Since the pandemic and with technology advancing, the opportunities provided remotely are constantly increasing. Cloud computing and the internet encourage a collaborative workforce from any location. Employees can easily access applications, work emails, and so on. Remote work promotes a more flexible setup that can accommodate staff from all backgrounds and locations.
Having said that, you should ensure that you can productively work without having to be supervised. In addition to this, you should make sure you have a designated workspace that is clear and away from distractions.
Sifting through a never-ending list of job ads, repeatedly applying for roles, constantly posting your CV (which may not have been polished by a professional), or not having a recruiter to help guide you. All of the mentioned can negatively impact your job prospects.
The ideal recruitment consultant will be well-versed in your desired industry. They will get to know you and try to understand your strengths and interests, as well as what you are looking for, before placing you in roles that match those interests.
Recruiters can help you tailor your CV to the job and present yourself effectively. I.e., what to wear, tips to help you better face an interview, and how to portray yourself to the hiring manager. Recruiters communicate with hiring companies. Because of this, they will have inside knowledge to relay information to you.
In cases where candidates are currently employed but also actively searching for a new position, they may not want their current employer to know that they are actively looking for a new job. In situations such as this, it is beneficial to have a recruiter, so you do not have to post your CV publicly on job boards or forums.
Your recruiter will keep an eye out for any roles that match your interests and if they become available.
The common misconception surrounding contract work is that it is often viewed as less valuable when compared to permanent roles. However, those who prefer contract work over permanent positions may be doing so because they want to supplement their income while furthering their education, supporting their families, starting a new business, and so on. Contractual work also comes with a host of benefits. For example, more often than not, it comes with a higher salary.
Working in temporary positions can help you build your skills and experience. As technology advances, the need to adapt and progress your skills becomes increasingly important for long-term employability.
As opposed to permanent roles, contract work has far more flexibility over work hours. Additionally, you can take on work that will enable you to focus on your day-to-day life.
In most cases, people believe that contract work pays less. Although this may be the case for entry-level roles, it is not the same for the more skilled employees. Contract pay rates are often higher to compensate for the lack of long-term job security. Effectively, a contractor could earn as much as, if not more, in six months as opposed to the same role in a long-term position over the course of a year’s income.
Contract roles are in high demand, and this model is expected to continue to grow and evolve. In a lot of cases, companies have short-term projects that do not require full-time staff to be employed. Due to this, hiring companies are looking to find temporary specialists to come in and complete their projects, creating plenty of roles and opportunities in the process. As a result, temporary jobs will become available to go hand in hand with what you are looking for, your interests, skills, and experience.
Taking time off can be difficult in a permanent role, especially when compared to a contracting job. With contract roles, you can take breaks in-between jobs. However, with permanent positions, it can be awkward to schedule time off of work. Unlike in a permanent role, contractors will have an agreed end date for the projects they are working on to plan their private lives around.
Job hunting whilst already being employed can be a bit of a challenge. Looking for a job can be time-consuming at the best of times, but doing so while at your current setup is an added pressure. A pressure that requires you to be discreet as you do not want to lose your current job.
Do not discuss your intention to switch jobs with your co-workers because there is always the risk that this information will reach your superiors. Once management finds out, it could result in a toxic atmosphere and even being let go.
Do not use company devices to carry out non-work-related affairs. Work devices always leave a digital footprint. Instead, use a personal contact number, email address, and a non-work-issued device with your own data plan instead of company Wi-Fi.
List down your previous employers as your referees and let them know in advance that you are doing so.
Be sure to update your LinkedIn account with your most recent accomplishments and achievements. Make sure that you use an updated and professional photo.
Although you might feel dejected and like your current position is not the right fit for you. Try and continue to be a team player and maintain a positive attitude. Complete your tasks on time and remain professional—it is only a matter of time before you get an opportunity to land an interview and secure a new role. So be patient and bide your time.
Maintain a positive attitude and focus on moving forward. You’re probably dissatisfied with your current job, but focus on what you’ve gained and learned from your previous experiences. You might have even figured out what doesn’t work for you and what you want to avoid in your next role. Regardless of your situation with your current employer, you do not want to come across as unprofessional or immature when talking about your experience in your next interview. You could end up portraying yourself as being untrustworthy.
Make it clear that you would appreciate it if only the necessary people were involved in your job searching process.
Ensure that your interviews are scheduled during non-work hours. Continue to be productive at work and suggest a time when you are free to attend interviews. Additionally, don’t ask to be interviewed right after a meeting; this could throw you off as you could dwell on what just happened. Attempt to book an interview on a day off, or if you have to, do it over a lunch break, create as much time as possible to be mentally prepared.
Cover Letters and Their Purpose
A cover letter should consist of a page that is addressed to the interviewer and encloses your interest in the role you are applying for. Along with your contact information, it should include details that could be found on your CV.
The purpose of a cover letter is to market yourself by expressing your skills, qualifications, and experience (in relation to the job description). This is to set you apart from other candidates, proving you are the best fit for the role.
Writing a Cover Letter
Express your current employment status and why you are looking to work elsewhere
Every candidate has different reasons for choosing to apply for new roles. If you are currently employed, it is best to express the reason behind your decision to look elsewhere. Reasons could include wanting more experience, a change in work environment, or a personal interest.
Addressing your cover letter
Ensure that your letter is addressed to the appropriate hiring manager. If you find yourself in a situation where you do not know the name of your hiring manager, it is best to simply begin your letter with ‘To whom it may concern’.
Why should they choose you?
Use your cover letter as an opportunity to express why you are the best candidate for this role. Highlight your strengths, be it through your accomplishments, experience, skills, qualifications, or personality traits.
This is also a good chance to showcase the research you have done into studying the company, its culture, how it aligns with your interests and skills, and what you can bring to the table to enhance the company’s image and performance.
Grammar and spelling mistakes
Make sure that your letter is brief and free of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Think of a cover letter as a direct reflection of you as an employee and your attention to detail.
Closing Statements
Express your willingness to join the team and be a great addition to the company. Let them know that you are available to be contacted at any point and invite them to get back in touch with you.
A sample cover letter
Dear <<Name of Hiring Manager>> / To whom this may concern,
I am writing to you with regard to the advertisement for the role of Senior Project Manager on https://www.spinwellglobal.com/vacancies/vacancy-search-results.aspx Attached below is a copy of my CV.
Listed below are my qualifications and experiences that match the job description:
In my current/most recent role, my responsibilities included:
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at your convenience. My details are available on my CV and I look forward to hearing from you
Kind Regards,
<<Name>>
Telephone interviews are increasingly becoming the norm for a number of reasons; some might include those relating to location differences, costs, time, and more.
We’ll go over a few fairly common mistakes to avoid to help you with your next phone interview.
Although this may seem like an easy way to take down notes while speaking to the interviewer/hiring manager, it can also become difficult for the person on the other end to hear you. The risk of being misunderstood by the interviewer is not worth the risk.
Preparation is always key. Do your research into the company and find out about their morals and values.
Practise answering a few sample interview questions that may be available online. “Where do you see yourself in X years?” and “Tell me about yourself” are examples of such questions. Try not to read your answers off of your notes; you can start to sound unnatural and mechanical. By all means, have your bullet points and your CV in front of you as subtle reminders.
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t know where you stood after a phone call? If the interview went well, what the next step will be? It is always beneficial to let the interviewer know how keen and interested you are in the role and ask what to do next.
When asked a question, answer directly to what they’ve asked, because they’ll be asking it for a reason. Try not to talk around the question or give information that is irrelevant to what is being put forward to you. Rambling can cause the interviewer to lose interest and zone out. Therefore, keep your replies to under a minute, short, crisp, and to the point.
The lack of confidence you project to the interviewer will likely reflect on yourself as an inadequate candidate. Portray yourself with the utmost confidence and in a way that can assure success for the company. Be assertive with the ideas you put forward and let them know you are the right person for the job.
In any job search process, it is key that you have a well-structured CV with all the essential information set out in a neat, concise, and clear manner. Hiring managers use CVs to help them shortlist candidates, and so it is vital that your CV is formatted correctly.
Be brief and direct. Highlight your achievements, skills, experience, and qualifications. However, make sure that it is relevant to the role that you are applying for. Your personal statement should consist of a few short sentences, so keep it to the point.
It is common practise to list your past employment history in reverse chronological order, i.e., your most recent job role, company you worked for, and length of your period there should be at the top.
It is best to list the aforementioned in bullet points, showcasing your steady growth and successes. For your educational qualifications, make sure to include the dates you attended as well as any awards or grades you may have received.
Mention that your references are available on request. The purpose of this is to support the information on your CV and for the hiring company to carry out their own due diligence.
Avoid spelling and grammar errors; they may hurt your chances of getting the job because they can be interpreted as laziness or a lack of attention to detail.
Phrases such as “team player,” “detail-oriented,” and “hard worker” are overused. You want to stand out, so show what differentiates you from the rest and what makes you unique. Instead, use examples of how you have applied a skill to your job.
It is always best to explain why you were unemployed during certain periods of your career history. Reasons may range from termination of contract, health issues, prioritising family, and so on.
With regards to any illness, if it took place over a decade ago, it is not worth mentioning. However, if it took place fairly recently, it is only fair that you explain it to some degree. This may involve you explaining that although you did take some time off for your health, you have bounced back and are ready for work.
For reasons relating to termination of contract, it is understandable for you to have a gap in your employment. However, in this case, what hiring managers/employers pay attention to is what you were doing during the break; if you attended any training courses or workshops to enhance your skills, did some community volunteer work, etc.
Do you have a CV that is complete and ready to be put forward for job applications? Send it to us at– https://www.spinwellglobal.com/registration.aspx and get hired.
Perhaps you are currently unemployed and looking for work, or you might even be employed but are actively looking for something different-how do you go about it? Let’s go over the top three approaches for getting the process started.
Spinwell is delighted to have received re-accreditation for JOSCAR for the second consecutive year. To be approved with this accreditation for a second time in as many years demonstrates and highlights a continuous commitment to following industry standards.
What is JOSCAR (Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register)?
JOSCAR is a trusted collaborative tool used by an ever-growing group of buyers in the aerospace, defence and security industry. This list acts as an exclusive directory of trusted suppliers for buyers to choose from. All suppliers that are listed must be approved and checked thoroughly before being accredited. JOSCAR offers buyers the chance to search for trusted suppliers effectively, using the accreditation as a pre-qualification in addition to offering compliance information for those seeking assistance.
JOSCAR is partnered with a third-party risk management and information supplier, Hellios. The partnership of JOSCAR and Hellios means that background checks and audits of suppliers are carried out with the upmost efficiency. JOSCAR uses a multisectoral analysis spanning the companies’ capabilities’, level of information security, ethical, social and communal responsibility, financial history and other accreditations.
All suppliers that have completed the JOSCAR process will have their data made available to any of the buyers on JOSCAR, operating as a buyer-led hub.
What are the Benefits of JOSCAR?
Any company that displays the JOSCAR accreditation can be trusted as a “fit for business” supplier. The information provided during the assessment for this accreditation must be faultless, and in doing so it helps both suppliers and buyers manage their risk and reputation.
Spinwell being JOSCAR registered brings a host of benefits for our clients, listed below is just a few of them:
How can Spinwell Help?
Being re-accredited with JOSCAR enables Spinwell to continue providing quality staffing solutions. Our team can identify key talent to supplement and enhance your current workforce, including any security check queries. We are always more than happy to discuss any requirements, so please do get in touch:
IDVT stands for Identity Document Validation Technology. This is soon to be the go-to way for British and Republic of Ireland passport holders to be verified for employment. IDVT has been introduced by the Home Office, where employers and recruiters like Spinwell will complete verification checks on candidates digitally.
The new IDVT verification checks will come into force on the 1st October 2022. The IDVT check is being introduced on the backend of the pandemic and how verification checks were carried out over this period. Under the previous system, checks used to be held over a video call between the employer and candidate. Nevertheless, this is about to change, employers will now be required to review documents digitally but meet with British and Republic of Ireland candidates in person if the candidate does not hold an up-to-date passport.
Upon review of the previous systems that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, both employers and the government alike could see the benefits of carrying out verification checks remotely. However, this left a sense of paranoia as it left room for fraudulent activity. Employers were not able to check over the identification documents physically, leaving chance for them to be doctored with.
The introduction of IDVT into the verification process can help promise that employees in waiting are verified using a method that poses a greatly reduced risk for employers.
IDVT only works when a holder’s passport (including Irish passport cards) is in date. IDVT processes and analyses the documents provided by the prospective employee through a digital identity service provider (IDSP) to complete the digital element of the right to work checks.
By allowing people to upload images of their personal documents as opposed to presenting them physically to employers, it means that the onboarding process is sped up.
Employers who do not carry out these checks correctly or in its entirety will face repercussions. Employers can expect fines of up to £20,000 per falsely checked employee, varying case to case.
If you cannot be security checked by IDVT (currently about 32% cannot), what are your options? The pandemic has encouraged more organisations to adopt a hybrid working model, so those who do not have a ‘physical place of work’ are facing issues. It may result in the need to meet face-to-face in a mutually convenient location or send your documentation via a secure service to a client’s place of business. We understand your apprehension. Waiting until you attend your new role isn’t an option, so efforts to ensure these checks are completed will be vital to ensure you can get to work right away.
For oversees workers, a BRP (Biometric Residents Permit) card or an E-Visa was introduced on 6th April 2022. The BRP was introduced to replace work permits that were previously included within passports for non-British and non-Republic of Ireland workers. By providing copies and images of personal documentation the process has become digitalised. After employers receive permission to conduct the check, candidates will provide a ‘share code’ and their date of birth so that employers can obtain the right to work documentation.
Alternatively, where permitted, employers and recruiters alike can use the Home Office online services which provides right to work in real time direct from Home Office systems.
Here at Spinwell, we have thoroughly prepared for the change in identity checks whatever your circumstances may be. If you aren’t sure how the changes will impact you, please contact your recruitment consultant who will be more than happy to help.
info@spinwellglobal.com | 02035109454