‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got’
A common phrase, but wise words all the same, roughly translated as, if you always think the same way about things and never change your thoughts or ideas, you will always end up with the same result.
A truism that could easily apply to many job seekers who fail to recognise the opportunities that exist, especially as we start to come out of lockdown. Having said that, there’s no denying it’s been a tough year for most of us.
Almost 1.7m unemployed in the UK and another couple of months before we will, hopefully, regain some sort of normality. And yet they do say out of a crisis comes opportunity.
While it’s true that some businesses have certainly scaled back their expansion plans, the combination of government financial support and extensive vaccination programme is enabling increased employment opportunities.
As organisations start to recover and, in some cases, plan for future expansion, we are starting to see an increasing number of vacancies. This means if you were thinking about changing your job or career, now could be a good time to take the plunge.
Well, the first thing to appreciate is that changing career, or having a change of direction, is actually quite empowering during a crisis. Having to find a new job or choosing to look for new employment encourages us to take a step back and consider what we really want to achieve from our career.
You may also have had some free time over the last few months to consider whether you wish to do the same thing as you have always done, or whether having an open mind might lead to new opportunities and to ‘doing what you love’ or probably more importantly, ‘doing what you are good at’
Instead of thinking about a traditional step up your existing career ladder, what about a change of direction? As the economy starts to open up, so does the jobs market. In fact, now could be just the right time to consider a more strategic approach to your next employment.
Some sectors, such as technology, health care, construction, and distribution, are actively hiring and we continue to see other industries ramping up their employment opportunities.
Admittedly, not all of them may be permanent roles at the moment, but as lockdown eases and we get back to some sort of normality, there is every chance that many temporary positions will be converted to full time roles within a short period of time.
They do say, ‘own what you’re good at’. What this means, is to identify your employment strengths and identify what skills and attributes you have that have enabled you to achieve success so far. Once you have focussed on what ‘makes you’ you can then start to reflect on your future career path.
Getting help from a recruitment partner can also help at this stage. We have a team of specialist who can take away many of the time consuming tasks as well as help paint a broader picture of the current jobs market.
Your next move could be a sideways step that embraces your skills and experience, but possibly in a different industry or sector. We have many clients looking for specialist staff.
Getting help from a recruitment partner can also help at this stage. We have a team of specialist who can take away many of the time consuming tasks as well as help paint a broader picture of the current jobs market.
Your next move could be a sideways step that embraces your skills and experience, but possibly in a different industry or sector. We have many clients looking for specialist staff.
There’s probably never been a better time to evaluate employment opportunities. Covid-19 has changed the way we do things, which in some cases, will be irreversible. This means now could be a very good time to consider what you would like to do next.
Take time out to research the jobs market, noting which sectors are surviving, and in some cases thriving in the current pandemic, and then match your abilities to these sectors. For example, recycling and innovation are two key terms for the future.
Don’t just account for your accredited skills, make sure you identify transferable soft skills, such as good communication, leadership, problem solving, flexibility etc. Once again, if you are unsure how to identify these skills, give us a call.
By identifying your complete skillset now, you are successfully preparing yourself for what will undoubtedly be a different employment environment in the future. Also, if there are skill gaps that could prevent you from achieving your dream job, there are plenty of opportunities to upskill.
Consider what will make you more employable in the future. If certain skills are lacking such as technology, or latest legislation, enrol on online courses, download tutorials, listen to podcasts and tune into video channels.
Also, look at job descriptions to determine the key words you can include in your CV.
Certain hobbies and interests can also have a positive impact on a CV. A practical knowledge and interest in IT would certainly increase the recruiter’s interest, as would sporting achievements.
Playing a sport demonstrates skills that can be transferred to the workplace. These include team building, persistence and problem solving. However, it’s a regular involvement in a recognised sporting activity that will influence the interview, rather than a round of crazy golf at Butlins.
It’s also worth spending time updating and revising your LinkedIn profile. Add new skills and experiences, adjust settings that indicate you are available for work and post articles, blogs, and observations to ensure you keep in front of your networks’ eyes.
Also, ensure you are connecting with secondary links, such as friends, former colleagues, friends of friends, and ex school / college members etc. After 12 months of lockdown, many of them, just like you, will want to connect to the wider business community and could potentially be keen to help you pursue your ‘new’ career.
As we said earlier, have an open mind when looking for new job opportunities. Do your research to identify growth sectors, look at what skills these industries are looking for and see how your skill set and experiences can add value to their Business.
Also, if you are currently working from home or continue to be off work under the government’s furlough scheme, it’s going to be much easier to pick up the phone or connect online than it would be trying to do it at work.
It’s also worth practicing your remote interviewing technique, as it may be some time before we are able to revert to traditional face to face interviews. Use Zoom or MS Teams to develop both your personal body language and practical video techniques.
Using such technology will also test your fortitude and personality traits such as empathy and patience – all things you will benefit from when it comes to starting your job search.
So, if you are looking for a career change or new job, here’s ten top tips to help you on your way. Don’t forget, you can ask for help from your business network, colleagues, or professional partners such as ourselves, we’re glad to offer any advice or support.
Finally, with rising unemployment and still some uncertainty, it may look bleak at the moment. However, while larger organisations have certainly reduced their manpower (for the time being at least) there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Remember, ‘if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got’. Why not break the mould and speak to our team of recruiters today on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk?
Multitask Personnel, a permanent and temporary recruitment specialist based in Rotherham, has gained a new strategic direction that should put it back on track, thanks to Sheffield City Region’s “Re-Start to Growth” programme.
The initiative was introduced to help businesses affected by the Coronavirus lockdown, by giving them access to experienced and skilled advisors to help assess, plan and restart through an agreed programme of intensive support.
Managing Director of Multitask Personnel Claire Lee had been working with the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub on a long-term strategic growth plan – involving skills support and training – and was just about to implement this when the lockdown was announced. The company’s core business was to provide managerial and qualified tradespeople for the Building Services, Facilities Management, and Mechanical & Electrical industries. Overnight this business reduced by two thirds and Claire was left wondering what to do next.
Claire Lee, MD of Multitask Personnel
Claire Lee, Managing Director at Multitask Personnel, explains: “It was a really scary time for us as a business and I wasn’t sure which way to turn. I’d been impressed with John Hassall, the Growth Hub Business Growth Specialist, so I contacted him again to see if there was anything he could do to help. John let me know straightaway about Re-Start to Growth initiative and it sounded just what the business needed.”
John Hassall carried out four 90 minute online consultations with Claire as part of the programme and this started with a full SWOT analysis. He then tailored the Re-Start to Growth programme to suit the company structure, focusing on four core areas: People, Processes, Technology and Financials.
John then created a strategic plan which included a vision of what the next 18 months in business could look like for Multitask Personnel, with target markets identified, staff roles, financial projections, all of which was broken down into six monthly goals. Reallocation of resources was a key criteria and John and Claire worked on restructuring employee roles and creating newly formed teams. In Multitask’s case, this involved creating a team dedicated to recruitment and another to business development, with each team given a simple set of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to work towards.
Claire Lee said: “It was a really simple plan, but not an approach we’d used before. It means that the business development team can focus purely on generating sales and the recruitment team on filling the roles we bring in. So far this is working really well.”
John Hassall, Business Growth Specialist at Sheffield City Region Growth Hub, explains: “Multitask Personnel were perfect candidates for the Re-Start to Growth initiative. As a business they had been performing well, but the lockdown had an immediate and severe impact. By focusing on their strengths and areas of expertise we looked at ways they could maximise their existing client base, whilst refocusing their resources much more specifically on generating sales and filling roles. Our role at the Growth Hub is to guide businesses through and this approach certainly seems to be working for Multitask Personnel.”
“There is great potential in this business and by having a new strategic direction it should help them to maximise on new and existing markets and recover more quickly from the lockdown.”
John and Claire identified that parcel delivery services and the retail sector could offer potential growth, especially for supply of staff working in distribution and warehousing, which the company had not specifically targeted before.
Claire enthuses: “I can’t thank the Growth Hub enough for what they have done. The Re-Start to Growth programme has really motivated us as a business. We now have a clear plan to work to which is focused, precise and directly relevant to getting us through the challenging period ahead of us.”
Although Multitask Personnel is focusing on potentially lower margin work, Claire recognised the need to start getting the volume back. “There’s nothing worse than staff not having enough to do, but now we are starting to pick up again and we’re using our existing experience to extend our services to current and new clients. We know it won’t be easy, but already we have our number of temporary contractors up to pre-lockdown levels, albeit working on lower margins and in different sectors.”
Multitask Personnel can help businesses throughout the UK with their recruitment across a wide range of market sectors and job roles, with specialist divisions in Technical, Professional and Support Services.
If you are on the look-out for a reliable recruitment partner, contact Multitask today on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk.
You’ve gone through the shortlisting process and have your selected candidates lined up for interview. Now you’re on the home straight, this must be the easy bit, right?
So, how can you make sure you are getting the best insight into your candidates to make the correct decision on who is the right person for the job?
One of the key messages here is to be consistent with all your interviews to make sure you can score your interviewees like for like, so take a look at our top 10 interview questions you should ask your candidates to see how they can fit in with your interview process:
The first set of questions are focused around the candidate’s experience. You need some early reassurances that they are who they say they are, and the information in their CV and application are accurate.
This helps to set the tone of the interview from the beginning. Whilst you want the interview to be two-way in terms of dialogue (it’s important for you to give off a good impression to the candidate as well), you need to make sure the candidate is doing most of the talking, so this sets the interview off to a good start to enable the candidate to give you their background story.
Look out for consistency with their CV to make sure there are no key gaps and focus on areas that reflect the requirement of the role they are interviewing for. Do they have adaptable experience? Can they think on their feet without using their CV as a prompt?
If they pass this first test, you can safely assume the detail on their CV is legitimate!
This question allows the candidate to provide detail about their current role to allow you to find out how they apply themselves to this role, the experience they have brought to it and how they have applied their skill sets.
Look for their tone: how do they speak about their current position and employer? Do they speak highly about them and put a positive spin on any negative situations? Are they proud of what they have achieved? If you get positive vibes about their performance at previous employers, it’s likely they will continue this into your workplace.
Start with the most recent role and work backwords to allow them to talk about how they have progressed throughout their career to date.
Here you are looking at performance and flexibility. Has the candidate progressed through the ranks? Have they used their experience to help others, e.g. through management or internal training programmes?
If they answer yes, and they can demonstrate this effectively, you can see if their desire to progress within your organisation is strong.
This question allows you to find out what the candidate is passionate about, what achievements they have been proud of, what challenges them, and what they could be likely to complain about! It’s a good personality test as well, to find out where they sit in terms of being a good culture fit for your organisation.
Look for how positively they react, even if they are talking about a negative situation. This can show how adaptive they are to the wider needs of the company, as well as identifying how they, as an individual, have contributed.
You should be looking for signs of engagement and commitment, flexibility, and how open they are for growth and personal development. But you should also let them talk about any frustrations they have, and match these to how they may feel if such situations were to arise at your organisation.
As an employer, you want to know why your candidates are available for employment at your organisation. This is an opportunity for them to tell you their story.
Ask them about other previous roles as well and look for any trends. If they want to move on due to a lack of progression opportunities, you can see they are keen to challenge themselves and achieve more. But if they are bad-mouthing their employer you need to consider there could be another side to the story they are not telling you about.
Moving for better pay and more responsibility can be legitimate reasons and not simply a sign of the candidate being motivated purely by money. At the end of the day, we all want to be paid what we are worth.
You’ve got a good insight into the candidate’s back story, so next you need to find out more about how they can perform in the role. Let’s talk specifics!
If the position you are recruiting for requires a specific level of experience of using certain software or equipment, ask the candidate to demonstrate not only what they have used, but how they have used it. Encourage them to talk about projects they have worked on, and what their responsibilities were. This can be repeated for each key skill area you need answers on.
If they speak with confidence and can give examples of their experience you will be able to see how qualified they are for your role. How they apply their experience here to real-life examples is key.
Re-cap on their CV again with these questions so you can delve a little bit deeper and gain a better understanding of the candidate’s career goals, aspirations and pride in their work.
This question can help you find out how quickly the candidate can think on their feet. They may have lots of achievements they are proud of but picking one that stands out above the rest may not be something that just rolls straight off their tongue.
Have they been exceeding company goals or targets? Have they become the leader in their field of excellence? Are they passionate about training others?
Getting the right answers from the candidate here can help you identify how results focused and growth orientated they are, and if they are potential management material. Someone that reels off endless accomplishments may come across as not focused enough, or even arrogant, which may not be the best cultural fit for your business.
You’ve found out about the candidates past and present, but what about their future? This is an opportunity to see how ambitious and committed they are, but also how realistic they are in what they want to achieve.
Someone who wants to be a millionaire at 35 might show ambition, but their sense of optimism and realism may not hit the right notes for your business!
Ideally, you need someone who is going to stick around and make good progression through the ranks into a more senior position, but they need to earn this along the way. A candidate who shows enthusiasm to grow along side your business may be the best option if it matches your future plans for the role.
Just like a contract, discussing the small print at the end of an interview can help you decide which of your interviewees are most suited to the role. If there are no clauses that cause alarm, you can rest assured you have ticked every box from your perspective in giving a thorough interview.
If the candidate is genuinely interested in working for your company, they will no doubt have some questions of their own. These could be anything from wider benefit packages (such as pensions and health insurance etc.) and holiday entitlement, through to more specific questions about the role and its responsibilities.
Candidates who are more focused about the monetary side of the role may have their priorities elsewhere, so look for questions that show a genuine interest in your company, its people, and its processes. This could also give you an opportunity to tell the candidates about your own experience of working for your organisation, so make sure you are positive too!
If you are working with a good recruiter, like Multitask Personnel, we will have already found out if the candidate is eligible to work for your organisation through our preliminary checks. However, if you are recruiting direct you will need to do this yourselves, so will need to get confirmation of any criminal convictions, or eligibility to work in the UK if the candidate is a foreign national.
If you decide to offer the position, you will naturally want to obtain a reference from current or previous employers. Make sure the candidate is aware of this and gives permission. If they are happy with this, then you can be confident that everything they have told you at interview is accurate and can be backed up. If they aren’t, however, you need to be asking questions as to why.
So, there you have it – a structured way to approach interviewing your candidates to make the final decision on your new hire as streamlined as possible!
At Multitask Personnel, we’re not simply just about sending candidates over for interview, we can be there with you at every step of the process. If you need any advice on the interview process as well as sourcing the best candidates drop us a line on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk.
Recruitment strategies differ from business to business. Variable factors, such as the size or nature of your business means different ways of recruiting for many, and there should never be a one-size fits all approach when each business has different aims and objectives.
Regardless of whether you need to recruit staff in bulk, or if your recruitment comes on an ‘as and when’ basis, one thing you can do to make sure you are as prepared as possible is to create a talent pool.
Of course, if you are working with a good agency this is something they will be doing on your behalf, however there is nothing stopping you from making sure that when the time comes to recruit that next position you have a ready made group of select candidates to choose from.
In an ideal world, as soon as a vacancy crops up you will have the right person lined up straight away – you know, that candidate who is actively job hunting with very little notice period, who can slot straight in to ensure there is no lengthy period of down time. But we all know this is the dream scenario, and that perfect candidate is already in a role elsewhere and not immediately available – if on the market at all.
This is where the hard work of creating your talent pool pays off!
Think of fish swimming around in a pond. Different types of fish, across a wide range of age and experience levels, just waiting for you to cast your hook and fish them out. Yes, it’s a bit like that, but you need to make sure is your pool isn’t too big and there are no streams running off into the ocean.
Still with us? Ok, so let’s apply this to business. You’ve created a database of people who could effectively fill any of the current job roles within your business, who are there to call upon when you have a vacancy you need to fill. As you’ve already profiled them, you know they are the right type of people who could fit in seamlessly, reducing the cost and downtime of having to go out to market and recruit from scratch.
Every pond needs fish, and the fish need to be fed to make sure they’re ready when you are! There are a few good places to start:
Firstly, you need to keep your talent pool warm. We don’t mean turn up the heater until someone jumps out, but rather by keeping them up to date with what’s happening in your business by putting them on your newsletter list, or invite them to follow your company social media channels. You could even add them into recruitment specific mailing lists, just make sure you get their permission, so you don’t fall foul of any GDPR legislation.
Tell them they are the type of person your company looks to recruit and ask them if they are happy for you to contact them about any suitable vacancies as they arise. This can be very flattering to the candidate as it will make them feel wanted, and if you do things in a professional manner you will be creating a great impression of your organisation.
When the time is right to make an approach, contact them personally (avoid anything generic that looks like it has been sent to numerous people) and tell them why you think they would be suitable for the role. Ask them if they would like to have an informal chat about the role to see if they would like to put themselves forward for interview. This could increase your chances of a successful outcome.
You should aim to review your talent pool every three months or so, and let the people in it know they are still on your radar. Don’t over do it by being too pushy or making contact every couple of weeks as this will smack of desperation and will put the candidate off. But if you strike the balance just right so both you and the candidate know where you stand with each other, you have already got the relationship off to a good start.
Make sure you only keep your top talent in your pool – those candidates that could make a real difference if they were employed by your company. The more fish there are, the more difficult it could be to catch the right one.
There’s no hard and fast rule about how many candidates should be on your radar, it depends entirely on who many people you need to recruit, at what level and how often. But what you can control is how much attention you can give to your pool. The more time you can spend on maintaining it, the easier it will be to pull someone out when you need to replace a member of staff or add further headcount to your team.
It all depends on how much time and resource you can put into developing and maintaining your talent pool. Like everything in business, you can do it yourself if you put your mind to it and give it the attention it deserves. But also, like in business, sometimes it’s better to outsource this to a professional organisation who can take away all the hassles of a DIY job.
That’s where a recruitment agency like Multitask Personnel comes in. We can work alongside you, as your in-house HR department, or as an extension to it – it’s entirely up to you. If you build up a good relationship with your recruiter, they can get a complete understanding of your business, it’s culture and recruitment plans.
We can help you keep your talent pool full of the right people, and keep them in the communication loop so that when the time is right to act your ideal candidates will be at the front of the queue. After all, this is what we do every day with our own talent pools. If you would like to see how we could add value to helping you build a talent pool of your own, our team of specialist recruiters would love to hear from you.
Just drop us a line on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk and we will be there with you every step of the way!
Despite what many people may think, recruitment is not easy! Whether you are handling the recruitment process internally, or working with an agency, there are many hurdles to navigate before you can get into a position where a job offer is made – and accepted.
But it doesn’t simply end there. If you’re recruiting for a permanent position you need to make sure you are hiring the right person for the job – someone that’s a good cultural fit as well as having the required experience and skillset, and someone who is going to stay at your organisation for years to come.
Recruiting the wrong person for the job could also prove to be a costly mistake, with recruitment fees, advertising, HR time and training costs soon adding up in the event of having to make a new hire to replace someone who wasn’t a fit for the job.
Here, in our latest blog, we’re going to run you through some top tips to make sure you are recruiting the right people for your workplace!
To avoid having a knee-jerk reaction to recruiting your next position, you need to start closer to home by fully assessing what your company is about. What are your hiring needs? What type of candidate clearly defines the culture and objectives of your business? If you can mould your ideal candidate, what would they look like?
You may wish to consider how a candidate’s qualification levels, attitude and skill set fits with your company’s value proposition and mission. By setting out what you need at the beginning of the process, you will be able to work on getting the right fit for your business before you have even advertised the job.
You’ve developed the perfect job specification by aligning your company goals with what you need from a candidate, so the next step is to start making some noise about the vacancy!
There are plenty of avenues available to promote a vacancy:
The best approach, of course, may be to incorporate all the above to ensure you have boxed off every possible angle to make sure you are attracting the right people for your business. Candidates will do their research about you just as much as you will do about them, so a consistent and joined up approach is best.
Your candidates can also screen themselves, so by providing a thorough job description and company profile can help a candidate decide if they feel the job, and your company, is right for them, just as much as if it was the other way round.
So, be clear about the job’s responsibilities, required qualifications and level of experience, as well as the type of person you are looking for, the working hours, location, benefit package, and of course salary.
Disclosing the salary for the role is key. Whilst you might not want to over publicise what you are willing to pay your staff, excluding this from a job specification can be off-putting to candidates. If they don’t know what level the job is pitched at, they may not know if it is worth them applying.
Once you have shortlisted your applicants, then next stage is the interview. This is your chance to get to know the candidate more, and find out what they are like behind their CV. Structuring the interview correctly will ensure you both get as much out of it as possible.
Make sure the interview is prepared in advance, and structured in a logical way, including any tests you will be conducting, such as a presentation or written piece. Make sure the candidate is aware of the structure as well prior to the interview to give them enough chance to prepare.
Prepare your questions in advance and keep your interviews consistent so scoring and overall decision making when comparing your interviewees is easier. Whilst in the interview, you may also want to take note of body language, mannerisms, and the overall vibe you get from the candidate.
Recruiting for a position can be just as much about personality as it is skills, and making sure you have the right person on board can determine whether the appointment will be successful long-term.
As with every area of your business, ensuring communication channels are open, flowing, and two-way is essential, and it’s no different when you are recruiting. Keeping in touch with your candidates at every step of the process not only gives off a good impression of you and your business, but also paves the way for a more honest appraisal.
Right from receipt of an application, make sure you acknowledge this with the candidate and let them know when they should expect an answer with regards to whether they have been shortlisted for interview.
Set out your timelines for reviewing applications, and set out specific dates of when you need to respond to candidates at each step. If they need further information from you in order to prepare for their interview give this in good time.
It’s also good practice to respond with individual feedback, even for unsuccessful candidates.
Both your time, and the candidates time is precious. Your candidates will have spent a lot of time researching and applying for the job, as well as preparing for their interview, so make sure you value their time as much as your own. For unsuccessful candidates, be prompt and don’t leave them hanging around waiting for a response.
Equally don’t hang around too long before offering your chosen candidate – the same person may be interviewing elsewhere, and you don’t want to miss out and risk them accepting another offer.
In conclusion, taking the time at the outset to make sure your recruitment processes are as streamlined as possible will make sure you are doing everything you can to aid the long-term development of your business.
Filling a vacancy should not be seen as a transactional process that needs to be done as quickly as possible, it is a process that helps shape the future of your business. If you need any help and advice to make sure you are recruiting the right people for your business, contact one of our specialist recruiters on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk
One thing we’ve all learnt during lock-down is we must be more flexible when it comes to work. The traditional office environment is (temporarily) on hold, and although we are starting to see renewed activity with many businesses returning to the workplace, social distancing still needs to be upheld to allow this to be done safely, meaning flexibility is still at the top of the agenda.
As we all adapt to the ‘new normal’ many businesses have experienced turbulent times of late changing the way we have to deal with our customers and suppliers. Whilst we all work out a solution for ourselves, now is the time to work together and help our fellow businesses come out on top as we gradually make it through to the other side.
At Multitask Personnel, we’re no different. Without our fantastic customers we wouldn’t be here, so we want to extend a helping hand wherever we can to help ease everyone back into the new way of working, and to protect those bottom lines.
We’ve always had a great relationship with our clients, built on trust and flexibility over the past 10 years. Now of all times, provides us with a great opportunity to give something back by offering a completely flexible solution on permanent recruitment fees to help our clients who need to recruit during these difficult times.
We’ve put some provisions in place to offer some flexibility with our fees for all permanent placements whilst the market starts to gain traction once again. Flexible packages of support have always been available to our clients depending on the level of service they require from us, but in addition to this we’re introducing a few other ways where we can help give our clients a bit more breathing space.
Multitask Personnel has always been set up to deal with volume roles for our clients, in particular via our support services division, where we can help our clients fill their office or warehouse support roles.
If your business needs to recruit several roles in specific departments, we are happy to offer a fixed fee service, agreed at the outset, for all volume recruitment requirements. This means our clients have the option to pay a fixed fee for all roles as part of their next recruitment drive, as well as individual fees per person.
Just let us know who you need to recruit, how many roles are available and we will be happy to help cast the net as wide as possible to attract the right type of person for your business.
Employee retention is a key driver for many business, and part of our service to our clients is making sure we are putting forward not only the best people for the job, but also the ones who are likely to stay in the job for many years to come. We want our clients to get as much value out of their employees as possible, as from our perspective, a happy client is a returning client.
We understand how difficult it can be at times to make sure you have got the right person in the role, so if you have a requirement for any white collar roles, our professional division is happy to offer a split fee structure which gives our clients the option to pay over a longer period of time whilst you are trying your new recruit out, so you can be 100% sure on your new recruit.
You may need to recruit quickly to ensure you have the right staffing levels to copy with demand post lock-down. Whilst this is a great position to be in as it means work is picking back up again, you need to make sure your recruitment process is still as stringent as it would normally be to avoid making any knee-jerk reactions.
A rebate period is a layer of added security to give you piece of mind that you have got the right person for your vacancy. Typically after a three month period you will know if your new recruit is right for the job or not, and if you’re not satisfied you have options to claw back some (or even all) of your recruitment fee.
To make sure you are recruiting the right people for your vacancies we are extending our rebate period for up to 6 months, meaning you can take your time with the onboarding process during busy periods, and giving you yet another opportunity to ‘try before you buy’.
Our recruitment processes have always been set up with our client’s best interests at heart. We want to make sure you can still achieve your recruitment goals as the UK business market starts to take off once again, in the most cost effective way as possible. Fixed fees, split fees and extended rebates (or even a combination of all three) are just a few ways we can reaffirm our commitment to our clients and provide the reassurances needed that your next recruitment drive need not be high risk, either in fees or staff turnover.
If we can do anything to help our clients with a more flexible recruitment solution during these unprecedented times, we will make it our aim to do so.
To discuss your next recruitment drive with one of our professional recruiters simply contact us on 0845 478 5009 or visit www.multitaskpersonnel.co.uk.
Recruitment agencies… often said in the same sentence as an expletive due to an over-aggressive minority of firms giving the entire sector a bad name. But we’re not all bad, and we’re certainly not all the same. Yes, we’re here to make money by providing our services just the same as any other business, however many firms are not in it to simply make a quick buck and do have the best, and the long-term interests of their clients at heart.
Welcome to Multitask Personnel. We’re a South Yorkshire based recruitment partner (notice we said partner there and not agency?), who work on a national scale to provide an all encompassing solution to clients across a variety of sectors, in particular Utilities, Construction, Building Services, Plumbing & Heating and M&E.
We don’t claim to be a jack of all trades because that would mean we are a master of none, and that is certainly not the case. We have strategically aligned ourselves and our staff to make sure we can provide an all-round service for businesses that have a mix of blue collar, white collar, and support staff. This means the same thing to our customers as it does to ourselves – we can supply key members of staff to fill all of your roles, meaning you don’t have to go out to multiple agencies for different types of employee.
Quite simply put, once we have proved our credentials are what we say they are, you can put all your trust in us to find the right people to help your organisation fly. The employer / recruiter relationship is key to long-term success, and that’s what we like to do – strike up long-term relationships with our clients by getting to know their business, the people, and its culture inside out.
When that trust is there, the same trust we have built up with many long-term clients since we started in business almost 10 years ago, the process of finding the best employees becomes a much easier task because you can rely on your recruitment partner to put forward the most appropriate candidates that are the right fit for you.
Because each of our specialist divisions (Technical, Professional and Support Services) has its own team of specialist recruiters who are formally trained within the industry, it means they know their sector inside out and understand how your business operates. This makes finding the right staff so much easier.
We know that finding the right person for your business is not always an easy task, there are so many candidates on the market (even more so in the current climate) and streamlining the hiring process can be a mine field, especially if you don’t have the time or human resource to deal with this in-house. That’s where your recruitment agency earns its fee. If they’re doing their job right, they will make this process as stress free as possible by taking away the pains of shortlisting and profiling, and only putting the most relevant candidates forward for interview consideration.
But let’s not leave it at that. A good agency should also be thinking about staff retention with everyone they put forward. Are the candidates likely to stick around and become a vital part of the business for years to come? Are they good team players? Do they have the right personality type to fit in with the culture of the business? It’s not just about making a quick placement. The more value you get from your employees, that more likely you are to work with your agency again! To us, a happy client is a returning client, and that’s where the partnership element comes in yet again.
At Multitask Personnel, we work with a large pool of active candidates who we can put forward for permanent, temporary or contract vacancies across a comprehensive range of positions within your business. From office support to highly skilled technical roles, our job is to take away the hassle of recruitment, leaving you free to get on with running your business.
We like to think our recruitment methods focus on more than just the here and now. We become part of your organisation, a bit like the internal recruitment department you never had, and become advocates for your brand to filter through the most appropriate candidates. Building a long-lasting and trusted partnership makes sure the relationship is built on a collaboration and not merely on a transactional basis.
As staff retention and development is a key driver for our own organisation, we understand the importance of making sure the right candidates are put forward for your roles. We can offer help and advice on shortlisting, making an offer and onboarding any new recruits you take on. It might sound like an age old cliché, but we’re there with you at every step of the recruitment process.
We aim to offer much more than just a standard service, and are geared up to provide support to every area of your business from unskilled temporary workers right through to skilled engineers, trades people and senior office managers.
Our processes are carefully crafted to match the ambitions and culture of our clients to ensure we deliver the best results possible.
Regardless of whether you have worked with another recruitment agency before, you may wish to ask yourself the following questions:
If your answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions, then maybe it is time to review your current recruitment methods and speak to Multitask Personnel!
For more information please contact us on 0845 478 5009 or visit www.multitaskpersonnel.co.uk
Temporary workers seem to be all the rage at present, especially as some sectors continue to get to grips with new ways of working due to covid-19 with demand coming in peaks and troughs. But temps needn’t be a flash in the pan reaction to being busy, many businesses have built themselves up on employing temporary workers, just as much as some candidates have become career temps due to the nature of the gig economy.
There are many benefits to employers of recruiting temporary workers, which we go into more detail here in our latest blog.
Recruiting a temp is a lot less risky than recruiting a permanent member of staff. Firstly, the temp is employed by the recruitment agency on a zero hour contract and not by the employer directly. Should the placement not work out you are under no legal obligation to keep the worker on, and there will be no lengthy notice period or severance pay.
All the risk is on us, the recruitment agency, as we are the ones who shortlist, interview, and put forward the best candidates for the job at hand. We also deal with all the identity and reference checking on your behalf to make sure your temporary workers are indeed eligible to work, and come with the required references from previous employers to give you peace of mind you are taking on the best person for the job.
Temps can offer your business a lot of flexibility. You may only have a requirement for a short period of time, and regardless of whether this is for a day, a month or even a year, you have the option to take on the temp for as long as you need them. They can be utilised to cover busy periods if the nature of your work is seasonal, or they can be used for holiday or sickness cover if you are unable to manage without cover for specific job roles.
We understand how time consuming it can be at the best of times to find the right candidates for a job, so if you’re recruiting to a tight deadline for an immediate start, the flexibility of using a temporary worker can mean you don’t have to suffer any down time.
Regardless of whether you are recruiting a temp to fill a short term vacancy to provide cover, or have a more long-term placement in mind, recruiting a temp into the position can give you an option to ‘try before you buy’.
The position may be completely new, and you want to see how someone gets on with the role before deciding to make it permanent. Recruiting someone on a temporary basis buys you time as well as providing immediate cover for your role, meaning you can try someone out in the meantime as part of your recruitment process. It’s an opportunity for you to see how the candidate fits into your working environment, and if they are the right fit culturally as well as from a performance perspective.
Regardless of how long your requirement for a new employee is, our team are here to advise on the best recruitment model for your business. We never operate on a one size fits all approach, and rather than push for a permanent placement which would generate us more fees, if a temporary contract is the best option that’s what we will advise. It’s in our best interest to supply the right people for your vacancies – to us, a happy client is a returning client.
If you haven’t worked with temps before, we will run you through the whole process, making sure you understand your obligations as well as ours in supplying you with temporary staff. Our ongoing support is there for you from the initial induction and throughout the temporary assignment, no matter how long this is.
At Multitask Personnel, we already have a large pool of temporary candidates on our books who are regular workers that provide cover for many of our clients. Our dedicated temp desk means we have specialist staff that solely deal with temporary placements, so we can advise not only on the recruitment process, but can also put forward the right people for the job to provide a quick and effective resolution.
We can provide onsite contract management, working with your recruitment team at your premises or offer a fully managed service for your entire recruitment function. Just like temporary workers, we also offer complete flexibility with our vast range of recruitment services.
As we are a specialist recruiter, we have an abundance of experience in supplying subcontractors to our clients. We are CIS and Gas Safe registered, and can supply staff who will come in their own vehicles, with the own insurances as well as the required industry accreditations and memberships.
In short, we take away all the stress of recruiting from scratch with ready made solutions for our clients in the trades sectors.
If you have a current recruitment requirement that lends itself to taking on temporary workers, drop us a line on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk and we will talk you through the process.
Regardless of whether you need one temp or a whole team, we have the candidates and the experience to make sure the whole process runs smoothly. If there is a gap in your business, we can help you plug this with a temp!
Read more about our temporary recruitment service here.