There are many fascinating facts about the number 20! Did you know that 20 is the maximum number of moves it takes to solve a Rubik’s Cube from all possible starting positions, referred to as God’s Number? It took 30 years to prove this wonder; It has only taken 20 years of bravery, collaboration, innovation and sheer resilience to prove that RE and Safehands are recruitment agencies to be reckoned with in the recruitment sector.
Here we share Richard East’s, Group Chairman, 20 poignant moments of the journey to a completely different recruitment experience with RE and Safehands Recruitment.
1. 2001 – The Minibus: After training with a well-known recruitment company and 2 years with a local firm, Richard goes it alone. Borrowing £700 off a flower stall pal, he sets off to buy a minibus and recruited a team of bar and waiting staff – the recruitment business owner was born. With no computer, no office, no money, he just rolled with it and took his chances. Richard is still in contact with some of the first team of temporary workers that got him off the ground and enjoys seeing the successes they have become.
2. 2002 – The First Office: Enough money was scraped together to rent the first office. He still remembers to this day, picking up the keys, sitting at the desk and firing up the computer!
3. 2003 – The Industrial Revolution: After starting the business primarily as a hospitality recruitment agency, Richard changes tack in the search for sustainability and moves into the industrial sector, which provides larger, more consistent revenues.
4. 2003 – 10 to 500: The first significant piece of business is won with a food production company. The client ordered 10 workers and are still with us to this day, peaking at circa 500 staff a day nationwide.
5. 2004 – Going National: Richard wins his first national account taking on three sites across the UK with an International Logistics Company.
6. 2005 – The Partnership: On 15th August, Richard recruits James Gibbs as a Recruitment Consultant and quickly realised his talent, hard work ethic, and ambition. James proved to be as passionate about recruitment as Richard and they start to forge a successful partnership, starting the early steps to parity and securing James’ first shares in the business in 2008
7. 2011 – The X-Factor: Richard opens his second office in Hereford, and whilst six branches followed, the Hereford branch has the X-Factor being the highest achieving member of the group since its inception
8. 2011 – Cementing a Partnership: 2010 had been a difficult year following the introduction of AWR legislation on temporary workers, impacting RE Recruitment’s lifeline, and for the first time the business makes a loss. Richard must think fast and broaden sectors to secure new business. Together with James Gibbs, they steady their nerves and the ship during a challenging 12 months. Having stared down the barrel of the insolvency gun and ducked out of the way, Richard rewards James’ unwavering loyalty and commitment by making him an official partner. A huge thank you for what had gone before and a challenge to see what could be achieved in the future.
9. 2013 – Caring about Caring: Looking to broaden the RE Recruitment offering, Richard is drawn to the Health and Social Care sector. However, with little knowledge of the area in steps Katie Armstrong and they formulate and launch the idea of Safehands Recruitment – Nursing and Care specialists across the Southwest and West Midlands. Richard also recognises the benefits of diversity in the Boardroom with Katie adding a new dynamic and another successful partnership is forged. Today, Safehands has a turnover of £9m and is a significant contributor to the group
10. 2013 – Hold the Purse Strings: Having previously faced the spectre of ruin, Richard realises the need for an expert to control the purse strings and secures the services of Clare Luxton, Finance Director. He finds in Clare someone who understands his entrepreneurial edge and someone who can influence calmness in decision making. Richard believes she is someone he has learnt from the most when it comes to making intelligent choices and wouldn’t be here today without her.
11. 2014 – Never Judge a Book by its Cover: In strides James Smith to an interview with Richard – tattoos, earrings, no recruitment experience, no office background – but with a warmth and charisma difficult to ignore. Going with his gut, Richard hires James, the naturally competitive and gifted sportsman, who becomes our most successful recruiter and powers through the ranks to Regional Branch Manager.
12. 2014 – Dancing in the Street: Expansion is on the cards with a move into Professional Services, providing permanent recruitment solutions for the Technical and Engineering sector. This offering is provided via a new business, branded Ambrose Recruitment, and named after the office location on Ambrose Street in Cheltenham. The move adds a high margin to the high volume and lower margin business we had always worked within and quickly becomes a significant contributor to the group.
13. 2015 – Leadership Room: Professional services needs leadership and Chris Rooum is appointed to head the division. A tenacious biller, often posting over £250K a year, who becomes instrumental to the development of the business culture. He grows the team year on year and continues to develop this talented division, expanding into various sectors.
14. 2016 – Ms Jones: Off the back of Ambrose Recruitment’s success, RE Recruitment moves into its own Professional Services piece, forming a Commercial/Secretarial division. Emma Jones proves influential in the development of this high-profit business and becomes very much part of the company’s DNA. Emma, a consistently high biller, is now involved in training new consultants into the industry whilst maintaining her contribution.
15. 2018 – Brand Consolidation: Richard and co have expanded into several sectors, enjoying much success, but via a variety of brands – Gallant, Ambrose, Catercrew, RE and Safehands. Richard feels like he has a mountain of business cards and too many hats on the hat stand, so the decision is made to consolidate the brands into just two – RE and Safehands. Working closely with the Really Helpful Marketing Company, Mel Homewood (Group Marketing Manager) oversees the alignment of a new brand message and structure. With feedback from the team, Guiding Principles emerge that represent us as a business – collaborative, authentic, loyal, inclusive, brave, resilient, and empowered – which sums up where we’ve come from and where we’re going.
16. 2019 – Horton Norton Hears a Who! A coup is made to secure the services of Mark Norton, who has developed his career with a competitor and is regarded as one of the ‘best in the game’ of On-Site recruitment. Just as Dr Seuss’ Horton aims to teach youngsters, Mark brings his knowledge, responsibility and respect. In a short time frame, he improves existing processes and brings circa £12m in new, healthy business. A major contributor to the positive culture around his division and beyond, the intelligent and unflappable Mark is a vital cog in the machine.
17. 2020 – Don’t Panic Captain Mainwaring! Business is growing at a rapid pace, then BOOM, the Covid-19 pandemic hits! Uncertainty and concerns for the team are erased by the promise made to lose no one through pandemic and through increased demand within the NHS, Food Production and E-Commerce sectors. Whilst some areas such as Professional Services and Hospitality suffer, the business remains profitable and Richard and James Gibbs can continue plans to grow the business and improve Central Services. The Dunkirk Spirit prevails.
18. 2020 – Train the Trainer: Struggling to support the development of people in the business with relevant and effective training expected of a leading recruitment agency, Lucy Dowie joins the team as Training and Onboarding Manager. As a dynamic and experienced recruiter, Lucy takes the reins and a change of direction with us, designing and developing our training division. From Academy and Apprenticeships to Senior and Branch development, the jigsaw is almost complete as Lucy oversees the onboarding and training needs as we continue to grow.
19. 2020 – Top of the Pops: In July ’21, RE were recognised as coming No1, in Recruiter Magazines, latest FAST 50 list, which showcases the fastest growing privately owned recruitment companies in the UK. A fantastic result for us, which is testimony to the hard work, loyalty and commitment show across the business during the last 16 months of covid turbulence. It also highlights the return of the multi-sector agencies, that have shown that diversifying and remaining agile in their offering have won the race.
20. 2021 – Party Time: So after 20 years of successful recruitment across a variety of sectors, what’s next? Well, after an incredibly tough time with the pandemic, one of our priorities is to say thank you to our hardworking and committed team by celebrating our achievements (big style) with our 20-year anniversary party at Richard’s farm. Celebrate wins, no matter how small, you never know when the next one is going to come along!
Get in touch with us at: Jobs@rerecruitment.com | 01242 896 022
Why Christmas is a great time of year to job hunt
♫ ‘Tis the season to be Jolly♫
Whilst most of us are side-tracked by ‘Black Friday’ and other Christmas shopping challenges. Those savvy amongst us are on the job hunt… the hunt for a new start, a new life, a new job!
♫Hark! the Herald Angel Sing ♫
We hear you wail! What madness, insanity, tomfoolery could this be we speak of? Well, nestle next to ‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’, and we will give you the scoop as to why it’s so important to get a flying start in the job race at this time of year.
“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” No truer words are spoken at this time of year. Your competitors (yes, your competitors, as it’s one big competition) are often distracted by Christmas jingles, feeling the Festive vibe, and putting everything off until the New Year. We’ve all done it, and we’re all guilty of it. But fight that urge to sit back and relax with the mince pies for just a few more days. Beat the rush by applying now, when there IS less competition. Be a big fish in a small pond.
Wider choice of roles
There are more opportunities and roles to choose from as vacancies become available thanks to people leaving roles early to enjoy a prolonged Christmas holiday. These leavers then often fall into the trap of swimming with lots more fish in a much bigger pond during the January job search rush and rumpus. Even if you simply apply in December, you’ll be ahead of the dawdlers.
Contrary to popular belief, companies do still search for talent throughout the Festive season and have a hiring budget to spend before the end of the year. Also, you’re more likely to get passed the ‘gate keepers’ and through to hiring managers as they juggle fewer people and are winding down for the holidays. Now is the time to strike!
Prepare for the job hunt
There are a few things that you can do as you prepare for the job hunt. Sharpen up your LinkedIn profile and shout your skills from the rooftops! There are more people/hirers trawling social media at this time of year to sell yourself to, so you will get more attention. Try doing a ‘capability post’ to highlight your skills and/or a ‘knowledge post’ offering free advice to others. You’re more likely to be seen during a quieter posting time.
Take advantage of the Festive Spirit and goodwill. Present yourself to your dream employer. They will have more time, and hopefully, a feel-good factor, to give you a chance. They will also be more likely to remember you. The one who was knocking on the job door around Christmas, when and if you need to pick up communications again in the New Year. Standout, be different, be noticed.
Time to update your CV
The holidays also give you time to job hunt in a much more relaxed way. Trying to search job listings, submit applications and prepare for interviews, with the added stress of work can be difficult. So, use the Christmas break as a time to update your CV, reflect on your achievements over the last year. Use family and friends to help you prepare for those tough interview questions. And use the socialising opportunities to let people know that you are on the lookout for a new job. They may know of opportunities that could be suitable. Think about getting goals for next year and a plan on how you are going to achieve them.
Christmas Job Hunt
So, if we’ve convinced you to look for a new job this Christmas, please get in touch with our team, as we never take our foot off the gas! Or if you’re an employer searching for new talent before the New Year, contact our dedicated consultants. They will help you in your quest for quality candidates.
Expect more…. all-year-round with RE Recruitment.
Will your recruitment provision fail you?
Last year, around £1.49bn was spent on UK online retail sites on Black Friday, according to IMRG, up from £1.39bn a year earlier. This year, the impact from Covid-19 on sales so far has been dramatic to say the least – whilst high street retailers have suffered, online sales have proved unstoppable in the face of the pandemic.
This is clearly good news for those involved in e-commerce, but as we start to plan in earnest for peak season, how easy will it be to plan and staff your warehouse, call centre and logistics teams to make the most of the opportunity? Mark Norton, our Head of On-site Services, shares his thoughts on how to determine if you have a robust on-site recruitment partnership in place for this year’s peak period and beyond…
As we move ever closer to the traditional peak trading season in 2020, there’s no doubt that there’s huge uncertainty in the market, making it difficult to predict volume sales and staffing requirements.
What is evident is that there is no golden attraction method that will provide the volumes of staff that you require in one fell swoop. What is required is communication, planning, flexibility and a range of solutions that fit side by side with each other to provide a more rounded supply.
RE Recruitment provide innovative solutions to the high-volume labour shortages that are evident in Manufacturing, Food Production and Warehousing and Logistics.
Cut through the sales talk
Recruitment has historically been about sales, we hear so many stories of under delivery, broken promises, falling short on numbers – the key to strong on-site or volume working relationships is honesty and collaboration not an undeliverable sales pitch. This ethos however is two way, if you beat your provider up on numbers and contractual KPI’s then you will feed a supplier culture, if you work with them to understand the market, local trends and share ideas then you will grow a partnership based approach which allows you to tackle the challenges ahead.
RE Recruitment pride ourselves on collaborative ways of work and consultation with our clients.
Planning
Planning for staffing peaks requires careful planning, looking back at the successes and downfalls of the previous year. Would stepping up to higher experience levels and wage rates provide higher quality output? Is investment in training & induction for workers or management team skills adequate? The key to temporary staffing is to understand exactly what needs to be improved from the previous year and identify the most cost effective means to prevent the problems from resurfacing.
Once you understand the volume of staffing required, don’t delay in feeding this information to your supplier – this allows for a more strategic approach to candidate attraction and allows both the short- and long-term campaigns to be implemented. This approach will also allow conversation and discussion around how achievable the headcounts and (more importantly the) deployment dates are, and if other solutions are needed. Achieving the desired output may require other changes – It’s not all about recruitment – for example deskilling processes and prepacking peak seasonal products are good examples of solutions that can reduce the demands put on your recruitment suppliers and ultimately make your peak season work.
RE Recruitment have an experienced and knowledgeable approach and will work with you to understand, advise and support effective deployment.
Covering ground
Every on-site provider worth their salt will have various candidate attraction methods but innovation is key as is moving with the times! Any supplier who suggests in their sales process that they have a pool waiting to start for you without understanding your business inside out, should be treated with caution, particularly if you are not in the top quartile of payers in your area! Candidates need to work; most are in work and need to be encouraged to join you rather than waiting for your job. Making such statements without awareness of the good, bad and ugly of the roles on offer is likely to end up with under delivery.
RE Recruitment have an in-house marketing team that are constantly reviewing and developing strategic campaigns and candidate attraction methods to ensure that your message and branding is in tune with the current market in your area.
Compliance
Developing an easy process to administer new worker profiles to ensure all new workers have access to the systems and tools they need, and to review security procedures and regulations is important. This can help new hires get through the onboarding process quickly, enabling a faster turnaround.
RE Recruitment have an in-house compliance training team who manage & continuously review employee recruitment processes and can provide induction training solutions for your business.
Flexibility
Sadly, the demands of a peak season require a level of flexibility from its workforces to work around fluctuating volumes. E-commerce for example is often led by daily volumes which flow through to staffing levels. Where possible use only a proportion of your workforce in an ad hoc manner.
The more flexible and uncommitted you are to your workers, the greater the likelihood that this will be reciprocated with short notice absence, unreliability and ultimately continued job searches.
Try to cater for as many tangible worker pools as possible through a blend of ongoing, ad hoc, full-time, part-time, casual work options – if a candidate can work four days it’s better to know this and accommodate if possible rather than have an unplanned absence once per week.
RE Recruitment have a portfolio of solutions that will enable even the highest staffing requirements to be met, through local branch networks, transported solutions, international projects we have your business covered.
Should you require any further information on RE Recruitment solutions then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
Hiring again? Why it’s high-time to use video interviewing
In our recent YOUR BUSINESS YOUR PEOPLE survey, 60% of businesses said they were actively considering video interviewing. Why has it taken us so long to realise their potential? Many hirers have experimented with video interviewing but switching to a ‘remote’ recruitment strategy is a sea change.
There are two ways of integrating video interviewing into your recruitment process. The first is the 1-way video interview recorded by the candidate and submitted along with a written application. Candidates film their answers to 4 questions and send the short video alongside their cvs. Recruiters are increasingly using 1-way video interviews to replace information-gathering phone interviews.
The second is the live, 2-way video interview which can replace the final, face-to-face interview. Using video can reduce time to hire by 4 weeks.
The Rise of the 1-way video interview
Someone might look great ‘on paper’, but what are they really like? In 30 minutes, employers can assess 10 video interviews in the time it would take to conduct one phone screen.
The 1-way video interview reveals the person behind the cv. If you’ve received an onslaught of applications, this is a fast, efficient way to create your final shortlist. No scheduling and conducting phone screens. You won’t waste your valuable time – or theirs – setting up dead-end
interviews.
It has been shown that those selected for face to face interviews after video interviewing are deemed suitable by the client in over 70% of cases. By streamlining this stage, you increase your ‘success rate’.
Video interviews – Faster and fairer for everyone
The Kurt Lewis Institute suggests that video interviews also make the hiring process fairer for all. You can review more people which means access to a wider range of candidates. You can reduce the possibility of personal bias creeping in, since it’s easier to share and review videos with more stakeholders. You ensure consistency. Everyone is asked a set of identical questions, levelling the playing field. Fairer for the candidate. Faster for you.
Final stage video interviews
By April 2020 47% of us were remote working in some capacity. The majority of the British workforce are still part-remote and this is unlikely
to change.
Most final stage face-to-face interviews for jobs are now online. So, both the candidate and you as the recruiter and interviewer need to get your heads around the differences – and similarities – of video interviewing versus face-to-face. However, the old rules still apply.
Before you contact candidates, or post a job advert, draw up your own company protocol for video interviewing. Agree the questions, the criteria on which answers will be assessed and by whom. Everyone involved in the recruitment process should follow this protocol.
For an interviewee, it is more reassuring to receive too much information rather than too little. You should be crystal clear about what they need to prepare. Whether they need to complete a task such as a presentation and whether they will need to screen share at any point.
All pre-interview instructions should include the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the video interview:
How long it will last? Can they take notes? The names and roles of everyone they will meet virtually, a main point of contact. Make sure they know if they will be recorded and whether it will be shared internally with anyone who isn’t present.
From a GDPR compliance point of view, you will need to ensure that the candidate is comfortable with being recorded and obtain their permission, stating what you will be using the recording for and how long it will be kept on the system.
Explain which video conferencing platform they will need, and who to talk to if they have problems downloading it. A contact number for technical support prior to and during the interview is crucial – for both of you. It is good practice to have the interviewee’s mobile number to hand if something doesn’t quite work on the day.
You may consider sharing a company or brand video to give them a picture of your business and employees. If you can’t walk around the office and show them your workplace and workforce in action, you need to find a way to give them a feel for your business.
Make a good virtual impression
Whether you’re the candidate or the hiring manager, the same professional etiquette for video interviews applies.
Choose a quiet room, with a neutral background. One where you can’t be interrupted or distracted by partners, pets or notification pings.
Know your video conferencing tool and test it – can you mute the microphone, work the camera, screen share if you will need to?
Have a quick tech run-through an hour before you’re interviewing to minimise hitches and glitches. The more you rehearse with the technology, the more you will be on cruise-control. Not’ crashing through the gears’.
Be early! We recommend being online up to 10 minutes before the start. Candidates can show up early too, and a solitary wait in an online ‘limbo-land’ is very unsettling.
During the interview
Talking to a camera changes our behaviour. The majority of us are a little camera shy, but you need to ‘dial it up’ a little when talking via video-link.
Microphones make our voices sound more monotonous and you will come across as more engaged and interesting if you ‘perform’ a little more for the camera. Smile, use your hands, and don’t cross your arms.
Keep your eyes on the webcam, not on your own image. Maintaining eye contact with your candidate on the other side of the camera is the most effective way of building rapport in a video interview.
Now we are working from home, dress codes have relaxed. You are still representing your business so it is vital to maintain an atmosphere of professionalism. Dress appropriately – smart-casual.
Be kind – remember that, for most applicants, a video interview is even more daunting and adds an extra layer of complexity.
Roll Camera!
Video interviews are a powerful addition to the recruitment process.
They save precious HR time and money. They enable you to reach different talent pools and they are a highly efficient screening tool. Video interviewing has come of age.
References
Flexjobs.com
Sparkhire.com
Jobhunt.org
https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/candidate-
experience/2020/tips-for-conducting-seamless-virtual-job-interview
Why it’s so much more than a numbers game.
How many businesses depend on a volume temporary workforce to operate efficiently? Up to 40% of headcount in healthcare, food production or distribution sectors. In these key sectors, Covid-19 has seen the need for temporary staff increase rather than decrease, unlike the rest of the economy.
Add that to the traditional peak time ‘ebb and flow’ of these industries, around Christmas sales or January returns when a warehouse operation might see a 4-fold increase in the need for temporary fulfillment staff and you see how some businesses are bulging at the seams in the current climate.
But sourcing and managing a reliable temporary workforce is much more than a numbers game.
Be wary of hiring numbers to fill quotas
Driven by their own targets, some larger recruitment agencies may be more interested in shifting the people on their books than finding the right person for the role. They just need to get the numbers through the door to fulfill their contract quotas.
You may get your 100 temporary staff onsite tomorrow morning (as per the agency sales pitch). But if 10% of them are no-shows the next day, you’re left high and dry and 10% down on productivity.
Numbers count when you’re on the shop floor. But what counts more in the long term is commitment and reliability from your workforce.
How an onsite consultant keeps numbers up and worker satisfaction high
Covid-19 has turned the heat up on the need to find temporary workers in key food supply and health sectors. The greater the numbers required, the greater the volume of payroll queries, attendance issues, return-to-work interviews, and the endless Groundhog Day of training new starters.
It’s had a snowball effect on the workload of inhouse HR and Operations Managers. This is why a growing number of companies are turning to onsite recruitment consultants for the first time.
Onsite consultants are an extension of your team. They work shoulder to shoulder with your staff to take the strain of sourcing and managing your volume temporary workforce. RE’s Head of onsite services, Mark Norton views it as a more honest relationship between client and recruitment agency: “As the agency, you have been trusted to be ‘on the inside’. It’s a more innovative proactive approach, but it really adds value to your workforce and your business. If you’re thinking of switching from a branch-based recruitment agency to an onsite agent you’ll get an enhanced service level from day 1. You are your agent’s sole account and sole client.”
Onsite consultants handle payroll and all the attendance or performance pain-points. They take a proactive non-tolerant attitude to ‘mess-abouts’ as they’re called in the industry. Three strikes and you’re out. In return, temporary workers get committed and consistent management on a daily basis and worker incentives such as employee recognition awards, pizza delivery incentives, and other goodies.
All workers have more buy-in to a job if they are well managed which builds a reputation out there in the British temporary worker pool
No one is just a number
A good work ethic and reliable attitude are born, not bred. Part of RE’s ethos and its success in managing volume workforces onsite is that we believe that no temporary worker is simply there to make up the numbers. Every person counts.
By applying the duty of care and HR protocols and procedures that we see for permanent workers, we engender a greater degree of commitment from the temporary workforce. It’s a simple equation, treat people with respect and you earn respect from them, and from the temporary worker’s community as a whole.
Reliability + Recommendation = Referrals
The art of recruiting reliable temporary workers is the art of seeing the soft skills that aren’t on a CV. Work ethic. Reliability. Commitment. Pride in a job well done. You can only judge that with a face-to-face or video interview, so our onsite recruiting consultant meets every candidate. You “hire character and train skill” as Peter Schutz, Porsche CEO puts it.
70% of RE’s temporary workforce return on a regular word-of-mouth basis. If a worker has a good experience and feels looked after and listened to at your company, they are very likely to refer you to their friends and relatives, who usually share a similar work ethic and attitude.
Your pool of reliable talent builds by referral and personal recommendation. You can’t buy good word of mouth with your marketing budget.
It is possible to have quality as well as quantity.
The extremely successful Worcester office has recently added another string to its bow. The opening of a new Construction division led by Branch Manager, Mike Pratt, will see the team in Worcester now recruiting for roles across this sector. All types of specialists, skilled and unskilled roles. Everything from Site Managers and Quantity Surveyors to Bricklayers, Plumbers, Electricians and Labourers.
Here, Mike talks about why now is the right time to launch this division in Worcester, and what the construction team can offer both candidates and clients.
The growing construction market in Worcester
When I started in the Worcester office, I had supported some existing clients with skilled workers as part of broader recruitment campaigns. People like painters, carpenters, and bricklayers. At the time, we started to build a robust database of skilled workers, but construction wasn’t really part of the plan in the Worcester branch.
At the end of 2021, I noticed a significant increase in the levels of construction in Worcester and the wider area and started to see a sustained increase in ad-hoc requests for tradespeople. And then we were being approached by local construction companies as they had heard on the grapevine about the quality of these people we had placed.
So, I put together a strong business case, spoke to the senior management team and Richard East our Chairman, and they agreed that it was feasible to open a construction department in the Worcester branch. With some planned revamps to our website and some networking in the area we officially opened the new Construction department in March.
Looking for a role in construction?
Here at RE recruitment we really do live by our motto of “Expect More”. We get to know you as a candidate, understand your skills, experience and the work environments in which you thrive. The construction industry can be a tough and daunting place – especially for those just starting out in their career. However, we’re here to support you by placing you in the right role, in the right business, on the right site. We never push candidates into roles that aren’t suitable simply to plug a gap. That wouldn’t be good for you or our client.
Once you have been placed the work doesn’t stop there. We stay in contact to make sure that the role is right for you and that you are developing. And in the world of construction, projects (big and small) come to an end. Therefore, we make sure we stay up to date on new skills and experiences that you’ve gained and ensure we have the next perfect role ready for you.
Supporting your construction business
At RE Recruitment, we have five offices with coverage and contacts across the UK. So, whether you’re a small local business or a large national construction company we can help you find the right people for your workforce. We make sure we fully understand your needs when we start working with you. This begins with visits to your office/site(s) so that we have a deep understanding of your projects, the working environment and your workforce requirements. We become an extension of your business. This puts us in a great position to find the right person or people for your business and ensure that the candidates are completely up to speed on what is required before they start working with you.
We really do have that local and industry knowledge but with the support of a more comprehensive geographical coverage across our other offices. This is important for bigger projects where we can support in attracting candidates from a wider area, as well as assisting with transport and accommodation where required.
We understand that the demand for labour within the construction industry goes up and down throughout the year. We can support short term contract placements and temporary roles for those busy times of the year, or more longer-term roles where you are looking to fill a permanent position within your organisation.
Contact us
I’m really excited at how things have already started in this new phase for RE Recruitment. The new department is busy, but we always have time to meet both new candidates and clients. So if you are looking for work in the construction industry or are in the construction business and have a role or roles that you need help finding quality people for, then we would love to hear from you!
Email- MikeP@reRECRUITMENT.com
Phone- 01905 788 090
The world of work is perpetually evolving. As the development of AI and digital technologies adds to this rapid evolution, today’s workforce will need to keep up with the changes by learning new skills and adapting as new occupations appear. Arguably, the Covid-19 pandemic has fast-tracked this transformation.
Here, Chris Rooum, our Head of Professional Services, talks about his career experiences and reviews what future skill requirements appear on the horizon, how you can keep up with changes by upskilling and how organisations can recruit for skills, rather than experience.
Personal Experience
From my own experience, you do not have to stay in one career for your whole life anymore. In fact, as long ago as 2017 a report in the Financial Times suggested that individuals should plan for 5 careers over a lifetime – I can only imagine this number has increased since then.
My own jobs have included Bank Management Trainee, Civil Servant, Pub Manager, Recruiter and Waste Disposal Operative! From each of these previous roles, I have developed skills that have assisted me in my subsequent careers.
As a recruiter, I rely on my organisational skills from the bank, my analytical skills as a civil servant, my social skills as a pub manager and my resilience as a refuse collector – running around in all weathers as a 15-year-old all day tends to build a mental toughness!
Having sat down recently with Rob Barton-Ancliffe, a Careers Advisor with Cheltenham Jobcentre, it’s clear that there is a need for those unemployed (and in certain circumstances those currently employed) to invest time in reskilling; with investment in reskilling people to access the competencies they need to get the job they want – whatever their stage in life as a part of a cross-government campaign called ‘Skills for Life’. I was not previously aware of this programme, however, there are many resources available with no cost to assist with individuals who want to bridge their own skill gaps.
On the ‘Skills for Life’ website you can undertake a skills assessment, find courses and explore careers. This resource may also be useful for those finishing their studies soon and those who have not decided what they want to do as yet!
Future skills
According to the Future of Jobs 2020 report, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) by 2025, workers across the world faced the “double disruption” of job losses caused by increased automation and the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, which could displace an estimated 85 million jobs.
Though 97 million new roles are likely to be created during this period, some workers will need to be reskilled and upskilled to take them on. Skills gaps will therefore continue to be high in the run-up to 2025, the report said.
To plug skills gaps, on average, companies estimate that around 40% of workers will need reskilling of six months or less while 94% of business leaders surveyed said they expected employees to pick up new skills on the job, up from 65% in 2018, it added.
Top skills
The data for the WEF report was collected over a nine-month period from January to September 2020. Its dataset contains 291 unique responses by global companies, collectively representing more than 7.7 million employees worldwide which reported that the Top 15 skills of 2025 are as follows:
Analytical thinking and innovation
Active learning and learning strategies
Complex problem-solving
Critical thinking and analysis
Creativity, originality and initiative
Leadership and social influence
Technology use, monitoring and control
Technology design and programming
Resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility
Reasoning, problem-solving and ideation
Emotional intelligence
Troubleshooting and user experience
Service orientation
Systems analysis and evaluation
Persuasion and negotiation
On an emotional level, this is satisfying for both parties, and over time, this will help you to become an Many of these skills are consistent with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), who suggested that the jobs predicted to see the most growth and demand are:
Computer & Mathematical Occupations (especially developers, analysts, programmers, and information security analysts)
Healthcare & Healthcare Support (especially mental health professionals, technicians and diagnosticians, nurses, personal care and service, and home health aides)
Counsellors & Therapists (especially physical, respiratory, or marriage and family therapists, substance abuse counsellors, social workers, and speech and language therapists)
Marketing Professionals (especially market research analysts and marketing specialists)
Construction Trades (especially niche specialists)
Media & Communication Workers (especially video operators and editors, interpreters and translators)
Operations Specialties (financial managers, computer information systems managers)
Recruiting for Skills
According to Personio’s How Businesses Risk a Post Pandemic Talent Drain report, 38% of employees in the UK and Ireland are looking to change roles in the next six or 12 months or once the economy has strengthened (14%). Also, 54% of companies globally are struggling to find skilled workers.
Without being able to recruit employees with the experience needed – more and more companies are recruiting for skills rather than previous knowledge. Data from LinkedIn seems to support this too. Job descriptions that mentioned responsibilities over requirements received 14% more applications per view than job posts that mentioned “requirements” but not “responsibilities”.
Furthermore, Forbes highlights that skills-based hiring leads to increased diversity and inclusion at the workplace. Diversity can lead to increased innovation and improved financial results which is vital for all businesses.
Here are three simple steps organisations can take to build a future-proof workforce:
Establish a baseline: Document the skills you have currently by conducting a skills-mapping exercise. Do remember, you must map skills and not roles during this exercise.
Assess future skills: Keeping your long-term strategy in mind, technological innovations as well as industry developments, assess the skills you will need to stay competitive and relevant over the next 10 years.
Ensure learning and development is a continuous process: Establish upskilling programs to fill skill gaps and ensure that learning and development programs are embedded in the rhythm of your organisation instead of a one-off thing that employees are forced to sign up for once a year.
If you are seeking any career advice or would like to tap into previously developed experience in the world of recruitment, contact Chris Rooum (Head of Professional Services): chrisr@rerecruitment.com
If your organisation is growing at a rapid rate or you’re experiencing peaks and troughs in workforce needs, then you really should consider the value an onsite recruitment solution could bring. Perhaps you’re finding it a perpetual challenge to find the best talent for your company, more so now in a candidate-led market, and you need recruitment support.
Our fully managed onsite service is your recruitment solution. We integrate one of our account managers to become part of your organisation, taking care of all aspects of the recruitment process to ensure a highly effective, productive, and safe temporary workforce for your business.
Mark Norton, our Head of Onsite Recruitment, highlights the many advantages of having an onsite recruiter and that with an RE Recruitment Onsite Solution you can always ‘Expect More’:
More Personal
Having an onsite recruiter eliminates the middle person. The first stage of the Onsite Solution is a full assessment of your operation completed by a dedicated and highly experienced implementation manager. Your business needs will be quickly understood, as we get to know you, your business, and the challenges you face.
An account manager will then be assigned to deliver the solution. They’re there to be the first point of contact for the on-site workforce, but also give you, the customer, direct contact to the person responsible for managing your temporary workforce. With these clear and concise communication lines and with our personal touch, we can ensure that we anticipate and are better prepared for changes to your needs.
More Imaginative
We know that one size doesn’t fit all. As an independent and highly experienced onsite recruiter, we are innovative in our approach and pride ourselves on offering partnerships with our customers
With RE Recruitment, you’re not getting an “off the shelf” onsite service. We’re able to provide our customers with more individuality and offer a more bespoke service. We can create new procedures and quickly adapt existing processes to suit your business. We interrogate the local area and understand what is needed, can make quick decisions, and offer a flexible solution – adjusted to suit every individual customer.
More Accountable
Working with a recruitment agency can often mean you’re one of many clients being serviced by a local office. With our Onsite Solution, you will have a dedicated recruiter focusing all their efforts on your company’s needs.
This isn’t just the process of recruiting but can include on-boarding, training, and daily administrative tasks, our onsite team will be there every step of the way. We can also produce management information and reports tailored to your business. We are fully committed to delivering exactly what you require in the end-to-end process – not simply filling a vacancy.
More Support
Not just for you but for your temporary workforce too. We do more to ensure that we find and deliver the right people to help your business succeed. We ensure we articulate a clear recruitment message to attract the right candidates – using bespoke marketing and candidate recruitment techniques.
We’ve worked with organisations across multiple sectors – distribution centres, manufacturing operations, food production facilities, call centres and more. We manage a best practice onboarding process – including health and safety, induction, and orientation tours. Added to this we have worked across challenging geographical areas and have overcome transportation and accommodation issues faced by temporary workforces.
We continuously look for ways to improve, using our insight and experience to find and implement ongoing improvements – driving worker engagement and retention. With a fast-track “temp to perm” solution if required.
Onsite Recruitment Solution
Our onsite team will quickly become a valuable part of your company’s structure, with many of our clients describing them as an extension of their direct management team.
Most of our onsite customers have chosen to partner with us for more than seven years (the longest for more than 15 years) – and we can boast an impressive 100% customer retention record!
We know that this is because of our innovative approach to problem-solving, our local branch network, our account management structure, our robust and quickly adaptable processes, and our visibility and excellent communication.
So, with an RE Recruitment Onsite Solution, your operations aren’t just covered – your business can thrive.
For more information or to discuss how we can support your organisation with an onsite team, contact Mark Norton, Head of Onsite Services: markn@rerecruitment.com
We’ve continued to adapt our daily lives this year, how we live and work in the post-pandemic era. Covid-19 and Brexit have drastically altered the landscape of the UK job market. Organisations of all shapes and sizes have had to transform in ways previously thought inconceivable, and workers have had to juggle the challenges of furlough, redundancy, remote and hybrid working.
But what does the future hold for the job market? The signs are positive and challenging once again. On the plus side, reports envisage UK economic growth to return in Q2, presenting many opportunities in the world of work. However, on the flip side, the job market is likely to remain unstable with labour/skills shortages, supply chain issues and people resigning to seek more fulfilling and flexible working opportunities. Here, we gaze into the crystal ball to give you our predictions for 2022.
Pandemic epiphany – ‘The Great Resignation’
The pandemic has been the catalyst for an epiphany to many, forcing people to reconsider how they live their lives and their relationship with work. Pre-Covid, many of us were blinkered, placing a strong emphasis on work and possibly wrapped up in ‘hustle culture’ – working long hours with a capitalistic mindset.
However, 2020 onwards has seen a greater focus on mental health and wellbeing, flicking a switch in many people. Combined with lifestyle reassessments, this has led to more people searching for meaning outside of work. Therefore, there has been a mass exodus of people leaving jobs, changing careers and/or working hours. Industry bodies and the press have predicted waves of resignations to continue into 2022, citing reasons for not wanting to end remote-working and all the non-commuting, flexible benefits this brings, and salaries being out of kilter with expectations. Pandemic redundancies forced many to take on jobs lower than their salary expectations, and this looks set to readjust to pre-pandemic expectations.
Put simply, employers will have to take this trend very seriously in 2022 and become better places to work with sought after benefits, facilities, and with remote, hybrid and flexible work options if they want to keep and attract employees. Even in the physical onsite, temporary work setting, employers will have to think outside the box. For example, we’ve seen great success with our ‘work your own hours’ campaign, where candidates work the hours they want. This enables us to access a broader pool of people for our clients, such as parents, carers, students etc., creating a more diverse and sustainable workforce for the future.
Five to Four
Moves are being made around the globe to make the 4-day workweek the norm.
Unilever has recently announced a 4-day week for employees in New Zealand and depending on its success, it may well be rolled out to global employees. In Australia, 27% of companies offer 4-day workweeks (Mercer’s 2021 Benefits Review), and even the US Congress has proposed the 32-Hour Workweek Act. It would still allow for 40-hour weeks, but over-time would be payable over 32 hours.
Spain was the first country to trial a 4-day work week this year, and their government are looking to invest $60m into a 32-hour workweek programme with employers over three years to avoid a reduction in workers’ pay.
Those companies that have introduced a 4-day working week are reporting increased productivity, morale and even revenue. So long as employers don’t squeeze five days of work into four, we predict this scheme taking off rapidly in the UK, as workers continue to chase a better work-life balance and employers seek to differentiate.
Struggling Covid-hit sectors
We’re in the worst labour shortage since 1997, with the gravest-hit sectors being farming, retail, hospitality, construction, transportation, and healthcare. This looks like continuing, with these sectors finding it challenging to recruit in 2022.
The effects of the pandemic on our economy have sent seismic shock waves across the job market, destabilising it and deterring people from applying to work in the most stricken sectors, despite avoiding a winter lockdown (at the time of writing!) The main reasons for this are exposure to Covid-19, reduced hours and redundancies in the event of future lockdowns. We’ll likely see this continue for these sectors until some stability and confidence reappears, possibly by the second half of 2022.
As if the pandemic wasn’t bad enough, we were already speeding headfirst into a labour shortage with Brexit signed, sealed, and delivered in 2020. We’re now a country starved of immigrants due to restrictions and red tape, who used to work and flourish in the sectors above. Until government revise immigration laws and offer support to organisations and employers provide more attractive jobs (improved wages, facilities, and progression), the bleak picture for these sectors is set to continue.
All is not lost as we progress our plans to provide access routes to the UK job market and find innovative solutions to this problem – so, watch this space!
Isolation nation
Perhaps unwittingly, companies still adjusting to the pandemic are isolating new hires as they seek to embrace digitisation and explore other areas of their business. As they trial new ways of working, product/service lines and experiment to survive, new employees often find their duties alter as the company evolves. This can be unsettling, and workers become confused and frustrated. Therefore, people will likely seek alternative employment in the new year with clearly defined duties and responsibilities.
If your organisation is experiencing this, we offer a 90-Day Accelerator Programme, an independent coaching plan that supports new hires in the first three months of their role. It seeks to help deal with these situations and embed the employee in the company quicker so that they start performing sooner, increasing retention rates and boosting the employer brand.
The digitisation of right to work (RTW) assessments
Whilst physical right to work checks are planned to return on 5 April 2022, there is intense lobbying behind the scenes by UK employers and authorising bodies to revert this to a digital process. Although the checking process for EU nationals is digital, it’s not for British citizens. As remote and homeworking become the norm, the call for a digital right to work assessment grows.
The digital process has also proved to be more robust, safer, and versatile than physical checks. Employers should be prepared for RTW digital checks in 2022; we can help you with this process, as robust monitoring software is required.
Future of the job market round-up
Employers must continue to harness digitisation and cultivate a remote/hybrid work culture to attract and retain workers and head off the Great Resignation. Nigh on impossible for some sectors where remote working is unfeasible, although if these organisations focus on safety and employee retention strategies, they can survive the pandemic.
Whilst we’re not in the clear yet, with a flexible and innovative approach, the future job market can be successfully navigated – benefiting both employers and workers.
If you’ve struggled to find the right staff or job this year, get in touch to see how we can help you in 2022: hello@rerecruitment.com
Found that perfect job and ready to apply? Is your CV a bit outdated and just not getting you noticed for the right reasons.
Found the perfect job; check.
Your CV is ready to knock their socks off; check.
Now you’re ready to apply, but wait!
What about a covering letter? Should you even create one, and will it make a difference? Should you go one step further and send an intro video? Here we take a look at the benefits and offer some advice.
As the UK’s fastest-growing, privately-owned multisector recruitment agency, we appreciate how daunting it can be to job hunt at any time, let alone following the most extraordinary 18 months we’ll hopefully ever experience in our lifetimes. We’re here to guide you and have compiled some top tips to help you on your way in our 6 parts ‘The Ultimate Job Guide’.
In Part 1 we took a moment to think about true career paths, stop, take time out and reconsider where you are and where you’re going, and review how jobs you apply for might fit your skill set and what type of culture might suit you best.
Part 2 was about planning the Job Hunt, where to start, how to structure your time in preparation for the job hunt ahead.
Part 3 was all about social media and networking and how they can help you in your quest.
Part 4 tackled the CV and how to make it stand out from the crowd.
Going undercover
More often than not, a covering letter is more important than a CV, as it’s the first thing people read, and it can set you apart from the rest.
Tailoring the letter to different adverts and jobs you’re applying for is essential, as not all employers are looking for the same skills and achievements. It’s worth reading some of the company literature to get a feel for their ‘voice’. Are they formal or relaxed in their language and approach? Try to mirror their style in your letter.
There are loads of fantastic templates and scripted examples available online, but try to make yours unique. Everyone will use them to cut corners and make sure every cover letter is specific to each job.
Killer introduction
Start with a snappy opening introduction. You will get your head in front if you have something that grabs attention – here are some suggestions:
A piece of research about the business, show your knowledge about their current situation
Shout about your achievement in an area of interest
Express enthusiasm for the company
Tell a story
Quote someone famous in the industry
Does the company have any pain points problems that you could solve
Then relate the above to you, your skills, background, experience, and an overview of your capabilities. Try not just to repeat the info in your CV. Relate it to the job and why you’re perfect or the role. Think about how you approached the achievement you mentioned. What’s your work ethic and passions?
Wrap it up
Finishing strong with a summary of your strengths, express that you are looking forward to hearing from them or meeting them and thank them for their time.
Video killed the radio star
A video cover letter is a fantastic way to demonstrate your communication skills and showcase your personality. With a little bit of preparation, you can ensure you leave a great impression.
Script it out first. Remember, you should come across as natural as possible and not be reading it. Practise a few times until you are happy with how you sound. Remember to include:
A short and persuasive opening statement
Your quantifiable achievements
Your skills and experience, tailored for the role you’re applying for
A little bit of personality and tactful humour, if appropriate
Set the stage
Dress the part
Set the room up, so there are no distractions in view
Banish kids, pets, partners
Use your PC or laptop, NOT your phone
Look at the camera; you want them to feel you are making eye contact
Don’t move and fidget
Make sure the room is bright with natural light
Cameras make people nervous; practice! Use a friend or family member and make sure you feel confident online and seeing your face
Once recorded, you may wish to review and edit it to ensure it’s on point. Once you’re happy with the final version, save it in a MOV or MP4 format. These are compatible with most systems. Then you’re all set to email it to the Hiring Manager with a short introduction.
Video cover letters may seem like a lot of effort, and being in front of the camera is not something many of us relish, but as someone once said, ‘No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.’
The Ultimate Job Guide
Follow us here to read the last instalment: Part 6 – Nailing the interview
Missed the other Parts?
Part 1 Uncover your career path, Part 2 – Job hunt planning, Part 3 – Social media and networking, Part 4 tackled the CV, to: https://www.rerecruitment.com/blog/ to catch up.
Please turn to the Jobs section of The Cheltenham Post to see a selection of our latest jobs. Looking for something else? Why not take a look at our online jobs page… https://www.rerecruitment.com/search-jobs/
Get in touch with us at: Jobs@rerecruitment.com | 01242 896 022
