30 November 2015

Bogan's Rant - With Michael McShane - December 2015

2015 - The Year that Was 

Well fellow Bogan's, what a tumultuous and emotional year 2015 has been! Many things have put sand in my budgy smugglers throughout the course of the year and I've done my best to articulate them all! I won't enter into a tirade against anything this newsletter - let's instead reflect!

The Bogan has ranted over many topics this year, all of which have been overwhelmingly sourced & summarised from real experiences and feedback from YOU - clients and candidates! We've focused on relationships, morals, ethics, double standards, incompetence, transparency, respect - having options, an opinion that matters, delivering on promises, focus on quality, fee for service, the recruitment screening process, a dysfunctional industry wide recruitment process, unethical behaviours, hiring muppets and above all an underlying desire for all to be open, honest and communicate efficiently internally and externally! We all want the industry to improve and thrive. 

We're experiencing some of the highest unemployment rates for mining professionals in history - in particular Geologists. I'm hearing more home brew stories than ever before as Geo's find ways to fuel their favourite past times….. We're seeing political infighting affecting industry confidence and subsequent growth, global financial stresses and commodity prices / cost of doing business teetering on the edge of destruction or extinction for many companies. We're all looking at efficiencies, consolidation, re-structuring and continual improvement - many talk about it, many act on it.

I'm sure we all know those people that are away with the pixies, but they're the first ones to get their knickers in a knot and do their block - no point debating with them. They're all sizzle and no steak!

Some people stop to think, and forget to start again.  

But, we need to move forward and I'm a hopeless optimist. You know, someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it's more like a cha-cha! Let's hope 2016 Chinese year of the "monkey" is an improvement on the 2015 year of the sheep!

What else has happened this year that is newsworthy? Bruce Jenner Is now Caitlyn Jenner - there's hope for some of you yet! Nepal Earthquake kills thousands, ISIS & global terror attacks, Apple watch - where will it end, selfie sticks banned at Disneyland, Hawks win 3^rd premiership in a row, the loss of Richie Benaud and BB King, 5^th Prime Minister of Australia in as many years, US have a "mass shooting" daily on average - yet still defend their right to bear arms, the Bogan turned 40, trekked around Everest & didn't "find himself" and Volkswagon learnt how to feign efficiency (we all know people like that)!    

Some words of advice: To those seeking work or are experiencing "under-employment" - if "Plan A" doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters - stay cool and persist! If you are one of those that managed to somehow secure work or remain gainfully employed and you think your boss is "stupid" - remember, you wouldn't have a job if he was any smarter…….if you find yourself staring at the orange juice carton just because it said "concentrate", I'd suggest you take a look at yourself.

Ships don't sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don't let what happens around you get inside you and weigh you down.

Many people call me to ask what I'm seeing in the industry - after all, I immerse myself across many clients across the globe, cover most commodities and clients from small fledgling explorers to global majors. I talk to all levels of professionals, read articles, flick through mining publications, get excited talking about amphibolite facies and should have an idea, right? Everyone is an expert and everyone has a differing opinion - no-one really has a definitive clue. I find "prediction" very difficult, especially when it's to do with the future!  

To stick with the theme of the year that was and "reflection", we need to look at life through the windscreen, not the rear vison mirror.

It's the festive season! Time for frothies and reflection. In wine there is wisdom! In water, there is bacteria. Drink responsibly! Have a sensational Christmas and New Year fellow Bogan's - see you on the other side!

Bogan's Pet Hate:  Let's summarise a year and name a few! I really hate loud talking, slow walking, loud food munching, computer screen touching, vague status Facebook making, conversation interrupting, humming driver, half witted greeny hippies, and Camry drivers.