5000 Jobs in 50 Days campaign: top tips for first time workers

WITH the 5000 Jobs in 50 Days’ successful campaign continuing, we ask recruitment firms what do first-time workers need most.

LEARN to answer a phone and communicate face-to-face if you want a job.

That is the message recruitment experts are giving first-time workers who have grown up in a world of email and SMS, on the back of News Corp Australia’s 5000 Jobs in 50 Days campaign.

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An Adecco Group survey of 463 young people about to enter the labour market found more than half believed communication skills were an important factor in landing a job.

Sarina Russo Job Access’ chief executive Dianne Fletcher said phone manner, in particular, was something she was drumming into 18 and 19-year-olds looking for work.

“(It’s about) how to answer the phone clearly, identifying yourself and recognising the society and position of the person who may be calling you,” she said.

“It could be a customer or a supervisor or a prospective employer calling you and that’s your first impression.

“This is a bit of a challenge to some young people who text and Snapchat. All those elements of communication are so familiar to the younger demographics. They use short cut phrases and terms that don’t necessarily translate very well into words.”

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Ms Fletcher said texting a boss to notify of a sick day was also a “no-no”.

“Unless you have completely lost your voice and can’t speak it is disrespectful to the employer,” she said.

“A text communication does not convey how you might be legitimately sick or allow the opportunity to have a conversation.”

Bob Brown, founding partner at Eulan Brown, a commercial manager for specialist medical and dental practices, said workers should ditch their mobile phone during work hours.

“A problem we come up against is the mobile phone issue, which I think is a common phenomenon,” he said.

“You can’t be attaching a blood result to a patient’s chart and texting a friend at the same time because there is an inherent risk you will get it wrong.”

He said many young workers also didn’t like being told what to do.

“It’s not about having a go at them,” he said.

“I think all of them come into the work environment with a certain amount of resentment of being corrected on things or being told we want them to stick to procedure and never change it because they don’t understand the downstream consequences of changes can be catastrophic to the business.”

Professional development and performance coach Kelly Kozaris said many university graduates were confident in their first professional job but missed the mark interacting in a business environment.

“They need to build their business confidence, in building relationships and connecting with people,” she said.

Receptionist Holly King, 21, has been working part time at Greenslopes Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Brisbane, for four years and just completed her nursing degree.

She said the work helped improve her people skills and particularly taught her how to talk to older women.

“My advice (for young workers) would be to ask a lot of questions,” she said.

“Be confident in what you are doing because it shows.”

Ms Fletcher said although some young workers had issues when starting out, employers should still give them a go.

“You will always get people on the job who will take a sick day in the first week or those sorts of things but I wouldn’t say it is typical — but it only has to happen to an employer once and every young person is tarred with that brush,” she said.

“At the end of the day, you are never too young to start to hone the basic skills you need for your future working life or career.”