Helpful insights from our experts

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.

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 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

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