Here are a few tips we think might help you prepare for that next big interview:

• Be prepared. Explain your past experiences, job changes and any personal successes. Give examples of projects you’ve workedwell on, sole charge responsibilities you’ve had and how well you’ve worked alongside your peers throughout the employment duration. If you’ve run a marathon, say so! That’s something an interviewer would like to know as it formulates a deeper understanding of who you are, what you value, and where your interests lie.

• Be specific. It’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses before walking through the door. Demonstrate to the interviewer that your key skills can match their job brief. Saying that you have ‘great analytical skills’ won’t impress anyone. The interviewer or panel are looking for justification of this skill, how it was utilised, and what portion of your job was dedicated to it overall. Just as importantly, an interviewer is looking to see if you’re able to acknowledge areas that may challenge your expertise. Bringing attention to your weaknesses in an interview may sound detrimental, but in reality it demonstrates your humility, maturity, and level of self-awareness.

• Sell yourself. This is the part where interviewers are trying to get a feel for your personal character. Remember, every workplace environment will be different and you might not always be the right fit. If you’re a person who operates best independently and in a quiet space, then tell them- it may be exactly what they’re looking for!

• Do your homework. Research the organisation. There is nothing more alarming than an interviewee not knowing important facts about an organisation. Have they been in the news recently? What for? Are they international? What do they specialise in? What are their core values? Showing that you’ve taken a considerable amount of time to understand the organisation will be well received.

• Make it work for you. It’s important to remember that an interview is also your chance to gauge whether or not they are an entity you would like to work for. More often than not, interviewees feel under attack with the bombardment of questions they’re asked. If you have questions or concerns then this is your chance to voice them. Keep in mind that an invitation to interview doesn’t mean you’ll love the position or company, so try not to let this stress you before the interview!

If you’d like to learn more about the job application and interview process, take a look at one of our earlier articles http://www.crackerjacks.co.nz/resources/the-silver-bullet-to-getting-that-job-interview/.

There are tasks that we love and naturally, ones that we loathe. The trick to productivity is not to let the loathsome tasks affect the rest of your day. We’ve got a few tips to help boost your workplace productivity and clear your to-do list before the Christmas break.

• Use a diary to keep track of your progress. We tend to pay more attention to something when we record it. Get yourself a work diary and make notes on your accomplishments or cross items off that ‘to-do’ list.

• Get ready for tomorrow. Take a few minutes to set yourself for the following day. Leave a task midway through (provided that you know it is something you can pick up tomorrow) so that the next day you can get right into work and start the day with an achievement.

• Make a list. Tasks that you need to complete before the end of the day? Before the end of the week? Jot them down and work your way through the list. When you find yourself off track, take five minutes to refocus and check your list to see where you’re at.

• Escape from phone calls and emails for an hour. Use this time to work undistracted on a big project or deadline piece. Take your notes and go somewhere quiet to work, you’ll be surprised at how much you can achieve in an hour without the distraction of a computer.

• Take five. If you find yourself hunched over a computer or gritting your teeth after a phone call, get away from your desk for five minutes. Take a walk, de-stress and re-energize for the rest of the day.

How do you get an unproductive day back on track? Would you like to share your tips with us? Drop us a line below or email to info@crackerjacks.co.nz

Thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures we are giving away 5 double passes to  Happy Feet Two (3D)!

To enter the draw all you need to do refer a friend to sign up with Crackerjacks! Get them to sign up and send an email with both of your names to amiria.britton@crackerjacks.co.nz and you’re in the draw for a double pass!

Winners will be announced on December 18th.

In cinemas December 26th.

www.happyfeet2movie.co.nz

We would like to offer our contractors a few pieces of advice to help update and send their CVs to the top of the pile.

The Content:

• Keep it short, simple and relevant.

• Use plain language- cite specific key achievements but try to keep technical jargon to a minimum (for all you IT gurus we appreciate that you need to use terminology and a good employer will understand this!)

• Tailoring an application- employers expect your CV to match the job advertised. If you’re applying for an administration job and have experience in customer service, research and labour, leave the labour work out as it’s irrelevant.

• Include technical or business skills where appropriate- if you’re skilled in C#.NET but don’t have a qualification this is where it goes.

• Provide examples of your professional achievements- did you increase profit? Reduce office costs? Introduce a new and successful system? Employers like to know these things!

• Cover letters are important- they allow a candidate to expand on information in their CV, explain any career changes or gaps and give the employer a glimpse of their personality.

• Avoid fillers- were you a prefect in high school? Captain of the social ultimate Frisbee team in year 12? Unless it’s your very first role, most employers won’t be looking at those sorts of achievements. Instead, try including large scale milestones i.e. running your first marathon.

• Extracurricular- community involvement helps an employer understand your personality and what drives you. If you’ve volunteered with the Rena clean up or taught children how to read, include these activities in your CV.

The Format:

• Use bullet points- they’re much easier to read than a long sentence.

• Keep it concise- forgo the cover page, instead put your details (name and contact details) alongside “Curriculum Vitae” at the top of the first page.

• Format your CV- space your CV, use a basic font that’s easy to read, keep it black and white, spell and grammar check and leave the graphics out.

• List your career history chronologically- include the month and year for your career history, for example: Jan08-Sep10.

At Crackerjacks we tailor our candidate profiles so that businesses are given a snapshot of your experience and skills without all the clutter. Any questions? Need a bit more advice? Leave a comment for us below and we’ll get back to you!

Software developers with more than five years of experience are charging between $70 and $100 per hour for their services. The average wage for developers seeking work this month is $60.30, with higher remuneration for experience and a wider range of skills. CIOs are expressing concern over the lack of skilled developers to cope with the post-recession developments. With the skills shortage far from over, businesses are looking towards contract employees to fill the gap.

Specialised skill sets mean that contractors, particularly those who are up to date with current technology and software trends, are ideal candidates. ERP back-end applications and increasing use of the web as the primary delivery channel are two areas that CIOs are currently developing. Crackerjacks has noticed an increase in demand for developers with five or more years experience in Android systems, CRM 4, Silverlight, Java and C#.NET.

The increasing trend of outsourcing to contractors represents the realisation that it’s not always possible to use permanent employees for these projects. Employers are finding that it is economically more viable to bring in a contractor to complete the project than to train existing employees.

Has the shortage affected you, either as a contractor or as a business? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!

The New Zealand Herald recently published an article on overworked employees and discussed the changing face of the workplace. Overworking is far more prevalent in white collar jobs (with teachers, journalists, lawyers, accountants and engineers topping the list) than many suspect with 36% of the workforce clocking up nine to eleven hour days on a regular basis. Despite the numbers, we are still better off than the global average where nine to eleven hour days are a daily routine for 38% of the population.

Studies by the Department of Labour indicate that working hours in New Zealand have decreased since 2004, despite media protests of otherwise. Explanations for these conflicting statistics are that:

• While the Department of Labour assumes that reduced work hours correlates to a workforce committing less hours, a survey by Regus indicates that 46% of workers are taking their work home.
• Budget cutbacks for staff and overtime hours have meant that the same workload is spread among fewer employees with less time.

A report by New Zealand employment economist, Paul Callister, proposes that advances in technology have greatly impacted on employee work schedules. Technology has blurred the line between work and home with smartphones, laptops and Wi-Fi making work readily accessible, whenever and wherever. In response to a number of surveys, employees indicated that their main reasons for taking their work home was that it was more efficient. For those with families it means flexibility without sacrificing work hours or pay.

As a contractor do you tend to work more hours than intended? Do you feel that technology has had a significant impact on your work ethic? Feel free to leave any comments below, we love to hear from you!

To read the full New Zealand Herald article click here.

Finding the perfect employee is undoubtedly an ongoing goal for all businesses. How well do businesses utilise hiring processes and why is it important to maintain the same standards for permanent and contract employees?

The hiring process that you use may have a greater effect on finding the perfect employee or contractor than realised. A Human Capital Institute (HCI) paper, The Perfect Fit, determines how recruiting processes affects the satisfaction of the employer once talent is hired. The report indicates that very few businesses comply with the same standards for temporary and permanent hires and HCI has suggested that discrepancies in hire processes are to blame for employer dissatisfaction with employees. While contractors are not permanent employees, both the employer and the contractor will benefit from using structured hiring processes. Hiring processes are important as they ensure that businesses engage the right people.

Despite contractors making up between 5% to 25% of the workforce, some selection processes are not nearly as thorough as for permanent employees, leaving employers in a vulnerable situation. At Crackerjacks we’ve taken preventative measures in our recruitment process by introducing screening processes for contractors.

According to the study, employers who were very satisfied with their new employee had adhered to strict hiring processes and followed the same guidelines for permanent and contract employees. HCI identifies three key steps to recruiting the perfect contractor. Companies that identify as very satisfied had ensured that the following three steps were part of their recruiting process:

1. Clearly defining the role and stating the expected education and experience,

2. Considering the work culture and fit between the company and the employee,

3. Targeting hire sources and agencies based on what the company needs.

In most cases the companies who stated that they were dissatisfied with new employees were only completing one of the above three steps. Finally, a noticeable difference between very satisfied and dissatisfied companies was their use of pre-hire assessments (comprehensive reference checks, interviews, cognitive aptitude tests and psychometric testing) to gain more insight into how the potential employees functioned and would fit in with the businesses culture. Nearly 80% of businesses who were very satisfied used at least one pre-hire assessment compared to the 50% of dissatisfied employers who weren’t sure what a pre-hire assessment entailed, or what type to use.

Employer Checklist:

• Do you have an up-to-date job description?

State what experience and education you expect the person to have as this will reduce the number of unsuitable applicants.

• Will the candidate fit successfully into your work culture?

Develop a clear idea of the person you are looking for and how they should fit into the company.

• Have you completed the appropriate pre-hire checks before offering the position?

For example: two comprehensive reference checks.

To read the full HCI report on Finding the Perfect Fit, please click here

So here are a few things contractors should know about Kiwisaver:

• Everyone who joins the scheme is eligible for the Government’s $1000 kick-start contribution. However, contractors are considered self-employed and are therefore not eligible for employer contributions.
• Once you choose to join KiwiSaver, you can’t opt out.
• To join, you’ll need to choose a scheme provider. KiwiSaver is very flexible if you’re self-employed. You’re not required to contribute a set percentage of your pay. Instead you can agree your contribution level with your KiwiSaver provider. You can either choose to make lump sum payments or set up regular payments.
• To access the housing deposit subsidy, contractors must meet the same criteria as salary and wage earners. This includes providing evidence that they have contributed at least four per cent of their last three years’ taxable income (up to a maximum of five years).
• KiwiSaver isn’t guaranteed by the Government. This means that you invest in a KiwiSaver scheme at your own risk.
• If you want to stop contributing for any period of time you’ll need to agree this with your scheme provider.
• If you later start earning a salary or wage, contributions will start being deducted from your pay at a rate of 4% or 8%.
• You can voluntarily deposit lump sum payments whenever you like. Once you’ve made a payment it’s ‘locked in’ until you’re eligible to withdraw your savings.

To find out more about the initiative’s benefits and incentives, visit the KiwiSaver website or alternatively, drop us a comment below.

In the first half of this year, the IRD prosecuted more fraudsters than the whole of last year. Since January, 57 people have been convicted and sentenced for tax fraud, including one case which resulted in a four-year jail sentence.

Below are some recent cases of contractors getting caught out for tax avoidance. They serve as reminders to contractors about the importance of paying tax correctly.

Electrical contractor jailed for tax evasion – 27 January 2011

A Christchurch electrical contractor and retailer of air conditioners and heat pumps was jailed for two years and eight months on 54 charges of tax evasion.

Daryl Evans was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court after admitting to evading tax of $495,000 including failing to pass on tax and student loan payments he deducted from his employees wages.

Inland Revenue Investigations Manager Lynley Sutherland, said Evans failed to supply more than 50 returns  for some of his companies over a four year period.

“Mr Evans deliberately ignored his responsibilities both as a taxpayer and to his staff. It became clear he had no intention of filing the returns or paying any of the due tax,” Ms Sutherland said.

“Our tax system relies on the honesty of taxpayers, and when someone isn’t paying their share they’re taking money from services like schools and hospitals,” she said.

Inland Revenue officers spoke to Evans 20 times and on 19 occasions he promised to file his returns.

Home detention for tax evasion and fraud - 4 July 2011

A Tauranga based steel contractor has been sentenced to twelve months home detention on 37 charges of tax evasion involving over $500,000 while contracted to work on the Tauranga harbour bridge between 2008 and 2010.

Mr James Allan Kent, aged 63, appeared in the Tauranga District Court today for sentencing on 13 charges of evading GST and 24 charges of knowingly failing to deduct PAYE with the intention to evade assessment or payment of tax.

Investigations Manager, Jonathan Matthews, said that Mr Kent paid his subcontractors in cash, failed to register for GST and PAYE, and traded through an unregistered company.

“The defendant consistently chose to deal in cash in his business transactions,” said Mr Matthews.

“The invoices he issued as part of his contractual obligations were in the name of a company that did not exist, and although most of them did not include a GST number, Mr Kent sometimes used his own IRD number.”

Mr Matthews said that the defendant was not registered for GST or PAYE and his subcontractors did not file tax returns. They did not receive payslips and were not paid holiday or sick leave.

“Mr Kent was paid $1,800,000 for the bridge contract yet the payments went into a bank account belonging to a family member who withdrew the cash which Mr Kent used to pay his workers. Mr Kent admitted to Inland Revenue that he should have deducted PAYE from his subcontractors and paid PAYE and GST tax as required. He also failed to provide complete records of those who he had employed.”

If you’re unsure of your tax obligations, drop us a comment below and a Crackerjacks team member will get back to you. Otherwise our friends at CXC Global are experts in tax and payroll solutions, contact them at www.cxcglobal.co.nz.

Sources: IRD

To re-cap on this article, you can the view it here.

Following on from that, HCI (Human Capital Institute) have released new research detailing what influences contract talent usage. As the recovery from recession continues to take hold, the study evaluates whether contractors have been utilised post-recession and what have been the benefits for businesses using contract talent management systems and tools.

Some key findings from the research:

- The use of contract talent continues to increase due to a variety of reasons such as high unemployment rates, lifestyle preferences and globalisation.

- A primary driver for the utilisation of contract talent is the flexibility to quickly expand and contract the workforce to meet spikes and falls in a businesses workload.

- Another driver is the ability to access skills and experience that is not available internally.

- The use of contract talent has been beneficial as the world economy emerges from a recession that featured significant job losses and rise in unemployment. As employers begin to cautiously hire again, the use of contractors is becoming more of a rule rather than an exception.

Here at Crackerjacks we want to provide you with resources relevant to the contracting market. Let us know what you think about this resource, we’re always happy to hear your thoughts!

You can access the HCI study here.