VWA's Latest News & Insights for Hiring Managers
VWA (Victoria Wall Associates)
Searching Today's Talent to Create Tomorrow's Success
Welcome to our September edition of VWA’s quarterly newsletter for hiring managers. You’ll find this issue packed full of resources and useful insights from VWA’s experienced Consultants, plus some handy guides we’ve put together to support you during the recruitment process and beyond.
In this edition:
Also in this edition, did you know VWA has a dedicated Research Team? VWA's Researchers are an essential resource within the Recruitment team, focused on finding top talent for our clients. Learn more about how they support our Consultants and add value to our clients. VWA's Head of Research and Administration, Hannah King and Principal Research Consultant, Melissa Woodthorpe-Browne explain all.
Grab a cuppa and read on…
Market Update by Co-MD, Nick Coleridge-Watts
As we near the final quarter of 2024, the market is beginning to see slightly more uniformity around hybrid working, with most financial services firms settling on 4:1, and greater flexibility being less frequent. Clients are often keen to justify headcount and prefer to fully explore the internal redistribution of work before approving a search. Once committed, those clients who keep processes swift and efficient without unnecessary extra steps are mostly likely to secure the staff they want. From the candidate perspective, with yearend bonuses in sight, many on notice periods will begin to put their job searches on hold until the New Year. For those looking now, salary increases which keep ahead of cost of living concerns remain a top priority for candidates, along with hybrid working.?
Why Choosing a Specialist Recruitment Consultancy Makes Sense in a Tough Market
The UK job market is a challenging environment right now, with businesses finding it increasingly difficult to secure the right talent, especially during economic downturns. A recent report highlighted a staggering 90% drop in profits for Hays, one of the UK’s biggest recruitment firms, due to a sluggish recruitment market. This significant drop shows just how tough things can be for larger, generalist recruitment agencies in uncertain times. But this is where specialist recruitment consultancies like VWA shine, as we offer unique advantages that can help businesses navigate these turbulent waters more effectively…
Click on the image below to read the article in full:
The Role of Soft Skills in Hiring and Team Building
In the realm of business support recruitment, the emphasis on soft skills is paramount for roles such as Executive Assistants, Personal Assistants, and Office Managers (for example). Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are indispensable qualities that shape the effectiveness of business support professionals, ensuring they contribute positively to the organisation's dynamics and overall success. At VWA, we recognise the critical role that soft skills play in the success of business support roles. By adding focus to these skills during the hiring process, we ensure that our clients benefit from professionals who not only excel in their technical abilities but also bring invaluable interpersonal qualities to their teams. Click on the image below to read on:
Unlocking Gen Z Potential: Strategies to Attract and Motivate the Next Generation of Talent
As the first digital natives, Generation Z are stepping into the workforce with a unique set of skills, expectations, and values. Born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s Gen Z are characterised by their tech-savviness, social consciousness, and desire for meaningful work. In order to attract, motivate, and retain Gen Z within the corporate workspace, hiring managers must adapt and innovate.
Discover some key strategies to unlock Gen Z’s potential and create a dynamic, engaged workforce – click below to read on:
Get to Know Your Dedicated Research Team
We are masters at finding and assessing candidates, getting to the heart of their job search in minutes! As part of VWA's recruitment process, we identify candidates’ key skills and experience, build their profiles by carrying out competency-based interviews, provide career advice and guidance and discuss key motivators and aspirations.
With over 20 years of experience in our Research team, we have been able to develop an exceptionally strong candidate network.
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What value do you add to VWA’s clients?
Hannah:?The Research team is a dedicated resource focused on finding top talent for our clients – essentially operating as an outsourced talent acquisition team. We seek to match the best candidates with our live roles as well as having the time to develop a talent pipeline which aligns with VWA’s wider client base. As experienced researchers with extensive knowledge of the recruitment process, we have a detailed and honed knowledge of our clients’ nuances which is a strength when matching candidates to roles. We also don’t have candidate ownership, meaning that candidates are matched to roles based on their strengths and suitability, regardless of who they know best within the VWA recruitment team!
What value do you add to VWA’s Recruitment Consultants?
Melissa:?As researchers, we help our Recruitment Consultants deliver results more quickly. In fulfilling our roles, consultants can present a focused and relevant shortlist to clients, relying on our extensive market research, and most importantly, our in depth understanding of the candidates. This collaboration enhances the overall recruitment process and ensures a more efficient service for both clients and candidates.
Where and how do you find your candidates?
Hannah:?We are able to engage with candidates through direct advertising on our website and posting to well-known job platforms including LinkedIn. As skilled recruitment Researchers, we headhunt in a considered way by making targeted approaches, and are thrilled to be recommended through our extensive networks! Many of our temps have been with us for over 10 years, and a number of clients started off as candidates and have returned to us in both capacities over the years!
What makes you a successful Researcher?
Melissa:?Having the ability to dig deep and encourage candidates is key to the success of a Researcher. We also need to be good listeners, in order to understand what a candidate’s motivations and goals are, yet be able to advise when their expectations are unrealistic. We are also often a sounding board for candidates who might find job hunting to be a challenge, and can share insights on market conditions. Additionally, having an inquisitive mind and being trustworthy are key qualities to building successful business relationships in recruitment.
In the current candidate market, what main challenges do we face?
Melissa:?Post-covid, there are still discrepancies in expectations between candidates and employers (such as the topic of hybrid working, especially for office support roles) which can impact decision making on both sides. We also spend a lot of time managing salary expectations; there is usually some uplift in a new role, but it’s not always the big jump (20%+) that some seem to expect. And lastly, in the current economic cycle, we are seeing some permanent roles being put on hold, with a corresponding increase in temp opportunities, as companies try and manage some uncertainty.
What do you enjoy about your role?
Hannah:?Talking to people is the key one! Speaking to ten candidates with the same job title can lead to such different conversations based on those individuals, which is one of the most interesting parts of our job as recruitment Researchers. We love helping people develop their careers and provide support during recruitment processes, while also having the opportunity to collaborate with VWA colleagues and learn something new everyday about our clients!
Get to know Hannah and Melissa (and the rest of the VWA team!) here:
Understanding Interview Bias and How Hiring Managers Can Avoid It
Interview bias is a pervasive issue that can significantly impact the fairness and effectiveness of the hiring process. It occurs when a hiring manager's personal beliefs, experiences, or assumptions unfairly influence their evaluation of a candidate. Recognising and mitigating interview bias is crucial for hiring managers committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.
In this blog, we explore the different types of interview bias and provide actionable strategies to avoid them. Click below to read in full:
Meet your VWA Consultants
Get to know our experienced and dedicated team of consultants better with our Meet the Team series. Each quarter, we will be sharing a little Q&A with a member of the team so you can see, we really are a friendly bunch! This time we’d love to introduce you to one of our highly experienced members of the Permanent Division, Principal Consultant, Samantha! Click the image below to meet Samantha:
If you’d like to hear more about our services or anything covered in this newsletter, or would like to make an enquiry, please reach out to [email protected].