The Workthing+ blog

Managing your agency

Looking for a job can be tricky, but are we doing enough to help ourselves? In the current market, have you chosen the best agency to represent you?

The agency you choose needs to be the one that can sell you to the market, and therefore the one that should know you inside out. So, who can honestly say: “My agency knows me?”

If you can’t answer in the positive, there’s no way you can expect the agency to find you the right job opportunity.
 
Why are we surprised when our recruitment consultant doesn’t call us back? Why are we shocked when we go to an interview and the job or company is just so wrong for us? Why do we just accept that this is how agencies and consultancies are? Why do we allow this kind of treatment to happen?
 

Hot Sectors: February 2010

So far, 2010 is proving to be a far more stable year for hiring than 2009. Employers are more optimistic about the strength of the economy, and are therefore willing to invest more on recruitment.

Whatever your sector of interest, February has shown a consistent demand for managers and executives. After all, good companies are always on the look out for top talent.

Below is February’s Management Moves report, provided by Alert Data:

A helping hand for youth

Jim Knight MP, Employment Minister, describes how new support from the Government gives school leavers and graduates looking for work a reason to be positive about their future.

Want to know more about how to get on the career ladder? Sign up for a free online workshop from Workthing+.

The last few months have shown some positive signs of recovery in the job market but there’s a long way to go. The recent joint report by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation found that permanent jobs grew at their fastest rate since July 2007, and some graduate employers like Santander have announced they are actually expanding their graduate schemes this year to create even more graduate jobs.

My favourite candidates

Even though my favourite candidates are all different, the one thing they have in common is that they understand that we have to make each other look good to be successful. They get the role they want, and I get a happy client who pays my bill. This mutual back-scratching process is often misunderstood by candidates, so I thought I‘d give you a few hints on how to work with your recruiter:

Do your research

I will not work with candidates who can’t be bothered to prepare for interviews; it’s arrogant and pointless. I once nearly lost a client because a senior candidate, who I had briefed in the same way as three others, claimed to know nothing about the role when she arrived. Remember, I am rejecting other applications in favour of yours, so if you don’t have time to look at the website, then let me know – I might be able to help. If your cat has died or your boiler has burst then we can postpone. Far better that than going into the interview underprepared.

Developing your Inner Leader: Accessing the 'Big Six'

They say that our former managers or leaders either serve as a lesson or a warning for us when we become a manager for the first time. I would say the two biggest gripes about managers are poor listening and communication skills. Agree?

It is vital to your success as a leader that you are able to tap into the motivations and aspirations of others. The ‘push’ mentality is losing its grip as we go against people who tell us what we should do. The ‘pull’ philosophy of identifying what people genuinely want, and tapping into their intrinsic motivations and aspirations, is what the ‘enviable workplaces’ of today and tomorrow are wising up to.

Passion, Inspiration, Charisma, Energy, Focus and Drive are the favourites to appear in discussions about the characteristics for successful leadership. I call them the ‘Big Six’, as they always seem to get a mention. Of course, these are all very subjective and inconstant measures – but are recognisable across cultures, sectors and industries.

Hot sectors: January 2010

January can be a really exciting time if you’re looking for a job. Not only do you have the motivation to put that ‘new year; new start’ mentality into action, you also have access to more jobs, due to a greater number of employers looking to hire.

The New Year is also a time when people leave their jobs in search of new opportunities. Consequently, there’s been a lot of activity across a range of sectors in management and executive circles.

January’s Management Moves report indicates that many sectors are experiencing a steady ratio of appointments to departures:

You can find a job on Twitter

People tend to look at me with disbelief when I tell them that if it weren’t for Twitter and more specifically, the advent of social media, I wouldn’t have my current job.

I began accessing Twitter through an iPhone application, which located users who were in close proximity to you and showed you their tweets. This was important because it allowed me to connect with people in my area and discuss relevant topics.

Fast-forward a year and a half later to mid-June, and I was in full swing of my first internship and had started to wonder how I was going to obtain full employment when I graduated in December.

I knew that I was interested in recruiting, so I started researching how to break into the field. I remembered that one of the people I followed had something in her profile about being a recruiter and having to deal with all things workforce-related. What better way to get answers than asking a recruiter!

Make your money work for you

Angela Eagle, Minister for Pensions, sets out the reasons why saving what you can when in work is the foundation for a more secure future when you retire.




Planning and saving for later life might not be top of your agenda, especially if you’re looking for work in the current economic climate. However, we are all living longer and most of us are likely to spend over 20 years in retirement, which is why thinking about your long-term financial future now, is essential. There might be many calls on your money and retirement might seem a long way off, but saving for the future is vital.

Hot sectors: December 2009

Most people use the festive break as an opportunity to regroup and refocus on what they really want before putting 100 per cent into finding a job in the New Year.

During December, the number of managers and executives appointed into work was slow across most sectors. However, there was certainly still some activity, reflecting the upward swing in the job market highlighted in November’s Management Moves report.

This month’s report shows that there were still certain sectors that made some significant hires:

Looking for a job? Make sure you are professionally represented online

A recent study by Harris Interactive shows that over 45% of employers use social networks in order to screen potential candidates. The reason for that is simple: it is both easier and faster to Google a candidate’s name than it is to start calling for references. In most cases, the information found within seconds online exceeds what can be derived from a phone conversation with a former employer. The same study also shows that over one third of the decision makers were influenced by what they had found online when deciding to pass on a candidate.

In a world where being called for a face-to-face interview depends on a review of a candidate’s Google CV, presenting yourself professionally on the web is an absolute necessity. Unless you have the exact same name as a well-known celebrity, it is entirely possible to rank on the first page of Google for your name. It does not take very long or cost a lot of money, it only requires dedication and a bit of planning.

How your CV can help you change careers

 

Making a major career change can be very tough, particularly in the current job market. Due to the large number of jobseekers, employers can afford to insist on only seeing candidates with previous experience in the same role.

However, if you are really set on making a major career change, it can be done. You might also feel that you have no other option, as being in a job that no longer gives you any satisfaction can be soul destroying. Of course the opposite is certainly true if you are fortunate to be doing a job that you love.

You won’t be able to start your job search without having a CV that is going to convince a potential employer to invite you for an interview despite your lack of previous experience.

So here are my Top Ten CV Tips to help you change careers:

Hot sectors: November 2009

November signalled one of the most positive upturns in the job market for many months. The REC/KPMG Report on Jobs for November displayed a growth in both permanent and temporary appointments, pointing towards a brighter outlook for 2010.

Whether you’re a manager or executive wishing to target opportunities in your sector or whether you’re looking to explore new avenues, you’ll need to be aware of how the market is behaving. This month’s Management Moves report demonstrates some steady findings:

Advice from Jobcentre Plus – Preparing for an interview

Securing an interview is the crucial first step towards getting a job, but performing in the interview itself is a different ball game. To be invited for an interview you’ve obviously managed to impress the prospective employer on paper, but then you’ll want to do the same in person.

It’s natural to be nervous about interviews, but doing as much preparation as possible beforehand will give you the best possible chance of performing on the day. It’s amazing how many people overlook the most basic interview rules:

Hot sectors: October 2009

It’s been over six months since we started blogging about sector trends, and it’s fair to say that over this time certain patterns have emerged.

For example, the Public Sector has continued to show a relatively high level of appointments (despite declining in recent months), while more specialised sectors such as Vehicles and Components, Aerospace and Defence and Energy and Utilities have made far fewer appointments.

This isn’t to say there aren’t management or executive positions available in your sector of interest; it just means you need to do your research. Use these reports from Alert Data to target sectors and specific companies so that you can get in touch with the right people.

Looking to get a step on the ladder?

Advice from Jim Knight MP, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform

Starting out with your career is never easy and in the current economic climate we know that it can be even harder. Young people have been hit particularly hard by the recession, which is why the government has made them a key focus over the last few months. 

One reason that finding a job in your late teens and early twenties can be difficult is a lack of experience. This problem can sometimes feel like a catch-22 situation: you need the experience to get a job, but you need a job to get the experience. To help combat this problem, the government has been working hard to create thousands of opportunities for work, training and jobs to give young people their first break and a chance to develop their potential in a way that shows employers what they can do. 

Hot sectors: September 2009

Still looking for a job? Considering a career change? Make it your business to explore trends in new sectors so that you can target those sectors with specific skills shortages.

The latest report from Alert Data shows the hottest hiring sectors of executive appointments in September. Overall, there are still more appointments than departures, highlighting a steady but improved growth in the job market.

Why don't the best candidates get the best jobs?

What a frustrating market this is! You know you can do the job but you don’t get the job. Instead, the position gets offered to someone who you know cannot do the role as successfully as you.
 
Why is this happening? We are in a market where we have some real skill and expertise in so many different arenas, but many people just do not know how to sell themselves.

Salespeople manage to secure so many positions, even perhaps when they are not right for the job. Salespeople know that to get the job you want, you need to adapt the sales process whether you are presenting yourself on paper (your CV), targeting a position, or going for an interview.
 
But while many of us might be highly competent in our professions, we don’t necessarily understand that this is the process we have to undertake to succeed. You are up against the best of the best in this market, so not only do you have to ensure that you are highly competent, but that you know how to sell this competency to your potential employer.
 

Hot sectors: August 2009

If you’re looking to explore new career options, it’s in your interest to research different sectors to identify those hot sectors you could transfer to. Trends in executive appointments are a key indicator of activity levels in individual sectors. Overall, this month’s report (source: Alert Data Management Moves) shows that there are more appointments than departures, indicating a positive upwards trend in the economy.

For the first time in our analysis, Public Sector has been knocked off the top spot in terms of the number of appointments made – perhaps a sign of things to come in 2010? Some active employers include the Competition Commission, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Office of Fair Trading.

Prove that you can do the job

When employers look to hire candidates, there are three things that they want you to demonstrate:

1. Can this person do the job? The employer wants to find out if you have the relevant skills, ability and experience.
2. Will this person do the job for us? The employer wants to know what personally motivates you and what your longer-term plans are.
   
3. Will this person fit into our culture? The employer will judge you on your interpersonal skills.
   
   

The purpose of a face-to-face interview is for the employer to establish if you can do the last two things. If you’ve been invited to an interview, then they already know that the first point has already been ticked off. This is a good point to keep telling yourself if you’re feeling nervous. Motivate yourself with the fact that the employer already thinks you can do the job. You should then be able to go into your interview with confidence.

How far should I go for a new job?

I am being quite literal here. “How far do I have to travel to do something new?” is a question that a lot of people are asking themselves. This is not only an issue for people whose jobs are being ‘regionalised’, of which I seem to know quite a few. But it can also be a question for people with great opportunities in strange places. And in some big cities, like London, a new job on a different tube or train line can have sizable lifestyle implications too.

I believe there are two ways of looking at the issue. One is to think in terms of what you obviously would have to give up. That list can grow in length very rapidly, usually late at night on your tube ride home.

Many people have never filed taxes in another country, don’t know if their cat could survive in a new climate, really like their local takeaway, or have an in-built prejudice against something about ‘that other place’.

This is usually a process that doesn’t lead to a very happy place.