Finding the right employee is tough. You set the parameters with the job description and person specification, on which you base your interviewing short list.  

You interview, spending only a small portion of time with each candidate and yet, from this process, you have high expectations you will find the right person. There are times when this happens, and it all falls together. 

But there are times when it takes a little more effort to put all the jigsaw piece together.  

It is a critical task

It is after all, not just about time but money too. Recruitment costs are soaring, and thus, making a bad appointment only for it to turn sour within months, can mean that your budget and profit margins, already squeezed, are now faced with another pressure of performing the recruitment process all over again.  

Of course, finding out you have hired the wrong person may not necessarily mean that they leave the post; they may stay and thus you will need to spend time and money on training, providing as much as the taught skills as is possible. 

Some studies have shown that in some industries, poor recruitment decision can cost a company up to £30,000 a day, especially in the financial sector.  

Job descriptions are…

… all well and good and, along with personal specifications, can help you and potential candidates decide if the job on offer is the right one for them. Unfortunately, many companies base everything on these sheaves of paper but, with a little thought and discussion, there is a lot more that you need to be looking for. 

#1 Competency 

You may have asked for a specific set of skills and expertise, and this is something you should look for keenly. This is why it is top of the list!

Check with fine tooth comb is they have what you want on their application form. It may be that you get a good feeling about someone and yet, they lack some of the skill or ability you specifically. Only you can know if you have the time and money to train someone in a taught skill; does the company need a start from someone who already has everything you need?

#2 Capable 

Some tasks are easy but what about the more complex and complicated stuff? Does the person sit in front of you give the impression of being capable? Capability in terms of an employee is about seeing the potential of the person to expand and develop. Willingness to try new things and expand their skill set is important in so many cases.

#3 Fits in 

This can seem shallow but if you have an existing team, is this new person sat in front of you going to fit in? In some cases, you may think that they have the skills, so the team will have to adapt and mould but if you have a super-team that is not broken, why try to break it?

Fitting in is more than just getting on with people; it is also about them fitting in with the ethos and values of the company too.

#4 Long-term plans 

Essentially, you want as happy and stable a workforce as you possibly can, as this is the environment in which the best growth, development and productivity happens. How likely is the person to stay with the company? Is the jog ‘big enough’? What does their CV say – how long do they tend to stay in a job?

#5 Character 

This really is about ethos and values, as well as operating principles. You may be in the type of field where there will be times that the job needs doing – and it may mean working late. And on a Friday night too. Are they going to bid you goodbye as they waltz out the door, or can they see the bigger picture and throw their lot in?

#6 Expectations 

Every company has a culture, borne from a set of expectations, policies and procedures, as well as the values the company and the team has. From these come expectations and they can be incredibly high in some cases. This is an important consideration as someone with opposite values and so on, can be an incredibly disruptive and negative force within a team or business.

#7 Salary 

You really do need to offer the going market rate for the job and its responsibilities. Offering less will not get you the calibre of employee you are looking for, and neither will you get the performance, abilities and skills you need.

If budget is an issue, why not look at a benefits package instead, that would be appealing and attractive to the right people?

Of course, you won’t always get it right, but with time and consideration, you will get the right people! 

 You got the job. You have accepted. You have written the resignation letter and enjoyed he handshake with the boss. Having worked your notice, you leave your old desk behind, looking forward to pastures new.  

But, the nerves are setting in and, when this happens, we can start to make some rather poor quality judgements. Creating the right impression, fitting in, not making a fool of yourself and so on, are all the things that we think about the night before we start a new role. 

Having a checklist to help you with the do’s and don’ts of you next new job can be helpful in ensuring that it goes swimmingly well, and not a big nose-diving belly flop.  

The do’s or should do…

Be positive in your outlook – it is a new job, a new challenge and you are more than ready for it 

Re-read all the information sent to you both at the time of application and interview, as well as any additional material since you accepted the post. Make sure you are familiar with certain things, making notes of anything that needs clarifying 

Research the company again, and get a handle on who the competitors are and so on; arming yourself with some background knowledge can be incredibly helpful 

Plan your journey to work and if possible, have a dummy run. It may be in the same town, but if it a different bus route, tube stop, different motorway exit and so on, you need to know how long it takes and peak rush hour time 

Find out who you are meeting and reporting too; all this takes is a quick phone call or an email 

Make sure you know your working hours so that childcare and so on is not an immediate issue 

Examine the contract of employment carefully, and make sure you are happy with what you are signing; some people think it is rude to ask the date they are paid but, this is an essential piece of information for you. If the date is not in the contract, ask them 

Take some photo identity on the first day; employers are required to do certain checks on new staff, the most basic of which is that you are who you say you are. Take your passport and your driving licence if you have one, for proof of identity as well as address 

Your mobile phone needs to be off or on silent 

Make sure you stick to timings, and that you are back promptly from breaks and lunch 

Show that you are willing; staying an extra 10 minutes and not running out the door creates a far more favourable impression, especially as you get to know people and settle in 

Be calm, stay focus and socialise – get to know the people you are working with, as this can make the first week pass so much quicker and better. 

However, there are some pitfalls that some people fall into; the first week in important and creating a bad impression during this time can really hurt your prospects at the company.  

What not to do…

Call in sick during your first week, unless the situation is extenuating 

Lateness is also frowned upon, as well as punctuality 

Think before you speak and certainly don’t rubbish your former colleagues or palace of employment; there have been many an embarrassing tale of a new employee bad-mouthing their former line manager only to be told that the person sat in front of them is their spouse/sibling and so on 

Don’t make or take personal calls on your mobile, and texting is also frowned upon. In fact, take your eyes off your mobile, and concentrate on the task in hand 

Don’t struggle, or panic! Ask for help and learn to communicate with new people. There are bound to be moments when you feel adrift and useless but, everything comes with time and experience 

But on the other hand, don’t be a know all; humility is a great characteristic to have. You may have been hired to implement new systems, staffing rotas and so on, but this does not mean you are a knight in shining armour that has carte blanche to do whatever you want on your first day 

A new job is an exciting and challenging time, a situation that everyone has been in. You will hear it said to you many times on your first day and in your first week that ‘I had no idea when I started either’ and so on. Colleagues are more than willing to help out, so relax and enjoy! 

 There is a heap of advice out there about getting the best from your application form, how to get and interview and how to perform in one.  

All of it sound, noteworthy advice and yet very articles but the boot on the other foot; what about spotting bad recruiters, or a dodgy recruitment process? For potential employees, gut instinct might kick in but there are times when you do need to think carefully, observe what is happening and decide what the people are interviewing you are all about.  

Take note of the following. 

Not understanding the job 

In some companies, the management is responsible for the interviewing and recruitment process. There may be times when this mantel would probably have been best passed to a junior member of staff as they may be the people working directly in the field of work, department and so on.  

Are the people in front of you talking the right ‘language’? Is there a clear understanding of the role? If not, they may not know what they are looking for.  

All talk, no listen 

The best interviews are two-way processes. They are about them meeting you, and you meeting them. The scrutiny should be a two way- process and yet, there are time when the company’s management seems to think that the process is about them talking and selling them, and not really listening to what you have to say.  

Feeding back 

You may have been successful, and you may have accepted the job, but this is one small step. Modern recruiters are providing feedback to ALL candidates, not just those who didn’t make the grade. Asking people why they hired you, the good points and the developmental ones is an insight into their human resources process.  

What training and development have they outlined for you specifically? 

How they decide who to interview 

For some people, not being offered an interview can be a devastating blow, especially when you look down the list of essential and desirable skills and note that you match them all. Not many think to chase this decision but, if you are in this position and have no idea why you were not offered an interview, make contact and ask. 

A polite, well-worded email can not only be the right course of action to find out but can also work wonders in terms of future applications, should you decide to make one.  

Great advice 

When the job isn’t yours, you should be given the courtesy of a phone call and some feedback but, not all recruiters are getting in line for such a policy.  

Assuming that they could come in for some flack, some companies send out ‘thanks, but no thanks’ letters, a poor alternative to a phone call. If you want to know more, always contact them to find out.  

Some really modern recruiters also ask for feedback on the whole process and feeding back honestly but diplomatically is key.  

Spamming 

Some recruiters are third party staffing agencies, tasked with the assignment of finding the latest movers and shakers for their company.  

There are some excellent recruitment agencies out there, who nurture relationships with big companies and agencies, but there are some who think that their main role is to gather CVs and send them to anyone and everyone. 

Large companies and corporations, in particular, have smaller, separate arms to their companies and thus, CV spamming can cause all kinds of embarrassing encounters. Working for a sister organisation and finding your CV on your boss’s desk, as a result, is an embarrassment that has befallen many people.  

And yet, it keeps happening because these agencies are still trolling for CVs and applications from people, with false promises and a scatter gun approach that rarely works.  

Focused on their fee and needs, not yours 

Still with third party recruiters, you need to be aware that they will be paid a fee by the hiring company if you accept a role with them. In some cases, depending on the level of job, as well as whether you were head-hunted or applied to a job vacancy board, the fee can be quite handsome for the agency.  

There are instances where people have been harassed and pressured into taking jobs so that the agency acquires its fee. It is imperative before signing up with a recruiter that you check their reputation, as well as making sure that they work in the area of expertise and skills that you have and want to work in.  

Recruiters are important in finding the right people for the right job, but check that they are centred on your needs and not their own. 

 You have done the hard part – completed the application so that they cannot fail to call you for interview – and you performed well. You decide that maybe, just maybe, if the phone rings and they offer you the job, you will snap their hand off. 

And then, time passes, and you get to thinking.  

You have performed well. You have improved and so much so, in fact, that they have offered you the job. It is you ‘dream’ job, working for the leading company in your field of expertise and skills. 

Surely, it is a forgone conclusion that you will accept. 

In most circumstances, people do; as soon as the phone rings and those words ring out ‘we would like to offer you the position’, people gush they will accept the sentence have been finished. There are times when this is the right decision but, there are other occasions when you need to make careful consideration. 

But, what factors should you use to make your decision? 

#1 The people 

You may be forgiven that money should be in top spot. However when it comes to work, you do need to be uber-confident that the people you will spend the majority of the time with, are the people that you want to spend the majority of the time with.  

Of course, it is hard to form judgements from only meeting people for a few moments but those first impressions count. It takes seconds for our intuition to kick in, telling us when someone is personable and approachable, and when they are not.  

#2 The place of work, environment and atmosphere 

It may be THE place and the next step up, but is it the right place for you. Being offered a job and choosing to accept it is, primarily, a personal decision. As great as the company may be, with an enviable reputation, if it did not feel right, then trust your gut. 

How they work is important. Some offices and businesses opt for an open plan office. This great in so many ways – but, if you are an ordered, ‘need my own space’ kind of person, this will not be the right environment conducive to neither your happiness nor productivity.  

#3 The benefits 

The package of benefits offered should reflect the calibre of candidate that the company wants, and how well they look after them. Employees that are not only appreciated but ‘look after’ tend to remain with an employer for longer. 

Ask them about their benefits package; what perks are they offering staff and new employees? If the money does not quite come up to scratch, you may find that you financial gain in other ways. Anything from private medical care to cut price gym membership is worth looking into.  

#4 Company performance 

Before leaving a sound, stable job (possibly) you need to make sure your next move is to another stable, sound ship. If not, you could be setting yourself up for fall from which it may be hard to bounce back.  

Asking around about the company, and how well they are performing financially is important. The most recession has taken out some big names from various industries, all names and businesses that have survived previous recessions, depressions, world wars and conflicts. Sometimes, the smallest and lightest straw can break the biggest, strongest camel.  

#5 Salary 

Clearly, looking for and getting a new job is about taking a step up, including a step up in the money. 

For many people, this is the driving factor and thus, their decisions are easy to make but, for others, the environment and people are more important.  

Neither does money equal happiness in a role, thus take care when basing your decision solely on the salary. There are two options in terms of finance – one is the amount you need to live on and the other, is the amount of money that would make the job simply irresistible.  

Perhaps seeing the potential of the whole package is more important that just one factor alone  

In summary

Looking for, applying and interviewing for a new job is a high-stress situation, and not one that many people gladly throw themselves into. Unless it is the job, that represents the next logical step up for them.  

On the downside is the fact that many people can be disappointed. This is because they go the place where they think it is all happening, the competitor that they need to be part of and yet, their gut tells them a far different story when they get there. 

And when will you know? The moment you walk out of the interview. 

Trends, fashions and fads come and go across all sectors and industries, with the ‘how and why’ of the recruitment process not being immune to changes in fashion and so on. 

With the economy slowly levering its way out of recession, the recruitment market could, once again, become a hot bed of activity. Companies will be recruiting, possibly hiring in larger volumes that the previous few years have allowed. With studies from major recruitment agencies and social platform LinkedIn, the global recruiting trends for 2015 have been identified.

Top statistic 

Nearly half of the 450 financial companies interview from a survey carried out by the Association for Financial Professionals Business Outlook, stated they would look to be hiring big time over the course of the year. With the financial sector beginning to ‘move’ once again, it pays to keep an eye on all major industries.  

Trend 1 - The focus is on retention

A hot recruitment market is a double edged sword. For the employee, it opens up a whole heap of potential opportunities but, for the employer it presents real possibilities that they could be losing brilliant staff.

However, a New York based survey found that well over half of those surveyed in June of last year were unhappy with their work or job. This means that there is a large group of people looking to grasp new opportunities and challenges as they arise.

What this means for employers…

… 2015 could be the year that the need to listen to employees, create a better working environment and start to ‘look after’ their employees, by providing the opportunities they want in order to stretch themselves.

As the economy picks up, however, there is one more threat that companies need to be aware of. 7 in 10 workers, when questioned, would like to leave their regular employment and start their own business. A more buoyant economy could be the very thing that they need to give them the push.

Top tip for 2015 – look to retain the staff you have! 

Trend 2 – Offer competitive wages

The recession has a strangle hold on the what and how much a company can pay their staff, as well as any pay increases and awards they can offer.

Many UK workers have not had a significant increase in recent years, if any at all and thus, there is a clear expectation that once business is able to do so, that it should increase the pay of staff.

Larger companies with global points of work have indicated that they intend on increasing the pay of staff, up to 5% in some cases. However, pay is not the be all and end all, with many smaller to medium sized businesses urged to look at benefits packages for employees if their profit margins are still under pressure.

Top tip for 2015 – look to create benefits packages if a pay increase is not viable. 

Trend 3 – Spruce up your brand

Your brand does not just talk to potential customers. It talks to potential job candidates too.

When recession or turbulent economy times hit within a company, the profits are pulled to the core, to oil all the financial cogs that need to keep turning. Once the load is lightened, businesses may start to look for top notch candidates but, if the brand is not quite talking, then you may find the calibre of candidate is not quite what you want.

Top tip – join the big global players and start to cultivate the employer brand of your company; make it the place that people want to work.  

Trend 4 – Retirement age is no longer 65 in the UK…

… and, as a company, you will need to prepare for this. With the age at which the state pension can be drawn increasing to 67 and 68 years of age, the make-up of your workforce is beginning to change. Businesses need to respond to this in a positive, and wholesome way.

Top tip – finding ways to transfer skills from the ‘older’ generation to the young starters need to be found, but that ‘space’ within a workforce will also need to be found to accommodate the change in retirement age.  

Trend 5 – the ‘gigging worker’

 The ‘zero hours contract’ debate raged during the recent election but it is still out there. Again, a double edge sword; some people enjoy the freedom of freelancing and yet some employers are ‘hedging their bets’ by presenting workers with no choice. For some, they could have no work tomorrow but 60 hours the following week.

Damaging to both the economy, the business itself and morale, the grip of these contracts is such that they will be hard to get rid of. However, the need for flexibility is still strong but business needs to find a far better way to recruit casual or temporary staff.

Top tip – freelancers are growing but freelancing is not the same as ‘zero hours contracts’.  

Trend 6 – Recruiting is going to get tougher

Leading companies predict that 2015 will be the year that everything gets tougher in the recruitment market with competition between firms to attract the best candidates become almost too hot to handle.

Many suggest that social media sites could be effective recruitment boards and that interviewing through phone or video will also become more common place.

Top tip – step up your recruitment strategy NOW!

 There has long been a struggle in the recruitment process and it is one that many a candidate has suffered from – the lack of experience, and yet they have all the skills needed. Catching that lucky break in some industries and sectors is incredibly tough. 

But, as well as providing an almost insurmountable dilemma for the candidate, it also presents a tough decision for the hiring company too.

 And yet, in recent years, there has been increasing emphasis and trends on the experience side of the candidate, borne out of the need for cultural fit. The congruence between the candidate’s values and those of the company is increasingly sought after and thus, you would think at this point that every company is looking for experience, over qualifications.

However, the solution is not as easy as this. Striking the right balance between qualifications and skills sets, coupled with experience is more important than ever.

No longer the elephant in the room – the importance of personality

The interviewing process at one time could be described as a rather staid affair. In the pursuit of getting the best person for the job in terms of skill set, the notion of personality and cultural fit was not mentioned.

With the need to be open and transparent, with discrimination frowned upon, and rightly so, appointing anyone on the merit of their personality became lost.

The tide is turning again and whilst it should not be the sole basis on which to base any decision, there is a need to understand the importance that personality plays in people applying for vacancies.

Work is not just about food and lodgings. If it was about the money, who would care where they worked, or what they did? But we do, because work is multi-dimensional; it defines who we are, underpins our self-confidence and self-esteem. When work is going great, we are in love with life. It provides the stability and the routine that we need and crave.

When work is all going wrong, it has a massive impact on us, and our emotional well-being. From work place harassment to ‘just not getting on’ with colleagues, when work turns bad, it colours every aspect of our lives. Work is hard to get away from, more so when things are not progressing well.

Thus, ignoring personality is at your peril when it comes to taking on new employees. Remain singular in your vision that it is only hard cold facts that matter, could see you make the mistake of employing people not suited to your industry, business or team. From applications to dealing with work place angst could be a process that happens within weeks, or months.

And so, with personality firmly on the list of ‘must-haves’, now is the time to look at skills and experience. What does each say about the candidate?

Skills & qualifications 

Qualifications are one thing, an important factor in the recruitment process. A basic smattering of high school qualifications, all to a good standard are a good foundation on which to build.

Skills are something that come with practice and many acquire them with many years’ experience. Others acquire a certain skill set in the pursuit of qualifications. Some people gain all kinds of skills from a variety of places, such as hobbies, volunteering and so on.

For highly technical jobs, some employers prize skills over and above anything else.

Experience 

The esteem in which experience of candidates are held will vary from industry to industry and once again, the sway it holds in the shortlisting and interview process will also vary. For some, the accumulation of experience speaks volumes over and above qualifications.

For some industries such as the hospitality sector, experience can count for almost everything. Understanding the needs of guests is not something that can be wholly taught in the classroom but, in the real life setting of a busy hotel, understanding the importance of guests and the functioning of the hotel is everything.

Which is better? Qualifications or Experience?

The answer is balance. The balance between the two and the balance that your industry or sector demands is essential. In some cases, more weight may be held with academic qualifications, whereas for other sectors, experience may hold sway.

And so the answer is that it will vary from one sector to another. Candidates looking for their lucky break will need to do their research and, alongside formal qualifications, actively seek opportunities to practice their skills, and hone their experience.

 The way companies are interviewing is changing. Gone are the days when, similar to the BBC2 programme The Apprentice, potential candidates pitted their worth against an interviewing panel; or, more precisely, gone are the days when this was the only means of interviewing. 

And thus phone and video interviews are increasing in practice in all kinds of positions, from the grass roots of an organisation to the very top. And with agencies such as Staff Bay appreciating the changes, the how to succeed at a video interview can be an important lesson for many.

The video interview – the 7 common mistakes (and the solutions!)

Mistake 1: being too casual in your approach

The most common mistake for both phone and video interviews is that potential candidates approach them with a far more casual attitude than the traditional face-to-face grilling.

Would you turn up for a job interview in slippers? You may be in the comfort of your own home and the interviewing panel may not be looking at your feet, but the essence of you not quite being prepared, a bit too casual and so on will come across.

The solution 

Be professional in your ‘best way’. Your body language needs to ooze professionalism and confidence; your dress attire needs to be spot on and you need to be thoroughly prepared, just like a face-to-face interview. Don’t skimp on the details.  

Mistake 2: Not having a backup plan

Technology is a fabulous thing; from being able to communicate with the other side of the world to making life so much easier, the Internet, the PC, the phone, the mobile phone, the modem and routers of this world have all made a massive, manly positive impact… when it works.

The solution 

If you know your signal is poor at home, then get yourself another venue where you can concentrate on the interview. Background noise can interfere not only with your signal but concentration and focus too. Anything from the quiet of a friend’s house, to hiring a room at the local library, hotel etc. is better than the intermittent signal in your lounge. Be prepared beforehand.  

Mistake 3: Not practicing

Appearing on screen can be awkward, immediately making the most confident person self-conscious. Likewise, for many people, seeing themselves on screen can either turn them in a gabbling mess or render them speechless.

The solution 

Practice. Get used to talking and seeing yourself on screen. Check how clear and well you are coming across at the other end. It takes a certain set of skills to come across well on video interviews.  

Mistake 4: Leaving it to the last minute

A bit like packing your bag the night before school speech you undoubtedly had as a child, you need to ensure that your webcam and technology is ready.

The solution 

Prepare well in advance when it comes to the technology. Be sat at the PC, in front of the webcam 5 to 10 minutes before the interview time, just as you would be in a face-to-face situation.  

Mistake 5: Being over-prepared

Up to this point we have talked about preparation being key BUT, with video interview there can be a tendency to be over-prepared, to the point it sounds like you are reading from a script. This, like giving a presentation, is all down to nerves, brought on by heightened emotions and unfamiliarity.

The solution 

Have bullet points and snippets of information that can be an aide memoir, rather than scripted answers. You will come across more natural and in a more conversational style, rather than clipped and ‘trained’. 

Mistake 6: Not showing your personality

Companies need to ensure that they not only get the right skills to fill a post, but the right cultural fit too. Interviews via phone and video can be difficult in that the interviewer has to work somewhat harder to get the feel of the person and their personality.

The solution 

Be natural. It is normal to be nervous but try to act in the most natural way you can. Smile, and use your humour too. Make sure you comes across as warm, approachable and professional.  

Mistake 7: Gabbling or talking too fast

Video interviews are used to the benefit of both the company and the candidate. People no longer apply within a 50 mile radius of their home for work and thus, applying for a job several hundred miles away or in a different country just got a whole lot easier.

Nerves, however, makes us gabble, talk fast and can make us difficult to understand.

The solution 

Practice and breathe. Listen for when you start to gabble or talk too fast, and make a conscious effort to slow the pace of your talking. If you have a strong accent, be aware that this too can become ‘stronger’ when you are under pressure.  

Video interviews are a great way for companies to meet potential candidates; are you prepared?

Being interviewed for a new post is nerve-wracking, especially if the job is really the one that you have dreamed of your whole career. 

The job market is an increasingly competitive place, more so in some industries and sectors than in others. You have applied for the top executive position you have always craved and aimed for throughout your career. The letter arrive, inviting you for a preliminary interview… on the phone.  

This one phrase fills you with dread and, if you have not partaken in a phone interview before, then it can make the idea of talking to future employers, a panel of executives more daunting than ever.  

Why are phone interviews increasing in popularity?

With more candidates applying for positions, employers are presented with an interesting dilemma: spend days interviewing them all or, whittle down the massing throng to a chosen few. And it is for this last reason that many employers are now beginning to use the phone interview as a process of short listing the people they want for the post.  

Not an interview to be taken lightly

Phone interviews take practice and preparation is key and to help you out here are our top tips for getting it right when it comes to phone interviews… 

Take it seriously 

Commonly, many people don’t make it past the phone interview stage simply because they treated it as an informal chat, which it is not in any shape or form. This is not how it is. An interview carried out over the phone can seem a little detached and face-less, but you still have to shine through. Just as you would at a fact-to-face interview, you need to show you are top level material. 

Research, research and more research 

If this is your dream job, then the phone interview stage is clearly important. Picking up the phone and finding you can’t answer the first question they ask is an embarrassment that you want to avoid. Research the company, research the job, find out their history, what they do and don’t do and where you think you could fit in, and what you could offer etc… 

‘Intelligent’ questions 

Really tough, even in a face-to-face interview, is the asking of questions but at higher level interviews, the questions need to be ‘intelligent’. Asking when your tea break is not quite the question they would expect from a high end candidate. From your research, you should be able to create a short list of intelligent questions but also have a firm idea of what it is you would be looking for in the answers.  

A quiet room, with no distractions 

Being able to focus 100% on the phone interview is essential and thus, you need to be prepared. Clearly, if home is not the place, then you need to be able to find an alternative venue where you can be comfortable. The phone interview can sometimes take more preparation than a face-to-face interview, so be prepared to go that extra mile.  

Make sure your phone is charged 

Might sound obvious but, if you are using your mobile, it needs to be full of battery life. If you are using the landline, make sure if it is a cordless handset that it is fully charged too… 

Stand up and smile 

You can tell or read the emotion of a person over the phone so rather than slouching in the corner of the sofa, you need to be ‘suited and booted’ as the saying goes. Body language experts suggest that to create the right impression, you also need to stand and smile as you talk. It is more difficult to read a person’s body language over the phone and so you, as the candidate will need to work a lot harder to get over your personality and character.  

Vary your voice 

In a face-to-face situation, 90% of what people read about the interviewee is from body language and so this important element is missing. Not only do you want to convey your best qualities, but you also need to sound interesting and motivated. The way to do this is with your voice, so make sure you vary your tone and depth of voice. This does not mean breaking out in to impressions of well-known people, however… 

Stop rambling! 

Just like any other kind of interview, make sure you ‘rehearse’ answers and so on, watching out for rambling on when there really is no need. In a phone interview, it can be a death knell as over the phone it can come across even worse than in a face-to-face situation.  

Allow extra time 

Phone interviews, when they go with a swing, can be a great way interview potential employees and can go on for longer than the stipulated time. So, in your schedule allow for this as you really don’t want to cut it short.  

Take notes 

In some cases, the phone interview is the shortlist process that the company uses thus, it is important that you take notes. If you are shortlisted, it could be weeks before the final interviews and you will need notes to refresh your memory.  

Good luck! 

 Stressed staff. Work left incomplete. Things lost. Documents disappear. General unhappiness. 

 These are not factors or situations that any employer wants to find themselves in but, the sad fact is that work can be a stressful, unyielding place where people feel uncomfortable. When you consider we spend the majority of our week in work, it seems odd that we do not allow as many comforts and benefits to our working environment.

The office is the place where the wheels of business and commerce turn. With uncomfortable employees, many people will choose to seek alternative employment; if the feedback is such that the office is no conducive to high levels of productivity, then you really need to start taking action…

Comfort and productivity are related

Comfort is not about supplying a sofa and a foot massage, there is far more to it than that but, as if often the case, people tend to be allocated working space and furniture with not much thought to its suitability and appropriateness.

So, what can an employer do and do they really make a difference to productivity?

Ergonomic design

Ergonomic design is about creating items of furniture that fits people. We are all different shapes and sizes and thus, some of the items of furniture we use in the office needs to be different. For example, for one person the desk may need to be higher than their neighbour; some people benefit from ergonomic keyboards and so on.

Ergonomically designed furniture and offices minimise physical discomfort but, they also help in minimising distractions. Customising a workspace for that person is a great way of motivating them too. Imagine having a desk is created for you?

Improving layout

Just like some areas of the home, the layout of an office can be something that happens by chance. In other words, someone just put the desk there and that was it – it stayed. Someone put the printer there, and then the coat stand arrived…

This piece meal addition of items happens in offices across the country but just because something has always been there, does not mean it is in the right place.

Objectively view what needs to be frequently used and accessed, and what doesn’t and create the layout of your office accordingly.

Mobile, adjustable furniture

The range of office furniture, and the choice of items have increased immeasurably in recent years. There are now no excuses for not partaking in adjustable, space saving items that can easily reconfigured in to something else. Many open place office, for example, to help minimise distractions and noise, have cubicle booths in which people work. There may be times that these boards and dividers will need moving; remember, nothing need be set in stone! Your office layout needs to change as your business, and employees, changes too.

Noise levels

Productivity can be seriously dented if the noise levels in an office space are too high. It creates a frantic, almost chaotic feel to a space that some may thrive in, but others will struggle to deal with.

Anything from a phone conversation from someone across the way, to the fax whirring, the printing squeaking to people singing, sighing, sneezing and coughing can all create an atmosphere that many people find stressful.

There may be some industries in which this is more common place than others but, if you are serious about productivity levels then you simply must take a moment to consider how the office environment and noise is impact of these levels.

Create habit and routine

Although it is nice to break free from the shackles of routine from time to time, when it comes to office layouts, studies have shown that for some employees, having their own space, arranged in the way they want it is a habit that actually helps productivity.

Familiarity is key to helping people not be distracted by other conversations, the phone ringing in another space or the printer chewing the paper again. Some employers worry about employees being ‘too comfortable’ assuming that this means little work is being done. But, the opposite has shown to be true.

Time for a move round?

Before you start shifting desks and wheel filing cabinets back and forth, before you attempt any move, take a moment to objectively review your space and what it is that is missing, what needs improving and what are the measures that can be taken to improve it.

Include your staff team – what distracts them? What would help them?

 Work makes up around a third of our lived; for many people, they spend more time with colleagues than they perhaps do with their families, especially when work is busy, or a demanding project is on hand. With deadlines looming, it can be easy to forget that in this heady mix of stress and more stress, there are people – your staff – who may be left slightly worse-the-wear from this latest stress-inducing project.  

It is important that staff feel cared for and motivated by the company for which they work. When staff feel listless, rudderless and put-upon they will quite often vote with their feet and move on; what can be somewhat worse is that a member of staff, bored and disgruntled, stays to tell everyone how bored and disgruntled they are… and do so over and over again.   

The time to motivate staff is NOW and ALWAYS

Motivating staff does not have to be a complicated equation or booking a paintballing session, followed by a pub crawl. Motivation is something that needs to start in work, and the first thing you need to ascertain is what could be draining staff so that they do feel disgruntled, put-upon, bored, tired, stressed and generally lacking any serious oomph to get things done.  

And so here are 7 simple, yet startlingly effective tips for motivating staff…

#1 ‘All work, no play makes jack a dull boy’…

…or so the saying goes however, falling back on the almost obligatory paint balling sessions, followed by ‘the pub’ is not the play of which we speak. Having an office night out every now and then is no bad thing, but you will find that all people want to socialise in this way.

What we are advocating here is far simpler, and yet overlooked. When work is busy, breaks and lunches are often not taken or halved. Eating at the desk is not something that should happen on a regular or daily basis.

One great way of motivating staff is ensuring that everyone has the break to which they are entitled to. Simply by having time to drink and eat reduces stress, burn out and, in the long run, stress-related absences.

So get the kettle on and take the weight off your feet for half an hour.

#2 Work on the atmosphere

It won’t happen overnight but in busy offices and sectors of work, it can be difficult to ask for help. In some cases, this is because people cannot make their voices heard or feel they cannot ask. In other cases, it is because they don’t realise they are struggling and need help.

A key motivating factor is when people feel they are important and cared about. A supervision process whereby people have regular, uninterrupted time with a senior figure within the organisation to discuss everything from workload to health & safety concerns.

Being listened to and concerns acted upon, without any backlash is key in creating an atmosphere on which people thrive and are motivated.

#3 Constructive criticism

There is a school of thought no criticism is constructive. Criticism, unlike a critique, is essentially negative; a person is being told that their way is not correct or wanted etc. and thus, by its very nature, to criticise someone is tough and receiving criticism is just as hard to swallow.

However, we don’t live in a perfect bubble; things go wrong, people go wrong and they need to be corrected. There is also another strand to constructive criticism and this is linked to motivation. In order for us to grow as people and employees, we need to know where and how we can improve.

Motivation is linked to performance too; feeding back to staff how well they are doing, as well as being trained or led in the right direction is just as important.

#4 Appreciation

Motivation – or lack of especially – is linked to appreciation. From a nod of thanks at the end of the day, to a wholehearted clap-a-thon when the deadline has been met, the project delivered and the client happy. Everyone needs to feel that what they do, regardless of how small, is appreciated.

Some firms operate an employee recognition scheme, but there can be downfalls and dips with this. Start by saying thank you and then look at a staff raffle every now and then… don’t hide being gadgets and giveaways as many people see these as false, and paying lip service rather than being genuine.

#5 Recognise low morale… and act!

Recognising when someone is ‘struggling’, or not able to ‘cope’ or may have other, far more pressing personal issues that work is only one half of the equation. Acting to help them is the second part.

Dealing with an employee who is de-motivated is a situation that requires tact and empathy. You need them at full speed, operating to the best of their ability with a high level of productivity; you are not going to get this is motivation is lacking. Find out why and act!

Motivating your workforce is not something that be done on a whim or paid scant attention to. Look at your work colleagues now – are they motivated?

 The ‘Time Management Chef’ Tor Refsland once said that the difference between successful and people and those that aren’t, is the way they spend their time. 

This prophetic saying is something that many people can relate to; from those who are running their own business – whether a sole trader or a small to medium enterprise – to those employed in fast paced industries and jobs.  

There is one enemy we all have when it comes to getting things done – procrastination, the art and skill of putting off important tasks to focus on the smaller, inconsequential things. The ‘rather do the hovering’, than make a start on that all-important report even though it needs completing by 9am tomorrow and it is now 4pm the night before.  

You know it will take at least 6 hours but until the panic button is pushed, there is nothing to be done.  

And yet, when you are sat at the laptop whilst the rest of the family sleeps, you curse yourself over and over again about your once-again lapsidaisical approach to getting things done.  

For many of us, this situation is something that happens again and again… and again. Each time we promise ourselves that we will never let it happen again, but somehow it does. You listen with envy as colleagues entertain the office with stories of their weekend jaunts and social events, but you wonder how on earth they found the time… 

If this sounds like you, then you really need to take note of these 5 productivity hacks to boost your performance and productivity… 

Tip 1 – Long term goal setting 

Living and working in the here and now is just great but, it is a blinkered approach. If you wonder how your colleague partied all weekend and did not a jot of work, the likelihood is they planned it.  

Work life balance is something we all strive for, and yet some people seem to fail miserably, burnt out before they are 30 and yet others go on to enjoy the fruits of their labour for years and years.  

Ask these people how they did it and they will undoubtedly reply they set long term goals, rather than opting for the here and now approach. Clarify where you are going and what it is you want to achieve.  

Tip 2 – Planning 

There is a saying that every minute you take to plan something, save you 10 minutes performing the task.  

Some people are not great planners; it does take skill and forethought, as well as a systematic approach. To be super productive tomorrow, think about what it is you need to do and how you will do this and when, the evening before. 

Some of the workers with the greatest productivity rates will spend the last few minutes of their day planning their work for tomorrow so that they sit down at their desk ‘hot’, rather than stone cold. 

Want results, fast? Plan the week in advance and review your day every evening, altering the plan for the next day accordingly.  

Tip 3 – 80/20 rule 

There are 24 hours in a day and not a moment more. There is a principle known as the Pareto Principle that says for everything on your ‘to so list’, 20% will account for 80% of how your time will be spent. 

So, with 10 things on your lists, 2 of them will take up the majority of your time. By identifying the bigger, more time consuming items on your list you will be able to prioritise what needs doing and when.  

Key in upping your productivity is ensuring that you identify key tasks… and prioritise them.  

Tip 4 – Focus 

Train yourself to focus on one thing, for 2 minutes because someone in the dim and distant past decreed that anyone who could do so, would accomplish anything they could lay their mind too, although focusing on Facebook for 20 minutes may not have been something they included in this equation.  

Having self-discipline to focus and plough on is something that is common to people who achieve things and have a high rate of productivity.  

Tip 5 – identify when you are most productive 

For those in a 9 to 5 career, you may find this a rather dud tip but, if you can work flexibly then more is the better for we all work better at different times during the day. Some are night owls, but other work best first thing in the morning. Identifying when you can focus and exert self-discipline is key in getting stuff done.  

Which of these tips will you try?

 Hiring staff takes a lot of time and energy, as well as putting pressure on budgets. It can also be a long process and this can lead to fatigue as well as frustration. 

 This emotional state can lead to a point where the decision made is subjective – based on emotion – rather than objective; in other words, all the aims and objectives that you started the recruitment process with are thrown by the wayside. What this ultimately can mean is that you do not get the person you need and want.

It is a huge investment of time for the candidate too - from the moment they start searching online job vacancy sites to the time spent writing letters, completing application forms and turning up for interviews, etc. Getting it wrong can hurt you both.

There can be one key element missing from the staff-hiring process – the art and skill of communication. Do you create an interviewing and hiring process that really communicates with people, or are you too busy trying to get through a busy schedule?

Listening

Communication is about people listening rather than someone trying to make themselves heard above everything else you have planned in the busy hiring process.

When people communicate, they are often saying much more than just the words that fall from their mouth; they can be saying a whole lot more. And this is where verbal and non-verbal communication come into play…

Non-verbal – what to look for…

The initial meeting – this is essentially the first impression that someone makes and it is essential that you listen to your gut reaction. As an interviewee, you want to give the impression of being confident, professional and in control. A firm handshake, a smiling face and eyes and being comfortable could give you the advantage over and above other candidates.

Physical care and clothing – although there is a saying, ‘never judge a book by its cover’, there are times when our outward appearance gives off important signals. Looking smart is important, as is making sure your clothing is appropriate for the job in question.

Confidence – our body language betrays so much about how we feel about something, thus it is important that you stride into the interview brimming with confidence! Don’t go too far, or it could be misconstrued as ‘cockiness’ but be sure to walk tall, make eye contact and look alert.

Personal space – not everyone has a natural sense of personal space. Standing too close to other people can make them feel uncomfortable. In this sense, standing within the one-metre circle around someone you don’t know is encroaching too much on their space. But watch your distance too; anything over three metres can make you appear remote or aloof.

Balance – everything is a balancing act, especially when it comes to your body language. In terms of communication at an interview, you need to be aware of what your body language could be saying about you. Slouching and looking bored are two dead giveaways that you are not really all that bothered. But don’t try too hard and go over the top either.

Verbal communication – what you are saying and how you are saying it

The hiring process is about a company or business finding the right person to not only fill the vacancy, but to fit into their current team too. You want and need to choose wisely; non-verbal communication and the body language that in many cases betrays inner emotions are only one half of the equation; the other half is the verbal communication that the interviewing panel will engage in with the candidates. But what are you looking for?

The voice – you are not judging the quality of voice (this isn’t The X Factor!) but rather listening to how the person is speaking. Again, our voice can betray a lot about our inner emotion, some of which can be important in some sectors and industries. A variation in the voice often makes the speaker more interesting, as well as clearer in how they express themselves. Lots of ‘ums’ and ‘ahhs’ may suggest that the person is disorganised in thought and not confident.

Positivity – just as body language can ooze positivity, so too will the verbal communication from prospective candidates. Pinpointing solutions, not just problems is a really important quality to listen out for.

Balance – just as in non-verbal communication, you are looking for a candidate that can balance their responses; not just gushing and ‘interview speak’, but honesty and integrity too.

Questions – always give candidates the chance to ask questions. Some interviewers offer ‘hooks’ at various points throughout the day in order to see if candidates pick up on them and ask questions. In many cases, candidates may not have questions and this is good too, but always give them the opportunity to ask.

The end – the ending of an interview can be just as important as the beginning. Look for how the candidate finishes the interview; do they thank you and shake hands? Or is it more of a ‘thank goodness that is over’?

Communication is important when hiring staff; what is a candidate really telling you?

‘Hitting the ground running’ may not always be the best approach…

Probation is an important time for both you as a company and for the new employee. It is a time in which new employees not only ‘settle in’ but really find their feet too. Different companies have different expectations of this probationary period, along with the length of probation – some businesses opt for three months, some for six months and some go for even longer periods.

However, it should be a positive period of time between the company and the employee. But as studies have shown, many new starters, having found their dream job online, for example, are having their probation period extended or employment terminated, with poor performance often being cited as the main reason.

Why is this happening and what are the best ways of getting new starters through the probationary period?

There are, of course, some employees who simply don’t make the grade and come up to scratch. However, there are many more excellent employees being ‘let go’ because the probationary arrangements are poor and actually let the new starter down rather than support them in their new job.

Tip 1: Motivate, not manage 

Invariably, a probationary period will involve tracking the new employee and this in itself can actually be a disaster waiting to happen. An administrative nightmare, full of paperwork and tick boxes, it is a process that actually demotivates rather motivates people. This comes from the fact that many businesses see the probationary period as a window of opportunity for ‘getting rid’ of people who they determine as not being suitable. BUT what this really indicates is a poor interviewing process. Probation is not about a get-out clause.

Probation should be about engaging with the employee on a regular basis; this should be more of a mentoring process, with paperwork and recording procedures only coming into play if there are genuine and serious concerns about the future performance of an employee.

Tip 2: Conversation 

A daily conversation is not difficult but conversations between a new employee and their mentor or line manager are not always a daily occurrence. During a probationary period, as well as at other times, making sure that managers connect with employees and have a daily conversation is important. Without this conversation, a line manger cannot be expected to make a fair and reasonable appraisal of a new starter’s probationary performance.

Regular informal chats are never to be underestimated.

Tip 3: Culture informs performance 

There is one factor that has a major impact and influence on how new starters see the company, as well as modelling their performance to match that of the company – and that is the behaviour of the immediate line manager, responsible for supervising the new employee.

In fact, this is such a major influence that in a recent study, the behaviour of the manager and the workplace climate were shown to shape the behaviour of the new starter by 70%. And it seems that it all comes back down to engaging the probationer on a regular basis.

This engagement is about working out what motivates the employee and what impacts positively and negatively on the person and their performance.

Different things motivate different people at different stages in their career, and this again is another variable that impacts on how people see and perform in your organisation. Just assuming that every new starter, regardless of their position, is motivated by the same thing is a sure-fire way to disaster; probationary managers also need to change their performance accordingly.

Is your probationary period failing your new starters and business?

A two- to three-month probationary period can be an excellent time for people to get to know your culture and organisation as well as their colleagues. However, if you are finding that at the end of it you are saying goodbye to more people than you are bringing in to the organisation on a permanent basis, it may be that the probationary period is not an organised time that is working as effectively as it should.

There could be one other issue, however, that is stopping the success of the probationary period in its tracks, and that is the recruitment process in the first place. It may be that in order to salvage the probationary period you need to take a step further back in the process and look at what objectives you are basing the recruitment process on.

How long should a probation period be?

This depends very much on how long you feel a new employee needs to become acquainted with the organisation and understand the basics of the job. But does your wider recruitment process need fixing?

 Norman Tebbit’s advice in the 1980s to ‘get on your bike’ and look for work is often misquoted. It is a phrase often used when discussing the state of the nation’s employment. But as the full quote shows, he was talking about his father who ‘got on his bike to look for work. And carried on looking until he found it’. 

Although glorified and lambasted at the same time, it seems that today, in the 21^st century, this advice may still be pertinent. Finding work is difficult in some places but in other cities, depending on the type of work you are looking for, it can be an easier prospect. If you are able to move or be mobile and/or flexible when looking for work, agencies and job listing websites can be a great place to start your quest for a new position.

What do the statistics say?

After studying various jobs and applications per position, a survey has created a list of the top 10 cities for finding work and a list of 10 cities where competition for each job advertised is fiercest. It makes for interesting reading.

The top spot for the most difficult place to secure employment goes to Hull. It is just one of the cities based in the north of the country where getting a job is more difficult than elsewhere. An average of 51 people apply for each vacancy.

Sunderland comes in second with 42 people, on average, applying for each vacancy. The Wirral follows on 38 people per advertised post, followed by Wolverhampton and Bradford in the middle of the top 10 cities with the most people applying per vacancy, with 17 and 16 applicants, respectively.

Of those top 10 worst cities for securing a job, Liverpool completes the list with an estimated 8 people applying per post, a similar number to Glasgow.

What do these figures mean? They mean that for each post advertised there will be more people seeking that position than in other areas of the country. This could be that more people are transient in that area – in other words, more people are seeking work because they want a change in position – or it could be that the unemployment rate is higher and there are fewer jobs up for grabs.

The best places to find a job

On the flip side, there are cities across the UK where there are far fewer people chasing each position; in some cases, some vacancies remain unfilled even after an extensive recruitment drive. But again, the results may surprise you…

The top city for finding a job, where the least number of people are chasing each vacancy, is Aberdeen.

The city furthest north in the top 10 of best and worst places to find a job, Aberdeen has 0.40 people chasing each vacancy advertised. However, considering that this would represent less than a whole person, what exactly does this figure mean?

Essentially, it means that there are more jobs than people seeking them and in Aberdeen, as with many other cities, some of these vacancies remain empty. This brings mixed fortunes to the city, with an incredibly low unemployment rate of 2% but also a lower than average monthly rent on a city-based property. With average salaries £12,000 higher than the rest of the UK, it seems a win-win situation. However, with every winner there has to be a loser and not all Aberdeen residents enjoy the fruits of its success.

The remaining nine cities in the top 10 best places to find a job are all in the South of England, which some people may find a surprise. After all, there is a lot written about astronomical rents on the tiniest of spaces in London and the South East and yet it seems to be the place where the fewest number of people chase each and every job.

Guildford is not far behind Aberdeen, with 0.69 people chasing each vacancy, followed by Cambridge, Reading and Oxford in the middle of the top 10. London came 7^th, with around 2 people chasing each job vacancy and Maidstone is in 10^th position, but still with only 3 people chasing each job vacancy.

Different places, different jobs

Not all sectors are popular in all places, however, and this makes interesting reading too. The survey found that London was the top city for recruiting teachers and chefs, but was not so good with call centre jobs.

Engineering and computing are the two top-hiring sectors across the whole country. But the news isn’t all rosy.

It seems that salaries have taken a little bit of a nose dive. Since the summer of 2014, salaries in Wales have dropped by 9%, by 7% in the West Midlands and by 6% in East England. But those working in Nottingham, Preston and Stoke-on-Trent are not only enjoying buoyant wages, but a slight increase in their salary levels too.

Is it easier to get a job?

It seems that this survey is telling us that the UK economy is relatively buoyant, with many people enjoying good career prospects… but are you in the right place?

 Bad company culture can bring the emotional connection and ambience at a company to an all-time low. It can seem almost impossible to restore, with so many competing emotions and politics. There are many reasons why office politics turn bad but what are office politics, and can they be avoided? 

What are office politics?

Invariably, every company or business has a ‘feeling’ about it. Some places are welcoming, positive happy places to work, whilst others seem to carry an unfortunate reputation for having a working culture that is nasty, backbiting and unpleasant.

So, what are the factors that contribute to this unpleasantness?

When people are treated differently - not as a result of the work that they do, but from their perceived popularity – in other words, people getting away with being late/getting the best jobs, etc. over and above people who are seen as talented and so on…

People feeling insecure in their job or position

People being allocated work that they are not suited to in terms of their skills and abilities

Big projects where some leading people get the glory, but those doing the background work remain anonymous; this can lead to people feeling undervalued and not appreciated

Heavy emphasis placed on hierarchy and jobs titles…

These are just some of the more toxic elements that can combine to create an atmosphere that is competitive and unpleasant. Stress levels can increase and this bad company culture can also mean a high absenteeism rate, as well as high staff turnover as people go on to seek roles with other companies. 

Top 10 tips on avoiding this negative culture…

Underpinning all of this is a lack of trust, from management to worker and vice versa. It is time to make a change and if you feel that your business is sliding in this direction, stop it now with these hints and tips: 

Open allocation – in a nutshell, this is allowing people to work on what they want, as long as it benefits the company. This can seem like a massive step but some of the most successful companies do this! Give employees parameters within which they work, for example, if there is a financial or budget implication, they need to seek clarification from line management, etc. This way people work on things that interest them and it removes some of the politics of work allocation.

Profit sharing – many companies have introduced this as a way of helping to maintain profitability but have not applied the scheme in a uniform way. Finding out that your colleague who does the same job as you gets more in the profit-sharing scheme is going to do employee morale no favours at all. Reasonableness and fairness are two important factors, as are achievement, NOT position.

Tough decisions – toxic people will bring a toxic flavour to your company but sacking them will still need to be done in line with employment law. Make it known to everyone that bullying, nastiness and general maliciousness in the workplace is not acceptable.

Take continuing professional development seriously – many people sit in the same job day after day and are happy to do so. But when a company wishes to grow and thrive, then its people must also be growing and thriving in their skills and abilities. This takes commitment and investment in people. Asking Marjorie in accounts, who has been doing the books the same way for 10 years, to change overnight to another system will simply cause chaos…and Marjorie may feel slightly swamped and criticised.

Grow slowly, hire selectively and honestly – it can be tempting, when orders are flying in and you don’t have enough time, space or hours in the day to meet it all, to simply grab the first person who walks through the door for interview. It pays to have a plan and to stick to it. Take time and think over the whole process, but act swiftly. More haste, less speed, as the saying goes.

Money, money, money – when money is tight (and when isn’t it?!), some employees can feel that they take the brunt of cutbacks, etc. with reduced hours, less pay and so on. Management, when they take responsibility, are showing the way and will often be appreciated more.

Smaller projects – lumping many projects on one person can make them feel overloaded and under strain; smaller projects make for a more manageable workload but people also feel a sense of ownership when they work on something for longer. They become closer to it and are able to focus on a set of tighter outcomes.

Encourage friendships – some companies don’t like the idea of their employees ‘fraternising’, assuming that should things turn sour the company or business will have to handle the fallout. A company that works and plays together can have a great atmosphere so why not take a trip out together? Something as simple as a trip to the cinema can be a great way to start.

Avoid ‘managerial mystique’ – if you make a decision and decide something needs changing, then tell the employees why. Don’t just throw a major curve ball in their direction and assume they will just get on with it. Some people can see the darkest rumours in the most innocuous of decisions.

A good company culture does not just happen, it needs working on. Start now!

Businesses can employ a young person who is under the age of 18, whether for work experience or in a regular job. Organisations have the same responsibilities for their well-being, safe practices and contentment as they do for all other staff. Giving young people the opportunity to work can assist them in understanding how a work environment operates and help them to decide on future careers. Communities want their young people to be provided with opportunities to develop new skills and gain practical knowledge suitable to use at work.

Young people who are over school-leaving age, in addition to being under 18, are often known as young workers. You can find special legal guidelines to safeguard the employment rights of young workers. Most of these guidelines are about their health and safety, what work they are able to carry out, if they are fit to work, and the number of hours they are allowed to work. These legal guidelines are strict and can lead to prosecution for any company acting outside of them.

Allowing young people to start work at your organisation might help them to experience work conditions, decide on a potential career path or get them ready for work. An understanding of workplace risk and how they might deal with it can be one of the most important benefits offered by a work placement.

Safe practices for young workers - what you should know

Companies should basically utilise their existing measures to evaluate and manage risks at work when they hire a young worker. If you are not employing a young person at the moment, or haven’t done so within the last couple of years, and you are hiring a work placement young person for the very first time, or one with special needs, you should evaluate your risk assessment prior to their start.

Discuss the position with interviewers ahead of time. Consider what the young candidate and the carers or parents inform you about their physical and mental capability or specific needs, for instance, any learning difficulties or medical conditions.

Benefits of hiring a young worker

Young people are committed

Despite the fact that they may not have practical knowledge, newly employed young workers are usually easier to train because they are motivated and eager to succeed.

Young workers can increase your workforce

Young workers can provide a cost-effective solution to expand your workforce. When you hire a young worker, it can lead to a beneficial return on investment, in addition to financial rewards. Hiring a young person to a workforce can provide other staff the opportunity to build their own skills. Young employees will certainly be enthusiastic about their first real job, with a real passion to learn and build their career.

Willpower to succeed

Selecting a young person for employment could also provide the business with the opportunity to become a better employer. You’ll be able to work alongside them to promote common ideals and good practices from the start. Young workers often bring their inspiration from everywhere. They seek to generate a long-lasting impression and are keen to show what they can do. Their absolute willpower to execute their work can encourage their co-workers around them.

Young people are active

There are various positive aspects to employing a young individual. They generally possess energy and a natural hunger for knowledge, which can transfer to colleagues and help revive the work environment.

Important reasons why companies bring young people to their establishments:

 • developing talent and workforce

 • young people’s unique knowledge, perceptions and enthusiasm

 • diversity in the workforce

 • brand awareness

 • cost-effectiveness.

You can look at these factors and appreciate how young people might perform in different organisations. Nevertheless, despite industry’s ever-growing confidence in hiring young people, there are still variations in requirements. For instance, in the food industry, cost-effectiveness is often the priority whilst in telecoms, digital literacy is a critical factor.

Involvement with the local community is a significant motivating factor for many sectors to hire young people, and the opportunity to gain access to a wider pool of talent as well as guaranteed succession arrangements.

Young workers might not have the range of experience that many organisations feel they require, however, they are definitely the employees of tomorrow. Any decision to invest in young workers can help companies to:

 • develop a solid pipeline of long-term staff

 • build skills transfer with young employees and retain expertise in-house

 • build a dedicated, dependable staff, able to carry through future business targets

 • develop a workforce to fit organisational requirements

 • target potential skills gaps.

Over time, operating a business can become too overwhelming for any business owner to manage with a shortage of skilled workers. An experienced leader will have to find and retain the services of the best candidates who can help turn the business’s future goals into a reality.

Top tips for recruiting your best candidate:

Assess the candidate during job interview 

Assess the information gathered during the job interview properly, for all candidates. During the job interview, try not to miss anything in your note-taking. Make sure that you record everything, you will have time to sort it all out afterwards.

Be sure that the notes are what was said, rather than your own judgements. Assess the entire interview thoroughly for proof of the skills you need to find. Group the answers into constructive or unfavourable demonstrations of the skill in question. Aim to identify the candidate’s attitudes that might carry over to the job role if you were to employ them. 

Getting along with co-workers 

Find out if the candidate can get along with his or her prospective co-workers, and more notably, can the individual get along with current and prospective clients? An essential characteristic to keep in mind is the person’s enthusiasm and capability to work in harmony with you or with other people at the top. If new staff are not able to do this, you will have problems.

Enthusiasm to succeed 

Aim to look for a candidate’s ability to support their colleagues and to understand others’ duties, therefore helping them to be better workers. You should aim to establish an objective overview of the candidate’s expertise, career plans and desire to succeed at the earliest opportunity.

Asking great questions 

Applicants going to any job interview will need to research the company and the position. The best candidate should be able to tell you what they know about the company and its projects. Are they capable of paying attention, analysing and enquiring about issues at the heart of your business? Great interview questions from your applicant can let you know a great deal about how they think and if they are able to identify any market problem as it is happening, and even display some know-how as to finding a solution.

Go through the résumé thoroughly 

Take a good look at the way the résumé is put together. Does it use a professional visual appeal? Are the details and additional information well written and easy to read? Does it start with a well-defined overview of the competencies and skills the prospect will bring to the company, and the kinds of positive results he or she can generate?

Seeing patterns in big data 

In organisations today, there are piles of information and vast amounts of data called big data that can overwhelm even the most knowledgeable person. Does the applicant demonstrate an ability to notice patterns and crucial trends in big data as well as what can affect workflows in the organisation?

In the past, workers were typically trained in the skills required to respond effectively to what was happening around them. Nowadays, however, market conditions demand the ability to proactively analyse precisely what is going on and to have the ability to communicate that to co-workers. The ability to analyse patterns in big data has to be one of the things you look for.

Identify achievement factors 

Achievement factors include a candidate’s motivation, their personality traits, behaviours and teamwork skills. They also include how candidates react to success or failure and how well they manage change or pressure. Employers need to listen very carefully for clues that demonstrate the applicant’s approach to each factor. After the candidate’s response, try to determine ‘what did I find out about them that could translate to achievements in our business?’

It is usually useful to get a feel for candidates’ weaknesses too. Can you train them to further improve? Furthermore, ascertain their enthusiasm for job hunting. Are they looking for a career change or running away from something?

Your first impression 

The position you are advertising is probably not the only one the applicant is applying for. This is one thing that many organisations and businesses often overlook and end up letting good and talented people slip away. Occasionally, the candidate most suited to working in your organisation does not have the exact expertise and qualities required for the job in question.

A good thing to do if you are in this scenario is always to see whether you could find a different job in the organisation which better matches this particular applicant. The worst thing you can do is make an effort to place a great worker in the wrong position. It is about employing talent, and letting people know that they’re important from the time you employ them through to the day they leave.

Feedback is important, but tread carefully 

Informing people of the reason you did not employ them will help them in their job seeking. Many candidates will greatly appreciate being given feedback, however it can be tricky to get it right, so tread carefully.

Explanations could point to the candidate lacking the right mix of skills and practical experience, a lack of detail in their responses during the job interview, or as them needing more development in a specialised skill. But be cautious when citing their exact match to a particular job or element of it. In serious situations, this could be interpreted as bias on your part, potentially paving the way to legal opposition.

When it’s impossible to find good matches 

If a suitable candidate just doesn’t show up, the general option is usually to keep looking. One reason is often that the ideal candidate simply does not exist. In some instances, it will be extremely difficult to get even very good matches for the roles you want to fill. Nonetheless, retaining active workers and ensuring they get job satisfaction is the most affordable and effective way of recruiting the best candidate.

Whatever your business sector, when you’re recruiting for the best candidate, include as many hiring processes as you feel can help and always keep an open mind. You never know, your company’s future superhero might just be among the candidates sitting in front of you, waiting for the right opportunity.

In today’s competitive business world, companies tend to be more willing to hire people that can bring future growth to the business rather than just increase its productivity.

That’s why the majority of companies are inclined to hire those who come with more desirable work skills that can match the targets and requirements of the organisation. For those who want to get the job they have always been dreaming of, it is very important to be familiar with the skills that the organisation is looking for.

Deciding what you should do in life is a real challenge. This has never been truer than nowadays, given the variety of opportunities and with every career looking more attractive than the last. This makes it difficult to know precisely what it is you would like to do.

Your skills should complement the right job

Skills are about what you can do effectively. The true secret to finding the best job in any company is knowing your skills, in addition to communicating their value to a potential employer, both in written and verbal format.

The majority of workable skills are those that can be widely used. In many different work settings. You should find out exactly what these types of skills are. Can you match your skills to the right job?

Determine your abilities and competencies. This could lead you to becoming the frontrunner to get the position. Having a specific skill doesn’t mean that you have to have used it in the workplace. If this is your first search for work and you haven’t had much experience up to now, your skills are likely to be what provide you with a way in.

You can group most skills, such as those which are knowledge-based, transferable, acquired through being a volunteer, a student, a homemaker, or as part of another activity. The relevant skills that you’ve used for these types of activities certainly have the potential to be transferable to your ideal job.

When you organise and list your individual skills, it can help you quickly complete job applications, provide helpful details for job interviews, and enable you to put together high-quality résumés.

First, it is best to categorise skill sets by separating your hobbies and aptitudes from your work experience.

Aptitudes, interests and hobbies. Included in this are your hobbies and interests, activities you’ve been a part of and everything which interests you. Simply by listing these, you are able to identify the skills that you have that you can use to get the right job.

Employment history. This includes all of your freelance, volunteer, part-time, full-time and summer jobs. After you have detailed all of your previous employment, analyse what skills you have needed to use in order to perform well in each job role.

Ask for support. Once you have prepared your list, you can head to the job agencies or centres that can help you get your ideal job. However, you may choose to look for a job yourself. Even so, never forget to match your skills and abilities to those required in the jobs you apply for.

At this point, you might have submitted a general job application or a skills profile on the Internet, or even applied for a number of roles you have seen listed.

But hang on a minute, perhaps there are other things that you can do to find the right job? In reality, the more varied and general your job searching strategies are, the more successful you are likely to be. 

First, you need to get in touch with the professional companies in your chosen industry. Specialist local and regional jobs establishments and/or agencies can be found in many cities. They help people with career improvement and also job searches. Several of these establishments also provide up-to-date, industry-specific job listings on their Internet sites or in their published materials.

Next, check out lots of businesses and company websites. Many companies and organisations publish their job opportunities directly on their sites. A far more direct way is to apply directly to the companies that interest you. You can deliver a well-crafted cover letter straight to the recruitment department or to the person responsible for recruitment selection. 

Networking is important to successful job searching strategies. It is claimed that close to 85% of job opportunities are filled by way of networking. You should speak to your acquaintances. Remember when one job application fails, there are many other job openings.

In many instances, those who search for work are intimidated by job titles. This really should not be the case. Provided that your skills and abilities can match the specifications of the job requirements, your chances of finding the right job increase.

The rate at which staff leave the workforce can cost some businesses millions of pounds each year. The cost of sifting through CVs, lost work days, completing paperwork, interviewing applicants, checking references, and training a new employee is in many ways a lot more expensive than creating a workplace where workers are happy and would like to stay.

You have the option of providing attractive employee benefits if you’d like your company to retain its staff. Although this is far from compulsory, most employees will probably look at your company’s benefits package, meaning that you may need one in order to attract and keep staff.

Great organisations attract great workers. When the business offers great reward opportunities for workers at all levels, employees won’t want to look elsewhere for new job opportunities.

In case you are concerned about a fall in employee morale, here are a few things you can do to keep your workers happy and productive.

The four brilliant benefits to offer your employees are:

1. Provide bonuses. Even a very small bonus can often mean a lot. Bonuses boost morale and enhance productivity. Check out what constitutes great bonuses; these may include sales bonuses, holiday bonuses, training bonuses, and even hire date anniversary bonuses.

2. Employee retreat plan. This is a perfect time to unwind and get to know your co-workers in a social setting. The result is improved teamwork and a more productive workforce. Nevertheless, workers may not wish to spend a weekend break away from loved ones even though you put them up in a great hotel.

If this is the case you might consider one-day employee retreats, possibly twice a year. You could close your place of work and spend the day playing golf, at a health spa, eating out, at a theme park, at the zoo, watching a movie or even mountain climbing.

 3. Develop your workers. Many training centres offer reasonable and affordable coaching classes that can help workers in areas such as leadership and management skills, language skills, or computer knowledge. If a worker is happy to spend time taking one of these classes, compensate them by offering to cover a part of the training costs or providing them with a completion reward. The desire to improve and learn new skills is an attribute of a great worker.

 4. Pay for time off work. Even though you are paying your workers’ salaries, you should not count on them to do the job every single day of the year. Pay staff for sick days, to take breaks, or for emergency days off when necessary.

In reality, there are several other benefits that businesses can provide for their workers, including:

Flexible working plans. If at all possible, offer workers flexible working plans that support their needs and reduce commuting times.

Health club subscriptions. Provide subscriptions to a fitness club or even pay a yoga instructor to come in once a week after work. This can be a really pleasant way to motivate workers to keep in shape.

Include their families. An annual holiday get-together or picnic during the summer is a powerful way to bring staff together with their family members. Even a barbecue and rounders tournament can be an enjoyable experience for the whole team and their families.

Invest in new office furniture. Show your workers that you care about their safety and comfort. Who wouldn’t appreciate a top-of-the-range ergonomically adjustable office chair?

Value your staff. Apple is a good example of a company that cares deeply about its employees as well as their families. They are always thinking about new and innovative approaches to employee well-being to keep their workforce happy and motivated. They support more benefits for women with their new extended maternity leave policy, for example, along with the preservation of eggs for women who wish to focus on their careers whilst still retaining the option of starting a family.

Allow casual days. We all know that casual Fridays are great. Nevertheless, you can always select a specific casual day every month. Allow staff come to work in jeans and comfy footwear and they're bound to be in a much better mood. Try it!

Free of charge provisions. Many companies supply free coffee for their workers. You can bring in nutritious snack foods on a weekly basis, such as fresh fruit baskets, mini salads, or even bagels. Having meals delivered once every couple of weeks is also an excellent gesture and workers will appreciate the cash they save. Another idea is to have your staff make lunch every month. Involve both men and women from different sections of the organisation and make sure that top management are also involved. Workers will learn how to prepare different dishes from other staff and they’ll have a great time cooking too. And everyone can enjoy the results!

Technology is everywhere and it makes our lives so much easier in so many respects, from heating food in seconds in the microwave (considered old in technology terms these days!), to being able to talk to, and see, friends and relatives on the other side of the world, all in real time. Within milliseconds, a message can be transmitted around the globe via email. 

And the applications for this technology seem endless. Within business, technology has revolutionised so many processes and now it seems that the recruitment field is next in the long list of business tasks that technology can change the face of. With websites and companies such as Staff Bay leading the way, it is no surprise. 

Moving away from the traditional

From shopping to studying, banking to reading, technology is making life simpler and easier. Recruitment can, for some businesses, be a thorn in their side. Think back decades when companies used to advertise vacancies in shop windows… then they started to place adverts in the press… and now, the Internet is making job vacancies open to an ever-increasing audience of prospective candidates. However, it can be as much of a curse as a blessing. 

But technology can help here too. Recruitment, essential as it is, is a drain on time, money and effort – the exact three resources that are often in short supply. For micro, small or fledgling businesses, they may not have the luxury of time, effort or money to spend days advertising, processing and interviewing prospective candidates. Opting for the first person through the door is a risk; it can either backfire spectacularly or you can have an amazing success on your hands. 

But you could use technology to take away this risk – how?

• Skype Interviews

Interviews can be fun and are still a great way – in all honesty, the only way – to meet and find the right people for you. But they can be time-consuming; candidates will need to take a day or more off work, especially if there is travel involved. Businesses will need to set time aside, not just for the interviews themselves, but for the planning of them too. 

Skype could be the answer and, with most people and places having a secure and reliable Internet connection, what is there not to like about conducting an interview via Skype?

What is Skype?

It is an Internet-based telephone service that allows callers to make free or very cheap calls; this includes national and international calls. It is also possible to see the caller and recipient too, making it an effective and reliable real-time interview tool. 

• Can Google Hangout work too?

Yes, it is a similar platform to Skype that offers both instant messaging and a video chat function. Many experts see these types of platforms as being the future of telephony and the great thing about both of these services is that the majority of people already know how to access and use them.

They are free to set up and are reliable too; so if you are interviewing people from far and wide, why not experiment with either of these two real-time video chat services? You can set up your account several weeks prior to the interviews, and practise by calling your colleagues.  

However, it is not just about logging on and dialing; you will need to bear in mind the backdrop and room that you are showing to your prospective candidates. Interviewees will also need to treat it as a ‘real’ interview, dressing and acting accordingly.

• Being organised

The interview process is the final stage in what can be a long process, and it can be an organisational nightmare for some small- and medium-sized enterprises. 

Again, technology can help here with a system such as an ‘applicant tracking system’, although this does have one drawback: cost. It’s a significant investment, and unless you have plans for world domination, might be a little too heavy to invest in. 

However, there are solutions with websites such as Staff Bay. The ability to monitor and group prospective candidates means that an influx of CVs and resumes clogging your inbox is a thing of the past.

• And don’t forget social networks

The social platforms that we are all a part of can also be a technology to help many an SME effectively sort through the recruitment process, and end up at an interview process that is useful for the company – and the candidates too.

Technology can help in so many ways, and it need not be complicated or difficult to use either. Take another look and harness its true potential when it comes to the all-important interview process. 

The job market, as we know, is a competitive place. But it is not just about you attracting the right candidate with the right advert, placed in the right place at the right time; it is also about creating a positive experience for all candidates, regardless of whether they are successful in getting the job or not. 

There is also something else you want to create and that is a buzz around your company; the ‘I want to work for you’ attitude so that you really do get the cream of the crop when it comes to choice.

A positive experience says it all… even when someone doesn’t get the job

You would think this was nigh on impossible - after all, no one enjoys or goes out looking for rejection, which is essentially what happens if your quest for a job at a certain company is unsuccessful. 

But if you do give a positive experience to an unsuccessful candidate they are still highly likely to carry on liking ‘you’, with the vast majority of these people (88%, in fact) also likely to go on and buy from your company.

However, the good news doesn’t stop there; if people do have a positive experience with you they will also refer your organisation to other people – that’s a whopping 97% of them! And, if another suitable role did come up, 95% of these unsuccessful candidates would apply again. Over half of those questioned during this survey carried out in 2014 also said that they thought their experience was very good.

Why it is important to make the experience of applying for a job at your company or business a good one…

The benefits simply outweigh any disadvantages but, there are, of course, variables that can stop this experience from being excellent or very good; pressure and time constraints have their part to play. How many times have you read in a job advert, ‘if you have not heard from us in three weeks, you have been unsuccessful’? 

This is probably the worst sentence to write in to a job advert! Effectively, a company might as well say ‘we will have so many applications that we do not have the time or the resources to respond to you all’.

And so, what are the five simple steps to make a candidate desperate to work for you?

I. Communication

The survey found that communication is key. And there is no excuse for not taking part in conversation with prospective candidates in the modern technological age we live in. Social media can play its part here, as can your own website and, depending on where you advertise your company and vacancies, you can also use social media as a way to engage in conversation. 

II. Simplify

The survey conducted last year by Monster also concluded that the job application needs to be a lot simpler. The days when lengthy application forms were the norm have gone (again, probably due to the technological age we live in). Candidates are more likely to click, drag and drop!

III. Transparency

Increasingly, high calibre candidates are looking for transparency from a company regarding their culture and values. On average, did you know that candidates will spend up to two hours researching a company before they apply for a vacancy? The key information they look for is not only company values, but an indication of why they would want to work for you. They also like to know exactly what it is you do or make, and why people stay with your firm (or not, as the case may be). 

IV. Managing the process

With an average of 204 people applying for every vacancy (2013 figures), if you do advertise a vacancy, you must expect to be deluged. This is no excuse for not making contact with a prospective candidate and it is suggested that there are four interactions that fill people with confidence:

• Receiving an immediate acknowledgement when they apply

• Telling them how long the process could take

• Information on the steps of the process 

• Candidates also like to be informed that their data will be kept safe

V. On boarding – the crucial first few weeks and months

When someone new starts with your company, research suggests that if things do go wrong – in other words, the new employee leaves dissatisfied – it is the on boarding process, also known as job initiation, that has gone wrong. Many candidates who were dissatisfied during this settling-in period were quite clear as to what had gone wrong: the people who hired them were not seen during this period. There was no personal touch.

Knowing what makes a good experience is one thing, but how to create it is another:

• Rather than going for the scatter-gun approach to advertising vacancies, try to target your adverts specifically at the pool of people you want to attract.

• The right people need to be involved in the hiring process, so include the manager who will be working with the candidate when they are successful.

• Every candidate must be treated with respect and given an experience that is also high quality; after all, some of these people could also be your customers.

• A long hiring process is also highly likely to impact on how satisfied people are with your company; don’t make the process overly complicated or lengthy.

• Feedback is important for unsuccessful candidates; they have, after all, placed a lot of time and effort in applying and preparing for interview, why shouldn’t they have comprehensive and honest feedback?

Your hiring process speaks volumes about your company – what does yours say about you?