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
As the saying goes, “a Jack of all trades is a master of none”.
However, many tend to leave out the second, most crucial part of the phrase, “though oftentimes better than master of one”. That’s the problem with our habit of shortening important references in life, as the quote is actually meant as a compliment. It refers to someone being a generalist rather than a specialist, skillful and versatile at many things.
And no truer word has been spoken about RE Recruitment of late; we are the Jacks and Jills of all trades, and in this instance, trade refers to recruitment sectors. We’re proud to shout this from the rooftops, especially as we recently topped the charts of The Recruiter’s much-revered FAST 50 2021 as the fastest-growing, privately-owned recruiter with a 71% growth rate.
So, what has changed in the world of recruitment since the pandemic, Brexit, and several other challenging situations, that have contributed to the multisector recruiter’s rise? Here, we reflect on the past year with our Founder and Chairman, Richard East, and consider the benefits of not putting all the proverbial eggs in one basket.
The multisector renaissance
We’ve always been here – the ‘Jacks of all trades’ – although we’ve been somewhat sneered at in the past by the specialist recruitment agencies. Richard says:
“A few years ago, there were lots of specialist recruiters around in transport, IT, accountancy, legal etc., and I’ve always argued the toss that multisector agencies were looked down on a bit for not specialising.
We’ve continually aimed to emphasise the point that we do specialise; we specialise in recruitment. I admit, I’m not an IT or legal expert, but I’m a recruitment expert because that’s my chosen career. If you want to put someone on the moon or hire a refuse collector, we will get you who you want and need, as we’re the recruitment specialists.”
It’s not all been plain sailing, especially over the past 18 months, with various hurdles placed in businesses’ way. Like countless others, the pandemic forced us to batten down the hatches, and we had to scale back some divisions, most notably hospitality and catering, as the country shut up shop. On the flip side of this coin, several of our other divisions snowballed, such as health and social care, transport, food production, technology etc. Because of our multisector strategy, we were able to divert resources to other areas that enabled us to not only survive the fallout but grow through the process.
Richard highlights, “Since being announced as number one in the Fast 50, it’s proved that multisector recruitment is actually the place you need to be because of the broadness.” This broadness promotes resilience, and those who are multiskilled, who can adapt and turn their hand to most things and do them well, are often the ones that can survive and flourish. Darwin knew what he was talking about!”
The future of RE and multisector recuitment
“You can never rest on your laurels. We’ve been in recruitment for 20 years and still haven’t seen it all!” Richard adds. With further unrest in the job market on the horizon, such as the end of furlough and the continued fallout from Brexit and IR35 changes, along with rapid growth in some sectors, it’s important to remain sharp and match fit; “And that’s what we do best, innovate and look forward”.
The future for us is to keep refining our ability to be agile and resilient, which means investing in our team and our client and candidate relationships. We’ve ensured our internal recruitment strategy focuses on attracting new talent and utilising apprenticeship schemes whilst growing our existing talent through training and development. Over the years, we’ve worked hard at our employer brand, making sure we are a great place to work, with heaps of growth and development opportunities for those that want them, enabling us to source the highest quality personnel for today and tomorrow. We constantly aim to reinforce this vital message with our clients to aid their recruitment strategies – be a good employer with prospects, and the talent will come to you. It’s important to us that our people remain confident and realise their value to the broader economy; Richard states that:
“Some recruiters might not see themselves as professionals, and we want our team to understand that they have such an impact on local economies and should realise just how professional they are. They might not be qualified to lawyer standards, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work to the same standards and determination.
Building our brand and conveying our why is another key part of our forward momentum. Recruiters can get a bad rap as ‘the shiny suit brigade’, and we’ve always focused on avoiding being put in this bracket. We want to be accessible to all, approachable and care about what we are doing,” Richard adds
Recruitment is a team effort between recruiter, client, and candidate. We must share goals and work collaboratively to achieve them to be successful.
So, in summary, we continue to see the wider picture and cater to various sectors by being specialists at recruitment. Our broadness enables our resilience; our entrepreneurialism allows our innovation; our bravery empowers our adaptability when the going gets tough.
The multisector recruiter has many benefits, should be respected, and is here to stay. After all, when the world stops turning in your specialist recruitment area, as it did for so many from March 2020, where do you turn to survive?
Found that perfect job and ready to apply? Is your CV a bit outdated and just not getting you noticed for the right reasons? Don’t worry; we’re here to help with some hints and tips for creating that CV ‘wow’ factor that gets your foot in the door!
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, and now we’re ready to tackle the CV.
To get yourself noticed by potential employers, you’ll need to master the art of self-promotion via your CV. When it comes to applying for jobs, we often struggle to talk about ourselves and our professional experiences in a positive light, so planning your’ sales pitch’ can go a long way to landing you your ideal role.
Your CV is your first opportunity to convince the employer that they should buy into you over another candidate, so it’s essential to make sure it presents you in the best possible way.
Your skills, experience and suitability for a role may be the most crucial part of your CV, but when employers see lots of CVs for one position, it’s vital to catch their eye from the get-go.
Reports show that recruiters spend less than 30 seconds looking at a CV – that’s why you must make a big impact at the start to keep them reading. Recruiters will scan the top third of your CV before they decide whether to look at the rest, so you need to make sure this is interesting enough to persuade them to keep reading! A good CV might get you noticed, but a great one will get you hired – or at least get you an interview.
Get Stylish: Make sure you get the basic format right. Font style and size, number of pages, and level of detail included for past positions are all elements to consider. Choose a font that’s clean and modern – Times New Roman could be considered old-fashioned or unimaginative, so try Arial or Calibri.
Less is More: Too much text will switch off a potential employer, so no novels! Try to keep to 2 pages (absolute max. 3) and use bullet points rather than long paragraphs. Don’t feel like you need to fill all the white space on the page.
Our friends over at TotalJobs are big fans of the white space on your CV and say:
“Use it wisely to give the readers eyes a rest and a natural place to stop at the end of sentences and paragraphs. Break up your text into separate sections that use clear headings – this will make it easier for employers to zone in on relevant areas and pick out all the necessary information they need to decide on your application.”
Be Creative: Remember, you’re trying to stand out from the crowd, so get creative! Add professional graphics, icons, a secondary font and a pop of colour to catch the eye. But judge it, we’re not talking Carnival, Fiesta or rainbow styles here; keep it classy!
However, if you’re applying for a creative role, that’s the time to get imaginative. One candidate even printed their CV on a paper coffee cup to get it seen by the hiring manager.
Perfect Personal Prose: Once you’ve sorted the formatting, add a concise personal statement at the beginning that highlights all of your key attributes for the role – remember to amend this for each application so that it’s relevant to the position. Personal qualities can be more important than experience in some industries, such as Health and Social Care, so inject some character with a short sentence or two about what drives you and what you bring to a role. If you’ve never worked in care before, this is especially important, as it explains why you want to join the sector.
History Matters: Next up is your employment history. Include everything, even if unrelated to the industry. For the care sector, it’s essential to account for all of your work experience for regulatory reasons. Remember to explain any gaps where you were unemployed, abroad or in another type of employment (whether this was part-time, volunteer or not directly applicable to the care sector).
Stay on Target: Make sure your CV targets the job requirements. Start by picking out the role specifics in the full job description (always ask for a copy). Think about the essential qualities the employer wants to see and how you can demonstrate these. If you’re worried you don’t have the exact experience required, remember that skills are transferable, so use other areas of your work or personal life that you can use as examples. If you haven’t worked in a specific type of setting before, but have worked with other groups of people with closely associated needs, point this out on your CV.
Show Off! Employers want to see evidence of your achievements, so shout about them! It’s not just the what you did, but the how and why you did them and the results you created. Use specific examples and active words. For example, rather than saying, “Assisting with the creation of support plans,” you could say, “I developed a support plan that resulted in the individual achieving a better quality of independent living.” In one sentence, this would show the employer your skill (capable of handling responsibility) and the improvement this created (a direct impact on the client’s well being).
Double and Triple Check: Once you’re happy with your CV layout and content, you must proofread it once, twice, even three times! Typos and grammar errors are THE biggest bugbears for recruiters, so don’t allow your outstanding CV to be thrown out because of a few avoidable errors. If writing is not your strong point, ask a friend or family member to cast their eyes over it before sending it out. There are also a range of free apps that can help, such as Grammarly, Hemingway, Prowritingaid etc.
Signed, Sealed and Delivered: When sending your CV through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) – a system used by many companies to perform the first sift through CVs – attach your document as Microsoft Word. PDFs can often introduce formatting errors when read by this system. However, if you send your CV directly via email, send it as a PDF as it will read better than the original edited Word document.
We’d love to hear about how you’ve made your CV stand out – share your tips with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
So you’re looking for a job, you’ve planned your approach, you know what you’re looking for, so where’s the best place to find the right job?
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 skillset 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.
Now in this Part 3 we take a look at social media and networking and how they can help you in your quest.
Love it or hate it, social media is where it’s at! And when it comes to job hunting. In a recent survey from Glassdoor, they identified that 79% of job applicants use social media in their job search, and, a whopping 70% of hiring managers say that they’ve hired successfully through social media. (betterteam).
Social media is a powerful tool and should be used carefully, select who you connect and engage with on professional social sites. Also, consider the content you are sharing and promoting. You should be doing everything you can to get noticed by the right people for the right reasons.
Lets’ look at a couple of the different platforms that could help you…
LinkedIn is the arena where you need to create a personal brand and show off your skills on the pitch. Network, cultivate relationships, like, comment, and share appropriate content to gain visibility, attract attention and show those LinkedIn algorithms that you’re an active member of the community. You’ll gain prominence in people’s feeds. So, keep your page fresh, updated, relevant, and professional.
Engagement & posting on LinkedIn are the only way to seen and people to know who you are and what you have to offer.
LIKE your connections recent activity, comment on their post, engage, be interesting.
Comment on thought Leaders posts in your industry, they then may CONNECT with you!
Send them a personal message about their post.
Create an interest post – ask a question. Be interesting not salesy!
Capability post – demonstrating your capability to your network – what are you key skills you offer, what you know – your capability to solve the problems your sector have.
Jobs on LinkedIn can be found easily and often have an easy APPLY button, so have your CV ready to go.
Twitter – Jobs are often posted on Twitter, use the Hashtag option, try searching for specific organisations you are interested in or #jobs #nowhiring, #jobsearch or #graduatejobs, or more industry-specific such as #marketingjobs or #salesjobs.
Join the Groups – On LinkedIn and Facebook, there are loads of networking groups you can join which will be related to your career/job interest. It will be helpful to know what’s happening in the relevant industry for the future, follow them, and engage where appropriate.
Facebook – Most businesses have a Facebook profile and will post job opportunities and info, so be sure to follow them. Facebook has its own jobs section where you can search based on role, location & salary.
Your own page – Why not create your own online portfolio, this could include blogs, photos, or a simple WordPress site showcasing your skills. They are simple and often very inexpensive to create and give you and easy way to share your information.
Networking – Business insider suggests that up to 80% of jobs are never listed but filled via networking and 1/3 are filled by word of mouth so who you know can never be underestimated. Networking enables you to take advantage of personal and business connections. It’s a big win for businesses too as relying on networks and the networks of their employees can reduce the risk of a bad hire.
Be different. Stand out from the crowd, if you do what everyone else does, you’ll just blend in.
Recruiters – Whether you’re looking for part-time work, a short-term contract or your next big career move, recruitment agencies can help you find the right role.
You spend more time at work than anywhere else, so here at RE we know how important your next career move is – and we also know how tricky and time-consuming it can be to find just the right job. This is why we try harder than other agencies to understand your ambitions and match your skills and personality to the right role.
We’ll look out for you throughout your job search. From helping you prepare a CV to making sure you’re well prepared for your interview. So you can focus on giving things your best shot, safe in the knowledge that an utterly reliable partner has got your back.
Get in touch with us at: Jobs@rerecruitment.com | 01242 896 022
