INTERVIEW SKILLS: Tips from the Top…


Ben Elliot,Careers Advice,Dragon's Den,Georgie Grieg,James Caan,Marco Pierre White,Quintessentially,The Evening Standard,Uncategorized,University of Cambridge — admin @ 10:11 am on April 24, 2013  

'I always look for people who can demonstrate appetite in one way or another' - James Caan, Entrepreneur and star of Dragon’s Den

“JOB INTERVIEW” – Two words which strike fear into the hearts of thousands of young jobseekers. What to wear? How to act? Let alone what to say. 91% of employers rank your attitude and personality above your degree and experience, so although you’ve already made a mark to secure the interview, now’s the time to really impress.

With competition fiercer than this stubborn wintry weather preparation isn’t just important, it’s vital. So, as we’re all for thawing out the frozen graduate employment rate, here are some top interview tips from WEXO and some of the people we’ve spoken to.

RESEARCH

1.) It’s a no-brainer but it’s worth repeating. There’s no easier way to show you want the job than to have done your homework. Firstly, have a clear understanding of the company’s work, structure and ethos. Keep in mind questions like “why do you want to work here?” Put your detective cap on and get investigating.

2.) Secondly, keep up-to-date with industry news. It’s an easy way to show you’re passionate about the profession. There are the usual industry magazines and trade association websites but social networks such as Twitter and Quora are useful secret weapons. They’re the simplest ways to follow tastemakers, opinion formers and industry gossip.

3.) Thirdly, think tangentially. How can you stand out? What makes you different?

'I want to find enthusiasm, individuality and a desire to succeed. Simple things like spelling in an application letter really matter. This gives me an indication of their ability to present themselves and their ideas, essential for anyone in any job' - Geordie Grieg, Former Editor of The Evening Standard

COMMUNICATE

1.) It’s good to run through obvious interview questions, the usual suspects include “why should we hire you?” or “what are you strengths and weaknesses.”

2.) 19% of employers are concerned about young people’s problem-solving abilities. As a result, scenario tasks come up time and time again. They give companies a chance to see how you think through problems. This could be before, during or after an interview or as part of an assessment day. If you are applying for a marketing role you might have to devise a low-cost marketing plan for a new product the company plans to release. If it’s an analyst role you might have a small project to test your number-crunching skills. Either way, most exercises take the form of: Receive scenario > identify issue > formulate idea/plan > present proposal.

3.) Whilst you can’t necessarily prepare for the tasks you can think about the kind of qualities and skills required for the job you’re applying for – they’ve probably spelt them out in the original job posting.

PRESENT

‘What particularly matters to me is the way someone presents themselves from head to toe – clean collar, clean cuffs, pressed trousers and polished shoes.’ – Marco Pierre White, Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur


'Ask questions... don’t be shy.' - Ben Elliott, Founder of Quintessentially

With 55% of employers saying there’s a weakness in school leaver’s self management, avoid turning up late. Whilst dress codes vary from office-to-office first impressions count and are hard to forget.

TURN THE TABLES

It’s a good idea to prepare some questions to ask. It’ll show that you’re inquisitive and it’s your chance to find out more about the company.

AND THE BEST CAREER ADVICE?

“Be yourself, because you will never be as good trying to be someone else. Keep working on your weaknesses.” – Rita Clifton, Chairman of Interbrand (quote compliments of The Sunday Times)


Louis – Business Development Intern at WEXO

On your bikes – Manufacturing in the UK is not dead


Brentwood,Brompton Bicycles,Ford,Gunnersbury,Newcastle,Partners,Robin Kennedy,SEMTA,Tim Guiness,Will Butler-Adams — admin @ 5:00 pm on March 12, 2013  

Orthodox opinion has it that the UK Manufacturing industry is dead but a visit to a factory in Brentford, West London a few weeks ago suggested otherwise. I was meeting Will Butler-Adams, the charismatic CEO of Brompton Bicycles to speak about the SEMTA funding that we have access to (see addendum at bottom of this blog) and his energy and acumen were instructive. Perhaps something that helped them win the Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

I was a tad late and should really have bought a Brompton Bicycle beforehand and brought it with me. The fold up bikes are beautifully constructed and can easily be carried on a train or tube. There is a pre-saved route map on www.walkjogrun.net suggesting that my hurried 15 minute walk from Gunnersbury Underground Station could have been combated by a leisurely 5m36s 0.93 mile cycle. Apparently, I’m a typical customer.

Brompton employ 180 people (60 of them off the factory floor) and Butler-Adam’s innovative management approach seems to have paid dividends. He is not afraid of investing £40k on a 3D printer (which he proudly showed me), nor is he blinkered by convention. Employees can work ’9 day fortnights’ giving them the knowledge that their employer is happy to support them out of work as well as in it. This and turnover is growing 15-20% year-on-year with 80% coming from abroad. To maintain quality standards, each part is personally ‘signed’ (or stamped with a code) by the worker that finishes it and rumour has it that this was instrumental in winning the approval of its biggest export market, Japan. Brand, Will says, is not the issue. He lets the marketing look after itself; the key is quality. Manufacturing is alive and well in the UK because we make quality brains and quality people who have quality ideas. Today some of the parts come from France and one of the supply chain companies was taken over by Taiwan so the bikes are not entirely 100% British made, but they almost are and they are assembled by British brains. Perhaps this is why 50% of auto behemoth Ford’s production is done in the UK. Quality perhaps, is what helps Dyson make net profits of around 33%.

Will has been the CEO of Brompton for 11 years but this only came about through a chance meeting with the Chairman, Tim Guinness – on a bus of all places! A mechanical engineering graduate from Newcastle University, he had helped orchestrate a management buyout at ICI. He took on the challenge of growing a profitable yet antiquated factory at Brompton aged 30 and has never looked back. He was happy to show me round the factory personally and I was impressed by the enthusiasm of someone who has pedalled the same story for so long. With regard to graduates, Brompton is always keen to find Product Engineers and Designers. Salaries are competitive and crucially Brompton offer 5 year equity options for people who really want to be a part of a company that recognises the work/life balance and that every other weekend, you might want to ride your bike (or something else altogether) for 3 rather than 2 days.

As a result of a partnership between our partner company Step and Semta, the Sector Skills Council for the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering sectors, we are delighted to be able to offer small businesses in these sectors a grant of £1,000 toward the cost of taking on a recent graduate through the Step programme. Placements will need to be underway or completed by 31st March 2013 and the number of grants is limited, so contact us now to ensure your application is processed promptly. Terms and conditions apply, and we can advise interested companies on how to apply for the grant funding which will be administered by Semta.

Robin Kennedy, WEXO MD

My Wexo Experience: Intern to Perm at The Healthy Holiday Company


Intern to Perm,Internship,My WEXO Experience,Serena Pelly,The Healthy Holiday Company,WEXO — admin @ 6:03 pm on February 6, 2013  

Although I’ve always had a passion for travel and an interest in learning more about the industry, I was unsure of how to go about applying for jobs after I left University.

This is when I was so glad to be a member of Wexo as it narrows down your interests and highlights jobs that would suit you personally. It also gives you the opportunity to find jobs in small and unique companies such as The Healthy Holiday Company, which was offering a 3 month internship.

Combining my interest in the travel industry and my love of keeping fit and healthy, this job immediately appealed to me. Being a small but established company, the internship would allow me to get involved in a variety of projects and widen my knowledge about the both the individual business and the industry as a whole.

Within a few days, I met The Healthy Holiday team for an interview and subsequently was lucky enough to be offered the internship. Throughout the 3 months, I was able to get involved in all aspects of the business – from retreat preparation, taking bookings, website updates and marketing.

Then at the beginning of December I received an early Christmas present as I was offered a permanent place in the company! I would recommend Wexo to everyone as it gives you the opportunity to explore jobs that you have always wanted to do but never thought you would be able to.

Serena

WEXO GRADUATE DEBT RESEARCH


Ailsa Renton,Aviva,George Osborne,IMF,Louis Persent,Political Commentary,Reuters,Robin Kennedy,Uncategorized — admin @ 8:08 pm on January 30, 2013  

Placing graduate debt in to context

Following the weak UK GDP figures last week there has been a lot of talk about whether the UK needs to start following America’s lead and investing a bit more in its recovery. That might mean increasing borrowing and debt. This in turn has got us thinking about what levels of debt are acceptable? In a similar way, rising university tuition fees have turned the spotlight on to the financial implications of choosing a university education. By 2015 the average student will graduate with over £53,000 of debt. WEXO has gathered together debt statistics across the complete spectrum, from national economies and the companies they host to individual households and students, in an attempt to explore the issue.

The results are summarised in the graph below. Companies and economies are ranked by growth rate from lowest to highest, with debt statistics for UK graduates and households placed at the far right of the chart.



KEY FINDINGS:

* From 2011 to 2015 the average graduate debt is expected to rise from 88% of the average starting salary to 169%.

* The average student graduating in 2015 will owe an amount proportionally similar to Greece’s current public debt.

* The strongest performing companies all had low levels of debt. Apple has no debt.

* Similarly, high performing countries tend to have lower levels of public debt.

* National Grid, Vodafone, Cathay Pacific and Reuters are examples of companies who have grown despite high levels of debt.

* Similarly, the US economy has grown despite high levels of debt.

Graduate debt was calculated as gross debt of the average student as a percentage of average starting salary, figures from the Push Student Survey 2011 and the Association of Graduate Recruiters. 2015 starting salary has been extrapolated from existing data.

All company data is from the Financial Times/Thompson Reuters. Debt is expressed as a percentage of revenue. Government debt statistics are from the IMF and calculated using Gross Debt as a percentage of GDP.

Mortgage and household debt statistics are calculated using data from the Aviva Family Finances Report – August 2012. The average household debt and mortgage and reported as a percentage of average household income.



WEXO CEO, ROBIN KENNEDY’S OBSERVATIONS:

* Negative connotations of debt: Whether we call them ‘contributions’ like some other countries, or not, these tuition fee loans instil fear in young people who are not clear that some debt is ‘no win, no fee’. Debt should be treated with ultimate caution but never overlooked.

* Debt can be positive: As Louis’s analysis suggests, even over the 5 years since the recession first raised its ugly head, companies like Reuters and countries like the USA have grown (the former impressively, year on year) despite high levels of gearing. Run this analysis in a boom period and the most geared entities would be some of the best performers. Likewise some young people can hugely benefit from investing in their futures, as MBAs do. Likewise some young people can hugely benefit from investing in their futures, as MBAs do. (Some jobs can own you – debt is cheaper than equity?)

* Lessons for the UK: I subscribe to the emerging consensus (IMF) view that Osborne should take heed from America and consider investing properly in growth (especially in areas like Education and Employment) rather than obsessing with austerity. Otherwise we could still be looking at a lost generation.

* Market Imbalance: A tertiary education in the UK is becoming one of the most expensive in the world but Blair extravagantly sent too many (50%) young people to university and to correct this imbalance and aspirations, the price had to rise. In an international market, with some of the universities in the UK being the best, they have to be priced accordingly and sponsors are emerging.

* Opportunity Costs: University is the right choice for some young people, starting a business (or getting a job) a better one for others. Parental investment might not pay dividends but deciding whether to borrow from the government and ‘leverage up’ shouldn’t be, and hopefully won’t become, the determinant factor.

“The research itself is the second in a series of reports compliled by 2012 Graduates and WEXO interns, Ailsa Renton and Louis Persent, who are testimony to the value that can be added by paid interns. Both are on the STEP programme which allows companies to pay graduates a training allowance of £217-£295 a week exempt from PAYE and NICs. The previous report relating last week’s unemployment figures to our 65 Olympic placements can be read here.”


For more information, contact Ailsa Renton: +44 (0) 207 554 1454 / ailsa@wexo.co.uk

(ONS) EMPLOYMENT FIGURES BODE WELL FOR (OLYMPIC) GRADUATES


Alice Copping,Ameya Shah,Deloitte LLP,Dublin Institute of Technology,Geograpy,Ise Murphy,Manchester,Nottingham,Nottingham Trent,Olympics 2012,Political Commentary,Rachel Bentley,Tarek Hussein,The Challenge Network,The Gibson Hotel,UPS,Warwick,WEXO — admin @ 12:21 pm on January 23, 2013  

This morning’s unemployment data for the 3 months to the end of November were generally encouraging with unemployment falling by 37,000 to 2.49 million. UK unemployment fell for the 10th quarter in succession to 7.7% (the lowest since Spring 2011) boosting those in employment to 30m – the highest since records began in 1971.

Within these figures, though, some people are lamenting the disappointing youth unemployment data which saw the number of unemployed 16-25 years olds increase by 1,000 to 957,000 – the first rise since last Summer. We note 3 things though:

SUMMER EFFECT: Youth unemployment was only up 0.1% and though this was the first rise since last Summer:
a) It’s a minute increase
b) Youth employment actually rose by 12 times this figure – 12,000
c) That it’s the first rise since the Summer at is exactly the point: Youth unemployment always tends to rise more in the Summer (between September and November) because more students enter the job market and take time to find employment.

OLYMPIC EFFECT: Many people cautioned that the employment data for the last two quarters was artificially inflated by temporary jobs at the Olympics. This premise has actually been challenged, as temporary jobs fell markedly with the slack being picked up by permanent employment.

GRADUATE EFFECT: Our own research below suggests that the Olympics have had a positive impact on graduate employment. Of the 65 people that we placed in paid placements with UPS, when we checked in December, only 18.97% were unemployed and some had just stopped looking for Christmas. That’s versus the national average of approx 25%. We’re particularly pleased to see that many have gone into full time work in the all-important Services sector.

• 83% considered their WEXO placement with UPS to be beneficial to their future career.
• 52.5% of those currently employed are working in a related industry to their Olympics role.


What the recruits had to say:


‘The Olympics threw together so many people from different ethnic, social, educational and financial backgrounds in the spirit of the Games. It provided volunteers and workers not only with skills used during, before and after the games, but also opened the minds of many young people to the different career opportunities available. Working together with colleagues from financial, logistical, operational and hospitality backgrounds at all levels, across a variety of industries was immensely informative and provided me with a wealth of contacts. The Games was a better “career fair” than anything provided at university.’ – Ameya Shah (Nottingham University Graduate), Deputy Venue Logistics Manager (DVLM) with UPS come Associate at Deloitte LLP)


‘The Olympics definitely helped me find my current role. Being a history graduate, my hands-on role in logistics during 2012 made my CV much more adaptable. Also, due to the huge success of the Olympics, I believe that with that on my CV – the success and pride pulls through somewhat.’ – Alice Copping (Warwick University Graduate) who became an Assistant Project Manager at The Challenge Network following her internship with UPS 


‘My job at the Olympics was the best job I have ever had! Rounded off by the fact that UPS offered me a full time role at the end…’ – Tarek Hussein (Nottingham Trent Business Studies Graduate)


‘Starting your career with the Olympics means it’s very hard to find a job that gives you the same satisfaction’ – Ise Murphy (Graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology), who went from being a DVLM at the Olympics to a Conference & Events Coordinator for The Gibson Hotel) 


‘It was an incredible first job, as I settle in to normal working life I have my doubts whether I will ever have such an interesting, challenging job…roll on Rio.’- Rachael Bentley (Manchester University Geography graduate), who went from being a DVLM to a UPS Network Support Co-ordinator

Last Summer, WEXO partnered with STEP to organise organise paid internships and training programmes for over 60 graduates with UPS at the London 2012 Olympics.

My WEXO experience: Intern to Perm…


Intern to Perm,Internship,My WEXO Experience,Sophie Atkinson-Clark,The Healthy Holiday Company,WEXO — admin @ 7:08 pm on January 15, 2013  

After graduating from Durham University I felt at a loss, I didn’t want to work for a huge company and I didn’t want to apply to numerous graduate schemes and face the same rejection as so many of my friends had.

It was when I stumbled upon WEXO that I realised that there were so many different options out there – options where you would not just be a number, but you would be part of a team and have the opportunity to make a real difference to the running of a company. It was with the help of WEXO that I became an intern at The Healthy Holiday Company.

The Healthy Holiday Company, a small travel firm, gave me a chance to get involved in the day to day running of a business – I was not sitting in the corner doing filing, but instead getting involved in all aspects of the business, from sales, to marketing, to website maintenance. I was given an insight into every side of the business, and how much detail goes into every task. I couldn’t have asked for more from an internship. This was exactly what I had wanted and needed – and WEXO were behind me every step of the way.

I am now fully employed at The Healthy Holiday Company and this is down to the accessibility of the WEXO website and the support of all their staff. They made a job application into a pain free experience, and were always on hand to help answer questions, and give guidance.

Thank you WEXO for finding me such a great job!

Sophie

What YOU want from US…


Bella Connelly,Georgina Ireland,How I Made It In,King's College,Martin Bright,Rightster,The Creative Society,Tray Durrant,WEXO — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 6:59 pm on January 8, 2013  

Jan 9, 2013.
Yes! We have survived 2012 and its extraordinarily soggy swellings, Olympic overexcitement and cataclysmic curiosities. SO…to celebrate the start to a fantastic year, WEXO has made some natty New Year’s resolutions.

Following a survey that we sent out in December to our entire database, in which we sought to understand what it is that you are looking for from your job boards – these are our promises to you. (Winner of the Kindle Fire HD announced below)


‘What do you want to see more of in terms of recruitment companies helping you?’

(Bearing in mind that you were able to tick any and all of the boxes, so the percentages may seem a little confusing at first glance)

1.As above demonstrates, 81.8% of those who responded to the survey wanted recruitment companies to have a more personal touch.

Using our matching algorithms, we not only endeavor to notify every applicant we believe would fit each role posted, but we are also aiming to give every unsuccessful applicant some feedback on why they didn’t make it to interview or beyond that stage within 14 days.

It might be generic feedback on what qualifications and attributes they are missing but we hope that’s a start. Where possible, we also try and take as much time out of our day to speak and meet candidates as well as using our University Ambassadors as a sounding board for what you are all after.

2.The second most important attribute, according to our members, at 63.6% is that, as a recruiter, our responsibility should be to ‘clamp down on unpaid internships and therefore discrimination’.

Our WEXO directors are doing their best – they have previously tried to unite all internship companies into an alliance with such focuses, and have addressed audiences at locations ranging from 10 Downing Street to London Universities. We are also a committed partner and regular attendee of the initiatives and meetings instigated by Martin Bright and his team at The Creative Society. WEXO is always encouraging its clients to pay interns for reasons both legal and moral , yet our stance remains that encouraging and incentivizing our companies to pay is more proactive than naming and shaming those that don’t.

3.The next 2 most popular requirements addressed the need for more jobs. At the end of last year, WEXO was in final round discussions for a paid internship programme with a very large media organization, which represents 250 of the most exciting creative companies in London, but unfortunately this time round, this has not come to anything.

We are however still in discussions with various other types of organizations and are particularly excited about the potential surrounding our ‘How I Made It In’ recruitment events that worked so well for WEXO and Rightster last year. We’re also encouraged to see lots of interest already from companies looking to hire in 2013 and we’re looking forward to increasing what we have on offer for you. It should of course be noted that WEXO continues to believe in its niche within the creative industries and surrounding SMEs, for this reason we have no intention of simply listing graduate schemes and deadlines for all the big-corporates. (Unless that is what you really want !?!)

Interestingly, the least popular option in our survey was the need for careers advice. Initially we found this statistic a little surprising especially given that Tray and Bella (our Recruitment Directors) run a careers mentoring business on the side! On reflection, we feel that candidates often overlook how they are going to get to their destination in the excitement about the destination itself. All too often people fluff applications and interviews when they could have been better prepared – we’re looking forward to doing a Careers Advice session at KCL in a few weeks and this is perhaps something to think about for YOUR NY’s resolutions!

…Aaaannnddd fiiinnnaaaalllly…. the winner is Georgina Ireland – congratulations! (Please message us your address so we can send you your new Kindle Fire HD!)

Ailsa Renton – Marketing Intern at WEXO & University of Leeds graduate.

Living the Dream as a TEFL Teacher!


Careers Advice,China,Education,Helen Hargreave,Japan,South Korea,Taiwan,TEFL,Thailand,United Arab Emirates — admin @ 4:28 pm on December 18, 2012  

    Living the Dream as a TEFL Teacher!

Recent graduate? Check. Wish you were still at University? Nope!

The end of University doesn’t have to mean fun now only begins at 5.01pm on a Friday evening or that entering the world of work is now just one long road of impending ‘settling down.’

How about your morning commute is by tuk-tuk rather than the tube, your days are spent doing something meaningful, your weekends are spent at the beach…in Thailand, and your evening meal costs you 30p? This is the life of a TEFL teacher.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is a fantastic opportunity for graduates who aren’t quite ready for the 9-5 (or for anyone who fancies getting out of a dead-end routine!) Not only does a TEFL qualification allow you to travel and earn money but it boosts your CV too!

TEFL Will Open Doors…

Taking up a year’s teaching contract in a far-flung destination might sound like a daunting prospect but in reality, it will do nothing but boost your job prospects and you’ll gain some amazing life experience too.
You will be able to immerse yourself in another culture, pick up a second language, see how you’ve had a direct impact on your students over the course of a year, demonstrated leadership and classroom management skills and say you’ve had the time of your life doing it!

How Do I Get There?

Never taught before or even thought about teaching? If you can speak English you can teach English – and no you don’t need to have any prior experience.

A TEFL qualification will provide you with all the skills you need to make you a confident teacher from the comfort of your own home.

Decide your own level of qualification and build it up as you go along by choosing between a wide range of online courses to cater to your own needs. From 20 hours of TEFL training to 140 hours – the choice is up to you!

Want some more information on getting TEFL qualified? Here’s how!

How Do I Find A Job?

Unlike the current job market in the UK where freshly graduated students are finding themselves at the bottom of the pecking order, the demand for English teachers is very high – with approximately 1 billion people learning English all over the world.

Put simply, just having the ability to speak English works in your favour. Having a degree also allows you to teach in the country of your choosing, as many countries now require you have one for visa purposes.

Armed with your degree (yes, in anything), TEFL certificate, and your passport, what is stopping you?

Want to find the best TEFL Jobs? Check out current vacancies from all over the world!

How Much Can I Earn?

Teaching English abroad is not going to make you a millionaire (sorry!) but this doesn’t mean you can’t live comfortably!

If you’re looking for earning the big bucks then head to South Korea, Japan, Taiwan or the United Arab Emirates where employers will pay up to £2000 a month!

Other countries such as China (the most popular TEFL destination) tend to pay up to 10,000 RMB (£1000) a month – this may not seem as appealing but when you take into consideration that most employers will pay for your rent, meals and even your airfare, your wage is all spending money!

It’s a similar story for Thailand, wages appear low but the cost of living is even lower! A plateful of noodles will set you back a whopping 30p…

Remember when you bitterly topped up your oyster card AGAIN this morning or moaned about your most recent heating bill and, just for once, wished it would stop raining? It’s time to TEFL…

Helen Hargreave – Guest blogger & one of the TEFL Experts at i-to-i, the leading course provider. You can follow i-to-i on Twitter at @i_to_iTEFL. See more articles by Helen here.

Are you aware of your Digital Footprint? Improve your salability!


Ailsa Renton,AVG,Category,Cloud Nine Recruitment,Digital Media,Event Review,Facebook,Flickr,Google,Human Resources & Recruitment,Instagram,James Eder,LinkedIn,Soho Hotel,Steve Ward,Student Beans,Tony Anscombe,Twitter,YouTube — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 7:03 pm on December 11, 2012  

‘Nowadays you have to prove you and not just what you’ve done’, this is according to Tony Anscombe, who mentions that our digital footprint is a sure way of showing our authenticity.

Last Wednesday morning I headed across to The Soho Hotel for AVG’s Digital Diaries event where an organized discussion took place about how technology has impacted different generations.

The speakers were Tony Anscombe (Senior Security Evangelist at AVG Technologies), Steve Ward (Owner/ Director of Cloud Nine Recruitment) and James Eder (Founder of The Beans Group).

Here is what you should be thinking about:

FACTS

UK graduates who display drunken photos on their social media profiles reduce their chances of gaining an interview by 70 per cent, AVG Technologies’ latest Digital Diaries study reveals. The study of UK HR Professionals, also found that 90 per cent search for unprotected social media profiles in order to assess a candidate’s suitability.

• Range of social media platforms used to vet candidates: UK recruiters are accessing potential candidates using a range of social media platforms, Facebook (85 per cent); Twitter (47 per cent); You Tube (23 per cent); Instagram (16 per cent); Flickr (15 per cent)

• 72 per cent of recruiters rely on LinkedIn to conduct their searches

• Profiles on LinkedIn deemed unreliable by recruiters: Only one in three recruiters fully trust the information candidates post about themselves.

• Over half of recruiters have turned down a job applicant because of their online profile

• 65 per cent also view the content they find online about a candidate as very important
Therefore, be social media savvy and hold some responsibility where your digital footprint is concerned, because ‘more people spend longer working out where they’re going on holiday in the Summer than about the job they are applying for’ – be a little different: start now and twist your online profile to benefit your career…

MEASURES TO BE TAKEN

• Write a blog and use it as a way of expressing your writing skills and ideas (even if it is just commenting on current affairs, it is something and it is definitely a start!)

• Does having your own website sound up your street? Get on it.

• Google yourself (less than half of you have!)– How much of your online presence is public? If you don’t know, how are you able to change your privacy settings? Allow for misspellings too.

• Make sure that your online networks match your CV – ie. LinkedIn. It’s very easy to ‘exaggerate your existence’. HR managers use LinkedIn to compare the veracity.

• Highlight any online presence that you want an interviewer to see on your CV (you might then avoid the accidental click onto something that you would rather leave unshared).

• Twitter makes it very easy to see someone’s online presence- use it to your advantage, follow influential people within your industry and post pictures/links to your previous work (especially if you are applying to work in the creative industry)

• Build ‘brand’ association & be innovative – there are lots of candidates out there!

• Tailor your online networks depending on what sort of industry you are applying to: (Finance – perhaps they won’t want to see you having a drunken, artistic weekend…the PR industry on the other hand might have a different view). One of the obvious contributing factors in recruitment, after a good CV, is the question of cultural fit – will you integrate well into a team? This can all be contemplated and even backed up by your online social networks.– So be aware! It would be naïve to think that nowadays this would not be a likely scenario.

• Recruiters also have a digital footprint – remember to look at theirs before an interview. (However, do get your own reputation in order before checking your recruiters’!)

‘You are a brand so sell it and put yourself out there – if you are aware of your online presence then you have a competitive advantage over other candidates.’

Ailsa Renton – Marketing Intern at WEXO, & Leeds University graduate

E.I. Talent Conference


Careers Advice,EI Talent,Event Review,Gareth Jones,Khoi Tu,Tray Durrant — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:32 pm on December 4, 2012  


Some insightful comments at the #eitalent conference for all of us; both those seeking their first job and those already getting ahead in the world of work.

I say work rather than career as that is what the next 40 years of employment will look like for those starting out.

You may find yourselves with as many as 20 different roles over that time span.

Some key points from the conference for me; ‘better an A team and a B plan’ from Khoi Tu, a leadership and teamwork consultant who has worked with some major blue chip brands. From Gareth Jones, Business Author; ‘Individuals can make a difference, especially when people are themselves and creativity in the workplace increases with diversity, not ‘sameness’’.

So think about this when you are preparing yourself for that next interview and use it to inform your decisions about the company you might be choosing to work for.

Tray Durrant, WEXO Recruitment Director and Coach

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