Let’s be brutally honest for a second: recruitment can sometimes feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark while someone shouts conflicting instructions at you.
On one hand, hiring managers are demanding a mythical unicorn—a candidate with ten years of experience in a software language that was invented three years ago, willing to work for peanuts. On the other hand, candidates are (rightfully) demanding transparency, flexibility, and a hiring process that doesn’t feel like a trip to the dentist.
And sitting right in the middle of this chaos is you, the recruiter, armed with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), a LinkedIn Recruiter seat, and an increasingly lukewarm cup of coffee.
Lately, the loudest voice in the room isn’t the hiring manager or the candidate. It’s the deafening buzz around Artificial Intelligence. But here is the philosophical truth we need to grapple with before we talk tech: You cannot automate authentic human connection.
If your underlying recruitment process is broken, feeding it into a shiny new AI tool won’t fix it; it will just help you make the same mistakes at scale. Let’s pull back the curtain and look at how the best talent acquisition teams are blending cutting-edge tech with raw, old-school empathy to win the talent war.
As Term 1 begins, you might be settling back into routines, catching up with friends or already thinking about what this year will bring. Whether you’re in Year 9 and starting to think about senior subject choices or in Year 12 with big decisions ahead, this term is an excellent opportunity to focus on the importance of understanding yourself.
Before you can make informed decisions about subjects, pathways or careers, it helps to know what genuinely interests you, what you’re good at and what matters to you. That’s what self-awareness is all about and it’s the foundation for every career decision you’ll make.
Why self-discovery matters
Think of your career journey like planning a trip. You need to know your starting point before you can map out the best route forward. Knowing your interests, strengths and values will help you make choices that align with who you are and what you want from your future.
For Year 9 and 10 students, this means you can select senior subjects that genuinely suit you. For Year 11 and 12 students, it’s about refining your self-knowledge to make confident decisions about university, TAFE, apprenticeships or entering the workforce.
A simple activity to get started
Take some time this week to reflect on these questions. You might want to write down your thoughts in a notebook or on your phone:
What am I naturally good at? Think beyond school subjects. Perhaps you’re skilled at explaining ideas, solving problems, bringing people together or working with your hands.
What activities absorb my attention? Whether it’s coding, creating art, playing sport or building things, these moments reveal your genuine interests.
What do I value? Consider what’s important to you: creativity, helping others, independence, job security, innovation or making a difference.
What environments suit me? Do you prefer working independently or as part of a team? Indoors or outdoors? Structured routines or variety and flexibility?
Look for patterns in your answers. These insights will help you understand what kinds of careers and study pathways could work for you. Discuss with your parent or your career advisor at school.
Explore myfuture
Now is a great time to explore the myfuture platform if you haven’t already. Browse through the occupation profiles, take the career quiz and discover new pathways. You’ll find careers ranging from engineers and graphic designers to nurses and agricultural scientists – many you probably didn’t know existed.
The platform is designed to help you connect your interests and strengths with real-world job profiles. Spend some time clicking through different sections and save anything that sparks your curiosity.
If you’re like most professionals these days, your to-do list is longer than your actual day. When the volume of work exceeds your available time and energy, it’s easy to spiral into frustration or guilt.
But here’s the truth: an overwhelming workload isn’t necessarily a personal shortcoming. Often, it’s simply a logistical mismatch that requires deliberate recalibration.
Having trained professionals across industries for more than 15 years, I’ve discovered that there are only three real options when you’re overwhelmed. Everything else is a distraction or a delay.
Option 1: Reduce the Workload
This is the most obvious (and usually the most resisted) option. You can reduce your workload, but it requires conversations that most people want to avoid. You might need to renegotiate deadlines, reallocate responsibilities, delegate more intentionally, or leverage technology more effectively.
Resistance usually comes from a well-meaning place. You want to be seen as a reliable, capable, team player. But being overwhelmed doesn’t serve your team, your goals, or your personal wellbeing. You are a human being, with normal, natural human limitations of time and energy.
If your plate is overfull, ask: Who else can contribute here? What are more reasonable expectations I can advocate for? What tools or systems could help reduce my manual busy work?
It’s nearly Christmas! The halls have been decked, Christmas cards sent and the presents are wrapped and under the tree. It’s time to wind down from a busy year at school, college, university or work, but if you have some time to spare over the holidays, why not use it to reflect, explore some careers ideas, write your CV, get some work experience and plan for your future?
Explore career ideas
A career journey is a lifelong process and on average people will change careers three or more times in their lifetime. Industries and jobs are continuously evolving, the same as you will! The career you are interested in at your current stage of life may change as you grow and evolve as a person. When planning your career and future goals you might consider:
Be curious about careers! Look into the job market, trends, qualifications and responsibilities of different careers. The National Careers service and Prospects websites provide free information to help you make informed decisions about learning, training and work at any stage of your career. Take a look at their guides to different careers:
If you are interested in an apprenticeship, you can browse to see which apprenticeship vacancies match your interests on the government’s Find an Apprenticeship website or take a look at Amazing Apprenticeships.
Create an action plan: Devise a plan that outlines your short and long-term goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them. Your plan should be flexible to allow for change as needed.
Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound goals.
The holiday season is a time of celebration. Balancing work and family time can be challenging, especially when you work from home. When children are on holiday break, many parents experience a sense of guilt when work commitments pull them away from moments they’d rather be sharing with their loved ones.
But with the right strategies, you can stay productive, protect your well-being, and make the most of every moment with your loved ones.
In this article, we’ll explore effective tips to help you navigate the demands of work and family during this holiday break. These strategies will help you stay organized, reduce stress, and create meaningful memories.
1. Setting boundaries
One of the most important tips for balancing work and family is setting boundaries, not just for yourself, but for your entire family. Open communication with your partner, children, or other family members before the holiday break begins can help reinforce existing boundaries and introduce new ones that support everyone’s needs. To help you stay productive while keeping family time meaningful, you can try to:
Share your meeting schedules so your family knows when you’re unavailable.
Agree on acceptable noise levels during working hours to minimize distractions.
Create activity boxes filled with games, books, or crafts your children can enjoy independently while they are waiting for you to become available.
Use educational apps, online classes, or virtual playdates to keep your children engaged
Establish visual cues like a “do not disturb” sign or wear headphones to signal that you shouldn’t be disturbed
2. Master time management and planning
Planning ahead is key to a smooth holiday break. Whether it’s mapping out work deadlines or fitting in family activities, having a clear overview helps reduce last-minute stress and sets realistic expectations for everyone at home.
You can also use shared family calendars or planners to help your family understand when you’re working and when you’re free. A schedule not only helps with balancing work and family but it also helps your family feel more involved and respected in the process.
It starts with good intentions. You offer to take on a little extra—help out here and there. Maybe someone asks for a favor, and you’re happy to step in. Or maybe no one asks; you just see the need and fill it because that’s who you are. You care. You want to be helpful, supportive, reliable.
But over time, that constant yes starts to weigh more heavily. The calendar gets crowded, the task list grows longer, the pressure builds. And suddenly, what felt like being a great teammate starts to feel like losing your grip on your own time and energy.
Overcommitment is rarely about poor time management. More often, it’s rooted in a desire to be helpful—to prove your worth and avoid letting anyone down. Saying yes feels generous, collaborative, even noble. But there’s a shadow side to this pattern: when your default response is yes, you can unintentionally chip away at your productivity, performance, and peace of mind.
The Fear Behind the Yes
The fear of saying no is often more than just not wanting to seem difficult. It can feel like a threat to your professional identity. You might worry that setting limits means you’ll miss out on opportunities, seem less committed, or damage your reputation as a team player. For many professionals, especially high-achievers, saying no feels like admitting weakness or avoiding responsibility.
But here’s the truth: when you’re chronically overextended, you’re not performing at your best. You’re reacting, not leading. You’re not giving yourself the time and space to do deep, meaningful work—the kind that builds your career rather than just maintaining it.
A job interview is more than just a meeting – it’s your opportunity to shine, connect, and step into the next chapter of your career. Whether you’re preparing for your first interview or your fiftieth, this guide will help you understand what to expect, how to prepare, and how to answer questions with clarity, confidence, and faith.
What Is a Job Interview?
A job interview is a conversation between a job seeker and an employer or recruiter to determine if there’s a mutual fit. It allows the employer to evaluate your skills, experience, and personality – and gives you the chance to learn about the company and the role.
Think of it as a two-way street: not just “Will they hire me?” but also, “Is this a place where I can grow and contribute?”
Biblical Insight: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3
DID YOU KNOW???
You can get free career guidance with one of our Crossroads Guides! When you schedule with one of our Crossroads Guides, you will receive a free consultation (up to 45 minutes), helping to give you hope and direction during your job transition. Click here to Connect with a Crossroads Guide for a free 45 minute consultation.
As of mid April 2020, about 95% of Americans—or 306 million people—were placed under a stay-at-home order to stop the spread of the coronavirus.1 And we’re not the only ones. All across the world, political and business leaders are asking people to stay put. This means that, in a matter of days, we’ve been thrown into the largest work-from-home experiment in the history of the world!
But you know what’s exciting? Disruption is an opportunity for innovation. Human beings are incredibly adaptable, and we have wonderful technology and tools on our hands to figure this thing out.
It’s critical that you stay as productive as possible during this time—for your own career, for your company, and for our larger economy. You were created to contribute. Here are eight tips for working from home, whether you’ve been doing this for years or for just a few weeks.
1. Create a schedule.
No one really knows how long the coronavirus shutdown will last. For now, you need to think of this as your new normal and get into a regular routine. Wake up at the same time every morning, get dressed, show up, and work hard—just like you would when you go into the office. Don’t get caught without pants like this guy!
If you have kids, especially little ones, then writing and posting a physical schedule is a must. Look at the day (or week) ahead and plan out meetings, schoolwork, screen time for the kids and even chores that need to get done. Involve your kids in the planning process—it will really help them buy in and participate. Post the schedule on some poster board or on a whiteboard where everyone can see it.
Also, make sure to power down at the end of the day. You don’t have a physical commute that separates you from the office, so create a ritual to help you disconnect—like walking the dog, going on a short drive, or working out.
As a hiring manager in the commercial real estate (CRE) industry, you may have considered using recruiters to fill your open positions but have hesitated due to certain objections. Maybe it’s the thought of delegating such an important function to someone outside of your company. Maybe it’s cost considerations. Or maybe you’re just not familiar with how recruiters work in general.
Whatever your objections to hiring a recruiter for your next important search, we’re going to completely debunk these most common myths. We will address the top five objections companies have to using recruiters for their hiring needs and explain why these objections just aren’t as valid or significant as you might think.
So, without further ado, let’s identify the 5 main reasons not to hire a CRE recruiter and debunk them all, one by one.
1. Aren’t Recruiters Expensive?
One of the most common objections to using recruiters is the cost. Let’s face it, we all want to save money wherever we can. And many companies believe that they can save money by handling the recruitment process in-house. There’s a certain logic to this. Doing it yourself is typically cheaper, right?
Well, not necessarily. Recruitment can be a time-consuming process that takes away from other important business activities. In addition, in-house recruitment often involves advertising costs, candidate screening, and interviewing, which can add up quickly.
As it turns out, by using a recruiter, you can actually save time and money in the long run by ensuring that you make better hires for your organization.
2. No One Knows Your Industry Like You, Right?
One of the objections to hiring a recruiter is that they may not have a deep understanding of the CRE industry. However, many recruiters specialize in certain industries and have a specialized network of candidates with relevant experience. And they spend their days chatting with industry insiders. In fact, they often have the inside scoop before you! They can also provide valuable insights into market trends and salary expectations, helping you to make informed hiring decisions.
3. Can I Really Trust a Recruiter?
Some companies may be hesitant to use recruiters because they’re unsure if they can trust them to find the right candidates. It’s tempting to think of recruiters as just resume slingers out to make a quick buck, right?
However, reputable recruiters will work with you to understand your organization’s culture, values, and hiring needs. They’re on your team. They will prioritize integrity in their dealings with you and your potential candidates. They will also take the time to thoroughly screen candidates to ensure that they are a good fit for your organization.
4. What About Control?
Another of the common objections to hiring a recruiter is the loss of control over the recruitment process. How much say will you have once you sign on the dotted line? If that’s an objection you’ve ever had, it might surprise you to learn that working with a recruiter can actually give you more control over the process. Seriously!
Recruiters put you in the driver’s seat by providing regular updates on the recruitment process, valuable feedback on candidates, and insights into each candidate they work with. Additionally, they can handle negotiations with candidates, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
5. Is It Worth All the Extra Time?
For some reason, some companies are hesitant to use recruiters because they believe it will take longer to fill open positions. And it might seem that way. After all, you’re adding a middle man – won’t that slow things down?
However, recruiters have a large pool of candidates on tap. A recruiter who specializes in commercial real estate already has qualified candidates sitting in their database and can locate them far more quickly than an in-house recruitment team. They can also handle the time-consuming aspects of the recruitment process, such as advertising, screening, and interviewing.
So, while these may be fairly common objections to hiring a recruiter for your next big CRE hire, they’re not valid objections. They’re typically based on misconceptions or a lack of understanding of the recruitment process. By partnering with a reputable recruiter who specializes in the CRE industry, you can actually save time and money, gain access to a larger pool of qualified candidates, and ensure that you are hiring the right people for your organization.
Commercial real estate (CRE) professionals are in a highly competitive industry, and standing out from the crowd can be challenging. However, one effective way to differentiate yourself and increase earning potential is by negotiating your compensation package after job interviews and an offer and revisiting that package during performance reviews or company changes.
And you know what? It works.
According to research, those who negotiate and effectively communicate their worth on average see an increase in their salary by over 7%, which may not sound like much. But it could translate into thousands of dollars over the course of your career.
This article provides practical tips for CRE professionals to better communicate their worth in job interviews and salary negotiations, including when to negotiate, what to negotiate, and how to negotiate effectively.
When to Negotiate
Knowing when to negotiate is crucial to increasing earning potential. CRE professionals should wait until they receive a job offer before negotiating. During the interview process, if the hiring manager mentions a salary range, it’s best to acknowledge it and move on.
Once a job offer is received, candidates can start negotiating salary, bonus specifics, equity, time off, educational reimbursements, title, health benefits, and other incentives.
CRE professionals should also consider negotiating during promotion opportunities, annual reviews, and company events like mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, in times when salaries are rapidly climbing like now, you should consider negotiating a higher salary to remain competitive and not fall behind in your career.
What to Negotiate
CRE professionals have several options to negotiate beyond salary, including:
Bonus specifics
Equity
Time off
Educational and organizational reimbursements
Title/role
Health benefits
401K contributions
Candidates should do their research to understand which of these options align with their goals and the company’s policies. Additionally, knowing the current market rates for different positions can help candidates understand what is reasonable to ask for.
How to Negotiate
Negotiating effectively can be challenging, especially for those who are not used to it. However, there are several strategies that CRE professionals can use to improve their negotiation skills and increase their earning potential.
1. Use Recruiters
Recruiters can provide valuable insights into market rates for different positions. It’s crucial to your ability to succeed that you understand how recruiters work and how they can help you in your career. While it’s not necessary to go through the full interview process for a job you’re not interested in, answering calls from recruiters can provide valuable information about the market and what other companies are offering. And during an interview process, they can help you negotiate the highest possible package.
2. Do Your Research
Before negotiating, it’s essential to evaluate your performance and responsibilities compared to the job description. Knowing specific responsibilities and quantifying contributions can be useful in demonstrating one’s value to the company. You’re probably doing more work than was initially covered in your JD, right? Also, understanding the company’s structure, dynamics, and growth objectives and how you align can help candidates/employees negotiate more effectively.
3. Leverage Your Strengths
Candidates can leverage their education, unique skills, years of experience, and other strengths to negotiate better. Social or interpersonal skills, leadership, team-building abilities, and efficiencies are also valuable assets that can help candidates negotiate a higher salary.
4. Set Your Target
Before negotiating, candidates should set a target amount to negotiate for. Don’t ask for a range (which side of that range do you think they’ll pick?). Having a clear and specific number that is a step or two higher than the target can provide wiggle room during negotiations.
5. Be Prepared to Address Concerns
Understanding the supervisor’s concerns and fears and addressing them preemptively can help build trust and increase the chances of a successful negotiation. Outline possible objections and the best way to communicate in response to them. Effective communication is important in all business aspects, and this is one area in which it could really make a difference.
6. Schedule That Meeting!
When asking for a negotiation conversation, CRE professionals should go to their direct boss first. They can say, “I’d love to set up a conversation to discuss my performance and growth in the company. I noticed you are open next Wednesday afternoon, can we block 30 minutes to meet?” After all your preparation, it’s time to step up and communicate your worth in clear and measurable terms. But the meeting won’t happen unless you take the initiative.
