Boyce Recruitment Blog

A very volatile week weather wise which seems to have had an impact on everyone’s moods last week. Torrential rain was not expected and a few of our candidates decided to put their job search on hold til after the weekend.

Let’s hope they don’t do it again as i think the weather isn’t forecast to be much better this week .

The job market is still very buoyant with many firms keen to back fill a range of roles very quickly.  The emphasis when looking at cs within the research/ marketing and broadcast team still seems to  focus on stability and longevity with an employer.

Very disappointed not to receive tickets for the Olympics, am sure am not the only one but am definitely going to out my name down for round 2, although messages are very confusing with everyone having a different version of the process.

Anyway job hunting can be a bit less of a gamble if you are clear and about what you want and don’t want and work closely with just one or two consultants in achieving that aim. To choose the right partner in your search ask your consultant  them what they think is the likelihood of finding a suitable role realistically and whether they think it is worth using other resources.

It’s been an up and down few weeks and this is probably because new hiring budgets have kicked in April 2011 and there have been quite a few bank holidays since then. We think the job market is back on track now and much busier however companies are still being extremely picky about who they hire.

Sales recruitment is still holding its position as one of the most in demand recruitment sectors as companies fight to remain market leaders or take business from their competitors.

Working in sales can be extremely challenging and dynamic, and whilst many people still associate sales with aggressive tactics, this is not the way many companies are seeking to do business. Successful sales is all about building long term relationships as well as actually closing the deal. If you want to hang around for a while in the sales sector you will need to be able to do both.

We have especially  seen an increase in sales roles for publishing, media, professional services and consultancies.  Candidates who are successful need to be able to demonstrate, on paper and in person, their ability to consult and their  understanding of targets, financial accountability as well as be able to highlight their achievements. Companies want to see success and want cvs to reflect this when considering job seekers, so it is imperative to show numbers quantifying success when submitting a job application. This might be related to revenue, numbers of clients, or particularly activity related to that sector.

We have also noticed that businesses are not always focused on hiring from competitors. Many firms prefer to “mould their own” and don’t like the habits many of their competitors offer. Others worry that their clients might become suspicious and mistrusting if they had been sold the same product by the same sales person from 2 different employers.

Primary market research is a very skills based industry and as such the recruitment process can often be tricky. Market Research Agencies will be on the lookout for candidates who not only fit culturally within the organization, but who have a certain level of experience in a number of key competencies.

This can often be very frustrating for candidates, when they have gained experience in a certain sector or methodology because of circumstances and who would like to change because they are more interested in another area. They tend to find it very difficult to find a company willing to make that investment.

By and large most market research agencies these days seem to be very careful about who they bring on board and they are very picky during the selection process. Candidates can have 9 out of 10 required skills and still thought by the company to require too much investment at an early stage.

Within this reality, what can candidates do to prepare for these challenges? There are a few things you can certainly do:

Research research research! It is very important to understand as much as you can about the company, as well as being able to explain in your own words what sets them apart from their main competitors. When you understand their values and how you can add to all of those it will help you to convince them you are genuinely interested in working for them.

When you apply for a specific role, read up as much as you can on the industry and research methodologies you would be interested in working with, and follow any events, magazines, and industry news relevant to that particular role. You can also try to look for short or long-term courses that can help you improve any skills you might be lacking. That knowledge and interest will certainly come across in interviews and help you to make that career change.

Lastly, if you really want that career in market research, don’t give up! It might take some time to find that great fit, but you will learn from each interview you go to and real passion will always show.

Good luck!

Jobs available in market research have increased dramatically in the first quarter this year with a strong emphasis placed on positions within consumer, financial and online sectors.

With an increase in demand for people who are social media savvy as well as creative and who are always looking to push the boundaries, candidates are finding that unless they jump on the social media wagon and put aside their concerns about internet security they are not being shortlisted for positions within the market leading names in the Market research sector.

Industries which have been viewed as traditional or conservative are now at the forefront of the recruitment queue for people with  new media research expertise. These roles can be particularly exciting as they offer some very valuable challenges and gives candidates the chance to be part of something that really does impact on business strategy.