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Saturday 25 August 2012 | Week 25 | Issue 25

Local NEWS

Tele EMPLOYMENT
A supplement of The Mackay Telegraph

Recruitment agencies pave way to new employment

MAKING the decision to look for alternative employment can be a very stressful time of your life, explains Alan Hayes, director of Hayes HR. For some it is a decision that evokes many different emotions including uncertainty, trepidation and even guilt. For others, finally making the decision to move on may represents an exciting and stimulating challenge. Either way the process of making the transition in employment brings with it a journey of unknown circumstances. It is well known in the industry that it is easier to find work when you are in work. In my experience this is very true because employers value candidates who are responsible in their employment. Finding another position is extremely difficult whilst working full time because of missed opportunities and the real risk of exposure. Here are some reasons why a recruitment agency can make this transition easier. l Recruitment agencies have

Alan Hayes
director of Hayes HR

It is well known in the industry that it is easier to nd work when you are in work.

access to a wider variety of opportunities. Many organisations prefer to use a recruitment firm than to advertise themselves. l Using a recruitment agency in your job search will save you

time, you need only apply once to have access to a number of opportunities. l Recruitment Consultants can offer salary advice and give you a better indication of what the market is offering l Consultants are trained to analyse your skill set and offer different options based on your experience and potential l Your consultant can provide you with more insight in to the company, the job, the interviewer, the culture and the environment of the potential employer l Recruitment agencies can put you in touch with companies you were unaware of who may be able to offer you an opportunity. l Recruitment agencies can offer advice on improving your rsum and interview techniques. l Using a recruitment agency reduces the number of times

your referees are contacted. A recruitment consultant needs only to call them once regardless of how many jobs they put you forward for. l Maintain confidentiality, your consultant will retain your personal contact details and referee details until you give your permission to release them. l Using a recruitment agency is free of charge.

Above all, recruitment agencies are experts in the labour market and are dealing with a wide range of businesses on a daily basis. They have up to date intelligence on the movers in the market, who are the best employers and those with the best reputation for looking after their staff. Talk to a recruitment agent before making the move, it may be the best career move you may make.

Alan Hayes from Hayes HR says engaging the services of a recruitment agency can make the transition to new employment easier. Photo Amanda Balmer

Scholarships support womens employment

ARE you a woman looking to land a job in a male dominated field? If so, you may be able to access a scholarship to help you in your quest for employment. Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek has announced that applications have opened for the first round of the Queensland Governments Supporting Women Scholarships. Mr Langbroek said 500 scholarships of up to $20,000 would be available over four years for women who studied subjects in male dominated industries and go on to work in those fields. These scholarships help address Queenslands skills needs and will give more Queensland women the chance to work in agricultural science, architecture, engineering, geological science, building services and information technology, Mr Langbroek said. Women who are just finishing school, women looking to change careers and women who are out of the workforce and returning to study are all eligible to apply. With scholarships available to support study from Certificate IV through to postgraduate level, both professional and semi-professional pathways are an option. Mr Langbroek said, to be eligible, applicants also needed to apply for study through the QTAC process and gain a place in one of the designated fields of study. Winners will be able to use the scholarship money to offset costs associated with study, such as fees, textbooks and course materials, he said. Applications will close on 12 October 2012 for scholarships starting at the beginning of the 2013 academic year. Recipients will be notified in December 2012. Mr Langbroek said the selection committee for the scholarship program would consider merit, future potential and need. The selection committee includes former Macarthur Coal CEO Nicole Hollows, the first female Australian Rhodes Scholar Dr Beth Woods, Queensland Chief Scientist Dr Geoff Garrett AO and the National Vice President of National Association of Women in Construction, RadmilaDesic. It is chaired by Skills Queensland CEO Rod Camm. To apply for a Supporting Women Scholarship go to www.skills.qld.gov.au/supportingwomen.

Filling jobs will be real struggle

THE Australian labour market will face the challenge of finding enough people to fill jobs, rather than jobs for people, as the population ages. Treasury boss Martin Parkinson said the workforce was being reshaped by the retirement of the baby boomer generation and low fertility rates. Soon the issue will not be about finding jobs for people, but finding people for jobs, he said. And let me emphasise that this is not a challenge for the distant future. The impact of the ageing population is already showing up in the forward estimates of the governments budget. The Treasury secretary said the economy benefited when hurdles to higher workforce participation were reduced. Organisations such as Treasury needed to tap into a more diverse pool of talent and experience if its to meet the increasingly complex services demanded of it. Diversity can lead to better employee engagement. Diversity minimises waste of talent, he said. The department last year undertook two organisational reviews.

John-Paul Langbroek
Minister for Education, Training and Employment

Martin Parkinson
Treasury boss

Women who are just nishing school, women looking to change careers and women who are out of the workforce and returning to study are all eligible to apply.

Diversity can lead to better employee engagement. Diversity minimises waste of talent.
These included the Women In Treasury review, to consider the recruitment, retention and progression of women, and a Strategic Review of the Treasury to evaluate its ongoing capa-

bilities. While we could have undertaken these reviews together, we deliberately kept the Women in Treasury separate as we recognise the importance of diversity and its business priority for the department, Dr Parkinson said. That review found women accounted for only 23% of the departments senior executive, compared to 55% per cent of lower levels in Treasury and 37% in the senior executive across the public service. He said while Treasury had expected the gender imbalance would be address by the employment of more female graduates, it has been happening at a snails pace. The department has set a target of 40% women in the senior executive, with a milestone of 35% by 2016. To be blunt, we may not achieve these goals, but if we dont, it will be obvious for all to see,he said. AAP