The Journey of Very Important Personnel started on the 7^th March 2014. So on the 7^th March 2016, we celebrated V.I.Personnel’s second Birthday. Although still very young, the company had its reasons for celebrating. Two years in Business in one of the most competitive markets and still thriving. Although two years doesn’t seem a long time, when we look back and see what we have accomplished, the hundreds of local individuals that we have helped, developed and secured Jobs for, it suddenly seems a very short amount of time indeed.

Starting from nothing two years ago, our Director Samantha Jones made a decision to go it alone after realising that she wanted to help people find work in her own way. She devised a plan to setup a Recruitment company that was to take the West Midlands by storm and compete with some of the leading High Street Recruiting firms. The company quickly erupted and after just 3 short weeks, local businesses were climbing aboard to use Samantha’s services and 5 candidates were placed in their new roles.

As things quickly developed, Dan Haddock joined the team to help drive the business further and assist Samantha in helping the locals find work. Daniel came from a background in sales and with his Estate Agency work completed, his transferable skills became fixed on Recruitment.

By the beginning of 2015, more and more companies were using V.I.Personnel and candidates were not only using us to find work, but to also develop their Skills. V.I.Personnel wanted to help individuals with their CV’s, provide advice on how to prepare for interviews and where their skills could be put to good use. As a result, people were not just finding work, but finding jobs they were good at but more importantly, enjoyed.

By the end of the second year, Samantha and Daniel managed to build a portfolio of clients that continue to use V.I.Personnel for their recruitment, many of which on an exclusive basis, but the success didn’t happen overnight, instead, through hard work and determination. This is a message we want to plant in each and every candidate: Try hard, work harder and eventually you will reap the benefits.

As we enter the third year, we endeavour to build even more professional relationships with local companies, help more individuals develop skills and find work but more importantly grow V.I.Personnel into an even bigger success.

On behalf of the team at V.I.Personnel, we thank everybody who continues to support our cause and have shared the Journey of Very Important Personnel with us. We would like to congratulate all of the successful candidates whom we have helped this past two years, but also, we welcome all prospective clients and candidates into the V.I.P world in 2016 and beyond.

 

For Jobs from Very Important Personnel, head to http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/birmingham?cached=True&pageno=2&keywords=B2B+Sales&agency=True 

Trams will return to the streets of Birmingham for the first time in more than 60 years when Midland Metro services start running into the city centre on December 6.

The announcement by Centro will see passengers taken directly to a new stop in Bull Street as the first step in the opening of the £128 million city centre tram extension.

Traders gearing up for the busy festive shopping period also issued a resounding ‘Open for Business’ message today after Centro announced a scaling back of tram works in the run up to Christmas.

Services will run to the new Bull Street stop from Snow Hill from December 6 while works further down the line will be scaled back over Christmas following talks with city centre traders.

The decision has been taken in order to minimise disruption in the crucial festive trading period and provide the best Christmas shopping experience possible for the millions of visitors expected to pour into the city over the coming weeks.

However, those visitors will see trams running along Corporation Street to New Street Station as Centro aims to carry out testing and commissioning of the entire 0.7 mile (1.2km) extension during December.

Passenger services to New Street Station will start once all infrastructure work and test running has been successfully completed.

Centro chief executive Geoff Inskip said: “We recognise this is a vital time of year for retailers and they need to provide the most attractive shopping environment possible, which is why we have scaled back our works.

“Doing so shows Birmingham is very much open for business and can lay on a truly magical festive atmosphere for everyone coming to the city.

“There has been a tremendous effort from everyone involved in this project with people working around the clock in recent weeks. I would particularly like to thank Retail Birmingham for all its support and co-operation.

“It is because of that hard work that we will be able to start running trams into the city centre at Bull Street before Christmas.

“However, as with all tram extensions through city centres at the moment there are always unforeseen challenges and that makes it difficult to give an exact date for when we will run trams to New Street Station.”

Trams last ran on the streets of Birmingham city centre in 1953.

Centro’s decision to reduce construction work has been warmly welcomed by Retail Birmingham, which is hoping for bumper Christmas crowds again this year.

The organisation, which represents city centre businesses, said the Frankfurt Christmas Market alone attracted more than 5.5 million visitors last year, helping to generate a major shot in the arm for the local economy.

Jonathan Cheetham, the chair of Retail Birmingham, said: “We are delighted that Centro have considered the needs of businesses in Birmingham in this vital trading period.

“We are looking forward to the New Year and the delivery of the tram through to New Street in yet another phase in the aspirations to achieve world class connectivity in transport throughout the city.”

The £128 million tram extension, which includes a £40 million fleet of new trams, is expected to create more than 1,300 sustainable new jobs and boost the regional economy by more than £50 million a year.

Work has already begun on extending the route from New Street Station to Centenary Square with services expected to start running in 2019.

Outline funding approval is also earmarked to extend the route still further along Broad Street, past Five Ways and on to Edgbaston by 2021.

The route of a further extension through Digbeth has also been chosen, running between the Bull Street/Corporation Street, via Albert Street and on to the forthcoming HS2 high speed rail station at Curzon Street.

From there it would go along New Canal Street and Meriden Street into High Street Deritend, stopping at Digbeth Coach Station and the Custard Factory. It is anticipated the line could be open by 2023.

 

Post Courtesy of www.centro.org.uk

 

 

What: Sutton Coldfield Donkey Sanctuary Christmas Fair

Where: Donkey Sanctuary, Sutton Park (Town Gate entrance), B74 2YT

When: 12th December 10.30am-3pm

 

Sutton Coldfield’s Donkey Sanctuary is appealing for contributions towards their 2015 Christmas Fair.

 

The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations and is currently inviting donations or equipment to help build their Christmas grotto. In addition good quality new & nearly new items and prizes are needed for stalls & raffles on the day.

 

Sara Gee, a riding instructor at the Donkey Sanctuary said:

 

“Our major fund raiser of the year is our Christmas Fair and grotto. Donations of good quality items and potential prizes for the raffle and tombola are always welcome.

 

“On the day of the Christmas Fair our grotto will be open to the public for one day only. The grotto will be a wheelchair friendly Alice in Wonderland theme where children can meander through a forest to Santa’s den.”

 

The Donkey Sanctuary Birmingham is an assisted therapy centre offering therapy and outreach visits to children and adults with additional needs in the local community. The centre located in Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield has been open since 1994.

 

Sara went on to explain:

 

“The benefits of donkeys assisted therapy are many and we find it works very well for autistic children too. Many other equine therapy centres exist but few use donkeys who are ideally suited to KS1 & 2 children with their gentle caring nature.

 

“Donkeys and the people who rely on them, [for their livelihoods or to help them cope with physical, mental and emotional challenges], lie at the heart of everything we do.”

 

Sue Brennan, centre manager added:

 

“I couldn’t have found a more enjoyable job. I work at a centre which gives the children not only therapy and enjoyment but a unique experience. I get a lot of enjoyment out of watching the children progress.”

 

The Donkey Sanctuary Fair takes place on 12th December 10.30am-3pm at Town Gate, Sutton Coldfield, B74 2YT.

For further details, please call the Centre on 0121 354 9444.

By Emma O’Hanlon

www.suttoncoldfieldlocal.co.uk

Ambition Recruitment to VIP. 

Dear our valued Clients, Candidates and Future Customers.

We are proud to announce that we are changing our product name from Ambition Recruitment Consultancy Ltd  to  Very Important Personnel (VIP) Ltd

Due to a recent move in premises and improvement of our marketing ability, we have decided to take Ambition to the next step and continue trading as Very Important Personnel. Our new identity had to satisfy all of the existing expectations of what our original values stands for, while simultaneously moving the brand forward to acknowledge the maturity, functionality, and diversity of the entire product, making “Very Important Personnel” the foundation of our branding.

In keeping things simple we will not be changing the company values, website content or contact details, in fact the only thing we have changed is our logo and company name. We endeavour to deliver the same level of excellent Customer Service, great value and services to satisfy your expectations time after time, delivery after delivery.

For our Candidates that have already registered with Ambition Recruitment, rest assure, we still have your details and will continue to help you on your way to your new career.

For our valued Clients that we have been lucky enough to work with and repeatedly fill vacancies for, you too can be at ease. We will continue to support your front line recruitment process with no disruption at all. All of our clients will be sent new Terms of Business to reflect our new Company name, however please don’t worry, our great value will remain.

 

Furthermore, should you try to visit www.Ambitionrecruitment.co.uk you will be automatically redirected to our new site www.veryimportantpersonnel.co.uk

Likewise with our emails, any correspondence sent to our email addresses e.g. admin@ambitionrecruitment.co.uk will be redirected to our new Very Important Personnel inbox.

 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. We look forward to working with you in helping you aim higher and achieve more with this new branding.

Yours Sincerely,

 

Dan Haddock

Very Important Personnel

Here at Very Important Personnel, we have noticed a huge increase in both the amount of finance jobs becoming available and the amount of candidates looking for a job in the Finance industry – particularly in the opening months of 2015. In light of this, we have put together some tips and guidance notes for those looking to pursue a career in Finance.

We will start with some tips on how to secure your desired role in Finance.

1). Be practical – Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom. With the right drive and , you will quickly work your way up the ladder. Many of the jobs we have recently filled have been Trainee positions which are becoming increasingly popular in many organisations.

2). Exhibit your skills – Pick out the most relevant attributes from the job specification and tailor your CV to emphasise them.

For tips on CV writing read http://www.veryimportantpersonnel.co.uk/what-to-include-in-your-cv/

3). Focus – Where do you want your career to take you? ‘I want to work in finance’ will not give you the direction you need to succeed. Focus on the end game and tailor your approach.

4). Keep up-to-speed – Keep an eye on the latest trends and market developments and use any free software out there to help teach you the tricks of the trade. Apply for voluntary positions as a way of keeping up to speed and growing your experience.

5). Start learning – If you need an extra qualification to back up your soft skills, take a course or sign up for an internship to help take you to the next level.

 

 Types of Finance Jobs

Accountant

Perfect for people with excellent analytical skills.

As an Accountant, your main objective would be to prepare company’s accounts. The ideas is to give an overview of the company’s financial status. By keeping on top of all financial transactions, any anomalies or risks can be reported, and the business can plan better moving forward. The success of an Accountant is heavily dependent upon their numerical ability, not to mention a passion for mathematics and a close attention to detail. A degree is preferable, but not essential. In normal circumstances, you will need to have some knowledge of standard accounting practices for most entry-level positions.

 

Payroll Administrator

Perfect for: People who thrive on responsibility. 

Responsible for ensuring all employees within the business are paid correctly and accurately, integrating bonuses, salary increases, overtime, sick pay, pension contributions, maternity or paternity pay and any other factors which may affect monthly salaries.

Generally you should have the ability to work towards strict deadlines, not to mention, like most finance jobs – excellent numeracy skills. With so many people depending on you to make sure they’re paid correctly, attention to detail is key. A degree for these types of roles isn’t necessarily a must. When applying for entry-level payroll positions, always try and demonstrate (and quantify) the key skills employers are looking for, specifically: numerical ability, timekeeping and an organised approach to work.

 

 

Financial Advisor

Perfect for people that spend their money wisely. 

Probably the most complex of the bunch, so the ability to simplify complex financial situations is key. Offering financial guidance to clients helping them choose which products are most suitable for their situation is the main duty. You will be dealing with insurance, loans, investments, savings, pensions and other similar services that may improve a client’s current or future finances. Possessing excellent communication skills will help when building rapport with your regular clients. A degree is not essential.

Our advice: If you want to be a Financial Advisor, don’t be afraid to start small. Becoming a Planner or even working in a Customer Service role and working your way up with some vocational training will take you to where you want to go.

 

 

Mortgage Advisor

Perfect for people who give great advice. 

The reality of the economy these days is that most of us will at some point consult a Mortgage Advisor, so a job that is secure and not going anywhere!

The aim is to provide people with an advice service on which mortgage is right for them. You could be advising individuals or entire businesses depending on the industry, for example there are many Estate Agencies that have their own in house Mortgage Advisors. On the flip side, there are independent ones and ones employed through banks. They all provide the same guidance based on climate of the lending market.

Excellent commercial awareness and a duty of care to provide your clients with the best possible advice. Client confidentiality is a legal must.

 

Overall, which ever route you take within the Finance sector, working hard along with possessing the right attitude will pay off, even if it takes you 10 years to accomplish your goal. The best advice we can give is to constantly remind yourself of the 5 tips to help you along the way.

 

 

Top 5 tips to help build your Facebook audience

Here at Very Important Personnel, we have looked into ways that can help your business grow within social media. There are many factors to consider when using Facebook for business. To make things a little easier we have provided 5 tips that we consider to be the most important when it comes to building your Facebook audience.

 

1. Make sure your Facebook business page is filled out properly.

This is not only key to improving your company image but also informs your Facebook audience about your organisation. Nowadays, you are more likely to be noticed on social media than search engines such as Google: so in theory your Facebook information has to be as informative as your website.

 

2. Invite existing contacts to like your page.

In doing this you are sharing your page with an audience already prepared to like and share. By asking them to share it then creates a pyramid that keeps on growing. Each like or share within this pyramid will result in more and more likes and shares for your page.

 

3. Factor Facebook into your online and offline communication channels.

That famous Facebook like button can be added to websites, business cards, email signatures, flyers, banners and just about anywhere where your company has a presence. Doing this generates more likes because it increases the audience awareness and promotes that you have a presence on Facebook. Providing links to your Facebook page also makes it a lot easier and user friendly for your potential audience.

 

4. Create value with the content you create and share.

Creating posts and sharing relevant content will increase the chances of others sharing your material. There is nothing wrong with posting content that is completely irrelevant however the majority of your posts should be relevant if you are looking to attract your target audience. For example: If you have a business that sells ladies shoes and clothes, post articles or messages related to women’s fashion or online shopping. It also helps to advise your audience of offers. Using the same example, share a post that is providing a discount or offer. People will then like your page as a result because they will be keen to see your future posts.

 

5. Never buy likes. Instead consider using Facebook Advertising.

Buying likes will only result in a short term gain. It provides an image that your page is liked by hundreds, eventually these paid likes will dissipate but more importantly they are not people in your target audience. One of the main reasons we use social media, is to connect and share with our relevant customers, companies and potential business.

Instead consider Facebook advertising. This is a much more beneficial, it provides you with an advert tailored to your requirements and costs as little as £1 per day in some cases meaning no matter how much you spend, it is spent only on the most relevant audience.

Stand out- Lord Sugar won’t carry passengers!

The Apprentice candidates and viewers of the show were left shocked last week after Lord Sugar pointed the finger and said the famous line “You’re fired” to three of the hopeful contestants. Lord Sugar followed this with a warning to the rest stating “I’ve been telling you all along, I will not put up with any dead wood in this process.”

Last week’s episode certainly demonstrated that in this highly challenging and competitive market, you need to go above and beyond your job role to excel and make yourself stand out in order to be successful.

Within every organisation there are employees who feel that they should do the bare minimum and not contribute to the Company beyond completing the least work they feel they can get away with. This week we saw how three such characters; Steven, Ella Jade and Sarah were FIRED by Lord Sugar for that very reason. Meanwhile, some of the more passionate and driven candidates who are willing to take a chance such as Roison, have survived the wrath of Alan, despite not leading her team to victory.

You can’t be a winner every time, however you need to have the confidence to stick your neck out about a new idea/ concept in order to be noticed and be offered that pay rise or promotion you so desperately crave.  Sometimes not getting it right the first time actually helps us grow as a person and as an employee. Learning by your own mistakes is the most effective way- and you never know next time it may not be a mistake!

In order to make yourself stand out try to do something outside of your comfort zone which will show your boss a totally new set of skills and another side to your personality. Don’t be a Robert and fail to take on the role as Project Manager if it’s something you are passionate about and feel you could add value. Whether it be making a suggestion on how to work more efficiently, standing up in front of 100 employees delivering a presentation, or volunteering for a Company fundraising event, you will be noticed by Management as someone who goes that extra mile and who they want to keep within the Company.

If you become the “go-to” person within your team or Company who is known for helping others and always willing to spare 5-10 minutes of your lunch break to show a colleague how to input a certain formula on to excel or how to how to word an email, then naturally when the Management team are looking for the next Team Leader, they will unsurprisingly think of you first!

Good things don’t come to those who wait, but instead those who work hard and show assertiveness.

For the candidate:

One of the advantages of using Recruitment Agencies – especially ones that specialise in your field, will recognise and understand your expertise. You may think that agencies only know about recruiting – you’re wrong. They are constantly liaising with companies from different sectors or industries, obtaining information to pass to candidates like yourself.

They can give you initial feedback on your application and how to promote yourself to the employer. They may be able to advise you on certain things that you would not want to ask in a first stage interview.

They will also have a good knowledge of the market place and working environments. 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.

They may have excellent contacts that could be of interest to you, either now or in the future. Even a recommendation to a company is sometimes enough to secure you an interview.

They save you the time of searching for job opportunities. Once your CV has entered the system, you immediately become available once a suitable job arises as opposed to trawling through job boards searching for the right job and hoping to receive a call back.

 

For the Employer:

In business, time is money and a recruiting agency is a huge time saver. In today’s economy there is an increased amount of job seekers due to cutbacks at many companies. Posting a job on a popular Job board will result in hundreds of applications. An agency will have access to a much larger pool of candidates and shortlist only the most suitable candidates for you. By outsourcing this responsibility to a recruiting agency will save you a lot of time.

In addition to shortlisting a number of candidates from hundreds of applications, a recruiting agency will also have access to the best talent available. This includes access to talent that is currently employed elsewhere. Recruiting agencies have their own database of qualified applicants that they can source from. Therefore, when you provide a job specification to them for a vacancy, there’s a good chance they will have candidates already on their books ready to interview.

When using a good recruitment agency such as Very Important Personnel, you can have peace of mind that when you are sent a CV, the candidate will have all of the necessary skills and experience required for the job. This makes meeting them a lot easier knowing that they have already been pre-qualified by the agent – again saving you time and making your final decision easier. Choosing the wrong employee to work for you can cost you even more time and money down the line. Working with a recruiting agency will help make your decision feel more assured.

Once you have established a good working relationship with an agency that you can trust, your future recruitment process will run even more smoothly. The agency will be aware of the qualities that it takes to make the right fit within your company and what you expect from them. The next time you have an available position, you can fill it quickly and satisfactorily.