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Is Your HR CV Fit For Purpose?

Leave a Comment / Candidate blog /

Odd, isn’t it. As an HR professional, you know full well what a good CV looks like—yet when it comes to writing your own, you struggle. You’re not alone in this; CV writing is tough, and finding that winning balance between highlighting your achievements, your potential, and your personality in the space of one or two pages is not an easy thing to do!   Sometimes, all we need is a bit of a reminder on how to structure and compose a CV which hits all the right notes.   1. Lead with an attention-grabbing headline. Make sure you summarise both your status and your objective at the start of the CV. For example, ‘I’m a highly experienced generalist with a strong background in employee relations for a government department, looking to take the next step in my HR career as an HR Manager’. This allows the reader to understand at a glance both where you are professionally, and which role you seek. It must be short and to the point, but there’s also room here to impress. Optionally, you may also want to include a short sentence about what kind of person you are, such as driven, passionate about HR, or solutions-focussed.       2. Highlight your skills in a breakout section. If you’re highly experienced, you may wish to follow this headline/summary section with a small section of bullet-points highlighting your strongest HR skills, such as talent acquisition, change management, or workforce planning.   3. Show how good you are. In the body of your CV, use strong action words that highlight your achievements in impressive, measurable ways. ‘I’m an excellent organiser and problem-solver’ simply doesn’t pack the same punch as ‘I identified issues with the team’s workflow, presented alternatives to my manager, co-ordinated the change and delivered a 10% increase in productivity. Try to use words such as these ones below, and tie them to actual outcomes where you can.   Achieved Completed Co-ordinated Delivered Identified Presented Promoted Reported Organised Led   4. Use keywords strategically, but don’t be a slave to them. We’re all aware that busy recruiters and hiring managers are scanning to check that we’ve referenced the competencies they’ve mentioned in the job spec. If they’re missing, the CV will be discarded, so we often feel pressure to cram every single keyword in there. This is where some of us go wrong, as we get so caught up in adding in competencies so that the CV reads woodenly (basically as a carbon copy of the job spec) with no personality or attention-grabbing quality in it whatsoever. It’s still got to be about you, remember? So, use HR-specific keywords and weave them into your CV in authentic ways that reflect when you’ve demonstrated that competency.   5. Always remember where you’re going   As Stephen Covey writes in 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, ‘Begin with the end in mind.’ If you did a lot of union negotiation in your last job but don’t want that to feature in your next role, then don’t highlight it as a major skill you’re using to impress your next employer. It can be hard to minimise the importance of impressive experience like this, but unless you want to be tasked with that responsibility again, what’s the point in drawing attention to it? List it in a bullet-point among your other achievements, certainly, but don’t put it in your headline or at the top of your list of skills.   6. Include information about your past employers.   You can’t expect the HR manager or recruiter to know about the details of your past employers, so include a short description of the company, such as industry and number of employees. However, do be aware of how the company size or structure might influence the hiring’s perspective on the job you’re going for now: for example, if you’ve only ever worked for small companies and now you’re applying for a multinational, be selective about what information to include.   7. Include qualifications and relevant outside interests. Degree or professional qualifications will of course add to the power of your CV; remember sometimes less is more. If you don’t have a lot of qualifications, don’t try and bolster them up with relatively inconsequential achievements. This section is also where you might include relevant club memberships, such as if you’re part of a young professionals or a woman in business group. It’s up to your personal preference whether you want to include hobbies and interests here. You might want to take your cue from the job spec. Do they mention a fun culture or a close-knit team? They obviously care about their culture and will want to find people to fit with it, so hobbies are good in this case.   8. White space and formatting. Don’t include blocky chunks of text that go on and on. Remember CVs are often read on smart phones or iPad’s. Break up all your text and sections with white space to make your CV easy on the eye and attractive to read. Run your CV through spellcheck, and then hand recheck for grammar and typo’s. Even the best of us can miss the odd pesky typo. You really don’t want to be cast out of the running because of a silly error. As an HR, professional, you’ve got the advantage. You already know what makes a great employee. You know what the employer is looking for by looking at their job spec. You know how hiring managers will look at your CV. And you know your own wealth of experience. In truth, you’ve got all the information you need.   Good luck!  

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The Surprising Reasons Why Candidates Turn Down Job Offers

Leave a Comment / Recruitment Tips /

It’s frustrating isn’t it, when candidates reject your offer. Even more so when you work in HR and that you thought you had everything covered? The reality is it happens. Today’s post explores some of the reasons why in today’s economy it’s going to become more common than ever.   Let’s look back APSCo and the IOR are the recruitment industries professional bodies. A comment they both convey is that recruitment, as a sector, is often the first into a recession and the first out. The most common example of this happed during the crunch of 2008-10; I remember it well. Naturally companies held back on recruitment and so did many of the other organisations that supported skills development across the UK, Europe and the world. The result was that people who had a job stayed put and the skills gap got wider. Cycle forward to today and we are in the grip of what happened then. Few qualified folks around and a changing work force; think bye bye baby boomers and hello Gen Y and Gen X. Our changing workforce and the digital landscape has created a huge shift when it comes to the movement of employees. What are the common reasons people say no? Having placed literally hundreds of candidates in the last few years especially, I have seen a pattern of reasons emerging that I want to share.   1. Fair pay and relevant benefits. So, simple and yet it still happens. As an organisation, you must pay the going rate for the role in question; ideally a bit more with some good additional benefits thrown in. If you want a specific range of skills or experience you will have to pay for it. Fact: Great people can pick and choose positions now. All a candidate has to do is jump online and look at a few salary benchmarking websites and your reputation can go out of the window. Starting to negotiate salary (down) after the interview will do nothing for your reputation at all. We explain this more below. For now, let’s talk about the motivations of your workforce and benefits that might mean something to them. As a HR professional you will understand how flexible benefits boost employee engagement. They can also make a difference whether someone says yes or no to the package you offer. Recently a candidate we placed said yes to one client because she got a gym membership and there was a flexible scheme around taking time out when childcare was proving a challenge. 2. Understanding the new workforce. The biggest number of today’s work force fall in the Gen Y/Millennial category. Known as the ‘selfie’ generation. They are used to technology and have always had a grip on how to find any information they want. I’ll move onto that later. The difference with this generation is the value system and motivation that they operate from. While some people refer to this group as Generation Why for a reason, it’s not about their lack of respect for authority. It’s more about how they were brought up and by whom. They were raised by their parents to question everything when they don’t understand something or disagree; which for older established organisations takes some getting used to.  If they have picked up a whiff that they won’t be listened to, they will say no to your offer; having a voice matters to them. The key for employers is finding the correct mix of individual and team projects that allow these workers to grow professionally. 3. Lack of development opportunities. The truth? Our employees today expect to be ‘developed’ and given opportunities. If their career path hasn’t been made clear and exciting, once they are back at home on their iPad evaluating their options, your unclear development path will give you a big fat no. 4. Checking you out online; do you hit the mark? Over the last couple of years, it appears that more celebrities have left planet earth than ever before.  It’s not strictly true. With 1.8 billion Facebook users and Twitter,  Snapchat and all our multiple devices; as human beings, we are literally seconds away from breaking news or

 the latest ‘dirt’ on the company we are thinking of moving too, which leads me onto something else. The c word. Company culture is one the most common reasons candidates say no to your offer. People will make a judgement in multiple different ways about what it might be like to work in your culture. Here are some of the things you will be judged by:     What your website communicates and your brand image Your Social media- LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter What Glassdoor says about you What videos are online about you and what you do Your values and corporate social responsibility What friends and family share about you and your impact in the world The list goes on and I am sure you get the picture. Is it time to review your process and how you communicate what it would be like to work with you and your company. The good news is it’s much easier than you think. Get in touch today for a comprehensive review of your hiring process. Until next time,         P.S. Do you need some help ensuring candidates say yes rather than no? Then get in touch. You can reach us on 01709 717212.

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Career Suicide: Why You Should Never Accept A Counter Offer

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You’ve been offered a new role at another company, only to be surprised (and let’s face it, a little flattered) by a counter-offer from your present employer. You are even considering saying yes. Let’s hang fire first and look at the longer-term implications of saying yes; there are a few- with many providing a less than rosy outcome.     1. You’ll have lingering doubts. Let’s take the simplistic notion that you’re leaving only because the salary is too low. Even in this uncomplicated scenario, accepting a generous counter-offer can still leave you with some niggling doubts, such as ‘If they can afford it, why didn’t they pay me that all along? This is particularly the case if you’ve asked for a salary increment before and been denied. The figure they’re offering may show that they value you now, but why didn’t they make this offer before? If, as is more likely, you’re quitting for varied reasons that aren’t all about money, maybe a lack of career progression, or a problem with the company culture, then no amount of money will dispel these doubts long-term.   2. They’ll have lingering doubts. It’s not just you who’ll be wondering if you made the right decision to stay. As a HR professional, you know full well that once an employee has resigned then retracted their resignation, they’ve just marked themselves out as a potential risk employee, and from then on they’re under scrutiny to see that they’re delivering top quality work, and their loyalty and commitment is sometimes called into question.   Even worse, the person often isn’t offered the same level of trust for a while, and may not given the best projects. Do you really want to be in that position? In short, a working relationship is often tainted after a resignation— no matter what’s said on the surface, or the size of the check they wave at you to stay. 3. You’ll miss an opportunity. You have gone to all the trouble to find another job- one that you’re presumably excited about. You’ve put yourself through the interview process and you’ve built up a rapport with this new company, to the extent where they’re excited about you coming onboard. Why not carry on with this new relationship you’ve built, when things are going so well. You don’t want to accept the counteroffer, only to wake up in a few weeks thinking ‘I wonder how much I’d enjoy that other job. The people seemed really nice and I was excited about the opportunity.’     4. You may be self-sabotaging. Often fear holds us back. You know the job you’re in back-to- front, whereas going to a challenging role full of new systems and new people can give us a bad case of the collywobbles. It’s therefore very easy to back down when one of the reasons for leaving is removed or reduced (i.e. salary dissatisfaction), because then you get to stay in your comfort zone. Many people also find it difficult to say no to their bosses- particularly if you respect them and don’t want to hurt their feelings by rejecting a flattering counter-offer. If you’re thinking that staying is an easier option, that’s a sign that fear might be getting in your way.     5. The job might not be yours for long. One risk is that by resigning in the first place, you’ve metaphorically raised your hand to be the first person to be let go in times of downsizing or budget cuts. You may be offered a very attractive package to stay, but at the end of the next big project you might be managed out.     Before you get all excited about the size of the counter-offer, taking it to mean they think that you’re indispensable, take a cool-headed minute to assess how much it would cost in time and effort to hire and re-train someone into your role.  Then look back at that counter-offer figure. Does it still seem like that much? While I don’t mean to rain on your parade, chances are that they’re offering that counteroffer to save themselves money time and inconvenience. This is not a criticism, this is business after all. Therefore, don’t get carried away reading something into the offer that may not necessarily be there. If you are looking for support with your search for a new role, feel free to get in touch at hello@recruithuman.co.uk @recruithuman or on 01709 717212

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Are You Using Case Studies To Attract The Best Talent In Your Industry?

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It’s a startling truth that when it comes to recruitment 2017 is a ‘candidate centric’ market. It’s a scenario that many industries experience and boils down to the classic premise of, supply and demand. In today’s employment market, there is a shortage of skills and attracting the best talent to your organisation isn’t as easy as it once was. Though using a specific search consultancy will make life a lot easier, there are still other areas in your recruitment campaign that, when implemented, will help the overall process. One strategy that is working incredibly well now is developing your own branding position in the form of case studies.   What is the benefit of having a case study? In today’s online world, organisations will always be ‘checked out’ by potential candidates through the numerous online channels that are only a mouse click away. However, a great way to use the process to your advantage is to create case studies about your organisation, who you are, what you do and what it’s like to work with you. On three occasions, recently, a candidate has come back to me and said yes to an interview because they had reviewed a case study related to the role that they were applying for at the company in question.     Let’s face it human beings like to make the ‘right choice’. Consider your own behaviour? Who hasn’t looked at Trip Advisor before booking that holiday hotel. Or looked at the reviews on an intended Amazon purchase? Last week I was buying a dress online and my mouse click on the buy button was helped along by a review by Amanda from Colchester, who was saying all the ‘right’ things about the dress in question. When we are serious about taking action we always look for more information and validation that we are doing the right thing. In my own experience as a search consultant the questions candidates want answers to are as follows: What is ABC-inc really like? What type of people work there? What is their place in the market? How would someone like me develop a career at ABC-inc? What are the people like who work there?     The good news is that a case study can answer these all these questions and more. What if case studies covering these areas could be found on your website or emailed as a PDF? What difference could that make to your employer brand?   Straightforward works best When it comes to case studies from employees a straightforward question and answer interview style is perfect. If you can create a video -even better. One of the easiest ways to develop a case study is to look at several questions that reveal the answers that candidates are inquisitive to know. How long had they been looking for a role? Why ABC-inc and not somebody else? What was the interview process like? How is a typical working day structured? What was the induction process like? What are the career opportunities like? Is there a social culture?     These are easy to cover in a case study and in a way, that doesn’t come across as ‘salesey’ either. With organisations consistently looking for alternative ways to sell their company to new employees, this strategy is an easy win.  

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interview questions

Are You Ready For The 5 Interview Questions Hiring Managers Always Ask?

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Interview questions. Something we are often quizzed about and there is a reason why. Let’s explain more. Good news! You contacted your local friendly specialist search agency. They had a great chat with you about your career path and options that would be a fit for you and the ball got rolling. Consequently, you polished up your CV, your recruitment consultant got to work and then hey presto, the interviews started to roll in. What next? Well for some candidates this is where doubt starts to creep in and it’s usually down to one thing; the interview…. more specifically the interview questions that they might be asked. The upside of the interview process The great thing about interviews is that it gives you a fantastic opportunity to shine, provided of course you are well prepared for what specifically, you might be asked. Drum roll! Here are the most common questions that local candidates are asked. The thing is over the years, we have placed literally hundreds of candidates with their dream employer. As part of our review process we always quiz candidates on the main questions, they were asked. On top of this, we know what clients are looking for when it comes to recruiting and why the questions they ask are so key. Depending on the role there will be more specific questions of course. However, you might be surprised how many candidates don’t even prepare for these. Ready to find out and plan your answers? Here we go. Tell me about yourself? I know on the surface this question seems simple? It’s the one that most interviews start with, as it is friendly, conversational and allows you to give (your potential new employer) background information about you. Your answer should be well practised and related to the expertise and skill set needed for the role, rather than your favourite holiday destination. Its fine to talk about personal details, though make these a smaller part of the conversation. In other words, focus on what type of person you are, what sort of skills and attributes you have and convey your enthusiasm for your working environment. For instance; “Well, I have worked in HR for the last fifteen years. It was always something I wanted to do and I got my first opportunity as a HR assistant and was bitten by the whole HR bug! Over the last 12 years, I have moved into different roles until I became an HR manager in my current company”. What are your greatest strengths? Trumpet at the ready and get ready to blow: You’ll know from the role specification what key strengths they are looking for. This is where your focus needs to be. As a friend of mine once reminded me, as driven human beings we have a lot of strengths and skills which can add value, not all of which are needed in every role we take. Fact: There is nothing worse in an interview situation than a candidate coming across as desperate by telling the interviewer absolutely everything they are capable of, whether it relevant to the role or not. This is a key area where your recruitment consultant can help. Remember they know the hiring manager, the company culture and what is important to highlight to give you the greatest chance of securing the role in question. What’s your main development area?  Never the easiest question to answer when you really want to work for the manager or company in question. The truth? Never answer that you don’t have any development needs; it’s unrealistic. Your answer to this particular interview question, should ideally be a weakness that isn’t pivotal to your performance in the role in question. Instead cite an example that could be perceived as a positive, such as, “I tend to forge on with tasks and in honesty, I am not the best at delegation”. Referring to your last performance review can work wonders, especially if you have a copy with you. The icing on the cake would then be sharing what you are currently doing to address the area in question. Every good manager knows their team will have development needs. By showing this level of awareness about your own development will give you a huge tick in the eyes of your potential new boss. Why did you leave your last job?   Whatever the reason, your answer should be upbeat and positive. You should never criticise a former employer or manager. I could tell you a few toe-curling stories related to this one! Instead, focus on how you are keen for a new challenge and an opportunity to grow instead. What do you know about our organisation? It’s vital that you have carried out your research on the companies who are interviewing you. It not only shows that you are thorough but also that you have put the time into research, which demonstrates how important your career is to you and the company and role in question. In 2017 there is no excuse for not being prepared. Hop onto Google or use this handy link provided by the CIO and start searching. The information it’s good to know is: Company structure/organogram – you’ll find this information on the company website. Company growth plans Services and products – Don’t only research what you will be involved in. If the company in question has different areas of service delivery, inventory etc, demonstrating that you can see the bigger picture and how they interact will make you stand out as a candidate of choice. Key staff – Their website will help and so will LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Check out your interviewers, as having an idea on their backgrounds and possible motivations can only help your preparation. Key customers, competitors and market trends – The company website may list some of their major customers, but you may also find details of them (and competitors) by doing research on Google and the sector specific websites.       P.S. Are

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Wishing you a great Christmas break

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Wishing you a great Christmas break We just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you a very merry Christmas, whatever your plans. We’re closing up shop for the holidays after today and while we’ll keep a eye on emails, we’re not going to be doing anything more strenuous than reaching for another mince pie and recharging for a few days. We’re back in on the 28th December in a limited capacity, probably feeling very sick after eating too many Quality Streets. Wishing you a restful Christmas and a successful 2017. We look forward to speaking with you again in the New Year.  

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Truth: In December, The Best Candidates Are Waiting for Your Call!

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We bought an advent calendar for our little one way back at the start of November. It wasn’t intentional. I was on a quick trip to Tesco and she was with me; so many of you will know how that one plays out – won’t you?… I love Christmas
but! The festive break is an important event for all of us. One where we have an opportunity to meet up with our loved ones and have a good time. A great opportunity for the world of retail and hospitality too, as people start to prepare for the 25th with a round of spending and Christmas parties anytime from the middle of November. Now I know that this early start to the Christmas festivities has been creeping up on us for years so let’s step back a bit. Families and holidays are one thing and building your successful and growing team is another. The truth about recruiting great talent Something it’s important to know: People are still looking to move onto the next rung of their career ladder in December; trust me as the owner of a busy recruitment company I know because I am speaking to them daily, especially at this time of year. Yet why is it so many organisations put on hold their recruitment until January, when there are so many outstanding candidates ready, interested and available to talk and importantly attend your interview in December? The truth is for many hiring managers recruiting is one part of their role and, no offence to them, what I am about to share might not be at the front of their mind. Candidates are reviewing their year already All the things I mentioned earlier do have an upside. The end of the year reflections usually start around the same time that we prepare for Christmas. Work is a major part of all our lives so it’s normal for us to think about career goals and aspirations as the year ends. Usual working practices are often different in December. People who are normally totally focused and dedicated re-evaluate their work and life situation, meaning they are more likely to respond favourably to a job they might have otherwise dismissed. I know when I worked for someone else, before I created Human, I was planning what I wanted for the following year from the start of November! At the beginning of this week I had three calls from very employable candidates who have started their reflections already and want to set up interviews before the end of the year. Which leads me onto another point
 People are open and available As managers in organisations, I am sure we have all experienced the flood of holiday applications as people use up their holiday entitlement. Though hopefully your employees aren’t attending interviews; on the flipside, when you recruit this month you will often find that juggling interview times and candidates availability becomes so much easier. When they zig let’s zag A well-known business premise is that there are upsides in going against the grain, especially when it comes to doing those extra things, like continuing to recruit in December. Get the best talent before any of your competitors, who may think it’s better to leave recruitment until the New Year. A story springs to mind from a couple of years ago, of a highly-qualified HR manager who had the choice of two, almost identical roles and packages. One organisation wanted to wait until January. My candidate wanted closure and to know exactly what he was doing the following year. I guess you can work out which company got the outstanding hire? I know it’s a different take for many and yet the next few weeks could be a bountiful time for your recruitment drive. While others are switching off, you are gearing up, and meeting with the top candidates and handling your recruitment needs to get 2017 off with a bang. Wishing you all the best for a successful December! P.S. Ready to recruit in December? At Human we are available with the candidates to boot. Call 01709 717212 or fill out the contact form here.

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How would you choose between a new job and a ÂŁ500 holiday voucher?

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This week we are launching our new and exciting refer a friend scheme. As the cold, dark winter nights draw in we’re offering you the chance to get away from it all and enjoy some fun in the sun, some apres ski or a city break. If you are looking for a new opportunity we’d love to hear from you so we can learn more about your requirements and how we  can support you. If you are happy and appreciated where you are that’s great! …but we’d still like to hear from you. If you introduce a friend to Human and we successfully place them with one of our clients we will enter you into our prize draw to win a ÂŁ500 holiday voucher. All of our current open vacancies can be found here However, our clients are all based within the South Yorkshire region and often look for candidates with the following skill sets: Administration Human Resources Marketing PA & Exec Support Project Support Customer Care & Sales You could help a friend find a fantastic new role and win a free holiday at the same time! What are you waiting for? If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch on 01709 717212 or email hello@recruithuman.co.uk and put SUNNYSKIES in the title

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ï»żRecruitment entrepreneur Amy is matched with Wickersley School and Sports College
.

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Amy Stephenson, the Founder and Director of Human Recruitment in Rotherham has met colleagues from her partner school, Wickersley School and Sports College. Amy was the first local business person to complete the application process to become an Enterprise Adviser when the Enterprise Adviser Network programme started in earnest earlier this year. She said: “For me, the enterprise adviser programme it is about giving back. My parents had businesses so I was introduced to the world of work at a young age, and I’ve worked with many business across the region throughout my career. I am really passionate about enterprise and employability skills and what they can do for young people and their futures. I had it instilled in me that anything is possible with hard work and a bit of determination. I want young people to feel as empowered as I did when I first left education” Amy met with Rachel Mullins, the Head of Careers at Wickersley, and Jess Stevenson, the Assistant Head. Rachel said: “We were looking for Enterprise Adviser who had broad knowledge about what’s out there, and what employers are looking for, and Amy’s background is ideal for that. We’re excited about how the programme will add value to our work.” Jess said: “Our students are keen to hear directly from business people and employers about the world of work. It helps inspire them, and informs their thinking. This process will help us create more opportunities for young people to have those encounters.” You can read the full article here: Posted 29/6/2016

ï»żRecruitment entrepreneur Amy is matched with Wickersley School and Sports College
. Read More »

Are you a SuperHuman?

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Do you have a few hours per week free? Want to build your skills or add to your CV? We are proud to support Bluebell Wood and currently have several vacancies available for volunteers to join their core team of volunteers across South Yorkshire. Details are available on our vacancies page or you can contact Terry Lowell direct on the details. Terry Lowell, Volunteer Coordinator | Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice  t: 01909 508116  w: www.bluebellwood.org   e: terry.lowell@bluebellwood.org Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice | Cramfit Road | North Anston | Sheffield | S25 4AJ  

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