Even in these uncertain economic times there appears to be a skills shortage in the labour market

It has been reported that almost half of Australia’s privately owned companies are starting to struggle and as a result have implemented wage freezes and cancelled investment or expansion plans in preparation for the tough year ahead. Private companies in Australia represent the bulk of small and medium businesses and account for almost half of Australia’s economic output. KPMGs annual survey of privately-owned firms revealed that more than half of all the firms had laid off staff in the previous 6 months and a further one-quarter intended to cut their head count over the next 6-12 months and of these half expected to cut staff by 5-10 percent. However in a survey produced by AMP Capital in 2008 revealed that about 30 percent of firms’ struggled to find appropriate skilled labour. Thus even in the worst of times, the need for skilled labour still remains. For a third year in a row, a skills shortage was reported across all industries. It remains high in mining, manufacturing and utility sectors, showing the traditional trade skills are still in short supply.

If you are looking at increasing your skills, SkillsTech Australia is the lead TAFE institute for training in automotive, building and construction, manufacturing and engineering, electrical/electronics and sustainable technologies throughout Queensland.
Enrolments for July 2009 are now available to visit their website for more details CLICK HERE.

Donate and avoid the tax man

ACT for Kids is a not-for-profit organisation which works to give all Australian children the safe and happy childhood they deserve.

It may seem surprising but donating can really save you on tax, especially if you’re on the higher marginal tax rates of 41.5% or 46.5%. Even more surprising is that up to two-thirds of all donations aren’t even claimed. So put your tax-deductible receipts in a safe place and remember them when it’s time to complete your tax return!

Before you Retire you won't want to leave work without...............

1. A Money Plan
This may seem common practice, but did you know that one of the biggest regrets many women have is around money and retirement? Mainly they regret not starting sooner, saving more, and being better informed about finances. Yes, this also includes women with high-powered careers, making buckets of money. Many of these women have hidden their heads in the sand around money and haven't planned for the future they deserve. It's not too late to start, so if you're not set financially, get creative and start planning. Even if you have debts there are always options, see a financial advisor and create a plan to first erase your debts and then focus on future endeavours.

2. A Time Management Plan
Although one of the lures of retirement is not having to have a schedule it is in this that lies one of the biggest traps of retirement. Without a framework for your days, weeks, months and years, you can slip into a deadening non-routine.

3. A Purpose Plan
Whether or not your love your career, it's given you a purpose. A reason to get out of bed each day, a place to be where people are counting on you, a focus for your skills, abilities, and energy. If you can find a purpose for this next stage of your life, one that ignites your passion and literally pulls you out of bed in the morning, you will be set. If you haven’t already, consider a stint of coaching/counselling with a career management consultant at an outplacement services firm, such as Donington.

Work provides money in the form of income you can count on, time management in the form of a framework for your life, and purpose in the form of getting you out of bed in the morning for something that brings meaning to your life. As you design what's next for you, it is important to provide each of these for yourself.

For more information on life directions including information and action plans to help you make the right choices for the next stage of your life, whatever your direction may be.

Visit ipac’s link below:
http://www.ipac.com.au/ipac/ld.nsf/Content/Home

At Donington we offer Active Retirement Planning. This program provides individuals with the support and skills to cope with and understand the impact of retirement. It prepares them to deal with change and provides the tools to enhance clarity of decision making. It provides a safe, confidential process to express individual concerns and put in place plans to move forward to active retirement. Partners are welcome to participate in any/all sessions.

Is an Aptitude Test for me?

Aptitude tests are used to measure your mental reasoning ability, most commonly your numerical, verbal, comprehension, and abstract or spatial reasoning skills. These tests are usually timed and so the pressure can be quite intense and the results are compared to a general test group. These tests are a general indicator of your skills and ability, they are not utilised to dictate whether you can perform a certain job or role. Most corporations utilise an aptitude or psychometric test in order to gauge how a potential employee could deal with situations that are outside their realm of expertise. They are used to make inferences about your competencies, capabilities, and likely future performance on the job.

Aptitude tests are ideal for mind stimulation and they are valuable tools to assist in increasing your mental capacity, therefore it may be beneficial to do practise tests before an interview or meeting as 70% of corporations’ worldwide use these tests in their recruitment process. However there are many types of aptitude tests available from general to industry specific, so it’s just a matter of searching which one is relevant to your circumstances.

We have included 3 links to online line aptitude tests for you below:

General aptitude test:
http://www.3smartcubes.com/pages/tests/aptcomplete/aptcomplete_instructions.asp

Selection of specific aptitude tests:
http://www.psychometric-success.com/downloads/download-practice-tests.htm

Cognitive aptitude test:
http://www.onetest.com.au/home/assessmentmanagementsystem/cognitiveability.aspx?gclid=CM2asbCHkJsCFUwwpAod42ZHpA

GROWING THE GREEN COLLAR ECONOMY

Australia can take strong action to tackle climate change and create millions of new job opportunities, according to a major report released by ACF. The report, Growing the Green Collar Economy, identifies the employment impact of action to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and examines the skills, training and workforce implications.

It is acknowledged in the report that achieving transition to a low carbon sustainable economy will require a massive mobilisation of skills and training – both to equip new workers and to enable appropriate changes in practices by the three million workers already employed in the key sectors influencing our environmental footprint.

Whether you are a HR manager with a long-term strategic vision or looking to build a career in construction, transport, agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors then the report is definitely worth an in-depth read or even a general scan depending on your tolerance for academic writing.

To obtain a copy of the report click the link below:
http://www.csiro.au/resources/GreenCollarReport.html

Are Your Finances in Order?..

It’s good to know where you stand financially especially in this uncertain economic climate. Having a budget is a good way to manage your finances and increase your career resilience as it gives you a clear picture of where you are now and where you could be headed.

The Smart Money Guide Budget below is a step in getting your finances under control. This budget allows you to save your progress online and refer back to it anytime with the option to export it to Excel enabling you to share with your financial advisor. Just logon at http://www.smartmoneyguide.com.au/ and get ahead financially.

At Donington we are conducting a 2009-2010 Federal Budget session for senior managers on the 29th of July. This session will focus on key issues including superannuation, employee share plan benefits and executive remuneration planning along with helpful processes to assist you now and in the future. For more information please refer to the invitation posted on the tool bar.

Handling the Networking Call......From the Receiver’s Perspective

Coaching people in how to make those all important networking calls is an essential part of our service to our clients, but what about those on the receiving end. How do you help job seekers without risking your own productivity and reputation?

Here’s a few simple tips to follow:

1. If you are recieving several calls a week from people seeking help in finding a job, it’s always good policy to help if you can. Often the issue isn’t too many calls; it’s when the calls are from people for whom you cannot vouch. Start by asking callers what they want – whether it’s an introduction, job search advice or resume assistance – and then determine if you can help. A good tip is to give the person a 5 minute time limit to see if they can tell you their story succintly and articulately. You want to be able to determine if they know what they want and see what they bring to the table.

2. If you do plan to refer a caller to someone in your professional network or at your company, take time to sit down with the person first, because your credibility is on the line. Have them come to your office for a 30 minute information interview. If you refer them without doing this and they come across poorly to your network it will reflect badly on you.

3. If the best you are prepared to offer someone is general career advice or information about your industry, you can talk over the phone. Set a time for the call so you can get back to work quickly. The time limit will help you avoid becoming emotionally drained from listening and trying to help people in needs, particularly if you are taking several calls a week.

4. Use your connections sparingly and wisely, tap your most treasured contacts only for very important favours, otherwise you risk using up your own networking capital. If a person’s connection to you is very tenuous, give only general advice. On the other hand a successful referral can be a positive to your own reputation.

5. Always be kind to the job seekers as this is an extraordinarily difficult time to be unemployed. Tell them “I wish I could help but right now I do not see a connection with any opportunity”, then add that they can send their resume and if you see or hear of something that fits their background you will pass it along. At the same time, if you know you will never be able to help the person be upfront and honest to avoid building up false hope. If you can suggest an alternative avenue that you know of for them to pursue i.e. an industry association etc.