Interviews count for employers too

Recruitment agency Hays says it is up to interviewers, not just job candidates, to brush up their skills before meeting a potential employee.

Hays Australia and New Zealand managing director Nick Deligiannis.

Recruitment agency Hays says it is up to interviewers, not just job candidates, to brush up their skills before meeting a potential employee.

Australia and New Zealand managing director Nick Deligiannis says managers need to develop their skills to secure the best person for the job.

With an interview a crucial hiring tool, Deligiannis says interviewers should make sure they conduct them fairly, thoroughly, consistently and competently to allow for sound decisions. This is more important for small businesses than larger recruiters.

He says ineptly handled interviews send a damaging message about what it is like to work at an organisation, deterring talent from applying for future jobs. A competent and objective recruitment process can be so powerful that unsuccessful candidates recommend the organisation to others, boosting a brand’s reputation.

Yule be busy

Workforce software company WFS Australia says companies should stay engaged during the Christmas period to ensure they do not lose business or fall behind competitors.

Strategy director James Kissell says businesses can get a jump during the down time by using technology to schedule automated campaigns to activate during the festive season, keeping clients and business prospects engaged.

He says it is a good time to boost brand profile through marketing when quiet, and schedule meetings for down times, make phone calls and research companies and competitors.

“Even though December and early January are traditionally quiet times for business in Australia, staying active with projects during this period can lead to new opportunities,” Kissell says.

“To get the most out of this period, it’s important to make sure that, with employees working through the holiday period, they are being managed efficiently.”

Windows surge

Microsoft is creating an online jobs surge in Windows-related skills, global outsourcer Freelancer.com says.

An analysis of 370,901 international jobs found online positions for Windows desktop, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are the top three fastest growing in the third quarter this year.

Jobs in Windows desktop and Microsoft Word projects have increased 62.7 per cent and 29.3 per cent respectively, culminating in more than 1600 new positions globally.

Freelancer.com attributes the rapid growth to the launch of Windows 10 devices, such as the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, following a period of decline because of the company’s weak mobile presence.

The quarterly analysis also found a rise in young urban creatives known as “yuccies”, described as the cultural derivative of yuppies and hipsters.

Hot jobs for 2016

Freelance marketplace Upwork has compiled a hot list of jobs and industry trends for next year, with virtual teams on top because of popular working methods, providing businesses with more flexibility and lower overheads. The second is hiring independent consultants over firms, with businesses turning to advisory freelancers.

Upwork says video will overtake infographics shared over email, with platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram building video ad offerings, and marketers hiring video producers to create high-quality content quickly. What will no longer be hot next year, Upwork says, is PowerPoint, with businesses spending more on interactive platforms such as Prezi and Keynote.