When interviewing candidates there are certain characteristics that we look out for to determine someone’s interest in the position and to get an overall feel if the candidate is the right fit for the position. These include: Proving reliability Being honest Having a good attitude Showing willingness to learn Being motivated Having good communication Being…
Job rejection can be a really difficult time, especially when you’ve had your heart set on a particular role. The best thing to do is to try and not take it personally, I bet if you asked every person you knew if they’ve ever been unsuccessful at a job interview nearly 100% would say yes!…
We asked our Consultants a variety of questions around the topic of interviews and we’ve listed their feedback below… Dress smart Pay attention Ask questions Be personable Show your personality Smile and show interest Sit up properly Prepare for your interview, do your research about the company and get everything you need to take…
We asked our Consultants what they look for in a CV when filtering through applications, and we have listed their top to do’s and don’ts below… Listing relevant qualifications to the job role, i.e. FLT licences, first aid training etc. Appropriate hobbies and interests Specifying your exact skills Listing your work history and time…
The post-interview checklist. For most job seekers, the interview is a scary part of the process – you’re being judged on appearances, attitude, character, ability and pretty much everything else! A good interviewer will want to see how well you would fit in to the culture of your new prospective workplace, as well as how…
The Swedish Derogation This a process in which agency workers are not entitled to equal pay after the 12 week period – instead the worker is entered into a contract in which they are paid in-between assignments. The worker cannot be paid less than the minimum wage, and the contract must not be terminated less…
So, you want to be a recruitment consultant. You need to impress the recruiter – let them know that you’ve got what it takes to spot talent in another candidate. What better way to prove this than to show you know how to BE the perfect candidate? When applying for a role, a cover letter…
…and how to break them 1. Thinking that simply emailing your CV will bag you the job Most employers would like to see that you’ve seriously considered the role you’re applying for, rather than having just uploaded a CV on the off-chance that you’ll be selected. Cure this: Always use a cover…
So you’ve probably heard the phrase ‘It’s easier to get a job when you’ve got a job’ .. but why is that? You weren’t fired Your current employer is a living reference – a sign that you’re worth hiring and keeping on. You haven’t been dismissed and you haven’t walked out or quit so there’s…
We are guilty of it from time to time as ours is a busy, reactive and pressured environment. The phone will ring and your priorities will change, a colleague will ask a question and your attention is diverted or a client will make a request that changes the course of the day for the whole…
Very often people will confuse zero hours contracts with agency work. Either they have not worked through an agency, or they are uninformed. What is a zero hours contract? A zero hours contract literally means that you are not contracted any minimum hours. However, you are required to be available at any point in the…
There following interview questions are so common that you’ll undoubtedly have faced them in the past… but that doesn’t mean they should be taken lightly! Use our advice below to beat the cliché. What is your biggest flaw? This question is so over-used that the usual way of flipping it into something great has become…
It’s Sunday night and you’re starting your new office job in the morning. If you’ve never worked in an office before, you will definitely find this short guide useful! Dress Code This is something you’ll be thinking about before you even get to work. What should you wear? The different levels of formality in…
There is an abundance of ‘how-to’ articles available for the job seeker, but it seems that some people are still getting it wrong (if that weren’t true – you’d be employed, right?). We’d love to get as many people out of the Job Centre and into work, so we’ve surveyed our experienced recruitment consultants,…
Ah, the covering letter. Perhaps the most under used element of the job search, but definitely one of the most useful. The main reason for a cover letter is to allow the employer to understand who you are and why you’re sending them your CV. The amount of CV’s we receive without a covering letter…
An Anatomy of a Job Advert. Applications for skilled roles require a methodical approach in order to ensure best chances of success. We’re going to look at a breakdown of the areas you should direct your attention to, and how you should use them to make a winning application. Below is an advert for a…
That time of year is here again, and this year’s graduates-to-be are under pressure. Alongside the need to revise & complete dissertations, the growing fear of unemployment in the months to come makes this a stressful time for even the most composed of students. What should you do? First of all, don’t panic! Yes this…
You see all kinds of articles written about which way you should write your CV today. Yesterday you may have read one stating that you should keep it as brief as possible, retaining the element of mystery. Maybe the week before, you were told that you should create an artwork – graphically construct your life…
Rejection is tough, no matter the subject. A job rejection can break you, especially if you’ve worked towards a certain career, or you’ve hyped yourself over a vacancy that you think would be perfect for you. Some people are quitters, and if you’re one of those then you’ll know the feeling – you feel like…
I’ve seen it many times. The job seeker is looking for work online using a job board, and sees a few things that catch their eye. They know they’re going to need to apply for quite a few vacancies, so they open the ones they’re interested in pursuing in a new tab in their browser…
How do you say no to a job offer without burning the bridges of opportunity for the future? There are thousands of articles for the unemployed detailing all the different aspects of finding employment; A million different ways to bag the job of your dreams – but what if you’re actually looking for a way…
…A Recruitment Consultant Could you be a Recruitment Consultant? Here’s an example of an average day in our office… 5.07am Monday morning. You’re bleary eyed and feeling a little bit lost – but the distinctive ring of the work mobile gets you out of bed. It’s a client, and they’ve had a huge order in….
Are you performing above and beyond your duties? If you are planning to use your devotion to back-up a claim for a pay rise or promotion, then you’re going to want to start tracking exactly what you do. It’s as simple as recording the extra tasks you carry out, or the favours you treat your…
The initial decision to be made, is the end goal you have in mind. Many people wish to chase a dream, become rich and successful and have chosen the career they intend on pursuing. Maybe the role you desire isn’t a big money maker, but you definitely know what you want to do. The question…
Long Term Unemployed The long term unemployed will find it difficult to get back in to employment if there is no valid excuse for the unemployment gap. In this scenario, you’re going to have to prove that you’re willing to work and you have a changed work ethic. How do you do this? -Volunteer: There’s…
The longer you’ve been out of work, typically the harder you’ll find it to get back in. Recruiters/Employers question large unemployment gaps and will want to know what you’ve done in this time. If you’ve been unemployed for a very long time (years) with no valid excuse, you’ll be seen as the kind of person…
If you find yourself wanting to leave your current role, you may worry about where your next payslip will be coming from. Leaving permanent work can be daunting for anyone, especially those with commitments such as a mortgage, car or family they’re held responsible for. If you know what you want to do next, then…
Looking for your first job can be a daunting and frustrating task – if you’re inexperienced the job market is hard enough, but harder still for someone with no references, no confidence and no idea what you’re doing! The first step to take is to figure out what you want to do. We wrote an…
Right skills The number one ingredient to a great CV is having the skills to match the job description. The most important advice we can give you is to take your time, and make your application stand out. If you’re using the same CV to apply for multiple jobs, take a look at it each…
and 10 other things you’ll need to know for your first job. We’re sat wondering what first time workers should know that no one ever tells them.. 1. How to make a great brew. At work, the drinks usually come in rounds – and the newbie needs to make a few. Get your order right…
You’re about to step into the interview room and your palms are sweating, your throat is dry and you can’t remember the interviewers name. You didn’t read our awesome top 10 and now you really wish you had! Read on for 10 effective ways to cure your interview nerves and show the employer why you’re…
For an Excel virgin, opening the program is about as scary as it gets. Endless boxes awaiting complex formulas, and not a clue where to begin! Your task: design a spreadsheet which calculates how many of X item we need to order for our 8 branches at the end of each month. Your response: ARGH….
You’re always told what you should put in to your CV, but what should you be taking out? Those who regularly read CV advice will have heard that recruiters are busy people, and your CV must stand out in order to be noticed. So how exactly do you stand out? Make them notice you –…
When is it the right decision to take a pay cut? Your career is not always a ladder, and sometimes taking a salary dip can actually be the most beneficial action to take. Here’s 7 reasons why taking less than you’re after may actually be the best thing you can do. If you’re looking for…
You’ve followed all the tips, got all the right qualifications and experiences, practiced all the questions, bought the right clothes and said the right things – but you’re still not getting anywhere with your job search. You’re probably ready to give up by now, feeling like this process is just totally hopeless – right? Wrong….
What’s it all about? You may be aware that as of the 1st January 2014 the government has called for all workers to be auto enrolled into a pension scheme, which your employer will also pay into. This affects you if you; -aren’t already in a workplace pension scheme-are aged between 22 and State…
Your job search can be frustrating, especially if you’re lacking the skills and experience that are crucial when attempting to compete with the thousands of other job seekers out there – but how do you get the experience without a job? How do you get a job with no experience? Start from the beginning. …
Do you remember the enthusiasm you had on your first day at work? The genuine interest in learning new skills and interacting with new people? Somewhere along the line the excitement wears off and the job becomes part of your daily routine. How do you get back that first-day feeling? Always be on the lookout…
Signing up with an agency is as simple as filling out a few forms and having an interview. Using an agency is actually a lot different! Do your research: Different agencies cater for different types of work. Here at Essential, we broadly cover industry and commerce, and therefore can supply anything between administrative/secretarial staff and…
To get the most out of your CV, you need to think like the recruiter. For example, if you’re applying for a FLT counterbalance job in Worksop, the recruiter will be looking for in-date licences and experience of using them. Include: – Licences held, dates ( to prove they are in date ) – Previous…
There’s an abundance of really useful job advice available on the internet. Articles help people dress for interviews, write their CV in a particular way, cope with their first day in a new job, advance in their career.. and everything in between. The problem is, the advice is rarely written for the warehouse workers, the…
Do you hate your job? Hate your boss? Hate your colleagues? Hate where you work? Tweet about it? No matter how small the company you work for, it’s never wise to publicly slate them over social media. Many companies now have social media accounts of their own, and will ‘listen’ as part of their marketing…
Which recruitment agency is for you? Assuming you wouldn’t sign up with the first agency to approach you, how do you decide which agency is right for you? There are many things to consider, 5 of which the Guardian has pinpointed below. We’re not going to tell you the reasons we’re better than other agencies,…
There could be any number of reasons that a person chooses to register with a recruitment agency, including… -New to the area, want help with local businesses -Can’t find/don’t want permanent work -Want to boost income when working or studying part time. -Want to improve CV/Build work experience With that said, agency workers still find…
It is a satisfactory feeling to get someone into work, especially when their own efforts have failed them. It’s an even better feeling when that work turns into a full time, permanent position. How much do you know about what we do? How do recruitment agencies work? Agencies serve companies by providing candidates for their…
It’s a question you’ve most likely heard – those who make benefits a lifestyle don’t feel that they would gain anything financially by working, and so decide to continue as they are. 1. Job Satisfaction Deep down, people who work are kinda smug – at least some of the time. It’s a nice feeling knowing…
Employers who struggle to find the right staff for a position will usually come to an agency for a helping hand. The reason for this is that their search has become too time consuming, too stressful or simply they feel they’re not going to find this person. Did you know? An agency will search for…
Misconceptions of recruitment agencies. There are many misconceptions when it comes to Recruitment Agencies, and I’m sure the consultants out there will agree. 1. We ignore people. We don’t, basically! If you’ve applied for a job, it’ll go one of these ways. If you’re a great candidate, we’ll either send your CV to the client,…
1. It doesn’t even get read. Do you send a covering letter? What makes you think anyone will want to open an attached file with no indication as to what it is? Check your cover writing skills here. 2. You haven’t included contact details. I’ve seen it quite a few times – the CV is…
What’s the most common mistake I see when candidates are applying for job vacancies? Not providing a cover letter. On many occasions, I can open an email with no subject and no cover letter – simply a CV attached (of sorts… ) The cover letter should explain to me who you are, what position you’re…
