Barista at Heart? Discover the World’s Best Coffee!

Barista at Heart? Discover the World’s Best Coffee!

If you’re a barista at heart, follow your passion around the world with our Barista Basics online course. You’ll learn to create exceptional espresso, from selecting quality beans to achieving the perfect extraction and milk froth. You’ll also discover how to operate and maintain commercial coffee machines, manage workflow efficiently, and serve a range of coffee styles. This barista course prepares you to meet customer needs with expertise and deliver consistently high-quality beverages.

One of the world’s most popular beverages, coffee, was first cultivated by fifteenth-century Arabs. Now billions worldwide enjoy pick-me-up this morning (or whenever!). But regardless of whether you’re a latte lover or a cappuccino connoisseur, have you ever wondered where you might find the world’s best coffee? Here is a rundown of where to find your favourite brew in some of the world’s most iconic destinations.

 

Italy

Although they weren’t the first to harvest or brew coffee, Italians did invent the coffee culture, with the first coffee house opening in Venice in 1629. Rome is home to the quintessential espresso, which is traditionally made by forcing a smallish amount of almost boiling water under pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. It’s a heart-starter!

Cappuccinos are one of the more popular styles of coffee – made by a barista with a shot of espresso followed by steamed milk and then foamed milk on top. Vienna is renowned for their ‘capps’ and in fact, coffee is such a vital part of the city’s culture that their coffee houses are ‘Intangible Cultural Heritages’ through UNESCO.

Fun fact: Italians have coffee four or five times a day (busy baristas) and generally drink it standing up. If you prefer to sit down at a café to partake, you’ll probably pay more. They

 

London

This city’s obsession with coffee has escalated over the years with tiny, artisan coffee shops continually popping up. The flat white is a popular choice with its tell-tale combination of natural sweetness, velvety milk texture and a hit of strong coffee. 

Many of London’s coffee establishments are also affiliated with Australian-based coffee brands, guaranteeing to banish any feelings of homesickness. However, whether you prefer an espresso, a cold-drip Americano or an authentic flat white, it’s worth checking out the local guides.

Fun fact: Aussie baristas opened London’s first espresso-focused coffee establishments over a decade ago, which are said to have instigated the city’s flat white craze. 

 

Paris

Coffee was first introduced to Paris in 1669 by the ambassador to the court of King Louis XIV of France. Two years later, an Armenian everyone called Pascal (but of course!) opened a coffee drinking booth at the St.-Germain fair. Renowned for their café crèmes and hearty espressos, cafés in Paris line every corner of every arrondissement. Although Le Premier arrondissement is famous for its espressos, and the bohemian 18th arrondissement their authentic flat whites, there are twenty arrondissements in Paris to explore – check out this guide for some local tips.

Fun fact: Parisians love a large milky brew – but only for breakfast! After 10 am, un café (black coffee) or espresso is the traditional brew of choice for most French people.

 

USA

America gets a bit of a bad rap when it comes to coffee, and movies featuring local diners serving up horrible drip filtered versions probably hasn’t helped their cause! In the mid-’90s, there were less than 300 coffee shops in the US – today, there are around 30,000. But unfortunately, if you’re used to a smooth, foamy flat white, then you might be bitterly disappointed here (pun intended)! Unless you head to Starbucks of course, which debuted this Aussie favourite in its American stores in 2015.

Your best bet for sourcing great coffee in the US? Do your research and use apps like Beanhunter and city-based guides like the Great LA Coffee Map to lead you to the expert baristas. 

Fun fact: Flat whites began to be sold in a variety of Aussie cafes in NYC several years ago, which included the Hugh-Jackman-owned venue that stocked his charity-based coffee.

 

Asia

According to Lonely Planet’s Global Coffee Tour Guide, Asia’s best coffee cities are Ipoh in Malaysia, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Tokyo in Japan. Ipoh is the birthplace of the much-loved ‘white’ coffee, which is famously hot, sweet and buttery in taste. Thailand’s northern city, Chiang Mai, is famous for serving up single-origin beans which are grown locally – many only an hour or two from the coffee shop itself.

And Tokyo is the place to go for the highest number of third wave-style coffee shops. This movement considers coffee an artisanal food (like wine), “whose consumption experience can be enhanced with greater education, connoisseurship, and sensory exploration beyond just a cup of coffee”. Translation – they’re pretty serious about coffee!

Fun fact: Asians must know a bit about coffee, or at least how to make it look good! Locals took out second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth place at the World Latte Art Championships (an Italian took the top spot).

 

Australia 

Australia has a long history of coffee – espresso culture was thought to have grown from cafés owned by Italian and Greek migrants during the 1950s and ’60s to become the nationwide obsession that it is today. In fact, according to some, Australia has some of the best coffee (and baristas) in the world.

But regardless of your favourite ‘flavour’ and whether you prefer a homemade version or one prepared by your favourite local barista, coffee can up the happiness factor and improve your energy levels – both great side effects when it comes to studying. Coffee’s your Hug in a Mug!

Fun fact: Although it was thought to have been invented in Sydney, the flat white has been crafted to perfection by New Zealand baristas over the years where it’s become the nation’s unofficial national beverage.

 

What is Unconscious Bias? Are You Guilty?

If creating and managing diversity in the workplace is on the agenda, consider the most significant barrier – unconscious bias.

There are many cultural and competitive advantages to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. Still, efforts are often hindered by the unconscious bias of leaders and employees within an organisation.

So, what is unconscious bias – and what can workplaces do about it?

 

What is Unconscious Bias?

Unconscious biases are attitudes that are learned and reinforced by stereotypes. These biases stem from stereotypes that are automatic, unintentional, entrenched, widespread, and are often the basis for patterns of behaviour in the workplace that prevent diversity and inclusion. 

Research is proving that our unconscious biases perpetuate stereotypes all the time, as our brains are hardwired toward patterns of similarity which makes differences harder adapt.

If workplace diversity and inclusivity is important to your organisation or your role within a company, consider managing diversity in the workplace. 

You may need to engage in diversity training to overcome unconscious bias. Engaging in diversity training to overcome unconscious bias is the first step that individuals and organisations can take to ensure diversification and inclusivity is on the agenda. 

Demand for IT Jobs is on the Rise 

According to a study by Deloitte Access Economics for the Australian Computer Society (ACS), digital technology is driving some of the most significant changes in our current era. This is resulting in big benefits, not only for businesses and government agencies but for those with current (and in-demand) information and communications technology (ITC) skills.

 

Why are Digital Technologies Important? 

The contribution of digital technologies to the Australian economy is forecast to be $139 billion by 2020 when it equates to 7 per cent of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). GDP is one of the most common indicators used to track the health of a nation’s economy, and it includes several factors such as investment and consumption.

 

This trend represents the size of Australia’s digital economy. It illustrates the significant role technologies like data analytics, cloud platforms, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) will play in driving economic growth in Australia.

 

What Do the Statistics Say?

From 2014 to 2016, there was a boom in the ICT workforce, from around 600,000 to 640,000 workers, and strong growth is expected to continue to reach around over 720,000 workers by 2022. These figures represent annual average growth of about 2 per cent compared to 1.4 per cent for the Australian workforce. The statistics are also consistent with the significant role digital technologies are expected to play in driving Australia’s economic growth.

 

What Skills are in Demand? 

LinkedIn data suggests that the top skills demanded by employers hiring new ICT workers include technical skills such as web programming, cloud computing and IT infrastructure. Broader business skills like customer service, project management and strategic planning are also looked on favourably.

 

Where is the Demand in Terms of Industries?

While the ICT workforce comprises a variety of occupations, around two-thirds of Australian ICT workers are employed in operations, technical, management or professional roles. Here is a breakdown of the top 10 industries ICT workers were employed in 2016:

 

  1. ICT-related industries – over 309,000 workers
  2. The rest of the professional, scientific and technical services – over 75,000 workers
  3. Public administration and safety – over 46,000 workers
  4. Financial and insurance services – over 44,000 workers
  5. Retail trade – over 25,000 workers
  6. Education and training – over 24,000 workers
  7. Manufacturing – over 21,000 workers
  8. Wholesale trade – over 16,000 workers
  9. Healthcare and social assistance – over 12,000 workers
  10. Other industries – over 63,000 workers

 

In terms of employers advertising ITC jobs in 2016, the top 10 ads were in the following sectors:

 

  1. Information technology and services
  2. Computer software
  3. Internet
  4. Financial services
  5. Electrical and electronics manufacturing
  6. Staffing and recruiting
  7. Computer networking
  8. Information services
  9. Computer hardware
  10. Computer and network security

 

What Does the Future Look Like?

The ongoing demand for ICT workers reflects the continued expectation that employment prospects will be relatively strong for ‘knowledge workers’, particularly those that are highly exposed to the growing digital economy. The increasing prominence of digital technologies in all industries across the Australian economy also means there is a growing demand for ICT workers in a diverse range of sectors and roles.

 

Digital technologies are increasingly a ‘horizontal’ element that overlays all ‘vertical’ industries, which is one reason there are many more opportunities for ICT employment. A ‘vertical’ industry is essentially a market where businesses (or their skilled employees) offer specific goods or services to a trade, industry profession or other groups of customers with specialised needs.

 

This trend is expected to continue to create strong demand for ICT workers in the future, particularly because digitally-enabled innovation will continue to be a significant driver of growth and competitive advantage among Australian businesses.

 

Employment growth is forecast to be strongest in ICT operations and management occupations, which is expected to grow by 28,500 workers (or an average annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent) until 2022. ICT professional and technical occupations are also expected to increase by 26,700 workers (or an average annual growth rate of 1.9 per cent). Together, these two occupation groupings are expected to comprise almost 70 per cent of total jobs growth forecast for the ICT workforce until 2022.

 

Why is ICT Education Important? 

According to the founder of iiNet and one of Australia’s leading investors and technology entrepreneurs Michael Malone, the collaboration between industry and learning institutions and providers is essential for developing a relevant ICT skills base.

 

“It is important that graduates entering the ICT workforce are equipped with the skills and experiences that employers demand.

 

“This means that students who are studying computing and ICT need to receive technical foundations such as coding and programming skills, as well as the knowledge and experience to be able to apply these foundational skills in a business context.”

 

Are You Considering a Career in IT?

Australian Online Courses have many IT courses that can help you gain entry-level positions in the IT industry. If you’re an IT professional, there are many IT courses that can help you in your professional development to gain a promotion or to take your IT career in a different direction.

22 Of the Best Apps for Students

Today, most people are never without their Smartphones. They’ve become essential to daily life, so why not use yours to get the most out of your studies? But do study apps help? According to Associate Lecturer and the founder of Student Success Australia, Sarah Kuhne, they do.

 

 “Students tell me they find apps to be most useful for staying on task and not procrastinating when they know they should be studying. It’s the number one complaint based on a recent survey I did of Australian students”, she says.

 

 Like to know more? Here are our picks for the best apps for students.

 

Scheduling Apps 

 Egenda pretty much acts as your personal homework assistant. It allows you to manage all of your projects, tests and assignments in the one place and provides reminders for due dates. You can also add notes to your files and sort them by the deadline. 

 

iStudiez Pro is a scheduling app that works much the same way. However, its real strength is its interface, which can switch between to-do lists and calendar modes so that you can see when everything’s due simultaneously. Todait is another excellent time manager app – it tells you how much study you should be doing each day and provides feedback on your study habits. 

 

Study Apps 

Flashcards are a great study buddy and ideal for those looking to make the most of their study time. Quizlet can help you prepare for exams, and you can tailor them to the particular course you’re studying. Flashcards are similar and also lets you access millions of other pre-made flashcard decks that have been created by other students. 

For something a little more animated, check out Tinycards. Not necessarily the most serious of flashcards, they’re great fun if you need a break from the books!

 

Note Taking Apps

 The perfect tool for taking and storing notes, Evernote will ensure you never lose track of an important checklist, to-do list or piece of information. This award-winning note-taking app is one of the best apps for study out there and will also sync across all your devices, including your phone, tablet or computer.

 

If you come across something you want to read later, check out Pocket. It allows you to browse photos, read articles and view videos whenever you need, and Goodreader is excellent for handling large documents and making notes when you’re reading through potential references.

 

Tool-based Apps

 Referencing is one of the most important aspects of assignment writing and EndNote is a research management tool that helps you organise, search and share research and create bibliographies. 

 

Plagiarism (the practice of taking someone else’s work and passing it off as your own) is also something that definitely should be avoided when doing assignments. Dupli Checker checks for plagiarism as well as things like spelling, punctuation and grammar.

 

If you’re doing a maths or science-based course and need an app that focuses on formulas and stats, check out WolframAlpha, and to turn your phone into a powerful graphic calculator, download Quick Graph.

 

Apps for Focus 

Do you find it challenging to remain focused when studying? Then Forest is the app for you. It works by planting a seed, and the longer the app stays open, the more your individual tree will grow. If you succeed on the focus front, it will eventually spread out and become a forest. If you close the app, your forest will start to wither (sad face), so it’s great for motivation and lessening phone addiction! 

 

Focus Keeper is another app great for helping to maintain concentration. Based on the ‘Pomodoro method’ of study, it splits your focus time into 25-minute sections, which are broken up by short breaks. This makes study more achievable and increases discipline. It also allows you to set goals and time your study if that works for you! 

 

Apps for Learning

A fantastic app that allows you to view courses and lectures from universities around the world, ITunes U is a great resource for furthering your understanding of your courses. Another popular app for learning is TED, which features short videos from thought leaders sharing insights on a range of fascinating disciplines. 

The Khan Academy features more than 10,000 videos on a range of topics from maths and science to economics and history. Memrise is next-generation mobile learning that enables you to learn phrases and words from a host of different languages via games, videos and chatbots. And Curiosity will give you a daily dose of articles, videos and infographics to keep your brain sharp and help you to learn quicker!

 

Apps for Fun

When you need a little downtime from study but still want to remain alert, why not try the role-playing Habitica app? Improve your character by completing challenges that you set up yourself – including those that are study-based to keep you motivated.

 

And for the perfect soundtrack to complement those long hours of study, check out Atmosphere. You simply choose the sounds you like and create your favourite combo based on whether you need to concentrate or relieve stress. This app also includes binaural beats and isochronic tones that can help stimulate your mind and improve creativity.

13 Tips to Really Kick Career Goals

Is it time to kick some career goals? You might be comfortable in your career, but are you challenged? Do you wake up excited about the week ahead? If you’re shaking your head, these tips on achieving your career goals will speak (or shout) to you.

Simon Bennett, Career Coach and Principal Consultant at Glide Outplacement, advises that when your career is starting to feel stale, consider the following to turn it around.  

 

  1. Seek New Challenges

If you’re unhappy at work, it might be time to start doing more of what you enjoy. You could take on a variety of new challenges or consider expanding on your skillset, which can make your career more rewarding.  

 

  1. Look for Opportunity at Work 

Volunteer for other opportunities within your workplace, such as project work or secondments. You might be surprised that you enjoy the temporary work so much that you decide to make it permanent.

 

  1. Propose a New Job for Yourself

Maybe the job you want doesn’t yet exist. If you believe it would generate or take advantage of new business opportunities, you could suggest this role for you be created for you. 

 

  1. Make a Career Ladder Move

A promotion will give you more responsibility, new skills, higher pay or status. Alternatively, if you want to change your job but not take on more responsibility, working with a new team (but on the same level) could see you carrying out different tasks. 

 

  1. Take on an Additional Job

A second job or voluntary work can ‘fill the gaps’ in your current position. It can provide more fulfilment to your work, an opportunity to be more creative or meet new people.

 

Change Leadership and Career Expert Michelle Gibbings says the world is changing, which means to stay relevant it’s vital to be comfortable with career change and reinvention. 

So, to reinvent and kick your career goals, you should heed the following career advice, according to Ms Gibbings.

 

  1. Actively Plan Your Career

You should take time to actively plan your career goals by setting aside time to consider what you want to achieve. You should also monitor the progress you’ve made and identify key next steps to making your career goals a reality. 

Consider what’s happening around you – how is your role, profession and industry changing?

Most of the workforce will be impacted by disruptive technologies, including automation and artificial intelligence, so you need to be ready.

 

  1. Be Clear on Your Value

Everyone brings their own unique skills and style to the workplace, so be clear about the value you bring to the table. Then make sure that you consistently deliver value with the work you do.

 

  1. Build Your Profile and Connect

Build a profile where you are the go-to expert on something and are respected, and have a network that will advocate for your expertise.

 You may need to spend time thinking more about what you can do for others, rather than what they can do for you. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you achieve your career goals. 

 

 Consider:

  • How can I help a colleague or connection build their network? Is there someone in my network that I can connect them with?
  • Have I got new knowledge or insight that I could easily share?
  • Can I help a colleague or friend with their career goals? 

 

  1. Seek Out Learning Opportunities 

Don’t wait for your organisation to create learning opportunities for you. Successful people know that learning is crucial to future career success and to achieving career goals. They continuously seek new ideas and ways to stretch themselves.

 

Consider:

  • Buy a book on a topic that interests you (but is different from your day job).
  •  If you sit in an office, attend a course that requires you to use your hands, such as woodwork, craft or design.
  •  Go to a lecture on a subject that will broaden your field of view. Or subscribe to online news so that you can get up to date information and knowledge from around the world.
  •  Get a coach who can help you uncover your career goals and motivations.
  •  Invest in learning more about yourself, your emotional intelligence and emotional triggers.
  •  Take on feedback from sponsors, mentors, colleagues and peers as it’s crucial to understand how people see you and how that differs from how you see yourself.

 

  1. Get Active and Manage Stress

Your mental and physical health impacts on your focus, productivity, decision making, and how you relate to work colleagues. Today’s work environment is also stressful, so it’s important to be able to regulate your behaviour and manage stress. 

 

 Consider:

  • Are you getting enough sleep?
  • Are you eating well and exercising?
  • Are you finding time to reflect?
  • Are you setting aside time each day for me-time? 
  • Are you finding ways to recharge and maintain your energy levels?

 

 Your career is meaningful, but it is only a part of your life. So, make sure you plan and manage your career goals as part of your ‘whole life’ goals. 

 

Katrena Friel, author of Refresh Your Career: 7 Steps to Refreshing Success, shares a few of her tips on refreshing your success to kick career goals. 

 

  1. Access Your Personal Power 

Personal power is being able to walk into a room with self-confidence. When your personal power is lacking, you tend to be passed over for promotions, you’re invisible, and you cannot say no. 

 

To harness your personal power, you need to own your space and feel comfortable in your own skin. You should send a clear message to your unconscious mind that you want to have access to as much of your personal power as possible. 

 

  1. Develop Your Emotional Intelligence 

Emotional Intelligence (EQ), is one of nine intelligences. In business, it is considered one of the most important intelligences and is highly valued in business today. It pretty much determines your career success.

Essentially it is two things. First, ‘know yourself’ and ‘Know your impact on others’. There is no way you can do the second without the first. That’s EQ in a nutshell! 

 

  1. Be Yourself

How willing are you to be vulnerable at the right moments, so that people want to help and support you? Be genuine and true to yourself to avoid perfectionism. 

Being a perfectionist is to be machine-like. Nobody has ever enjoyed working for a machine.

 

Are you inspired to kick some career goals? If so, Australian Online Courses can help you to gain the skills and knowledge you need to achieve that promotion or to change careers and start doing something you love.  

 

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for an online training provider that offers quality content, reasonable course fees and superior student support, choose Australian Online Courses for your professional development.

Simply visit us online to discover hundreds of flexible, online, professional development courses covering almost every industry sector. Or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

How to Become a Chaplain (And What’s a Humanist)?

If you’re wondering how to become a chaplain, your thoughts may turn to religious ties or spirituality.

A chaplain is a spiritual representative often attached to a religious institution – they may or may not be certified or ordained to carry out their duties.

While traditionally, most chaplains identify with a religion, many represent various faiths or identify as humanist chaplains and act as a neutral spiritual resource. 

There are many chaplaincy courses to help you train to become a chaplain or to maintain your professional development as a chaplain.

 

What is a Humanist Chaplain? 

A humanist chaplain supports and cares for people lovingly without reference to or discussions about religion.

 

What Do Chaplains Do? 

If you’re considering how to become a chaplain, you should also think about the nature of the role, and what will be required.

As a chaplain, you will support people experiencing hardship, trauma or ill health and will be required to:

 

  • Listen with compassion and patience
  • Offer a safe space for people to share their experiences and feelings.
  • Help people work through difficult life circumstances.
  • Assist in times of crisis, such as ill-health and disasters

 

There are many chaplaincy courses that help chaplains to support those under their guidance and care, from youth work to alcohol and drug addiction and homelessness support.

 

What is Humanism?

Humanists Australia says humanism is an approach to life that focuses on living ethically and enjoying life without the need to rely on supernatural or other extra-human sources of ethics and meaning. 

The worldwide humanist movement works to make the world a better place. 

Humanists believe everyone should live an ethical life caring for people, animals and the planet, without a need for religion. They also believe everyone has the right to enjoy their religion if it does not cause any harm.

 

How to Become a Chaplain – Chaplaincy Courses

There are many options to learn the knowledge and skills required in chaplaincy.

Chaplaincy courses offered online include the Certificate of Chaplaincy, Pastoral and Spiritual Care, which is a professional development program providing the knowledge and skills required to provide chaplaincy and pastoral care services.

On completion of this chaplaincy course, you may seek voluntary or paid work as part of a pastoral care team in a variety of settings, including hospitals, residential and aged-care facilities, community outreach centres and churches.

 

Professional Development for Chaplains 

Maintaining professional development is crucial in chaplaincy, particularly in community services and social welfare. 

Australian Online Courses offers the following online chaplaincy courses that may be helpful, professional development for chaplains.

Homelessness Support

Aged and Home Care

Certificate of Palliative Care

Certificate of Youth Work & Justice

Understanding Domestic Violence

Certificate of Addiction Support – Drugs and Alcohol

Certificate of Chronic Disease Support

3 Ways to Balance Work with Part-Time Courses!

Would part-time courses suit your lifestyle better than full-time study? If so, you’re not alone! Life is hectic, so fitting everything in is a challenge. Finding the right balance between work and study can be stressful, whether you’re married, single or have children to consider. If you’re experiencing this challenge with work-life-study balance, it might be helpful to consider how to make this transition easier to bring balance back to your life.

1. Schedule Work Around Part-Time Courses

If you’re studying and working, you need to be organised! You can achieve this by scheduling all your study commitments into your work week and discussing your needs with your employer. Once work is aware of your availability, it’s easier to come to an arrangement that works for both of you without jeopardising your studies or work. You should also include time for assignments, revisions, and assessments.

Once you’ve included your study and work commitments in your schedule, slotting in your social life and family commitments is much easier. When you realise you have time for your part-time courses, as well as your work, social life and family commitments, you won’t feel overwhelmed and will be empowered to achieve your learning goals. 

2. Manage Your Time Effectively

An essential aspect of good time management is having flexibility in your schedule. So don’t schedule activities back-to-back because if you’re late home due to traffic or working overtime, an inflexible schedule can create unnecessary stress. So, be realistic with your scheduling and plan for the unexpected.

Also, don’t leave everything to the last minute. You create a schedule so all your commitments seamlessly slot into your life. If you ignore these commitments and don’t study, you lose the benefits of starting the schedule in the first place! Just like full-time courses, part-time courses require a certain amount of study, so make a plan and stick to the plan.

3. Look After Your Physical and Mental Health

Sometimes this is easier said than done! But when your life is full, you must operate at your best. This means eating nutritious foods, getting plenty of rest, exercising and avoiding alcohol. 

It also means rewarding yourself when you have completed a specific task. Submitting an assignment can be a massive weight off your shoulders! So, pat yourself on the back and head for the spa, a dinner with friends or a movie. 

 

There are many ways to balance your life when studying and working. One is to study online rather than attending an on-campus facility. At Australian Online Courses, all of our part-time courses are managed online, which allows you the flexibility to balance work, home, social and family commitments.

Carers – Why We Care, And How to Support Us

It’s National Carers Week, so we’re putting the spotlight on those who selflessly care for others, often with no support.

Carers often find themselves in a caring role not by choice, but by chance or circumstance, most commonly because a family member or friend has a significant physical or mental health challenge. 

It is therefore out of necessity that carers find themselves providing the physical and emotional support for a loved one. 

Carer Kerry Beake can relate as a full-time carer for her father who has dementia. 

“He could no longer take care of himself at home and needed help with shopping, cooking, cleaning, and paying bills.

“He was also losing weight.”

Aged care wasn’t an option, said Ms Beake, as her father is an active older person.

“The activities in aged care wouldn’t have suited him.”

However, becoming a full-time carer can be a shock for those new to this demanding role. 

 “I don’t think I realised what was fully involved and the impact it would have on my life.”

As such, older people must make plans for when they are unable to care for themselves, as this can be difficult for adult children, advises Ms Beake.

“My Dad never wanted to talk about plans for the future, and I think like many are in denial.”

 

What’s Great About Being a Carer? 

There are positives to the caring role, said Ms Beake.

“I’m learning a lot about dementia.

“It has allowed me to share my experience and insights with others who are worried that their parents may be heading in this direction.” 

There is also the benefit of pooling resources, which for Ms Beake meant escaping the rental market and providing a comfortable home for her father. 

“Dad has stabilised his weight, is happier overall and more settled and far more social than he was on his own.”

 

What Are the Challenges of Caring?

There are many universal challenges faced by carers, including physical, emotional and financial hardship.

“The negative for me is that it has likely cost me my master’s degree. 

“I was all but finished, but no amount of negotiation saw the university accommodate for me then or now. 

“There needs to be more recognition of the role of carers and the enormous burden it places on them mentally and physically. 

“It impacts our life, our capacity to join in and do what our friends are doing,” says Ms Beake.

 

 How Can We Support Carers?

Carers are time-poor as many are working, managing family life as well as caring for a significant other.

Unpaid carers caring for their loved ones are the hidden pillar of our healthcare system. 

The replacement value of the unpaid care they provide totals $60.3 billion a year – over $1 billion per week1.

In rural and regional areas, carers need more support as the tyranny of distance makes it hard for them to easily access services that could assist them in their caring role.

If you want to support a carer, your time is the greatest gift, says Leah Goodman, Managing Director of Merck Healthcare and the Embracing CarersTM Time Counts initiative.

“There is no better way to support someone than to give them your time. 

“Taking time out is not something that unpaid carers get to do as often as they need or want to. 

“Most of us take this for granted, but carers invariably put their loved one first and themselves last, to the detriment of their own health, wellbeing and finances,” says Ms Goodman.

Embracing CarersTM Time Counts aims to increase awareness, discussion and action around the often-overlooked needs of these carers. 

“Due to the nature of the caring role, the time of an unpaid carer is often not their own,” says Ara Cresswell, CEO of Carers Australia. 

“The contribution that carers make to the person they care for and to the community more broadly should be acknowledged and celebrated at every opportunity. 

“It is only by this consistent awareness-raising that we can build a national consensus of the many issues faced by unpaid carers and how they must be adequately supported in their own right,” says Ms Cresswell.

“Parents with children have more options and may have the support of other family members or parents. 

“No one offers with an older person.

“I am grateful for my one friend who enjoys snooker and takes dad to the seniors’ centre where they play. I so appreciate that,” says Ms Beake.

 

Do You Support a Loved One with Dementia? 

If so, you may be interested in Supporting People With Dementia. This online course is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills required to provide support to people with dementia in a variety of settings including family homes, community day settings and residential care facilities.

Leadership Training – Learn How to Lead with Confidence

Are you a team leader, or do you hope to become one?

You might wonder about the leadership training and personal attributes you’ll need to be a successful team leader.

So, we asked Leadership Consultant Marie-Claire Ross to enlighten us.

This is what Ms Ross had to say while reflecting on her experience leading teams, and on her current profession – which involves building trust in teams.

“A great team leader can empower their team to do their best work in service of a shared goal.

“They remove roadblocks, bottlenecks and provide their team with timely resources to get work done.

“They are focused on serving customers, rather than serving their own needs and ensuring their team has the freedom and autonomy to deliver.”

 

Leadership Training – Skills for Success

So, how do you become this great leader? Leadership training?

“Being a successful team leader is not just about knowing how to do the technical work.

“It involves knowing how to do the soft stuff – being a better team player and learning how to manage people better.

“This requires having foundational skills in knowing how to build trust with those around you.

“People need to be able to rely on you know that you will make good on your promises.”

 

Any Type of Leadership Role is a Gift

Team leaders have the opportunity to create the type of thriving environment they always wanted when they had a terrible boss, said Ms Ross.

“Supporting people in doing their best work, not only improves productivity for the organisation but improves people’s well-being.

“A great team leader can improve people’s mental health by linking the impact and value of work employees are doing that boosts fulfilment and satisfaction.”

 

Leadership is a Challenge

When asked about the challenges of leadership, Ms Ross says it always comes down to the people.

“People problems are always difficult to manage.

“This can be balancing the needs and demands of leaders above you while ensuring that you meet the demands of your own team.

“Being stuck in the middle can be tricky terrain to navigate through. Either way, it involves having the skills to build trust with those above, below and sideways to achieve maximum results.”

 

Helping Others Achieve Goals

Leadership Program Director Sonia McDonald said a great team leader is someone who knows how to help their team members be their best.

“They understand their role is to inspire them to dream more, be more and learn more.

“It’s someone who shows kindness, courage, integrity and leadership daily, and they are aligned to their values and leadership.”

 

Leadership Training – What’s Required?

A successful leader needs leadership training and coaching in many areas.

“Team leaders need leadership training and skills, and coaching in the areas of self-awareness, EQ, communication, courage, team development, motivating others and having courageous conversations.”

 

Playing a Part in Others’ Success

Nothing beats the feeling of sharing in the success of others, said Ms McDonald.

“The best part of being a team leader is seeing the growth, success and achievements of your team and knowing you have played a role in that success.

“In turn, having the courage and kindness to help others become better and realise their potential too.”

 

Are you interested in gaining leadership training to become a successful team leader?

If so, consider our Team Leader Preparation Program.

 

Team Leader Preparation Program

In this Team Leader Preparation Program, you’ll develop leadership training to achieve professional development goals.

You will gain the knowledge and skills required to be an effective workplace leader.

You’ll learn about:

  • How successful leaders work, from managing and motivating staff to confidently communicating to achieve business outcomes.
  • Communication models, law and ethics, resource management, and planning tools that will enhance your performance as a leader.
  • Effective frontline management, conflict resolution and recruitment and induction strategies to develop and support teams.

On completion of this program, you will feel confident to successfully lead and manage a team for an organisation using proven management and leadership strategies.

If you’re looking for a more advanced leadership training program consider the Leadership – Communicating For Results

 

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for an online training provider that offers quality content, reasonable course fees and superior student support, choose Australian Online Courses for your professional development.

Simply visit us online to discover hundreds of flexible, online, professional development courses covering almost every industry sector. Or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

7 Unlawful Interview Questions (And How to Respond if Asked)

Interviews are a nerve-wracking experience at the best of times. But if you’re asked one of these unlawful interview questions, it’s important to know how to respond.

Principal Lawyer Trent Hancock of McDonald Murholme says you should never be asked unlawful interview questions in an interview. 

If you do happen to find yourself in this uncomfortable position, you can decline to comment. 

So, which are the illegal interview questions, and what’s the best way to respond? 

 

Unlawful interview questions 

According to Mr Hancock, you should never be asked the following questions in an interview as they are unlawful. 

  1. Are you in a same-sex relationship?
  2. How old are you?
  3. What’s your ethnic background?
  4. What religion are you?
  5. Are you pregnant or planning to start a family?
  6. Who do you vote for?
  7. Do you have a physical or mental disability?

 

“If an interviewer steps out of line and asks an unlawful question, an interviewee can politely decline to answer the question on the basis that the answer is not relevant to their ability to perform the role.

“Ideally, this response will cause the interviewer to realise their misstep and withdraw the question,” said Mr Hancock. 

Questions are unlawful because they breach anti-discrimination laws and the Fair Work Act, explained Human Resource Professional, Yvonne Walker.

“Any questions regarding sex, race, disability, carer status or religion are unlawful if not directly relevant to the job”.  

Ms Walker says employers should always frame the question in terms of the job requirements, not the characteristics, such as “This role requires night shift work. Is there anything that would stop you from being able to work night shift” rather than, “Who will look after your children if you are called into work night shift.”

 

 When an employer fails to ask a question appropriately, you can either decline to answer based on the fact that the interview question is unlawful or answer by addressing the job requirement. 

“Obviously and unfortunately many employers still ask questions that could be unlawful.

“The best way for a candidate to handle it, if they still want the job after being asked it, is to relate their answer to the job requirements.”

If asked: “How will you handle the school pickup?”

Response: “I have arrangements in place to ensure it won’t impact on me doing my job.” 

 

 Power Dynamics and Interviews

Interviews are daunting, and it’s easy to feel like the interviewer has all the power. After all, they have something you want – a job. But don’t forget that you also have something they want – experience, skills and the energy to make their job easier and add value to their business. 

So, if you’re asked an unlawful question or even one that you deem to be inappropriate or insensitive, don’t be afraid to decline to comment. 

 

If You Experience Discrimination

If you do feel you were asked an unlawful interview question and have been discriminated against, you can contact the Australian Human Rights Commission.

 

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for an online training provider that offers quality content, reasonable course fees and superior student support, choose Australian Online Courses for your professional development.

Simply visit us online to discover hundreds of flexible, online, professional development courses covering almost every industry sector. Or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

Mediation Training. Why Counselling is Crucial

If you’re considering a career as a mediator, one of the most important skills you need to be successful is counselling.

Many careers, from nursing to teaching, benefit from counselling skills, but if you work as a mediator, your counselling skills can make or break your career.

 That’s why counselling ability in combination with mediation training and conflict resolution techniques are essential to the role of mediator.

 

What is Mediation?

The Australian Mediation Association defines mediation as: ‘A process by which a neutral third party called a mediator helps people in conflict negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. The parties to the mediation control the outcome.’

 

What’s it Like to Work as a Mediator? 

Bearing witness to people amicably resolving conflict is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a professional mediator, according to Ms Priest. 

“I love to observe the progress of the conflict resolution from the emotional perspective when people in conflict move from a negative attitude towards each other to the positive and constructive discussion.” 

 

Mediation is often successful, but dealing with difficult people can mean that resolutions aren’t always reached, which is a downside of the job.

“What I find challenging is dealing with a situation when one party become too inflexible and stubborn while another party is trying to do their best to find a resolution,” said Ms Priest.

So, what type of counselling skills are most important in a career as a mediator?

 

Mediation training and conflict resolution techniques are at the heart of this rewarding career, but so is the ability to put specific counselling skills into practice.

Professional mediator, Amelia Priest, assists companies and individuals using conflict resolution techniques to find mutually agreeable solutions that allow people to move forward.

To be able to assist her clients effectively, Ms Priest says she consistently uses the following counselling skills.

 

  1. Effective Listening

Active listening is a significant skill of every mediator. Effective listening is more than just listening and paying attention. It involves understanding the meaning of the message and emotion behind it.

 

  1. Reflective Skills

Reflective skills are when we give feedback to each party to make sure we have heard them, so we use words like:

“What you are saying is…”

“It seems that…”

“It sounds like…,” 

“The main concern for you is…”

 

  1. Reframing

Reframing skills are like effective listening, but the difference is that we “reframe” what has been said so that parties can see things differently. It can also be called a “translation” or “re-wording.”

For example:

In a business dispute, one partner blamed the other that she did not put as many hours as he did. So, we would reframe it by saying, “Let’s discuss the distribution of a workload, as you believe it wasn’t equally distributed.”

Changing the language but keeping the same meaning made both parties focus on workload instead of blaming each other. 

And, their answer emerged, they did not discuss the time each of them was going to put in but agreed on the distribution of responsibilities.

One partner was looking after manufacturing and the other sales and marketing. But as they were only dealing with distributors and an external marketing company, there wasn’t enough work for one of the partners.

 

  1. Summarising

During mediation, each party has an equal opportunity to vent their emotions and freely say what they want to say in a controlled environment. 

So, as you can imagine, there are a lot of negative emotions, blame and repetition in the room. By summarising, we extract the “net” information and repeat back to the parties.

 

Whether you want to be a professional mediator or want to incorporate mediation training and conflict resolution techniques in the workplace, consider an online professional development course.

An online course can provide mediation training and conflict resolution techniques to help you to hone your skills at work.

Online, professional development courses in counselling and mediation training are ideal ‘career-tasters’ if you’re considering becoming a professional mediator. These online courses also provide a solid foundation to study further.

 

Counselling and Mediation Training

Are you wondering whether you’re a good fit for a career in mediation or counselling? 

It’s vital to develop mediation training and conflict resolution techniques. But you’ll need to make significant time and financial commitment to study at a higher education level for many professions in these industries. 

So, before you commit, why not enrol in an online professional development course? These introductory courses will help you to decide which counselling or mediation jobs are most appealing to you.  

Australian Online Courses offer many online counselling and mediation training courses. These courses, including the Certificate of Mediation and the Certificate of Counselling, provide a solid foundation to study further

 

Certificate of Mediation 

The Certificate of Mediation is an online professional development program that will provide you with mediation training and conflict resolution techniques. These techniques will help you to develop, implement and review guidelines and procedures for mediation within an organisation, or on behalf of an organisation.

 

Certificate of Counselling 

 The Certificate of Counselling will provide you with the skills and knowledge to work in the helping professions working within a structured counselling framework.

In this online counselling course, you will learn how to support clients in decision-making processes. You’ll also discover specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills.  In addition, you’ll learn to research and apply personality, development and counselling theories into your counselling practice.

 

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for an online training provider that offers quality content, reasonable course fees and superior student support, choose Australian Online Courses for your professional development.

Simply visit us online to discover hundreds of flexible, online, professional development courses covering almost every industry sector. Or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

Our Online Psychology Courses Provide Valuable Career Insight

If you’re considering a career in mental health, you may be curious about what it’s like to be a psychologist.

Whether you’re just starting out or are making a career change, psychology involves extensive study, which is a significant time and financial commitment. So, it’s important to be sure it’s the right choice before you dive in.

There are many short online psychology courses that provide insight into this diverse field, including forensic psychology, health psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, organisational psychology and sports psychology.

Online psychology courses provide the theory, skills and knowledge required in this occupation, but the most valuable insight comes from those already working in the industry.

So, we spoke to a psychologist to find out what it’s like to work in this fascinating field.

 

What’s it Like to Be a Psychologist?

Psychologist and Organisational Wellbeing Consultant, Lisa Johnson, uses evidence-based psychology practices to help individuals, couples, families and organisations with health enhancements.

“I have a therapy dog in my private practice that assists with creating a warm, caring and relaxed environment. She is also invaluable when I am supporting children and teens through anxiety and emotional regulation.”

A focus on nutritional health and physical wellbeing are an essential part of Ms Johnson’s therapy.

“They are fundamental health aspects that contribute significantly to someone’s wellbeing, and often they are neglected.

“I’m passionate about enhancing the health, productivity and happiness within workplaces. I often see clients with work stress, anxiety and depression that impacts their work, relationships and family life.”

 

Why Did You Become a Psychologist? 

It wasn’t a clear-cut career path for Ms Johnson, who worked as a remedial massage therapist, yoga teacher and complementary medicine practitioner before she embarked on a career in psychology.

“I had my struggles with learning difficulties, self-worth and confidence, but I had a deep need to contribute something positive in people’s lives, especially by holistically addressing their lifestyle.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the mind, human behaviours, emotions, social connections, diversity, social justice and people sense of purpose and belonging.

“I wanted to help a broader range of people with their health and wellbeing and psychology was a good option.

“I knew I could offer something more unique because of my passion for holistic, preventative and practice approaches rather than crisis support,” says Ms Johnson.

 

What Do You Love About Your Job?

“It’s a privilege to be able to support people through their vulnerability and to be trusted to explore with them about their private thoughts and often painful experiences.

“Together, we can understand their cognitions and behaviours more deeply and equip them to be able to make better choices to support health enhancement and happiness.

“Everyone is unique in their experiences and interpretations about themselves and life events. I love being able to support people to work through key events, challenges and vulnerabilities.”

 

What’s Challenging in Mental Health? 

The juggle of running a business and maintaining health, family and lifestyle goals is challenging, explains Ms Johnson.

It’s also difficult to work through the stigma around mental health and to have organisations adopt a wellbeing focus, instead of being crisis and risk reduction driven, says Ms Johnson.

“It’s challenging when clients wait until they’ve hit the wall emotionally and physically instead of using preventative strategies to enhance their health before a crisis.”

 

What’s Your Advice for People Considering Psychology as a Career? 

The biggest asset you have is your health and wellbeing, explained Ms Johnson, as psychology can be taxing, confronting, triggering and draining.

  • Practice self-care, get to know yourself and work through your stresses and health goals. Take holidays and time out often.
  • Gain support, professional supervision and extra training often.
  • Look after the needs of yourself, your loved ones, friends and family.
  • Work in your areas of competencies, skills set and passions and refer to other health professionals often. We don’t own any client or their health goals, and often it’s a team approach which will produce the best outcomes.

 

Considering a Career Change?

If you’re thinking about changing careers, you’re not alone. More than one million Australians change jobs every year and more than half move to a different industry or career1.

So, if you’ve been curious about a career in psychology, take a look at the online psychology courses with Australian Online Courses. They offer a foundation knowledge that can set the course for a new direction in your career.

 

Online Psychology Courses

Introductory online psychology courses are an ideal way to discover if you’re interested in pursuing further study.

There are many areas in psychology to consider. If you’re unsure which direction to take, why not try them all? These short, online psychology courses are designed to provide an overview of the profession to give you insight into which field is of most interest to you.

 

Certificate of Psychology

Advanced Certificate of Criminal Psychology and Forensic Science

Certificate of Developmental Psychology

Certificate of Educational Psychology

Certificate of Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Certificate of Sport Psychology

 

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for quality content, reasonable course fees and superior student support, choose Australian Online Courses for your professional development.

Simply visit us online to discover hundreds of flexible, online, professional development courses covering almost every industry sector. Or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

Considering a Career in Mental Health? 

If you’ve been considering a career in the mental health industry, you might be wondering what it’s like and if you’d be a good fit. 

The mental health field is diverse, encompassing professions from less senior positions such as a Community Services Workers to more senior roles such as Psychiatrists. 

Depending on your area of interest and how much you’re willing to invest in your education, there’s a rewarding mental health job waiting for you. 

 

So, Where Do You Start? 

We asked a mental health professional about their career to find out what it’s like to work in this industry and how they got started. 

Psychotherapist and Relationship Counsellor, Dan Auerbach, says it’s important to do your research and to speak to people in different disciplines and settings to find the right path for you. 

“Is there are a specific group of people you’d like to work with or a particular approach to counselling you think you’d enjoy? 

“Make sure to look at those options before you set out on a long course of study.

“Interview people in the industry about career prospects that you may be interested in in the future and ask them what skills or qualifications they look for in an employee. 

“Don’t hesitate to ask them about their day-to-day work.”

 

What Traits do Mental Health Professionals Need? 

The traits you need to work in mental health depends on the area of work you choose, explains Mr Auerbach. 

“If you’re a neuropsychologist, you may need good assessment skills and a great grasp of scientific concepts, including data and analysis. 

“If you’re a relationship counsellor, you’ll need to enjoy being a party to and managing strong emotion. 

“As a psychotherapist, you’re going to want to have a strong and unwavering interest in the human condition. And as a counsellor, you’re going to want to have a strong desire to be with and help people.”

 

 Mental Health Jobs: The Highs and Lows  

One of the best aspects of working in mental health is that there is always more to learn, and you get to connect with people in a profound way, says Mr Auerbach.

“Being a witness and companion to people’s deepest experiences is a real privilege. 

“It’s always interesting, always challenging and very satisfying when you feel you are making a difference.” 

 On the flip side, one of the most challenging aspects of is realising that helping people is not a simple equation, according to Mr Auerbach. 

“You can make your best efforts, but often it’s a puzzle where you must work to connect with your clients and learn from them about what they need. 

“Working with couples is also difficult because there is a lot at stake, and tensions can get very high. 

“But the challenge also is what makes it such great work!”

 

Types of Mental Health Jobs

  • Community Services Worker

A Community Services Worker helps individuals, families, groups and communities to promote positive social functioning. This is a diverse field and includes many occupations including youth worker, addition support worker, child protection officer, community development officer, community support worker and more. 

 

  • Psychologist

A psychologist is a professional trained in the science of how people think, feel and behave. They can work as psychotherapists in a counselling capacity or research or teaching roles. 

 

  • Counsellor 

A Counsellor helps people experiencing emotional difficulties in recognising and working through their issues. A Counsellor incorporates techniques such as talking therapy to assist people in developing strategies to cope better with relationship problems and life challenges.  

 

  • Psychiatrist 

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialised in psychiatry and generally treats patients with more serious mental health conditions. A psychiatrist can prescribe medications and perform medical examinations and order tests to treat mental illness. 

 

  • Mental Health Nurse 

A mental health nurse is responsible for supporting and providing medical care to people with a range of mental health disorders, from anxiety and depression to personality disorders and addictions to drugs or alcohol.

 

 Mental Health Courses 

Are you wondering whether you’re a good fit for the many mental health jobs available? 

For many careers in this industry, you’ll need to make significant time and financial commitment to study. 

You can enrol in short online professional development mental health courses that will help you to decide which mental health jobs are most appealing to you.  

Australian Online Courses offer many online mental health courses that will provide a foundation to study further. 

 

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for an online training provider that offers quality content, reasonable course fees and superior student support, choose Australian Online Courses for your professional development.

 

Simply visit us online to discover hundreds of flexible, online, professional development courses covering almost every industry sector. Or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

Experts Share: Workplace Communication Hacks

Communication is a powerhouse that keeps any organisation moving forward toward business objectives. A lack of effective communication, whether between teams, leaders or employees will bring a business to a halt.

Career Coach Catherine Phan says effective workplace communication is a combination of understanding yourself and that of your co-workers.

“Communication starts with self-awareness and empathy and is often about understanding expectations, each person’s role, and what you want to achieve.

“If you’re able to understand and communicate what you would like from the other persons or what they’d like from you, such as to listen, brainstorm with, seek clarity from, communication regarding the work becomes much easier allowing for easier camaraderie and workplace culture,” said Ms Phan.

The increase in automation and technological advances in the workplace today will not be able to replicate human communication.

“Employees still have a greater ability than technology to communicate, clarify, understand problems and find solutions.

“And, with good communication comes innovation.”

 

Communication-Enhancing Strategies in the Workplace

You can improve your communication in the workplace by asking others how they perceive you or by seeking the advice of a professional.

“Reflective practice and feedback from others, such as a line manager or an external reflective practice practitioner, helps you to understand how to communicate, overcome anxieties and to navigate different personalities in the workplace.”

‘It’s also helpful to set professional development goals around communication to ensure team cohesion to meet business objectives.

“Poor communication nearly always affects how a team operates, effectiveness and the evolution of any business.”

Reflective practice is an essential part of professional and personal development for employees and leaders.

“Greater education and coaching about the impact of good communication lead to greater influence with others, leadership skills, being understood and known by colleagues, and in turn, creating support to achieve goals.

“Feedback regarding communication often needs to be one on one to personalise and coach through scenarios, as well as to avoid humiliating employees,” said Ms Phan.

Workplace Communication Specialist Trish Everett, Director of Weave, says you can’t build a productive, engaged and creative team without it good communication.

“Workplace communication keeps your team together. When communication falls down, then so does the connection, the processes and the function of your team. It also affects team morale and well being.”

 

So, what can you do to improve your team’s communication?

The first and most crucial step to improving workplace communication is to make it a top priority, said Ms Everett.

“You need to help both your team and the leadership to build their communication skills.”

Inward and outward communication skills and emotional intelligence are important in establishing strong and effective communication in the workplace.

“Build inward communication skills such as active listening, perspective reflecting and open-ended questions.

“Build outward communication skills such as speaking with clarity, putting forward different options and giving feedback.

“Build emotional intelligence communication, such as expressing empathy and conflict resolution skills.

“Build the skills of appreciation and strength acknowledgement to strengthen your team.

“Communication is a practice, so once new skills have been learnt, providing the opportunity, environment and support to ensure that they become new positive habits is needed.

“It is also important to create a circle of safety in the workplace.

“This is where there is a zero-tolerance on blame, where mistakes are allowed and worked through and where each member of the team has a voice and a forum to speak,” said Ms Everett.

 

Australian Online Courses

We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality professional development online courses in Australia to boost your career prospects in any industry.

Our unique eLearning platform allows you to study around life, work and family commitments from the comfort of home, or anywhere that suits your learning, at your own pace.

So, what are you waiting for? If ‘you’re serious about taking your career to the next level, enrol in a flexible, online professional development course today.

 

Improve Your Workplace Communication

These professional development courses will help you and your team improve your communication skills in the workplace.

Communicate With Influence

Communicate With Influence is an online soft skills course that will provide you with the skills and knowledge required to comprehend the different aspects of the communication process and apply effective communication techniques at work and in social settings.

Conflict Management Program

The Certificate of Conflict Management is an online professional development course that will teach you the principles and techniques critical for effective conflict management, negotiation and dispute resolution at work. This program will teach you how to work with difficult people and provide you with the tools necessary to create win-win situations.

Develop Emotional Intelligence

Develop Emotional Intelligence is an online professional development course that will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to develop and apply emotional intelligence for personal and career success.

Can Managers Learn Emotional Intelligence?

People skills can make all the difference when it comes to carving out a successful career, according to psychologists and career counsellors. In fact, emotional intelligence (EQ) may be more important than IQ when it comes to getting ahead in the workforce.

So, what is emotional intelligence? How do you know if you’re emotionally intelligent or in need of training? We spoke to a psychologist and leadership coach to find out.

 

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.

 

Therese Lardner, Psychologist and Leadership Coach, assists human resources executives to understand and improve their EQ, leading to better leadership and more engagement at work.

“I have explored the impact of emotional intelligence on resilience and mental health in my upcoming book, “How to avoid burnout: the ultimate guide to reducing stress, revitalising energy and re-igniting your career.

“Every manager will have strengths in some areas of emotional intelligence and challenges in others.

“The first step, though, is building emotional self-awareness because this is the foundation of all the other elements of emotional intelligence.

“If you boost emotional self-awareness, it’s much easier then to work on the other elements,” said Ms Lardner.

To do this, you need to support managers to understand the physiological information that their body is sending, explained Ms Larder.

“It could be the knot in their stomach, the tightness in their throat or their racing heartbeat.

“Then, it’s a matter of boosting managers’ emotional vocabulary – the nuanced words they must draw on to describe how they’re feeling.

“Once managers have improved in this area, it’s much easier to coach them around increasing their empathy or emotional self-management.”

 

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership.

Leadership and emotional intelligence go hand-in-glove, said Ms Lardner.

“Having strong emotional intelligence is vital to being able to communicate a compelling vision for the future, having real conversations with team members around performance and development and ensuring that talent is mobilised within the team to deliver results.

“There is a raft of research to show that higher emotional intelligence leads to better communication and collaboration, improved customer service and stronger job performance overall.

“It also has an impact on resilience and mental health.”

 

How to Identify If You’re Lacking Emotional Intelligence

It can be challenging to gauge your emotional intelligence, and it may only be after an ‘incident’ that you have insight.

“Individuals will sometimes recognise challenges around their emotional intelligence after the fact, like a conversation not going to plan or missing cues from other people that then lead to conflict.

“Some of us, though, have very little insight into our emotional intelligence and the impact that has on others as a result.

“The most objective way to find out about emotional intelligence is to measure it.

“There are several emotional intelligence assessment tools available on the market. However, you need to choose the test wisely.

“Choose one that is valid and reliable, as well as based on a behavioural model of emotional intelligence.

“If you want to improve the emotional intelligence of your leaders, there’s no use choosing a tool that views it as a fixed ability that can’t be developed.”

 

Does a Low EQ Score Mean I’m Insensitive?

If the part of emotional intelligence that you find challenging is empathy or awareness of the emotions of others, it can mean that you are insensitive.

“This often means that picking up on emotional cues in others is difficult and that can lead to responses and reactions to others not hitting the mark.”

 

The Consequences of Leaders with a Low EQ.

If a manager doesn’t have the capacity to manage their emotions, their emotional reactivity will cause problems, explained Ms Lardner.

“If a leader doesn’t have a strong capacity to manage their own emotions, they will tend to be quite emotionally reactive and will say and do things in the heat of the moment that they regret later.

“Managers who find it difficult to communicate emotions in an authentic way will find it hard to engage their teams in change and ‘sell’ people on solutions and ideas.

“Overall, communication, collaboration and decision-making will be impacted by having lower emotional intelligence.”

If you manage others and have had interpersonal conflicts more regularly than most, it might be time to measure your EQ to discover if you need to develop your emotional intelligence to help you be a better leader.

 

Australian Online Courses

We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality professional development online courses in Australia to boost your career prospects in any industry.

Our unique eLearning platform allows you to study around life, work and family commitments from the comfort of home, or anywhere that suits your learning, at your own pace.

So, what are you waiting for? If you’re serious about taking your career to the next level, enrol in a flexible, online professional development course today.

Resignation: How to Make a Smooth Exit

A graceful exit is the only way to go for professionals who want to avoid burning bridges while progressing their career. A graceful resignation also puts you in a favourable position when it comes to receiving excellent references.

 

How to Write a Resignation Letter

When you accept a new position, it’s time to write a resignation letter. But not before you’ve received an official ‘letter of offer’ and are aware of any contractual agreements in place with your current employer, explained Life Coach Heather Currie.

“Before you hand in your resignation, ensure you have re-read your signed contract to identify your notice period and to be aware of any other important contractual details.

“If you’re in an industry where you are likely to be “walked” on the day, subtly plan to clear out your desk and get your administrative affairs in order before you hand in your notice.

“If you’re leaving a legacy and with lots of internal knowledge that may be undocumented, you may consider preparing a short handover document in good faith, in case your last day is the day you hand in your resignation,” said Ms Currie.

Joseph Liu, Career Consultant & Host of the Career Relaunch Podcast, said because resignation letters are filed with a human resource department, it’s essential to keep it positive and diplomatic.

 

At the very least, Mr Liu recommends the following:

  1. State that you are formally resigning from your job and the date you intend to depart, acknowledging any notice period you’re required to serve as part of your employment contract.
  2. Include positive anecdotes both of what you’ve gained from your role and one of your key contributions.
  3. Convey that you would like to keep the doors open to returning in the future if your circumstances change. After all, you never know what the future holds.

 

Ms Currie agrees: “A resignation letter should be calm, clear, concise and professional as this will stay on the company’s records.

“If you have constructive feedback or otherwise for the organisation before you leave, speak to your manager, human resources department or request an Exit Interview if this is not automatically offered – don’t include this in your resignation letter.”

 

How to Give Notice

If you can book in a short fifteen-minute meeting with your manager, before formally handing in your notice, this is advisable, said Ms Currie.

“Book this at the beginning of the day, so your manager and team have time to process and start the formal exit procedures.

“You can specify at this stage how you would like this to be announced and what part you play in this procedure, but this will be at the discretion of your manager.

“If you have any feedback on your experience and constructive criticism or ideas, let your manager know that you would appreciate an opportunity to share this before you leave.

“It may not be appropriate to do it at the time of resignation, and it will allow your manager, team, and organisation to process your decision,” said Ms Currie.

 

How to Handle the Exit Interview

Prepare to be fair, honest and professional, advised Ms Currie.

“There is a huge difference between giving emotive, unconstructive feedback and constructive professional feedback.

“It is, perhaps, an emotional time depending on your tenure and experience at the company, and you can let them know how you felt during your time there.

“If you are raising any issues, give tangible examples, impacts, and timeframes, so this can be formally documented and can be potentially useful in the future.

“It is often important to attend an exit interview to give closure and share details of your experience and areas for improvement in a way that doesn’t burn your bridges.

“Overall, keep interactions polite, civil and professional under all circumstances.

“If you had a bad experience, give feedback in a way that can be used and then move onto your new opportunity.

“Most industry networks are quite tight-knit so don’t do or say anything that could compromise your reputation or undermine your experience, work and value that you have brought to the company during your time,” said Ms Currie.

 

Resignation, especially if you’ve been with a company for a long time, can be daunting. But resignation done the right way will keep your career moving in a positive direction without burning bridges.

 

Australian Online Courses

We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality professional development online courses in Australia to boost your career prospects in any industry.

Our unique eLearning platform allows you to study around life, work and family commitments from the comfort of home, or anywhere that suits your learning, at your own pace.

So, what are you waiting for? If you’re serious about taking your career to the next level, enrol in a flexible, online professional development course today.

5 Critical Reasons Why Managers Require HR Skills

Human resources training makes sense for those working in a HR department, but what about training for non-HR staff? Of course, human resources departments are instrumental in assisting managers with human resource issues and tasks.

But what about small to medium-sized businesses? Businesses with less staff and limited resources often lack a human resource department, and managers need to wear ‘many hats.’ And, those managers with access to a human resources department, do they consult with human resources on every issue? It’s unlikely.

These managers (and businesses) are at risk of putting themselves in a dangerous position when it comes to performing human resources tasks, such as hiring, firing and managing staff performance.

It makes sense that human resources training for those not specifically in human resources, particularly managers or supervisors, protects and ensures the smooth operation of businesses.

 

What is Human Resources (HR)?

Human resources is the process of managing employees in a business and involves hiring, firing, training, and inspiring employees.

A human resources department is responsible for recruiting and training employees and managing employee-benefit programs.

 

Human Resources Training. Can Managers Manage Without it?

Career Coach and Former Human Resources Specialist, Kaylyn Taylor, says it’s vital that all managers receive leadership education and human resources training.

If managers lack these crucial skills, the consequences are many, explained Ms Taylor, including a high turnover of employees, costly recruitment, poor productivity, absenteeism and a negative impact on employee mental health.

So, let’s take a look at the top five reasons why managers and businesses should invest in professional development training in human resources.

 

  1. Helps Protect the Company Brand

When it comes to hiring and firing, training is human resources training is important because it’s not just the employees’ rights that need to be considered but also the reputation of the company brand.

“It can be difficult to give ‘soft rejections’ to those who aren’t successful in the recruitment process or those who need to be let go. Managers must be able to protect the company brand in sensitive situations.”

 

  1. Creates More Effective Recruitment and Increases Employee Loyalty

Interviewing skills are not just for the person being interviewed. It’s equally important for managers – the interviewer – to have recruitment and interviewing skills.

“They need to know what questions to ask, how behavioural-based questions work, and they need to ditch the power trip and make sure every single person feels good about the brand.”

 

  1. Reduces Turnover Rates and Employee Sick Days

A high turnover of employees and absenteeism are two consequences of inadequate leadership and HR training.

“When I worked in corporate recruitment, part of my job was reporting directly to the owner of the business and undertaking a culture assessment.

“There were a few cases where staff retention was the key problem, and when this is happening a lot, it almost always means a poor manager is running the show.

“That’s why I always encourage manager feedback forms and leadership training for anyone in a position where they are managing others,” said Ms Taylor.

 

  1. Evokes a More Productive and Happier Workplace (Increasing Overall Revenue)

When managers develop essential leadership skills and HR training, employees feel happier and become more productive in the workplace.

“It’s proven that happier workplaces result in higher productivity, which results in higher revenue. That means managers need to be able to create a positive and nourishing workplace that inspires people to work effectively.”

 

  1. Helps Managers Achieve Higher Levels of Emotional Intelligence 

Emotional intelligence is the ability to be conscious of, control, and express   your emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships sensibly and with empathy.

Having a high emotional intelligence is essential for personal and business success and is particularly important for those in leadership or management positions.

“There are natural-born leaders with high levels of compassion and emotional intelligence, but they’re few and far between.

“Many managers need training in these areas to increase employee loyalty, retention and workforce productivity.”

 

If you’re a manager and want to develop skills in leadership, human resources and recruitment, you can discover many helpful, professional development courses at Australian Online Courses. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221.

 

Australian Online Courses supports National Skills Week from Monday the 26th of August to Sunday, September 1st to raise the status of practical and vocational learning in Australia.

12 Easy Ways to Boost LinkedIn to Advance Your Career

LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool to boost your career prospects, but if you’re not using to your advantage, you may be missing out many valuable opportunities according to two leading recruitment specialists.

Recruitment expert Em Pescott says there are many ways to maximise your LinkedIn profile to increase exposure and land your dream career.

 

  1. Ensure You Turn on the ‘I’m Available’ Button.

If you want recruiters to know you’re interested in new job opportunities, make sure you turn on the ‘I’m available’ button on your LinkedIn profile.

“It’s not obvious to your network so your boss won’t see it, but recruiters, who pay LinkedIn big bucks for recruiter access, can see it as a big green flashing light.

“Since recruiters are constantly looking for amazing talent, making it that much easier for them to find you is a real opportunity for you. To let recruiters know you are ready for new opportunities, you turn ‘on’ your signal.

“You can do this from your LinkedIn home page by clicking on the “Jobs” tab on the  toolbar.”

 

  1. Pack Your Profile with Relevant Keywords.

If you want recruiters to find you easily make sure your profile’s up to date with relevant keywords.

“It’s important that if you have numerous skill sets or different job titles, you include these in the ‘headline’ section of your profile. That way I’ll turn up in numerous job searches.

“The recruiter function in LinkedIn uses Boolean strings in their search functionality.  This means that recruiters can use keywords, phrases and words such as “and”, “or”, “not” to broaden or limit their search.  That way they can narrow down the candidate pool when they’re looking for something specific.

“So, ensure you have specific keywords throughout your LinkedIn profile that  matches roles you’re interested in.  That way you’ll be found in recruiter searches much faster.”

 

  1. Connect and Interact with Influential People.

Connecting with recruiters, hiring managers and human resources professionals in your field is essential to advance your career. If you have a paid LinkedIn account, you can write InMail to introduce yourself.

“Don’t forget the rules of networking. It’s about what you can provide first. It’s not just about asking them for their help straight away.  You’ve got to build a relationship first.

“Maybe share an interesting article or praise them for something they’ve posted recently.”

 

  1. Get Endorsed!

There’s nothing more powerful or persuasive than a personal review from someone who has worked with you using the ‘endorsements’ function on LinkedIn.

“Ask past managers or colleagues to endorse your top skills and write a review for you.  This adds credibility to your profile and builds trust quickly.”

 

  1. Post Interesting Content.

Another way to build your network and remain relevant on LinkedIn is to regularly post content to the platform that will assist or be of interest to your contacts.

“Find and post interesting and relevant content for your industry.  That way, all those influential people you’ve connected with can see that you’re passionate and you’ll hopefully show up in their feed and be top of mind.”

Human Resources and Recruitment Specialist Hilary Callaghan says LinkedIn is like unicorn dust for advancing your career if you know how to maximise your profile.

“Simply having a profile on LinkedIn will help your career, but to get your career into the fast lane make sure your profile is complete, shows your strengths, knowledge and a little sparkle,” said Callaghan.

 

  1. Add Everyone.

You can increase your exposure simply by adding all the people you know, whether it’s a professional or personal connection, to your LinkedIn network.

“I add everyone I work with, and when I go to networking events, I add people at the event. If I’m at a family event you bet, I’m adding long lost Uncle Bart.

“You never know where your connections will get you.  I also follow inspirational leaders I’d like to work with, sometimes they even follow me back!”

 

  1. Nurture Your Network.

You need to do more than accumulate lots of connections on LinkedIn if you want to use this career tool to boost your career prospects. You also need to nurture those connections to start conversations that add value.

“There’s no point building a big network if you do nothing with it. I selectively re-post jobs by others, articles, news and anything I think would help my network.

“I comment on relevant articles, by my network or others, and I send relevant articles directly to my connections.”

 

  1. Ask for Help.

If you need help, it’s helpful to ask your network for assistance.

“When I’m looking for a new challenge or have a new problem at work, I ask for help. This can be as a post or direct message.

“If my connection doesn’t know they always share it with someone that can. My network knows they can come to me anytime too.”

 

  1. Use LinkedIn Career Advice and Learning.

If your network can’t help with a challenge, it’s helpful to use LinkedIn Career Advice or LinkedIn Learning.

“There are times my network couldn’t help, but LinkedIn Career Advice and LinkedIn Learning became the hero on the day. Career Advice has leaders that have put their hands up to support people, free of charge.

“I do all this on my commute a couple of days a week, just a few clicks, and then I’m back on Instagram for the rest of my ride. Easy!”

 

  1. Build a Well-Developed Network.

When you invest time in developing your network, you open career pathways to companies that align with your career development.

“Keep working on your network, the time you put in now will pay off in dividends in the future.

“Use the ‘follow’ feature for people and companies that you find interesting so you can see what they’re up to. They’ll get a notification, and sometimes they’ll follow you back!

 

  1. Advice and Support.

LinkedIn is vital to find advice and to receive recommendations. Once you’ve built your network, you have your list of people to as for advice or recommendations.

“I guarantee many connections are willing to help you; you just need to ask. When asking for help, be specific.

“If you don’t have anyone in your network with the right background, you can post on your feed and ask people to share or use LinkedIn Career Advice to approach people that have put their virtual hand up to help people.”

 

  1. Create an Engaging Profile.

When developing your LinkedIn profile, think about what you write to engage your audience.

“If you’re stuck on what to write, look for others with strong profiles and similar experience to you. Look for someone aspirational.

“Make sure you highlight your achievements and make them relevant to someone outside your industry.

“This doesn’t have to take your whole weekend, as just a few clicks on your commute in the morning will help push the needle.  Remember, the more you put in, the more you get out!”

 

Australian Online Courses

Australian Online Courses offers hundreds of unique professional development courses designed to boost your career prospects in any industry.

When you study with Australian Online Courses, you have access to an eLearning platform that allows you to study where and when you choose. This self-paced learning environment will enable you to plan your study around work, life and family commitments.

So, if you’re serious about taking your career to the next level, enrol in a flexible, online professional development course today.

5 Tips on Becoming a Successful Mentor (And Why It’s Life-Changing).

If you’ve been considering becoming a mentor, you should think about what you want to get out of the relationship, because mentoring is not about managing, it’s about guiding, according to Gayle Fitzpatrick, a mentor with Raise Foundation.

“It’s not about giving the answers, it’s about empowering the mentee to come to their own conclusions. It’s not about judgement, it’s about talking through the subject and discussing multiple perspectives that will enable the mentee to decide what resonates.

“I think mentorship is a crucial element of managing staff and being a part of the Raise Foundation has enabled me to become a better manager and trainer,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

 

  1. Listen … really listen.

Ms Fitzpatrick, who currently mentors a teenager at school through the Raise Foundation, said her biggest tip is to listen to understand, rather than a reply.

“A lot of these children coming into the program just need someone to hear them.

“A lot of the time, we listen to respond, rather than to listen to understand, and people need to feel that they are understood, especially if you are tackling sensitive or delicate topics.

“You need a mentor you can trust if you are going to open up to them and we can’t expect trust to be established if we aren’t willing to listen to each other,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

 

  1. Don’t Exert Authority.

“We often think, as we progress in life and through our careers, that we only have things to teach rather than things to learn.

“I think it’s important to understand that, as a manager or a mentor, people that are younger than us or that don’t have as much professional or life experience, can still teach us things.

“Being a good mentor is not exerting your authority, it is as much learning from the mentee as it is guiding them.

“During my first year as a mentor with the Raise Foundation, my mentee, an incredible 15-year-old girl, taught me a lot about myself and how I can grow as a person … much more than I think she will ever know!

“We went on that journey together, and I will always hold that experience dear in my heart,” said Ms Fitzpatrick,

 

  1. Management Isn’t Mentoring

As Head of Marketing for a property company, Ms Fitzpatrick manages staff but is not fond of the term manager, preferring leadership and mentoring.

“Mentoring is about guiding, not managing.

“Not everyone thrives under management or, worse, micro-management.

“They can only really flourish when they have the right guidance. And that guidance is not a one-size-fits-all solution, it has to be adapted to the person and the environment at that moment in time.

“Even the same person will need a different kind of guidance at different times, depending on a whole heap of different factors.”

 

  1. Mentoring is Empowerment.

Mentoring is about empowering the mentee to come to their own conclusions, explained Ms Fitzpatrick.

“When I train my staff, I refuse to give them the answers to a lot of their questions.

“Instead, I ask them a series of questions that allows them to come to the answer themselves.

“It’s not always an easy or quick process, but when they arrive at the answer, they have done it on their own and, when you are early on in your career like a lot of my staff are when they join the company, that can be a huge confidence boost.

“It gives them the means to make their own decisions. It also means that they can come to a conclusion that hasn’t been nudged in a particular direction by our own perceptions or agendas,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

 

  1. Mentors Must be Impartial!

When talking through a scenario or problem in a mentor and mentee relationship, there is no room for judgement, explained Ms Fitzpatrick.

“It takes a while to build the rapport needed for a successful relationship.

“That rapport needs to be treated delicately as it could be easy to damage and difficult to repair, especially if your mentee is vulnerable, as with some of the children in the program for the Raise Foundation.

“At the start of the relationship, it’s important to set boundaries and some expectations, such as confidentiality and limitations.

“You are both then responsible for sticking to them.

 

Mentoring is Life-Changing for Mentee and Mentor

“I think it’s important to remember that you’re making a positive difference in someone’s life.

“I think back to some of the mentors I have had, both personally and professionally, and some of them probably weren’t even aware of the long-lasting impact they have made on me.

“It’s also important to remember that we all have the opportunity to mentor anyone, anywhere, it doesn’t have to be in an official capacity.

“Everything we do and say, all of our reactions to the things that happen to us, they’re all noticed by someone and can all have an impact on those around us.

“For that reason, we should always be striving to be our best selves. The reward I get from mentoring is one of the most powerful I have felt to date,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

If you’ve been thinking about mentoring, consider an online professional development course to gain the skills and knowledge required to set the foundations for a successful partnership.

 

Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring

The Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring with Australian Online Courses will help you to develop the skills to support and sustain improved performance by others.

This online course will help you to develop a professional mentoring relationship with a learner, in particular, an apprentice or trainee employed by, or undertaking a work placement in, a workplace.

You will discover how to design and implement a coaching and mentoring program using adult learning principles and current coaching and mentoring methodologies.

To find out more, contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

 

Australian Online Courses

Australian Online Courses offers contemporary, online professional development courses coupled with exceptional student support to provide a superior eLearning experience.

Visit us online to discover hundreds of industry-relevant, flexible, online courses covering almost every industry sector. Alternatively, contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221 or via Live Chat.

5 Common Small Business Mistakes – And, How to Avoid Them!

Did you know 40 per cent of small businesses will fail in the first three years?  It’s hardly surprising, considering the countless challenges faced by small business owners daily.

So, how can small business owners increase their chances of survival? As a small business owner, you’re probably time poor. So, we spoke to Mike Williams, a business valuation expert specialising in small business, to share his expertise on the most common small business mistakes and how to avoid them.

 

  1. Lack of consistent and regular management and business reporting such as profit and loss report, balance sheet, debtors list and weekly or monthly breakdown of sales and enquiries.
  • This is a mistake that creeps up on people – they don’t think there is an issue until there is no cash in the bank to pay bills or a debt has built up with the Australian Taxation Office.
  • Regular reporting may be a proverbial “pain in the butt”, but it helps alert you to issues as they develop.
  • Even if you are a sole operator, issuing reports to yourself and setting time aside to review them without interruption (it can be as simple as 30 minutes per week or one hour per month) is worth the effort to avoid financial shortfalls.
  • Set up your accounting software (whether Xero, QuickBooks or MYOB) to automatically pick up the business bank feed and reconcile every week. This means you can issue or print off reports regularly.
  • Alternatively, arrange for a bookkeeper to regularly reconcile your accounts and print off the reports for you.
  • Make sure the sales reports are not just a single line – show a breakdown by product or service category or preferably by a customer/client segment.  That way, you can pick trends as they develop and put in place corrective actions.

 

  1. Failing to incorporate and leverage technology effectively to streamline operations, reduce labour requirements and automate sales functions.
  • Find ways to automate the sales enquiry process, allow online ordering and payments or make bookings online.
  • Transmit key job details (for tradespeople going to jobs, such as an address, customer contact details, job requirements).
  • Automatically enter invoice and receipt details into accounting software.
  • Automate collection of customer feedback.

 

  1. Heavy reliance on key persons within the business.
  • Document the operations of the business in a manner that enables someone else to fill your role.
  • List out the key processes and procedures under the categories Sales, Marketing (different to Sales), Operations, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Administration.
  • Then for each key process, write a procedure or set of instructions.  Where the Operations are highly technical, refer to any Operations Manual or other documents.
  • Train others in the documented procedures so that when others are away, the role can still be completed.
  • Make sure there is a structure to the roles in the business – who is expected to do what and by when.  Even for small two or three person businesses, this can mean when one person is down others can take their place.

 

  1. Failing to bring on new products or services or diversify into new market segments, relying on the same customers delivering the same products or services.
  • Always survey your customers or make notes of what your competitors are doing differently and explore if new products or services could fulfil unmet needs.
  • Map out the different markets that you service and consider if there are markets in related areas that you can service.
  • Can you service new geographical markets or add an “online” service?
  • Have a documented business plan that looks at the market trends over the next two to three years and document ideas and ways that you can add new products or services or enter new markets.
  • Regularly measure customer satisfaction and make sure the process is linked to any customer complaint handling procedure.  Record customer ideas in a central register and use this to develop new products or services or new markets.

 

  1. Develop a culture of learning, involvement and growth with employees to help drive a continuous growth mindset.
  • Have a training plan in place for staff and encourage development.
  • Regularly measure staff satisfaction. This can be as simple as getting staff to fill in a weekly or monthly ranking from one to 10 – how satisfied are they as an employee in the last week or month?
  • Add a comments section for ideas then include the ideas into any improvement plans for your business.
  • Regularly involve your staff in improvement projects and business planning.
  • Implement improvement ideas by involving key staff – if suited.
  • Regularly hold staff functions or just simple lunchtime BBQs or coffee sessions.

 

Small business ownership is equal parts challenging and rewarding, so make sure you face the challenges head-on by being informed on how to manage your small business effectively. The rewards will follow.

If your business is experiencing any skills gaps, consider a professional development course for yourself or your staff to safeguard the continued success of your small business.

Australian Online Courses offer many small business professional development courses that can help you to stay relevant in a highly competitive business climate.

When you study with Australian Online Courses, you have access to an eLearning platform that allows you to study where and when you choose. This self-paced learning environment will enable you to plan your study around work, life and family commitments.

Find your new direction today!

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