What is the Value of Strategic Planning in Modern Business?

Written by Brett Price, Sales & Marketing Director of The Appointments Group

Many companies spend a significant amount of time on strategic planning but some executives believe that it is little more than a dog and pony show and see little benefit from the investment.



So what is current thinking on the value of strategic planning?

The practice originated in the 1960's as an attempt to combine short term and long term planning. The process most commonly involves a core group of planners undertaking the following steps:-

1. Establish a Mission or Vision. What does the organisation want to achieve? 
2. Set goals. What is to be achieved for the organisation to achieve its vision? 
3. Objectives. Break down goals into specific measurable objectives that can be monitored. 
4. Identify internal Strengths and Weaknesses, assess external environment for Opportunities and Threats.  
5. Evaluate and Select Strategic Options. 
6. Actions and Tasks. Identify steps that individuals and teams must take to execute strategy.
7. Control. Establish a system to compare actual with planned performance,and to rectify under performance. 

The basic aim of strategic planning is to link daily organisational decisions with a vision of where the organisation wants to be at some pointin the future, usually 3 to 5 years.
In the 1980's many management experts were questioning whether the traditional model of strategic planning was inadequate in an environment forced to deal with what appeared to be a new paradigm of constant change as a result of two Oil Crises and the arrival of what seemed to be an unending stream of new technologies. 

The revised attitude to strategic management was that:-

• It is impossible to predict the future. Change is discontinuous and unpredictable and planning has to reflect this. 

• Planning now involves the identification of new ideas and trends as they occur and to quickly mobilise resources required to capitalise on them. 

• The role of senior managers is to support and develop the ideas of middle managers and frontline staff because only they are in a position to know what the customer wants and predict latest market trends in a rapidly changing environment. 

• As unexpected and chance events are now the norm, organisations must learn to respond promptly, exhibit flexibility, spontaneity and creativity when reacting to customer demands and changing market circumstances.          

Has the rapid pace of the modern world rendered strategic planning irrelevant?

Despite claims to the contrary there is plenty of evidence demonstrating that strategic planning is still a worthwhile process. There have been a number of studies which advocate a positive effect of strategic planning on company performance. A review of twenty six researchers of small businesses found a positive relationship between strategic planning and organisational performance. Another study found evidence that supported a relationship between strategic planning and financial performance.The use of strategic planning in small business firms is claimed to be increasing over time because of the belief in the benefits of enhancing corporate performance. 

Kaplan and Beinhocker (2003) undertook an in depth analysis of the strategic planning processes of thirty companies, some of whom had a long term history of success and others that had made serious strategic blunders. They concluded that the true value of strategic planning was to make sure that key decision makers have a solid understanding of the key issues, agree on important assumptions and share a common understanding of the facts surrounding the business. This serves as a solid foundation upon which good strategic decisions can be made despite a constantly changing environment.In essence, it was concluded that companies that achieve success used strategic planning not to generate strategic plans so much as a learning tool to create"prepared minds", for success.

References: McGrath and Bates (2013) The Little Book of Big Management Theories. Pearson Press.

Interviews: The Vital Gateway through which Talent enters your Organisation.

An interview conducted well can result in employment of superior talent which can be invaluable in achieving a competitive edge. Done badly, an interview can result in the employment of a dud who is a drag on the business for months or even years.

Here are X tips to assist in you developing an interview style to maximise your chances of recognising and hiring top talent.

1. Determining the skills and experience required to perform the job at hand. First and foremost identify the attributes which you are seeking to hire, in terms of training, skills and experience. For example Degree qualified in agronomy, 5 years’ experience in technical sales of crop chemicals, highly developed communication skills and demonstrated ability to manage a field sales team.

2. Preparation for the Interview. Thoroughly review the resume of candidates before they arrive to identify the degree to which they appear to fulfil the job requirements. Devise some questions to enable you to gain a more in depth understanding about the skills and experience relating to the role. It is a good idea to prepare similar questions for each candidate to enable a comparison of their response at the end of the interview process. Questions should be directed at identifying the degree to which a candidate fulfils each of the selection criteria. They should be open ended to provide the opportunity for a candidate to elaborate on their skills and experience.

3. Conducting the Interview. Begin by introducing yourself and any other attendees. Explain the format of the interview and offer a brief overview of your company including what it does, its size, growth plans and culture (the way we do things around here). Provide an engaging description on offer including upcoming projects and career progression opportunities. Ask prepared questions and remember that all questions should be directed at identifying skills. Listen carefully to responses and take notes for future reference. Be aware of attempts to evade questions and probe deeper if required. Pay careful attention to the applicant’s personal style, attitudes and values which may be relevant to the selection criteria or the culture of your company.

4. Conclusion of the Interview. Ask the applicant if they have any questions about the role or the company. This is a good way to test if they have thought through the position and listened through the interview process. Thank the applicant for their time and interest and inform them when they are likely to find out the decision.

5. Following the Interview. It is a good idea to summarise your notes as soon as the applicant leaves. This will ensure that you capture your impressions of their personality, skills and abilities whilst fresh in your mind. This can then be used later for comparison with other applicants. Ensure you maintain a professional image by notifying unsuccessful candidates in a timely and personable manner.

6. Including more than one interviewer. The use of multiple interviewers or an interview panel can increase the reliability of the process. Separate and subsequent interviews are now common practice amongst many companies who believe it improves the process even further.

7. Always conduct thorough reference checks. No matter how impressed you might be with a candidate.

8. Comply with Legislative Regulations. Equal employment opportunity legislation aims to ensure that applicants are assessed on merit in the recruitment process. On this basis questions relating to gender, age, marital status, race, religion or political beliefs are viewed as discriminatory and are therefore illegal .

Following these eight simple techniques will assist you to make the right hiring decisions more consistently.

Hiring for Good Cultural Fit

Like people, organisations have personality. Corporate culture defines the collective values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours shared by a group of people who work together. Common cultural values include teamwork, integrity, and respect for the individual. Various companies share some cultural values but what does differ between organisations is how much certain values are emphasised and rewarded within the organisation.

A simple example of a poor cultural fit would be for an introverted person who prefers peace and quiet in which to work, to join an organisation which encourages open plan offices and high interaction with other staff. Time spent on internal communications represents another example of cultural difference between organisations. Some people are good at keeping everybody in the loop and others are independent workers, focussed on tasks and typically preferring to communicate only at milestones or on completion of a job. A further example is where an organisation places significant emphasis on managers coaching and developing talent. A candidate with a strong skill set who lacks the motivation or ability to develop others may not be a good cultural fit for such an organisation.

Good cultural fit is associated with many positive outcomes. In 2005 Kristof-Brown statistically analysed a large number of studies on cultural fit. From their study they concluded that employees who fit well with their organisation, co-workers and supervisor:-

• Had greater job satisfaction

• Identified more with their company

• Were more likely to remain with their organisation

• Were more committed and

• Showed superior job performance.

• Like people, organisations have personality.

Psychologists have estimated that the correlation between good cultural fit and these positive outcomes is around 40%, which means that cultural fit accounts for about half of the variation between employees in determining job satisfaction.

Successful companies understand the values that are core to their culture and they consistently hire people who practice those values and project that image. The challenge for employers is to possess an insight into their own cultures and to be able to articulate it to prospective employers and assess their fit. Behavioural interviews can be useful in screening for cultural fit. For example, "Describe the work environment where you believe you were most productive?" "Give me some examples of how you resolved conflict at work?"

The first round of candidate selection should clearly be on the basis of who best fulfils the background and experience required to do the job. In the second round of screening cultural fit is an important consideration. If candidates are judged equal on ability then final selection should be based on identifying the best person who fits the culture.

Candidates should also be mindful of their own preferences in culture when making a decision to join a company. Research prior to an interview can be invaluable. In addition, questions on culture at the interview will enable you to find out the type of attitudes, values and shared expectations which exist in the company. For a prospective employee such factors can have a significant impact on job satisfaction and career success.

Recruitment - Outsource or In-House

Of all the business functions you could outsource, for many companies recruiting functions are not always at the top of the list but there are sound reasons to consider outsourcing in the same way as outsourcing other functions such as marketing. Here are a few questions to consider in helping to decide which approach is best for your company:-

1. Which approach will provide the best outcome in terms of quality of candidates?
Most companies agree that people and the skills they bring are a firm's most valuable asset yet many companies compromise on the quality of the candidates they attract by not providing sufficient resources in time, effort or expenditure to the recruitment process, resulting in poor outcomes for the company and/or candidates and higher staff turnover which can be a hidden but very significant expense.

 

2. What resources are required internally to be an effective self-recruiter?
Having an HR Manager or HR department does not necessarily mean a company has the resources to be an effective recruiter of skilled people. These days an HR Manager's primary functions are often to build a positive work culture, deal with conflict, ensure compliance, induct new employees, manage the workplace training program as well as often also doing payroll. These are all internally focussed activities and they are vitally important to the business. Recruitment is an externally focussed activity, requiring a depth of industry knowledge, identifying where the talent is and who is seeking a change.

A number of companies have recognised that the traditional HR Department model of recruiting no longer works in the modern world for this reason, and have subsequently developed a new section or department employing a team of Talent Finders whose job it is to acquaint themselves with the talent in the market and hiring according to the companies requirements. This can be an effective model but whether it is a fit for a particular company depends on the size of the company, the number of vacancies it expects to fill annually and how broad a skill set they will be required to employ. The reality is that to have an effective team of Talent Finders can be an expensive proposition for even large companies. The outsourcing option is an effective means of accessing talent finding skills only when required, and remains a variable cost, whereas an in-house team becomes a constant overhead cost to the business. It is interesting to note that even many of the larger multinational companies use outsourcing because of the realisation that their in-house teams cannot compete with specialists who are constantly operating in and therefore increasing their knowledge of the market.

3. How has recent technology changed the process of sourcing talent?
The advance of technology has improved speed and easy access to information, elements highly prized in a competitive environment.

The rise of online jobs boards, social media and the like have significantly changed the recruitment industry. Some believed that the easy access to information would result in a trend of more companies to conduct their own hiring. There appears to be no evidence that this is occurring and it is probably because increased access to information has significantly complicating the hiring process rather than simplified it. What recruitment consultants do that technology cannot is to match the information they have of the talent market with the specific requirements of the company they are recruiting for. A good recruitment consultant will actively gain an understanding of his/her client's company, its culture and hiring needs and evaluate candidates, make judgements and offer opinions as to a candidate's match with the organisation and its needs.

Is it worthwhile to advertise over Christmas/New Year?

Two years ago, I wrote an article for this newsletter, concerning seasonality in recruiting from the point of view of both candidates, i.e. the times of the year when candidates were looking to change jobs, and employers, i.e. when employers were most looking to hire.

The conclusion I drew was: "it depends". That is "it depends" on the industry, in particular if there is seasonality in the business and when bonuses are paid. For example you don't go looking for winemakers in vintage because most winemakers are up to their gumboots in grapes and have little else on their minds other than fermenting grapes. Similarly the best time to recruit an accountant is not around the new financial year. A bonus for a salesperson often falls due in July, so June is not a popular month to move.

On a similar vein and as it is nearing Christmas, I thought I would tackle the question of "does the festive season affect recruiting?". This thought is prompted because some of our clients have raised the question "Is it worthwhile to advertise vacancies over the Christmas/New Year period?".

A decade or more ago, I would have said yes, the "festive season" does affect recruiting, because job vacancy advertising, before the formation of internet job boards, shrank to practically nil over the Christmas and New Year period. Some 15 years ago, practically the only advertising medium was newspapers and candidates were conditioned by long precedent that there were very few positions advertised until the 3rd or 4th week of January. In addition most candidates on holidays in those days didn't have access to a printer and so had to wait until they were back at work to submit an application.

All this has changed since the advent of internet job boards and more recently, Smartphone's and tablet computers. For example, I read last weekend that the average person on holidays expected to spend three hours per week on their Smartphone/tablet/laptop, checking emails and work matters. Work has invaded the annual leave period, especially for anyone who has a portable device.

Candidates are nowadays checking job boards and receiving job emails from job boards, getting job notifications by Twitter and from Facebook friends, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Because most ads are up on job boards for 28 days (versus the one day of newspapers), candidates can now check at their leisure for job opportunities all through their holidays. In addition, a resume can easily be sent by email or uploaded from your Smartphone or wherever in the "Cloud" you keep it.

One of the key factors here is that people who are often passive candidates (i.e. those not actively looking for a new role) can become active searchers over the vacation period. Whilst on holiday they have the time to search for new roles and more importantly they have the time to think about change. Thus some of the best candidates can come onto the market and so it is important to be there, ready to tell them about a marvelous new role.

Of course people don't just take holidays over the Christmas and New Year break, but a sizeable portion do take at least a week to two weeks over this period and to miss out on this opportunity just because of an outmoded impression that the whole nation turns off would be unfortunate.

From an employer's / recruitment point of view, the sensible thing to do is to plan to advertise across the "festive season". After all the relatively modest cost of internet advertising and the potential benefit is such that you can't afford to miss the opportunity.

Recognise Behavioural Questions and Be Prepared for Them.

A common interview technique is the use of behavioural interviewing. The basis for this type of interviewing is that past behaviour is an accurate indicator of future behaviour and behaviour is closely linked to performance.

The behavioural questions asked will relate to the selection criteria for the role you are being interviewed for, so if you have an understanding of the selection criteria then you will be able to prepare for some behavioural questions.

Recognising a behavioural question.
Behavioural questions are different from hypothetical questions, which focus on what you would do in a certain situation.

The often start with, "Tell me about a specific situation when… ". or, "Give me an example of when you had to……".

The interviewer will be looking for four elements to be present in your answer. These elements can be most easily remembered as the STAR format:-

Situation – Identifying a specific situation which you were faced with (preferably but not necessarily in the work environment)

Task – Outline the task which you were required to achieve

Action – Describe the action you took

Result – Explain the outcome from your actions

The key to providing a good answer to a behavioural question is to come up with a credible example with a positive outcome resulting from your actions or at least it being a valuable learning experience. If the example doesn't result in a "happy ending" then you should choose another example.

To practise answering behavioural questions, make a list of the selection criteria for the job and reflect on examples of your past achievements which demonstrate your capability in each criteria.

Examples of Behavioural Questions


Describe a time when you were under pressure of meeting multiple deadlines.

What did you do to get organised and achieve what was required of you? (Selection criteria – time management)

Give me an example of a time when you saw the opportunity to make a work process better or more efficient.

What did you do and what was the outcome? (Selection criteria – demonstrating initiative).

Tell me about a time when you were let down in a group or team.

What did you do and what was the outcome? (Selection criteria – teamwork).

What is Best Practice in Employee Turnover Rates?

Many companies have concerns about the availability of skilled labour to meet their projected demands. While hiring new and qualified employees is critical to meeting future demands, retaining existing employees and their skills is equally critical.

One way to track how effective a company is at retaining current employees is to look at its employee turnover ratio and compare individual performances to industry benchmarks.

Employee turnover is generally calculated as the number of employees who were terminated, quit or retired during a given period (typically quarterly or annually) divided by the average number of employees, multiplied by 100. Such calculations generally exclude probationary, part-time and temporary workers.

Rate of employee turnover can be influenced by a number of factors:-

• Type of Industry – What are considered normal turnover varies between industries

• State of the Economy – employees will be less inclined to voluntarily change employment under difficult economic conditions.

• Company Factors – size of company, level of engagement with employees, strategic factors.

Reported employee turnover rates most commonly range anywhere from 2% to 30% per annum. It is not surprising that most benchmarking reports suggests that having a lower-than-average employee turnover ratio is better than having a higher-than-average ratio.

From a profitability standpoint, research suggests that it’s important to be better than average in turnover ratio but it is also worth stressing that achieving best-in-class performance should not be a company’s sole objective. Other important strategic initiatives in a company can have a positive or a negative impact on turnover ratio. The real message is that balance is extremely important. You want to retain your key people and strong performers but you also want to have new people entering the organisation who can bring new skills, provide a fresh perspective and ideas for improvement.

One of the major concerns associated with having a higher than average staff turnover rate is the cost to the organisation in two areas:-

• The high direct cost of hiring new talent. This can be exacerbated by the shortage of skilled personnel which is currently common in many industry sectAgPeople rs.

• The loss in organisational efficiency associated with the constant loss of skilled and experienced people.

It is generally accepted that staff turnover is an important KPI to be measured and benchmarked in and between companies. Six percent turnover is often cited as a healthy balance between retention of existing skills. Concern may be warranted if turnover is found to be 15% or higher. Under such circumstances analysis of quality of leadership and employee satisfaction and engagement may well be justified to determine the root cause and to enable the development of tactics to reduce it to a level in line with existing company strategy.

Retaining Retiring Employee Knowledge though Phased Retirement

By AgCareers.com

Within the next 20 years the international work force will lose an alarming number of workers. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, within NSW alone 37 percent of the labour force is over 45 years old. This mass migration of employees out of the workforce is going to leave considerable gaps in experience and knowledge. Employers and organisations need to begin setting up policies and procedures to ensure that the gap of knowledge left by retiring employees is as small as possible.

Phased Retirement is one process which has been developed to allow the transfer of knowledge to flow between retiring employees and the continuing workforce. While traditionally an employee would work full time in the position they hold until the day of their official retirement, phased retirement allows an employee to gradually ease out of the workforce making the transition easier and more effective for both them and their organisation.

There are several forms of phased retirement. One approach involves reorganising the retiring employee’s responsibilities so that rather than focusing on the completion of day to day tasks, they are focused on training and mentoring other staff members.

Often a phased retirement plan also involves reducing the number of hours the employee works. This allows the employee to adjust gradually to their new life balance. The Government of Western Australia Department of Consumer and Employment Protection suggests that "successful implementation of phased retirement also requires that employers foster a culture that enables mature workers to reduce hours or withdraw from former duties with dignity and respect." A phased retirement plan will only help an organisation retain the knowledge of the retiring employee if the ongoing employees can value the importance of the retiree’s experience and knowledge.

Creating a structured plan for phased retirement will help achieve the best results. Determine the time frame of each section of the retirement plan. At what point will specific tasks be reassigned? On what date will the employee’s hours be reduced, and by how much? On what day will the employee completely retire? Does the employer want to keep the retiring employee on a retainer for consultation purposes after retirement?

After 40 to 50 years in the workforce, the idea of retirement can be very daunting. The idea of replacing someone with 40 to 50 years of experience can also be very daunting. Phased retirement has many benefits for both the employee and the employer. The retiring employee has an opportunity to begin experiencing retirement whilst still feeling like they are making a worthwhile contribution. The employer has an additional period of time in which they can extract expertise from the outgoing employee. It’s a good idea to implement phased retirement in any organisation.

Tapped on the shoulder by a recruiter? Not sure what to say or do?

5 easy tips on what to say next time a recruiter taps you on the shoulder.

Some people react negatively when tapped on the shoulder by a recruiter, for various reasons: unfamiliarity, you're busy, you're not interested in another job, you don't like recruiters and so on.

Others see it as an opportunity to verify their market value or market positioning or an opportunity to further their career. And between these extremes there is a whole group of intermediate reactions.

Thinking about it at the most fundamental level, being tapped on the shoulder means that a recruiter has been researching people in your industry and come across your name, most usually as a result of a recommendation by one of your industry peers. This is a good thing as it marks you out as a probable superior performer–and it means that you are recognised.

Tip 1 –Take the call with an open mind and take down the recruiter's details for future reference. You might not be interested today, but who knows what anyone's future employment prospects can be. You may want to contact that recruiter sometime in the future.

Tip 2 –Before you answer any questions, try and get as much information about the recruiter as you can, so that you can verify their credentials. You want to make sure that the person you are talking to is legitimate and an industry specialist.

Tip 3 –Once you are comfortable with the recruiter find out as much as possible about the role before you answer any questions yourself. Don't be afraid to ask questions, a good recruiter will not be troubled by your questions, besides it confirms your interest.

Tip 4 – If you consider the described role is suitable / interesting, let the recruiter ask questions, answering them as openly and honestly as you can. Just as there is no place for exaggeration in a written resume, there is no sense in not being honest and straightforward with a recruiter.  An honest initial discussion with your recruiter can develop into a long term career management relationship.

Tip 5 – Finish your conversation with relevant questions, such as timing of future appointments. If you are interested in the role, make sure that you indicate this to the recruiter. Studied indifference for example will most likely put the recruiter off.

Like most things in life, an opportunity is only any good if you seize it. So the next time a recruiter comes knocking, seize it as an opportunity to learn and, perhaps, progress your career.

International Recruitment

One of the most interesting trends to occur in the recruitment industry over the last few years has been the steady rise in overseas or international recruitment. i.e. where a customer based overseas is looking to source talent to work in overseas locations. This trend has accelerated in the last twelve months and is particularly evident amongst emergent Asian based companies. The leading countries for this market include: China, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

 

Companies from these countries are seeking talent with skills and experience for which there is an evident shortage in these overseas markets. This trend is different to the old ex-pat market which was strongly evident until the late 90's. This particular trend subsided because of the Asian Economic Crisis and has not re-emerged to the same extent. In those days it was most often the Asian outposts of American and European multinationals that drove this now quiet ex-pat market. This is not to say that ex-pats no longer exist, they do, but are increasingly being replaced by personnel on local packages. This trend has being helped along, by the increasing salary and benefits packages available in these markets and thus local packages are more attractive.

The market is now driven by cash rich locally based businesses that often have purchased the best in class technology for their operations and are looking to source skilled personnel to manage/operate the plant/operation. They are looking particularly for people with good English skills as English is often the only common language between equipment/technology supplier and customer.

We have recently placed both senior technical and managerial personnel from Australia and New Zealand into operations based in Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and China. In each case there was a strong need for technically and managerial adept candidates that were not available in their home market and so had to be sourced from Australia or New Zealand. Industries ranged across the board from Agriculture, Wine, Food, Packaging and the Life Sciences.

If you are looking for an opportunity overseas or looking to fill an opportunity overseas, please feel free to give us a call on 1300 887 460.

Has internet blind-sided candidates when it comes to searching for new roles?

With the rise of job boards such as Seek, My Career, CareerOne and social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, there has a been a fall off in candidates using traditional means of finding a new role. In this situation we are largely talking about people with professional qualifications or who work in areas where there is accumulated specialist knowledge.

There was a time when people made extensive use of their networks; for example membership of professional associations or who maintained a relationship with a recruitment firm or key members of their industry, to find their next role. But this type of activity has declined as it has become easier to search and apply for roles on the internet.

This change has created opportunities for the switched on candidate who would like to take a more personal approach to the task of finding a new role. Using the personal approach sure beats the process of listing yourself onto impersonal media such as Job Boards or LinkedIn who are increasingly vacuuming up candidates in an attempt to become giant candidate databases. Additionally, not all of us want our careers and qualifications up and available for perusal by who knows who - 24/7.

So what is the alternative? It can be as simple as talking to people in your own social circle and explaining that you are looking for a new role. In a more structured way, it can involve networking in your professional organisation, going to industry meetings and seminars. Or calling up recruiters who work in your chosen field and asking them for a few moments to explain your situation, or contacting key people who work in your market sector and asking them for career advice. You will most likely be pleasantly surprised that the majority of people can be genuinely helpful when approached in a professional, polite and personal manner.

Moreover taking charge of your future by proactively contacting other people in your job search is more satisfying than passively seeking a role and expecting a piece of electronic software to do the job for you. Some may call this process as a Luddite one, but why abandon all your aspirations for the future, to what are at their core, are money making enterprises. Albeit providing a service for a great many people.

Done properly you can then regard job boards and the like as adjuncts to your search and not your sole means. The old adage about "eggs in one basket" is never truer.

How to enhance your chances of landing a job interview?

Most job advertisements list attributes that advertisers wish their applicants to possess. For example: 

·  Must possess a degree in Science with a major in Horticulture
·  At least six years experience as a supervisor in an orchard
·  At least two years experience in project management
·  Desirable to have experience in Rose floriculture and so on...

It is these attributes that can be the key to having your resume plucked out of the pile and shortlisted for an interview. 

Many candidates responding to a job advertisement will just send off a resume. Other slightly more conscientious applicants will send a cover letter announcing their candidature. Still others will write some information explaining why they should be selected. However these type of responses force the employer or recruitment agent to go hunting through the candidate's resume in a search of the expected attributes. 

Why not make it easy for the advertiser by addressing these attributes in your cover letter, thus focussing the attention of the reader immediately. This works well when you meet the criteria/attributes and even when you don't exactly meet the attributes, it at least lets you put forward your case. 

For example in the case of the above attributes, you might respond in your cover letter: 

Dear Sir, 

I would like to apply for your vacant role as Manager – Horticulture. I believe I am well qualified for the role because I meet the following criteria as per your advertisement. 

·  Must possess a degree in Science with a major in Horticulture
I have a degree in Horticultural Science and an MSc in Plant Pathology. 

·  At least six years experience as a supervisor in an orchard
I worked for JW Orchards Pty Ltd for the past 7 years as their shift supervisor. During this time, I had 5 direct reports. 

·  At least two years experience in project management
Whilst at JW Orchards I gained extensive experience in project management as a result of my membership of the Orchard rejuvenation team. 

·  Desirable to have experience in Rose floriculture
Although I do not have experience in Roses, I do have some two years working on Tulips which like roses have a similar market in the cut flower industry.
 
Thus in 20-30 seconds your cover letter has clearly established you as a viable candidate and increased the chance that your resume will go to the shortlisting pile. 

It is likely that this approach will make the reader look more objectively at your application, because it proves you have interest in the role and that you have taken the time to have properly read the advertisement. 

Don't Be Over-Confident

This newsletter is about the flipside of a subject that gets a lot of attention when the subject of recruitment interviews is raised. i.e. how to overcome nerves, lack of confidence, presentation skills and so on. The flip-side is being over-confident.

It is our observation that a good many position opportunities are lost by candidates coming across as over-confident, even arrogant in their assumption that they are the best person for the role and that the application/interview process is somehow a mere formality.

This over-confidence comes across in many ways. Starting with lack of preparation – "I can wing it" – and continuing on to making assumptions about the role, the interviewer(s) and the company.
The trouble with over-confidence is that the impression taken from it can vary enormously. For example, not taking the trouble to do your homework on a company can be interpreted by the interviewer in a number of ways. 


For example:
• Lazy. This candidate is just plain lazy because he/she hasn’t shown the courtesy of learning anything about the company.
• Stupidity. For overlooking the need to research.
• Arrogance. "I am so good that they will employ me regardless of the state of my ignorance".

Over-confidence can also extend into your perceived attitude about the role – being over-confident may lead you down the route of appearing uninterested or diffident about the role. It can send all the wrong signals to the interviewer. 

Employers are always on the look-out for people who are really keen to take on a role. Being keen, even anxious gives an edge to an interview that conveys this attitude. Whereas being over-confident or too relaxed robs you of this edge and can give the impression that you are not really interested.
 
Signs of over-confidence that are apparent to an interviewer include:
• Not asking any questions about the role.
• An aggressive or shambolic posture.
• Dressing inappropriately for the role sought.
• A demeanour that is too casual for the role sought
• Talking over the interviewer, not listening
• Self importance/overselling
• Not bothering to prepare a cover letter or getting by on an inadequate resume.

The reverse of the above points is the answer to the problem of over-confidence. You should always seek to:
• At the appropriate time politely ask questions about the role and the company.
• Sit upright with a posture that displays alert keenness.
• Dress to the standard of the interviewer.
• Never talk over the interviewer.
• Be humble rather than proud and don’t over sell yourself.
• Always send a cover letter that addresses the criteria of the role and make sure your resume is an up-to-date one. 

Note: If there is a consultants name in the advertisement for the role, then make sure you use it in addressing the cover letter. Small courtesies can yield good results.

Expatriate futures

Up until 10 years ago, the popular image of an expatriate role, was one of a high salary and a package of tax free or low taxed benefits, such as: accommodation, company car, driver, schooling for children, maids etc. A thrifty "expat", could do quite well on a good package, with few outlays and the consequent ability to save most of their salary component and at the same time enjoy a very comfortable lifestyle.

However the number of such lucrative posts, particularly in the Asian region, has declined somewhat. This decline has been a result of: 

• The ongoing effect of the GFC and companies tightening expenditure and reducing     benefits.
• Increasing use of locals in lieu of expats.
• Worries over pay discrepancies between expats and local, as local standards rise.
• Improving economic conditions in many Asian countries mean that cities once considered hardship postings are no longer seen as such.

Today if you are looking for an expat posting in Asia with seriously good benefits, you need to look at roles that are located in areas which are relatively undeveloped economically and in countries classified as emerging economies. Such roles would be seen as genuine hardship postings and accordingly would receive benefits to ease the difficulties encountered. Such roles are not at all common and certainly are few compared to the past, although well rewarded expat roles do still exist in the Middle East.

Whilst many of the lucrative expat roles in Asia have disappeared there are still plenty of good career growing roles to be had in Asia. Benefits and/or perks should not be the primary reason to seek a role in the growing economies of Asia, compared to the career benefit of international exposure and learning. 

A stint in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai or similar city can add a degree of lustre to your resume and is especially beneficial if you want to carve a career in any of the major multinational companies. Once you have become an expat, a wide world of opportunities can arise, including not just Asia, but South America and Africa, in addition to Europe and North America.

A drawback of an expat career is that once you are on the expat merry-go-round it can be hard to get off, especially if you are an Australian, as returning to Australia will often mean coming back to a diminished role in a somewhat static environment.

All things considered a stint overseas as an expat can do a good deal for you in advancing your career and when applying for such a role, the career development opportunities should be your first focus. With any "fringe benefits" seen as secondary items and certainly should not be the primary arbiters of your decision making process. We have seen circumstances where greed has diminished candidate’s opportunities and shrouded their true interests.

Any expat role must be viewed within the context of your plans for your career and private/family life.

The Critical Importance of Induction

Research in the UK, has demonstrated that a large proportion of newly employed candidates are looking to leave within the first three months of employment and over a third of new employees were looking to leave within a year or sooner and were already actively seeking new employment. 

A significant contributor to this situation was that many candidates felt that they were misled by employers about the roles that they had accepted and that the reality of the role was significantly different to the picture painted during the recruitment process. Additionally only a quarter of candidates felt that their induction experience was useful. Compounding this poor experience was their lack of confidence in being able to talk to superiors about sensitive matters concerning their employment. 

This is despite that the fact that most SME’s and large employers alike have position descriptions for the roles in their organisations and that many organisations take serious care in establishing induction programs. 

Of course it is perfectly true that many of these people do not carry through with their desire to find a new role. None-the-less it is a significant barrier to good performance to have so many new employees with a chip on their shoulders, so early in their employment. 

There are a number of factors to take into account when considering this problem of employee dissatisfaction and not all of it lies with employers. For example, candidates may be victims of unrealistic expectations when taking on a new role, expecting a change of employment to solve problems that are more personal than employment-related. Plus many candidates only listen to the good points of a new role, whilst burying the not-so-good. 

It is a matter of common sense from an employer’s point of view to ensure that position descriptions and other elements that contribute to the total picture of a role are up to date and accurately reflect the true nature of the role. Similarly, recruitment personnel and employers should endeavour not to over-sell a role, lest they sow the seeds of future dissatisfaction.

Just as important is the need to keep track of employee satisfaction in the initial weeks and months of employment. For example, managers should take the time to sit down with new employees and invite them to raise issues about expectations and the like. It is a good idea to schedule these discussions at critical points, say for the example at the end of the first week, first month and then at 3 months and on as required. 

In summary, there are three essential components to the successful commencement of a new employee. 

Ensure that:
1.   The new employee has an accurate/truthful understanding of the role and the organisation they are joining.
2.   A well thought out and comprehensive induction program is implemented.
3.   That time is taken to review with the new employee their progress in the early weeks and months of their employment.