Superannuation is the primary means by which Australians save for retirement.  While enjoying any benefits of good investment may seem to be in the distant future, your future self will undoubtedly be thankful for any improvements you may make to your investment strategy. Here are answers to a few of the most commonly asked superannuation questions. Are you eligible for superannuation? If you are over 18 years old and earning more than $450 a month then you are eligible for superannuation. It does not matter if you are a full time, part time, casual or even temporary resident in Australia.  Australian employers are required to pay 9.5% in superannuation on top of your gross salary and wages. How can I access my superannuation? You can access your superannuation when you retire or leave the country permanently. You may be able to access your superannuation earlier: on compassionate grounds; if you are in severe financial hardship; if you have a terminal medical condition; or if you are temporarily or permanently incapacitated. Please follow this link for more information. Picking a superannuation account Every employer in Australia is required to have a default superannuation account. As an employee, you can opt for that superannuation to be put into an account of your choosing or the ‘default’ account chosen by your employer. While opting for your superannuation to be put in the default account may seem like less of a hassle, it’s important to consider the best fund for you. Small differences in fees or investment performance may result in significant material differences in your eventual wealth. The fees paid on your total superannuation balance may double between accounts and differences in potential returns may differ by 2%. While that may sound minimal, each 1% lost from annual superannuation return, whether that is from higher fees or worse returns, reduces your balance by about 20% over 30 years. Further information Follow the links below for more information on what superannuation accounts are best suited to your needs: https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/superannuation-and-retirement/how-super-works/choosing-a-super-fund http://www.canstar.com.au/superannuation/ http://findmybestsuper.com.au/

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I have never liked phone interviews. Unfortunately for me and everyone in the same boat, an increasing number of employers are now conducting first round interviews over the phone. Phone interviewing has therefore become an essential skill.  The following advice may assist in guiding you through a skype or phone interview. Schedule a time that works for you It is more than likely that a time for your phone interview will be scheduled in advance. If it is not however, no one will judge you for rescheduling to a more appropriate time. If you are about to run out the door or sitting on a public train, it is completely acceptable to say something along the lines of “Great to hear from you. I’m not at my desk, would you mind if I give you a call back at some point today? What time would suit you?” Be present In a face to face interview it is natural to nod or smile to show that you understand what the interviewer is asking. When being interviewed over the phone, it is just as essential to give cues to show your interviewer that you are still present. Expect silence Just like in a face to face interview, your interviewer will be taking notes during the interview. This will mean that silences should be expected! Don’t feel the need to fill all silences because more times than not, that is what leads to incoherent answers and unnecessary rambling. Eliminate distractions Eliminating distractions means finding a quiet space where your dog won’t find you. Close facebook, your email or anything else that may distract you so you can give your complete attention to the interview. The bottom line? Treat a phone interview like you would a face to face interview. Employers will cut candidates based on phone interviews and so if you want the job, you had better take it seriously!

The importance of written communication cannot be underestimated. Grammatical errors have the potential to undermine the application of even the strongest candidate. If you want to give yourself the best chance of landing your dream job, it’s time to brush up on your grammar and double check any written communication between yourself and a potential employer. Below are a few of the most common grammatical errors that I have come across during my time in recruitment:   1.  Its vs it’s Its is the possessive form of it. Confusion between it’s and its occurs because ‘s indicates possession for every word other than it. It’s can only be interpreted to mean it is Example:             I’ve seen the product’s name but not its number. It’s sunny outside   2.  Laying vs Lying Lay means ‘to put’ or ‘to place’. Lie is the term used to describe the object when it has already been laid down. Example:             I want to lay down. I want to be lying on a beach in the Bahamas.   3.  Practice vs Practise Practice is a noun, while practise is a verb. Example:             I want to go to the medical practice. I need to practise the saxophone.

Jackson Recruitment Services was founded in 1989. I am often asked if it’s difficult to keep up with all the change and development that occurs in the industry. The honest answer is that I have always learnt to adapt – I jumped on the bandwagon when LinkedIn became a tool for recruitment and parted with my original recruitment database when I was told that ‘the cloud’ was the future. As long as I have some guarantee that new technology is reliable, I have no problem utilising it to further the quality of service I am able to deliver. I do concede however, that I believe there’s an element of practicality and security that accompanies some older pieces of technology. While I can often see the benefits of adapting to industry changes, my colleague Rachel assures me I’m not alone in my slight mistrust of new technology. Just the other week she was telling me that her dad refuses to upgrade to a smart phone, taking immense pride in telling people that he has a ‘dumb’ phone – a joke Rachel says she has heard him make too many times. Apparently his strongest argument in favour of his $30 Target phone is that it is reliable – the screen doesn’t break if he accidentally drops it, the home button doesn’t sporadically decide to stop working, and the in-built GPS never leads him astray. While it’s easy to laugh at his seemingly backward preferences, that’s exactly how we at Jackson Recruitment Services felt about our old website. Our old website was nothing flash to look at but it seemed to contain everything we needed. We told ourselves that while it may not have been elegant, it was practical and practicality is what really matters. Well, it’s been a long time coming but we have finally given our website the makeover it deserved. Our eyes have been opened to the wonders of blogging and we would love for you to come on the journey with us. Please check out are new and improved website and follow our blog at http://www.jacksonrecruitment.com.au/.