Industrial team joined by Nathan Hughes
The week has started well. Nathan, Mags and Andy are ready to take your call and have many temp to perm job roles to fill. They’re looking rather bright and bushy tailed ! Call 01453 755330 for more information and a start date.
So here’s why you didn’t get the job.
We had to pass on bad news recently to a candidate well qualified for the job they had been interviewed for. It’s never a pleasant task to have tell someone they won’t be going forward to a second interview.
We’d asked for feedback from our client of course and it was disappointing to hear that someone we thought to be a switched on, intelligent and capable individual had made one of the most basic mistakes when applying for a job.
They had failed to research the company and didn’t ask any insightful questions. It turned out they hadn’t even bothered to follow the link we’d provided to the company web site.
Show genuine interest
It’s fair to assume that when you are invited to an interview, the employer has shown interest in you. They will already have read your CV carefully and prepared questions based upon it to find out if you are the talented person they need for their team. They may even have carried out some internet research.
Put yourself in the employers shoes for a moment. How would you feel if the person you were interviewing didn’t even know what products or services you provided… let alone any current news that was available and in the public domain? The right candidate will do at least basic interview research.
It’s not as if researching a potential employer should be a surprise to a candidate. Many of us are old enough to remember visiting the local library, reading business newspapers, or visiting Companies House to do our research. Today it’s really easy to research an organisation (even MI5 and GCHQ provide plenty of information) and if you don’t demonstrate a genuine interest, don’t expect as good response from the employer!
Ask insightful questions
“Judge a person by the quality of their questions rather than their answers” – Voltaire
One way to impress a potential employer and demonstrate you have done your homework is to prepare a few insightful questions. An insightful question is one related to the research you have done and is by far the best way to demonstrate you have done some research without actually having to say you have.
“Has the new product launch recently announced been well received by customers?”
“Will the contract the company recently won in China mean you will be recruiting more staff?”
“I understand that the company recently merged with a competitor, has this changed the business strategy”
Today’s employers are unlikely to make an offer to someone who hasn’t bothered do some interview research. When you are competing with others who understand this, it can be the quality of your research and questions that can be a major differentiator.
If you’d like to know more about researching an potential employer or about asking great questions or any other aspect of how to impress at interviews; register as a candidate, contact us or call Tricia Hay on 01453 755330.
By Tricia Hay and David Tovey
Beyond Millennials – Recruiting Generation Z
At a recent recruitment event for students, the guest speaker (a manager from a local company) publicly berated one of the students for texting on her mobile phone whilst he was presenting. “You will need to learn to pay attention if you want a good job’ the speaker said. She responded “What you were saying was so interesting that I was taking notes on my phone”. Just one more mismatch between the norms and expectations of different generations.
Recently we wrote a blog about the expectations of millennials and how employers might need to rethink their approach to recruiting the brightest talent. If there is confusion about what millennials expect, then be prepared for more potential confusion when you’re managing and recruiting Generation Z (18 – 20 years), who didn’t have to learn about new technologies and social media – they were born into it. They have grown up with a constant proliferation of information on a fully mobile internet.
With Generation Z making up an increasingly significant part of the available workforce by 2020 you have to ask yourself are you ready?
In general
We meet a lot of ‘Gen Z’ and our experience of recruiting them indicates that they are Millennials+!
In general, we find them ambitious, dedicated and ready to work. They expect that they will have to work harder than previous generations to have the career they aspire to. Contrary to popular belief that don’t expect to be job hoppers and want stability in jobs they enjoy – but they will not hesitate to move on to find the employer they enjoy working for. They are not impressed by hierarchical management styles and expect to advance on merit, not ‘time served’.
When looking for a job, Generation Z’s biggest priorities tend to be:
- Growth opportunities
- Pay
- Making a positive impact
- Job security
- Flexible hours
- Managers they can learn from
The good news for smaller employers who’ll be recruiting Generation Z is that they like to work in a collaborative small team environment where they can make an impact and (despite digital communication being second nature) they enjoy face to face communication. Whilst they like the perceived financial stability of larger businesses they will often trade pay for interesting and engaging work where there is a greater opportunity to shine and make a difference. Many actively seek employers who have a reputation for making a positive contribution to society.
Don’t expect 24/7 commitment
No matter how much they care, Generation Z won’t devote their lives to your business 24/7. Work-life balance is important to them. They want to know how working at your business will fit into their lives and their personal goals. Be honest about what the job is like, this is a generation that can smell a lack of authenticity a mile away.
The type of managers Generation Z report to is very important to them. They want honest bosses with integrity and who mentor them. With a lifelong access to information, they are accustomed to constant learning and want managers who can coach and teach them.
Recruiting Generation Z
Generation Z employees can bring a lot to employers and the best way we find to recruit them includes;
- Being highly engaged in the recruitment process
- Demonstrating personal and corporate integrity
- Having examples of genuine ties with the community and genuine approach to CSR
- Showing potential recruits examples of opportunities for advancement and promotion
- An onboarding process that allows them to hit the ground running
If you already have great Generation Z people on your team remember to keep them engaged and provide opportunities for them to advance. If you don’t, they won’t hesitate to seek new pastures!
If you’d like to know more about recruiting and leading Generation Z, contact us online or call Tricia Hay on 01453 755330
By Tricia Hay and David Tovey
Network to boost your career
You can be the most talented person around, but if you are not well connected through your professional network you can easily miss out on rewarding and exciting career opportunities. Invest some time in networking.
Building an effective professional network should really start as soon as you are considering embarking on your chosen career – even if you are still in full time education. Don’t be put off by the thought of it. Networking is easier and more fun than you might think!
I don’t know what to say
The most basic mistake even seasoned business networkers make is thinking that it’s all about being a great talker, having the ability to have interesting things to say. In reality, the greatest networking skill is listening – demonstrating genuine interest in other people.
The most boring people in social situations are the people who talk about themselves all the time. It’s no different with your professional connections. You will soon find, on and off line, that you make more friends by being interested in other people. Sure there is a time when you will need to tell your story, but by demonstrating interest in other people first you will earn the right to be listened to. Listening to your network will inform you about what they are interested in, meaning you can tailor what you say about yourself in a way that adds value.
Networking is a pro-social behaviour that works on the principle of reciprocity. Other people feel more inclined to invest time and effort in you if you invest time and effort in them first.
What – not engaging on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is by far the most important on line business networking tool. Don’t treat it just as a static place to store you CV though – be proactive. Post updates that your target connections (potential employers, influencers and recruitment consultants) will find interesting. Set yourself apart by demonstrating your credibility and knowledge by sharing or writing interesting content. Follow people that you would like to connect with. Engage with their posts, make comments and request a connection – don’t just send your CV.
Don’t forget to connect with your recruitment consultants on line too. That way you stay ‘top of mind’ when they have opportunities you might be interested in.
If you are interested in a particular industry or profession, check out the places people in that industry hang out on line. Most have forums and discussion groups that you can participate in in order to get known and build your reputation.
It’s not all on line
There are numerous local, regional and national industry and business events that you can attend and many have networking sessions as part of the event. The rules are the same – ask questions and show interest in other people. Listen to what they say and you might just find they are people you need in your network.
When it’s your turn to talk
Learn how to sum up your story and ‘position’ yourself in less than two minutes. In business it’s sometimes called your ‘elevator pitch’. Can you say something interesting enough in a two-minute elevator ride that will engage other people?
If you have listened effectively you will soon be able adapt what you say to the individual or group that you are speaking with.
Network with colleagues
We often find that candidates know little or nothing about other parts of the business they already work for. Build internal networks, show interest in other parts of the company and you might just find that the connections you need are right on your door step!
If you’d like to know more about how networking can give you career a boost contact us, or call Tricia Hay on 01453 755330.
By Tricia Hay and David Tovey.
Feedback from a happy client – Thank you Matt
“Lovely kid, speaks to everyone and stayed on to until 5pm to meet the lads he’ll be working with on the late shift. One of the lads on that shift just said ‘best one we’ve had yet’, and they are not an easy lot to make happy!”Recruiting for senior roles throughout the South West
Join us in our mission to find the best in the County. http://bit.ly/SeniorAppts #Careers #Recruitment #Growth
Leading and Managing Millennials
While we shouldn’t try to stereotype and entire generation, one thing is certain; Millennials (born 1982-2004) have different expectations of management than Generation X (ages 35-50). Their main expectation? Millennials want managers who understand and demonstrate leadership, and fundamentally that means managers who ‘get’ people. Leading and Managing Millennials effectively requires a different skillset.
“100% of employees are people, 100% of customers are people. If you don’t get people you don’t get business”
For anyone confused about the difference between management and leadership, top leaders when interviewed about management, tend to talk about skills and efficient business outcomes and when asked about leadership they talk about the people focused character and behaviours of a manager. Management and leadership of course go together and particularly when it comes to Millennials.
It tended to be a top down management style that created high performing Generation X teams and Millennials don’t take too well to top down hierarchical management styles. When researching potential new employers, Millennials quickly dismiss companies with a reputation for ‘old style’ management and they actively search for those with a reputation for looking after their people. This means they look for personal development, respect, coaching, collaboration and mentoring.
Personal development and training
Millennials are keen to invest in their careers and tend not to be interested in the ‘time served’ notion of career advancement. For Millennials career progression isn’t just about promotion, it’s about learning new things, doing interesting work and feeling that they are making a genuine contribution to something more than their day job.
Gone are the days of annual reviews for Millennials, they perform much better with regular feedback and guidance from their managers. They have inhabited a world where just in time information is available through multiple digital channels and excel when their managers are good at providing bite-sized coaching. This not only help improve their performance but increases their loyalty to the organisation. According to a 2017 survey by Delloitte, young staff who are mentored stay with an employer twice as long as staff who don’t have a manger who provides coaching. Millennials thrive on on-line training to supplement formal training sessions.
Millennials take control of their careers
Some employers might think of Millennials as fickle and less loyal than the previous generation. Remember that they grew up watching Generation X being made redundant from specialist jobs they had committed their whole lives to without having many or any transferable skills.
Millennials take control of their careers and will seek other roles with other companies if they feel stifled in their current position. They are not afraid to make a move that provides the stimulus and modern management culture they want. That’s why it is so important to do more than manage them in their current role. Help them to develop their skills in a way that will support their career ambitions and you also build a reservoir of enthused and talented people who will help to drive the organisation forward.
A bigger purpose
Millennials want to know that their work makes a difference. They want to know how they fit into the bigger picture and how they are connected to the overall mission and values of the company. Poor managers who fail to inspire will often resort to the ‘because I say so” reason to carry out a task. Leaders who get the best out of Millennials get them fired up by being open and explaining why the task matters.
Collaboration and teamwork
Millennials prefer to collaborate with colleagues and teams and are not in awe of their managers. They tend to think of ‘bosses’ as team captains rather than their owners, as peers not superiors. There to facilitate the performance of the team not to brow beat efficiency and productivity out of them.
Understanding how to get the best out of Millennials is good business. They have grown up in a different time, have different expectations of the world of work and want to be treated with respect. They can teach all of us a thing or two about how best to treat all people, from whichever generation.
By Tricia Hay and David Tovey
Developing Future Leaders
In 2018 we sat down to explore what more our team could do to support the young people of Gloucestershire and the local community. We have been involved in many of the more traditional initiatives to help young people into work over the years. This year we wanted to find a way that we could best help the next generation to make their mark within in their organisations, build their own careers and at the same time make a positive contribution to their community.
David reminded us that he had given his son a watch for his 21st birthday engraved with the words “It is leadership, not time, that changes things”. It was then that we knew our initiative would focus on developing leadership skills.
“You manage things; you lead people”- Grace Hopper
The best organisations we work with in the UK and Internationally, tend to be those that can attract the best talent. Our experience is that the best people are attracted to those employers with a reputation for looking after their people and that is why leadership is so very important.
Well led businesses attract great people who develop great products and deliver a great customer experience. In turn that provides a great return to shareholders and other stakeholders whilst making a great contribution to society. What’s not to like?
Developing future leaders
Most global brands and large corporate organisations recognised the need to develop future leaders a long time ago and they have leadership development programmes in place. Indeed, David has designed and run several across a number of sectors.
We decided that we would bring to smaller organisations, most likely with no formal leadership development programme in place, some of the key element of a future leaders programme usually only available to larger businesses.
The programme will develop future leaders by providing six free places to young people (18-24) with an intensive and high impact series of monthly masterclasses. The focus will be on developing personal leaderships skills, building confidence, inspiring teams and will include an introduction to developing business strategy. We’ll be sure to report back on progress during the programme.
Leadership is about people and it is about change. The next generation of leaders will need to focus on change that is sustainable whilst devising new ways to live and work that fit with the needs and interest of not only themselves but of their employers, their families, their communities and an ever more intricately interconnected world.
We look forward to playing our part in helping them.
If you would like to know more or register an interest on behalf of yourself or a member of your team, email tricia.hay@first-base.co.uk or contact us.
By Tricia Hay and David Tovey
The Straight Talking Seminar is back – July 19th at The Old Lodge, Minchinhampton
Join my team and I on the 19th July to start the summer off with a bang. Some food for thought whilst you’re on the beach #CustomerExperience plus the launch of our Leadership Challenge #TheGoodRecruitmentCampaign #Growth
Book via Linked in at https://bit.ly/2LLZWks
Should you tailor your cv?
The short answer is yes, you should tailor your CV. As a recruiter I see a wide variety of formats, styles and approaches to CV’s but the ones that really stand out are the ones that ‘check the boxes’ of my client’s requirements. With that being said, it is important to still be honest! Ensure you highlight relevant skills and experience, but if you say you have experience using a certain type of software or system because you think it will help you secure the job you are looking for, you will soon come unstuck when you are expected to complete tasks you simply cannot do.
So, what is the right approach? My advice is to think about the job you want to secure and then think about what skills you needed in your past roles that are applicable. Don’t just list your ‘key responsibilities’ as they would appear on your contract – think about what skills you use that are transferable to your dream job. For example, if you worked in retail and want to get into a customer service role then instead of putting ‘dealing with customers’ you could highlight ‘providing excellent levels of customer service’ and instead of ‘restocking items’ you could phrase it as ‘monitoring stock and ensuring relevant records are accurately maintained’.
Remember, your CV is your golden ticket to your future and if you want to take the next step in your career, or change paths completely, it is vital that you communicate to a potential employer why they should be giving you this opportunity over everyone else. Tailoring your CV can not only help demonstrate that you have transferable skills that can benefit their business, but also that you have the work ethic to really put effort into securing that job you’re dreaming of.
If you need some help in your job-search please register or contact us for an informal chat.
Nathan Hughes, Talent Spotter