Simply Hired UK Blog

3 Costumes Job Seekers Wear Everyday

Guest post by Tony Morrison

Halloween is here and we all know what that means--costumes! 

Halloween provides children and adults alike the opportunity to become someone entirely different for a day. From ghoulish ghosts to wicked witches, your Halloween costume can be just about anything you want to be.

What some people don't realise is that, for the other 364 days of the year, job seekers have to wear their own costumes, just on the inside. They might not be flashy, but when used correctly, these costumes help job seekers get noticed and into a new job.

Check out these three costumes job seekers wear everyday:

Ballerina
In your job search, sometimes you need just a little finesse and flexibility to land that interview. Just like a ballerina, job seekers oftentimes need to perform complex maneuvers quickly and effortlessly to attract the right employers.

As a job seeker, jump into a new opportunity like it’s a performance. Practice what you’re going to say, dress your best, and develop your overall technique.

Robot
A robot never stops going, and as a job seeker, you shouldn't either. Of course, you need time to relax, but when you're on the clock, you need to be 100% in your job search. 

Persistence and energy are two important "cogs" in the job search robot you want to be.

Superman
We all know Superman is the man of steel. He can fly and has heat vision. Keeping his Kryptonite allergy under wraps, Superman appears to be unbeatable. Just like Superman, job seekers need to become a super version of themselves. 

We all have weaknesses, but it's up to us to keep them close while showing off our strengths. Instead of focusing on what you can't do, focus on what you can accomplish.

What do you think? What other costumes do job seekers have to wear every day? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

Tony Morrison is the Vice President at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. Tony is focused on helping job seekers find their ideal job and employers attract and engage rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

 

Turning your Internship into a Graduate Job

Guest post by Andrew Scherer, Marketing Manager at Inspiring Interns and author of Brilliant Intern.

This week’s announcement of the latest unemployment figures has confirmed fears of a further deterioration in the fragile job market. Perhaps of greatest concern is the continuing rise in youth unemployment: over 10% of 18-24 year olds are now out of work, the highest total in seventeen years.

With established routes into professions looking increasingly clogged, internships are becoming a vital part of every graduate’s career path. Internships not only offer valuable skills and experience but are ultimately a step on the road to employment. Genuine graduate internships more often than not lead to permanent employment.

Once you have got an internship it is important to grasp the opportunity with both hands. The more dedicated, tuned in and enthusiastic you are during your internship, the more likely it is that the employer will see the potential in you and offer you a full-time job.

Here are few tips to turn that internship into a graduate job:

• Even before starting your internship there are things you can do to ensure a successful placement. You should already know a bit of background about the company, but once you are offered the internship you should conduct further in-depth research. This involves more than reading the ‘about us’ page on the company’s website. You should read recent press releases, swat up on the latest industry developments, check out their social media activity and even Google your mentor.

• On your first day and throughout your internship you should be professional. It is important to prove to your employer that you have successfully made the transition from university to the world of work so turn up and leave on time and dress accordingly.

• Keep a diary during your internship, not only to note down meetings and appointments to keep you organised but also to make notes of things you do during your placement. This will be useful when updating your CV with specific tasks or articles, presentations and reports you produced.

• You may be interning for the company for up to 3 months so it is imperative to integrate yourself with your fellow colleagues. Therefore, show you fit in with the company by taking part in social events and office celebrations.  This will also give you the opportunity to get an idea of how you are doing, and see if they have any insight into opportunities for permanent employment. 

• Make yourself invaluable by offering fresh ideas, contributing to brainstorming sessions, using your initiative and volunteering for projects that interest you. If you have a talent for something that you think the company would find valuable then make it known.

• An internship is essentially a learning experience so be proactive, ask questions and show enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

• Always communicate with your employer about any issues, problems or questions you have throughout the course of your internship. Towards the end of your internship ensure you have scheduled a meeting with your mentor or boss to discuss your performance during your internship and whether you have a future at the company.

• It is also important to think about whether you want to stay on permanently with the company. Before making this decision you need to consider how positive the experience was, what your job prospects are, if you found the work stimulating and whether you got on with your colleagues.

Further advice on how to turn your internship into a full-time job is available in Brilliant Intern, the essential guidebook to internships. It is available online and in all good bookshops.

Top Tips to Become an Executive Recruiter

Guest post written by Adam Shaw, Managing Director of Assured Recruitment

The recruitment sector is thriving at the moment, and companies are looking for smaller (but stronger) teams to drive their business forward. This has led to a rise in demand for executive level candidates, to support and nurture businesses through this difficult and unpredictable economic climate. But this demand has also triggered a more rigorous selection process, increasing the pressure on recruiters to deliver against their clients' recruitment needs.

Top tips for aspiring executive recruiters:

-    Know your market sector

An extensive knowledge and understanding of your market sector is imperative, and will enhance your ability to succeed in recruiting executive candidates. You should be following key media within your sector for the latest news and announcements, as well as taking note of changes in the corporate world. Keeping up-to-date with who's moving-up and who’s looking to move on will help you to stay one step ahead of the game.

-    Enhance your network & build relationships

It's important to spend time on expanding and developing your network, so that you are positioned to advise your client on whom you think is most suitable for the role they are offering. LinkedIn is a particularly useful tool for this, and a large proportion of influential and sought-after executives will be using the professional site themselves, allowing you to make contact and begin building a relationship with that prospect. But although LinkedIn is excellent for building your network, it can only show how a candidate’s qualifications and experience match the candidate criteria at a relatively superficial level.

-    Consider the culture

Sourcing a candidate with a perfect skill set is only half of the challenge; the other half is how the new appointment works out. It's no longer enough to simply place a candidate based on their skills and experience, you need to determine their cultural fit: is their personality and ambition united with the company that's hiring them? When a candidate fits the culture of an organisation, the likelihood of a long and successful relationship increases significantly.

How Best to Work with a Recruiter

Katie Leaver, Sales Director from LondonlovesJobs.com, gives her expert insight into how to maximise your work with your recruiter to ensure you're finding the best people for your company.

1.)    Give your recruiter a crystal clear brief
This means you won't waste time reading irrelevant CVs that are sent through as a result of not defining what you're looking for. With the right brief your recruiter will be able to work much faster as you'll set out exactly what you need from the off.

2.)    Find out how they reach your market
You'd naturally expect that your recruiter would be looking in all the same places as you, but that's not enough. You’re paying them for their expertise so expect them to be using sites and strategies you wouldn’t.

3.)    Don't screw them on price
Remember that recruiters are also likely to be working for your competitors. You should certainly negotiate on the rates they offer initially but be aware if you push them too low it means your competitor – who could be paying slightly more – will get the better candidates.  Ensure you’re in the position to get the best candidates.

4.)    Don't get complacent
Don’t just trust what they suggest every time; keep abreast of developments in your market and make sure you're challenging their recommendations if necessary. Remember, you understand your business and its needs better than your recruiter does. Additionally, if new job boards or networking sites come up, make sure they’re used.

5.)    Be thorough when selecting your preferred supplier list
The more effort you put into finding the right recruiter, the more likely you are to make the right decision: it's that simple. Book in regular meetings once a quarter to review how things are working and pick up on any issues before they snowball.

What You Should Know About Executive Search

Guest post by Alia Majed Managing Director of Gemini search

Executive Search is all about process, not personality. Yes personality plays a part but please don't try to 'wing it' when it comes to your success. Earn the placements you desire while enjoying the reverence, supremacy, and stature Executive Recruiters command! Ultimately recruitment is about client understanding and sales; you could join a company as a resourcer to really get to know your market and work your way up to becoming an Executive Recruiter. You need to have a consistent work ethic, the ability to follow a process, honesty and enthusiasm. An Executive Recruiter is a leader who comes across to others in the process as a partner.

Firstly know why retained executive search is different from other forms of recruitment and do your homework. You can draw a straight line from due attentiveness you put into calculating, selecting and engaging in an executive search assignment to the results you deliver. Importantly, sell the whole package to your candidates; never assume that executive candidates don’t have other career options. They are evaluating you as a recruiter and your client throughout the entire process as much as you're evaluating them. Be an enthusiastic recruiter and really market what's great about your client and the specific opportunity. If they're a great fit, executive candidates will be enthralled by your narrative and feel a sense of support and enthusiasm from you and their potential new employer. From the very first conversation, even pre-interview stage you must sell the whole package - a search consultant can verify it and offer comparisons with other opportunities.

A critical part of the process is for executive recruiters not to be a stakeholder on any executive search assignment unless your client can clear their schedule to meet candidates and provide timely feedback. The opportunity cost of each executive assignment you work on is huge and the best candidates will not wait around if your client is not prepared and committed to make timely decisions. Most recruiters hear what they want to hear – an executive recruiter will appreciate that their time is precious and it's better to decide from the offset if the assignment is worth working. Since 80% of your job is listening, make sure you tune into the tone of voice for hidden objections, when the person on the other end of the phone is talking, don't be thinking of what you're going to say next – listen to what they're saying and don't feed answers. You don't want to match a job spec to a CV but you need to match opportunity to type.

Executive recruiters have great power once they understand their role and responsibility in the process. Recruiters are responsible for managing every step of the placement process. Once they appreciate their role, they can easily spot if there's trouble brewing which could jeopardize an offer/acceptance and take the needed action to put the process back on track. How do you 'fix' a search in crisis? You start with asking the questions. When a client or candidate asks a question, seasoned recruiters answer the question directly and then ask another question to maintain control. I cower at the word 'control' but as a recruiter, all parties involved have a stake in the outcome and although it's never articulated, we as recruiters are the leaders of the pack.