So many of the issues we encounter in relationships are due to false assumptions! Often it is the tone that we add to the email someone has sent or the day that we’re having that projects how we interpret the txt that is driving us crazy!  When someone asks if you’ve...

I live in a village where there is a low station bridge… You would not believe how many times a month there is a call out because a lorry or van has got stuck underneath!  This image is from our local village Facebook group and shows yet another roadblock where the...

What do the words wedding, anti-aging and organic all have in common? Well, you’ll notice if you put any of these words ahead of a product… they tend to treble the price!! So, what would you think to the word Exclusive? More expensive right? Actually, in K.A.G’s case,...

Did you know that only 18% of GCSE girls consider Engineering courses? AND Did you know that over 56% of women leave engineering within 10 years? Why? I think there are a number of reasons to explain these stats.  Schools have been saying for years that they are...

You’re trained in every aspect of your job except one… Recruitment. Whether you have been given the authority to hire without prior training or have been learning as you go at interviewing, you are risking a key decision-making process. If you have ever watched The...

I was talking to a client the other day about a historic success story of a female high-flyer in a male dominated industry.  The sector was in fire and security, which in the early 00s was notoriously male.  In a team of 10 field salespeople, there was only one woman....

What do you need? I did a survey recently about what you thought was the most important trait of working with an agency. The results were: Trust 36% Communication 36% Quality 18% Cost 9% Interestingly, trust and communication were the joint top 2 traits which shows...

I disagreed with a post recently about the agency sales process and how agencies should ‘stop sending in their CEOs to charm people as most are not that charming’. Regardless of the size of your recruitment agency, the CEO should still have an interest in new...

There aren’t many recruiters out there who are so confident in their candidate’s suitability for your job that they are prepared to interview them alongside you!  From my experience, many recruiters walk a middle path when it comes to candidates, hedging their bets...

Recruitment fees have always been a barrier in our industry. Talking to a client recently, though, I see how much certain agencies are charging to further exasperate the problem. The manufacturing business had recently recruited someone in their finance department...

Returning to work – what do you look for when returning to work? Dears? What’s important? Returning to work after a long period of time can be daunting.  For women particularly, if they have taken a long period off to raise a family; confidence and self-worth can feel...

I read a post a couple of weeks ago by a Talent Acquisition Manager that sparked a debate in our team about how we and other agencies are perceived. In the post, she talked about how Talent Acquisition have a much more strategic approach to recruiting compared with...

I spoke to a prospective client the other day who had a folder of over 70 emails in her inbox from recruitment agencies wanting to work with her business.  She simply didn’t have time to engage with any of them.  Another potential client, Svenja Brandenburg, said that...

Pick and mix benefits Let’s face it, attracting the best talent to your business can be really challenging; particularly if your industry isn’t the most glamourous!  I spoke to an Operational Excellence Coordinator a few weeks ago who said that working in the food...

This week is my candidate focus and how you can attract the best talent to your team. Job adverts are often the first thing a candidate sees about a business so it is key that you are giving the best impression from the offset about the type of opportunity there is...

In a meeting the other day with a client, I heard something quite disturbing about how some agencies operate.  They wait until the rebate terms have been cleared for the placed candidate, then re-spec the candidate into another role!!! Talk about taking the biscuit!...

I was talking to a client the other day about CVs and how so many candidates could do with help regarding how to format, edit and present their skills on paper. The standard format is 2 pages with personal statement, education, experience and interests.  Yet, having...

I watched my favourite film, Jerry Maguire, the other night for the first time in years. Ah, I love it so much.  The entrepreneurial journey, the buddy friendship, the cute kid, the romance – it’s got everything! What struck me having not seen it in a very long time...

I have always centred my recruitment career around NEW business.  Why not old business?  Why not a warm client?  Because what has been and gone before you is NOT under your control. The phrase ‘it is easier to give birth than raise the dead’ is a phrase that my Dad...

I talk to so many people in HR that have an overwhelming amount of responsibility under their remit.  One HR Professional I spoke to the other day not only had recruitment under her job title but also payroll for the entire organisation!  Talk about two of the most...

It’s one of those cute phrases that pops up on Instagram when you least expect it. But I’m starting to see that there is truth in these words. How often do we put things off?  Avoid the uncomfortable?  Avoid putting our own needs first?  How often do we resist asking...

We work on average 1,866 hours per year.  That’s not counting the overtime, the business trips away, the training and the conferences we attend. If you are unhappy at work, generally this translates to being unhappy with life. In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear...

I read an interesting concept called the see-saw principle in Susan David’s book Emotional Agility.  It discussed the idea behind being over-competent at your job compared with being over challenged in your role. Both were extreme. If you are over-competent at your...

Recruitment on the client side of things used to be about phone calls and gatekeepers.  You get a yellow pages and work through the list of businesses to work out who the MAN was (Means, Authority, Need).  This was often done by navigating a number of gatekeepers...

We've had a few jobs this week where the job advert wasn't reflective of the actual job. This was due to not having sufficient contact with the hiring manager and being able to thrash out the finer details of what they're looking for. Recruitment is all about the...

What are some of the worst experiences you’ve had as a candidate? I’m sure you can remember one that still sticks out in your mind because a bad interview is rarely forgotten! Mine was an interview for a high street agency.  They had kept me waiting for over half an...

Are your applicants and candidates being mis-sold? Alignment in all areas of your recruitment process is KEY to attracting, retaining and succession planning future talent for your business. Yet, so few businesses are able to align their values and ethos with the...

This time of the year is great for taking stock of how far you’re come in 2023.  All those goals that you managed to achieve; often against the odds.  All those times you couldn’t see the way ahead but managed to find a solution.  All those days you woke up and...

‘Discipline your disappointment’ has been a catchphrase in my family for as long as I can remember.  I had my Dad’s words ringing in my head this weekend after not 1 but 5 kids pulled out last minute of my daughter’s little birthday party. She, fortunately, was none...

You aren’t attracting the best talent to your teams. When you do interview someone amazing, it falls through before they get started. Your teams are crying out for more support but it needs to be the right fit. You are an amazing company to work for but can’t...

I attended the Karren Brady Women in Business Event a couple of weeks ago and was lucky enough to join a Capital One roundtable hosted by Kaj Bansal and Shama Hamid. The title was The Power of Discomfort; Developing Resilience Through Change and during that roundtable...

In a recent survey, only 4% of respondents claimed that their motivation for work was pay.  More prevalent factors were their ‘sense of connection with their team, challenge in their work and feeling empowered in their roles’. Emotional Agility, Susan David This is...

Many clients, friends and family over the years have asked me this question.  They see the % fee at the time of candidate placement and wonder how we can justify it.  This was particularly challenging for me when I worked with schools who often had tight budgets and...

‘The notion of separation is our biggest delusion’Eckhart Tolle How many of us feel like we’re different, we don’t fit in or don’t belong.  Funnily enough, I think at some point in everyone’s lives they have felt like this so most people can relate to these feelings...

How frustrating is it when you’ve come to the end of the recruitment process and it all falls through?  The candidate seemed so keen at interview.  They would have been perfect for your team.  They didn’t say they had other interviews lined up… We feel your pain.  I...

What is upskilling? Upskilling involves improving the skills, knowledge and competencies of your current employees, usually through training. It gives your team the chance to build expertise and advance their professional growth. Why is it important? Employees own...

Is there a right and wrong way to change your mind about a job role? In a world where people seem to change their minds daily about decisions that affect all our lives, is there a better way? If you have applied or interviewed for a new position and have concerns...

When you are attending an interview its really important that you are prepared, this will enable you to showcase the best possible version of yourself. Please see below some tips to help you prepare: Research the company – Look at the website, news, press release,...

Getting that perfect addition to your team is one thing – ensuring that they stay there is another. Unfortunately, we hear only too often that some recruitment agencies like to play a box ticking game, placing people in a new role with no thought for the aftermath. We...

Disclosing your full package benefits employers as well as the candidate. Find out why salary transparency is vital when recruiting. We find a lot of employers can be reluctant to disclose their full package details when recruiting. We get it, it’s awkward discussing...

Recruiting is often like panning for gold. In a saturated market, it can feel like there is tons of silt to shift through to find just one piece. It feels overwhelming and inefficient. Sometimes, it is a question of not knowing where to look, mastering the perfect...

Recruiting is like dating; there is a process to finding the perfect match. Have you ever been on a blind date? You may be the most self-assured, confident person in the world but being intensely observed by another is enough to make anyone feel slightly uneasy. Not...