A resume is more often than not a company’s first impression of you, and as we all know, first impressions last. So, here are 9 things to eradicate from your resume before they kill your application: Using an unprofessional email address can reflect immaturity and lose credibility with the recruiter viewing your resume. It will […]

LinkedIn is one of the largest professional networks, and the perfect channel for your job search. With over 1 billion users worldwide as of 2024, you want YOUR profile to stand out! Here are a few easy ways to make sure you have the best chance of grabbing the attention of recruiters and professionals in […]

In reality, many long term relationships start at work. Many people meet first in the workplace and go on to live lives, raise children and be together for many years.

However, approaching someone at work with your feelings for them can be a mine field.

Potential new jobs and possible future changes industry-wide as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning grows ever more “intelligent”.

Part 1 In my previous blogs, it was discussed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) burst onto our consciousness in late 2022 and how we would need to use AI tools at work to keep up and optimise our time and productivity. As I started contemplating the coming changes AI will bring to jobs in different industries, […]

The recruitment landscape has evolved significantly these past few years, most notably in the digital automation space. With the rise of automated recruitment processes, job seekers are starting to wonder which of their practices are still relevant in today’s market. A question we’re asked a lot is whether or not there is a point to […]

Following on from my previous blogs on AI, I can categorically say that AI Tools not only are already in the workplace, they will become essential. This space is moving quickly and it really won’t be long before everyone will use some kind of AI tool, app or in-house generator tool routinely at work. In […]

Working from home is now a common feature within the Australian business environment. Many businesses are now offering a blend of WFH and in-office work, which means you, must be prepared within both work environments. The 2022-2023 income rate methods have changed to adapt to these new working methods so it is important that you […]

My family has been having fun creating poems and songs using the program while it was still free for use. I decided to ask for a blog post about a very general topic I am familiar with in my work – Career Change. I have to admit it’s been really amusing and fun. The content […]

Are you feeling unsatisfied with your current job or career path? You’re not alone. Many people experience this feeling at some point in their lives and choose to make a career change. However the thought of starting over in a new field can be overwhelming. In this blog post, we will explore the reasons for […]

Over the years we have interviewed hundreds of candidates from young people just out of school, through to executives and it does not matter what level of worker you are or what stage your career is at, if you can be an experiential interviewee you have a greater chance of success. So what do we […]

Every one of us who has applied for jobs online has had the strange experience of being in a no man’s land. We had no idea about the job application black hole until we experienced it for ourselves. Applications go out into the ether, but no responses come back. We have unanswered questions – Did […]

What have we learned from our time in lockdown? For many of us we have had our freedoms curtailed but being able to work from home has meant our livelihoods haven’t been affected. We are grateful for this, notwithstanding the hassles of trying to work in home environments that are sometimes not up to par, […]

We have been through great changes and upheaval and many of us have been reassessing what is important. Inevitably, the work/ life and career arena is one of the areas that people reassess. A perfect storm moment exists for candidates right now due to a number of pressures on the job market: The great resignation […]

Knowing and understanding your transferable skills are part and parcel of selling yourself for any new job. All the skills and experience you have gained throughout your career in previous jobs add up to your transferable skills and knowledge base that you can use to sell your abilities to a prospective employer. What do you […]

Christmas parties are coming around and for young people, there is the inevitable question from older family members and friends – What do you want to be when you grow up? Your well-meaning family aren’t asking you what your hobbies are, or to ascertain that you want to grow up to be a good person […]

The CIRCLE Candidate Solutions Services have been designed and are implemented by CIRCLE Career Coach Maria Cordi. Each service can be a stand-alone service to target a specific issue or combined as required. In a nutshell, the candidate services are as follows: Career coaching: Career coaching for a career change or following a redundancy will […]

Previously we touched on the concept of Future-Proofing your Career. Rather than suffering the whims of fate helplessly, you are in charge of designing your career.  By keeping abreast of change and using career planning principles, you can overcome career hiccoughs and career stagnation. You are the only one that can decide how your career […]

If you want your job application to stand out among many others, the short answer is to use KEY WORDS. What you need to do specifically is to spend some time tweaking your existing Cover Letter (body of email content) and Resume to ensure that you use the same key words that are in the […]

I’ve noticed a trend in the conversations I’ve had of late with people seeking to make a career change. The career changers have jobs, but they are seeking something else. Recent events have only exacerbated their feelings and they aren’t content to compromise. It’s a common feeling and actually one that more and more young […]

Job search during the holidays Are you super busy in the lead up to the Christmas and New Year holidays? It’s easy to get lulled by the warm sun and chaos of the holidays to lose track of your goal of finding a job or changing jobs or careers. Don’t let external circumstances, the holidays, […]

Between FaceTime, Skype, and the bevy of online video applications, video interviews are growing in popularity. If given a choice, as a candidate I would always opt for a face-to-face interview as a personal presence can create a much greater impression than a two dimensional screen. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to […]

What does “Future-Proofing Your Career” mean? From the most senior of executives, to the most junior of assistants, why should we all do it? Picture this; you are happy at your job. You have been loyal to the company and you aren’t looking to leave because you know everyone, know the business and frankly, you […]

Headlines are everywhere about “The Great Resignation” happening around the world. A multitude of people have experienced a Pandemic Reset and decided NO to their pre-existing work arrangements, commutes and jobs. Employers will have to entice employees with greater flexibility, benefits and increased pay to gain and retain staff. There are reports of staff shortages […]

Recruiters use hobbies listed to get a feel for the candidate. It is additional information they use to figure out whether they would fit in well into a job, company culture, a team or with a particular boss. Your work experience, qualifications and personal attributes are the main criteria examined for best fit for a […]

A colleague who doesn’t pull their weight; there is at least one in every office! The one that gets pulled along by the team and somehow slithers out of responsibilities at work. The one who doesn’t give 100% to a project. The one who seems to spend more of their day online shopping than doing […]

Job confidence in the economy waxes and wanes at different times, seen most recently when Covid-19 struck out of nowhere. Many businesses and whole industries have been affected, which had a flow on effect to the whole economy. When employers lose confidence, the results are a halt to jobs growth and investment, and an increase […]

Ahh, another lockdown! Although by now we have all had experience with what a lockdown entails, it is never easy to make that quick transition from working in the office and being social to being couped up in your house. Unfortunately, working from home is not just about being in your pyjamas and sleeping in […]

2020 saw the workplace as we know it undergo a complete transformation, with employees around the world having to work remotely. The current unpredictable nature of the workplace has resulted in an increase in popularity of the hybrid work style, which involves some employees working in the office, others working remotely and some utilising a […]

A lot of focus is placed on the face-to-face interview (or online video at the moment) but really there often is a step just before that a job seeker has to get through that can stop your application going ahead. Phone interviews are screening interviews to identify the basics like telephone manner, interest in the […]

Social distancing has brought to the fore an increase in the practice of interviews being conducted online. Many platforms are available for video calls such as Zoom, Skype, Facetime, WhatsApp, Google Duo, Snapchat, and Instagram among others. For business use however, Skype and Zoom are in the most use. If you are looking for a […]

We’re all home with more time on our hands. Most of us have been binge watching Netflix, cleaning and baking (if the run on supermarkets and Bunnings accurately reflect what we are up to). Of course there’s work, but we need to have a break from that and do something for ourselves too. The 3 […]

There is a plethora of excellent advice available online aiming to help you stay productive while keeping a safe and healthy distance. However, I want to give you a slightly different take that will hopefully help to keep you sane or even happy as well. The usual, excellent advice for working from home: Ensure you […]

Very few individuals in the workplace do not have to be involved in upward management. Even a business owner may have to upward manage to a bank, lender, high level customer or key supplier. Gaining compliance from other people, is all a part of working and being in business. Skills in upward management are ESSENTIAL […]

As employers, we have a duty of care over our workers, to ensure they are safe and well at work. While in the past, the focus has been on physical health, the growing trend these days, sees workers with mental health issues. The modern pace of life, the pressures both financial and social as well […]

Technology has changed the way interviews are conducted today. Increasingly businesses utilize expertise from distant locations for example, because the internet has allowed for people to be connected as never before. You may be used to interviews over the phone or in person at company premises. Are you equally prepared for a Video interview OR […]

You’ve received the magic call to attend a job interview. WELL DONE, you’ve successfully negotiated the first step! Always remember that if a recruiter/employer wants to meet with you, you have passed the fundamental requirements for the job. They are satisfied with your telephone manner and with answers to the basic screening questions they’ve asked. […]

In today’s world there are an increasing number of people embarking on a change of career. Whether forced upon them or part of a plan to make their lives better, changing one’s career can be a daunting prospect. For many, one of the biggest hurdles is knowing where to start. That’s where a proven system […]

Redundancy, Retrenchment, Downsizing and You’re Fired! No matter how it’s phrased, losing your job is a difficult situation to face. Losing your job may be a surprise or anticipated If you’ve been forewarned so that the announcement is not a surprise, you have some time to prepare and plan for your future. Without warning however, […]

Job search during the holidays Are you super busy in the lead up to the Christmas and New Year holidays? It’s easy to get lulled by the warm sun and chaos of the holidays to lose track of your goal of finding a job or changing jobs or careers. Don’t let external circumstances, the holidays, […]

Do you remember the fable of the hare and tortoise? It is told to children to illustrate the value of persistence. “Slow and steady” wins the race, and by extrapolation, can help you improve any skill or achieve any goal. The thing is, slow and steady isn’t sexy! The hard slog never is. People dream […]

What type of resume will bring you the greater chance of success? Which would grab the hiring manager’s attention? Would you have recruiters calling you if you used another approach to preparing your resume? The answers to these questions is that it all depends. Your circumstances, and what you are trying to do, makes all […]

Do you need help with job interviews? You may be searching for your first “real” job, or you have actually never had to do interviews because you got your role through a friend and then you were promoted at work from one job to the next. Or perhaps it has been a really long time […]

Using a career coach may not immediately spring to mind when you are looking for a new job or want to revitalise your career. To those that haven’t experienced the benefits of being coached, it may seem a luxury because you have always muddled through by yourself. But why wouldn’t you use the skills of […]

Superannuation is simply money that you put away for your retirement. Super funds, then invest this money to assist its growth over time. It is the time aspect of super that makes it such as effective way of planning for your retirement. Although none of us want to focus on a time when we cannot […]

At CIRCLE Recruitment & HR, we are invested in more than just placing people into jobs. We also want to assist individuals to be the best they can be, move into the career of their dreams, step outside their comfort zone and be more confident in their work environment. Whether that is about having your […]

There is no doubt that while different jobs all require different talents and capabilities, there are some general traits that all employers are looking for. We see these over and over again in the requests that employers make to us. It is interesting that skills are rarely at the top of the list; experience and […]

Did you know that research shows one way of coping with high pressured work is to have more interests outside of work? You would think, that when you are dragging yourself back in the door at the end of the day, in the dark, exhausted, worn down and ready for nothing but a red wine […]

Have you read the checklist on our website for the Top 50 Interview Questions? It is a must if you are preparing for interviews. After having been in recruitment and HR for many years and interviewing hundreds of people for hundreds of roles, we have a pretty good understanding of what questions elicit the best […]

In my role as Managing Director of CIRCLE Recruitment & HR, I often give presentations, be they PowerPoint, pitching verbally to a room of people, or a meeting about a strategic alliance in a coffee shop. So I love to read articles about better pitching methods, and while I have been doing it for a […]

Stop for a minute, and imagine the most frightening thing you can think of. For some, this may be that creepy clown at a local fair, with the chalky white face and black eyes that stalk your every move. For others, it may be a hairy, giant tarantula or perhaps the fear of failing those […]

All employment should be governed by a contract of some sort. This could be a letter of engagement, full contract, or even email correspondence (not smart to do). For most employees, the thought of negotiating a contact of employment with a prospective employer is scary and can leave you feeling quite stressed. Of course, negotiations […]

Between FaceTime, Skype, and the bevy of online video applications, video interviews are growing in popularity. If given a choice, as a candidate I would always opt for a face-to-face interview as a personal presence can create a much greater impression than a two dimensional screen. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to […]

Colour, no colour, bolding, headings, too wordy, not enough information, which skills to highlight, key words, too short, too long, references, fonts, qualifications….. Getting your resume right can be stressful and overwhelming. Going to Google for the answers can be even more stressful when there isn’t any general consensus on the ‘right way’ to make […]

So you’ve hurdled the first obstacle in the recruitment process and have been offered an interview for your next role. This warrants a modest pat on the back but now to the harrowing question –What do I wear? Unlike deciding what to throw on to university for the day, or which outfit to wear to dinner […]

Have you ever struggled with the classic interview question; What are some of your strengths / What are some of your weaknesses? An almost unavoidable query in any interview setting, it is important as an interviewee to have a confident grasp on your response to such a question to ensure success in your hunt for […]

Approximately 50% of all companies use some sort of skills testing when hiring (Joyce, 2006). Skills tests give employers valuable information about their future employees and allow them to make educated predictions on how someone might perform in their new role. Nowadays, there are a variety of different tests that are used in recruitment with […]

In these days of global connectedness, millennials have never experienced a non-connected workplace or an office that closes at 5pm. The lines between work and personal life have been blurred considerably. How do we know how to define the line between our friends and our colleagues on social media? When does a colleague cross the […]

Looking for a job is a competitive process. We are only a small recruitment company and even we have over 10,000 people on our database. A job alert sent out can elicit over 100 responses and it can make it very difficult for the candidate to be successful. If you have good MS Office skills […]

What are the major trends for 2016 in regards to jobs, careers and the workplace? It is important for candidates looking to enhance their careers or those looking for entry-level positions or return to work to understand where jobs are going in the current climate. It was over two years ago, when we had the […]

There is nothing like a new year to make you feel refreshed and ready to renew your life! All of us make a variety of resolutions through out the year, things we are going to do better, or change about ourselves, but nothing is as well publicised as the New Year Resolutions! Whether you keep […]