Should I stay or should I go?

Looking for a new job is never an easy path to take for many people; however the path is blocked by a massive door which many struggle to breakdown. The door represents the question “should I look for a new job?” and for some this is simply never answered. The result being you dither about the subject for some time, before eventually deciding that it’s “better the devil you know” and stay where you are.

For a large number of potential job seekers the fact that they haven’t looked for a job for a while and are unsure of the process ,is what stops them from actually looking. If only there were a few self-critical questions we could ask ourselves to discover if the time to move jobs is in fact now……

• Do you feel passionate about the industry you are currently in?
• Can you picture yourself willingly working in the same industry in 5 years’ time ?
• Can you picture yourself doing the same role in 12 months’ time?
• Do you start counting the hours left on a Sunday before you have to return to work?
• Do you like more than two thirds of the people you work with?
• Has your employer provided a clear understanding of how you and your role can develop over the next 12 months?
• Does the company culture let you develop your own skills and reach your full potential?
• Are you in a situation where financially you can keep earning the same level in 12 months’ time?
• Can you continue to commit to the same commuting hours per week or are they becoming excessive?

If you can’t honestly answer these questions with a positive attitude,  then quite simply why are you still reading this and not reaching for your CV to start giving it a polish?! Yes we all have bills to pay and financial commitments we must honour, but that shouldn’t be your motivation. Staying in a job that is not giving you the satisfaction and happiness levels you need to be the type of person you want to be, is only going to cost you something that no amount of money can repair – your sense of well –being. Self-respect, self-esteem and personal development are worth investing in.

If you are near the start or the end of your career then you can still ask yourself the same overriding question which will soon help you realize what is required of you. “Can I see myself willingly doing this role or work in this industry for the next X number of years before I can retire?”

If you can’t then why put off for tomorrow steps you can take today to secure your long term happiness and self-respect? Remember if you hate Mondays and the thought of getting up after Sunday is over and done with then this is a subconscious sign that changes are needed.

Contact us at THC Recruitment for advice on career paths, CV writing and if you are looking to progress in the asset finance industry. 01279 713900 info@thcrecruitment.co.uk

Yes, it’s true, recruiters and employers, both current and potential are looking at you online. Your profiles and your online presence can be make or break in terms of you getting that ultimate pay rise, promotion or career break. So, how can you ensure that who you are online will boost your career prospects and not harm them?

 Here is our ultimate guide to cleaning up and optimising your online profiles to acquire that promotion or new job:

The Clean up

1. We should start with profile photos as these are the first port of call when searching a candidate or employee online. Make sure you use appropriate images for the platforms you are using. Facebook and Twitter allow you a slightly more relaxed approach, whereas LinkedIn should always be professional. Dress for the job you want and not the job you have, has never been truer!
2. Profile biographies not only give people an insight into who you are but they are also searchable terms. Your job title, company you work for and skillset should be clear. Your hobbies and interests should be concise and relevant.
3. Google yourself to see what is visible about you online. Photos that you have uploaded, updates that you thought were private may be public. This gives you the chance to clean up your social media and any personal blogs that you may have forgotten about!
4. Lock down your Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat/Twitter profiles so that only friends get to share in your life outside of office hours. Check regularly that your settings are private.

 

Optimisation

1. List your qualifications and be honest. Lying about qualifications is one of the top reasons for rejecting a candidate for a job role or promotion
2. Include a detailed work history, with clear job titles and well-written job descriptions that describe both your responsibilities and your key accomplishments. Most people stop at dates and job titles, wasting this opportunity to promote their experience and to add important keywords to their Profiles.
3. Within your Profile biography, include the keywords that tie to your desired industry and profession. These keywords could be inserted in different areas within your Profile such as your job descriptions, Profile summary, headline and even your website descriptions. One of the best methods to find these keywords is to review recent job descriptions for the roles you are targeting and see what keywords are repeated over and over again.
4. Make certain to network and get connections in your target companies. That way, you will show up as a connection for LinkedIn’s recruiter’s referral search. And if you have an interesting profile, someone from that company is likely to reach out to you.

For more information or advice on changing career or recruiting new talent please get in touch with us at THC Recruitment or call 01279 713900.

A quarter of a century in the recruitment industry surely qualifies Julie Ramsay, Managing Director of THC Recruitment Ltd., specialists in Asset and Motor Finance recruitment, as something of an industry guru?

Certainly she has seen huge changes in recruitment since she first entered the business 25 years ago. A graduate of the University of Bradford, where she did a BSc in Social Science, Julie joined Pitney Bowe’s graduate trainee scheme and worked her way up through the ranks to National Accounts Sales. After leaving Pitney Bowes she worked briefly in sales recruitment before establishing Persona Training and Recruitment which became THC Recruitment Ltd in 2001.

Based in Bishop’s Stortford, the company specialises in financial recruitment in particular asset finance and leasing and motor finance.  It also recruits sales and support staff for associated industries including insurance and capital equipment.

“I started my own business 23 years ago initially working with my husband Mike Ramsay of Persona Training (specialists in Leasing Sales Training) and early on I had the opportunity to run a contract for a large new leasing company,” explains Julie. “My specialism in asset venture and motor finance basically cascaded from there.  In addition I had lots of contacts in leasing from my days in Office /Mailing Equipment sales.”

THC Recruitment is a key player in supplying staff to many of the country’s leading banks, finance houses and brokers. The company has weathered two recessions which has prompted many changes in the industry. “Since the last recession the biggest change is in who the main players are,” explains Julie. “Before the recession the market was dominated by large banks and leasing companies but since then there has been a significant growth in brokers.  As a result we find that in addition to banks many of our clients are now brokers.”

In the last 18 months there has been a significant increase in the amount of lending and funding taking place particularly by the “challenger Banks” resulting in a buoyant recruitment marketplace. In fact Julie and her team have been inundated with vacancies; in just one week recently they received requests for more 20 business development managers, five vendor finance opportunities and six credit risk roles.

“The market is definitely candidate driven rather than client driven at the moment,” says Julie. “There’s a shortage of good candidates partly because things are picking up but also because over the last five or six years a lot of candidates left the business. Firms really don’t want to lose their good staff to other companies and so if a member of staff gets offered a new position they tend to come back with a counter bid to try and get them to stay.”  

She predicts that 2016 will continue to be candidate driven and that the job market will remain extremely buoyant though she expects to see an even greater increase in the prominence of brokers and in the Block Discounting sector.

To see how Julie and the team at THC Recruitment Ltd could help you, or your business, call 01279 713900 or visit www.thcrecruitment.co.uk.