines. She loves taking on challenges as it helps her to think, create and develop further.

She is passionate about digital marketing particularly social media and she is excited to leverage her skills and start her journey with the S-Core group working with S2M.

What’s your nickname?

Anu

Name one thing you’ve done on your bucket list.

Travelled to Australia!!

If you were to be famous, what would it be for?

For being the best dancer this world has seen.

If you rubbed a genies lamp and got one wish, what would it be?

To be able to eat anything and everything without gaining weight.

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Tacos

What was the last movie you watched?

Passengers

Which word or phrase do you most overuse?

OMG!

If you could go back in time and meet your younger self, what one piece of advice would you give yourself?

Don’t overthink about everything! Things will fall into place eventually.

If your life was a TV show, what would it be?

Master Chef

Newest Team member: Kate Gabb

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 11:33:00 GMT

Experienced UX & Product Design recruiter with 7 years’ experience both in London and Sydney across contract and perm, working with clients ranging from tech startups, inhouse brands, Government and global consultancies. Have also worked inhouse with network agencies such as WPP and IPG to develop talent strategies and pipeline.

Love working collaboratively with both clients and candidates, transparent and honest in her approach.

Originally from London, Kate moved to Sydney in January and is loving experiencing a new city and culture! Outside of work you’ll find her at a festival knee deep in mud and glitter!

What’s your nickname?

Name one thing you’ve done on your bucket list.

Moved across the world.

If you were to be famous, what would it be for?

Terrible fake tan.

If you rubbed a genies lamp and got one wish, what would it be?

To be able to teleport to London for a night out without having to get on a 24 hour flight!

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sushi

What was the last movie you watched?

Mean Girls

Which word or phrase do you most overuse?

Bae.

If you could go back in time and meet your younger self, what one piece of advice would you give yourself?

Don’t worry about the future, have fun now.

If your life was a TV show, what would it be?

AbFab

The Impact of Social Media on Workplace Culture

Mon, 25 May 2020 03:54:00 GMT

Use of social media for recruitment:

Tips on how to use social media to attract talent:

Benefits of social media recruiting:

How The Frequent Change in Google Algorithms is Changing The Face of SEO

Mon, 18 May 2020 00:08:00 GMT

What are Google Algorithms?

What is SEO?

How to watch for Google algorithm updates?

Employer Brand

Thu, 14 May 2020 05:54:00 GMT

Employer Brand – What other than money attracts and keeps people in a business. What can businesses be doing to keep their employees?

How to build a good employer brand?

Benefits of Employer Branding:

Newest Team Member: Ross Gordon

Mon, 11 May 2020 02:52:00 GMT

Ross joins S2M with a list of stelar recommendations from people he has worked with which are published on his Linkedin profile. He is an expert tech recruiter having successfully recruited across 5 countries and 2 continents.

As the Lead Technical Recruiter for S2M he will be the 'go to' contact for all enquiries in this space and is looking to talk to as many people as possible who share his passion for JavaScript. Below are a few questions to get to know him better!

What’s your nickname?

Name one thing you’ve done on your bucket list.

If you were to be famous, what would it be for? If you rubbed a genies lamp and got one wish, what would it be?

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What was the last movie you watched?

Which word or phrase do you most overuse?

If you could go back in time and meet your younger self, what one piece of advice would you give yourself?

If your life was a TV show, what would it be?

15 Minutes of Fame: Geoff Marshall

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 03:14:00 GMT

Question 1: What motivated you to transition into external consulting?

Question 2: What is the biggest lesson you have learned through your career?

Question 3: What's your best hiring tip/ secret?

Question 4: What is your number one tip for start-up growth?

Question 5: What's your favourite book?

6 Steps to Tastefully Market Your Brand During a Crisis

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 05:57:00 GMT

1. Keep your finger on the pulse

2. Always plan ahead

3. Prepare for change

4. Speak from the heart

5. Create Helpful Content

6. Remember: It’s all about community!

At Content Savvy , we believe in supporting our community, even through the toughest times. We understand that businesses are struggling right now, and want to help in a tangible way. That is why we have launched our special Supporting Local Brands Initiative , which offers our services at a discounted rate to make it easier for local brands to continue sharing content during this difficult period.

Engagement is not enough... nurture belief and see the difference

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 19:59:00 GMT

Four Big Mistakes That E-commerce Entrepreneurs Make And How To Avoid Them

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 23:43:00 GMT

1. Improper Development of their Website

2. Overly Exaggerated Description

3. Failing to set a Target Audience

4. Not Focusing on E-mail Marketing

Our Response to COVID-19

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 00:22:00 GMT

Continuance of Trade

moreinfo@s2m.com.au

Our Commitment to You

15 Minutes of Fame: Carl Hammerschmidt

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 00:02:00 GMT

CEO OF JOUST

Question 1: What motivated you to leave a large publisher and take a role at a start-up?

Question 2: What is the biggest lesson you have learned through your career?

Question 3: What's your best hiring tip/ secret?

Question 4: One fun fact about your company?

www.joust.com.au)

Question 5: What's your favorite book?

Secret To Making It In The Modern Digital Sales World

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 01:11:00 GMT

15 Minutes of Fame: Marcelo Silva

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 21:26:00 GMT

CMO OF ELEVATE SUPER

Question 1: What motivated you to take up a role at a start-up?

Question 2: What is the biggest lesson you have learned through your career?

Question 3: What's your best hiring tip/ secret?

Question 4: One fun fact about working at your company?

Question 5: What's your favorite book?

Elevate Super

5 Things to Consider in Choosing a Super Fund

Highest Growth Channel a Junior Marketer Should Delve Into?

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:05:00 GMT

Benefits of paid search advertising for retailers:

15 Minutes of Fame: Steve Marshell

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 21:11:00 GMT

SALES DIRECTOR (ANZ) OF TOTALLYAWESOME

Question 1: What motivated you to take up your current role?

Question 2: What is the biggest lesson you have learned through your career?

Question 3: What's your best hiring tip/ secret?

Question 4: One fun fact about working at your company?

Question 5: What's your favorite book?

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn!

Taming Your Inbox

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 23:42:00 GMT

For Gmail and G Suite Users

1 - Break your addiction

2 - Unsubscribe & clear the clutter

3 - Archive Archive Archive

4 - Snooze emails

5 - Stop creating “folders”

Would you like to know our 7 other Inbox tips?

Debunking The Buzz Words

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 23:56:00 GMT

Big Data

Modular Phone

Wearable Tech

Don't Commit To More In 2020, Commit To Less

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 22:10:00 GMT

How Much Super Do I Need?

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 23:38:00 GMT

Am I on track for the future I want?

crushed to death by a vending machine.

indicative standards

MoneySmart

online resources

About Elevate Super

Elevate Super

AtlasTrend

https://www.elevatesuper.com.au/

Important notice:

Technology Jobs: What's in High Demand Today

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:52:00 GMT

Cyber Security Professionals

Cloud Architects and Engineer

Full Stack Developer

IoT Specialist

Data Scientist

DevOps Engineer

5 Things to Consider in Choosing a Super Fund

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 22:28:00 GMT

You could argue choosing a superannuation fund is a bit like dating.

Choose wisely and you can look forward to a long happy life when you retire. Make a poor choice by ‘playing the field’, and you could suffer the consequences for decades.

But at a time when we’ve never had so much choice, how do we know when to swipe right on a super fund?

Here are 5 things to look out for when considering making the switch.

1. Fees vs. Fund Performance

All superannuation funds charge fees (some less than others), which can vary between funds.

Generally, lower fees are desirable since high costs can erode even the healthiest super balance over time.

Fees are rarely 'like-for-like' and easy to compare, nor are they the only factor to consider when choosing a fund.

If you weigh up fees and costs against the fund's performance over time, it can help with choosing which super fund is right for you.

Check out a super fund's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to get a handle on their fees and costs – it really pays to read the fine print.

2. Your Risk Appetite

Your appetite for risk may or may not be the same as your appetite for stinky French cheeses.

Your risk appetite is made up of how much risk you can tolerate or are comfortable with given your lifespan and earning potential.

For example, a higher risk investment strategy (a portfolio of higher volatility assets like stocks), is typically better suited to someone with a longer investment horizon.

If you are young person with your entire career ahead of you, your risk appetite will be very different from someone who is about to retire.

Look at your super fund's investment options and select one which best matches your risk tolerance and life stage.

3. Know what you are invested in

Do you buy free range eggs? Or Thank You products? We all know about the power of conscious consumerism, but do you realise you have the power to be a conscious investor too?

This means you have the power to financially support (or not support) companies that reflect your values.

It makes a lot of sense to align your investments with the future you want to live in and retire into.

Ask yourself: does my current super fund reflect my beliefs?

Once you’ve pondered the question, investigate whether the fund:

If you are with Elevate Super, you know that your portfolio of investments are selected because of their positive sustainable impact on the world as measured by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the best framework in our opinion.

Oh, and by the way, you can achieve positive returns and positive impact at the same time; sustainable investing isn't charitable, it's win-win.

4. Accessibility & Usability

All superannuation funds essentially offer the similar financial benefits.

So one differentiator that can give them a competitive advantage is a unique customer experience, underpinned by a technology platform.

Unfortunately, not all super funds have this, with some very much still in the dark ages of paper-based forms and once-yearly communications.

If you want to view your super balance with the same ease as checking your bank balance, look for a super fund which:

5. Insurance

Not all super funds offer insurance, but many do.

The important thing to ask yourself is: do I need this? What might suit my current or future lifestyle and needs?

Giving it some thought is worthwhile since your insurance premiums (essentially fees) will get deducted from your super balance if you elect to have it.

A benefit of having your insurance through a super fund is they generally offer cheaper premiums than you could individually negotiate directly with insurance companies.

So, it can make a lot of sense, but make sure you know what you are covered for and at what cost.

If you’re a member of multiple super funds, you may have excess default coverage, and could be paying multiple insurance premiums (fees).

Half the battle is simply understanding the different types of insurance and what all the terms mean. This My Millennial Money podcast/supporting article would be a good place to start.

Another thing to look for is whether you have been lumped in a Standard (occupation category) premium rate.

A modern, customer-focused fund should offer the option to answer a couple simple questions to determine if you might fit into a different occupation category, which can often attract lower premium rates.

This could save you a lot of money in the long term.

To see the effect of fees and rates of return on your super balance over time, have a play with this nifty balance calculator on the MoneySmart website - thanks government!

Superannuation is complex and constantly changing, just like your financial circumstances, so it’s not something you can ‘set and forget’.

It's your money, so keep an eye on it. Yes, you can't spend the money now, but it’s still yours.

Check in now and then to see if your employer is contributing correctly, and to see if you’re still happy with your investment mix – perhaps your risk appetite has changed over time.

If you’re an Elevate Super customer, you can jump online anytime to see how your portfolio is contributing to the SDGs, which of your investments are the strongest SDG contributors, along with a range of other cool things.

Happy investing! And remember, like captain planet says: “The power is yours”.

About Elevate Super

Elevate Super

AtlasTrend

https://www.elevatesuper.com.au/

Important notice:

10 Techniques To Deal With Post-Holiday Blues

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 22:35:00 GMT

How You Can Help Our Communities In Need

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 03:58:00 GMT

S-Core Group

Crypto Fire Alliance

Rural FireService Association

Australian Red Cross

WIRES

https://cryptofirealliance.com.au/

My Inbox is Overflowing, What do I do?

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 20:41:00 GMT

How to Scale Your Teams

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 21:19:00 GMT

After raising a chunk of capital and locking down some significant partnerships, you're geared up and primed for growth, but there's one problem, to hit your numbers, you'll need to hire 10, 20, 70 staff ... and fast. Recently, our MD David Jackson along with fellow entrepreneurs and successful business owners Fred Schebesta and Mark Ryan took to the stage and enlightened the audience by answering the question "so how do you really scale your teams?". Read more about it below:

Five Stats You Need To Know On The Importance of Candidate Experience

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 21:09:00 GMT

Eight Simple Steps To Build Your Personal Brand

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 21:05:00 GMT

1. Establish Recognition

2. Be Clear About What You Do

3. Embody What Sets You Apart

4. Be Memorable

5. Maintain Consistency Across Channels

6. Create an Online Presence

7. Build a Reputation, Not Just a Name

8. Spread the Word

Three Ways Sponsored Posts Impact Consumer Spending

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 19:33:00 GMT

Sprout Social

1. Advertising on Social Media

2. Algorithm Updates

3. Social Influencers

80 percent of consumers are likely to purchase an item based on friend’s suggestions

Top 10 Emerging Technologies for 2019

Fri, 05 Jul 2019 03:42:00 GMT

Top 10 Emerging Technologies report.

1. IoT

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

3. 5G

4. Serverless computing

5. Blockchain

6. Robotics

7. Biometrics

8. 3D printing

9. Virtual reality (VR)/Augmented reality (AR)

10. Drones

5 Tips To Help You Job Hunt While You’re Still Employed

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 23:16:00 GMT

1. Update your LinkedIn profile.

2. Book interviews for outside of work hours

3. Be careful with references

4. Get stealthy

5. Don't act prematurely.

THIS is How Your Social Media Impacts Your Job Search

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 22:13:00 GMT

2018 CareerBuilder survey

1. Tasteless comments or photos:

2. Complaints about your customers, manager, or job.

3. Sharing the status of your job search.

6 Simple Steps To Boost Your Productivity in 2019

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 22:00:00 GMT

1. Be Strategic:

Instead of what you can complete in a day, focus on what you can work toward each day. Experts say that organizing your responsibilities in a digestible way can instantly make you more productive . So, start your day or week by setting some goals or writing a list that way you can physically see your to-do’s being ticked off.

2. Be Honest With Yourself:

Think about how and why you are not getting as much work done as you need to: is it because you're tired? Or you sit next to a chatty coworker? Or do you go on social media too much? Or do you try to multitask? Identify what you believe is the root of your problem with productivity, and think of solutions that address that issue. SIMPLES!

3. Do Your Most Important Tasks Before Lunch:

Priorities and projects with tight deadlines should be done first. Do not get bogged down by emails or meetings, and do not let anything else distract you. Anything that "would be nice" to get done or does not need to be addressed until tomorrow or later in the week can wait, we all know that 3-5pm window is the worst part of the day!

4. Don't Multitask:

Trying to complete several tasks at once only makes you complete each task more slowly and usually costs you more time than if you focus on each task individually.

5. Cultivate space:

One of the primary needs that people require to thrive is a space that is their own. This can be a desk, a bedroom, or an entire apartment or home. The point is that you need to take ownership of some space, and work on making it somewhere you not only love to be but somewhere that inspires you to be exactly the person you want to become.

6. Don't Overwhelm Yourself:

Being ambitious is good until it is overwhelming. Then it is counterproductive. Trying to do too much will only cause you to stress, making you less productive and more anxious. So refine your to-do list, and be intentional about what needs to be done today.

6 Easy Ways To Incorporate Gamification Into Your Marketing Strategy

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 01:53:00 GMT

1. Know your audience

2. Relate gamification to your marketing goals

3. Establish incentives

4. Don’t complicate it

5. Set clear goals and deadlines

6. Review your success!

5 Reasons Why Accounting Firms Should Adopt Blockchain Technology

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 21:33:00 GMT

Blockchain is slowly but surely weaving its way into the centre of almost all modern business practices, especially transactional processes and for Accounting firms, if it hasn't reached your firm, it's not far away!

Expert SEO Interview Tips

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 00:39:00 GMT

Preparation

Demonstrate proof of past achievements

Know your portfolio

Be aware of what is going on in the industry

Meetups!

The Melbourne SEO Meetup

Prepare for technical challenges

Talk about SEO tools

Saijo George a Melbourne SEO

Closing the interview

Expert SEO Interview Tips

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 00:39:00 GMT

Preparation

Demonstrate proof of past achievements

Know your portfolio

Be aware of what is going on in the industry

Meetups!

The Melbourne SEO Meetup

Prepare for technical challenges

Talk about SEO tools

Saijo George a Melbourne SEO

Closing the interview

6 Ways To Seal The Deal In A Sales Interview

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:32:00 GMT

1. Tell Me About a Time You Lost a Sale

Bonus:

2. Walk Me Through a Sale You Closed

Bonus:

3. Tell Me About Your Targets

Bonus:

4. How Should a Commission Plan Be Structured?

Bonus:

5. How Do You Organize Your Day?

Bonus:

6. Tell Me About Myself and My Company

Bonus:

5 Reasons Why Accounting Firms Should Adopt Blockchain Technology

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 21:32:00 GMT

7 Reasons Why Recruiters Are Friends And Not Foes

Fri, 31 May 2019 01:10:00 GMT

1. Recruiters save you time

2. Network on a larger scale

3. Recruiters are in your corner

4. Recruiters want to place candidates.

5. You have access to more job opportunities

6. You have specialized skills

7. You stay in a database.

6 Easy Strategies To Drive A Positive Workplace Culture

Thu, 23 May 2019 01:25:00 GMT

1. Begin with gratitude.

2. There are only opportunities in business, not problems.

3. Setting Goals

4. Create a safe environment.

5. Don't leave your dirty dishes in the sink.

6. Don't sacrifice the important for the urgent.

This Is How VR Is Becoming The Next Marketing Tool For 2020

Tue, 14 May 2019 01:15:00 GMT

By 2020, a third of global consumers are expected to be using virtual reality (VR).

1. High sensory impact

2. Story-Living, not just Story-Telling

3. Consumes 100% of a user’s attention

4. Emotional Experiences

5. VR is transportative

6. Flexibility of use

8 Tips To Turn Yourself Into A Networking Guru

Mon, 13 May 2019 22:41:00 GMT

1. Volunteer

2. Arrive Early

3. Organize the Event Yourself

4. Enhance Your Business Card

5. Be Interested, Not Interesting

6. Choose a Magic Number

7. Use Socials

8. Follow Up

New Study Shows That AI Will Soon Be Able To Write Stories On Their Own

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 23:40:00 GMT

OpenAI

OpenAI GitHub site which is active.

Four Reasons Why Integrating Your Marketing Communications Is Essential

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 23:30:00 GMT

1. Creative Consistency Throughout Channels

2. Receive Better Results

3. Aligning with Customer Preferences

4. Overall Cost Savings

THIS Is How Voice Assisted Technologies, like Google Home and Alexa, Will Impact Our Lives.

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 01:37:00 GMT

Most of us all have become accustomed to our little mobile friend, Siri after having enjoyed the novelty of asking it questions like, ‘Hey Siri, what’s the weather like today?’ or ‘when will the world end?’

Five Ways To Maintain and Grow Your Brand Presence On Social Media

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 01:28:00 GMT

1. Focus On High Value

2. Overdoing it

3. Diversity Always Wins

4. Complaining Is Ugly

5. Share The Love

3 Ways To Protect Your Data On 'The Cloud'

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 20:00:00 GMT

So what is ‘the cloud’ and are there different types?

Cloud-based software is one of the most secure methods of data storage

77% of IT pros believe their businesses will be hacked within a year

Sophos

1. TRAIN YOUR TEAM ON THE CYBER SECURITY ESSENTIALS

IBM

2. USE STRONG PASSWORDS.

Six Tips For Strong Passwords:

3. DO AN INTERNAL AUDIT OF YOUR SOFTWARE.

Questions to consider:

A Study Shows The Power of Pizza on Workplace Productivity

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 20:00:00 GMT

How VR Changes The Candidate Journey Experience

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 05:25:00 GMT

It is becoming increasingly important for HR to deliver excellent candidate experience for numerous reasons, the first being that the war for appropriate talent is real.

The best candidates are likely to apply to multiple organizations, and just one negative experience could not only cause the loss of an amazing hire but also harm a potential customer.

Optimising the candidate experience with insight, communication and feedback will increase the positive impact regardless of the result.

This is what virtual reality (VR) can offer – a ‘real life’ experience.

So, how exactly does VR improve the process compared to tradition practices?

In 2016, Cappfinity Australia surveyed over 2,000 candidates who have experienced the virtual recruitment process. Because of the outstanding quality, communication and immersive experience, 90 percent of those surveyed said they would speak positively about their assessment.

The VR technology allows organizations to assess and deliver a set experience to every candidate, which means everyone is being assessed equally. It also removes issues such as over-preparedness as candidates are unable to predict what they will be or are being assessed on. This ultimately drives a more natural response and behavior from candidates.

For assessors, the benefit of VR is the level and accuracy of engagement in real life tasks as the behavior seen within these VR environments is more authentic than other traditional processes (e.g. interviews). This allows for a more accurate and transparent hiring process, which fits both sides of the coin - the candidate and role.

Does VR really support diversity and equal opportunity?

VR is an automated process, which gives a universal experience to each candidate.

This means that the experience is merely focused on the set requirements at hand; therefore it removes some of the inequalities and human biases present in other assessments (e.g. gender, socioeconomic status, etc). The technology itself can also be adapted for the majority of disabilities wishing to take part in this recruitment process.

VR technology provides an insightful educational process allowing the candidate to understand more about the company and the specific role they are applying for.

In turn, this will lead to improved brand perception, increased productivity and higher retention rates as both sides are happy with the process and the end result.

Ironic isn’t it?

It’s HR without the element of human error…

Five Must Reads For Incoming Artificial Intelligence (AI) Changes

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 05:14:00 GMT

It is no secret Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already making its mark on everyday life and as a result, business.

While AI presents great promise for businesses and industry development – everything from predicting customer behavior to managing large scale production systems.

This great movement also has the ability to leave a lot of employers and employees feeling out of touch in the rise of these technological changes.

As much as it would be great to have a one-hit-wonder answer to solve all your AI queries, that would not only be counter-intuitive but leave you with a narrow view on the topic.

Unfortunately for you, this requires serious research.

But fear not, we have that list.

Below is a holistic collaboration of AI theories and perspectives currently available. They not only de-bunk everything you need to know about AI but also give you the tools needed to form an educated perspective and prepare for the incoming industry changes coming for everyone.

1. The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity.

By Byron Reese, 2018
For: Understanding what AI will mean for us as a species, without getting sucked into a doom-and-gloom dystopian fantasy (think 1984 – George Orwell kind of dystopia)

2. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

By Max Tegmark, 2018
For: Facilitating challenging, thought-provoking conversations about AI, whether you want to impress folks around the water cooler or instigate serious AI strategy discussions.

3. Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

By Yuval Noah Harari, 2017
For: Combining hard science with stimulating philosophical questions around human identity. Definitely one to make you feel smarter!

4. AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley And The New World Order

By Kai-Fu Lee, 2019
For: Understanding which jobs (both blue collar and white collar) are most likely to be affected by AI, and which jobs can be enhanced with AI.

5. Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI

By Paul Daugherty and H. James Wilson, published March 2018
For: Providing a practical blueprint for business leaders who want to capitalize on the AI revolution.

What I look for in hiring a business development manager

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 02:24:00 GMT

Business development seems to be the sales buzz word of the decade. As sales in itself seemed to be getting a bad wrap from the 1990s, sales roles started to be rebranded as business development management, a hybrid role in between sales and marketing. In the digital era, it’s almost impossible to do sales without having at least some understanding of marketing, and as the two become closely intertwined, business development is becoming increasingly important.

So the question is, what do I look for when hiring a business development manager?

Technical experience is highly valued

Unlike traditional sales and marketing, the reason why business development is its own role is because of the nature of digital marketing today. By focusing on digital funnel creation, business development becomes vastly more technical than traditional sales and marketing roles. As digital marketing by its nature relies heavily on analytical tools, technical ability matters a lot.

Understanding of sales as relationship management

In business development, far more than traditional sales roles, the attitude isn’t about “closing deals” so much as it is about “forming relationships and partnerships”. Sales cycles can take months of work to form, and once the deal is signed the real work begins. Once the sale is done, the relationship is formed, not just with the business but almost always with the business development manager also.

Depth of knowledge on the business model

As business development management is a highly variable role, when interviewing candidates for these types of roles I almost always ask about what their understanding of the client’s business model. Know the business context of how their company operates is one thing, but having a true understating of where the margins are for profit and the opportunities within those margins is something else.

Ability in a proven sales role

Of course, like any sales role, sales experience matters. For a candidate to be considered, they need to have the proven sales experience to match the role. While I don’t hire on sales experience alone, having sales experience is the backbone of business development.

Interested in being a business development manager? Get in touch at kenan.arif@s2m.com.au!

Employee training is the best way to build a great culture

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 23:11:00 GMT

Having been in the recruitment business for almost 2 decades, I’ve seen my fare share of people come and go both in various companies. In recruitment, we spend all day reading C.V.’s looking for the various traits that we need for the client.

One of the most important aspects that we look for on a C.V. is where a candidate has previously worked. We don’t do this just to ensure that the candidate has the relevant experience for the role. Most of the time we do it to review that a candidate has the relevant training.

While a university degree is desirable, the best thing that candidates can do for their career is to undertake the relevant training. Most of the time this aspect of the C.V. is overlooked, but in the modern recruiting landscape training goes a long way.

Not only does training go a long way for the candidates on their future endeavours, but training can be the best way to grow your company culture. I’ll explain my thoughts below.

Investing in training ensures quality

Most people that show up at a 9-5 job can make it through their day based on either a) previous experience, or more often than not b) figuring it out on the job. You wouldn’t want the chef cooking the food you eat to have just “figured it out”, so why would you want the same for your employees?

At S2M, we spend loads of time training our staff to ensure they are best equipped for the job, and in turn able to understand the benefit for candidates that having that extra bit of training brings them. I personally believe that without the training programs that we have at our disposal, we wouldn’t be in the privileged position we are in today.

Investing in training shows that you care

By investing in training as a management team, you actively demonstrate to every employee that comes through your doors that you truly care. We’ve been able to train recruiters with little to no experience into superstars, and a lot of the time it’s because they know we care.

If you’re a manager with a high retention rate, ask yourself whether that’s because you hired duds, or if you just didn’t invest enough time and energy into making sure they weren’t duds?

It can be a tough conversation to have, but it’s an important one.

Work in recruitment? Want to take the next step in your career? Contact me through dj@s2p.com.au!

The 4-hour work week isn’t that fun

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 22:44:00 GMT

For those of you that are unaware, there is a book that has often been circulating around for quite some time titled “the 4-hour work week”. In the 4-hour work week, the author Tim Ferriss stipulates that an average person, with a little bit of luck and some excellent business savvy, could live very well on 4 hours of work per week. While this might sound great, it’s really not all that it’s cracked up to be.

Ferriss’ system states that by finding process “hacks” in his systems, with enough hacks you could vastly reduce the amount of time you spend working, and in turn by building a lifestyle business to suit your lifestyle.

The 4-hour work week probably won’t make you happy

While Ferriss himself has since used this “4-hour” brand for a whole series of books on hacking systems, the core concept behind the “4-hour” brand is that people would be happier if they did less work. Technically this might be true if you hate your job and don’t want to change, but doing less work does not equate to being able to build a lifestyle that makes you happy.

The 4-hour brand is defined by the idea that people aren’t happy due to the inefficiencies and time-wasting involved in their current lifestyle. By buying into the idea that happiness is equated with process efficiency, people can be lured into a false sense of happiness through their lifestyle.

The biggest problem that the 4-hour work week solves has very little to do with the happiness of the person that is working in it.

The 40-hour work week is actually pretty good

Statistically speaking, working 40 hours a week, and earning between $70k-$90k a year is actually pretty good if you like what you do. Some of the happiest people I know live the simplest lives, built around their own contentment in what they do, instead of what they think they should do.

And that’s really the goal isn’t it. Do what makes you happy, not what you think makes you happy. The rest falls into place.

How Blockchain technology is transforming the travel industry

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 21:10:00 GMT

Since Airbnb rose to prominence in the early 2010’s, the travel industry has been affected by technology in a way that few industries have. No longer do we have to head down to a travel agent to book a flight, we book hotels completely online through sites like trivago, we check out the sites via Facebook, we see the all the local restaurants on Yelp, and the rest can be taken care of by Airbnb.

As travel technology becomes increasingly prevalent, and the internet and travel seem to go hand in hand, the question remains; what’s the next technological innovation to disrupt the travel space?

The answer is in fact blockchain technology.

How will blockchain affect travel you may ask? Loyalty points.

Loyalty points are the biggest profit driver in the travel industry

It’s widely publicised that the reason airlines push their loyalty rewards programs so much is because they make more money on the loyalty points than they do from the actual flights themselves. Loyalty points present within airlines a fundamental shift in the way people fly, as instead of using flybuys points for purchases, the individual airlines have taken on board their own loyalty programs for their customers. Instead of being loyal to flybuys, customers are now truly loyal to their airline. I know for myself that I love Virgin specifically for this reason.

The Blockchain is the clearest store of value for loyalty points

While bitcoin has been around for almost a decade now, the idea of cryptocurrency is still foreign to many users. The underlying technology behind cryptocurrency however, the blockchain, presents in itself the cleared store of value of any technological system in recent years (with the exception of Paypal).

The way blockchain technology works is by taking a ledger (like a big database), and making sure that every person has a copy of the database, rather than one person. What that allows people to do is verify transactions without using a bank. This type of technology is really important when it comes to loyalty points, as for the first time a single airline doesn’t have to use its own technology to store the database of points, it can decentralise them on lots of different computers. In addition to that, with blockchain technology at the helm, loyalty points can be attributable to real dollar values, which can be spent across airlines.

While the use of blockchain technology itself might not affect us as consumers right away, in the near future we may see much better deals in exchange for our loyalty points (as loyalty points become more valuable).

Interested in blockchain? Get in touch at ryan.wilson@s2m.com.au

What I look for in a Presales Engineer

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 21:09:00 GMT

In sales of technical products, having the input of a software engineer can be invaluable. This is the reason that a presales (technical sales) engineer plays such a vital role in the sales cycle of technical products. The role itself allows for deals to be quailed from a technical perspective, with client needs being able to be better understood than were they qualified by a traditional sales person.

While presales engineers aren’t as likely to finish the sale off, using them to understand the client’s needs can not only establish the technical expertise in the sales process, but above all else presales engineering builds in rapport and sales empathy into the sales process.

So, what do I look for in a presales engineer?

Ability to turn objections into features

As it turns out, there is very little difference between sales and presales, especially when presales have direct line KPIs leading to sales. Presales engineers will usually shadow salespeople, and help sales teams achieve their sales goals by helping them in validating the technical aspects of deals.

One of the biggest objections, especially in enterprise sales is the constant questioning of functionality, only to finish with “well if it had this feature I’d buy it”. One of the key values in enterprise software sales is in pre-sales engineers being able to distil these types of sales objections into clear, distinct feature requests with a cost attached. So the first thing I always look for is the ability to translate technical questions into physical features.

Understanding of the sales process and cycle

Presales engineers usually need a very clear understanding of the industry sales cycle in order to be effective. With long sales cycles in enterprise, the idea that organisations can turn on a dime needs to be prevalent in all presales engineer’s minds. I’ve heard countless horror stories of sales people saying one thing, but presales engineers saying another thing entirely, and in the ensuing chaos the client leaves for a competitor.

Under a best-case scenario, sales generates the lead, and presales validates the opportunity for the client. If presales can present the solution in front of the client, with clear benefits and next steps, the closing opportunity can be easy.

Ability to build rapport

Above all else, the ability for the engineer to build rapport through the sales process remains key. It’s one thing to be technical, it’s another thing entirely to be technical while still being personable.

Think you fill in all these criteria? Get in touch at pete.bouris@s2m.com.au

Data or Brand: Colin Kaepernick and Nike

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 02:23:00 GMT

At the turn of the century, as the internet started to come of age, advertisers started to become obsessed with the notion of data being the key driver for all advertising. As soon as we started to measure click-through rates, impressions and clicks, we seemed to lose sight of what brands truly stood for in the process.

When it comes to digital marketing, using data to drive your brand can prove highly successful. Data analysis in itself is one of the most effective practices for building, measuring and learning about campaigns, but sometimes this causes us to start to ignore what our brands stand for.

Storytelling is as old as the hills, and in this day and age with social media allowing you to share a message, branding really matters. It looks like the tide may be turning back to impressions mattering a lot more for brands than the data behind conversions. I’ll explain a little more below, with

Colin Kaepernick and Nike

The Nike campaign recently released around Colin Kaepernick may mark the turning point in digital marketing where, for the first time, it seems like a brand was finally brave enough to tell a story in digital.

The campaign centred around Colin Kaepernick, a divisive NFL Quarterback famed for “taking a knee” during the national anthem played before NFL games. Taking a knee became a universal symbol of protest, and Colin Kaepernick became symbolic of the struggle of African Americans and police brutality in America. Pandemonium ensued as many conservative Americans took great offence to Kaepernick’s antics.

Sadly, at the height of the pandemonium, Kaepernick was dropped as a quarterback. Despite being a fantastic player, his demise became symbolic of the NFL’s attempts to silence protesting during games.

Nike of course saw this as a fantastic branding opportunity. After much speculation, Nike released its campaign:

“Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything”

The shift to brand has begun

Now of course, for a relatively unknown brand, the idea that you can allocate your campaign budget to a “getting to know you” type campaign seems absurd. Campaigns should be centred around conversions, and eventually impacting bottom line revenue.

For the first time in recent memory, a big brand launched a truly viral campaign on social media without the need to build a direct line to conversions. In doing so Nike made a smart bet that future audiences would remember that campaign for a long time to come.

In short, Brand is the long game, Data is the short game.

Who will win the Ephemeral Content war? Snapchat vs Instagram

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 21:07:00 GMT

Ephemeral content has been around for a while now, but it still seems we have barely scratched the surface of the market potential. While the market seems to have cooled in terms of Snapchat’s waning market capitalisation, as well as Instagram’s founders leaving Facebook looking for greener pastures, the ephemeral content war wages on.

The question remains, who will win in the end? Though Snapchat seems to have its back against the wall, it appears that neither of the two in the space has monopolised the market. Here are my thoughts on the subject:

Ephemeral content is shifting away from the brand influencer

While Instagram Stories may have 400 million daily active users, compared to Snapchat’s measly 180 million daily active users, ephemeral content cannot be valued on daily active users alone. While Instagram is a clear front-runner in terms of the users and audience, snapchat premium has been able to build a clearer path to monetisation from its user base.

Premium snapchats are usually reserved for influencers with bottom-less supply of bottom-ful content (that’s my joke for the day). On the other hand, Instagram has clearly built in the idea of sponsored content being the future.

It’s often been said that the era of the influencer is coming to an end. That might be true for brands, but it sure isn’t the case when it comes to people. In the future, at an individual level, influencers will no longer broadcast themselves using products to a loyal following. Instead, it is becoming increasingly likely that people will subscribe to the idea of “lifestyle influencing”, whereby instead of travel shows, people will pay for premium content to influence them in their lifestyle decisions.

While Instagram stories might have won the day, it surely hasn’t won the war.

Snapchat has a trick up its sleeve that nobody is talking about

While it probably isn’t going to be the next ground breaking feature, Snapcash, or Snapchats own payments system for its premium content is flying under the radar of many in the digital marketing space.

Imagine for a moment that a celebrity could earn a percentage of all the money earned by a franchise that it promotes. All that franchise would have to do is promote the geotag attributable to that celebrity for purchasing at a given location.

This is one of the many use cases for Snapcash. Though Snapchat is not famous for its execution, it’s definitely known for being forward thinking. Were Instagram to step into the space, we may see a very different landscape in Ephemeral marketing.

Though Snapchat hasn’t won the war, it has a long way to go before it can win any battles. With Instagram being clearly complacent with its market position, who knows where Ephemeral content will end up.

Want to move out of industry into an agency? Here’s How

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 22:27:00 GMT

Working in industry can be a great starting point for your career in marketing. While it isn’t easier by any stretch, working in industry usually means that you only are working within one product line, which can be simpler. It’s important to acknowledge that working in industry allows you to hone your understanding of the intricacies of product marketing, and in doing so, can set you up with all the skills you need to transfer into agency work.

If you’re looking at transitioning from industry to agency, you’ll need to look at translating your skills from one to the other. Here are 3 things to look out for when aiming to make the transition:

1. Never mistake freedom for simplicity

The best part about agency work is also the worst part. Having the freedom to work within the brief seems like it would give you all the freedom in the world, but understanding the client’s real needs (and not just the ones that they say) and the intricacies around their expectations is never simple.

A recent candidate of mine was speaking about this transition not long ago. They were faced with a simple brief for a digital campaign, and although the client was in a similar industry to what they had previously worked in, the amount of work that the client had to do for the same result was significantly more than their previous industry role.

When transitioning to agency, though you might think having more freedom makes the job simpler, it usually doesn’t work like that.

2. Agency work is nothing to everything

Traditionally speaking, agency work goes in waves. As agency work relies on client briefs coming in, depending on the circumstances, it can be going from nothing to everything in a heartbeat. Speaking to a candidate recently, the agency she was working for had finished up on an account, and for about a month there she had virtually no work in the pipeline. Then, out of nowhere they landed one massive client, and the last I’ve heard of her is that she’s been clocking 60 hour weeks every week for 4 months, but she loves it.

It’s important to recognise that while working in industry can be more consistent, agency can go from doing nothing to doing everything very quickly.

3. Agency work is about impact

If you’re looking at moving, it’s important to remember the little things about industry that makes it enjoyable. With industry, working a regular, 9-5 repeating pattern of work might seem repetitive, but at least you’ll get to go to the gym after (or whatever else it is that you do).

Agency work is deeply rewarding, and to this day almost all the innovations in branding, messaging and campaign management happen at an agency level. If you think about every single enjoyable advertisement you’ve ever seen in your life, chances are they were made in an agency. Agency is about creativity, and while it might take more effort to make an impact, it is definitely more rewarding.

If you’re ready to make the switch from industry to agency, contact me at gosia.barnacott@s2m.com.au.

What’s more effective for B2B? Inbound vs Outbound

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 22:24:00 GMT

In Business-to-business selling, sales strategy matters. As we all know, not all channels are created equally, and in B2B this is especially true. While there are many, many different channels to choose from, the fundamental choice all businesses need to make when selling B2B is whether to allocate sales resources to inbound or outbound channels.

Of course, it depends on the circumstances surrounding your product or service whether inbound or outbound is more effective. If you’re just starting out however, and are unsure of which channel to go with, I’ll make a case for either of these below.

Outbound channels are better for business-critical solutions

From my observations, in B2B it seems the most effective method of selling is dictated by how critical the application, service or product is to the business you’re selling to. For instance in the medical device industry (where most of the complex machines they use are critical for the practice to function), sales strategies are heavily skewed to outbound channels with registered sales professionals.

Using outbound channels where the solution is business critical is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, outbound sales are usually “comparative sales”, in that the product or service you are selling is some version of a “better mousetrap”. If the thing you are selling is business critical, most businesses won’t spend a lot of time wondering how it could be made better. In turn businesses will generally be more likely to accept the status quo due to the lack of available time to invest in researching a better solution. It’s for this exact reason that outbound channels matter, relieve the time it takes to research a better solution.

There are exceptions to every rule though, and many successful business critical solutions have found their way through a combination of inbound and outbound (CRM solutions like Salesforce and Hubspot are notable in this regard).

Inbound channels are better for soft solutions

Where there is a lack of urgency in the product, inbound selling seems to be the way to go. Depending on the context of the product or service, you’ll usually see inbound being a lot more effective where there isn’t a strong need (yet), so working to create that need will be paramount.

Running campaigns for lead capture buys you the time to create a sales strategy for each business, and in doing so, let’s you see what the best way forward is. Usually B2B selling for these kinds of products is about building a pipeline based around the awareness of the problem, as opposed to why your product is better.

Whether you choose inbound or outbound strategy, the priority is to decide where your audience will be. Once you consider how critical your product or service is to the business, and in doing so, use this as the driving force for your marketing channels.

Nick Davis come to Save us: Lessons in leadership, as told by Nick Davis’s 2005 heroics

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 22:23:00 GMT

In 2005, a very peculiar game of football transpired. The Sydney Swans, who had not won a premiership in 72 years, had found themselves in a bit of a strange place. A traditionally high scoring team, they were on the verge of an absolute whitewash at the end of three-quarter time.

With things going as they were, one could safely assume that game was over. The Swans had only kicked four goals, and a staggering number of behinds. No Swans player looked likely to score, and at the end of three-quarter time, it became increasingly clear that the Swans were finished when a defender, of all people, kicked a goal to push the lead out to 20 points.

What happened next, was one of the best things that I’ve ever witnessed in my 20 years of watching AFL.

Someday I hope that my future grandkids will ask: where were you in 2005, when Nick Davis kick 4 final quarter goals to seal a historic victory? And I’ll remember it as if it was yesterday.

Of course, as is mentioned above, the story of Nick Davis is a great metaphor to working in recruitment and leadership. I’ll explain the metaphor below.

Under the right pressure, performance can come from anywhere

Like the great Kevin Garnett said; “anything is possible”. As the story goes, the Sydney Swans captain Brett Kirk went over shortly after that goal was kicked and proceeded to tell Nick Davis that the resulting goal was on him, and it would be up to him to fix it.

Those words seemed to work. Nick Davis then slotted a fantastic goal from out of nowhere, and the snowball was in full motion.

Opportunities only happen when someone is willing to make them

The second and third goals from Nick Davis came through via two incredible passages of play. The second came from a mark, where David was surrounded by four Geelong players. Despite that, Davis went for the opportunity that presented itself, and found himself with the perfect opportunity. The third came from David running with the ball across the face of goal, and snapping perfectly for another.

These opportunities didn’t happen out of thin air. They were made through Davis’s recognition of the role he was playing and taking it upon himself to create those opportunities in the role. If a person is willing to create opportunities, then they also must be willing to capitalise on them when they come through. Davis did both.

Sometimes, even when you fail, you succeed

Davis’s last goal is one for the ages. With 10 seconds to go, from a ball up deep in the forward line, Nick Davis somehow found himself again with the ball in hand. This time however, it wasn’t really in any hand, as he slipped and fumbled it. On the way down he stuck his leg out, and the ball connected. The rest is history.

Sometimes, even when we don’t think we are succeeding, we do.

To Affinity, and Beyond: A guide to using Affinity for AdWords

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:20:00 GMT

While Search Engine Marketing has been around for the last 20 years, the way we conduct campaigns is constantly evolving. Only a few years ago did it seem like AdWords was under threat from the rise of social media (which of course we now know that social media strengthens AdWords).

The challenges around building an AdWords campaign in 2018 isn’t around the effectiveness of clickfunnels, or even in finding the key phrases to attach your product to. Gone are the days when simply dominating the key phrase associated with your product was the be all and end all of a targeted SEM campaign. No, in actual fact it looks like the biggest challenge to AdWords campaigns is in building brand affinity.

What happened to intention building on AdWords?

Intention has become so synonymous with AdWords that most digital marketers can’t think outside of the intention box.

Nothing really happened to intention. It is still the most effective fundamental approach to running an AdWords campaign. Completely doing away with using audiences built around intention is like watching a football game and electing to not play defence. In the same way “defence wins championships”, dedicating a significant portion of digital campaign budget to people searching with the intention to purchase wins market share.

Why use AdWords to build brand Affinity?

Firstly, let’s define what is meant by AdWords for affinity.

AdWords campaigns are usually run on the premise that the audience for your ad wants to immediately engage with your product when they make their search. For example, if I was to search for the term “best photography Sydney”, a typical campaign would return a result that contains a specific offer, such as “book now for just $75”. In this way, the campaign is built around my assumption of intention to purchase, which may or may not be true, but it isn’t my only reason for searching.

Affinity for AdWords involves placing your brand first instead of your product. Affinity, by definition is the process of building a feeling of closeness and understanding between people due to a shared set of values, qualities, ideas, interests, etc.

Building affinity with AdWords simply means presenting a different landing page for your campaign instead of a page that shows the product right away. A lot of people would find the process of seeing your product straight away to be quite daunting. Running an affinity campaign with AdWords won’t just help build up your brand, but it has many more benefits down the line once the customer is ready to make a purchasing decision.

How can you prove affinity works for AdWords?

Affinity building as a strategy is as old as the hills. AdWords is just the medium to do it.

Almost all advertising falls into either one of two categories: Pushing products or pushing brands. By pushing brand over product, not only is your brand better differentiated in a crowded AdWords market, but it is more likely to generate a better net promoter score from the customer being aligned to your brand.

If intention isn’t working, try affinity. You just might make your

How to build company culture: It’s about care

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:05:00 GMT

Working at a company like S2M over the last few years (more like decades, but let’s go with years for now) has been such an amazing opportunity.

Being able to build the culture every day is something that I have to say, I’m extremely proud to be a part of. People always ask me though; “how do you manage to maintain such a great company culture for so long?”

The answer is simple. It’s about caring. Caring about your staff, your clients, your candidates and of course, yourself. Probably not much of an answer really, but if you pause for a moment and think about it, how many companies have you worked for where your boss has cared about you as a person as much as they care about the business. It’s the reason we take our best performers on holidays while providing training and support for our lowest performers simultaneously.

What do you mean by care?

What I mean by caring is not in the superficial sense, of showing care through grand gestures or saying it out loud in front of an audience to they’re all acutely aware of your actions. Caring isn’t what happens at town hall meetings or daily stand-ups, by publicly recognising a high performing employee’s achievements .

Caring goes a lot deeper than that.

The great angel investor and CEO Ben Horowitz once said, when asked how he was able to manage his companies through two severe stock market crashes, responded with the following:

“whenever I was in a room speaking to anybody, I imagined that the entire company was in that room with me”

Though this might seem easy on paper, it’s really hard to put into practice. But that’s how I start with the culture. Toxic cultures develop from looking after personal interests instead of the interests of the group, and the individuals within the group. It’s tough to do, but once you get a real sense of who you are looking after in every meeting, your culture starts to take shape.

How do you maintain a good culture though?

If care is what drives a good culture, what maintains a good culture is the ability to live in a world of contradictions: flexible, yet firm, driving without being forceful, and so on and so forth.

Keeping a good culture means building on the culture with every single hire. We try hard not to hire only based on experience, and instead try to form a wholistic view on who the person is. Some of our best successes have come from hiring people with no experience, and instead training them up to be amongst the best in the business.

The only thing that matters

Ultimately, culture all comes down to one thing; How much you care and how you show it. What you do from there is up to you, but as long as you can show it in the right way, that’s where truly great company culture happens.

Trends in media buying in 2018

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 22:30:00 GMT

As technology changes and shifts the way we do marketing, digital marketers seem to be shifting their influence over marketing budgets to online marketing over traditional marketing methods. As campaign budgets are expanding into the digital space, media buying has changed substantially to accommodate.

There are a few big changes that have occurred in the time, namely that marketers are allocating an increasing proportion from physical inventories into digital media buying, with programmatic seemingly taking over the digital advertising space.

In 2018, as programmatic marketing is in full swing, digital media buying trends have started to emerge.

1. Video is still the most valuable asset

Since Google launched TrueView, the idea that digital video could produce an effective click-through conversion became real. With Facebook launching with video integration into newsfeed shortly after, video advertising still remains the most prominent in 2018.

As video still becomes the most valuable asset, those in the digital media space will continue to hone their efforts into building engaging content and thoughtful video advertising, as video maintains its dominance in the digital advertising space.

2. Audiences tailoring matters more than ever

Tailoring messages to video can be difficult, as audiences are becoming increasingly aware to the prospect of being sold to within social media.

While using video is effective, being able to understand how audiences interact with the video has become increasingly important. I’ve seen one in-house advertising department burn through serious cash ($300k a month!) on online video campaigns, only to fail to cater to the right audience.

Building an audience around your inventory is becoming more in vogue, as people are seeing the rewards of using video to fill in the gaps within the market.

3. Fraud detection is on the rise

With the rise in fake news, it’s hard to imagine this trend continuing without continuous fightback. Fraud detection tools are becoming increasingly popular, and advertisers and publishers are taking the necessary precautions to ensure that their clients don’t fall into the trap of these untrustworthy sites. As a consequence of the global review into the effectiveness of media, publishers and advertisers have begun developing standard practices to eliminate fraud also.

Above all else, as the core audiences shift from traditional media to digital media, media agencies are constantly having to adapt to suit the audience. “Go to where the people are” has never mattered more than in digital media buying, and soon we may see media buying shift entirely to digital. We will have to wait and see.

The next big marketing leap: Voice Search Marketing

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 21:59:00 GMT

When Siri was released in the later part of 2010, alongside the release of the iPhone 4S, it brought with it the start of the voice command revolution. Not too long after we were saying things like “Hey Siri”, “Ok Google” and even “Alexa…”.

Notice how all the commands have three syllables?

The reason for the rise in these 3 syllabled commands for voice search is part of a much larger technological revolution in voice search, and its happening right before our very eyes.

Voice search means voice SEM

Voice search works a little bit differently to traditional search.

In traditional search, people start by mapping out the intentions behind peoples phrasing of words compared to how close they are to buying a certain product. Because traditional search is visual, the relative positioning of your search term to the top of the page is the primary driver for search engine optimisation and advertisements.

In voice search, you can’t exactly see the results. So how do you use voice search to run campaigns?

There are two big factors that voice search can capitalise on, that traditional search was never able to. Voice search can capture intentions in the home, and by extension, cater to a completely different audience for selling products.

Micro-location Intention Mapping

There is something lurking in these “smart home” solutions that nobody is talking about. Have you ever noticed that generally, when you buy a smart home device, that it asks you to nominate what room the smart home device is in? Why do you think it asks you to do that?

The reason that Google, Apple, or Amazon asks you to name the room that the device sits in is because, on a long enough timeline, audiences will start to be split into categories of what room the device is residing in.

Imagine going into your fridge and seeing a distinct lack of food. You can make a decision in a split second that you are hungry (biologically speaking), and without thinking can say “Ok Google, order me a pizza”. A large pizza chain has now bid for the location audience “kitchen”, and google says “Ok, howbout pizza hut?”.

Micro-location intention mapping gives marketers the ability to “break in” to the home, which is something that marketers were previously only able to do with television or radio. In times gone by, radio was the dominating force behind advertising. Families would sit on the couch and listen to the “wireless”.

With Voice Search, we might just be heading back to those times. With the rise in e-commerce in the home, it’s only a matter of time before our “smart home” systems start to advertise directly to us. We will have to wait and see, but Google and Amazon may be set for a titanic war.

What I look for when hiring a front-end dev

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 19:51:00 GMT

What’s the first thing you’d expect to look for in a front-end developer role?

When hiring for a front-end developer role, you could safely assume that the first thing that I look for is experience. While you may be correct in assuming that, there are still a load of other qualities that I look for when hiring.

When hiring for a front-end developer, there are a few elements on a C.V. that help candidates stand out from others. I’ll list them out below.

Education

The first thing that always stands out when looking for developers is their education background. While education does not equate to experience, getting off on the right foot can mean wonders for your career when it comes to front-end technology.

Not all computer science programs are created equal. In the U.S., is widely expected that a Stanford or MIT graduate could code better than a Duke University computer science graduate. The same can be said for certain educational institutions in Australia.

While education matters, it isn’t the be all or end all when it comes to technology. There are many, many developers I’ve seen that have been self-taught and extremely talented. In this way, the education also matters a lot. If someone is self-taught, it shows they had the drive and motivation to make something happen, instead of simply being spoon-fed information from their University.

Companies they’ve worked with

Generally speaking, strongly branded companies deliver candidates with strong personal brands. For front-end developers, this is no different. Quite often you’ll find people who have worked for companies that are quite successful will have a much better experience of building successful products, and in doing so, will have a better understanding of successful implementations.

Of course, that’s not to say that they’re guaranteed to be a perfect fit for their company. The difficulty in finding a culture fit for developers can be tough, but it’s always important to be able to see where someone has worked to determine the likelihood of culture fit.

Technologies

Finally, front-end technologies are always the thing that we look for when hiring a front-end developer. As front-end technology is forever changing, finding people that have previously developed in the specific library or framework is always a key factor in hiring decisions.

For example, Front-End developers that have never developed in NodeJS will have a tough time learning the technology while on the job. The difficulty for developers in upskilling on the job remains a key driver behind whether we look at making a placement, because most of the learning for the new language is expected to be done beforehand.

So, there you have it.

Are you a front-end developer looking for work? Get in touch!

Voice technology: What does it take to build a voice application

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 03:09:00 GMT

Just a few years ago, building a voice application seemed to be all the rage.

Applications like Dragon Dictation seemed to be all the rage, and the concept that people could dictate their words into complete sentences captured the imagination of tech-heads all over the world. Since then, voice applications have become somewhat arbitrary. With smart home applications like Siri, Google Home and Alexa dominating the voice application airwaves, you’d be forgiven in thinking that building voice applications is a lost cause.

It turns out the opposite is true.

Voice command applications are going to be big

Though we don’t see voice command applications coming on the market any time soon to outbid the likes of Alexa and Google Home, soon all applications will demand some degree of vocal technology to stay ahead of the curb.

Though we currently have voice applications dominating maps, song choices and so on, the likelihood that we will be able to demand our smart home hubs to help us buy airplane tickets, dinner and even organise our birthdays creates a future demand that well exceeds current supply.

So the question now remains, what does it take to build a voice application?

The challenge in voice applications is in inputs and throughputs

It’s not hard to get Siri to say stuff. Writing a simple application with a dictation function is quite easy to do. The hard part in creating a voice application is in integrating directly with voice commands in iOS, Android, and generating a meaningful throughput. The best place to start is VoiceXML, which is the international standard for building voice to computer interfaces.

Why build a voice application?

Smart home applications are starting to appear on the market, and will look to take over the company as a whole by 2020. In fact, by 2023 the smart home market will set to be worth $137.91B USD, increasing by almost 20% a year thereafter.

In the not-too distant future, integration with smart home technology will become one of the biggest markets on earth.

A guide to running social media campaigns for B2B

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 21:38:00 GMT

Most B2B companies seem to view social media as an irrelevant channel. It’s often argued that social media seems to be reserved for consumers only. While it may be true that social media is a lot more popular for consumers than it is for businesses, to completely ignore it is selling your B2B short.

Most digital advertising campaigns run on one of three categories: affinity, intention and remarketing. Social media channels might find it difficult to capture an audience based around intention, but there are definitely a few scenarios where social media can be highly effective for B2B companies.

Social media for dynamic prospecting

Social media is a great way to engage an audience at the very start of their journey to purchase. If you map out a complete timeline of purchasing decision for B2B end-to-end, you will see that at a certain point you need to capture an audience.

Dynamic prospecting is the basic idea of using machine learning to predict which news feed items that your audience would most likely want to see. Unbeknownst to most, Facebook uses the sites that are open on the same tabs as Facebook on a desktop computer to predict whether an audience would like to see a certain product.

Is it ethical? Debatable. Is it effective? Absolutely.

In social media, dynamic prospecting might seem like a gigantic waste of money if you’re trying to get quick wins, but as we all know, playing the long game is almost always better for revenue. With a long buying cycle, dynamic prospecting can be the best thing for your business in finding new audiences to target.

Social media for remarketing

Remarketing is usually reserved for Google display ads. While Remarketing is usually highly effective for Google Display, the effective click-through rate and cost-per-click make Remarketing on Google only really useful if the audience is on their way to a purchasing decision.

Remarketing on social media can be highly effective in certain scenarios, provided you install the Facebook Pixel on your site. If an audience member hits your site, Facebook Pixel will automatically tag that audience member, so that next time they log on to Facebook they will see your site. This can be just as effective as Google Display, and with a combination of dynamic prospecting and remarketing, you might find your B2B able to access audience members it never was able to before.

So there you have it. In short answer, yes, social media is relevant for B2B.

Accepting counter offers might not be such a great thing

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 20:25:00 GMT

In recruitment, we try as hard as we can to secure the best package for our candidates, which doesn’t necessarily mean the highest salary. A great package could consist of salary, bonuses, flexibility, lifestyle benefits, healthcare etc. Every now and then though, a candidate will entertain a counter-offer from their existing employer after handing in their resignation.

While this can be frustrating for a recruiter, given how much work goes in to get a candidate to offer and acceptance stage; accepting a counter-offer can be detrimental to the candidate also. Before you dismiss this statement as just the musings of a recruiter, hear me out…

COUNTER OFFERS (MORE OFTEN THAN NOT) CREATE EXTRAORDINARY EXPECTATIONS…

The biggest problem with counter offers is that they are usually formulated by taking an existing offer and modifying it with some ‘killer feature’, usually monetary but not always. Here are a few real-world scenarios (and scenarios I have been through with candidates) to consider and why taking a counter-offer can be counter-productive:

Scenario 1

Candidates that are leaving for a bump up in salary are often lured back in by their current employer with an even higher salary. “We’ll match what they are offering and some”.

Sounds great right? What could go wrong? Well… sometimes people forget their long-term goals and what this could mean for them down the track and more often than not it doesn’t work out how they hoped.

We have had this situation in the past and six months later we may get a call from the candidate to say they have been made redundant.

The employer has done so much to keep that person that they haven’t really thought about the long-term ramifications of paying someone way over market rate. This can then make it hard for a candidate

Scenario 2

Jane Doe is leaving to take a step up in her career. A promotion. She has been offered a great role with a nice little pay-rise too. When she goes in to resign, her employer realises how amazing she is and that they should have offered her a promotion month’s before. So, they offer her a promotion on the spot.

Jane Doe stays in said role and six months later realises the new role isn’t what was promised. Jane now regrets not taking what could have been her favourite job to date in favour of “well I know the company so I might as well stay”. Jane is also then back to square one and has to start the (sometimes) long hunt for a new role all over again.

Scenario 3

John Doe is working 60 hours a week and decides to leave for a better work/ life balance and less hours. When he goes in to resign and explains why, his employer tells him they promise to get him a junior person in to support him so he doesn’t have to work such crazy hours.

John stays. And waits patiently for the junior role to be signed off by Finance.

Can you guess what happens next? It’s now three months later and John still hasn’t been given the green light to recruit.

And yep…you guessed it…John is still working 60 hours a week.

Not cool right? Poor John just turned down the role that would have allowed him to spend an extra 20 hours a week with his family and friends.

Now you might think these scenarios are made up but in my almost 9 years in recruitment I have been through all of these scenarios with candidates and some. There are heaps more examples I could give but this is online and you’ve probably already lost interest.

IF…you are still reading. Thank you.

One more thing I want to raise is accepting counter-offers can cause a lack of trust. You’ve resigned once, what’s stopping you from doing it again. Can an employer ever really trust an employee that’s already resigned?

To finish up, and I truly mean this from the bottom of my heart, THINK SERIOUSLY BEFORE ACCEPTING A COUNTER OFFER. Sometimes accepting a counter-offer will be the best decision you ever made but unfortunately, it’s often not. Or it’s short lived and you are back to square one.

Make sure whatever decision you do make works for you…both short-term and long. Accepting a $10k pay-rise or a knee-jerk promotion could just cost you that dream role with the $50k pay-rise in the next few years.

Happy (job) hunting…

Sheryl Sandberg: Lessons from Lean In

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 01:58:00 GMT

Recently, Facebook has come under fire from all sides for the way it has handled customer data. Earlier this year, following the issue of Cambridge Analytica saga whereby millions of users had their data compromised resulting in highly suggestive and targeted advertising helping to sway the U.S. Election towards Donald Trump, it looked like Facebook was almost done for.

Why would anybody keep using Facebook if they knew that their data was being sold to the highest bidder?

People are still using Facebook. Not only that, but Facebook advertising spend is still holding steady. So the question really remains, after all is said and done, how is it that Facebook was able to maintain its user base, and subsequently its employee base, amidst these trials and tribulations?

One such theory is that while Mark Zuckerberg bore the brunt of the backlash on Facebook, one other person stood out as being the true anchor of the company, steering the ship through thick and thin.

That person is Sheryl Sandberg.

Why Sheryl Sandberg?

As Facebook’s COO, Sheryl is essentially the one person that is running the organisation on a day-to-day basis. Were Mark Zuckerberg to leave Facebook immediately, Sheryl Sandberg would be his immediate replacement.

What sets Sheryl apart is her ability to build enormous amounts of rapport internally, allowing for a caring figurehead to nurture the company during the tough times. Most of the things that she does to help the employees are outlined in the book “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg.

Sheryl is able to clearly empathise with people, based on her unique life experiences. By being able to relate to others, she sets herself up as an empathetic leader, and in turn ensures the survival of her company even as the CEO is hauled over the coals before congress.

Lessons from Lean In

Sheryl’s book, Lean In, is a clear reflection of her philosophy on life. It’s hard to imagine that Sheryl, being both a single mother (due to her husband David Goldberg’s tragic death in 2015) and COO is able to stay level headed when times are tough.

Sheryl offers some insight in her book Lean In , whereby she paints a picture of a woman both capable and calm, yet able to be caring and callous.

Sheryl’s biggest takeaways for Facebook:

- Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion: Sheryl often comments that women tend to be “relentlessly pleasant” in business negotiation, instead of voicing their true opinion.

- Seek your truth: it’s important also to be able to let yourself be truly observant to the situation at hand, instead of trying to interpret everyone else’s opinion.

- There is a myth of doing it all: Nobody knows everything. Nobody can do “it all” so to speak, so stop thinking of yourself as falling short if you can’t do it all.

Sheryl is a true hero of our time. We will see how Facebook goes in the future, but one thing is for certain; without her, they would not be as big as they are today.

Which is better? Agency vs In-House

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 03:18:00 GMT

I’ve been getting a lot of buzz from people about what the differences are between agency and in-house roles. If you’re just starting out, it’s important to understand the differences between them, and how choosing to go between the two could effect your career.

There are many, many different types of advertising agencies. From above the line, below the line, through the line, to digital and offline, there are really only two clearly differentiated types, Agency and In-House.

If you’re considering a career in advertising, it’s important to acknowledge both, and the advantages of either.

What is In-house advertising?

Simply put, in-house advertising is advertising that is run by a company, instead of an agency.

Though in-house advertising agencies are usually run very similarly in terms of structure, there are a few key differences that separate out in-house to agency.

Due to the fact that they work to only sell a single company’s product, they don’t need to pitch their ideas, and are given all the work they need by the parent company. They also have much better working hours generally, as in-house teams very rarely have to run on billable hours. In-house employees are often paid more, but the only downside to this is that the prospect of working on selling only one product takes out a lot of the creativity of advertising.

What is agency advertising?

Agency advertising is simply, advertising run through an agency. In this model, business development managers bring in clients, who are then pitched ideas for campaigns based on their needs.

Agency advertising, unlike In-house, relies purely on the collective brainpower of those within it to design a campaign, and to pitch that campaign to clients. The sheer amount of hustle and drive within the agency to be able to do this is enormous, but the payoff for success can be more. While in-house advertising usually has better base salaries, agency advertising has the prospect of commissions and bonuses, which can often be higher.

Working for an agency usually means a lot of long nights, but the work is a lot more fun usually. It can be stressful, but working in a high stress, high intensity environment for many is what gets the up in the morning.

So which is better to start with?

Depending on what you want to start with in terms of an entry level role, in-house is becoming increasingly popular for entry level people due to the level of training you receive. At a certain point, you can make a choice for your career, but this is where it’s at.

How to create a great end-to-end sales experience

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 00:45:00 GMT

Sales is tough.

Finding leads, qualifying them and then turning them into sales can be a arduous task at the best of times. It takes guts, determination and a whole lot of work, with very little prospect of a result at the end of it all.

The biggest challenge in all of sales is creating a great experience for prospective clients. Not only does making a great experience increase your likelihood of building a great client, but creating a great experience can attract clients through word of mouth, fuelling growth.

So the question remains: How do you create a great end-to-end sales experience?

Learn to surf

Creating a great sales experience is difficult, and there are so many factors that are beyond your control. Most sales factors are far beyond your control, so it is important to learn to let go of trying to control every part of the process.

Surfing is a great metaphor here. In surfing, you have no control over the waves themselves. The waves just keep on coming, and we have no control over when and how they come in, but we can definitely find a way to maintain balance in an uncertain environment.

The best way to create a great end-to-end experience is control your own reactions to the circumstances, rather than trying to control the circumstances themselves. The perfect client doesn’t exist, but the idea that you can be ready come what may will put you way ahead of the curb.

Most of the work is done before the sale

For sales, the hard part should never be converting clients to sales. If your clients are throwing out objections like “too expensive”, “not looking at the moment”, or even the dreaded “I’ll let you know in future”, all they’re really saying is, “I don’t believe this product is good enough”.

If that is the case, start by asking yourself: “did I say what was good about my product, or is my product really not good enough?”.

This can be a very tough conversation to have. It can be really difficult to acknowledge that your product might not be up to scratch, or your pitch may not be up to scratch, but it’s a conversation that has to be had.

Most of the work for sales is done long before the sale. If a prospect can’t see the true benefits of the product, it can be really difficult to find what is actually required to tip them over the edge into a paying client.

The best experience is no experience

Often, the best things that we do for clients go unnoticed in the moment. It’s only in hindsight that clients look upon the experience we provide, so don’t expect any recognition off the bat. If a client doesn’t acknowledge the experience, don’t think of it as them saying they didn’t have a pleasant one.

A lot of sales is beyond your control, but choosing how you react, understanding why your product exists and not expecting the recognition in return is the best way to create a great experience.

What’s eating Elon Musk?

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 22:38:00 GMT

Over the last few months the famed CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, Solarcity, Neuralink and The Boring Company has been behaving quite erratically. It’s pretty clear that Elon Musk is a very, very, very smart man. There can be no question as to the intelligence of someone that has founded that many companies, in that diverse a range, that successfully for that long a time. The real question has recently been, what is going on with Elon Musk?

What’s eating Elon Musk?

So let’s start with the basic facts.

It started with a flamethrower.

Earlier this year, in January, Musk’s company “The Boring Company” needed cash to fund one of its tunnel building projects. To do this, Musk’s company decided to launch a new product, a limited-edition flamethrower (which was actually just a fancy blow torch). Elon announced his intentions on Twitter shortly after deciding what he was going to do.

Reaching its goal of $10m in 4 days, The Boring Company had achieved its goal of selling flamethrowers as a way of raising funds. And so began a very strange time in Elon’s life.

It was pretty clear after this point that Elon could do things for attention, and simply use the exposure to make money. Capitalising on the exposure seemed to trigger a certain craving for attention, which has lead to some very interesting results.

The cave diver and the tweets

Then came the cave situation. For those that don’t recall, a group of boys became trapped in a cave in Thailand. When Elon found out, he took it upon himself to commission for the construction and delivery of a specially build submarine, designed to help rescue the trapped boys.

Of course, in the time that it took to build the submarine, the boys were already rescued. This clearly didn’t sit too well with Mr Elon, who took it upon himself to express his frustration via twitter.

One wonders what compelled him to tweet such things about the cave diver.

Dating Grimes

Grimes is a very successful musician from Canada. Grimes (real name Claire Boucher) tweeted a joke, that apparently only Elon Musk seemed to understand. They began to date shortly after, and immediately the gossip magazines and paparazzi had a field day.

Eventually, Elon’s strange habits began to reveal themselves, with some of Grimes’ friends tweeting about his bizarre sleeping patterns and so on. The one question still remains; Why is Elon Musk, one of the most successful and clearly intelligent people on this earth, leading a life craving attention?

Twitter: The sword of Damocles.

The biggest lesson to learn in all this, is that Twitter is a double-edged sword. For Elon, throughout all these strange times, his constant broadcasting of his life over the twittersphere has lead to enormous overexposure.

While he might be a massive celebrity, he is still a CEO, and tweeting out market sensitive information at 4am probably isn’t the best idea.

So to answer the question: Twitter is eating Elon Musk.

Stop. Hunting. Intention. On. Social.

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 22:34:00 GMT

Social media campaigns seemed to dominate the first half of 2018. It seemed like the gravy train would never end, as Facebook began to block various ads and enforce stricter guidelines in how they were managing their content, it became clear that Facebook had proven itself as an incredibly powerful tool for marketers.

Amidst the hype cycle surrounding the Trump campaign and Cambridge Analytica, many in the digital marketing space seemed to pour more advertising dollars into increasingly elaborate campaigns. Despite the constant need for variation in a digital campaign, along with testing, measuring and learning, it seemed that digital media as a whole thought they had finally been able to strike it rich.

While social media advertising may offer an attractive CPC, CPL and CPA, these come at a cost. Brands that are completely sold on exposing themselves through paid channels on social media platforms ignore the fundamental question that all digital marketers face.

Is the goal affinity or intention?

Many in the industry seem to point out the fact that digital marketing has the distinct advantage of being able to measure intention based on specific keywords, phrases and so on. For most marketers, the ability to measure intention is what gives digital marketing so relevant.

Affinity campaigns on social are still effective due to the lack of invasiveness, as consumers may be blissfully unaware of the mechanism with which they were targeted for an affinity campaign. In this way, affinity on social clearly still works.

The biggest fallout that occurred with the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the trials of Facebook appearing before congress, is that consumers became increasingly aware of the targeting mechanisms that Facebook would use to present ads to them.

By being more aware, it would appear that intention campaigns and “intention hunting” has kind of gone out the window. Why would a consumer actively click on an ad for camping gear, knowing full well that they typed in the word camping gear in messenger chat mere seconds ago?

The thinking of “strike while the iron is hot” is fading with increasing consumer awareness. Of course, digital campaigns do not have any issue in targeting based on specific interests, but seriously:

Stop. Hunting. Intention. On. Social.

Intention works for SEM. It clearly works for SEO, and frankly, it would be folly to suggest that intention doesn’t work in digital.

What doesn’t work as much is intention mapping on social. Social media users are nowhere near as engaged as people think they are, and as we all know, exposure dollars are worthless without engagement dollars.

That’s not to say that social media marketing doesn’t work. It definitely does, it just doesn’t work in the way marketers want it to. Intention mapping for a social media user, whether they are on LinkedIn, Facebook etc does not indicate their intention to purchase.

If you do find yourself intention mapping, try to do so from a user’s perspective. Give people the intention to be informed, rather the intention to purchase. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Localisation technology: Shaping the future of sales

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 02:25:00 GMT

In the early days of the web, exposure mattered. No matter what people said, the amount of “eyeballs” that a website could attract would mean that the company behind the site could IPO in a matter of months, and with an impossibly high valuation at the time.

Since those early days we’ve since learned that “eyeballs” don’t matter. In fact, overexposure of a brand can be to its own detriment, as consumers find themselves increasingly likely to ignore ads, even going so far as to employ ad blockers as a means of preventing “visual spam”. The challenge for marketers is simply, how do they still deliver their message without overexposing the brand, and ensure an effective conversion?

The answer to this is localisation technology. Smartphones have been able to revolutionise marketing’s understanding of where people are in the world, and by extension, what their intensions are when they get there.

Why does localisation matter?

Localisation technology is simply defined as using a persons location as a means to target a specific audience. In billboards, localisation can be an advertisement that acknowledges its own location. In digital marketing, localisation is a bit more complex. Localised advertising on Youtube for example, needs to take into account the trends that Google’s advertising algorithms have used to determine whether an ad is suitable for an audience.

On Facebook, should you find an audience within a local radius of your business can see advertisements for it. Though the conversion on this may not be particularly effective as a one off, but on a long enough timeline localised advertising can provide a better filter than many other types of audiences, such as intention (which is very common in search).

How can you capitolise on localisation?

While there are many ways to use localisation technology in advertising, the best place to start is to look at demographics in a given location. Once you’ve obtained the target demographic within a location, you’ll be able to form an audience.

Localisation isn’t everything, but it’s important to understand the power of being able to appeal to a local audience.

Cryptokitties is ingenious

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 03:37:00 GMT

For those of you in the cryptocurrency space, you have heard of a certain type of cryptocurrency token known as Cryptokitties. For the uninititiated, Cryptokitties are a cryptographically generated picture of a cat, that ultimately can be bought and sold as a digital collectible. While this might seem like a ridiculous premise, Cryptokitties is actually ingenious.

Let me explain my logic as follows. Cryptokitties themselves, are of little to no inherent value. They are simply a digital picture of a cartoon cat. The cartoon cats themselves do not represent anything other than their attributes (fluffy tail, eye colour etc), but the underlying technology is game-changing.

The ERC-721 Crypto token

Cryptokitties are built on the ERC-721 token standard. This standard is revolutionary in the world of cryptocurrency, due to the problem of fungibility. Fungibility is the ability for a particular item to be able to express its unique values. For tokens, ERC-721 is revolutionary technology because it gives them the ability to be unique at an individual level, instead of being just another token.

By minting a token that is individual in nature, tokens can be valued according to the digital asset they represent.

Why is this important?

If you follow ICOs, you’ll know that the ICO market has gone through a massive bubble. The bubble was caused by the token standard ERC-20, which didn’t have a clear definition of any attributable value.

The way around it? ERC-721. And who made ERC-721 happen? Cryptokitties!

What does serverless actually mean?

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 02:49:00 GMT

I’ve heard this thrown around a lot lately, and it seems like people have no idea

Serverless is a special kind of software architecture whereby the application logic is executed in an environment without a visible operating system. The difference between a serverless environment and a simple virtual machine is that serverless does not have an interface for the user to engage in things like server provisioning.

Benefits of serverless

I was speaking to a client recently about this. He mentioned that the high demand in getting a DevOps consultant on hand every release was starting to delay some of his release dates. The DevOps role as a whole seems to be stretched thinly enough as it is, so it would make sense to relieve some of this pressure through adopting a serverless methodology, to bring DevOps out of the operations side and more into the strategy side of I.T., where they are really needed.

Working in an Agile environment basically means that anything is possible. If you’re open to the possibility of using a serverless environment, you could find yourself making a saving in time, money and most importantly, the hassle of decision making.

Technology in travel – The Holidays of the future

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 09:44:00 GMT

Technology has unmistakably seeped into almost all aspects of our lives. In the world of travel, we don’t seem to see the same level of enthusiasm as to how technology can impact that industry. While technological advances are mainly concerned with the home, travel technology is not far around the corner.

Travel platforms such as Airbnb are continuously exploring new ways to help not only us as consumers, but the businesses who help make our travel possible. After some research, I’ll give my take on where the travel industry is at.

Blockchain technology in travel:

Blockchain technology has been a hot topic for some time now. As a decentralised ledger system, blockchain’s main aim was to be able to give users (and subsequently businesses) a complete, wholistic view of a database. In travel, blockchain is pushing a new frontier across a few different subsections.

The first, and most exciting area that blockchain technology is impacting travel is loyalty points. I’m sure we all have used loyalty points at some stage, such as Velocity points or American Express. These points are essentially akin to marketing data, which in turn goes to feeding the companies that accept these credit cards to begin with. The data however is siloed into industries and market segments, making it difficult to offer cross-selling into other industries where “value chains” can be found.

Blockchain changes all that. As businesses require increasingly sophisticated data sets, blockchain looks at making data more visible across segments, helping to better understand consumer behaviours with better analytics. For loyalty point startups such as Loyyal , blockchain technology helps to create multi-branded coalitions and partnerships, the likes of which we have only barely scratched the surface of. The consumer probably won’t feel a tonne of difference in their travel experience, but for travel companies this could be a game changer.

Facial recognition in travel booking

Though this has yet to hit the shelves, the stage is set for this to come in to effect early next year. Travel overeas could change completely once facial recognition technology becomes universal. In China, facial recognition is taking on a life of its own, with the technology currently being trialled for jaywalkers . The same technology is considering being trialled in airports around the world, and could soon replace the passport as we know it. In a little bit less “Black Mirror” and more “Jetsons”, some hotel chains are looking at using facial recognition or thumbprint technology instead of swipe cards.

A.I. in travel

Recently A.I. has re-entered the mainstream zeitgeist as companies are looking at A.I. for better recommendations for consumers in terms of their travel options. In the near future we may see the need for travel agents replaced almost entirely with A.I. recommendation interfaces, allowing users to be recommended places to go and things to do, in real time.

Though travel is still “old-fashioned”, technology is really pushing the frontiers of what we can expect out of our travel experi

3 ways that moving to the right company can enhance your skillset

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 09:20:00 GMT

In the digital age, job flexibility and job mobility have some very serious benefactors in the HR space. The idea that employees are no longer firmly planted entirely to the one company may seem like an act of disloyalty, but all it really suggests is that people have the freedom to decide whether they are the right “fit” or not at their given company.

Finding the right company to work at has some real tangible benefits. Not only does it help you improve your core skillset, being at the right company lets you improve your intangible soft skills.

Here’s how...

Technical Skills

As highlighted earlier, the right company can enhance your skillset by providing you with not just the right training, but the freedom to form a holistic view for your technical skills to grow.

I recently had a candidate who worked in DevOps and was looking at branching out to better understand how his business decisions within server architecture had an impact on the bottom line of the company. He was seeking an opportunity that was closer to the operations side. He found his place within an operations-centric role with oversight into the portfolio management that allowed him the ability to oversee not just the server architecture, but the real-time impact to the bottom line through his view of the portfolio budget and strategy.

The right company had let him build out his technical skills and branch out into a different field, to better understand business impacts. Had he been in a more siloed environment, this may not have been possible.

People Skills

Being around the right people lets you develop your people skills. Office politics and other elements of working life can often taint your view of people, and lead to a stunted understanding of dealing with people. Within organisations that have few open channels of communication, we often find ourselves sticking to only communicating to the people around us.

The right company will often have a sense of community, letting open channels of communication be right at the centre of their cultural identity. A friend once put it best: “open channels of communication are like the veins of the organisation. The older it gets, the less likely they are to be open. Eventually the atrophy sets in.”

The people skills you get at the right company gives you the skills to last you a lifetime.

Emotional intelligence

One often overlooked part of moving to the right company is that you develop your emotional intelligence. The right company feels like family, and this generally translates to a more intimate understanding of each other’s emotional needs. Being able to understand each other on an emotional level allows you to develop an E.Q. (the I.Q. of emotions).

Finding the right company to work for allows you to foster your technical skillset, and in turn your people skills and emotional intelligence. If you’re not at the right company maybe it is time you considered what the right company could be for you.

Titles don’t matter in 2018

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 03:36:00 GMT

It’s almost impossible to hire in 2018 without people delving into the title for their role. In 2018 it seems that titles are starting to matter less and less. With so many “hybrid roles” being created each day, and each hybrid role transcending their relative department, over time it seems that our idea of buzzfeed-like categorisation of “what personality type would go well for this particular role” doesn’t seem to cut it any more.

Here are 3 ways titles don’t matter.

A manager doesn’t necessarily manage people anymore

If we really stop to consider the title “manager”, how many people do we know that truly own the title of manager, while simultaneously managing people. Media Sales account managers don’t manage people, they manage accounts. Business Development Managers don’t manage people, they manage revenue streams.

The word manager has been used to signify importance for so long, but it frankly doesn’t cut it anymore. Business Development in particular is becoming an increasingly vital role for tech businesses, but very rarely will they have another person to manage.

Awareness in business is much greater

The reason behind our obsession with titles is largely to do with how we used to view titles in the days before technology. In traditional media, content curation was the job of editors. Processes needed to be stuck to or else nothing would be published. These days, content stretches far beyond the simple “full page ad”, with the number of clicks, eyeballs and click-thrus being placed front and centre of all content curation. There are many other examples of this, and they all have one thing in common: technology.

As the awareness of process has improved drastically, so too has the awareness of what is involved in managing process. A person working in digital media needs to know about the trending keywords, to create content that captures the zeitgeist. As there are technological tools available to assist with this, they don’t need to consult their manager so much as they need to make a decision and stick with it.

“Managing up” means that titles don’t denote decision hierarchy any more

The term “managing up” has come to denote the process in which people that are closer to the action make the decisions, and the people above have to take the responsibility for them. The idea behind this is that the people who are able to closely observe what is going on in their day-to-day actions are better positioned to make the call on what to do next.

In this way, the titles are starting to denote responsibilities more than they are signifying decision making. As we see this happening more and more, titles will slowly become a thing of the past. Instead, people will start to talk about their impacts within the business.

5 things to expect from AI in 2018

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 03:42:00 GMT

Artificial intelligence is by far and away the biggest buzz word of 2018. While Blockchain seems to be in a down cycle, A.I. in 2018 is trending back up in a big way. We are already starting to see practical applications of A.I. and Machine Learning making their way into every day business practices, and it is only a matter of time before A.I. becomes as ubiquitous as the internet itself.

Here is what to expect from A.I. in 2018.

1. Our definition of A.I. becomes clearer, so too the associated products

Most buzzwords that enter the zeitgeist go through a strange phase where people keep using the term loosely, to the point where it loses all meaning. Agile was the word of 2016. Innovation the word of 2017. A.I. seemed to be lumped in the same boat until recently, but as time has continued, and more and more products in the A.I. space are being built, the sheer volume of products in the space has meant that we have a pretty good idea of what A.I. is, and what A.I. is not.

2. A.I. in 2018 represents automated analytics

Automated analytics seemed to be a strange pipedream not too long ago. I remember hearing of Google developing a product in 2016 that was able to look into your Google Analytics, and be able to make clear and precise recommendations for what you should do with your website. It’s 2018 and that product is here. It might not be perfect but it’s starting to give analytical tools some seriously interesting results.

3. A.I. manifests in voice technology

We’ve already seen this type of impact at Google’s latest I/O conference. Though the interactions of Google’s voice technology that was able to call a restaurant to make a reservation were largely staged, a little bit closer to home is the personalisation of voice hubs, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home. As voice search starts to make “suggestion mechanisms” increasingly likely to shape a user’s preferences, A.I. will shape the way these hubs formulate a deep set of personal data that Google is able to use.

4. A.I. becomes its own product

Not too long ago we were talking about A.I. as a feature. These days A.I. is a product, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down in 2018. Products such as chatbots, analytics tools and automation tools are all in themselves A.I. being formed into a complete product. Sales cycles are long in these fields, so don’t expect every man and his dog to have one yet.

5. A.I. is B.I.

So, I’ll leave you with this tasty morsel. It’s not a trend yet, but it will be more towards the end of the year. For those playing along at home, Business Intelligence suites like Microsoft’s Power B.I. have been toying with the idea of taking their analytical tools and feeding them into a powerful suggestion tool, that is able to provide “truth” inside analytics. A.I. will allow businesses to see the “truth” in data, allowing business to employ a “robo-consultant” who is fast, effective, and doesn’t charge as much as a member of the big 4. Watch this space.

But I nailed the interview?! How to master the interview process

Tue, 29 May 2018 07:37:00 GMT

I had a candidate recently who came back to me after “nailing an interview”. When I gave her a call, she was ecstatic: “I really nailed the interview on this one. I’m pretty sure I have it!” she exclaimed over the phone. As much as I loved hearing the good news, I had to respond with “ok great, now for round 2”.

It would be amazing (and make our jobs as recruiters far easier) if organisations could take people from a single interview. Most organisations usually take several interviews before being able to reach a final decision. Like anything worthwhile, interviewing is a process. Here’s how to master it.

60% of the decision is made before the interview

To get an interview and even to be considered as a candidate you’ll need to give your C.V. Now just to be clear, this document is not just a collection of your work history. It’s much more than that. For many companies this document shows how you organise and present yourself. It’s not just about showing what you’ve done, but also about how you can distil it into information that they need to make their decision.

Add in a bit of due diligence from LinkedIn, and more than half of the hiring decision has already been made. Understanding this, you’ll want to start yourself off on the right foot by having a solid social presence and LinkedIn profile, and use your C.V. as the supporting argument. This is the start of the process.

Just because you talk about yourself doesn’t mean you’ve interviewed well

One of my favourite stories of hiring comes from a friend of mine. He turned up to his first job interview in jeans and a tee, not knowing what to expect. As soon as he saw everyone else in the interview was in their best attire, he knew something was up. During the interview, he struggled to talk about himself, providing only a few sentences here and there about his skills and experiences. When asked what his biggest weakness was, he replied “I’m shy, but I’m working on it in this interview”. He got the job. Interviewing well isn’t just about talking about yourself. It’s about being likable and relatable. If you can do that above all else, it goes a long way.

What happens next?

Post interviews are such a hard time for candidates. Unless you have a recruiter, you’ll usually be left in the dark straight after the interview, and just be left with a “we’ll call you” type response. As disheartening as this can be, it’s important to understand the process that goes on in the background. The second interview isn’t about finding out what you can do for a business, but what showing what the business can do for you.

Interviewing is a process. For clients, there is almost no easy way to sort or differentiate between candidates. For candidates, understanding and trusting the process is the only way you can really “nail the interview”.

5 predictions for media campaigns in 2018

Tue, 29 May 2018 07:29:00 GMT

2018 is shaping up to be the year that brands take social media to the next level.

No longer the realm of the millennial, social media is looking likely to be the biggest channel for brand awareness, giving companies the ability to push the boundaries of media like never before. Here are my 5 predictions for media campaigns in 2018.

1. Live video takes centre stage

Though Facebook introduced live video a few years ago, it built a considerable amount of traction around allowing individuals the ability to broadcast what they were doing in real time. Though novel at first, it soon caught on as being a great way for those in the media to reach their audiences and connect on a far more intimate level than before.

For brands, live video on the small scale represents a means to connect on the smallest screen. In doing so, we will start to see brands aiming live videos for a very small and intimate audience, to engage with smaller audiences on a deeper level. This brings me to…

2. Ephemeral content will take over

Ephemeral content, otherwise known as “content that disappears” is one of the biggest shifts I’ve seen in the media in recent years. With Snapchat stories being the realm of advertising, as well as Instagram stories, Facebook Live video and others chiming in, ephemeral content is set to change the way brands try to connect with their audience. Watch out for new, small scale content in this space.

3. Hyper targeting becomes mainstream

Through the power of analytics, audiences can now be segmented to such granularity that you can pretty much guarantee your audience’s interest if you target a small enough segment. The scary example of this are the various conspiracy channels online, but brands can use this to their advantage. Hyper targeting means taking audience targeting to the smallest and most powerful core. Rather than paying influencers to promote a brand, hyper targeting simply targets the loudest voices in the room.

4. Chatbots will dominate communications

Though A.I. is still a buzz word, there are now very clear ways that A.I. can work itself into brands and media. The best example of this are chatbots.

Chatbots are starting to generate their own content, and brands will look to take advantage of this in 2018. Currently, I know of several brands that use bots for their social media, and some are even starting to use it for press releases. Watch this space.

5. The influencer market will shrink

Though this may seem controversial, I believe the market for influencers will shrink, though we may get more of them. The reason I believe this to be true is that simply, people are smart enough to work out if an influencer has been paid to plug a product. Though we may start seeing more and more influencers pop up, the overall investment dollars made into influencers will shrink because simply, unless you’re naïve it’s pretty clear that the influencer doesn’t believe in the product they’re “unboxing”.

5 roles a degree in PR/Media and Communications get you

Mon, 28 May 2018 07:12:00 GMT

I’ve recently heard from a lot of graduates that their degree in PR/media and communications is wasted, sentencing them to a life of barista work or retail (not that there’s anything wrong with that). It can be hard when you’re fresh out of Uni to get enough perspective, and there’s no knowing where you might end up.

A degree in PR/Media and Communications can get you a lot, provided you know how to adapt your skillset. Here are my top 5 roles that a degree in PR or Media and Communications can get you:

1. Public Relations Manager

This seems obvious but hold your horses. Public Relations is a massive space to work in. For some, it can be based around entertainment and individual people, for others it can be based around public relations for companies, or even small business. The world is your oyster in this space, and when it comes to PR management, you can do anything provided you have the contacts.

2. Content Marketer

Content marketing is a great place to be in, and it’s an industry that is set to bloom enormously in the years to come as more and more companies understand how powerful content can be. Content marketing can be anything from shooting video, recording audio interviews, writing and can touch just about any skillset you may pick up during your degree. This leads into…

3. SEO Specialist

The single biggest area of content marketing is in the SEO space, particularly in blog writing and website copy. SEO specialisation doesn’t mean you’ll be designated to be a copywriter or blog writer, but that you’ll be able to consider your audience and how you can best reach them. SEO involves finding the interests of your audience as much as it does creating the content to match.

4. Digital Strategist/Marketing Manager

While it might take a bit of experience to work your way up to this point, working in digital strategy means being able to build digital marketing campaigns. One of the best parts of a media and communications degree is that you learn how to consider your audience. As digital strategy becomes the most important part of marketing for more companies, having this kind of degree will out you in great step. Especially when it comes to the advertising side of things, understanding who your audience is and their key motivations will allow you to form a unique view in digital marketing.

5. Social Media Manager

As Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn presence grows in significance, so too does the work that goes along with it. It’s hard to imagine a world without social media, and for companies that need to broadcast their message while receiving feedback, social media is the most prime way to do that. Communications degrees were made for this kind of work. Social media doesn’t need someone who understands the numbers and return on investment, it needs someone that understands key messaging and brand.

A degree is just a piece of paper though. What you do with it is what matters.

Experience Selling: Virtual Reality and Marketing

Thu, 17 May 2018 04:13:00 GMT

In the vision of the future portrayed by science fiction shows like the Jetsons and Star Trek, Virtual Reality was often portrayed as a means of escapism, akin to how we would view television or the internet.

I’m sure the science fiction writers of 1960s were well meaning when they determined that the world of the future was not going to be without products and marketing, but it seems they forgot the key element of Virtual Reality. Of all the things they got right, one thing that they didn’t foresee was the fact that virtual reality experiences would need to be sponsored, and in turn could take advertising to “boldly go” where it was never able to go before; Experience Selling.

What is experience selling?

I’m not talking about selling experiences in the sense that we have the opportunity to sell people VR experiences, like “imagine what it would be like to stand at the edge of a cliff”, or even “imagine what it would be like to fly”. Though these are pretty cool, they don’t give brands the chance to engage with products in an experience.

Experience selling involves being able to describe what a product can do for you, by painting a picture of an experience. It’s a really old school way to go about advertising products, and goes all the way back to the Mad Men era of the 1960s (oddly enough, when these science fiction writers were all thinking of VR).

Take the classic Mad Men example . Don Draper comes up with the campaign for the Kodak Carousel. In it, he describes memories as a means of experience, and the product as the best way to live out that experience.

How does VR translate to Experience Selling

In the Mad Men example, Don focuses on reliving his old life.

In the example he uses nostalgia, one kind of Experience Selling, to reach a serious and literal pain point with his clients. VR has the capability to take the same “carousel” and transport his clients right in to his memories. Though this forms the basis of the product's utility, the message is powerful enough that it would be difficult for his clients to shake from their minds.

Building on new experiences

And it’s not just the experience of nostalgia that is the best experience. Experience selling can range from very simple utility, such as experiencing a particular location such as a hotel or a new house, to very complex utility like revisiting a moment in time, or even something that could be anticipated in the future.

By being able to capture and utilise experiences, marketers can build on the already powerful notion of experience selling and translate it into an entirely different environment. The simple idea that you can experience a product or service first hand has huge implications. Soon, we may not worry about impressions, or even cost-per-click or cost-per-lead. The metrics around digital marketing could shift dramatically, to something like a 50% conversion rate on 100 leads, with a lead cost 10 times higher than before.

If this is the case, digital marketing as we know it may change forever.

Amazon in Australia: Powerful Foe or Epic Fail?

Wed, 16 May 2018 04:02:00 GMT

Last year, Australian retailers were graced with the presence of the most powerful force in retail, Amazon.

Retailers across the nation could be heard shaking in their boots, fearing the power and might of the tech giant. Some of the nation’s largest retailers began to double down on their “click and collect” deals, all to ensure that Amazon’s takeover of the Australian retail marketing could be halted. What happened since is very different.

Amazon did not have the immediate impact in Australia as anticipated. In fact, many customers have reported “teething issues” in the systems the company is famous for in the U.S. It’s hard to say exactly how Amazon couldn’t adapt as easily, and it may be too early to tell if Amazon will still be the “big bad wolf” of Australian retail.

I’ll give my thoughts on Amazon below.

1. Timing the Market

Though few thought this was the case at the time, the Australian retail market seems to be in the middle of a downturn. Like it or not Myer is on the brink of collapse, David Jones is almost certainly not doing as well as it had hoped, and JB Hi-Fi is desperately trying to shield itself from all sides to corner the electronics market in Australia.

Where does that leave Amazon?

Amazon entered into the Australian market just as it was facing a downturn. It is unclear how long this downturn will last, but it is here now. Though Amazon may have a seemingly infinitesimal budget to throw at the Australian market, it has proven that entering the Australian market is not a cakewalk.

2. The Clone Wars

Let’s face it. Kogan isn’t doing anything revolutionary. Catch of the Day doesn’t reinvent the wheel. These businesses are essentially Amazon clones, which makes it hard for Amazon to differentiate itself. Without that differentiation, Amazon has to fight on price, which is notoriously difficult in a market that is so used to getting “crazy deals” (JB Hi-FI, Crazy Johns and others frequently use this term for their low prices).

As Amazon entered the market, it didn’t seem to anticipate the power of the clones. These clone businesses don’t need to be as big as Amazon, nor do they need to compete with Amazon purely on price. Amazon needs to make the first move here, and it’s hard to beat someone that plays your game.

3. The Western Front to the East

Here is where I believe Amazon in Australia will struggle.

Many Australian retailers rely heavily on overseas money to fund their expansions. Have you ever wondered why there are so many Ugg Boots shops? Or maybe it seems odd that there are huge lines at Footlocker?

There is no secret that these stores are full of Eastern money, as people from China, South Korea and beyond buy in to their products. Many online retailers appeal to this exact same market by marketing products directed to this market.

It would appear that Amazon has not done this. Amazon has grown used to simply appealing to the everyday K-mart shopper, but without this market behind them they would find it increasingly difficult to continue operating.

Though it is too early to tell, it seems that Amazon has clearly underestimated the complexities in its Australian entry. Time will tell if they figure it out.

Personal brand: What is it and how do I get one?

Tue, 15 May 2018 04:08:00 GMT

Often time in recruitment we hear people talk about personal brand. Recruiters will say things like “build your personal brand”, “ask yourself, does this add to your personal brand?” and even the old classic line for candidates, “Raise your profile”.

The level of understanding that most of us have of personal brand is that it is to do with things like social media, our LinkedIn profile, our name, and all sorts of other trivia that make up our personal brand. To me, personal brand has nothing to do with these. Though social media is a powerful tool, there are countless examples of people who use social media in a way that doesn’t build personal brand, and even better, there are many candidates I meet with hardly any presence on social media, but a strong personal brand.

So, what is personal brand exactly? It starts with self.

I have split personal brand into three parts; Self-awareness, self-care and self-actualisation. Though these are abstract concepts, ultimately these are the three elements that go into making your personal brand. Everything else is just the tool to get you there.

Self-awareness

Most self-help gurus will preach the term “self-awareness” as means to enlightenment. Though this may be true, self-awareness goes far beyond Tony Robbins.

For your personal brand, self-awareness means being able to balance speaking what is in your mind with understanding your motivations for doing so. Self-awareness means being able to understand how you are feeling, why you are feeling that way, and how to balance yourself back to normal.

Self-care

This one seems to be simple, but it’s a lot more complex than simply looking after yourself. Self-care comes from being empathetic to yourself and being able to engage in the fine balance of self-deprecation with self-appreciation.

Self-care is the equivalent to the quality of product when it comes to personal brand. The truth is for many brands, is that their message is for quality and trust over anything particularly fancy. Coca-Cola has spent a lifetime building a brand that people will trust, and to build up enough trust in the quality of its product that it would take a lot to bring that perception down. Your self-care is no different. By having enough self-care, you can ensure others of the quality of your product.

Self-actualisation

On Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the self-actualisation is at the zenith, and for good reason.

In recruitment, you can tell the candidates that have realised and understand what they want to do with their lives. If that just so happens to be their role, then its easy to see why they are in such high demand. When we as recruiters talk about passion, what we really mean is your sense of self actualisation.

If you can incorporate self-actualisation into your personal brand, it goes a long way to showing how valuable you are to an organisation and will almost certainly inflate demand for you in the job market.

Remember, personal brand is not who you are on social media. Personal brand is who you are behind the screen, and by taking self-care, self-actualisation and raising your self-awareness, you are almost guaranteed to build a brand that will last.

Voice Technology is practical magic

Thu, 10 May 2018 04:23:00 GMT

We seem to be totally missing the point on the power of Voice Technology.

Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home et al seem to be fuelling a particularly interesting technological revolution, which at times doesn’t seem to resonate with people as being significant. To me, this marks the historic moment where humans no-longer need to touch their environment to affect it. Imagine the power of this technology only a few years from now.

Ubiquity in technology is a rare thing. Many people don’t have smartphones. Some don’t even have internet access. But it would be a very special moment if instead of having to push buttons, all we had to do was to give a voice command for our everyday tasks. As long as you have a voice, in the future, you’ll have access to voice technology.

As this technology is generally only prevalent in things like Siri, Alexa and Home, I’ll give some examples as to why I think Voice technology is much bigger than these.

Voice Technology is your friendly shop assistant

In the movie “Her”, the lead character falls in love with an A.I. The A.I. doesn’t have any physical features to make it seem any more appealing than an actual human, but what it does have are a brain, and a voice. If we were to distil what makes a person unique, or friendly, it would have to be these two features. A person also responds in a way that is emotionally appropriate to the other person they are interacting with. With only a few short technological cycles, voice technology could make every-day tasks such as getting coffee, online shopping and even just browsing, graced with a friendly voice instead of buttons.

Voice technology is the invisible force

As I mentioned earlier, the beauty of Voice technology is that it does not require touch. This represents an important milestone in human history. Many of the fantasy heroes we grew up with, such as X-Men’s Magneto, The Force in Star Wars, or Harry Potter’s many spells, all stem from the same concept that the people in these worlds have a distinct connection to their environment. This is all the more prevalent when you see that voice technology is in a way no different to a Harry Potter spell: “You say something, and then something happens”. Harry Potter is really just Siri in Latin.

Voice Technology could be the next Mary Poppins

The Smart Home is not too far away. Our homes will be increasingly managed by Robot vacuum cleaners and other smart autonomous appliances. We’re only a few steps away from the Sorcerers Apprentice. It’s not too far away that we could see our smart home hubs being akin to our Mary Poppins, able to answer any question, able to clean the house and fly off when the job is done.

We’re not there yet as far as the technology is concerned. The fact of the matter is that our computer chip speeds can’t withstand the sheer amount of computing power required to make something like voice technology appear as seamless and ubiquitous as what the future could be. Soon though, we might just see it become practical magic.

Schrödinger's Banker Loves Crypto and Hates Crypto

Thu, 10 May 2018 04:16:00 GMT

They say that jealousy is just love and hate at the same time. You can look no further than J.P. Morgan’s Jamie Dimon for evidence of this. The beloved CEO came out in public to state that he saw Bitcoin as a massive fraud. Not only did he denounce bitcoin, but he seemed to denounce all other cryptocurrencies along with it. Only 6 months later did Mr Dimon, and his financial services industry retract their statement, and another 6 months after that did the news spread that they too were working on their own decentralised blockchain.

It seems that Schrödinger's Banker has finally sprung forth from the banking sector. Not only do they love the concept that crypto can provide them with even less work to do, but they hate that it could render many bankers redundant.

Schrödinger's Banker

The great physicist Erwin Schrödinger's famous thought experiment centred on a cat. The cat, he so proclaimed, was both dead and alive, due to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. But for the record, let’s focus on the fact that he had a cat. The cat is important for this story.

For those of you that have owned a cat, you will notice a few simple things that make them incredibly cunning, clever and lucky, but with their might comes a willingness to disobey every rule you set for it. A cat can’t be trained. A cat can’t be regulated. It’s just a cat.

Bankers are like cats. They have their wits about them. They’re incredibly smart. They have some of the best survival skills known to man. But unless they have some kind of regulatory body to both feed them and pet them, they will probably run amok.

Schrödinger's Banker can’t decide if crypto (which is the one market that will produce bigger returns than both tech and mining combined) is the best market to be in, or the worst technology on earth. Crypto markets go against the very nature of what a banker wants in an asset or commodity, but they can’t help but look anyway.

Tom and Jerry: The Crypto Mouse

Perhaps more fittingly, and something we are starting to see a bit more nowadays, is the idea that the Banker “Cats” want revenge on the Crypto “Mouse”, but in doing so only wreak greater havoc upon themselves.

For those that grew up in the same era I did, you may remember a morning cartoon called Tom & Jerry. These two characters would go out of their way to ruin each other, for no other reason than Tom the cat felt compelled to eat Jerry the mouse. Though there is very little to be said here for character development, one can’t help but wonder that the Banker cats feel biologically compelled to destroy or consume crypto because it is a new market, and that’s what Bankers do when new markets come up. This is Road Runner and Coyote. This is Tweetie Bird. This is every cartoon under the sun.

Whatever the case, it is only a matter of time before we realise that Schrödinger's Banker is a ridiculous premise. The fact that the financial services sector can’t decide what they believe shows one thing. They’re uncertain, which means they’re hesitant. Hesitation only leads to making the wrong move.

Front-end development trends this year; What companies will be looking for in 2018

Thu, 10 May 2018 04:10:00 GMT

Front-end development looks to be evolving at an ever-increasing rate. With the changing of huge quantum leaps in back-end technologies like cloud and serverless, it doesn’t seem as surprising that front-end development has evolved alongside it. Aside from the obvious “React vs Angular” debates, there seems to be a few other trends boiling below the surface.

Here are the top front-end development trends of 2018, and what companies will look for in years to come.

1. Mongo DB

To some this seems like old news. MongoDB has copped some flack as late, for security reasons to its overvaluation as a company when it IPO’d. Despite the negative press (covfefe), people still need to recognise that the utilisation of Javascript for NoSQL databases is on the rise. It is somewhat of an irony in the development space, that front-end development is trying to make back-end redundant through NoSQL, and back-end is trying to make front-end development less empowered through serverless.

The biggest Front-End Development trend in 2018 seems to be the industry-wide experimentation with Javascript for back-end. Though this is still a long way off from being industry standard, it’s not hard to imagine a future where NoSQL databases are industry standard because of the lack of maintenance that’s recquired, and of course storage costs.

2. Gatsby

In the web development space, particularly in the gig economy for freelancing, there seems to be increasing demand for static site development. For premium blogs to high traffic websites, in many instances Wordpress simply doesn’t cut it. Static sites have arisen as a genuine alternative to Wordpress in recent years, stemming from their high security standards and ability to handle traffic at volume. One of the only issues with static sites is that they are notoriously difficult to turn into customisable designs without buying a theme.

Gatsby looks set to disrupt this sector by combining static sites with front-end Javascript libraries like React. That way, when a site needs to host its content, the content can be outsourced to a static site but maintain the same React library as before, making it look like they stem from the same site. This leaves less burden upon hosting, and ultimately a cost saving. Some of my clients have even begun overhauling their home pages and blog pages to reduce the hosting burden.

3. GraphQL

GraphQL seems to be an emerging trend for organisations struggling with their own REST APIs. Imagine building a Facebook-esque social media-style feed, with likes and comments. To create a given user feed, the list of posts in the feed need to be compiled from requesting at the next database endpoint. However, if you operate under this model you may soon find the application becomes exponentially slower if this data comes from different sources. To combat this, GraphQL allows you to use a single endpoint to call separate data sources. Many SaaS companies are adopting GraphQL for their data feeds, as it will ultimately assist with their scalability in the long run.

While there are many other front-end development trends appearing, these are the ones that are just below the surface, and on the verge of entering into the mainstream. Keep an eye out for their emergence this year!

Is it time to go serverless?

Tue, 08 May 2018 08:54:00 GMT

The evolution of cloud computing has produced some interesting phenomena in recent times. One of those is serverless hosting, which seems like an oxymoron but is a revolutionary “fork in the road” type technology. One day we will have to choose between “servers or serverless” environments, much in the same way we used to choose between on premises and cloud hosting.

Over time, it looks like more and more organisations will adopt a serverless software architecture, prompting the eventual question, is it time for your organisation to go serverless?

What does serverless actually mean?

Serverless is a special kind of software architecture whereby the application logic is executed in an environment without a visible operating system. The key difference between a serverless environment and a simple virtual machine is that serverless does not have an interface for the user to engage in things like server provisioning.

The responsibility of provisioning relies solely on the service provider. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a hosting machine there (as that would be ludicrous), but the management and control factor is strategically based on the service provider instead of the recommendations of DevOps person. Deploying applications through a serverless infrastructure could take the pressure off developers to build “within the box”.

Back end as a service

The best way that serverless can be described is as a back-end as a service, or BaaS. The concept behind this is for a third party being given the use case for the server-side logic, the third party can deploy the application.

As applications can be built with similar use cases on the back-end, third parties can manage them effectively without the input of the business. This type of BaaS frees up businesses to focus on other areas. Though there are other ways that serverless can manifest itself (for instance using stateless functions), but at its core serverless is about outsourcing the back-end to a third party.

Benefits of serverless

For an organisation to switch to serverless, what it needs to consider more than anything is the cost it currently spends on not just DevOps, but development time focused on deployment. Most organisations don’t realise that their time delay on releases aren’t just testing for bugs, but deployment also. A pretty decent chunk of project costs are spent on deployment, and if things are really complex, hiring an external DevOps consultant can push costs up even further.

I was speaking to a client recently about this. He mentioned that the high demand in getting a DevOps consultant on hand every release was starting to delay some of his release dates. The DevOps role as a whole seems to be stretched thinly as it is, so it would make sense to relieve some of this pressure through adopting a serverless methodology, to bring DevOps out of the operations side and more into the strategy side of I.T., where they are really needed.

Ephemeral content and the rise of real-time marketing

Wed, 02 May 2018 08:40:00 GMT

Ephemeral content has presented an incredible opportunity for marketers. While some see it as a threat to the traditional ways of marketing campaigns, others see it as almost as revolutionary as when Google first introduced Adwords.

What is Ephemeral content?

To cut a long story short, Ephemeral content is content that only exists for a very short time. Imagine a marketing campaign that only lasts a day, or an advertisement that only lasts for the few seconds that you see it.

Ephemeral content was popularised by Snapchat and Instagram (inadvertently copying Snapchat), who use their story features to interweave advertisements that only last a few seconds. The concept behind Snapchat’s own ghost icon comes from the idea that their content is ephemeral, much like a ghost who appears and disappears.

How does Ephemeral content benefit digital marketers?

A colleague of mine recently described ephemeral content as being like the “radio advertising” for digital content. If you consider how radio advertisements work on a show such as 2Day FM’s Kyle and Jackie O show, or even the classic soap operas of old, advertisements are interwoven into the story.

As radio is a constant stream of information, more often than not the most effective advertisements don’t come from the breaks in between conversations, but strategically placed phrases put directly into the content. In a sense, Snapchat is no different. It is a continuous broadcast of “stories” produced by people from around the world, woven together to create a continuous stream. This presents marketers with the ability to react to the content that is being produced directly, and make adjustments to their campaigns in real time. This is incredibly powerful when you consider the impulse that goes in to applications like Snapchat. If Snapchat can use data such as geolocation to pinpoint that a potential customer is in a shop, and on snapchat at the same time, a digital marketer could use that to create ephemeral content to impulse the purchase of the product they are selling in that given shop.

Put that on a wide scale, and you have a very powerful tool. Campaigns can adjust in real time, and they can work on a mere 24-hour cycle. Imagine not having to run a bill board campaign to raise awareness of a product, but instead just using ephemeral content to impulse customers in the moment. That type of brave new world is one in which digital marketing becomes an “interceptor”, able to intercept customers purchasing decisions at the last second.

But what if you aren’t looking at your phone?

This is the really amazing thing about ephemeral marketing. Ephemeral marketing doesn’t just have to be on phones. Even traditional billboard marketers like Ooh! Media are buying into the concept that campaigns don’t have to last for months. With Adshel stands littered throughout Westfield Shopping Centres, campaigns can be broadcast with only a 24-hour lead time.

Not only is Ephemeral content creating a world of real-time campaigns and marketing solutions that stretch way beyond the traditional methods, but it is giving marketers a chance to continuously review campaigns to re-evaluate success. This is the future.

The trend towards un-automation

Tue, 01 May 2018 08:24:00 GMT

What is un-automation?

To be clear, what this looks like is taking the raw customer data and sifting through it, taking much smaller sample sizes of customers, and analysing them “manually”, using qualitative reporting to gather trends. Taking a single customer and analysing their individual needs means understanding all your customer base’s needs subsequently. We don’t need huge graphs and charts, we need empathy and understanding.

What do you do with the marketing data then?

Marketing data is a gold mine. For digital marketing, the gold mine of data that can be obtained from Google Adwords, Social Media and other tools forms the foundation on which almost all digital campaigns are built.

Campaign analytics is not what it used to be either. Nowadays we often don’t appreciate the huge volumes of data we have at our disposal. As these tools become increasingly sophisticated, marketers find themselves looking for the big nuggets of truth amongst the data. What we don’t realise is that we already have all the nuggets we need. Regarding knowing customer behaviours and other macro trends, quite often these are so widely known that they become assumptive.

Un-automation involves taking data sets and studying them at their raw level. There are so many graphs and other trends that you can take from a large spreadsheet of data, but un-automation involves analysing a single line of data and extrapolating as much information as physically possible in relation to the customer as an individual.

Is it better?

Un-automation isn’t necessarily a better method, but it can present you with an alternative method of campaign analysis, which is especially useful if a campaign didn’t yield the best results. There have been a few cases I’ve seen recently where the marketing manager was struggling with understanding why her campaign was struggling. After some careful and thorough analysis, to take the time to understand the individual needs of some of the customers she had, she renewed the campaign with a focus on the individuals needs. As I understand it, this has lead to the campaign yielding far more this time around.

There’s no school like the old school

This type of analysis is a very “old-school” mentality. It involves market segmentation, needs analysis and other soft-skill type approaches to the campaign. It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it in the end.

At times in digital marketing we can get caught up looking at the numbers. The numbers only tell us certain aspects of campaigns, such as impressions, target demographics and other key metrics. It’s only when we take a step back and look past the numbers that we can see the real customer motivators.

The Top 3 tips from recruiters for improving your C.V.

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 04:19:00 GMT

It has been widely documented that a recruiter will be able to make a decision on viewing a C.V. in about 6 seconds. When I read this it made me realise that while most people have the experience that is required, quite often they won’t have the C.V. that translates.

I’m sure my fellow recruiters out there will agree, if I had a dollar the amount of times a candidate has shown promise, only to be let down by their C.V., I’d have enough to buy a lifetime of avocado on toast (or maybe even a house, who knows?). With the level of clients that we deal with, many of these are simply not good enough to showcase a candidate.

For your assistance, I’ve compiled together the top 3 tips from recruiters look for improving your C.V.

1. Be as specific as you can be about actual results

There have been many times that I’ve been interviewing a candidate to see if they’re right for a role, and they write on their C.V. something like: “was first in sales”. This is such a great thing to say, but the trouble is: “could you elaborate on that?” isn’t something you want to be asked in an interview. When you’re writing and reviewing your C.V., try to be as specific as possible about the actual results you got. I had a client recently reach out to me and ask me if I had any candidates that had achieved a specific result in digital media accounts management. As it turns out, I did find someone that had achieved those specifics. They got the role. Be specific (even though I understand the irony considering that story was quite vague).

2. Demonstrate your individual R.O.I. with irrefutable facts

Following on from the above statement, the whole concept behind demonstrating your results is to showcase that the company will get an R.O.I. on hiring you. Though that isn’t a pleasant way to look it, companies are actually making a lot of investment into you when they hire you. Not only are we looking at salary, but we are also talking in lead time for recruitment, training, and all the other stuff that candidates don’t really see.

It’s so important to be able to build a sense of confidence in you for clients to buy in to the idea of hiring you. You need to use irrefutable facts to state why you were a worthwhile candidate. If it’s not something with numbers, make sure that it can be backed up by a colleague or manager.

3. Make every word count

The most frustrating thing as a recruiter to see, is a C.V. that is reams of paper long. What a waste of a tree, people! The most important thing about any C.V. is to make every single word count. No matter what your C.V. contains, just make sure that every word counts.

Oh, and before I forget. Make sure that your C.V. documents all your movements, within a company and outside of a company. This is often a talking point amongst hiring managers, and it’s important to be able to talk about times that you did move up (which is good), or times that you moved out (which is an automatic red flag if you don’t mention why).

How to interview well – My top 5 tips

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 03:18:00 GMT

Landing your next big role can be hard work. Not only do you have to send out your C.V., you’ve got to work out how to interview well once you get in the door. Interviewing is one of the core skills of job-hunting, and if you don’t get it right it can really hit you in the confidence.

Here are my top 5 tips to make sure you nail your next job interview.

Relax

Having worked in recruitment a little while now, I’ve seen this happen time and time and time again. A lot of candidates seem to be perfectly suited to roles we hire for. Not only do they have the experience but they can speak confidently to their experience as well, which is what an interview essentially is. However, as soon as we get these candidates into discussing what their interview will be like, they turn to nervous wrecks!

Interviews are not meant to be like army bootcamps, designed to separate “the few and the brave”. Interviews are meant to be places where you can share stories, talk about your experience and have people understand whether you’ll be a good fit for the company. They’re not there to bring you down, they’re simply there to meet you in person. So please, just relax. Everything will be just fine.

Be concise (and don’t waffle)

Following on from the first statement, it’s easy to use that nervous energy you might have saved up to go on a tangent, and to eventually speak out of nervousness. This nervous talk leads to “waffling” speech, which is a tendency to fill your statements with excess words, go on tangents and repeat yourself. If you can, try to be as concise as possible with your speech.

Focus on trajectory, not the past

This tip especially applies to those that are working in the digital space. Digital is an incredibly fast-moving environment. Those that have worked in the space will note that it’s difficult to maintain knowledge at the leading edge, and by extension, who you are now is not who you will be in a few years. Try to paint a picture of where you see your career moving to, that way the interviewer will be able to understand what your motivations are coming in to work.

Paint a picture

We aren’t talking in terms of literally painting a picture. What you need to do is to use descriptive language when describing yourself. Telling a story of something you’ve done is very important if you want to substantiate a claim you have made about yourself.

Not only does it make you stand out, but if you can use descriptive language to describe events in your past, you can interview incredibly well. Most candidates don’t describe what their experiences have been like. Call on your inner Bob Ross if you have too.

Focus on achievements, not results

If you really want to stand out from the crowd, the best thing you can do is talk about your achievements, not the results. Most candidates get confused about distinguishing the two. A result is something that happened, an achievement is how you contributed to the result.

If you can relax, tell a story about your work and paint a picture of where you are going, you can interview well. If the interviewer knows that you can see where you are going, and they can also see where you are going (to paraphrase the best bumper sticker of the 1990’s); Magic Happens .

Zero Touch: How A.I. can impact Sales Success

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 03:11:00 GMT

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is getting to a point in the hype cycle where we are slowly starting to see the practical applications of it spring forth. No longer resided to the realms of Science Fiction, or a pipe dream of business technologists, A.I. has found itself slowly entering organisations as a complement to many departments. The most prominent of these is sales.

A.I. can impact sales success through a mixture of automation and deep analytics. We haven’t quite got there yet, but it looks like we have now laid the foundation for the “soft” rise of A.I.

The gentle rise from dough to bread

I’d like to touch on my personal view of the rise of A.I. At an industry conference recently, a colleague of mine commented that it seems like the rise of A.I. is not quite what science fiction lead us to believe. We don’t seem to be seeing an aggressive rise like the Terminator or the Matrix, rather a gentle introduction, akin to rising dough in an oven. It’s such a difficult thing to implement in organisations that it would be hard to see any form of A.I. being harmful to an organisation (in terms of taking away jobs etc). I just thought I’d touch on this in case anybody had any concerns about “the robots taking over”.

Chatbots can impact sales success

The most practical application of A.I. in the sales process is that of a customer service representative being complemented by a chatbot. But it isn’t easy to implement.

I was recently discussing with a friend of mine who worked at Telstra. Telstra was in the process of implementing an A.I. chatbot “Codi”. When we discussed how long the A.I. Chatbot would take to process a given request: “about 9 minutes on a good day”. Now, I don’t know about you, but 9 minutes is an awfully long time for anybody to do anything. Telstra was facing great difficulty in ironing out the creases of Codi. Things were getting so bad now that they were trying to find a way to get from Codi to a customer service representative as quickly as possible.

Though Telstra was having a tough time, others are having small wins.

Flamingo A.I. is having small wins in the A.I. space with its customer service bots Maggie and Rosie. Though not on the same scale as Telstra’s Codi, Flamingo seems to be having small wins in the chatbot space. At an industry meetup recently, Flamingo presented their take on where they saw A.I. going. Put simply, they could summarise the future in two words: “zero touch”.

Zero touch is only goal for A.I.

The concept of “zero touch” has been about for many years. It is only in the last year or so that it has become a practical reality. Put simply, having zero touch means making sales without any contact from another person. Though it is very difficult to do right now, the idea is that if customer service and support can be automated, the resulting cost efficiencies could spark an industry-wide revolution.

Sit Down. Be Humble: How learning the guitar changed my perspective on life

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 09:32:00 GMT

I’ll preface this by saying that taking up anything new can be challenging. Whether it is a new language, martial arts, a new sport as well as a new instrument, sometimes we can forget how hard it is to not only learn but unlearn our assumptions about learning new things.

I’ll also say that I’m still nowhere near as good as the 15 year old kid that comes into the lesson after I am done. I hear him practicing and he seems to have something I don’t. Maybe it’s that he doesn’t have much else going on. Maybe it’s the fact that I am a busy professional. Whatever it is, I still suck. But that’s ok.

I’m going to be a bit more open here and say that learning the guitar at my age (and I’m not going to say how old but you can take a guess) has changed how I view myself and challenges. I’ll share my thoughts below.

Neuroplasticity and the learning effect

One of the most challenging things I’ve come across in my time of learning to play the guitar is that it’s really difficult to teach yourself new things. In fact, I think it’s so much harder the older we get because we are set in our ways. The habits we form as adults become our waking life, and for most of us that doesn’t involve challenging ourselves to learn a new instrument.

If our brains start out like fresh balls of clay, mine must be a half formed into a vase by now. I know I shouldn’t talk down to myself like this, but frankly it feels like I should probably just call it a day some days that I practice.

I’ve since learned about the term “neuroplasticity” when it comes to learning. As children, our brains are malleable, and we can learn things on the fly. Of course, we don’t have all the refinement in place, but we definitely have all the pieces we need. When we grow as adults, our brains become less malleable to a process known as “myelin sheathing”, whereby our brains literally form a quick path over a certain amount of neurons.

By practicing every day, what we’re building in new habits. It’s humbling, but I really enjoy it (most days).

Sit down. Be humble

I still remember in my first month, sitting down to play and hearing my teacher play a recording of one of his other students. It’s pretty incredible to think that a 12 year old could be playing at such an unbelievable level after only one year. In fact, I couldn’t help but think that I could get to that at some point.

It was only after my first few months that I realised this was an impossible dream. I was almost ready to give up. I wanted to cry. I wanted to throw my guitar away. But then I remembered, I’m not a child. I have other stuff on. I also am not gifted with big hands, which helps a lot I’m told. In fact, when all is said and done I could be a very average player for the rest of my life. But that’s not the point.

The point is I sat down and did something. It’s humbling, but soon we remember that no matter what we do there will always probably be someone younger and better than us. This humbling feeling has helped me in my days at work, and I’m absolutely killing it now because of this knowledge.

If there’s one piece of advice I can give, it’s in the words of Kendrick Lamar: Sit down. Be humble.

Convergence Conference 2018 Recap

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 09:24:00 GMT

About a week ago I had the pleasure of attending the Convergence conference of 2018. The conference this year focused on Augmented Reality, Robot and A.I. Tech and Blockchain technology. This year we were gifted with products ranging from dancing robots to loyalty points as a secondary currency.

I’ll recap a few of my key lessons now.

1. Loyalty points on the blockchain

A lot has been said before about blockchain technology and its impact on a variety of different industries. I personally had managed to escape most of the noise on cryptocurrency in favour of the excitement building around blockchain.

Probably the most fascinating speaker at this years event was Tim Lea, CEO of REFFIND. His talk was a crash course in how companies are using the blockchain as their “single source of truth” and the advantages in having this technology spread across multiple platforms. He concluded that REFFIND’s investment into blockchain loyalty rewards company Loyyal was just the tip of the iceberg in the industry.

Loyyal’s aim was to take a given company’s loyalty points, and to allow them to be monitored across various industries and competitors. Through the blockchain, companies that are famous for their loyalty rewards programs such as Qantas would be able to open up their loyalty rewards across completely different channels. At its most extreme, a customer could trade their loyalty rewards points for something completely different.

The blockchain also gives loyalty rewards companies a chance to be able to analyse consumer’s spending habits as a chain of transactions, rather than an eclectic mix of purchases. Exciting times lie ahead here, so watch this space!

2. Dancing Robots

One of the of the most incredible sites that I saw at this year’s event was dancing robots. It wasn’t so much that these bots were dancing that really mattered, but what they resembled. To put things in context, this was the first time I’d seen robots resemble something that was less like an iPad on a stand with wheels, and something that resembled EVE from the film Wall-E (the biggest differentiator being that it had arms).

The market for these robots seems to be as a robotic personal assistant. It’s hard to imagine some companies without executive assistants, but with the way the world is going it may be a reality we will look at future.

The dancing aspect I found fascinating because the robots were constantly communicating with each other to make sure the dance was in sync. With robots being able to work in sync, who knows where we could take certain aspects of corporate life in the future.

3. Augmented Reality is becoming commercially viable

With all these technologies in the one place, it was interesting to see what tech was commercially viable and what wasn’t. It seemed that the only technology that was capable of generating any serious revenue at this point in time was Augmented Reality.

What I found really interesting about augmented reality wasn’t so much the way that people had used augmented reality for marketing, but the return on investment that some companies had gotten from it. One A/R marketing firm had produced an app that gave students the ability to treasure hunt for Q/R codes to scan using the smartphones, in turn building engagement for prospective students who were looking at joining the university in future. We may see more of these types of applications in the future in markets beyond education also.

While it wasn’t the biggest event I’ve been to, the technology on show proved themselves to be more than enough to pique my interest. We may see Augmented Reality applications hit our smartphones this year en masse, bringing the future just that little bit closer.

The Top 3 Emerging Marketing Analytics Trends of 2018

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 09:14:00 GMT

2018 has been a bit of a crazy year. With Trump in power and the whole Cambridge Analytica saga, we have finally seen the power of big data when placed in the wrong hands. As we see the impact of using big data and psychographic analytics, digital marketing seems to be moving away from the idea of psychographic profiling and big data sets into something more streamlined.

Here are my top 3 emerging marketing analytics trends for 2018.

1. Clean data not big data

It seemed that only a few years ago that big data was on the tip of everyone’s tongues in the digital marketing world. Big data, or the idea that you can extrapolate huge volumes of trends and analytics from large data sets seemed to be an incredible idea not that long ago. At its peak in the zeitgeist, big data presented a future where we didn’t need to do market research, all we needed to do was consult big data, and the rest would take care of itself.

It seems now that the concept of using big data has faded. Apart from Facebook, Google and the other major players, most companies lack the tools to extrapolate any really useful information from big data sets.

What we’re seeing now in the digital marketing space is not the idea of big data being the key, but clean data.

To put things in context, clean data is the idea that the data sets that we already have contain all the information we need, and we don’t need any more data sets (especially not those from data brokers). Marketing analytics players are now starting to be able to extrapolate efficiently from current data sets, so long as they are clean and managed well.

2. Artisan analytics favoured over automation

Something that seems to be an emerging trend is the adoption of “old school” analytics over automated real-time dashboards.

One of the companies I recently recruited for talked about how they were moving away from the idea that everything they were seeing through automated analytics was gospel, as they weren’t getting the same results as they were in the years prior. Once they began to “sift” through the data, they were able to determine much more easily where their customer issues lay. It’s much more time consuming to sift through data, but doing so could yield better campaign results.

3. One percent plays

The term “one percent plays” seems to be thrown around a lot lately. The concept of the “one percent” seems to come from the idea that spending money on advertising and larger scale campaigns is bringing the acquisition cost up, which in turn eats away at the precious margins. Making a one percent play means doing something smaller, but more consistently to drive customers in the door. In digital marketing this has translated to companies spending less on advertising but putting more effort in to soft sell campaigns.

I recently heard the term at a digital marketing meetup, where a client of mine stated that they were scaling back their digital advertising spend in favour of one percent gains.

In analytics terms this has translated to measuring impressions on social media posts, building retention through offers available to existing customers, or even just putting your name out there through event sponsorships.

Though 2018 is well under way, I suspect we will see a few others emerge before the year is out.

Cambridge Analytica and Tribe Marketing, is this the end of top-tier influencers?

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 03:28:00 GMT

With Facebook under fire for its recent data manipulations at the hand of the company Cambridge Analytica, the question has arisen as to how such a huge influence could happen?

Cambridge Analytica built up such a massive database of different demographics that it had the power to influence elections, with the most dramatic effects being felt during the election of Trump. These events came about through the ability for a company to separate people into “Tribes”, which single-handedly trumped (pardon the pun) the power of all celebrity influencers who stood up for Hillary Clinton during that election.

The widespread adoption of tribe marketing as a means of building micro-demographics with extremely precise targeting has called into question the value of influencers. Do you really need celebrities backing you when you can just target very small demographics?

I’ll put in my two cents below.

What is a tribe?

A tribe is simply a collection of demographics that are used to form a micro-demographic. Traditional marketing used demographics based on the demographics of age, post-code, socio-economic background and so on. Tribe marketing throws this view out the window, in favour of other, previously unmeasurable data points.

The two most important of these was who you were friends with, and what you liked and followed on Facebook. This information was easily accessible by Cambridge Analytica. With these two sets of data, tribes can be formed. Tribes become the new measure of “who you know and what you know”. Through this information, advertisements can be targeted to small groups of individuals who are no bigger than 250 people, which when compared to traditional demographic sizes in the thousands or millions

Top-tier influencers don’t actually influence; they just broadcast

Somewhat ironically, companies like Cambridge Analytica can use the name “influencer” a whole lot better than what we currently refer to as “influencers”. Tribe marketing is (at this point in time) the one true influencer, where individuals are swayed to a cause one by one, based almost entirely on their tribe.

There is a reason why people don’t follow the voting preferences of the Kardashians, or why Jay-Z’s tidal failed to take off, or why companies that are almost entirely faceless on social media can have a huge following. We hear them, but that doesn’t mean we listen to them. To us they are just broadcasters, no different to watching a television advertisement. There is definitely a conversion rate in there, but it isn’t scalable to the heights that tribe marketing can reach.

It’s the difference between hearing and listening

Tribe marketing is about finding a tailored message that people will actually listen to. Most people don’t listen to influencers that much, unless there is a high level of engagement in the influencer campaign.

Tribe marketing might be the most effective way to go about marketing products, and in time could leave top-tier influencers out in the cold. When we start seeing media advertisements for x number of tribes, we will know the tide has turned.

Moneyball, The Process and The Future: Sports Technology’s continual gain in momentum and importance

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:31:00 GMT

The 2002 Oakland Athletics’ baseball team may have marked the start of the rise of technology and technical analysis in sport. Using sabermetric (big data in baseball) analysis alone, the team was able to craft the longest winning streak in all of baseball. For those of you that don’t know, the team’s performance forms the backbone of the film Moneyball.

The team’s performance is marked as significant due to a number of key factors, most notably that the decision to build the team was centred around analysis done on computers. It marked the first time that big data in sport had been used to craft a team, and the record still stands today as a testament to the effectiveness of big data in sport.

Fast forward to now and the use of technology in sport is transforming the way games are played, how teams are run and even how we view winning.

The Process: Philadelphia 76ers use of econometrics

One of the most fairytale stories in sports as of right now is that of the Philadelphia 76ers. In case you haven’t heard, Philadelphia are one of the oldest teams in the NBA, and by extension one of the least successful. As part of their 2013 season, the team hired a general manager Sam Hinkie to “build a team to win them a championship”. Sam Hinkie, an MBA graduate, decided that the best thing to do was to look at the data surrounding how to best do this. What he found was that the way to win an NBA championship was through the draft, or selecting young players and training them into a championship team. Right now the Philadelphia 76ers are on the cusp of winning that championship.

Hinkie was not a genius by any stretch. All he did was create an excel spreadsheet and see that historically, the best way to win a championship was lose. It was so clear to him, but nobody had bothered looking at the problem this way.

The Future: The rise of sports technology

Now, I’ve just given two very simple examples of the use of data in sport. The great trend we are seeing now however is not that the 76ers are winning because of some unbelievably talented draft picks, what we are seeing is the use of data in sport.

Technology allows us to quantify the unquantifiable. We can build, measure and learn from the datasets of history, and with technology we are able to see new and exciting ways to generate wins in sport.

I was recently talking to a training manager at the training practice of one of the largest and most popular A-league sides. One of the things that caught my eye was how the players were being monitored. Each player wore a small chest strap. They were then weighing and swabbing the players as they came off the pitch. When I asked what they were doing, he presented something so profound I could hardly comprehend.

What the side was doing was measuring the amount of water lost during a game for each given player. From taking this data, they would measure when a player needed to be subbed out, and consequently what the optimal time was to keep a player on the field.

If this is the future, then the future excites me. On a long enough timeline we may see the effectiveness of technology in sport wane as all teams have the same tech available, but for now the future for technology in sport is bright.

I’m a star, how could I not shine? - How a recruiter can help your career

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:22:00 GMT

Picture this scenario. You walk into an electronics store, and want to buy a laptop. You haven’t spent much time researching and you don’t have a lot of time to figure out what you want. This is where the marketing department for the various computer companies will kick in. Unless you’re married to a brand like Apple, chances are you don’t really know what you want.

If you’re open to suggestion, chances are you’ll find a helpful salesperson at the store that will be able to translate “computer speak” into “everyday speak”. Unless you absolutely know about computers, and have spent a significant amount of time buying computers, chances are you wouldn’t buy online.

If this sounds like you, why would you shop for your next big role online? In the same way that the salesperson at the store is the advisor, recruiters can be the same for you when helping with your career.

Choose your own adventure

If you’ve ever read the choose your own adventure childhood stories, you’ll know that the narrator will be able to dictate to you what the choices are for what path you can go down. In a way, a recruiter is similar to the narrator of a choose-your-own-adventure book.

What we do is help present people the path they may choose to go down. Whether they choose to go down it is entirely up to them, but it definitely makes the adventure more interesting!

Choose your own adventure stories will often present the reader with the acknowledgement that small decisions that are made now are able to affect almost every other part of your story. As a recruiter, in a way we’ve seen these paths happen time and time again. If it helps, we’ll even try to discuss with you where the role you’re choosing will lead, and frame it in context of where your intended path is for your career.

I’m a star, how could I not shine?

As a recruiter, I get this sort of thing a lot. Candidates will often say to us that they were an absolute superstar in their last role, so it wouldn’t make sense to go through a recruiter. We see this time and time again. I’ve even paraphrased the immortal line from the great rapper Kanye West, because it seems to be very prevalent amongst certain industries.

For most clients of ours, it’s not that they come to a recruiter for lack of trying, it’s that they’ve generally already invested significant amounts of time and energy in the past searching for the right candidate. Added to that, contrary to popular belief it’s highly unlikely that a candidate with a matching set of experience will have a lasting impact in the role, as compared to someone with a mix of experience from different fields.

A C.V. is just a piece of paper. It’s easy to forget that we are now in an age where it’s hard to differentiate, and rather than filling out the manual paperwork of applications and building your profile, why not let someone build your profile for you. With a little bit of polish, almost anything can shine.

How Blockchain technology could assist universal basic income

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 18:15:00 GMT

Blockchain technology has hit a stumbling block in recent months, as cryptocurrency markets have taken a slight tumble. In moments like these, it’s easy to forget that cryptocurrency markets are only one aspect of how disruptive blockchain technology is. It’s not just a store of value in the way cryptocurrency markets would make it out to be, but a technology that can seep into society in almost every socio-political aspect of money.

As it becomes increasingly clear that on a long enough timeline, humans will be faced with the problem of having their jobs taken away from them by machines, we will be faced with a dilemma not seen since the industrial age:

What do we do with all these people?

Universal basic income as an ideology

Universal basic income is an ideology that is defined by the simple premise that all humans should have the right to a “living wage”, which is the nominal amount of money that is believed to allow people to live with enough money to live their life. Some will confuse universal basic income with the concept of welfare, and there’s a big difference in where their distribution comes from.

Welfare is given out by the government, and to this day remains a hotly contested topic in political circles as something to debate. Universal basic income however, would not be subject to the same debate, nor would it be distributed via the banking system and subject to the old world rules of welfare. The question thus remains as to the logistics of how universal basic income would be distributed.

Blockchain technology may be the answer to universal basic income

Blockchain technology represents one of the most fundamental shifts in the way money can be distributed. Not only does it all for people to have their money distributed to them in a “zero touch” framework, but it gives people the rare opportunity to be distributed something of value without having to go through the government.

Blockchain technology can do this by reducing inequity

If you really think about it for a second, if everyone had the same amount of money, the world would probably look very different. There are certain aspects of society that are built around the assumption that not everybody has the same amount of money. Things like tax and superannuation are designed around brackets and tiers. Through concepts such as this, society builds barriers of inequity so that only some people can reap the rewards while others go without. Universal basic income is an attempt to reduce the inequities experienced by people who may be affected by things such as displacement of their jobs by technology.

Blockchain technology can see through that, to provide people with universal basic income by removing the inequities of the selfish. Though it would take decades, and we may not see it in our lifetimes, the possibility for blockchain to automatically provide income to those affected by the technological advancement of society. Though time will tell, at least we know we have the technology to make it happen.

Why developers are switching to React

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 22:43:00 GMT

It seems to be an emerging trend amongst organisations that are using React libraries for front-end development that their developers are comfortable to make the switch too. Having only come about in recent years, the widespread adoption of React amongst organisations has posed a serious threat to Angularjs dominance in the market. Vuejs may be considered by some to be the late incumbent, but for many organisations React is it.

What is the most interesting part about this is that it looks like developers are more than happy to use React as well. For many developers, though the prospect of using a javascript library is daunting at first, it becomes considerably easier as time goes on to use.

So why is React now becoming the standard in front-end development?

React doesn’t come with the lead time

One of the most important aspects of React for both developers and organisations is the distinct lack of technical debt that comes with using it.

When a developer leaves an organisation, there is almost always some kind of lead time for onboarding. Even with ample documentation, when an organisation uses a front-end technology like Angular, the lead time can be up to a few weeks to get the developer across everything that they’re doing.

Because React has universal commonalities, such as unidirectional flow, this lead me is greatly reduced. Nowhere is this more apparent than in organisations that are looking for a quick turn-around in front end development. Using React let’s developers move turnover much faster.

You can’t get lost in a library

As Angular becomes the most prevalently used technology in front end development, and the use of libraries over frameworks becomes more apparent, there becomes less of a need for organisations to hold onto their individual libraries that they developed from Angular.

It’s hard for developers to get lost in using React. Though it isn’t significantly easier to use, with React libraries (and some discipline and organisation) most development teams can build in React with more testing and release cycles. Getting lost in Angular is easy if you don’t know the background to the decision making process when using the framework (which rarely gets documented).

The automatic architect

One of the most important reasons that developers are collectively switching to using React is that it takes away the decision fatigue that comes with other Javascript technologies. The fact that there isn’t as many decisions that need to be made along the way when writing code (and enacting a UX design).

By making these decisions for you, using React lets you focus on the decisions that matter. In a way it’s like having an “automatic architect”, which is a nickname given by architects when building a building that has many repeating floors. It gives you the time to look at the overall design, and look at other things that matter like building on time.

Be quiet in the library

Developers are switching to react because it reduces the decision fatigue, reduces the lead time and is easier to guide yourself through. Once developers and organisations are both able to collaborate in the switch, great things happen.

The Value of a good recruiter – it’s about relationship management

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 22:34:00 GMT

Working in recruitment, it can be hard sometimes to hear candidates go for roles without first consulting us. At times, it can be even harder when the candidate gets turned down for the role when you are confident that had they gone for the role through a recruiter they probably would have gotten the role.

For recruiters, our role extends far beyond connecting the dots between candidates and clients. More often than not, we are about building relationships. Relationships that don’t just look like notes in a CRM, or appointments in a calendar.

The best recruiters I know will grab a beer or coffee with candidates that weren’t successful, and even go so far as to invite them to meetups and other events just to help them get their name out there a bit more. Not only that, but we manage the relationship on both ends to ensure smooth transitions between clients and candidates to build genuine connection.

Client and Candidate Relationship Management goes beyond the CRM

Client and Candidate relationship management goes far beyond a piece of software, like most sales roles. The value of a good recruiter lies in their ability to build these relationships up with rapport and share this rapport between clients and candidates.

The value of a good recruiter lies in their ability to relate to people as people, not as businesses or viewing people as numbers on a board. It’s about much more than that. Our role isn’t to simply be sharks swimming in blue waters, but to be the documentary film maker observing the school of fish.

We want to observe how people work, not just in the sense of how they go about conducting their work, but how their mind works. The best recruiters can bring people out of their shells and into their talents, and help people find their way through the job market.

It’s not about the job, it’s about you

For some recruiters, the clients matter a lot to us, but the candidates matter more. For us it’s not about the roles we’re dealt, but the people we talk to. There is a common misconception that recruitment is all about putting numbers on a board. To be honest, if it was, we're in the wrong industry.

Most of the time when we meet a candidate the first time we don’t even have a job in mind. The majority of agencies tend to “share the love”, where anybody can meet anybody, and they can share contacts around if there is a role out there for them.

Relationships matter for relationship matters

It’s much easier to offer a candidate a role if we know them at least on some level. Once we know someone, we can easily talk to them about a role, so it wouldn’t make sense for us just to cast people to the side if we don’t have a role for them. That’s not what our job is.

We are there to form relationships, and to deal with relationship matters. Anything else is a bonus.

The top 4 tips for Presenting like a Pro

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:02:00 GMT

In the last few weeks I’ve seen some incredible presentations from a wide variety of people. Whether they are TED talks, sales presentations, motivational speeches or all of the above, there are universal traits they all share.

Here are my top 4 tips for presenting like a Pro.

1. Just Breathe

As hard as it is to believe, breathing is one of the most vital components of presentations. The specific type of breathing that makes a good presentation is not your regular lung breathing, which involves breathing using your expanding chest cavity, but diaphragmatic breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing involves using your stomach like a balloon and using that balloon to create a negative space to fill your lungs with oxygen.

Not only does this relax you while you’re onstage, but it helps you fuel your words with more “oomph” when you speak. Diaphragmatic breathing gives your speech more oxygen volume, making it both fuller and louder.

2. Make your feet parallel

One of the most often ignored parts of giving a good presentation, especially if standing in front of your audience is posture. A posture that is too upright can give your presentation an uncomfortable tone, and a posture that is too relaxed means the words you say will not bare enough weight.

One of the best ways you can control your posture is by keeping your feet facing parallel.

Try this exercise: stand up and look straight down. Most of us will find our feet facing outwards like a V. If this is you, you’re not alone. This is the natural pose for most people. Now make your feet point forwards, running directly parallel of each other. This pose will create an even platform to speak on, and will help ground your words.

3. Keep your elbows in

More often than not, presenters will use their arms to convey their message. Using your hands as a means of self-expression is completely natural, but flaring your elbows out can create a sense of bravado or over-compensation that may not be necessary.

Keeping your elbows close to your body is a good indicator of how confident and comfortable you are with your message. If you’ll notice some of the best presenters of our time, such as Steve Jobs, you’ll notice that the elbows are almost always close to his body.

Note: this doesn’t mean gluing your elbows tight to yourself, and being tense. Keeping your elbows by your side will generally come as a by-product of keeping relaxed but confident.

4. Trust the process

Rarely do presentations start with their intended point or purpose. Often they will start with an introduction, a set up, a problem and a solution, then a conclusion. If your presentation doesn’t follow this, and takes a long and winding road, you may find yourself losing your audience before you’ve reached your point. To avoid this, try to stick to the process that you are working through as a guide, even if you might feel yourself getting impatient to reach the end goal.

After following these points, presenting is all about staying relaxed. If you can do that, you can do anything!

CEOs on Social: How not to be Trump

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 23:55:00 GMT

Since Donald Trump got elected, there has been an increasing trend for political figures, CEOs and other figures on influence to conduct themselves on social media with little to no regard for the type of impact they will be making.

Though there is a very clear use case for CEOs on social media, it can easily be said that social media is not the domain of c-suite executives. I’ll discuss my thoughts below.

Ooooooh Snap – where social should be used

In the recent months, Snap Inc, the company behind Snapchat has come increasingly under fire from celebrities upset with its content. With a single tweet, Kylie Jenner sent the stock plummeting to record lows when she admitted she had not used the social media network much lately. Only a few weeks later, and the stock plummeted again, this time off the back of a statement by singer Rihanna. Rihanna’s gripe would turn into a major headache for Snap. Rihanna’s issue (which was entirely fair) was around content that made light of her violent assault at the hands of Chris Brown. Not only did they hesitate to respond, but it was left to the company’s public relations department to pick up the pieces of the mess. The response was not only weak, but it showed the lack of willingness for their CEO Evan Spiegel to be able to respond swiftly to the accusations.

If Evan Spiegel had been willing to hold an account on other social media, specifically Twitter, he would have been able to nip this in the bud.

Lesson learned: If you run a social media company, or work in media, it’s probably a good idea to have a social media account so you can respond on behalf of the company.

Covfefe – When to not use social media

We have all heard the phrase uttered during Donald Trump’s infamous tweet regarding negative press. In case you hadn’t, whilst under fire for allegedly rigging the election, Trump tweeted: “Despite the constant negative press covfefe”. The tweet went viral, placing the Trump administration even more into disrepute, as the tweet was lampooned across the nation.

There was absolutely no reason to sent this type of thing. Not only is it reputationally damaging, but it isn’t necessary. All it does is risk the valuable reputation of the company. If Trump had been the CEO of a company (which it must be added that he was), he would have sent the stock plummeting off his own buffoonery.

Lesson Learned: If you do anything of influence, don’t use social media to bring your company into direspute.

An overcast day - The vast majority of CEOs on social

The vast majority of CEOs on social media seem to have a very bland personality, afraid of speaking out lest they attract unnecessary attention to themselves. Frankly, I don’t agree with this type of social media usage. If all you are doing is sharing articles, you aren’t really saying anything. It’s about as memorable as an overcast day.

The best way for CEOs to use social media is with an agency. Very rarely will a social media post be crafted by the personality that it was attributed to. Ghost writing is a great way to market yourself as a CEO, and also ensures you won’t make the same mistakes as Trump and his “covfefe”.

How to negotiate like a boss – The Judo Ippon

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 23:47:00 GMT

I’ve seen some negotiations recently that have stalled out, which has been both frustrating and a terrible result for both. Neither party wanted to budge, and the deal ended up stalling through people not willing to take a risk to say what they wanted.

Negotiating is one of the most primary skills of business. It isn’t easy, but once you get the hang of it, it can help in almost every area of your life. Here are my 3 tips to help you negotiate like a boss, using the sport of Judo.

1. Kuzushi

Negotiating is very much like the sport of Judo. It isn’t about winning or losing per se, but about finding the best way to execute the negotiation.

In Judo, a throw is separated into three separate and equally important parts; Kuzushi (off balancing the opponent), Tzukuri (fitting or entering) and Kake (execution).

Kuzushi is the first and foremost element of Judo. It involves letting your opponent in a way that you anticipate, and being able to use this anticipation to put them in a slightly less advantageous position, though they may not be aware of it.

Kuzushi in negotiating can be done by giving a little to get a little. For instance, if you’re negotiating pay, you may want to mention a pay rate for a comparable role in a different industry. As long as you can get a response that you can anticipate and follow it up, this is all part of Kuzushi.

2. Tzukuri

Tzukuri is an interesting concept in terms of coming up with an offer.

The term in Judo comes from the fact that with every throw, a single moment of decision making needs to occur post Kuzushi where the practitioner says “I’m going to do this throw now”. This is an interesting concept when it comes to exploring the negotiation process.

In negotiation, a decision has to be made as to when to give an offer to the party you are negotiating with. The decision point generally must be made on instinct, and if the moment is lost due to hesitation it may not happen again. Tzukuri is akin to the offer in a negotiation, an all in moment where you simply “go for it”.

3. Kake

So, we’ve made it this far, we’ve given the question, made the decision for the offer and now we are ready to execute.

Kake is the moment when it all counts. Of course, it is the set up and entry that are important, and the work you put in behind the scenes is what you get out of it. Kake is the same as “closing the deal”. Very rarely will you have a deal not close with good set up and offering, but it can happen if you back out or hesitate. Often this is due to a lack of confidence or faith in ability, but ultimately this is the moment for the deal to happen.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Everything.

Ultimately, the sport of judo and negotiation come down to the same principle. Nothing happens, then everything happens. How you get there is up to you, but as long as you think of things in terms of set up, entry and execution, you

5 strategies for tracking and measuring ROI in digital marketing

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 02:11:00 GMT

Digital Marketing has a dilemma.

Campaigns nowadays have so much data behind them, it can be difficult to see the impact your campaign is having without going into a rabbit hole of data and analytics. Here are my 5 strategies to help you see the forest from the trees.

1. The One Number Policy

In this approach, the only metrics that matters are number of leads. With this strategy, two conclusions can be inferred from any given campaign:

low leads from target but high conversion rate = a bad campaign with good sales process.

high leads exceeding target but low conversion rate = a good campaign with bad sales process.

Existing in such binary states is useful because it lets you remove the decision fatigue out of the campaign. The downside is that campaigns do not really exist in binary states, and every campaign’s success is relative. This is popular with most service-based companies .

2. Channel-based ROI

In the world of hits, click-thru, eyeballs and all the other fancy words that mean “amount of times people looked at this digital product”, channel-based ROI matters a lot. For media companies in particular, the amount clicks a piece of content gets, and subsequently the amount of click-thrus it garners is a direct impact on the bottom line.

In this world, likes, shares, comments, tags etc are the difference between a profitable piece of content or a loss-leader . This is essentially the way most media companies function.

3. Source performance

Source performance is a measure of core search elements like SEO rank for hits, and SEM campaign results. Though it is an inexact science, the core element of source measured performance is the measure of organic vs inorganic avenues for leads. For businesses that have a large online presence and rely on content marketing, source performance allows them to see which avenues are the most profitable. SEO ranking is rarely a free ride, and it is important to see how well SEO performs alongside SEM.

Companies with a high Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) often rely on this method.

4. Campaign performance

Campaign performance is slightly different, in that it recognises the relative performance of a campaign as being more relevant to metrics than the channel itself. For instance, a company could engage in an SEO campaign and achieve only a few leads, with a social media content campaign achieving many more leads. The SEO content campaign could however achieve a much higher conversion rate, and result in direct revenue for the business far beyond the social campaign due to various nuances within the channel, or content relevance. This type of ROI measuring has only become a recent trend, but is starting to be more widely adopted in the industry.

5. Goal based performance

Goal based performance is the simplest ROI measure. Creating a campaign towards a more targeted goal is perhaps the most complicated result to achieve. For this type of campaign monitoring, the company simply sets a revenue growth target, and doesn’t really care how it gets there. For companies that use the same types of campaigns year on year, such as catalogues, white papers or even just simple billboards, the idea that it may grow revenue on the back of simply spending more money on the same campaign is simple enough, but relies on clever manipulations to make it work successfully.

This type of ROI performance is popular with certain large, publicly listed companies, who have targets set for them by analysts in the market. Whether it actually works is another thing entirely.

Measuring the ROI of a campaign is an inexact science. These 5 strategies are popular in the industry, but can be mixed and matched depending on the circumstances.

The value of going to industry meetups when in recruitment (apart from free booze)

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 01:55:00 GMT

As a recruiter, Industry meetups are an incredible opportunity. At their best, they’re a great opportunity to meet candidates and exciting clients. At their worst, industry meetups are a great way to see which of the two beers on offer I prefer (hint: It’s Peroni).

While as a recruiter it can be frustrating attending meetup after meetup with no clear outcome, to those of you out there who are the doubters I have one word – “hustle”. Industry meetups are one of the best (and sometimes only way) to find the right client for your role. Before you go gathering your pitchforks and blurt out “but online is the only one that works”, hear me out. Trust me, if you do the meetup right you’ll never have to resort to the “Hail Mary Pass” that is going online.

Meetups are deeply personal, and help create a better connection to you

I’m sure we’ve all heard stories of recruiters who, off the back of only a single recruitment meetup were able to get 3, or even 5 candidates through referrals. Boy do I have a story for you.

A friend of mine who is now a recruitment manager, (let’s call him Chad) tells this story whenever anybody mentions meetups being a waste of time. Chad was a great guy, and he was incredibly good at finding ways to talk to the roles he was hiring for. Off the back of a single conversation at one meetup around general small talk involving beer, Chad was able to create a great connection. He brought up the roles he was recruiting for, and the candidate applied. The next week, the candidate referred his friend, who then told a few of his family members, who then told their friends in the industry, and so on and so forth. Chad filled a total of 26 roles for 3 different companies. Whole project teams were spun from Chad’s one connection, and from that point on he was a recruitment superstar.

Though this may not be the most common story, it is not uncommon. The right connection, or the right spark with the right person can create a huge difference to your recruiting profile. Meetups are personal, creating connections almost instantly.

Meetups are fun (not just because of the booze)

Meetups are a great way to have fun in the role, because they give you a rare opportunity to see potential candidates with their guards down. In saying that, as a recruiter we are more likely to have our guards down too. The best recruiters I’ve seen go to meetups with the idea to simply have fun. If they end up bringing up what they are recruiting for, then all well and good.

The idea of meetups is to have no pressure, but to care about candidates and have them care about you in return. Once this kind of rapport is established, it’s very rare to get burned by candidates if they know you on a personal level.

Of course, meetups aren’t just all fun and games. As recruiters, we have a duty to put client’s roles out there, and to establish connections with candidates. There may be free booze, but meetups are far more than that.

IPG Wins Amazon: When Knight takes Queen

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 01:38:00 GMT

A few months ago, Amazon announced that it had consolidated its global media planning and buying duties to one of the largest media agencies around the world, IPG Mediabrands. The news sent shockwaves through the industry, as it was largely speculated that Mindshare were the front runners to win the account. The implications of being able to promote Amazon’s ecommerce hub, assorted tech products and Prime subscription services around the world means huge business for IPG, and looks set to change the digital media landscape both here and abroad.

The three-dimensional chess match of digital media

In digital media and advertising, the vast majority of digital marketing revenue flowed through two large scale channels, Facebook and Google. Huge industries have been built off the back of these two companies, and it was only a matter of time before a shakeup was to happen.

Enter Amazon. Though Amazon was never directly in competition with Google and Facebook in the digital media space, the single biggest signal that Amazon was about to jump in the deep end came in the form of Alexa, a small black cylinder capable of taking on the might of Google and Facebook. Though Amazon derives only (only being relative) $1.12 billion of revenue from paid advertising, which is only a fraction of the $24 billion Google’s parent company Alphabet can make, it is in fact far more likely that Amazon’s play with IPG is not just a ploy to advertise it’s own products (Alexa, Prime etc), but a play to sell advertising within those products.

Amazon has entered this match as player 3. It doesn’t have all the tools in the media buying space, but it definitely has the ability to make big things happen.

How Alexa and Prime will be digital media juggernauts

IPG winning Amazon’s digital media buying business was so big that it has spun off another company as a direct result. This would seem quite strange behaviour considering that to the casual observer, the Amazon account would be a big one, but not big enough to spin a whole new company out of. But let’s look a little bit deeper into this.

A return to El Dorado

The reason for this simple but profound. The actual revenue streams that Amazon is aiming for is not from the direct sale of Alexa or Prime subscription service, but from the “rivers of gold” that will come from advertising revenue within those products. Voice Search, and subsequently voice SEO will become such a valuable tool in the not too distant future that it wouldn’t be surprising if voice overtook “visual search” (or search as we know it). As such, the ability to analyse and dominate key phrasing in voice search will be incredibly valuable, and who would be the best positioned player to advise on voice media buying, or buying space on Amazon Prime?

IPG. IPG needs a whole new company for this exact reason. It’s almost like return to the good old days of classified ads, which old school media buyers used to describe as “rivers of gold”. This is the El Dorado that Amazon was looking for.

The Knight taking the Queen

The reason for this metaphor is quite simple. Amazon is all powerful, with the ability to move almost anywhere on the chess board like the Queen. But a Queen can’t take other Queens in chess, without putting itself in danger. That’s why Amazon has used IPG. It needs a piece that can take Queens without putting itself in danger.

That’s why IPG winning Amazon is such a big deal.

The Pinch Hitter: How Using a Recruiter is like Baseball

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 13:00:00 GMT

In the last few months I’ve recruited for roles that have slipped through. The woes of a recruiter are few and far between, but every once and a while something happens in the industry that gets on our collective nerves.

As a recruiter, the effort we put into dealing with a candidate and getting them to a client is significant. Most candidates seem to think that recruiters just shuffle paperwork between clients and candidates, but for a client to say the candidate already applied directly, or they are already interviewing, when the candidate has been fully screened, and mentioned nothing to the recruiter regarding this is a gut-wrenching feeling.

I thought I’d spend a few moments discussing the work that we do, so we can showcase the value that recruiters give to both clients and candidates. To help with this analogy, let’s talk about baseball.

For clients, recruiters are the pitchers

In baseball, the pitchers are the one that sets up the play, not the captain. You can of course use the cricket analogy that the bowler is the one that dictates where the batter will hit the ball, but the same principle applies no matter what continent you’re on.

In recruitment, our clients set the field. They give us all the requirements that we need, and it is up to us to pitch correctly to the candidate. When candidates accept the pitch, they are doing so with our strategy in mind. When they send us their C.V., they do so under the field set up by the client. But after all that, it is the work of the recruiter that kickstarts this process.

For candidates, we are the pinch hitter

In baseball, the batter is ultimately the one that decides how to hit the ball, in order to strategically put the team in the best position to score. This can range from a full-on swing for the home run, to a bunt in the short field. The pinch hitter is the substitute batter, who will often go in to bat for the team when a particularly tough play requires it. The tougher the situation, or the harder to navigate means the pinch hitter can be swapped in.

The recruiters job is to place the candidate in the best position to get the role. We have a lot of options available when it comes to setting candidates up for a role. A recruiter’s job is about finding out how to place a candidate for a role, and while we do make mistakes it’s a lot easier to set yourself up on first base than to go it alone when you have someone to swap out with.

Going for a role without a recruiter is like going into baseball without only a single batter. You can do it, but it does make it easier when you’ve got the team and the intent around you. For candidates, think about how using a recruitment agency can benefit you. By understanding the work behind the scenes, you can ensure you build the best chance of landing your next big role (especially in Digital at S2M!).

Where is DevOps going?

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 00:56:00 GMT

It seems like only yesterday that cloud computing was on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Not only did cloud computing revolutionise web development and hosting, but all software and in doing so it sprouted a whole new era of SaaS companies.

I keep hearing from I.T. operations managers that they are wondering where the next big change in DevOps is going to come from. As cloud computing changed the whole I.T. operations industry overnight, so did it change the way DevOps was conducted. DevOps went from being a small time engineering role, to a full time department that touched almost every aspect of the business.

So where to from here? Does DevOps evolve into a fully-fledged I.T. department, or does it dissolve into the greater field of I.T. as part of the No-Ops movement? All this and more will be discussed below.

The No Ops movement

The No Ops movement has been one of the most controversial developments in the world of DevOps. Certainly, from the perspective of certain members of the DevOps community, this is a disaster waiting to happen.

The No Ops philosophy runs on the underlying premise that I.T. Operations is a redundant function, and that developers should be the ones who control server load and capacity, testing environments and all the other functions a DevOps person would usually do.

The concept behind this is that having a specialist DevOps creates a silo’d and exclusive role. The irony is that without a DevOps person, you cannot set up a No Ops environment. No Ops only seems to work if the DevOps function trades in its controlling position and takes on more of a training role, working to educate the organisation instead of dictating I.T. strategy.

In this way, it’s only No Ops in the sense that DevOps isn’t in the drivers seat.

Change management in I.T. operations

DevOps is now moving at such a fast pace that it is little wonder organisations are able to keep up with it. Not only do new technologies come out every day, but the concept that DevOps is simply just I.T. strategy is naïve nowadays. The whole function of I.T. strategy has moved away from the core concept of operational excellence, into something far more customer centric. At this rate, organisational change management will have to factor in how I.T. strategy can change alongside I.T. development.

DevOps on the blockchain

Now, here is the kicker. DevOps could change almost entirely overnight with the widespread adoption of blockchain technology. There are huge implications for I.T. operations if blockchains are used to host data, that were a shift to occur for data hosting to the blockchain that the very role of DevOps may need to be rebranded.

DevOps with blockchain technology involved becomes a matter of transcending the traditional server model, and viewing database load in terms of users contributing to the blockchain. This becomes very similar to the way we viewed BitTorrent only a few years ago, except this time it’s legal and scalable.

Devops will change in ways we would never have expected. The next decade could look like something out of Sci-Fi like Star Trek, or it may turn slightly sour like Black Mirror. All we know is that it’s exciting either way.

Brexit’s effect on us

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 00:52:00 GMT

About a year ago now, Brexit happened. The outcome sent shockwaves through the world economy. Nobody would have predicted in a million years that the U.K., a country that prided itself on rationality and poise when enacting legislation had made what was quite possibly one of the least “well thought through” referendums ever. While Brexit might not have had an immediate affect on Australia, should a “hard Brexit” be enacted we may feel the aftershocks in Australia for many years to come.

Background to the decision

Before David Cameron came to power, it became widely acknowledged that there were some “hardliners” within the U.K. Tory Party. The hardliners were usually the members of parliament who were seen to be pushing issues that were outside of the party line. These hardliners didn’t care anyway if they were heard or not, because the conservatives were not in power at the time.

The hardliner shouts were faint at first, being barely an anomaly on the conservative policy agenda, but grew louder as there came to be a chance that the Conservative party could win an election. During the reign of Gordon Brown, when an election was held resulting in a hung parliament, the hardliners hitched a ride on the conservative re-election. As David Cameron was sworn into power, the shouts became louder still.

Following the election of Donald Trump, the appeals for Britain exiting the European Union became one of the most pressing issues from the hardliners within the party. As a “middle-of-the-road” conservative, David Cameron found ways to largely ignore the appeals for Brexit, often citing more pressing issues for the U.K. parliament to work through. Eventually he grew tired of ignoring the appeals, so a referendum was held for Brexit, and the sheer buffoonery grew to deafening levels.

A friend of mine whose father voted no put it best. When asking her father as to why he voted no, he simply exclaimed “things used to be better before we joined the European Union!”. When she asked what specifically was better, he simply stated “they just were”. Nostalgia is a powerful political weapon.

Brexit will affect Australia through uncertainty

Nobody likes uncertainty. It doesn’t sit well in financial markets, and in the greater context of Nobody had even worked out how to enact a Brexit, let alone why!

There is so much uncertainty surrounding Brexit and how to enact it that it is no wonder that financial markets have not collapsed already. A fall in foreign currency exchange is also likely, which will have a profound affect on both tourism and migration.

Brexit will affect the local job market

If European migration becomes harder for U.K. residents, even more will opt for migration to Australia. It is hard to say what that looks like, but even though there are lots of U.K. residents living and working within E.U. countries, if it becomes much harder for those residents to continue their work due to Brexit, we may see an even bigger migration to Australia from the U.K.

It’s hard to tell how Brexit will be enacted, but we know it will be costly. For many U.K. residents, the affect will be immediate. For us in Australia, the two most prominent issues are migration and the global economy. Heaven help us if it’s anything more than that!

Does success equal happiness or is it the other way around?

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 00:45:00 GMT

I had many people question why I left a successful career in media sales for recruitment. An industry that can be perceived in very much the wrong light, fraught with many challenges and often a perception that recruiters are out to make a quick buck. I won’t lie, there has been many times that I have questioned my decision, with constant disappointments as we deal with a product that has emotions, changing needs and just dealing with life in general.

So why do I do it you may ask? Just the other day I received an email from an overseas candidate I placed, who had been trying to enter the Australian market for over a year and stated that it was the best feeling he has ever had since hearing news of his wife being pregnant. Fair to say, more satisfying than any sales deal I got across the line.

Moral to the story ….. Happiness equals success, NOT success equals happiness . For so long I had this the wrong way around!

I would encourage anyone to go out and find what makes them truly tick, what excites them to get up every morning and pursue that – life is short so make it count. I wish had the courage to do this a long time ago.

Of course if you are looking for that next exciting move within media, I would be delighted to assist and have a confidential chat.

Adrian Fowler is talent lead for S2M within the sales and media agency/client side space, who are a renowned specialist recruitment agency in the Digital and Media arena. He has over 10 years in the Media industry and knows first hand the companies and agencies that he represents. For a confidential chat with a passionate recruiter, please go to www.s2m.com.au or reach out directly at adrian.fowler@s2m.com.au.

How Voice Search is the latest game changer in marketing

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 00:37:00 GMT

Amazon’s Alexa released only a few weeks ago in Australia, but its impact has been felt around the world almost immediately. Thanks to the power of technology, the simple phrase “Hey Alexa, buy me X” can get an essential item delivered to your house in only a few minutes. The phrase “Ok Google, where should I go for my holiday?” can book you a flight to halfway around the world. Even something more innocent like “Hey Siri, play beats 1” has huge implications. The ease of use for smart home pods such as Alexa, Google Home, and Apple’s own HomePod has presented a seismic shift in how marketing is done. In the not-too-distant future, voice will become the way that people communicate with almost all interfaces.

Voice SEO will become the next frontier

So, right now we have an interesting problem in SEO and SEM when it comes to voice searching. The whole concept of SEO was based around the idea that appearing at the top of a page would make a user more likely to click on your link. The ranking system that was adopted in the early years was based on relevance. In time, this would grow to become a billion-dollar industry, as companies lived and died by being “on the front page of Google”. When SEM became widely adopted in the early to mid-2000s, the idea that your business has to be within the sponsored section of a search to even be considered relevant became gospel.

All that has completely gone out the window with voice search. Voice Search has the interesting dilemma of how campaigns will have to adapt to a lack of a visual ranking system. How this will happen will be decided by innovation.

My guess is that companies will look to rank for different relevance factors, such as highest rating, most likes, local etc. There was a recent article I read about the theory that ranking factors of influencers will eventually play a vital role in building up search. Only time will tell.

The paid suggestion arms race

With any new technological innovation comes an arms race, and this will be no different.

With the departure from the screen, and the migration to the speaker will re-introduce many of the marketing concepts that came about from the early days of radio. When families would sit around “the wireless” and listen to shows, they would be subtly fed suggestive advertisements. The term “soap opera” is derived from this exact concept, of company sponsorship.

Voice search will give rise to the types of counter offers that marketers feared. Imagine saying “Hey Alexa, buy me some of my favourite toiler paper” and hearing the reply “but rival toilet paper brand is having a sale at 25% off. Are you sure?”. The idea that marketers can buy that last minute counter offer will create an arms race of downstreaming, or the idea that you can capture a consumer’s buying decision at the last minute.

While this future might be far off, it’s important for Marketers to consider the possibility that they may be faced with a whole new world when it comes to voice search. The possibilities are endless though.

Is Full Stack a Buzzword?

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 00:29:00 GMT

The term “full stack” gets thrown around a lot when it comes to software development. Most of the time it is used to say “someone who is proficient in an end-to-end solution”. But there are a few problems with using a phrase like full stack to imply that a software developer is proficient in every language. The term “full stack” can mean different things to different people, and it is thrown around so loosely that it is hard to recognise where the line is in skillsets as a recruiter.

Here are 3 ways full stack is used as a buzzword, and how to differentiate between them.

1. Full stack in one type of solution is not Full Stack

I’ll tell this story about a role I hired for a while ago.

I was hiring for a role that involved building a complex product, and the ideal candidate was someone who could work independently on a complete solution. It was a great role and the right candidate would be rewarded handsomely for their efforts.

As the candidates began to roll in, it became increasingly clear that while the needs of the client were flexible, they demanded a very specific technology stack for the developer to work under. Many developers would have proficiency in Javascript, Java and even SQL, but would struggle in designing the right strategy to code them together. Eventually we found the right candidate, but not without our trials and tribulations!

Full stack doesn’t just mean knowing different languages. Full stack means knowing how to strategise and plan how you can work them into each other.

2. Javascript does not make you Full Stack

Though Javascript is a very powerful language, being very proficient in Javascript does not make you full stack. Most projects nowadays rely heavily on Javascript libraries for their front end, but very few are using it for anything else.

There was recently a candidate I was working with who had a great skillset and a stellar C.V. He had worked on some amazing projects in the past with some really great companies on their innovative solutions. There was however, one small issue.

He had spent most of his time working in MERN (Mongo DB for database, Express, React and Node). While this was at the forefront of development technologies, many of the projects we were hiring for at the time required most of the old school technologies. Even though the use of Mongo DB is on the rise, a lot of projects are reluctant to rebuild their databases with NoSQL.

3. Full stack does not mean you are a key man dependency

Lastly, when candidates are looking at Full Stack development roles they are often looking at working as part of a larger team. Most full stack development roles I’ve hired for are very documentation heavy, as it is necessary to communicate to the larger team how you’re going about your work, to ensure greater collaboration across development teams.

So, while being a full stack developer might be an awesome career opportunity, it’s important to keep mindful that you aren’t using it as a buzzword!

Cyber Security, and do I need it?

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 23:49:00 GMT

I’ve seen a lot of businesses opt to not invest into cybersecurity because they believe it’s a waste of money. The truth is that most of the time they are right, but not because of the reasons they think.

I once had a cyber security expert describe cyber security as “locking the whole house up before you leave. The back door, the front door, the side door, the windows and even locking the keys away”. While to some this may seem excessive, for others this is a wholly necessary part of life.

Before we go into the merits of having OCD when locking the house up, it’s important to note that the one question around cyber security, as no different to home security, is simply whether you have anything of value to protect. So the question is not is it worthwhile to invest in security, but:

What do I need to protect?

There is a simple rule to determine how much you should spend on cyber-security. Namely, spend roughly 1% per year on cybersecurity of the maximum you could afford to lose on your business should you be faced with a cyber attack.

What should I used to protect myself?

Here in lies the main issue with cyber-security. Companies like McAfee, Norton and Trend Micro have built complete industries around the issue of cyber-security, creating complete solutions on a per device licence basis. This can be a costly exercise in securing every single computer, so it is important to recognise the measures an individual and a business can take in securing itself.

Step One: Identify where you are vulnerable.

Firstly, the most important step is to identify where you are vulnerable. A high-rise apartment probably isn’t vulnerable to burglary in the same way a house is, but instead may have to deal with securing the balcony for safety. In the same way, some businesses will not be vulnerable to the big issues of cyber security. Most of the issues of security stem from three key factors:

1. Passwords

2. Client Data

3. Personal Data

Each of these factors requires its own solution and strategy. To curb this, try identifying where you are most vulnerable and prioritise that.

Step Two: Budget how much you would be willing to spend and lose

Much like insurance, cyber security works in terms of premium and pay-off. The more you are willing to spend in both time and money, the more secure you will be. If you determine that you are willing to devote an hour a week to cyber security, then you can look at ways to design processes to minimise vulnerability.

Alternatively you can choose to outsource the security of your business to software, or even a third party. Whatever you do, make sure you know how much you’d be willing to spend and lose.

Step Three: Set and Forget

Ultimately, cyber security is about building a seamlessly secure process. If you lock your house up, you don’t need to constantly check up on it through the trust you have in your locking system. The same can be said for cyber security. Once you set it in place, it should not affect the flow of work or money in the slightest.

So, in short, the answer is yes, you probably do need cyber security. The real question you need to answer is to what degree.

Achievement Unlocked: Finding work/life balance in the now

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 20:46:00 GMT

The great author Paulo Coelho once said that the meaning of life is balance. When it comes to work and life, achieving balance between the two seems like just a dream. Throw in the balance of kids and family and we have the impossible dream, one that almost nobody achieves in their lifetime.

There must be a way to do this though. If Sheryl Sandberg and Elon Musk can balance managing two of the biggest companies on earth with their family and not lose their sanity, then there is hope for all of us.

From past experience, here are my 6 tips to finding work/life balance.

1. Stay hydrated

This sounds like a truism if ever there was one, but just hold up right there. There have been many studies done linking thirst with any number of issues, ranging from the obvious headaches and hunger, to even causing your emotions to destabilise. If you don’t drink enough water in a given day, you put yourself at risk of working yourself into a panic state. Nobody benefits if you aren’t at your best, so it’s best to stay hydrated while working.

2. Conduct a mind-body scan every day

A mind body scan is one way to “check in” with yourself. The brain and body are connected in many, many ways, so its important to build that connection and awareness up by doing exercises such as this.

3. Keep your actual balance by keeping your posture

Good posture over the workday is hard to do. That’s why standing desks exist. After you conduct a mind-body scan, you may start to feel that your body or mind are linked by small details like how you’re sitting or standing. Finding your posture is incredibly important for maintaining a relaxed and calm demeanour while working at a good pace.

4. Find your third place

The third place is a concept that comes from sociology, whereby communities of people need a place outside of work or home in order to work on themselves. These can be hobbies, but they can also be something far more open such as the beach, a park or the gym. Finding your third place can be the best way for you to re-balance yourself, and keep you prepared for another day.

5. Work with people whose company you enjoy

Work only really feels like work when you take a break and all you have is yourself. Those are the times that work starts to feel lonely. If you can find time to be with people you enjoy while you’re at work, time will go faster, and work will be easier. When you’re working with people you enjoy, you also may find your wellbeing lifted.

6. Give up the grudge

Lastly, the one thing that can make work unbearably tiring is office politics. Most of the time it is unavoidable, and grown people begin acting like children. While it may be unavoidable sometimes, so long as you don’t bare any grudges, work may not take its toll as harshly as it would have if you had been involved in the office drama.

While work/life balance may seem like the impossible dream, working towards it can be the best thing you do in your career!

Network like it’s your Net worth, and other Sales Tips

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 22:28:00 GMT

Sales is both the easiest and hardest job in the world. Dealing with clients, managing expectations, selling the value in your product (or service) over a rival, dealing with counter offers and even closing can be made incredibly difficult through a variety of factors. It’s only when the commissions cheques start rolling in that you realise that it was all worthwhile. From experience, the sales process begins long before any talk of products and services have begun.

Here are my 4 sales tips for closing your next big deal.

1. Network like it’s your net worth

Though this quote sounds like it was pulled directly from Instagram, it really helps when you understand the significance of your network when building your sales leads. As a recruiter, the amount of networking events I attend in a year is ridiculous. To some this may seem like a waste of time, networking is a skill that can be refined to an art. Many time’s I’ve had clients come to me and say they will repeatedly use my services because I “actually give a sh*t”. This reputation can only come from years of building a network at these events and pouring heart and soul into meeting and connecting with people.

2. Present with presence

Everyone in the room knows you must have done the presentation 50 times, but it still feels like your first. Your words are garbled. Your slides are wordy and lacking in graphics. You have 35 slides, and no question time. You walk out of the room with your tail between your legs, with no deal in sight.It goes without saying that presenting a slideshow without presence is setting yourself up for failure. Keep it short and visual, with no more than 15 slides and plenty of time for questions.

3. Drop the game

People love saying that sales is a game. They’ll find themselves dancing in a world of “maybe”, “I don’t know”, “not right now” and so on. Many salespeople get caught up in the concept of “burning leads”, or the toxically held idea that once a lead has given a no, they would be burned completely, so they spend their time trying to game indecisive customers. This type of thinking is a recipe for failure, as it leads to false hopes and reading into things too much. Try to drop this game as quickly as you can. If a client gives you a no, accept the no. If anything, welcome the “no”, as it gives you one step closer to a “yes”.

4. Never surrender

Surrendering seems like such a dramatic term. What I mean by this is giving up due to compulsion or demand, making it seem like you have somewhere to be that you don’t, or giving up way too easily just because it’s scary to resist. Surrendering in sales means to give up and walk away or accepting a deal while compromising your core beliefs.

Whether you’re selling fruit or computers named after fruit, these sales tips will hopefully carry you through to your next big deal. Good luck!

5 Brain Foods to prevent the 3pm blues

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 00:57:00 GMT

We all know the feeling. It’s 3:30. You’re tired. Your productivity has just gone to zero. It won’t be long before you clock out, so you just spend the next few waking hours hardly waking.

At this point you’ll probably think a coffee would be a great idea. The only problem with that is that the general rule of thumb is that any coffee after 2pm will result in a terrible night’s sleep. A terrible night’s sleep is what got you into this mess in the first place. At the exact same time

And so the cycle repeats.

Look, I’m all for coffee. I think there’s nothing better than the nice, warm hug of happiness coffee brings you in the morning, but there are better ways around this. Here are 5 brain foods to help to prevent the 3pm blues.

1. Salmon and Avocado

Omega-3 is the most prominently featured nutrient in most articles about brain food, and with good reason. The brain burns a huge amount of energy alone, and most of this energy can be derived from either carbohydrates or fats. Generally speaking, carbs are often guilty of making you sleepy, which is why we recommend fats for brain food. Of these, the healthiest fatty foods are (you guessed it) salmon and avocado. Try them in anything from sushi to a healthy salad.

2. Bulletproof Coffee

Ok so Coffee can be an obvious pick-me-up. But if you’re prone to having milk and sugar in your coffee as most of us are, the milk and sugar can often lend themselves to an intense crash in the middle of the day. To avoid the crash, try bulletproof coffee, which has a combination of grass-fed butter and MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil and coffee. The company Bulletproof claims to have a unique blend of coffee beans and “brain octane” oil, but for those playing at home try this unique combination for a beautiful slow burning coffee experience.

3. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are an incredibly versatile super-food. Not only do they only have a “just add boiling water” aspect to them, but with a little bit of maple syrup, honey or yoghurt, you can have yourself a healthy snack at the office. Not only that, but chia seeds are packed with protein and other nutrients. They’re also very Instagram worthy!

4. Almonds and Cashews

Nuts are of course packed with the good stuff. Almonds and cashews tend the be the best of the bunch, packed with both protein and healthy fat. I’m sure by this point you’re starting to see a pattern here with this whole “healthy fat for the brain” thing.

5. Nothing at all

Ok so this isn’t an M. Night Shymalan twist. This is actually a real thing.

Intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to wake your body up. Your body spends a lot of time and energy digesting food, which is why you feel so tired just after lunch. This is your body telling you that it needs energy to digest food. Skipping a single meal can make 3pm the most awake you will feel all day. When your body is empty, you may feel an intense rush of productivity due to the fact that your body can finally get around to burning all the energy it just took in.

So there is a twist in all this. Eating small meals throughout the day may be the key to maintaining productivity and keeping on high alert. At the end of the day, all food is brain food, so if you can keep between the lines of not eating too much or too little you should be on the right track!

How to combine Digital and Traditional Marketing

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 21:02:00 GMT

Companies nowadays are being faced with the increasingly prevalent issue of Digital Marketing campaigns being significantly different, or even working completely out of sync to each other. I’ve recently seen the increasing trend of companies who launch campaigns with traditional channels and digital channels, but have been unable to capitalise on linking between the two. You wouldn’t use your left hand in isolation of your right hand, so why do it in marketing?

Here are 3 ways that companies can link their traditional marketing campaigns to digital ones, and vice versa, to maximise consumer engagement and ROI.

1. Virtual and Augmented Reality

Digital marketing has barely scratched the surface of the potential for virtual and augmented reality in marketing campaigns. Due to the very nature of the audience being completely engaged in the augmented reality, it’s very easy to produce new and exciting ways for marketers to reach their audience.

Many of the elements of traditional marketing can be used in virtual and augmented reality projects. As an audience member engages with the environment, at one point or another they can be immersed in one large advertisement, that takes on physical attributes. Of course, this combines perfectly with the digital aspects of marketing in both analytics and creating the campaign to begin with.

2. Geolocation

As we all know, the location of advertisements matters. A lot. So while this is important to note, it’s another thing entirely to be able to analyse the specifics of the audience that is viewing your advertisement.

Geolocation marketing is the perfect intersection of traditional and digital marketing. The way it works is by taking the location data of a device, and providing that in an interactive map. For instance, with a traditional billboard that is set up in a location, a geofence may be set up to determine where the people that have seen your billboard are heading. If they happen to end up viewing the advertisement, and later down the track find themselves acting on the billboard, we can measure the ROI of the campaign in its purest form i.e. viewing an advertisement, and then buying the product.

This type of technology is in its infancy, and of course the ethical boundaries are being pushed with its increasing prevalence in marketing. All we know at this point is that it is at the leading edge of traditional and digital marketing.

3. Segmentation via Social

One of the more increasingly popular aspects of digital marketing is the use of pre-determined marketing segments taken from social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Segmentation has long been a challenge for marketers, with traditional marketing using the traditional view of segmentation based on age, occupation etc. Social media has allowed us to segment markets based on user interests and “likes”. The growth of the like button has become a quiet revolution over the years, as social media platforms have used it to increasingly determine the fate of the products that are advertised.

Ultimately, whether you work in traditional marketing, or are in the digital marketing space, it’s important to recognise the importance of digital links to a traditional campaign, and traditional roots in a digital campaign. With the ability to combine campaigns comes a whole new world of possibilities.

Meditation in our workday

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 20:43:00 GMT

It’s no secret that mediation has the power to reduce stress, create happiness, promote cardiovascular and good immune health.

It also sharpens your attention span, improves concentration and helps combat stress.

This practice can be applied to our everyday lives and seeing as we spend approximately 8 hours a day or possibly more in the workplace the benefits of meditation in the your office “work life” are priceless. Meditation is hard and yes our minds have the capacity to jump from one thought to another when we are trying to tell it not to, but at the end of the day it’s part of being human and attempting to quieten the monkey mind isn't always that simple.

We can’t all sit in stillness for hours on end honing out attention on a singular point of focus. Because we probably wouldn’t get alot of other stuff done.

There are pitches to make, emails to send, deals to be signed, deadlines to adhere too.

However taming those wild thoughts and practicing mindfulness by slowing things down and communicating with yourself is paramount to living a full, happy and balanced life

Being positive is more than just saying “got to stay positive” it’s a way of thinking, being and reacting. It’s reactive as well as proactive at the same time. The good news is positivity does not discriminate it is available to everyone and the best thing is it’s free.

Some of the most influential companies have applied this approach of meditation and mindfulness programs that have been adopted by the likes of Apple, Intel, and Google to name a few and there would be hundreds more. It has been proven that we have the power to rewire the human brain. Harvard University has conducted a study showcasing how the gray matter can reform in 8 weeks under a regular mediation practice.

Even five or ten minutes a day can have huge benefits. Relieving the have to do this, gotta do that attitude is extremely important. Meditation stimulates cognitive thinking it creates balance and can help creativity in the office and in all environments it offers a solution to stress, and anxiety and depression plus there are a myriad of health benefits.

In Australia we have a nation full of people suffering with disorders, alarmingly a lot of them are stress related. Recent surveys have shown individual’s aged between 18 and 35 are more prone to stress and stress related disorders.

We don’t know the full amount of the repercussions of living with our faces glued to a screen and while the convenience and practicality of a smart phone not to mention instant gratification and social media aren’t things we can or want to live without (let’s be honest) shouldn't we be aiming to keep the balance?

Mediation is a way to focus on the “now” the chance to come back to basics.

Some meditation apps to try to help increase productivity focus and direction for 2018

Insight Timer – https://insighttimer.com/

A free mediation app that allows you to collectively meditate with others around the globe today alone when I signed in 4,063 people were meditating.

It has timed mediations so you can do a quick 5-minute mediation while waiting for your train or getting your morning coffee.

Headspace App – https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app

Designed to help those suffering from anxiety and depression this app is great if you are a newbie to mediation and enjoy a good solid guided medi

Theres no judgment about trying mediation it might work for you or you might need to continue to work at it. However with so much stimuli on a daily basis stripping things back and having that time to focus on the life force running through you, its really a grounding transformative mindful and human experience.

It’s no secret that mediation has the power to reduce stress, create happiness, promote cardiovascular and good immune health.

It also sharpens your attention span, improves concentration and helps combat stress.

We can’t all sit in stillness for hours on end honing out attention on a singular point of focus. Because we probably wouldn’t get alot of other stuff done.

There are pitches to make, emails to send, deals to be signed, deadlines to adhere too.

However taming those wild thoughts and practicing mindfulness by slowing things down and communicating with yourself is paramount to living a full, happy and balanced life

Mediation is a way to focus on the “now” the chance to come back to basics.

Some meditation apps to try to help increase productivity focus and direction for 2018

Insight Timer – https://insighttimer.com/

A free mediation app that allows you to collectively meditate with others around the globe today alone when I signed in 4,063 people were meditating.

It has timed mediations so you can do a quick 5-minute mediation while waiting for your train or getting your morning coffee.

Headspace App – https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app

Designed to help those suffering from anxiety and depression this app is great if you are a newbie to mediation and enjoy a good solid guided medi

Overcoming the Christmas Break Without Being “Snowed Under”

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 01:26:00 GMT

So, this is Christmas, and what have we done. Another year over, and a new one just begun. Sadly for John Lennon, he never had to go back to work after Christmas when he sang that song, but now we are back at work and we’re all struggling to get back in the groove.

Christmas is a great time of year. You get to catch up with family, eat a lot and just take the time to relax and recover. The only issue most of us find is that when we get back to work we are almost immediately pinned down by the huge backlog of work. The backlog of work becomes even harder to work on because we haven’t built the momentum at work yet.

Here are my 5 tips on overcoming the Christmas break without being “snowed under” by this workload.

1. Start in first gear

This is probably the biggest tip I have so far. Most people try to get back into work and hit the ground running. This can lead to frustration from a misguided set of expectations. It’s highly unlikely that after some time off we will be able to hit the ground running right away, so it’s important to start slowly, and work up the pace. This will make the backlog seem much easier over time.

2. Keep up some of that festive cheer

It’s easy to get back to work and be super serious. It’s fine if that’s the kind of person you are, but it’s much better for your colleagues and even your own productivity if you keep at least some of that festive cheer when back at work. It will make work seem fun, and make sure you’re able to keep up the work rate for just that little bit longer.

3. Cure your FOMO

A lot of people don’t come back during the Christmas break until mid-January. This leaves the remainder of us with a little bit extra workload, but a lot of extra FOMO. This bitter and salty taste in our mouths can linger, leaving us with the insatiable desire to go on our own little “break” while at work. Find a way to cure your FOMO. Your colleagues might be having fun, but you should be happy for them. They would do the same for you in the same position.

4. Be your own boss

Work can be slow when coming back from the break. For many of us, our managers are away, leaving us with the innate desire to take that little bit extra break. If you find yourself doing this, try and pull yourself back in line. While tempting, it doesn’t help the pile of work that built up over the break to get any smaller.

5. Remember to do all the things you were doing before the break

This might sound obvious, but think about how important it is to have habits. If you went to the gym in the morning last year, come back to doing the same thing. If you went to a certain café, come back to doing the same thing. Habits are important, especially if they are healthy. Remember to reform them when you come back from the break.

Here’s to an amazing 2018!

Geolocation Marketing and Big Brother

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 01:16:00 GMT

In George Orwell’s eponymously titled book Nineteen Eighty-Four, he warned of a dystopic future with a government agency known only as Big Brother. The tagline of course is that “Big Brother is watching”, insinuating that no matter what, the government always has a tag on who you are and where you are going.

Orwell’s dream come true

Fast forward to well past the year that Orwell insinuated this would all happen, and we have a very similar premise with a very different result. Someone does know where you are at all times, and in the western world it seems that we are all living underneath some form of Big Brother, except Big Brother is not a government agency. Our phones and Facebook profiles have almost all the information an agency like Big Brother would. The funniest part is, this data is only really ever used to by marketers, as a means of reaching consumers in new ways.

Welcome to the world of Geolocation Marketing, one of the most powerful tools ever invented in marketing.

The power of Latitude and Longitude

Geolocation Marketing is so powerful because of two simple measures, that can encompass almost all forms of marketing in one way or another. If you really pause to think for a moment, where you are at any given moment will say a lot about who you are as a person. These two beautiful numbers form many aspects of your identity, and can help marketers segment into incredibly detailed profiles.

Your Identity in location form

Let’s take a given person’s life as an example, and see how this can be broken down into data. Let’s say that this a given person is an I.T. consultant, who works at a law firm and goes to the beach on their days off. They shop in Newtown and spend most of their nights out between two specific bars in the city. All these pieces of data can be determined by the percentage of time they spend at each location (home, work and leisure).

Now here is the real kicker.

From the suburb they spend most time in, their average income could be determined from the median house price of that location. Their specific taste in fashion could be determined from the fact they shop in Newtown, even going so far as to determine the specific shops they go into. You could determine the persons favourite drink based on the bars they go in. If you really wanted to, you could determine a person’s favourite type of cuisine based on restaurant location data. Anything is possible really.

This is the true power of geolocation marketing. With pure location data, marketers may now obtain micro-segments, based on the needs of the individual rather than the group.

Geolocation can now be used for Remarketing

Thanks to Geolocation services, marketers can now determine whether you have seen an advertisement in billboard form, and then remarket to consumers using the digital form of that ad campaign.

In the world of Orwell, Geolocation marketing has presented a real brave new world. With this great power, comes great responsibility as to whether a marketer can use this information wisely.

Motivation is a Myth: The truth behind what motivates you

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 01:41:00 GMT

Probably the biggest new years resolution I heard this year was to “ stay motivated ”. If this is you, read on.

People often ask me:

How do you stay motivated?

Motivation is one of those things that we all seem to be searching for. It’s our 3:30pm fuzziness, as well as the struggle to get up in the morning. Motivation has come to define who we are as people, as we almost always put people into the categories of “ motivated ” and “ un-motivated ”.

I’m going to say very honestly that though I think this can be useful in recruitment, it isn’t helpful when describing yourself. Not only that, but motivation is a myth. It is useful but finite, and it is also the leading cause of burnout.

Though I may not be an expert in the matter, I know what works. There’s lot of guidance here, so pay attention. Here are my top 3 myths about motivation busted.

1. Discipline is a myth

Most people seem to argue that motivation, inspiration and willpower are what truly drives us to be successful. While this is true to an extent, many people use motivation and willpower to mask their own self-loathing.

There is a famous quote from strength coach Charles Poliquin that goes like this:

“There is no such thing as discipline. There is only love”

There may be never a truer word spoken. Motivation and inspiration that come from unhealthy places such as self-loathing or a desire to prove yourself only lead to misery and emptiness. At a certain point they start to lose their potency.

That’s why it is so important to do things out of the love of them, not out of self-loathing. It’s way more sustainable, and will lead to happiness and fulfillment.

2. Motivation happens when you have high self-esteem

It’s a common adage that motivation is due to having a high regard for yourself. If you love yourself, you may be more motivated than your average person to work harder and for longer hours. Self-esteem , or how you value yourself will often be tied to your work, therefore those with higher self-esteem will be those that are high performing at work.

The sad thing is, this isn’t true. Motivation is far more related to your self-confidence than it is your self-esteem . To make things very clear, self-esteem is your faith in your value as a person, whereas self-confidence is your faith in your ability e.g. you are the best in the world at something, but you are still an average person.

This is how we get burnout a lot of the time. People who have high self-confidence but low self-esteem will eventually burn out. It is better to work sustainably, rather than to be “highly-motivated” but then crash under the weight of your own self-esteem.

3. Highly motivated people are more successful

The most toxic myth about motivation is that highly motivated people are more successful than those that are not so highly motivated. This myth is perpetuated amongst working cultures to help people become more productive, but it is the most common cause of people losing their motivation and “coaxing” at work when they realise they won’t be the best.

The most successful people I’ve met are not the most highly motivated, but are the ones that are able to best match their own self belief with the work that they are capable of. One of the happiest people I’ve ever met told me once:

“I’m happy not because I am the best, but because I am continuously able to push myself to be a bit better each day, to the best of my ability”.

That is the true key to success. Simply do a little more, a little better .

It’s that simple.

So for those playing at home, motivation is a myth. It will only last so long, and if you can’t find a healthy place to push yourself from, you will almost certainly burn out at some point.

If there’s one point for motivation it’s this:

Strive to improve, not prove.

Happy 2018! Make sure it’s your best ever.

AWS vs Azure: Who wins the belt?

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 01:21:00 GMT

Cloud computing has become an increasingly important part of an organisation’s web performance capability. In the digital age, where I.T. infrastructure plays an increasingly vital role in business, the cloud services you use has become an important “fork in the road” moment for many businesses.

Not all cloud providers are created equal. When considering moving to cloud-based infrastructure as a service, two providers stand out above all others: Amazon’s AWS and Microsoft’s Azure. Both companies have a relatively long history in the cloud space, and while they may seem virtually identical in their product offerings, it’s important to recognise how very different they are. Here are the differentiating factors between them:

1. Compliance

When looking at both AWS and Azure, Azure has a more comprehensive compliance coverage. Azure has always been heavily focused on data security and compliance, being the first cloud provider to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation. It also famously has obtained government contracts in the United States, with many prominent institutions utilising Azure for their data storage.

AWS on the other hand is secure, but tends to sell security as an add-on rather than a core feature. For AWS vs Azure, one can consider them as being a comparison between a “bolt-on features” model (AWS) vs a “Pay as you go” model (Azure). Personally, I’d prefer Azure’s model in this respect, as security is one of those things you don’t want to compromise right off the bat, but you also don’t want to pay through the nose with upfront costs.

Winner: Azure

2. Ease of use

Many will agree that AWS, at its base level, is very simple and easy to use. It is pretty clear that as part of Amazon’s strategy to have add-ons, the idea was that a user would only pay for the features that they used (and none that they didn’t).

Azure comes as a fully-fledged system straight out of the box. To set up an instance is relatively easy, but to develop the capability to do so takes a pretty big learning curve. I’d have to give this round to AWS, as at it’s core functionality it is a very simple system to set up.

Winner: AWS

3. Cost

So here is the real kicker.

AWS is fast in terms of amount of resources required to deliver a product to the cloud. For most businesses who won’t need to rely on heavy traffic to achieve profitability, AWS is a cost effective solution. Only at scale does it become more expensive than Azure.

Azure on the other hand has the opposite effect. While being initially expensive to set up, Azure becomes a cost-effective solution when scaling over time. It is the potential to grow that sets these two apart. Azure is suitable when it comes to SaaS and PaaS models, as these generally rely on heavy and complex traffic.

Winner: Draw (it depends on how big you want to get)

4. Analytics

Microsoft’s big data and advanced analytics capabilities will ultimately be better in this regard. AWS again has the capability to produce advanced analytics, but even with these add-ons the analytical capabilities for business intelligence are hardly a match for Azure.

Winner: Azure

We have a winner

So, you might want to consider all the options available to you, but in this author’s humble opinion Azure takes the cake. Despite being more expensive and more complex, if you’re willing to put in the hours it will be worth it in the end.

Eric Schmidt: Lessons in passive resilience

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 00:39:00 GMT

On the 22 ^nd of December it was announced that Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Alphabet group and former CEO of Google would be stepping away from the limelight . Though his career was marked by the shadow of the two founders of Google, in particular Larry Page, he is without a doubt one of the greatest tech CEOs to have ever lived.

What is so amazing about Schmidt is his ability to live through the ever-changing tech industry, outlasting 3 generations of tech spanning some 20 years. Not only was he able to beef it with the best in the industry, but many times he was widely considered to be at the helm of the best tech company on the planet. In a way, Schmidt can be compared to the Heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier, who was without a doubt one of the best on the planet. Frazier was famous for what we now call passive resilience , or more formally known as stoicism .

Here are a collection of lessons in passive resilience that we can take away from Schmidt’s career, from Novell to Google and beyond.

1. Always be able to take a joke

During his time at Sun Microsystems, Schmidt was the target of two incredible pranks. The first was that his office was taken apart and reassembled, in its entirety, in the middle of a pond (complete with a working phone). The second of which was just as infamous, where a working Volkswagen Beetle was taken apart, and reassembled in his office.

While to some, this is a form of bullying, Schmidt seemed to brush it aside with a degree of ease. It takes a certain degree of character to be able to be made fun of like that. This type of passive resilience speaks volumes later down the track, especially when Schmidt was at Google.

2. Ride the downfall as a learning opportunity

During Schmidt’s time at Novell, he didn’t preside over the great rise of the company to become some internet juggernaut. In fact, the opposite was the case. During Schmidt’s time at Novell, he presided over one of the biggest declines in technology at the time, with Novell’s lead IPX protocol was replaced by the more widely adopted TCP/IP technology. This left the company with essentially no clear revenue stream.

It’s clear during his time at Novell that Schmidt didn’t take this to heart. He worked tirelessly to find ways to make the company remain steady, and ultimately used his lessons at Novell to grow Google into the company we know today.

3. Titles mean little

During Google’s quest to IPO, Schmidt was seen to be tirelessly working at a role typically assigned to the CEO of a public company. He would work through the corporate governance, structure and helped establish key asset values, all while being seen as “the other guy” next to Larry Page and Sergey Brin. What is truly remarkable is that Schmidt didn’t seem to mind being seen as “the other guy”. In fact, from Google’s performance at the time, he seemed to relish in it. He eventually did become CEO, but it was less about the title and more about the work to him.

Through his career, Eric Schmidt lived in the times of the tech titans; Marc Andreessen, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and the rest, and throughout this time, he seemed to be able to lead Google on one of the best growth curves of all time. His passive resilience was key to this, and if there are three lessons to take away they are to see everything as a lesson, not to value your title and to not take yourself too seriously.

The ingenuity of NoSQL database security

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 23:31:00 GMT

A recent and growing trend in DevOps is the growing trend of using NoSQL databases as a way to decrease server load by moving the load bearing downstream to the client side. While this may be cost effective, it has presented a fundamental flaw time and time again in the security side of things. The most prominent example of this is MongoDB, where news broke in the tech world that more than 40’000 instances were left unsecured(http://www.information-age.com/major-security-alert-40000-mongodb-databases-left-unsecured-internet-123459001/). Not only was this damning for a company that was due to IPO (its stock price was left relatively unscathed), but it left many DevOps scratching their heads as to how this was possible.

Since this time it has become apparent that the issue of security was not due to MongoDB having huge security problems, but in the user not knowing how to secure a NoSQL database properly. For this issue, I’ve compiled a short list of ways to secure a NoSQL database, assuring that most of the time it is user error more than a fundamental flaw in NoSQL.

The “Counting skittles” problem

NoSQL databases by design are meant to be secure. They present the hacker with a large degree of difficulty to leverage administrative level access of huge swathes of the database. For a hacker to successfully obtain administrative permissions, they would soon find that with the clustering of database instances, they would be unable to compromise large datasets by nature of NoSQL database structure.

Apache Hadoop now can track changes made in the database with timestamps, which was implemented in version 2.6. What was also the most prominent example of new security measures being added for NoSQL databases was at-rest encryption by way of introducing encryption zones within clusters, to prevent data from being moved around. In this way, the hacker would be taking out small pieces of data instead of a full set, akin to counting through skittles to get multiples of the same flavour.

One-way authentication

The most obvious way to secure a NoSQL database is to use an authentication system to enforce access to the system from outside sources. MongoDB uses LDAP to combat this, and once it is set up it adds an extra layer of protection between sources. Hadoop by design is quite trusting, so enforcing rules can become a bit trickier. Using a Kerberos server as an intermediary with your repository is one way to go about it, but Hadoop is notoriously difficult to break that trust for securing data.

Make your enemy pay a steep price for victory

Whatever the case, even if a NoSQL database does experience a security threat, it’s important to recognise that no database is completely secure. The advantage of using a NoSQL database is not only in the security side, but if a hack does occur that the hacker will have their work cut out for them to obtain large swathes of meaningful data. With that comes a steep price for breaching, as the work wouldn’t be worth the risk.

What comes first in marketing; Brand or Data?

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 23:20:00 GMT

When finding where the origins of a great marketing campaign comes from, marketers are almost always left with the chicken and egg dilemma; do we start with brand or do we start with data. Think of it more as a left-brain vs right-brain style dilemma. Depending on how your brain is wired depends on whether you will be able to extrapolate the most information out of data from marketing performance metrics or finding the most helpful information from your data.

To help in the decision as to whether to analyse your marketing data first or to reflect on your brand’s perception in the market, I’ve compiled a short list of what I’ve seen work well in organisations before.

Data is irrefutable, but brand can be changed

Marketing data is hard to deny. Whether you have a Net Promoter Score, Brand Survey or even simple sales figures, it’s hard to deny when your brand is tanking. Most of the time the data will suggest that your brand is heading in a certain trajectory, and it will help establish trends, which as we all know “ are your friends ”.

Just because marketing data is irrefutable, it doesn’t make it the end goal. The problem with data is that a lot of the time we don’t have a lot of control over it. Most of the time, data is the product of something that lies beneath it. It doesn’t tell us exactly what we need to do to make our brand work better in the marketplace.

In this way, brand is a better place to start. Under the assumption that you can define the brand honestly (which I’ve seen a lot of companies unable to do), a defined brand will set you apart from those that can’t take an honest look at themselves, your competition. Starting at your brand means that you can look at ways to turn your brand perception into more positive, revenue generating ways.

Data is correlated with revenue, so long as you see the big picture

Marketing data is almost always correlated with revenue, and consequently the bottom line. A high Net Promoter Score will almost always translate into a profitable business, but there are many examples of companies where that is not the case. ING Direct was a classic example of this. The company consistently had the highest score in their sector, but simply couldn’t hold their margin up to the bigger players in the banking sector.

If you’re going to look at data, you have to look at it from every angle. Starting from the bottom line means looking at sales and revenue, and working your way up to see how much the brand and campaigns play a part in that. One of the most common examples I’ve seen is the sale of IAG insurance products, who did not have the largest marketing budget of all the main insurers, but who could cleverly place their marketing budget at the point of sale, whereby salespeople received large commissions for selling their products. This marketing tactic, known as “down-streaming” is a very clever strategy that has almost no brand decision involved.

Decisions like this come from data alone. It’s just a matter of finding the right data to analyse to see where the best way to spend the budget is.

Brand or data?

Before you go about seeing whether to look at brand first or data first, start with what you’re trying to achieve. If your brand is tanking, look at the brand first and foremost. Data can’t be turned around, but the brand can. If your brand is well placed but sales are tanking, look at data first. So really, it’s both, it just depends on where the company is placed.

The rise of Virtual Reality in Digital Marketing

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 23:14:00 GMT

Virtual Reality is booming. Since Facebook bought out Oculus in 2014, virtual reality has hit the mainstream in a big way.

Virtual Reality has presented digital marketing with a completely new way to engage customers. Not only does virtual reality give users the ability to be completely immersed in an environment, but it also gives brands the ability to establish a completely new relationship between a brand and its customers.

Though virtual reality has been only available to the tech giants of Facebook, Microsoft and Google, the ability for many non-technical industries to take advantage of this brave new world has lead to the creation of the virtual reality industry almost overnight.

Virtual Reality is a means of engaging a relevant audience

With virtual reality, users can be assured of being able to build up their user base in a new way. Virtual reality applications can help users find a brand in an exciting way, and it has been proven that a virtual reality installation has a better effect on a user than if they had just seen a traditional digital or traditional advertisement.

Virtual reality users are engaged for not just seconds, but sometimes minutes and even hours depending on the right kind of content. Digital marketing has long held the view that it is better to be a “ mile wide and inch deep ” when it comes to brand engagement. During the tech boom (and bust) of the early 2000s, many companies were valued based almost exclusively based on the eyeballs they were able to attract. We all know nowadays that this is a terrible strategy for building audiences, as many of these people will not be engaged long enough with a brand to form a meaningful experience. Virtual reality solves this problem almost perfectly.

Virtual reality gives users the ability to be completely immersed in a world, and in that world is where your brand can appear. Brands struggle to build this type of engagement in the digital space due to the pace at which people are switching on and switching off. Being able to occupy more time creates a positive engagement coefficient , which the user may tell their friends and family about, in turn creating promoters beyond the positive experience the user had.

Virtual Reality lets brands discover new customers

Virtual reality installations have no taken on a whole new world of their own. Not only can you create marketing installations for customers to engage with in public settings, but you can also create virtual reality apps for customers to engage with in the comfort of their own home. In doing this, the novelty of being fully immersed in virtual reality will override any sense of having a product being sold to the audience, letting brands find new customers who would otherwise be unlikely to engage with them had they not been able to utilise virtual reality technology.

What does virtual reality look like in digital marketing?

Frankly, there are so many ways to execute virtual reality in digital marketing that it would take at least another two posts to showcase. Anything from a marketing installation in a shopping mall to a virtual application designed for the Google or Samsung headsets, the world is your oyster.

Virtual reality is shaping the future of brand engagement in digital marketing. If anything it proves that it’s not the amount of eyeballs that matters nowadays, it’s how you use them.

The 6 Hour work day: How Swedish working hours could soon become mainstream

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 23:43:00 GMT

In an article published by the Sydney Morning Herald , Sweden will be moving towards implementing a 6 hour working day. The reasoning behind it seems to be that the upper limit of human concentration in a given day, without the need for stimulants such as caffeine to keep us awake and on the ball.

An industrial age hangover

It seems like they might be onto something, those crazy Scandinavians. Working 6 hours in a day starts from a young age for most of us, stemming from our days at school. It doesn’t make sense that we have to adopt an 8-hour workday as soon as we come of working age.

The reason for the 8 hour working day stems from the Industrial age, where Industrial Pioneer Robert Owen opted for an 8-hour working day to coincide with “40 hours work, 40 hours sleep and 40 hours leisure”. This seems like a great idea in terms of operating heavy machinery, as the workers of old had to. While heavy machinery and manufacturing may still exist, nowadays we have computers to take care of huge chunks of our workload. The dawn of the technological age should carry with it a challenge to the way we work, particularly in working hours.

To be completely honest, we probably should have challenged the 8-hour working day closer to the turn of the century. Many people turn to an unhealthy lifestyle to be able to keep awake for their whole day. 8 hours can be a long time, especially if there aren’t any lulls in the workload.

6 hours of power

Most of us suffer from 3:30itis. It’s that moment where we start thinking about what we will do after work, or what we will do on the weekend. It’s the point where we switch off to think about other things, and it’s part of human nature.

Imagine if, rather than fighting that feeling of distraction that comes with that part of the day, we could just go home and do all the things we were thinking about. It might sound crazy, but it may be better to be more productive for a shorter amount of time than to be distracted for those remaining 2 hours.

A little story about a sales manager

A little while ago I was recruiting for a sales manager role and came across a guy who had achieved outstanding results. He was very good at his job, and managed to maintain an incredibly consistent track record of closing 4 deals a week in a B2B Sales role. When I asked him about how he managed to achieve such a consistent result, his reply astounded me.

“I turn up late every day. I start at 11 and hit the ground running”. Needless to say, his attitude surprised me no end. Upon further enquiry it became clear that he was an avid surfer. Rather than starting the day with a coffee and bursting through the doors with high energy, he reasoned that he would spend his morning doing something he loved, and come into work as relaxed as he could be. Once he began talking to clients, they were put at ease by his relaxed manor, and hence this translated into more deals being closed.

Maybe these swedes are onto something. Only time will tell, as our economy starts shifting to automation, 6 hours in a working day may be the only way to go.

3 Surprisingly effective Negotiation Tactics to use for your next deal

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 23:38:00 GMT

Negotiating for a better deal is an essential skill in not just the workforce, but in life.

Negotiating for a pay rise, a better deal on your car or even haggling at the markets is all part of the negotiation process. It can be fun, and if you do it right it can make you feeling pretty good about yourself. Here are 5 surprisingly effective negotiation tactics you can use to get the best deal.

1. The playoff

This technique is very simple, but effective. Simply put, take the first party that you are speaking to, and name the deal that you want. For the first meeting, act friendly but assertive, assuring the person that the deal that you’ve been offered was just the first part of the process. Leave the meeting and allow some time to pass. Speak to a completely different party about the deal, but come across a lot more relaxed, just letting them know that you’re just curious about finding more information. After that, go to the first person you spoke to and assert that the second party only partly agreed to the deal. The first party will almost always agree to the complete terms of the deal (so long as it is within reason). It’s a pretty clever tactic that seems to work a lot more than you may realise.

2. The Low Post

This is a tactic I’ve seen used time and time again. The tactic is simple, but also effective. Enter the interaction and state your walkaway terms, or the lowest point that you’d be willing to go to accept the deal. The counter offer that follows will generally be the most favourable deal you can get.

The term “post” comes from the terms in basketball of placing yourself directly under the basket, at the most minimum distance between you and the basket. Any push back that the opposing team puts against you will still place you in a favourable position to score.

3. The Left Hander

The left hander is a tactic that is a little unorthodox, but if done well may also get a desirable result for both parties. Under the assumption that neither party is budging in the terms of an agreement, the left hander can be used to relax people into believing the terms are in fact not as bad as they seem for the other party.

All the left hander involves is creating a sense that you’re prepared to walk away from the deal at a moments notice because you’ve got another deal to tend to, but you’ll keep this party in mind. The insinuation is that you still care about the deal, but you’ll keep your “left hand” on it, or in other words, you’re not committed completely to finalising the deal. Generally, the other party will realise that the deal may be in favourable terms to them, and go about shifting their perception to change the deal to be more favourable for you. It doesn’t work all the time, but if you’re stuck in a deadlock it may help break that.

Negotiating is part of most roles, and to do it well you’ll need a clear strategy and tactics. For smaller deals, these three tactics can work brilliantly. It just depends on how well you execute.

The danger of counter offers

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 23:31:00 GMT

Accepting counter offers when being headhunted can be very tempting. I’ve seen lots of clients recently see a role that was almost perfect for them, but decided to take attractive counter offers, only to be disappointed less than a year into their role. For us as recruiters, it can get quite frustrating seeing clients weigh up their options for a role that we believe doesn’t suit them, but has perks that exceed their current offer.

While this might sound “salty”, as if I’m annoyed that clients are moving onto a different role, it’s a strong indicator of the kind of organisation that you’re going into, if they need to up the ante to secure talent. The truest measure of an organisation’s appeal is if they can secure talent on the sole prospect of working for them without the perks. Perks are really just a pricing manipulation, designed to help you make a decision, not keep you at the company.

Mo’ money mo’ problems

As Biggie Smalls would have us believe, if a counter offer decides to offer a higher salary that can seem like a very attractive offer at first. Who doesn’t want more money for doing the same role? But in truth it isn’t the same role a lot of the time. What happens in counter offers is a role is redefined by an organisation to allocate more budget to it, in effect creating a greater than 1 FTE (full time employee) role. I’ve seen this happen time and time again, where a company will take two roles and make them into one, in order to give a candidate more money. This of course really just becomes a glorified overtime pay.

One for the price of two

If you are in fact accepting a role that is combined from two full time employees, you will find your work-life balance shift from barely there to non-existent. I’ve seen clients go from 40 hour weeks to 80 hour weeks just to keep their spot, and end up burning themselves out because the organisation couldn’t offer them the same level of support. Sure, you get paid more, but it probably isn’t worth it.

If you’re taking on a counter offer, prepare yourself for the shock of finding out that you’re doing more work than was first offered. Your salary and bonus come with the expectations of performance, and if you’re not ready to jump in the deep end be prepared to sink of swim.

Counter offers can lead to tall poppies

Counter offers will often come with managers pulling strings to secure candidates. Candidates will often get special treatment, which can lead to being singled out by long term employees and other seasoned veterans. One classic example I’ve seen recently is of a sales manager who had achieved stellar numbers in the past, who was offered a salary above the current sales managers at an organisation as well as a different bonus structure. As much as I’d love to say she enjoyed the role, she left 6 months later due to the pressure of the role, which came from having the different bonus structure and lack of support from her peers. Peers can get jealous of new people, and she found that she was often thrown under the bus the most by the other managers.

Counter offers are all well and good, but bare in mind that you may find yourself dangerously overextended if you accept a higher salary for the same work. Remember to do due diligence, and to keep your wits about you.

The Top 4 Trends in Public Relations

Sat, 16 Dec 2017 00:43:00 GMT

As communication has evolved through the widespread adoption of the internet, so too has Public Relations. In recent years, Public relations seems to have grown at such a rate that many firms are struggling to keep up. To help with these changes, here are four major public relations trends.

1. Traditional Press Releases are finished

In days gone by the traditional press release seemed to have a life of its own. Writing press releases to journalists and media outlets brought the stories to you. Media coverage was seen as a free lunch for companies, where you didn’t have to say too much about your product and the journalist would spin the story. Unless you’re releasing a truly innovative product, or you’re Apple or SpaceX, traditional press releases are a waste of time.

Instead of a press release, try to take advantage of your own outlets such as social media, or even use your relationships with industry leaders to build your profile.

2. Thought leadership is a massive priority

In 2017 we started to see the rise of influencers as a way for brands to showcase their products and reach an audience on an intimate level. It seems that Public Relations has taken the use case for influencers to the next level, birthing the term “thought leadership” as a high-level strategy for showcasing expertise.

Thought leaders are promoting their images and their companies’ messages first and foremost. By bringing up the thought leadership aspect of your companies’ brand, you can project a different side of the company (and one that’s based on evidence rather than spin).

3. Amplified content is key

In years gone by, if you were in a key publication like Techcrunch or Forbes, your site would probably crash with all the extra traffic you would be getting. Outside of getting on daytime television, there really isn’t any single media that will drive such huge volumes of traffic to your site.

Nowadays brands are focusing more on quality content to showcase themselves, and amplifying that content to a selected audience. Companies are now using Google paid marketing channels to lead to their content more than directly to their site. It’s a game changing concept to grasp, that amplifying your content matters as much as your actual branded landing page, but when you start you may find a significant uptick in traffic.

4. Positive Content overrides negative press

As hard as this is to see when the chips are down, branded content can often be used to downplay negative press. Sometimes people can be outspoken towards your company. In PR, every person on social media that brings a negative spin to your brand can be counteracted through positive experience documentation. While it’s important to have adequate training in your team to handle negative PR, the next best thing is to get out there and document when people have had positive experiences. Embrace the negative press and push through it. Put simply by author Jay Baer, hug your haters.

Let 2018 be the year that your brand goes to the next level. By publishing positive content to combat negative press, amplifying that content and building thought leadership into your employees you can be guaranteed 2018 will be your year in branding.

The Top 4 Trends in Wearable Tech

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 00:38:00 GMT

Wearable technology seems to be the hottest tech trend of now. Gadgets companies such as fitbit, Apple, Garmin, Google and Samsung seem to be taking technology to such great heights.

Here are the top 5 hottest trends in wearable tech.

1. Smart Glasses

Snap Inc debuted their amazing smart glasses technology only a year ago, and it would seem like they never got anywhere. The glasses themselves, known as the Snap Spectacles became the hottest item of the summer upon release, but failed to take off due to a variety of reasons. Though they may have had a camera in them

What specifically makes smart glasses so exciting is not the prospect of them having a camera (though that is pretty cool), but the other possibilities for features you may not have even thought of. Tzukuri is an Australian company specialising in “unlosable glasses”. The glasses have a tiny GPS tracker and solar panel, giving them both power and connection to a GPS signal at all times.

2. VR/AR Headsets

Even though this seemed like science fiction not even a few years ago, Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) has somehow ventured to the forefront of consumer technologies. With Samsung’s Gear, Google’s Daydream, Microsoft’s VR headset all entering the fray, the onus is now on software developers to be able to catch up. It’s going to be a crazy world when we can go on virtual reality tours of different locations, or even play games in 3D space.

These technologies are not available to the extent that we first envisioned, but all the signs are there. In the distant future, we may see the creation of complete gaming worlds in the VR space. This would not only allow for immersive reality experiences, but for gamers to be able to get up and move around. The possibilities are endless.

3. Smart bands

Smart bands have created a whole new market for themselves. Fitbit, the company that really pioneered the smart band has introduced every feature under the sun, from fitness and actitivity tracking, heart rate monitoring, providing exercise routines, even being able to provide users with an accurate measure of their VO2 Max output, a vital part of their breathing process. Smart bands have taken on a life of their own outside of the smartwatch market.

4. Smart Sports Wearables

The smart sports wearable is an emerging trend of 2017. The most prominent example of this is the Forcite snow helmet, an Australian invention from Forcite Helmet Solutions. The ingenious helmet debuted on kickstarter earlier this year and I couldn’t be more excited about the prospect. Not only does it let you live stream your ski run, but it also allows you to map out your run to present the optimal snow run. The same technological concept is being applied to motorbike helmets, which are due in the next few years.

With Christmas just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to start researching wearables. You never know what you might find for a present!

The Importance of Diversity

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:23:00 GMT

It’s the old adage that is most repeated but the least understood.

Thanks to the film “Anchorman” starring Will Ferrell, we now have complete conficence that diversity is not an “old wooden ship, used in the civil war era”. We’ve used the word diversity to express every agenda under the sun, because it is a neutral word with positive connotations.

In the workplace, the word diversity is a way for companies to openly brag about how progressive their culture is. Internally, people seem to think use the term “diversity hire” as a way to passive-aggressive way to speak about other people’s abilities. It’s a strange world that we live in, where the effort to create a diverse workplace results in people being singled out, or cliques forming. Organisations have been forced to take long, hard looks at themselves in an effort to be a part of the change we are seeing in the workplace. Though the luddite employees may not realise, Diversity is an incredibly important part of not just an organisation, but for society as a whole.

Diversity is about finding new talent

The famous football coach Vince Lombardi is once quoted as saying “the greatest athlete to play football hasn’t even picked up a football yet”.

The purity in that sentence comes from the fact that Lombardi believed that the most talented person to play football most likely had never played football, because for one reason or another they were never presented the opportunity to do so. The same may be said for hiring a diverse range of people.

One of the most exciting basketballers at the moment is a man known as Isaiah Thomas. He is almost a foot shorter than the average basketball player. Standing at 5’9”, Thomas is known for his leadership skills, incredible shooting ability and game savvy, but if the NBA had placed a height restriction for players, they would never have discovered the talent he is.

Diversity isn’t just about gender or race

The word diversity has become politically charged in recent years. Without touching on how this is the case too much, it seems to have become synonymous with the feminist movement and equal employment opportunities for people who have migrated to the country. Though these are very important aspects of diversity, they aren’t the only ways that diversity can manifest.

Talent diversity is an emerging trend in HR management lately. Employers are now seeing the benefits of having people who have worked in different places, or have taken the long road in their career to get to the same point. This type of diversity yields a certain ‘fresh” approach to the workplace.

Diversity is not for diversity’s sake

Diversity is important because it has to be done for the right reasons. If you hire someone just because your company has created a new policy around the matter, you will find mixed results at best.

For diversity to be done well, you need to understand why it is done. Diversity is about finding new sources of talent, and new ways of doing things. It just so happens that quite often this means hiring more women in the workplace, or hiring a diverse range of ethnicities.

Diversity is an outcome, not a goal. The only goal is in challenging yourself, and finding new talent sources. Diversity takes care of itself after that.

The Bitcoin bubble

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 23:42:00 GMT

There’s no denying that we are in a bubble when it comes to bitcoin. Even at the writing of this article the price of bitcoin has gone up to $13’000 AUD. I repeat. A single bitcoin could buy a small car. A single bitcoin could buy a second-hand Harley Davidson.

To really put things in perspective, the historical event known as the “pizza event” (where the original bitcoin transaction was used to buy a pizza) is now worth several billion dollars. So the real question is, are we in a bubble? Will the bubble burst?

Are we in a bubble?

It’s easy to get into that feeling of “I missed out” and honestly, we all are in the same boat. I had a friend who bought $50 worth of bitcoin almost 5 years ago. He now has $5000, and is showing no signs of slowing down. He hasn’t bought any since, but that doesn’t really matter. At this rate he would be set for life. But as we all know, there must be an end to this madness.

To really understand what a bubble is, we only need to look back a few decades to tech bubble of the 2000s. The same hallmarks from that bygone era are here and now, but we are most likely only in the early stages of the bubble.

We are seeing new hype about the price of bitcoin happen almost daily. Bitcoin as a buzzword has taken on a life of its own. It must be incredibly difficult for people to stand back and watch this continuously rising price and wonder “why am I not buying in?”. With all the press that bitcoin is getting, these bare all the hallmarks of a bubble. To answer the proposed question, yes, we are most likely in a bubble.

If we are in a bubble, what do we do about it?

As the famous investor Warren Buffett said, it’s only when the tide goes out that you realise who is swimming naked. If we are in fact in a bubble with bitcoin, we must realise that there is no way out of this without seeing an inevitable drop. As the price of bitcoin may rise higher and higher, there may be no stopping the trajectory of bitcoin for the next few years at least. During this time, many people will buy into bitcoin and their feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out) will kick in.

The drop will probably come amid scandal, or of being overtaken by the growth of Ethereum. It’s really difficult to predict when this will be, or even if it will happen at all, but it is this authors belief that it will.

So, in short, don’t buy it if you think we could be in a bubble. In the tech bubble only a few years ago, many investors lost a lot of money based on the fact that they thought any investment could be worthwhile.

If Bitcoin is in a bubble, it’s probably not a great idea to invest right this very moment. If you have a stable source of income, good health, family and all the other things that really matter, don’t bet the house on bitcoin. That’s where you really end up hurting yourself, by focusing on making money over all the other important things in life.

The state of play in front end development

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 23:36:00 GMT

Front end development seems to be an always evolving entity. From the early days of basic Javascript in web 2.0, to the modern day powerhouses of AngularJS and React, the world has grown so much bigger than what we first came to know in the early days of the web.

To give a basic rundown of what has really changed, I decided to compile a list of all things GUI related. It’s important to understand that although the environments and libraries have changed, the fundamental principles haven’t. Design will always be done by designers, and front end execution is still the same as it ever was, but here are the coolest additions to the arsenal of javascript.

Widgets, Material design and Polymer

Probably the most recent powerful addition of front end development is that of widgets. Rather than having to code modals on an individual level, widgets have allowed for recurring custom front end elements. Not only has this made it easy to code across mobile and desktop, but the universality for any given application can be tied together by widgets, so a user can build familiarity across mobile and web.

Google’s Material Design language was huge leap forward for achieving singular experiences across all devices. It’s implementation of Material Design for web GUI known as Polymer became one of the simplest ways to create custom elements. Google aren’t the first or the last to do this, but in 2014 it was a big thing. Front end development has now taken on an almost “LEGO-like” consistency thanks to Polymer, which is both a blessing and a curse in the development community.

Heading to the library is cool

As AngularJS usage is on the decline, the mass adoption of libraries such as VueJS, node.js and React have made it much easier to make wholesale changes to front end from a single source of truth. I’ve seen ReactJS used for so many different purposes, and being a single source of truth as a library means that projects can rapidly iterate their front end based on user feedback.

The libraries have become so engrained in front-end development that we are fast approaching the moment in time where all form factors can be accounted for from a single source. It may not happen tomorrow, but the future is upon us, and these javascript libraries are playing a bit part.

Unit testing is automatic

With the most organisations using javascript libraries, the need to test out elements has become increasingly automated. Test frameworks such as Mocha (for node.js) offer browser support, asynchronous testing, test coverage reports, and use of any assertion library. Having test automation frameworks means that the customisation of elements can occur much faster, with fast testing comes fast changes and greater iterations. This doesn’t necessarily mean a better product, in the same way that coffee doesn’t guarantee productivity. But who doesn’t get a coffee every morning?

Simply put, front end development is getting faster and more asynchronous. With all that is said and done, it might not make for a better product, but it makes for a more exciting race to get products out there.

The Entrepreneur in residence: Jiminy Cricket

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 23:29:00 GMT

Entrepreneurshi p is not as glamourous as it is made out to be. It is a hard road, and you get knocked down more times than you can count. But imagine being given a masterclass by Roger Federer if you were playing leisurely tennis, or a boxing class by Freddie Roach. An Entrepreneur in residence is a coach who has done the hard yards, so you don’t have to.

Entrepreneurs in residence have become a recent trend to have in large corporations. Companies like Telstra have adopted this approach to create this temporary position for employees to be mentored by. Though it may seem like a far-fetched concept, and probably destined to fail in the long run as businesses find they don’t fit.

Jiminy Cricket

Those of you who have read the book or watched the film Pinocchio, you would be all too familiar with the character of Jiminy Cricket. For those that don’t, Pinocchio is an allegorical tale by Carlo Collodi about a little wooden puppet that longs to be a “real boy”. In the tale, Pinocchio is guided by a small cricket known as Jiminy Cricket. He is the ultimate guide for Pinocchio in his quest to become a real boy.

Now, before we continue with the children’s book analogy, let’s pay attention to the resemblance of the character of Jiminy Cricket to the Entrepreneur in residence. An Entrepreneur in residence will have experienced many lessons in their time as an entrepreneur. From these experiences, they can use what they have learned to teach others. For most large organisations, especially those lacking a heroic founder, their quest to be a “real company” started by a founder is especially important.

The Entrepreneur in residence is the guide

For businesses that lack an origin story, finding their “why” can be tough. Telstra is a classic example of this, having been privatised from Telecom Australia many years ago. For a company like this, lacking a heroic founder means that it retains many old-world structures and standards of thinking. This can lead to stagnation, as we have seen with Telstra’s continuously paying dividend instead of reinvesting for growth.

The theory behind the entrepreneur in residence is that they provide a guiding light for many of the company’s internal projects. The projects are generally designed in such a way as to resemble the “start-up” style, to build out an entirely new way of doing things in the company to keep it fresh. Being a mentor in these projects, the entrepreneur in residence can’t really affect the outcome of many of them, but they can give the company an ideal to strive towards. When the going gets tough, the entrepreneur in residence gets going, and shows the company how it can push forward in times of hardship.

The entrepreneur in residence has done what they have done so you don’t have to. It might seem like a vain attempt at relevance, but rest assured it is incredibly useful to have someone who has learned the lessons about working alone that most only dream of.

To hire or outsource DevOps? That is the question

Sat, 02 Dec 2017 23:23:00 GMT

As organisations evolve to operate in the cloud, DevOps has gone from being purely operational to have a much more strategic role in application delivery. This is especially true as hosting has gone from on premise, needing both security and in-house hardware personnel. Costs for running cloud may not have increased, but the resource allocation involved has become a key talking point in business OPEX spend.

DevOps is about finding the best ways to link IT solutions with their operational counterparts. Product development over the years has needed to look for increasingly efficient ways to build these links. Even product development practices such as lean focus more on getting the organisation to understand business impact of development practices, and how it affects the operational side of the business. To do DevOps successfully, an organisation needs someone with intimate knowledge of the business for both operations and strategy.

With this much key business knowledge required for DevOps to be done successfully, it would seem counterintuitive to outsource DevOps to a consultant. Well, as it turns out, outsourcing DevOps may not seem like such a bad idea when it is done right.

Outsourcing DevOps through strategic outsourcing

Outsourcing DevOps through a strategic outsourcing agreement with a consulting firm is a great way to create a robust strategy for your business. It may seem expensive at first, but consulting firms have a wealth of experience to build upon. Almost all consulting firms will have seen how DevOps is done in other organisations, and not only that, they are almost always riding the winds of industry change to see what the latest way to operate is. With a strategic partnership, not only do you get one role, but the minds of many who make up the DevOps team at the firm, which is an added bons.

Hiring DevOps as a standalone role

In many organisations, the role of DevOps will fall upon a person or small team. Their purpose is to find an optimal balance between I.T. operations, development and strategy. Using an in-house team lets the organisation reveal its inner workings without the need for security agreements, a luxury not afforded to consulting firms. Having DevOps as a standalone role allows the organisation to put DevOps on the strategic backburner, as the DevOps is unlikely to change while a single person or team is put in charge.

The No-Ops approach

Of course, there is the third option. You could just have no DevOps role at all. With many cloud providers like AWS and Azure offering managed services now, there may not be a need to have a continuously operating DevOps role.

With cloud provided managed services, the only time you would need a DevOps person is at the very beginning of establishing your cloud account. Once you figure out what is required, it’s a very simple upkeeping process.

Whether you choose to hire or outsource DevOps depends entirely on the type of business in question. Banking and financial institutions for instance will often use a DevOps consultant (a few of my clients are consulting companies and their biggest clients are banks). The consulting DevOps team will build all their software on the clients site and deliver the project with all IP given back (and not kept by the consulting firm). They also offer security as a service too, but predominantly the consulting team will be working very close with the inhouse I.T. team.

For e-commerce, the prospect of having DevOps is strange, considering they only need to focus on their hosting costs and security. Whatever the case, the real answer for hiring or outsourcing is “it depends”. Hope this clears it up!

Are social channels relevant to B2B organisations?

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 23:14:00 GMT

It seems like most organisations struggle with social media. With social media on almost every device occupying a very solid chunk of time for people, it has become increasingly important to get social media channels right to stay relevant.

If you consider the use case for social media, users are using social to occupy time in their offices, on transport, at home or even during leisure time. With the sheer volume of eyeballs on social comes the opportunity for incredible exposure. It could almost be said that social media has overtaken traditional media as the main area that a business can build their profile.

For B2Bs, the line begins to blur as to whether to utilise social channels. Most social channels are directly aimed at B2C interaction, and the majority of Facebook Business and Twitter are catered towards building B2C interaction. This doesn’t mean that B2Bs cannot use social channels to appeal to their customers. There are many examples of B2Bs that have found new business through social channels, so with the right strategy your B2B can also take advantage of this. Below, I’ll outline ways to help your B2B organisation get the most out of social.

Why social channels are relevant

Social channels rely on C2C interaction. Ultimately every business owner is a customer of something, and understanding that allows you to adopt social channels in a different light. It’s incredibly important to understand that social media is a minefield, and trying to interact with customers as a business is one of the worst ways to build your business profile. Customers don’t want to see you as a business on social media, they want to see you as a person.

For B2Bs, this principle is no different. People on social media want to see your business as a collection of people, not as a business. Doing this raises your business profile, and in turn can drive new people to your business. As a bonus, social media is one of the most inexpensive ways to showcase the people in your business. Being personable is a key quality in building your profile, and in turn drives traffic to your business.

Paid advertising on social for B2Bs

Paid advertising is also another point of contention for B2Bs. There seems to be a consensus belief that paid advertising on social is irrelevant, and most B2Bs will focus on search engine marketing for their main advertising channels.

If most people are spending their time on social media instead of searching, it would make a lot more sense to seize on any number of campaign strategies on social media to obtain customers. Facebook especially offers a number of campaign strategies to help with that. I’ve seen businesses use “third video” strategy (having their advertisement play as the third video in a chain of unrelated videos), as well as promoted posts or even using influencer marketing to get their brand into the minds of other businesses.

Of course, it depends on what type of B2B you are. If your B2B deals with large corporates, it is much harder to use social for advertising. For these types of businesses, using social channels to show the personal side of the business is a great way to showcase your brand subtly. For B2Bs aimed at small businesses, there really is no reason why you wouldn’t engage in social media advertising. Social media is cheap, reliable and precise.

Yes, social channels are relevant for B2Bs. It’s just a matter of how you want to use it.

S2M Blog

Mastering the STAR Method (Without Sounding Like a Robot)

Let’s talk interviews—and that thing you’ve probably heard of called the STAR Method.

10 Common Mistakes That Ruin Interviews (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Failing to Research the Company

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

2. Talking Too Much—or Too Little

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

3. Ignoring Your Body Language

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

4. Not Asking Questions

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

5. Overlooking First Impressions

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

6. Speaking Negatively About Past Employers

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

7. Using Generic, Rehearsed Answers

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

8. Letting Nerves Take Over

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

9. Forgetting to Follow Up

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

10. Downplaying Your Strengths

The Mistake:

How to Avoid It:

Final Thoughts

Why Hiring Marketers Who Think Like Analysts Is a Smart Move for Businesses in 2025

Hiring marketers who think like analysts is no longer just a competitive advantage; it's becoming a business necessity and here’s why businesses that prioritise this mindset are winning in 2025—and why you should too.

Mastering Data Analytics: Essential Skills for Success

What is Data Analytics?

Types of Data Analytics Jobs

Essential Skills for Data Analytics Jobs

Technical Skills

Soft Skills

How to Stand Out in the Job Market

So You Want to Upskill? The Best Free Courses to Boost Your CV

Attracting top talent with wellness incentives

Rethinking Performance Reviews: Navigating Trends and Embracing Alternatives

Riding the Wave of Performance Management Trends

Essential Qualities of a Digital Marketing Manager

Creating a WINNING Sales Resume

The perfect sales resume layout:

How to write a sales resume profile (executive summary)

What skills to include in your sales resume

Your work experience

Crafting Compelling Job Descriptions to Attract Top Talent

Boring job descriptions will disappear into the fold. It's all about standing out in the current market to entice top talent to want to work with you!

Whether you're a seasoned HR pro or a hiring manager looking to level up your recruitment game, this guide has got you covered.

Building a Strong Employer Brand: Strategies for Attracting Top Talent

Christmas Party in the Hunter Valley

Our whole crew from S2M and ASR gathered in the Hunter Valley for our Christmas Party extravaganza! Wine tasting, secret santa, games and more!

The Gig Economy's Impact on Traditional Employment

Unlock Top Talent: Why your secret weapon is to make party season, planning season

A trifecta celebration day!

The team had a blast of a day to celebrate the end of Q3 and Melbourne Cup, which all fell on Pam's birthday!

Creating a diverse workforce isn't ticking a box - it unlocks success

In an environment that fosters well-being and embraces everyone, achievement flourishes.

How DE&I can benefit your workplace: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) can significantly benefit your workplace in numerous ways. Here are some of the key advantages:

Top Workplace Benefits: Survey Insights and Their Role in Attracting Top Talent

10 tips for effective onboarding in remote teams

The vital role of onboarding for success, retention and productivity

The Retention Revolution

Closing the Satisfaction Gap

Streamlining Success

Balancing Act

Overcoming Challenges

The Transformational Power of Effective Onboarding

1. Enhanced Retention

2. Increased Productivity

3. Positive Attitudes

4. Higher Commitment

How DE&I can benefit your workplace:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) can significantly benefit your workplace in numerous ways. Here are some of the key advantages: