How to land your dream #Payroll or #HR job!

Welcome back to the newest edition of "Payroll Perspectives"! In this edition,?Natalie Lloyd and I thought it might be helpful to bring to life something we know a lot about—advice that can help you land your next dream Payroll or HR position !

JGA Recruitment Group has led the HR and payroll recruitment scene for 15 years. With a team of the best consultants in the business, we're expertly positioned to support you in your search for your perfect role.

We want to discuss some of our top tips, so let's dive in—those dream jobs will take longer to fill themselves!

First up… the CV.

Hands up if writing a CV is one of your least favourite activities?! ????

We all know what we do well, but for some reason, we can be hit by writer's block when putting it on paper. You are not alone; it is understandable because your CV is arguably the most important document you will ever create. Selling ourselves often does not come naturally either. However, remember, the role of the CV is to secure you an interview. It can also serve as a guide for the interviewer, so we must take the time to get it right.

Therefore, in this competitive landscape, you must take the time to polish your CV to make it stand out. It should be grammatically sound and formatted consistently to inform the recruiter that you pay great attention to detail.

It is also essential that your CV clearly demonstrates your individual strengths and impactful achievements.

An employer wants to see where you can add value to their organisation immediately. Saying you have "implemented a new system" is no longer enough. A hiring manager wants to see the value this implementation has on the organisation. What was the impact? Identify areas where you have impacted and bring these experiences to life. For example. You may improve upon the earlier achievement by writing, "implemented a new system 4 weeks ahead of schedule and within budget; the new application also helped track and subsequently reduce absences by 12% and improved employee engagement by 20%."

Unlocking the interview door you never knew was locked.

Finally, always be bold and detail your passion (in a work context). For example, if you are an inclusivity champion in your company, are passionate about mentoring others, or are just obsessed with accuracy and and compliance - put this on your CV! Whatever floats your boat at work, put it in your summary at the front and centre. Who knows, maybe the hiring manager is seeking someone who can improve inclusivity in their teams? Or they may have individuals who could benefit from mentoring. Or they may have failed their last payroll audit...

Often the real challenges an employer struggles with, as well as the skills and experiences they seek, are omitted from a job description entirely.

Why? Think about it for a moment. How many employers will openly admit to having an inclusivity problem? How many employers want to admit to failing a payroll audit?

However, that doesn't mean they are not committed to improving things, and so by highlighting these skills and passions in your CV, you may just be unlocking a door to an interview room you never knew was locked in the first place.

It's not about ego; it's all about focusing on the intersection of your technical abilities and your personal strengths. At this sweet spot, you'll discover that the CV is the key to a winning application.

So, now that you've mastered the CV, let's discuss Networking and Industry Research!

Finding opportunities means looking beyond job boards and connecting the dots between trends, people, and organisations actively shaping the job market.

The road to securing your dream job in payroll or HR often runs through the power of networking and staying sharp with industry research. Whether you're eyeing a position at a tech start-up or aiming to enhance your visibility within more established organisations, it's about who you know as much as what you know.

By actively engaging in networking and research, you're taking control of your career journey and empowering yourself with the right connections and knowledge.

When I take on a new coaching client, they are often paralysed by the "how." In this context, we procrastinate with questions such as "How do I find a new job in such a competitive market?" "How do I create a CV?" "How do I prepare for an interview?" We lose hours searching Google or typing prompts into Chat-GPT for the answer.

Does that sound familiar?

The solution? Instead of "how", focus on the "who"! Who can help you find a new job? What connections can you reach out to for support? What recruiter can support you with your CV? Who do you know who has recently interviewed that you can speak to for tips? (BTW, I know a great recruiter called JGA Recruitment Group that can help with all these things ??).

When we change how we look at things, the things we look at change. So, utilise your network for answers. Seek out the people, the groups, and the events that can take you one step closer to your career goals.

And remember that social media isn't just for Instagram influencers. Today, platforms like LinkedIn serve as career launchpads, and when used strategically, they can open more doors than you have hands to open.

So, who do you know that can help you land your next dream role?

Leveraging Social Media to Connect with Hiring Managers

Gone are the days when handing out business cards was enough. Now, social media platforms are where connections happen. Use LinkedIn to showcase your accomplishments and talent to the world, and rest assured, the right hiring managers (and recruiters) will take notice. This shift in the job search landscape keeps you informed and up-to-date, ensuring you're not left behind in the competitive market.

You can do it from your living room, and it's one of the most effective ways to get noticed by the people who matter.

But remember, Twitter and Facebook have their places, too. Many recruiters use these platforms for softer engagement and culture fit assessments. So don't underestimate that tweet—it could lead to an interview—or it could be why they reject your application!

Attending Recruitment Events to Expand Professional Networks

If there's one thing technology has yet to change, it's the power of face-to-face networking. Even if most initial interactions happen online, this still matters— it's a way to show your personality human-to-human! By attending recruitment events, you're not just expanding your professional network, you're also becoming part of a community of like-minded professionals, which can be a source of support and inspiration in your job search journey.

Research upcoming recruitment, industry or networking events and add these dates to your calendar. Sometimes, shaking hands beats clicking send, and you will often discover much more about a hiring manager, company or potential colleague in a face-to-face networking event than you ever could over Zoom or MS Teams.

Who knows, the next person you meet at an event could become a future "who" connection that helps you on your career ladder to success.

Besides making personal connections, they're also great opportunities for real-time learning from panel discussions and workshops, often unavailable elsewhere.

Now let's focus on how JGA Recruitment can help along this journey:

JGA Recruitment Group specialises in connecting the industry's best payroll and HR talent with the most aligned employers.

We're proud of our in-depth industry knowledge, and our consultants ensure we're up to date on market shifts and industry updates which influence hiring trends.

With services tailored uniquely around candidate needs, from helping craft winning CVs to navigating recruitment intricacies and interviews, we leave no stone unturned when hunting down our candidates' dream roles.

But it's much more than industry knowledge.

We pride ourselves on profoundly understanding employer brands to ensure the introductions we make resonate on levels both parties appreciate. We achieve this by providing a seamless customer and candidate experience from the very first point of contact - (and trust me, Natalie Lloyd is an absolute professional at this!

A brand's soul is the heart of its identity. We understand that and are here to create connections that lead to a fulfilling and successful work environment for everyone.

Tailoring Applications to Showcase Relevance

Sometimes, standing out in the hiring game is like being a needle in a haystack. But even needles get found when they shine brightly or we look hard enough.

It's all about tailoring your approach to fit the requirements and expectations of a modern-day recruitment process perfectly — like Cinderella's slipper ??

What about when the ATS requires you to fill out an application form?

I want to stress the importance of showcasing skills relevantly—because when it comes down to brass tacks, a bespoke suit always trumps off-the-rack options. ATS are designed to pick up skills from CVs that mirror the skills required in a job description - hence it is imperative that you also align your CV to a job brief if you are applying via an ATS.

You might think a P45 form is so simple to process it doesn't warrant inclusion on your CV (and 99% of the time I would agree) but if this is a form listed on a job specification and you are applying via an ATS, it is worth adding that you have "dealt with P45s" on your CV.

Sadly, ATS systems and inexperienced recruiters will often discount fantastic candidates because they do not have the knowledge of your niche like you do. What seems obvious to you (and therefore not worthy of inclusion on a CV) may seem like a scary omission to an ATS or recruiter who is working solely on finding candidates that most closely match the job brief they have been given.

It is one of the reasons working with a specialist agency like JGA can pay dividends, as we can often bypass this selective process by going straight to the hiring manager and selling your CVs in directly before they even see your CV. By creating a vision of your skills in advance, candidates will often have a far better CV-to-interview ratio working with an agency than applying directly.

However, if you are applying direct via an ATS, here are some tips that may help:

• Ditch cookie-cutter responses.
• Analyse job descriptions meticulously.
• Echo keywords from postings without parroting back entire phrases.

…. Think matchmaker between experience and employer expectations ??

You won't regret it!

The application is in, and the phone rings… you have an interview! ????

Preparing for a job interview is like preparing for a grand performance. All of the attention is on you, so make it count. For those in payroll or HR, the secret to success lies at the intersection of left-brain analysis and right-brain creativity – where precision, emotional intelligence, and storytelling converge.

At JGA, we recommend using the STAR approach in Behavioural Interviews ?

Your interview is not just about ticking boxes; it's about painting the picture of how you handle practical problems with finesse.

The STAR technique isn't just brilliant; it's a clever way to answer questions within behavioural interviews.

STAR covers 4 scenarios:

• Situation - like when end-of-month reporting was chaotic because someone mistyped an entire spreadsheet column (we've all been there).
• Task - the numbers didn't add up, and paychecks were hanging by a thread.
• Action – you took control, rolled up your sleeves and dived headfirst into formulas until every digit was back in line.
• Results—this is the sigh of relief when everyone got paid correctly! Your instantaneous response not only impressed me, but it got the job done.

This method doesn't just tell interviewers what they want to hear; it shows them why they need you on their team, backed up by evidence!

Be a STAR! ??

Crush your interviews with the STAR method, which can be adapted to any format, including phone, video, or group interviews.

Flip the script on AI-generated writing, humanise every word and make your experience resonate with the interviewer. Generic phrases are a non-starter, and interviewers have heard them 10,000 times before, so swap the complex words and Chat-GPT sentences for clarity – rarely will an AI-written script make you sound smarter. Remember, people hire people!

As Einstein once said: "Smart people simplify things."

Adapting to Different Job Interview Formats

The hiring landscape has shifted. It's no longer two people in a room shaking hands across desks. Sometimes, we're nodding through screens during video calls or finding our place within group interviews (an actual test of adaptability if ever there was one). But each format provides an experience for preparation….

You'll start with a phone screening. Here, clarity is king! Your voice carries your confidence more than any firm handshake or glammed-up CV.

Speak clearly, define your experience and outline your expectations. Briefly explain how your experience relates to the role and why the organisation interests you.

Then, the video or face-to-face stages… ????????????????

Video calls are akin to TV appearances—and yes, dressing professionally does extend below waist level – anything could happen, and you don't want to be caught out in pyjama bottoms! Treat a video call the same way as a face-to-face call. Be professional, ask questions, and show you have done your research.

For group settings, think 'talent show' but better. Teamwork takes centre stage here—that's what they're looking for! Show your teamwork, highlight leadership skills, communicate clearly, and listen to others.

Regardless of format, if you can deliver your experiences and how they relate to the role in an informative and engaging way, you'll keep audiences captivated enough to warrant an encore...Here comes the second stage!

Let's recap.

1. Tailor your CV to the job and highlight what makes you unique, always emphasising where your achievements have also had an impact or value on an organisation or team! ??
2. Focus on the "who", not the "how", with the power of networking! Use social media and industry events to build professional connections and unlock opportunities. ????????
3. When your CV is ready, make each application count by tailoring it perfectly with the job spec. That's how you show them you're not just any candidate—you're the right one. ???
4. Win over interviewers by prepping hard, giving real-world examples where you have added value and providing solid examples that showcase your skills. ??
5. Work with a specialist agency like JGA Recruitment and fast-track your way to career success!

You've got this mapped out now - it's time to get strategic and make it happen! ??

As a little reminder - if you need expert help finding the best payroll or HR position or if you are looking to recruit top HR and payroll talent for your teams, contact us at JGA Recruitment. Let our passionate, knowledgeable, and award-winning team assist you in building top-performing teams.

We can support all levels of payroll and HR hire - from executive level CHRO's and CPO's to administrative support roles and Project and Software based contracts assignments to immediate temporary support, across all indiistry verticals!

Meanwhile, stay tuned for our next issue! Let me know if you've been keeping up to date on Payroll Perspectives and if you have a topic you'd love to see covered!

[email protected] | 01727 800 377

Until next time!

Nick and Natalie ??