Eloise’s June 2023 News – Career Advice, Graduates, Recruitment News, Holiday Cover
Hello and welcome to June 2023
We’re now approaching the 2023 halfway point. Is there anything special you usually do for your business at this point in the year? I typically work on reviewing all our targets and goals against performance and have 121s with my team as a formal check-in. We also go into full planning mode for the Vanilla summer party.
June is often quite a frenzied month as lots of activity kicks off ahead of the main holiday time of July and August. It’s always a busy month for both recruitment and businesses in general. The longer days make everyone feel more positive and productive.
Kicking off your career: navigating uncertainty and seizing opportunities
It’s also at this time of the year that there are lots of graduates and school leavers entering the employment market. Some are looking to start their careers, and some will be looking for temporary workers jobs whilst they decide what they want to do or to get some money in their pockets.
Either way, it should be an exhilarating time. We know though that uncertainty can creep in, especially as lots of this age group were put on furlough from part-time jobs during the pandemic. The past few years have made it tricky to get a good amount of work experience under their belts. Plus, with so many things being remote and moving online, a lot of this age group has missed out on the normal amount of face-to-face interaction time. So, things like assessment centres and interviews are likely to be especially daunting.
Our advice for sharing with graduates and school leavers…
- Firstly, get your online presence job search ready. Look through all your social media platforms and delete anything that might put a potential employer off.
- Then make sure the email address you’re going to use as the contact for job searching is professional, and not something unprofessional like ‘bealikesbeers@gmail…’, or ‘danizdabest@hotmail… .
- Then it’s onto your CV. Employers won’t expect you to have loads of work experience but detail anything you have done. Focus on your responsibilities and anything extra like being a key holder or helping to train new starters. List your qualifications and or expected grades, plus any interesting hobbies you have – anything that highlights commitment and mental strength is good, like marathon running, climbing etc. Also, challenges like the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme treks or charity fundraising could be good editions.
- Practice your interview technique and answers. You’re aiming to look interested and motivated, someone who wants to learn. Even practice how you’ll sit at interview, or if an interview is going to be via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, work out where you’ll get good light on your face and have a professional-looking background.
An article worth reading from LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/2023-guide-getting-hired-biggest-opportunities/
Two other resources about CV writing from our blog: https://www.vanillarecruitment.co.uk/candidate-job-seeking-advice/get-your-cv-over-the-line/
https://www.vanillarecruitment.co.uk/candidate-job-seeking-advice/how-to-write-a-great-cv/
Our advice for employers when recruiting graduates and school leavers…
- Make the interview process accessible to the applicants. For example, if you have school leavers applying, be mindful that you might be their first proper interview. Hosting an assessment centre to get the best out of your applicants might be more beneficial to really see people’s skills and personality, than a formal interview.
- Tailor your questions to allow your applicants to be able to share their skills and motivation with you, don’t just roll out your standard set of questions.
- Move quickly. They might be hot property and have multiple interviews lined up. A slow-moving process could mean missing out on top talent.
- Don’t ghost applicants and provide useful feedback. Always leave them feeling positive about their experience whether they get the job or not. This is your chance to make a real impact on their future.
And remember, Vanilla Recruitment is here to support anyone looking to secure their first job and kickstart their career. We understand the challenges and are here to provide helpful resources, opportunities, and guidance.
Likewise, if you’re recruiting graduates or school leavers, we can help you tailor your process to appeal to this market and get the best from your candidates at interview.
Recruitment market news
The most recent KPMG and REC UK report on jobs found that permanent job opportunities decreased again in April but with that came another surge in the number of temporary workers job opportunities available.
And in great news, for the second month running, the candidate shortage eased again. Whilst the cost of living is pinching hard, people have been reluctant to move jobs and risk any element of job security. However, now it’s warmer and the economic outlook is improving slightly, people are moving jobs looking for higher salaries. Other factors that will help to influence job moves will be flexibility, remote working, and benefits packages.
The continued and strong growth of starting salaries is also proving attractive. Permanent job starting wages saw a sharp rise in April. And temporary workers wages improved to the highest since January. This is all attributed to the effort required to attract top talent and the pay needed to reflect the higher cost of living.
April saw a general dip in overall vacancies, but we expect that to have changed during May and certainly into June ahead of the main holiday season. And it’s worth pointing out that although the report is seeing dips, the UK is still vastly above pre-pandemic/Brexit levels.
To help ease the UK skills shortages, the REC has been campaigning for a more flexible immigration system and more flexibility in the use of apprenticeship levy funds to help fill skills gaps. They are working hard to get the government to help boost our UK labour supply.
If you’re looking to recruit, now is a great time to get your roles advertised. There are additional candidates in the market and June always sees a boost ahead of the quieter period of late July and August
You need to be thinking ‘package’ though. Salaries are competitive and your overall package needs to be super attractive to give you stand out.
Temporary workers and holiday cover
And talking about temporary workers, here at Vanilla Recruitment, we’re proud to offer a temporary workers service. It’s the ideal solution for companies looking to expand their teams during peak periods, for cover during the holiday season, or for project work.
Our experienced team of recruiters will match your company with qualified workers who meet your requirements, ensuring that you have the best staff for your business for a period that suits your needs.
If you’ve never used a temp before, or you’re seasoned temp users, we can fully support your needs. Just get in touch with Jodie for more information.
Or, have a look at our blog post about the befits of hiring a temporary worker:
Is hard work overlooked?
I stumbled upon a thought-provoking article on the BBC that delves into the reasons why people often reward innate talent over hard work.
It’s worth a read. It’s intriguing and challenges our perceptions on the value of perseverance and dedication. It explores ‘naturalness bias’, what it is and why we unconsciously lean into it.
Read the article here: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230517-why-people-reward-innate-talent-over-hard-work
31 miles in May in aid of Dementia UK
At Vanilla Recruitment, we’re not just about job placements, we also care about making a positive impact in the community. We’re incredibly proud of one of our team members who has been participating in a fantastic fundraiser.
Jodie has been taking part in the Dementia UK, Walk 31 miles in May challenge. Dementia UK is a charity close to her heart. They provide specialist dementia nurse care and give life-changing support to families affected by all forms of dementia.
Jodie walked an impressive 81 miles during May and has so far raised £500. We’re so proud of her for taking on the challenge to raise money for such a worthy cause. If you’d like to support her and Dementia UK, the link to donate is here.,
And that’s it for another month
So that concludes another monthly update. I hope you have a wonderful June.
Our temps do an amazing job for a wide range of clients in the area. They are some of the most flexible and hardworking people and we want to recognise that every month.
So, if you have a Vanilla temporary worker on assignment, or who has just completed an assignment, who you think has gone above and beyond or exceeded expectations in any way. You can nominate them to receive our Temp of the Month Award.
We recruit throughout the East Midlands covering Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland and the surrounding areas, especially Market Harborough, Lutterworth, Leicester, Corby and Kettering. We help people find their perfect job and match suitable jobseekers with businesses looking to hire the best candidates across our five specialisms – Sales, Marketing, Accountancy & Finance, HR and Office
Gain a new skill and a verifiable qualification
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