What Do The Latest Trends Say About Permanent Vs Temp Vacancies?

Despite the many gloomy predictions of a global economic slowdown that have occupied some pundits since Christmas, the British economy appears to remain robust. The number of people moving into permanent job placements increased throughout March and April, although the rate of growth is the lowest it has been for more than six months. The biggest factor responsible for the continuing decline in the nation’s unemployment figures is a massive increase in the number of temp vacancies. (more…)

The Six Keys To Writing A Fantastic Job Advert

Businesses these days can pick up job candidates through a bewildering number of online channels. Successful job matches have been made through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and even Tinder (so we’ve been told!) However, there is still no substitute for the traditional job advert. The majority of candidates, when looking for a new position, will either head for one of the big name jobsites, such as Fish4Jobs or Total Jobs, a specialist industry site such as Third Sector Jobs, or go directly to a recruitment agency. On these highly competitive forums, it is critical that your job position stands out and can grab the attention of the best recruits.

These are the six keys to writing a winning job posting: (more…)

How to Spot a ‘Bad Applicant’

Recruitment is a serious undertaking with long-term implications for the success and profitability of a business. This is why companies typically invest considerable time in creating job adverts to attract the right candidate, and then vetting them through multiple interviews before selecting the right person for the job. Even an applicant who is unsuccessful will still require a considerable investment in time and resources, often from several members of your team. Despite the best efforts of businesses to find the perfect applicant, sometimes it all ends in tears. Sometimes a candidate does not mesh well with the rest of the team, or is unmotivated, or simply is not skilled in the way that they claim that interview! Often it doesn’t even get that far. (more…)

How To Hire A Great Team For Your Start-Up Business

For a start-up company, your first five to ten new employees have the potential to make or break your business. Taking the leap from a partnership or sole entrepreneur to a new employer can be a nerve-wracking experience. These five handy tips can help put you on the road to recruit your first team with confidence: (more…)

How Important is Flexible Working to British Workers?

Research published this year by UC EXPO interviewed 1,000 British ‘White-collar’ employees about what was most important to them in the workplace. Flexible working came out on top by a large margin, with 82% of respondents saying that flexible working hours would make them more likely to accept a job offer than one offering fixed hours.

For the modern British worker, therefore, the ability to have some flexibility in their work hours and environment tops other important concerns, such as regular pay rises, career progression and company pension contributions. These things are, of course, important, but it just goes to show just how important flexible working is in today’s economy. (more…)

What Puts A Candidate Off Applying For Your Job?

In recent articles we have covered different aspects of the recruitment process and given tips about how employers can streamline their efforts to attract the best candidates. In this article, we explore the recruitment practices that are most likely to put a candidate off the application process. (more…)

Will Brexit Affect Access To Skills For UK Employers?

With the referendum on Britain’s continuing EU membership less than three months away, employers in all sectors are busily debating the positive or negative impact that a ‘Brexit’ (BRitish – EXIT) from the European Union would have on their business. While we are not in a position to advocate one position or the other, it is interesting to read some preliminary opinions from people working within the recruitment industry.

In some our recent articles we have discussed the so-called skills shortage in the UK economy, whereby employers in the creative and digital sectors are struggling to fill technical specialist roles. According to a recent survey of 600 recruitment consultants carried out by online job board CV-Library, over 40% of interviewees believed a Brexit would intensify the skill shortage by restricting freedom of movement among European candidates. (more…)

What Makes a Great Job Advert?

Creating a great job advert is not only about attracting the right candidates for your role; it is to create excitement about your company and work to enhance your brand awareness. There are plenty of ways to get a job advert wrong, like filling it with indecipherable corporate jargon or leaving out basic information, such as the salary or job location. There are also some fairly basic rules to follow that will help you present your job in the best possible light. (more…)

Attract the best Recruits with These Four Employee Benefits

For high-tech and digital industries, the modern workplace is becoming more and more competitive – for employers as well as candidates. For highly skilled, desirable candidates, there is often the luxury of being able to choose to apply for several suitable positions. Attracting the right candidates, and offering them a compelling reason to stay is therefore an important incentive for employers. (more…)

A Nation of Shopkeepers: What are the Growth Sectors in Recovery Britain?

In 1805, Britain was famously, and contemptuously, dismissed by Napoleon Bonaparte as a ‘nation of shopkeepers’. Like many other attempted historical putdowns, this label has been taken as a badge of honour by many Brits for the past 210 years, to describe the pride and self-sufficiency of the British workforce. But to what extent is this still true? There is no denying that the UK economy has changed enormously over the past 20 years, and that the ongoing economic recovery is making further changes to the way Brits do business and make a living. (more…)