For people who think

It pays off to go to the gym in more ways than one!

ENI — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:57:17 +0000

So, a new year, a new start. As I bust a gut on the cross trainer on Monday night, I’m thinking “how will I ever reach my goal of 30 minutes, when I am already out of breath and I have only done 6 minutes?!” I decide to cover the clock with my towel and focus my attention on working out where I am going to get new candidates from this year. We all put up ads on the web and we all contact our old placements and of course we are always asking for referrals from candidates… but I was thinking about other things that I could do to attract candidates.

At what feels like 15 minutes, I look at the clock and only another 4 have passed, so I decide I am not going to look again until the machine beeps and tells me I’m done. So I try and think of places where I can meet researchers, other than conferences etc. I start thinking about approaching people in bars and asking them where they work and if they know anyone who works in research, but quickly decide that this is pretty weird and of course when people are out for drinks with their friends, the last thing they’re probably thinking about is work! I then decide that perhaps for all I know, the person on the cross trainer next to me could actually work in research herself. Now is that weird if I start talking to her, whilst she is bright red with sweat dripping off her? I concluded that, yes it is.

On tuesday night, as I am in my Pilates class waiting for the instructor to arrive, I look around and there are about 20 of us sat on the floor not talking to each other. I decide that I am going to initiate conversation with the person next to me… because you never know, they may well know someone who works in research. (This next part you may not believe BUT it is true!) I get chatting to the girl next to me and she introduces herself to me as Sarah, I wait for the right moment before asking what she does for a living, to which she replies “I work in Consumer Insights for Nestle” !!!

The instructor then walks in and we start the class. I can hardly contain myself, “my social experiment has worked!” Whilst in plank position, I subtly tell the girl I recruit in her field, which she appears to be equally excited about.

When the class finishes, we have a proper chat and whilst she is not actively looking for a job at the moment, she had heard of me and has since sent me the details of a friend of hers at Nestle who is looking for a new role. I have shortlisted the candidate for a client side role, and I’m hoping to get an interview for her.

So the moral of this is; never be afraid to engage in conversation with a random in whatever situation you are in, as you never know who they may be. You have nothing to lose, but a lot to potentially gain!

Happy New Year

ENI — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:38:28 +0000

Welcome back to work, everybody!

Hopefully anyone reading this is feeling hopeful and anticipatory as to what 2010 has in store for us all, given the, er, ‘challenges’ of the past year. Yes, it’s cold and bleak outside with yet MORE snow apparently on the way (those snowy scenes stopped looking picturesque and more like a pain in the neck after the first day of disruption, travel chaos, and falling over on the ice) but we now move into a new decade, so let’s put 2009 behind us, rub our crystal ball, and peer into what could be in store for us all this year, as we stand on the precipice of the next decade….

Well, peering in thus far, it’s got to be looking more promising than this time last year already! After receiving a flurry of last minute pre-Christmas briefs like a light snow shower (ah ha! the welcome scent of yearly budgets being used up), ENI have started 2010 in a much more positive place than this time last year.

Whilst we braced ourselves and got our heads down last January, ready for the crunch and the ensuing unholy matrimony of frozen recruitment budgets and countless redundant candidates, this year has started on a much more positive note. I for one definitely feel that, along with the (metaphorical) snowdrops, those promised ‘green shoots’ have started to appear, and are slowly poking their tips out of the snowy smothering blanket of the recession, with signs of life appearing in the form of a slow but steady flow of new roles.

Whilst it would be overly optimistic to assume that we will be returning to the salad days of pre September 2008 any time soon, the big freeze has started to thaw slightly, with budgets being unfrozen and increasing amounts of activity, which is good news for us all. The face of research and of recruitment may have changed forever (and for the better), but in the face of more clement market conditions, hopefully we can all look forward to a more promising spring.

So…anyone in the mindset of ‘New Year, New Job’?!

Fresh Beginnings for 2010

ENI — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:55:21 +0000

With only a day to go before we herald in the year 2010, I couldn’t help but think about the year to date: The highs and the lows, the hardships in the economy on a global scale and the hardships in people’s own pockets – but a new day is dawning!

Every year my partner and I sit down and evaluate our achievements and our challenges. We ask ourselves how we can improve with our efforts in the coming year. We plan our goals in list format and then every 31st December we tick off the ones that have been accomplished or star the ones that need to take highest priority and address the entries that no longer have any sway as our circumstances may have changed.
It is a foregone conclusion that every New Year creates a team of people who hanker for the next great job, the next career challenge and the next opportunity that gets them closer to their personal goals.

Sit down with your friends, family or colleagues and establish a set of goals that you know are within your capabilities, but give you the chance to challenge yourself and get you one step closer to a more prosperous life, a great skill set, a bigger bank balance and a better sense of well being.

Bring on 2010. Its a new day!, its a new dawn! its a new life! and we can all reach for the stars. It’s a given that we are at hand to consult with you on your career and present you with what could be the best move for you in 2010.

Christmas Cheer

ENI — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:33:54 +0000

What is Christmas? It’s the holiday season… it’s the time of year when everyone is happy… it’s the time to be with your families… it’s the time when children are hungry for presents …it’s the best time of the year!

Christmas is the time when everyone starts thinking about the New Year. It doesn’t matter how terrible the previous year has been, it’s always good to look ahead and know that there is a new beginning coming.

2009 has been a difficult year, with ups and downs for everyone. Some businesses have done better than others but all have experienced the effects of the recession. No one knows whether the crisis has passed but the one thing we can hope for is that the worst is over and the New Year will bring a lot of new opportunities and possibilities for growth!

Christmas is the time to be grateful and generous, the time to pass on the cheer and make people around you smile. Christmas is the time when people are not afraid to say ‘I love you’ to the people they care the most about. So let’s put on the funny Christmas music and silly Christmas hats and enjoy every moment of this joyful holiday season!

ENI wishes you a Very Merry Christmas and a more Successful and Prosperous 2010!

Putting The Boot In!

ENI — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:47:52 +0000

There seems to be a general consensus within our office at the moment that things are picking up and activity levels are starting to resemble some of the good old times with activity levels rife, new jobs aplenty and more and more candidates spending less and less time on the market which is always a win-win for everyone involved. Yes, it feels like we are in a better place right now than we have been since the turn of 2009 but whilst some people are in better places and better jobs because of the resurgence in budgets and project workload, there are undoubtedly others who are still fighting for every inch in a 2 inch market who are probably asking themselves the question – why? Having the opportunity as part of my job to speak to these very people everyday throws up some interesting thoughts on this matter. For example, there is a common theme cropping up from my conversations that a lack of sector experience has often hindered a candidate’s chance of securing that special role and this is an argument I would agree with as companies enjoy such choice amongst their shortlist of candidates right now. This in itself is of course going to be a major factor for why some candidates are searching longer and harder than others – because their chances of success are simply that much more reduced as a consequence of the market being so buoyant right now for talent. However, I would also argue that one of the reasons why certain candidates might be experiencing a tougher time securing a role than others is that of feedback or to be more specific – the lack of feedback in many cases. It would be no secret to say that whilst roles have started to open up over the last few months, companies on the other hand have increasingly done the opposite in terms of the way they feedback to the market. Perhaps this is a natural and in many ways expected consequence of the surge in jobs and the effect this activity has on a hiring manager’s time or more controversially, perhaps these roles aren’t considered of great importance or significance to the manager’s hiring for them even though they are still essential hires for the business. Whatever the reason may be, there does appear to be a trend where an increasing number of candidates are receiving little to no feedback for roles they are considered for which I believe is having a knock on effect for the recruitment process. It is important more than ever that candidates know where they stand and why so they can continue to build upon developmental areas within their interview technique but most importantly, so they can plot a better course for their career in these difficult times. This process of feedback isn’t one way though and it ultimately serves businesses well with their talent resourcing if they go on to interview candidates who have already come through the process of prior feedback and are able to put this to use when interviewing for selection and hire. I suppose the message I am trying to make here is that businesses can save themselves valuable time searching for that right individual if feedback is always given to the candidates they meet (not to mention save recruitment consultants time too!). Without it, this would surely be the act of putting the boot in for candidates struggling in the job market right now and only helps to stagnate good talent and slow your hiring process down.

Office Angels

ENI — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:02:40 +0000

Office Angels: bringing comfort and joy to our workspace We all know how it is sometimes. Even before you’ve come into the office, your Blackberry has been buzzing away since the moment you switched it on, you’ve got 15 emails and you’ve already spoken to and pacified at least 3 anxious candidates and clients – and it’s not even 9’oclock! You then come in, turn on the PC and attempt to trawl through a barrage of emails, all of which need to be actioned, when there goes the phone on your desk, with another concerned caller who you just don’t have time to deal with right now. You ask your PA or Receptionist to politely fob them off. The phone goes again. This time you really do need to take that call! Attempting to scrawl down the key details of the call, you forage around on your desk for pen and paper. Not finding it, you motion frantically to said PA/Receptionist to bring you what you need, which they promptly do. Call over, you’ve taken notes and have all the info you need. Now you can get on with your day, call that previous concerned caller back, and go through your emails…but oh no! The system crashes, so straightaway you ask the PA/Receptionist to contact IT Support to get things sorted. You use that time whilst your technology is being sorted to print off some CVs but, running out of paper, you ask that person to fill the printer whilst you have to take another call. You get back to your desk and it’s all sorted – you can now carry on as you mean to go on. So far, so familiar. But have you remembered to thank that office angel who helped you before, making your life easier whilst you ran around in a flap? In our mania of frenetic activity, we sometimes take for granted the people who enable the smooth running of our offices, who do the essential things like buy milk and teabags so we can get our caffeine fix in the morning (and throughout the day!), who book our hotels, travel and client lunches, who put more paper in the printer, who replenish the stationery cupboard, who field constant sales calls all day, who labour for hours updating our admin, databases and processes, and who by doing these things generally make our jobs (and therefore lives!) easier and more pleasant. It’s about time we thought about and thanked those who keep the wheels oiled, and made sure they know how much we appreciate them. So, office angels, here’s to you. Thank you for helping out and making our office environments pleasant and workable. Just don’t let that halo slip…or sprout wings and fly away from us!

Choosing a job is akin with choosing a house.

ENI — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:07:49 +0000

Are you one of those people that have a wish list the length of your arm for your next career move? Do you know categorically that you need every single thing on that list? or are you the sort who goes on gut instinct? Do you turn up for the interview (well researched) but going on how it feels!

I ebb between the two. I remember when I first started looking for our family home I had this “must have” list. It involved large garden, fruit trees, lawn, back lighting, light airy rooms, minimum 3 bedrooms. I wanted something we could make our own, not a new build sort of home but a house with history, a building with presence(not too much though that’s spooky). A previous owner who had looked after the house and loved the shell…on and on the list went.

We viewed so many properties fitting the majority of the bill above. We had an offer accepted, a survey paid for… but then we saw the house of our dreams – huge windows, far more expensive than we wanted to mortgage ourselves up to, garden to die for and the presence of a gentle giant. I knew without reserve that I wanted it! The house had captivated me. I envisaged all who had been before me and my future with my brood and more. I could see the house being integral to how our family operated.

We see candidates and clients who have lists like toilet roll reels. Good on them as the more you know what good looks and feels like, the better the chances of finding something that comes as close as possible to your ideal.

In this current economic climate we know that the employment rates are higher than they have been in decades. It is tempting to tolerate mediocrity when looking for a job as opposed to a house. I see candidates that I know feel they may have to tolerate the “50%” job. The one that is the only available one at this time! The limited option! Don’t do it! Evaluate your worth, evaluate your list and see if compromising it makes you firstly more employable, but secondly gets you closer to achieving the full shebang on your magically long wish list. Sometimes the risk and reward can be offset but on other occasions the rewards are little and the risk is humungous.

We are hiring at ENI at the moment and it got me thinking about my mishaps over the years when hiring talent. We have assembled a great team, with a diverse mix of skill and a broad spectrum of personalities however over the last 6 years or so I have interviewed some good and great people. I have also interviewed some candidates that have strengths but are just too average for my business. This isn’t to say they are average across the board, but for my cultural and business needs and to make ENI an even bigger force to be reckoned with you have to constantly raise the bar.

Put simply if you are a candidate is the job getting you in your tummy, making you have the butterflies? Can you see yourself growing in it, making your mark on it, getting your worth from it and feeling that your investment is being returned?

If your an employer does this prospective employee just fit, do they feel right for the culture of your business. Do they have some better and different qualities to the team you currently have. Do you feel that they bring more to the table than all of the others you have seen! Can you see them adding value from day one? Are there aspects that make you think…if I trained them in this (or in house speak if I painted that wall) they would be phenomenal! Hire them Hire them and hire them quickly.

Due diligence is a must but that tummy tickle is a bit of a giveaway.

Working Flexibly:It helps to be a bit bendy.

ENI — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:02:36 +0000

There’s a lot to be said for an employer who gives flexibility. Yesterday I was called home on a domestic crisis. Once there, after dealing with the situation, I was able to log on and work from home without the distractions of the office, so was happily typing away close to a bed-ridden invalid. The very fact that I was able to be there and on hand if I was needed was invaluable and much appreciated. I’m not saying that employers should let their staff leave the office at the drop of a hat, and there obviously has to be a good reason for it and a bit of give and take all round, but it pays to keep an open mind and only encourages good internal feeling. We regularly meet candidates who are seeking new roles but are ideally looking to work at least a day a week from home, usually for commuting reasons. What we’ve found is that generally clients are reluctant to commit to this, and may also question the candidate’s commitment. What we would recommend in these situations, if you are someone who would appreciate a degree of flexibility and are able to do this (ie don’t have childcare commitments – see below!), is to commit to a full-time 5 days a week position, prove yourself in that role, and then, once you’ve impressed your boss and if you still feel the necessity, gently broach the subject then, explaining why this would be beneficial to the company. Make sure your request isn’t all about you! You’re generally much more likely to be given flexibility once you’ve proven yourself as a valuable commodity and it’s usually the case that most people who work part-time or 1 day from home are generally long-termers. From an employer’s perspective, yes, whilst its not ideal to have a valuable team member out of the office 1 day a week as you may wonder what they’re doing and find it frustrating not to have them on hand when you need them, surely its best to accommodate them and keep them happy and doing a good job for you, so they don’t start looking for an employer that will. Make sure they are able to log onto any centralised systems, access email, and remain in regular contact with them so neither parties feel out of the loop. On the subject of flexible working, a quick note on flexibility for women in the workplace: I read today that new research by the Centre for Policy Studies showed that, of the 4,690 mothers questioned for the survey, just 12% wanted to work full-time. According to the YouGov poll, just 1% of mothers and 2% of fathers with children under five think Mum should work full-time. According to the survey, what women really want would appear to be greater flexibility to work part-time, and more options when it comes to childcare. Clearly more and more mothers are keen to work under their own terms (hence why a growing number are setting up their own businesses) so in these circumstances, flexibility (within reason) really is critical to building successful working relationships. All in all, it’s all about give and take, and mutual respect. Let’s all just try to be that bit more bendy!

Finding the great amongst the good.

ENI — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:15:26 +0000

I am often asked about the talent we represent and how it fares in this market. I so wish I had a staple answer that appeased the majority, but as of yet I am still struggling with the fact that there are so many good people in search of the next great opportunity. Candidates that have a strong repertoire of skills, great emotional intelligence and the gutsy drive that every business knows will make a difference. These are the great -The people who can simply add value regardless of the sector as they just know how to adapt to meet the market.

Equally there is a whole raft of others who are loyal, trustworthy, deliver good results time and again and show: honesty, commitment and persistence to all they turn their hands to. These are the people every business needs to ensure the company consistently meets deadlines, always produces the goods and never falls short of the brief. They are the doers, the people who know how to just get it done.

Neither genre is better than the other, they both have a pivotal place in the workplace. One is the firm foundation that ensures stability and longevity presides and the other is the gloss, the glamour, the look of the business.

In the ideal world one person would embody both traits and indeed there are rare occasions when this happens and you think a “Midas moment” has occurred, however more often than not you get a great foundation maker with strong skills, but not as sparky, impactful as the rainmaker who turns up for interview laden with ideas, motivated by making a difference and yearning to simply set themselves apart from the status quo.

What defines great or good depends on each company’s perspective. Some want the image, the gloss, the glamour and the style whilst others want the rich staying power, the consistent safe hands that many view as dependable, loyal and always at hand to get the job done.

From a personal perspective -I think I am similar to many of our clients. I want it all. I want the passionate, inspiring team player that engages the audience with aplomb, yet I also want the employee who turns up 30 minutes early for work, breakfast eaten, to do list written, steady, dependable and true to their goals.

I am not dissimilar to the clients I wish would flex their brief a little! Perfection is so easy to define and yet difficult to attain and attract.

The importance of being sternest

ENI — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:00:42 +0000

In these troubled times we, as recruiters, often bear the brunt. Frequently viewed merely as suppliers we are often (in the current climate) denied the opportunity to flex our abilities and truly demonstrate and convey our expertise in finding the perfect match between brief and candidate. Many companies currently feel that they can effectively ‘go it alone’ and attract the right candidates…but at what cost? As specialist recruiters we are experts in our fields and it’s more important than ever to educate our clients of this. Finding the perfect candidate is a tough job and if you aren’t equipped with the correct tools it can be an uphill struggle one that can often end, disappointingly, back at the start! At Elizabeth Norman we have over 20 years of specialist experience in the MR recruitment field. We live and breathe CVs and job briefs and day in day out we work tirelessly to introduce the right people to each other. We recognize the investment of time it takes to search out and attract these people and we pride ourselves on being able to take that requirement away from our clients. HR responsibilities cover so much more than resourcing and the time saved in trying to find the very best pool of available talent can be invested back into other initiatives, ultimately adding value to other areas of a client’s business. So let’s educate and really push to demonstrate exactly what we’re here for!