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
Customer Experience – Putting Employees First
The topic of customer service and customer experience has been coming up in lots of client conversations as well as at networking meetings lately.
As my colleague and First Base Director David Tovey is writing a book on the subject we put our heads together to agree some thoughts and tips. Customer experience has been described as “the next competitive battleground for businesses that want to differentiate themselves” – so it’s a pretty important subject.
Firstly, there is a difference between ‘Customer Service’ and ‘Customer Experience’.
Customer service tends to be more about the interaction involving customer facing staff. Customer experience on the other hand takes into account all the interactions that a customer has with a company. There can be many different ways a customer ‘experiences’ what it is really like to buy a particular product or service. It is the sum of all those interactions that form the opinions of a customer about a supplier, whether they become loyal customers and what they tell other people.
Employees first
Both of us are clear that the companies delivering an excellent customer experience are not those who put the customer first. It is those companies that first make sure that their employee experience is excellent.
It should go without saying that if the person who works at a company is 100% proud of the Brand, is given the tools to do a good job and are treated well, they are going to be happy, Happy employees WANT to give customers a great experience.
It’s a leadership issue
All the research suggests that there is a significant difference between what senior managers in a business think the company delivers in terms of customer experience and what customers really think. If customer experience isn’t regular featured on the board’s agenda, it is likely that it isn’t on the agenda of anyone else in the business.
When everyone in an organisation is striving to deliver an excellent customer experience, the results are happy employees, happy and loyal customers and happy shareholders.
If you would like to know more about the connection between recruiting the right people, engaging them and building an even more successful business, let us know.
Sharon Adams and David Tovey
Hospitality sector – desperate scramble to fill vacancies
The recent Manpower survey of over 2000 UK businesses reflects our own local experience that whilst jobs confidence is high, some sectors are ‘desperate’ to fill vacancies as Brexit becomes a reality.
The hospitality sector has been performing particularly well in terms of jobs (up 16% in 2017) – but there are definitely signs that some employers are in a desperate scramble to find the right people, with an increasing number citing post Brexit fears.
“Up to 24% of all hospitality staff come from the EU” – Manpower Survey
Employers fear a national shortfall of up to 750,000 people post Brexit and are pushing forward with recruitment to make up the shortfall as the number of EU workers arriving in the UK is already reported as falling.
Business rates have hit the sector hard and with the recent closure announcements by Prezzo, Byron and Jamie’s Italian, the survey highlights high levels of concern that Brexit will cut off a stream of workers from the EU that the sector is so highly dependent on.
With a potential shortage of staff looming, we are working closely with our clients in hospitality to make sure they have plans in place to avoid any negative effects on their business.
Trica Hay – MD First Base
A valuable business partner
I love working in the recruitment business. We all like positive feedback and during a recent review with the CEO of a client we have been working with since 2008, it was encouraging to be praised for providing a great service over the past 20 years.
As we shared memories of those years it made me proud to realise that the team at First Base had provided staff for over 80% of the functions within their organisation. It turned out we had provided permanent, temporary staff and maternity leave cover for functions including:
HR
Customer Service
Finance
IT
Admin
Marketing
PR
Secretarial / PA
Business Development
Sales
Security
Hospitality
Facilities Management
We worked out that First Base have recruited for 16 different departments, each with their own department head who we have got to know really well, getting to understand the way they operate their policies and culture.
Keeping in touch
Keeping in touch with our clients, whatever the size of their organisation, is key to us being able to respond effectively and swiftly. Having worked with this particular client for so long we know them and the staff that we have introduced really well.
Working together on career events, graduate recruitment and at awards events has helped us to really understand the business ad become what the CEO described as a ‘valuable business partner’.
Maintaining a good relationship and contact with temporary staff, for instance, means that when there has been an urgent requirement we can often respond immediately with individuals who have worked for our client before. This means that they fit in with the team right way and become productive from day one.
Other services
As well as keeping the client up to date with employment regulations, pay rates, industrial relations and HR issues, our relationship has meant that we have been able to help during growth times and in tougher time when sadly satellite operations had to be closed. In depth knowledge of the organisation and the individuals involved meant that we were able to put our consultants on site and help with the redundancy programme by finding jobs for those people leaving the organisation.
Let me know if we can help you with any of your recruitment challenges – I’d love to speak with you!
Tricia Hay – MD First Base.
Why didn’t I get the job?
Being rejected when you have applied for a job can be tough.
When we as recruiters act for our employer clients, it is our job to find the best candidates based on the requirements they give to us. Inevitably this will mean that some people who apply won’t be suitable to be put forward or won’t succeed at interview.
We love finding the right job for people because we know how much finding the right job can change a person’s life. A better job, increased pay, a better location or job satisfaction are just some of the life changing reasons people come to us. There can be many reasons we decide not to put a particular candidate forward or an interview is not successful – and none of them mean that those individuals should lose their enthusiasm for finding the right job.
If you treat rejection as a learning experience, speak to your recruitment consultant for advice on future applications, you can bounce back quickly from disappointment.
Three main reasons you might not receive a job offer
Your experience
No employer wants to place you in a role that you find too easy or too difficult. Either way they might end up losing you and needing to recruit again within a few weeks.
Industry and job experience has a big part to play because employers want to reduce risk. If two people apply and one has more industry or job experience the interviewer is likely to lean towards the person with most experience. Make sure you highlight transferable skills in you CV if you want to take on new roles. Spell out to your recruitment consultant and potential employer how your past experience and current skills can add value and reduce the risk of taking you on. Have you worked in a similar industry, used similar equipment, worked to similar deadlines or worked with similar software applications?
Your availability and enthusiasm
Your availability and enthusiasm to start could be the deal breaker for the manager who is recruiting, even if you are first choice. If you have a long notice period, decide you need to build that house extension or take a long holiday between jobs that might just not fit with the hiring managers need to get someone into the business when they need them.
Availability is a bigger problem if the role is temporary and the employer needs staff now. None of this is your fault of course and you may not be able to do anything about it, it’s just an issue of logistics and timing for the employer.
‘Fit’
Whenever a recruitment consultant is given a role they will always ask the employer about the organisations culture. When interviewing people for jobs the interviewer is assessing more than experience and skills. They will be considering whether you would fit with the culture of the organisation and with the other people on the team. They want to know that you will get on with the other staff in the company and they want to reduce the risk of future conflict.
Not being the right fit for one organistion just means that your personality is suited to a company where you would be more comfortable working. Both you and your employer want to know that you are working with people you can get along with.
If you didn’t get the job offer this time, make sure you get feedback from the employer and your recruitment consultant. Don’t take it personally, try to learn from the experience, change what you can and move on. Your ideal job and employer is out there!
Tricia Hay
MD First Base Employment
Another brilliant result – relationships matter!
I recently wrote about the importance of building a good relationship with your recruitment consultant when seeking a new role or career. Here’s another example of how well it works for candidates who are proactive and willing to learn!
The candidate who wrote the testimonial below didn’t just send off her CV, as soon as she had done some research into First Base she came along to our offices to seek career advice on how to improve her chances of getting the type of job she was hoping for. By taking responsibility to build a relationship early she was able to help a member our talent resourcing team to get to know her and find the right type of opportunity. The kind comments made after receiving a job offer proves the point!
“Having just finished a contract, I dutifully sent my CV off to a few agencies for work having perused their websites and what vacancies they represented. A good gut feeling made me call First Base, not just for work but for some career guidance and advice. From the first point of contact with the member of staff who answered the phone they positively directed me to the right person I needed to talk to … a Talent Resourcer; Flo Bond. The next working day I was in for an interview and within a few days out to a major client of theirs for an interview as Flo had the foresight of seeing me fit in well within the organisation. I proudly have a job offer with this company which I have accepted.
There are a lot of Employment Agencies presented on social media but nothing replaces the chance of a face to face meeting with a professional. I absolutely recommend First Base Employment.”
Don’t just send off your CV with fingers crossed – be proactive, speak to your recruitment consultant, demonstrate your enthusiasm to learn and you too could soon be finding the job you are looking for!
Be proactive – Contact First Base today on 01453 755330!
Tricia Hay – MD First Base Employment
Help your recruitment consultant to help you.
Understanding how your recruitment consultant works with employers can really help you to find the job opportunities you are looking for.
On a day to day basis, most recruitment consultants are working to find candidates for their clients – potentially your future employer. Recruiters are paid by the client to find the right person for the jobs available. The more you can do to help them identify you as the right person, the easier you make it for them to deliver a great service to their clients.
Consultants need to know about you and your skills but they also need to know they can trust you to attend interviews and that you will make a conscientious and committed employee. Building a great relationship with your recruitment consultant will make sure you are top of mind when it comes to filling vacancies.
Top tips
- Meet consultants in person – make an appointment
- Present an up to date, tidy, spell checked CV
- Ask about how you can improve your opportunities for interview
- Ask for tips on training, skills and experience needed
- Be flexible about roles, pay, hours and location
- Stay in touch regularly – remind the consultant that you are keen to work
- Build a reputation for being reliable
- Be punctual and return calls
- Connect with your consultant on social media
By helping your recruitment consultant to understand more about you and your motivation for find work you help them to do the work they are paid to do – find the right person for their clients.
Trica Hay
Listen to me – it’s not about the pay
A business contact (let’s call him Matt) recently shared a recruitment experience with us that speaks volumes about the chasm that sometimes exists between candidates and employers. Matt received a call from a Head of HR after turning down a job offer. The call went like this:
HR: I’m calling as we are surprised you turned down our job offer.
Matt: Thanks you for the offer but I felt I couldn’t accept.
HR: But the job paid £10,000pa more than you currently earn, did you get a counter offer to stay where you are?
Matt: No I didn’t, I’m staying with the company at the same salary. It’s not about money, as I explained during my interviews.
HR: Then I don’t understand. After we invested in a written assessment, two telephone interviews, two face to face interviews and call with the CEO, I would have thought an offer of a position paying £10,000 more was an easy decision.
Matt: As I’ve said a few times, it’s not about the money.
HR: I don’t understand.
Matt: The recruitment process you invested in took over six weeks. One of the telephone interviews was put back twice and when I turned up on time for the second interview I was kept waiting for over 30 minutes. I was told to expect to find out about an offer within 5 days but heard nothing for another two weeks when I got the call to speak with your CEO. The job offer came another week later.
Apparently the head of HR went on to explain that the CEO was very busy and they had to take time to be ‘sure’ Matt was the right person. From Matt’s point of view the head of HR was just digging bigger holes.
Some employers still fail to understand that candidates have choices and that the way they are treated throughout the recruitment process says lots about what a company might be like to work for. Lack of respect, a drawn out time consuming process and slow decision making are cited over and over again as reasons why a good candidate turns down a job offer.
It seems that often it’s the employer who is hung up about pay, when the potential employee is looking at the whole employment package.
Tricia Hay and David Tovey
Your interview checklist!
It still surprises me how often candidates turn up for an interview having done too little preparation. We hear time and time again from employers that a key reason one candidate has been selected over another is the amount of preparation the successful person did before interview.
Candidates who do their research are like a breath of fresh air to an interviewer. It can help you prepare for the inevitable part of the process when the interviewer says “Have you got any questions for me”. It also helps to reduce nerves when you do your homework!
It doesn’t take long to do research and you can take any note you make into the interview with you to use as a crib sheet. You can use the checklist below to guide you.
Interview checklist:
• Check the employers web site and history
• Visit their social media platforms
• Check their location online and make sure you know how to get there
• Look up the people you are meeting on LinkedIn
• Read their profiles and study their picture to help you recognise them
• Take extra copies of your CV
• Make sure you have a note pad and pen
• Take the research notes with you!
• Have some cash for parking if you are going by car
• Make sure your phone is on silent
• Check the weather and take an umbrella if you might need it
• Take your best and most positive attitude!
Notes to make pre interview:
Why you are excited about the job? Write down specific things you like about the company and the job you appiled for.
Why you believe you would be great for this job? What are the key skills and knowledge that you could bring to the ‘must have’ requirements of the role?
Specific achievements to talk about. Measurable personal achievements and projects that demonstrate the value you can bring to the company.
Concerns to be handled. Anything that the interviewer might ask about your background and experience that might be a bit difficult to answer.
After the interview make a note of:
What you like most about the company and role
Why you think you would be good in the role
Any clarification needed?
Preparation reduces nerves and will impress the interviewer. What’s not to like about that?
Tricia Hay. MD First Base
Five tips that will help you find the best talent
It’s a buyers market
A client recently described the current recruiting environment as a ‘buyers’ market. We understand the sentiment – candiates are no longer desperate for a job, they are discerning about which jobs they will apply for.
It’s not easy finding the right candidates at times of high employment and the cost of taking on the wrong person can be high – potentially many thousands of pounds invested in recruitment, on boarding, training plus the hidden consequential costs of unhappy colleagues and customers (not to mention the cost of re-recruitment).
Here are our five tips for staying ahead of the curve at a time when employment rates are high and candidates are in the driving seat.
1. Be creative
More and more of the best employers are telling us that they will find or adapt roles for the best talent. When they recognise that a candidate has the qualities they need, they are prepared to invest in ‘technical’ training to ensure they don’t miss out on the opportunity to bring in people that can make a long term contribution to the goals of the business.
2. Be decisive
In a ‘buyers’ market, more than ever you have to be prepared to take action and avoid losing candidates because of slow follow up. Good candidates have choices and lack of timely follow up can suggest indifference and discourtesy. It is the number one frustration candidates have with employers that is shared on social media. Don’t become a bad news story!
3. Communicate your employer brand
Use attractive language that highlights the benefits and rewards of working in your organisation. Instead of just listing 15 things that candidates must have in order to apply, take the opportunity to hook candidates and convince them that they ‘have’ to work for you. Communicate positive messages on social media and make sure the ‘work for us’ pages on your web site a kept up to date and inspire potential employees.
4. It’s not always about ‘fit’
If you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got. Sometimes you need to bring in people who will challenge the existing culture and bring new ideas. Don’t automatically dismiss good people because they might not ‘fit in’ – they might just bring the energy you need to move your business to the next level.
5. Apply some TLC
Make your recruitment process candidate friendly by using some TLC – Thinking Like a Candidate. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential employee and ask yourself if your recruitment process is candidate friendly or if it there just to make your life easier. Remember that every person that goes through your recruitment process, whether you take them on or not, has the potential to share their experience far and wide. Treat candidates as, hopefully, you treat your best customers.
Recruiting the right people has never been easy and it’s even more difficult right now. Investing more effort in these five tips should help.
Tricia Hay and David Tovey
Want help with how to attract the best candidates? Contact tricia.hay@first-base.co.uk