MONTHLY ROUNDUP

Black cloud begins to lift as SME’s begin graduate recruitment

In May the team were promised that the Summer was a chance for us to ‘take a break’ to get our heads together after the non stop telephone interviewing and assessment day we run from September to April  for our annual recruiters. The reality however has been slightly different! 

As spirits lift and budgets have slowly crept up recruitment activity has been growing, SME’s and start-up businesses have been recruiting small numbers of graduates into specialist areas. From spearheading marketing developments in the Asian markets to managing supply projects for our best known and loved Yorkshire pudding provider, graduates are being taken on board into a huge range of SME’s. 

The message seems to be for small and large businesses alike that there is and always be room for graduates but they must be able to add value and have an impact in areas of the business that really need them. 

Is the competency interview dead?

As well as our day to day activity some of our team have been getting their teeth into the talk of the moment, strengths based interviewing.

At the moment it is only being done by a few companies but it looks in time it will become the ‘norm’ and some suggests that competency interviewing may be on its last legs.  

The Resourcing Team have just rolled out a completely new strengths based telephone interviewing strategy for one of the biggest global FMCG’s which looks to completely change the way things are done. 

If you are interested in hearing more about what impact strengths based interviewing could make to your recruitment please give Holly a call [01242  236 415] and she will come out to talk to you about how it works and why it will add value. 

One thing is for sure, as the most innovative recruiters in the market embrace this new approach graduates and companies alike need to make sure they are in the know or risk being left out in the cold. 

ADVICE OF THE MONTH

As you go back to university remember, it’s never too early to be ahead of the game.

It might seem a good idea to get this first term under your belt and then come back after Christmas to start in earnest on the job hunt, DON’T. 

Most of the big players will launch their graduate programmes at the end of the September and the beginning of October. They will be out and about on campus in the Michelmas term and will in some cased be making offers and CLOSING for application in December. If you wait until your Christmas holidays to take action you might find you are already too late. 

Job hunting takes time and we won’t deny that but if you are savvy about it, it needn’t take over your life. Work out what roles you think you would like go into and whether there are particular sectors you want to do this in e.g. I want to work in sales and I would like to do this in the food and drink industry or with consumer products. From here you can search intelligently, putting time and effort into the roles you are really interested in. 

Find out plenty about the company and use a variety of sources to hep you understand their industry and the role. Engage with corporates through your Bright Futures Society, use online job boards, go out and meet companies at careers fairs and events, look at directories and printed media and finally grow your network. 

By the time you have done this you will be able to decide who you really want to apply to and make an effective application that makes you stand out from the crowd. 

Come back next month to see our hot tips on CV’s and Online Application Forms.

If you have burning question, email it to her by the 25th September and she has promised she will answer the most common and/or interesting questions in this space next month. What has she got herself into!!!

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HOTLIST - Your Future Bright Talent

This month’s hotlist focuses on Agricultural and Financial graduates and give a snapshot of the talent graduates currently seeking roles.

CORPORATES: If you are currently recruiting and would like to know more about the candidates on the hotlist or others like them please contact us. 

STUDENTS: If you would like to be considered for the hotlist in any sector please give one of the recruitment team a call [01242 236 415] to have a chat with us.