Job Interviews.
An essential part of life, a hugely important factor in career progression, but universally hated by all. We all know that feeling. The nervous tension, the utter desperation to impress, the sudden realisation – and panic – that you don’t know the answer to that all-important question. It doesn’t matter how ‘big’ or successful we get, you’ll be hard pushed to find many people who can conquer nerves and truly excel at the job interview.
Instead, we hope to simply get through it, valiantly trying to show off our skills and knowledge and, of course, land that dream job. But it’s never an enjoyable experience and, sadly, many of us are never truly at ease. Even with extensive preparation and research, many are absolutely terrified when it comes to the big interview. And it is these nerves that can often cost them the job and, subsequently, drastically reduce their confidence.
Our message is simple: Don’t let fear ruin your job prospects.
Recrion is hosting an all-day workshop that will take away all the accompanied stress and panic that goes with interviews and leave you feeling wholly prepared and full of confidence, no matter how ‘big’ or desirable that job may be.
Our ‘Interview with Confidence’ all-day Masterclass is being held in Cambridge on Thursday 11th August and will give you:
- Genuine practice of interview situations
- Tips and advice on the body language that will impress interviewers
- Advice on what’s been holding you back in interview situations – and what you can do about it
- The skills to ensure you’re in the right frame of mind for your next interview situation
- The language to use to be able to influence interviewers
- The key to building a rapport with an interviewer
- And so much more!
This session is being co-presented by TWO industry experts, Recrion Founder and former Mercury Business Personality of the Year Katherine Wiid and Master NLP Practitioner Lindsey Reed, who has over 20 years’ experience in the field.
And the best thing is, under the Redundancy Support scheme, you could be entitled to attend this career-changing session for FREE!
The session kicks-off at 9.30 on Thursday 11 August 2011 and is being held at one of Cambridge’s university colleges, Wolfson Court. The cost of the workshop – unless you qualify for the R2R scheme – is £149. The seminar will finish at approximately 16:30 – refreshments and lunch will be provided.
By the end of this workshop, you will be left feeling revitalized, confident and, most importantly, have none of the current anxieties and stress which you currently associate with a job interview situation.
Can you afford to not to do something that could dramatically boost your career prospects? Sound interesting? Why not find out more and check out some feedback from previous attendees.
Recrion is a specialist in talent and career management, which means we are able to work with you in order to ensure you are on the right career path. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.
Filed under Redundancy, Workshops by 
I have previously written about the frustration employers feel when they have to constantly repeat the rigorous application process.
Getting the right person for the right job will always be a decision that takes time – and it is time that many employers simply don’t have, particularly when the process is now happening so often.
Many experts feel that, with shortening contracts, outsourcing and automation, loyalty in the workplace is at an all-time low. This means employers continually have to spend more time trying to find that most elusive of beings: the loyal employee.
Loyalty is, of course, a two-way street and, in the days when it was commonplace for employees to stay in the same position for 15+ years, employees would be healthily rewarded with continual employment, healthcare and a competitive pension – factors that are much harder to guarantee in today’s climate.
Meanwhile, many of today’s younger workers feel the need to regularly change positions in order to maximise their potential and ensure they are suitably motivated and engaged.
And, as detailed by Lynda Gratton in The Shift: The Future of Work is Already Here, by 2025, we will be seeing five generations in the workplace at the same time, all with different motivations.
On the other side of the coin, many ‘loyal’ employees’ performances can slide as they slip into the comfort zone having stayed in the same position for a long time.
It can be difficult adjusting the balance.
Therefore, it’s important for you to identify before employing someone, how long you want (and expect) them to stay.
Are you looking for someone for the long-term, or someone who can provide a quick fix?
LAB Profiling is one way of understanding someone’s mindset and determining whether they need regular change to maximise their performance, or whether they prefer a stable working environment and, thus, are likely to stay ‘loyal’ to your company. After just half-an-hour, an LAB Practitioner can – by tapping-in to someone’s unconscious mind – tell you which prospective employees are more likely to remain with you, and which ones could have you repeating the exact same process just a few months down the line…
Sound interesting? Why not find out more about how LAB Profiling works.
Recrion is an established specialist in career and talent management, which works with organisations to retain and motivate their employees. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk .
Filed under Latest News, Talent Management by
One in ten people in the UK’s workforce suffer from dyslexia, yet so many employees find their confidence zapped by an employer either unable or unwilling to understand the condition.
I’ve previously written about how the R2R scheme enables Recrion advisers to meet, coach and revitalise hundreds of people from all walks of life, who have often experienced a variety of problems in the working environment. A good example of this is dyslexia sufferers, who have seen their condition – wrongly – affect both their career prospects and confidence.
Dyslexia is often misunderstood, particularly by employers, but it never stopped people such as Richard Branson, John Lennon or Salma Hayek reach the top of their professions.
When seeing people with dyslexia this is the message that I try to get across; that the condition shouldn’t prove a major stumbling block in succeeding in their chosen working sector. In fact, it shouldn’t prove a stumbling block at all.
As with all the career profiling we do, the key when speaking to someone with dyslexia, is to get them to understand their strengths, build their confidence and adapt their career focus accordingly.
With many employers now taking steps to help the dyslexic members of their workforce in order to ultimately yield the best results, the condition should no longer be used as an excuse to stop YOU achieving YOUR career goals.
If either you or someone you know feels you have been held back by your condition, career profiling can be an avenue to rebuild your confidence and leave you more focussed and driven than ever before.
And, if you’ve either recently been made redundant or are in-danger of redundancy, you could be entitled to this help, worth up to £1000, for FREE, due to the R2R scheme.
Sound interesting? Why not find out more about the R2R Scheme and see if you might be eligible. Alternatively, find out more about the career services we offer here at Recrion.
Recrion is a specialist in talent and career management, which means we are able to work with you in order to ensure you are on the right career path. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.
Filed under Redundancy by
Waiting for the axe to fall?
There can be few worse feelings in life than the one you experience when you know it’s a question of when – not if - you are going to lose your job.
Being made redundant can be a horrible experience, but the wait for the axe to fall can be equally excruciating.
The wait. Whether the wait is for weeks, months, or years you know. You know that, through no fault of your own, you are soon going to be unemployed.
Recent findings suggest that more than one in five people believe it is likely that they will soon lose their job, suggesting that we, as a nation, are far from out of the woods in terms of economic recovery.
But the one thing that wait does you give you, is time. Time to plan your next move.
It goes without saying that it gives you time to look elsewhere, but what it also does is give you time to think. Time to think about what you’re good at, what motivates you and, after having the morale zapped out of you, time to rebuild your confidence.
Here at Recrion, we able to give you all of these things at absolutely no cost.
We actively facilitate the Response to Redundancy (R2R) scheme by providing up to £1000’s worth of careers advice and training for FREE for people living or working in the East of England.
This scheme is funded by the European Social Fund and, since being launched in 2008, has helped turn around the lives of 12,500 people from all levels who were facing redundancy.
Sound interesting? You can read more about the R2R scheme and what it can do for you.
Recrion is a specialist in talent and career management, which means we are able to work with you in order to ensure you are on the right career path. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.
Filed under Redundancy by
Though employment figures are on the rise, it seems more of you than ever are unhappy with your jobs.
- Is it time for a change?
- Should I be doing something more rewarding?
- Am I on the wrong career path entirely?
Whether you’re 16 or 60, it can be impossible to be certain whether the position you’re in is the right one for you.
For many of us, it can take a lifetime to understand enough about ourselves to know if we will match up with specific new careers, jobs or working environments.
And with recent research stating that over 70% of you are unhappy in your current roles, it seems the problem is worsening alarmingly.
But, as we emerge from a time where unemployment rates where amongst the highest this country’s ever seen, it’d take a brave person to simply up and leave their current role; unhappy or not.
The elements of risk and doubt will always be there when you’re considering a change of job, but one way you can minimise that risk is through Language and Behavioural Profiling.
LAB Profiling is based on 40 years research and success and employs proven scientific techniques to help you ascertain whether you’re on the right career path.
Through a simple telephone conversation with a LAB Profiler, LAB Profiling can tap into your unconscious mind to tell you what it is that really motivates you and what you’re really good at.
It can’t make the decision for you, but what it can do is give you the best possible information before you make potentially one of the biggest decisions of your life.
Sound interesting? Why not browse around our website and learn more about how LAB Profiling works.
Recrion is a specialist in talent and career management, which means we are able to work with you in order to ensure you are on the right career path. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.
Filed under Career Management by
- Is she the right one for us?
Yet, so many of you are expressing how frustrating you are finding it – and hugely time consuming – to find the right person for the job. Especially someone who is really motivated to work for you (not just keen to pay the mortgage …)
Does your recruitment process look something like this -
Generic Interview
Task / Role Play (optional)
Second Interview
Appointment.
A number of clients have admitted that they feel they are taking a gamble when they appoint a candidate.
- They a trouble-shooter or target-driven
- What levels of work related stress are they able to cope with
- How much change they need in their jobs to stay motivated.
Sound interesting? Why not browse round our website and learn more about how the LAB profile works.
Recrion is a specialist in career and talent management, and works with organisations to retain and motivate their employees. For more information contact us on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk
Filed under Latest News by
Sometimes just learning how to write a CV and practice some interview skills isn't enough.
If you have been made redundant or are facing redundancy uncertainty can creep in. You may not know what you want to do next. Your skills might not transfer easily to another market. Self employment might be the only – yet daunting – option.
We understand what you are going through and have thought carefully about what you would find most useful in an all day workshop.
Need support through redundancy?
Our Promote Yourself with Confidence workshop in Cambridge on 22 March, is specifically-tailored to give you practical advice so that -
- you become clear about what you want to do in your career
- you know what you can offer
- you develop techniques to stand out from the crowd.
And the best thing is, under the R2R scheme, you could be entitled to attend this session for FREE! For more details on the Scheme, that is sponsored by the European Social Fund, click here.
By the end of the workshop, you will be left feeling revitalised, prepared to take action and, most importantly, confident about presenting yourself in all-manner of situations.
Here’s what some attendees of previous workshops had to say:
“I felt so confident after the workshop that I applied to be a fashion model and to do TV commercials – I have been accepted and now have a one year contract. I have started to feel much more on top of things and decided to be bold and try something new and adventurous! I really can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I will carry on recommending you to other people I meet”. Sarah Freeburn
“Thanks to your encouragement and introduction to 21st century job searching techniques, I have embarked on a new career journey and I am now well on my way to achieving my goals of securing employment again. The workshop certainly gave me a renewed sense of direction". Malcolm Davies
Another former attendee, who was previously made redundant, has recently been able to start their own business, after implementing some of the techniques taught by our career advisors at the session.
The session kicks-off at 9.30 on Tuesday 22nd March and is being held at one of Cambridge’s university colleges, Wolfson Court. It will finish at approximately 16:30 - refreshments and lunch will be provided.
The workshop is being hosted by Recrion’s team of career coaches, who have experience of coaching more than 600 people facing redundancy by delivering practical advice through individually-tailored mentoring and training.
Places are extremely limited as we only accept 15 delegates – to avoid disappointment, BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW.
Contact event co-ordinator Katherine Wiid on 01780 484910 or email her for further details.
Filed under Workshops by
A number of my clients that are facing a career transition are senior managers and executives. When working with them to prepare for job interviews, I often ask them to tell me what they think the difference is between leadership and management.
This question gets a number of answers. Most answers focus on leadership as how they inspire others and make them feel “passionate” or “energetic” rather than technical expertise and process.
Kevin Bullock, a leading UK headteacher and inspiring speaker, spoke about what makes people outstanding leaders at a HR Forum in Cambridge this week. Leaders have:
- Outstanding Communication Skills
- High Expectation
- Emotional Intelligence (how you feel and make others feel)
And Kevin's research showed you need to have ALL three of these to be outstanding.
In your job search, when networking, on your social media profile and in meetings – are you demonstrating your leadership skills by communicating what is important and the impact it has on others?
Think of the outstanding leaders and entrepreneurs in business today such Sir Richard Branson and Barack Obama. What are the qualities they demonstrate?
- They have learned to simplify their message so that people know what they are supposed to do and why it is important to do it
- They have learned to listen with genuine interest and respect to everyone and act on what they have heard
- They engender a sustained sense of enthusiasm and make people feel they are important
- They are overwhelmingly positive, optimistic and future-focused and very persistent.
Confident communication is about practice. And most importantly, about understanding what makes you and others tick. If you would like to learn powerful techniques to communicate what you can offer a future employer, come along to our “Promote Yourself with Confidence Workshop” on 22 March.
Recrion is a People and Career Management Specialist that works with groups and individuals to differentiate themselves in the job market. Visit www.recrion.co.uk or call 01780 484910 for more information on how we can help you.
Filed under Career Management, Latest News by
As you go through your professional life, do you sometimes lose track of the impact that you have made?
I am guilty of this, and perhaps you are too. We become so occupied in the pursuit of achieving our career goals that we do not look back at the climb and how we got there.
Until we are faced with major events like sweeping job cuts and economic instability over which we have little control. Within the space of a few weeks, our seemingly secure jobs and businesses no longer exist and we are competing with several others for the few openings in our field.
At these times, it is important to go back and revisit the small steps that got you where you are now and ask yourself:
- Did you create a lasting impression?
- Did you make the right connections?
- Did you go beyond your job description and really touch someone?
- How would someone finish this sentence about you? — “The thing that I remember most about XXX is?”
If the answer to some of these questions is NOT what you would like to hear, then it is time to take some steps to change this.
A relatively quick and inexpensive way of creating an impact is through social media. LinkedIn is currently being touted as the fastest growing Talent Management site on the internet.
If you are new to LinkedIn or have an existing profile, you have the opportunity to make an impact by connecting with the right people, getting recommendations that reflect how you went beyond the call of duty and creating a lasting impression.
Oh, and if you are thinking about NOT putting a complete profile with photo on LinkedIn, ask yourself – would you do business with or interview an individual who has NO photo on LinkedIn?
This very same question was asked on a LinkedIn group recently and received 990 comments (and still coming in!). Here is a snapshot of their thoughts that might help you make a decision:
“I think it depends if the person in question is new to LinkedIn or has been using it for a while. A photo and/or company logo surely help but other material such as recommendations could also be used to figure out his or her worth/reputation.”
“A photo shows a person behind the profile, which in turn establishes trust. It is more difficult to have trust with someone when they aren't willing to take two seconds to pick a photo to display.”
“You are limiting your networking abilities by NOT having a photo."
“When I perform searches on LinkedIn, I perceive the person with a photo to be more open and willing to connect.”
“I am surprised by number of profiles where instead of full name profile owner lists only initials and then approach you to connect with them. Hardly any description about who they are, where they work, … , no name and no picture. What is a point of having such a profile?”
As your career evolves, don’t miss out on an opportunity to make an impact – you never know when you might need it.
Katherine Wiid is a Career and Talent Management Coach, specialising in working with individuals facing major career change. You can contact her on 01780 484910, visit www.recrion.co.uk or connect on LinkedIn
Filed under Career Management by
The recession has resulted in significant change and innovation in business practices globally.
Yet according to Alexander Mann's Future Fit Recruitment Report, only 33% of HR Directors are good at coming up with creative ways of attracting talent in a market of increasing skills shortages.
The report finds that HRDs purposely have tough skills criteria that are too rigid, with one in five HR leaders admitting there was a lack of flexibility around finding candidates.
Increasingly, as the selection process has become more challenging to deal with, employers need better recruitment and selection tools to understand what truly motivates candidates. One of the biggest innovations in recruitment selection is the LAB Job Profile.
The Language and Behavioural Profile (LAB Profile) is a subtle psycho-linguistic tool that gives us unique insights into the below-conscious motivational patterns we humans have in various contexts and is based on the words people use (it is not a psychometric tool).
Once the job has been profiled by analysing the specific tasks and responsibilities the person will hold, you can use this information to:
- Write job advertisements using the appropriate influencing language to attract the right people and turn off the ones who wouldn't suit the job
- Ask screening and interview questions to understand how closely the candidate's motivations match the job profile and work environment
- Adjust tasks and projects based on the candidate's motivational profile in order to get the best performance out of them once they are on board.
If you are interested in adopting flexible, innovative recruitment methods, have a chat to Katherine Wiid, Director of Recrion, a LAB Profile Practitioner with 20 years recruitment and selection experience. She can be contacted on 01780 484910 or www.recrion.co.uk.
Filed under Talent Management by