Ever heard of the term “quiet quitting” (neither had I) it may sound like the act of someone silently resigning, but it refers to the rejection of the “hustle culture” – the expectation to go “above and beyond” in your job, rather than simply just performing the requirements of the job.

So naturally I put my obsession with “cop shows” to the test and “investigated” immediately! Since the pandemic, people’s relationships with work have been widely studied (and even more so when relating it to the job market) and in a recent survey that highlighted this “phenomenon” and its link to a noticeable decline in employees job satisfaction. People are asking themselves “what should work mean for me”? “How can I find a role that is more aligned with my values”?

Going above and beyond instead of simply meeting the bare minimum requirements of a job has long been the working norm. This supercharged work ethic — dubbed hustle culture — has been a way a worker has made themselves stand out to their employers, and over time has become standard.

But like most things in the world of work — this too is now being upended. It might be because of the great resignation trend, which empowered employees to demand more from their work experiences and work-like balance. But it’s also likely a by-product of the psychological fallout from living through the coronavirus pandemic, and the subsequent burnout that affected millions.

Regardless, giving 110% is out the door because workers want to avoid exhaustion and ditch stressful jobs that expect them to do more than what’s in their job description. And its Generation Z workers — those aged up to 24 years old — who seem the keenest to embrace it, but I have noticed a similar “trend” in people’s responses (of all ages) who are in discussion with me on finding another role and what they’re looking for.

It’s an important message to amplify that we’re all deserving of having a work-life balance and for work to not be all consuming and inflicting so much stress upon us. Going above and beyond at a company, they won’t remember the effort you put in a few years down the line, but what you will remember is those sleepless nights you had. Why can’t you shift that focus to prioritizing your life and your hobbies and nurturing more of the things that matter?

Deloitte Global’s “2022 Gen Z and Millennials” survey found that these generations are striving for balance and advocating for change like never before. The report revealed that good work-life balance, learning, and development opportunities were the top priorities for respondents when choosing an employer. It also showed that 45% of Gen Zers feel burned out due to their work environment and 44% have left jobs due to workload pressure.

“Your worth as a person is not defined by your labour.”

The Deloitte survey found that 40% of Gen Zers would like to leave their job within two years, and 35% would leave without having another job lined up.

Cathy Acratopulo, co-founder of HR consultancy Lace Partners, said that “given the hiring challenges most businesses are facing, employers may find it’s easier to take the productivity hit and retain someone who’s operating at minimum levels than carry the cost of job vacancies”.

That said, it’s not something employees are likely to be rewarded for either. While an employee may feel quietly quitting helps them to achieve a better balance in the short term by not going the extra mile at work, the likelihood is they will be impacted by lower performance-related incentives and reduced opportunities for alternative roles and progression.

So, is quiet quitting a new concept?
Not entirely, but it’s only now gaining real steam. The pandemic has shifted how people — across all generations — think about their work-life balance. According to PwC’s “Global Workforce Hopes and Fears” survey one in five workers worldwide plans to quit their job in 2022, the report found there is a 21% global employee engagement rate. However, 50% of workers experience daily stress and 41% experience daily worry, only 9% surveyed are engaged or enthusiastic about work.

While all generations have reassessed their work-life balance, Gen Zers are known to have radically different views from all older generations when it comes to careers and how to define success in life and in the workforce. So, the quiet quitting movement is likely to take hold in this generation especially.

What is Gen Z saying?
Gen Z is less afraid to speak up and be vocal about this, Generation X and Millennials are realizing that our overworking is not leading us down the same fruitful path as it did for older generations.

Gen Z have this fire under their bellies that something needs to change. Twenty-four-year-old Rebecca who works at an environmental consultancy reported to the survey that she now only does what her job description outlined after she spent her first year there doing tasks that weren’t discussed during the interview process.

“The most important thing for me is work-life balance,” she said. “If they expect me to not have a life outside of work or lose sleep or sacrifice my breaks or free time or have my hair fall out from stress it will never be worth it.”

“I think Gen Z has realized that our time outside of work and our mental health will always take priority and going above and beyond for a company that doesn’t do that for you is not worth it,” Rebecca said.

The power that Gen Z holds in the workforce could be the same reason that they’re able to partake in quiet quitting to steer clear of burnout and ensure they have a work-life balance. Gen Z will account for 30% of the workforce by 2030.

More boomers every day our stepping out of the workforce, fewer [generation] Xs [born between 1965 and 1980] ready to step up, and the millennials and the Zs are now the dominant numbers in the workforce.

So rather than adopting this quiet quitting, should an employee just talk to their employer about how they feel? YES! In theory, if an employee is quietly quitting it’s likely a sign that they should appeal to their boss or move on from their role. However, the young workforce is overall increasingly disengaged.

This is where the cultural fit really plays a part on a person’s longevity to find people that are a good cultural fit who are motivated to learn, and an organisation can do this by taking the “employee pulse” regularly to understand how people are feeling and to track engagement. By doing this, an employer could either encourage the employee who is quiet quitting, or ensure they move on to a role that they really want to do.

Human Resource departments can focus on how to empower managers with data and tools to identify issues early and deal with underperformance effectively.

Employee engagement is more than routine one-to-ones and work-focused check-ins; it’s about making employees feel valued and recognized for who they are so that they have a more emotional connection to the organization. Enabling managers to focus on building more personal relationships and empathy with their teams should help to avoid widespread issues of employee disengagement.

The shake-up of COVID has changed so much about the way we work, as well as what people expect from their workplace. Half of people surveyed expect more from their employer this year that they did before the COVID outbreak, research from SEEK reveals.

How workplace expectations have changed
65% of people say that what matters to them in workplaces now, has changed since the start of the pandemic. With the shear volume of open jobs right now candidates expect employers to move with pace during the recruitment process. People are identifying what their goals are and what is important to them-and they expect that work will now support these goals.

What people expect now

1: Work/life balance- this is the top must have for many people, with 48% saying its more important to them now than before the pandemic. People used to be grateful to be able to do a school drop off once a week. That doesn’t hold the weight that it used to.

2: Flexible hours/schedule- flexibility is the hybrid work model and it should be well ingrained into organisations by now. Having flexibility is important for 50% of people surveyed.

3: Salary & Compensation-financial benefits are still most important for two in five people. They’re expecting salary increases and offering fair and reasonable will attract and retain talent.

4: Job security-over two in five people say that job security is more important to them now than before COVID. So, this is not a time for employers to rest on their laurels, now people will be more hesitant to take a job that doesn’t feel secure. People want to hear more about career progression/ascension planning, training, and development options.

5: Options to work from home-over a third of Australians, want the option to work from home some of the time but only 26% of employers provide this.  (So, buyer beware you might want WFH but not a lot of businesses are set up for it yet) so hold your horse’s people with WFH demands 😊 we’re not quite there yet.

6: Working Conditions/environment-many people know that they can be productive and make a meaningful contribution working from home, so the physical working space needs to provide a complimentary offering on top of that. For example, this could include plenty of natural light, an even temperature, spaces to connect with colleagues and clients, and get-away hubs for quite work or solitude.

7: Good working relationships- many employers now face the challenge of how to keep workplace culture and engagement in a hybrid working space. Hybrid work is not an excuse to save money on all the great cultural events that bring people together. Employers need to help people keep connected with their peers within the new Hybrid work model.

8: Mental Health Support-Wellness and wellbeing are still big topics and I think they will continue to be a topic of focus as we still navigate through COVID. People are mentally fatigued from the challenges they’ve faced and continue to face. Resilience is at an all-time low, and workplaces need to offer wellness initiatives to support their team.

Congratulations Sue it’s a pleasure having you on the team in such a long term flexible role, even allowing you to work from the UK on your recent trip, we know the company is thrilled with you and you go above and beyond for them, with them telling us, “Sue is reliable, proactive, diligent and attentive to detail and such a cheery person to work with and considered a most valuable member of our team”

When do you know it is the time to move on from a particular role or company and when is it time to stick around? To help you decide if you have been in the role for too long ask yourself this question.

If today I were offered the job I have-same team, manager, role, scope, company and compensation-would I take it?

• If the answer to this question is yes, then stay.
• If the answer is maybe, then change the things you need to make it worth staying.
• If the answer is no, then it is likely time to go exploring for something that might be a better fit.

The Pros

Predictability-The longer you stay with a company, the easier it is to plan your personal life. You can predict with accuracy the time you will leave work, when you will have vacations, and other factors that will affect your life outside of the office. General consistency, knowing where your paycheck is coming from each week and I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to long service leave (I know, I know I’m a cheap date😊).

Dependability and Trustworthiness-Your employer clearly trusts you if you’re there years later. Your employer can rely on you as a good worker who is loyal to the company, and you too can rely on them.

Stability-By remaining at a company for many years, you have a heightened sense of job security, you know the strength of the company and feel comfortable with your position and their expectations of you.

The job only gets easier- The longer you are there, the more practiced you become at your job and less chance for errors. This gives you the time to develop a new skill, go back to school, or work towards new goals. You might be able to do some cross training within the organisation, so you get to explore and get a more in depth understanding of the business. In the eyes of your employer making, you more valuable (and a good reason to hit your Boss up for a pay rise).

The Cons-

Risk of complacency-As the job gets easier, you may lose interest in your work. Your work should excite and interest you.

Missed Opportunities-By staying at a job too long, you may not be able to grow your network. It may be difficult to meet new people and grow your skills, knowledge, and reach within the industry.

Lack of Motivation-While remaining with a job may provide stability, many people just remain at the same position. Changes in title, pay, and responsibilities can encourage motivation. Employers want to see growth, professionally and personally.

Area of Expertise may be limited- Most companies have a certain way they do business, so you will have less exposure to different methods and styles. It may be difficult for you if you move to a different company after being exposed to limited methods of doing business for extended periods of time.

The longer we’re in a role, the easier it can be to get stuck, take a moment to think about what you love about your current role, along with what you don’t. Sometimes a few tweaks can put you back on track, so consider what changes you would need to make to be happy in your current role.

Lets talk sign-on bonuses! Would you be more likely to join a company if they offered you a sign-on bonus? Research by global recruitment specialists “Robert Half” found more than 6 out of 10 employers in industries including tech, finance and business were offering signing bonuses in 2022.

Competition for top talent is fierce, a sign-on bonus can be an effective way to convince a highly sought-after candidate to choose you. This is no surprise to us as we know firsthand that Employers are under so much pressure to diversify how they reward talent as skilled candidates receive multiple job offers, generous salaries and counteroffers.

A sign-on bonus is a one-off financial compensation paid to a new employee when starting within a new organisation. Generally, they are offered to mid-level and senior-level employees, rather than entry-level employees. Many employers are using sign-on bonuses to cover any bonuses a candidate might lose if they’re joining outside mid-year to end of year reviews. They’re also increasingly common when employers can’t meet an individual’s salary expectations.

The firms research shows some bonuses are paid in increments or come with repayment requirements if an employee leaves the company prematurely. There is no specific rule regarding the “amount”, but usually a sign-on bonus for employees at mid or senior level is around 20% of the agreed gross annual salary. If you are trying to compensate for a missed annual bonus, that amount can be further negotiated until both parties are satisfied.

Diana Wenban loves the role with our client, says it’s a very busy and varied role, two days are never the same and stress levels can become high, luckily, I have an extremely supportive team and manager. Her manager agrees that Diana is very deserving of this award, she is diligent and a very good operator. Diana has a lovely way with her manner which is an asset to our business as customer service is at the forefront of all that we do.

Diane Leigh has been doing a role completely different from what she had previously done but is enjoying the experience and people. Our client had amazing feedback on Diane, saying we have had a few customers comment on how helpful and pleasant she has been over her brief time with us. She performs her tasks quickly and efficiently and is always on time and happy to help even when requests are thrown at her unexpectedly. She has also fitted in very easily with the staff here. We will be sad to see her leave but wish her well when she moves intestate.

Currently, a quarter of all employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. The world health organisation describes stress as the “global health epidemic of the 21^st Century”. Many of us now work in constantly connected, always-on, highly demanding work cultures where stress and the risk of burnout are widespread. Since the pace and intensity of contemporary work culture are not likely to change, its more important than ever to build resilience skills to effectively navigate your work life. Repeatedly in my career I have seen that the most resilient individuals and teams aren’t the ones that don’t fail, but rather the ones that fail, learn, and thrive because of it. Being challenged-sometimes severely-is part of what activates resilience as a skill set. More than five decades of research point to the fact that resilience is built by attitudes, behaviours and social supports that can be adopted and cultivated by anyone. Factors that lead to resilience include optimism; the ability to stay balanced and manage strong or difficult emotions; a sense of safety and a strong social support system. The good news is that because there is a concrete set of behaviours and skills associated with resilience, you can learn to be more resilient if you’re lacking in this critical component and end up having a long and happy work life.

So how can we develop resilience and stay motivated in the face of chronic negative stress and constantly increasing demands, complexity, and change? Here are some tips based on some of the latest neuroscience, behavioural and organisational research.

Exercise Mindfulness 
People in the business world are increasingly turning their attention to mental training practises associated with mindfulness-and for good reason. Social psychologist Laura Kiken, for example, has found that mindfulness predicts judgement accuracy and insight-related problem solving. Peter Malinowski, who is a cognitive neuroscientist, found that mindfulness enhances cognitive flexibility, facilitating job performance accounting for all three dimensions of workplace engagement vigor, dedication, and absorption.

So how do you go about bringing some mindfulness into the rhythms and routines of your daily work? Research suggests a combination of mobile learning, on-site training, webinars, and peer to peer learning networks promotes the greatest chance for mindfulness to become a core competency within a person and or organisation.

Participants report statistically significant improvements in resilience and say that mindfulness tools and content delivered in these ways are highly useful for managing stress, improving collaboration, and enhancing well-being. 

Finally, a number of books and apps also offer structured approaches to mindfulness, including the books Fully Present: The Art, Science and Practice of Mindfulness and Mindfulness: An Eight Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World. Useful apps include (but are not limited to): Headspace, Spire, Mental Workout, Calm, Whil and Simple Habit.

Compartmentalise your cognitive load 
We receive 11 million bits of information every second, but the executive, thinking centres of our brain can effectively process only 40 bits of information, according to Shawn Achor, co-founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research and author of The Happiness Advantage. One practical way to think about this is that though we can’t decrease the amount of information we receive (in our inboxes, for example), we can compartmentalise our cognitive tasks to optimise the way we process that information. Be deliberate about compartmentalising different types of work activities such as emailing, strategy or brainstorming sessions, and business-as-usual meetings. Compartmentalising work is useful when you consider that switching from one type of task to another makes it difficult to tune out distractions and reduces productivity by as much as 40%, according to recent research published by the American Psychological Association. Translation: to the extent that it is possible, avoid context switching much the way you might create a dedicated time for physical exercise in your day. This approach may be overly regimented for some, but it creates the optimal set of conditions for us to effectively process information and make quality decisions while decreasing cognitive load and strain.

Take detachment breaks 
Throughout the workday, it’s important to pay attention to the peaks and valleys of energy and productivity that we all experience, what health psychologists call our ultradian (hourly) as opposed to our circadian (daily) rhythms. Mental focus, clarity and energy cycles are typically 90-120 minutes long, so it is useful to step away from our work for even a few minutes to reset energy and attention.  Research suggests that balancing work activity with even a brief time for detaching from those activities can promote greater energy, mental clarity, creativity, and focus, ultimately growing our capacity for resilience throughout the course of the workday. The long-term payoff is that we preserve energy and prevent burnout over the course of days, weeks, and months.

Develop mental agility 
It is possible — without too much effort — to literally switch the neural networks with which we process the experience of stress to respond to rather than react to any difficult situation or person. This quality of mental agility hinges on the ability to mentally “decentre” stressors to effectively manage them. “De-centering” stress is not denying or suppressing the fact that we feel stressed — rather, it is the process of being able to pause, to observe the experience from a neutral standpoint, and then to try to solve the problem. When we can cognitively take a step back from our experience and label our thoughts and emotions, we are effectively pivoting attention from the narrative network in our brains to the more observational parts of our brains. Being mentally agile, and decentring stress when it occurs, enables the core resilience skill of “response flexibility,” which renowned psychologist Linda Graham describes as “the ability to pause, step back, reflect, shift perspectives, create options and choose wisely.” We often tell our children who are upset to “use your words,” for example, and it turns out that stopping and labelling emotions has the effect of activating the thinking centre of our brains, rather than the emotional centre — a valuable skill in demanding, high-performance workplaces everywhere.

Cultivate compassion
One of the most overlooked aspects of the resilience skill set is the ability to cultivate compassion — both self-compassion and compassion for others. Compassion increases positive emotions, creates positive work relationships, and increases cooperation and collaboration, happiness and well-being and decreases stress. Compassion and business effectiveness are not mutually exclusive. Rather, individual, team and organizational success rely on a compassionate work culture.

The ability to build resilience is a skill that will serve you well in an increasingly stressful work world that does not appear to be decreasing in intensity anytime soon.

A story run by the Guardian recently which was interesting in this little “work from home” world we’re living in at the moment which discusses Boss’s turning to “tattle ware” to keep tabs on what their staff are doing when working from home.

Some people that were interviewed to discuss this new software spoke of their experiences; “Within my first week of remote work, Davo (not real name) and his team were introduced to a digital surveillance platform called “Sneek.”

“Every minute or so, the program would capture a live photo of Davo and his workmates via their company laptop webcams. The ever-changing headshots were splayed across the wall of a digital conference waiting room that everyone on the team could see. Clicking on a colleague’s face would unilaterally pull them into a video call. If you were lucky enough to catch someone goofing off or picking their nose, you could forward the offending image to a team chat via Sneek’s integration with the messaging platform Slack.”

According to the Sneek co-founder Del Currie, the software is meant to replicate the office. “We know lots of people will find it an invasion of privacy, we 100% get that, and it’s not the solution for those folks,” Currie says. “But there’s also lots of teams out there who are good friends and want to stay connected when they’re working together.”

For Davo, though, Sneek was a dealbreaker. He quit after less than three weeks on the job. “I signed up to manage their digital marketing,” “not to livestream my living room” fair enough. Remote surveillance software like Sneek, also known as “tattleware” or “boss ware”, represented something of a niche market pre-Covid. But that all changed in March 2020, as employers scrambled to pull together work-from-home policies out of thin air. In April last year, Google queries for “remote monitoring” were up 212% year-on-year; by April this year, they’d continued to surge by another 243%.

One of the major players in the industry, ActivTrak, reports that during March 2020 alone, the firm scaled up from 50 client companies to 800. Over the course of the pandemic, the company has maintained that growth, today boasting 9,000 customers – or, as it claims, more than 250,000 individual users. Time Doctor, Teramind, and Hubstaff – which, together with ActivTrak, make up the bulk of the market – have all seen similar growth from prospective customers.

These software programs give bosses a mix of options for monitoring workers’ online activity and assessing their productivity: from screenshotting employees’ screens to logging their keystrokes and tracking their browsing. But in the fast-growing bossware market, each platform potentially brings something new to the table. There’s FlexiSpy, which offers call-tapping; Spytech, which is known for mobile device access; and NetVizor, which has a remote takeover feature.

Tattleware platforms are hardly the sole culprits of expanded workplace surveillance. Employers are reportedly drawing on in-house IT departments to monitor emails for flagged phrases at an increased rate compared with before the pandemic. By receiving alerts when certain employees are discussing “recruiter” or “salary”, for example, management hopes to know when employees are looking to up sticks for greener pastures.

Big-name tech companies have also dipped their toes into the spy game, with varying degrees of success. In April 2020, Zoom quickly backtracked on a short-lived “attention tracking” setting, which alerted a call host when a participant was focused away from the meeting for more than 30 seconds. And in December, Microsoft bowed to tech experts’ outcry over the release of a “productivity score” feature for its 365 suite, which rated individuals on criteria that included email use and network connectivity; the tool no longer identifies users by name.

Despite controversy, tattleware and remote monitoring are not going away any time soon, even as employees shift back to in-house and hybrid work models. The statistics seem to bear out that we are inured to the idea of some layer of surveillance in our work lives.

Whether all this amounts to corporate snooping, or just plain accountability, depends largely on which side of the fence you sit on. White-collar workers around the world have long taken it for granted that their emails are monitored on the job; warehouses, offices, and shops, meanwhile, are regularly monitored by CCTV. I was a Sales Rep for many years, and we would have various Dashboard trackers on our equipment, laptops, phones even our vehicles.

In a recent survey, nearly three-quarters of workers said their productivity wouldn’t be affected even if they knew their employer was monitoring them. “Another study conducted found people doing data collection work out of the office were more productive when they were made aware they were being monitored, compared to their colleagues who weren’t told they were being tracked”.

In other studies, the workers were essentially saying, ‘If the manager is going to watch everything I do, then I’m not going to do anything above and beyond what they expect of me”. Rightly or wrongly, it seems surveillance software is being framed as a trade-off for remote work.

Adding on to this LinkedIn decided to conduct a survey themselves asking people “Would you be happy for your employer to monitor your work?” Interestingly 33% of people said yes if they tell me, while 56% said no it was a privacy violation. It’s like when you’re driving towards a breath test, some people panic, some do a U turn…. why because they have had a drink and then got behind the wheel. If you’re not doing the wrong thing, then you shouldn’t be worried.

I don’t mind my boss being aware of the work I’m doing, signing on/off, keystrokes etc but I do have an issue with her accessing me through my camera whenever she wants. Computers can be hacked and then anyone and everyone can be in my home office when they want to be, and it is difficult to think your integrity is being questioned and needing it in the first place. I think if employers are transparent to staff around their reasoning for adding this software in the first place, then there should not be too many issues.

Standing out is key when you’re going for a job-you want to show the employer how your unique skills or experiences set you apart. But it’s more important to make sure you don’t stand out in the wrong ways, by avoiding slip ups that could stop you from making a great impression. Here’s some tips on avoiding standing out for all the wrong reasons (or as Grandpa would say “a pimple on a pumpkin”).

1: Just the facts ma’am
Always assume facts and figures you provide when you apply will be cross checked. For example, I have had a candidate before who’s online profile and resume didn’t match up, and who quoted their current salary at $100K. The role they were applying for was $25K less in salary. I knew the type of role he was in doesn’t pay six figures, and never has. In addition, his resume only mentioned a TAFE qualification, when the spoke of completing “several degrees”. Then I checked the resumes he had sent two years apart to our business and there were discrepancies in his work experience as well.

Giving wrong or inconsistent information is a sure way to stand out for the wrong reason. Most recruiters and hiring manager will know the market rates for the role you work in. What you can do is be prepared and informed so you’re ready to discuss money. Also, its ok to say you got halfway through a qualification, things changed, and you didn’t complete it.

Likewise, don’t feel you have to hide gaps or career breaks in your resume. Focus on what skills and experience you do have, and your ability to adapt and take on new challenges. Finally, inconsistencies could be alarm bells for employers, even if you’re not aware of them. Make sure your resume, profiles (on Seek and LinkedIn) match up and tell the same story.

2: Make sure your referees are ready to back you up.
If your referee doesn’t know you’ve put their name forward, they probably won’t be ready to vouch for you-and worse, they could hinder your chances. Once upon a time there were two strong candidates, so it came down to reference checks before the client would decide. One candidate had excellent references; however, the other had not advised an ex-employer that they were on their resume as a referee, despite us checking they had done so and letting them know we would be calling them.

So we had a very disgruntled ex-employer and was nearly hung up on! This candidate missed out on the opportunity to join a great organisation because they didn’t take the time to speak with their referees and ask them if they were happy to speak with future employers.

Standing out as someone whose referee isn’t ready to vouch for them will only hold you back. Always ensure you have at least two professional referees. It is best to include people you’ve reported to-not just a colleague. Speak with them before you start applying, even if they agreed to be your referee years before, to make sure they’re happy to do so. Then consider getting in touch again once you’re in the running for a particular role.

3: Don’t send out a stack of generic cover letters
Sending out a bunch of the same cover letters can be a big red flag for employers, as it signals that you’re just applying to everything and anything. It makes the hiring manager go: Do you want this job? Sending out bulk cover letters can lead to mistakes. The most obvious one is the ones with the wrong information on them-be it incorrectly addressed, with the wrong job title listed, or all of the above. You might have created an awesome covering letter for the first job and then pumped out six more applications. I have seen covering letters for a totally different job.

A cover letter should bridge the gaps in your CV-where you might have had some time out or you’ve changed between different industries, whatever it might be. A well-crafted cover letter is often key to a successful job application. Of course, no one expects you to rewrite it from scratch every time, particularly when you’re exploring multiple opportunities.

So, create a solid “base” and just make slight adjustments to your covering letter to reflect each separate job you’re applying for. Just like your CV make sure your covering letter is 90% generic 10% specific to the individual job.

4: Don’t present yourself inappropriately at interviews
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised!

Lateness is key here-in fact, 62% of hirers say a candidate arriving late for an interview is an instant put-off for them, research for SEEK shows. A further 65% say that they are put off when a candidate uses their phone during an interview and 49% similarly cite inappropriate dress.

Making the right impression at interviews goes a long way. This doesn’t mean that you must turn up in a suit if the dress code doesn’t call for it. But there is a standard. Don’t forget that you’re there to make an impact. This includes things like turning up on time and dressing in job-specific attire. Put your phone away and on silent, disposable coffee cups go in the bin (yes even if you haven’t finished it) and people please, I know we’re on the beaches but never ever are board shorts and thongs appropriate dress.

How to stand out for the right reasons
By avoiding these pitfalls, you can focus on standing out in the right way. Start with the basics, a clear, well-structured resume, a great cover letter, an up to date SEEK and LinkedIn profile. Be prepared, be calm and you will be ready to make a great impression to a potential employer, and one step closer to landing the job.

The “Mystery of the Interview” I feel will continue to elude most of us and that’s ok, it is not something that you can totally prepare for. If you have been invited to an interview, then you’re already halfway there! All you can do is know the job ad back to front, research the company, check out the “Meet the Team” function if they have it on their web page, know your CV back to front and feel free to take a hard copy of your CV and the job ad with you to refer to.

Another way to set yourself apart from other applicants is to be ready when asked “Do you have any questions about the role?” what you can ask can go a long way to helping you learn about the role-and even impress the employer.

Asking insightful, thoughtful questions can help you gain a deeper understanding of the role you’re applying for and ensure it’s a good fit for you. It can also be a good “strategic” move that sets you apart from other candidates as it demonstrates your interest in the position and the company.

I’ve put together a few suggestions for you for your next interview, so you’re locked and loaded with your interview prep work to “Crush the Mystery”!

The Role and Expectations

• Could you tell me why this position has become available?
• What would a typical day in this role look like?
• What do you think are the three key qualities someone needs to shine in this role?
• How long do you think it would take someone to be up and running in this position?

Leadership Style

• How would you describe your leadership style?
• If a staff member comes to you with a problem, how do you usually address it?
• How do you like to delegate tasks?
• How do you monitor the performance of individual team members?
• What would you like me to know about you as a leader?

The Team

• Would I be working with a small or large team, and can you tell me a little more about the people I’d be working with?
• Who would I be reporting to and what would my contact with that person look like?
• Will I have a chance to meet my potential manager or colleagues during this process?
• How would you describe the dynamics of the team that I’d be working with?
• If I’m successful, do you have someone in my team who would act as a mentor or “buddy” for the first little while?

Company Culture

If you have done your research on the company, then you may know the answer to some of these questions. For example, employee appreciation, company paid employee development opportunities, casual dress and so on.

• How would you describe the workplace culture?
• What do you enjoy most about working here?
• What would your staff say the most challenging thing about working here is?
• What are some of the biggest opportunities the company has now and what does this mean for the staff?
• What makes people want to continue working at this company?

Training and Development

These questions can help you find out if and how the company could help you stay on top of the latest news and best practices in your industry. For example, you may want to find out if you’d be able to attend conferences or register for online courses.

• What types of professional development opportunities are offered?
• If I was offered this role, is there any training you think I’d need to undertake immediately?
• What do you imagine the career path to be for someone in this role?
• How do you help your team members to grow and develop professionally?
• Can you tell me about your employee performance review processes?

Next Steps

Learning more about the key objectives of the organisation will help to determine how you can play a part in achieving them. Asking about goals can also help you get a feel for the company’s performance and any struggles it may be facing.

• What is the company strategic plan for the next 12 months, and how will it impact this role?
• What are the next steps in the interview process?
• Could you tell me the timeline for deciding and when you think I can expect to hear from you?
• Is there anything else you need from me to help make your decision?
• Is there anything we haven’t discussed that you think is important for me to know about working here?

These questions can help you determine whether the role is right for you, and show your potential employer that you’re enthusiastic, interested, and prepared. When its your turn for questions, ask a range of them (not all😊) so you can close off your interview with confidence.