Shazamme Blog

Preparing your Resume

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:36:23 GMT

How to write your resume .

Your resume is your most important tool when applying for a job. It doesn't matter how qualified you are, or how much experience you have - if your resume is poorly presented or badly written, you're going to have trouble getting the job you want - or even an interview.

Write a well-crafted resume: Make a good first impression. Use a common program, such as MS Word, and start with your contact details. List your education and qualifications and then your work experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent. If you have your own website profiling your work, include the URL, but do not submit it instead of a resume.

Proof-read your resume and get someone else to proof it for you. When an employer looks through a candidates’ resume, they are looking for a proven performer who can add immediate value to the business.

Review your use of social media: A growing number of employers are now extending their vetting process to include social media. Change your privacy settings and be sensible in the content you post online. Be aware of your digital footprint as you may be making information public which is private in nature.

Download your free resume template here

Must-have Information

Optional Information

What NOT to Include in the Contact Info Section

How long should my resume be?

There is no set length for a resume. A resume varies in length depending on your experience and education. If you haven't worked much before, one or two pages is best, but four to six pages is okay if you've got a lot of study and work behind you.

Interview Tips

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:08:40 GMT

Preparing for an interview .

You never get a second chance to make a great first impression during your job interview, so being well prepared is the first step to appearing relaxed and confident in a job interview. People make up their mind about you within the first few seconds of meeting you, so it’s important to take the time to present yourself well. One way to prepare is to think of answers for questions you might get.

Prior to the interview:

On the Day:

During the Interview:

You should always have prepared questions about the company and the role as this will demonstrate your interest in the opportunity.

Outlined below are some key questions you may ask:

What are the key challenges of the position?
What are the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?
What differentiates the company from its rivals?
What are the company’s growth plans?
How would you describe the corporate culture?
What do you like best about working at the company?
What is the overall structure of the department I would be working in?
What sort of induction training is offered?
Are there any special projects I will be working on?
To whom will I be reporting?
What is your philosophy on training?
Is there any travel involved with the position?
What opportunities does the position provide for personal growth?
What long-term career opportunities are available?
What is the next step in the interviewing process?

If you are still nervous about your job interview, speak to your dedicated Ashdown People Consultant and they can help you get prepared.

Writing a Cover Letter

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:45:49 GMT

What makes a good cover letter?

A cover letter should be an engaging summary of your resume and not simply say the same thing in a different format. Aim to tell a story which shows that you understand the role and states why you would be great fit for the company.

Cover letters should not just be a repeat of your resume in a different form, and you should use a different cover letter for each role as every role is unique.

Download your free Cover Letter template here

When writing a cover letter, you should include:

How long should a cover letter be?

Keep it short, no more than one page. A cover letter is meant to be a summary of your resume for the hirer to quickly read through to develop an understanding of what you would bring to their company.

Writing a Resignation Letter

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:32:41 GMT

Should you write a resignation letter?

A resignation letter is the professional way to officially inform your employer that you’re leaving your role at their company. This allows your employer to commence the process of hiring a replacement to take on your responsibilities.

You should provide your employer with a resignation regardless of whether you’re an executive in a corporate environment, or a cashier at a supermarket.

Download your free resignation letter template here

What your resignation letter should include

Your resignation letter doesn’t have to go into a huge amount of detail but there are some key things you need to cover. A resignation letter should include the following:

What to avoid

It’s likely your employer will store your resignation letter with other employee files, and it may be referred to in the future if another company requests a reference. Some things are best said in person and others left not said at all. The specifics of why you are leaving do not need to be included in your resignation letter.

Many people who sit down to write a resignation letter think it’s the time to air their grievances with their manager or company. But resignation is neither the time nor place for anything negative. Instead, an exit interview is the opportunity to provide your manager with an explanation of why you’re resigning from your position and include helpful tips for your replacement.

How to find your next role…..

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:15:40 GMT

At the beginning of your job search you need to get into a positive frame of mind :

When you have a job, you must find a way to balance all these things. It is no different when you are looking for a job. Setting goals and sticking to a routine is essential to achieving many things in life, including finding a job.

But sometimes it is difficult to know how your job search should be conducted. Here are some key steps to help you on your way:

Consider setting up a dedicated email address for your job search. This way you know that every email coming into that address is related to your job search and there will be no chance of mixing up personal and business emails. You could even get a cheap mobile dedicated to your search. Recruiters often call for impromptu telephone interviews and this way, when you answer, you will know you need to be professional.

Make sure you tailor your CV , don't send off the same old CV for every job. Take the time to customise your CV; read the job advertisement or specification carefully, pick out the essential skills and experience required, and make sure your CV demonstrates you really do have the required experience. Do that for every job application and you will see a dramatic improvement in the number of times you get shortlisted for interview.

Networking, keep in contact with old colleagues and regularly try to meet new professionals in your industry and to find out about the hidden job market can give you an advantage in your job search.

In summary, starting the job search process can be overwhelming at times. So, remember to use job search sites, LinkedIn, Networks and industry events to narrow your search and take advantage of the wide array of resources available today to help identify the right opportunities for you.

Why do people ‘Quit’?

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:00:31 GMT

No company likes to deal with turnover, but it’s an employees’ market in many industries and jobs aren’t hard to find .

The process of employing someone takes time. In business, time is money. So, it can sometimes be expensive to continually hire new employees. That’s why, when an employee leaves, it can be a chore for the organisation to get a replacement.

The average employee does a good job. Good enough to warrant a letter of recommendation upon departure. If they were anything less than good, we can assume you would have had to unfortunately let them go. So, when your average employee leaves, someone still has to replace them and it can be costly.

Imagine losing a highly valuable team member and the impact that it can have on the business. Replacing them can be a struggle. Ensuring the high standard continues can be hard. Hiring the right candidate, even harder. Knowing what might make your employees quit, however, can give you an opportunity to make changes before they give their notice.

There isn’t always just one “smoking gun” reason that makes a good employee quit, as it’s typically a combination of things that weigh on their minds and impact their decision to quit over time. Many reasons why employees quit their job are under the control of the employer. The question is how can this be achieved? To start, you need to understand why people want to leave an Employer in the first place. Here are just some off the top ones:

Understanding why people really quit their jobs is essential whether you are a hiring manager, running your own business, or if you are currently seeking a new role for yourself. When you know why people really quit their jobs, creating or locating the right workplace becomes much clearer.

Of course, many organizations have an exit interview process that should, ostensibly, provide insights to help improve employee retention. However, even when conducted well, these interviews have serious shortcomings. Even when exit interviews take place, research suggests that a large percentage of employees are not candid. Whereas some departing employees mask critical feedback in order to leave a positive impression, others feel that providing this information is a waste of time because they believe the company is unwilling to change. In addition, departing employees may feel that, because of how poorly their company treated them, management does not deserve to know their true reasons for leaving. In short, exit interviews are often ineffective.

You could try to have an informal discussions with colleagues close to the employee who resigned, companies may be able to ascertain the motives behind their departure. An added benefit of this approach is that it gives remaining employees, who may be disappointed and confused by their co-worker’s resignation, an outlet to discuss their thoughts and opinions, which may reduce any feelings of distress.

So, when you’re recruiting your next hire, be open and honest with potential candidates. Try to paint a clear picture of the job and what the future holds for a candidate. Identify the reasons why people quit their job early on and try to adapt and be flexible. This will help you keep the best employees around and help to drive your company to success.

Why recruiters get frustrated when candidates accept counter offers from their current employer

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 10:38:58 GMT

Good for your ego, but bad for your career!

Do you know why you want to leave your existing employer?
Once you have decided to leave, then stick to your decision!

Why people entertain or take counter offers:

Why is it so dangerous to either use the offer of alternative employment to get what you want from your present employer, or to allow them to change your mind after you have accepted an offer? – Well, apart from the waste of time and effort for both you and everyone else involved in the process if you go on interviews elsewhere and end up staying put, consider the following;

Just as you must look after your best interests, so will your current employer. Therefore if your timing does not fit in with their plans they will tempt you to stay by offering you a higher salary and / or promotion, additional company benefits, a new job title, additional responsibilities, a change in role, more involvement in projects that interest you or any combination of these.

Why would they be so keen to get you to stay? – because it will be cheaper and easier for them in the short term, even if they have to pay you a bit more, than for them to go through an expensive and disruptive recruitment process they hadn’t planned on.

Of course, we all have egos and it is flattering to be given a counteroffer and to believe what you are being told about how valuable you are. However, even if both you and your boss are genuine in wanting to continue to work together, most people find that the relationship is never quite the same as it was before as quite naturally some of the trust has gone.

Always fully explore the options available to you with your existing employer before looking for a new employer. However, once you have decided that the best thing for your career is to move on, find the role you want, accept it and stick to your decision. Changing your mind can make you look indecisive and unprofessional and you will almost certainly end up burning bridges with your recruiter!

Social Media – How to keep up!

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 10:23:45 GMT

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Whether it be personal or business, there is an overwhelming amount of options for social media platforms to sign up for. Like our constantly expanding universe, social is an ever changing and developing space. With that being said, it can be a little daunting trying to decide what platforms to engage in, and what platforms should be used for personal life vs. business.

You have; Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter, Pinterest, and (to my bewilderment) TikTok, just to rattle off a few. Yesterday, I watched in horror on the train as a toddler in a pram navigated mums iPhone, clicked on Snapchat and started using the cat filter on her face. Can someone please explain how it took me 3 days to understand how to “loop” a snapchat video, but this 2-year-old understands how to use filters already?

So how do we keep up?

My 3 top ways to help keep in touch with the latest social media wave:

Follow the social media experts
Jay Baer, Sean Gardner, and Ann Handley come to mind. Regardless of whether you consider yourself an expert or a beginner, following the guru’s is an easy way to stay on top of the latest trends, apps, tips or tricks. Do your research and pick a few key social geeks to keep an eye on. My tip - don’t go crazy, less is more in this instance, be careful not to overload the senses with a constant bombardment of opinions and data on your feed.
Follow the aggregators
This one is as easy as reading the morning news. Add some aggregators to your bookmark bar and away you go! Some good examples are Mumbrella and Mashable. Basically, you can keep on top of “What’s Hot” and “What’s rising”, and most importantly you can see the cute trending Baby Yoda memes for this week. Some of this info can be super helpful.
Follow the kids!
Saying this makes me feel a lot older than it should… but see what the kids are up to at the moment! Ask them what’s the latest “cool” app is (do kids even say the word cool anymore?). But really, the millennials are by far in the lead for not only their technology use but specifically for their social media use – no shock there.

It can also be seen that each platform has a specific demographic of users, some examples below:

If we are talking bare minimum, I would say your business needs; Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Companies can use surveys or other methods to target the correct audiences and demographics.

While we are on the topic, I would like to stress the importance of personal LinkedIn profiles - and not just having them, but actually keeping them up to date! As a recruiter myself, there is nothing more frustrating than finding someone’s LinkedIn, but it hasn’t been updated since the dark ages. A lot of recruiters will probably dismiss “Janet” if her profile hasn’t been updated for 3 years and it looks like she is still in a junior role as opposed to her current position. It will also benefit businesses to have their staff update their LinkedIn profiles, showing staff progression within the company etc.

Upcoming social media trends for 2020

Video content has been on the rise for a while and will continue to rise and likely almost overtake Image and written content. We have already seen this trend and rise in the development of more video-based social media applications like Vine and then more recently TikTok (I still have no idea how to use TikTok by the way).

Stories are exactly how they sound – they give the user an opportunity to tell a story. If you use Instagram, Facebook or snapchat you would likely have already discovered that there has been an increase in people posting images and videos directly to their “story” for all of their followers to view, this will usually expire within 24 hours.

Influencers are out – some influencers even use “fake” or “bought” likes sometimes making them seem untrustworthy. A lot of influencers are also being deemed entitled – that is they are getting “freebies” from companies such as paid trips and free products, in exchange for posting up a snap advertising the product.

Now we will see an increase in companies using influencers that are more focused on smaller target groups (this loops us back to my point earlier about businesses targeting their audience), sometimes referred to as “communities”, with only a few thousand followers rather than in the millions. Sorry, Kylie.

So, to hammer my point home; follow the experts, follow the aggregators, and follow the new generation. Get yourself or your business onto the relevant platforms and you will start seeing the impact in no time. As my friend Picasso once said - “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone”.

Data-driven Digital Marketing

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:59:23 GMT

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Digital marketing has evolved to encompass aspects of data analytics, technological understanding, and marketing strategy. In an increasingly data-driven world, marketing analytics has become a process of connecting marketing functions with business intelligence. Digital marketing professionals need to have the ability to analyse data, while extracting the critical insights to improve campaign performance. Influential marketing is now determined by analytics and big data, with decisions no longer solely based from hypothesis and experience. Marketing consulting firm, Forrester Research, found 44 percent of enterprises use data-analytics and mining to boost consumer response rates and generate insights that guide executives in developing relationship-driven strategies.

In applying data analytics and metrics to marketing strategies, businesses must first build an effective analytics strategy. Implementing a data-driven strategy starts from an organisational culture which manages its data well and values data analytics. Once the systems and people are in place to collect data, data analytics can be used to improve marketing performance with data-driven insights. A marketing analytics strategy must also be built from key business objectives and targets. This ensures data-influenced actions are aligned with key targets for long-term strategic advantage. Similarly, KPIs should be based on a set of relevant metrics and data insights , to ensure specific business processes can be tracked and are measurable. Establishing targets supported by data will assist in benchmarking against industry and forecasting indicators.

Marketers often have all the data they need , but struggle to filter out useful data and apply it to improve marketing performance. Digital marketers should constantly be looking for opportunities to use and apply data to improve performance. Data can also be used to learn about customers, from industry trends, website behaviour and potential customers. However, data must be comprehensive and accurate for making effective marketing decisions. All marketing initiatives should have goals, whether visitors to sites, registrations, email collections, or click-to-calls.

Boston Consulting Group found 58 percent of chief marketing officers (CMOs) believe that search engine optimisation (SEO), as well as email and mobile communications, are the areas where big data systems are have the largest impact on their organisations. SEO copywriting requires a technical understanding of search engines and writing copy that compels audiences to take action. Keyword search is similarly an effective tool in content to guide customers to what they are looking for. Big Data can identify how visitors are finding websites and optimise websites for customers to see the products they want when they arrive.

Data analysis can also be used to choose marketing channels . With consumers using mobiles, desktops, tablets, and smart watches, each platform has different behaviours and systems. Real-time data can also provide insights of insights of intent and mindset of audience. Better analytics lead to optimal design, allowing marketers to understand consumer preferences and engagement, to lower design costs and increase revenues. Data management platforms (DMP) can assist in achieving personalisation using web activity. When using different platforms, such as websites and apps, DMP can assist in combining data into a single customer view to provide a coherent customer experience across all digital properties.

Dynamic Digital Market

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:48:46 GMT

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With the turn of the decade, it is more than evident that the world has become, and is ever increasing, in its digitalisation and technological advancement. It would be rare to find an Australian household without smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart home devices, or watches to access online content. Correspondingly, new technologies are rising and falling. Viewing content has evolved from 3D and 4D, to VR and 4K. Bluetooth has enabled the wireless connectivity of multiple devices. Google + and iTunes for Mac have been discontinued. Cloud services are widely used for storage and sharing solutions. Technology is constantly changing, whether updating to meet consumer trends, becoming redundant, or being more accessible to diverse users.

A growing trend is climate conscious consumers, who are increasingly aware of product impact on the environment. Apple has attempted to meet current trends in climate awareness with the investment in Daisy recycling technology, however is still far from closed-loop production and a technology which is inviable for most companies to adopt. Digital marcomms can consider how marketing and communications can address environmental and ethical issues which are increasingly common and important to a diverse group of consumers.

Team leaders are building more diverse teams, including those in the tech industry, as more diverse teams have the capacity to produce more diverse products, and appeal to a more diverse target market. The inclusion of diverse ideas and skills is fundamental to innovation, and only with continual upskilling and retraining can individuals maintain a competitive advantage within the tech industry. Although this is time consuming and far from then traditional ‘study then work’, it is necessary to adopt a continual learning attitude in all industries which involve forms of technology.

Simply subscribing to a tech blog can help keep you informed and updated on the latest technology and trends in the digital market. You don’t need to be an expert at the technical side of new platforms, however a knowledge of how they operate can be a defining factor of whether your campaigns are successful with these systems. Simply understanding the layout, features, and formats of technology can lift a marketing campaign or smooth out the communications process. Identifying these opportunities ultimately distinguishes digital marcomms professionals.

Transitioning back to the workplace

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:35:57 GMT

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Many employers & employees have adjusted to “the new way of life” when working from home. This has come with many challenges including:

Of those employers I have spoken to many suggest there is a 50/50 mix of employees who have enjoyed and excelled working from home and those who have really struggled both emotionally and in continuing to be as efficient as they were previously. Just as individuals and companies have begun adjusting to the “new normal” a new challenge is ahead – returning to the workplace. This may be even more challenging. Below are some tips and guidance to a successful transition of staff back to the work place in an office environment:

Get the physical things in place. The risk of COVID-19 has not disappeared. Employers have a responsible to ensure staff have a safe work environment with adequate social distancing. This will not happen automatically. There are many published guidelines from government health authorities on minimum square metres required per employee but also consider:

Don’t be in a hurry: To assist adequate social distancing, take pressure off the public transport system and assist staff transitioning back to work a deliberate and progressive approach may be the way to go. Consider splitting your teams and bringing them back progressively on alternate days or weeks for a period of time. Some businesses are also considering staggered start times to assist in relieving pressure on overcrowding public transport systems.

Check the State Government Advice: Restrictions and guidance to employers regarding return to work can change continually and is different for each state. Do your research checking the guidance readily available from state government websites and keep updated.

Communicate: Prior to returning staff to work hold a meeting by whatever media you are using (Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams etc.). Make sure all are aware of rules and new practices including what days and times expected to be at work. Many will be scared so be patient and understand the rights of employers/employees in compulsory return physically to work – again there are different state guidelines with different timeframes. It is wise to ensure employees do a self-health assessment before presenting to work and are reminded not to come in if they are sick.

Hopefully, the risk of COVID-19 reduces even further in the months ahead. In the meantime, keep safe and well.

3 tips to help with your job search

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:23:10 GMT

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At some point in your career you may find yourself looking for a job when you least expect it. I discovered this the hard way alongside countless others during the Covid outbreak. On a seemingly ordinary Monday morning I arrived at work only to leave 10 minutes later after half the technology team were laid off. So, whether you have 20 years’ experience or if you are a graduate fresh out of university, it is critical that you have at least some idea about where to start looking for a new job. These tips will hopefully point you in the right direction:

1) Have a good CV!

It is all well & good having the skills & experience to do a particular job but ultimately these need to be fully showcased in your CV to reflect your suitability to any prospective employers. Try to make your CV concise without waffling too much about irrelevant or possibly outdated experience. Hiring managers are far more interested in your recent experience so focus more attention on your latest job role; using bullet-points to clearly summarise your relevant skills & experience. You can gradually decrease the content for less recent job roles.

Also make sure it’s obvious where you’ve used any tools or software throughout your career – try to include these for each of your job roles so it’s clear where you’ve used them. Recruiters will often use the classic Ctrl-F approach to gauge your suitability, so it does not hurt to litter your CV with key words – it may just increase your chance of getting noticed!

If you do not have any commercial experience, then draw more attention to your Education history. Try to focus on relevant projects and the key skills you gained, as well as any placements or internships.

2) How to search for a job:

There are many ways you can do this but it’s important that you are efficient in your job search, otherwise you’ll find yourself aimlessly applying to every job you see, wasting unnecessary time in doing so. A more streamlined approach is to write 3 or 4 CVs, each tailored towards your different unique skills & experience – keep them saved in folders so you can easily keep track of each profile.

When you see a role that looks a good match, instead of calling directly, simply pass the job poster your [pre-tailored] CV on LinkedIn and arrange a time to catch up. This adds a little more structure to your search, and you should notice an increase in meaningful conversations which will hopefully push you in the right direction.

You can also target specific companies which you are interested in working with. Simply run a search for managers & directors in your specialism then drop them a snappy message describing your situation and ask for their thoughts. When someone replies to your message, get them on the phone for an informal chat – even if they are not personally hiring, they may refer you to someone who is.

3) Interviews:

There is no reason to be nervous when you are going for an interview. It is important to remember that the employer does not hold all the cards. Consider the fact their business has a need… that is why they are hiring in the first place. Yes, they are assessing your suitably to fill the position; however, it is equally in your hands to determine their suitability as a prospective employer.

On the other, your interview is the prime opportunity to impress the hiring manager. Always try to lean your responses in-line with the role you are applying for and make sure you come prepared with some great examples to back your answers. At the end of the interview it is critical that you have lots of questions to ask. Some go-to questions are “why is the role available”, “how are the teams structured”, “what expectations would you have over the first 6 months”. Never reply with “no I think you’ve covered everything” – this is ultimately your opportunity to show the hiring manager that you are legitimately interested in the role.

Lastly, this is a massive cliché but never opt for a role simply because it is offering a high salary – always go for something which you are genuinely excited about!

How to prepare for a recruitment interview

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:13:55 GMT

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Primary questions you may be asked:

A mixture of cold calling sales, customer service, and consultation. A recruitment consultant would have to generate their own client lists to pitch for business. Once they have a role to work they would seek the best candidates in the market via advert response, job boards search / LinkedIn, manage client and candidate expectations and guide the candidate through the interview process until an offer is made.

The role has a lot of variety and holds decent earning potential – anything to do with career progression or being money motivated etc. DO NOT say “because I like to help and speak to different people”.

Professional telephone manner, resilient and can deal with rejection. Desire to succeed. Persuasive and importantly: have the ability to listen.

Try to focus on anything sales/customer service related. Any experience based around speaking over the phone will also be relevant.

When interviewers ask where you see yourself in five years, they are trying to figure out your career goals as well as how the job works with your overall plan. The interviewer wants to know your career goals as a way of ensuring you are proactive, motivated, hard-working, and will stay with the company.

Career progression and earning potential.

Any sports examples would be suitable.

Questions you may wish to ask:

Company

Role

Team

Organisations look to hire people with similar values to those of the company culture . Researching the company before an interview will give you an insight into the organisation's future goals and plans and being able to discuss these points will make you seem like a long-term investment to your future employer.

Top Tips for Writing Job Adverts

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:11:30 GMT

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A good job advert is the cornerstone of your hiring process. It doesn’t matter how many jobs boards you post on, or how attractive your benefits are – if you can’t tell candidates why your role is worth applying to, then your company isn't getting the applications it needs.

Your job adverts are often the first place that candidates come into contact with your brand. That first impression says so much about the process candidates will go through with you. In fact, it takes the average job seeker under 60 seconds to decide on their perceived suitability for a role.

Here are some tips for writing job adverts:

1) Make an amazing first impression

The key to good advertising is grabbing the attention of the right people. If you are seeking a high-calibre, hard-working and knowledgeable candidate then your job post needs to be more than just one more on a job board .

The more energy and careful thought you put into writing your job advertisement, the better chance you have of attracting the high-achieving candidate your vacancy requires.

2) Writing search-friendly content

Just as with a web page, your job advertisement should be easily found in the search engines by relevant candidates.

You can increase the searchability of your job advertisement through the inclusion of keywords relating to the job type, the rank of the role, and the organization in clear sentences within your advertisement. However, it is vital that you do not overuse keywords as this will appear unnatural to the search engines and may decrease your ability to rank well for those keywords, thus having a detrimental effect on your achieving your goal.

Being a contractor is like dating!

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 06:49:39 GMT

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A candidate once told me that being a career contractor is like dating!

You learn different things, what you want vs. what you don’t, and you can be picky. This is something that has resonated with me since I heard that analogy, and I think having that mindset can have a strong impact as a temporary employment recruiter.

As a recruiter this is something we should take strongly into consideration when working closely with candidates. I think this is something that can truly improve the overall candidate experience. Contract employment allows candidates to use transferable skills to seek countless opportunities and use these to pursue careers in not just one but many industries, but sometimes as recruiters we forget this advantage.

When it comes to career strategy why don't recruiters take more of a "candidate is always right" approach? As recruiters sometimes we put candidates in a box and don’t think creatively into how we can strategically expand their experience.

Sometimes we forget that a large part of recruitment is experience and customer service, that building those relationships with people is what it is about. This is something I have really pushed to contribute to my recruitment style and has shown me success in not only my work, but in the relationships, I am building on a day-to-day basis.

Three advantages of Temporary Employment:

One thing I think that all recruiters are guilty of is putting their candidates in a box. Whether it be skill set, experience, or salary, we automatically do this. When speaking to our candidates, one thing we are lacking is digging deep into: the wants, needs and desires. Contract employment allows everyone to have the advantage of using transferable skills to take on a larger variety of employment opportunities.

Many recruiters will reject candidates based on one simple thing! If you do not tick al the boxes that their client is looking for. In all honesty this is the case often but living in a candidate short market…Every available candidate has a home. They may not be right for a specific position…They could be an excellent match for your next, or even one your colleague is working.

In the world of contract recruitment, it is safe to say there will be roles your candidates loved, but there will also be ones they disliked. I have experienced that when candidates have concerns or are not enjoying their roles their hesitation to raise this with their recruiter. Candidates are ultimately scared that the recruiter will inform the client and they will end up losing their job!

As recruiters we need to get better at having these conversations…Asking if there are any red flags in the role you have placed them in and how we can solve this. For the lack of better words everyone has been in a position where they have concerns or are unhappy with their job, so as recruiters why aren’t we doing a better job to solve this? Building this trust is a process and won’t happen overnight, but we are in the industry of helping people, so we need to stop being transactional recruiters!

Three simple ways, that are almost a natural process. From the candidate being on the market, to working with you, to strategizing their next move. There are a lot of mixed feelings about recruitment out there, but a lot of this is due from the transactional approach that can be taken. If we take a step back and look at a simple approach and bring the customer focused approach…Taking the time to work closely, build those

relationships and never stop looking ahead…There will be nothing but benefit from this in the industry.

…And who knows that candidate maybe your client one day!

I hope you this find this article useful – I urge my fellow recruiters to take a less transactional approach and build trust with their candidates so the ‘Stigma’ of recruiters just looking out for themselves can be changed!!!

Shazamme Blog

Preparing your Resume

​How to write your resume .

Download your free resume template here

Must-have Information

Optional Information

What NOT to Include in the Contact Info Section

How long should my resume be?

Interview Tips

​Preparing for an interview .

Prior to the interview:

On the Day:

During the Interview:

Outlined below are some key questions you may ask:

If you are still nervous about your job interview, speak to your dedicated Ashdown People Consultant and they can help you get prepared.

​Writing a Cover Letter

What makes a good cover letter?

Download your free Cover Letter template here

When writing a cover letter, you should include:

How long should a cover letter be?

Writing a Resignation Letter

Should you write a resignation letter?

Download your free resignation letter template here

What your resignation letter should include

What to avoid

How to find your next role…..

At the beginning of your job search you need to get into a positive frame of mind :

Why do people ‘Quit’?

​No company likes to deal with turnover, but it’s an employees’ market in many industries and jobs aren’t hard to find .

Why recruiters get frustrated when candidates accept counter offers from their current employer

​Good for your ego, but bad for your career!

Social Media – How to keep up!

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So how do we keep up?

Upcoming social media trends for 2020

Data-driven Digital Marketing

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Dynamic Digital Market

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Transitioning back to the workplace

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3 tips to help with your job search

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How to prepare for a recruitment interview

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Primary questions you may be asked:

Other general questions you may be asked:

Questions you may wish to ask: ﻿

Company

Role

Team

Top Tips for Writing Job Adverts

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A good job advert is the cornerstone of your hiring process. It doesn’t matter how many jobs boards you post on, or how attractive your benefits are – if you can’t tell candidates why your role is worth applying to, then your company isn't getting the applications it needs. ​

Here are some tips for writing job adverts:

Being a contractor is like dating!

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A candidate once told me that being a career contractor is like dating!

Three advantages of Temporary Employment:

I hope you this find this article useful – I urge my fellow recruiters to take a less transactional approach and build trust with their candidates so the ‘Stigma’ of recruiters just looking out for themselves can be changed!!!

How to write your resume .

Preparing for an interview .

Writing a Cover Letter

No company likes to deal with turnover, but it’s an employees’ market in many industries and jobs aren’t hard to find .

Good for your ego, but bad for your career!

Questions you may wish to ask:

A good job advert is the cornerstone of your hiring process. It doesn’t matter how many jobs boards you post on, or how attractive your benefits are – if you can’t tell candidates why your role is worth applying to, then your company isn't getting the applications it needs.