Women in the Tech Industry
In recent years there has been a lot of talk about the gender gap within the technology industry and steps the tech community can make in order to encourage more females to enter the industry. According to the 2015 Women in IT Scorecard published by BCS within the UK only 13% of those employed as programmers or software developers are female and less than 10% of IT directors in the UK are women.
Even huge global tech companies such as Google and Twitter have a gender gap problem. Only 30% of people employed at Google are women, with 18% of those being technical employees. Whilst over at Twitter the number of women working in technology is so low that one of their company goals for 2016 was to increase the number to 16%.
Many feel that the lack of women within the technology is due to the lack of resources available which allow them to explore the possibility of a career within the industry.
In order to change the perception of career within technology for women many initiatives have been formed in order to ensure more young girls are given the opportunity to learn more about technology.
Even female figures in the spotlight are doing what they can to encourage girls to pursue a career within technology. Supermodel Karlie Kloss takes time out of her schedule to attend coding classes at the Flaitron School and recently opened up application for her ‘Kode with Klossy Career Scholarship’ where one applicant a month will gain free access to a 9 month coding class.
Other initiatives include;
- Girls Who Code
- Google’s Made With Code
- WISE
- TechFuture Girls
ESA Technology have a wide range of technology roles available throughout the West and East Midlands. Take a look at our current opportunities here.
Top Interview Tips
Whether you’re fresh out of your studies or have been in your profession for years, interviews can be a nerve wrecking prospect. We’ve compiled some top tips below to ensure that you get the most out of your interview and that you stand in the best steed to get the job.
Prepare
Most recruiters or hiring managers will inform you beforehand the type of interview you will be attending – use this information to help you prepare.
Research commonly asked interview questions and practice your answers, this way you are fully prepared and won’t find yourself stuck on what to say.
Here a few points to consider;
- Experience and successes within your profession
- What sort of budgets have you managed previously.
- How would you approach this role and from your research what potential do you think this could have?
- Go through the spec and consider your experiences against the main points they have outlined. The main areas of your experience that they will be keen to focus on is your campaign delivery experience.
- ROI and commercials – it is good that you can know your numbers and impact of your work, and return from your campaigns. This will show to them you are commercially driven and focused on making a difference.
Do your research
Researching the organization you are interviewing with is vital. There is nothing worse than a candidate who gets asked a question and clearly hasn’t done their research. This doesn’t bode well for you to get the role, after all if turn up to the interview unprepared how will you act if you got the job? A prepared candidate shows a hiring manager shows a lot about a person’s enthusiasm for the role and ability to prepare and can make all the difference.
The best place to research the company is its website, as it will have all the background information required and also any other news and future plans they may have as a business. Information like this can help set you apart from other candidates. It may also be worth taking a look at the websites of their direct competitors to give some good talking points during the interview.
If you know the names of the people taking the interview why not make use of LinkedIn and take a look at their profiles. You may find you have similar backgrounds and experiences that you can draw upon in your interview.
Ask questions
At the end of every interview you will inevitably be asked if you have any questions. Answering no may give off the impression you are disinterested so make sure you have a few questions already prepared to ask your interviewer.
Appearance
It goes without saying that a smart and professional appearance is vital for any interview. It only takes 7 seconds to make a first impression, so make sure you make it count! It is also a good idea to lay out your interview clothes the night before so that your pre interview run up goes smoothly.
If you’re on the lookout for a new role take a look at our vacancies page here where we have a range of exciting opportunities with the Marketing, IT, HR and Procurement and Supply Chain industries.
The benefits of interim employment
Interim or fixed term contracts are a popular option for both professionals and organisations, and are a great option for those who may find themselves on the market due to reasons such as redundancy and are now immediately available for work. In this post we look at the benefits of interim contracts as both an employment option and for organisations.
Benefits of hiring interim contractors
- Hire for a specialist project
You may find that your organisation doesn’t need to make a permanent new hire but require someone with a specialised skill set to carry out work that your current workforce may not be qualified to do.
- Immediately available
The majority of interim professionals are immediately available, which means if you find yourself in a position where a role urgently needs filling you can make a quick temporary hire whilst you look for a candidate to permanently fill the role.
- Immediate results
Unlike permanent employees who need time to settle into their new role, interim professionals are able to hit the ground running quickly and businesses are able to see quick results. Benefits of working interim contracts
Benefits of working interim contracts
- Temporary roles may lead to full time employment offers
If you make a good impression within your time there you may find that this could lead to an offer of full time employment. Even if this isn’t the case, you may find you are contacted if a suitable position arises as they will already know your skill set and you are already familiar with the organisation.
- Flexibility to take time out between contracts
One of the unique benefits of interim work is that it allows you the flexibility to take time out between contracts. This is ideal if you have personal commitments or even if you want to take time out for that dream trip!
- Each new organisation will bring further experience to your CV
Interim work provides the opportunity to work within a variety of different organizations allowing you to gain a wide range of experience within a shorter amount of time.
- Make a positive change within the company
Often interim professionals are hired to carry out a specific task during their time with the company, so at the end of your contract you will be able to have examples of the positive impact you have made during your time there.
Beneficial skills for an interim contractor to have
- Work well under pressure
- Strong communication skills
- Hand over proficiency
- Adaptability
If you are considering interim employment or are on the lookout for interim contract roles then why not register with ESA Group here and one of our experienced consultants will be in contact to help find the right role for you. Alternatively you can email us on info@esa-group.co.uk or call 0121 210 5100.
How to prepare your graduate CV
With summer just around the corner many final year students around the UK are nearing the end of their university life and are eagerly awaiting their degree results. Thousands of graduates around the UK will be looking to put their degrees to good use and find a role within their chosen industry, but how can you make your CV relevant you’re fresh out of university with no experience? Writing your graduate CV straight out of university may seem like a daunting task when you have little to no industry experience, but there’s no need to worry. Below we have compiled some tops tips to help you create your graduate CV.
Personal Statement
When it comes to writing your personal statement it is always best to ensure it is tailor made for the specific role you are applying for, no one likes reading generic statements and people will probably be able to tell. It can be useful to read through the ‘desirable skills’ section of the job specification to see what kind of person the organisation are looking for and use this as a basis for you to write your personal statement.
Be sure to talk about your career objectives and how you’re looking to achieve them within the next few years, employers will want to see that you are focused and career minded.
Education
When listing your education details it is always best to list them in reverse chronological order, as follows;
- Degree
- A Level
- GCSE’s
As your degree will be the area that you have the most relevant experience in it is best to focus on that and only add the basic details for A Level and GCSE to allow for more space. For example with GCSE’s you can just write the number and your general grades; e.g. 11 GCSE’s grade A-C.
When writing about your degree give the reader an idea of your university course and the experience you obtained. For example, if you have experience of in areas such as project management, presentation skills or leadership make sure you include these as they are transferable skills that can be used in the workplace.
It’s not necessary to list all the modules you took whilst at University but if you feel they are relevant to the job role then be sure to include it.
Previous employment
At first glance you may feel that you don’t have enough previous work experience but don’t be dismayed, as a recent graduate potential employers will know that you will have limited industry experience.
Don’t forget to include any internships, work experience or voluntary work you may have undertaken, these are a great way of showing any relevant skills you have developed.
Layout example
- Company name, Job title, Dates
- A sentence outlining your role
- Bullet points summarising your specific responsibilities
- Any evidence you may have of any specific achievements within this role
Hobbies and interests
This isn’t a vital section to include but if you feel that you have hobbies or interests outside of work that you feel are relevant to your application then feel free to include them in your CV. It’s also nice to show a bit of your personality shine through.
If you’re a recent graduate looking to take the first steps in your future career then why not register with ESA Group here and one of our experienced consultants will be in contact to help find the right role for you. Alternatively you can email us on info@esa-group.co.uk or call 0121 210 5100.
How to ace your telephone interview
With so many candidates within the job market telephone interviews are now a common practice among organisations as a quick and cost effective means of whittling down candidates to advance onto a face-to-face interview. Below we’ve compiled some top tips for acing your telephone interview.
No distractions
Although you aren’t face to face with your interviewer it is important to stay engaged throughout the process and ensure there is nothing around you that may distract you from the conversation. Make sure all technology around you such as your TV or laptop is switched off. It’s also best to ensure any friends or family are out of the room.
Research the company
Just as you would with any interview researching the company is vital pre-interview preparation. The best place to head to is the company website as it will have all the background information required and also any other news and future plans they may have as a business. Information like this can help set you apart from other candidates.
Have your CV to hand
When taking part in a phone interview it is always best to have your CV printed out beside you. Although your interviewer will most likely have a copy with them, it is always best to have your CV to hand ready to refer to when asked questions about your experience.
Be professional
This one should really go without saying but you should always maintain your professionalism throughout your conversation as you would with a face-to face interview. Make sure the conversation gets off to a good start by answering the phone in a professional manner. “Good morning, John Smith speaking”, is a good way to answer. As the interviewer can’t see your face it is also important that your voice reflects your enthusiasm for the role.
Take notes
Taking notes throughout the conversation will help you flag any questions you may want to ask the interviewer. It may also be useful to take note of any questions and your responses that you can refer to if you proceed to the next round of interviews.
If you're on the look out for a new role take a look at our vacancies page here where we have a range of exciting opportunities with the Marketing, IT, HR and Procurement and Supply Chain industries.
How will the Brexit affect UK procurement?
With the forthcoming Brexit referendum fast approaching on 23rd June many around the UK are wondering how an exit from the European Union will affect them and their day to day lives. For those working within the procurement industry many will be wondering whether leaving the EU will have an effect on public procurement regulations. As it stands the general consensus is that an ‘out’ vote would have little to no effect on the UK’s procurement regulations and the issue is highly unlikely to be pursued by policy makers in the immediate months afterwards.
Although the EU regulations of EU Treaty and EU Procurement Directives would no longer apply to the UK, an ‘out’ vote would have no immediate effect on the validity of current UK Procurement laws. As it currently stands the main procurement regulations within England, Wales and Northern Ireland are the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) and the soon to be introduced Utilities Contracts Regulations (2016) and Concessions Contracts Regulations (2016). Unless reformed these are the rules that will continue to regulate purchasing within the UK.
Although there was no procurement regulatory system prior to the UK joining the EU, public bodies and local authorities had their own internal procurement regulations to ensure accountability, probity and decisions free from bias. So even in the event of the UK’s current procurement system being revoked, it is extremely likely it would be replaced with something very similar.
If the UK left the EU it would potentially adopt a similar approach to Norway and become a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).This would mean that the UK would still have to adopt EU procurement rules. However, a disadvantage of this would be that as non EU members the UK wouldn’t have a say in any procurement laws.
Whatever the outcome on June 23rd it is highly unlikely that the UK would change their stance on procurement policy and it seems that the UK’s procurement regulations are here to stay for the foreseeable future.