How you can use social media in your job search

Like it or loathe it, social media is now a huge part of everyday life. Not only used for holiday selfies and food pictures, Jobvite’s recent annual survey on job search trends revealed that 48% of job seekers used social media in their most recent job search and 58% used social media to research companies of interest. With the use of social media ever increasing we’ve shared our top five tips for using social media in your job search.

Research company culture

Many organisations now have company profiles on social media, which is a great way to not only keep up to date on news and vacancies but also have a glimpse into the company culture to see if this is the right organisation for you. You can also use this information when applying for a role at the company as you can incorporate it into your CV or cover letter.

Follow up on an initial meeting

Social media is a great way to stay in contact with people you’ve previously met an industry event or networking session. Social networks such as LinkedIn are intended for business networking and are a great way to engage with other professionals and continue to build your relationships.

Networking

Social media is also useful for finding industry networking events within your local area. Networking is an easy way to build lasting relationships with other driven and ambitious people and will help you grown both personally and professionally.

Not only will this help boost your personal profile but you may also find that you find out about potential new opportunities.

Gain an insight into career paths

Business networking sights such as LinkedIn give a unique opportunity to be able to view the career paths of those already within more senior roles within your industry, which allows you to gain a sense of your long term career path.

Social media can also help when applying for a role as you can see the types of career backgrounds and experience that the organisation look for.

Search for jobs

Pretty obvious this one but social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter are full of job postings – all you have to do is look! LinkedIn is used by recruiters all over the world to post job vacancies and connect with potential candidates. You can use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters in your local area and see what potential opportunities they may have. You can also follow organisations on LinkedIn and many regularly use this to promote vacancies.

Twitter is also a great social network for finding job roles, try looking up relevant hashtags such as ‘#MarketingJobs’ or ‘CSharpJobs’ and you’ll find a range of job ads which could be relevant to you.

If you’re on the lookout for a new role why not take a look at our vacancies page where we have a range of Midlands based roles within the Marketing, HR, Technology and Procurement & Supply Chain industries.

You can also follow us on social media by connecting with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Could a career in HR be for you?

Working in HR is all about attracting and retaining the right talent for your organisation. This can include recruiting, training and developing employees as well as dealing with employee welfare and employee law. A career within HR can be hugely rewarding and gives you the opportunity to positively influence your company’s development. HR roles are available within all sectors of business which opens up a wide range of career opportunities worldwide for those looking in this industry.

Those starting out in the sector will typically begin as a HR Administrator, learning the ropes and gaining an understanding of the HR industry. As you gain experience, you will then naturally progress to roles such as HR Assistant and HR Manager.

While the majority of HR roles tend to be a mixture of responsibilities, you may find as you progress within your career that you would like to specialise in a particular area. There are many specialist roles available within HR and many different career paths such as;

• Employee relations
• Employment law
• Health and safety
• Pay and benefits
• Recruitment Training, learning and development

As well as work experience and qualifications such as those from the CIPD (The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), those wanting a career within HR will also need to consider the personal qualities they will need to possess in order to be successful within the HR industry.

These include;

• Trustworthy and discreet
• Strong communication skills
• Interested in business
• Flexible and adaptable
• Good at building relationships and working within a team
• Patience, integrity and sensitivity

So is a career within HR for you? Well if you enjoy working closely with others and contributing to the development of both your organization and its employees then you may well find that HR is a career path you want to explore.

ESA Human Resources are specialists within the HR industry and work with clients from B2B, B2C and public sector organisations around the Midlands area. Our consultants are experienced within the HR sector and are always happy to offer their expert advice.

If you’re looking for a career with the HR industry within the West and East Midlands then head over to our vacancies page, contact us via email or call 0121 210 5100 and speak to one of our experienced consultants.

All you need to know about Internships

So you’ve been to University for three years and finally got your much coveted Undergraduate degree. Naturally you want to get out into the working world and put your degree to good use, only to be told that your degree isn’t enough and that you need more hands on work experience.

What can you do?

An internship is a great way to get your foot in the door and allows you to gain valuable industry experience within a role. We’ve answered a few of the most commonly asked questions regarding Internships below.

How long do internships last?

There is no set time period for an internship but typically they tend to last between 10 weeks and 3 months, however depending on the industry they can last up to a year.

Will I be paid?

By law organisations don’t have to pay people for undertaking internships. However, if you are performing the role of a worker then by law you should be receiving at least the National Minimum Wage. If you have set hours, duties or responsibilities these are signs that you may be classed as a worker and qualify for National Minimum Wage.

You may also find that many organisations offer reimbursements for travel and lunch cost during your internship.

Why should I do an internship?

- Real industry experience

Internships are a great way to gain experience within your chosen field and also allows you to see whether it’s really an area you can see yourself working in.

- Personal Development

For many graduates an internship will be their first experience in a professional environment and enables you to improve on key skills such as team work, time management and project management.

- Grow your network

You know the old saying ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’. Internships are a great way to meet other people within your chosen industry and build valuable friendships with people who have been in a similar situation to yourself.

- Job prospects

Although definitely not guaranteed, many successful internships have been known to turn into job offers. Whilst on your internship you may also hear about upcoming vacancies which may be suitable for you and you could apply for. After all you’ve more than likely already built up a rapport with your co-workers and know how the organisation works.

If you don’t get offered a role then there’s no need to worry – stay in touch with the company and who knows they may contact you if a suitable role becomes available.

ESA Group work with clients from B2B, B2C and public sector organisations around the Midlands area specialising in Marketing, Technology, HR and Procurement and Supply Chain roles. Our consultants are highly experienced within the recruitment industry and are always happy to offer their expert advice.

If you’re looking for a graduate role to kick start your career then head over to our vacancies page, contact us via email or call 0121 210 5100 and speak to one of our experienced consultants.

How to handle a counter offer

So you’ve accepted a new job role and have just handed in your notice to your boss with your mind fully made up to move on from the company. But then your boss says “It would be a shame to lose you from the team,  we were planning on giving you a raise in the upcoming months, how about we give it you a few months earlier, would that make you reconsider?” Getting counter offered is not uncommon; so what do you do if you find yourself in this position?

Well in this situation its important to weigh up your options, after all there’s a reason why you started to look elsewhere for a job role.

Here are a few points to consider;

Trust

Once the news is out there that you have been looking to leave the business you may find that this affects your relationships within the office as your bosses and colleagues could feel that you have been disloyal to the company.  If you decide to stay it may take a while for you to be fully trusted again.

Motivation

You may be earning more money if you accept your counter offer but unless the issues which caused you to search the job market are directly addressed, then within time you may find that your motivation starts to slip and you’re back at square one.  According to reports 60% of those who accept counter offers end up leaving their roles within 6 months.

Pros and cons

It may sound like obvious but something as simple as writing a pros and cons list comparing you current and new role can really help you work out the best option for you. Ultimately you want to be in a role which holds the most potential for you and will allow room for progression within your career. Remember the reasons you wanted to leave your current role and try not to let any emotional attachment to the organization cloud your judgement.

The Job Market

When considering your counter offer it is important to look at your proposed new salary and compare it to the current job market. If your proposed salary is way higher than other positions currently out there then you may find that this hinders your next career move as your salary won’t truly reflect your value as a candidate.

Handling a counter offer can be a difficult situation and always takes great thought and consideration to ensure you are making the right decision.

If you feel that it’s time for you to move on from your current role then why not get in touch with our team and one of our experienced consultants will be happy to assist you with your next career move.

You can browse our vacancies here or contact us directly via email or call 0121 210 5100.

How To Build A Personal Brand

We all know that business branding is common practice but having your own personal brand is becoming more important than ever. Creating a solid personal brand can open up an array of professional opportunities. So what can you do to ensure that your personal brand makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd? Here are our tips for creating your own unique personal brand;

1.       Determine your expertise

To build your own brand you must first determine your unique selling point or “USP”. What is it that makes you stand out from the crowd? To begin with try thinking about these points*;

• What three or four keywords describe your essential qualities quickly and clearly?
• What is your essence factor, the core of who you are? "I know I am in my element when __________."
• What is your authority factor, the knowledge that you hold and the skills that you possess? "People recognize my expertise in _________."
• What is your superstar factor, the qualities that set you apart? (This factor is how you get things done or what you're known for.) "People comment on my ability to ___________."

*Via Personal Branding for Dummies

2.       Find your target audience

In order to successfully build your personal brand, you need to define your target audience.

Ask yourself these two questions;

• Who will buy this product?
• Where do I want to sell this product?

Your personal brand won’t appeal to everyone so you need to ensure you are showcasing it to the right audience. For example if you are looking for a new job role then you need to be aiming for potential employers, or if you are employed and trying to build your brand within your current company then your target audience will be the people you work with.

3.       Create a personal website

Not only is having your own website or blog is a great way to ensure that your name ranks on search engines but it also gives you a great platform to display your skills to potential employers. You can use sites such as GoDaddy.com to check if your name is available to purchase as a domain. If your name is quite common try adding your middle name or initial.

Platforms such as wordpress.com are great for creating websites or blogs and have a range of preset templates ready for you to use. You can also use sites such as About.me to use a central point of contact – make sure you include a link to your social platforms and a brief biography.

 4.       Network

Networking is a great way of getting your personal brand out there in front of others and can help build lasting relationships with other ambitious and driven people that can help you grow professionally.

By regularly networking with others in your industry – whether it be a local business event or online in a LinkedIn group, you can help raise your profile among the local business community. Offering useful advice and tips will not only help strengthen your credibility but also help you stick in people’s minds.

5.       Social Media

Whether you’re a fan of social media or not, it’s a vital tool in developing your personal brand. When your name is Googled chances are you will see your social media in your search results. If you find that you have a fairly common name try using your middle initial or middle name to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Social networks such as LinkedIn and Twitter are great ways to stay in contact with other industry professionals. By regularly participating in LinkedIn groups and Twitter hash tag conversations you can engage with others in the business community and also gain more exposure within your industry.

Having a solid personal brand is a great way to ensure that you stand out from the rest, whether you're actively on the job market or wanting to progress within your current career.

If you're looking for new opportunities within the Birmingham, West Midlands and East Midlands region then head over to our vacancies page to find the latest roles within Marketing, Technology and HR.

10 Ways to boost your Monday mood

We’ve all been there, you’ve had a great weekend and then suddenly it’s Monday morning again and that all too familiar Monday feeling washes over you. For most of us that feeling subsides once we’ve had a cup of coffee and got the day started. However, for some people Monday morning can bring around feelings of genuine anxiety and stress, so below we’ve listed 10 ways you can make your Monday a much more positive experience and help get the week off to a great start.

1.       Write a To Do List 

Writing a to do list can help you plan ahead for the day and work out what you need to do before you’ve even sat at your desk.  This means no ensuing panic when you get to work as you already have a grasp on the tasks that need to be completed for the day.

2.       Post work plan

Don’t save all your socialising for the weekends, making sure you have something planned after work can give you something to look forward to and keep you in a positive mood throughout the day.

3.       Plan Ahead

Before you leave work on a Friday make sure that your desk is clean and tidy so that you don’t have a mess to come back to on Monday morning. Tidy desk, tidy mind!

 4.       Best outfit

Why not pick your favourite work out fit to wear on Mondays? Wearing you favourite clothes has been proven to brighten your mood and give you a boost of confidence.

5.       Get a good night’s sleep

This one’s pretty self-explanatory but a good night’s sleep can be vital to your mood the next day, so make sure you get at least 7-9 hours of sleep Sunday night so that you feel fresh on Monday morning.

6.       Unplug over the weekend

Over the weekend try not to access your work emails or calls, otherwise you may end up feeling like you’ve had no time off at all. It is important to set boundaries between personal and work time.

7.       Be positive 

It might be hard at times but try and turn your Monday morning blues into positive vibes. Focus on what you’re looking forward to about that day. Also try not to get involved in other peoples negative outlooks as this could bring your mood back down again.

8.       Have a good breakfast 

Having a hearty breakfast will not only set you up properly for the day but also help boost your metabolism which is always an added bonus!

9.       Find the source

If you can try and find out what it is that’s making you unhappy then you can be better equipped in working out how to tackle it and begin to take steps towards making the situation better.

10.   Spread the happiness

Doing nice things for other people can also help creative a positive mood. Whether it’s complimenting a co-worker or grabbing a few extra coffees in the morning to share out, good deeds can help shift the mood in the office.

If you feel like you need a change in your job role then ESA Group have a range of marketing and technology jobs throughout Birmingham, West Midlands and East Midlands region.

You can view our vacancies here or alternatively register your CV with us here.