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Your Smart, Friendly, Local, Flexible Recruitment Team!
We specialise in placing all roles within the Manufacturing, Distribution and Engineering sectors, especially in Operations, Production, and Supply Chain.
Areas We Serve
We look after clients in the following towns within Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire:
Aldermaston, Aldershot, Alton, Andover, Basingstoke, Bordon, Bracknell, Camberley, Farnborough, Farnham, Fleet, Frimley, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Newbury, Overton, Whitchurch, Winchester, Winnersh, Wokingham, Yateley and the surrounding areas.
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Our Clients
Testimonials
Candidate Advice
Finding the Perfect Job For a Real ‘Hidden Gem’
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
All You've Ever Wanted to Know About the National Living Wage But Were Afraid To Ask
The new National Living Wage came into effect in April 2016, replacing the National Minimum Wage for all employees over the age of 25.
Around six million people in the UK now receive new National Living Wage, but how do you find out whether it can benefit you and what do you have to do to make sure you get it?
Our Q&A with Priority Appointments' Business Director Tracy Welch tells you all you need to know:
Q: How do you apply for the National Living Wage?
A: You don’t have to apply for it. Your employer, or your agency if you work as a temp through Priority Appointments, will automatically check if you are eligible for the National Living Wage.
Q: I work part-time – will I still get it?
A: If you pay National Insurance, have a contract of employment or you are a contractor paid via an agency like Priority Appointments. you should be eligible. If your work is completely flexible, you may not be, as you will be considered to be self-employed. You can check if you will be eligible using this calculator.
Q: I am not yet 25, so what do I get?
A: You continue to receive the Minimum Wage until you are 25. There are different rates for over-21s; 18 – 20 year olds; under 18s and apprentices. You can check the current rates on the UK government website.
Q: Is this the same as the Real Living Wage?
A: The 'Real Living Wage' is a voluntary pay structure promoted by the Living Wage Foundation. This is not run by the Government and is not mandatory for employers. However, more and more companies are signing up to the scheme all the time, so it would be worth asking your employer if they are a member.
For information on local jobs at excellent rates of pay, please contact Tracy Welch.
Understanding Agency Workers Rights - Infographic
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has published a useful infographic which clearly explains the rights of Agency Workers.
An ‘agency worker’ is defined as someone who is engaged by an agency and supplied to work under the supervision and direction of another business, so temps and contract workers will all come under this heading
You can download a copy of the infographic here.
Top 10 Places to Go After Work in Basingstoke
Do you have a job in Basingstoke? If you already work in the area or if you’re looking for a job in Basingstoke, we’ve got some great ideas for places to go after work, so you’ll never be stuck for something fun to do!
1. Jan Jack’s Laughter House Comedy Club
An evening of belly laughs is just what you need after a long day at work. Join the fun on the second Thursday of the month and see some of the country’s top comedians perform.
2. Haymarket Theatre
Take in a show at this lovely, intimate theatre right in the centre of Basingstoke. It’s a popular venue for concerts, comedy and theatre.
3. Gorilla Spirits Co.
Go for a tour and a taster session or have a professional class with a mixologist! Gorilla Spirits Co. is a great evening out for spirit and cocktail lovers.
4. The Mayflower
If you’re in the mood for Chinese food, look no further than The Mayflower. It’s an independent restaurant that serves a selection of pan-Chinese dishes including a fixed-price lunch and an all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet. With unique decor, it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!
5. The Lime Leaf
Serving authentic Thai cuisine, The Lime Leaf has a 4 star rating on Trip Advisor and is ranked as one of the top restaurants in Basingstoke. It offers a range of Thai dishes including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
6. Vue Cinema
Enjoy a night at the flicks and immerse yourself in the latest blockbusters on one of 10 screens! Sit back in an extra comfy recliner and enjoy the sweet and savoury snacks available.
7. Basingstoke Sports Centre
Fit in an after-work gym, swim or spa session at the biggest gym in Basingstoke. With over seven floors of training studios, gyms, squash courts and two swimming pools, there are plenty of activities to choose from. If you just want to wind down and relax, take a trip to the spa and enjoy the facilities including a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.
8. Festival Place
There’s plenty of time to indulge in some retail therapy after you’ve finished work. Open Monday - Wednesday until 7pm and Thursday - Friday until 8pm, you’ll be able to wander around the big name brands and charming boutiques.
9. The Olive House
This independent, family-run business is the 2nd best restaurant in Basingstoke according to Trip Advisor. It serves a unique Turkish and Mediteranean menu available at lunch and dinner time.
10. Las Iguanas
Enjoy authentic Latin American food in a vibrant restaurant. Come for dinner and enjoy a cocktail or two! Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options are also available.
Check out our website to discover the latest jobs in the area, with a nightlife like this, Basingstoke is worth moving to!
Trip Advisor ratings correct at the time of writing.
Earn £30 from Priority Appointments
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.
Recruiter Advice
Uncover Hidden Gems: How to Find the Skilled Candidates You Need
Do you struggle to find great candidates with the specialised technical skills you need? 
It’s not surprising! Low unemployment rates, an increasingly competitive job market and a lack of skilled candidates in the manufacturing, distribution and engineering sectors all contribute to the challenge.
Here are some tried and tested strategies to help you overcome the skills-shortage and successfully fill open positions with ‘hidden gem’ candidates - those people many agencies overlook but who could be exactly who you’re looking for.
1. Upskill your candidates
Have you ever searched for the right candidate, only to wonder if it would have been quicker to train up someone who has almost all the skills you need?
You may be right! Recruitment is time consuming.
The process of writing job descriptions, sifting through CVs and holding interviews can be frustrating when the perfect candidate you’re looking for isn’t available, and you need to repeat the process.
It can also be costly to the business not having an employee in the role throughout the recruitment period.
Companies often find that training up new candidates in specialist skills can be far more cost-efficient than waiting for the right person with everything they’re looking for to come along.
2. Recruit the right attitude
“You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.”
Simon Sinek, in his book, Start With Why, makes a compelling case for hiring candidates who demonstrate motivation to develop and grow, rather than hiring skilled-up candidates who require motivation.
Employers in the UK consider a positive attitude to be one of the five most-wanted attributes in a candidate.
An employee with a positive and proactive attitude can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. This can result in lower absenteeism levels and a much more positive outlook should a stressful situation arise.
People tend to gravitate to more positive people and like being around them, making joint projects more enjoyable and productive.
At Priority Appointments, commitment to our brand values is absolutely essential and we recognise the value of a great attitude.
When we were looking for a Recruitment Consultant to join our Industrial and Technical division, we met a candidate who had no experience in the recruitment industry but demonstrated an attitude and enthusiasm to learn that impressed us so much we decided to invest in training him up.
He’s now a successful recruitment consultant and valued member of our team!
3. Access our vault of skilled candidates
In the medium to long-term, we understand the importance and urgency of accessing the right candidates with the right skills at the right time.
So, as your recruitment partner, we’ll provide you with access to our diverse and ever-developing portfolio of skilled candidates including CMM Inspectors, Account Managers, Forklift Drivers, Sales Support Administrators, CNC Machinists, Marketing Executives and Electronics Engineers to name just a few.
When we put a candidate forward for a role, we match them not only to the requirements of the position, but also the culture of the business, ensuring they’ll be a great fit for your team.
Our Recommend A Friend scheme, incentivises our candidates to refer their contacts to Priority Appointments, increasing our talent pool and network of skilled candidates and ensuring we have an additional supply of great candidates.
4. Take a creative approach
In some cases, it’s necessary to take an alternative approach.
When a client came to us to fill a System Design role, despite months of work by other recruitment agencies, a candidate who matched the specific criteria they required hadn’t yet been found.
Once we were appointed, we worked with them to gain a clear understanding of the requirements of the position.
With a deep knowledge of the role and candidate market, we explained the benefits of considering not only experienced candidates, but also top graduates.
Andy Gibson, Merronbrook Ltd., was delighted with the candidates we presented.
“Our System Design role had been open for four months and we were frustrated that no other agency could find someone who met the very specific criteria for the position required. We then appointed Priority Appointments and were very quickly presented with three graduates, with experience gained through a placement year, who had all the skills and enthusiasm needed. Priority opened our eyes to top-level candidates that other agencies overlooked.”
With our consultative approach, deep understanding of the market and experience placing specialist roles in the manufacturing, distribution and engineering sectors we’re able to support organisations to find the candidates with the skills they want and need.
If you don’t have the time to uncover skilled ‘hidden gems’, we can help you find them.
Call us today on 01256 334575 to discuss your recruitment needs and to find out more about the candidates we have available to work right now!
Do You Know How The EU Settlement Scheme Could Affect Your Staff?
Whilst debates about how and when we will leave the EU continue on, the law affecting who can remain in the UK after June 2021 have now come into effect.
Anyone in your team, or who you are considering employing, who does not hold British or Irish citizenship will need to apply for EU Settled Status if they wish to remain beyond June 2021.
The deadline for applying is 30th June 2021, but if Britain were to leave the EU without a deal, the deadline will move forward to 31st December 2020.
Those with under five years residence will be able to apply for pre-settled status before switching to settled status when they reach the five year mark. The Home Office will make criminality checks for both of these applications (Source: REC).
To be eligible to apply for settled status, EU citizens, plus those from European Economic Area (EEA) countries - Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - or people whose family members are from these countries, will need to have lived in the UK for five years by December 2020.
The only non-British or Irish citizens who do NOT need to apply are those who have indefinite leave to enter, or remain in, the UK, or who are from EU / EEA countries or Switzerland and arrived before 1973.
People who have dual British / Irish and other citizenship do not need to apply.
How Do Your Staff Know if They Need to Apply?
There is a useful guide of the stages of application on the UK Government website.
The steps for people considering applying are:
1) Check if they need to apply
2) Find out what status they’ll get - either settled or pre-settled status, depending on the length of time they have lived in the UK
3) Check what they need to apply
4) Apply
5) Find out what happens after application
It is free to apply for Settled Status. Anyone who has paid a fee to apply will automatically get it refunded.
We always check that candidates applying for permanent or temporary roles have the right permits to allow them to work in the UK.
If you use temps provided by Priority Appointments who need to apply, we will be on hand to offer support, using guidance set out by our professional body, the Recruitment and Employers Confederation (REC). There is a useful guide on the REC website which summarises the likely different outcomes in the event of a deal or no-deal Brexit: Brexit Guide
To find out more, contact your account manager, or email us at office@priorityappointments.co.uk.
Please note: we are not able to offer legal advice about specific cases.
How to Be an Employer of Choice
Do you need to attract more high-quality candidates? In today’s market of low unemployment rates and skills shortages, there’s stiff competition among businesses to attract the best and most qualified candidates.
This is of particular concern in the technical and engineering sectors where filling temporary roles with skilled candidates is becoming increasingly challenging.
To attract the best people and stand out from the competition, it’s absolutely essential that the best candidates see you as a great employer.
What is an employer of choice?
An employer of choice attracts high-quality candidates because they offer a great working environment and the benefits that people value most. It’s crucial to know what matters to your ideal candidates and be in tune with what they’re looking for in an employer.
In addition to a good salary and opportunities for career progression, research shows that candidates in all age groups prioritise flexible working hours, private healthcare, additional holiday days for long service and enhanced pension contribution.
Free tea and coffee, pets in the office and free breakfast supplies all make the list too - no one likes feeling ‘hangry’ after all!
What are the benefits of becoming an employer of choice?
Becoming known as an employer of choice can do more than make you stand out from the competition, it can have a positive impact on your business and your bottom line.
Healthy, happy workplace
Research shows that employees tend to be more productive when they’re feeling happy, in fact, 12% more productive according to one study. Google, for example, has invested in employee support and satisfaction and reports a 37% increase in productivity as a result of increased employee happiness. By investing in your employees’ happiness you can reap the rewards of increased productivity.
Boost your bottom line
As candidates want to work for your company, they will actively seek out opportunities at your organisation. This will reduce the work you need to put into recruiting because, with help from your recruitment partner, you’re more likely to have a pool of top-quality candidates to choose from.
With a work culture and benefits that employees won’t want to leave, your retention rates will also be higher, reducing company recruitment costs.
Cream of the crop
As an employer of choice, you’ll attract the most qualified and sought after candidates who are best suited to the roles and providing the highest quality of service. This is great for your reputation and improving business performance.
How to become an employer of choice
To become an employer of choice you need to offer a fantastic and demonstrable employee experience. It’s definitely not just a short-lived marketing campaign.
However, it’s important to communicate the company brand values and the benefits of working in the organisation to ideal candidates. Approximately 75% of job seekers research an employer’s brand before applying for a role.
That research is most likely to take the form of a Google search and candidates will look at reviews from customers and past employees, social media content and, of course, your company website to better understand your brand values and what the company has to offer.
Use your channels to communicate
Share your employer brand story, your values and give examples of why you’re an employer of choice consistently across all your social media, internal and external communication channels.
Compensate your employees well
It’s a good idea to keep your salaries competitive and offer the benefits your ideal candidates really value. You can also survey your current employees to better understand what it is they really value about working at your organisation, so that you can highlight those benefits to prospective employees.
Career development
Invest in employee training and development as this not only improves skill sets and quality of service, it also builds morale and shows candidates that the company values its employees.
Great candidate experience
Ensure your candidate selection process is a positive experience for you and applicants. Read our guide: How To Create An Awesome Candidate Experience for best practices and some great tips.
Celebrate your team!
Congratulating employees for a job well done is a great opportunity to boost morale. Showcase your employees and celebrate their successes to demonstrate how much you value them.
Choose an expert recruitment partner
Work with a recruitment partner who knows your brand, cultures and values and can handpick the best candidates for your company.
At Priority Appointments, we take the time to get to know your business so we can accurately match candidates to your organisation’s culture.
Get in touch today to discuss how we can support you and handpick the candidates who will serve your business best.
Email us at office@priorityappointments.co.uk or call us on 01256 334575 and one of our friendly and professional team will be very happy to help!
Would You Let A Robot Recruit For You?
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.
Looking For Great Candidates?
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.
Congratulations to our Temp of the Month!
Big congratulations to Charlotte, our latest Temp of the Month!
Her manager gave her a glowing review:
"Charlotte picks things up quickly and her cheerful demeanour and willingness to help have been of great assistance. Words don’t seem to do justice to how much we like having Charlotte as part of our team. She’s a true gem."
Thanks for being a great Temp Charlotte!
Congratulations to our Temp of the Month!
Congratulations to David, our latest Temp of the Month!
He has been working on an assignment as a warehouse operative and was nominated by his manager who said: “David has worked really well. He’s an excellent timekeeper and has a great attitude.”
Thanks for being a great Temp David!
Congratulations to this year's winners!
We were very pleased to celebrate the finalists and winners of the Inspire 19 Business Awards at the Hampshire Court Hotel recently!
We sponsored the Medium Business of the Year category and our business director Tracy Welch was delighted to present the award to Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt, an architecture practice based in Basingstoke.
Tracy said "The quality of entrants for the Medium Business of the Year category was fantastic, however Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt really did standout as a business that is growing solidly with ambitious plans for the future."
Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt won the best overall winner award too, huge congratulations to them all!
Congratulations to our Temp of the Month!
Well done to Andrew, our Temp of the Month!
Industrial and Technical Consultant, Luke, presented our Temp of the Month, Andrew with his certificate and prize, a £25 gift card for Festival Place in Basingstoke.
“Even though Andrew has only recently started with us, I have been very impressed with his attitude and the way he has picked things up. He works hard and applies himself 100% to a task which is very pleasing, and his happy and bubbly personality is very welcome.” - Frank, Operations Manager.
Thank you for all your hard work, Andrew!
