It’s happened to all of us and sometimes leaving a job can happen in a really negative way- for instance you might have been fired or felt so frustrated you quit on the spot. It’s not always easy to talk about, and if things get messy you might feel you want to just leave it all behind. But what happens next? If you’re looking for a new role, how can you handle any tricky questions or potential consequences that come from leaving the old one.

Here is some advice to help and remember you’re not alone. It might surprise you that 31% of peeps have left a job without any back-up plan, research from Seek has found, that 14% of people say they have been fired from a job (but I’m sure the % is probably higher than that).

Its not uncommon to have quit in a hurry-almost 1 in 5 people say they have spontaneously quit before, because they felt too angry or frustrated. Interestingly, 62% of these people believe it resulted in a better outcome for them.

Should you include the job on your resume?
Around 3 in 5 people who’ve been fired or quit in frustration say they wouldn’t include that job in their resume nor would they mention it in a job interview.

This might seem like the best route with a job that ended in a difficult situation. But if you were in the role for some time, you should really weigh up whether you are willing to “lose” the skills and experience you gained in that role by being unable to talk about them.

Its best to include the job on your resume.
For the purposes of this newsletter that is the consensus it depends on “how big the gap”. Unexplained gaps on resumes are never looked upon favourably and you do not need to include your specific reason for leaving on your resume. But if it has happened a few times throughout your career then we have a pattern. If you were “in and out” in less than 6 months it might be best to leave it out, 12 months and then you left I would keep in your CV. I would always encourage you to be upfront and honest about previous work experience that possibly ended badly.

Should you talk about it to potential new employers? 
If you’re in an interview, openness and honesty are still important-but don’t let what went wrong with your last role take over the whole conversation. Employers will typically ask “why you left your last role” your answer doesn’t have to focus on explaining the circumstances you left in. Instead make a statement about the role you’re going for example,

“In my most recent role I’ve developed useful skills in customer service, communication and relationship building. However, I’m now looking to move into a more technical role with less customer interaction. This role really excites me as I feel that it can better utilise my natural strengths in research, planning and analysis”.

You might be asked specifically about the circumstances that led to you leaving. Be careful not to be too negative toward your previous employer take the emotion out of the response and simply state your reasons for leaving. No bad mouthing a previous employer this never goes down well, try and make it about you for example,

“I thrive when working in a team that’s collaborative and harmonious, and I’m happier in a role where the team shares information and supports each other. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel that my previous employer could fulfill this need, and as a result I felt it was time to move on and look for a work environment that would suit me better.”

Or

“I work best in a task focused environment where employees are driven to meet goals, have high standards and where people are held accountable. I didn’t feel that my previous environment was like this and it didn’t get the best out of me. I understand some of the core values of your organisation are “Customer Excellence” and “Accountability”. These values really resonate with me and make me excited about joining your organisation”.

If you were in the role you left for a substantial period, it’s a positive sign for employers regardless of what led to your swift departure. It indicates that your performance overall would likely have been satisfactory, and something must have happened or changed to make you resign or lose your job.

How you can highlight the positives
The key to turning a potential red flag into a positive in your interview is to focus on how you have grown from the experience professionally. It could also be an opportunity to show that you see how the situation could have been avoided or improved-whether that’s through additional training or perhaps a better process for resolving conflict.

It shows you have reflected on the experience, learned from it and taken specific actions to prevent it from arising again.

Be honest, but brief
Whether it’s in your application or an interview, its important not to put too much focus on a job that you had a bad experience leaving. Focus on other, more positive roles you’ve had, and what you’re aiming for in the new role. If an employer does ask for more questions about why you left, simply and honestly explain the circumstances that were less than ideal, without going into lots of detail or over-explaining or justifying the situation.

This approach can be useful even in situations where you made a mistake or could have handled things better. Being able to recognise an issue and come up with possible solutions is a soft skill that employers value, so showing that you’ve learned from the experience can be worthwhile. By practising this approach and how you’ll answer potential questions, you can build up your confidence and be better on track to landing your next role.

Hi everyone, we hope you have been having a good week! Busy, busy here (when is it not) we’re always happy to have a chat or answer a query about a role posted so don’t hesitate to reach out. Still very much a candidate market so if you have a good match of skills to a job ad you see through us or privately, we urge you to go for it!

I would advise you not to become too cocky with the market such as it is. Yes, it is a good time to negotiate salaries and benefits but not to the point where you sacrifice a great opportunity. I’ve had a view candidates miss out on spectacular positions recently as the client was turned right off by their expectations of more money, well and truly over and above the advised salary that they were happy with just the day before. My advice, if the company is offering $60K for a role and you feel after meeting with them that the role consists of “more” in terms of duties and responsibilities than read in the ad and or job description then use a guide of $5K as standard with an expectation that they might come back with a counter offer of $2K more to start with an increase after a successful probationary period OR they might suggest a start of $60K but then a bump up to $65 after the probationary period.

Bottom line is you know how good you are and what an asset you could be to them, they know how good you “say” you are to them but what you’re to them at this point are words on a page. Regardless of the climate, you need to “show” them that you can do, and they need to “see” you in action before considering coming in higher. What’s that saying? “You have to (in this instance) walk the walk, before you can talk the talk”.

So, what are employers looking for in candidates?

Employers are less willing to take a chance on someone in this climate, so you need to make sure you highlight relevant applicable industry experience on your CV. It is important to highlight your relevant experience and tying it directly to the job ad.

Cultural fit is also essential, which is why it is important to research a hiring organisation’s culture and values then share in your CV and in an interview, examples that demonstrate how your way of working is aligned with theirs.

They aren’t willing to take a chance on an unproven performer, which is why it’s important to demonstrate the relevance of your experience and the value you could bring to their organisation.

Statistics show that out of 1,100 employers surveyed, 51% nominated industry experience as the key factor that helps a candidate stand out from the crowd right now.  This was closely followed by cultural fit (50%) and a good CV with relevant experience (39%).

Ultimately, impactful numbers are very compelling in the context of a CV and allow you to undeniably prove that your experience makes you the right person for the job.

One of the ways you could quantify or prove that your experience is relevant, is to state the percentage increase in new sales, clients or website visitors you were responsible for, the number of team members or projects you’ve managed, the volume of work you delivered in a given timeframe, your response rate for queries or the number of customers you typically served.

You could also mention the number of stakeholders you have worked with, projects that you have delivered ahead of time, any successful process improvements you have implemented.

We need your help

#ItsInTheBag is Share the Dignity‘s annual event where we encourage everyday Australians to put together bags filled with essential items, to donate to someone in need for Christmas.

The bags are dropped off at Bunnings by generous Aussies, such as yourself, and are distributed to 3,000 Australian charities that have registered with Share the Dignity. These charities then hand out your donated bags to people in need for Christmas. 

For 2021, collections points for bag donations will be open at every Bunnings store across Australia from 19 to 28 November.

However, we at Peninsula Personnel are putting together bags so if you have any essential items, please feel free to drop off for us to pack in bags, welcoming donations anytime from now until Thursday 25^th November.

Congratulations to Shweta Sharma, she has been registered with us since June and been working on this busy one assignment –everything is really good and she is learning so much and enjoying the work, team and the environment, “she says it’s a wonderful place to work, I am hoping they will take me on permanently soon.”

The client seems to agree and had this fantastic feedback Over the past few months Shweta has demonstrated she can manage anything that is thrown at her, and nothing phases her. Our operations & administration during COVID have been extremely chaotic with constant changes day to day (sometimes hour to hour!) which could be quite stressful for most but with calm nature she always manages to keep things running smoothly.

Well done Shweta, a certificate and giftpack are on the way! Best wishes from team PP

There are many reasons we ask for time off at work-when we’re sick, for family reasons or when we have travel plans. But an increasing number of employers are recognising the importance of another kind of holiday, one that’s continuing to rise in popularity.

Known as the doona day, it’s a way of taking time out to look after your mental wellbeing, while recognising that we all need a break sometimes. A mental health day or a doona day is a no questions asked, personal leave day that you can take if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or are struggling to cope with work demands. It can be a proactive step towards managing your own work-related wellbeing.

Why Now?
While the pandemic has created a lot of stress, it has simultaneously prevented many of us from going on holiday just when we needed it most. Even sick days have become few and far between, with research showing employees are more likely to try to power through if they’re working from home.

Mitch Wallis, founder of emotional wellness and early intervention service Heart on My Sleeve says its essential to put aside time for self-care. He says, “since the start of the pandemic, more than three quarters of Australian employees say they are working some form of overtime to complete set tasks. The increase in workload and not being able to do the things we usually find joy and meaning in results in an imbalance: reduced energy inflow, with the same or greater expected energy outflow. He goes on to say that it is so important for all employees to take a step back and evaluate what a healthy work life balance means to them and to communicate this with their employer to help achieve it”.

Should I be upfront?
While most of us wouldn’t think twice about taking time off for our next big trip, telling your boss that you essentially want to spend a day on the couch watching Netflix can potentially feel more awkward. Attitudes in the workplaces can vary, so its ultimately up to you how much you want to share. Deciding when and how to ask for a mental health day is a very personal choice, and it is up to the person to disclose as much as what they feel comfortable with.

While stigma around mental health does still unfortunately exist in some workplaces, we hope those barriers will soon be broken forever. If doona days are normalised, it sends a message that its ok to show you need a break sometimes, or that you’re overwhelmed by work and by taking this time you can come back more motivated and focused on your work.

If you’re worried that you’re struggling with burnout, why not create a dialogue with your employer to establish and communicate what measures and boundaries will help you achieve a more sustainable work-life balance. Using this as a starting point will help to open up the floor to more discussions with your employer or direct manager on what mental health, balance and wellbeing looks like in your workplace or worksite, especially when it comes to initiatives that can be implemented.

The Allianz Workplace Mental Health Hub is a great resource that you can use to help navigate this complex topic with confidence.
 

The pandemic has nudged many businesses into a model that embraces flexibility, whether it’s to allow for caregivers to work irregular hours or letting those who struggle with the commute to work remotely or those who would rather nail five hours of work on a rainy Sunday and then go to the beach on a workday.

So, what does that mean for jobseekers?

Well, it’s a good time to ask yourself: What do I need to thrive? The answer may not be a 9am-5pm job in an office but then again, many people do crave the social aspect of a workplace.

“It’s not just extroverts vs introverts. A lot of people get energy and distraction and collaboration from being in the company of others. Humans are very social beings.”

New Atlassian global research found that since the pandemic began, 77% of Australians missed the energy of their workplace (this was us, I took a poll😊), compared with a global average of less than 50%. When it came to whether working from home was effective, 68% of Australians reported improved job satisfaction while 68% of people thought their team worked better together. Interesting huh, but there’s still a lot of work to do to create a ‘new normal’, but what is clear is that many new ways of working brought about by the pandemic are here to stay.

What’s your ultimate flexibility?
The first step is understanding what environment would work for you. If you’re a person that says ‘you know what? I’m more than happy working in an office and travelling in every day and having that structure (I relate to this form of work arrangement).

Then you’ve got your “in between-ers’ they would like a bit of both, maybe a 3/2 split 3 days in the office 2 days working from home.

Then you have your “WFH’’ only peeps, this can be a little tricky if the role you signed up for (employment contract) is an office-based role and you were allowed to WFH only because of the restrictions caused by the pandemic but the expectation is that you return to the office. Look it is always something you can negotiate with your employer about, but I think you need to be prepared to be told a return to the office is expected. Try and work with your employer as I don’t feel (from a personal viewpoint) that it is fair to demand a WFH standard when you have been working from the office before Covid.

“If you believe life’s too short to just work, ask what your perfect flexibility model is, and then ask, what kind of places offer that?”

“What kind of places offer the environment where I can be the true, best version of myself”? When you can be authentic at work, it doesn’t sap energy from you, it creates energy. You get to the end of the day and say, ‘I achieved a lot, that’s awesome’.”

Who needs your skills?
Step one is to understand what your transferrable skills are. A lot of people inadvertently think about the roles they’ve done in the past, not their skills. Step two is to ask yourself where might those skills be applicable? Then, what are the supplementary things I need to go and learn? Between LinkedIn Learning and the stuff that’s available online for free, if you have got gaps, you can go and plug those gaps quite quickly and quite cheaply.

So where would you like to work in the future? And importantly, what is your ultimate model of flexibility?

 https://www.skillfinder.com.au/ shows you the most relevant courses and skills based on your professional background, current expertise, and future interest areas. Australian tech leaders Atlassian, Canva, MYOB and Xero have all contributed free courses as well as Adobe, AWS, Google, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Twitter. 

As always, we’re here to offer you support and guidance and lots and lots of roles, 😊 so give us a call and read the below and check out what’s available now and up and coming!

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has raised many questions for all of us around where and when we work, but one question has become more pressing for job seekers in recent weeks, “do you need to include your Covid-19 vaccination status on your resume”?

Hiring Managers and businesses alike are consequently grappling with how to comply with vaccine mandates without making job candidates feel uncomfortable.

Recent surveys conducted indicate that 69% of organisations are more likely to hire someone who has already been vaccinated against Covid-19 and 63% said they prefer to see a job candidates vaccination status on their resume.

Australia has already released legislation that supports organisations in the Construction, Health Care, Aged Care and Disability sectors requiring existing staff to get fully vaccinated by the end of November and those seeking employment opportunities with those sectors will need to be fully vaccinated before commencing employment with them.

We at PP don’t have an opinion either way but we need to address this issue as several of our clients already have mandatory COVID vaccination policies in place right now with others following in the coming weeks. Consequently, we need to be aware of who is and who isn’t full vaccinated so we know which clients we can present you to for employment purposes, be it temp, contract or perm. Please be aware that you should be able to provide proof of the vaccination if asked, which is the My Gov Digital Vaccination Certificate.

Ultimately it is up to the individual whether you’re going to include your vaccination status on your resume, but what you should know is that at some point through the hiring process you’re going to be required to share this information.  You may also be asked the question during the interview if applying for a role privately.

As more businesses adopt vaccine mandates, disclosing your vaccination status on your resume can only help you in the interview process. Employers see that as a “sign” that you’re sensitive to a challenging issue company have faced and volunteering that information could elevate your chances for securing an offer.

As a recruitment agency it is not our position to judge you or advise you on this matter, we respect your personal choice. What I can tell you though is if a client comes to us for the purposes of assisting them in filling a role and advises us that they do in fact have a Mandatory Covid vaccination policy, it is a question we will need to ask you and that you will need to prepare for.

We had a terrible incident last week where one of our temps who had gone through 2 ½ weeks of compliance checks (police, credit, physical, drug, Vevo checks) for a local organisation and finally with all checks complete they started work last Wednesday. Then on Thursday we received a call from the client asking if this person was full vaccinated, we hadn’t even thought to ask, when we checked we discovered that no they weren’t and within hours this person was finished up. After having gone through all these other checks, we felt absolutely gutted for the person involved as prior to Wednesday the client had not even advised us that this was part of their new hiring criteria.

So please be ready for these questions as whether we like them or not, they will be asked so to help us help you can you please email us to let us know if you are vaccinated so we can add this to your file which will help us when we are searching for people to fill roles.

So, you were in the final stages of the job application process when suddenly……. nothing. Welcome to Professional Ghosting Peeps! We hate it and we know you do too!

You’d jumped through a myriad of hoops, trolling through job ads, updating your resume, researched the organisation, put together a punchy cover letter, researched the organisation, endured multiple interviews, completed skills testing and been reference checked at a minimum. And then? It stalled, nothing, nada, zilch.

More and more people are finding they’re being left in the lurch-with a potential employer or recruiter simply dropping off the radar rather than giving you a yes or a no. Those who have navigated the online dating scene will be familiar with this concept when “someone who appears interested in you suddenly disappears from your life without any word of warning-becoming a “Ghost” to you”.

Why is it happening?
Some employers ghost to keep their options open as they could be pursuing someone else who’s skills are more closely aligned with the role but don’t want to lose you until they have explored all avenues with the other candidate that has a slight edge over you. Lack of communication between the Client/Recruiter/Hiring Mgr (in our case we do have some clients that could go 1-2 weeks with no communication), the role might have fallen through, they could have put it on hold or simply changed the whole job spec around. More likely it’s a reflection of the pressure many Recruiters/Hiring Managers are under. Oversights happen all the time, we’re only human it is hard not to take it personally, but you need to manage your expectations and don’t be afraid to follow up yourself too.

Does the Digital Age have anything to do with it?
A few decades ago, you would be waiting by the phone or checking the mailbox to find out the outcome of a job application. It could take weeks or months, nowadays (it can still take weeks and months but often it is usually weeks), usually though if you’re out of the running or rejected you could have an answer instantly. The digitalisation of recruitment and increased use of applicant tracking software has transformed the way organisations screen and hire candidates. While it has facilitated time and cost savings, we do in my opinion run the risk of forgetting the person participating in the process.

How does it affect the applicant – YOU?
It is always difficult to deal with rejection, add to that the fact that you have no idea why you’re being rejected as you rarely get much feedback along with lengthy delays, and it brings with it self-doubt. Aside from the damage it does to your confidence and the loss of trust in the whole process the impact of “Professional Ghosting” will spill over into the next role you apply for. Please try really hard not to let this happen as you only get one chance to make a great first impression and the next interview could be the one – hang in there!

1. Failing to Realize the Negotiations Start with Your Resume
Salary negotiations start earlier than most people think; it really begins at the start of the interaction. From the way your resume looks and is written, to how you follow up and even during the interview process. If you showcase your background at a high level, and you come across confident like the professional that you are, you don’t always have to sacrifice pay due to being unemployed or overqualified.

2. Not Doing Your Homework on a Role/Market
You must do your due diligence regarding researching. Take the opportunity to research salaries in your industry that match your position on LinkedIn, SEEK and other platforms.

If you don’t know how much you’re worth, you’re not going to have the confidence to best sell yourself. A well-researched salary range will also be easier to sell since you’ll be able to back up your ask with data.

3. Neglecting to Ask About the Employer’s Budget
When asked what your salary expectations are, it’s important to ask the potential employer what they have budgeted for the role. You don’t want to under sell yourself as much as you shouldn’t go in with “guns a blazing” expecting top dollar.  

If you don’t ask, you have no idea how close or how far off you are to their target. You could be leaving money on the table, or you could be asking for something far out of their budget. If you’re having a conversation early enough and are forced to offer what you’re looking for, preface your answer by saying that it’s based on the little you know of the job requirements at the given time. Your impression of the role at the end of the process may be very different from what it is at the onset, and what you learn may also change what it is you decide you’re willing to accept.

4. Blurting Out a Salary Range
If working with an agency we will always give you a min-max salary the client is willing to pay. So you go into it with a bit of an awareness on where there head is at, its rare but if they like you they might ask you for a number early on, you can respond by saying, ‘I am currently exploring various opportunities, and I can’t give you a number; however, I would love to see what you have to offer considering my skills and experience.’ If they still press you for your salary goal, offer them a number 10-15% higher than your desired compensation for the role. It will give you room for negotiation in case the company wishes to offer a lower amount.

5. Forgetting About Benefits Other Than Pay
There is far more room for negotiation if non-salary items are part of the discussion and many workers seem to forget that they have this hand to play. Incentives, benefits etc are making a comeback for sure.

Interestingly, 80% of workers would keep a job with benefits rather than take one that offered more pay and no benefits; furthermore, 55% of employees would be somewhat likely to accept a job with lower compensation but a more robust benefits package.

It’s these benefits that employees so quickly forget can be a vital part of any negotiation. Money is obviously the first thing people think of when determining their worth, and that is a good place to start. But more money often isn’t the only thing that can reflect a good performance. Extra time off, a better company car, a car space, a gym membership, more flexible working hours (not just around hours but also WFH versus time in the office) better incentivized payment structures, subsidised further education, time of for assignments & exams, time off to attend volunteer work all of these things are all key areas to consider when entering into employment negotiations.

6. Committing Too Fast
If you’ve been looking for a job for a long time, it may be tempting to accept whatever you can get. But jumping on the first offer that comes along can be just as disastrous as marrying the first person who asks you out on a date!

Give yourself time to think about an offer before accepting it (but not too long). If there are other stakeholders in your life, like a spouse or partner, discuss the offer with them and get their feedback. Sometimes, just a little space is all that is needed to determine whether a job is a great fit or a bad decision born out of haste or fear. If you do decide to accept a square-peg-round-hole type of offer, make sure you know why you’re doing it. It’s okay to accept the first port in a storm if your ship will sink otherwise, but don’t kid yourself that you’re doing anything other than that.

7. Playing Mind Games
A salary negotiation may feel like a dance at times, but if it’s resembling a high-pressure chess match, something’s gone terribly wrong. Resist the urge to play Jedi mind tricks or try to pull power plays. Don’t reject a good offer just to play hard-to-get. For the most part, potential employers aren’t trying to screw you over; if they offer you a position, it’s because they want you on their team, and are doing their best to entice you to join them. Holding out for something better, even when you want the position and you’d be happy with the offer on the table, is a good way to find yourself unemployed. This doesn’t mean you should settle for mediocrity. If the offer is too low, keep right on negotiating until it feels right, maybe accepting a slightly lower starting salary than you would have liked but then making sure that it is written into your contract that they will give you a pay increase to a certain amount after a particular period that you both agree on.

8. Not Accounting for Changes Due to the Pandemic
COVID has led to some reductions in salaries, therefore it will impact merit increases moving forward since the baselines have moved backwards. Other organizations have frozen merit increases across the board. As you look for a new role, it is reasonable to expect compensation levels at the pre-COVID levels, but you should be prepared for organizations to keep salaries low until some sort of business confidence returns and is established.

9. Settling for a Mediocre Offer
Probably the biggest mistake you can make is simply deciding to settle and accept whatever offer you receive; salary is typically negotiated the first time after your probationary period and then annually when you are performance reviewed. Settling for a lower salary than you are worth has some major negative financial consequences. It will not only set you back financially but can also eat at you until you begin to seriously dislike your job and/or employer, which is not fair to either party. Feel confident stating what you require as an annual salary and even mention what you were on previously or currently if its higher so they understand how you are already negotiating and coming to the party.

10. Not Paying Attention
Pay attention when interviewing at a new company to the surroundings. “Do people work from home? What do people like most about the company and the people they report to? Salary is important and making sure you sell your skills and your qualifications is important, but be a listener and make sure you factor in the perks, the work-life balance and whether the environment is somewhere you can excel. Even if the salary is great, if you aren’t right for the culture or it isn’t right for you, no amount of money will help you to do your best work there and you will end up miserable.

11. Over-Negotiating
Although under-negotiating is a common problem, over-negotiating raises a different set of concerns among today’s employers. For example, a firm recently worked with a candidate and employer through five iterations of an offer letter. The candidate in this case had very specific requests such as more bonus potential, different thresholds to achieve more compensation and even minute details such as certain days off.

Because the candidate was perfect for the role, the employer bent over backwards to accommodate the requests, ultimately delivering an offer that matched exactly what the candidate had requested. Surprisingly, the candidate used the new offer as leverage to approach a different company for another position. This tarnished the candidate’s reputation with both firms. To avoid this mistake, you should negotiate in good faith and stop when they reach what you have requested. That is the way to establish trust and build connections.

12. Not Getting It on Paper
Make sure the employer agrees in writing that the salary may be increased but cannot be decreased during the term of the employment. A written agreement is key for employees negotiating a comprehensive compensation package that includes bonus, equity and/or other unique remunerative benefits.

We had a hard time selecting awards this month as we truly had so many hard workers doing a fantastic job and working long hours, in the end we chose two very deserving people who funnily enough were temping on the same assignment, well done Megan and Marianne.

Marianne says: it’s a busy and interesting role that she is enjoying, the team of ladies were great and being able to work from home is awesome. The role had been quite different from what she would normally do and is loving it as well enjoying working for a NFP organisation where she feels she is making a difference, great team and environment.

Our client had these lovely words on Marianne, she is a ray of sunshine with a huge heart.  She has the brains to tackle a complicated system and worked incredibly efficiently.  She was always willing to do anything asked of her and put her hand up to help. Her abundant charm, warmth and eloquence worked magic on the phones. I would welcome her back in a heartbeat.

Megan says: When she first started in the role it was like a whirlwind and a little overwhelming being thrown in the deep end while learning 4 new software platforms remotely. However, she found the organisation amazing and loved the environment, everyone believes in what they do and she really enjoyed working with Marietta and the variety the role has to offer.

Our client had these lovely words on Megan has a fantastic sense of humour and positive attitude, even in the face of an overwhelming workload.  It has been a delight to work with her both when she was a COVID Concierge doing temperature checks she stood out for the sparkle in her eye, and we all adored her.  Then when she joined the fundraising team, we were blown away by how much she could bring to the table.  She had the attention to detail to understand challenging things in depth and was a perfect all-rounder that could handle anything.  She exceeded expectations in everything she did.