Executive Job Seekers' Biggest Mistakes

With the UK economy showing little sign of emerging from recession in 2009 the job market is still tough going especially for high earning executives as companies are becoming increasingly selective when making executive level hires and the interview process becomes ever more intense and prolonged.
When we recently helped a senior IT professional back into the work place we found that an article posted on Forbes.com proved a real help

Executive Job Seekers’ Biggest Mistakes

The main points highlighted in this article are extremely helpful and should be adopted when conducting your job search whether you are embarking on your first role since leaving university or seasoned campaigner within your industry sector.

For reference keep these points in mind when conducting your job search:

1. Candidates are poorly prepared, ensure thorough interview preparation

2. Ensure your CV is well constructed, develop a strong brand identity and USP

3. Don’t not appear desperate

4. Keep answers to questions concise and to the point

5. Pay attention to information covered in the interview, try not to keep going over “old ground”

6. Don’t apply for roles you are over qualified for

7. Follow up interviews with a thank you email and letter

For more helpful information to help you succeed in your job search then visit

The Talent Emporium Blog

or visit

Talent Emporium Jobs

to view our latest list of vacancies.

Talent Emporium provides transparent, low cost flat fee and fixed price recruitment solutions enabling companies to make multiple hires for the same role from a 4 week recruitment campaign. With our entry level recruitment solution starting at just £500+VAT we are guaranteed to slash you recruitment costs by thousands, the first time you use us.

Tell me about yourself? The most frquently asked interview question

“Tell me about yourself?” The most frequently asked question at interview and often the first to be asked, setting the tone and direction of the interview process.

Another one of those make or break interview questions that employers use to separate the men from the boys. But, once again by taking some time to prepare before your interview, researching the company you have applied for then a great opportunity to separate you from the competition and an bring that offer of your dream job closer.

As this is such an important interview questions I have put together some useful links so you can gain a cross section of views and examples on how this question should be answered:

www.actingforbusiness.com/interview/JobInterviewtips/interviewtips/tellmeaboutyourself.htm

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_answer_

www.professional-cv-writingservices.co.uk/int/job-interview-tell-me-about-yourself.html

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-answering_one_of_the_trickiest_interview_questions-663

www.job-interview-site.com/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-questions-and-answers.html

http://cuberules.com/2009/10/02/interview-question-tell-me-about-yourself/

www.datsi.fi.upm.es/~frosal/docs/25mdq.html

www.careerknowhow.com/interviewtips/tellme.htm

www.employmentblawg.com/2009/the-tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question-answer-it-with-a-memorable-story/

Talent Emporium offers transparent, low cost flat fee recruitment services matching talented individuals with dynamic organisations. To find out how we can help your organisation acquire the talent they need to move forward visit www.talentemporium.com to view our fixed fee recruitment services.

If you are looking for a career move view our job vacancies at

www.talentemporium.com

or if you have any questions relating to your CV or the interview process email your questions to Interview Questions

Flat Fee Recruitment: Transparent, low cost recruitment

We all know that companies are built on their staff and talent acquisition is key to a company’s success, but does it really have to be so expensive? Especially in today’s tough economic times when organisations are looking to cut costs to increase their bottom line do you really want to be presented with a bill from a recruitment consultant (the emphasis on con in many cases!) for more than you were expecting? Talent Emporium’s transparent, low cost, fixed fee recruitment offering guarantees that this is not the case.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that reducing recruitment and advertising costs when hiring is key for most businesses, irrelevant of size or sector and Talent Emporium is ideally placed to help your company acquire the talent you require to drive your organisation forward often 95% cheaper than using a contingency based recruitment model.

Although there are other flat fee or fixed fee recruitment services out there, we operate differently. Talent Emporium’s three distinct offerings enable clients to pay per 4 week recruitment campaign enabling clients to take ownership of the candidate applications received during that 4 week period. Our transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment services ensure organisations maximise their ROI by enabling multiple personnel to be hired for similar positions from a 4 week recruitment campaign all for a fixed fee, starting at just £500. Surely this is a no brainer for any company, large or small as the cost of advertising across a network of job boards would far exceed our one off flat fee never mind the time of expense needed to manage the full recruitment process.

At Talent Emporium we differ from our competitors as the internet and social media plays a big part in our 4 week recruitment campaigns. We proactively employ the use of social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to ensure our recruitment campaigns gain maximum online exposure and your vacancy is marketed to both active and passive candidates. Our use of online databases, social media and data mining of the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN ensure we explore every avenue to ensure we deliver the talent your organisation requires.

Talent Emporium’s recruitment credits will never expire, allowing companies to purchase credits in bulk and receive even bigger savings on their recruitment spend. As you can see, for a one off fixed fee Talent Emporium provides a more thorough and deep rooted search than many contingency or retained recruitment services, saving our clients both time and money. In fact we are guaranteed to save you thousands of pounds on contingency based recruitment models, who charge a percentage fee of the candidate’s first year salary and benefits, from the first time you use us. There are no hidden costs, just a low cost, fixed fee to take away the administration and financial strain that often puts pressure on firms when recruiting.

For more information on our transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment solutions visit

www.talentemporium.com

to find out how you can start recruiting for a one off fixed fee.

Mickey Mouse Tie = Mickey Mouse Interview

Interview feedback from earlier in the week has promoted me to publish this post. A talented software developer with great references and an excellent academic background has turned up to an interview with a cartoon tie! What on earth possesses these people to opt for a cartoon character tie when getting ready for an interview?

When has business and interview attire included a tie with a cartoon character plastered all over it? Is the latest fashion accessory to a Savile Row suit a daffy duck or Mickey Mouse tie? I have just checked the website of the Savile Row Bespoke Association and I can’t find any evidence.

Without sounding sexist men are normally main the culprits, committing the worst interview fashion sins, but micro mini skirts are definitely an interview no go for women and especially men! To ensure you don’t make any interview fashion mistakes we have made a list of what not to wear to an interview:

1. Heavy use of make-up on women (or any makeup on a man)

2. Briefcases: A small leather briefcase or portfolio is recommended to carry your notebook and resume. Do not bring a large briefcase or bag with you.

3. The wrong tie: Wear a tie between 2 ¾ and 3 ½ inches wide. They should have a traditional pattern and be made of pure silk. No "trendy" ties or anything made of something besides 100% silk. Your tie should reach, but not exceed, the top of your belt buckle. Do not wear a bow-tie to an interview.

4. Overly bright or large-patterned clothing: it's best to stick with navy, black or grey.

5. Earrings on men: In fact, men should avoid wearing any jewelry unless it is a wedding ring, class ring or metal watch.

6. More than one set of earrings on women

7. Facial piercings, tongue jewellery or visible tattoos

8. Ill-fitting clothes. Few people can wear things straight off the rack. Spending a little extra to have your garments tailored is a worthwhile investment.

9. Long fingernails, especially with bright or specialty polishes. Nails should look clean and be trimmed to a length that doesn't leave an observer wondering how you keep from stabbing yourself.

10. Unnatural hair colours or styles

11. Short-sleeved shirts, even worse when worn with a tie

12. Fishnets, patterned hosiery or bare legs, women should stick with neutral colour hosiery that complements their suit.

13. Men whose socks don't match their shoes, or whose socks are too short and leave a gap of flesh when they are seated. Socks should be dark and coordinate with your suit.

14. Rumpled or stained clothing: If interviewing late in the day, try to change to a fresh suit beforehand.

15. Scuffed or inappropriate footwear, including trainers, stilettos, open-toed shoes and sandals

16. Strong aftershaves, perfumes or colognes: Many people are allergic to certain scents. For a subtle fragrance, use good quality bath soap.

17. Belts and shoes that don't match: Shoes and belts should be made of leather or leather-like materials

18. Telltale signs that you’re wearing a new suit, remove all tags and extra buttons -- and remember to cut off the zigzag thread that keeps pockets and slits closed!

Don't be a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. Plan and lay out what you're going to wear several days before the interview, so you'll have time to shop or get garments pressed and cleaned.

Save "innovative" or revealing garb for the club (or your couch) and strive for crisp, clean and professional. Remember, you want the interviewer to be listening to what you're saying, not critiquing what you're wearing.


Talent Emporium is a transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment solution providing helpful resources to help job seekers into the work place as well as providing companies with a opportunity to hire multiple candidates from a 4-week, low cost, fixed fee recruitment cycle.

Talent Emporium’s unique transparent, low cost, flat fee recruitment solution enables companies to hire multiple candidates across Admin & Secretarial, Banking & Finance, Construction & Engineering, Energy & Utilities, HR & Recruitment, IT & Communications, Logistics & Transport, Media, Oil & Gas, Production & Operations, Public Sector, Sales & Marketing, and Warehouse & Distribution.

To find out about how we can provide your company with a transparent, low cost flat fee recruitment solution visit

www.talentemporium.com

Gold: Low Cost, Flat fee Recruitment Solution-Passive Candidate Marketing

Talent Emporium’s low cost flat fee recruitment solutions provide companies with a low cost, fixed fee alternative to using a standard contingency based recruitment model. We employ the traditional advertising mediums used by many of the recruitment agencies as well applying web 2.0 techniques and social networking activities to ensure your job posting gains maximum online exposure in order to reach your target audience. With our Bronze, Silver and Gold low cost, flat fee recruitment solutions costing £500, £750 and £1250 (excluding VAT) respectively Talent Emporium is guaranteed to save your thousands of pounds what ever the role or industry.

Talent Emporium’s low cost, flat fee recruitment offerings not only offer a superior service to recruitment agencies charging a % of the candidate’s first years salary we are also more cost effective than direct advertising! Due to our extensive network of online job boards we can advertise your role cheaper!

Gold: Low Cost, Flat fee Recruitment Solution

• One payment of £1250 + VAT
• Includes all the aspects of our Bronze and Silver offerings
• Proactive database searches of all the online job boards we utilise
• Proactive database search of our own extensive database which has been built and added to over the last 10 years
• Passive candidate searches on Social Networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Xing and many more
• Passive candidate searches using data mining techniques carried out on major search engines such as Google and Yahoo

Multiple Purchase Savings (There are no expiry dates on our credits!)

We are also able to offer our clients further discounts for multiple credit purchases:

Purchase 10 credits and receive 10 Gold Credits for the price of 10 Silver Credits a saving of £5,000

Purchase 20 credits and receive 20 Gold Credits for the price of 20 Bronze credits a huge saving of £15,000

To start utilising our low cost, flat fee Gold recruitment solution email Gold Offering

View our enetry level Bronze offering at £500 +VAT Bronze Offering and Silver offering at £750 + VAT Silver Offering

Silver: Low Cost, Flat Fee Recruitment-Full Recruitment Solution for £750

Talent Emporium’s low cost flat fee recruitment solutions provide companies with a low cost, fixed fee alternative to using a standard contingency based recruitment model. We employ the traditional advertising mediums used by many of the recruitment agencies as well applying web 2.0 techniques and social networking activities to ensure your job posting gains maximum online exposure in order to reach your target audience. With our Bronze, Silver and Gold low cost, flat fee recruitment solutions costing £500, £750 and £1250 (excluding VAT) respectively Talent Emporium is guaranteed to save your thousands of pounds what ever the role or industry.

Talent Emporium’s low cost, flat fee recruitment offerings not only offer a superior service to recruitment agencies charging a % of the candidate’s first years salary we are also more cost effective than direct advertising! Due to our extensive network of online job boards we can advertise your role cheaper!


Silver: Low Cost, Flat Fee Recruitment Solution

• One payment of £750 + VAT
• Every aspect of our Bronze fixe fee recruitment solution
• We manage the full recruitment life cycle
• Full candidate screening providing a shortlist of the most relevant candidates for you to interview
• Arrange all interviews and manage candidates expectations throughout the recruitment process
• Manage the “offer” stage of the process
• Contact all candidates with appropriate feedback from the process via email

Multiple Purchase Savings (There are no expiry dates on our credits!)

We are also able to offer our clients further discounts for multiple credit purchases:

Purchase 10 credits and receive 10 Gold Credits for the price of 10 Silver Credits a saving of £5,000

Purchase 20 credits and receive 20 Gold Credits for the price of 20 Bronze credits a huge saving of £15,000

To start utilising our low cost, flat fee Silver recruitment solution email Silver Offering

Need a more indpeth search? Take a look at our Gold full recruitment solution-Passive candidate marketing for £1250 Gold Offering

Recruit on a tight budget? Take a look at our Bronze low cost flat fee recruitment solution, more cost effective than advertising directly Bronze Offering

Bronze: Low Cost Flat Fee Recruitment Solution-Hire Multiple Candidates from a 4 Week Campaign

Talent Emporium’s low cost flat fee recruitment solutions provide companies with a low cost, fixed fee alternative to using a standard contingency based recruitment model. We employ the traditional advertising mediums used by many of the recruitment agencies as well applying web 2.0 techniques and social networking activities to ensure your job posting gains maximum online exposure in order to reach your target audience. With our Bronze, Silver and Gold low cost, flat fee recruitment solutions costing £500, £750 and £1250 (excluding VAT) respectively Talent Emporium is guaranteed to save your thousands of pounds what ever the role or industry.

Talent Emporium’s low cost, flat fee recruitment offerings not only offer a superior service to recruitment agencies charging a % of the candidate’s first years salary we are also more cost effective than direct advertising! Due to our extensive network of online job boards we can advertise your role cheaper!


Bronze: Low Cost Flat Fee Recruitment Solution

• One Payment of £500 + VAT
• Vacancies are advertised across extensive network of UK job boards including market leaders such as Monster and Jobsite for a 4 week period
• Optimised advert creation so that your vacancy is searchable by as many potential employees as possible (utilising keywords, commonly used search terms, Google Adwords & SEO techniques)
• Vacancies gain online exposure using Web 2.0 and social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn
• All candidate applications are forwarded for you to review
• Hire multiple candidates from the 4 week campaign

Multiple Purchase Savings (There are no expiry dates on our credits!)

We are also able to offer our clients further discounts for multiple credit purchases:

Purchase 10 credits and receive 10 Gold Credits for the price of 10 Silver Credits a saving of £5,000

Purchase 20 credits and receive 20 Gold Credits for the price of 20 Bronze credits a huge saving of £15,000

To start utilising our low cost, flat fee Bronze recruitment solution email Bronze Offering

If our Bronze offering is not right for your needs why not view our

Silver full recruitment solution for £750 Silver Offering

Gold full recruitment solution-Passive candidate marketing for £1250 Gold Offering