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Redundancy – a talent ‘investment’ viewpoint

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Redundancy – a talent ‘investment’ viewpoint

So, your role has been made redundant! To be honest you feel like you’ve been consigned to the ‘junk’ heap!

Make sure you are talking to a recruitment agency who works with companies whose perceptions of redundant staff are not as ‘the junk bonds of the workplace’.  A recent article in “Recruiter” identified ‘junk bonds’, in investment terms, as the investment of last resort.

A ‘junk bond’ is a high risk investment vehicle unless you are trying to sell it, in which case it becomes a ‘high yield’ investment vehicle and that is what today’s companies need – high yield employees!

Senior figures in recruitment circles believe that the value of people who have lost their jobs in these circumstances is significantly underestimated.

Companies need to seriously consider that by employing you they have the opportunity to build loyal teams who are potentially over qualified or who bring fully qualified talent, at a reasonable cost.

Let’s debunk the myth that people who have been out of a job for 6 months or more are no longer at the cutting edge of technology. People currently without a job can often access subsidised training or can volunteer at organisations where their skills can be useful or where they can actually advance that skillset.

These people are not ‘falling behind’. They are actually keeping their skills current or, in some cases, advancing these because they have the time to do it.

Remember these positive advantages as you plan your campaign for that next permanent role and ensure that your covering letter or summary clearly makes the point that investing in your talent will bring ‘high yield ‘to the company.

Donald Smith, Deputy Managing Director, Inspired Selection

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Topic Two – The CV

  • Streaming live from Madrid & London, we’re about to start our second live tweet-up, this week we’re looking at CVs, feel free to send us any questions!
  • Good afternoon Publishing pro’s, the next hour is dedicated to helping you perfect your CV for applications
  • So, firstly let’s look at a clear, straight forward structure that a good CV can take:
  • CV Structure: Name & contact details; Profile; Education; Key Skills/Strengths; Work Experience/Employment; Interests; References
  • Now let’s look at each section of the CV individually:
  • Make sure your name and up to date contact details are clearly displayed
  • Include the web address to your LinkedIn profile if your profile page is 100% complete
  • Include a ‘profile’ of c. 3-4 lines at the top of your CV, make it short and snappy – it’s the first thing employers see so make it interesting and summarise yourself!
  • Education: Don’t list all your GCSE subjects, include your grades e.g. GCSE’s: A*A*AAAABBCC
  • There is also no need to list university modules, just list the University and your degree and the result
  • Strengths: Use bullet points, they’re a great way of clearly listing key skills/strengths
  • Bullet point your key skills/strengths as they are relevant to the essentials/desirables in a job description and ensure this list is visible near the beginning of your CV
  • Employment should be listed chronologically, stating most recent/current job first
  • Don’t include jobs that aren’t relevant – make sure the skills from previous employment match the job you’re going for
  • For interests & hobbies, show your personality – state your ‘interesting’ interests, not just cinema, reading, cycling etc.
  • The key is whether the information on your CV is relevant to the position to which you’re applying
  • Check again the dates on your CV and ensure that they make sense. Employers may well question gaps or inconsistencies
  • Make sure you have clear formatting that is consistent throughout the CV
  • Don’t ‘over-format’ – keep it clear and well structured
  • Be clear and concise in what you’re stating and keep it to 2 pages
  • If you have substantial experience over several positions with a range of employers, then it’s fine to have 3 pages.
  • Make sure you spell-check your CV (using UK English)
  • But don’t rely on just spell check, have someone check it before sending it anywhere – a fresh pair of eyes always helps to spot errors!
  • Remember to include your IT/digital publishing skills on your CV – these are particularly relevant in today’s market
  • Avoid using text boxes, some HR systems aren’t compatible and it ruins the formatting
  • Don’t leave gaps on your CV, these can lead to employers thinking you have something to hide, If roles aren’t relevant just include the titles and length of time you were in the role.
  • Include relevant professional development training courses
  • Remember the 3 second rule – if the recruiting manager can’t see matching skills in 3 seconds they may not read on!
  • Bullet points are a good way of clearing outlining the key responsibilities and main duties you had in each position
  • Bullet point 2-3 achievements for each role such as ‘increased sales in my territory by 200% over one year’ or ‘increased traffic to our website by 300% through a social media campaign’
  • Use specific examples instead of ‘great leadership skills’ say ‘managed and motivated a team of three, increasing productivity and efficiency’.
  • If you have been in your current job for a while show how you progressed through a company by clearly showing promotions and when you gained extra responsibilities
  • Reference details don’t need to be included when first submitting your CV – simply write ‘Available on request’.
  • Don’t use the third person- you are the one writing your CV