aCE talentNET Media Stories - 2008

the professional edge career management November 08

  • Ken Blanchard on the Future of Learning

    by Brian Summerfield for clomedia.com   When clomedia.com asked management guru and The One Minute Manager author Ken Blanchard what he thought the future of learning held, he outlined — literally — the overarching trends he sees impacting the industry in the years ahead.

    Here are his predictions:

    I. Changing Demographics
    A. Finding different work arrangements for baby boomers other than retirement
    B. Developing Gen X and Gen Y more rapidly to become leaders and managers

    II. Changing Technologies
    A. Engaging digital natives (younger generations) in creating the kind of learning experiences they are drawn to already
    B. Increasing isolation and alienation because more people are working from home

    III. Changing Workplace
    A. Increasing need to provide just-in-time solutions to problems rather than just-in-case training

    read on ...

  • Mothers of Reinvention
    Denise was recently featured in the "Inspired" magazine , Autumn/Winter 2008   ( by Fran Molloy )   
    It talks about how she channelled her inner entrepreneur and with another mum as business partner (namely Deirdre), and re-established aCE talentNET. With her extensive experience as an international management consultant, Denise could have had her pick of top executive positions; but she felt that she needed a certain level of flexibility, and that is difficult within a large corporation... read on ...

 

the professional edge career management October 08

  • Success-Driven Philosophy   
    Finding Clarity of Purpose and Achieving Arete Through Philosophical Examination - Joshua Goldman & Jason Shen for ChangeThis.com
    This manifesto will facilitate your philosophical examination as you iron out what you believe and why you believe it. We do this by providing a philosophical toolkit, as well as a framework for considering the principal areas of philosophy... read on
  • Six Figures High Salary Earners Report 08 
    Six Figures recently conducted a survey of over 100 people earning $100K+ salary packages across a myriad of professions to find out what their key drivers were when it came to changing jobs or career.
    What really stood out from the results was that the drivers for this market segment are very different to other market segments.

    However many businesses still have a “one approach fits all” attitude when it comes to attracting talent (the exception being graduate recruitment) and wonder why the talent is not biting! The talent is indeed out there, it is just that businesses need to adopt a more progressive and targeted approach to lure them... read on

  • Consulting is in the top ten of the... Most Profitable Home-Based Businesses
    Whilst this is US based data, we'd be fairly confident that similar views would also work in Australia... Who needs a nasty commute when you can make a decent buck but a few feet from your kitchen? Over half of all U.S. businesses are now based out of an owner's home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With the economy shedding jobs, the ranks of the self-employed may well keep swelling. Plenty more entrepreneurs may look to eliminate rent and fuel costs to pinch pennies.

    Facilitators--from brokerages to consultancies--nabbed five of the 10 spots; creators, such as specialty design shops, earned three; and repair outfits rounded out the rest. To be sure, not all will fare equally (or well) in the economic downturn... read on ...

 

the professional edge career management September 08

  • Is contracting the career kiss of death?   
    by Emma Egan, manager, Hays Human Resources for HumanResourcesMagazine.com.au
    Q. I've been working as a contractor in various HR roles – some specific assignments such as recruitment and LandD, and some more generalist type roles. I feel that the experience I have gained has certainly added to my knowledge base and competencies but was interested to know what you thought about contracting generally – are there long-term benefits or is it the kiss of death for my career? 
    A. This is a great question, because many people “find themselves” in a contracting role and rarely stop to think about the possible implications of that until a year has passed! There are a number of key factors to consider – the most critical being to first establish your longer-term career goals.... 
    keep reading     ...  

 

the professional edge career management August 08

  • Where's the downturn being felt?
    The current downturn in the labour market isn't being felt evenly across the board, according to recruitment managers in a number of industries. Here, they outline what's happening now and what to expect... keep reading ...
  • Business Improvisation: The Diving Catch of the Corporate World
    by Randy Sabourin for ChangeThis.com
    This manifesto is about applying the skill of improvisation to performance in the business world. The skills are taught in several other professions such as music, theatre, medicine, military, and EMS. There is also a growing body of research to support the premise. This is your competitive advantage when comes to thinking quickly on their feet. keep reading ...
  • Finding the facts about independent contractors
    May the ICA have 5-10 minutes of your time please?

    Independent Contractors of Australia has teamed up with Monash University to undertake research on independent contractors. We have a simple, quick online survey that we'd appreciate your filling out. It asks questions about using contractors and employees.

    Here is the link: http://survey.buseco.monash.edu/index.php?sid=92548&newtest=Y   (click the “Next” button at the right to initiate the survey)

    Your assistance is much appreciated. The survey results will be published in October this year and we will let you know the outcomes. It's part of a larger research project involving Monash, Independent Contractors of Australia and Entity Solutions. ICA are excited about the project because this is the next phase of understanding that needs to be developed to deal with important independent contractor issues.

 

the professional edge career management July 08

  • Is Flexibility Really The Answer?
    Are working flexible hours really meeting our expectations of quality of life or is it just an excuse to work 24/7? Part Time Online asks, 'Has flexibility in the workplace become a friend or foe?'

    In our quest to achieve the ideal work-life balance many of us find ourselves falling into the trap of non-stop work. As expectations in the workplace are slowly moving toward the delivery of outcomes, a new found freedom has been created for many employers; one which has enabled us to work where we want and when we want.

    As our employment focus moves more and more towards outcome based projects and work, individuals must move more into the space of "self management". To achieve this, individuals must really understand their own personal motivations and how they can use these to maximise their quality of life... read on...

  • Selling - Gordon Ramsay Style
    Elliot Epstein, CEO, Salient Communication has trained and coached over 3000 people throughout the Asia Pacific Region and is a sought after keynote speaker on Sales, Negotiation, Leadership and Presentations, so he knows what he's talking about when it comes to sales... 
    "Gordon Ramsay is the @#$%^ hottest thing on television right now.
    Apart from the ubiquitous swearing, part of his appeal is his ability to tell the truth about the situation his restaurateurs are facing and then how. if they listen, they can build a fabulous business. So, what can we learn about professional selling and negotiating from the man who looks like he is gone ten rounds with a garlic press! Read on ...

    What's selling got to do with OD you may be wondering?...  A lot would be our answer.
    Lets face it, we are always selling are we not! And given the growing emphasis on the more tangible ROI of organisational development, there are many lessons that can be learnt from the Sales process.  Well worth a consideration.   

  • Resumes not long for this world...  
    Job boards have turned recruiters into "no men" who spend most of their time rejecting candidates instead of recruiting them, according to Rob McGovern, the founder and CEO of US-based CareerBuilder and Jobfox. He predicts that more sophisticated tools and technology coming onto the market will solve this problem, and that the end of the resume is "coming a lot faster than we think" ...  read on

 

the professional edge career management June 08

  • Turning Learning Right Side Up: Putting Education Back on Track

    by Russell Ackoff and Daniel Greenberg for ChangeThis.com

    Education should be a lifelong enterprise, a process enhanced by an environment that supports the attempt of people to find themselves throughout their lives.

    For too long, we have educated people for a world that no longer exists, extinguishing their creativity and instilling values antithetical to those of a free, 21st century democracy. continue to read ... 

  • "Employer Branding" and where its at...
     
    Over the past 12 months Brett Minchington has been speaking in 10 country's on employer branding. It is clearly evident that the topic is rapidly catching the attention of HR and Marketing professionals and  his visit to Singapore provided an insight into the rate of adoption of the employer brand concept amongst companies.

    Employer branding is at the 'awareness' stage and currently closely aligned to recruitment advertising/employer marketing. It appears to be at a similar stage to where it was in Australia in 2006. There is evidence in Asia that companies are beginning to invest in a more strategic approach to employer branding including employee and stakeholder research.

    Brett, together with aCE talentNET, has just concluded the Employer Branding Summits in Sydney and Melbourne to fabulous feedback, and will be taking the summit to NZ later in the year.
    Email sales@acetalentnet.com.au if you wish to find out more.   

  • The Future of Employment Services in Australia

    Minister of Employment Participation's foreword...

    The Job Network is no longer suited to a labour market characterised by lower unemployment, widespread skill shortages and a growing proportion of job seekers who are highly disadvantaged and long-term unemployed.

    Today the problem is not simply finding a job it is finding employers
    appropriately skilled labour. Our employment services system must do much more to connect those who can work with the vacancies employers need to fill. We should also expect our employment services system to empower the most disadvantaged job seekers to participate fully in the economy and in their communities.

    Job seekers want work.
    Employers want workers.
    Employment services need the flexibility and resources to help the most disadvantaged job seekers to acquire the skills that they and employers need.

    The purpose of this discussion paper is to seek views on the future framework for employment services, and about how best to implement it. We welcome your feedback and invite you to work with us to deliver better skilled workers for Australia. Read on...

the professional edge career management May 08

  • HR jobs - Some industry trends - May 2008
    As reported in the Human Capital Magazine ...

    There are some changes in the economic winds with Australia's economy at what many think is a turning point. With inflationary pressures and increases in interest rates, we look at the potential impacts on some industries and their demand levels for HR professionals this year.

    Whilst the Fairfax Employment Forecast does indicate some softening may occur, many industries are still expected to remain strong throughout the next 12 months and it suggests that there will not be much let up for talent acquisition professionals in the battle for talent.

    Even if a specific industry is in decline, there is still expected to be a strong demand for HR practitioners as the profession happily rides both sides of the economic cycle these days!

    Even if companies are affected by a downturn, HR will still be in demand to drive organizational restructuring.

    To read all about it, click here .. .

  • Reluctant trainers must polish skills
    The Age --- Page: B2 : 7 May 2008
    Original article by Tom Arup
    LexisNexis Summary

    Employers will have to find innovative ways to lure talent, as a skills shortage of 240,000 people looms over Australian companies. Businesses will also have to push aside their reluctance to spend on in-house training.

    Monash University associate professor of management, Peter Gahan, describes the paradox of companies facing the high cost of hiring new staff, yet unwillingness to increase the output of current employees through investment in training. Industry experts believe companies should create a workplace environment that encourages creativity and original ideas in order to attract staff.

  • Learning Goes "Green"
    Brian Summerfield of CLOmedia.com reports ...

    In just a few years, the green movement has evolved from an ecologically conscious few individuals and small organizations on the fringes of society to very public support of environmental solutions by some of the largest corporations in the world.

    Learning organizations are starting to go green, as well, but not necessarily in the usual sense. Particularly, more of them are considering how to cut waste in their operations, which often can have a positive environmental impact, but this has more to do with another kind of green: money.

    Three key ways learning leaders can eliminate waste are :

    1. Centralize services to avoid duplication: This avoids redundancy in programs and solutions. However, processes can't always be similarly centralized and standardized, as various business units are accustomed to certain people and procedures.
    2. Improve vendor management: Particularly, this refers to keeping the number of outside vendors and solutions used at a minimum to avoid an unnecessary bureaucracy.
    3. Optimize operations: This often can be achieved by reducing extraneous resources and outsourcing certain aspects of the learning function.
    To find out more, click here ...

    Improve vendor management... which is what aCE talentNET does so well.
    We are the one that clients are increasingly going to, to handle their OD needs, and we find them all the suppliers they need. If you've not thought about going more "green" and how aCE can assist with that, now might be just the time...

the professional edge career management April 08

  • 5 Trends that are shaping Recruitment...    
    For all our respected clients who do their own recruiting... as reported in RecruiterDaily.com.au, there are five main trends that will shape recruitment in the short and medium term future, according to respected commentator Kevin Wheeler.

    Wheeler's predictions, delivered to last week's Australasian Talent Conference in Sydney, are:
    1. Grey may save you.
    2. The age of 'mass' is over.
    3. Online communities will dominate.
    4. I³ is core = Interactive, Immediate and Intelligent.
    5. It's all about talent management.

    Recruiters and managers should help people to find meaning and purpose in their jobs, he says. This might involve finding the right position for them, which is linked to their broader social goals, and a focus on their contribution.

    To continue reading, click here

  • The Essentials of Appreciative Inquiry
    If you not heard of Appreciative Inquiry yet, no doubt you will.
    With a thank you to Dayle O'Brien (the Australian Guru in all things Appreciative Inquiry), let us introduce you to the Essentials of Appreciative Inquiry .

    As a result of this new thinking, some have begun to question the focus of what we typically study in organizational life. Rather than concentrate on breakdowns and malfunctions, we've begun to ask: If the act of studying a system alters it, why not do so in ways that create movement toward peak experiences or successes? Posing this query can open our eyes to the enormous potential of the positive question...

    Once you've read this article, please contact us to discuss further.
    For the complete article, with further details on each practice, go to this page.

  • Independent Contractors and SMSFs
    Independent Contractors of Australia report...Independent contractors' financial independence under attack . 
    Newspaper reports indicate that the Federal Government is planning to restrict the ability of independent contractors to own and control their own self-managed super funds (SMSFs).

    Newspaper reports indicate that the Federal Government is planning to restrict the ability of independent contractors to own and control their own self-managed super funds (SMSFs).

    To find out more of the detail that sits behind these... click here...

 

the professional edge career management March 08

  • Paying independent contractors on time
    Independent Contractors of Australia advise...  
    According to the Adelaide Advertiser (26 February 08), the Minister for Independent Contractors has announced that new legislation will be introduced to require government departments to pay small businesses and independent contractors within 30 days of invoice or be charged penalties and interest. This is a positive development that will have particular impact in the IT sector for example. For more details, click here 
  • Six Best Practices for Leadership Development
    Bersin & Associates research into leadership development has helped identify six best practices that yield business impact. Bersin advise companies to consider these practices as they create new leadership strategies and reevaluate current programs. Implementation and rigorous attention to these best practices are far more predictive of success than are budgets, vendors used, and program design.

    Maintain strong executive engagement.    
    Define leadership competencies.    
    Align with business strategy.    
    Target all levels of leadership.    
    Apply a comprehensive learning approach.    
    Integrate with talent management.    
     
    For the complete article, with further details on each practice, go to this page.
  • Google's nine principles of innovation  
    Think we could learn a thing or two from this organisation?  
    1. Ideas come from everywhere  
    2. Share as much information as you can
    3. Hire brilliant people
    4. Pursue your dreams
    5. Innovation, not instant perfection.
    6. Data is A-political
    7. Creativity loves constraints
    8. It's about customers, not money
    9. Don't kill projects, morph them

    To find out more of the detail that sits behind these... click here...

 

the professional edge career management February 08

  • Management and Leadership Training Receives Highest Percentage of Training Budgets

    Bersin 2008 Corporate Learning Factbook finds and reports...

    US$1202.00 average spent per learner in 2007
    Although management represents a small percentage of the corporate workforce, it gets the lion's share of the corporate training budget, according to Bersin & Associates' just-published 2008 Corporate Learning Factbook. Approximately 21% of training program dollars are spent on leadership development and management/supervisory training.

    While training directed to top-level employees is a high priority overall, specific industries invest heavily in other employee audiences as well. For instance, in telecommunications, 23% of training program dollars are spent on customer service training; technology companies invest 29% of training dollars on sales training; and pharmaceuticals spend 25% on compliance and other mandatory training.

    Download this study today .

    NB: Whilst the Bersin Factbook re training spend per employee is US based, aCE talentNET believes that, anecdotally it would be largely representative of the Australian experience as well.

  • L&D's impact on business

    By Craig Donaldson for humanresourcesmagazine.com

    COMPANIES WITH great learning and development practices are using a combination of strategies, processes and technology solutions to align the workforce with business objectives and achieve measurable business improvement, a report has found.

    Seventy-seven per cent of such companies, or ‘best-in-class' organisations, leveraged organisational learning and development to improve employee performance, whereas 41 per cent of industry average and only 28 per cent of worst in class, or ‘laggard' companies were able to do the same.

    For more detail, click here ...

  • Breakthrough Ideas   from Harvard Business Review  

    Continuing on with the trends for 2008...  here is a sample of the latest from the Harvard Business Review has listed the following articles to get your thinking firing... 

    Task, Not Time: Profile of a Gen Y Job
    Tamara J. Erickson
    Compensating employees for what they actually do rather than the hours they log is not a new idea. Managers will need to re-embrace this preindustrial concept as the practical realities of work change along with the expectations of the new generation of workers.

    Socially Responsible Lobbying
    David Vogel
    When lobbying the government is part of your CSR strategy, you gain competitive advantage over less socially responsible rivals. The corporate and public benefits can prove to be substantial, both domestically and internationally.

    For many more ideas, click here ...

 

the professional edge career management January 08

  • What are 2008's hottest jobs?
    Recruiter Daily has identified 2008 Top Ten Jobs according to Talent2, that will be hugely in demand in 2008, following a survey of recruiters saying the hottest jobs will be:

    1. Learning and development managers ($80K-$160K)
    2. Tax accountants ($120K-$140K)
    3. Financial controllers ($150K-$180K)
    4. Internal communications managers ($100K-$200K)
    5. Corporate social responsibility managers ($120K-$180K)
    6. FMCG brand managers ($100K-$135K)
    7. Solutions architects ($160K-$200K)
    8. Engineers - all types up to $300K
    9. Security managers (IT) ($150K-$250K)
    10. Marketing campaign managers ($80K-$100K).  

    In addition, the pressure on salaries will be "enormous" this year as the shortage of skilled workers escalates, according to Talent2 practice manager, Neil Galvin. Click Here for the full article including Recruitment Predictions for what is shaping up to be a very busy 2008!


  • Important Federal Court decision ATO, PSI, Results test for companies and trusts (Dec 2007)
    News from Independent Contractors of Australia highlight a recent and important Federal Court decision regarding income splitting by independent contractors. Read on to ensure this doesn't happen to you!

Overview
Whether independent contractors can split income with a spouse and claim business-like tax deductions has been an ongoing tax debate in Australia for many years. A Federal Court decision on 5 December last year (2007) has brought more clarity to the issues.  

The Federal Court has upheld the position of the Australian Taxation Office that two independent contractors---one working through his own company and the other working through his discretionary family trust---did not pass the results test under the Personal Services Income tax laws. This means that all income earned by the two independent contractors will be taxed as if it were their personal income. They will not be able to split their incomes with their spouses or claim business-like tax deductions.  

In fact, the Court's decision does not change access to business tax deduction for most independent contractors, nor does it alter the capacity to split income legitimately with a spouse for many independent contractors, depending on their circumstances. For more detail, click here...

  • Is this YOU?
    Two in Five workers plan to move in the New Year
    According to an article in Recruiter Daily (5/12/07) two in five workers plan to move jobs early 2008. Two separate surveys of Australian employees have found that around 40 per cent plan to look for a different job in the New Year. Shortlisting company final5's survey of more than 300 workers found that 48.5 per cent planned to leave their job in the New Year, with those aged between 18 and 34 (59.7%) keener for change than those aged 35 to 54 (44.2%). More part-time workers said they were "very likely" to move to a new job (23.3%) compared to those working full time (11.8%).

Some 26 per cent reported money was their primary reason for moving, while for more than 50 per cent of respondents, factors such as good leadership, work/life balance and career advancement were more important.
To find out more, click here