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.

Find out How to Wow at Interviews by downloading our short guide to securing that dream job!

An interview is your opportunity to sell yourself, to find out more about the position you’re applying for and the company as a whole. Priority’s guru Emma Chamberlain, Lead Consultant for Commercial, shares her experience on what makes a great interview.

When you attend an interview with a prospective employee, they want to find out about you: what motivates you, whether you will fit in with their team and, of course, whether you have the skills they are looking for.

An interview is a two-way process and is as much about you finding out whether the job and company are the right fit for you as it is about selling yourself to the employer. So whilst it’s important to always be yourself at interview, there are some simple rules that you can follow that will help you to wow the interview panel and stand out from the competition.

Here at Priority Appointments, one of our special talents is finding jobs for people who may not look like ideal candidates on paper. 

We look beyond the CV to find ‘hidden gems’ - people who have the right attitude and aptitude to become stellar employees and a highly valued part of the team. 

Here’s how we matched Amy*, who moved to Basingstoke in 2018, with one of our local clients in the manufacturing sector.

THE CHALLENGE

When Amy registered with us, she had just moved to Basingstoke from London with her fiancé so that they could buy a property. She had previously worked in the criminal justice service, so her CV didn’t include any experience of office or customer service work.

At the time, one of our clients needed to recruit someone to work on a temporary basis as a phone configuration / helpdesk assistant, providing telephone support during a company-wide mobile phone upgrade.

They were ideally looking for a ‘bright spark’ with some technical capability, however, with employment at an all time high, it was difficult for them to find the right person who combined technical skills with the customer-centric attitude they were looking for. 

THE SOLUTION

Having met Amy and looked into her background, we realised that she would be a perfect fit, despite not having a formal office or technical background. We knew the culture and customer-centric ethos at our client company well, so were very confident that she would fit right in.

We gave Amy plenty of relevant information about the company and the people who would be interviewing her. We also gave her interview guidance documentation and advised her to swot up on competency based questioning as this would be the format of her interview.

As Emma Allen, Manager of our Office and Commercial division explained, “Amy’s attitude and flexibility shone through and we realised that she would fit in well with the team.”

THE RESULT

The interview was a success and within two weeks of registering with us, Amy started a 3 - 6 month temp role as a Phone Configuration and Helpdesk Assistant in April 2018.

Since then our client has extended her employment several times, moving her to other departments as they find her attitude and help so valuable. 

Almost two years later and Amy is still temping there and has won the company’s Temp of the Month award not once but twice!

Amy is now married and happily settled near Basingstoke.

*Not her real name

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.

Hannah Copeland, HR Associate, Priority Appointments explains how to ensure that your Employee Contracts comply with new legislation which came into force in April when you take on new people.

Spring 2020 was probably the most challenging period that any employer has ever had to deal with. 

As an employer, you have had to understand and implement short-term and fast-evolving changes associated with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme during a period of huge uncertainty. And as if that wasn’t enough, you’ve also had to deal with the new employment legislation that came into effect in April - dubbed by many as ‘the biggest overhaul of employment law in 20 years’.

As lockdown eases in the southeast, companies are having to make major changes to their workforce to suit the future of their business, and to cater for the personal needs of staff members who have been - or are - affected by the pandemic. 

The Impact of The Good Work Plan

The latest changes have affected many areas of employment law, but what do they specifically mean for your workforce?

During Theresa May’s premiership, there were a number of proposals and consultations on key issues in employment law, particularly in regard to improving the regulation of the ‘Gig Economy’.

The result of these consultations was the 2018 Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, which fed into the recommendations in the government’s Good Work Report. These recommendations have now been put into legislation.

A survey in November 2019 by Citation, found that at that stage, 59 percent of British employers did not know about the Good Work Plan, just months before the raft of changes came into effect. 

The survey also found that 42 percent of those who knew about it only partly understood how it would affect them, and 11 percent had heard of it but did not understand how it would change their legal obligations.

How Do the Changes Affect You?

Since then, employers have had to deal with the additional challenges caused by the pandemic in addition to getting up to speed on new legislation. It is no surprise therefore that some businesses are finding it hard to manage workforce changes - particularly if they don’t have dedicated HR expertise in-house. 

Many elements of the Good Work Plan came into force last year, but April 2020 saw further major amendments. 

Here is a summary of some of the key changes and how they can affect your company, particularly if you are planning on restructuring your workforce. 

1) Issue of Contracts

What’s changed? A contract, also known as Statement of Terms and Conditions, now has to be given to a new employee on or before the first day of employment. In the past, you had 60 days from someone starting to issue them with their contract. 

What are the risks if you don’t comply? If you don’t have a legally compliant contract in place, Terms and Conditions of employment are ambiguous from day one. This can create a culture of mis-trust and uncertainty which could potentially lead to arguments over terms and, if not watertight, could affect the magnitude of any future compensation payments if employees have to be made redundant. 

2) Holiday Pay Reference

What’s changed? The period referenced for holiday pay changed from 12 weeks to 52 weeks. This means employers must look back 52 weeks and calculate average pay during that period, then use that figure to pay employees while they are on holiday. This is particularly relevant for the manufacturing sector where staff often do varying shifts and earn overtime. 

What are the risks if you don’t comply? If you don’t calculate holiday pay correctly then you could leave yourself open to compensation claims for underpayments. If underpayments continue over a period of time, you would be exposed to claims for substantial sums and may have to settle the matter at an employment tribunal. 

3) Information and Consultation

What's Changed? Employees have increased rights to request a formal agreement governing their right to be consulted about workplace changes. Two per cent of the workforce (or at least 15 employees) in any company with over 50 employees have the right to request a formal agreement to be consulted and informed about workplace matters which affect them. 

What are the risks if you don’t comply? Companies can be fined heavily for failure to consult with employees in the right way, even when their motive and rationale for making changes is sound. But aside from monetary fines, failure to consult with your staff will negatively impact communication channels and will ultimately lead to a discontented - and less productive - workforce.

4) Content of Contracts

What’s changed? All Employment Contracts must now include the following new clauses/information:

• Terms relating to the days and times (not just hours) that someone has to work and whether days and hours are likely to vary or stay the same.  
• Details of eligibility for sick leave and Statutory Sick Pay
• Details of any other types of paid leave: contracts must now state what remuneration  is paid for maternity, paternity, compassionate leave etc.  
• Duration and conditions of a probationary period
• Training entitlements, requirements, and exactly what training will be paid for 
• Details of ALL employee benefits, not just benefits relating to pay such as bonuses/commission etc.

What are the risks if you don’t comply? As with all employment law, the devil is in the detail and these seemingly minor changes can in fact have a major impact on the content of contracts. As an employer, if you were to fail to comply with any of these clauses, your company could become exposed to litigation - particularly for a potential breach of contract claim, discrimination claims and breaches under the Working Time Regulations.  

Whilst these changes may feel like an additional administrative burden for your company at a difficult time, applied effectively, they provide openness and transparency for everyone.  They will ensure that you have complete consistency in your terms to protect your company from the risk of potential claims in the future.

Ensuring You Are Compliant When Restructuring Your Workforce

As you plan to bring in people with new skills, or take on new staff to cover for those who are not yet able to return to work, it is well worth making sure that you employ your permanent or temporary staff through a professional recruitment consultancy like Priority Appointments. 

As a professional member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), you can rest assured that we abide by the body’s Code of Conduct, including all relevant legislation, statutory and non-statutory requirements and official guidance, and keep up with any future amendments. 

We’re Here to Help

If you have specific queries about what you should be including in a new employment contract, please get in touch with your Priority Appointments account manager, or email the team and tell us about your query.

About the author: Hannah Copeland is an HR Associate with Priority Appointments. She is a Level 7 CIPD qualified HR Consultant with many years experience in all areas of HR. She is particularly skilled in organisational change, managing redundancy programmes and TUPE transfers, as well as harmonisation after acquisitions. She has specific experience dealing with the challenges of employing skilled workers in safety-critical environments such as manufacturing, engineering and distribution.

Find out How to Create an Awesome Candidate Experience with our short guide.

Tracy Welch, Business Director at Priority Appointments, explains why it's not just
candidates who need to give their best performance in job interviews.

When you are recruiting, you will – quite rightly – expect every candidate to
have done their homework. When they arrive for interview, you will anticipate
that they will have planned what they will say and ask, turned up punctually, be
appropriately dressed and wearing a smile.

However, in today’s climate where businesses are having to compete for the
best candidates, employers need to be equally well-prepared and it’s worth
making sure the experience you give applicants shows your company off to its
best advantage.

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

In the last figures published in 2017, the Office for National Statistics estimated that 15% of the British labour market as self-employed, with almost 5 million people classified as ‘gig workers’.

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.

Three-quarters of manufacturers struggle to find people with up to five years’ experience to fill skilled positions. 

According to research by MAKE, the manufacturers' industry association (formerly the Engineering Employers Federation)  in early 2020, almost two-thirds of companies said that one of their key recruitment difficulties is that applicants lack the right technical skills.

So in this type of challenging environment, how do companies find new skilled talent - particularly in Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, where employment rates are at an all-time high?

The answer is that you need to find innovative ways to attract the best people in the first instance, and then retain them for the future.  

Here are some ideas to help you encourage engineering candidates to consider working for your business.

1) Stand out from the crowd

With so many businesses vying for the attention of people with desirable technical skills, such as CNC Operators, your organisation really has to stand out. Engineering candidates are savvy about building their CVs, so are attracted to companies with a strong reputation and positive brand. 

For engineering and manufacturing in particular, the larger well-known brands tend to get a higher influx of applications than smaller, unknown organisations. Here’s how you can make sure your business can stand out and attract the best engineering candidates - whatever the size of your company:

Check out the competition – looking at what your successful competitors are doing to  understand how you should approach making your brand attractive to top engineering candidates. Is there a way you can go one better than them? Are they attending lots of events? Do they have a strong marketing plan in place? Do they have a good recruitment partner helping them with sourcing? 

Highlight your unique selling points (USPs) – make sure you highlight what makes you different from other manufacturing / engineering companies. Is yours a family organisation with a close-knit community feeling where staff can have a strong influence? Or is it a large, global organisation with lots of opportunities to progress? Communicating your USPs to prospective engineering staff is key if you want to attract the best people.

If you clearly set out what makes you different, you can use this to attract the right candidates - those who fit in with the culture of your organisation as well as having the technical skills you need. After all, if someone is interested in working on global projects, they probably won’t fit into a small business, and vice versa.

Live by your values – by demonstrating that your organisation has strong, positive company values and that you stick to them through your policies, procedures and culture, you’ll find good people are easier to attract and retain. 

2) Provide growth opportunities

If you want to be right up there with the big players in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, you will need to be prepared to offer growth opportunities to prospective employees. Contrary to popular belief, most candidates are not just looking for a good salary (although that is important!), they are also looking for companies where they can progress. 

Candidates with desirable skills want opportunities to develop their career and learn new skills to add to their CVs. Although this can be challenging if you are running a small organisation, it is still important to have a clear career path for prospective candidates. 

If you are restricted in what you can offer in terms of salaries, you will need to be prepared to offset this with other benefits, such as flexible working and training. 

As an example, a Design Engineer may want to add electrical engineering capabilities to his or her skill set, or a senior Production Welder may want to develop management skills so they can head up a department. It is essential to offer good opportunities for new employees to encourage them to join you.

3) Consider being more flexible

Men as well as women are looking for flexible ways of working and if you can incorporate this into your employment strategy, you will have more chances of successfully filling your vacancies. For example, could you take on two part-time workers to cover a full-time role?

Engineering is still a male dominated industry. According to the Women’s Engineering Society, women make up just 12.3% of all engineers in the UK, with part of the problem being the lack of flexibility in many traditional engineering roles.

Actively encouraging more women to join your organisation is a great way to find new, quality candidates. In order to do this, you may want to look at recruiting for part-time engineering roles, as well as offering flexible working which could appeal to people wanting to continue their studies, or who have a family.

The more open you are to different ways of working, the better your prospects of hiring the best people for your organisation.

Top quality candidates with technical skills can be difficult to find, but by following these steps and ensuring you have a positive, friendly and encouraging environment, you will be able to attract the best people to join your business. 

We have candidates with a range of experience in the engineering and manufacturing sectors  on our books who could be ideal for your business. Please get in touch to find out if we can help you source the specific skills and attitude you need.