How To Get That Job You Want
Most Kiwi job seekers are poorly prepared to navigate the New Zealand job market because they aren't aware that the local employment landscape has changed, meaning that we must take a different approach to job search. Here at Move to More (M2M) (where we are a recruitment company and coach people in their careers and job hunting) we see many candidates who seem to think that we are in a 'candidates’ market' and that jobs are easy. As a result, candidates use the same CV and the same cover letter to apply for multiple jobs. However, the cover letter should be specific to each role to stand out. Use the cover letter to position yourself better because the cover letter is the first thing a recruiter reads. Employers are looking for specific attributes in candidates that can be difficult for a candidate to fulfil without preparation. The skills market goes in cycles. With trends like the tech industry downsizing overseas, we see more caution locally—particularly considering recession warnings—so there will be heaps of people out looking for jobs. I think the local job market is going to be tougher. Job seekers will be challenged moving forward, particularly experienced people, because they may take for granted that they
Modern Recruitment: Why We Need to Get Personal
Lately, I've noticed a concerning trend with New Zealand's employers. Job interviews, once a platform for connection and mutual evaluation, have morphed into a mere checklist exercise. And it's not just me observing this; countless candidates echo the sentiment. Here's my take: while checklists cover essential points—like flexibility, no bullying policies, diversity and inclusion, and certification—much of this is becoming lip service. Don't get me wrong, these are all critical things. But selecting the right person for a role should go beyond mere compliance. With our ever-growing culture of 'busyness', many organisations need to take the time to reflect and truly understand what they need from a candidate. It's like everyone's on this relentless time dollar clock. And I get it. In many ways, relying on a checklist is
Why Personal Branding Is Important to Your Career
As a Career Coach the very first thing I do with a client is help them create their personal brand. Many people believe that having a great CV is the key to their career success and it is still, but to a lesser degree. Everyone has a CV; no one else has your distinct Personal Brand. It is your Personal Brand that differentiates you from everyone else and that is what people buy – YOU. A Personal Brand is your mark on the world It is how people you interact with and the world, see you. It is your legacy – it is more important than a business brand because your personal brand lasts forever. I have coached people who have very successful careers and they come to me because they have suddenly found that they are not getting the opportunities or having the conversations that are leading them to their next role. I call this a Career Meltdown. Personal Branding helps you to become conscious of your differences It ultimately allows you to position yourself in a way that makes you stand out from the pack, especially among other potential job applicants. Don’t get me wrong having a great CV and a great LinkedIn profile is
How AI Empowers Job Seekers in the Age of Application Tracking Systems
The introduction of application tracking systems (ATS), particularly by larger companies, has disadvantaged some job applicants because the systems automatically accept or reject CVs based on specific keywords--the advent of AI may be able to change that. ATS is efficient for helping where employers are inundated with CVs, but also often results in unfair outcomes. However, AIs like ChatGPT are about to change the game. AI can empower job seekers by effectively incorporating keywords from job descriptions into their CVs and cover letters, thereby bypassing the limitations imposed by keyword scanning technology. Consider this: AI can now generate your cover letter with the necessary keywords. You're good to go with just a few tweaks, saving valuable time in the job-hunting process. However, it's important to note that AI isn't about gaming the system; it's using technology to level the playing field. It is important to note that AI still requires thoughtful prompts and instructions to produce quality output. Scanning technology is known to inadvertently prevents some exceptional candidates from getting interviewed. At M2M, while we make limited use of ATS technology, we recently placed a candidate who received a suitability score below 50% from ATS. Nonetheless, she turned out to be the perfect fit for
Women with grey hair often discounted in the workplace
Age catches up to us all, but in the workplace, there remains a big difference in how men with grey hair are treated compared to women with grey hair. As the modern workplace makes an effort to be more inclusive and remove stigma, many perceived barriers have been overcome. However, an unspoken barrier that deserves more concentration is the imbalances in the age between men and women. In the workplace, there is an expectation for women to dye their hair when it begins to go grey. If women choose not to dye their hair, this can impact perceptions of them as a leader, making women more vulnerable to "ageism." According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), ageism refers to the stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards others or oneself based on age. Despite all the progress, ageism is still rife in the workplace, especially with women as targets. For example, in January, a Scottish woman lost a $5 million employment dispute with her company over her complaints that she was given a nickname by colleagues "Christine Lagarde" due to her grey hair. Lagarde is the president of the European Central Bank and has grey hair. The 52-year-old Scottish woman took offence at the nickname and sued her
Unemployment For Executive Women Worse Post Pandemic
Women who have broken through the glass ceiling and achieved executive management success find that employment over 50 presents a far more formidable barrier than any glass ceiling. Capable women with vast executive-level experience can find it almost impossible to get a role in today's environment. Employing the concept of whakapakari (to develop, strengthen and refine), we at M2M specialise in recruitment as well as the coaching of candidates—particularly those from diverse backgrounds—to be more capable, more prepared and employment ready to meet the needs of employers in a time when so much talent goes unrecognised. It is common for us to encounter women candidates with impressive credentials—former directors and department heads, including a former PWC director, a marketing director and a vice president of a tech company—who cannot get work. It is an incredibly demoralising experience for these executive women who have achieved extraordinary success in their careers only to find themselves locked out. Repeated rejection leads to fear, uncertainty, and a loss of confidence, which only worsens the situation. One stereotype I'm constantly aware of is that men are perceived as more technologically adept, which gives them an edge in the job marketplace. There are apparent reasons women struggle to get back into executive
Is Ageism Real, or Just a Miscommunication?
Discrimination based on a person's age (ageism) is a problem in New Zealand—there’s no doubt older workers struggle to find employment—but the cause is more likely due to a generational disconnect. Workers over 50 could be more successful if they learn to bridge the generational divide. There will be more opportunities for those over 50 moving forward because the workforce is getting older and good-quality employees are in short supply. But to get the jobs, you need to demonstrate that you are still relevant. According to the Retirement Commission, New Zealand's workforce is ageing rapidly. In 1986, the employment rate among people aged 55-64 was 49%. By 2017 that rate had jumped to 82%. The Commission showed that by 2035 about 400,000 people aged 65+ would represent about 33% of the workforce. As in every field, mixing young workers with little experience and older workers with plenty of knowledge can be an amazing business strategy. The two cohorts will trade skills for energy and get the job done. However, generational gaps could also be an obstacle if there are no clear official guidelines for both old and young workers to understand each other. What some people decry as ageism is more often a disconnect between
NZ’s Talent Shortage May be Due More to Employer Bias Than Reality
New Zealand's talent shortage may be less 'a shortage' than a tendency to overlook the hidden potential in people who don't fit within the narrow bias that has dominated employer thinking for decades. A change in approach to recruitment is sorely needed. Many employers are obsessed with finding the right 'fit.' This obsession is a significant reason behind much of New Zealand's so-called talent shortage. In such an environment, the best strategy is to become more conscious of how quality talent may be hidden from sight due to personal bias and the inertia of 'business as usual.’ New Zealand is presently struggling with a talent and labour shortage as it emerges from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic. The NZIER's Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion showed that lack of labour is the biggest constraint for businesses. Worldwide staff shortages leave New Zealand companies with little choice but to rethink how they look for talent. Seeking the right 'fit' risks falling prey to people's biases since the right person often requires the minimum change from the business itself. A candidate becomes attractive simply because they can slot into business-as-usual and hit the ground running. While that's mostly fine during normal times, it unnecessarily limits the pool of
5 Ways to Improve Your Work Performance Drastically
Before you continue reading this article, stop and ask yourself this question: Why is it important for you to find areas of improvement at work? If you know the answer to that question, it’s a good start as you will be able to assess quickly which strategies that I suggest in this article will best help you to improve your work performance. For those of you who are struggling to answer the “why” question, I will discuss the 2 reasons as to why work productivity drops, and this will hopefully help you answer your why.