NOV 07 50 Why Use a Recruitment Agency By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments There are many benefits of using a recruitment agency for both candidates and businesses. Recruitment takes a lot of time, effort and skill to match the right candidates with the right vacancies, particularly if those roles are in specialist sectors. You can try and do it yourself, however it’s really not a task business owners should just add on to their already hectic schedules or one that stressed and inexperienced candidates should attempt alone. We take the burden of recruitment away from you and turn it into a wonderful opportunity. Remember: recruitment is its own industry for a reason – it’s not universally easy. Here are our top reasons why you should always use a recruitment agency! We know the recruitment process inside and out Like I said, we’re an industry. We know there are a lot of factors to consider when recruiting for employees but this doesn’t faze us. Of course, not every recruitment journey is identical because every business, every candidate and every role is different – but this doesn’t mean a lot of the fundamentals aren’t the same. We know what we’re doing; it’s basically second nature! You can find more information on Qube’s recruitment process in our blog. We can identify the best candidates for the best roles Because we’ve had a lot of practice, we can pick out the most suitable CVs from the tallest of digital stacks and match the best candidate to the right role. We know what qualities to look for in an applicant and can get a lot more information than the skills written on a single page. Also, we’re excellent CV speed readers who never miss a detail! We save businesses time, money and hassle (and we do a better job) Sorry (not sorry), but we really do provide a better service as we have the capacity to do a better job than a lot of inexperienced candidates or business owners, particularly when it’s a start-up or a small business hiring situation. By taking over the recruitment process for you, we filter candidates and interview them first. This means you only spend time meeting with the really strong contenders and can focus on developing your business and managing your current employees. We help your vacancies reach more candidates For us, accessing thousands of CVs is literally a click away. We have a bigger pool of candidates to choose from which means we have a better chance of finding the right employee for your business. We find candidates jobs they might not have found themselves A lot of candidates with big aspirations aren’t really sure where to start when it comes to job seeking. Do they have the right qualifications or experience? What level of employment should they be aiming at? What salary should they be earning? We provide the answers to these questions, give direction when it’s needed and help candidates get a job in a career they really want. We’re the best at hiring for specialist sectors As a specialist recruitment agency, we know our selected sectors. We know how to hire effectively because we know where to look for candidates who possess specific skills, what different specialist roles entail and how to go about matching roles with candidates. We’re a friendly face you can turn to throughout the process We’re here for both candidates and new employers. Getting a new job or hiring a new employee can be scary – what if it’s not a good fit? The wrong match can delay work and time, cost money and generally just be an uncomfortable experience. Recruitment consultants offer that extra bit of support which makes everything a whole lot easier. We’re here for you to turn to with any questions and we will always do our best to accommodate your needs, desires and requirements. We don’t get paid until we fill that vacancy Candidates don’t pay us any money so they definitely don’t have anything to lose by using a recruitment consultancy and we don’t get paid by a business until we fill their vacancy – we enjoy our jobs but we’re not saints; this structure is a big part of why we work so hard! So ultimately, what does a recruiter do that’s so useful? Outsource recruitment agencies do all the heavy lifting, take away the stress and do a better job! We are recruitment specialists; this means that recruitment is literally our livelihood so we readily dedicate time to the whole recruitment process – and we’re very good at it! The best way to hire new employees is definitely through outsource recruitment and the best way to find your dream job is through a recruiter. Speak to a recruiter today! NOV 07 47 Factors to Consider when Recruiting Employees By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments Recruiting employees for your small business can be a stressful and overwhelming process. There are just so many things to consider before hiring staff that it’s best to break it down into three major parts: what you want, what the job role is exactly and what criteria a candidate needs to deliver the results you want. Otherwise you risk not hiring the right person for the job, a mistake which could waste your time, resources and money. So, What Do You Want? Why are you hiring employees / What problem do you need solved? The best way to hire new employees is to first identify why you’re recruiting. The fact that you’re employing staff in the first place suggests you are lacking something within your business that you need. What specific problem do you want recruiting new employees to solve? E.g. do you need a new employee to replace an existing one? Are you expanding your business and need a new employee to do that? Are you venturing into new areas? Do you need someone to improve a department or perhaps drive profits for a specific product? To ensure you are hiring the right person for the job, you need to perfectly understand your reasons for recruiting employees in the first place, as this will help you identify what you’re looking for in a candidate. What do you want from your new employee? So you know you’re hiring employees because you want someone to handle a specific problem or achieve a certain goal, i.e. drive sales for a particular product. Now you need to situate their role in relation to solving this problem. Will they lead or organise an individual project or projects? What exactly do you want them to contribute? Should they suggest new ideas? Or innovate? Considering your business goals in direct relation to the employees you’re looking to hire will make hiring the right person for the job much easier. What Job Role Are You Offering? What will the job role entail on a daily basis? You know why you’re hiring employees and what you want from them, now you need to outline the day to day components of the roles on offer. Will your new employees have set tasks or will they be independent? Will they work autonomously or as part of a team? Setting clear outlines of the roles that you’re hiring for is an essential, but often overlooked, part of employee recruitment strategies for both you and your candidates. It helps ensure an open line of communication and equal understanding from both parties. If the roles are unclear, you could easily hire someone who is the wrong fit or thought the job would be something different. Will the job role be a learning role? Identifying whether the new role will entail training is not only an important part of the employee onboarding process, but narrows down your pool of candidates. Once you know which level of candidate you can accommodate or that you require, recruiting employees becomes a much easier task as you can better filter the applications before the interview process. How much salary is the right candidate worth? Salary and budget are determinate factors within a lot of small business hiring. Once you have a well-rounded and fleshed out idea of why you’re recruiting employees, your needs and the roles you’re offering, you should consider whether the salary you can offer for a specific role is negotiable for the ideal candidate, rather than decide on a fixed figure before commencing interviews. This will ground your search for employees and ensure you’re realistic from the outset, while also allowing you a little flexibility. What Should You Look For in Your Candidates? Qualifications A pretty obvious recruitment criterium, when hiring employees you need to identify whether the candidates have the qualifications not only necessary for the roles on offer, but also the qualifications that will help them thrive within your company. Work experience Previous work experience is often where most candidates, especially graduates, can fall short. This is why it’s so important when you’re hiring employees to identify whether the roles on offer will include training. If you decide against accommodating for training time, you may miss out on a candidate with a lot of potential. Equally, if you want an employee with a lot of experience you may have to rethink the salary you originally proposed. Career history This is different from work experience. For personal and career history you should ask questions like: how long were they in their previous job? Why did they leave? Have they always worked in your sector? Asking these kinds of questions helps you better understand the person you’re interviewing and gauge whether they’re in it for the long haul. For ideas on how to subtly ask these kinds of questions, see our previous blog post: What Your Interviewers are Really Asking You. Career goals and ambitions The level of ambition you desire in a candidate will depend on the role. If you want someone innovative who will make a real impact on your business, then ambition is key. If you want someone to carry out menial tasks, then you may find an ambitious candidate would get bored easily in the role and leave. Personality You’ve got to work with whomever you hire and trust them to represent your business. When recruiting employees, you should always remember that the candidates you’re interviewing are real people who will need to fit in amongst your current staff . Treating them as normal human beings during the interview process will make it less awkward and encourage them to open up. Appearance and physical presentation When hiring employees, it’s important to consider the impression they will give to your customers. And how do you do this? You consider the impression they first gave you. Have they made an effort to look presentable? Are they clean and appropriately dressed? If they turn up to the interview scruffy, then imagine what they’ll do once they already have the job. Recruiting Employees is Never Easy Employing staff is not a secondary task you should rush through. Recruitment is another way in which you build and develop your business. Your employees are your business tools and if you don’t have the right tools then you won’t produce the right product. Try recruiting staff yourself by following this advice and using a hiring process checklist. Alternatively, if hiring employees will take up too much time for you, or if considering all these different factors of recruitment just seems like too much effort, then contact Qube. We are well-versed in these practices and, to be honest, a professional, outsource recruitment agency is often the best way to hire new employees. NOV 07 47 The Best Way to Get a Job with No Experience By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments The Best Way to Get a Job with No Experience Whether you’re wondering how to look for your first job or craving a sudden career change, identifying the best way to get a job with no experience can seem like a hopeless task. It’s not! In fact, many jobseekers as this, particularly those setting out at the beginning of their careers. There are steps you can take that will give you a better chance and ensure you’re making progress in the right direction for your career goals. Do Your Research Without any job experience, you don’t really know what you’re getting into. This is not only a major red flag for employers, but it also make things harder (and riskier) for you. Thus, it’s absolutely critical that you do your research. Look at the various job roles in the area you want to work and you’ll better understand the kind of progression that’s the norm or the skills you need. The more information you have, the easier it is to make decisions to help you get your dream job. Moreover, the more informed you come across, the more likely it is you will stand out in an interview. Sign Up to Local Recruitment Agencies We’re not saying this just because we’re one of the best recruitment agencies out there *wink wink*. But, because it’s quite literally a recruitment consultant’s job to help you get a role that’s suitable and what you want to do. Candidates don’t pay us so you’re effectively getting our specialist recruitment services for free. We’ll do everything we can to advise you and get you interviews. We’re the best way to get a job with no experience because we know the job-seeker process, the structure of the companies we represent and we give you realistic opportunities so you don’t waste any time. Find out more about Our Recruitment Process. Tell Your Recruitment Agents Specifics We want to know what you want to do from the outset. We can’t read minds. We need information. Tell us which roles you’re passionate about and which jobs you’ll actually take. Attending interviews for jobs you’re not interested in is a waste of time and money for you, the client and us! What’s more, once we know what you want to do, we can give you advice to help you compensate for your lack of experience. We can also point you towards the roles that you actually have a chance of getting. Look Into Independent Study You’re at a disadvantage if you don’t have any experience in the field in which you want to work – but literally everyone has to start somewhere. You can’t exactly come out of the womb with a degree and 5 years accounting experience! To compensate for your lack of experience, you should look into free and academic courses in the field you want to pursue. This not only shows employers that you’re passionate about your chosen direction, but that you have the confidence to invest in yourself. It will also provide you with necessary qualifications you may have to complete later down the line anyway. Consider Internships / Apprenticeships A great way to gain job experience is through completing internships and apprenticeships. They might not pay a lot (and sometimes not at all) but they look great on a CV and give you a leg up on the competition. They also give opportunities to the applicants who need it – those without the experience. Be Open to Temp Work & Maternity Cover Open up your options! Temp work sets you up nicely when you’re pursuing a new career. It gives you a bit of experience and, because it’s not a permanent role but a short-term position they will likely want filled quickly, employers will usually look at a wider range of applicants than they would for a full-time position, i.e. enthusiastic newcomers without much experience. Accept That You’ll Need to be Flexible with Salary This should be pretty obvious but just in case you haven’t thought about it – you cannot expect a winning salary if you don’t have any previous experience. You’ll get there eventually, but accept that you’ll have to start at the bottom to begin with. It doesn’t really matter how old you are; you’re a baby in that industry and will have a starting salary which likely reflects your lack of experience. Undertake Thorough Job Interview Preparation Your experience might not stand out among the applicants, but you can if you make it through to the interview. Your employers want to hire someone they can trust, who’s eager to do well and who they can see working for them. Have a look at our tips on Preparing for an Interview and Appeasing Anxiety. Getting a Job with No Experience isn’t Easy But It’s Not Impossible Of course, your first job in a new sector won’t be your dream job. You may end up taking a job with a tenuous link to what you actually want to do. Nonetheless, making small steps will help you get on the right track. For more advice see our blog post 4 Steps on How to Get Your Dream Job or contact us and speak to one of our recruitment specialists for free. JUL 04 17 Afraid of Ghosts? By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments Okay, that title is a bit of a lie. First up, let’s clarify what we’re talking about here as it’s not the traditional hiding-under-a-sheet-and-going-woooo-at-people ghost so you can put the proton pack back under the bed. What I’m talking about are the people that engage with us, go through the process and then disappear for whatever reason. Now I’m not going to be going-on about why it happens as there’s already dozens of vitriolic posts out there blaming the candidates, clients and those doing the recruitment in equal measure so I think the bases are pretty well covered. Instead, I wanted to highlight the damage it does to those involved in the process as it’s happening with alarming regularity and it’s creating an atmosphere of toxic distrust that threatens to make the whole process more complicated than it needs to be. It may not initially occur to candidates, but the fallout can be damaging and they’re undoubtedly the most important part in the process. There’s various reasons why it happens but from what we’ve seen the most “popular” seems to be using the threat of leaving to force the current company into effecting change. So, let’s assume you go through the whole process and get the job offer then use that as leverage for a pay rise or promotion at your current company. What kind of precedent does that set? Does this mean that every time you don’t get what you want or feel you deserve then you pull the same trick? That’s only going to work a certain number of times before the whole thing falls apart and If the company you’re working for is putting you in that situation in the first place then you really need to ask yourself if a symbolic payrise and key to the management toilet is really going to help. From the recruitment and company point of view, it’s nothing short of a costly, frustrating waste of time. The chances are a good agent will have a backup but that’s hardly the point. The damage is done. Don’t get me wrong here, it works both ways. The industry is rife with stories of candidates, and sometimes even clients, not hearing back from time wasting recruiters who seem oblivious to the damage they’re causing. And that’s something we steer well clear of. If you’d like to know what makes us different then give us a call. JUN 11 12 Do AI Systems And Recruiters Go Hand in Hand? By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments Do AI Systems and Recruiters Go Hand in Hand? Amidst the recent buzz and hype surrounding AI systems in the media, the fear of losing jobs to intelligent tech has become snowballed. In a modern world where technology is forever expanding and adapting to adhere to business needs, it is no wonder that artificial intelligence in recruitment has become such a popular topic of interest -with some companies even beginning to offer AI systemsas a service for various different business sectors. It becomes a battle of the human and bots almost, so we must ask: can AI replace the human recruiter? To answer this question it is important to firstly explore what an AI system does. HireVue uses AI technology, and after testing their tech in a video for Business Insider, they received mixed opinions. The interviewing process in particular seemed to suit the tech element. Essentially, a candidate answered interview questions via video and then, using AI algorithms, the tech was able to evaluate their performance. The AI recruiting technology used this data to analyse the interview and predict their performance in the job role. Response… AI recruiting technology has always incited mixed reviews. To understand why, we must first ask: what does a recruiter do? The process and purpose of a recruitment agency is to build a profile of your client and nurture a relationship. A human can experience and understand different aspects such as personalities and cultures, giving them a deeper understanding of their candidate. A level of understanding and empathy is configured which allows the recruiter to find the perfect employees for a business. Our ethos says it best: The right job and the right person are always out there — Qube Recruitment bring them together at the right time, in the right place. How Can An AI Recruiting System Build a Candidate Profile? AI recruiting technology can build candidate profiles pretty easily, actually. For example, a candidate may be pre-analysed via a mobile phone. The tech collates data that then deems what job roles you match. Is this ethical? Not just for recruiting employees, but in general? A system deciding your future, just by analysing the way you answer interview questions and ranking you against other candidates. And it brings about the question, what if you are a person who is nervous and uncomfortable with cameras, but are confident in front of people? An impersonal piece of tech will alienate and perhaps limit your ability to perform. On the other hand, the data collected aims to pair you with a job role specifically suited to you. This could save time and give recruiters new insight into various candidates, cutting down the manual filtering necessary, as they would have specific lists of people that suits certain job roles. Is A Digital Transformation Needed for Recruitment Agencies? Algorithmic data is so specific and uses in depth analysis to predict behaviours. Stefanie Stanislawskicreated an AI algorithm to “help companies to develop their internal business and external talent attraction, and to make the recruitment process candidate friendly, by adapting it to each individual personality”. Data and the results collected could indeed streamline the entire process, and find candidates that better fit business needs and requirements. Additionally, if technology is updating and workspaces, mobiles and various office gadgets are constantly evolving, is the recruitment process in need of a digital transformation? “Applying artificial intelligence into the recruitment process could ensure more diverse, empathetic, and dynamic workforces, and according to studies, an algorithm could increase the accuracy of selecting job candidates by more than 50%”. Companies are dedicated to find the ‘perfect’ fit for their company and have specific requirements they need to consider when recruiting employees. Should they then, open themselves up to AI recruiting tech? It is important to remember that human interaction is the underlying factor of the recruitment process and that it creates the foundation for a successful face to face interview. With technology dominating modern society, will taking away this need for human interaction result in us losing it forever? The benefits or a recruitment agency come from the experienced consultants who can help both the candidate and the employer, and this should not be undermined. In addition, the amount of support you gain from a recruiter is invaluable and very often required by candidates and businesses alike. Let’s Be Real In the light of GDPR and people becoming more cautious and wary of where their personal data is being stored, artificial intelligence could put many people off. Having in-depth findings could be harmful to a candidate if the process was not conducted in an ethical way. AI clearly presents itself as a useful tool that has the potential to aid the recruitment process, however if it stops a person being matched for a job role that they really wanted to apply for then it does bring about the question whether humans should ever be defined by a system that impersonally collates data. MAY 11 10 There Is No Magic Tree By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments Believe it or not, a lot of people think that hiring is easy. They honestly think that they can put together a badly worded ad (or even worse, a job description), throw it out to a couple of job sites, sit back and wait for people to start banging on the door. There’s any number of reasons why that’s just a narrow minded, redundant way of thinking and I’ll cover them somewhere in the future, but the long and short of it is that by the time we get to work on the jobs the damage is already done. We’re then bought in as a back up and have to mop up the mess. It’s not ideal and certainly not the way we like to work but it does still happen. Some of the problem seems to stem from hirers that believe that there’s a magic tree in a field somewhere that grows perfect candidates that are happy to work for salaries under market value. When that doesn’t work and we’re called in, they throw out incredibly specific lists of demands and assume that we then disappear back into our holes and start whatever arcane rituals we’ve picked up. Spoiler Alert – It’s not like that and what we do is a little more in-depth and sometimes our best suggestion may be to take a risk and go for passion and willingness to learn over experience. Especially in industries where the hiring pool is becoming smaller and smaller. Sure, there’s a trade off – you’ll actually need to take time and effort to train and develop the “raw talent” but when you look at the long term benefits they far outweigh the downsides. With some support, guidance and your input you’re able to get that perfect candidate. Someone that gets to know the company inside out, knows the procedures and really understands the role. But this’d all be window dressing if we weren’t prepared to put our money where our mouths were so that’s exactly what we did. We put an ad out for people to come and join us and the response was pretty good. Candidates had the skills and background we needed but there was always something that didn’t quite “fit”, we’re a pretty tight team and the thought of toxicity was always a concern. Then we met Tom. He doesn’t have the skills and experience yet, but he does get what we’re all about and he’s willing to learn. To us, that’s just as important and it’s our responsibility to make sure he gets all the training and support he needs to make it work for both parties. Tom’s first lesson? We told him the big secret – there is no Magic Candidate Tree. Qube Recruitment are based in Kent and We provide a bespoke recruitment solution, led by our dedicated team of qualified specialists that fully support you throughout every step of the recruitment process MAY 09 7 The Best Way To Find A Job – Top Tips By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments Have you given up all hope of finding employment? Are you questioning your own self worth and struggling to find the motivation to continue applying for jobs? These handy top tips will discuss the best way to find a job. “Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.” – Samuel Johnson Be consistent with applying and don’t give up! Too often rejection from a job we really wanted causes us to have massive self doubt, and we take this to heart. Sometimes this even impacts on our self belief. We have to understand that rejection, although it isn’t the best news, is something we can learn from it. For example, if you get a “no” from a recruiter, don’t be afraid to request some feedback from them. Usually they will discuss with you the reasons why you were not successful, and this can be for a variety of different reasons. This can include your level of experience, your interview, and your fit for the company etc. Consider the possibility that sometimes it could be nothing to do with you, it could simply be due to the fact that the job position has been taken down and is no longer available or other changes have taken place within the company. Update your LinkedIn Profile and CV Make sure your LinkedIn Profile is clear and concise. Include descriptions of previous job roles and specific experience you gained or areas you became qualified in. This will help boost your profile and means that recruiters can then look for your specific skill set. Furthermore, update your CV with your previous job role(s) and make sure you highlight your skills clearly. Don’t bombard your CV with unnecessary information, and organise it well. A messy CV that is not clearly set out and is a few pages long will not capture attention and will most probably be disregarded. You can check out our handy guide on writing the perfect CV to ensure you cover all the key elements. Use our job search tool A good way to find a job is on our website. We have a handy tool that allows you to search for a variety of jobs within the Kent area. It is quick and easy and allows you to search for different positions within different industries. Make sure you keep checking for new roles as we update them. Use cover letters Finding a job is much harder than it use to be with competition being so high. As well as relevant experience laid out on a CV, it is just as important to send a cover letter alongside your application. This shows the employer you are genuinely interested in the company, as you have taken the time to write one. It is also the perfect chance to highlight your skills and areas of expertise, of course linking this with the job role you are applying for. Within the cover letter, you will want to discuss the job role and why you think you are perfect for the role, but also the reasons why you want to work for their company specifically. This shouldn’t be a cringe fest and come across as a desperate plea to be employed, more like a professional and concise letter that discusses your experience, tying this in with the company itself and the job role. Don’t limit yourself! If you know what industry you want to get into but you are trained/qualified in a variety of different areas then you can apply for various different job roles. For example, if your experience is within Transport and Logistics, and your previous experience includes forklift driving, transport planning and warehouse operations, then this broadens your job search and your likelihood of finding a suitable job. On our website you can find a variety of different job roles within a variety of sectors using our job search tool. Consider applying for a few variations to help increase your chance of employment and finding your next long term job. Networking Networking is key – staying connected online as well as going out to specific events targeted for recruitment is significant in making vital connections. Even when you’re out and about it is always handy having your business cards or CV handy, in case you see a role available that you’d like to apply for. Remain confident and positive, you never know who you might meet and where it will lead. Always be prepared! This is a great way to find a job. If you find yourself leaving an event without any offer of an interview or a job, it is still a great opportunity to get yourself out there, and companies may bare you in mind for future opportunities. The best way to find a job: it isn’t always easy… Some people may be lucky and find a job relatively easily. For the majority in today’s society it is becoming increasingly hard to land a dream job. The biggest factor which is significant to all of these points is staying positive and never giving up – keep on searching and enquiring. Be consistent and believe in yourself and eventually your efforts will pay off. APR 27 6 Wrap up of the week! By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments Only a short blog this time. It’s Friday, it’s end of the month and we’re up to our eyeballs. The team have just smashed their weekly and monthly records and so we’re going to sit down and think about how we celebrate it. Ever considered a career in Recruitment? Wait a minute, let me clarify. What do you think about a job that’s like piloting a rally car at full pelt with no brakes? Through a forest. At night. At this point you’ll be thinking one of two things: “That is a whole lot of nope” “That sounds awesome” If you’re answer is the first one, then our industry might not be for you. But we’re here to try and help you find that perfect match so you should get that CV together and send it through to us as we may have that perfect role. If, however, you crave something that’s a little out of the ordinary then maybe you ought to consider it. In a pure coincidence we’re currently looking for an Apprentice to come and join us. It’s a perfect entry into the industry and would set you up to becoming a Recruiter. We’ve got a great team and maybe you’re the part we never knew we were missing. If you’re thinking that it all sounds exciting and you want to know a little more then give us a shout. We’ll talk you through it and help you decide whether it’s for you. Gary is the Branch Manager at Qube Recruitment, a privately owned and independent agency servicing multiple sectors. He has been doing this for a while and seems pretty good at it. Despite what you might think, he really wants to talk to you. Contact him or a member of the team on 0800 468 1900 or email info@quberecruitment.co.uk. JAN 18 7 4 Steps on How to Get Your Dream Job By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments We spend the majority of our lives working, so it makes sense that we want jobs we actually like doing! There is no definitive answer on how to get your dream job; every industry, every company, every person is different. But, there are actions you can take to get yourself on the right track for your dream career. 1. Be as specific as you can about what you want to do We can’t help you get your dream job if you’re not sure about what you want to do. You need to do a little independent research and find out a bit more about the industry you’re interested in. For example, if you know you want to work in transportation and logistics, but don’t actually know much about the different roles within the sector, or the qualifications you may need, then spend some time looking into it. This will at least give you a point of reference about the steps you need to take. We’re not saying you shouldn’t be flexible at the start of your career, but that you should have an idea of the direction in which you want your career to go. This will help us make sure we recommend jobs that will actually give you relevant experience and help you develop the career you want. 2. Accept that your first job won’t be your dream job You need to be realistic. If you have no experience or qualifications – and even if you do – you can’t expect to land your 75k dream job straight away. You need to recognise that careers are not static and that you’ll have to put in the work to get there. Your very first job might not even be all that relevant to the end result you have in mind, particularly if you need to find a job quickly. The important thing is that you don’t become disheartened, nor allow yourself to become complacent. Keep in contact with recruitment agencies and stay on the lookout for relevant opportunities. 3. Sign up to relevant recruitment agencies We’re not just being biased, we promise! As a specialist recruitment agency, we’re quite literally trained in getting you the job that suits you best. A lot of recruitment agencies cater to highly specific industries. For example, in addition to our general vacancies, we specialise in helping people find careers in construction, careers in engineering and careers in transportation and logistics. The benefits of signing up to recruitment agencies who specialise in your desired field should be obvious but just to make it even clearer: we know the industry, we know the roles available, we know the employers, we know the process, we know the requirements. While we won’t always get you that dream job straight away, we will find you the most relevant opportunities that will get you on track for your chosen career. We won’t ever browbeat you into applying for a job you don’t want; we’re here to make you and our clients happy. Everyone can benefit from professional help finding a job because it’s our duty to provide the best candidate/role match possible. 4. Look into independent courses and study We find that a lot of our candidates want help finding a job with no experience or without quite the right qualifications. In fact, 65% of recruiters cite a lack of skilled candidates in the market as the biggest obstacle to hiring (Devskiller). This is why we tell you not to expect your dream job straight away: you simply don’t have the skills yet. However, to help us get you that experience that will put you on the right track towards your dream job, you should look into a bit of independent study. There are a lot of online courses out there and they’re not all ridiculously expensive. Some are even free. Taking part in some of these courses will really boost your CV and show that you’re passionate about your chosen career path. It seems nowadays that everyone, and particularly graduates, need help finding a job with no experience. Looking into courses will show that you’re trying to make up for that so you can get a role in the sector you want. How to get your dream job: use every resource available We all wish there was a formula explaining how to get your dream job. It seems like it’s impossible getting the experience you need to get the job you want. This is why you should sign up to a recruitment agency that specialises in your sector. Contact us today for free here. You need to use every resource at your disposal because if you don’t, someone else will – and they’ll be the ones who get the jobs you wanted. DEC 14 6 You Need to Consider Flexible Working this Christmas By Natalie | Uncategorized | No Comments It’s nearly Christmas! Now, whilst this should be a time of elated festivities and general merriment, Christmas tends to really stress people out. It makes sense; people have lives, families and jobs to attend to already, but now they have to find gifts for people and make an assortment of plans, all the while managing their (likely increasing) workload. Businesses have a responsibility to keep their employees content and help them manage their tasks at all times, and flexible working can make this a lot easier. According to a recent study, ‘33 percent of candidates have declined a position because they didn’t have flexible work options’. Flexible working is clearly growing in value and so can no longer be dismissed by businesses owners. For an explanation and overview of flexible working in its entirety, see our previous blog post. On the other hand, this blog post makes sense of how flexible working could benefit you right now. I wanted this article to focus on flexible working and the Christmas holidays so that you lovely readers could understand its usefulness in a real and annually recurring situation. Flexible Working Reduces the Concentration of Holidays As Christmas is a national holiday, many Brits want to book time off around this period. They want to see family, travel, stuff their faces with Christmas treats and generally celebrate – and they need a decent amount of time to do that. This can create problems for employers who stay open over Christmas. You need staff to remain available, so you have to decide who gets which holiday dates – a thoroughly dreadful activity that can create animosity among your employees. Flexible working can take the pressure of employers and employees when it comes to dividing up this Christmas holiday period. Instead of having all of your employees book time off over the same days, give them the option to work from home or work remotely if this is possible. Of course, not every employee can do their job from home – restaurant or construction staff for example – but any business with office workers or a great deal of paper/computer work can give this to employees as an option. Alternatively, managers give their staff an incentive to speed up productivity; if they complete all of their work early, then they can leave work early. From the perspective of the employer, as long as the work gets done properly and in good time, does it matter where or when they do the work? Flexible Working Eases the Pressure of Overtime Combined with the issue of holiday concentration during the Christmas period, a lot of businesses also have to worry about securing staff to work overtime. If Christmas is a busy period for your company, then you should use every method at your disposal to ensure it runs smoothly. Flexible working works so well during the Christmas holidays because it makes it easier on your employees and helps employers secure the overtime they need. Business owners and managers should hold a staff meeting in which they clearly communicate to their employees that Christmas will be a very busy time and that overtime will be required. The groans of discontent will soon dissipate when these employees hear that they have the option to work from home. Ultimately, flexible working decreases the likelihood of employees calling in sick and keeps your business on track. On the other hand, if you’re an employee who is happy to work overtime but would find it much easier to not be in the office over Christmas, simply ask your boss if working from home is an option. Flexible Working is an Answer to Adverse Weather Winter in Britain is cold. True, we’re not up to our elbows in snow but the bitter chill doesn’t do a lot to aid productivity. Workplace Insight cites that, ‘over half (57 percent) of office workers say they’d be more productive working from home when the weather gets colder’. Of course they would! Firstly, that unpleasant morning commute isn’t doing much to help them fight off that cold they’ve been battling with since the beginning of November. Secondly, it can be hard for staff to focus on work if their office is notoriously cold during winter. Flexible working is a fantastic solution to this bitter problem. Think about how much more pleasant you would find writing those stressful reports, if you could sip your choice coffee out of your favourite mug while wrapped up warm within the confines of your well insulated home. Of course, business owners could – should – buy heaters to make their offices comfortable places to work in. But flexible working is a great alternative, particularly for those workers who have a long and arduous commute in the cold. Flexible Working Helps Appease Stress From the perspective of the employee, flexible working has its benefits even if it’s not the exact solution they pictured. Of course it’s not ideal for them to write that proposal from a hotel room while their family are off enjoying themselves at the beach, but it’s better than not being able to go on holiday at all. Most employees understand why businesses need them to work over Christmas, but that doesn’t make them happy about it. Offering them a compromise such as flexible working shows workers that their employer values their staff, which in turn encourages them to value their employer and fulfil their tasks effectively – making it easier on the business in the long run. And Finally: Merry Christmas from QUBE! NextPrevious » Search... RECENT POSTS Why Use a Recruitment Agency Factors to Consider when Recruiting Employees The Best Way to Get a Job with No Experience Afraid of Ghosts? Do AI Systems And Recruiters Go Hand in Hand? 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