Posts

Doing your homework...

I’ve been doing this job for a while now.    Weirdly it’s not too repetitive – all my candidates are different and jobs are evolving all the time, particularly with the constant growth of the digital sector.  One thing that is repetitive is my advice to candidates whenever I send them an email to …

Covering Letters...

It’s quite tricky writing a recruitment blog. I’m often aware that I might sound like I’m whinging or that I sound grey and beyond my years.  The world of recruitment though is one area where I think there are still ‘niceties’ to be observed and whilst this world has evolved from the snail pace of…

Managing Expectations...

I'm pretty sure I've written about managing expectations before.  And without sounding a bit Eeyore-ish, specifically about lowering expectations.  I don't think I'm a pessimist, I'm a realist and to be honest that's what 10+ years working in this industry has done for me.

Work hard and be nice to people...

In my line of work, I get to see an awful lot of offices and work-spaces.  It's quite eye opening in many ways and increasingly, I'm seeing lots of 'maxims' and 'mantras' blown up into posters which adorn the walls of offices to exhort people to 'Keep calm & whatever…

That Salary Question....

It's an (anecdotal) fact that 90% of us think we're underpaid. Clearly, I've not got any proper stats to back this up but nine times out of ten, that's the first thing that candidates say when I ask them what their salary expectation is.

Conversations often sound something like thi…

Hedging your bets...

In an ideal world, it would be great for offers to come in thick and fast and at the same time, thus allowing you options and choice when making a decision as to whether a particular job is the right one for you.  Whilst this does sometimes happen, it’s largely unpredictable and all you can do is …

CV Honesty...

My parents drilled into me during my early years that honesty was always the best policy.  As I’ve got older, I’ve generally felt quite comfortable with ‘grey areas’ and justification of the odd ‘white lie’ – but not with hugely serious subjects or in areas where there might be ‘consequences’.  Yo…

Staying objective!

I’ve  had a few situations recently when candidates have been a bit ‘lukewarm’ when I’ve run certain agencies by them.   Whilst over the years, there have always been some agencies who have reputations for one thing or another, I’ve always felt there are horses for courses and there is somewhere f…

Remote working - not all it's cracked up to be?

When I sit down with a candidate for the first time and I ask them to describe their perfect role, it is increasingly common that remote working/working from home will be high on the wishlist.  Along with unlimited holidays, contributory pensions and free gym membership, this desire does seem to b…

Rescheduling Interviews...

I'm sure I've said it before that Recruitment is not Rocket Science.  That's not to say that it's easy or that anyone can do it - there are certain character traits that make good recruiters and generally they are the same skills that make a good account handler in an agency.  Ofte…

Confidentiality and Reputation Management...

For most of us, starting a search for a new job can be a daunting task.  It can take a lot of time and effort and whilst the hope is that it will all be worth it in order to develop our careers, earn more money and enjoy greater job satisfaction (or whatever other criteria you have!).  For many ca…

How to decline a job offer...

It’s January – New Year, New Career and all that.  Busiest time in the recruitment calendar.  All true.  However, it has been a funny old month with three candidates declining offers last week.  It is always an interesting study in human behaviour to see how individuals communicate (or not) when t…