News & Updates

According to the Office for National Statistics, there was a 9.6% rise in divorces in 2021 compared with 2020. I can only assume this is due to the aftermath of lockdown when people were stuck at home with their partners and asked themselves what they liked about them. 😬 A similar thing can happen in your career if don’t really know what your skills are and what your next move should be. When you strip things back and ask questions on a very fundamental level, it can feel like a loss of identity, which we’re all likely to experience at some point. This comes up in interviews a lot when job seekers just don’t understand where their strengths lie. When this happens, we really slow things down and ask what they love about their work to dig a bit deeper. Once we know what makes them tick, we’ll be in a better position to find a role that suits the energy they lead by, and an environment that fulfils them both personally and professionally.

I have a lot of time for people who are prepared to change their address for a role because it’s a massive deal. BUT, if you’re looking at a new opportunity that would mean upping sticks, don’t fall into the trap of overselling yourself in interviews if you haven’t looked at the full picture. As much as you might think saying ‘yes’ to everything when you’re being asked about relocating will make you look keen, failing to look at the practicalities could give the impression you’re just in it for the money rather than a long-term living situation. We once questioned someone about their eagerness to relocate because we suspected they hadn’t looked at the logistical factors such as rent prices, moving expenses, cost of living, etc. 🏚️ Instead of showing that they’d done their research and looked closely at the reality of changing postcodes, we could sense and feel they were uncomfortable with the conversation.  If you’re serious about relocating for a job, look at all the angles so you have answers ready if you’re asked about it. Recruiters and employers are much more likely to take your enthusiasm seriously if you’ve done your homework and shown commitment to the cause.

This is a massive deal for those who require extra support when their babies need specialist neonatal care after birth. Here’s what you need to know as an employer: 🤎 NCL is available to all employees whose baby requires neonatal care within 28 days of birth. 🤎 Employees are entitled to one week of NCL for each full week of neonatal care, for a maximum period of 12 weeks. 🤎 NCL is available on top of any other leave the employee is entitled to, such as maternity and paternity leave 🤎 If you have employees who meet the lower earnings limit (and who have been employed for the requisite minimum period of time) they will also be entitled to NCL paid at the flat statutory rate.  🤎 NCL will be paid at a flat rate of £187.18, which is set by the government, or 90% of the employee’s weekly earnings if that is lower. However, some employers may want to pay more than this. Changes in employee rights aren’t always easy to get your head around, so this link will help if you want a bit more clarity: 👇 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/neonatal-care-leave-and-pay-right-for-thousands-of-new-parents

This is our second year of sponsoring Ethan, and we’re honestly dead happy to be doing so. Sport is such a great outlet for both kids and adults, so we’re really pleased to support a team that gives such a lot back to the community. Ethan puts loads of work into his cricket and deserves to be recognised for his skill and effort. The first home game is on 19 th April, so if you fancy a nice afternoon of watching some sport, I’m sure they’d love to see you.

It’s not much different from that dating app (Bumble, I think), when a girl has to make the first move before a man can say ‘yes’ to a message. Technically, you have to apply for a job before someone can turn you down, but it feels like more and more people are turning into Casper before any further interaction can take place. 👻 👻 A previous client of mine is married to someone who works in recruitment. They’ve both travelled a lot with work, and she’s recruited in South Africa, America and Europe at different stages of her career. There will always be notable differences across cultures, but the one thing that stood out for her was that the UK has the rudest people when it comes to ghosting. And it doesn’t at all surprise me (very little does these days). 🙄 Over the years, I’ve had so many promising conversations with job seekers, sent them info on a role they were interested in, then they’ve completely disappeared. Similarly, I’ve spoken to people who have been really enthusiastic about an interview, then they’ve fallen off the face of the earth. Either there is some sort of freaky Bermuda tringle situation where people who have spoken to recruitment consultants slip into a parallel universe, or their manners leave a lot to be desired. I know which one I’d put my money on.  The truth is that sometimes, individuals just break down communication and turn into little Caspers because it’s easier than replying to a phone call or message and saying ‘thanks,’ or ‘no thanks.’ But markets change and people don’t forget, so don’t be surprised if you’ve ghosted someone in the past and they don’t want to be best mates in your future.

This might sound bold, but I class myself as an Olympic standard bullshit detector. Seriously, Sherlock has nothing on me when it comes to spotting ‘truth fabricators’ and their red flags. But this is a double-edged sword because I’ve only reached such an elite status because of the number of fibs I’ve been told over the years. Some lies have been elaborate, others have made me question humanity and lots have been as basic as ‘Yes, I will call you back.’ (Spoiler: they don’t.) However, the one thing they all have in common is that they’re a massive waste of not only my time, but that of my clients. Regardless of whether jobseekers have lied to me about having a counter offer or their career intentions, I have no hesitation in calling their bluff. Talking too much and general defensiveness are big giveaways that they’re talking b*llocks, and I usually respond to this by asking direct questions to get an honest answer.  So, although ‘National Tell a Lie Day’ seems to be more of a lifestyle choice for some individuals, I will always try and protect hiring managers from them as much as I possibly can.

I have no intention of putting my feelers anywhere, thank you very much. 😜 Why? Because I’m not even sure what the f*ck it actually means!! From previous conversations I’ve had with clients, I’m assuming it’s when half-arsed recruiters send CVs out with no thought or strategy behind their actions. 🙄 Is this what you’d want? Or would you prefer a pro-active recruitment service that markets your skill set? We won’t sit on our backsides, email your CV out and hope for the best. When you speak to us, we’ll tell you how we’re going to consult, find out and create business development. There won’t be any LinkedIn profiles sent behind closed doors because we’ll stick to what we say we’ll do for you. It’s a sad thing to say but some recruiters seem to lose their heads and as a result, their services drop, job-seekers are mishandled and the dreaded feelers come out. 😱

I have no intention of putting my feelers anywhere, thank you very much. 😜 Why? Because I’m not even sure what the f*ck it actually means!! From previous conversations I’ve had with clients, I’m assuming it’s when half-arsed recruiters send CVs out with no thought or strategy behind their actions. 🙄 Is this what you’d want? Or would you prefer a reactive recruitment service that markets your skill set? We won’t sit on our backsides, email your details out and hope for the best. When you speak to us, we’ll tell you how we’re going to consult, find out and create business development. There won’t be any LinkedIn profiles sent behind closed doors because we’ll stick to what we say we’ll do for you. It’s a sad thing to say but some recruiters seem to lose their heads and as a result, their services drop, job-seekers are mishandled and the dreaded feelers come out. 😱

If your business has more than ten full-time employees, it will soon be a legal obligation to separate your waste into:  🗑️ Black bin waste (non-recyclable) ♻️ Dry recyclables (plastic, metal, glass) 📰 Paper and card 🍫 Food waste If you’re not doing this already, it’s time to go bin shopping and make sure your team are briefed on organising their scraps. 🚮 Failure to do so could result in fines, which will mean you’ve literally spent your money on rubbish. You can read more about it here 👉 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-workplace-recycling-in-england