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
Let’s face it – finding the perfect permanent position can be tricky. Regardless of what sector you’re searching in, that dream job may be nowhere to be found for a while yet, so you must have a plan in place.
Whether you’re currently between jobs or simply looking for a change, a temporary position could be the solution to your problems. We completely understand some people desire the security of a permanent role, but temporary positions can boost your CV and make you a top candidate when the time is right!
Here are some of the benefits taking on a temporary job can provide, so you can give the option some consideration as part of your job search.
We understand that there are various reasons people can have career gaps on their CV. From redundancy to professionally retraining, not everyone has back-to-back job experience to list.
A temporary position can offer the perfect stepping stone if you’re unemployed and currently seeking a role. You could be improving on your existing skill-set and learning new ones along the way, creating a more dynamic portfolio.
Let’s face it, a temporary position is fantastic for learning and improving various skills. Working in a temporary role actually demonstrates an array of skills in itself, such as:
The list goes on, and it can be a fantastic talking point during interviews, where you can demonstrate how this experience has positively impacted your career path.
Positive word-of-mouth recommendations go a long way in your job search. Potential employers will check with previous employers on various matters, including your performance and personal attributes that made you a pinnacle member of their team.
You must ask permission from the individual to list them as a reference, but most people will be happy to provide positive feedback to your future employer. With this type of work, it can be difficult to understand whom to use as your reference, so please always check with your recruitment consultant!
Gaining experience in a new setting means new people and opportunities! Whether your temporary position is in your ideal sector or you’re trying something else, you’re bound to meet an abundance of interesting people.
Whether it’s networking internally or attending events as part of the organisation, you will become exposed to potential opportunities, such as possible job offers! If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of networking, why not take a look at our recent article?
At the end of the day, your job search can become tiring, and you may start to lose focus on what you want. The mind wanders, especially if you lose hope in finding that dream role. By looking for a temporary position, you might learn more about yourself than you think!
Whether it’s discovering a hidden passion or observing company culture, you will begin to piece together what parts of a new position are personally negotiable and non-negotiable. This can help you narrow down the job search and go after what you want.
It’s time to say goodbye. You’ve been seeking pastures anew, but the daunting task of telling your current employer you wish to resign remains. It can be incredibly difficult moving away from a job, whether it’s removing some security or simply saying goodbye to your amazing co-workers. At the end of the day, it’s important you leave on a good foot and for the right reasons – so here’s our do’s and don’ts on handing in your notice.
We understand it’s incredibly difficult to sit down in front of your seniors and tell them you’re moving on. By showing gratitude and offering an honest approach, take some time aside to inform them of your decision and offer assistance in planning how you can both move forward to ensure a smooth departure for everyone involved.
Ensure you have thoroughly checked your contract and have an understanding of the appropriate notice period required. 2 weeks tend to be the ballpark figure, however, it’s highly dependent on your role. If you’re not sure, your HR department or consultant will be able to guide you.
Make HR’s life easier, and supply a formal letter providing the following information:
Continue being a team player, and complete your role until your very last day. Whether it’s providing support to your team or assisting with the onboarding of your replacement, ensure your work ethic doesn’t dip just because you are!
We completely understand you may have a personal relationship with some of your coworkers, but avoid gossiping and boasting about your next move – especially before discussing it with your boss. If it passes through the grapevine that you’re quitting, your departure mightn’t be a pleasant one.
It can be an incredibly intimidating situation, but don’t tell little white lies to escape the awkwardness! You don’t have to lay all your cards on the table, but being honest about your decision will help your employer understand and prevent any bad blood from forming further down the line.
Exit interviews offer the opportunity to provide feedback on your experience with your current employer. We have good days, we have bad days – please do not let the bad days get the better of you!
It’s important the feedback you provide can assist your employer in making positive changes in the future, so don’t be afraid to offer some constructive criticism. There is a huge difference between constructive criticism and just having a big old moan, so ensure feedback is actionable and don’t let your emotions get on top of you.
We mean this both in terms of physical mess and mental mess for your remaining coworkers – please always ensure you leave things properly. Whether it’s clearing up files on your laptop to briefing team members properly, provide as much assistance as possible to ensure your departure is smooth for the remaining team. Sure, you don’t know what people say about you after you’re gone – but don’t partake in any activity that could make it negative!
If you feel like the time has come to say goodbye to your current role and find something new, browse the abundance of exciting opportunities on our website today or call us on +44 203 510 9454 where we’ll be more than happy to help
Here at Spinwell, we understand entirely the turbulence associated with looking for a new job – it’s what we do for a living, after all! The COVID-19 pandemic has made the labour market very different from what it was, with more people seeking alternative employment or having a complete career change.
Although growth continues at an all-time high, ONS reported that the quarterly vacancy growth fell to 1.6% from 5.4% last quarter. The current job market continues to be highly competitive, but if you’ve decided now is the time for a change, we’re here to help. Follow our recruitment experts’ simple tips:
Knowing exactly what you’re looking for is fantastic, but if you’re struggling to have any success, it’s maybe time to broaden your search.
Hybrid and remote working opportunities widen the scope for both employers and prospective employees, offering greater work/life balance and an increasingly diverse team due to a lack of restrictions by location.
If you want to stay put where you are, consider what opportunities are available around you. Have you signed up for job alerts? It’s an easy win getting applicable roles right to your inbox, saving valuable time that you can use to improve your CV!
Social media is a great place to search for your latest role. According to LinkedIn, over 75% of people who recently changed jobs used LinkedIn to inform their career decision. Many employers advertise positions on their profiles, so don’t forget to turn on your push notifications to get your application in first for any new roles!
You’ve heard it before, but ensuring your profiles are up to scratch is a quick task with great pay-offs. Removing all those embarrassing photos and using your profile to build connections and share your professional opinions helps build your personal brand, allowing potential recruiters to get great insight into your personality.
Do not, we repeat, DO NOT use the same CV for every single job application you put in. We are not advocating for you to tell lies but to tailor your CV and create a cover letter applicable to the role you’re applying for! Your experience is invaluable, so it’s important to demonstrate how it will assist you as a potential part of their organisation.
When considering why you’re the best fit for the job, The Balance Careers suggests:
● Highlighting your personality traits
● Emphasising special skills & what makes you unique
● Examples of your achievements
If you’ve landed an interview for your ideal role, congratulations! Job interviews can be incredibly nerve-racking, but being prepared can help ease this and additionally put you ahead of the competition.
It may seem like common sense, but taking the time to research the organisation you’re applying for helps you adapt your interview answers. Another top tip here is to ensure you thoroughly understand the job description, and don’t be afraid to ask for further information if you need it.
When the interview is over, and all the hard work is done, leave things on a positive note. A quick thank-you email to your recruiter may not guarantee you the role, but it’s always greatly appreciated and may make you memorable for when another role comes around.
It’s not always pleasant to hear about your shortcomings, but asking for feedback if you’ve been unsuccessful is an important learning experience that will assist you as you continue your search. Here at Spinwell, we ensure to provide our candidates with feedback, so don’t be afraid to ask your recruiter if it’s not readily available.
Good luck in your job search, don’t forget we’ve plenty of opportunities available daily
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