Concern about not paying you fairly
What can seem an extremely disheartening event can actually be for the right reasons.  Your interviewers may have loved you in interview but have genuine concerns about paying you fairly on the basis of your skill set.  Quite often, interviewers can look at an individuals worth and decide that they just don’t have the budget to pay you fairly.

Can’t keep you long enough
The recruitment and training process for any role can be a timely and expensive one so the last thing that any employer wants is to devote all their energy into a promising new candidate, only to have them leave shortly after starting.  This is a common concern for many employers so be mindful of this and explain in interview why you have longevity and this is the perfect long-term role for you.

Basic tasks are beneath you
In previous roles you may have delegated some of the types of tasks that this new job requires of you.  If there is any chance that you may see your time as too valuable to do some of the more basic tasks aligned with the role – then your overqualified.

Concerned you’ll get bored
If employers feel that you might find the role unchallenging then you could find yourself being labelled overqualified.  The last thing an employer wants is their new employee being unsatisfied in their role which could ultimately bring the morale of the team down too.

Younger management
If your potential manager is younger than you, there may be concerns over how you’ll respond to their authority in the new role.  If they have any doubts, then you could be deemed overqualified.

Overcoming the label
If you’ve been labelled overqualified when searching for a new job, it was most likely that it wasn’t the right fit for you.  A good employer will have vetted the candidate with the help of a recruitment agent before you walk through the door allowing the key concerns above to be eliminated.  If you feel that this is a label you could still come up against, combat by addressing the obvious in interview but don’t spend too much time on this.  Instead explain your motives for wanting the job and why they’d be lucky to have you as their new addition.

The post Is there such a thing as overqualified? appeared first on Owl Recruitment.

Don’t suffer in silence
A good manager should always be approachable to their team members and hopefully you’ll be in a position where you can speak to your senior.  If this isn’t the case, try and mention your concerns to a HR member of staff who may be able to give you some advice confidentially.  Either way, talking is key if the workplace stress is getting to an unmanageable point and it’s your company’s duty to work with you on this.

Take breaks
It’s all too easy to let a busy work day result in eating lunch at your desk – or worse still, not eating at all but there’s a problem to be addressed when this happens on a weekly or even monthly basis.  Not only does food fuel your brain and allow you to return to work with better brain power but coming at your task list after lunch could provide you with new ideas.  This means, you may decide to rearrange your priorities or give you a new view point when going back to an all-consuming task.

Say no
In the workplace sometimes it’s very easy to say yes to people and work, instead of risking upsetting them – but to the detriment of yourself.  The next time this happens, ask yourself, “who is asking you to do this work, is this part of my role and will it affect the way I carry out my own tasks” before you accept anything additional.  And remember, it’s ok to say no in the right circumstances in order to work as effectively as possible.

Write a list
If you’re like us there’s nothing better than going back to basics and writing out a good old fashioned list.  This way you can identify the biggest and most time consuming tasks and prioritise in order of importance.  There’s also nothing better than getting to the end of the day and seeing items that have been crossed off!  Our brains are wired to prioritise immediate satisfaction over longer-term rewards .  Because of this we’d recommend taking on the biggest and most time-consuming task first thing on a Monday morning, that way, your week only gets lighter in terms of workload.

Work/life balance
Are you becoming all consumed with work and not allowing for any me-time?  We’re all becoming more aware of the benefits of mental wellness, mindfulness and self awareness and for good reason.  Think of something you’d love to do or try for the first time and make a point of booking it in your diary after work.  That way, you’re forced to leave on time and also give yourself a chance to focus on you!

Identify the trigger
Ultimately work place stress can be triggered by a variety of issues.  Give this some deep thought and identify what this is for you.  It could be that the organisation’s culture just isn’t quite what you’d hoped, the workload is excessive or you struggle to communicate effectively with your boss.  Once you’ve identified your sticking point, make a plan and look at all the avenues to see if you can work towards a resolution and ease the burden.  If you’ve tried every option and are still feeling overwhelmed, it may be time to move to a new opportunity where your skill set will be appreciated and enhanced.

The post How to avoid feeling overwhelmed at work appeared first on Owl Recruitment.

Specialise in finding the right candidate
It’s what we do!  The whole purpose of a recruitment agent’s job is to make sure candidates are matched seamlessly with the correct role.  Using a range of techniques, vetting and information gathering, there is no one more suited to helping an organisation find their next big star.  And just like your organisation is the best at what you do, this is what we do and we’d like to think we’re pretty good at it!

Access to events and databases
Recruitment agents have access to databases and recruitment events that company’s don’t ordinarily have.  This gives us a bigger pool of talent to select from and put in front of you.  In addition to this, people who are actively looking to make their next career move are more likely to register with a recruitment agent.  That way, we can provide the best quality individuals who are ready to join you.

Offer support and advice
Not only do we keep in touch with the candidate after they have been placed, we can also offer support to the hiring company.  Our local knowledge of the market is a great tool at your disposal – we can give advise on anything and everything recruitment related from salary benchmarks to wording the perfect job spec.

Save time
The saying “time is money” couldn’t be more true in business, especially when it comes to the recruitment process.  Everything from making sure candidates have full prior knowledge of the role, vetting and screening individuals to creating the perfect shortlist to put in front of the interviewers takes a great deal of time which could be better spent running your organisation.  Leave it to the professionals and you’ll soon see the value in outsourcing this essential task.

Limited resources
For some start-ups, small and even medium sized companies it can be an exciting time when your growing business means recruiting new talent.  In the event that you suddenly find you don’t have the resources to find and hire the best candidates, it’s always best to delegate the task to a reliable recruitment agent.  This not only allows energies to be focused on all important company growth but also maintains a professional appearance and keeps the whole process as effective and efficient as possible.

The post Why using a recruiter is a good idea appeared first on Owl Recruitment.

Dress well
It goes without saying that first impressions count so make sure you’re dressed both professionally and comfortably to give you confidence.  Gone are the days when interview attire was a shirt/tie combo or pencil skirt as standard so decide what you think would be most appropriate for the workplace and role you’re going for and dress to impress.

Firm handshake
You’re always told to give a good firm handshake when going for an interview – but why? Not only does this start the proceedings off on the right foot, it also shows confidence and in turn helps to instil trust in your abilities.

Turn off your mobile
We’re all aware we live in a digital age but don’t fall victim to the school-boy error of leaving your mobile phone on loud.  Play it safe and keep it on silent or even in your car when going for that all important interview.  That way you’re not distracted by annoying vibrating and the interviewer has your full attention and won’t remember you as “the one who had to get their phone out in the interview”!

Research the company
You applied for the job so we’ll assume you already know a little bit about the company.  A strong candidate will always go one step further and do their homework on the organisation.  You’ll more than likely be asked what you know about them, so make sure you’re fully equipped with all the information you can find including what the company do and any charity activities they’re involved with.  Which leads us on to…

Research your interviewer
It’s not always possible to find out who your interviewer will be before the big day but if you’ve been fortunate to be given a name, it doesn’t hurt to do a little extra research.  With tools like LinkedIn offering information in the public domain, it may just give you the upper hand.

Prepare basic questions
No one has a crystal ball so can never know for sure what will be asked in an interview but you can prepare yourself with some of the traditional questions that come up time and time again.  Rehearse your answers for questions around strengths, weaknesses, why you want the job, where you see yourself in five years and don’t forget that you’ll more than likely be asked, “have you got any questions for us?”, so have something prepared for that one too!

Be early or at least on time
This one is for you as much as them.  The last thing you want is a black mark against your name for running late to an interview without an extremely good reason as it shows lack of preparedness and that this meeting wasn’t a priority in your diary.  For you, it’s just another thing to get you stressed and sweaty palmed before what can be an already high-pressured event.  Make it easier on yourself, and set your alarm in plenty of time.

Be friendly and smile
You never know who you’ll walk past on the way into the building, up the staircase or in the lift so be friendly and smile at everyone you meet.  Who knows you may have just shared the first three floors with your new manager…And if you haven’t, at least you’ve made the best impression possible with your new colleagues.

Finally, relax and breathe
You’ve been invited for an interview, you’ve prepared as much as possible and made it on time.  Now is the time to try to relax with a few deep breaths and remember it’s ok to ask for a glass of water to take in with you.  If you’re unsure how to answer a question, take a moment and give yourself a second or two to compose your answer…You’ve got this!

The post Interview tips that’ll get you hired appeared first on Owl Recruitment.