Latest Blog posts from BFRSS.org.uk

Are you part of the Social Media Revolution

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Technologies have accelerated the rate at which relationships develop, we use social mediums in everything we do.

People now use social technology to help shape the world's events, cultures, relationships, businesses and employment!

Social must be a strategy that is integrated correctly, There are a number points to consider when using it:

- Be clear about who your audience is

- Be clear about what you want

- Make it simple

- Presentation matters

- Include your audience

- Show results

It doesn't matter how we use social technology or what medium we use, one thing is clear, and is that you need to think before you hit the Enter Key. It can be as simple as adding a status on your Facebook page, like the Woman 'sacked' after abusing her boss on Facebook.

There are other implications here;

"Consider that if Lindsay had gone to her human resources department and complained about her “pervy” boss, her concerns about the job she hated would have become a serious issue for the company; in the age of the internet, she was summarily fired because she made her accusations in public while still on her probation period." Matt Warman from the The Telegraph

The problem is that we are at the start of a social media revolution, we are changing at a speed we could never have imagined or have ever seen.

Everything happens faster than ever before. For example: I can post a job in one location, hit a key that posts this job in a hundred locations for free. This can be viewed by more than 5000 people within hours. Let’s say only 0.5% of these are interested and only quarter of the 0.5% are able to meet the skills required and apply, that’s 6 candidate applications in a couple of hours.

We communicate and collaborate on so many forums, using smartphones allowing us instance access to the world, allowing anyone to have an influence on others.

While everyone is embracing this change, social media must be a strategy that is integrated correctly with everything we do. In general most of us haven’t caught up with the speed of this change, at the moment we trying to combine two very different cultures.

Anyone that wishes to be successful in the future should recognise the need for changing the way they engage.

Know The Market Of Your Potential Job

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A lot of people these days are sold stories on which jobs are glamorous, which industries and sectors are the big money earners and which markets are the most stable. However, how much do you really know about the market of the role you have an interview for?

Having an in depth opinion of the industry shows you know what you are talking about, truly know what the job entails and are passionate about it.

Recruiters don’t want to hire someone who wants to get into the industry simply because they know people who have said it’s good or they’ve heard about the success of others.

Interviewers will be looking for professionals who can tell them what they like about the industry, recount its history and give an opinion on where they think it will be in 5 years time.

It is also important to get an idea of the market too so that you know who the competitors are and what the market position is for the company you’re interviewing with. Being able to comment on such factors, or possibly even compliment, sets you in motion to establish common ground and build good rapport.

Rejection From A Job Interview – A Worthwhile Lesson

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Chances are at some point you will have to face some sort of rejection from a recruiter, but it is how you deal with this rejection that sets you up for your interviews for future jobs. Criticism can be a good source of useful information, as long as you can take it on board and learn from it.

If you receive, or do at some point in the future, a rejection from a job application always ask for feedback. It doesn’t matter what stage of the process you are rejected at, always request the reasons behind their decision.

Once you have this do not let it negatively affect you and your motivation, instead use it as an excellent means of improving. Now that you know what your stumbling block was you can set actions in place to resolve it, whether it is something on your CV, your attire or perhaps even something you said during an interview.

Criticism can definitely be a worthwhile lesson, just make sure you take the good from the bad and move forward.

Don't Be So Modest In Your Post Military Job Search…

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What wouldn’t you change about your life?

It’s definitely a question which provokes a lot of thought and even more analysis over what would be an acceptable answer.

However, if we were to ask what you would change about your life we bet you could think of a number of different things instantly and wouldn’t hesitate to tell us them all. Why is this?

Our training and development within the Forces is a big part of the reasoning behind this. We were trained to be modest and not boast about our achievements. As much as these are brilliant traits to have, it’s time to stop eating so much humble pie whilst searching and interviewing for your next career.

Think about everything you have been involved in and embrace it, there is a difference between being outrageously self-centred and merely stating the positive impact you have had whilst being in the Military and the communities you may have helped.

Everyone has done something worth discussing so use your experiences to set yourself apart and be proud of what you have achieved, recruiters / employers will not be impressed by someone who cannot recognise the value they can and have contributed both within and outside of employment.

Many service leavers simply don’t understand the commercial sector

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BFRS believe that many service leavers simply don’t understand the commercial sector and can lose motivation during their resettlement.

Whether you are starting to plan your departure from the Armed Forces or you left sometime ago, we would be interested in your thoughts and advice on what plans you put in place and what kept you motivated ?

Don’t Make A Mistake While Seeking A Post Military Job

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Looking for your first post military job can be a busy and confusing time. With so much going on it’s easy to make mistakes and overlook certain areas.

Always remember to be organised with your search, knowing who you want to apply to and why will help you write a better, tailored CV and covering letter. Remember to check your references first, ensure the person is happy to provide a reference and a good one too. Also do not use a work email; using your employers resources for personal reasons may not impress potential recruiters.

Limiting your job options is also a common mistake. It is good to have focus when it comes to your job search, but remain open minded about opportunities rather than only considering one specific role. Don’t write off temporary roles either, they provide you with good commercial experience and can often lead to a permanent role within the company.

Finally, send a thank you note. Most people don’t think about this, which is why you should and be sure to stand out from the crowd.

What Not To Write When Applying For Post Military Jobs

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It’s a very competitive market right now and your CV has to stand out. There are a few simple rules you need to ensure you have followed in order to make sure your CV doesn’t turn off recruiters and employers.

Save room for important, factual information and don’t ramble. Listing basic skills everyone has is not beneficial, such as Microsoft and the internet. Only list specialist programme familiarity that will be relevant to the role you are applying too such as programming languages if applying for a software engineering role. There is also no need for ‘responsible for’, just list the responsibilities straight away rather than wasting valuable lines and space.

Avoid generalisations and unsupported statements. With your new found space ensure you back up your claims. Don’t say you are experienced without listing experience, a team worker with no evidence of team working or accomplished and results driven with no proof of achievements.

Make a list of what you have been involved with and achieved and go from there, only detail things you can back up confidently in an interview or you’ll fail at the second hurdle.

Ready For The New Year Rush?

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OK Over the next couple of weeks you'll be taking a well earned rest over Christmas and New Year holidays.

Come January are you ready for the rush? Did you know January is the most active month in the UK recruitment industry year? Even with the doom and gloom around us, this coming Jan is likely to adopt the same trend. Are you ready for the increased competition too?

So what can you do right now? Update your CV so it really is giving you the best opportunity to take advantage of those great positions coming soon. Recruiters will now be thinking about that pipeline for 2012. Why not pick up the phone and stay connected with your recruiter/ agency.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Dave

2012 OLYMPIC RESULTS FOR YOU?

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“At the end of each day, you should play back the tapes of your performance. The results should either applaud you or prod you.” JIM ROHN

Moving back into civilian life from the military can sometimes feel like you are training for running in the Olympics. You start with passion and enthusiasm and then, generally, there are three problems that arise:

1.You become overwhelmed with ideas and information.
2. You need to learn new skills.
3. Getting time to spend on making the right move.

What can we learn from our Olympic athletes?

1. Have a written action plan/ diary dates and stick to it like a postage stamp.
2. Commit 100% to your goal.
3. Identify and monitor your competitor’s performance and achievements.
4. Monitor, measure and develop your own business skills and performance.
5. Manage time, all the time.
6. Making some time for fun as a reward.
7. They have and use a support team.

TIPS TO KICK-OFF 2012

1. Identify 2-3 key goals that will take you forward. Establishing your skills set and working environment you prefer, where you intend to settle, maintaining your standard of living
2. Update your Contact Database. Whenever you have contact with someone make sure you get enough details to keep in touch. Email, telephone number, address. Why not get yourself some cards that say who you are and your key attributes and give these out? Then you can ask more easily for their details.
3. Remember what you have forgotten. You have had ideas in the past and they have worked. You’ll be amazed what you have forgotten that worked well.
4. Think about where you want to go with your work, family, business and what’s holding you back. Is now the time to hire a coach? What would you want to accomplish with your coach?

If you are ambitious and keen to grow, let’s get together and make it happen. Come on team GB! You can do it!

The Challenges Facing HM Forces Personnel Seeking Post Service Redeployment

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It is an unfortunate fact that a large proportion of civilian employers fail to recognise that many of the skills and attributes possessed by ex HM Forces personnel are extremely valuable and transferable. This has always been a challenge facing ex service personnel but in the face of the worst recession in living memory the challenges have become even bigger.

So how should you go about maximising your chances of securing civilian employment?

It is clear that in the present Jobs climate the competition is intense and in general there are more applicants than there are jobs especially in the traditional redeployment career paths in general management, personnel management, security, HM Constabulary etc; . However, this is not the case in all sectors – there are still areas where there are severe skills shortages:-

IT - Software development, Testing, Help Desk Support & Managed Services
Telecoms - Mobile phones, offshore & onshore Oil & Gas
Civil & Structural Construction - Infrastructure projects, offshore and onshore oil & gas, petrochemicals
Electrical and electronics - Telecomms manufacturing, hardware manufacturing
Mechanical - Vehicle Maintenance, Production Plant Maintenance
Offshore and onshore Oil & Gas construction & commissioning
Security - Marine Security, Specialist security companies, Individual personal protection
Bomb Disposal - Unexploded Ordnance clearance
Sports & Leisure - Personal trainers, Fitness Instructors

Whichever industries or sectors you decide to target, the key issue is ensuring that potential employers understand that your training and skills sets are transferable assets. It is also important to realise that civilian employers will be unfamiliar with HM Forces jargon and its use must be avoided. There are many aspects of your training and experience in the Forces which you take for granted but are important to highlight to prospective employers,:-

1. Levels of personal fitness attained
2. Hardships endured
3. Staying cool under fire
4. Man management
5. Self-discipline
6. Leadership abilities
7. Multi-tasking ability
8. Teamwork

It is also vital to understand the importance of a good CV and the necessity of a strategic approach to marketing yourself. You have to stand out from the crowd in order to get interviewed and secure a job.

This is where PrimeCandidate can help you. It offers a highly professional, bespoke online CV writing & posting service. Your CV is the most powerful sales & marketing tool at your disposal when searching for a new job and should therefore be taken very seriously. PrimeCandidate will give you ‘the edge’ your CV needs to get noticed, we are comprised of ex recruitment and industry professionals with Hiring Manager status and are in the best possible position to produce professional CVs and recommend CV posting locations.

Social Networking sites are fast becoming the resourcing tool of choice for many employers around the world. We can set you up on professional/social networking sites by creating a ‘fit for purpose’ profile page, attach your CV, generate connections and make suggestions for suitable groups to join.

In short - we Prime today’s job hunters into Prime Candidates for interview and selection.
You can order most of our services online at http://www.primecandidateuk.com or to speak to us in person about your requirements please contact us on on +44 01423 563750