Remote Working

The traditional workplace is beginning to take a backseat as remote working becomes more and more popular among employers. Remote working, or working from home has also become a necessity of late, as I’m sure we are all well aware of by now. Today’s tech allows us to stay connected around the clock and just about anywhere. So, is remote working the future for productivity?

Many employers previously had concerns about the lack of productivity of their staff when working from home and quite rightly so. However, a large majority of remote working employees report that they face more distractions when working in the traditional office environment than they would at home. By removing factors such as a stressful commute or menial office duties, a higher morale can be achieved and in turn, increase productivity.

From an employer’s point of view, there are, however, a few things that must be taken into consideration when hiring for a remote working role.

VIPersonnel wants to help employers recruit effectively for these remote vacancies, which is why we have put together some key tips on recruiting for remote workers. Points we have covered include; the key skills you should be looking for, how you should assess their abilities and what questions you should asking in your interviews.

What are the main qualities to look out for in a remote worker?

  • Must have a pro-active approach to work and generally self-motivated.
  • They should have a proven track record in remote working.
  • Problem solving – this is a skill every home worker will need at some stage.
  • Excellent communication skills – Being isolated away from every other employee and of course other external contacts, keeping everyone in the loop in key.
  • They must be equipped to work from home effectively – Do they have an office? Laptop/ computer? Sufficient phone and signal etc.?
  • A well organised person is essential for remote working. They need to be able to keep on top of their work load and know how to prioritise in order to meet deadlines.

 

Recruiting tactics for remote working.

Gauge an idea – You can assess a candidates writing ability through email exchanges, text-based chats and writing exercises. Communication can be judged based on the interview or phone calls made.

Face-to-face interviews – If the applicant isn’t able to attend an in person interview due to their location, you can still hold a face to face interview with the use of Skype or similar apps. You are then able to assess body language, facial expressions, etc.

Propose a probationary or trial period – Like any other new starter, implementing a trial or probation period is a great wat to see how they work and adapt to a remote role. This can be anything from a week to 6 months long, depending on what you feel is required.

 

What should you ask in the interview?

What remote working experience do you have?

You want them to understand the pros and cons of working remotely.

What tools have you used to manage remote projects?

It’s important they know how to use file sharing, communication tools, etc.

How do you stay focused?

From this you can learn how they plan on fulfilling their responsibilities and deadlines. Depending on their answers, you should be able to decide if they are able to manage their time wisely.
What kind of hours do you work? Find out whether they plan on working normal office hours, so you can be sure they will be available when you need them.

How to manage a remote worker?

Schedule regular meetings to discuss projects and resolve any issues that arise before they can cause any damage.
Keep communication open so that you can provide them with the necessary feedback on their progress and they can contact you easily when they need to discuss something.
Set them up with all of the relevant tools and software that they need for the job, including tracking software, project management systems, etc.

For more posts like this one, make sure to check out…

Positives we can take from the Coronavirus

 


Positives we can take from the Coronavirus

Sick of hearing nothing but bad news? Here are some positives we can take from the Coronavirus!

Whilst this current outbreak is devastating for many people across the world and in some cases deadly, we must also take this opportunity to step back and look at the many positives that are not getting enough press.

Let’s start with some facts:

  • China has closed down its last Coronavirus hospital as there’s not enough new cases to support them.
  • Doctors in India have been successful in treating Coronavirus. They are going to suggest same medicine, globally.
  • Researchers of the Erasmus Medical Center claim to have found an antibody against Coronavirus. –
  • A 103-year-old Chinese grandmother has made a full recovery from COVID-19 after being treated for 6 days in Wuhan, China.
  • Apple reopens all 42 china stores,
  • Cleveland Clinic developed a COVID-19 test that gives results in hours, not days.
  • Good news from South Korea, where the number of new cases is declining.
  • Italy is hit hard, experts say, only because they have the oldest population in Europe.
  • Scientists in Israel likely to announce the development of a Coronavirus vaccine.
  • 3 Maryland Coronavirus patients fully recovered; able to return to everyday life.
  • A network of Canadian scientists are making excellent progress in Covid-19 research.
  • A San Diego biotech company is developing a Covid-19 vaccine in collaboration with Duke University and National University of Singapore.
  • So it’s not all bad news.

 

But some of the more important things in life are also taking a turn for the better. Here are, perhaps more relevant positives we can take from the Coronavirus…

1). We are more hygienic!

At a guess, 90% of the viruses I’ve contracted in adult life were delivered via public transport. Now, I’m not touching handrails, escalators, handles, lift buttons, or the handle to my shopping trolley. People who rarely bother washing their hands after the loo are now making the effort, and fewer germs are being spread in offices and schools.

2). Home is where the heart is.

We spend all our lives working to pay for a home we spend a minority of our time in. If asked, or deciding, to self-isolate, you will finally get the chance to enjoy it. Take comfort in the home you have built with the people who mean the most to you.

3). Bye bye, air pollution

People aren’t driving and planes are grounded. The air hasn’t been this clean since before the Industrial Revolution, and road accidents will be down too.

All right, delivery drivers are working like never before, but on the upside you will at least be home to receive your parcel, for once.

 

4). More Support for local Companies

With big high street shops and chains on the brink of being completely emptied, (because apparently 1000 loo rolls are the answer to everything!) people are turning to the smaller shops and businesses for their essentials.

5). The knock on effect of kindness.

One thing I have noticed in society, panic buyers aside, is how much new found respect and generosity people and businesses have for each other. Faith in humanity is restored when you see the likes of McDonald’s and Pret A Manger offering free drinks to all NHS staff who are working around the clock to ensure public safety and well-being. Young people are taking more care for elders in the community, offering help to secure essential items which they are struggling to get themselves. We as people are all products of society’s actions and if we all continue to work together and support each other in this way, we will pull though this difficult time and perhaps even be better people as a result.

 

As a small company ourselves, we too are feeling the effect of this Pandemic, however it’s business as usual here at VIP and we are remaining positive, so any companies who need our support with recruitment, or anyone who is looking to secure a new position, then please contact us and we will be happy to assist.

We hope that our network of Clients, candidates and communities far and wide stay safe, in good health and are not effected too much during this outbreak.

We would like to take this opportunity to ask everybody to keep ourselves and other small businesses in mind and thank you all for your support during this difficult time.

 

 

So, next time you speak to someone about it, maybe you too can spread the word and tell others what positives we can take from the Coronavirus.


Its our Birthday

It’s our Birthday

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY!

VIP are celebrating six years in business and as we reach this milestone it’s good to reflect on how far we have come.

Six years ago we started up in a small office from home with just two clients. We had one goal – to do things our way and provide the best service for our clients and candidates alike. We now have over thirty regular clients using our services, including our first two clients which we are truly grateful for as they played such a key part in kick-starting our venture.

We still remember constantly pressing the ‘send and receive’ button on Outlook as we awaited a response to our first introductory email sent to dozens of potential clients across the city.

How different it is today. With no sign of slowing down or pressing the send and receive button, we have regular recommendations and referrals coming in all the time throughout our network and have now established ourselves as one of the region’s most trustworthy and go to agencies.

But what hasn’t changed is our business ethos – it was always to be the best and not the biggest and that still stands today.

What will never change, cheesy as it may be, is the feeling of delivering that life changing news to a Candidate that they have secured their new position, which will inevitably lead to a greater quality of life/more disposable income/a new home/car/fantastic holiday/a treat for their children will never get old.

That said, we are still so proud that our company has grown at such a rate, and that we count local, regional, and national businesses among our client base, including small, medium and large-scale enterprises.

Moving forward into our seventh year, we aim to bring VIP into the limelight buy getting together with our trusted Marketing Company who are putting together a marketing strategy for us to grow even further – watch this space!

We don’t know what the next six years will bring, but we can promise the same level of commitment and service that has come to define our business and reputation.

A massive thank you to our loyal Clients, Candidates, and everyone who has been part of our success, we truly appreciate your support and we very much look forward to another successful six years.


Trust Board

Trust Board

What is the Trust Board?

The members of our Trust Board of professionals, each have a specific area of expertise ranging from Recruitment Specialists, Marketing Experts through to HR and Employment Law Consultants, and more!

When working with our clients, VIP sometimes stumble across problems which we don’t always have the answers to. We understand that sometimes companies need a helping hand in area’s sometimes foreign to their field of expertise.

V.I.Personnel are lucky enough to be affiliated with a fantastic circle of trusted professionals and we not only recommend our network to use their services, but we encourage them to do so.

Our Trust Board of professionals all share a common interest… not only to succeed in business, but help others do so too.

 

Our Trusted Affiliates

 

 

Honest Employment Law Practice

(H.E.L.P) have been providing outsourced HR, Employment Law and Health & Safety advice to clients across the UK for over 15 years. From support for existing HR and Health & Safety teams within larger organisations to being the outsourced HR department and Health & Safety consultant for smaller businesses.

 

 

 

 

The Marketing People

The Marketing People help businesses grow using intelligent marketing & creative design. From small start-ups and family businesses, to SME’s and large companies, whether you want to gain more customers, increase revenue, move into a new sector or increase brand awareness, The marketing people know what to do.

 

 

 

 

 

Clarity Wealth Management

Clarity Wealth Management LLP are a team of dedicated, experienced independent financial advisers with offices in London, Birmingham and Plymouth, offering services which range from Private Mortgages to Corporate Business Route Map Planning.

 

 

 

 

Blue Footprint Ltd.

Based in Tamworth in Staffordshire, Blue Footprint have been solving IT Headaches and implementing innovative solutions since 2005.

Specialists in providing managed IT support and services to small and medium size businesses from a single user in a home office, up to 500 users spread across multiple offices around the UK. Their friendly team of highly skilled IT technicians will advise, consult and help you get the most out of the latest IT solutions and services available.

 

 

 

Quickworks

QuickWorks is an uncomplicated, low cost manufacturing control system for small manufacturers. It is the simple alternative to spreadsheets (prone to errors) and overly complex ERP/MRP software (expensive, overhead hungry and slow to use).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Art of Differentiation – Sustainable Growth Strategies

By working closely with the management team, Tony Prouse uses a combination of Workshops and Strategic Mentoring to help businesses to acquire strategic competences, so they can maximise their differentiation.  As a result, they are able to identify customers that truly value their unique set of capabilities and, crucially, target those that are ready and willing to pay.

 

 

 

 

Hudson – Health & Safety Services

Hudson provide Health and safety support, training and advice, to a wide range of business, with a focus on the construction industry. At Hudson you are supported by a pragmatic and friendly team, who have been assisting businesses, in the field of health and safety management, since 1994. Need help running an effective and compliant business? Get in touch.

 

 

 

 

How can your company benefit from the Trust Board?

When business goals are not being achieved, it generally means that there are two or three key issues that haven’t been solved satisfactorily. In which case, long term solutions are required to prevent the business owner from ‘putting out the same fires’ over and over again.

The Trust Board gives you the tools you need to ensure that all of the cogs in your machine are working together. Help us, to help you. Get in touch!

Whether it’s a trusted Marketing company needed to drive traffic and increase revenue, or it’s your Sales Department is need of some new talent to help drive sales, there should be someone in our Trust Board able to help you.

 

How to get involved?

Interested in a process to build your business to a new level of success?

Simply contact Dan at Very Important Personnel on 0121 647 6695 OR email daniel@veryimportantpersonnel.co.uk. Dan can put you in touch with the contact best for your needs, or simply follow the links displayed in this post.


Scared of getting a new Job

Scared of getting a New Job?

Scared of getting a new Job? A better job is waiting for you. These tips for overcoming fear of change can give you the boost you need.

For most job seekers, the phrase “new job” is exciting because it signals opportunities to learn new skills, expand your network, and build on your experience. But change can also be intimidating. If you’re scared of getting a new job, you’re not alone.

Certain parts of the job search process can be more terrifying than things that go bump in the night. According to a 2018 Monster poll, the majority (38%) of U.S. respondents said they were most afraid of interviewing, while 33% might not even make it that far because they’re scared their CV might go “into a black hole on the Internet” when applying to jobs. Other fears come toward the end of the job search process, which include negotiating salary (16%) and being turned down for a job offer (13%). Plus, what if you get a new job and you hate it?

So while job search fear is a real thing for many people, you can’t let it crush your career. If you find you’re having a hard time getting your wheels in motion to start your job search, it might be time to confront your fears. After all, time doesn’t move in reverse.

“The average person spends roughly one-third of their life at work,” says Kelsey Bye, a career coach in San Francisco. “That’s a lot of time to let yourself feel unfulfilled, unchallenged, underpaid, and unappreciated.”

 

Scared to leave your current employer?

“What will they do without me?”

Loyalty is an admiral trait and certainly a very attractive one to potential employers, but what about your loyalty to your career? Don’t forget, you have to be the one looking out for your own best interest.

Face your fear: Give your all until the very last minute of your employment, that way you leave as the person who gave their best every single day, not the person who dropped the ball

 

You are what you do.

People often take refuge in their title, the company they work for, or their industry as identifying their self-worth. When that is the case, the idea of transitioning to a new job can feel like you are transitioning your identity—not just what you do to pay the bills. And that can be as unsettling as looking in the mirror and seeing someone else’s face instead of your own.

Face your fear: Get to know yourself better before you take a leap. Understand your strengths and how you can and want to contribute to an organization. A simple way to tap into this is to practice self-affirmation. After all, you’re more than just your job, you are a complex, well-rounded being with interests, broader qualities, and diverse skills.

 

Worried you might hate your new job?

Scared to get a job because of the unknown? Well, some do say that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.

When things aren’t great in your job, it’s easy to assume that’s just the way it is: long hours, bad supervisors, demanding clients, but when things are bad, you owe it to yourself to go in search of better.

Face your fear: Plenty of people actually don’t loathe their jobs—in fact, a whole lot of people really love what they do. So conquer your fear and your ignorance by doing some research about other companies. Go on informational interviews. Investigate the cool company perks that are offered elsewhere. And of course, the best advice, get yourself in touch with a good recruiting company like VIP, who can guide you through the process from start to finish. Here you can get help with just about anything to do with getting a new job, from help with your CV, getting information about potential employers, interview prep, and most important, transparent and honest feedback, which will help you moving forward.

 

You absolutely hate being the newbie.

You’re comfortable at your current job. You have a routine, you have friends, you know how to find the best coffee in the building. Leaving that comfort zone and having to figure out the office politics—let alone where to eat lunch—among a new set of co-workers can be terrifying.

Face your fear: “The unknown can certainly be troubling, but it’s seldom as bad as we think it’s going to be,” Bye says. One way to get over your fear of being the new kid on the block at work: Start pushing yourself to meet new people now. Seek out new experiences. Join new groups and clubs outside of work. The more practice you have meeting new people and navigating the unknown, the more comfortable you’ll be stepping out in search of a new job.

 

Scared you won’t find a job? Do this

Are the demons in your head telling you that you’ll never find a job? Don’t listen them. Call VIP today and see how easy it is to get the job you really want. As a VIP candidate, you not only get job alerts emailed right to your inbox, which cuts down on the amount of time you’d spend combing through ads, but you will get a good knowledge of the market place and working environments prior to interviews. This will give you a heads up on what to expect for both interview stage and more importantly moving forward. A job has to be right for you, just as much as you have to be right for the job.

Let VIP help make the job search process a little less scary for you.


How to Avoid a Bad Hire

Here at V.I.Personnel, we want to make sure you know how to avoid a bad hire and how to acquire real talent. The hiring process can be a mine field, there are so many angles to cover to ensure that you recruit only the best employees for your business.

Selecting the very best candidates is one of greatest challenges for hiring managers. Get it right and a new employee can have a positive and immediate impact to the business; get it wrong and the financial and reputational costs can be colossal. In the ever-changing employment scene what are the essential steps to creating a truly reliable recruitment process and what measures can be put in place to avoid a bad hire?

 

If You Think it’s Expensive to Hire a Professional, Wait Until You Hire an Amateur!

The truth is that a bad hiring decision can result in a number of painful and costly outcomes, and some of those can be much harder to put a price on than others. Some of the following could be a result of bad recruitment;

  • Damaged employee relations and morale
  • Public scandals and negative publicity
  • Attrition and wasted hiring budgets
  • Endangerment of employees, clients and business associates
  • Lost Productivity
  • Litigation

Although these may seem like extreme examples, they are all damaging to the company. To avoid this being the case, recruit right the first time.

According to the CIPD the average recruitment cost of filling a vacancy is £4,000, increasing to £6,125 when the associated labour turnover costs are included. For a senior manager role, these figures rise to £10,000 and £9,000, respectively, and if things fail to work out first time around you can expect to double these for the cost of rehiring once again.

 

How to avoid a bad Hire I hear you ask?

Here are a few tips that should help you cover all bases when hiring.

As an employer, the single most important thing to remember when recruiting is; if you don’t have the time to do it, don’t rush it. The recruitment process takes time and preparation, rushing it will only ever result in hiring the wrong candidate. After all, there is more to it than just conducting interviews. The selection process prior to interviews can take many hours in itself, shortlisting the hundreds of applications and sifting through CV’s looking for the right experience and qualities is a huge task, consider outsourcing this at all costs.

Make sure to check out: Choosing the right Recruitment Agency for help with this.

Understand the requirements of the role. Conduct a thorough job analysis to uncover the key competencies for the role. From this, create a detailed job description. This is normally the first thing an applicant will see. If the job description is too generic and lacks detail, you will attract more CV’s without doubt, however this also means you will have to take more time to sift through applications and many will not be suitable. Instead, create a detailed description that will attract only the most eager and experienced candidates, thus also narrowing your search.

What calibre of candidate are you looking for? Will “candidate A” be better at the job than “candidate B”? This is measured on experience and representation and is best spotted at interview stage.  Although an impressive CV can go a long way, I’ve found that there are many candidates with fantastic CV’s but fail to deliver in an interview.  On the flip side, I’ve interviewed candidates that flourish in an interview but fail to demonstrate their ability on their CV. The typical case of “Never judge a book by its cover”.

With concerns rising over a skills shortage in the UK it is even more important that your business stands out to qualified, talented candidates. Whether you’re launching a recruitment drive, hiring for a senior level position or looking for entry-level graduates you will want to attract top calibre candidates each and every time. You want them to be qualified for the role, with the right experience and the right soft skills for your business.

Show the realities of the job.  Give potential applicants an honest account of what the job will entail by using realistic job previews (RJPs). RJPs can take the form of videos, testimonials or short tests. Regardless of format, effective RJPs accurately foreshadow the culture that the candidate is signing up for. Subsequently, candidates are much less likely to leave during their employment.

Implement psychometric assessments. The benefit of this approach is that you can assess key competencies and hone in on a candidate’s behavioural tendencies in a more engaging and realistic way. These tests take 15-20 minutes to complete. They can be undertaken prior to any interview stage of the selection process and the results can be integrated with your applicant tracking system.

Provide a consistent, friendly and engaging candidate experience. It is important to provide candidates with a positive recruitment experience, regardless of whether or not you offer them a job. Your applicants could be current or potential customers.


Counter Offers

Accepting a counter-offer

Is accepting a Counter-Offer Career Suicide?

As the job market improves, companies keen to retain staff are becoming more likely to make a counter-offer particularly in a ‘candidate scarce’ sector such as engineering. We advise candidates to expect a counter-offer. We’re seeing more and more of them. In fact, we now get worried if the applicant does not receive a counter-offer to stay.

Counter-offers are often the poison apple of the workplace. Of course, while there are exceptions, it is not a risk you should take unless you have completely thought it through. If you decide to accept, be aware of the potential consequences.

The prospect of sitting down with your boss to tell him that you have been offered a job elsewhere will be an uncomfortable one for most employees. It will probably be an awkward conversation to tell him that you will be leaving in a few weeks and it will become even more uncomfortable when he asks you to stay. As enticing as the counter-offer may be, we generally advise candidates not to accept.

According to the National Employment Association, 80 percent of employees who decide to accept a counter-offer are no longer with the company six months later. This could be because the employee loses the trust of their employer or becomes an outcast in the company after accepting the counter-offer.

 

Five tips to help you decide if you should stay or go

 

  1. Employers often make counter-offers in a moment of panic, but what really goes through your boss’s mind when you quit?
  2. “This couldn’t be happening at a worse time. He’s one of my best people. If I let him quit now, it’ll wreak havoc. I’ve already got one vacancy in my team. I don’t need another one. I’m working as hard as I can and I don’t want to do his work too. If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to “lose” me too. My review is coming up and this will make me look bad. Maybe I can keep him on until I find a suitable replacement. We’re working with a small team already. If I lose this one, we’ll all be working around the clock.”
  3. A counter-offer is a knee jerk reaction – but after the initial relief passes, you may find your relationship with your employer and your standing within the company has changed. You are now the one who was looking to leave. You’re no longer part of the inner circle and you might be at the top of the list if your company needs to make cutbacks in the future.
  4. Just a stalling tactic? Many counter-offers are designed to buy your current employer sufficient time. Once they have de-risked this, you could find yourself out of favour and in a dangerous position. Money will often be used to tempt you to stay and I suspect that most companies do not see this as a long-term expense. They will most likely be happy to let you go once they have found someone else to replace you.
  5. There was a reason you started job searching in the first place. Probably the most important tip of all. While more money is always a motivator, usually there are additional factors that drive a candidate to look elsewhere. Make sure you don’t lose sight of your original reasons for moving on. Write them down from the outset so you can remind yourself, at the point when you are making a decision, on which employment offer to accept.

 

Checklist

This list will help prevent you from being blinded by flattery and emotional blackmail when confronted with a counter-offer. It is human nature to want to stay (with the known), unless your work life is totally miserable. Career change, like all ventures, is an unknown. That’s why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons. Before you give in to a tempting counter-offer, be careful and mindful of that.

 

Be cynical about delayed recognition.

If you are worth an increased salary and responsibilities, why wasn’t that recognised before your resignation? Even if you get more money out of your company now, think about what it took to get it. You needed to have one foot out of the door to get paid your worth and there’s no reason to think that future salary increases will be any easier. The next time you want a raise, you might even be refused altogether on the grounds that “We just gave you that big increase when you were thinking about leaving.”

 

Be careful not to burn your bridges

With the prospective employer, if you go back on your commitment to join them after having confirmed your acceptance then this will infuriate the prospective employer. By accepting a counter-offer, you have committed the unprofessional and unethical sin of breaking your commitment to the prospective employer.

It will cause the prospective employer huge embarrassment to unannounce the previous positive announcement of your imminent arrival to existing staff, customers and suppliers etc. They will also potentially have to start the whole process again and your name will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

With the company that you are trying to leave, if you are determined that accepting the counter-offer isn’t in your best interest, you should decline politely and avoid burning bridges. Firstly, thank your boss for the counter-offer and say “I’m flattered but I have committed to my prospective employer and am true to my word. I realise that my leaving may put you at a disadvantage which is why I have put my work in order and made notes for a detailed and effective handover.”

A good tactic is, a week after leaving the company, send your former employer a thank you letter “Wishing them continued success.” Avoid burning bridges with both your existing and prospective employer. You never know when your paths will cross again. It is a small world.

What if you decide to accept the counter-offer and turn down the other job?

Ideally you would only engage in a counter-offer conversation before you officially accept the new job (after you have received an offer in writing but before you commit to accepting). You may find your current company’s counter-offer is the missing piece you’ve been searching for the whole time. But remember, a higher percentage are likely to leave anyway.

There are times when accepting a counter-offer makes sense and works out. Just be very, very cautious before you accept a counter-offer.

When are counter-offers mutually beneficial to both employee and employer?

There may be situations when a counter-offer may work. For example; where there have been leadership changes; employee’s pay and promotions have been overlooked; where you have had a conversation with your manager only to learn that the manager is/was disengaged and ends up leaving the company or did not care about your issues as their heart and soul was already out of the business.

In summary, 80% of employees who decide to accept a counter-offer are no longer with the company six months later, and, 90% leave before the 12 month mark.

Accepting a counter-offer therefore can be a high risk strategy.

Counter-offers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions?

If you do decide to stay, don’t be naive. You’re going to have to remain constantly alert and you’ll have to prove your loyalty to be considered for future opportunities. It will be an uphill battle, but getting back into your boss’s and co-workers’ good books is possible; but it might take some patience and time.


Choosing the right Recruitment Agency

Choosing the Right Recruitment Agency

Choosing the right Recruitment Agency for your business is not an exact science.

Like most products or services you pay for, you never really know what to expect until after the deal is done. Sometimes you learn the hard way, other times, you may be happy with the cost but not the results and so on.

Imagine buying a coffee, drinking it all, and then and only then being told that you would have enjoyed it much more at the coffee shop next door. Even worse, being told it may have cost less too.

 

That being said, we believe using the list below will help guide you towards making the right decision!

 

The first step, an open frame of mind…

Some recruitment agencies have earned the industry a bad reputation but it is important that you enter into the selection process with a positive mind set understanding that not all recruitment agencies are the same. Recruitment is changing and many agencies, like us, are embracing an industry shake up where endless sales calls are no more and client / agency relationships are built on mutual respect and trust, providing bespoke services to achieve the best results for your business.

 

In no particular order, here are five points that will help you with choosing the right Recruitment Agency…

 

  1. Location

This is one factor that will either be at the top of your list, or not factor at all but it is important to consider. For example, if you’re an international company offering specialist services in various locations, you may not be concerned about the location of your agency, whereas if you are a small business who have a high demand for short-term / temporary staff, you may prefer your agency to be local and have a strong grasp on the local talent pool.

The location of your agency will also have an influence on the type of working relationship you have, a local agency has the added advantage of being able to spend time within your business and really get to know it beyond the job spec.

 

  1. Experience

Experience could mean a number of things. Typically businesses see industry experience as the highest priority but it is important to consider other forms of experience such as the level of overall recruitment experience, experience within the local market and experience in other aspects of business such as HR as these can all be valuable attributes in a recruitment partner.

 

  1. Fees

Often the first criteria on everyone’s list. Fees are without a doubt an important factor when choosing your recruitment partner, however it is important to remember that it’s not all about the money and look passed the fees themselves. In the same way that you might question a premium product being sold at a fraction of the RRP price, take a moment to consider the value as opposed to the ‘price’.

Always be sure to look at the fees in line with the terms surrounding those fees, for example is there a rebate period on offer should the hire prove unsuccessful? A cheap fee with no rebate allowance leaves your business more exposed to risk and can cost you more in the long run. Effective recruitment, that may be a little more expensive, leads to high levels of retention and therefore less frequent recruitment costs, saving your business money in the long term.

Here at VIP, we pride ourselves on our success rate. Over a 4 year period, only 2.5% of candidates we placed left within an 8 week rebate period, 80% of which, we managed to source a suitable replacements for.  That means a refund was only necessary in 0.5% of candidate placements.

 

  1. Values

You can often tell a lot about a company by looking at their company values. Their values will tell you what kind of company they are, what they believe in. Asking plenty of questions when deciding on an agency is a good way of determining if the relationship is going to work. The answers that the agencies give you will tell you a lot about the way the agency operates and treats both its clients and job candidates. If your companies align in terms of values, it is most likely that you will work well together.

 

  1. Reputation

The most important factor of them all. They might be able to talk the talk, but have they proven they can walk the walk? Most agencies should be able to supply you with testimonials or a reference client for you to contact, and that is where the real proof lies.

 

There is no set formula in choosing the best agency for your business, but use this list as a guide, first ranking each criteria in order of importance to you. You can then assess your shortlist against each area and have a helping hand in making the right choice.

 


Trust Board

What is the Trust Board?

When working with our clients, VIP sometimes stumble across problems which we don’t always have the answers to.

The members of our Trust Board of professionals, each have a specific area of expertise ranging from Recruitment Specialists, Marketing Experts through to HR and Employment Law Consultants, and more!

V.I.Personnel are lucky enough to be affiliated with a fantastic circle of trusted professionals and we not only recommend our network to use their services, but we encourage them to do so.

Our Trust Board of professionals all share a common interest… not only to succeed in business, but help others do so too.

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Our Trusted Affiliates

Honest Employment Law Practice

(H.E.L.P) have been providing outsourced HR, Employment Law and Health & Safety advice to clients across the UK for over 15 years. From support for existing HR and Health & Safety teams within larger organisations to being the outsourced HR department and Health & Safety consultant for smaller businesses.

The Marketing People

The Marketing People help businesses grow using intelligent marketing & creative design. From small start-ups and family businesses, to SME’s and large companies, whether you want to gain more customers, increase revenue, move into a new sector or increase brand awareness, The marketing people know what to do.

Gavin Jones Consultancy

A proven track record in helping SME companies through accelerated growth in both sales and profit. Operational excellence, routes to new markets, creating a robust business plan to work towards considered exit strategy.

Trevor Ballard, Interim FD/CFO.

Business Improvement and Turnaround Specialist. A hands on interim FD with a focus on the things that matter (cash, people, systems,) ensuring every project is delivered to an exemplary standard.

Clarity Wealth Management

Clarity Wealth Management LLP are a team of dedicated, experienced independent financial advisers with offices in London, Birmingham and Plymouth, offering services which range from Private Mortgages to Corporate Business Route Map Planning.

PIB Insurance

A growing insurance broker bringing together outstanding individuals with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the insurance market. Founded in 2014, PIB offer a range of insurance and risk management services building strong, sustainable relationships.

Auditel

Auditel are a franchise group of 100+ affiliates now celebrating 25 years in the UK. Specialists in all areas of business overhead with each affiliate having their own unique area of expertise. Auditel do much more than just save money and it’s on an ongoing, unique totally transparent basis.

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How can your company benefit from the Trust Board?

When business goals are not being achieved, it generally means that there are two or three key issues that haven’t been solved satisfactorily. In which case, long term solutions are required to prevent the business owner from ‘putting out the same fires’ over and over again.  

The Trust Board gives you the tools you need to ensure that all of the cogs in your machine are working together. Help us, to help you. Get in touch!

Whether it’s a trusted Marketing company needed to drive traffic and increase revenue, or it’s your Sales Department is need of some new talent to help drive sales, there should be someone in our Trust Board able to help you.

How to get involved?

Interested in a process to build your business to a new level of success?

Simply contact Dan at Very Important Personnel on 0121 647 6695 OR email daniel@veryimportantpersonnel.co.uk. Dan can put you in touch with the contact best for your needs, or simply follow the links displayed in this post.


New Year, New Recruitment

New Year, New Recruitment

Hello 2019!

The New Year is a great time to make changes in your life, and your career. You can turn over a new leaf in almost any aspect of your life. Recruitment is no different. If you’re involved in hiring staff, you could always be doing better, even if you’re already recruiting at a high standard…so why not make some Recruitment Resolutions?

While you’re writing your list of personal goals for the year, throw in a few aims to save time, money and stress – target the things that you feel need fixing in your recruitment strategy.

 

Do you sometimes fail to fill a vacancy at all?

This can be a problem but not as much of one as recruiting the wrong person. It’s good to be cautious and not recruit somebody just because they’re the least bad of a poor bunch. It’s much cheaper to run the recruitment campaign again now rather than go through the costs associated with onboarding, poor quality work, dismissal and then a second campaign.

All the same, regularly failing to fill is a problem that needs to be looked at. Are you attracting the wrong people or nobody at all? Check your outlets and the wording of your job advertisements.

Essentially, your most important resolution should be to not be afraid of change!

Many companies fall into the habit of doing their recruitment as it has always been done, and although a new concept might seem scary at first it could be massively beneficial to you and your company going forward.

 

So how can VIPersonnel help you?

We can expect to see continuations of trends that have been occurring for several years now. Here it at VIPersonnel, we have made even easier for our clients to outsource their recruitment. Our tailored service allows you to get on with what you do best, while we work to find you the best possible candidates for your vacancies, the first time around.

  • With our easy to navigate mobile website, it is now even easier for candidates to apply for your vacancies.
  • We also have access to millions of CV’s across the UK.
  • We actively source, shortlist and interview all candidates before sending the best ones to you.
  • It cost nothing, until you are completely satisfied with “the successful candidate”. Even then we are very cost effective and extremely competitive with our fees.
  • We offer a personable service, something we are very proud of being able to do here at VIP. Many of our clients will agree that we always go above and beyond when it comes to finding the best talent there is and relieving the stress of this sometimes mammoth task.

 

 

Why use us now?

We’re sorry to say it but coming back to work after the New Year is a disappointing experience. Turkey, presents and fireworks are by now long forgotten, and now you’re back at the office – and at what happens to be the busiest time of year for hiring.

Here’s a few reasons you’re likely to have a lot on your plate in Quarter One:          

  • Work of all kinds gets done that had been put off due to people on holiday over the Christmas season.
  • Based on previous years, we have experienced the busiest months in the first quarter for candidates looking to better their careers.
  • New strategies and goals come into play at work (kind of like a company’s own resolution!) often resulting in hiring new or more staff.

 

January is a great time to find the motivation to make the changes needed in your recruitment strategy, take the leap and let s deal with this for you, you have enough to do as it is.

 

Get in touch!

VIPersonnel thrives on placing people in top roles that they love. You can be sure of filling your next placement with ease, confidents and reliability, thanks to our dedicated team.

Don’t fill your day with interviews and screening. Just get in touch with VIPersonnel and let us help you take your first step towards a more successful 2019.

 

0121 647 6695