The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.  

It may be only October half term but now is a good time to get that Christmas job application sorted. Royal Mail and Amazon have both recently announced that they will taking on thousands of staff for their busiest time of year.  If you have always found the seasonal recruitment process confusing or if this is your first time applying then these tips may help.

 1)   Online clues.

 Take a look at the Company’s website.   Read the job description, about the Company and their values.  The clues to getting a job are all here.

 2)   Apply

Check how the company wants to receive applications.  Some may simply ask for a CV and covering letter but others will have an online application process. 

 Online Applications

This process may be quite detailed asking for specific information in a specific format.  This is usually because they receive thousands of applications and they can use key words to help sieve applications faster.  Make sure you understand what is required before completing the application and take time to read over before you submit it to ensure there are no errors.  Applications with missing information may be discarded.

 Covering letters

If you are sending off multiple letters do make sure that you are addressing the right Company.  Spell check, spell check, spell check and ask someone to check it for you.  Applications full of errors and spelling mistakes will be the first to be discarded.  Also make sure that it is tailored specifically to the company.  Ensure you put the correct name, address, reference number etc.  Also detail which role you are interested in and why you would be a good fit for the role using the information from their website.  Don’t just copy chunks off the website, this comes across as lazy and will again get you left on the ‘NO’ pile.

 CVs

Detail the basics: name, contact details, current job and company with start and end dates, previous title and company with start and end dates, education.  There are loads of examples online now on how to format a CV.  Keep it clear and simple but don’t be afraid to be a little creative to make it stand out.

If you have not had a job before then you could consider putting brief details of any extra curricular activity you do.  This could be volunteering, or a hobby.  However, the trick is to make sure that it demonstrates skills or qualities that the Company values or expects their employees to have. 

 If you did some volunteering work with a local charity where you helped out at a fun day and the Supermarket you wish to apply for mentions that it values team working, putting customers first and hard work.  Use these three things in your description of what you did whilst volunteering.  

 For example:

 June 2014  - Volunteered at XYZ Charity fun day.

I worked on the afternoon tea and cake stand.  We worked in a team to ensure that all the Charities customers were served promptly and I spent time talking to and dealing with their queries.  We also worked as a team to ensure that all the teapots, plates and cups were cleaned, checked and packed as the supplier requested at the end of the day.  It was hard work but really rewarding.

 Think about other examples you can give that demonstrate these qualities.  Even if you have no real experience, if you can demonstrate that you understand the qualities that are important to the company then this will help you in the interview.

 3) Interview

Just because you are applying for a temporary role which may only last a couple of weeks it doesn’t mean that the Company does not take recruitment of their staff seriously.  Recruitment is expensive and time consuming.  They will also be investing in training you.  Make sure you follow these golden rules:

 1)    Arrive 5-10mins early.

2)    Dress smartly (suit if you have one).  Definitely no jeans or trainers.

3)    It’s OK to be nervous.  Ask for a question to be repeated if you need to or ask to come back to it.

4)    Be enthusiastic about the role.  If you act bored you are likely to find your interview will be cut short. No one is going to invest time in someone who doesn’t want to be there.

5)    Prepare 3-4 questions to ask at the end and have them on a piece of paper to prompt you. I know all you want to do is leave but a couple of well thought out questions and an interest in the Company can make the difference between candidates.  Again use the Company website.  Even ask a question clarifying something you have seen on the website or check that you have provided all the information required for the recruiting manager.

6)    Thank them for their time.

 4) Agencies

Sometimes Companies will use an agency to handle their seasonal recruitment. 

This can be a good option if you are looking for your first role as they will help you with CV writing and submission.  They can also coach you for the interview as they will know what the Company is looking for.  However, still take time to do your own research and prepare questions.   It is very obvious to an Employer when candidate after candidate provide the same stock answers to interview questions and this can be a negative.

There's a fun info graphic to help you remember these tips here.

The Agency Workers Regulations came into force in 2011 and although they provided some reassurance to temporary workers, they also meant that Companies hands were tied with regards to employment and working conditions.

They were designed to stop ruthless employers from exploiting agency workers however it also meant the loss of some flexibility and if not adhered too or monitored properly, increased costs.

I have worked in recruitment and as an agency worker myself so I am not completely against them.  However, the industry has changed considerably since I worked in it and in my personal experience Agencies do less for their commission nowadays.  What I would consider ‘old school’ recruitment agencies are few and far between. Gone are the days of matching an agency workers skills to the assignments and not one of the agencies I used called to check they arrived and everything was OK on the first day.  It is no wonder then that Agency workers have quite a negative stigma attached and Company’s are reluctant to play Russian roulette as to which worker they get.  The reliable, star temps are generally already out on assignment to the Agency’s most important client, or secure a permanent job and inevitably leave within the first week.

 Little surprise then that freelancing is on the rise. According to econsultancy.com there was a 46% increase in the number of freelancers used in 2013.

The right to request flexible working being extended to all in June 2014 also means that the number of non nine to fivers is growing and savvy businesses are starting to fish in this alternative pool of talent.

Professionals and technical people are better suited to sell their own skills and know where to target them.   They recognise where they can fill a skills gap or resolve a business problem and as you can pay them only for the task completed, they are cost effective.

The age of the freelancer is definitely on the rise and with benefits for both parties is it about time you reconsidered your recruitment methods?

Adult Rate  £6.50ph

Youth development (18-20yrs)  £5.13ph

Young workers (16-17yrs) £3.79ph

Apprentices £2.73

Source: www.gov.uk

From 1st October 2014, an expectant father or partner (including same sex) of a pregnant woman will be entitled to take unpaid time off work to accompany her to up to 2 of her ante-natal appointments. 

Is your business ready to deal with these requests?  Has this change been reflected in your policies?