Hiring Advice Blogs - Star Employment Services

Recruiters need to generate employee loyalty

Building on a recent discussion about the importance of generating employee loyalty, Kylee Russon, head of Star Employment Services, has some further guidance for prospective employers.

Employers need to recognise that it really is a candidate driven marketplace at the moment, especially for specific roles, such as sales.

There will always be more people to fill less skilled roles, often on lower wages, and the difference between them staying and showing loyalty to a company, rather than moving on could come down to as little as an additional 20p an hour. The same is true for a more skilled professional role – when recruiting anyone for any job it is imperative to offer the very best salary your company can afford.

I always encourage employers to offer the most they really can to candidates, even if that means a stretch. You will stand a far greater chance of keeping a good, well-paid candidate, than opting for a cheaper one who potentially will not have much loyalty towards you and the business.

All too often I see situations where a company might advertise a role at £20-25K, but when the candidate asks for £25K the company is unable to honour it. Employers get embarrassed about saying what they can afford but it is better to set correct expectations from the start.

Companies need to have a real look at the market and should expect to pay a bit more, especially for sales roles when good people really do drive a business forward. It’s always better to spend a bit more on a 10/10 candidate, than settle for a 7/10 person. Especially if the difference between the two is just an extra £1,000 p.a. requested by the better employee.

If you aim to get the best person for the best pay that you can, it will save having to re-advertise and re-hire.

It’s a challenging marketplace and here at Star Employment Services we’ve had to work at improving our own offering to keep good people, it’s important to stay inline with competitors and the general trends of the market.

Attracting quality candidates to apply for a role could just be about increasing the offering by £1,000 a year. Added to other benefits such as good holiday entitlement, a day off on your birthday, or actively recognising the importance of a healthy work/life balance are also key to attracting and retaining good employees. If we reward our employees then there is a higher probability they will do well for us. It’s a give and take relationship in the workplace.

It’s all about creating a balance. Especially with millennials, they know what they want and what they think they are worth.

Companies need to start acknowledging that a bit more.

Doing what we can for local business

With the ever-present shadow of Brexit still looming, we have launched our autumn campaign to help local and regional businesses grow their workforce, despite the uncertain environment we live in, writes Kylee Russon, head of Star Employment Services.

Over the last three years we have seen many companies opting to delay recruitment of new staff. Recruitment agencies like ours, which enjoy strong relationships with local and regional employers, are still being asked to source new recruits, but the terms of contracts and salaries are in a state of flux.

We have decided to do what we can to support those businesses in our area who want to grow, but aren’t sure how much they can invest on finding the right person.

Our innovative marketing campaign includes a series of scratch cards that are available by registering on our website. Recipients will be sent a card – all of which contain a prize saving money on a recruitment package. They are valued at anywhere between £50 and £475, the higher being the amount of a Star fixed price package which includes the role appearing on national jobs boards such as Indeed, CV Library, and Total Jobs, as well as the Star’s own online jobs platform.

The job ad will also feature in the newspaper, and clients will be given a dedicated resourcer for their campaign.

There’s such massive uncertainty around Brexit and we’ve recognised the fact that not everybody wants to spend £3,000 on a recruitment campaign.

So we’re doing something positive to help local businesses and local people do what they need to do to prosper.

For more information on the campaign, which is running until 31^st December, visit https://www.staremploymentservices.co.uk/

Ways of keeping new staff engaged

Kylee Russon, Head of Star Employment Services recruitment agency, writes: All too often at the moment we are dealing with recurring situations where newly employed staff accept a role, but leave a week later when something ‘better’ arises.

This has a profoundly negative impact on everyone – the employee, the employer, and the wider team in the workplace. It increases admin and spend, creates uncertainty, and can impact on general business performance. But what can be done to address it?

Increasing loyalty from the very beginning of someone’s appointment is key to ensuring that money spent on the recruitment process is not lost. It is currently a candidate-driven marketplace, and an employer needs to do everything possible to retain their new appointment.

Things to bear in mind

• What sort of package are you offering? If it’s a short-term, temporary contract, what else are you going to give your new employee to make sure they stay for the duration?

• Holidays, days off in lieu, flexible working arrangements are all highly valued by workers and will make your company stand out against others.

• A subsidised in-house café, free coffee on tap, fruit for breakfast, or other simple ‘freebies’ can all make the difference between someone deciding to stay with your firm or not.

• Long-term job prospects, training schemes, generous pensions are again something to bear in mind. What are you offering your staff?

• Company bonus schemes are not as prevalent as they once were but small gestures like gifts for staff children at Christmas can again make a big difference to staff loyalty.

• Is your brand one that employees are proud to be associated with? Do you have a good social media presence? Are you talked about positively? Does your marketing and PR prove effective at selling your message? Employees are more likely to stay if you are considered a ‘good’ brand to work with.

Finally, when launching into any recruitment drive, make sure you work with an agency that cares.

A good recruitment agency will maintain regular contact with prospective employers and employees to keep everyone up to date with developments, progress, and expectations.
Building strong relationships, and making people feel valued, is critical to building and maintaining loyalty in the workplace.

Talk to a recruitment professional and find out what Star Employment Services can do for you, call us on 01902 319 856.

How to choose the best recruitment agency for your needs

Operations manager Kylee Russon writes: Whether you are leading a large company and need to recruit staff quickly, or a one-man operation deliberating the pros and cons of taking on an employee, there are many things to consider.

But the first thing you should do is involve an experienced HR professional in any recruitment process because it’s key to making sure you adhere to the law.

Avoid problems down the line by ensuring everything is done correctly from the start.

Recruitment agencies understand employment law and can manage as much or as little of the process as a business requires.

Choosing the best recruitment agency for your needs

If you are time-poor, worried about getting it wrong, or just don’t know where to start, get in touch with a reputable recruitment agency today.

Like anything, it is important to shop around when choosing which agency to work with. Larger organisations may offer a broader range of services, but a smaller agency specialising in a specific sector could benefit your particular needs more.

Recruitment firms operating on a national level may have a wider reach to fill a job role, but they do not know the demographic of your area as well as a local organisation does.

A recruitment consultant will be able to help you explore your options in regards to hiring permanent staff, temporary workers, part-time employees, or executive level board members.

A few things to remember

• A recruitment agency will ensure that the employer and employee are looked after properly

• If you are hiring someone on a temporary to permanent basis the agency will be able to guide you with regards to holiday pay, sick leave entitlement and applicable hourly rates

• You may have collected quotes from a number of agencies but don’t automatically assume the cheapest quote is the best. Higher prices can reflect an agency that looks after their clients and temporary workers in a better manner.

Talk to an experienced recruitment professional and find out what Star Employment Services can do for you, call us today on 01902 319 856.

Star Employment Services on show at festival expo

The Star Employment Services team were out in force to engage with businesses at a leading local showcase exhibition.

Recruitment sales executive Gemma Merrick and resourcer Rebekah Rowley attended the Black Country Chamber of Commerce’s Spring Expo. The event attracted more than 200 visitors to GTG in Willenhall.

They handed out brochures and promotional material to promote the Star Employment Services current recruitment offer.

The expo showcased more than 50 chamber members and formed part of the second Black Country Business Festival. There was plenty of networking going on as businesses made new contacts at the four-hour event.

‘Laurel and Hardy’ turned up to promote the Funny Things Comedy Festival being run by exhibitors Creative Black Country from October 26 to November 2.

They also had caricaturist Pen Jones on hand to sketch those attending and invited people to submit jokes.

The expo had a special area to encourage firms to get involved in bidding for work on the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The festival ends on Friday (24) with the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley hosting the closing celebration from 12 noon.

Star Employment Services three candidate offer proves popular with recruiters

A Star Employment Services offer to provide a minimum of three candidates for a £475 fee has proved popular with recruiters locally.

Companies looking to add new staff can find it tough to find an ideal candidate so Star Employment’s REC Gold audited team help give a candidate search maximum impact.

After an initial autumn launch, the offer is being extended to allow more businesses to benefit.

Star Employment operations manager Kylee Russon, said: “The three candidates for £475 offer gives clients transparency about pricing and allows us to give against an agreed objective.

“We pride ourselves on making recruitment easier and firmly believe that finding qualified candidates shouldn’t break the bank.”

Star Employment have proudly promoted the offer across a range of media throughout the West Midlands, including bus advertising and outdoor electronic billboards.”

What is the offer?
This special recruitment offer will provide you with a minimum of three qualified candidates, for just £475.

Our expert REC Gold Audited team will get your vacancy noticed across all major and local job networks plus print and social media. We’ll then shortlist the applicants so you don’t have to trawl through hundreds of unfiltered CVs, providing you with three qualified candidates – all for just £475!

What is included?
For just £475 our expert team will advertise your vacancy across all the major job networks, our own local job boards, in print and on social media. You’ll also get a dedicated account manager, a resourcer to help fill your vacancy and find you your ideal candidate, PLUS you’ll get our guaranteed to fill promise.

How does it work?
Step 1: Send us your vacancy
Send our expert team your vacancy. We’ll then turn it into an attractive job advert, optimised to get your vacancy noticed in print & online to find you your ideal candidate.

Step 2: Our team advertise your vacancy
We’ll save you time by using the latest recruitment technology to advertise your vacancy across all major job boards. Your job will also be promoted in print, on social media and our own local job boards.

Step 3: We shortlist applicants
Unlike many agencies we don’t just promote your vacancy. Instead of sending you the unfiltered applications to trawl through, we shortlist the applicants providing you with qualified candidates.

Why choose us?
As one of only 51 agencies in the country to achieve the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) gold status, we attract the best candidates.

Star Employment Services has been named as one of the top recruitment agencies in the UK for its ethics and commitment to professional standards.

This means that you can be safe in the knowledge that you, your brand and potential candidates will receive the highest level of service and professionalism from our expert team.

Find out more about why thousands of businesses choose to work with us every year.

Spend less, save time and hire better with Star Employment Services – fill your next vacancy with our special recruitment offer.

How To Write A Job Description

By definition, a job description is a formal account of an employee’s responsibilities. It defines the general tasks and duties of a position and may specify the skills and qualifications that are relevant. The description is often written after the job has been analysed, with areas of knowledge needed considered.

As an employer, you have a better chance of attracting top class talent during your recruitment process if the role is documented clearly. If you take the time to define who you want to hire, it saves both you and potential candidates time. Although a job description is useful when you come to recruiting new members of staff, it also plays in purpose throughout that person’s employment time. It is key that the role is clear from the beginning, therefore writing it in simple terms has never been more necessary.

As an employer, your job description is your chance to connect with budding candidates. It is effectively a first impression so should be engaging and inclusive and prompt the right people to apply. This will save you time from sifting through lots of irrelevant applications. Firstly, use a clear title as this will attract the correct type of people and those who are appropriately qualified for the role. Secondly, describe the tasks the job will involve so that the employer and the candidate are both on the same page when discussing. Thirdly, sell both the job and the company as candidates should feel enthusiastic when applying.

Inevitably, there are a few common mistakes made when writing a job description. Trying to be quirky is not appropriate- being clear and concise will have better results. Asking for too much can occur, so be realistic and make sure the job duties are not neglected. Using negative language is also not a good idea.

Star Employment Services operations manager Kylee Russon said: “Any employers who are looking to attract the best talent will need to devote some time to creating an appealing job description.

“If there is a lack of effort, then this is apparent and will turn off candidates and the very first point of engagement. First impressions really do matter.”

The Star Employment Services team optimise you job advert as part of our recruitment service, find out more or speak to our team today.

What does a recruitment agency do?

Kylee Russon answers:

It is very easy for me to discuss with my clients how we can help them, but in the first instance it is often unclear what a recruitment agency actually does. Essentially, we act like a middle ground between those looking for jobs and those employing people. We work on behalf of employers to find suitable candidates to fill vacancies. A lot of employers use recruitment agencies, and so signing up with one as a job seeker will give you access to openings that aren’t advertised anywhere else.

When an organisation has a job opening and need to hire someone, the recruitment agency is provided with a job description. The team at the agency then search through their database of CVs to match people to the vacancy. A shortlist is drawn up, the employer will pick who they prefer and then the agency will organise interviews.

Agencies like Star Employment Services are very much people led. Our company has recently merged to create an all-encompassing jobs brand. The newly launched Star Employment Services has seen a big campaign go live, with a brand-new job offer for employers. Earlier in the year, we also attained our gold audited status with the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC). The agency was assessed against the requirements of data protection, training and induction and complaints procedure. Also considered were the standing for customer service, diversity, work seeker checks and advertising.

Currently, there are more than 25,000 agencies in the UK and Star Employment are one of only 51 agencies to have the gold audit status. The audit provides confirmation that the agency is conducting its business ethically, in accordance with the legal requirements and with the REC code.

With this in mind, you know that as both a candidate or an employer, using a recruitment agency will give you the reassurance that the hiring process is being taken seriously. There are many practical things which the agency will do, but also it is giving you the trust that your job role will be filled properly.

Start your job search today by submitting your CV here or to find your ideal candidate take a look at our recruitment services.

Social Care Crisis – What does the future hold?

The care sector is not just an important part of the health and social system, but of industry in general. Both nurses and carers work hard around the clock, yet often feel they do not have the same opportunities for learning and development as other areas of the NHS. Despite this, those in social care are a key piece of the puzzle in delivering high-quality nursing to people who feel vulnerable and have a range of complex and individual needs. At times, this is not acknowledged more widely and efforts can be overlooked.

Society would struggle to function without social care workers. Most people take day to day tasks for granted but for many older people, basic things can be a struggle. They need assistance and help with tasks like cleaning and eating, and need to be looked after because they cannot cope alone. This care needs to be accessed, and more strain cannot be put on the system as it is already struggling.

Social Care Crisis – is there one?

The social care industry is in crisis. With an aging population and limited funding, the sector could be on the brink of collapse. There are not enough care workers, and those do work in the industry are may be underpaid. There is a lack of funding to support the needs of people and those who need care are often granted a certain amount of funding with nothing to help them when the money runs out. There are concerns over the financial state of many care homes, with many being paid less by local authorities than is needed to deliver care. How can such a crucial system operate at a loss? Privately paying residents often end up paying more to subsidise publicly funded ones. This is unfair and has also meant that providers are either going out of business or are handing back contracts because delivering services at local authority rates is verging on impossible.

There are a number of issues that need to seriously be looked at. Statistics show that in the last five years, there has been a £160 million cut in total public spending on older people’s social care. There are also 1.2 million people aged 65 plus don’t receive the care provision they need with essential living activities. The cuts in local authority care services have placed growing pressure on voluntary carers.

Recruiting nightmare

In addition to these problems, there are also thousands of unfilled vacancies in the social care division. Many community care providers are constantly trying to recruit, with little success. There is also a high turnover rate of 20% across the UK, compared to an average of 15% in other industries. The vacancy rate is also 2% higher than alternative sectors. So, what is the issue here? There needs to be more incentives and reason for people to become care workers. Higher pay, bonuses, more funding and better hours are key in treating the staff like they matter. Campaigns should be loud and noticeable, with case studies from current people in the care sector who enjoy their rewarding job.

Rewarding Career

If you are considering a career in care, it can be assured that it is one of the most positive and heart-warming industries to work in. It is very rewarding and can help to improve your professional and personal life. The roles are very flexible so suit people who do not want a 9-5. This can fit around other commitments. You can also earn qualifications and gain skills with on the job training. The job is different each day and there are a variety of positions available, so the care industry will never be boring.

What sort of people are the most challenging to work with?

We speak to manager Kylee Russon about the challenges of working in recruitment.

Working in recruitment has many benefits, one of them being that it is an opportunity to meet lots of different people. It can be a very sociable environment, focusing on communication. An employment agency provides a service to both employers and job seekers, which means you are constantly dealing with a variety of clients. Many businesses and companies use the services of agencies to find suitable employees, whilst candidates search for jobs through the same service.

Working with a range people is very rewarding, however can also bring a lot of challenges. Many people have unrealistic expectations about what a recruitment agency can do in a minimal amount of time. Results don’t happen overnight and it is important to be patient. As an employer, you may have a dream candidate in mind. If you have your heart set on a certain type of person however, you may be setting yourself up for a disappointment. You should be open-minded about your potential new employee, as someone may come along who is different from what you first wanted, but would in fact be a better fit for the role.

It is also a challenge to work with people who don’t invest in their own time. Recruitment is a two-way process, and the employer must also put in the effort to be part of it. Reviewing applicants is crucial and setting aside time to do so can make all the difference. You don’t want someone to slip through the net because not enough time and care has been taken.

It is also a challenge when employers haven’t done the correct research and preparation. If you are seeking a candidate, it’s crucial to look at what other companies in the same sector are paying their staff. In 2018, a survey found that 42% of employers are worried they won’t be able to find the talent they need. You may only be prepared to pay a certain amount for the role you are advertising, but you need to be competitive in the market. Top class candidates won’t go for a job that is underpaid.

Despite the challenges, the recruitment industry remains one of the most positive and sociable industries to work in. If you are prepared and realistic, the results will speak for themselves.