Zealancer-News 57
DEAR READERS,
In this issue, we continue sorting the ‘wheat from the chaff’ trying to understand the impact the global meltdown will have on the regional freelance employment market. The outlook is positive with the Australian economy tipped to stay in growth mode and generating a $5B surplus. In addition, the Gartner Group’s research indicates that the Asia Pacific IT sector; a good indicator of overall corporate health, is projected to grow at 8.3% over the next 12 months. We include some interesting research from the UK which shows that over the last decade there has been a 14% increase in individuals choosing to be self-employed as freelance contractors. We offer some useful business tips on free software provided by the taxation office to help you effectively manage your business finances and provide an update on our marketing activities which is generating increased demand through buyer (client) awareness of Zealancer.nz. We welcome an article from our contractor, outlining the human resource development services he provides and as always provide some interesting but totally useless facts and the obligatory bad joke.
I wish you a lot of fun reading and, of course, as always, good business!
Rainer Kurz
Market update: Sorting the wheat from the chaff
Despite the ‘doom and gloom’ scenarios painted in the media over the last few months, the Australian professional employment sector has remained steady and stable. In fact, the October 08 employment figures just released confounded the ‘experts’ with 34,000 people finding new employment and the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.3%. Australia and Canada are the only two OECD countries that have projected economic growth and a budget surplus. Australia is projecting a 2% growth for the 08/09 year and a surplus of $5B. Further, the market intelligence group Gartner is projecting an 8.3% growth in IT demand for the Asia Pacific Region. Globally, however, they are projecting a worst-case growth of 2.3%.
So the APAC market is well and truly outperforming the global market which is not surprising given our very different fundamentals. All this growth; and in a market that is already starved of quality professionals! So what’s this mean to you? More demand! As the CBA’s chief economist Michael Blythe puts it 'employers are switching to more casual staff in the face of the economic downturn” Don’t get caught up in the wave of pessimism. The official statistics, the Treasurer, treasury and various academic experts agree; Australia is traveling very well.
Yes, there will be an impact, but freelance consultants will be part of the solution. There will be continued, across the board demand for quality professionals of all kinds. Some industries, like some in the financial sector, will have to rationalise to maintain their profitability whilst others are taking the opportunities to replenish their talent base by replacing the bottom 10-15% of their staff. They are doing this, not because they’re under economic pressure to do so, but because they have the opportunity to replace the poor performers with better calibre individuals. In the near future therefore, we expect that demand for freelance consultants will continue to stay high.
Research: There are now 1.4 million freelance workers in the UK
A recent study by the UK’s Professional Contractors Group (PCG) has shown that there are 1.4 million freelance workers in the UK. This represents a 14 percent rise in individuals leveraging the benefits of this alternative working lifestyle since 1998.
The study indicates that 62 percent of contractors are male and 38 percent are female. John Brazier, managing director of PCG, said the study provided a 'credible outline of the size and characteristics of our dynamic freelance workforce', something he claimed had not existed until now.
Referring to contracting in general, he added: 'The freelance community has grown over the last ten years and all the signs indicate that it will continue to grow'
Business tips: Managing your finances and business
Kerry Packer once told a parliamentary committee in 1991; “Now, of course, I am minimizing my tax and if anybody in this country doesn´t minimize their tax they want their heads to read because as a government I can tell you you´re not spending it that well that we should be donating extra.” Truer words were never spoken! So how do we go about living up to this objective? The answer? Keep detailed records of expenditure!! The analysis shows that many self-employed workers are not maintaining their financial records in a manner designed to optimize their tax deductions and are potentially paying way too much tax.
The Australian Tax Department has made available free of charge a superb software product called e-record. This is an excellent spreadsheet driven record management facility providing cashbook management, BAS processing, reconciliation of daily sales, cash flow management, tax invoicing, inventory management and many other very useful features. The system is easy to use and provides full backup facilities ensuring you never lose the data and has excellent on phone support.
We strongly recommend that you run through the tutorial provided. You can find e-record at here!.
At Zealancer: Steady and increasing demand
We are now well into our client-focused marketing campaign which we’re pleased to say is generating considerable demand across all geographic regions. The marketing program is multi-tiered and will be ongoing. The bottom tier consists of an aggressive AdWords campaign which aims at attracting suitably qualified ‘net’ users to the site, the next is an SOE program aimed at increasing our presence and placement through search engine optimisation. The next activity is a direct marketing campaign aimed at over 200,000 individuals in the Australian/NZ market place. Complementing these activities is a targeted program aimed at the big-end of town and includes many of the premier consultancy firms, system integrators, retailers and manufacturing sectors.
Lastly, but most importantly, we’re constantly scanning the job boards and local media and directly notifying private advertisers seeking to fill positions that are consistent with the skill profiles of the candidates currently registered. We do not permit recruitment agents to use the service so all requests for introduction will come directly from the buyer.
Freelancer article: Helping individuals improve their results
Registered service providers can introduce themselves with a short article in Freelancing.hk-News. In this issue, we present you a freelancer specialised in human resource development.
___
I have over 15 years of experience in human resource development. I provide leadership development, management training, change management, strategic planning, resource management, performance management, executive coaching and career development to a range of industries internationally.
With the current global downturn, I am providing extensive guidance and practical advice on 'Leading in a Recession'.
I am passionate about helping individuals and organisations improve their results, by implementing specific strategies that promote the development of leaders and their teams.
An innovative and strategic thinker, I am quick in identifying the core problems and providing the organisation with the guidance and direction to solve them. I have a keen interest in blended learning, combining traditional experiential learning practice with electronic simulations.
Specialties include:
* Leadership and Organisational Development
* Executive coaching
* Performance Management
* Strategic Planning
* Talent Management
* E-learning and Electronic Simulations, and
* Change Management
___
Zealancer joke of the month
At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated: 'If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that got 1000 miles to the gallon.'
General Motors addressed this comment by releasing the statement: 'Yes, but would you want your car to crash twice a day?'
Useless facts
1. The only food that does not spoil: honey
2. The only bird that can fly backward: Hummingbird
3. The youngest pope was 11 years old.
4. Your nose and ears never stop growing
5. Iceland consumes more Coca-cola per capita than any other nation.
6. Jupiter is bigger than all the other planets in our solar system combined.
7. Hot water is heavier than cold.
8. The parachute was invented by da Vinci in 1515.
9. Pluto is no longer a planet
10. Of the 44 presidents of the USA, 4 were assassinated with 8 failed attempts. “I wonder what Workcover would say about those occupational risks?”
Current requirements
Our clients have made requests for the following contractors:
Project Scheduler: Our client is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Project Scheduler to join their team on an initial 6 months contract basis. The role´s responsibility is to update and manage a number of project schedules on a day to day basis as well as to gather all information required to create the master schedules. Additionally, they will be working closely with Project Managers to manage smaller project and initiatives end to end. The ideal candidate brings a very strong and proven background as Project Scheduler using MS Project. This is absolutely essential to be successful in this role.
Java Developer: Our client is in need someone with hands-on experience using JSF1.2 and Visual Web JSF (Woodstock) which incorporates NetBeans IDE6.1. The job involves building a web application using JSF and JBDC for an Advertising agency that will allow access to data and services for their clients. This will include making bookings that can be costed, supplying material, posting advertisements to job boards, retrieving PDF’s of invoices and other data.
If you have suggestions or want to subscribe to our newsletter, please leave your message here: