**Work available**
We are actively recruiting for job roles that we are struggling to fill; finance admin, FLT drivers, reliable packers and warehouse operatives as well as (as always) engineering staff with the following skills:
CNC Programmers (milling and turning), Setters and Operators – familiarity with precision engineering preferred – apprentice trained ideally
Welders (MIG and TIG), Fabricators, Mechanical Fitters
Electronic Assemblers with strong soldering skills
Quality Engineers/Inspectors
Building Designers (with working knowledge of Revit)
Forklift Truck drivers (counterbalance & reach)
If you know of anyone please take advantage of our refer a friend scheme.
Telephone 01453 755330 for more info on these roles and many more.
https://first-base.co.uk/terms-conditions/
Team First Base
With combined experience of over 40 years in the Engineering and Manufacturing sector our team recruits for many of the leading Engineering and Manufacturing employers in the region and are specialists at finding those hard to find skills.
From Warehouse to Assembly Line and Production, Andy, Magda and Ian are experts with a reputation for delivering a first class service for clients and candidates.
Technical Consultant joins us
We welcome on board Mr Ian Mayo.
CV help and interview advice – free sessions
Join me at our offices in Stroud; 9-10 Rowcroft, Stroud, Glos. GL5 3AZ
If you, or anyone you know is looking for a new job, pop in between 11.00am and 2.00pm on a Wednesday for coffee, biscuits and job opportunities!
We’re a friendly, local, owner managed employment agency in Stroud; currently looking to recruit people* for a wide range of jobs throughout Gloucestershire.
Currently recruiting for the following roles specifically:
– Finance related admin roles (full time, permanent)
– Engineering
– Industrial (Manufacturing, Warehousing, Labouring, Assembly)
– Forklift Truck Drivers
*A great work ethic is essential and your own vehicle will help.
enquiries@first-base.co.uk
01453 755330
Employer Brand in the Social Media Age
Finding the most skilled and talented individuals with the right attitude to help grow our businesses has never been easy. At a time of high employment and high candidate expectations – whether recruiting permanent or temporary staff; it has never been more important to focus on your reputation as an employer.
Just as a company has a ‘brand’ designed to reflect what customers can expect of its products or services; a company has an employer brand that reflects what employees can expect of its employment practices. The best and most profitable customers are attracted by a brand that can be trusted to deliver on its marketing promises and the best talent is attracted by an employer that can be trusted to fulfill the promises made in a recruitment campaign or at interview.
In any economy there are people ‘desperate’ for a job who might accept any role that comes their way. But these candidates are too often not the ideal people to fill the roles that businesses have available. The best candidates at all levels have choices, they are discerning, not desperate.
Put simply, the businesses with the best employer brands attract more applications from the best candidates. Companies that appear in The Times Top 100 Best Companies for instance, enter the competition because they know that being recognized as a good employer has a direct effect on recruitment and ultimately bottom line results.
Instant reputations
It used to be that an employer’s reputation was disseminated just by word of mouth. Today, with the availability of multiple social media channels, experiences and reputation, good or bad can be shared instantly with many thousands of connections. One of those connections could be just the person you are looking for.
The first place a candidate checks out when you run a recruitment campaign will be your company web site, where your ‘brand’ is exhibited for all to see. That web site has probably been carefully crafted by marketers to tell the story of your business as well as its products and services. It may have a recruitment section that potential candidates will view to get a feel for your attitudes as an employer.
The next place candidates go to are their social media contacts (evidence shows that people trust what their social networks say more than they trust what a business says) to find out if anyone has experience of working for you or even being interviewed by you. Just like people might use Trip Advisor – they will also check out on line sites such as ‘Glass Doors’ to see if you have been mentioned by past and present employees.
There is a new breed of candidates who are part of Generation C (Generation Connected) and it is generation that has no age limits. They know how to access information and there is plenty of information out there for them to find – whether you have an employer brand strategy or not.
Of course people also still use word of mouth ‘off line’ as well. In the Students Union if they have been on a graduate placement or in the pub after a day’s work, people with experience of working for you (or just being interviewed by you) will share their experiences. And have you ever wondered what reputation as an employer you have with recruitment consultancies?
The great news is that you can decide whether the experiences shared are positive or negative. Businesses often invest heavily in branding their business in order to attract customers. Today, the most successful businesses, invest in their employee brand to ensure they attract the best candidates.
David Tovey
International Speaker, Consultant and Coach
Non Exec Director – First Base Employment
Forget initiatives, live the philosophy
Does your business suffer from initiative fatigue?
I’m really fortunate. I get to work with some great people in great organisations. I frequently get to facilitate off site strategy meetings with senior managers at fabulous locations in the UK and internationally.
Strategic planning meetings are really important. They give the senior team time away from the business to focus on the future away from the pressures and detail of day to day issues. As we consultants are fond of saying, “it gives senior managers and business owners time to work on the business instead of in the business”.
It’s usually not long before the senior team is talking about the need to be a more customer or client focused business and being a great place to work. Senior managers are right to spend time on this – Customer Experience is fast becoming recognized as THE way to differentiate a business.
After ‘away days’ it’s usually not long before members of the senior team volunteer or are allocated responsibility for an ‘Employee Engagement’ or ‘CX’ project. Anticipation about what can be achieved is often high at board level, budgets are allocated and the top down communication about the initiative begins.
Initiatives, initiatives
It sometimes seems that as soon as a great concept is given a label it is in danger of being misunderstood, misinterpreted and then executed badly. It is then too often dismissed by those it was intended to ‘engage’ as just another management fad – destined to wither on the vine.
I can testify to the high number of positive nods and groans I hear when I ask audiences if they have ever suffered from initiative fatigue anytime during their careers!
As a change initiative starts to gain momentum, many organisations underestimate the challenges and complexities. Senior managers often want to see lots of activity and rapid progress. From team bonding sessions, project teams, ‘back to the floor’ projects for CEO’s to newsletters, social media strategies, employee and customers surveys – all kinds of activities are implemented. Sadly many of these activities are more likely to result in cynicism than aligning people with the aims of the business and gaining commitment, particularity with people have ‘heard it all before’.
No silver bullets
Lots of companies want to be recognized as organisations that deliver exceptional customer experience and identified as great places to work – but too many want to find short cuts to getting there. They look for silver bullets or boxes to tick. But there are no short cuts when you need to address the fundamental employer/employee relationship and link it to delivering a great customer experience. People have to be properly aligned with the business strategy and values in a focused, congruent and mutually supportive way.
It’s not engagement or CX ‘initiatives’ that are needed – what works is the embedding of an engagement and customer experience philosophy that is lived by everyone from the bottom to the top of the organisation.
Great places to work with engaged employees who deliver excellent customer experience:
Are clear what they mean by engagement
Are clear what they mean about customer experience
Have a senior management team fully committed to it
Ensure that everything they do supports the core purpose and values of the organisation
Are clear about how they measure engagement and CX
Acknowledge that where action is required no single intervention is likely to succeed
Keep lines of communication with senior managers open
Actively encourage collaboration at all levels
Continually recognise, reward, celebrate and reinforce what is being done well
Look for and measure the impact of engagement and CX on business results
Recognise that employee engagement isn’t a destination – it’s a journey.
Many organisations are just not up to the challenge. They want rapid results based on short term investment and when things get a bit tough another initiative goes on the back burner – yet again proving the cynics right. Every one goes back to business as usual – until the next away day and the next management initiative.
You have to believe in and live the philosophy if you want to avoid initiative fatigue.
David Tovey
David Tovey is author of ‘Principled Selling’ published by Kogan Page
and Non Executive Director of First Base.
How to Make the Best First Impression Possible at Your Job Interview
So you’ve got that job interview coming up — how prepared are you? You might know that you’re the best person for the job, but will you be giving the best interview?
One major hurdle between you and the job of your dreams is that first interview and the other people you’ll be up against. What’s the best way to get an edge over the other candidates? (more…)
Refer a friend and earn vouchers.
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We are always keen to hear from good candidates and the best way to hear from them is by word of mouth. If you know of someone looking for work who is both keen and reliable we will do our utmost to help them.
Tricia Hay Tricia Hay is Owner, Director of First Base Employment Limited
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How LinkedIn has made you worse at recruitment…
LinkedIn has taken off in a big way as a platform for employers to connect with potential candidates. Never before has there been such an easily accessible pool of talent covering so many industries and levels of experience. In theory it’s easier than ever to connect with the candidates that are perfect for your business. (more…)
Employment and Pay: This Year’s Predictions
Each year the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) releases a document making predictions about the year’s labour market. This gives us great insight into the year ahead and can be a useful tool for businesses writing an expansion strategy as well as for individuals looking for work or contemplating career moves. (more…)