• SFR RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS

Tag: tips

Blog Post

Working from Home (WFH) – The guide.

Oct 22, 2020 , , , , , , , by sfrrecruitment

Hey there,

We understand as many of us have embarked on turning a room in our home into a makeshift office this year, working from home can be both stressful and socially isolating.

Yes, the commute may be much better, and we do love being able to wear jogging bottoms, however, we can experience a lack of motivation or distractions which can make WFH rather challenging.

However, help is at hand, here are our Top 6 WFH tips, to get you out of that slump!

1- Exercising frequently

So simple but so effective, exercising, stretching, going on a brisk walk will help you clear your mind and increase productivity. It is NOT normal to sit at your desk all day and in doing so you will not only endure backache and eye strain but also you might find that your productivity will lower if you slug it out all day.

2- Regular updates/ contact your team 

WFH can be so socially isolating and it’s ok to say that you feel isolated. That’s why it’s essential to keep team morale up. Ongoing communication via WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom can help departments support each other.

3- Separate your work from your relaxation 

This may be slightly difficult if you live in a house share, however, either tidying your work station away at the end of the day or keeping it in a dedicated room in which you shut away, keep your work and relaxation space-separated so you can switch off! Remember to look after yourself! Step away from social media, turn off the laptop, and do something which helps you unwind in the evening.

4- Stick to your routine 

Be strict with your routine. Ensure that you get up at the same time every day and switch off at the same time. During the time that you would normally set aside to commute why not read, or exercise?

5- Write LISTS! 

If you don’t already write lists every day, then this is the best time to start! The power of writing lists is unmeasurable! In the morning start with a list of everything which needs to be completed that day, including times for breaks and reminders to get up and walkabout. It’s not only satisfying being able to cross things off the list as you go through the day, but it also helps you prioritise what work you need to get done so no time is wasted!

6- Listen to music! 

Music is so underrated, but it really can help our mood! I personally find it challenging to work in complete silence, so if you’re like me pop on the radio to your favourite station and enjoy some music whilst completing your tasks! 

That’s it! Get in touch if you have any other WFH tips, we would love to hear from you!

Blog Post

Our Top 5 LinkedIn Profile Tips!

Aug 25, 2020 , , , , by sfrrecruitment

LinkedIn is the platform to be on to promote yourself as a professional individual and/or your business! Here are our top 5 LinkedIn profile tips to help you get noticed!

STEP 1:

Make your LinkedIn profile picture STAND OUT!

Yes, I know, you’ve probably heard this a million times before, but it’s so TRUE!

Get yourself a QUALITY LinkedIn profile picture! Make sure you have a plain background, wear an outfit that you would perhaps wear for work, or for an interview and get snapping! Make sure the image is sharp and centered correctly. Have fun with the background! It could be branded, it could have bright colours! Show some of your personality, whilst remaining professional!

STEP 2:

Your headline doesn’t have to be just your job title!

Your headline description can be more than just your job title. What do you do? How do you help? What does your service provide? Think of these questions and then let it reflect in your headline. HOWEVER, do not let it be too long because you want to appear in search results!

STEP 3:

Hey, you need to be an All-Star!

You need that ALL-STAR status on LinkedIn, WHY? Because by having that all-star status you are more visible! Fill in all the details, produce a brilliant summary telling your story and get posting!

STEP 4:

Engagement is key!

Like, comment and engage with your audience. Don’t be one of those people that scrolls and reads without engaging! By engaging with people’s posts you’re starting a conversation. Furthermore, why not endorse people for their skills? You’ll most likely find that they will return the favour!

STEP 5:

Create and share relevant content!

Publish interesting content that starts conversations! Present your skills, knowledge, advice or even tell stories (real ones – of course). Engage and grow your network and you will get noticed!

NOW GO AND DEVELOP YOUR LINKEDIN NETWORK!

Blog Post

Top 6 Tips – Hiring the right person.

Jul 3, 2020 , , , , by sfrrecruitment

Whether you are hiring employees for a large or smaller organization the hiring process is the first and foremost factor you need to focus on. Here are our Top 6 Tips to look for when recruiting the right person. 

1.   Commitment to their career

Someone who is committed to their career is a candidate you should want to hire. You would like to hire an employee who is dedicated, loyal and focused on business they are in, not one that switches careers or jobs frequently, just to get a higher salary. We also believe that a candidate that has overcome hurdles and challenges within a business shows good spirit and staying power.

Always check the candidate’s previous job duration and references.

2.   Check compatibility

It’s imperative that you find an employee that will fit in with your company’s culture. Prepare questions that can help you determine if the candidate has social skills to get along with others, especially with current employees and managers.

Is the right person already within the business? Should an investment be made in that person’s development?

Remember, willingness is one of the primary things a candidate must possess to work with you.

3. Pay attention to the candidates’ questions

The candidate’s questions can often be very insightful. Have they researched your employee brand? Can they tell you what makes your culture unique? You may be able to discover when a candidate has a genuine, authentic desire to join your company. If their personal values align with your culture, everything else can be taught.

4. Look for candidates with heart

History can tell us that sometimes we interview for the wrong reasons — what candidates look like on paper instead of how they will fit into the company culture. Make sure that you understand what it is that is that you are searching for before you start the recruitment process. HR can be a terrific judge of character and help us look for candidates who not only have the ability to do the work but have a true heart for the company’s mission.

5. During this time it may be useful to utilise the phone Interview to pre-screen applicants.

Before you decide to meet your shortlist face to face, we advise that you conduct a phone interview or use video conferencing technology. During this discussion, you should flush out questions about duties, culture, salary expectations, their work history. Importantly this give you the opportunity to find out where you will need to devote more training time. We believe this exercise will save you valuable time, allowing you to narrow in on the one.

6. Keep improving your hiring process and use the past as a roadmap for the future.

No businesses should underestimate the value of hiring the right candidate.

Getting it right first time can save you money, time and can be a far less stressful.

It’s important to review your recruitment process every year, maybe every quarter. Are your adverts being placed on the right job boards? Have you nailed the job description? Does your Team and HR facility understand the importance to the business to have the right person in this position? Are you missing in house talent? Are you using an external recruitment partner? If so, do they have the right brief, are they specialist in your industry?

Make changes if they are needed, hiring the right person should be an enjoyable process.

Please let us know if you have found our Top 6 helpful. 

Written by Matthew Robinson.

Blog Post

Top 6 Video Interview Tips!

Jul 3, 2020 , , , , by sfrrecruitment

In recent months we have set about to help as many people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, this includes helping with CV and Interview Tips. We have received a lot of positive feedback on this and now we would like to share with you our Top Tips.

1- Set the scene

Make sure your environment is professional. Find quiet and undisturbed location. Try and choose somewhere with good lighting. Additional tip – Try wearing headphones to help hear clearly.

2- Control your environment

Inform everyone in your household that you will be on a video interview and that you should not be disturbed. Keep any cats, dogs, or any other animals out of sight for the duration of the interview. 

Additional tip – Turn your phone off or make sure it is on silent.

3- Wi-Fi ready?

It is important that your Wi-Fi does not fail you at this important time. Get a friend or family member to run through a mock video interview with you, to clearly make sure your Wi-Fi is reaching your chosen spot. Additional tip – turn off any non-essential technology using the internet.

4- Let’s get technical

If you are using a laptop or tablet make sure it’s fully charged on the day of the interview. Find a flat and stable surface to place your device. Additional tip – avoid using your smartphone.

5- Dress for success

Dress as you would for a face to face interview head to toe. Doing so will make you feel confident and professional. Additional tip – avoid wearing bright colours, they can be distracting.

6- Let it shine

It is important that you allow your personality to shine. Maintain eye contact. Keep good posture, sitting with your back straight. Speak clearly into the mic. Pause for one second after the interviewer has finished the question, this avoids speaking over one and other. Show enthusiasm, be engaging and smile.

Just as you would do at the end of any other interview, thank the interviewer for the opportunity and reiterate your interest in the position.

Additional tip – have a note pad and pen ready to make notes as soon as the interview is over.

Thank you for reading. Good luck with your video interview and please let us know if you have found our Top Tips helpful.

Written by Matthew Robinson.

Blog Post

Top 6 CV Tips!

Jul 3, 2020 , , , , , by sfrrecruitment

In recent months we’ve set about to help as many people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak with helping them with their CV. We have received a lot of positive feedback on this and now we would like to share our top tips.

1- KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL, use an appropriate email and full postal address.

2- PRESENTATION IS KEY, keep to a single theme/layout – ensure your font and text size is consistent. Do not over complicate your formatting – keep text boxes and columns to a minimum. Use bite-size chunks of information, easier to read.

3- LETS GET SPECIFIC, Highlight duties, key achievements and performance figures. Don’t make it hard for a potential employer to find this key information.

4- KEEP IT RELEVENT, when listing your career history, start with your most recent role and work in chronological order. Additional Tip – Don’t leave a comment at the end of each role describing why you left this position.

5- ALWAYS GET PERMISSION, make sure references given have been agreed to by your former employer. Remember you want this person to be called or email and asked to give a reference.

6- IT MUST BE UP TO DATE, It is imperative that all of your information is up-to-date throughout your CV.

Get in touch if you would like additional help with your CV! ?

P.s The car in the picture above is the Citroen CV. Hold your hands up if you didn’t get it.

Written by Matthew Robinson.

Blog Post

How to survive the work Christmas party!

Jan 21, 2020 , , , , , by sfrrecruitment

It’s that time of year when the workforce is full of Christmas Party chatter, so here are some tips to help you survive the Office Christmas Party and wake up the next day with your job still in-tact!

1-   Drink Responsibly!

Yes, doing shots with your co-workers may seem as a brilliant idea at the time but drinking too much can only cause embarrassment for yourself and a sore head the next day. Therefore, I advise that you (yeah you) to pace yourself. Make sure you know how many drinks you’ve had and have the odd glass of water + If you don’t drink or can’t, just say so. There’s no need to worry what others think.

2-   Mingle!

I know the most comfortable thing to do is to stick to the people you know the best at the Christmas party, however, try and mingle with other colleagues that you may not usually converse with. This may help develop good working relationships and grant potential of striking unlikely friendships!

3-   Dress appropriately to the occasion!

Whilst you may be aiming to dress to impress, showing up to the Christmas party in a full suit, ballgown or clubbing entire may not always be entirely appropriate. Dress to the occasion and the location of the party. This will save embarrassment! Text your colleagues if your unsure. By dressing appropriately for the occasion, you will feel comfortable and confident!

4-   Don’t be a bore!

 Whilst it’s tempting and inevitable that you will talk about work whilst on a work Christmas Party try and refrain yourself from this being one of the main topics of conversations. The work Christmas party is a brilliant time to learn about your colleagues outside their responsibilities at work and also express yourself. Be fun! Show your personality (without being irritating) and as point 2 states- GET TO KNOW PEOPLE! At the end of the evening it’s best to be known as someone that is fun and nice to chat to rather than bore that just talked about work and sat in the corner.

5-   Take Care of yourself and others!

Make sure you and your colleagues get home safe! Look out for each other!

6-   Help out your co-workers!

Notice one of your colleagues is getting a bit worse for wear? Grab them some water, fetch them some food or call them a taxi. Help your colleagues not embarrass themselves by bailing them out. The gesture will go appreciated!

7-   Refrain from office gossip!

Don’t be a gossip, whilst it may be exciting that “Mary from HR and Dave from Accounts are apparently a thing”, you don’t want to be known as a gossip, it comes across as unpleasant and untrustworthy. Remember that you work with these people every day so try not to upset anyone!

8-   Don’t announce your undying love for one of your colleagues!

Ask yourself whether hitting on Jean from Accounts is really appropriate, will you regret it the next day? Remember you have to see this person every day! + use your common sense, you don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Likewise, if you’re the person getting hit on and feeling uncomfortable ensure to be tactful, polite but firm.

9-   Don’t call in sick!

Whatever you do- DO NOT CALL IN SICK! If your office Christmas party on a ‘school night’ make sure you don’t call in sick the next day. Get up, have a decent breakfast and get on with your day. Everyone is in the same boat!

10- HAVE FUN!

Finally – have fun! Have fun at the party! Don’t feel nervous about it and try not to miss it! This is a perfect time to get to know other colleagues and build relationships outside of work hours. Having healthy working relationships with your colleagues makes everyday working life far more enjoyable!

So, go and have fun, enjoy a brilliant work Christmas party and look after your sore head the next day!

SFR Recruitment Solutions