​As the government announces international borders won’t return to normal until late 2021 (at the earliest), we are bound to witness skills shortages like never before. With the borders essentially closed to non-citizens/residents, this will make it far more difficult for skilled migrants to enter the country, except for those considered to have critical skills – typically within nursing and other medical fields.​Migrants whose skills lie in non-essential fields such as technology and engineering are having to put their migration plans on hold while the country is doing its best to reduce infection rates by maintaining a strict policy on international arrivals. Subsequently, this is going to lead towards a substantial decrease in net migration over the next couple years and as the demand for skilled workers begins to increase, we are bound to see noticeable skills shortages in these “non-essential” professions. For some perspective, last year Australia saw net migration figures of over 150,000. This year numbers are expected to drop to a net loss of at least 80,000, which is the lowest on record since the Second World War. Meanwhile, a lot of onshore workers are sitting tight at their current companies waiting for markets to get back on their feet before making any hasty career changes. In the meantime, employers will either need to adapt to these impending skills shortages, or they’ll simply have to find new ways of attracting fresh talent to their business. ​This could be good news for young people trying to get onto the career ladder. With over 3 million 16-25 year-olds in Australia, this pool could be an obvious choice for hiring managers looking for alternative solutions to their business growth objectives. Obviously there comes a skills gap when employing less experienced staff; however, this can be reduced through having well-structured development plans. These are a great way to incorporate specific milestones for new staff to reach. From a planning perspective, this is greatly beneficial to the employer as they’ll be able to predict where their staffs’ skills will lie in-line with the company’s future objectives. This also allows younger employees the opportunity to commence a new role without necessarily having the initial skills or experience required to do the job. ​On the other hand, it is important for companies to remain competitive regardless of market changes. Now more than ever, companies need people who can develop fresh ideas and new ways of working to avoid stagnating in today’s highly competitive market. Companies with well-established talent acquisition teams will naturally be better equipped to handle the upcoming skills shortages. Others may find themselves struggling to attract the right staff; in which case they will likely need to expand their hiring capabilities by reaching out to management consultancies and recruitment agencies. Despite the additional fees involved here, external providers have the scope & resource to promptly supply high quality shortlists – critically allowing hiring managers to compare options before making an informed decision on whom they would like to hire. ​In summary, it is clear that the recent legislation on international travel is having a profound effect on the arrival of skilled workers into Australia’s markets. Either way, it will be interesting to see how different companies adapt over the coming months, and the subsequent effects on skilled workers given the upcoming shift in competition. ​

​The most common question I currently receive is how much less can I pay in the current market? As the economy looks to bounce back, many businesses are looking to bring in new employees to push ahead with their projects and look to achieve a strategic advantage over its cash strapped competitors. Hiring managers and businesses beware, offering lower contract rates or salaries can come back to bite you when the market starts to turn! ​With the declining economy and most businesses cutting contractors at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic, there is an influx of contracting talent available on the market. In all there is a lot of talent out there, with the unemployment rate around 7.5% +, it is a buyers’ market. This has led to a common supply and demand effect on contract rates and permanent salaries. We have seen an influx of Project Managers hitting the market as many of their projects were cancelled or put on hold, this is generally due to their projects being of additional requirement to a business usually and are typically the first to go. ​With the government pushing through schemes to help the economy and consumer confidence improving as cases of COVID19 cases continue to fall nationally; business will look to launch new projects. The first instinct is of course reassessing the current job market and discover how much new project teams will cost and how little you can pay for good talent. This first instinct is premature and possibly a dangerous one. “You would not walk into a Ferrari showroom and expect to pay less!”. We have seen businesses paying anywhere between 10%-20% less then prior to COVID19 when coming to market to hire new talent; some companies go through the entire recruitment process, want to hire they preferred candidate and then start to negotiate them down on rate/salaries as they feel they have the power with current market conditions. The candidate will most likely accept as offers are few and far between but the danger here is that the best talent or the Ferrari knows its worth. ​As the job market rebounds, this will leave your business high and dry without your Ferrari leading the pack. Technology projects already run over budget often, the cost of re-establishing your project team is costly due the hiring process of course but what it could do to your project and strategic objective can be devastating. So why not pay the Ferrari what its worth? Short term pain for long term gain and as we all come out of this economic downturn, it will be all about the long-term gain. ​Of course, there is an exception to any rule, with Christmas fast approaching the best talent may be available for shorter projects over the festive period before longer term higher paying opportunities are available in the new year. Of course, you need the cash flow and a short piece of work needed to be completed for this strategy to be effective. ​I certainly agree the economy is not what it was prior to COVID19; but you would not walk into a Ferrari showroom and expect to pay less because it is a Ferrari and its worth the money. So before hiring your new Ferrari/Candidate, remember to pay them like one!​

​At some point in your career you may find yourself looking for a job when you least expect it. I discovered this the hard way alongside countless others during the Covid outbreak. On a seemingly ordinary Monday morning I arrived at work only to leave 10 minutes later after half the technology team were laid off. So, whether you have 20 years’ experience or if you are a graduate fresh out of university, it is critical that you have at least some idea about where to start looking for a new job. These tips will hopefully point you in the right direction:​1) Have a good CV!It is all well & good having the skills & experience to do a particular job but ultimately these need to be fully showcased in your CV to reflect your suitability to any prospective employers. Try to make your CV concise without waffling too much about irrelevant or possibly outdated experience. Hiring managers are far more interested in your recent experience so focus more attention on your latest job role; using bullet-points to clearly summarise your relevant skills & experience. You can gradually decrease the content for less recent job roles. ​Also make sure it’s obvious where you’ve used any tools or software throughout your career – try to include these for each of your job roles so it’s clear where you’ve used them. Recruiters will often use the classic Ctrl-F approach to gauge your suitability, so it does not hurt to litter your CV with key words – it may just increase your chance of getting noticed!​If you do not have any commercial experience, then draw more attention to your Education history. Try to focus on relevant projects and the key skills you gained, as well as any placements or internships. ​2) How to search for a job:There are many ways you can do this but it’s important that you are efficient in your job search, otherwise you’ll find yourself aimlessly applying to every job you see, wasting unnecessary time in doing so. A more streamlined approach is to write 3 or 4 CVs, each tailored towards your different unique skills & experience – keep them saved in folders so you can easily keep track of each profile. ​When you see a role that looks a good match, instead of calling directly, simply pass the job poster your [pre-tailored] CV on LinkedIn and arrange a time to catch up. This adds a little more structure to your search, and you should notice an increase in meaningful conversations which will hopefully push you in the right direction. ​You can also target specific companies which you are interested in working with. Simply run a search for managers & directors in your specialism then drop them a snappy message describing your situation and ask for their thoughts. When someone replies to your message, get them on the phone for an informal chat – even if they are not personally hiring, they may refer you to someone who is.​3) Interviews:There is no reason to be nervous when you are going for an interview. It is important to remember that the employer does not hold all the cards. Consider the fact their business has a need… that is why they are hiring in the first place. Yes, they are assessing your suitably to fill the position; however, it is equally in your hands to determine their suitability as a prospective employer.​On the other, your interview is the prime opportunity to impress the hiring manager. Always try to lean your responses in-line with the role you are applying for and make sure you come prepared with some great examples to back your answers. At the end of the interview it is critical that you have lots of questions to ask. Some go-to questions are “why is the role available”, “how are the teams structured”, “what expectations would you have over the first 6 months”. Never reply with “no I think you’ve covered everything” – this is ultimately your opportunity to show the hiring manager that you are legitimately interested in the role.​Lastly, this is a massive cliché but never opt for a role simply because it is offering a high salary – always go for something which you are genuinely excited about! ​

Many employers & employees have adjusted to “the new way of life” when working from home. This has come with many challenges including:Enabling IT structures to get people logged into company systems both securely and efficientlyEnsuring the home office is a safe and has adequate internet capabilities Employees & employers adequately communicating and keeping a teamwork environmentEmployees balancing work-life with family dynamics such as home schooling and finding a quiet place to perform their work dutiesOf those employers I have spoken to many suggest there is a 50/50 mix of employees who have enjoyed and excelled working from home and those who have really struggled both emotionally and in continuing to be as efficient as they were previously. Just as individuals and companies have begun adjusting to the “new normal” a new challenge is ahead – returning to the workplace. This may be even more challenging. Below are some tips and guidance to a successful transition of staff back to the work place in an office environment:​Get the physical things in place. The risk of COVID-19 has not disappeared. Employers have a responsible to ensure staff have a safe work environment with adequate social distancing. This will not happen automatically. There are many published guidelines from government health authorities on minimum square metres required per employee but also consider:Removing the number of chairs from meeting rooms and shared spacesPutting physical markers using tape on tables and floors to remind people of their social distancing requirementsPutting controls and signage around how many people are allowed in each area (particularly meeting rooms, bathrooms & kitchen/dining areas)Consider temperature checking devices for those occupying very high density sitesProvide plenty of hand sanitizer, tissues, waste disposal for personal hygiene matters, including plenty of signageDon’t be in a hurry: To assist adequate social distancing, take pressure off the public transport system and assist staff transitioning back to work a deliberate and progressive approach may be the way to go. Consider splitting your teams and bringing them back progressively on alternate days or weeks for a period of time. Some businesses are also considering staggered start times to assist in relieving pressure on overcrowding public transport systems.​Check the State Government Advice: Restrictions and guidance to employers regarding return to work can change continually and is different for each state. Do your research checking the guidance readily available from state government websites and keep updated.​Communicate: Prior to returning staff to work hold a meeting by whatever media you are using (Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams etc.). Make sure all are aware of rules and new practices including what days and times expected to be at work. Many will be scared so be patient and understand the rights of employers/employees in compulsory return physically to work – again there are different state guidelines with different timeframes. It is wise to ensure employees do a self-health assessment before presenting to work and are reminded not to come in if they are sick. ​Hopefully, the risk of COVID-19 reduces even further in the months ahead. In the meantime, keep safe and well.​

​No doubt, the current situation has been an unpredictable time for those looking for work, employees, contractors, and employers. This week I asked a few of my contractors their thoughts on the current job market and work situations. Here are some of the responses.​Would you consider moving in this current market?When asked whether they would consider moving in this current market, most said no. The market was too unpredictable for them to consider moving, or they were loyal to their current role and had prospects of extending. A few said yes, however only if the role was remotely onboarded.​What would make you want to move?With the current situation and many working from home, most contractors said they would like flexibility in their role to work from home and for varying personal situations. Others would move for higher rates, the opportunity to grow, or better location.​What attracts you to a role?Similarly, with the current situation, many contractors were attracted by the flexibility of a role. Some valued the team culture, industry, exciting projects, or the opportunity for a long-term role to grow, learn and have stability. Autonomy was also a common answer, in not being micro-managed, and the ability to have depth within their role, not being confined to their job description. ​Have you been more productive from home than in the office?Most contractors indicated they were more productive from home as they had more flexibility, converted travel time to work time, and higher concentration than in an open plan environment. Correspondingly, some missed the set-up of the office, team interaction, and separation from home and work time. ​How has your company helped you get through COVID?It was great to hear that the contractors I surveyed were all supported by their current teams and team leaders. This was often in the form of regular online team meetings throughout the week and support of flexible work arrangements to suit different personal situations. Some teams have established the culture of having coffee or tea catch ups, or companies providing online forums to keep staff updated on current situations and keeping morale. Another company assisted their teams by investing in more user-friendly collaboration software and stable IT platforms to ensure individuals are supported in their work.​It’s been interesting to hear the different perspectives of contractors on the current situation and how their teams have supported them during this time. All businesses and teams have been impacted in some capacity during this pandemic, and it often comes down to individual responses and attitudes in supporting teams through this time. ​

​Between stuffing my face and festering into the couch for weeks on end I’ve managed to learn a thing or two in lockdown, how beneficial these lessons are is yet to be determined but I thought I’d share a few of my findings as we begin to ease back in to “the real world” and the memory of 3 months of hibernation is rife. ​Okay let’s set the scene- “Alexa play locked up by Akon.”​ZOOM 101Now this should be pretty self-explanatory but as a recruiter I have come across some absolute horror stories over the past few weeks, so here’s 3 tips for you to take on board if you have an interview coming up:​1. Your boss doesn’t want to see your bedsheets (or your batman PJS)! You’d think this would be a given, however a few people out there can’t seem to distinguish an invite to interview for a position at a company with an invite to a zoom slumber party. You don’t have to go all out redecorating your room to create a fancy new home office Zuckerberg himself would be stunned with but zooming tucked up is not OK - A light, tidy room with a desk for you to sit your laptop on is more than substantial. Hey, after your interview is completed by all means you can slide right back into those jarmies, get into bed and resume the Netflix party.​2. PANTS Dear lord please wear pants. Sadly, it’s not going to put you in the best light if you reveal your undies on cam before you’ve even met your potential new boss. Now I get it only Psychopaths wear jeans at home, so If you simply must zoom pantless please either: ensure you have positioned both yourself and the camera correctly to eradicate any flashing blunders or at least throw a pair of joggers on your bottom half and preserve your dignity.​3. Leave your scuba mask and fishbowl filters for your Friday night catch ups. Now I know how hilarious you think you look with your face on a potato or with a smart new green do as you embrace your new life as an on-screen pineapple. However, if you’re serious about nailing down your new job you want to portray yourself as professionally as possible and flashing up on your Hiring Managers screen as a Spud sadly won’t give off the desired vibe.​Listen, I get it - You’ve been locked in the house for months on end, your body has become one with your favourite tracksuit, your hair… let’s not even start and after weeks of trawling through SEEK endlessly applying for every job under the sun to no joy- you’ve given up and accepted your fate as Netflix’s Number 1 Voluntary film critic. But remember, we have all been through a lot with Covid and there’s almost a million Australians out of work, so if you are lucky enough to be selected for an interview do yourself justice and give it your all!​Dress up as you would if you were meeting face to face, do your research, brush your hair and above all do your best to portray yourself as best you can and give yourself a fighting chance.​At most an interview will take an hour out of your day– I promise Netflix will be waiting for you when you’re done and imagine how much sweeter those PJs will feel on your skin knowing you’ve smashed your interview.​Now for a few miscellaneous tips….1. Instagram discover is a dangerous place – you are only ever 3 posts away from being stuck 6 hours deep in a scrolling hole of mouth-watering snaps of oozing baked goods and pizza slices cheesy enough to plaster your walls with - Bib Necessary. ​2. Cereal serving sizes are unholy and shall not be adhered to – if you haven’t taken the time to weigh out a 30g serving before- I sincerely suggest you don’t as it’s outrageously unsatisfying and just down right rude. I personally like to eat my cereal a whole box at a time and so this one really cut deep. On another note – if you have had a drink or two stay clear of the Ezy-Mart as $18 Dollars for a box of fancy coco pops seems extremely reasonable and they will be no where to be seen by morning time. ​3. You can survive without the gym- so I am a creature of habit, if I have something planned in my head, I find it really hard to go against it. So, like many of us going from religiously completing the F45 6:30pm weekly rota to the news that all gyms would be closed for the foreseeable struck fear into my soul. Thankfully, our good friend the internet came to save the day once again and Instagram live workouts have been both a god send and my best friend through this period – who knew home workouts actually work and you could get so sweaty jumping around the kitchen like a lunatic?!​4. Always keep your pasta and toilet roll stocked up – Honestly I never thought I’d see the day when toilet roll would be considered a luxury item but here we are in 2020 and I jump for joy when I’m in the woollies and the aisles are stocked to the heavens with rolls galore. ​5. Appreciate what you have as you never know what sort of horror movie storyline could be in store for us next. Embrace this period – when would you ever get to sit at home for months of end doing absolutely nothing and be considered a hero? Fingers crossed this never happens again, but I have severely enjoyed the guilt free hermitism and I’m thankful for that. ​6. And above all WASH YOUR HANDS.​Another great thing that has come from this crazy period is a new way to escape unwanted attention, long gone are the days of SOS texts to the girls or little white lies about your imaginary boyfriend waiting for you at home, now you can simply request that in line with Covid law unwanted bystanders stay 1.5m– thank you Rona.​

​Over the last couple of years, technological innovation has brought about a rapid change in the customer service landscape. This has forced many businesses to reassess the way they build engagement and offer solutions, because adapting to technological change means adapting to customers' evolving needs.​Firstly a very big thank you to Gillian Kidson - Head of IT at Coal Services for sharing her insights on how her team adapted from having old school infrastructure to becoming a digital business during COVID-19! ​Gillian says' when COVID 19 hit Sydney, our response was critical for our business to continue operating. Being a business that provides multiple services to the mining industry including medical workers, emergency training as well as looking after our injured workers, we needed to ensure those services continued being provided during the COVID 19 Pandemic to keep our workers safe.​Our IT team like many others were unprepared for the rapid response that is required when a Pandemic strikes. We had been asked to prepare for a trial run of what our response would be in the coming weeks, but our trial run quickly became our reality.​Our technical team had spent the weekend expanding our RDS environment and were mid testing when the instruction came to get everyone home as quickly as we could. Load testing and system testing went out of the window as we moved quickly to gather end-user requirements and details of equipment that was needed to ensure a continuity of service to customers.​We currently, as a business, do not deliver our services digitally most of them are conducted Face-to-Face. We are predominantly an office-based business, with half of our workforce using desktops. As we are 18 months into delivering a 3-year strategy we did not have all the required systems and tools in place when this pandemic struck. We certainly didn’t have the telephony and online video capability required to deliver digital services.​Over the first 24 hours my team implemented remote access for non-corporate machines and wrote and distributed instructions to all staff. They gathered information on who needed to take company owned equipment home from monitors to desktops to chairs and ensured they had assistance in dismantling and packing up what was required to be taken home. Within 36 hours they had the first 100+ staff working from home and were providing them with remote assistance to reconnect equipment and login remotely.​Over the following 4 days they helped the next 100+ staff to move themselves and equipment home, whilst also assisting in setting up scanning and document management to remove the need to take home paper files. By the end of week 2 we had all staff except some medical and some rescue staff working from home.​Now we needed to fast track the implementation of the new Online Training and Management application alongside the procurement and implementation of the telephony and video functionality. We had a 3-week window to complete the implementations and train staff to use them and deliver our services online.​At the height of the COVID Pandemic we were able to deliver our scheduled training and conduct Tele-med appointments online. We were only able to achieve this because our IT team were committed to ensuring the business had what it needed. Having a very good understanding of the business did help, however they were able achieve the unexpected because they communicated well with each other (from management down and back up) and worked together as a team!​According to Gillian now is the time to be looking at what is failing and prepare for the next major disruption. This pandemic has changed the world forever and much of the business world response will be to investigate digital options for making businesses more resilient and able to meet customers expectations.​

​CISSP, Prince 2, AWS certified. Just examples of some of most popular certifications on the market. They are all expensive to obtain and time consuming to study for and complete. Lending to time and money being sunk into completing the certification. Is the cost benefit worth it? What is the value of verifying skills you already have?​When it comes to the value of certifications in the technology industry there are mixed feelings. While some see them as validation of their skills and evidence of their ability, there are some in the industry who hold the opposite point of view and believe that an IT worker’s true value and ability is demonstrated through their experience and the projects they have worked on. Both hold good merit. ​Have to ask yourself if the certification will help you? What do want out of your career and potentially where you want to work. Lots of companies are increasingly looking for certifications from job seekers, many list certifications as essential, many simply as desirable and some don’t list it at all in their advertisements. If a company, you want to work for requires a certification then maybe exploring your options to obtain one is the best way to secure your dream job. If you are unsure if a certification is a key requirement, reach out to the recruiter looking after to the role, they will know. ​If you are a job seeker now, like many people in the current market and you are not having much luck in your job search maybe obtaining a certification may help. But if you are out of work can you afford an expensive certification that in no means guarantees you a job. ​As a job seeker certifications show employers your skillset verified by a 3rd party. For example, all hiring managers within the security space know the standard of a CISSP certification, most will most likely hold one themselves, as such they know the level of your skillset as you hold that certification. ​If you are new into the IT sector a certification can show your skills in lieu of experience, as such the certification can bring you some value in form of an interview or a job offer. If you have been in the industry for a while, maybe you’ve been stuck doing the same thing for a few years and you are looking for a reason to break out into a new role or work with a different type of technology, as certification can show those skills you know you have but aren’t shown in your experience. ​Where the value of a certification is most in question is for those experienced with the IT industry. You have the skills, you have worked on the projects, you have been there and done that. Why utilize your precise time and money on a certification? A certification can prove you are an expert in your field , leading you being assigned onto the best projects and potential increase in salary. But in the current market is your boss really going to give you a raise because you got a certification proving you can do the job you are currently doing.​Is a certificate worth it? Unfortunately, too many variables to make a definitive statement. The cost of a certificate can make it unobtainable for some, especially during COVID-19, luckily there are many free courses available in the current market to upskill yourself. But those that have the time and money to obtain one, it is definitely worth doing your own research into if it valuable to you ​

​With the spread of coronavirus, working from home has become a reality for many. This can be a large change for those who don’t usually work from home. No more long commutes and constantly being surrounded by your team at work.Learning to work from home won’t come easy. You will have many distractions, along with the fact that nobody has direct sight of what you are doing or not doing.​Make the most of your initial freedom to help you adjust. For the first few days, you might feel a little lost without your workmates next to you, your usual work set up, and working in an environment which is usually your ‘home to relax’.​It’s critical to plan out a routine. Plan what you will be doing for the day, including when you will be taking a break. Set alarms for breaks, when you need to walk the dog, when you will eat lunch. Time slips by faster when you are working from home – so plan your day and stick to your schedule.​Ensure you have everything set up – your laptop, desk space, chair, good lighting. You won’t have the fancy chairs or monitors you usually have at work, so create a space where you can be productive and will not be easily distracted. This will look different for each individual. You might be most comfortable at a desk, or work best moving around to a different location after each break. Find where you are most comfortable and move during the day if you need to. Being comfortable is going to make you more productive.​Being comfortable working from home, will also come with the realisation that you still need to get work done. Your pride and responsibly of your career will kick in as you don’t want to let anyone down. You want to prove that you can work from home, just as well as you can work in the office.​Make sure you have a social element within your day. Make calls to clients, talk to your team, speak to your family and friends. Keep connected to the outside world. Engage with the news and updated with what’s happening in the business.​Re-entry into the office will be the hardest part of all. When the time comes to get back into the office and work amongst your peers again, you will struggle. Manager need to understand that this sudden change will throw people off balance. It will take space, time and understanding. Don’t expect to be back to full capacity and speed in a day. Like the entry to working from home, a small adjustment period should be allowed and expected for re-entry into the workplace. ​However long this current situation lasts, working from home should not be feared. Embrace and learn from it. Find what makes your more efficient and productive to your team. Further your own career by growing and adapting to a new environment.​

Coronavirus is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within 1 metre of a person who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands.​To protect yourself, keep at least 1 metre distance from others and disinfect surfaces that are touched frequently. Regularly clean your hands thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.​It is important to keep updated with the latest information on the spread of Coronavirus in your area. Live updates on the disease can be found on the World Health Organisation website: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019​Live updates from the Australian Government can also be accessed via https://www.australia.gov.au/​It is important to listen to government and health advice to ensure the safety of those around us. You may not be a vulnerable individual to the virus, however people you come in contact with might be. We must look out for each other during this time. Social distancing and hygiene are the most effective ways to combat coronavirus.​​

Digital marketing has evolved to encompass aspects of data analytics, technological understanding, and marketing strategy. In an increasingly data-driven world, marketing analytics has become a process of connecting marketing functions with business intelligence. Digital marketing professionals need to have the ability to analyse data, while extracting the critical insights to improve campaign performance. Influential marketing is now determined by analytics and big data, with decisions no longer solely based from hypothesis and experience. Marketing consulting firm, Forrester Research, found 44 percent of enterprises use data-analytics and mining to boost consumer response rates and generate insights that guide executives in developing relationship-driven strategies. In applying data analytics and metrics to marketing strategies, businesses must first build an effective analytics strategy. Implementing a data-driven strategy starts from an organisational culture which manages its data well and values data analytics. Once the systems and people are in place to collect data, data analytics can be used to improve marketing performance with data-driven insights. A marketing analytics strategy must also be built from key business objectives and targets. This ensures data-influenced actions are aligned with key targets for long-term strategic advantage. Similarly, KPIs should be based on a set of relevant metrics and data insights, to ensure specific business processes can be tracked and are measurable. Establishing targets supported by data will assist in benchmarking against industry and forecasting indicators. ​Marketers often have all the data they need, but struggle to filter out useful data and apply it to improve marketing performance. Digital marketers should constantly be looking for opportunities to use and apply data to improve performance. Data can also be used to learn about customers, from industry trends, website behaviour and potential customers. However, data must be comprehensive and accurate for making effective marketing decisions. All marketing initiatives should have goals, whether visitors to sites, registrations, email collections, or click-to-calls. ​Boston Consulting Group found 58 percent of chief marketing officers (CMOs) believe that search engine optimisation (SEO), as well as email and mobile communications, are the areas where big data systems are have the largest impact on their organisations. SEO copywriting requires a technical understanding of search engines and writing copy that compels audiences to take action. Keyword search is similarly an effective tool in content to guide customers to what they are looking for. Big Data can identify how visitors are finding websites and optimise websites for customers to see the products they want when they arrive. ​Data analysis can also be used to choose marketing channels. With consumers using mobiles, desktops, tablets, and smart watches, each platform has different behaviours and systems. Real-time data can also provide insights of insights of intent and mindset of audience. Better analytics lead to optimal design, allowing marketers to understand consumer preferences and engagement, to lower design costs and increase revenues. Data management platforms (DMP) can assist in achieving personalisation using web activity. When using different platforms, such as websites and apps, DMP can assist in combining data into a single customer view to provide a coherent customer experience across all digital properties.​

​With the turn of the decade, it is more than evident that the world has become, and is ever increasing, in its digitalisation and technological advancement. It would be rare to find an Australian household without smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart home devices, or watches to access online content. Correspondingly, new technologies are rising and falling. Viewing content has evolved from 3D and 4D, to VR and 4K. Bluetooth has enabled the wireless connectivity of multiple devices. Google + and iTunes for Mac have been discontinued. Cloud services are widely used for storage and sharing solutions. Technology is constantly changing, whether updating to meet consumer trends, becoming redundant, or being more accessible to diverse users. ​A growing trend is climate conscious consumers, who are increasingly aware of product impact on the environment. Apple has attempted to meet current trends in climate awareness with the investment in Daisy recycling technology, however is still far from closed-loop production and a technology which is inviable for most companies to adopt. Digital marcomms can consider how marketing and communications can address environmental and ethical issues which are increasingly common and important to a diverse group of consumers.​​Accessible technology is similarly a growing trend. There is a demand for technology which is more inclusive for diverse populations and is customisable to meet consumer needs. Security technology has evolved to encompass aspects of privacy and wellbeing, to allow households to be monitored without video surveillance in the use of sensors. This technology is particularly targeted towards those who need protection and notification for falls, health and sleep monitoring, without the breach of privacy. Similarly, the Apple Watch Health app has enabled an instant record of health monitoring and trends. Accessible technology considers diverse demographics and creating solutions to meet a broader range of consumer needs. ​Consequently, the role of digital marketers and communicators is constantly changing to meet consumer needs and changes in available technology. With new technology, digital marcomms must have a technological understanding of new platforms to effectively deliver campaigns. A technical knowledge and understanding of developing websites, handling data, and running social media campaigns is an increasingly defining skill for all digital marcomms roles. Similarly, being aware of new technology and how these platforms operate can ultimately contribute to the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and the reduction of noise in communications. ​Team leaders are building more diverse teams, including those in the tech industry, as more diverse teams have the capacity to produce more diverse products, and appeal to a more diverse target market. The inclusion of diverse ideas and skills is fundamental to innovation, and only with continual upskilling and retraining can individuals maintain a competitive advantage within the tech industry. Although this is time consuming and far from then traditional ‘study then work’, it is necessary to adopt a continual learning attitude in all industries which involve forms of technology. ​Simply subscribing to a tech blog can help keep you informed and updated on the latest technology and trends in the digital market. You don’t need to be an expert at the technical side of new platforms, however a knowledge of how they operate can be a defining factor of whether your campaigns are successful with these systems. Simply understanding the layout, features, and formats of technology can lift a marketing campaign or smooth out the communications process. Identifying these opportunities ultimately distinguishes digital marcomms professionals. ​

Whether it be personal or business, there is an overwhelming amount of options for social media platforms to sign up for. Like our constantly expanding universe, social is an ever changing and developing space. With that being said, it can be a little daunting trying to decide what platforms to engage in, and what platforms should be used for personal life vs. business.​You have; Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter, Pinterest, and (to my bewilderment) TikTok, just to rattle off a few. Yesterday, I watched in horror on the train as a toddler in a pram navigated mums iPhone, clicked on Snapchat and started using the cat filter on her face. Can someone please explain how it took me 3 days to understand how to “loop” a snapchat video, but this 2-year-old understands how to use filters already?​So how do we keep up?​My 3 top ways to help keep in touch with the latest social media wave:Follow the social media expertsJay Baer, Sean Gardner, and Ann Handley come to mind. Regardless of whether you consider yourself an expert or a beginner, following the guru’s is an easy way to stay on top of the latest trends, apps, tips or tricks. Do your research and pick a few key social geeks to keep an eye on. My tip - don’t go crazy, less is more in this instance, be careful not to overload the senses with a constant bombardment of opinions and data on your feed. Follow the aggregatorsThis one is as easy as reading the morning news. Add some aggregators to your bookmark bar and away you go! Some good examples are Mumbrella and Mashable. Basically, you can keep on top of “What’s Hot” and “What’s rising”, and most importantly you can see the cute trending Baby Yoda memes for this week. Some of this info can be super helpful.Follow the kids! Saying this makes me feel a lot older than it should… but see what the kids are up to at the moment! Ask them what’s the latest “cool” app is (do kids even say the word cool anymore?). But really, the millennials are by far in the lead for not only their technology use but specifically for their social media use – no shock there.​What should businesses have as a basic social media presence? ​This is a question I hear a lot – what social platforms are best for my business? I think it is important to understand that each business and industry is different, therefore certain platforms may work better for your business than for others. Let’s compare a finance business to a creative agency, we could probably agree that TikTok and snapchat aren’t as necessary for the finance business but could be useful for a creative agency. ​It can also be seen that each platform has a specific demographic of users, some examples below:Facebook - Men and women, ages 18-65 or olderLinkedIn - Men and women, ages 25-64Instagram - Men and women, ages 18-64Twitter - Men and women, ages 18-49If we are talking bare minimum, I would say your business needs; Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Companies can use surveys or other methods to target the correct audiences and demographics.​While we are on the topic, I would like to stress the importance of personal LinkedIn profiles - and not just having them, but actually keeping them up to date! As a recruiter myself, there is nothing more frustrating than finding someone’s LinkedIn, but it hasn’t been updated since the dark ages. A lot of recruiters will probably dismiss “Janet” if her profile hasn’t been updated for 3 years and it looks like she is still in a junior role as opposed to her current position. It will also benefit businesses to have their staff update their LinkedIn profiles, showing staff progression within the company etc.​Upcoming social media trends for 2020Video content – staying strongVideo content has been on the rise for a while and will continue to rise and likely almost overtake Image and written content. We have already seen this trend and rise in the development of more video-based social media applications like Vine and then more recently TikTok (I still have no idea how to use TikTok by the way).Stories are in and posts are out (well not completely out, but you know what I mean)Stories are exactly how they sound – they give the user an opportunity to tell a story. If you use Instagram, Facebook or snapchat you would likely have already discovered that there has been an increase in people posting images and videos directly to their “story” for all of their followers to view, this will usually expire within 24 hours. Influencers are also out (also not completely out, but half out at least!)Influencers are out – some influencers even use “fake” or “bought” likes sometimes making them seem untrustworthy. A lot of influencers are also being deemed entitled – that is they are getting “freebies” from companies such as paid trips and free products, in exchange for posting up a snap advertising the product.​Now we will see an increase in companies using influencers that are more focused on smaller target groups (this loops us back to my point earlier about businesses targeting their audience), sometimes referred to as “communities”, with only a few thousand followers rather than in the millions. Sorry, Kylie. ​So, to hammer my point home; follow the experts, follow the aggregators, and follow the new generation. Get yourself or your business onto the relevant platforms and you will start seeing the impact in no time. As my friend Picasso once said - “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone”.​

Our 2020 Salary Guide allows hiring managers, candidates and current employees to benchmark average salaries in Australia across a variety of different industries ranging from Accounting & Finance, Business Support, MarComms and Technology & Data Analytics. ​The salary tables displays a compilation of average rates taken from recent positions across Australia, ranges are approximate guides only. The rates displayed below are base daily rates and annual salaries exclusive of superannuation.Download Salary Survey​Australia’s economic outlook in 2020 is steady rather than spectacular, with the jobs market set to follow suit. We don’t expect an outbreak of substantial wages growth overall, but we do expect upward salary pressure for professionals in specialist areas within technology, infrastructure, and financial services.​While each industry and sector has its own checklist of required skills for the role, the one skill that appears to be at the top of every hiring manager’s list is - the ability to communicate, and deliver the key insights to stakeholders. Candidates that possess a combination of strong technical skills and the ability to partner with the business are in high demand in today’s hiring market.​Employers must have compelling value propositions and streamlined recruitment processes to attract top talent in the Australian market. Hiring managers need to present potential and existing talent with a complete package of reasons to work at their organisation – including competitive salary, flexible working, professional development, purpose beyond profit and collaborative culture. At the offer stage, hiring managers with nimble processes will invariably secure talent ahead of their competitors.​As a hiring manager, you can use the Salary Guide to help your business be competitive in securing top talent and retaining top employees. By understanding typical salaries across your industry, you can offer a competitive salary in order to attract top talent for your job listing.​As a candidate, you can use the Salary Guide to benchmark your salary and ensure you’re getting paid fairly and competitively. Benchmarking your salary will also give you an understanding of how your current organisation is paying, which can be useful to help you negotiate higher pay in your current role or to determine your next career move.​

​No company likes to deal with turnover, but it’s an employees’ market in many industries and jobs aren’t hard to find. The process of employing someone takes time. In business, time is money. So, it can sometimes be expensive to continually hire new employees. That’s why, when an employee leaves, it can be a chore for the organisation to get a replacement.The average employee does a good job. Good enough to warrant a letter of recommendation upon departure. If they were anything less than good, we can assume you would have had to unfortunately let them go. So, when your average employee leaves, someone still has to replace them and it can be costly. ​Imagine losing a highly valuable team member and the impact that it can have on the business. Replacing them can be a struggle. Ensuring the high standard continues can be hard. Hiring the right candidate, even harder. Knowing what might make your employees quit, however, can give you an opportunity to make changes before they give their notice. ​There isn’t always just one “smoking gun” reason that makes a good employee quit, as it’s typically a combination of things that weigh on their minds and impact their decision to quit over time. Many reasons why employees quit their job are under the control of the employer. The question is how can this be achieved? To start, you need to understand why people want to leave an Employer in the first place. Here are just some off the top ones: Lack of trust and autonomyNot being appreciated or recognizedNo opportunity for growth and development or progression Feeling underutilizedBad manager or poor management Poor communicationLack of supportWork-life balanceToxic company culture Seeing good employees leave Company values don’t resonate Feel micro-managed Lack of feedback Understanding why people really quit their jobs is essential whether you are a hiring manager, running your own business, or if you are currently seeking a new role for yourself. When you know why people really quit their jobs, creating or locating the right workplace becomes much clearer.​Of course, many organizations have an exit interview process that should, ostensibly, provide insights to help improve employee retention. However, even when conducted well, these interviews have serious shortcomings. Even when exit interviews take place, research suggests that a large percentage of employees are not candid. Whereas some departing employees mask critical feedback in order to leave a positive impression, others feel that providing this information is a waste of time because they believe the company is unwilling to change. In addition, departing employees may feel that, because of how poorly their company treated them, management does not deserve to know their true reasons for leaving. In short, exit interviews are often ineffective.​You could try to have an informal discussions with colleagues close to the employee who resigned, companies may be able to ascertain the motives behind their departure. An added benefit of this approach is that it gives remaining employees, who may be disappointed and confused by their co-worker’s resignation, an outlet to discuss their thoughts and opinions, which may reduce any feelings of distress.​So, when you’re recruiting your next hire, be open and honest with potential candidates. Try to paint a clear picture of the job and what the future holds for a candidate. Identify the reasons why people quit their job early on and try to adapt and be flexible. This will help you keep the best employees around and help to drive your company to success.​

​Good for your ego, but bad for your career!Do you know why you want to leave your existing employer?Once you have decided to leave, then stick to your decision!Why people entertain or take counter offers: More Money; If you feel you are underpaid for the role you do, don’t use the offer of alternative employment as a bargaining tool to get a higher salary. If your motivation is that you want more money, talk to your existing boss BEFORE you start looking for another job.Promotion; If you think there is any possibility that your current employer could offer you a promotion or more interesting role and you would be happy staying with them, talk to your boss BEFORE you start looking for another job.Why is it so dangerous to either use the offer of alternative employment to get what you want from your present employer, or to allow them to change your mind after you have accepted an offer? – Well, apart from the waste of time and effort for both you and everyone else involved in the process if you go on interviews elsewhere and end up staying put, consider the following;​Just as you must look after your best interests, so will your current employer. Therefore if your timing does not fit in with their plans they will tempt you to stay by offering you a higher salary and / or promotion, additional company benefits, a new job title, additional responsibilities, a change in role, more involvement in projects that interest you or any combination of these.​Why would they be so keen to get you to stay? – because it will be cheaper and easier for them in the short term, even if they have to pay you a bit more, than for them to go through an expensive and disruptive recruitment process they hadn’t planned on.Of course, we all have egos and it is flattering to be given a counteroffer and to believe what you are being told about how valuable you are. However, even if both you and your boss are genuine in wanting to continue to work together, most people find that the relationship is never quite the same as it was before as quite naturally some of the trust has gone. ​Always fully explore the options available to you with your existing employer before looking for a new employer. However, once you have decided that the best thing for your career is to move on, find the role you want, accept it and stick to your decision. Changing your mind can make you look indecisive and unprofessional and you will almost certainly end up burning bridges with your recruiter!​

​Why are Accountants important! When asked what accountants do, responses often mention roles such as tax agents and independent auditors. Most people don’t service their cars at home. Instead, they bring them to a professional mechanic who can keep things running smoothly and spot potential issues. Businesses as such need just the same attention from a professional.​Accountants are crucial to individuals and businesses of all sizes – from tiny start-ups to huge corporations. After all, without a strong handle on cash flow and expenses and the ability to comply with all the necessary regulations, businesses simply won’t survive.​​The advantages of having an Accountant in your life/business: ​​Managing business assetsThe accountant can be of great help to the growth of your business. Since you can’t control all the assets on your own, the accountant will be of great help. Besides bookkeeping, accountants are trained to handle all sorts of management tasks.​​​​Handling the taxation processDo you know how to file taxes or pay any back taxes? If you are not a taxation expert, you might need one to help you in the process. Accountants know the ins and out of the taxation systems and can save you from penalties and fines. Since taxation is a continuous process, the accountant can manage things effectively.​Valuation of business propertyIf you want to do a business valuation, you must involve professional help. An accountant can help you in determining the proper value of your business. Valuation is essential during liquidation or sale or business. You have to factor in all aspects of the business without leaving out vital details. Instead of hiring expensive auditors, your accountant can help in the process.​Making critical business decisionsAn accountant can act as a valuable sounding board. He or she knows your business almost as well as you do – and probably knows the financial side of it even better. Objective input from someone that knows your business but doesn’t have the emotional attachment to it that you do, is priceless. By assisting you to make sound judgments, they can help you to grow your business. ​​Saving timeHow long does it take you to go through every financial detail of your company? How many hours and days do you take while preparing reports for your business? Having someone who can help to check that you’ve filled in your forms correctly, help you to meet key deadlines and offer financial advice will help you to concentrate your efforts on what you do best.​​Minimising business costsBusiness owners endure high business costs due to lack of financial management skills. This leads to the collapse of many businesses because of the high costs. Although hiring an accountant is costly, it minimizes the business costs in the organization.​A dependable accountant can be a crucial bedrock for you or your business. Make sure you find and hire the right person!

​Flexibility is an important trait for employees. Flexibility on the job includes the willingness and ability to respond to changing circumstances and expectations readily. Many companies question their ability to implement a flexible work style and simultaneously maintain high productivity and performance levels.​Flexibility works both ways, and employees appreciate having managers who are flexible. Flexible managers treat employees as individuals and make an effort to accommodate personal styles and needs. Employees who are entrusted and given more freedom at work are highly appreciative of their flexible managers/employers. Thus, in return, employees will build on this approach and give in their maximum effort to meet their manager’s expectations while also being flexible themselves with what is asked of them.​Flexibility involves having an open, team-centered attitude, and retaining a strong sense of identity and purpose.​Sometimes employers will allow employees to work from home when feasible to help balance work with family responsibilities, but there are also a host of other options that may better suit your situation, such as:Embracing a four-day work weekFlexible work hours Flexible work arrangement, i.e. remote login, working in different offices, hot desking Create flexibility for everyone and not just parents Companies need to encourage for me to work part-time/flexibly Be creative around flexibility While it can be daunting to approach your manager with a proposal for flexibility at work, it helps to remember that open communication and building trust are key to getting a feasible arrangement.​There are several advantages for employees arising from flexible work environments, including greater autonomy, motivation and an improved work life balance. However, some employers do not recognize the benefits of flexible work environments can have to their business. Here are a few:Employees often become more enthusiastic about their jobs and generally have a higher morale Attracting new talent and access to Global Talent Pool Loyalty and higher staff retention An increase in productivity Employee Management relationships better Reasons they join your company or go elsewhere​As a manager, you're responsible for developing a team culture that values and encourages flexibility. Give your people the self-confidence to do this by creating an environment in which they feel supported and trusted. All in all, flexibility in the workplace may very well help your business. ​However, it’ll just as likely improve the lives of your employees. And that has a domino effect that is undeniable. For when you allow your employees the room to come and go, work at their pace and by their schedule, you let them manage themselves in a much more direct way and become more productive in the process.​​​Whether it be through flexible hours or building your office culture, consider the positivity you can inflict on your employees and business alike.​

The simple answer is yes. Very few of us have the battle-weary resolve to make it through the working day after a bad night’s sleep, let alone a sustained period of time of poor rest.​If a day starts with yawning at the desk, be sure that the hours ahead is going to be a real struggle. Poor sleep habits have been tied to weight gain, stress, and higher levels of illness. While these relationships are complicated, it’s becoming more apparent that these factors have the potential to influence employee productivity and attendance, making it important for employers to hone in on sleep issues now.​A lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on your mental and physical health. It’s healthy to establish a pattern of regular sleep. Fundamentally this is why the Sleep Council was formed. An impartial organisation established to help you get a better night’s sleep and ultimately improve your health. ​Feeling tired is not the only sign of poor sleep. Other key indicators include...​Uncharacteristic mood swings – your normal chilled out persona has suddenly become subject to outbursts at work.Absent mindedness – Forgetting a task in the afternoon that you haven’t completed in the morning, overlooking a request in an important email and making simple errors.Inability to focus – the key cause of lack of concentration is fatigue. You may look to blame other things as distraction, but when you are tired you cannot focus.Underperformance – All the above leads to poor performance. Which in turn can cause a vicious circle of sleepless/disturbed nights worrying about your fall in productivity and mistakes. Tackling the root cause at the outset should be your main focus and the rest will fall into place.The Sleep Council recommends that the average working adult should be getting between 7 and 9 hours sleep per night! ​

​Whether data drives your marketing strategies, or your climate simulation models, discovering and extracting actionable insights from the data is the name of the game. As the demand for data science expertise races ahead of supply, now is an important time stay relevant in this fast-growing discipline.​​For most businesses, mitigating risk and fraud is a priority in order to operate with compliance.  Data Scientists are trained to identify any anomalies within a data pool. They can build statistical, network, path, and big data methodologies for predictive fraud propensity models, and then use these to create automated alerts that help ensure a more rapid response when unusual data is detected. Long term this can save time, money and resources.​As data scientists examine and explore the company’s data, they are then able to prescribe certain actions that will help improve the organisations performance, better engage customers and ultimately increasing the profitability as a result through the optimization of its data.​​Our lives are bathed in data:from recommendations about whom to “follow” or “friend” to data-driven autonomous vehicles. Data is an essential part of our lives, and Business intelligence (BI), analytics and big data are becoming increasingly vital to organisations wishing to examine customer behaviour or make forward-planning decisions.  ​