Weekend professional: Hire a refugee but be realistic

The 18,000 people arriving in Australia this year are likely to be looking for jobs.

The 18,000 people arriving in Australia this year are likely to be looking for jobs.

The Refugee Council of Australia says gaining stable employment can help with asylum-seekers’ resettlement, and employers need to make certain considerations before hiring for a smooth transition.

Australian Migration and Education Solutions chief executive Cath Scarth says refugees are determined and highly motivated. “Many refugees and other newcomers to Australia are very intent on showing they can make a contribution and bring value to the community.”

Scarth says employers should partner with organisations that specialise in helping refugees find work. She also recommends employers be realistic, understand refugees’ situations and know the legalities of employing them.

Fed up with work

LinkedIn’s 2015 job switchers’ survey has found 39 per cent of professionals are unsatisfied with their work environment and culture, while more than a quarter feel their company’s values do not match theirs.

A referral from a friend or associate is the main way people in Australia and New Zealand discover new roles through online channels.

LinkedIn found 44 per cent of recent job switchers might have stayed on if their company had moved to keep them.

About 42 per cent cite being unsatisfied and uninspired with management as their main reason for leaving, and 57 per cent moved on for more opportunity, not financial gain.

Nation on the rise

Australia has moved up four places to 11th in the global contingent workforce index, which considers availability, cost efficiency, regulation and productivity in the workplace.

ManpowerGroup general manager Susan Howse says the ranking is welcome news as the ageing Australian population begins to leave the workforce. Howse says Australia is well placed to fill the job vacancies left by the ageing population despite the negative narrative surrounding the labour force.

“Business leaders are paying more attention to talent shortages, particularly the potential for a shrinking workforce due to an ageing population,” Howse says.

Labour market conditions demand a more flexible workforce and could end traditional workplace practices such as the nine-to-five workday.

Howse says job flexibility will determine whether the nation’s economy can thrive on the global stage in the digital age.

Not ‘friends’ yet

Sending a “friend” request to potential employers on Linkedin or Facebook is a bad idea when searching for a new job.

Recruitment firm Hays says many people use social media to network, but experts say there are boundaries and users have to be careful how they use it.

Hays Recruiting managing director Nick Deligiannis says enthusiastic jobseekers should not appear aggressive and should add the employer only after receiving the job.

“That line definitely gets crossed when a candidate sends a request to their interviewer before or immediately after an interview to connect on LinkedIn,” Deligiannis says.

“If you get the job, by all means connect, but until then it can make you seem presumptuous as you are implying a level of familiarity that doesn’t exist.”

He says there are acceptable methods of research jobseekers can use, including reading blogs or articles the employer has published. Hays encourages people to research the organisation through first-degree connections and without adding them on social media.