CV gold

Times are a changing!! We are being asked more and more to be given full histories of everyone we have registered with us by our employers and potential employers.

This means full, accurate CVs, skills summaries and references.

We realise that many Candidates have seen CVs as unnecessary as historically work comes through referrals and word of mouth but as I said at the beginning... times are a changing!

We can supply a blank CV format for anyone that has never made one of these up, if you don’t already have one this could be a good guideline. As the competition for available positions becomes tougher these will become more and more important to get your foot in the door, I can’t stress enough that time taken to do them thoroughly now will be well spent.

Applying for jobs

This is a contentious issue when unemployment is high but one we at Key Skills Recruitment have been analysing and debating about regularly over the past 3 months.

Firstly it should be noted that the number of people applying for jobs we advertise has risen sharply. Our vision is that everyone applying to our jobs should receive an answer, we hear all too often that recruitment agencies often fall down in this area.........but......... one Construction position recently advertised produced over 924 applications! There is a huge amount of working in replying to all of these before interviews are even arranged and references taken.

We will NOT fall into the same bad habits as our competitors however we make an appeal to everyone applying for positions to ensure their application is as accurate a match to the job outlined as possible. If you would like to know more about the job before sending your CV then call the consultant responsible, they will be friendly and as open as possible about the position.

Employers are being more discerning than ever about who they see for interview or accept for a temporary position. They are demanding that any CVs presented to them are a very accurate match to the skills profile they outline. They are much less likely to accept someone that for example is looking for a career change or a new start.

Please do not see this as discouraging, there is a job out there for everyone!

On the job tips

In todays market its not just getting in the door you have to worry about it's keeping your feet firmly under your employer's table, here are a few tips on how to put your best foot forward in a temporary position.

• Always be on time, (by on time we mean 5 minutes early!)
• Ensure you are always busy, if your current task is completed ask for more, if that is not possible pick up a broom, do the dishes etc.
• If you are sick or late tell the agency AND the employer in plenty of time and keep them regularly updated on your progress.
• Never take longer than the time you are allocated for your breaks
• Keep any equipment/workspace you use in tip top condition
• Always ensure your timesheets are accurate, if you are 5 minutes late in the morning take 5 minutes off your total time for that day.
• If you have ANY concerns about your pay contact the agency immediately, the employer is unlikely to be able to help.
• Permanent position opportunities are likely to be an option even when you are working through an agency, talk to your consultant for more details.
• Keep smiling and be positive!

Temporary Division

The temporary division of Key Skills Recruitment was launched officially in September 2008.

The general slowdown in the permanent recruitment market necessitated a move to supplying temporary staff. Employers demanded this as an answer to increasing worry over future workloads.

Excellent rates and service are offered to our employers, contact us for all the details.

Temporary staff have flexibility and variety, the best temps have the option of continuity of employment which is a rare commodity at the moment.

First quarter 2009!

January saw us finalising and promoting our new temporary division
February saw us rapidly expanding this offering, we were on to a winner!
In March we moved into larger more comfortable offices on High Street in Lower Hutt and introduced Grant Foggo to the team.
In April temporary numbers doubled again!

2008

2008 was a bit of a blur for Ailsa and Beccy at Key Skills because of the following:

• General slowdown in the recruitment market
• Ailsa disappeared to the UK for a month to attend a family wedding
• We upgraded our premises
• We expanded the services our business offered

It was a fabulous time for thinking, re-shuffling, expanding the realms of possibility and creating a plan of attack for what was going to prove to be a challenging business environment.