Case studies

I is for Interviews

Interviews are crucial to the job application process – whether they are by phone, video or face to face. They help to convey parts of your character that a covering letter and CV can not. They help the candidate and client find out if they will fit with the company culture.

There are too many people who fall at this crucial hurdle; they see interviews as a daunting and very uncomfortable process in which they need to struggle their way through.

With this download of simple tips you will be able to conquer the nerves and make interviews a far less fearsome proposition.

When we put you forward for a job, we will check that you have everything you need to have a successful interview, and if there is anything you are not certain about ask us – we can help you.

Tel: 01254 781300

Your Career, Your Future,
Your Choice.

H is for Hired.

Again, you probably predicted that letter H would be something along these lines. We all know that hired in the recruitment world means, being selected by a company and becoming a member of their staff.

Effectively, SER are there to help you get hired.

We know the people who are doing the hiring in the industries you work in, so we can line you up to the correct job, in the correct company, at the right time for you.

Why should you use a recruitment agency like SER to help you get hired?

• You no longer have to take the time and energy doing it yourself – the chances are you already don't have enough time in your day to do everything you want to get done anyway, so looking for a new position will eat into more of that time.

• It means you won't have to liaise with 15 different agencies, which will cut down on the phone calls you receive, cut down on the amount of emails you receive and make it easier for you to deal with.

• We offer you a professional approach and also a greater understanding of what is required for a position within your industry.

• You are dealing with specialists - you will no longer find yourself having conversations about a job that clearly isn't right for you.

We understand the industry, what is changing, skill shortages and most importantly the companies within it.

Your Career, Your Future,
Your Choice.

G is for growth and goals.

We couldn't decide which word was more appropriate, so for the letter G, we are going to cover 2 topics.

In letter A we covered career advancement, and now we are covering career growth. Are they the same thing? The simple answer is no. They are very different. Career growth depends on career advancement. Career advancement are the things you do for yourself, whether that is attend CPD sessions to continually improve your skills and knowledge. Career growth then comes when you have enough knowledge and experience to be able to take the next step, whether that is within your current company or whether that requires a move to another company.

When we speak about goals, we mean the targets that we set ourselves to achieve career growth.

The goals are usually the reason we take part in career advancement which will lead with career growth. Goals are often more achievable when they are based over a shorter term. A good way to look at goals and to set them, is by ensuring that they are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. Career goals are often asked about during an interview and so it is important that you know what your goals are.

SER is aware of these important stages throughout your career and we are here to help you when the time is needed.
Contact us to find out about the available opportunities we have that could be the next step for your career growth.

Tel: 01254 781300

Your Career, Your Future,
Your Choice.

An article written by James Brockett, and featured in the April edition of WWT Magazine, has identified that a survey from trade union Prospect revealed almost 9 in 10 scientists and engineers are dissatisfied with government preparations for life outside the European Union.

The survey was completed by 2750 Prospect members and found that 69% of respondents agreed that uncertainty about the timing and impact of the Brexit process had impacted negatively on their organisations ability to fulfil ongoing functions and plan or undertake long term projects.

This research was released to coincide with the launch of a booklet which details the implications of Brexit for funding, collaboration and skills in UK science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

This research revealed concern about Brexit among STEM Professionals.

64% said they feel less secure in their employment since the EU referendum.

23% said they are confident that their organisation has the staff and skills to inform and support government negotiations on Brexit and take on new responsibilities that Brexit may bring.

77% of people who responded see continued access to the single market as a priority.

80% prioritised freedom of movement and 90% wanted guaranteed rights for EU nationals to stay in the UK.

11% said they were planning to leave the UK up to and after Brexit.

A further 22% of STEM professionals said they would consider leaving in the future.

In January 2017, an update was published to BS 9999, which is the code of practice for fire security in the design, management and use of buildings. BS 9999 provides guidance on the ongoing management of fire safety throughout the lifecycle of a building, including guidance for designers to ensure that the overall design of a building assists and enhances the management of fire safety.

What's new?

BS 9999 is being fully revised to align with current practices, new technology and other parts of the fire safety standards series, namely BS 9990 and BS 9991. The new edition of BS 9999 will introduce the following changes:

• Inclusion of flowchart showing the sequential steps in the design process, to assist users in the application of the standard
• Revised clause on fire safety management with references to PAS 7
• Inclusion of watermist fire suppression systems
• Expansion of guidance on voice alarms
• Expansion of fire growth rates table to provide more information
• Removal of content now covered by BS 9991
• General update to take into account new and revised standards published since 2008

The standard also features revised recommendations for:

• Smoke and heat control
• Fire curtain barrier assemblies
• Mechanical ventilation and air-condition systems
• Shopping complexes
• Building exits
• Ducting

The updated standards can be bought here: http://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030357099

The Labour Force Survey suggests that between November 2016 to February 2017, there were more people in work, the number of unemployed people fell and the number of people aged between 16 and 64 not working and not seeking or available to work also fell.

31.84 million people were in work, which is 39,000 more than in September to November 2016 and 312,000 more than the previous year.

The employment rate was 74.6% which is the joint highest since comparable record began in 1971.

There were 1.56 million unemployed people which was 45,000 less than September to November 2016 and 141,000 less that the previous year.

The unemployment rate was down 0.4% from the previous year to 4.7%, which is the lowest it has been since June to August 1975. This unemployment rate relates to the proportion of the labour force that were unemployed.

There were 8.8million people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive (not working and not seeking or available to work) 10,000 less than September to November 2016 and 36,000 less than a year earlier.

Recruitment & Employment Confederation chief executive, Kevin Green, said, "The labour market is moving in a positive direction, with employment at a record high and unemployment still falling. Our monthly jobs report shows placements via recruiters are increasing and demand for staff is at an 18 month peak, so it's likely employment numbers will continue to creep up.

"However, wage growth is slowing as inflation is rising, meaning people are feeling the pinch as their take home pay doesn't stretch as far. Our data shows employers are increasing starting salary offers to compete for the limited talent available. People will be tempted to move jobs as a way of increasing income, especially if pay in their current role remains static. As demand for staff increases yet supply of candidates deteriorates, employers need to reward their staff so they retain them.

"It's already really tough to find candidates and skills shortages have been intensifying. Sectors across the economy, from healthcare to food manufacturing, are reliant on EU workers. They're getting increasingly worried about how they'll cope if recruiting from abroad becomes even harder post-Brexit."

Energy & Utilities Alliance (EUA) chief executive Mike Foster said "the people have spoken and it is time for the Government to listen when 99 times out of 100 they buy a gas boiler and not a heat pump."

There are large subsidy's paid for the heat pumps, but figures recently released have shown that between 2009 and 2016, 12.6 million homes have had new gas boiler fitted compared to 113,299 air source heat pumps.

Mr Foster has stated, "Consumers have voted with their heat, and chosen high-efficiency condensing gas boilers rather than electric alternatives for their homes. It is high time the Government acknowledge this and accept that the all-electric heat scenario adopted by the previous administration is dead."

"People like gas central heating; it suits their needs and pockets. The Government should now concentrate all their efforts on greening the gas we use, reducing carbon emissions, rather than continue with the failed experiment of promoting heat pumps as the wholesale solution."

"There is a role for heat pumps but not as the mainstay of UK heat provision. The industry needs to see the Government accept this and then work with them, not against them, in delivering an affordable, secure and low-carbon means of heating the home."

F is for Future

It's true when people say you don't know what the future holds. We live in a world which is always changing and can be very unpredictable, one minute things can be going well, the next they might not, some people get married, some people don't, some people have children, some don't. You get the picture?

It's at these moments that people realise they want something else in life, maybe having a child means that you want to spend time more time with your family and less time working away. Maybe you need a higher income. Maybe you might suddenly realise you are ready for the next stage of your career. Maybe you are in a position that you are looking for work unexpectedly.
One thing is for sure that what you do and what you experience now can contribute to changing your future.

At SER, we are always on hand when you realise that you need a change in your career. We find out exactly what it is that you are looking for and we align you to an opportunity that matches those requirements. One of the benefits of using a specialist recruitment agency like SER is that they deal continually with companies in your industry, companies that could have that perfect opportunity for you.

One of the issues is that being headhunted can take you by surprise, you may receive an unexpected phone call about your career and opportunities. It is important to think about these chances and remember everything you do today, impacts what happens tomorrow. Always listen to the opportunities being offered, you never know when you might need them, after all, we live in an unpredictable world.

Your Career, Your Future,
Your Choice.

Recruitment is a given. It's not only people that develop, change, and progress, but businesses too. Recruitment is a time consuming exercise, but it is an inevitable part of business, so you have to find the way that works best for you.
SER Limited pride ourselves on making recruitment as easy as possible for our clients, and one of the services that is provided is the Managed Recruitment Service.
This means that we manage your recruitment needs for whole or part of your business. We manage your current preferred suppliers to ensure you get a streamlined service, that your brand is managed and that we source candidates from the best available talent pool.

We work as an extension of your current team ensuring the solution is tailored to fit your organisation, making the recruitment process more efficient, compliant, standardised, reducing costs and improving the whole process to give you a competitive advantage in industries where quality candidates are in short supply. Our solution is scalable and easily managed by hiring managers or your HR Department.

Gary Bentley, the managing director at SER said "SER's Managed Service is designed to save you time and money on your traditional recruitment methods. Our team of consultants make it their aim to really understand your business which allows us to provide top quality candidates just when you need them. "

A managed service is no longer just for large businesses.

E is for Engineering.

As a specialist technical and engineering recruitment company, we couldn't let the alphabet pass by without focusing on our specialisms.

In a report called 'Synopsis, recommendations and calls to action' released by Engineering UK in 2016, it states a rather powerful statistic:

"When it comes to boosting UK productivity, the engineering sector is in a very strong position. In 2014, engineering generated £455.6 billion GDP for the UK. It employed 5,529,000 people (two thirds of whom are practising engineers and technicians) and supported 14.5 million jobs in the UK. It is 68% more productive than the retail and wholesale sector. Every time a new job is created in engineering, two more jobs are created elsewhere in the UK. If engineering can meet the forecasted demand for new vacancies, it would generate an additional £27 billion GDP per year: the equivalent of building 1,800 new secondary schools or 110 new hospitals. In short, a rebalanced economy built on a growing engineering base will be a more productive economy."

This shows in no uncertain terms exactly how crucial the work we do is. We help to fill the vacancies that are created within this sector; however there is a skills shortage. In the same document, it states that,

"Engineering ranked within the top five in-demand sectors for permanent placements for most of 2015."

We have a duty to make sure that the right candidates are presented to the right opportunity at the time in their life that is just right. Our track record is spread over 12 years of successful Technical Recruitment. We have and are dealing with many of the leading organisations and have vacancies available to suit your needs.
Get in touch today to find out how we can help you land yourself the perfect position.

Call: 01254 781300
Web: www.serlimited.com