Gilpin ESD

Executive Recruitment | Belfast | Northern Ireland

Posts Tagged ‘Executive jobs’

Quick Tips for Job Hunting

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014

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With the clocking going forward there’s certainly a feeling of Spring in the air. It’s a time we as company see much activity as candidates look for new opportunities.

If you’re thinking of a move, here’s a few of our top tips for job hunting.

  • Get Organised!  In a competitive market you need a solid plan for how you plan to pursue employment opportunities.  A shotgun approach probably won’t work.  Target specific companies / industries, do your homework and then aggressively go after leads you uncover.
  • Distinguish yourself!  Look for ways to make yourself stand out in a crowd of applicants.  Turn perceived disadvantages into strengths.  Concerned that you’re “too old” to compete?  Emphasise your professional maturity, years of experience, ability to handle a variety of situations, etc.
  • Listen to the needs the interviewer very carefully.  Interviewers will hire the candidate they think truly best meets their needs.  Listen carefully to the needs of the interviewer, ask thoughtful questions and then address how you can meet the needs of a particular job opening.
  • Focus on the positive.  Don’t buy into “doom and gloom.”  And don’t spend valuable interview time talking about how tough it is “out there.”  Optimism is very attractive and it says a lot about what kind of employee you’ll be.
  • Go back to basics.  A perfect CV and constant networking are more important than ever!  Make sure that your CV and cover letter is flawless.
  • Maintain your momentum.  Don’t allow yourself to drag.  Be true to your emotions, but don’t succumb to feelings of depression.

For more information, please contact us on: +44 (0) 28 9076 9900

When over-qualified can become a hindrance…

Monday, March 10th, 2014

You spent years getting an Undergraduate degree, Masters Degree, PhD and a host of Professional Qualifications.

So, why apply to be the intern?

DiplomaOk, it’s an extreme example, but research released by the CIPD last week tells us that 30% of people are, in fact, overqualified for their job.

That’s nearly one third of all UK workers.

The CIPD concluded that too many people’s skills are being under-utilised in the economy which is a “major factor in the UK’s poor productivity levels.”

So, why do people continue to apply for positions for which they have too many qualifications, experience and skills?

Is it a sign of “I’ll do anything” in this economy?

You might think that employers like to have someone with lots of titles after their names, but there a number of reasons why they could often see being overqualified as a bad thing.

  • Will they be bored? Bosses believe there is a chance that the employee might not (more…)

Being rejected for a role may be good for your future

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014

You may not have heard about Whatsapp until recently.

But now you can’t escape hearing about it.

Brian Acton

Brian Acton

Certainly, to be wanted by Facebook is a pretty glowing endorsement.

So what if I was to tell you that the creator was, in fact, previously rejected by Facebook.

(And Twitter for that matter!)

That’s right, Brian Acton is essentially having the last laugh after he went for a job at both of the social media giants back in 2009, only to be turned down!

On 23 May 2009 he tweeted, “Got denied by Twitter HQ. That’s ok. Would have been a long commute” and that August he wrote, “Facebook turned me down. It was a great opportunity to connect with some fantastic people. Looking  (more…)

Why the recruitment process is actually more than the job application and the interview

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

An independent report published on Friday (4th October) found that the way in which the UK’s very first youth police and crime commissioner was recruited was “robust, transparent and well run”.

You’ll remember that 16-year-old Paris Brown was appointed to the high profile role in Kent in April, but quit in a blaze of criticism over comments (considered racist and homophobic) she had made on Twitter prior to taking up the role.

Kent’s police and crime commissioner argued that the force had not asked for social network vetting to be carried out, and the new report last week found that the entire recruitment process was, indeed, vigorous.

It comes as employers are, increasingly, looking at job candidates’ personal lives in order to help them make their important employment decision, such as their online presence, or contacting referees, not simply to find out if the candidate can “do the job” but to read between the lines of submitted CVs.

So what do potential employers look for outside of the application and job interview? I would suggest the following: (more…)

When interviewees become the interviewer

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

You’ve reached the end of a job interview having previously thought about every possible question the company could ask you, when you are faced with one you maybe didn’t contemplate- “Have you anything to ask me?”

For many, the natural reaction is to nod, smile and say: “No, I think that’s everything.”

People don’t want to ask about salary, hours of employment, extra benefits, for example, for fear of coming across as too pushy and instead, they try to wrap the interview up quickly.

But there are many reasons why asking questions is important, not least the fact that you need to fully understand what the position entails before accepting any potential offer.

The following questions will help you know more about the job and, indeed, the company: (more…)

Prepare for success in the job market

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

It’s fair to say that most of us want what successful people have, and in a sense there is nothing wrong with this. The problem is that we’re just not prepared to pay the price they paid to achieve it.

One of Michelangelo’s greatest successes was his sculpture of David. He worked on it with such passion that he often slept in his clothes, resenting the time it took to take them off and put them on again.  He repeatedly examined and measured the marble to see what pose it could accommodate.  He made hundreds of sketches of possible attitudes, and detailed drawings from models.  He tested his ideas in wax on a small scale, and only when he was satisfied did he pick up his chisel and mallet.

He approached the painting of the Sistine Chapel with the same intensity. Lying at uncomfortable angles on hard boards, breathing in the suffocating air just under the vault, (more…)

NI Executive Recruitment Market

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

There are conflicting views on the state of the economy in Northern Ireland.  It seems that one week we are hearing from one economist that the worst of the recession has passed, only then to hear another economist stating that there is worse to come.

Will there be a recovery? Will there be a double dip? (more…)

Executive Recruitment NI: What’s beneath the surface?

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

The stringent employment legislation in Northern Ireland that has been seemingly rigidly enforced for the past couple of decades appears to have created an image of the employment market that has led a number of senior Executives to become reactive to it.

These Executives are not usually as reactive in their approach to business, so why have they become so reactive about their own career opportunities?

(more…)

Executive Recruitment in Northern Ireland

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

We are currently searching for high calibre candidates with a successful track record
to fill the following vacancies:

  • Export Sales Director – £100k+ (Manufacturing Company)
  • Finance Director – £70k+ (Sales & Distribution Company)
  • Managing Director Designate – £100k (Manufacturing Company)
  • Managing Director – £100k (IT Sector)
  • Business Development Manager – £negotiable Financial Services Sector
  • Fund Manager – £50k+ (Finance Sector)
  • Sales Executive – £35k (Distribution Company)
  • Interim Quality Manager – £negotiable (Manufacturing Company)
  • Sales Manager – £40+ (Construction Industry)
  • Shift Production Managers – £35 (Manufacturing Company)

If you, or someone you might know, would be interested in the above please get in touch. In addition to the above positions,
clients have informed us that they will be recruiting in the coming months at senior level across a range of functions.  If you wish to register your interest please email your details in confidence to roger.gilpin@gilpinesd.com