It's that time of year when I start to run through my stats to collate the Annual PMP Salary Survey.  I always plan to use the week before the Christmas break because it'll be quiet - right?!  But it never is and it's pretty much an end of January weekend that I manage to hit the save …

Couple of points to touch on in this month's blog.  I've had a candidate interviewing with a particular client and it has been a long and drawn out process.  This is a demanding client and it has been a very 'robust' process. I'm hoping that we'll have a decision shortly, a…

I've got a friend who is currently looking for a new role and in their industry, interviewing for a new role is almost entirely done by HR Professionals who will typically use Competency based interviewing as their main tool in the recruitment process.  Now, in the advertising industry, you'…

I never used to be a fan of the telephone interview but they are becoming increasingly common so I am regularly preparing candidates for the experience.  Time poor Managers are trying to reduce the interview lead time by conducting first interviews by phone – although I have noticed that the clien…

Ok.  Here it is.  I’m not sure there is any such thing as ‘the dream job’.   I was reading a competitor’s blog last week and they were advising clients how to make their internal roles, their candidate’s dream roles thus gaining loyalty and staying power from an increasingly transient workforce.  …

With the recent good weather, it has been tricky to get interview apparel right.  One doesn't want to arrive at an interview with sweaty armpits or perspiring gently on your forehead.  However, one candidate got it very wrong by arriving for an interview in her flip flops.  I've reviewed t…

How long does it take to find a job?  One of the most common questions that I get asked.  And to be honest, there is no fixed answer - other than 'it depends'.

At the time of writing (June 2017), the market in the North is reasonably buoyant.  However, it's more buoyant in certain area…

I'm up and at it early this morning and have been listening to the Today programme (yes, really) with the News that Emmanuel Macron has won the French Elections.  Interestingly, much of the reporting is focusing on his age - 39.  Has he got the experience to do such a big job at such a young a…

I had a CV last week from a new candidate.  The file was named; ‘Joe Bloggs CV Short’.  It was 6 pages long.
One of my most commonly asked questions is ‘how long should my CV be’.  In the old days, the standard answer was 2 sides of A4.  On balance, it’s probably still optimal.  However, you’re no…

I wasn't really sure how to approach this one. I'm a recruiter not a political commentator and I'd like to make clear that this blog is just an 'observation' rather than me giving some kind of expert opinion on terrorism and security in the UK.

I'm sure most of the UK toda…

I saw a news article in the Telegraph recently.  It attracted my interest with the Headline - Teen shocked by interview feedback shaming her 'basic' answers. http://ow.ly/MoQi309a2AT.  Really, it was a headline befitting one of the tabloids and whilst I read the story, I then felt that the …

When I was in my twenties, I thought I was Superwoman.  Seriously.  I was a very young Client Services Director for a data driven marketing agency, I had a BMW, I lived in the city, I worked (really) hard and I played (quite) hard.  I took clients to the River Cafe for Dinner, I entertained other …