Archive for the ‘Innovative Recruitment’ Category

What Next for Employers

Okay, so we’ve sent you a list of candidates.  You’ve reviewed them, seen their videos, read their CVs, and narrowed them down to a short list.  What next? Before the interview (it’s a long topic worthy of it’s own blog post), what should you be doing to prepare?

The most important thing is figuring out what you want. Obviously you want a new member of staff or you wouldn’t be hiring, but what is it that you’re really looking for in an employee?  Do you want someone creative?  Someone who’ll work lots of overtime when it’s necessary?  Someone who fits in with the team culture?  Someone with very set ideas, or someone who you can mould in the company’s image?  Thinking about this before will help you stay focused during the interview process, and help you to determine which candidates are right for your current needs.

You should do a bit of homework on the candidate before they arrive.  Read their CV, watch their video on our website, but also consider digging a bit deeper.  You could, for example, spend a couple minutes researching their previous company, an orginisation they volunteer for, or even an unusual pastime they have written about on their CV.  The idea behind this is to get a well-rounded view of this candidate.  This will help you to see who will best fit the slot you are looking to fill, and will also give you more to discuss during the interview.  An added bonus is that candidates will usually enjoy the fact that you took a couple extra minutes to consider their backgrounds and will likely think more highly of your company as a result.

Finally, spend a couple minutes thinking about how to sell this position.  Interviews are a two-way street (yes, even in these tough economic times) and candidates are using the interview process to interview you right back.  So think about why they would want this position beforehand.  Is there lots of room for growth in your organisation?  Do you offer unusually good benefits?  Do you offer flexi-time, or maybe have a gym on-site? Is the work itself interesting and challenging?  Once you know the answers to these questions, you’ll be able to convey them to candidates during the interview, which will sell them on the position.

Happy hiring!

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Job Seekers & Employers

Job seekers have long been told that they should have an elevator pitch, but it’s excellent advice for employers as well.

First of all, what is an elevator pitch?   It’s a short, concise, description of yourself or your company/role that can be delivered in the time it takes to ride an elevator.  This can be helpful for a couple reasons.  It’s important to be able to sell yourself at any time, to anyone you might happen to meet.  Even more importantly, thinking up an elevator pitch will help you focus on your most important selling points.  It’s worth taking a few minutes to think about what you would tell someone about yourself or the role you’re hiring for, if you only had time to discuss the most important points.

Job hunters, you never know who you’ll meet or when you’ll meet them.  You need to be ready to explain to a potential employer why they should hire you, even if you meet them while standing in line for a takeaway.  Stranger things have happened!  It’s also important for you to keep it in mind during interviews.  Even if they don’t ask that exact question, interviewers will be wondering why they should hire you.  Knowing your elevator pitch will keep your answers focused on the reasons you’re great for the job.

Employers, you should also have a pitch.  Although it may seem like you hold all the cards, employees are also scoping you out to see if you’ll be a good fit in their lives.   They’ll want to know what you offer.  Is it a role with a great chance for advancement?  Is there a gym in the building?  Do you offer a great pension, 30 days holiday, or flexible working?  What’s interesting about the role?  Why should the best and brightest employees on the job market be tripping all over themselves to get hired?

So, take 5 minutes and think of your elevator pitch. You never know when you’ll need it!

Dana G.

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Answers to Questions

We’ve had a quite few questions about security temp positions since my last blog post, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to answer some of the more common ones for you.

Why would I need temporary security staff?

There are a lot of situations where temporary security staff could come in handy.  Sometimes employers who regularly use security staff might need extra hands for bigger events.

Other times, places that don’t normally use security staff might need them.  At David Alan, we will staff anything from an outdoor picnic to large sporting or social events.

And, of course, we will provide cover if your regular security staff are unavailable to work.

How does David Alan screen their security staff?

First, we take a comprehensive job spec, which we use to advertise the role.  From our applicants, we choose a shortlist to be invited in for interviews.

All pretty standard so far, but here’s the David Alan twist: We capture the interviews on film, and send the video clip along with their CVs to the candidate.  This allows them to see the candidate’s unique personalities and make an informed decision about who they’d like to interview.

Do David Alan security staff come with uniforms or equipment?
If uniforms or equipment are required, they are supplied by the client so they can meet their specific specifications.

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Tips for Temps

Now that I’ve (hopefully) sold you on temping, here are some ways to do a great job of it.

Treat it like a real job (because it is one).  This might seem like a no-brainer, but many temps show up late, don’t dress professionally, or do the bare minimum that’s asked of them.  This obviously does not reflect well on the temp, and in extreme cases, might actually get them dismissed from the role.

Be honest with your agency.  If your agency asks if you have experience with a specific skill, instrument or procedure, do not lie.  Telling a lie might get your foot in the door initially, but the employer has requested those skills because they are necessary in order to do the job.  As soon as it becomes apparent that you lied, you will be sent packing.  Worse, you will have tarnished your, and your agency’s, reputations.

Consider being a bit flexible.  Your agent might suggest a role that might not fall in line with your long-term career goals.  It’s okay to be a bit picky and wait for your dream role, but it’s also okay to branch out a little bit and try something new.

Ask how you can help.  If your to-do pile is already done, don’t just sit around staring at the wall and waiting for new work to come in.  By offering to help, you are making yourself valuable to the organisations. Again, this is the type of thing hiring managers look for.

Keep job hunting.  If you are temping because you haven’t yet found the right full time job, don’t let the fact that you are temping stop you from applying.  Temping is a great way of meeting people, learning new skills, and earning some money but most temp roles will not go on indefinitely.  It’s important to keep your CV up to date and to keep applying for jobs.

Dana G.

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How Temping Can Help You Get Ahead

Some people who are looking for permanent positions have told me they do not like temp roles.  One friend even told me it’s akin to dating the wrong guy –  the right guy could come along and she wouldn’t even notice because she would be too busy with Mr. Wrong!  This friend of mine is actually missing out on some wonderful opportunities.

Working as a temp is a great way to hone a wide range of skills.  Temps work with a variety of different computer programs, in a variety of different environments, with a variety of different people. When filling out job applications or answering interview questions, someone who has been temping can confidently answer that they have experience with a wide variety of situations.  Temping demonstrates flexibility, desire to work, and ability to function in to a variety of different conditions.  These are qualities that make a prospective employee appear very attractive to a hiring manager.

Temping is an outstanding way to network and show off your skills. Even if there are no jobs currently available, the next time a role opens up, an impressive temp will be the first to get a phone call.  Many employers also like to hire on a temp-to-perm basis, so they can evaluate the employees skills before committing to hiring them long term.  If you go in to a temp role and wow them, there’s a very real possibility that you could be offered a full time contract.

Employers know that temps are generally in the process of job hunting, and if the situation allows, some of them might be a bit more flexible when it comes to time off for interviews.  This obviously varies by industry and employer, so use your judgment.

Finally, working as a temp allows you try a variety of different jobs on for size.  You might even discover a hidden talent!

Dana G.

 

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Job Hunters: Why use an Agency?

Job hunters, listen up: It’s tough out there these days.  Between skyrocketing unemployment rates, stiff competition for every available job, laborious online job applications, and the old adage that it isn’t what you know but who you know that will find you employment, today’s job seekers need every friend they can get.

And that’s where recruitment specialists (especially David Alan) come in!  We are the first to hear about many available roles, and can quickly match them to qualified candidates.  We know what the employer is looking for, so you won’t waste time applying for positions you aren’t suited or qualified for.  Best of all, we know you.  And that means we can sell you.

Being faced with a stack of CVs as an employer is daunting.  When a trusted consultant tells them that they have a perfect candidate to fill a vacancy, that candidate will go straight to the top of their stack.

Once your CV has been read, and an interview has been scheduled, a consultant can give you inside information about the hiring manager.  What are they looking for?  What do they want to hear?  These are advantages you can only get by using a consultant.

Some agencies even offer special services.  For example, at David Alan we offer a Talking Heads service, where we videotape our candidates.  This allows employers to get a better feel for potential candidates and select the ones they feel would best fit into their orginisation.  This is of benefit to job hunters as well.  Some CVs might be overlooked, but upon “meeting” a candidate on video, an employer might deicde they would be a perfect fit.

Finally, recruitment consultants are trained and experienced in finding people jobs. As a job hunter, why wouldn’t you want an expert on your side, especially at no cost to you?

Dana G.

 

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How I Found David Alan Recruitment

David Alan Consultancy

Like any good job hunter, whenever I see a missed call I immediately hop on Google to see who (or which job opportunity) has rung. Late one afternoon, I found myself Googling David Alan Recruitment’s number.  I’d never heard of them before, but after checking to make sure they were legitimate, I rang them back.

I was greeted by Rosanne, the bubbly, enthusiastic managing director.  She told me about a secretarial role that she thought I’d be great for.  I told her I wasn’t interested as I am attempting to find communications roles.  Most recruiters would have thanked me for ringing back at that point, and put down the phone.

Instead, Rosanne asked what kind of roles I was seeking, and when I told her I was after communications roles, and I’m trying to get my foot in the door in the charity sector, she told me she had a short term position at a charity for the next week.  I was overjoyed!  She suggested we meet for a coffee to discuss.  She was warm, engaging, and really listed to what I wanted.

In the end, not only did she place me in a short-term charity role, she also offered to let me work on her social media for David Alan! Wins all around. David Alan gets an extra hand on deck, and I get valuable communications experience!

Dana G.

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Recruitment trade press talks about video recruitment

Recruitment trade press talks about video recruitment

There was a piece in last weeks Recruiter Magazine online which caught my eye. Well, it would, as it was about the use of video in the recruitment process, a viewpoint put out by Andrew Wilkinson, CEO at TMP Worldwide and we specialise in video recruiting as part of our talent placement toolkit.

If you’ve not seen my blog until now, please do take a moment to scroll through and you’ll see that at David Alan, we’ve been using our video interviewing service for a long while now which was as well received from day one as it is today. What’s more, we know we are saving clients up to 50% of the entire recruitment process: the HR Directors’ time and the company’s money.

In the feature, Andrew Wilkinson is reported to have told Recruiter, “Video allows you to bring to life the brand in a way that other types of creative channels don’t.”

And what I receive firsthand on a regular basis via client feedback, is that our video clips, produced for the client at our cost, presented with the traditional CV, totally showcases our candidates.

I am so thrilled to be working in this amazing sector hunting for new talent and presenting the right talent to my clients.

Video has significantly changed the way this industry now works.

Bring it on I say.

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The Talent Hunter Rules, OK?

The Talent Hunter Rules, OK?

At David Alan, we take great care in our talent hunting – our due diligence, fast results, the right result first time, our reputation and unique video interview technique is what we are well known for.

Here are what we call ‘The Rules’ – if you’re responsible for the recruitment process in your organisation and you’re not getting this approach, give us a call on 020 8458 7351. We can not only save you 50% of the time you spend on the process but we can save you money too.

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Why should you choose David Alan Consultants for your recruitment process?

Why should you choose David Alan Consultants for your recruitment process?

We specialise in placing staff that last and last – why? Because of the care we take from the outset to ensure we match the right talent to the right roles. We’re very particular in this area because we don’t want to waste time or money and our motivation is to provide the best selection process of the best candidates possible.

We believe the way to recruit these days is to enhance the quality of the process making it easier for you to choose the very best candidates for your unique roles.. At David Alan we are specialists in talent matching and we do it in a specific way.

We thoroughly interview each short-listed candidate, short-listed in the first instance by us, matching skills with experience and we are diligent to match candidates to your organizations’ culture. After all, our goal is to spoil you for choice when making the decision.

Our video interview technique literally brings CVs to life so that when you see the traditional CV with a specially filmed clip of the candidates we believe would be fantastic for your role, answering the questions you provided us, that you really want to hear answered, you can make a faster informed decision on who to interview.

Two weeks ago we filmed our new promotional movie for the website. We hope this gives a clear message of how we make incredible talent VISIBLE. Please do take a moment to view via http://www.david-alan.com/

It is our pleasure to share this endorsement we recently received with you:

The David Alan Consultants video interview service saves time and money when recruiting. It makes perfect sense to be able to see/hear shortlisted candidates before interview. This is the interview way of the future.

Bev James, MD of the Entrepreneurs’ Business Academy – Passionate about your success and The Coaching Academy – Inspiring Coaching, Inspiring Success

Here is a link to our Testimonials page.

What’s the next step for you?

We would love to schedule a 15 minute appointment with you, at your offices so that you can view our revolutionary recruitment process first-hand in a short presentation.

If you would like to sharpen your recruitment process, save up to 75% of your time and money AND have the pick of the crop of talent shortlisted for you, please give us a call to book your appointment.

How may we help you?

Rosanne@david-alan.com – assuring you of my personal attention at all times

David Alan Consultants, on the hunt for exceptional talent on your behalf

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