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Christmas Marketing

Christmas marketing guide from Direct Response Employment

Festive season is here – whether you like it or not, everyone’s getting excited and we are all looking forward to the Christmas Day. The run-up to Christmas is the perfect opportunity to win your recruitment brand some extra attention by building a positive brand image that helps you stand out from the crowd.

We have put together 3 tips that will help you promote your recruitment brand during the festive season.

  1. Be active on social media.December is a busy month for many people and social media is a great example to prove this. With social media users organising events, putting photos of Christmas bakes, shopping and Christmas trees, it can be a real battle to get any engagement on content. If you want to be noticed it’s important to choose a recruitment-related Christmas topic that you can regularly post on social media. For example, Advent countdowns always tend to go down well, as these also function as a countdown to getting some much needed time off! However, the important thing here is to make sure you remain relevant and valuable to your users with what you share.Another good idea is to share photos of different events going on within the company such as Christmas Jumper Day, Christmas party or you delivering gifts to clients. This will all boost your chances of reaching a wider pool of people on social media and will show you’re being engaging and positive during this time of the year.  
  2. Website and emails.A good idea could be to update your logo with a Christmassy image on your website and social media. It doesn’t need to be a complex design, you can simply add Santa’s hat, as this small addition will be enough to make everyone notice you’re in the festive spirit!When writing Christmas emails, why not go for a festive email signature instead of the same and old one? This unique idea will spread the festive cheer with every email you send. 
  3. Gifts for clients.

Sending or giving Christmas gifts to clients is always going to be great for your company brand, as who doesn’t like to know they’re appreciated? The more original you can be with this the better, but only go as far with this as makes sense. It’s never a good idea to go overboard resource-wise, and make sure you choose carefully, when deciding what to send them!

Start using Christmas to promote your recruitment brand now, and your company will be off to an excellent start come the New Year – when being visible to candidates really matters. Embracing the festivities will not only help you stand out as a recruitment brand with personality, but you’ll have a lot of fun with it too! 

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New Year, New CV!

new year new cv

2020 is fast approaching and you may be thinking of changing your job in the early months of next year, but have you thought of updating your CV?

 A common New Year’s resolution for many of us is to land a new job that we love. However, in a highly competitive jobs market, it’s vital you have a strong CV and a positive attitude.  The goal here is to give whoever reads the document the best understanding of who you are professionally. If ever there is a time to tell everyone how good you are then this is it! We’ve put together 5 tips which we hope will help your New Year job search.

  1. Make it SIMPLE.CVs should be no longer than two pages of A4. You may not know, but statistics show employers spend on average just 8 seconds looking at one CV. Keep it short and sweet and remember the most important information lies in your education and experience. Your choice of font and layout are a key to making sure a potential employer carries on reading your CV. Simple formats work best – we recommend choosing Calibri or Arial as a safe option. 
  2. Don‘t be generic.Take time to update your CV with a relevant skill set when applying for different positions. Don’t send exactly the same CV when applying for jobs. Research the company and use the job advert to work out exactly what skills you should point out to them. They will appreciate the obvious effort. 
  3. Update and check.Make sure you update your CV, add relevant skills and experience. Ideally only include 2-3 previous employers, unless you have older jobs relevant to the position you’re applying for.Double or triple check your CV for spelling, grammar and punctuation. If you’re unsure then use a spellchecker and ask someone else to double-check what you’ve written.  
  4. Avoid jargon and buzzwords.It can be tempting to chuck in what we consider to be great personality traits, for example – team player, passionate, motivated – you get the drift. Instead use words such as: trained, accurate, achieved, managed etc. 
  5. Last but not least – NO LYING!

Putting incorrect information on your CV is not a good idea at all. It will only put you in a very awkward situation when it comes to employers checking your background and references or when you get asked a question during your interview and you won’t be able to answer it.

Updating your CV can be an easy process as long as you know what you want to do with it. But, the best idea is to review your CV regularly – usually up to every 6 to 12 months. This way, you don’t risk forgetting any important information that needs to go in it.

If you need help with updating your CV, contact us now and we will be able to help.

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Say ‘Yes’ to Job Hunting in December

Job hunting in Wiltshire

With Christmas fast approaching with just three weeks left, you may not have thought of job hunting in December. 

Many people think December is the worst time of the year to look for a job, as companies slow down and can take a little bit longer than usually to get back to you regarding your job application, interviews or offers.  Also, candidates are often found winding down for Christmas and pledging to find a new job come January.

However, this provides a big opportunity for job seekers, who want to secure a new position before the New Year. 

Here are some reasons why you should consider looking for a job in the exciting month of December and not wait till January.

  1. CompetitionAs mentioned above, people don’t tend to look for a new job in December, so if you’re looking for your new job in December, you’re up against less competition.  While everyone else waits to start their job search in January, start your job hunt now. Fewer applicants mean more chance of your CV being noticed and a quicker hiring process.
  2. Start work in JanuaryJanuary is often a very busy time of year for many companies and so managers may struggle to fit in interviews and training of new staff members promptly.The end of the year, especially just before the holiday period, can often be calmer in terms of workload, making it easier for teams to consider their recruitment for the year ahead. This makes it an ideal time for you to get in touch with companies and to start applying for jobs.  Ignore the myth that hiring managers are not looking for candidates at the end of the year.
  3. Evidence of Determination

When looking for a job in December, you will impress recruiters with your determination. It’s easy to take December slow, but if you are one of those who doesn’t lose motivation and stays proactive, that will definitely shine through.

The holidays are a great time to take a break—and many do. But, if you want to stand out in your job search, you may want to consider being more active than most people and keep pushing your job search forward. Now is the time.