So you’ve found a new role and have handed your notice in, but your current employer throws a curveball and makes you an offer to stay…this is called a counter offer and in the current candidate-led market are becoming more and more frequent.

Counter offers can be very appealing, for one you already know the role and company inside out, there’s less paperwork and you don’t have to get to know a whole new group of people again. But what about the negatives? Below we will provide you with ten reasons as to why accepting a counter offer is not always the best idea.

1. The Reason You Want to Leave, Will Not Go Away

There could be several reasons you may want to leave your current job. It could be obvious things like work hours or co-workers, or perhaps you just don’t like the job of the company in general. 

This can be a problem when you receive a counter offer where the only thing that changes is the salary. Increased pay will be an attractive option at first, and this compels most people to accept the offer.

This can be an issue three months down the line when you are unhappy again because it was not just the salary you were dissatisfied with. 

If there are multiple reasons you want to change jobs and receive a counteroffer with an increased salary, the best thing to do is to reject it. Odds are, you will experience long term happiness and personal satisfaction at another job that is more suited to you than your current role.

2. Your Loyalty Will Be Questioned

It does not matter how good your relationship is with your employer, if you are receiving a counter-offer as a response to your resignation, your loyalty will be questioned as an employee both then and in the future. Even if the job has room for promotions and professional growth, you probably will not be the first employee they pick at promotion time.

Resigning breaks the initial trust that was once there, and it will hinder future success at the job. So even if the counteroffer is a good deal, you are likely to progress more at a new job where you have not threatened to quit. 

3. You Might Not Be Appreciated as an Employee

If you hand in your resignation and your employer gives you a counteroffer, it may suggest that you were not fully appreciated in the first place as a valuable employee.

The offer is proof that they can offer more money or office space, for instance, and that they were initially holding out on you. 

If it takes you to threaten resignation for the company to treat you better, you might need to evaluate the company’s integrity. 

4. Job Does Not Meet Your Long Term Goals

People will often hand in resignations or look for jobs when their current position does not fit the picture they had for their ideal life or goals. If you accept a counteroffer, you could potentially be denying yourself your dream job. 

When thinking of accepting a job offer or counteroffer, you should make sure that the position meets your long-term goals either now or in the future.

There is no point in investing time and energy into something you do not want to be doing for the rest of your life. So before you accept a counteroffer, think of why you wanted to quit in the first place. Is the job making you happy? 

6. It Will Not Guarantee Job Satisfaction 

People hand in resignations and look for new jobs when they are not satisfied with their current position. A counteroffer may give hope of better working conditions and salary, but statistics show that this is often not the case. 

Around 50% of people who accept counteroffers leave for a new job within 12 months. Just because the offer may seem like a good option, it won’t guarantee job satisfaction down the line. 

7. Employer Doesn’t Know How Long You Will Stay

If you end up accepting a job counteroffer, your employer will always be questioning how long you will stay at the job since you were so willing to quit.

This could result in similar problems, as mentioned above, such as hindering your future success in the position. You are more likely to be viewed as expendable than other employees who have not handed in resignations. 

8. Your Employer Might Not Be Paying You Enough

A lot of counteroffers involve a pay raise, which may seem very tempting to accept if the higher salary if it is the main reason you handed in your resignation.

Before you agree to a counteroffer with a pay raise, it is crucial to question why you have not had a pay raise before. When this happens, it is good to do some research using a salary guide and find out what you should be earning. 

If you were not earning what you should have been before the counteroffer, it might be good to consider leaving the company for another that will appreciate your work. 

9. It May Be a Long Time Before You Get Another Raise 

Think about it if you were leaving your current employer because you felt you were not getting paid enough and they only way to get a raise was to offer your resignation then the odds of you getting a raise in the future are slim.

10. If Times Get Tough You'll Be The First To Go 

If your current employer experiences hard times or if the economy, in general, gets bad they are more likely to hang on to employees that have shown loyalty rather than ones who have been job shopping for another opportunity.

There are so many things to think about when changing roles and if you need any guidance we are here to help.

Following on from our blog last week discussing the current candidate climate and labour shortage we are putting it out there…we want you!!!

We are seeking candidates to fill positions within customer services, administration and accountancy positions, all you need to do is register with us and we will do the hard work for you!

So, what does registering mean and how can you go about it?

Registering with JR Personnel means you will have access to some fantastic positions which most likely will not be advertised on other platforms or by other agencies. We recruit for all office based roles in the Leicestershire region ranging from Office Junior to company Director in both temporary and permanent positions, so whatever you’re looking for it’s likely we will be able to help.

Registration is super simple, we will ask you to complete our registration forms, provide proof of identity and then have a brief chat over a video call with one of our agents. We like to get to know our candidates so we can place you in the perfect company and industry, having a chat also gives you the chance to ask any questions or relay any concerns you may have.

So, if you’re wanting to look for something new, why not register on our website today or send your CV in to [email protected]

You may have seen our post on Facebook this morning advertising for temporary workers to get in touch; to say there’s a shortage of candidates at the moment is an understatement. It’s not just us feeling the strain however, labour shortages are the new global pandemic according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation with them reporting that as the market currently stands we could see a fall in expected GDP by 1.2% by 2027 which will cost the economy between £30 and £39 billion every year. 

A significant cause of this is the fact that many candidates are lacking the skills required to fulfil positions. Last week we posted a blog about World Youth Skills Day which is aimed at raising awareness and tackling this very issue; opening up dialogue and educating young people with skills which will be relevant to roles and careers later in life. This lack of skills is directly impacting businesses as people are making more and more demands when it comes to choosing which role is right for them, it’s definitely a candidates market, particularly those who are trained and skilled in specific subjects, with a power which they have never had before.

Cost of living of course impacts the decisions people make when choosing a new career. Childcare costs have risen at an exponential rate in recent years, meaning those with children are having to choose between working or staying at home. Fuel costs are increasing the demand for hybrid and flexible working patterns, or working from home 100% of the time, post pandemic we are still seeing large amounts of people refusing to go back to the office, again putting strain on businesses and the recruitment process.

So what can be done? Bridging the gap between educational skills and workplace skills, particularly those in data and technology as it’s expected 5 million workers being under skilled in basic digital skills by 2030, a strong bond between businesses and educational settings, changing legislation for immigrants to attract skilled workers, offering training including learning English to assist with integration into work and society. Various things can be done but will take time. In the meantime, if you're looking for a job and are a skilled worker, get in touch with us today to hear how we can help. 

It’s Friday and we are set for a scorcher of a weekend, what could be better, just make sure you have your factor 50 at the ready!

Not only is it nearly the weekend but it is also World Youth Skills Day which has been celebrated every 15^th July since the UN established it back in 2014. The holiday was initiated to celebrate and raise awareness surrounding the importance of equipping our youth and young workers with the skills for future employment and entrepreneurship.

More and more young people are choosing to stay in education for longer, which is a great thing, but it does mean the youth labour population is shrinking, therefore those who are available are more in demand than ever before. Not only that but on a global scale it takes on average a young person over a year to find a suitable, stable job according to the International Labour Organisation. If you or someone you know is struggling to figure out their next step since finishing education we can help.

Here at JR Personnel we celebrate our younger candidates and try to offer them as much guidance as possible when registering with us, including CV writing tips, interview coaching and regular emails and calls to keep in touch once  placed in a role. We have worked with many of our clients for decades so have a strong relationship and understanding of what kind of candidate will be a great personality fit. Even if you don't have any work experience yet we can assess personality wise you will be a great fit for certain companies and can impress this upon our clients, resulting in more opportunities. Send your CV today to have a chat with one of our recruiters and start your new career! 

How to Improve Your CV - Let JR Personnel Help 

Let’s face it, writing a CV is not exactly an enjoyable task, nor is it probably how you want to spend your free time when there’s so many other important or fun things to be done, BUT a good CV can really make you stand out from the rest and, when the average employer only spends between 5-7 seconds looking at a CV, every word really does count.

See our tips below to help make your CV be top of the pile!

LAYOUT 

Consider your layout when creating your CV – it’s always handy for employers to be able to see your name and contact information clearly, this should be at the top of the page and include your address (your post code will suffice) contact email and telephone so hiring managers can get in touch to arrange easily to ask further questions and arrange interviews etc.

PERSONAL STATEMENT 

Your personal statement should be a short paragraph or a few lines giving a brief insight into who you are and what your skills and ambitions are. Try to avoid generic phrases like “hard working individual” and “good team player”, draw on specific skills which you have picked up from education, previous employment or life experiences. Keep it short and sweet!

PREVIOUS ROLES AND EDUCATION 

If you’ve had previous roles you should list these with your most recent first, make sure you include job titles, start and end dates and also why you left or are looking to leave the role. Bullet point or write a few lines of your main duties and responsibilities, this will give hiring managers a clear and concise view of your skills and experiences. List education after job roles, most recent first. If you have several qualifications save time and space by stating how many pass grades you have, for example: “8 GCSE’s grade C and above including English, Maths and Science”.

If you are applying for your first role you can list education first and lengthen out your personal statement, detailing what kind of role you’re looking for and any skills and experiences you’re hoping to learn. You can also include a hobby and interests section where you can list any additional skills or interests which give an insight into your personality, it's good to also provide some character references, a teacher or club leader will do.

CV RELEVANCE 

I can’t stress this enough; it is so important to ensure that your CV is relevant to the position you’re applying for. This may mean you need several variations of your CV if you’re applying for a number of different roles but it will one hundred percent be worth it. You can do this by looking at the job specification of a role you’re applying for and pick out key words to reiterate and offer examples of in your CV. If a hiring manager is looking for Team Leader experience detail examples of this and be specific with how large a team you’ve managed before.

AND FINALLY...

Remember to try and keep your CV as short as possible, ideally one or two pages of A4 paper. If you’ve had a lengthy career with numerous positions this can be tricky, but you don’t need to bullet point duties and responsibilities for every single role, just the ones relevant to the position you’re applying for or within the past ten years. 

And remember, if you need further CV writing advice, someone to check your CV over and offer further tips and improvements feel free to send your CV in to us at: [email protected] and one of our consultants will be happy to assist. This is a completely free, no pressure service so why not get in touch today!

Wellbeing in the Workplace

We hear so much these days about “wellbeing” and how to improve our environments and day to day practices to encourage a healthier, happier life – but if you’re an employer how can you actually go about improving the wellbeing in your workplace?

What does “wellbeing” actually mean? In essence, our wellbeing is how we feel and function on a day to day basis and how our environments, actions and experiences impact us.

We spend over a third of our lives at work so it’s not surprising that the workplace can have serious impacts on our wellbeing both on a day to day basis but also long term. Below we look at ways you can improve wellbeing in your business.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

A key element of wellbeing is physical health – in the UK sitting at a desk for 8 hours is still the preferred way of working so why not bring in stand-up desks, encourage lunch time team walks, offer a cycle to work scheme or see if you can negotiate a discount with a local gym or health centre for your employees. A great lunch time activity is yoga or Pilates, this can be done in a relatively small space, doesn’t require any equipment and can be done relatively sweat-free to eliminate those lengthy post work-out showers! There’s lots of free YouTube videos so why not splash out on a few yoga mats!

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Improving mental health within the workplace can be a complex thing, particularly if you work in a high pressured, stressful environment. It’s important for employees to have the ability to feel heard so if you don’t have a specific HR department then teaching line managers and senior members of staff to have regular conversations with their team and how to handle difficult conversations is key to ensuring effective people management. Social events and team bonding sessions are great for workplace wellbeing too, this doesn’t have to mean expensive trips away or cringe-worthy team building exercises; offering an hour each work for your staff to sit and have lunch together or bringing in a coffee in the morning for you all to sit round and chat over can be enough for relationships to blossom and burdens to be shared.

PERSONAL GROWTH 

Not having a clear path to progression or a proper job description can be demoralizing for staff members so having regular performance reviews lets employees know you acknowledge what they bring to the business (good or bad!). Do you currently have any opportunities for additional training? People like to be invested in and it shows you want them to stick around and further their careers in your company. Maybe you can bring in “town hall” meetings, giving clear information on how the company is progressing and allowing employees to voice their opinions and ideas.

There are many ways to improve employee wellbeing and we hope the above gives you some ideas or tips on how to help your company improve its vibe! Happy Friday!

Searching for a new role can be a daunting task and there’s so much to think about when making a decision on an offer. At JR Personnel we speak to all of our candidates during the registration process to gain an insight into what kind of company, industry and role would be ideal for you but there are several considerations you should take into account when being put forward for a position or when offered a role. See below our list of key things to think about which will help you make an informed decision when it comes to finding the right role.

Does the company offer what you’re looking for on a long term scale?

Maybe you’re looking for progression, an opportunity to train in other areas, prospects to take on a managerial role in the future, or maybe you’re just looking for a role you can get on with and not have to think about at the end of the day – whatever your situation or hopes and dreams for your next role it’s important to look at the bigger picture and think ahead when contemplating accepting a position. Make sure the company will work for you and offer exactly what it is you’re looking for; for example if you’re looking for a role you can progress and climb the ladder in, then find out at interview stage if the company has clear progression routes, if they invest in employees and if so, what kind of training and resources do they offer? 

Will this role work for you?

So you might have found a position which sounds perfect but will it work in the long term? Do you have young children at home, or thinking about it in the not too distant future? If so, you might want to reconsider a role which requires lots of travel abroad or working overtime on a regular basis. Maybe you have pets at home or don’t have use of a vehicle on a day or two a week and need flexible working patterns and the ability to work from home? Whatever it is you’re looking for it’s best to establish with the company at interview stage what kind of perks they offer and to gain a full understanding of the expectations of the role.

Is the role challenging enough?

There’s nothing more demotivating than being at work and being bored. It’s a great idea at interview stage to have a list of questions to find out further about the day to day aspects of the role; are there any repetitive tasks which need completing on a daily, weekly basis? How many people will be in your team or will you be working alone? Is there much variation in the dutires and will you have opportunity to liaise or work within other areas of the business? A role with no challenges can often become tiresome and you could find yourself hunting for another role sooner rather than later.

One thing you can count upon is that when offered a role through JR Personnel we will be here to help you with your decision every step of the way. Having worked with many of our clients for several years we have the advantage of knowing working environments and the kind of candidate who will fit in within their business so can give you inside knowledge to help you make an informed decision. 

Take a look at our job page now to discover all the positions we currently have available. 

With the Platinum Jubilee approaching at the end of this week we take a look at the UK’s longest serving employee: Queen Elizabeth 2nd.

Queen Elizabeth 2^nd is the first UK monarch to reach 70 years’ service, dedicating the majority of her life to serving the UK and Common Wealth Nations, 70 years is a long time to remain in a role and definitely should be commended; in comparison the average length of time for a UK employer to remain in a position is 5 years.

During this time she has worked with 14 Prime Ministers through 18 elections, remaining unbiased and composed – she must have the patience of a saint!

The Queen is the most well-travelled monarch in history having visited over 100 countries, including over 150 visits to various countries in the Common Wealth alone.

Throughout her reign she has carried out more than 21,000 engagements and hosted over 100 state visits from Emperors, Presidents and Royal Families around the world.

The Queen is patron or president of over 600 British charities and in her reign has raised around £2billion in total.

Do you know anyone who has served longer than the Queen in a single role? Let us know on our Facebook page!

Have a wonderful long, bank holiday weekend everyone!

Many employers will ask for a cover letter as a means to distinguish the good from the bad when it comes to candidate applications, but what if writing letters and tooting your own horn just aren’t your thing? Don’t worry, we can help.

Below are some key tips to help you write a compelling cover letter and remember, keep the letter to a single page; the letter is supposed to be there to enhance your CV and give a greater impression of your abilities and why you would be the best candidate for the position, not to go into great detail

1. Personalise the cover letter to whichever company you’re applying to, ideally addressing it to the hiring manager or the person doing the interviewing directly. As a recruiter I have seen countless applications from candidates who have clearly used an old covering letter talking about why they want a job in finance when actually, they’ve applied for a job in customer services. I cannot stress this enough, a cover letter which clearly doesn’t address directly the company you’re applying to just, comes across as half hearted, a little bit sloppy and uninterested in the role.
2. Do your research. It’s important for a cover letter to not be too long but you want to show that you’re interested in the company and the role you’re applying to. Perhaps pick out a couple of key facts or statements about the company which have compelled you to apply.
3. Don’t make it too long. The cover letter is the introduction to your CV so doesn’t need to be too long, but it can be utilised to explain why you think you would be a good fit for the role or why you specifically want the position you’re applying to. Your CV should do all the “qualifications” and “experience” talking you need to do so use your cover letter to offer a small insight into you and what you can bring to the role.
4. Think about the position you’re applying for and match your tone. If you’re a student who has no professional experience yet make sure you impress upon the reader your enthusiasm for the role, highlight your personality and what you are looking forward to about starting work. Likewise if you’re a senior candidate with realms of experience relative to the position you’re applying for, always relate back to the qualifications you have and invaluable experience you can bring to the role.
5. Match your cover letter to your CV. That means, use all the same fonts, margins, spacing, sizing, colours etc. etc. etc. for consistency and for ease of reading
6. Try and avoid clichés. It’s likely the hiring manager has seen 100 other CV’s from candidates who are “hard working, self-motivated individuals” who can “think outside the box”, it can be difficult to do this but when describing yourself you should focus on your actual achievements rather than generic phrases.

Hopefully these tips will help you to write a confident, informed and well planned cover letter – new job, here you come!

It’s officially December which means we are beginning to feel very festive here at JR Personnel! Christmas is always a busy time for us with placing lots of candidates ready to start new careers in the New Year and supplying temporary workers to cover those busy Christmas shifts! It’s important to find the time to unwind and what better way than with a Christmas movie! Here are some recruitment lessons from our favourites!

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington poses a difficult recruitment problem. His skills and experience are in Halloween Town, however he is adamant to take on the role of Father Christmas. We believe it’s very important to be honest with candidates. We encourage them to look at the skill set they have and focus on roles that are good opportunities for them, and are also realistic. Luckily, Jack eventually realises that his true passion is Halloween and returns to his role as Pumpkin King with enthusiasm

2. Love Actually

This heart-warming film reassures us that there is someone for everyone and in the world of recruitment, there is a perfect role for everyone. At times it can seem like your job search is taking too long and you’re experiencing rejection after rejection, JR Personnel can help share this burden by sourcing roles which match your skill set perfectly, notifying you of any important feedback from interviews and give you hints and tips to make your CV stand out from the rest; don’t be disheartened, the right role could be just around the corner.

3. The Grinch 

The Grinch is an outcast who isolates himself from others and harbours negative feelings about everything and everyone! Eventually The Grinch learns the true spirit of Christmas and teaches us the importance of being social and personable and maintaining a positive outlook even when life can get you down. This is a great tip for attending interviews; you may have had a negative experience with your previous employer, be feeling disheartened by your job search or just be in a bad mood; try and put it aside and focus on positivity and team work, let your Christmas spirit shine through!

4. Home Alone 

When 8-year old Kevin is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation, he must use all his best pranks to protect his home from a pair of burglars. The recruitment lesson we can take from this film is the importance of being organised. The McCallisters are an example of terrible organisational skills… after all, they forgot their son. Recruiters need to ensure they know what job roles they’re trying to fill for the client, which candidates they’ve discussed those roles with, and to keep the details confidential; all this multi-tasking requires organisational skills the McCallisters can only dream of.

5. Christmas Carol 

Even though everyone is excited about Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge thinks it’s all humbug. Scrooge is visited by three spirits who take him on a journey through his past, present and future in the hope of transforming his bitterness. Scrooge shows us the importance of a positive attitude. Recruiters need to be empathetic and encouraging towards candidates in order to build good relationships. Not only is this important from a recruiter’s perspective, but also for candidates. When looking for work, candidates needs to be proactive and positive, able to bounce back from rejection and onto the next opportunity.

We hope you enjoyed our Christmas movie countdown, and we wish you Merry Christmas!