I rarely get to go on conferences these days, but I have just come away from the one I make a huge effort to get to – The Members Only annual 2-day conference. A chance for the decent people in the recruitment industry to get together, share ideas, learn, listen and reflect on our businesses and how to improve them.

Held in the beautiful Oakley Court Hotel in Windsor and hosted by the equally beautiful Simon and Dan who run Members Only; it was full on (during the day and the evening!) but packed with the most inspirational speakers and a truly lovely set of industry peers to sit with and chat to.

There were so many ideas to take away but I always try to encapsulate my ‘Top 10’ to bring back to the team – ideas I feel am actually going to use to make a positive impact:

1. Business success is motivated by what you are seeking to achieve not by what you are trying to avoid.For example, if you are aiming to grow by 50% in the next year think about all the things you are going to do to make this a reality not about all the things that may hold you back. Positive thinking!
2. Event + Reaction = Outcome.For example, something happens (the event), how you choose to react to the ‘event’ will completely determine the outcome. If you never create a new event then you have nothing to react to and therefore there will be no new outcome. Be brave and create your ‘event’ and positively react to it, to create an outcome.
3. Find the energy source in your company.For example, if you have an enthusiastic and positive person in your company, really nurture and work with them to enthuse then further and others and encourage this behaviour to create a positive environment, culture and progression.
4. Don’t wait for perfect.For example, if you are trying to make something happen but you keep finding reasons why it isn’t right yet, you will be waiting forever. Nothing is completely perfect, but trust yourself that it will be fine and you will make it happen.
5. Visualise success.For example, if you are trying to launch a new idea, have a think in your head what the end goal is and what you think this would look like. Keep this in mind the whole time you are working on this new idea and this will help keep your focus and positivity.
6. Ingrain the values.Think about what you stand for as a company, write them down and live by them. Talk about them frequently with the team to ensure everyone is clear and praise positive behaviour of the values. They soon become the norm.
7. Celebrate the small wins, not just the big ones.It is quite easy for companies to focus on the main wins just once a year in a summary, but smaller wins can happen all the time and can be lost in the day to day. To help motivation and focus, ensure the smaller ones are also acknowledged as well.
8. Your business story and purpose is key.A company that has a clear purpose that people can get behind will be a much more successful business. It will have commercial and cultural benefits. When a company has a ‘north star’ to navigate towards, in this volatile and unpredictable world, it will make the navigation much easier.
9. Act boldly.The most successful and influential people in the world did something out of the norm and never sat on their laurels. Be aware of risk to reputation and ego but this is in your mind and you can learn to control these impulses of ‘flight.’
10. Super strengths.Appreciate what each team member are best at and what they enjoy the most – celebrate and positively channel their super strengths.

A massive thank you to everyone who contributed to my learning this week – I feel inspired and ready to take on the world and improve how I operate – not just at work but at home with the family as well.

Rebecca x

The post Retreat and Reflect: The Members Only Annual Conference appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

Last week we have sent out an email to our lovely Clients asking permission to keep their details on our database (amazingly high response and all positive so far – hurrah and thank you so much for your continued support everyone

We are just about to start sending out emails to all of our Candidates asking for their permission to keep their details on our database as well. A much bigger task as you can well imagine and will probably take the rest of the month to get through. So if you are one of our Candidates reading this and haven’t got an email yet, please bear with us.

We have opted to go for full informed consent for all of the people we hold data on and this will be requested every 12 months and deleted if they don’t give us permission.  We are also amending our Terms and Conditions at the end of our email signatures, on our website and when we post up a job, to make it completely clear that we will be holding information on a person if they become a Client or Candidate of ours.

There are a number of rights that need to be taken into account and respected when complying with GDPR from our perspective and we have summarised them below:

Right to be informed

The most obvious one – if you hold a person’s data they need to know about it and be reminded about it within a reasonable time frame.  We have been advised 1 year is a reasonable amount of time before we will ask again.

Right to request information held

At any point, anyone you hold data for is able to ask for a copy of this data.  In our case, this is anything from their CV to all of the email and note correspondence we have about them on our database.  We have 30 days to respond to this request.

Right to rectification

If a person’s data has changed or they want to add or amend any details, then they need to have the ability to do this.  This should be done asap.

Right to erase

If a person would like us to delete their details from our system then we need to respect their wishes.  Again we have 30 days to complete this.  The only reason for us not to is if the person is being investigated for criminal activity and it was to be used as evidence.

Data protection and security

As a professional company holding people’s personal and possibly sensitive information, we need to ensure that this data is held securely and protected against someone accessing it without permission. Although data held online is never 100% safe from hackers of course, we have a 2 step verification password data system that has to involve our mobile phones as well and password protected laptops. It is our company policy that we can’t leave laptops open and unlocked if we step away from it and we don’t hold anything in hard copy, apart from our physical note books, which we have to legally keep for 3 years.

Hopefully this helps and although we are by no means experts in UK law, we are at least making the effort to embrace keeping data safe and controlled.

Rebecca x

The post The GDPR conundrum…. appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from the Scout team and hope that 2018 brings success and positivity for you, your family and your team!

A reminder of our office opening hours over the Christmas period:

Friday 22nd December: Open until 1pm

Christmas Day: Closed

Boxing Day: Closed

27^th December: Closed but available on Nick or Rebecca’s mobile

28^th December: Closed but available on Nick or Rebecca’s mobile

29^th December: Closed but available on Nick or Rebecca’s mobile

30^th December: Closed but available on Nick or Rebecca’s mobile

New Year’s Eve: Closed

New Year’s Day: Closed

2^nd January – 5th January – Not in the office but available on Nick or Rebecca’s mobile

8th January – Back in the office ready for 2018 fun!!

Rebecca x

The post Merry Christmas from Scout… appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

Well if we move past the fact we are nearly at the end of 2017, we thought we would take a few minutes to let you know what you can expect in the forthcoming year!

We know all too well how important it is to keep an eye on what is affecting our industry. If you blink, you’ll miss something!

1. Increase in Remote working

When applying for a role with companies today, more and more companies are increasingly offering remote working as one of their company benefits.

Why you may ask. Well according to a recent survey of Millenials over 80% would prefer this option with the added benefit of flexible working hours. With connectivity and WIFI speeds now sufficiently high and with modern conferencing facilities and the ability of augmented reality, allowing people to communicate easily while sharing documents and information all for different locations.

Startups have begun hiring remote workers, allowing them to work from the comfort of their home full time.

While we are not there yet and this solution doesn’t work for everyone we suspect it will become more prevalent.

2. How we communicate – Smartwatches, Wearables & IoT

Communicating with candidates or colleagues through smart products is definitely the next big revolution in the digital marketing arena. This has the potential to target the “always on’ digital generation in a way they can engage with.

‘The Internet of Things’ will open up new avenues for direct engagement. Smart watches and wearable fitness trackers are predicted to generate huge tranches of valuable information which can be then be used to effectively target end users with relevant opportunities.

3. Targeting the now – Mobile

Smartphones have now reached saturation point and now a large proportion of the activity job seeking market use them to conduct on the spot research. Effectively targeting these opportunities with specific opportunity will allow much higher engagement.

Making the content relevant will help significantly to, Google have already announced that their mobile first algorithm that will be launching in 2018 which will mean that everything will need to be relevant and mobile friendly( https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-mobile-first-indexing-what-it-is-how-you-can-prepare/212104/ ).

4. Understanding and using Social Messaging Apps

Dark Social – This is a potential issue for recruiters, HR and companies alike, where people share content on private social media platforms like Facebook Messenger, Snap Chat or Whatsapp. For more info on dark social https://blog.hootsuite.com/dark-social/#whatis

Stats reveal that this sector is responsible for three quarters of all outbound sharing; and simply has to be targeted in 2018. There are huge potential opportunities for companies that can effectively find a way of infiltrating with private social messaging apps. So this is really an area that recruiters and companies alike should look to monetize in 2018 as it will help significantly in expanding their market reach.

In Summary – 2018 = Digital Transformation

2018 will see a significant change to digital marketing landscape but these will offer businesses the opportunity to take advantage. Staying on top of the trends can certainly help marketers/agencies to find better ways to connect out to potential employees, convert opportunities, and maintain a relevant dialogue in an ever changing marketplace.

Nick.

The post Trends in Marketing Agency Recruitment for 2018… appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

It is very well documented that healthy body = healthy mind and here at Scout we truly believe that! One of the reasons we organise group PT sessions for the team. Exercise not only re-stimulates the brain but it boosts your immune system, gives you more energy, helps you sleep more soundly, plus your clothes fit a bit better

So we have decided to put together a little programme for you, to help you get in shape for interviews and landing your new dream job and give you the motivation you need. Just think of us as your PT (Placement Team)!

Exercise 1: The CV ‘shuffle’

When on the search for a new role, your CV is the first port of call. This will need to be dug out, amended and refreshed. There are a number of simple and elegant templates around now and you don’t need to be an In-Design expert to make them look good. Don’t rush it, get someone else the check it, run a spelling and grammar check and make sure you keep it succinct, especially if you have quite a few years’ experience.

Exercise 2: The role ‘lunge’

Before approaching others about a change of role, have a good think about the type of role you are ideally looking for, the location and the type of industry you see your new role being in. For example, we have a lot of Candidates wanting to go from Agency Account Service to Client side Brand Manager – this is quite a jump and we always discuss the negatives along with the positives to ensure they have fully thought through this shift and if it is definitely the right thing for them. Once this is clear in your mind, then approaching prospective employers or recruitment consultancies is easier.

Exercise 3: The email ‘step’

Once you are happy that your CV is looking its best and the content reflects your experience entirely, and that you are clear in your mind what your next role should look like, then you need to get it out there. National job sites are a good start, there are a few big ones but make sure you also look at the niche sites dedicated to your industry as that is where employers and recruiters in your field will be also looking. Before you do this though, email out to the Recruitment Consultancies you have enjoyed working with in the past or a recommendation from a friend, as they should make the process a lot easier and smoother for you than just being bombarded with irrelevant job specs.

Exercise 4: The interview ‘stretch’

It may have been a while since you have actually interviewed, so getting into shape for the actual interview is the final but vital stage. Make sure you have done your homework thoroughly on the company you have secured a meeting with, ask your recruiter (if it is via them) any questions you have as they should know a lot about the company and the role, have some questions to ask the interviewer at the end, make sure you plan your journey well ahead of time and the outfit you are going to wear. And remember; good eye contact, good hand shake and smile!

Follow these simple exercises and you will be fit and ready to land your new job! Enjoy our PT session!

Rebecca x

The post Exercise your body and mind… appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

This month marks 5 years of Scout Talent Ltd. So in celebration of this, we thought we would tell you 5 things about Scout that you may not know yet!

1. All of us Scout members & associates past and present have 17 children between us. We are quite a family orientated company and there is a lot of chat in the office about what our kids are up to most of the time. Us parents just manage their social diaries!

2. Did you know that the Scout staff are more than just consultants!! To give you a few examples: Nick is an ex-Wasps Rugby player and at the weekend trains the next generation of mini rugby players. Rebecca is certainly an example of healthy body/healthy mind and has just run Tough Mudder last weekend, for charity. Stacey is a keen netballer and recently took part in the regional Bisham Abbey Netball Tournament and is also a top-notch dancer – not at the same time though! Nessa has been an active member of St. John for a number of years and recently won the Service to St John Trophy for voluntary work.

3. We have just re-launched our website with a few tweaks and additions. It explains in further detail about the wider consultative services we now offer in addition to recruitment – they include HR, Learning & Development, Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Growth consultancy. (scout.co.uk)

4. We have recently launched our newest branch of Scout in sunny Poole in Dorset. Our lovely Stacey has moved there with her family and now we are able to help Clients and Candidates down there as well. For enquiries in the Dorset area please drop a line to stacey@scout.co.uk

5. We have also recently moved to brand new offices in Spaces Marlow. Spaces is a fantastic concept in office working for smaller businesses and start ups. It has great facilities including lounge areas, meetings rooms, hot-desking areas and best of all a lovely café in which we can top up our caffeine intake! It also has a great outdoor space in which we run our Bootcamp sessions. Please just let me know if you want to come and visit us in our new home! (Shout out to Jen on front desk as well – she is brilliant and solves any issues in a flash!) spacesworks.com

We would really like to thank all of our Clients and Candidates, past and current, for all of their support over the 5 years and really hope that we are writing a blog about the 10^th year of Scout when the time comes.

Rebecca x

The post Scout is 5 years old! appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

She is in the process of completing her level 3 CIPD qualification as well and is very well versed in talent management, employee engagement and change management. Nessa will specialise in Client side Recruitment and talent management, drawing from her years of Client side experience.

“Having worked closely with Scout for the last 5 years, I was incredibly excited when the opportunity came up to not just work with them, but for them as one of the team!  The culture, ethos and energetic feel of the business suits me down to the ground and I can’t wait to get stuck in, learning from industry experts Nick and Rebecca.”

We really look forward to introducing Nessa to all of our Clients in the next few weeks and her providing some valuable advise to both Client teams and Candidates.

When you do get to have a chat with her, ask her about her love of Unicorns, where her tattoos are and her hatred of onions!

Rebecca x

The post Nessa joins the Scout Team… appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

As some of you who have entered awards before know, the submission documents take hours to prepare and the judging is tough, but it has all been worth it!! Judges this year included Heads of Talent management from brands such as Weetabix and Manchester University.

Our submission detailed why we believe the experience our Candidates have with us is good in the first place (marketing training, listening, honesty, enjoyment and fun). We also surveyed a cross section of our recent Candidates and had some wonderful feedback from them. It also included some specific case studies from Candidates and Clients, and finally we challenged the judges to test us out for themselves and go for a current job to see how we treated them!

The awards ceremony is on 30th November in London so we are crossing fingers and toes that we win! We will of course keep you posted on the outcome – little while to wait yet though!

Rebecca x

The post Scout are Finalists at the MADRA awards!! appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

As some of you who have entered Drum awards before know, the submission documents take hours to prepare and the judging is tough, but it has all been worth it!! Some of the judges this year include; Head of Talent at Tesco, BT, The Co-op Group and Standard Life and Heads of Agencies such as Calgary, Tonic and Thirty Three.

Our submission detailed why we believe the experience our Candidates have with us is good in the first place (marketing training, listening, honesty, enjoyment and fun). We also surveyed a cross section of our recent Candidates and had some wonderful feedback from them. It also included some specific case studies from Candidates and Clients, and finally we challenged the judges to test us out for themselves and go for a current job to see how we treated them!

The awards ceremony is on 7^th September in Manchester so we are crossing fingers and toes that we win! We will of course keep you posted on the outcome!

Rebecca x

The post Scout are Finalists at the Drum awards!! appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.

When applying this theory to interviews, we all know that they can be daunting, scary and worrying – even if you are the most experienced in your field and you are the only person in the world that can do that job, you can still get nervous and fearful of the interview process. So how should you overcome your fears and ensure you nail it?

Preparation is key

A bit like exam time at school, you feel much more confident if you have prepared in advance and done your homework. At Scout we ensure every Candidate is as fully prepped as we can make them before stepping into the interview, but there is only so much we can do. Make sure you know their website and social media pages well, plus it always helps to look up the person who is interviewing you to check their background and experience. Be able to recite every aspect of your CV backwards and ensure that all your examples of the skill set you have are to the forefront of your mind, not hidden so you have to search around for answers in the actual interview.

Practice makes perfect

Particularly if you are new to the workplace and just haven’t had many interviews or if you know that you get particularly nervous when put on the spot, try to have a bit of practice before the day. If you are interviewing via Scout, we will certainly do a trial run to help you or ask someone you trust with more experience than you to ask you a few questions and critique your answers. Take it seriously though – possibly not best to ask your mate when you are down the pub!

Feel comfortable

This is often underestimated but what you wear is very important to how you feel on the day. We advise wearing something you have worn before so you know how it is going to react (ie. Sweat patches!). I think it is easier for ladies to get this wrong as there are so many clothes that need to be avoided: Nothing too tight, too short or too low. For the gentlemen, probably nothing too tight either but go a bit smarter than you would usually wear. All of Scout’s Candidates are not going for interviews at a bank and the creative industry as a rule is much more relaxed, but you still need to leave your potential employer with a good impression.

Planning your journey

I spend my life late and I hate being late (I blame my children for most of this though but it is a huge mistake to be late for an interview. Starting off on the wrong foot with the hiring manager and turning up flustered and rushed is not ideal. If you assume there is going to be traffic or a delay on the tube, take this into account before you leave. Always check the address and map out your journey the day before if you can. The amount of times people think they know where they are going and they don’t know exactly and can’t find the correct entrance always astounds me.

Killer questions

Finally, once you have practiced your interview technique, chosen the perfect outfit, got to the interview on time and navigated the tough questions, it is always best practice to have a few questions of your own for the interviewer. This not only shows that you have done your research but that you are interested in what they have to say. A good one to ask if you are stuck for ideas because all of your other questions have been answered is about the future of the company. You want the job, you want to be there in the future so it is a good idea to ask about their plans.

Scout are always available to help you with your interview preparation so just ask if you are needing some help conquering your fears.

Rebecca x

The post Conquering your interview fears appeared first on Scout Talent Detectives.