Hu’s career transition journey at Donington...

Hu Yao commenced his career transition journey with Donington in May of this year after his role as a Process Engineer at a large construction company was made redundant. I had the pleasure of discussing with Hu in detail his journey so far and his aspirations for the future.

Before migrating to Australia in August 2007, Hu was the Chief Engineer or the Chief Processor Engineer on many petroleum projects.
When Hu’s role was made redundant he initially felt saddened although he proclaimed that because of the clear communication within the company and his involvement with some major projects which had become dissolvent he understood the rationale behind the redundancy and the extent to which the financial crisis is impacting on many industry sectors including small and multinational corporations.

Hu stated that he has learnt many positive lessons though his transition process and that his Donington consultant Lisa Revell was very helpful in highlighting some of the major pitfalls and how to avoid them. “I think that the career transition process is very important for people who have just lost their job, I have found it to be very helpful and positive and I have learnt a lot of skills I did not have before” Says Hu . In facing the challenge of a new job search, Hu stated that he was nervous about the interview process but through his consultations with Lisa he became more confident as she as she provided him with techniques, practices scenarios and interview questions. Hu managed to secure a telephone interview with an organisation via is newly adapted CV, however unfortunately he was unsuccessful. Although Hu, in recognising that it is a competitive market says, ‘that is to be expected and it is important not to become disheartened’.
Hu has looked at his redundancy as an opportunity to further develop his fluency in the English language in order to assist him in getting back into the job market. “At the moment I think it will be another year before the economy picks up so right now I am concentrating on studying” he said. Hu was encouraged by his consultant to converse more with individuals to increase his confidence, and as a result Hu encouraged himself to speak to two ladies at a bus stop and he now attends their craft group as it allows him to practise his English.

Throughout our discussion it became evident that Hu’s aspiration for the future is to attain a job as a Site Process Engineer as Hu states “a Site Process Engineer would enable me to interact directly with those involved in the project/s. I enjoy working and seeing the progression of a project so ultimately I am working towards a role that would allow me to supervise construction, commissioning and production”.

We continue to support Hu and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

At Donington were all about sharing and if you have a career transition story we would like to hear it! To share your journey post a comment or contact us at admin.qld@donington.com.au

ATTENTION ALL BUSINESSES: Challenger, Gray & Christmas have released their 2009 Post-Layoff Survey

Through The Donington Groups association with Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. as a global referral and resource sharing partner we acquired the results of their 2009 Post-Layoff Survey which was released at the 61st Annual SHRM Conference and Exposition. We believe that every organisation no matter how large or small would gain invaluable knowledge by reading this report. Let us know what you think and post us a comment.

According to a new survey, one of the biggest challenges employers must address in the wake of a layoff is keeping the surviving employees engaged and focused. The survey of human resources executives found that 54 percent consider employee-engagement the biggest challenge that companies face after job-cut announcements. The next biggest challenge, selected by 23 percent of respondents, was easing anxiety over the possibility of additional layoffs.

“The risks associated with not addressing these challenges is in focusing only on output which creates a workforce that is motivated by fear of job loss instead of by loyalty and pride. That may work for the remainder of the downturn, but as soon as the recovery begins, the company will undoubtedly experience heavy turnover. Companies recognizing that employee-engagement is the key to continued quality output will not only survive the downturn, but will be poised to thrive when the expansion begins,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

“You cannot simply tell employees to ‘do more with less.’ There must be a back-and-forth dialogue to address employees’ concerns and fears. They must be an active part of the problem-solving process. And, in any situation, honesty is the best policy; employees deserve up-front communication when it comes to the state of the company and their jobs,” he added.

It appears that most companies try to do this. According to the survey, 58 percent said they had department supervisors meet directly with surviving employees to discuss any changes occurring as a result of the downturn and/or layoffs. However, only 12 percent provide post-layoff counselling and about one in ten did nothing at all to address post-layoff issues faced by survivors.

“The worst thing a company can do is nothing. The survivors of a layoff are dealing with a lot of emotions and, in many cases, increased workloads as they pick up the duties of their former colleagues. Many of those who remain after downsizing are stricken with survivor’s guilt. Others are filled with an enormous amount of anxiety, assuming that it is only a matter of time before the other shoe drops. The result of doing nothing in this situation will be low morale, low productivity and, eventually, high turnover,” said Challenger.

In a study of 200 companies be professors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business, found a positive correlation between layoffs and an increase in subsequent turnover. John Challenger proclaims that “Even in a downturn, companies do not want to be in a position of being understaffed. But being understaffed during an expansion could be especially damaging. At that point, they will be competing with other employers for the best candidates while, at the same time, trying to prevent their current workforce from being poached. How they treated surviving workers in the wake of layoffs will definitely be remembered”.

“Employers should have a plan for dealing with survivors before they make any job-cut announcements. How will workloads be adjusted? How will laid off workers be informed? How will survivors’ concerns be addressed?

“Even details such as the physical layout of the office should be addressed. Many companies overlook this, but it is not hard to imagine the psychological effects of coming into a workspace where large portions of the desks are empty, serving as a constant reminder of downsized colleagues,” said Challenger.

To obtain a copy of the Challenger Post-Layoff Survey Results from 2009 please email us at admin.qld@donington.com.au.

Why not pick up and read?

If you are looking for a way to enhance your knowledge or gain extra skills in the business sector intellectually why not choose a book. Below is a list of the top 10 books ranked by The Australian Institute of Management for July 2009. These books can be sourced from most leading bookstores including:

AIM Bookshops: http://www.aimbooks.com.au/
Angus & Robertson: http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/
QBD: http://www.qbd.com.au/index.htm

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