Coping Under the Current Economic Climate

Coping Under the Current Economic Climate I’m a 25-year-old Recruitment Consultant, and since March 2020, like many people within my generation, I’ve lived in an economic bubble. The economy has always grown, never had to fight for business, I’ve been working in a candidate short market, with plenty of jobs. I have friends working across several different industries including education, hospitality, procurement, retail, we’ve all never really had to work through real difficult times. However, since Covid-19 has happened, over the past few weeks, things have totally changed, and it has affected us all. As a Rec2Rec, I’ve never had to deal with multiple clients putting their hiring on hold, or having a huge flow of redundant recruiters calling me. Parents calling in tears who’ve just been made redundant, who have a mortgage and a young family to pay for, in desperate need for me to help them. I’ve almost felt in limbo as I’ve got some great recruiters in need of a role, and on the other hand, clients who would usually be in growth mode, now holding off recruitment. All I want to do is be able to help so it’s been so heartbreaking. This has definitely been the toughest few weeks of my career. Not only has it affected me professionally but also just within my regular day to day life. The lack of freedom has been a huge shock, the fact we’re now having to social distance, not being able to see my family in Wales and my friends who live just around the corner. To only being able to leave my flat once a day to exercise and not being able to go to the gym as usual. I also turned 25 in March, which celebrations would usually have been spread out as long as it possibly can with multiple plans with friends all of which had to be canceled. I almost feel like I’m in a film, and I’m always just thinking/saying ‘this is all just so crazy’. So how am I coping with it? Although we’re only in the early stages of the lockdown, it’s been a massive drastic change, we’ve had to adapt so quickly. I believe the resilience that I’ve built up throughout my career has definitely helped throughout these times. Keeping communication going with candidates and clients, understanding who’s hiring, what skills they’ll need when we get out of this. Having a strategy in place for when things do bounce back, working towards a goal, and keeping the momentum going. Regular catch-ups on a video call through ‘Houseparty app’ with the Qui team   Lysha and Laura. What’s really helped me understand more about the current economy and what is likely to happen after we get through this has been with speaking to those who are more experienced they’ve both worked through the recession in 2008. This is something I’d definitely advise someone my age going through these unprecedented times, speak to those who are older, who’ve been through an economic dip in the past. I still set my alarm for the same time each day through the week, write a list, get dressed, have meals around the same time each day, and don’t drink alcohol through the week to keep my energy (although by Friday the wine is calling my name!). I’ve also taken advantage of all the home workouts that are all over Instagram and making sure that I do go out once a day with either a long walk or a run. I’ve also taken this time to try out new recipes, have a deep clean, and just doing jobs around the flat which I’ve put off. Overall making sure I’m doing what I can to maintain good mental health. No one knows firmly when things will begin to get back to normal, but we’re an adaptable bunch. This isn’t going to be forever and I strongly believe that being optimistic and having a positive outlook is so important. I’m confident that we will bounce back from this, and I know I certainly won’t take anything for granted again. What are you doing to stay positive? About the author: Shannon Rowlands has been 3 yrs in R2R at Qui Recruitment and 2 years internship in finance recruitment.

External Recruiter Relationship

10 Hacks to Improve the Internal/External Recruiter Relationship I have worked in-house and agency side for over 20 years so I know that all internal recruiters are gate keeping pen-pushers, and agency recruiters are hustlers. Of course, this is an exaggerated misnomer, however the friction felt between the internal and external recruiter is often down to poor communication, miscommunication and mistrust! Here is a cheat sheet, for IN-HOUSE and AGENCY recruiters, it will help you navigate the complexity of supplier management in the recruitment sector, and I believe it has applications beyond recruitment too! The complaints about agency recruiters litter the LinkedIn feed of many, however hiring starts with the client, so to be balanced, and fair, I start with the IN-HOUSE Recruiter. As the conduit between the line manager and the agency, you play an invaluable role in ensuring that your talent brand message is received. As a recruiter for one of the UK’s most respected retailers I often found consultants came to briefings with outdated preconceived ideas of our brand. It is your job, amongst other things to sell the vision, the future potential and the “why” someone would want to work for us. Here’s 10 hacks to aid great communication: When you engage a new supplier impart as much knowledge as possible.  You chose them, so it is down to you to help them become a successful partner. Make sure your job profiles are accurate, and take the time to pad out the contextual information, this is what sells the role. Set out your stall from the get go! Its essential that you establish clear goals and expectations in terms of quality and delivery. KPI’s are not a stick to hit them with but a measure of success. Don’t brief out to multiple agencies, it will devalue the role. Set out realistic timelines with the consultant. Be aware that often the CV’S that land in your inbox expeditiously belong to applicants available but not necessarily the best in the market. Think QUALITY first SPEED second. DON’T leave your phone on answer phone. I never filled a role for someone who didn’t speak to me. Communication is essential for a healthy working relationship, so don’t hide behind email. Ensure the consultant has sufficient information to prep the candidate for interview give the candidate the very best chance to perform well in front of the line manager. Remember you are not the consultants only client. With an almost 50% decline rate at offer stage you also need cherish your applicants, they are a scarce resource! Trust your consultant, they are an expert in their field. Treat them as partner and earn their trust. Request feedback on an ongoing basis, continuous improvement will help you better understand each other and streamline the process for future hires. Feedback to the line manager they are integral to the success the recruitment function. They need to be made aware of areas for improvement, a more streamlined process will improve the quality of service, calibre of applications and will reduce cost per hire. It is essential that you understand good relationships lead to better quality hires, the process is enhanced and more expedient. A successful and profitable working partnership is also a great bargaining tool when it is time to review fees. External recruiters I am not going to publish a long lists of “Don’ts” but I will start with these 3: Internal Recruiters hate nothing more than receiving speculative applications from brilliant candidates who are not looking for a job. This is a pig of thing to do but we have all received them. Worse still. Internal Recruiters really hate it when they receive speculative cv’s of awesome candidates who are not looking for a job, from the LINE MANAGER. Don’t bypass the internal recruiter. And finally, don’t make excuses for inactivity, or lack of success, supply reasons and solutions, and quantify, you are the expert in that space! 10 hacks for agency recruiters Listen. We have 2 ears 1 mouth, use in equal proportion. Ask as many relevant questions as possible. And share your knowledge, be prepared to teach and learn. Build talent pipelines through networking and talking to people, do not rely on LinkedIn for your candidate leads. BE DIFFERENT, don’t be a data miner you are better than that! Build a natural rapport with your in-house contact, maximise the value of every conversation you have. Successful relationships take time to develop so be patient. Avoid pointless calls and remember that selling is like dating, it takes time to build a long-lasting relationship. Try not to oversell, and flag any potential issues as early as you can in the process offer pragmatic solutions. Have regular updates, share market intel. Don’t hide behind email, especially if you are delivering bad news, there is no voice inflection in email. Ensure candidates are properly briefed and are truly motivated. You’d hear me audibly groan when a candidate said they wanted to work for us because “ we were a quintessentially British retailer, with a great heritage.” Especially when I was more interested to hear about where they thought we were going, and how they could play an integral part in our future success. Be there for the candidate throughout the notice period, coach them through the resignation and keep the internal recruiter in the loop. Believe in what you do   Talent is at the centre of every great company and you are playing an important part in delivering PROFIT to the bottom line through sourcing AWESOME candidates. Ensure your candidates have a great experience, they may not be offered the job but they should feel like the opportunity was worth pursuing. It should offer them insight and learning, and prompt feedback is absolutely essential. Make yourself indispensable, do what you need to do to excel in the clients mind, remain proactive and think beyond your remit. The best relationships, both in the agency world and in-house have been my most rewarding professionally and financially. Be authentic, be honest and be the best you can! About the Author:  Abigail Klapp  is a Talent Acquisition Expert that works across industry sectors, arming employers with the language and tools of attraction to future proof their talent attraction model.

Apply an 18th Century Strategy to Your Career Life - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Apply an 18th Century Strategy to Your Career Life - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Two-hundred thirty-eight years ago a group of determined men with a vision to create an unprecedented future risked their lives, their fortunes and sacred honor on an untested military commander by the name of George Washington. Washington was selected to command the Continental Army for two primary reasons. One, because he was basically the only member of the Second Continental Congress with extensive military experience, having served as a Colonel for the British Colonial Army during the French and Indian War. Secondly, he was subtly lobbying for the position by attending the Congress in his military uniform despite the fact he hadn’t served in the military for 15 years. Once taking command of the Continental Army there were many ups and downs for Washington, who was forced to apply a mostly defensive strategy while looking for unique opportunities to attack. There were many times when he was on the brink of losing control of the limited personnel at his command, and a number of calls for his replacement by both Congress and other senior military leaders. But, Washington always found a way, and went on to be the singular choice to be the fledging nation’s first chief executive. In reading about Washington, as the legend continues to grow, you get the sense that he may be the most integrity-filled person in American history. He may have been the one person who lived and led by a core set of values that drew people towards him and were enthusiastic to follow his lead. As a young man (age 14) Washington penned his Rules of Civility Decent Behavior in Company Conversation,  which outlined 110 separate points to live and lead by. It seems he lived and served in integrity with those 110 rules as much as any human being could. Washington brought to his life’s roles tremendous levels of self-discipline, which allowed him to eventually become known in the United States as The Father of Our Country, and has an immortal legacy second to none. That is what a code of conduct can do for you. That is, if you live your life by it. Few of us mere mortals go to the lengths of penning a code of conduct. I believe it’s for fear of being able to live up to it that prevents most of us from putting those commitments in writing. Of those that do, I bet few have the self-discipline to follow through as consistently as Washington seems to have been able to do. Maybe its because the pressures of the 21st Century cause us to believe its just too hard to stay true to our commitments, but are those pressures any greater than what Washington faced in leading his Continental Army against the most prolific fighting force the world had known to that point in world history? I think not. So, with that thought in mind, why not take a few minutes or an hour or so, and pen your own Code of Conduct, then challenge yourself to live by it. If you want an accountability partner, e-mail me at Skip@WorkplaceCommunicationExpert.com and lets walk this journey together. Author: Skip Weisman,  The Leadership Workplace Communication Expert, has worked with business leaders and their teams to transform both individual and organizational performance in industries from banks to plumbers since 2001. Skip’s experience helping his clients has shown that the biggest problems in workplaces today can be directly traced to interpersonal communication between people in the work environment. Having spent 20 years in professional baseball management, his first career in which he served as CEO for five different franchises, has given Skip tremendous insights and skills for build high-performing teams. Learn more about Skip at  www.WorkplaceCommunicationExpert.com  and  www.SkipWeismanSpeaks.com

Get Real About Goal Setting

Get Real About Goal Setting Last night I was complaining to a friend about how I need to get on track with a few things Im trying to accomplish.   My friends response was totally annoying and perfect: Then do something about it and stop bitching. I loved it. So therefore, Im reviewing goal setting today. As much for myself as for every other moody, aggressive and ambitious woman who has good intentions yet gets off track. In my opinion, goal setting is a lot like dieting: easy to talk about; fun to get caught up in, but rarely effective or long-term in nature. But overall, in order to achieve your goal (whatever it is) there are a few crucial rules to follow. 1. Your goal must be measurable (and you may not like it anymore once you put it in measurable terms). Here are examples which are NOT goals in my world: I want to lose some weight. It would be nice to get a new job. Or I need to make some more money. No. A measurable goal is: I want to lose 15 pounds by August 1, 2009. Why is this more effective? Because you can say: I have 3 months to do it, and that means I need to lose 5 pounds per month, or at least 1 pound per week to achieve my goal. In order to loose 1 pound per week, I need to burn at least 3500 extra calories per week, or 500 extra calories per day. In order to eliminate 500 calories per day, I will have to cut out my daily Grande Vanilla Late (250 calories) and run 2.5 miles a day (or do something) to burn the other 250. Do you still want to lose 15 pounds? Because most people would say NO! after putting the goal into measurable terms because they have to face the reality of what it will take to achieve that goal. 2. Your goal must be attainable and not contradictory. I think you are smart enough to know what an attainable, non-contradictory goal is, but in case you ever get a BIT carried away like I do, I will review it anyways. Here is an example: I want to be as skinny as Eva Longoria, eat out and drink as much as I want, while making six figures, buying a condo and spending way too much money on beauty services and clothes. Get real. You are never going to be as skinny as Eva Longoria (especially if you are drinking like a fish and dining out 5 days a week). And you will never save a DIME for that condo if you spend all of your cash on bar tabs, highlights and Nordstrom purchases. And you will definitely not have time to go out and shop like a fiend if you have a 6-figure earning job in your early twenties. Sorry friends. (But we can dream, right?!) If you really want to save for something, then dont spend all of your money on something else. If you really want to start earning money freelancing, then why are you spending all of your nights and weekends at the bar or hung-over? If you really want a new job, why havent you sent your resume out to anyone? 3. Your goal must be written down and reviewed daily. Because talk is cheap and actions speak (I rhymed- neat). Remind yourself of what you are working towards so that the fabulous new dress in the window of Bebe (and that ONE LAST cocktail- I mean it this time!) doesnt carry you away from your goals. Its sort of like the law of attraction, lady-style. Get obsessed with your goal by seeing it and reading it and thinking about it all the time, I promise you will achieve it faster that way. 4. Set deadlines, aka mini-victories and celebrate them. Whoever made up the term mini-victories is one of my heroes, because I lean heavily on mini-victories every day to keep me going in life. If you are nearly as moody as I am, you know how easy it is to get discouraged or off track when it comes to goals. Breaking goals and setting deadlines makes big achievements much less daunting. And then the fun part is celebrating the mini-victories! Mini-victories also serve as major mood boosters when you are having a shitty day. And if you are having one of those days, just do SOMETHING- anything- to get one step closer to your goal. What goals are the hardest for you to stick to? Career goals, entrepreneurship goals, fitness goals? Obviously my biggest goal-distracters are going out and shopping, what are your biggest goal-distracters? Please share!

Resume Writing Tips - Core Qualification

Resume Writing Tips - Core QualificationIf you're looking for help with resume writing tips, you should be aware that you may not have the same qualifications as the job you are applying for. The way you write your resume will likely have a major impact on whether or not you get the interview. It is also crucial to your future success in the work force.Most importantly, you should research the company you are applying for before writing your resume. Look at their previous resumes and see if they will be checking this particular resume out. Some companies use it as a type of screening process. With that being said, make sure that you think about what you will include in your resume.The first core qualification that you should include is experience. You may not think that you have experience, but you do. You just need to ensure that you don't try to include too much information about your experience in one section of your resume.You should include your education as well as any credits that you may have received as part of your core qualification. You can talk about your studies, your job experience, and any other training you may have received, just be sure that you don't forget about the core qualification you need to highlight. Just make sure that you focus on what makes you the best fit for the position.You should also research the salary ranges for each specific position that you are applying for, so that you can include this in your core qualification. Of course, the location will not necessarily be a factor when determining salary range, but it is important to know where the company is located. If the company is located in a city that is highly populated and expensive, then you may want to consider other options.If you haven't received a core qualification, you may want to include this information. This will show potential employers that you have the experience and qualifications that they are looking for. They may be impressed that you have the core qualif ication and would want to call you for an interview.It is also important to make sure that you do not overstate your qualifications on your resume. This will most likely end up giving you an unfavorable interview. You do not want to try to convince the interviewer that you are right for the job.Resume writing tips, especially in regard to the core qualification, are fairly simple. The goal is to have the best possible core qualification and not sound like you are bragging or trying to oversell your resume. Give the employer a clear picture of your potential and how you will benefit them from hiring you.

Happiness at work in India - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Happiness at work in India - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Three weeks ago I was in India to speak at the World HRD Congress in Mumbai and my speech was very well received heres some sample feedback: Your presentation was the best Ive seen in 20 years in HR. It was really great listening to your talk. I have implemented a lot of it in my life and I can already feel a huge difference. Alexander Kjerulf was the rock star in the World HRD congress this year. He mesmerized participants from 79 countries with a simple yet powerful approach to create a happy work place. And India absolutely needs more happiness at work. Not that workplaces there are particularly bad, its just that the war for talent is still going strong. While the financial crisis has given many western workplaces an excuse to stop focusing on happiness at work, Indian workplaces are facing some stark realities: Employee turnover among specialists and middle managers is around 20-30%. Annual average pay rises are 12-13%. There is a huge fight to attract newly educated Gen Y employees. In short, Indian workplaces are doing their best to attract the best people, keep them in the workplace and help them perform optimally. The problem is that theyre doing all the wrong things, ie. things like wellness initiatives, bonuses, pay raises, promotions, etc. While theres nothing wring with any of this, it simply isnt what makes employees happy at work at most it makes them satisfied. In my speech, I tried to focus on what really does make people happy at work and therefore more likely to stay in the workplace, more likely to do their best work and more likely to try to convince acquaintances, friends and family to also work there. And it seemed to really ring a bell. So thanks to everyone who attended my presentation and a great big thank you to all the cool inspiring people I met at Here are some pics from my speech Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Simple Job Search Advice That Can Dramatically Boost Your Odds of Getting Hired - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Simple Job Search Advice That Can Dramatically Boost Your Odds of Getting Hired Looking for a job is one of the hardest, most draining things you can do in your career. The constant moving around, talking to people, and even the rejection can be tiring. The unemployment rate in America  by June 2019 is at 3.7%. This is much lower compared to years past, but it can still be problematic. If you are having a hard time looking, you need some good job search advice to help improve your hiring. We can help you with that. In this guide, we’ll give you the best ways on how to look for a job. These tips will give you an edge when finding a new career and help you get a job quick. 1. Update Your Resume When You Look For A Job Knowing how to organize a resume is one of the most crucial steps when you look for a job. When was the last time you got your resume in tip-top form? Many professionals waste a very long time before updating their resume. Give your resume some rapid spruce before even sending it out.   The first thing you want to do is add any new skills that you have acquired over the time you didn’t update it. Add achievements that are relevant in your field. Where you can, use resume buzzwords that are relevant to your field. These will help human resources people when they are scanning for potential details in your resume. At the same time, remove any outdated skills that offer no value. When trying to learn how to look for a job, you want a dense resume with as little filler as possible. No sane recruiter will read a 5-page resume unless it’s for a CEO position, so make sure to have details that matter. Before you send out your resume, it’s best to have others give it a good look. Finding someone to evaluate the content can be useful when learning how to find a new job. 2. Don’t Waste Your Time Finding The Perfect Job If you ask career experts, it’s best to not be too picky when finding a new career. Of course, there’s nothing like the perfect job that has everything you want in it. The best job situation is the ultimate dream for everyone in their career. You may not, however, get everything you want in a single job. Salary, work-life balance, and a fulfilling career don’t always match with each other. This is true if your field is under heavy saturation. Make sure that perfectionism is not ruining your career. It’s smart to leave yourself some wiggle room. We’re not advising you to give up and settle for something less than you deserve. Even then, don’t throw great opportunities when finding a new career. 3. Use Advanced Techniques In Job Boards Job boards are one of the best touchpoints that can have job openings that you may not even hear down the vine. Even then, you want to do something to optimize your job search. With a literal list of thousands of job openings, you need to find which one would work for you. Our first job search advice is to optimize your online resume. You would want to streamline the resume by adding skills relative only to the field you want. Cut out as much “fat” as possible in your online resume. When you look for a job, prove to a recruiter that you know your stuff. Show that you read the entire job description with a thorough understanding of the company’s needs. Highlight achievements where you showed off your skills. You would want to also send in your resume as soon as possible. Many companies will only open a job pool of around 250 applicants at most for big companies. Even then, you wouldn’t want to sacrifice the quality of your resume and cover letter. Unless you are applying for a graphics design position as well, it’s best to stay with the basic formatting.   4. Sanitize Your Social Media and Use It In Finding A New Career If you are going to use your social media as tools when finding a new career, clean it up. Remove any past posts that may pose as a character problem when your potential employer sees it. It’s crucial to sanitize as far as you can. Remove provocative photos or videos that may give you undue headaches. If you have controversial comments or posts that you know can destroy your future career, take them out too. Social media profiles are a great tool when creating a network around you. Establish a presence on social media by being active in areas that matter. If you are handling social media pages as admin, that can be a great show of your skills. Craft professional bio profiles for your social media, from Twitter, Facebook to Instagram. Make sure your profile image is professional if you plan on using it as a work profile. If you have to, create a segregated profile for your personal and another for your professional life. Connect with the authorities in your industry. Twitter and Instagram are great in helping you connect with high-profile people in the industry. Use your LinkedIn to pass around some genuine connections. Make sure to know what you’re talking about if you’re going to flex on social media. You want to know as much as possible within your industry. 5. Use Twitter and LinkedIn More   If you are looking to create serious connections online, Twitter and LinkedIn are the best for professional use. Twitter gives you a direct line to industry titans and their thoughts. LinkedIn focuses more on a connection between professionals, so it’s great when you look for a job. When connecting with other professionals, create a sincere connect message. Show that you are serious in your intent to connect. Finding The Best Job Search Advice The best job search advice you can get to boost your hire rate is to be yourself. Looking for a job means trying to understand what the company is about. Showing that you understand your role and you can be an asset to the company is a crucial step. If you want to learn more about how to find a new job, check our other guides. We have many different tips and tricks that can help you get a job quick. Take a look now.