Megan Brady, Author at Everpool Recruitment

Recruiting new employees for your Engineering team might seem simple enough, but the process is full of complicated challenges, particularly in the current market.

Talent shortages are everywhere, candidate expectations are evolving, and the impact of a poor hiring decision is growing, costing companies not only money but also their time and reputation.

A successful recruiting company requires a careful, calculated and considered approach based on understanding the challenges you’re likely to face in the quest for the ideal candidates.

In this article, we’ll cover some of the most common hiring mistakes Engineering companies are making this year and what you can do to overcome them.

1. Hiring Too Slow

A gap in your Engineering team can be extremely detrimental, leading to lost opportunities, diminished team morale, and poor productivity. Unfortunately, even though many hiring managers know this, they delay the recruiting process.

In today’s competitive landscape, where the best talent is in high demand, a sluggish hiring process can be detrimental to employers in numerous ways.

Firstly, prolonged hiring timelines can result in missed opportunities to secure skilled candidates, as talented individuals may accept offers from faster-moving competitors.

A slow hiring process can tarnish an employer’s reputation, making it appear indecisive or disorganised to potential candidates, which may deter future applicants.

Delaying hiring decisions can hinder a company’s ability to innovate and adapt to market changes, putting it at a significant disadvantage compared to its competitors.

Working with an experienced Engineering recruitment and implementing a structured process can help you identify the right people for the role while reducing your chances of making the wrong decision.

Before diving into the recruitment process, ensure you have a clear plan. Determine how you will evaluate candidates (focusing on skills to reduce bias). Think about how you’ll manage the screening process and conduct interviews.

2. Neglecting The Impact of Your Employer Branding

In today’s skills-short environment, it’s more important than ever for companies to “sell themselves” to the ideal candidate. The top Engineering talent will likely have plenty of opportunities, and you can’t always rely only on a competitive salary to convince them to choose you.

In addition, focus on presenting yourself as the “ideal employer” with a brand that conveys your focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, supporting employee development, and nurturing an exceptional company culture.

Invest in building your employer brand in various ways. You might start with an active social media profile on LinkedIn, where you share thought leadership content, highlight your employees and demonstrate your accomplishments.

Ask your team members to contribute to your branding by sharing testimonials about their experiences with your company.

3. Relying Solely on Traditional Recruitment Channels

In a skills-short Engineering market, business leaders need to be more creative about how they search for candidates. Simply posting job listings on your website or a job board isn’t enough to attract the level of talent with the skills your company needs.

A logical strategy is working with experienced Engineering recruiters to tap into their network of candidates.

Many employers don’t realise that recruiters are mapping the Engineering market for the best people daily, so you or your internal talent team don’t have to.

4. Overlooking Soft Skills and Cultural Fit

While technical skills and valuable Engineering qualifications are undoubtedly essential to choosing the right candidates, they’re not the only things worth considering. First, it’s more important than ever for organisations to consider the value of transferrable soft skills.

Around 93% of employers say assessing soft skills is critical to choosing the right candidate. Skills like exceptional communication and teamwork will be valuable in any role. Resiliency, agility, and adaptability are becoming increasingly crucial in a dynamic and ever-changing industry.
If you haven’t read our blog on recruiting agile employees, you can read it here. [Add a link to this month’s agile blog.]

Alongside soft skills, evaluating how each hire will fit into or contribute to your company culture is important. Employees with the same values, priorities, and principles as your existing team members will more easily migrate into their new roles. This can improve employee morale, reduce turnover and increase productivity.

Add behavioural and cultural fit assessments into your hiring process, and prioritis choosing candidates that have the right blend of hard and soft skills, and core attributes.

5. Neglecting Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are key in today’s Engineering landscape. Not only do employees prefer companies that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, but prioritising these factors will also help you build a more effective team.

Diverse teams and inclusive company cultures drive greater innovation and creativity, enhance employee satisfaction, and help your businesses unlock new opportunities. Unfortunately, many Engineering employers struggle to nurture diversity and inclusion, thanks to unconscious bias and poorly structured hiring strategies.

Work with a recruitment company to mitigate these issues, using strategies like blind resume screening and diverse interview panels. Consider how you can appeal to a broader selection of candidates with unique benefits and support programs/programmes that support well-being. Prioritising diversity and inclusion will increase your talent pool and help you build a more creative and resilient workforce.

6. Failing to Prioritise Candidate Experience

The candidate’s experience is one of the most important factors in the hiring process, determining how likely candidates are to accept a job offer. A strong candidate experience helps to shape and augment your Engineering employer brand, particularly in a world where candidates regularly review companies online.

Consider how quickly your team follows up with candidates and keeps them informed throughout the hiring process. Ensuring you write clear and informative job descriptions can improve the candidate experience. Plus, creating comprehensive onboarding and training programs for new hires will help ease them into your company culture and transform them into advocates for your brand.

Overcome Common Hiring Mistakes with the Right Support

Ultimately, there are many hurdles to successfully hiring the ideal Engineering employee. If you want to avoid the mistakes listed above, you need a proactive approach to optimising your recruitment strategy.

All the listed strategies will help expand your talent pool, boost your chances of making the right hiring decisions, and pave the way for success.

The right recruitment can help you enhance your employer brand, diversify your recruitment channels, screen candidates effectively, and foster diversity and inclusion. Plus, they can improve the candidate experience for every professional you interact with.

Motivation is the lifeblood of a successful Legal team. Motivated employees are more productive, engaged, and creative than their counterparts. They’re also more likely to stay with your business and adapt rapidly to changing workplace dynamics.

That’s crucial when the Legal industry is navigating constant evolution and growing skill shortages. Unfortunately, motivation can be difficult to cultivate and preserve. Even the most committed team members can lose their drive and enthusiasm over time.

The good news is there are ways to nurture motivation in your workforce. Here, we’ll examine some of the easiest but frequently overlooked ways you can reinvigorate your team.

1. Unify Your Team Around a Shared Vision and Goals

A person’s motivation is largely affected by their sense of purpose in the workplace. It’s hard to feel enthusiastic about a role and the tasks you complete each day if you don’t know what you’re working towards or how your efforts are paying off.

Unfortunately, many business leaders and managers in the Legal industry fail to share their vision with their team. Simply helping your employees understand their purpose in the workplace, what their targets should be, and why their work is important makes a huge difference.

Based on your knowledge of your company’s goals, set clear, realistic, and measurable goals for your team members, and help them understand how their targets align with your organisation’s “bigger picture”.

2. Cultivate a Culture of Appreciation with Regular Recognition

A Nectar study found that 83.6% of participants believe regular recognition directly impacts how motivated they feel at work. Praising your Legal employees’ efforts and celebrating achievements helps reinforce good behaviours in the workplace and keeps teams pushing towards new targets.

There are plenty of ways to reward your team members, from giving them additional paid time off, financial bonuses, or flexible work opportunities. However, expressing genuine gratitude with a personalised message or comment can make a huge difference.

Additionally, when giving positive feedback, it’s worth explaining exactly what you’re commending your employee for. Don’t just tell your team members they’ve done a “good job”; tell them you appreciate their creativity, intuition, or adaptability.

3. Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development

Legal employees are more likely to feel motivated if they see they’re making genuine progress in their careers. Prioritising your team’s development doesn’t just help them become more efficient and productive in their roles; it also improves their job satisfaction.

It also shows your team members that you believe in their potential and see a future for them within your business. Provide your staff members with various ways to improve soft and hard skills through training, mentorship, and online courses.

Try to tailor these development opportunities to each employee’s professional goals and aspirations, as well as the needs of your business. This will boost motivation and ensure your Legal company can benefit from a more skilled, adaptive workforce.

4. Build an Inclusive, Collaborative Environment

A supportive, collaborative, and inclusive company culture is crucial for success in the Legal landscape. A recent study by Forbes revealed that companies with robust cultures have up to 72% more engaged employees, and engagement is closely linked with motivation.

First, focus on building an inclusive environment where every team member feels respected and valued by their managers and colleagues. Next, ensure you’re constantly strengthening the bonds between your team members with cross-departmental collaborative work, team-building activities, and regular meetings.

Encourage staff members to get to know each other and praise employees who empower and elevate their colleagues. When hiring new team members, consider how they’ll contribute to the company culture you’re trying to build.

5. Create a Feedback Loop

We’ve already mentioned the importance of sharing positive feedback with your Legal team, but all feedback forms are valuable for growth. Constructive feedback, even when addressing an error or mistake, directs your team members.

It shows them that you believe in their ability to improve and inspires employees to keep progressing with a growth mindset. Crucially, however, feedback shouldn’t be one-way.

Opening yourself up to feedback from your team is also important. When team members can freely share their thoughts and opinions, they feel more invested in the company. Additionally, showing your staff you value their input shows trust and respect, improving team morale.

6. Promote Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing

Burnout and stress harm employee motivation and engagement. Unfortunately, in today’s fast-paced Legal workplace, it’s easy to overlook the importance of employee wellbeing. Creating an environment that promotes good mental and physical health reduces the risk of burnout and shows your team members you care about them.

Consider offering access to flexible work schedules to ensure your team members can balance their work with their personal responsibilities. Encourage teams to make the most of their time outside the office and allow them to “disconnect” from the workplace by turning off notifications.

You could even look into implementing wellness programs, giving employees access to discounted therapy sessions, gym memberships and healthy food. The happier and healthier your teams are, the more motivated they’re likely to be.

7. Empower Through Autonomy

In the competitive Legal landscape, it can be difficult for managers to let go and give their employees independence. However, micromanagement stifles creativity, demotivates employees and even increases turnover. Up to 69% of peoplesay they’ve considered leaving their role after being constantly micromanaged.

Show your employees you trust them by giving them the freedom to complete tasks in their own way and make their own decisions. If you need to monitor the progress of a project, arrange an end-of-week meeting where you can discuss things with your team and plan the next steps.

You can even improve autonomy by clarifying how often you expect your team members to check in and provide updates at the start of a project.

8. Embrace Frequent and Open Communication

Communication also has a direct impact on how motivated your employees feel. The more your team members can connect and share information with their colleagues and supervisors, the more clarity they’ll have on their goals and targets.

Additionally, creating an environment of open communication, where everyone is encouraged to share insights, feedback, and ideas, nurtures creativity. Committing to constant and transparent communication with your Legal team is also beneficial.

Regularly keeping employees up-to-date about project changes or important things happening in the organisation makes them more likely to trust their managers. It’s hard to feel motivated when you don’t know whether you’re being kept out of the loop.

Finally

Consistent motivation is crucial to success in any industry. However, nurturing high motivation levels in your Legal team requires more than a commitment to setting goals and occasionally distributing rewards. By implementing the strategies outlined above, you can boost your chances of keeping your staff members motivated and engaged.

What’s more, you’ll benefit from a stronger, more attractive company culture that helps reduce talent turnover and attract new employees.

Need help with team motivation strategies? Contact us today to see how we can assist your legal team.

Email: info@everpoolrecruitment.com or Telephone number: 0151 556 2090

An effective CV is your first opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your employer. However, since the average hiring manager only looks at a CV for 6 to 7 seconds, it’s important to keep this document concise. That’s why many candidates often omit sections referencing their hobbies and interests.

It’s easy to assume your passions are irrelevant to your employer’s hiring decisions. But, when they’re implemented correctly, they can offer useful insights into your personality, skills, and potential cultural fit. A well-crafted hobbies and interests section could differentiate you from the competition in a complex job market.

We recommend including hobbies and interests in your CV and our top tips for ensuring they make the right impact.

The Benefits of Including Hobbies and Interests

In the seconds it takes for an employer to scan your CV, you need to grab their attention and encourage them to spend more time getting to know you.

The right collection of hobbies and interests can highlight your skills, pave the foundations of an emotional connection, and give you an edge over other candidates. When they’re carefully infused into your CV and relevant to the role you’re applying here is how and why hobbies and interests can help:

Forge an Emotional Connection

Hobbies and interests humanise candidates, providing a deeper insight into who they are as a person. They can help employers visualise what you’ll be like to work with. For instance, if you’re applying for a position as a team manager, sharing that you enjoy coaching your son’s football team shows you’re passionate about helping others succeed.

Highlighting specific hobbies can even establish common ground with hiring managers. After reading a company’s “about page”, if you notice a CEO spends her free time taking cooking classes discussing your love of baking, it shows you have common interests.

Hobbies and interests also show commitment and passion, two things most hiring managers are looking for in any candidate. Employers love candidates with drive and enthusiasm.

In many cases, hobbies and interests can also help to break the ice during interviews. When hiring managers have more information about you, it feels less like they’re speaking to a stranger. They can ask you questions about your hobbies and start forming bonds with you as a person.

Reinforce Relevant Skills

Used correctly, hobbies and interests in a CV are an excellent way to draw attention to relevant, transferrable skills. Many hobbies offer an insight into your skills that may not be evident based on your qualifications and previous work experiences.

For instance:

Playing team sports

Team sports like football show you’re comfortable working well in a team. If you lead the team, you can demonstrate leadership skills, such as solving problems, managing conflict, and motivating others.

Volunteering

An interest in helping shows you care about others and are committed to giving back something to the people around you. It demonstrates that you’re not driven solely by monetary rewards and have a strong sense of purpose.

Coding or tech hobbies

Coding and technology-based hobbies demonstrate a passion for learning and discovery. They can highlight critical thinking, problem-solving, and numerical analysis skills. They also show you are adaptable, as you can follow a fast-paced industry.

Demonstrate Cultural Fit

Hiring for cultural fit can help employees reduce onboarding costs and improve their chances of retaining talent. Employers are increasingly searching for candidates who can add value to their culture, help them achieve their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, and contribute to excellent team dynamics.

Your interests and hobbies can provide insight into whether you’ll fit well with the company culture. They demonstrate a commitment to work-life balance, indicating that you’re invested in your wellbeing and are less likely to suffer from burnout.

They can also demonstrate that you share the same work ethics as your colleagues. For instance, sharing a passion for travelling in your CV can show you have strong cultural awareness and sensitivity. It also demonstrates excellent organisational and time management skills and an ability to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances.

How to Choose Which Interests to Include

While including hobbies and interests in your CV can be valuable, preserving the right balance is important. Your passions shouldn’t overwhelm your experience and credentials but augment the information you provide.

When choosing which interests to include, focus on:

Relevance to the Job Role

Every skill or interest you mention should be relevant to the role you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a managerial position, it makes sense to draw attention to hobbies that have improved your leadership skills. You might mention that you’re the captain of a sports team or responsible for event planning as part of a charitable initiative.

Honesty and Authenticity

While it might be tempting to try and tailor your hobbies to what you think your hiring managers are interested in, it’s important to be honest. Don’t tell employers you love fishing because you’ve heard the CEO goes fishing. There’s a good chance you’ll be asked questions about your hobbies that reveal you haven’t been truthful.

Preserving Balance

Even if your hobbies are a big part of your life and potentially relevant to the role, don’t focus on them too heavily. Use your hobbies as supportive evidence of your skills and competencies, but focus primarily on your professional skills and experiences. Remember, a CV should only be one or two pages long.

How to Incorporate Interests on Your Resume

Each CV you send to a company should be tailored to that organisation, and the role you’re applying for. When incorporating your interests and hobbies into your CV, think carefully about:

Placement and Formatting

How you position your hobbies and interests in your CV, will depend on the value they’ll add. The most important information about you should be placed at the top of the first page. If you feel a specific hobby demonstrates how effective you’ll be in a role, you may mention it at the top of the page in your personal summary.

If your hobbies and interests are less important, you might position them further down the page, underneath your skills and qualifications. Alternatively, you may look for ways to include them in other sections, such as an “accomplishments” section.

Relate Each Hobby to a Skill

Ensure each of the hobbies and interests you outline relates to a specific, relevant skill that will be valuable to your hiring manager or employer. Concisely draw attention to how your interest improves your employee value.

Here are some examples:

Tech enthusiast: I enjoy exploring the latest technological advancements, staying up-to-date with new trends and developments, and networking with other technology fans.
Volunteering: I believe in giving back to the community, using my skills to benefit others, and expanding my industry knowledge.
Fitness: To maintain a healthy work-life balance, I engage regularly in physical activities that help improve my endurance.

Adding Hobbies and Interests to C.V.s

It’s easy to assume that hobbies and interests should be omitted from C.V.s in favour of more traditional professional insights. However, including the right information about your passions can help you to boost your chances of getting the ideal role.

Drawing attention to relevant interests and hobbies can help forge a personal connection with hiring managers, demonstrate crucial skills, and differentiate you from the competition.

Use your hobbies and interests to augment your CV and ensure you stand out in the competitive job market.

Making it to a final stage Office and Commercial interview is both exciting and daunting. If you’ve got this far, it means that your potential employer is seriously considering offering you a job/role/position. However, you’ll still be competing against a selection of other, equally qualified candidates.

Ensuring you’re properly prepared to make the right impact on a hiring manager or business leader is crucial to ensuring you don’t stumble at the last hurdle.

How well you demonstrate your hard and soft skills, and knowledge, as well as a strong level of cultural fit, will determine whether you walk away with the role you want.

Here, we’ll guide you through the process of preparing for a Office and Commercial final stage interview, discussing everything from the research you’ll need to conduct, to the questions you should ask.

The First Step: Demonstrating Cultural Fit

The first step in being successful in your Office and Commercial final stage interview, involves carefully researching the culture of the company you want to work for. The chances are you’ll already have a basic knowledge of things like team dynamics and business values, based on previous interviews and assessments and information from your recruitment company.

At this stage, it’s important to refine your understanding of the company’s culture, so you can demonstrate how well you’ll fit into the organisation. According to a study from Glassdoor, up to 25% of new hires leave a role within 6 months, and one of the most commonly cited reasons, is poor cultural fit.

Since employers don’t want to waste time and money replacing new hires, they often use the final stage of the interview process to evaluate cultural fit carefully. Being able to demonstrate that you understand and share the company’s values will make you a more compelling option.

Dive into previous interview notes, examine the company’s website, and look for insights into the company’s goals, mission, and vision and how they align with your personal work vision. Consider if you have any anecdotes or stories you can share about previous projects you’ve worked on, that demonstrate potential cultural alignment.

For instance, if your company values intuition and creativity, you could talk about a previous project you launched, and how it benefited a previous employer.

Showcasing Your Skills and Experience

While your CV, and previous interviews or assessments should have given your potential employer insight into your skills or experience, many will still use the final interview to gather additional information. They’ll be looking for specific examples of your Office and Commercial expertise, and how your competencies align with their specific needs.

Prepare some “STAR” (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories to dive deeper into your experience. Outline achievements with clear numbers or statistics, and remember to base your responses on what you know about the company and the responsibilities of the role.

While it’s important to showcase your technical skills, don’t forget to draw attention to relevant soft skills too. Showing a high level of resilience and adaptability will significantly boost your chances of getting the right role in a dynamic Office and Commercial landscape.

Highlighting important transferrable skills, such as the ability to problem solve, collaborate cohesively with team members, and lead others can also be extremely helpful. Remember to convey confidence in your abilities, but know when to acknowledge your weaknesses, and discuss what you’re going to do to overcome them, such as investing in additional training.

Showing a growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning and improvement can give you an edge over other candidates, even if they have more experience than you.

Asking Insightful Questions

The final stage interview isn’t just an opportunity for potential employers to evaluate your suitability for a role. It’s also your opportunity to learn more about the position the company, and the responsibilities you’ll have in this Office and Commercial position.

Asking insightful questions demonstrates that you have a genuine interest in the role, and are committed to being the best possible new hire. It can also show you’ve done your research into the company, showing you have initiative and drive.

Consider asking questions such as:

What are the key performance indicators you’ll be tracking in my work?
How would you describe your company’s approach to professional development?
Which staff members will I be working with on a daily basis?
What would you say your number one goal is for the company in the next year?
What would you consider to be the biggest challenge for someone starting in this role?
Which skills would be most important for me to develop when I start this role?
How does your company show a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion?
What does your typical onboarding process involve?

When formulating a list of questions, look for ways to show your focus on delivering value to your employer. Be careful not to ask questions that are clearly answered by the job description, or the company’s website.

Preparing for Different Interview Formats

Only around 20% of the people who apply for a Office and Commercial role will reach the final interview round, and each company can take a different approach to how they manage the interview process.

Some companies, looking to save time and money on the recruitment process, will conduct virtual interviews using video conferencing software. If your employer takes this approach, make sure you treat the virtual interview just like any other interview. Don’t assume the conversation is casual or informal, just because you’re not attending an office in-person.

Different Office and Commercial companies will also add different elements to the interview process. Some will ask you to talk with a panel of business leaders, others will ask you to present case studies from your past work, or take technical assessments.

If you’re not sure which approach your potential employer will take, you can ask the hiring manager or recruitment company you work with what the interview will involve so you can prepare.

Make sure you familiarise yourself with the company’s products, services, and goals, and research the trends in the Office and Commercial industry when preparing responses to possible questions. It can also help to host “practice” interviews with friends or family members. This should boost your confidence, and help you identify any issues with body language or anxiety before the interview.

Preparing for Your Final Stage Interview

Reaching the final stage of the interview process with a Office and Commercial company means you’ve shown a hiring manager or team that you potentially have the skills and experience required to excel in their role. However, if you fail to impress during the interview, you could miss out on a job offer.

By researching the company’s culture, demonstrating your skills and experience, and asking insightful questions, you can maximise your chances of success.

Preparing for different interview formats will also ensure you have the confidence you need to excel during this stage.

Remember, regardless of the outcome of this interview, you should view it as a valuable learning experience that you can use to support your career path and professional development. If you’re unsuccessful, ask your recruitment company or the hiring manager for feedback on how you can improve and prepare for future interview success.

Though skill shortages remain high in the Property landscape, the market for candidates is still extremely competitive. In 2024, it can take an average of 3-6 months to get a job offer, and there’s no guarantee you’ll want to dive into the first opportunity that appears.

To improve your chances of getting job offers for valuable roles faster, you need to know how to market yourself to prospective employers and recruiters who are involved in the process.

Here is the thing to remember.

As effective marketing can convince consumers to invest in a product or service, the right strategy can help employers see you as the ideal candidate.

From working with a recruitment company to developing a strong personal brand, this guide will show you how to create the ultimate ‘marketing strategy’ and achieve your Property career goals.

Partnering with Recruiters: The Value of Specialist Support

The right Property recruitment is an extremely valuable tool in your goal of getting the ideal next role. Reputable companies with experience placing candidates in your field will help you access a wider range of relevant job opportunities.

What’s more, they can help position you effectively in front of potential employers, allowing you to write the ideal CV and master the interview process.

When working with recruiters, make sure you:

Set clear objectives: Define your priorities for a new role. Are you more interested in positions with excellent work/life balance and flexibility, or are you looking for opportunities to develop new skills or join a company with a diverse culture?
Build relationships: Connect with your recruiter and help them understand everything there is to know about you. Highlight your strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and career goals so they can offer a tailored level of service.
Collaborate strategically: Pay attention to the suggestions and guidance your recruiters give. Ask them for advice on preparing for interviews or creating a stronger online presence.

Developing Your Personal Brand

Your brand helps differentiate you from the other Property candidates in your field. It’s how you highlight your strengths and value as an employee and capture the attention of employers. 70% of hiring managers say a strong personal brand is as important as an excellent CV.

Creating a personal brand starts with a self-assessment.

Conduct a “SWOT” analysis, identifying your strengths and where you need to improve. Look at the threats posed by other candidates in your industry (such as having more experience) and the opportunities you can explore to improve your appeal (such as investing in additional learning).

Once you have a clear view then:

Identify your unique value proposition:

Determine what makes you the ideal candidate for the roles you’re applying for. Have you had unique experiences in the industry? Do you have skills other candidates don’t have, or do you have an excellent work ethic?

Craft your story:

Develop a compelling narrative or “personal branding statement” that communicates your professional journey. Highlight accomplishments, aspirations, and key experiences that you’ve had to demonstrate your value.

Preserve consistency:

Ensure your brand identity is consistent across all platforms, from your CV, to your LinkedIn profile, other social media accounts, and professional website or portfolio. Use consistent messaging, imagery, and language.

Conducting Research: Know the Skills Employers Want Right Now

A big part of effective marketing is knowing your target audience. You need to understand what Property employers are looking for so you know what to highlight in your CV and online profiles. Start by examining job postings listed by the types of companies you want to work for, paying close attention to the skills and attributes they value.

Next, consider the current trends in the Property hiring market and the transferrable skills countless employers are searching for. In 2024, for instance, there’s a growing demand for:

Digital literacy and technological proficiency:

The world is becoming more technologically advanced with new software, AI solutions and hardware. However, only 1 in 10 workers possess the digital skills they need to thrive in new roles. Demonstrating a high level of digital literacy can give you an excellent advantage.

Adaptability and flexibility:

In a complex economic landscape, employers want professionals who are resilient, adaptable, and able to pivot to rapid changes in market dynamics. Show employers how you’ve overcome and adapted to previous challenges, and demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

Emotional intelligence:

Though technical skills are crucial in many Property roles, soft skills, like emotional intelligence and resilience, are becoming more important. Demonstrating a high self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to communicate and collaborate with others will boost your chances of success in the current market.

Optimising Your CV

Once you’ve conducted the right research, it’s time to optimise your CV and the cover letter you send to potential employers. Crucially, every CV/Resume and cover letter you send should be tailored to the specific employer and role you’re applying for.

According to data from Glassdoor, 63% of recruiters say they prioritise CVs personalised for the role. Before applying for anything, research the company you want to work for. Look carefully at the job description and the employer’s highlighted skills and attributes.

Try to match their language and focus on demonstrating the key skills that showcase your capacity to excel in the role. Additionally, make sure you:

Quantify your achievements:

Provide concrete examples of your success in similar roles. Use numbers, metrics, percentages, and statistics to validate your impact.

Format carefully:

Keep your CV, visually appealing, and concise. Make sure it will be accepted by any company using ATS software.

Add a personal touch:

Implement a personal touch to your cover letter. Consider referencing shared values based on your knowledge about the company and their ambitions or goals.

Enhancing Your Online Presence

While your CV, and cover letter are still crucial in 2024, many recruiters and hiring managers are turning to the web for deeper insights into candidates. Approximately 72% of recruiters look at LinkedIn, the professional social media platform when hiring new talent.

With this in mind, complete and optimise your LinkedIn profile. Ensure a clear summary of your achievements, insights into your experience, education, and skills, and numerous endorsements from previous employers and colleagues. Use keywords relevant to your industry to improve visibility online. You should also:

Share engaging content:

Sharing insightful articles, industry news, professional updates, and thought leadership content could demonstrate your expertise and help you engage in your network. Remember to participate in professional networks and groups to expand your reach and connect with potential employers.

Network consistently:

Actively connect with professionals and peers in your industry, such as recruiters, and alumni. Personalise your connection requests with a message tailored to each person. Consider attending virtual events through LinkedIn to expand your network further.

Align other online assets:

Ensure you’re making the most of your other online assets, such as your portfolio, professional website, and additional social media channels, to present a consistently strong view of your value as an employee.

Demonstrating continuous learning by adding new skills to your LinkedIn profile regularly and completing LinkedIn courses for certifications can also make you more appealing to employers.

Market Yourself as the Ultimate Property Candidate

For the best chance of getting the right role in today’s competitive Property landscape, you must do more than respond to job postings. Learning how to market yourself as the ultimate candidate with the right CV, personal brand, and online presence is crucial to success.

Working with a Property recruiter and ensuring you focus on developing your skills in the key areas crucial to today’s employers will give you a significant edge in the job market.

Give yourself the best chance of career success, and hone your marketing skills.

Ready to take the next step in your Property career? Contact us for tailored guidance and support. Our dedicated team is here to help you navigate the intricate steps of career planning, ensuring your next move is a strategic leap towards success. Call us at 0151 556 2090 or email us here info@everpoolrecruitment.com.

Recruiting has always been a complex process, affected by changes in candidate preferences, evolving technology, and market dynamics.

Choosing the right recruitment process for your Office and Commercial organisation can be complex. That’s particularly true with growing skill shortages, evolving AI applications, and changing working styles, like hybrid and remote work.

However, the ideal recruitment strategy is crucial to attracting and retaining talent and cultivating a thriving workforce.

So, how do you define the process that’s right for you? Here, we’ll guide you through the pros and cons of different recruiting strategies and the steps you’ll need to take to boost your chances of hiring success.

The Groundwork: Preparing for Your Recruiting Campaign

Though access to talent is growing in some areas, particularly for Office and Commercial companies who offer remote working options, we’re still in a skills-short market. In the past 6 years, according to data from Statistica, the global research company over half of all organisations have suffered from severe skill shortages.

The UK, the US, and Australia face consistent difficulties filling skilled roles. To give yourself the best chance of attracting talent, you need two core things: an excellent employer brand and a fantastic candidate experience.

Let’s start by looking at your employer brand.

Building a Strong Employer Brand

Today, according to some recent data from LinkedIn, 88% of candidates consider a Office and Commercial company’s employer brand when applying for a role. A powerful employer brand is what tells candidates why they should work with your company. It highlights your unique benefits, draws attention to your company culture, and helps you and your recruitment company “market” your company.

A stronger employer brand helps you attract high-performing talent by highlighting the positive aspects of your company culture. If you deliver exceptional benefits, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and invest in developing your team, they will also likely stick with your company.

To make the most of your employer brand:

Identify what candidates want: Find out what Office and Commercial candidates are looking for in your industry. Flexible working options are extremely popular, whether they include hybrid work options or flexible schedules. Consider giving your teams more freedom over their workday and exploring various unique benefits.
Create a compelling company culture: Highlight the unique culture of your company. Draw attention to how you promote professional growth with training and development. Showcase your efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ensure every team member feels comfortable within the workplace.
Promote your brand: Make it easy for Office and Commercial candidates to understand your employer’s value proposition. Draw attention to your employees and their success stories on your website. Share insights on your social media pages, and advertise the benefits you can offer on job descriptions.

Optimising the Candidate Experience

Regardless of which recruitment process you choose for your Office and Commercial company, your focus should always be on delivering an excellent candidate experience. Improving the candidate experience doesn’t just make candidates more likely to accept your job offers.

It’s also a good way to enhance your employer brand and make you more appealing to future candidates. Focus on things like:

Simplifying the application process: More than 70% of candidates say they won’t submit a job application if it takes more than 15 minutes. Make the process simpler by allowing customers to sync their LinkedIn profile or upload CVs instantly.
Communicating transparently with candidates: Give your candidates a clear view of where they are in the application process by communicating with them regularly. Let them know when you’ve received their application and when you’re reviewing it.
Requesting feedback: Ask successful and unsuccessful candidates to share insights into what they liked and disliked about the candidate experience. This will help you to identify areas where you might need to improve.

Choosing Your Office and Commercial Recruitment Process

Once you have a strong employer brand and an insight into your candidate experience, it’s time to choose your recruitment strategy. There are a few options for Office and Commercial companies to consider, all with their pros and cons.

The most common options include:

Recruitment companies: Working with a recruitment company to outsource your hiring process to a team of dedicated and experienced professionals.
DIY Recruitment: Use your own time and that of your team to help with the recruitment process. This would include advertising, CV screening, initial interviews, writing Job descriptions, etc.
Internal Talent Team: Recruit an internal talent acquisition team who may still work with an external recruiter to focus exclusively on recruitment and ensure your hiring strategies align with your business goals.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of each option.

DIY Recruitment: The Pros and Cons

Smaller businesses and those with limited budgets often rely heavily on DIY recruitment. They assume the easiest way to reduce the costs of recruiting is to use the resources they already have. However, there are downsides to a DIY strategy.

Pros:

Cost savings: Office and Commercial DIY recruitment removes the need to hire additional employees for recruitment purposes or pay a recruitment company, making it a more budget-friendly option for smaller organisations.
In-house control: Since you’re handling everything yourself, you get complete control over the recruitment process, from how you’ll source talent to where you’ll search for candidates and even the candidate experience.
Direct communication: In a DIY strategy, you’ll communicate directly with candidates, which can give you a better insight into their competencies and skills, improving hiring decisions.

Cons:

Time-consuming: Managing the whole recruitment process internally can be time-consuming and complex. There’s a lot of work to do to source, filter through, and interview candidates. You could even lose money if crucial members of your team are spending more time on recruiting than on their Office and Commercial tasks.
Limited reach: The chances are that your internal team members won’t have access to the same extensive talent networks and specialists’ resources. This could limit your ability to tap into different Office and Commercial talent pools.
Lacking expertise: The people you choose to be responsible for your recruiting process might not have any expertise in recruitment. They may not know how to write great job descriptions, conduct effective interviews, or connect with new talent sources.

Internal Talent Team: Pros and Cons

Using an internal team involves hiring HR professionals with expertise in the recruitment world to work within your Office and Commercial company. This gives you a similar level of control to DIY recruitment and access to some of the specialist skills you might be missing.

Pros:

Dedicated expertise: An internal talent team brings specialist knowledge, experience, and insights to your recruitment process. They’re focused exclusively on hiring for your business and don’t have to direct their attention anywhere else.
Alignment: Internal teams will better understand your Office and Commercial company culture and employee value proposition because they’re constantly exposed to it. This can make it easier for them to find the right talent for your team.
Consistent access: Building an internal talent team means you’ll have long-term access to the recruitment professionals you need. They can help build a consistent recruitment strategy that grows with your company.

However, there are issues with this approach, too.

Cons:

Resource intensive: Establishing and maintaining your internal talent team will require significant investment. You’ll need to hire HR professionals, train them on your recruitment strategies, and pay their salaries long-term.
Limited perspectives: Because your internal team only works with your Office and Commercial company, they may have a restricted view of the trends and patterns in the wider industry. They could be susceptible to biases and blind spots that make it harder to hire a diverse team.
Scalability: With internal teams, you may have periods when you don’t need to hire anyone and must rapidly increase your recruitment strategy. Scaling up and down to meet those changes can be complicated.

Recruitment Company: Pros and Cons

Overall, working with a specialist Office and Commercial recruitment company is currently the best way to ensure you get the talent and support you need. That’s one of the reasons up to 90% of companies use professional recruitment.

While there are downsides, the benefits of working with a company can save you time and money in the long term and improve your chances of making the right hiring decisions.

Pros:

Access to Expertise: Recruitment offer access to specialist knowledge of your industry, the talent market, and the recruitment landscape. They have pre-built networks to help with talent sourcing and can dedicate resources to help you with everything from interviewing to writing more effective job descriptions.
Expanded Reach: Agencies spend years developing extensive candidate databases and industry connections. They can help you source active talent and passive candidates ready to explore new opportunities. They can also position your employer brand perfectly in front of candidates, boosting your chances of attracting the right people to build your team.
Time efficiency: Outsourcing recruitment to an agency frees up your Office and Commercial company’s internal resources, so you can focus on growing your company and profits. They’ll handle the tough parts of the recruitment process, saving you significant long-term money. They can even fill talent gaps faster than an internal or DIY team.

On top of all this, recruitment companies can help you identify trends that will improve your employer branding, enhance your candidate experience, and assist you with factors like writing job descriptions and conducting interviews. They can give you the expertise and insight you need to build a future talent pipeline.

Building the Ideal Recruitment Process

An effective Office and Commercial recruitment process is crucial to ensuring you can develop a thriving workforce for your company. While all businesses need a strong employer brand and an excellent candidate process, various ways to approach your recruitment strategy exist.

Overall, however, working with a Office and Commercial recruitment agency is the best way to improve your chances of achieving your recruitment goals. Their expertise, support, and reach will give you a critical edge in a skills-short market.

Recruiting has always been a complex process, affected by changes in candidate preferences, evolving technology, and market dynamics.

However, the ideal recruitment strategy is crucial to attracting and retaining talent and cultivating a thriving workforce.

The Groundwork: Preparing for Your Recruiting Campaign

Let’s start by looking at your employer brand.

Building a Strong Employer Brand

To make the most of your employer brand:

Identify what candidates want: Find out what Office and Commercial candidates are looking for in your industry. Flexible working options are extremely popular, whether they include hybrid work options or flexible schedules. Consider giving your teams more freedom over their workday and exploring various unique benefits.
Create a compelling company culture: Highlight the unique culture of your company. Draw attention to how you promote professional growth with training and development. Showcase your efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ensure every team member feels comfortable within the workplace.
Promote your brand: Make it easy for Office and Commercial candidates to understand your employer’s value proposition. Draw attention to your employees and their success stories on your website. Share insights on your social media pages, and advertise the benefits you can offer on job descriptions.

Optimising the Candidate Experience

It’s also a good way to enhance your employer brand and make you more appealing to future candidates. Focus on things like:

Simplifying the application process: More than 70% of candidates say they won’t submit a job application if it takes more than 15 minutes. Make the process simpler by allowing customers to sync their LinkedIn profile or upload CVs instantly.
Communicating transparently with candidates: Give your candidates a clear view of where they are in the application process by communicating with them regularly. Let them know when you’ve received their application and when you’re reviewing it.
Requesting feedback: Ask successful and unsuccessful candidates to share insights into what they liked and disliked about the candidate experience. This will help you to identify areas where you might need to improve.

Choosing Your Office and Commercial Recruitment Process

The most common options include:

Recruitment companies: Working with a recruitment company to outsource your hiring process to a team of dedicated and experienced professionals.
DIY Recruitment: Use your own time and that of your team to help with the recruitment process. This would include advertising, CV screening, initial interviews, writing Job descriptions, etc.
Internal Talent Team: Recruit an internal talent acquisition team who may still work with an external recruiter to focus exclusively on recruitment and ensure your hiring strategies align with your business goals.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of each option.

DIY Recruitment: The Pros and Cons

Pros:

Cost savings: Office and Commercial DIY recruitment removes the need to hire additional employees for recruitment purposes or pay a recruitment company, making it a more budget-friendly option for smaller organisations.
In-house control: Since you’re handling everything yourself, you get complete control over the recruitment process, from how you’ll source talent to where you’ll search for candidates and even the candidate experience.
Direct communication: In a DIY strategy, you’ll communicate directly with candidates, which can give you a better insight into their competencies and skills, improving hiring decisions.

Cons:

Time-consuming: Managing the whole recruitment process internally can be time-consuming and complex. There’s a lot of work to do to source, filter through, and interview candidates. You could even lose money if crucial members of your team are spending more time on recruiting than on their Office and Commercial tasks.
Limited reach: The chances are that your internal team members won’t have access to the same extensive talent networks and specialists’ resources. This could limit your ability to tap into different Office and Commercial talent pools.
Lacking expertise: The people you choose to be responsible for your recruiting process might not have any expertise in recruitment. They may not know how to write great job descriptions, conduct effective interviews, or connect with new talent sources.

Internal Talent Team: Pros and Cons

Pros:

Dedicated expertise: An internal talent team brings specialist knowledge, experience, and insights to your recruitment process. They’re focused exclusively on hiring for your business and don’t have to direct their attention anywhere else.
Alignment: Internal teams will better understand your Office and Commercial company culture and employee value proposition because they’re constantly exposed to it. This can make it easier for them to find the right talent for your team.
Consistent access: Building an internal talent team means you’ll have long-term access to the recruitment professionals you need. They can help build a consistent recruitment strategy that grows with your company.

However, there are issues with this approach, too.

Cons:

Resource intensive: Establishing and maintaining your internal talent team will require significant investment. You’ll need to hire HR professionals, train them on your recruitment strategies, and pay their salaries long-term.
Limited perspectives: Because your internal team only works with your Office and Commercial company, they may have a restricted view of the trends and patterns in the wider industry. They could be susceptible to biases and blind spots that make it harder to hire a diverse team.
Scalability: With internal teams, you may have periods when you don’t need to hire anyone and must rapidly increase your recruitment strategy. Scaling up and down to meet those changes can be complicated.

Recruitment Company: Pros and Cons

While there are downsides, the benefits of working with a company can save you time and money in the long term and improve your chances of making the right hiring decisions.

Pros:

Access to Expertise: Recruitment offer access to specialist knowledge of your industry, the talent market, and the recruitment landscape. They have pre-built networks to help with talent sourcing and can dedicate resources to help you with everything from interviewing to writing more effective job descriptions.
Expanded Reach: Agencies spend years developing extensive candidate databases and industry connections. They can help you source active talent and passive candidates ready to explore new opportunities. They can also position your employer brand perfectly in front of candidates, boosting your chances of attracting the right people to build your team.
Time efficiency: Outsourcing recruitment to an agency frees up your Office and Commercial company’s internal resources, so you can focus on growing your company and profits. They’ll handle the tough parts of the recruitment process, saving you significant long-term money. They can even fill talent gaps faster than an internal or DIY team.

Building the Ideal Recruitment Process

Overall, however, working with an Office and Commercial recruitment agency is the best way to improve your chances of achieving your recruitment goals. Their expertise, support, and reach will give you a critical edge in a skills-short market.

At Everpool Recruitment, we specialise in assisting Office and Commerical in acquiring top talent. With a track record of successfully placing thousands of candidates, we understand the unique needs of the engineering industry. If you’re looking to enhance your team with skilled professionals or explore new opportunities, contact us today at 0151 556 2090 or email us at info@everpoolrecruitment.com.

Video interviews have become common in the current Office and Commercial hiring landscape. Not only are they more convenient and cost-effective for both candidates and employers, reducing the need for travel, but they can make it easier for hiring managers to make the right choice.

With the ability to review recordings, employers can carefully analyse/analyze each candidate before extending a job offer. According to Indeed, 82% of employers used virtual interviews in 2021, and 93% wanted to continue using them.

This means every Office and Commercial candidate needs to be prepared to make the right impact on video. Learning how to handle the technical aspects, convey professionalism through your attire and body language, and respond effectively to questions is crucial.

Here’s how you can master video interviewing in 2024 and beyond.

First: Know the Video Interview Format

While video interviews in the Office and Commercial space have been commonplace since the pandemic, the way these interviews are hosted and used is evolving. Companies are experimenting not just with live video interviews but also pre-recorded sessions.

In a live interview, the experience is similar to a face-to-face discussion. You speak to your panel or interviewer in real-time, responding to any questions asked.

In a recorded video interview, you’re presented with a selection of pre-written questions.

You then record yourself responding to these questions. In this scenario, you may have more opportunities to practice/practise your answer and prepare what you will say before you respond.

In some cases, companies may also use a blended interview format, asking employees to submit a video bio, similar to a cover letter, before they engage in a live video session. Ensuring you’re prepared to handle all the different types of video interactions you’ll be presented with effectively is crucial to creating the right impression.

Mastering the Technical Aspects of Your Video Interview

Once you know what type of video interview you’re participating in, the first step is to familiarise/familiarize yourself with the technology you’ll be using. 45% of recruiters believe video helps them speed up hiring.

The last thing they want is for your technical issues to lengthen the process. You will be told which platform you’ll use when you’re offered your interview.

Create an account with the platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc), and test the features beforehand. Ensure you know how to mute and unmute your microphone, start and end a video stream, and share your screen. You may also want to check whether you can change your background or record the video yourself (for later reference).

Other technical preparations to invest in include:

Audio and Video Setup: Invest in a quality webcam, microphone, or headset and connect them to your video conferencing platform. Check whether you can adjust the lighting and sound settings to improve your interviewer’s overall experience.
Internet connection: Ensure you’re conducting your Office and Commercial interview in a setting with a strong and stable internet connection. A wired connection may offer better stability than a wireless alternative.
Conduct practice runs: Call friends or family members through the video platform to check for any potential technical glitches you might face.

Presenting Yourself Professionally

While most recruiters and hiring managers today are working to overcome unconscious bias, 96% still feel they make rapid decisions based on factors like how you present yourself in an interview.

Simple things, like how you dress, can offer hiring managers an insight into your level of professionalism and how serious you are about a role.

Just because you’re meeting over video from the comfort of your home doesn’t mean you should dress casually. Act like you would in any interview, and dress professionally.

Check your background: Ideally, you’ll choose a clean, clutter-free background for your interview. However, if you’re limited in the space to choose from, you may be able to use a professional-looking virtual background instead.
Maintain eye contact: Don’t look at yourself on screen during the interview or allow your eyes to wander. Maintaining eye contact by looking directly at the camera conveys attentiveness and confidence.
Mind your body language: Think carefully about your body language in any Office and Commercial interview. Sit up straight and avoid slouching or fidgeting during the discussion.

It’s also helpful to arrange your video camera to ensure you capture the right amount of your body. Ideally, your full torso and face should be visible at all times.

Preparing your Video Bio

Suppose you’re participating in a process that includes a pre-recorded video interview or are asked to submit a video bio. In that case, ensuring you make the right impact immediately is important. The best way to accomplish this is with preparation.

The same practices/practises apply here as you would research a company’s background and prepare responses to competency-based questions using the STAR method for a standard interview.

A good way to boost your chances of success is to draft a concise and compelling script based on your cover letter, CV/Resume, or the areas your recruiter has suggested. Highlight your key achievements, skills, and experiences relevant to the specific position you’re applying for.

Eliminating Distractions

Distractions are a common issue for video Office and Commercial interviews. Unlike in a traditional interview, you’ll be situated in your own home, which means plenty of opportunities for other aspects of your life to get in the way.

Reduce your risk of interruptions and background noise by choosing a quiet and secluded space for the discussion. Inform anyone else in the house that you shouldn’t be disturbed during the interview, and close the door if you can.

Other ways to reduce your risk of distractions include:

Preparing for technical glitches: Glitches can still occur even if you have used all the tech before. Make sure you’re ready to switch to a different method of communication, such as a phone call if problems arise. Stay calm and composed when troubleshooting issues.
Addressing connectivity problems: If your internet connectivity drops during the interview, politely inform the interviewer and look for ways to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Apologize for any delays, even if the problem isn’t your fault.
Mute other distractions: Turn off notifications for your email account and other apps you might use on the same computer you’re using for your interview. Don’t open other tabs during the conversation; and silence your phone!

Attending the interview a few minutes early can also be helpful to ensure you’re fully prepared and check for any technical issues in advance.

Mastering Your Video Interviews This Year

You’ll likely encounter at least one type of video interview during your Office and Commercial job search this year. Ensuring you’re prepared to make the right impression, whether it’s during a live interview or asynchronous conversation, is crucial to boosting your chances of getting the right job.

After any video interview, remember to review your performance, thinking about what you’ve done well and what issues you might need to address before your next interview. This will help you prepare more effectively for future conversations.

At Everpool Recruitment, we specialise in empowering candidates with personalised guidance to navigate the job market confidently. Our expert team is here to help you secure those fantastic opportunities. Don’t wait—reach out now and take the first step towards your dream career. Contact Us Today!

Call us at 0151 556 2090 or email us here info@everpoolrecruitment.com

Managing poor performance in Accountancy & Finance isn’t simple, but countless business leaders must handle it regularly.

Performance issues emerge for various reasons. Stress and anxiety caused by problematic company cultures or external factors like economic distress, personal problems at home and a lack of skills or motivation can lead to issues with productivity and engagement.

Poor management abilities in an Accountancy & Finance business can cause inefficiencies and problems for everyone.

A lack of purpose, direction, and ongoing support can impair a team member’s ability to deliver consistent results.

Fortunately, there are ways to address and eliminate performance issues. Here’s how you can empathetically and effectively manage performance problems as an Accountancy & Finance leader.

Understanding the Root Causes of Poor Performance

The first step to overcoming poor performance in the Accountancy & Finance workforce is understanding what’s causing the issue. Underperformance can appear in various forms, from employees who fail to meet deadlines or turn up to work on time to those who have a negative, sometimes toxic attitude that impacts the morale of other staff members.

Diagnosing the issues resulting in decreased productivity and inefficiencies ensures you can implement the right strategies to fix the problem.

Some of the most common root causes of poor performance include:

Inefficient processes or systems: Up to 42% of HR professionals say poor systems and processes cause problematic productivity. If your employees don’t have access to the right technologies, standard operating procedures, and guidelines, they’re more likely to make mistakes.
Personal issues: Work and life aren’t entirely disconnected.
Personal stress, medical problems, and family and relationship issues can affect productivity.
Burnout: As Accountancy & Finance roles become more demanding, burnout is becoming increasingly common. Employees overwhelmed by unrealistic schedules and limited support can quickly lose motivation and find it difficult to deliver results for their employer.
Company culture: A problematic company culture caused by poor leadership, limited support or collaboration, and even conflict between coworkers can harm employee performance.
Alternatively, a strong company culture empowers staff members to thrive in a diverse, inclusive, and friendly environment.
Skill Gaps: According to this report from Gartner, 70% of employees think they haven’t mastered the skills they need to thrive in their careers. Gaps in hard and soft skills make it impossible for employees to unlock their true potential and increase the risk of burnout.
Demotivation: Sometimes, employees don’t feel motivated enough to perform well at work. They can’t see the purpose or impact of their work, and their responsibilities are unclear, making it difficult for them to excel.

Addressing Poor Performance: The Step-by-Step Guide

Once you’ve explored the common root causes of performance issues in your Accountancy & Finance business, the next step is implementing a holistic strategy for overcoming the issue, which requires more than just a commitment to training people.

Business leaders must combine effective communication, clear development plans, and a strong company culture to achieve results.

Step 1: Implementing Effective Communication Strategies

Exceptional communication is a crucial cornerstone of any successful business. Unfortunately, many companies struggle to communicate consistently and effectively with their teams.

The problem begins with ensuring team members know their roles, responsibilities, and company expectations.

To address this issue, Accountancy & Finance leaders need to ensure that team members are clear on their tasks and responsibilities and how what they do contributes to the company’s broader goals and the purpose they serve. This helps to pave the way for exceptional performance.

Beyond setting clear expectations, business leaders must ensure clear and honest communication is consistent in the workplace culture.

Robust communication strategies can help managers and supervisors identify the root cause of performance problems more effectively and work with team members to find resolutions collaboratively.

Ensure you have a strategy in place for:

Consistently delivering performance reviews: Don’t just tell your employees what they need to improve or what they excel at once a year.
Ensure you’re regularly sharing feedback, both motivational and developmental.

Motivational feedback highlights what a team member is doing well and encourages them to continue to operate in this way.

Developmental feedback is required when someone isn’t quite meeting expectations, and you want to draw their attention to the impact of how they are currently operating and what you want them to do instead.

Active listening and empathy: Demonstrating empathy for your employees and actively listening to their issues helps to forge stronger relationships between team members, managers and the company.

It also means your team members are more likely to inform you if they’re concerned about burnout or overwhelm at work.

Give your team members plenty of ways to share feedback about the company culture, work processes, and challenges they face. It will give you a broader overview of the problems affecting your team.

Step 2: Developing Personal Improvement Plans

Based on your conversations with employees and the insights you gather into the root causes of performance issues, you can begin to develop comprehensive “performance improvement plans”.

Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are personalised documents that outline the steps team members need to take to overcome underperformance issues and achieve their goals.

They should include:

Clear, realistic goals: Discuss your employee’s goals for their career and how they align with the broader goals of the business.
Set clear, measurable targets for your team members to work towards. Ensure these targets are realistic, based on the existing strengths and weaknesses of your team members and the support you can offer.

Use frequently monitored milestones and support the employee in returning their performance to company standards and expectations.
Strategies for development: Outline the resources you can offer individuals to assist with their on-the-job development so that they have the necessary skill set to return to their previous performance levels or achieve the required performance levels for their role.
This could mean providing access to training courses to address skill gaps that may be virtual or in-person or have additional coaching.
Consistent feedback and monitoring strategies: Determine how often you’ll meet with your Accountancy & Finance employee to review their progress towards their goals. Define which metrics or KPIs you’ll monitor and continue to reinforce the company’s expectations.
Ensure your team members know who they can turn to for extra support if they encounter problems.

Performance plans are tailored to the specific issues and needs of the employee you want to support. Consider their learning style and unique requirements carefully, and regularly check in to ensure your team members have all the support they need.

Step 3: Creating a Supportive Work Environment

Over recent years, a growing body of research has demonstrated that a positive work environment directly impacts employee performance and productivity.

According to the University of Oxford, happy workers are up to 13% more productive.

Creating a happy workforce starts with developing a positive and supportive company culture, which means turning your workplace into an environment based on company values that will often revolve around trust, respect, and collaboration.

Examples of areas that companies prioritise are:

Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Ensure you provide equal support to all staff members, regardless of their background. Encourage cross-team collaboration and give every employee a voice when making crucial business decisions.
Motivating employees: Find ways to motivate your Accountancy & Finance employees by creating reward and recognition programs that champion their hard work. Offer meaningful feedback regularly and request input from employees in return.
Exceptional leadership: Train your team leaders and managers to model desired behaviours, such as inclusivity, honest and transparent communication, and a commitment to collaboration.

Crucially, ensure your team members can connect with business leaders or HR professionals when they discover an issue with the company culture.

Overcoming Poor Workplace Performance

Addressing poor performance in the Accountancy & Finance industry can be complex. Business leaders must take a holistic, strategic, and empathetic approach to address the causes of disengagement, poor motivation, and diminishing productivity.

Most importantly, commit to constantly optimising performance, assessing the outcomes of your staff members, and ensuring you’re aware of any issues individuals and teams might be facing.

Fortunately, with the right strategy, you can improve performance, enhance your employer brand, attract more talent to your business, and increase retention.

In today’s candidate-driven Engineering job market, attracting and retaining the right talent is more challenging than ever. Candidates have more options when selecting the ideal role for their specific needs, and their priorities are changing.

This means business leaders and recruiters need to take a new approach to connect with potential employees if they want to overcome the challenges of a major talent shortage.

Recruitment now has a lot in common with effective marketing. Just as companies need to establish an effective “go to market” strategy to engage buyers and demonstrate value to customers, they also need a similar approach to intrigue top talent.

A strong go-to-market (G.T.M.) strategy framework paves the foundation for a powerful product launch, gaining customer trust and differentiating a brand from its competitors. A similar “G.T.M.” approach to recruitment can help companies target the right talent, strengthen their employer brand, and build deeper connections with employees.

Here’s how to embed a go-to-market strategy into your Engineering recruitment process.

What is a Go-to-Market Strategy? The Basics

A go-to-market strategy is a tactical plan companies use to determine how to bring a new product or service to their target audience.

It’s an exercise that outlines the steps a business should take to engage a potential customer, differentiate themselves from the competition and increase sales.

With a strong go-to-market strategy, business leaders determine why they’re launching a product, their target market, and how they will convince consumers to buy what they’re selling.

Similarly, in the Engineering recruitment world, a go-to-market strategy outlines the key information businesses need to capture, engage, and retain the right talent.

Business leaders answer questions such as: “Why are we hiring this professional?” and “What value can we bring to employees?” This gives them the guidance they need to position their roles more effectively in the competitive talent market.

Moreover, a go-to-market strategy can help companies consider any issues candidates might experience with a role, such as a lack of clarity around responsibilities or a complex interview process.

Here’s how companies can approach Engineering recruitment with a “go-to-market” mindset.

Step 1: Align Recruitment Goals to Business Goals

As mentioned above, when organisations establish a go-to-market strategy for a product, one of the first questions they ask is why they’re launching this new solution or offer. Similarly, when you use a go-to-market strategy for Engineering recruitment, you’ll need to define why you’re looking for a specific employee to fill a gap in your team.

The first step is developing a clear understanding of the current business goals. For instance, you might want to expand your Engineering company into new markets in the years ahead and need new talent to help you identify and serve the right customers.

Alternatively, your goal may be to innovate and evolve, using new tools and strategies to improve team productivity and efficiency. Defining your goals will help you understand what key attributes and skills your new Engineering employee will need. It should also ensure you can provide your candidates with clear insight into their roles.

Crucially, aligning business and recruitment goals also means you’ll be able to identify how you will evaluate your candidate’s success after they join your team.

Step 2: Identify your Employee Personas

Once you’ve established your goals for your go-to-market recruitment plan, the next step is deciding what kind of Engineering employees you want to attract.

A key component of creating a go-to-market strategy for a product is defining who the ideal buyer will be.

In the recruitment world, you’ll need to understand the key attributes and characteristics of the candidates you want to attract. Think about the essential soft and Engineering skills your new team member will need to have and what their educational background should look like.

Think about what kind of people are most likely to thrive in your existing Engineering company culture, what their personality will be like, and what values they might have. You could even create a candidate persona, which you can use to inspire and guide your team when creating job descriptions, interview questions, and onboarding strategies.

Step 3: Building Your Employer Brand

When bringing a new product or service into the market, companies must determine what benefits and values they can offer above and beyond their competitors. In today’s competitive Engineering recruitment space, you must also take the same approach to engaging candidates.

Ask yourself and your team what sets your company apart from other organisations with similar roles available to candidates. If your company is relatively small, you might not be able to compete in salary, but you could offer other benefits by providing flexible working opportunities or access to more training and development options.

Look at your “employee personas” values and ask yourself how you can build a brand that appeals to your target candidates. This might include focusing on things like:

Unique opportunities: Do you allow Engineering employees to work remotely, choose their hours, or get involved with training initiatives and mentorship programs?
Corporate Social Responsibility: How can you appeal to your candidate’s ethical values? Do you have a strong focus on diversity, inclusion, and equity? Do you take a sustainable business operations approach or give back to charitable organisations?
Company culture: What are the core components of your company culture? How do you ensure your team members feel supported in your team?

Step 4: Creating Your Outreach Strategy

In a typical go-to-market strategy, companies need to build a “market strategy”, which involves thinking about how they’ll position their product and connect with consumers. You can take a similar approach in an Engineering recruitment-focused G.T.M.

Start by thinking about the messaging you will use and how you will highlight the unique components of your employer brand in your job descriptions and social posts.

For instance, alongside listing job descriptions on your website, work with an Engineering recruitment company to create a job description and leverage their ability to promote your vacancy into the market and within their database and connections.

Step 5: Prepare for the Interview Process

Finally, you’ll need to think about how to connect with candidates once you are in an interview situation. As companies use offers, discounts, demos, and promotions to increase conversions, business leaders use interviews to assess candidates and provide talent with an opportunity to evaluate their company.

Constructing an effective interview process is essential to boosting the power of your Engineering employer brand. Ensure you have a plan to eliminate common issues like bias. This could mean training your interviewers and providing them with scorecards to help them focus on specific attributes. Your recruitment partner can facilitate all of these processes.

Provide interviewers with step-by-step guidance on evaluating each candidate, and consider the questions your would-be employees might ask you in return. At the same time, remember to think beyond the interview to the full onboarding process.

How can you give your candidates a good first impression of your company?

Commit to constant, transparent communication, and look for ways to empower your staff members with the right training and support from day one.

The Go-To-Market Strategy for Engineering Recruitment

A go-to-market strategy is a powerful tool for businesses bringing new products and services to their customers. However, many of the components of these strategies can also be applied to the recruitment world. Taking a go-to-market approach to hiring can help you target the right candidates, differentiate your company from competitors, and engage the best talent.

With the help of an Engineering recruitment company, you can build a full go-to-market strategy designed to fill the gaps in your team, improve your employer brand, and strengthen your connections with existing and future employees.

At Everpool Recruitment, we specialise in assisting engineering firms in acquiring top talent. With a track record of successfully placing thousands of candidates, we understand the unique needs of the engineering industry. If you’re looking to enhance your team with skilled professionals or explore new opportunities, contact us today at 0151 556 2090 or email us at info@everpoolrecruitment.com.

Demand for skilled IT employees is increasing in 2024, and unemployment levels are dropping. However, there’s still significant competition in the market among candidates in this industry. Faced with a complex economic landscape, employers are limited in the opportunities they can offer.

If you want to optimise your chances of getting the ideal role this year, you must demonstrate the skills employers are searching for.

It’s not just technical skills that recruiters prioritise today, but a range of soft skills too, from exceptional communication to resilience.

To ensure you can stay relevant in the current recruitment market, we’re exploring the most important hard and soft skills you should concentrate on as you invest in professional development for 2024 and beyond.

The Value of Hard Skills in 2024

Hard skills, or “technical skills”, are the quantifiable abilities that most recruiters will look at when reviewing your application for a IT role. They’re the competencies you need to accomplish the responsibilities and tasks of a specific job.

Hard skills result from the knowledge, training, and experience you’ve gained throughout your career.

Unfortunately, the hard skill requirements for many roles evolve all the time. Employees need to quickly adapt to new systems, tools, and processes that didn’t exist in the past.

The key to defining which hard skills you need to develop in your IT role is to examine industry trends and job descriptions in your sector.

Look at things like:

Relevant qualifications: Most employers in the IT landscape will look for evidence of your abilities through credentials, including certifications, degrees, demonstration of continuing professional development portfolios, or attending courses.
Proficiency with specific tools: All industries, including the IT sector, rely on specific tools like hardware and software. Ensure you know the resources your chosen business uses daily, such as accounting or design software.
Hard communication skills: Hard communication skills combine soft communication skills with new technologies and business goals. They can include skills in digital communication, copywriting, reading, writing, and speaking in a non-native language.
Transferable hard skills: Some hard skills are becoming relevant in all industries. Project management skills, proficiency with data analysis, and even management or leadership skills can be valuable to various IT roles.

Digital Literacy: The Non-Negotiable Skill Set

Perhaps the most significant hard skills employers require today align with “digital literacy”. As mentioned above, virtually every company in the IT industry is in the midst of a continuous digital transformation process.

Your ability to use and adapt to new technology will make you a valuable resource to your employer, even if you’re not pursuing a tech-related role. In fact, according to Forbes, around 93% of businesses are struggling to fill a “digital skills gap” today.

The specific digital skills you need will vary depending on your role, but they may include:

Data analysis: Understanding and interpreting data is valuable in any role, as it improves your problem-solving capabilities. Using tools like Excel and SQL to manage and visualise data will make you a highly appealing candidate.
Software proficiency: As noted above, most roles require employees to use specific software to accomplish tasks. This could include project management, calendaring, team collaboration apps, or specific design or data processing solutions.
I. proficiency: Artificial Intelligence is here to stay in all industries. Learning how to work with generative A.I. applications and bots or use intelligence to optimise and learn from data or business trends is a must in today’s world.
Cybersecurity: As digital threats continue escalating in the IT landscape, your ability to safely work with tools and data is paramount. Ensure you have a basic knowledge of protecting your online accounts and avoid scam and phishing attacks.
Cloud computing: Cloud computing has transformed how businesses operate, offering access to scalable resources over the internet. A fundamental knowledge of cloud computing best practices will help you to thrive in today’s digital world.

Soft Skills: The Unseen Backbone of Professionalism

Soft skills have always been essential to any role in the IT industry. In today’s digitally transforming world, however, they’re more crucial than ever. Fast Company reports that employers increasingly value “soft skills” over hard skills.

Soft skills refer to character traits and interpersonal skills that characterise a person’s ability to interact effectively with colleagues.

The combination of both soft and hard skills and knowledge results in an employee who has the potential to contribute and perform at a higher level than peers who are less skilled in one or both areas.

Some soft skills, such as collaborating well with colleagues, have always been essential. Others have grown more crucial in recent years.

In 2024, IT employers will be looking for staff members that show skills with:

Creative problem solving: The ability to look at an issue from various perspectives and develop creative resolutions.
Every business faces problems, and your ability to respond effectively will make you a valuable asset.
Adaptability and resilience: As the world continues to evolve at a break-neck speed, resilience and adaptability are becoming more crucial.
You’ll be a better employee if you can manage change effectively and stay strong in the face of stress and challenges.
Commitment to continuous learning: According to the World Economic Forum, 44% of employees’ core skills will change in the next five years. A commitment to lifelong learning and development ensures you can adapt to the changing landscape.
Motivation and self-management: The ability to act independently and maintain high motivation is crucial today.
An ability to manage your own time and stay focused will make you more efficient in your role and inspire the teams around you.
Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to recognise and respond effectively to your emotions and the feelings of people around you, will help you contribute to a positive company culture.

Communication Skills: Your Career Amplifier

In essential IT soft skills, communicating effectively is perhaps the most valuable thing today’s employers are looking for. Excellent communication has always been necessary to ensure a thriving company culture.

However, in today’s hybrid and remote work world, fantastic communication skills are particularly crucial with changing collaboration strategies and evolving worldwide teams.

Strong communication skills are pivotal to working effectively with others, communicating with customers and clients, and thriving in your role.

Grammarly found that poor communication in the workplace can lead to a range of problems, from increased stress levels for 50% of workers to a 15% drop in productivity.

Assess your communication skills and focus on improving:

Verbal communication skills: The ability to speak clearly, using your knowledge of a situation, and emotional intelligence to your advantage.
Visual communication skills: Your ability to use graphs, charts, and maps when necessary to add context to a statement or guide other team members.
Digital communication skills: Leveraging various communication tools for online calls, messaging, and video conferencing sessions.

Frequently ask for feedback from your peers, managers, and supervisors to help you pinpoint potential gaps in your ability to communicate.

Integrating and Balancing Skill Sets

Success in today’s competitive IT landscape relies on your ability to cultivate and constantly improve a wide selection of hard, soft, and digital competencies. You need a plan for constant personal development and growth to improve your chances of getting the desired role and achieving your career goals.

Committing to constantly expanding your skills based on the trends you see in your industry and your employer’s core objectives will help elevate your professional brand and improve your chances of accessing new opportunities in the IT space.

By embracing a growth mindset and investing in lifelong learning, you’ll always be in a position where you stand out among other experienced candidates in the IT industry.

At Everpool Recruitment, we specialise in empowering IT professionals with personalised guidance to navigate the job market confidently. Our expert team is here to help you secure those fantastic opportunities. Don’t wait—reach out now and take the first step towards your dream career. Contact Us Today!

Call us at 0151 556 2090 or email us here info@everpoolrecruitment.com

The Most Common Hiring Mistakes Happening in Engineering This Year

July 5, 2024

1. Hiring Too Slow

2. Neglecting The Impact of Your Employer Branding

3. Relying Solely on Traditional Recruitment Channels

4. Overlooking Soft Skills and Cultural Fit

5. Neglecting Diversity and Inclusion

6. Failing to Prioritise Candidate Experience

Overcome Common Hiring Mistakes with the Right Support

8 Easy Ways to Keep Legal Teams Motivated

June 20, 2024

1. Unify Your Team Around a Shared Vision and Goals

2. Cultivate a Culture of Appreciation with Regular Recognition

3. Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development

4. Build an Inclusive, Collaborative Environment

5. Create a Feedback Loop

6. Promote Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing

7. Empower Through Autonomy

8. Embrace Frequent and Open Communication

Why We Recommend Adding Interests and Hobbies To Your CV

June 13, 2024

The Benefits of Including Hobbies and Interests

Forge an Emotional Connection

Reinforce Relevant Skills

Demonstrate Cultural Fit

How to Choose Which Interests to Include

Relevance to the Job Role

Honesty and Authenticity

Preserving Balance

How to Incorporate Interests on Your Resume

Placement and Formatting

Relate Each Hobby to a Skill

Adding Hobbies and Interests to C.V.s

What To Expect and Ask At Your Final Stage Office and Commercial Interview

June 6, 2024

The First Step: Demonstrating Cultural Fit

Showcasing Your Skills and Experience

Asking Insightful Questions

Preparing for Different Interview Formats

Preparing for Your Final Stage Interview

Marketing Yourself As The Ideal Candidate Property Employers Need To Hire

May 23, 2024

Partnering with Recruiters: The Value of Specialist Support

Conducting Research: Know the Skills Employers Want Right Now

Optimising Your CV

Enhancing Your Online Presence

Market Yourself as the Ultimate Property Candidate

The Best Recruitment Process For Office and Commercial Companies This Year

May 9, 2024

The Groundwork: Preparing for Your Recruiting Campaign

Building a Strong Employer Brand

Optimising the Candidate Experience

Choosing Your Office and Commercial Recruitment Process

DIY Recruitment: The Pros and Cons

Internal Talent Team: Pros and Cons

Recruitment Company: Pros and Cons

Building the Ideal Recruitment Process

The Groundwork: Preparing for Your Recruiting Campaign

Building a Strong Employer Brand

Optimising the Candidate Experience

Choosing Your Office and Commercial Recruitment Process

DIY Recruitment: The Pros and Cons

Internal Talent Team: Pros and Cons

Recruitment Company: Pros and Cons

Building the Ideal Recruitment Process

Mastering Your Video Interview This Year

May 9, 2024

First: Know the Video Interview Format

Mastering the Technical Aspects of Your Video Interview

Preparing your Video Bio

Eliminating Distractions

Mastering Your Video Interviews This Year

The Ultimate Guide to Managing Poor Accountancy & Finance Employee Performance

April 25, 2024

Understanding the Root Causes of Poor Performance

Addressing Poor Performance: The Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Implementing Effective Communication Strategies

Step 2: Developing Personal Improvement Plans

Overcoming Poor Workplace Performance

How to Use a Go-To-Market Strategy for Engineering Recruitment