Recognising burnout….

We’ve spoken about burnout before, and I think it’s a really important topic in our market and something that can creep up too easily as we try to balance more and more work with social lives restarting in earnest. We all need to take time and look for support where we see the signs of burnout occurring. It may be that you recognise it in yourself, but it may also be something you see in others. Companies that are proactive in their support can benefit from lower levels of burnout as people won’t hit that wall or will be better equipped when they do. Awareness is key and this checklist is absolutely worth taking on board.

Dealing with Procrastination: Podcast

A podcast targeting procrastination and avoidance. More often than not people know they are ready for their next role or to take on a new challenge, but we put it off. We wait for change to happen to us rather than pushing for it. We can’t do anything about the rest of life but if a new job would help, we can at least have a chat.

New Strategies for a New Digital Marketing Era

The marketing industry has completely transformed in the past decade. Most attribute this to the rise of digital marketing which has grown to encompass 72% of total spending of as of 2020. Yet despite the huge reliance this has placed on third-party tracking, many companies seem unprepared for the next upcoming tidal shift.

As explored in this Consultancy.uk article: big tech platforms are moving preemptively to anonymize their users. The increasing public pressure to legislate on third party data collection has forced their hand.

Worryingly, a recent YouGov study of UK companies highlights the reluctance of most to begin research for a replacement of these lost information flows. Time is critical. With Google scheduled to remove tracking cookies by 2023, it is essential that businesses begin developing alternate strategies for maintaining relationships with consumers now.

This has the capacity to change the recruitment landscape too. Recruiters should begin planning how they will compensate for the diminishing utility of tracking systems. But it’s not all doom and gloom! Recruitment firms have the capacity to fill this gap – becoming an ever more valuable tool for job searches. What is lost in dataflows will most likely create a more active pool of talent, who we can help source the right positions for.

- John Barker

Good Communication equals (=) more than (>) ‘Good Communication’

I used to think ‘good communication skills’ was the most meaningless and laziest requirement to list on a job spec, or indeed to list as a trait on a CV. What, so you can actually speak with other humans? Well wow, aren’t you special?

Apparently we’re all supposed to get even more cynical in our old age, but I’m going to try and buck the trend; after many years as a recruiter dealing with candidates and clients from all over the world, I now have an unwavering appreciation of the ability to build successful relationships, manage tricky stakeholders, make great first impressions, navigate internal politics, and the skill of public speaking.

‘Good communication skills’ still doesn’t cut it for me. It’s too simplistic a phrase and too easily thrown around. It’s become a bit of a meaningless box ticker. Ironically, the ‘communication’ problem lies with side requesting it.

Anyway, maybe that’s the cynical part of me poking it’s head out and wanting to have its own say. This most undervalued and underestimated collection of skills – and how to improve in them – is explored very nicely here by comms guru Flo Akinbiyi

-        Tariq Siraj

Recruitment – time to rip up the rule book

Struggling to recruit? Can’t find the talent you need to grow, or fill a gaping hole in your team?

In the world in which I operate (Indirect Tax i.e. VAT and Customs & Global Trade), the candidate drought is having a considerably adverse effect – shortlists for most roles are becoming shorter, if not altogether absent! I’m sure the same applies to other niche sectors as well. Read More