The same questions, seen from the other side of the desk
Most of what we write is aimed at the person weighing up their own next move. This page is for the small business owners and managers who sit across the table from them, whether that's during hiring or a promotion conversation.
Recognising transferable skill in a career pivoter
If you run a small team, you've probably seen a resume from someone changing industries and wondered how seriously to take it. It's a fair question. Some career changes are well prepared, others are optimistic guesswork, and it's not always obvious which is which from a page of dot points.
A few things tend to be useful signals: whether the person can describe their past achievements in terms of outcomes rather than duties, whether they've done anything concrete to close an obvious gap, such as a relevant short course, and whether their explanation for the move sounds considered rather than reactive.
Making sense of the badges on a CV
Micro-credentials have become common enough that most hiring managers will see them regularly without necessarily knowing what they represent. Broadly, they range from short, informal online courses through to structured, assessed programs delivered by TAFEs, universities or recognised industry bodies.
It's reasonable to ask a candidate what the credential involved rather than taking the title at face value. A candidate who can describe the assessment, the time commitment and what they applied afterwards is telling you something more useful than the certificate itself.
"Small teams often skip the formal promotion process entirely, which can feel efficient right up until someone feels overlooked."
In a business with five or fifteen people, promotion decisions are frequently made informally, in a hallway conversation or over a coffee. That's not necessarily a problem, but it does mean the burden falls on you to be consistent about how you evaluate readiness, so decisions don't end up depending on who happened to ask first.
Things worth thinking through before the conversation
What "ready" actually means here
Write down, in plain language, what you'd expect from someone in the next role before the conversation happens, not during it.
Who else might feel affected
In a small team, one promotion changes the shape of everyone else's role. Think through the flow-on effects before you announce anything.
Budget reality versus timing
If the honest answer is "not this financial year", it's usually better to say that plainly than to leave the request open-ended.
A path, even if not a role
If a promotion isn't available right now, a documented development path is often more valuable to the employee than a vague "watch this space".
This page is informational, not advisory
We write about general patterns we've observed in Australian workplaces. It isn't a substitute for advice tailored to your specific business, employment obligations or industrial instrument.
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