The way you write your CV can have a huge impact on whether it is read, let alone whether it gets you that all-important interview.

So here are some tried and tested do’s and don’ts to bear in mind when you’re writing your CV:

DO… Write your CV with your potential employer in mind. Look at the advert or specification and think about what the job involves and what the employer needs. Find out about the main services the employer provides.

DON’T… Hand-write your CV. This looks unprofessional and old fashioned.

DO… Tailor your CV to the job you are applying for. Your CV shouldn’t detail your life story but it should be adjusted to suit the job you’re applying for, focusing on the skills you have that are important for that particular job.

DON’T… Include negative information.  Failed exams, divorces, unsuccessful business ventures, driving bans etc don’t need to be mentioned. Don’t lie, but don’t give the interviewer any reason to discard you at this stage either.

DO… Make sure your CV is clear, neat and tidy. Ask someone to check your spelling and grammar (remember your CV is selling YOU, so don’t affect your chances by making careless mistakes). It should be easy to read with space between each section. Don’t include too much information – keep it short and use left-justified text as it’s easiest to read.

DON’T… Make your CV any longer than two pages – you can leave out information that is less important. You don’t need to include referees – just state they are available if required. Don’t go into detail about all of the jobs you have had since school, just the relevant ones. Add information about your most recent qualifications, but summarise the rest.

DO… Place the important information (personal statement and work history) at the beginning and include experience and educational achievements in reverse order. Talk about experiences and interests that might be of use to the employer: IT skills, voluntary work, foreign language competency, driving skills, hobbies and interests that show you’re a team player and have organisation/leadership skills.

DON’T… Don’t bother with the list of schools you went to with results unless you are new to the job market.  Also, don’t include a long list of hobbies, or an overly-detailed work history. Think about demonstrating what you have achieved by applying the skills you have worked at, and explain the benefits your clients have enjoyed as a result of your work.

DO… Use positive and friendly language.  Describe your work achievements use words such as ‘launched’, ‘managed’, ‘co-ordinated’, ‘motivated’, ‘supervised’ and ‘achieved’. Include specific outcomes to prove your claims. For example, ‘This reduced the development time from 7 to 3 days’ or ‘This improved the company’s internal structure, and enabled us to reduce overheads from £35,000 to £23,000 per year’.

DON’T… Use jargon, acronyms, technical terms and internal phrases unless essential. And of course, be truthful – employers have ways of checking what you claim is accurate.

DO … Ensure that the relevant information on your CV matches your LinkedIn profile as many employers will check this.

Once you’re happy with it, send it over to us to have a look at – we may have the perfect job for you!  Click here to send us your CV.

Do you know anyone who needs a job? A friend, family member or anyone else you know who is actively looking for work?

Recommend Them To Us!

YOU will receive a £30 voucher for a local shop of your choice for each person you recommend if we find them a permanent or temporary job.

Just pass on our details to your friend and ask them to get in touch with us to find out if they’re suitable for any of our current roles.

If we place them in a permanent role or they complete a minimum of a week in a temporary assignment you will earn £30!

So get thinking about who you could recommend so you can start shopping!

Ask your friend to either call:  01256 334575

Contact Us or pop in to see us at:

Priority Appointments
Winchester House
19-23 Winchester Street
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG21 7EE

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 5.30pm

Terms and conditions

You don’t have to be registered with us to earn £30.
A minimum of one week’s work must be completed by the person you recommend.

What does having a dream job mean to you? Is it spending your day doing what you’re passionate about? Having a great work-life balance? Earning a lot of money? Or all of the above?!

The first step to finding your dream job is knowing what your dream job is. Once you have a clear idea of the role you want, you can take the steps you need to get it!

If you aren’t totally clear about what your dream job is yet, here are some questions you can ask yourself to work out what a dream job looks like to you. This involves a little self-exploration and being totally honest with yourself.

1. What do you really enjoy doing?

Think about what you value most and what interests you. Write down all the things that come into your mind - you can narrow your ideas down later. Having a job or career that aligns with your interests means you’re more likely to be happy and satisfied with your work.

2. What kind of person are you?

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? More practical than creative? Your personality traits will be a great fit for some jobs but perhaps not so much for others. There are lots of personality tests available online, like this free Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, that could help you learn more about the specific qualities you have and the different types of job that would suit you best.

3. What skills and strengths do you have?

Write out a list of your skills and abilities. Include everything you can think of from formal qualifications to your ‘softer’ skills like communication and listening. It can help to ask a friend who knows you well to give you a different perspective and point out strengths you may not have thought of.

4. What experience do you already have?

Think about the work and life experiences you’ve had and note down some of them. If you’ve been out of the workforce for a time because you’ve been a stay at home parent or taking a career break, write down some of the experiences and skills you gained during that time. There are plenty of transferable skills that are adaptable to different industries and jobs.

5. What are your career goals?

Think about the kind of work-life balance you want, how much you’d like to earn and where you’d like to be in five years. This can help you select the industries and roles that will help you achieve your career goals.

6. What are your priorities and deal-breakers?

When considering your financial needs, ideal location, flexible-working and other requirements, write down the absolute deal-breakers.  Perhaps you don’t want to commute for more than an hour or want the option of flexible working. Be clear in your own mind about what you will and won’t compromise on.

7. What job opportunities and companies are out there?

When you have a clear idea about the type of job you’d like to do or the industry you’d like to work in, make a list of the companies you’d like to work for. Research their values and company culture and think about whether they would be a good fit for you or not. When you have a clearer list of the companies you’d like to work for, expand your options by listing companies very similar to them.

Find out if a company is a good place to work by looking at the company website and checking out reviews by employees online.

How to get your dream job

Now you have a clearer picture of what your dream job looks like, you can plan how to go about getting it!

1. Spruce up your CV

Your CV is usually the first thing a potential employer will see about you so make sure your first impression is a good one. It’s the document that represents you professionally and will ‘sell you’ (or not!) to a prospective employer.

2. Make sure your online profiles are spick and span

The majority of prospective employers will check out your online presence, so make sure all your social media accounts represent you in a positive light. If you have a professional blog relevant to your dream job, be sure to share it. Read more about online profiles and how they can help and hinder you getting your dream job.

3. Set SMART goals

Setting career goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timebound will help you keep on track and on schedule. It may not be possible to walk into your dream job right this moment, perhaps you need a year’s experience in a different position or to gain a skill, when you know what you need to do, you can work your way to your dream job.

4. Get interview-ready

Make sure you have prepared answers to common interview questions and industry specific ones too. Run through a mock-interview with a friend so you practise your interview answers out loud - it really makes a difference. Have a couple of interview outfits ready to wear in case you get called to interview at short notice.

5. Work with an experienced recruiter

Looking for any job can be a stressful process, looking for your dream job can feel even more so! Working with an experienced recruiter can remove a lot of stress because you’ll receive expert advice and support at every stage of the process including interview preparation.

At Priority Appointments, we know your CV isn’t your whole story so we take the time to get to know you before you meet with prospective employers so that we can recommend businesses where we know you’ll really fit in and thrive.

“I went to Priority Appointments to help me find a job that gave me more of a work/life balance. Remi, Tracy and the team were very professional and helpful, giving great advice and CV support and showing great understanding of what I was looking for. After only two weeks, Remi found me a position that suited my needs perfectly. I had an interview arranged and was given great support and confidence-boosting advice. Another interview later and I received a message to tell me I got the job! I thoroughly recommend these guys and wouldn’t hesitate to use Priority again. Thanks Remi, you were fantastic through the whole process.”  Christian

We’ll support you in preparation for interviews and share our expert advice and knowledge to help you achieve your goals and start your dream job.

If you’re looking for a job in Basingstoke, Surrey or Hampshire, we can help you find it! Get in touch today by email at office@priorityappointments.co.uk or call our friendly team on 01256 334 575.

Are you looking for a new professional challenge? Are you a people person? Do you want to earn a great income?

A career as a recruitment consultant could be perfect for you!

What does a recruitment consultant do?

Recruitment consultants are job match-makers - matching candidates to roles at client companies.

As a recruiter, you’ll build relationships with companies and work with them to understand the roles they’re looking to fill and develop an understanding of the company culture.

You’ll source candidates for jobs, attracting talented applicants by writing great job advertisements, following up on referrals and applications.

After interviewing, screening and advising candidates, you’ll recommend candidates you’ve matched to a role to the client. If a client selects your candidate for the job, you could earn a commission.

Part of your job will be to bring new client companies to the business, pitching the value of the services your agency offers.

Why become a recruitment consultant?

1. Earn a great income

A career as a recruitment consultant can be very financially rewarding. In addition to a base-salary you’ll have the opportunity to earn commission and bonuses.

At Priority Appointments, we offer uncapped commission and regular incentives and benefits. Our incentives are tailored to the person, so we offer you opportunities to earn something you really want.

Team members also benefit from non-contributory private healthcare, life assurance and free parking.

2. Change people’s lives

You help change people’s lives for the better! Successfully placing a candidate in a job they love is so rewarding!

As well as finding a candidate their dream job, you have an impact on the success and development of the client companies you recruit for.

We pride ourselves on getting to know the company culture of every client and finding candidates who will fit in and thrive.

3. It’s exciting!

Recruitment is a fast-paced industry with plenty of variety and a lot of excitement - you’ll never have a dull moment!

There’s no real ‘typical day’ in the life of a recruitment consultant, you could be speaking to an existing client, winning new business, sourcing candidates online or interviewing candidates in-person. There’s always something to do and you’ll never be bored!

4. For the challenge

If you’re a tenacious self-starter who loves a challenge, you’ll thrive as a recruitment consultant. You’ll be responsible for your own clients, for bringing in new clients and for sourcing candidates for roles.

In recruitment, you’ll work towards targets and goals as a team and as an individual. Priority Appointments offer ad hoc, monthly and quarterly incentives.

5. Career progression

Your career in recruitment can progress quickly. You don’t need specific qualifications or a set amount of experience, your progression is determined by your hard work, initiative and making the most of opportunities for professional development.

At Priority Appointments, we invest in our team, our professional development scheme goes right up to director-level. We offer regular external training opportunities to team members to develop skill sets and maximise earning potential.

6. Entrepreneurial spirit

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and value your independence, you’ll thrive in recruitment. You’ll be responsible for your own clients and schedule.

As an independent agency, Priority Appointments team members are given greater autonomy and decision-making power compared with many other recruitment agencies.

7. You love people!

Recruitment is a people-orientated business and you spend most of your time communicating with a diverse range of people, from candidates to CEOs and hiring managers. If you’re a people-person, you’ll be in your element!

We are a tight-knit team and as well as working hard, we play hard too! We have a lot of fun at Priority Appointments, at work and also on our team nights out - going out for meals, an evening bowling or taking a trip to the spa!  

What skills and qualifications do you need?

You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a recruitment consultant. Previous recruitment experience can be an advantage but it’s not a necessity.

Many successful recruitment consultants have backgrounds in sales or Human Resources because the jobs require very similar skill sets.

Although you don’t need set qualifications, some personality traits and skills are very valuable for a recruiter to possess.

Our years of experience have shown that these are some of the top assets of a successful recruitment consultant:

1. Attitude - keep it positive!

A positive, can-do attitude is important for staying motivated and it’s absolutely essential for such a social job.

2. Professionalism

Respect, integrity and honesty are core to professionalism. At Priority Appointments, we practise ethical recruitment and hold ourselves to very high professional standards.

3. Relationship building

Strong, trusting relationships are crucial to a successful career in recruitment. Recruiters who take the time to nurture and develop professional relationships tend to be most successful.

4. Negotiation skills

Negotiating skills are an essential asset as you’ll need to negotiate candidate salaries, client fees and contracts.

5. Tenacity

Determination and persistence are great traits for a recruiter to possess. Things won’t always go your way and you’ll need to be determined to get them done.

How can you become a recruitment consultant?

Get in touch today!

Priority Appointments is an independent, growing and ambitious recruitment agency, and we’re looking for great people to join our team! 

To start your career in recruitment send us an email with your CV attached to office@priorityappointments.co.uk or call our friendly team on 01256 334 575.

We take a light-hearted look at the intriguing development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for the recruitment industry

There is no doubt that a growing number of HR executives believe that Artificial Intelligence will transform their talent acquisition capability.

But what will this mean for recruitment consultancies that rely on human intuition, knowledge and skill to help them fill jobs?

Here at Priority Appointments, we have been having a bit of fun imagining a future where robots with artificial intelligence could take over the recruitment process completely.

Here are some pros and cons of relying on a machine, rather than friendly, human recruitment consultants, to help you find your next staff member.

Voice Recognition
If your robot recruiter had the same unreliable level of voice recognition capabilities as most of our mobile phones, its interpretation of your brief about the type of staff you’re looking for could result in some interesting interpretations! It’s one thing to end up with the wrong sort of pizza topping, but just think what could happen if it mis-heard ‘we need an experienced packer and picker’!

Interaction with Humans
Robots would probably need considerably less tea than some of our team members, just a squirt of WD-40 every now and then and a software upgrade once a week. But would they be as effective spending time on the phones and in face-to-face meetings finding the perfect candidate to suit your vacancy?

The Personal Touch
Artificial intelligence might potentially offer a higher level of consistency than the average human, but it seems like a high price to pay. We know that our clients would sorely miss our personal approach if they had to deal with R-74B-Z instead of Lucy, Emma or any of the rest of our friendly team!

Body Language Cues
An area that industry observers are watching with great interest is the potential for machines with AI to ‘interview’ candidates. An AI-based service could collect, process and analyse huge amounts of unstructured information from a job interview and compare thousands of applications in just a few minutes. However, without a real live human to pick up on subtle cues such as somebody’s body language, tone of voice or eye contact, it would be easy to get lured into choosing someone whose answers were spot on, but whose personality meant that they would not suit either the job or your working environment

Looking at the subject rather more seriously, there is no question that AI is a technology that is on the rise.

Research by Deloitte Human Capital Trends in 2017 showed that 33% of employees expect their jobs to become augmented by AI in the near future.

It could well make sense to include an element of artificial intelligence in the recruitment process as it becomes more widely accessible. For now, however, the best way to make sure that your new employees fit well with your team, business culture and values, is by having a friendly, experienced and human consultant to help you find new staff!

As a professional recruitment consultancy we’ll continue to be alert to AI opportunities within the recruitment industry, but for now we’ll just paraphrase the famous line from RoboCop:

“Excuse me. I have to go. Somewhere there is a new job vacancy happening.”

Priority Appointments is a professional recruitment consultancy based in Basingstoke, Hampshire.  We help companies find people and people to find jobs in Basingstoke, Camberley, Andover, Farnborough, Aldershot, Winchester and the surrounding areas within Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire.  If you’d like us to help handpick your next employee please call us on 01256 334575.

85% of HR decision-makers admit to having made a bad hire according to REC, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

Of those, one in three who hired the wrong person as a manager, director, or in a senior official role think it cost their business nothing.

However, the true cost of hiring the wrong person is actually higher than you would expect.

REC have produced an infographic that shows that the aggregate cost of taking on the wrong employee at a salary of £42,000pa could actually lead to losses of over £132,000 to the business.

A single bad hire can create a domino effect: poor performance, coupled with strife within the team, will affect productivity and potentially damage your business’ reputation.

REC estimates the costs to the business of a bad hire are estimated as:

• £28,000 in wasted salary out of the total annual pay of £42,000
• £1,500 in wasted training
• £9,730 spend on recruiting and training the new employee
• £9,625 on lost productivity of the individual
• £29,160 on lost productivity of the wider team
• £54,000 in staff turnover as a result of dissatisfaction in the team

However, there are steps that hirers can take to ensure that the next is the right one who will contribute to growth and profit, rather than someone who seems like a square peg in a round hole:

1) Understand exactly who you need right now: Don’t just dust off the last job description when the time comes to recruit again. The job role may well have evolved and you need to regularly review the criteria for success to ensure you attract the right kind of candidate. Also, consider the overall balance of your team and build a flexible and inclusive workforce that can adapt as your business grows.

2) Check the salary band is correct: A professional recruitment consultant with good knowledge of employers in the local area will be able to advise you if the salary you have in mind is appropriate for the role you are recruiting for. 

3) Consider soft skills: No amount of technical ability will compensate for a lack of soft skills which are essential if a candidate is going to integrate with your culture successfully. Good communication, leadership and collaboration skills can often mean the difference between a good and bad hire.

4) Onboard new recruits effectively: If there are problems, they usually rear their head in the first few weeks of joining. By having a clear induction process and giving responsibility to other members of the team to show the new recruit the ropes, their chances of a smooth and trouble-free integration are much higher.

5) Partner with an experienced recruitment consultant: According to REC, 40% of companies state that their staff do not have the correct interviewing skills to find exactly the right people.

By choosing a local, professional recruitment partner, you can save time by relying on the consultancy to screen candidates and propose a short-list of people. They can also advise on the types of questions to ask in an interview.

With careful planning and the right support from an expert, professional team, you can face a future free from the cost of a bad hire.

To find out how we can help you find the Perfect Match for your team, call us today on 01256 334575.

As a leading recruitment consultancy in Basingstoke, Priority Appointments is proud to meet and exceed the Recruitment and Employers Confederation (REC) Code of Professional Practice and comply with all employment regulations.

There is a lot of talk in the media about the ‘gig economy’. It was originally hailed as a model of work that could deliver flexibility and freedom from red tape for both employers and those seeking employment alike.

Gig Economy Issues and Risks

The Office for National Statistics estimates that 15% of the British labour market is now self-employed, with almost 5 million people classified as ‘gig workers’ (2017).

Despite the numbers using online work platforms, there are negative aspects to this unregulated sector of the employment market. There have been high-profile court cases in the media about problems in the taxi, courier and delivery markets in particular which have taken much of the shine off this form of resourcing.

What It Means for Employers

‘Gig economy’ platforms are completely unregulated, with individuals inhabiting a grey area of the market outside conventional employment legislation. For sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, driving or healthcare, where safety is a key concern, using staff via unregulated ‘gig’ platforms poses a serious risk.

By contrast, employing temps through a professional recruitment consultancy offers both employers and workers a regulated framework. This market is overseen by the Director of Labour Market Enforcement and regulated by the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate.

Under the terms of the regulations, consultants must:

• Provide written contracts for agency workers
• Not charge a fee to those seeking employment
• Not withhold any wages or monies due or make unlawful deductions
• Not stop a worker from seeking work elsewhere

Choosing a Regulated Recruitment Partner

Recruitment consultants like Priority Appointments, which are members of the Recruitment and Employers Confederation (REC), also have to comply with its guidance and can be investigated by the body and disciplinary action taken if they are found to be in breach.

For employers, the risk of using gig economy platforms is great. In addition to potentially breaching the Employment Standards Agency Inspectorate regulations, it is easy for employers to fall foul of anti-slavery regulations enforced by the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority. You can read more about this important set of regulations and find out how to write a Modern Slavery Policy for your business in our Employer Advice article on Modern Slavery.

Making a Wise Choice

So whilst the status of workers in the gig economy remains unclear, it is a wise choice for employers to choose a recruitment partner which knows their market sector and local business area, and which can demonstrate compliance with all regulations.

Priority Appointments is a member of REC and adheres to all employment regulations, as well as following the REC Code of Professional Conduct.

If you are looking to fill jobs in Basingstoke and the surrounding areas of Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, please get in touch to find out more about our services.

The new levels of the National Minimum and National Living Wage come into effect from 1st April 2019. The UK's minimum pay scales are governed by two different sets of regulation:

• National Living Wage regulations were passed through parliament in 2016 with the goal of ensuring that all over-25s will be paid at least £9 per hour by 2020.

• National Minimum Wage regulations have been in force since 1999 and apply to employees under 25.

The rates from April 2019 are:

• £8.21 for people aged 25 and over (rising from £7.83)
• £7.70 for 21 - 24 year-olds  (rising from £7.38)

Penalties for employers who flout the regulations are punitive. If an employee can prove that they have not been paid correctly, HMRC can issue a fine and insist that employers pay any arrears. If these monies remain unpaid, the employment tribunal could impose fines of up to £20,000. You can find out more about your reponsibilities as an employer on the ACAS website.

Voluntary ‘Real Living Wage’ Scheme

In addition to this mandatory scheme, there is also a scheme known as the ‘Real Living Wage’ run by the Living Wage Foundation, which is based on the cost of living.

There are currently around 4,500 accredited employers who support the scheme which, according to the Living Wage Foundation, helps them attract the best staff.

As a reputable consultancy with some 20 years experience, we understand the nature of the local job market, which means we can offer you guidance on the optimum hourly pay rates and salaries to attract the best candidates.

For more information about setting appropriate pay rates, please contact Tracy Welch at Priority Appointments on 01256 334575 or email us.