Boyce Recruitment Blog

I am always surprised and disappointed when job seekers expect us to just send their cv over to companies, without meeting them, or verifying any of their details as they don’t want to spend the time meeting with the recruitment consultant.

As the market is tougher, jobs are fewer and competition is fierce, surely it is important to make sure you are represented properly and correctly as any mistakes could blow your chances for a position which could be ideal. Also it is important to udnerstand that omce you are registered you may ahve the chance to apoply for other non- advertised jobs./

We ask that if you are serious about job hunting then please understand that we are paid for a servcie which includes acting as an extension to the HR departments with whom we work and, if we ask to meet you it is because this is an important way for us to make sure that you have the right skills.

As the year begins we asked many of our clients what they think are the key drivers in 2010.

Whilst some are looking at retention, others are thinking of starting up new ventures but the majority of them intend to hire into key growth areas. The focus will be on growing their client base, raising their brand awareness and maintaining their profile as leaders within the businesses they work.
Whenever there is a downturn in the economy, there is always the opportunity to see who are the real market specialists, who are the industry leaders and who perhaps weren’t so well managed after all. Bear this in mind if you are looking for a new job.

It is useful to know what the business track record of a company is, what its plans for growth are and not to base decisions on pure rumour. Many firms will be seeking out real talent in their quest to hire people and it is important as a candidate to make sure that your cv highlights the skills that a really aspirational business will look for. Make sure, however, that you are realistic in what you say.

Don’t be completely wary of new start ups. They can be very successful. One of our most successful clients came to us before they had even found an office or any fully paid staff and grew to a multimillion ound turnnover business within a very short space of time.

As the weather watchers gear themselves up for snowstorms it is worth keeping focused on the job market with an eye on the job boards. Whilst many people are preparing for a South East snow standstill, there are other firms very keen to recruit and fill positions as soon as possible.

Make sure your cv is up to date and also think about when you can attend interviews as many people haven’t given this apect of job hunting enough thought. Saying you will not be available for interview for 2 weeks can affect your chances. You might be reluctant to give it a miss as the New Year starts but beginning of January can often be the best time to find new employment, as companies have new budgets to work with.

If you found job hunting a struggle last year then ask your consultant what you could do to improve and make your job prospects better in 2010. Remember to stay optimistic. Although the cold weather might make things seem glum in January, a good sense of humour and positive outlook will keep things moving in the right direction.

An exciting start to the new year with a number of jobs and activity from a range of industries.

I think everyone is feeling optimistic about what 2010 holds. It can at least be better than 2009 and it may not be easy but many of our clients are feeling optimistic about the prospects this year holds.

The temp job market continues to hold its’ own and the permanent job market is moving albeit slowly. Here’s to a Happy 2010!

Wow ! What a busy week it has been, with a last minute rush by companies in a range of sectors to fill jobs ready for the January start!

December has always been a traditionally bouyant month when people rush to secure work or find employees so that they are able to approach the new year with a clear head and not have to be weighed down by the demands of recruitment.

Last year December was very quiet with many firms looking at where to cull rather than where to hire, although there were some expections to the rule, for example withinthe digital arena. I am pleased to see that confidence is returning, albeit slowly and what was one firms’ loss has become another firms gain.

The importance of social media as a means of communicating to key target audiences has exploded over the past year, as companies fight to maintain revenues and increase market share in a tight economic climate.

Already Facebook and Twitter have released data to show that they are attracting more senior members of the public and sites like Friends Reunited and the like, have been struggling to maintain market share . They are working hard to ensure that they get back the revenues they lost as a result of the emergence of free to use competition.

Online content and marketing strategies are criutical to most business’ success. Many global organisations based in London have created multilingual jobs in their online departments, so that they can employ local people, sometimes freelancers with language skills, to develop their international marketing strategy and administer the language content / optimisation for their website.

Job types employed by businesses in the international digital arena include digital communications, localisation specialists, content managers, editors, and Search specialist or Affiliates , and these specialists are either employed directly by the company, or by using the services of an external digital agency. They key goal is to make sure that their presence is at the forefront of their targeted client base.

Anyone looking to work in the multilingual job market should think carefully about what skills they have and look at what their understanding is of the digital world. More and more roles have an element to them which needs to be involved in the online industry, especially within the areas of marketing and media.

Working with a digital agency recently, who was looking to recruit two graduate trainees as part of their plans to expand enormously over the next 24 months, the key deciding factor was the evidence applicants were able to produce about their passion for the industry. It was no longer enough to show some basic experience in an online agency, or to have studied the online module in a marketing degree and have had experience on facebook.

The successful applicants in this particular process, were able to take their skills to another stage and had their own blog, had set up their own website and had lots of opinions on other sites as to how they would improve their web presence.

The digital market has been seen as an easy place to attain a secure and interesting job , beacause of the increase in demand for digital skills in business and the rapid growth in popularity that this particular sector has experienced. Advice from this particular client , who were eventually successful in their hire, is to make sure your cv shows as much about your passion for the industry as your practical experience. With the emergence of free software to set up blogs and websites, there is no excuse for someone not to try out blogging or tweeting or writing site content.

My name is Daniela and I am a job seeker like probably most of you. I moved to London 3 months ago from Germany and am looking for a job in journalism and media. Jobs in that area are really hard to find, which is why I am currently temping at the boyce reception.

Temping at a recruitment agency is a very valuable experience, since I can learn a lot for my own application process. As part of my job I see many CVs every day and noticed some really common mistakes. Registering with boyce and getting your dream job would be easier if you could avoid them.

Here are my tips for a more successful application:

Make sure that you include in your email/cover letter what kind of job you are interested in, especially when you send in speculative applications. Recruiters need to know what you are looking for, what you are interested in and where your talents are, otherwise getting your desired job will be tough.

Include your full contact details in your CV: address, email, telephone number. You would be surprised about how many people forget them.
Design matters. Avoid crude colours in your CV and keep it simple, tidy and eye-friendly.

Take care on formatting your CV. For example, use a standard font in reasonable size. And remember that if you are going to say that you have good computer skills, your CV should look like it.

Keep your CV as short as possible. Recruiters receive a huge amount of CVs everyday, so catch their eye by highlighting your skills and try to make it not longer than two pages. Say more about your work experience that matters for your desired position and less about any other jobs you might have had.

If you are new to the London job market, you might be surprised at how quickly you can get a job. Applying too early could therefore be a disadvantage. You need to be available for interviews immediately, so start applying once you arrive in London and are free for interviews.

Languages are always an important skill. Highlight them in your CV. When you are from abroad, take it as an advantage and look especially for bilingual jobs. There are plenty of them!

It has been a great start to the week with many exciting new projects to work on and some really interesting opportunities for qualified candidates.

I cannot believe it is October already, although I know many people will be keen to reach the end of what has been an extremely challenging year.

If you are applying for jobs, do not forget to sell yourself in your application letter and in interview. We have heard of many candidates who have become complacent about highlighting why they are the pick of the crop. You only really get one stab at making your mark and if you fail the first stage interview then you have to start all over again. And please remember, if the job turnsout not to be the right position for you, you may like a future role that the employer will offer and so it is always best to make sure the company knows that the role is not right, however the company is extremely attractive and you would welcome other opportunities.