Unwavering Focus on Excellence

Virago Group’s unwavering focus on excellence delivers strong results in Q1.

The Virago Group has kicked off 2019 at high speed, having been engaged to act for a number of high-profile clients across the Sydney CBD, Inner West and Western Suburbs.

Amy Barker, founder of the Virago Group, is full of praise for her young team: “I am very proud of the girls for delivering an amazing set of results in such a short space of time. It’s a fantastic start to the year for us and a testament to the Virago Group’s focus on ‘Best-in-Market’ customer service.”

Key highlights for January – March 2019

Rare opportunity in the Inner West

One of the key highlights so far in 2019 was placing an experienced Dental Assistant with an owner looking for a “right hand person” to take under her wing and build as a future practice manager. This role was an opportunity to work alongside an amazing owner – a strong, successful businesswoman – in a beautiful, modern practice with amazing colleagues. The practice also offered first-class training, mentoring and support.

The amazing opportunity was highly sought after and attracted a number of high-quality candidates. The Virago Group shortlisted impressive candidates with exceptional communication and natural “all-rounder” skills, a passion for building a positive and rewarding workplace and a Certificate III in Dental Assisting and/or at least 2 years of dental assisting experience.

The practice is now going from strength to strength with the addition of their special new team member.

“Thank you for your amazing service – I am very happy … once again thank you for your time and I would definitely recommend your company” – Leanne, practice owner.

Temporary staff confirmed within minutes

The Virago Group works with a husband and wife team in the Western Suburbs who have recently opened their third practice. It’s “insanely” busy to quote one of the owners! The Virago Group have worked consistently with the owners over the past few months to ensure their short- and medium-term staffing needs for all three practices were met without disruption.

On a number of occasions, the Virago Group were provided with urgent instructions to fill a temporary role (as late as 10pm for an 8am start the following day). Using its extensive database of qualified temporary staff, the Virago Group was able to quickly fill the position within a matter of minutes.

“So glad we met Virago!” – Mary, owner of 3 practices.

Providing a platform for young women

Entering a new industry on your own is hard. Unlike other professions such as accounting, law or engineering, there’s no “graduate group” to fall in step with. Often, you’re on your own from day 1.

The Virago Group is proud to be working with a number of young girls who are embarking on the early stages of their careers.

“It’s very structured and personalised,” says Amy. “We plan out a ‘Personal Development Plan’ and we have a call once a week to track progress. Once a month we have a coffee and talk about larger goals and objectives. We lay the tram tracks for young girls to follow, which is so important at such an early stage of one’s career because it’s so easy to get lost and lose direction.”

For more information please contact:

Amy Barker
Founder
Virago Group
e. amy@viragogroup.com.au
m. 0477 774 199

2018 Done | 2019 You Look Gorgeous

Done! Congrats to all of my amazing VG [Virago Group] girls for a fabulous year together.

Now I want to talk about you ­– yes YOU!

How was your year? Did you achieve everything that you initially set out to achieve at the beginning of 2018? If not, that’s ok because this means there is room to grow and improve for 2019 and this time VG has your back.

Do you have some serious work goals for 2019? Great – lets achieve these together; let’s go chase them down until they become a reality.

I really do love the end of a year to reflect and appreciate all of the learning experiences that I have gained throughout my triumphs and fails…

Yes fails, that’s right – I have failed many times and am not afraid to admit this! If you never fail you are probably too scared to try something because you are scared to fail. To grow you need to fail – I know scary right!!

With the New Year upon us, it’s time to set out what you really want for 2019.

  • Do you want to feel happy in your job?
  • Want to wake up every morning and want to go to work?
  • Do you want to finish a day at a job that you love and feel like your cup is full?
  • Do you want a pay rise in 2019 and start hitting some serious saving goals?

If this all sounds familiar and is something that you want, well the good news is you can have all of this. You just have to:

  • Know what you want
  • Commit to yourself
  • Show up daily for your dreams
  • Reach out to your sources (e.g. Virago Group)

Lets make 2019 your year | Email me amy@viragogroup.com.au

Love A

XXX

What To Wear For A Job Interview

Heels or no heels? Red lips or nah??

When you have a job interview at 8am and its already 7am and you’re still digging around in your endless pit of a wardrobe like a headless chook…

What you wear is a complete game changer.

First impressions do definitely last.

You’re probably thinking hmm game changer why???

Your clothes say a lot about you, your personality and your confidence.

Allow your wardrobe to tell its own story.

They already know you have the right skills (that’s why you were picked for an interview). But what they don’t know is what type of employee you are.

The way you dress and present yourself can convey a great deal about you and your perceived character, values, work ethic and viability as a future employee at their practice.

Do your research.

It is very important that you go into an interview feeling powerful, fresh, strong and proud of what you’re wearing.

Your outfit choice should be heavily weighed on your potential employer’s culture. It’s better to overdress rather than underdress.

Use the wonderful web and do research on employees that are already working at the practice. See if you can find some photos of the practice on their social media pages, for example Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Just be polished for your job interview – neat, clean and maybe a nice lipstick!

Try to avoid sexy outfits as we need to keep things PG.

Remember the role you’re going for – practice manager compared to a dental nurse is very different.

Dress for success. Dress how you would want to see a dental nurse or practice manager look if you were the interviewer.

‘Nothing says hire me like a neat, polished outfit, Oh and black high heels’

Good luck gal…

Love
A
xxx

Do You Work For A Great Boss?

We all know someone who has left a job to get away from a boss at some point in their career.

A report by Gallup suggests at least 70% of our “engagement” at work depends on the boss.

But this means that, just as much as a bad boss can ruin a great job, a great boss can make a good job even better.

So, if people leave good jobs because of bad bosses, why don’t they seek out jobs with great bosses?

Because they don’t know where the good bosses are.

That’s why we’re here. We’re evaluating dental practices across Australia so we can help women find the roles they deserve.

But we want your opinion on what matters to you in the workplace.

What inspires you to say “I belong here”?

The Virago Group Workplace Wellness Survey has 10 easy questions which will help us determine which aspects play the biggest part in ensuring women stay engaged in the workplace and progress their careers.

How important are these to you?

  • Having autonomy in your position (and being trusted to make the right call when questions or problems come up)
  • Ongoing learning and development – are you eager to learn new skills and advance in the workplace?
  • Recognition and reward – regular feedback and an annual review of your salary
  • Flexible working arrangements
  • Programs for parents returning to work after Parental Leave
  • A balanced workday (we know patients run late and book last minute – do you have time for a regular break?)
  • Encouraging health and fitness – a daily fruit bowl, discounts for the local gym, a work sponsored group-fitness activity
  • Employee turnover rate (how many staff have left in the last year) Employee turnover rate (how many staff have left in the last year)

You deserve to be in a job that you love. Because you’re worth it.

You can complete the Wellness Survey here.

How To Create The Perfect Day

How amazing would it be to have a fabulous working day that is working for you???

Incredible right?!?!

On average we spend 7-10 hours a day at our work place – we need to ensure these 7-10 hours per day, five days a week are fun and we feel like our cup is getting full.

To have the perfect day you need to feel full inside and I’m not talking about a big lunch. You have to feel accomplished at the end of the day.

This can be achieved by completing tasks that you set yourself daily and weekly.

“Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds”.

-Gordon B. Hinckley.

Here are some helpful tips to set yourself up for a fabulous day:

The Night Before

  • Hit the hay early – 9pm is a great time
  • Plan to get your sweat on in the AM before work
  • Pack your gym bag the night before

Early Morning

  • Actually hit the gym in the morning! We love endorphins – they make us feel so good!
  • COFFEE
  • Protein rich breakfast

Starting Work

  • Focus on getting difficult tasks done ASAP in the morning
  • Write lists and tick them off as you go

During The Day

End of Day

  • Reflection at the end of each day
  • Keep a gratitude diary – each morning and night write in what you are thankful for!

Eat, Sleep, Sweat, Work

DREAM…

Love
A
xxx

 

6 Ways To Stand Out From The Crowd In An Interview

You really don’t want to be a sheep.

The highly anticipated job interview is the first stepping stone towards your dream future.

In a job interview, you’re meeting someone for the first time. You want to treat it like a conversation – it’s not an interrogation.

Here’s 6 easy ways to stand out in your next job interview:

Know The Practice

It’s surprising how many people apply for jobs without knowing anything about the practice.

Use the wonderful web and research the team, and even your potential interviewer, beforehand. Find what services they offer, the hobbies of the team, opening hours, etc.

Also check out any social media pages they might be running. Can you think of anything which you might change or improve?

Start thinking ahead, and if you get the opportunity to share some of these ideas, you’ll go a long way to impressing an interviewer and showing them that you’re a contributor and a team player.

Be The Difference

“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”

– Coco Chanel 

The interview is your chance to be the sunshine in the room. Your interviewer has already looked over your resume, so they know what it reads.

When they ask you to talk about your work history, that’s when you can elaborate and give more detail about your accomplishments.

Highlight the parts of your current job that you excel at and any major achievements you’ve had.

Anticipate The Interviewer’s Concerns

There are often more candidates applying for a position than positions are available in the market, which can make things competitive.

As part of the screening process, the interviewer will be looking for problems as to why he or she shouldn’t hire you. Be prepared to address their concerns, perhaps with an example of something you have done in the past to overcome an obstacle. This will show that you’re willing to learn. It’s this attitude which could be the difference.

Wear A Killer Outfit

I personally love deep pink lips – it shows personality and its very daring – its hot right?! Black patent stiletto heels will exude power and confidence.

Be so amazing they can’t resist you – after all you’re unstoppable.

Stay Positive

Nobody wants a downer on their team. If the interviewer asks about your least favourite task at your current job, you don’t have to directly answer it.

You could say “I actually find most aspects of my job interesting. However, there are definitely challenges that I had to overcome, but once I am able to complete a difficult task, it feels amazing and a lot more rewarding than something easy.”

[Related: Managing Conflict At Work When Someone Isn’t Your ‘Cup Of Tea’]

Want The Job

You’re the one applying for the job – you need to show the interviewer how much you actually want it.

The interviewer wants to see your excitement and passion for the role you are applying for.

‘Babe you got this’ …

Love,
A
xxx

Managing Conflict At Work When Someone Isn’t Your ‘Cup Of Tea’

Do you really love every type of tea?

Probably not – we all know some are yum and others, hmm… just aren’t as delicious.

There are also many different types of people in the world! And you don’t have to like every single person. After all, you’re only human.

However, a conflict at work can make your life difficult. If you’re trying to avoid bumping into somebody who, well, ‘isn’t your cup of tea’, simply avoiding them will only affect and limit your abilities within the workplace.

Of course, your job would be a whole lot easier if you liked everyone on your team, but this won’t always be the case.

Here’s some helpful tips to get you through your day:

Know It’s OK Not To Like Everyone

You may grit your teeth or roll your eyes, but its healthy for a team to have people with different points of view. While your friends will gravitate towards you and be nice, they might not deliver bad news or provoke or challenge certain thoughts. These insights can help move your team towards success.

Understand Your Emotions

Understanding your “EQ” (that is, “emotional intelligence”) is just as important as your “IQ”.

Emotional intelligence underpins our capacity to work well with others, manage stress and make effective decisions. It’s crucial to learn how to handle your frustration.

Remember: it’s far easier to change your perspective than to ask someone else to be a different kind of person.

Don’t Take It Personally

You don’t have to marry them!

Talk It Out

Try and talk to the person who is making your life hard.

If you are going to take a more direct approach to managing conflict at work, it’s important to stay calm and ask for their opinion and input. Be a good listener and look to see things from their perspective.

There’s Always Another Day

Let it go. No one is 100% annoying – yet it’s easy to see the best in your favourites and the worst in people who bother you. “Assume the best, focus on what they’re good at, and how they can help your team”, says Robert Sutton, a professor of management science at Stanford University.

Do Small Favours & Offer Your Help

A critical part of the hiring criteria for many companies is for the candidate to have the ability to work as a team player – yet, so many of us have colleagues who don’t play well with others. Offer your help and spend more time together. This might sound like the last thing you want to hear, but sometimes strong medicine is the most effective cure. “Over time, if you work together more closely you may come to appreciate them,” says Sutton.

Keep An Open Mind

People are not born mean or to be mean to one another.

There’s often some background as to why a person is acting the way they are. So, keep an open mind, don’t let your distaste show, and try putting yourself in their shoes – they might be going through something which is causing them pain on the inside.

I believe it starts with you. Spread as much love into the world as possible – because only you can truly make yourself happy!

Love,
A
xxx

Everyone Has A Story, So Here Is Mine…

Everyone has seen, experienced, loved and dreamt of different things.

We are all given our path in life – you just have to choose the direction. Everyone has a story to tell, so here is mine.

Virago happened like the ‘Big Bang’.

It didn’t happen overnight.

Virago took years of personal experience – seeing, experiencing and enduring on a first-hand basis.

I have experienced what real happiness is and feels like. I have endured uncertainty in myself and the feeling of being completely alone and worthless all from my job as a dental nurse.

Nobody was there to support and guide me. I was alone all by my uncertain, lonely self.

It is from this pain I once endured that our Virago was born. The Virago Group has your back. We know what you want and, most importantly, how you’re going to get it.

My roots started as a dental nurse, which gradually grew into practice management.

The dental industry gives no support to one of the most critical aspects of dentistry – our dental nurses.

The dental nurse is the dentist’s right-hand person – they always have their back. Yet, nobody had our dental nurses’ back until Virago was born.

I have founded the Virago Group for you.

You deserve to be in a job that you love.

Because you’re worth it.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”

– Helen Keller

We got this together, babe…

Love,
A
xxx