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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:

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;

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.

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

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

 

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