Eventus, Author at Eventus Recruitment Group

13Oct

What companies need to do to recruit in a candidate short market

It is difficult to hire in a candidates short market with enhanced competition for the top talent. As Legal, Finance and Financial Services recruitment specialists we are seeing job seekers receiving multiple job offers as well as a counteroffer from their current employer in many cases. As a result, when it comes to recruitment, it feels as if the ball is very much in the court of the candidates rather than the employers. So, with candidates having multiple options, what do you need to do to make sure you are the company that the candidate chooses to work for?

Hiring in a candidate driven market

Review your offer

Review what you offer in terms of salary and benefit packages to ensure your offering is still competitive. Whilst salary is still very important, presenting a good benefits package can often be the winning edge over competitors. Offer hybrid working and / or a flexible working pattern if you can.

Remote / hybrid working is still sought after by professionals job searching today. Our recent survey found that salary, holiday allowance, and flexibility over working locations and hours are the most important benefits.

To read more about employee benefits, click here.

Job adverts

It’s important that job adverts are clearly structured, and written to sell your firm and the job to potential candidates.

Make sure the salary and all benefits are clearly communicated on job adverts. Job adverts are often where first impressions are formed by prospective employees. Clearly communicating the salary, benefits, roles and responsibilities will all attract potential talent. Therefore, it is vital that your job adverts are clearly structured, and sell your firm and the job to potential candidates.

To read more about creating the perfect job advert to attract top talent, click here.

Advert Response

Once you have candidates’ CVs, it’s crucial to be responsive. Regardless of whether or not you want to take the candidate to the next stage it’s important to give feedback.

If you are looking to take the candidate to the next stage, we recommend to get back to them within 24 hours. In a job saturated market, the professional could start looking at what else is out there and you don’t want to lose the candidate to another firm due to a slow response. Professionals actively job searching are likely to be continuously looking at job boards and networking with recruiters to see what job opportunities are available.

Flexibility and responsiveness

Be flexible with interviews dates / times – if you can’t, be upfront with your availability to make it as easy as possible to schedule interviews with candidates.

Answer the candidates’ questions as honestly and quickly as you can. Being responsive and keeping the process moving is key to recruiting in a candidate short market.

The Interview

It’s important to remember this is a two-way process.

Prepare conversation starters and questions that will make the interview feel like a conversation.
Consider what you want to know about the candidate. What about their experience and aspirations? Use this as a basis for your conversation.
Ask them what they know about the firm. Add to this with anything else you feel is important for them to understand, or that will make your firm stand out.
Talk about the team and the culture, why do people like working there?
Once you have gone through your questions and conversation starters, don’t forget to ask the candidate if they have any questions.

Feedback

Feedback straight away or as soon as you can. Prior to the interview set a deadline with the candidate / recruitment agency to issue interview feedback. We recommend giving some initial feedback to the candidate / agency within 24 hours of the interview, even if the process is ongoing with other candidates. Giving feedback will “keep them warm” and engaged with your company. If you hang around for too long you could lose the candidate. In today’s candidate led market, it is likely that your candidates will be interviewing elsewhere too.

Even if it’s a no, give thorough feedback. Candidates who don’t get any feedback will likely disengage and could be inclined to tell others about a perceived bad experience. Additionally, giving clear feedback will help them to understand your decision and they can use your feedback to improve.

Timing

Explain why you are making the offer and don’t just base it around their hard skills and experience. Include why you think they will be a fantastic addition to the firm.

Get the offer letter out the same day as you make a verbal offer. Not just a standard template, include some personalised touches as to how they performed. Make them feel wanted.

If you are using a recruitment agency, keep in regular contact with your recruiter. Respond to their messages as soon as possible. Even if you don’t have an update provide a deadline as to when you will be able to provide one.

Keep them engaged

Don’t forget that the candidate is likely to be made a counter offer. So, make sure your offer stands out and show the candidate how much you value them.

Once they have accepted your offer, keep in regular contact with them whilst they are working their notice. Send them a congratulations card/gift. Why not consider inviting them to any company events or taking them out for a team meal or drink? All of which will make their first day a little less daunting.

About The Eventus Recruitment Group

The Eventus Recruitment Group are award-winning recruitment specialists in the Legal, Finance and Financial Services sectors. We have an experienced and knowledgeable team of industry experts, who are passionate about finding the best candidates to help businesses thrive across the UK. To submit a job to us please click here, or get in touch to discuss your recruitment needs. We offer bespoke recruitment solutions, which we will tailor to meet your recruitment needs and business goals.

Candidates

Here at the Eventus Recruitment Group we believe that happiness at work is a must have for everyone. We offer realistic, honest and straight forward advice to enhance your career. Using our expertise, we can help you to find your next opportunity at no cost to you as a candidate. We recruit for all roles within the Legal, HR, Finance and Accountancy sectors. To view our latest jobs, please click here.

We also support you in applying for jobs, through finding suitable roles that fit your requirements and skills, CV writing and preparing you for interviews. Get in touch for a confidential discussion.

Words from clients and candidates

““Eventus Recruitment is our default provider because they understand our business. Time has been taken over the long term to really understand the various elements of the services that we provide, which means that the candidates they provide are capable of delivering what we need when we need it. In addition, we feel that we can pick up the phone at anytime to discuss potential developments and we know that Eventus Recruitment will always take a long term view of our requirements and put our business needs first.” – Ormrods Solicitors

“I’ve worked with Nikki and Siobhan at Eventus Recruitment and found them both to be, not just professional and helpful, but that they genuinely care about each individual circumstance. They listen and are empathetic and constantly made me feel like I had a good friend on my side during the recruitment process, always with my best interests at heart.

“I would recommend Eventus Recruitment in a heartbeat. Thank you for all you’ve done to help me!” – Sophie, successful legal candidate placed in the North West.

29Sep

What are legal apprenticeships? Insights and advice from a Solicitor Apprentice

An exclusive interview with Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips

Ellie knew that from a young age she wanted to be a Solicitor but didn’t want to go to university full-time. Now, beginning the fourth year of her Solicitor Apprenticeship with BHP Law, she is on a mission to raise awareness of legal apprenticeships. Legal Apprenticeships are an alternative route to qualifying as a Solicitor. Recently, she sat down with Amy Watson, here at the Eventus Recruitment Group, to talk about all things legal apprenticeships.

Law has been a traditional industry with few routes to qualify for so long. Tell me about the legal apprenticeship?

The apprenticeship is still very new. It’s a six-year apprenticeship and the first cohort of solicitor apprentices was in 2017 I believe. I think initially there was an element of reluctance within the profession to accept an alternative route to qualification. However, year-on-year there is an increasing number of firms buying in. In my view, there is still a gap between these types of opportunities available in the North vs South. However, a leading scheme we have in the North-East is the NESA (North East Solicitor Apprenticeship) scheme, which is great. This scheme was founded in 2017, and throughout the years an increasing number of North-East based firms have joined. The scheme works in partnership with Northumbria University, who cater for the academic side of the apprenticeship (LLB and SQE).

I did apply via NESA, who follow a group recruitment process. However, as I applied during 2020, the scheme was withdrawn in this particular year. Quite understandably due to the recruitment process being halted because of the lockdowns. Also with the added complications of recruiting an apprentice when the vast majority of firms were continuing to operate through working remotely.

Just explain to me about the different legal apprenticeships and how they are structured?

All apprenticeships follow a similar structure no matter the industry. This being that the apprentice is required to spend 80% of their working hours in their workplace and at least 20% conducting the off the job training. Legal apprenticeships just apply this and tailor it to the specific type of legal apprenticeship. For example, my off the job training is currently spent working towards my law degree. There are a number of types of legal apprenticeships that just apply this in a slightly different way subject to the end goal. The legal apprenticeships available that I am aware of range from legal secretary to paralegal, to Cilex Charted Legal Executive apprenticeships.

The Cilex Charted Legal Executive apprenticeship I believe is one of the newest additions to that list. I think it’s a great development as it allows Cilex trainees to have 20% of their working hours dedicated to study. I have colleagues who are undertaking Cilex qualifications via the ‘usual’ routine, which involves finding time additional to working hours. Often weekends and late nights. All of whom I can only applaud because I know how difficult it is to balance work and study. Even with my 20% allocated study time.

Do solicitor apprenticeships involve the traditional seat rotating? Do all law firms run apprenticeships the same way?

It does vary, but most firms follow a seat rotation structure similar to that of a training contract. The difference is that seat rotations are not actually a requirement of the apprenticeship. Therefore in theory an apprentice could spend their entire apprenticeship training to specialise in a particular area of law. Personally, I think seat rotations are more advantageous given that apprentices often enter the profession at 18, and therefore are unlikely to know at that stage where they want to qualify.

I think having the opportunity to rotate not only gives you a feel for what area of law is suited to you, but it increases your development as you are repeatedly pushed out of your comfort zone and tasked with learning and practising what is often a completely new area of law.

BHP follow a seat rotation structure for both trainees and apprentices. So, I have followed this from the outset. Resultantly, I have gained experience in Court of Protection, Family (Public), Commercial and Agricultural Property and Civil Dispute Resolution to date. These rotations have allowed me to not only learn different areas of law but learn from different legal professions and teams. I think one of my key takeaways to date for me, is that you can learn something from everyone (and you should take every opportunity to do so).

With the 20% off the job training, do you go to university one day a week or is it remote learning? How does it work?

We have a day off per week. However, the way that it works for us is that this day off is a mixture of attending University and remote studying – this may vary between providers. At Northumbria University we attend university physically every 3 weeks. Often our modules coincide with the modules studied by full-time undergraduates. So, we are given recorded lectures that have been delivered throughout the week to full-time students to catch up on during our study day.

What are the main differences between a legal apprenticeship and the traditional route of becoming a solicitor?

As an apprentice you get everything that the person who follows the traditional route would get in terms of going through university, but you just do this part time. However, you also get the benefit of what is essentially an ‘extended training contract’, which lasts six years rather than two. You will likely go through seat rotations throughout these 6 years, which allows you to develop legal skills in each area to a high level. As an apprentice you may have the opportunity to take on a caseload at an early stage. For example, people undertaking the traditional route won’t have had the opportunity to at that stage. Overall, the main difference I would say is the practical experience from a younger age. You assist with client-facing work from the outset, and you are working almost full-time in practice. Therefore, as a legal apprentice, you develop very quickly.

I suppose the only negative of the apprenticeship is that if the ‘university experience’ is high up on your priority list, then of course you are never going to get that from the apprenticeship due to the nature of it. Although, you always have weekends / annual leave to enjoy. Also, due to earning whilst on the job, you are likely to be able to have more money in order to enjoy them

What are the first steps in securing or finding an apprenticeship? Where would somebody go if they want to go down this route?

So, first steps would be to start researching apprenticeships to help you reach an informed decision in terms of which route is right for you. If you find that it is right for you, the next steps would be to consider where (location wise) you want to do it. Bearing in mind that this would mean living in that area for 6 years and which firms you would like to do it with. Take into consideration how they structure their apprenticeship, practice areas etc.

Websites like Not Going to Uni are great for information and apprenticeship opportunities. I believe the UCAS site also includes degree apprenticeship opportunities. In general law firm’s websites are useful to browse what apprenticeships they offer. I’m part of a network called the North-East Apprentice Ambassador Network. This is a regional branch of a UK wide apprenticeship network, which aims to provide information on apprenticeships across all industries.

Independent Research

It involves a lot of independent research to be honest. Mainly because often the support from sixth forms and colleges is not always quite at the same level as it is for university. I would hope that they are taking steps towards looking at degree apprentices and alternative options more now as awareness is increasing for them. However, when I was at this stage 4 years ago, there was a real gap in terms of support provided by colleges / sixth forms with university applications in comparison to apprenticeship applications. The main focus was always heavily on university as this had always been the traditional progression from A Level.

The ambassador network involves attending sixth forms to promote the apprenticeships, and increase awareness. So, these students at least have the chance to consider whether the alternative is suitable for them. Hopefully, it is starting to cause a shift in the approach that has previously been endorsed by A level providers.

Tell me a bit about your experience of the application process?

As I’ve mentioned I applied for the apprenticeship in 2020 – this year BHP Law had joined the NESA cohort for the first time. So, I had initially applied to NESA via their group recruitment process. As events panned out, although NESA did not proceed as hoped, I did secure an apprenticeship with BHP Law. This made myself and Jack Collins, who was also successful in doing so, the first solicitor apprentices that the firm has ever taken.

NESA Recruitment Process

The NESA cohort recruited as a group initially, before narrowing down successful candidates for each individual firm at the final stage. At the assessment day, candidates do ‘speed interviews’ with each firm, alongside group and written assessments. Following the assessment day, successful candidates are invited to final interviews. Then work experiences with the individual firm(s) who have selected them. The overall process is very similar to that of a training contract recruitment process. As a whole it is extremely competitive.

I was invited to the final interview and work experience with 6 of 8 firms recruiting via the NESA scheme in 2020. However, these placements were unfortunately not set to proceed during the first lockdown in 2020. Then due to this, alongside other implications of the pandemic, the recruitment process was later withdrawn.

At the NESA assessment day, you are also given the opportunity to indicate which firms you personally are interested in. You have the option to choose all, or just some of the firms involved that year. I was open minded and interested in proceeding to the final stage of the process with each firm that I had the opportunity to do so with. But of course it did not turn out that way.

What advice would you give to somebody that is thinking about going down the apprenticeship route?

I would say just do as much research as you can. Then once you’ve decided what you want to do just have as much belief in yourself as you can. Just know that you’re going into it in the same position as every other applicant. As a result all you can do is put your best foot forward.

All that you need is one firm to give you that chance, and it will likely be the case that you will face some difficult rejections, or disappointments along the way but you cannot let that deter you. My experience is a key example of that. Virtually every single opportunity fell through for reasons completely out of my control, due to the pandemic’s kind interruption of the application cycle. But I didn’t let that stop me from pursuing what I knew was right for me. A good outlook to have is that if you don’t get the opportunity, it probably wasn’t meant for you anyway.

So, just have that belief that the right opportunity will come to you and work as hard as you can to ensure that you will get it. When appropriate, don’t take no for an answer and be as proactive as you can.

There’s benefit in adopting a ‘what will be will be’ attitude. Work as hard as you can. But when you have done that just know that whatever happens next is no longer in your control. Keep the belief that in the end you will end up where you are meant to be, doing what you are meant to be doing.

Is there anything you think skills wise you’ve picked up that you wouldn’t have done if you’d have gone down the traditional route?

I think client care and communication skills develop very quickly via the apprenticeship, as you are put in a client-facing position from the outset. You get a feel for what is needed to achieve the best for the client. You learn your own style in doing this, with the guidance of experienced professionals around you. A key benefit of the legal apprenticeship is you learn from really experienced lawyers who have been doing what they do for a while. So, you pick up from what other people do; from their skills and essentially you make them your own as you learn to apply them in your own way.

The confidence you build through the apprenticeship is another key thing. You are in a professional environment from a very young age, and naturally develop as a result. Although it may be daunting at first, you have to learn and develop your skills really quickly to adapt and fit into the firm you’re working for. Ultimately, I think you develop a lot of confidence and legal skills a lot quicker than you might if you were at university. If I was to have taken the traditional route and done my LLB full-time, I would just be graduating now. Furthermore, I wouldn’t have had any exposure to practical experience except for a little bit of work experience if I’d been lucky.

We talked about this a little at the start, but what made you want to go down the apprenticeship route? Rather than the traditional route going of university to begin with.

For me it really just was the practical experience and getting that head start in my career. I’m ambitious by nature. If I’m doing something I want to do it to the best of my ability. Therefore I knew I wanted to not only pursue a career in law but to become the best lawyer I possibly can be and have the best career I can. I researched the options and decided that the apprenticeship was going to be the best opportunity to achieve this from the outset due to that practical experience.

The decision was assisted too by that I wasn’t overly keen to have that ‘university experience’. My priority was getting a head start on my career.

Plus, there’s real cost benefits that can’t be ignored when talking about this. Solicitor Apprentices have a salary for 6 years. Also, their degree and qualifying exams are completely taken care of (expense wise), and they come out of the process with absolutely no debt. That’s a completely undeniable benefit, on top of the practical experience.

Why should someone wanting to become a Solicitor take the apprenticeship route?

I think what can’t be ignored is that actually some people can’t go to university because of the financial implications. Not everyone can take on that amount of debt without a second thought. But that shouldn’t stop people from being able to pursue a career in Law.

I also think what people don’t realise when they are applying for apprenticeships is what you can gain personally as well as professionally. You won’t just develop professional skills, you will develop a lot of personal skills. As well as a lot of transferable skills that will benefit you both inside and outside of the workplace. I think just being in the environment, dealing with challenging matters for clients, and even just building relationships with colleagues, it encourages development to a greater level than what you perhaps would do for your age if you did not have that experience.

A key thing for me, that I perhaps didn’t know or expect going into it, is the people you learn from along the way. This isn’t just limited to the lawyers, or senior figures. You actually learn from everyone within the firm. I can say I’ve learned something from every single person I’ve came into contact with within the firm. You learn a lot of lessons that you perhaps didn’t know you needed. The people you meet and the impact that they have on you along the way is really significant.

In terms of qualifications to take the apprenticeship route, do you have to have A levels to do it?

As far as I’m aware yes, you do need A levels or qualifications equivalent to A levels. I’m not an expert in the field but this would be other qualifications that accrue UCAS points. The specific A levels required varies between firms. Generally they are similar to the grades required to achieve a place on an LLB full-time undergraduate course.

The only thing that disqualifies you from a solicitor apprenticeship I believe is if you already have a law degree. So, you can have an alternative degree and then do the apprenticeship if you choose to. I also think graduate solicitor apprenticeships are becoming available, which are very similar to traditional training contracts. However, they involve you working whilst studying towards the SQE.

Why should law firms take apprentices through the scheme rather than the traditional training contract?

I think there are a lot of benefits for employers. There is so much to gain from hiring an apprentice. The firm has the opportunity to train someone from the very start of their career. So, therefore they can provide the skills that they would want Solicitors to demonstrate upon qualification.

Apprentices are generally very enthusiastic and keen to learn. You have to consider that they have chosen this route. They have therefore chosen to start a 6-year journey, which they will surely aim to get the absolute most from.

I also think that apprentices can provide a fresh perspective and new approach that perhaps some law firms are lacking. Simply due to the traditional nature of the profession. There’s a lot this can do for the business as a whole. For example, as law firms look to keep pace with an ever-modernising world.

An example of this was that recently I pitched and designed the idea of a year 12/13 work experience programme. I’m really glad to say we have introduced this summer. I proposed this because I had observed the lack of opportunities available to students by their merit, as opposed to who they may know. Therefore, this programme invites students to apply to us through a fair application system, giving students an opportunity they may not otherwise have had. I was able to openly talk about the ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’ narrative. I’m pleased that I was supported in my ideas to begin making a change to that.

When it comes to qualifying what are the differences between a traditional trainee and a legal apprentice?

I think as more apprentices qualify and move into NQ roles, we will really see the breadth and depth of experience they bring. I think apprentices will be able to demonstrate real skill and confidence. Perhaps beyond what might be expected of a traditional trainee who has spent less time in practice prior to qualification.

We hope you have found these insights into legal apprenticeships helpful. Click here to read Part 2 to our exclusive interview with Ellie about her personal experience of a Solicitor Apprenticeship. Follow our LinkedIn here to be the first to know when it has launched.

The Eventus Recruitment Group

We work closely with law firms across the nation and offer tailored advice to enhance both recruitment and retention strategies. Due to this, many of our clients see us as a HR partner rather than a traditional recruitment company. Hearing Ellie’s experience of her Solicitor Apprenticeship was eye-opening. The positive impact the apprenticeship has on the skillset and confidence of the next generation of Solicitors is evident. We are excited to see the continual growth of legal apprenticeships and the benefits to the law sector.

I have worked with numerous recruitment agencies over the years but the services provided by Eventus and in particular Amy, is second to none. Amy is knowledgeable, approachable and has a way of understanding what our business requires. Her knowledge of the local market and how this changes is brilliant and always means that she is my first go to when I am looking for a candidate. I would have no hesitation in recommending the Eventus Group.

Cygnet Law

21Sep

Student Placement with the Eventus Recruitment Group – Ellie’s experience

Starting a new job can be scary, especially when it’s a different role to what you’ve done before. Having no prior experience in marketing or the workplace before joining Eventus, I wasn’t so sure how it would plan out, but I’ve now realised there was no need for doubts in the first place.

I’m in my third out of four years at Loughborough University, studying BSc Management. Having just completed a study exchange for a semester in Amsterdam, I thought it was time to get some industry experience. In this blog I will share my experience of working with The Eventus Recruitment Group, what I have gained from my placement, and what I think they have benefitted from me too.

Working alongside the marketing team, I have taken on multiple different tasks. To name a few:

Social media content creation

Website editing
Blog writing and editing
CRM database cleansing
Survey analysis
Email marketing

Learning such a wide range of responsibilities, I have managed to build a great insight into the real corporate world. I have been able to take what I’ve learned in the lecture hall, and apply it to the practical experience at Eventus Recruitment. But although I had a good understanding of management and marketing from my degree, it could never have prepared me for all the new and exciting challenges that I have faced on my placement.

Benefits of student placements

Working with Eventus Recruitment has been extremely beneficial to me, and I want to discuss the benefits of it and the skills I’ve gained along the way.

Teamwork

An absolute non-negotiable skill needed in the business world. Working together with different people on a project can only make the outcome stronger than imagined. With only a small team, I have been able to really delve into working with others and making the most of it. I have been listened to, and my opinions have been taken on board, and vice versa, compared to a larger firm where voices might become a little lost.

Business insight

Understanding how a business actually works is key. From the simple things like taking lunch, to weekly team meetings, to the support we offer each other and more, seeing how a business actually runs is so important, as what we hear in the classroom is barely even the half of it.

Communication

At Eventus, we demonstrate good communication weekly with our full team meeting. One by one we go through our successes of the previous week and aims for the next. We listen to each other and offer advice and suggestions where we can. I’ve learnt the importance of communication being at Eventus, when communicating properly you can really boost morale. Additionally, it can help build employee relationships, which for a new starter is key, and it can improve employee engagement. More so, in companies like the Eventus Recruitment Group, where people work from different locations, with a mix of office, hybrid and remote working.

Networking

At Eventus I have built my network in multiple ways. Firstly, I have developed a strong LinkedIn profile which will help me in my final year at university and future job searches. Secondly, I now have a team that I know I can go to for help whenever needed, and they will always stay in my business network.

Other benefits

Other benefits and skills I have gained from a student placement include:

CV growth opportunities
Employment chance maximisation – marketing is a competitive field to get into and practical work experience is vital
Increased knowledge of the route I might want to go down
Introduction into professional workplace
Identify my corporate strengths and areas for improvement.

Employer benefits

Not only can the student benefit from being on placement, but the business offering one can also see many advantages towards it too:

Fresh Ideas

Bringing in a new recruit, particularly a student who is younger or has a different background, can bring your firm a new perspective. Coming in open-minded and with motivation to perform well, lots of new ideas will be brought to the table with a fresh mind.

Balanced Workload

Student placements work great in a smaller team. Once trained, they can take on a portion of the workload, leaving more time for bigger projects or more tasks to be taken on. Balancing the workload allows a lot more time for other things to be done.

Good Publicity

From the employer’s perspective, you can gain positive publicity from bringing on a student recruit. Being open to new talent and offering work experience and a different type of staff training shows to future employees and clients that you are an open-minded and friendly firm. This has all sorts of benefits for your firm that can only lead to good things.

Boosted Morale of Team

Bringing a new challenge, such as training the new recruit, to an existing team can help them boost morale. They want to help and impress the student so have more motivation in the workplace. Fresh perspectives from the student can also boost team morale as they begin to look at the workplace and tasks in new lights.

Written by Ellie Pomfret, who excelled during her placement at the Eventus Recruitment Group. We are delighted that Ellie is now joining us as a Marketing Assistant part-time whilst she is completing her Business Management degree.

05Sep

Tips for making your return to work easier after periods of leave

Dreading going back to work after your holiday? Tips for making your return to work easier after periods of leave

The first couple of days back after time off can be chaotic. Returning to work can be daunting. The fear the night before of forgetting how to type, a desk piled high with work and a calendar full of meetings. We’ve all been there.

There are some simple steps you can take to help you prepare for your return to work!

Be organised

Don’t leave the planning for your first day back until the night before. Sort your outfits out for the week, plan your travel and meals in advance. This will give you one less thing to worry about.

Set up your workspace

Before you start working after a period of leave, take a couple of minutes to organise your desk and look through any notes you made before you went off on annual leave. Declutter and get rid of anything you don’t need. Get yourself comfortable without distractions to get your head back into your work. Ultimately, create a space that works for you.

Make use of your handover

Before you finish for annual leave, make sure you produce a clear handover. This will ensure your colleagues know how to support your workload whilst you are away, and ensure you know what you had on when you left. Making it a lot easier to hit the ground running when you return to work.

Talk to your colleagues

Find out what has been happening while you’ve been away. So, you are in the loop. It will ensure you are up-to-date of any changes and updates.

Check in with your Manager

Sit down with your Manager and have an open conversation about your workload. If your job role or responsibilities are changing find out exactly what is expected of you.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for help. For example, if you are using new systems or you need to know about progress made on a client’s work.

Write a to-do list

On your return, write a to-do list for each day of the week, breaking your tasks down into manageable chunks. It will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed, and you will be able to see that you are on track to reach your weekly goals. However, don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t get everything done. The first week back is always chaotic, with unplanned meetings and people wanting a catch up.

Sort your inbox

Got hundreds of emails? Delete anything irrelevant. Then categorise and divide the remainder by tasks and priorities. Use flags or create folders within your inbox for urgent tasks or different projects, to help you stay organised.

Delegate work

Delegate any tasks you can to make your first couple of weeks back to work a little easier. Doing so will allow you to concentrate on your main work tasks or projects.

Connect with any external contacts

It’s important to touch base with any customers or suppliers on your return to ensure you are up-to-date and business is running smoothly. By letting them know that you are back, will show that you are thinking about them, maintain the relationship and show that you are keen to get started again with your work.

Be kind on yourself

Make time for yourself on your first week back. Eat well and make sure you take your lunch breaks. Also, leave work at a reasonable time to ease yourself back in and do things you enjoy outside of work.

By following these simple steps, you can make sure you’re prepared and ready to get back into the swing of things!

For further reading, click here to read our tips for increasing productivity in work.

07Aug

Eventus Recruitment Finalist for Two Professional Services Business Awards

Finalists for two Professional Services Business Awards

The Eventus Recruitment Group are delighted to be finalists for two Professional Services Business Awards – The Be Inspired Business Awards (BIBAs) and the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs).

The EVAS are the UK’s largest business awards dedicated solely to women. This year, the finalists were selected from almost 1500 nominations and entries.

The BIBAs are Lancashire’s most prestigious and longest running business awards programme and run by the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce. They are a celebration of some of the most exciting companies and entrepreneurs based in Lancashire, showcasing their success stories and highlighting Lancashire’s position as a world-class business community.

Headquartered in Lancaster, the Eventus Recruitment Group was founded in 2009 by Siobhan Courtney to provide an honest, reliable recruitment service in England and Wales. Having worked in recruitment since 1998 Siobhan grew increasingly frustrated with how recruitment businesses were run. So, seeing an opportunity to be different, she decided to set up a recruitment consultancy in the Legal sector based on honesty, integrity, transparency and confidentially. Going from strength-to-strength, the recruitment company has expanded into Finance and HR, and in September 2021 the Group’s second office was opened in Cheshire. Going beyond traditional recruitment, they support jobseekers at every stage of the recruitment process and advise businesses on employee benefits, recruitment needs and retention strategies.

Siobhan Courtney, Managing Director of the Eventus Recruitment Group, said: “We were delighted to be chosen as a finalist in such two prestigious awards, and it’s a great accolade to my team who work so hard always putting their clients and candidates first to create successful working partnerships so businesses can thrive.

“Business awards are great and are so important to the local business community. But to be finalists for two is extra special.”

The team at the Eventus Recruitment Group are super excited for September, when the winners of both the awards will be announced.

Tailored support from the Eventus Recruitment Group

If you would like some advice on your recruitment strategy or tailored support finding the right people for your firm, click here to contact us.

"I have worked with numerous recruitment agencies over the years but the services provided by Eventus and in particular Amy, is second to none. Amy is knowledgeable, approachable and has a way of understanding what our business requires. Her knowledge of the local market and how this changes is brilliant and always means that she is my first go to when I am looking for a candidate. I would have no hesitation in recommending the Eventus Group."

Stacey, Cygnet Law

17Jul

Ways to Upskill your Workforce

First of all, what is upskilling?

Upskilling refers to a workplace trend in which employees learn new on the job skills. This can be through things such as training programs and development opportunities. Doing so, the skill gap in a workplace can be minimised to fulfil current and future demands.

So, why is upskilling so important?

Let’s rewind to 2020 when the world went a little bit skewed and we had to change the way we work. Many of us were working in the office pre-pandemic, collaborating with colleagues face-to-face. Once the lockdown hit we had to learn how to collaborate and meet virtually. Something many of us hadn’t previously done.

We adapted and although this is an extreme example, many changes mean businesses and employees need to adapt in order to thrive. Sometimes even survive.

It’s important to understand the skills you need within your firm and evaluate which of those are covered and which aren’t. You can then mitigate the loss of certain skills due to illness, progression, retirement or changes in work activities.

What are the benefits of upskilling?

Let’s think about the recruitment market and how competitive this is in the legal sector. It’s a candidate-driven market with some disciplines being particularly difficult to recruit for. Therefore, if you have skill gaps within these disciplines in your business, attracting candidates can be very time-consuming and expensive.

By upskilling or reskilling employees who are committed and keen to develop, helps prevent these skill gaps from appearing. Additionally, it also boosts morale, and demonstrates to your team that you are investing in them. Ultimately, supporting your staff retention.

Many of our candidates cite that there’s a lack of development or progression with their current firm. This is one of the main reasons cited for considering new opportunities. Upskilling your existing employees shows how much your team are valued and that you are committed to developing them professionally.

The culture and values of a business have become more important to employees and candidates over recent years. Developing a culture of agility and growth demonstrates the value you place on individuals.

Ways to Upskill your Workforce

There are a variety of approaches for upskilling your team. Consideration needs to be given with regard to the individuals, their career aspirations and the current and potential future skills gaps.

Some members of the team won’t necessarily be looking for specific development or progression within their role. Whereas others will embrace the opportunity to learn and grow in their role.

What are the current skills gaps? What are the potential gaps in the future? Do you have anyone in the team who is likely to progress leaving you with a succession issue or even retirement? Do you only have one member of the team with a particular skill set that could make your firm vulnerable if they were to leave? All these considerations will help you to recognise and plan ahead.

So what methods can you use to upskill your team?

Online Courses and Formal Qualifications

This could be ad-hoc, one-off courses to help with particular skills or longer-term courses that require attendance on a regular basis.

CILEX, apprenticeships or professional courses can be a fantastic route for those who are looking to progress further and can be carried out whilst working. Furthermore, the Government and Local Authorities are currently offering part-funded apprenticeships and courses, aimed at up-skilling workers. These go right up to degree level.

If your employees are desk based there are plenty of courses to enhance their skills and make their day-to-day jobs earlier. For example, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, InDesign, Photoshop to name a few. Giving your employees the opportunity to complete courses like these, will provide them with the skills to take on new projects with their job. In some cases, it will provide them with the confidence to take on additional responsibilities within the business.

Mentoring

Buddying up with a mentor can be beneficial, especially when it comes to softer skills or learning key processes. There are also mentoring courses for people within business who you would like to take up these positions.

Shadowing

Another way to upskill employees is to provide opportunities to work in other departments and learn from colleagues with different experience and skills. This is particularly useful for junior staff, who are starting out in their career.

From a business perspective it is useful in cases when one department is overly busy. As it means that staff in other departments can step in to help, to meet business demand and prevent unnecessary stress.

Create your own training programme

By devising your own training programme or taking on apprentices can help people to enter your industry. Breaking into new industries can be very difficult and those who want to move industries are often extremely determined and dedicated to upskilling. So, by creating a training programme for people with transferable skills will help your future employees to upskill and provides with you a driven workforce. Also, this method can be tailored to your business, allowing you to build a workforce with the skills you need.

Offer CSR Days

By offering paid CSR days to your employees allows them to upskill by trying new things outside of their work. All whilst giving back to the community.

Upskilling your workforce will help to ensure that you have a competitive edge and a team of highly motivated and skilled employees. Consider each individual’s career pathways to upskill and fill skill gaps to the team’s best advantage.

Written by Nikki Phillips, Senior Recruitment Consultant for all Legal roles across the North West and Wales.

About The Eventus Recruitment Group

If you would like further advice on upskilling your workforce, retention and recruitment strategies, we have a team of specialists who are always happy to help. Click here to contact us or email info@eventuslegal.com.

We are award-winning recruitment specialists in the Legal, HR, Finance and Accountancy sectors, who go above and beyond traditional recruitment by offering an all-round consultancy service. Including, tailored specialist advice to enhance job searches, recruitment and retention strategies.

"I have used Eventus, for a number of years and have always found them to be friendly, helpful and professional. They really take the time to understand the firm, and the roles that we are looking to fill, so that only candidates that fit our requirements are put forward. I would have no reservations in recommending Amy and Eventus."

Law Firm Hiring Manager

12Jul

Moving Divisions in the Legal Sector – Is it possible?

Can you move divisions in the legal sector?

This is a common question that gets asked around. The short answer to this question is “yes”, and I personally think this should be embraced all round.

Sometimes in your career you may feel like you’ve become interested in another area of law instead. Switching legal divisions is an option if you find a different practice area more interesting, challenging, and fulfilling. This switch isn’t necessarily quick or easy, but with the right approach, can definitely be worth it.

Should I switch legal practice areas?

Before switching legal divisions, you should consider all other options offered to you, to make sure it’s the right decision. You will be starting again from scratch, so your choice may be questionable to hiring managers to begin with, if you don’t have proper reasons for your change.

Once you have considered your options and weighed up the pros and cons of a change of a sector change, now comes the harder part. What area of law do you want to move too?

Tips for changing practices areas

Here are our tips for making an informed decision on which legal division to specialise in and getting the ball rolling:

Consider your strengths

Once you have settled on why you want to change your area of practice, you need to consider your skills, personality and aptitudes. If you hate confrontation or public speaking, then maybe litigation or crime is not for you. However, if you are compassionate and people centric then areas such as private client could be an option. Having self-awareness and thoroughly analysing your skills is so important as you want to ensure you make the right decision for yourself both professionally and personally. It’s time consuming learning a a whole new area of law and can be a challenge when you are further along in your career and have other commitments.

Speak to a mentor

After considering your strengths, you need to set up a thorough plan. If your current law firm has the resources for you to move legal divisions, perhaps approach a human resources manager or someone who has the advice about this big switch. Speaking to someone else shows that you are serious about the change and want to receive guidance. Additionally, if you are someone that has previously demonstrated acquiring new skills quickly, then you are more likely to be taken seriously with your change.

Learn everything you can about the new sector

It goes without saying that you need to find out as much as you can about the new sector. Time to hit the books, online resources, social media such as LinkedIn, and speak to people in your chosen sector. As with everything get the basics correct first. Understand the case law from an academic perspective to give yourself the best start possible.

Talking to someone that has previously switched legal divisions can help. Firstly, you can listen to their experience and understand the process of switching more thoroughly. Additionally, you can find out the best advice and tips to make the career switch go as smoothly as possible. They could also act a mentor or helping hand throughout the changing process.

So, in conclusion, can you move your legal practice area? YES! Just remember a fair amount of work needs to be involved. But, like other walks of life, hard work usually pays off.

Written by Simon Scott, Senior Recruitment Consultant for all Legal roles across South Yorkshire and East Midlands.

About The Eventus Recruitment Group

We are award-winning recruitment specialists placing talented professionals within the Legal, HR, Finance and Accountancy sectors.

Here at the Eventus Recruitment Group, we offer realistic, honest and straight forward advice to both businesses and professionals, to grow your team or to enhance your career.

If you would like help hiring for a job vacancy or you are looking for a new opportunity, please click here to contact us for a confidential discussion. With offices in Lancashire and Cheshire and recruitment consultants based across England, we are best placed to support you and are well connected with law firms and legal professionals in your area.

“I received a phone call from Simon one afternoon wanting to work with me to find the right fit for me considering my personal circumstances. Simon was very responsive and managed to get me multiple interviews, which turned into multiple offers. Simon was willing to do a lot more than the other recruitment agents that I had been in contact with at other firms. Overall, Simon got me the job I needed and satisfied my salary expectations. Could not recommend Simon any more!"

Stephen, Placed legal candidate

03Jul

Entering Business Awards for Brand Recognition and New Business

Why entering business awards is good for business

At this time of year we especially seem to see awards ceremonies being held left, right, and centre, both Regionally and Nationally. So, is it worth you entering a business award and why do you see so many firms doing so? Surely there’s only so many you can win?

At the Eventus Recruitment Group we do enter awards that are relevant for our markets. Furthermore, we have been lucky to have been finalists of many and even fortunate enough to win some as well.

The benefits of entering business awards can be put into three different categories: marketing, analysis, and motivation. Here I will go into depth about each one more and what business awards really do have to offer to you and your firm.

Benefits of Business Awards for Marketing

Entering awards is a great way to showcase your business and get recognition for the hard work that you and your team have put in. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate the value and impact of your business and highlight the successes you have achieved.

Increasing brand awareness by including business award logos on your website can help spread your name and increase your reputation. Furthermore, winning an award can be used to promote your business and gain invaluable publicity. Even being name a finalist is an opportunity to get some positive PR for your business in the media. This is also great for recruiting. Everyone wants to work for an award-winning company, so when job hunters see those award logos, it will encourage more applicants compared to a non-award-winning firm.

You can treat the run up and the actual event as a networking opportunity. Get your name out there, make professional and long-lasting connections with like-minded nominees, and increase your brand recognition. It would be silly not to utilise such an easy way to make multiple connections.

Benefits of Business Awards for Company Analysis

Awards are a fantastic way to benchmark yourself against competitors. You can show off your business with the innovation you have implemented and the diversity you have demonstrated. Applying for business awards is a great way to identify your business’s unique selling points and greatest achievements. On the other hand, you can see what other competitors are up to, and see where you can make improvements with your team and firm.

Benefits of Business Awards for Team Motivation

Becoming a finalist or winning an award, or even just being at an awards ceremony does wonders for company morale. Sitting all together at the table hearing your company being called out as a winner is a feeling like no other. Your firm and your team are getting the recognition that they deserve. This is only going to have positive consequences. The positive internal message it can create is huge, not just for the team but for individual members of staff. I recently nominated one of my team for employee of the year and they were absolutely delighted, and it was very well deserved. By giving your employees the recognition of their hard work, they are only inclined to keep it up and work even better.

Benefits of Business Awards for Recruitment

Business awards complement your recruitment strategy and can help you to attract the top talent to your firm. By shouting about your awards within your job adverts, it will make your company more appealing to job searchers and prospective employees.

Furthermore, there are workplace specific awards which you can answer to recognise your firm as an outstanding employer. For example, Best Companies or Great Place to Work.

Being finalists and winning awards will put you in front of your competitors, which is so important when hiring.

A different perspective – Awards Sponsorship

Sponsorship is another angle you can take regarding awards. Having done this previously, they can be expensive. Here are a few things I would suggest to ascertain the level of ROI, and make sponsoring an award really worth it:

Speak to previous sponsors and see if they thought it was worthwhile
Check how much advertising the sponsors get in the evening’s publication
How much do they promote the sponsorship throughout the whole process? We have sponsored ones where exposure has been huge, and then others not so much…
How much exposure and involvement do you as a business receive after the event?
Do you get contact lists / names and introductions of finalists?
Will you be on the judging panel? This creates a day of networking and allows the finalists to see who you are, and learn about your business.
As you can see, though you have to be careful and do your research with sponsoring awards, they can be great for brand recognition and networking opportunities.

Our Business Awards History

Here at the Eventus Recruitment Group, we are Professional Services Finalists at the upcoming BIBAs and EVAs Awards. We also have a history of awards. To name some:

Business Support Services Award Winner 2022 at the Bay Business Excellence Awards
Highly Commended Start-Up Award at the North East Cheshire Business Awards 2022
Managing Director Siobhan Courtney has won the Women in Business Award at the Inspire Awards 2019.

So, why not take the plunge and enter awards that are relevant to your business? You never know, you could be the next winner!

About The Eventus Recruitment Group

We are award-winning recruitment specialists placing talented professionals within the Legal, HR, Finance and Accountancy sectors.

Here at the Eventus Recruitment Group, we offer realistic, honest and straight forward advice to both businesses and professionals, to grow your team or to enhance your career.

If you would like help hiring for a job vacancy, please click here to contact us for a confidential discussion. With offices in Lancashire and Cheshire and recruitment consultants based across England, we are best placed to find the top talent in your industry and location.

29Jun

Ways to enhance your Job Interview Process to engage and impress candidates

Creating an engaging job interview process to impress candidates

Ensuring your job interview process is engaging is so important. It’s not only vital for impressing candidates but also for the interviewing managers too. This is because the interviewing staff need to be comfortable and relaxed when interviewing job candidates. Furthermore, it’s even more imperative when interviewing several candidates, as you don’t want to come across as bored and put off future employees.

Here are a few ways to make interviewing more engaging:

Ask open-ended questions

These will spark meaningful conversations that give you a better, more accurate understanding of the candidate. When the conversation flows, both the interviewing staff and job candidates will feel at ease; helping the candidate’s performance and ensuring your company comes across well to the candidate.

Allow the candidate to ask their own questions

This gives them an opportunity to show their enthusiasm and engage more deeply with the role and firm. Also, it shows to them that you’ve shown an interest in them.

Create an interview environment which enables interaction

A casual, relaxed atmosphere can help candidates feel more comfortable and open–up, enabling them to communicate more effectively. If you have several stages to the interview, you could conduct the final stage somewhere away from your office. Maybe invite them out for a coffee or lunch.

If your interview is competency based, create tasks which involve your employees

For example, you ask an employee or another manager to role play and pretend to be a client. This will allow you to see how candidates interact with clients.

Involve your employees in the interview process

For example, we will let candidates have one-to-one time with an employee they will be working closely with. This gives the candidate the opportunity to get to know them and ask them any questions they have informally.

Give them a tour of your working environment

Show them where they will be working and introduce them to people within your team.

Provide feedback

Providing feedback throughout the process can help to keep the candidate engaged and motivated. Even if it’s a no, giving them constructive feedback will help them improve their performance in their next job interview and they are likely to recommend your firm if you provide feedback.

Psychometric testing

This is a great tool to complement your interview strategy. Put simply, psychometric testing in recruitment is an aptitude test that uses a variety of different questions and tasks to measure a candidate’s suitability for the role. The questions can be set by the employer. In recruitment, psychometric testing is useful for finding out how job candidates work, perform in the workplace and interact with their colleagues. Read more about psychometric testing in our blog here.

Through employing these strategies, you can create an engaging and informative interview process. By taking the time to carefully plan their interview process, employers can ensure they make the best recruitment decisions and find the perfect candidate for the role.

Eventus Recruitment Group

If you think that you have room for improvement in your interviews and recruitment process then please get in touch with us. At the Eventus Recruitment Group we are happy to help our candidates and clients have the smoothest interview journey possible and our consultants are here to support you every step of the way.

"I’ve used many recruiters for finding legal jobs for myself and then when I set up my own firm for recruiting staff and I can honestly say that Eventus has been the best. They really have listened and have only ever put forward candidates that really fit into my company perfectly. They have helped my company grow and I would have been lost without their services. Can highly recommend this company."

Jessica, Manager

01Jun

Signs your top talent are about to leave

How to spot the signs that your employees are about to leave

Let’s face it, it’s never easy to say goodbye to top talent, but sometimes, the signs that someone is about to leave can be hard to ignore.

People tend to think long and hard before jumping ship. Sometimes they find it difficult to speak to their senior leaders about the issues or reasons why they are considering moving on.

In today’s market we’re finding that top talent in the legal sector are in great demand meaning they are likely to receive multiple offers if they decide to actively search for a new opportunity.

As an employer, it’s useful to understand what signs to look out for so that you can approach your employees and give them the opportunity to talk to you about the factors that are causing them to reconsider their current position. This helps you to retain your employees, and also demonstrates to them that they are valued and that you care.

Signs that someone is unhappy and may be job searching

Indicators that you may have an imminent departure, include:

Decreased productivity:

If an employee’s work performance has dropped off and they aren’t as productive as usual, this could be a sign they’re not as invested in their job as they once were.

Withdrawal from social activities:

Has the employee become more distant or stopped taking part in team activities or events? If they’re not engaging with the team, they may be mentally preparing to move on.

Increased criticism:

Becoming more or highly critical of the team or organisation as a whole could be a sign that they’re looking for a way out and ready to move on.

Reduction in suggestions or ideas:

If the employee has previously been proactive in providing suggestions to improve processes or culture.

Showing little or no interest in career progression:

Has the employee always been engaged with regards to their career path but now seems disinterested? This could be an indicator that they have started to look at opportunities for promotion elsewhere.

Lack of engagement on long term projects:

Your best people who are usually invested in long term business plans may seem less concerned with projects they have been or would normally get involved in. Their head may already be elsewhere.

How to address the situation if you are seeing some of these signs that someone is about to resign

Informal Discussion

Discussing casually with employees asking them directly how they are feeling and if they are still happy in their role. Discuss their personal goals and consider how you can realistically support them. This demonstrates you are supporting them and giving them the opportunity to talk to you about how they might be feeling.

Make Reasonable Adjustments

Consider their caseload, are they handling too many matters and becoming overburdened or do they require more assistance within their department. This could be a simple fix that could be addressed if they are successfully overachieving their billing targets but could be reaching burnout.

Create A Plan

If there are issues that need addressing devise a plan together, sign post the actions and see it through.

Check In

Check in regularly to discuss the actions from the plan and illustrate the changes and improvements that have been implemented.

Consider Work-Life Balance

Does the culture of your firm take into account employees’ work-life balance? We all need to strike the balance between performing at work and enjoying our down time at home. Anonymously survey your employees to see if any improvements could be made to your benefits and the ways in which your company supports work-life balance.

Retaining top talent is a priority. Replacing them can be costly, not just with regards to attracting new talent but also with regards to loss of billing once they have left your firm.

Post-pandemic many more candidates put an emphasis on work-life balance, employee benefits and the culture of the firm they work for before salary. So, these are important considerations as an employer. There are many ways you can address this without it having to cost the earth. If you’d like some insights with regards to attractive benefits candidates are interested in or the market as a whole please get in touch. Our consultants are experts in their market and geographic and are here to support you with retaining and attracting legal, finance and HR professionals.

Written by Nikki Phillips, Senior Legal Recruitment Consultant for Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside.

How to use social media as a recruiting tool

How to use social media as a tool for recruitment

Social media is a powerful tool for recruiters to find and engage with potential candidates. Gone are the days when you’d have a yellow pages kind of book on the local experts in your area. Nowadays, networking and brand awareness are very high on the list of how to recruit compared to the adage of sending CVs into the office. In this blog, I will explore different ways to use social media as a recruiting tool and how it can be beneficial as we move into a more social media dominated world.

With so many social media platforms now being available, recruiters can now reach out to a wide range of candidates from all over the world. From platforms like LinkedIn to Twitter, recruiters can access a huge pool of talent and find the candidate for their needs, and vice versa. According to Smart Insights, 4.8 billion people now use social media – that’s more than half of the world! By adding social media to your recruitment process, you can access more candidates than you could have ever imagined. Here are some ways that social media can benefit you as recruiters:

Searching on Social Media

Social media makes searching for candidates so easy. You can find people anywhere. For example, you want to find someone to work in the Greater Manchester area. An easy yet effective function you can use is hashtags and posting your jobs directly on social media. You can put out job adverts or posts for the specific role, and #GreaterManchester or the area you are hiring in. Doing this allows people who are job searching to see jobs in their desired area. Your job vacancies will come up for everyone searching in that specific region. Furthermore, your employees will be able to share the job posts, expanding the reach to their networks and more people in your locality.

Additionally, you can search that hashtag yourself to find candidates seeking a job in that area. Similar to hashtags, filters are also a great function to help refine your search for candidates on LinkedIn. You can filter all sorts, ranging from location, sector, job role and more.

Secondly, social media sees a huge range of diversity. Therefore, enlarging the talent pool that you are opened up to, which you can resource job candidates from.

Quick Interactions

The recruitment process is made much easier when using social media. Candidates can submit their CVs and job applications online, instead of interrupting office hours in person. At interview stage, Microsoft Teams or Zoom are great platforms to set up online interviews which again saves time. Emails can be sent out at any time to let candidates know updates on their recruitment process.

By connecting with job candidates you are interested in on LinkedIn, you can quickly message them if you need to. Also, once a job offer has been accepted, you can show interest in your new starters before they join your company by interacting with their posts and messaging them in LinkedIn.

Boost your Employer Brand

By having a strong marketing team making your social media and online presence visually appealing as well as relevant and up-to-date, makes attracting candidates even easier. If your social media is hard to read, dark, and gloomy, job hunters are likely to give up trying to find roles to apply for much quicker than if there is an aesthetically pleasing social media page that’s easy to navigate. Creating a fun but professional brand image on social media can increase your visibility to potential candidates. Visually appealing profiles and content can motivate candidates to follow you. As a result, they will stay up-to-date with your activities and be more likely to want a job when you next hire.

Furthermore, when researching potential employers many job seekers will check out companies on social media. Again, proving the importance of companies being active and engaging on social media for when hiring.

Brand Ambassadors

An effective way to boost your presence on social media is to have employees be brand ambassadors for your company. They will promote your content and boost brand awareness. Making your company more visible and recruiting easier as a result. Additionally, candidates trust a company more, the more that they see reassurance from existing employees. They are able to talk about company culture, why they like working for your company. Your employees could connect with potential candidates themselves to make that extra effort on the recruiting side. Doing so can really help show your brand’s personality.

Reduced Costs

A great reason for social media being used as a recruitment tool is the little to no cost of it. Nearly all social media platforms are free to set up an account and post. As well, as social media is much quicker than human processes, the recruitment process can be sped up, further reducing costs. Recruiters therefore can have a much cheaper process.

So, why is recruiting on social media the way forward?

Mainly, social media can help employers reach more candidates faster than ever before. By leveraging social media to its fullest potential, recruiting managers can find the right employees that fit their company’s needs and culture. Here at the Eventus Recruitment Group, we demonstrate a good understanding of how social media can be used as a recruitment tool. We have a large following of legal and finance professionals on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. This helps us to promote your jobs, find suitable candidates and raise our company profile. As recruiters, we are able to advise professionally on ways to enhance your social media platforms to get the best recruitment strategies out of it. Contact us today for a confidential discussion and to get direct support with recruitment. We’re always happy to advise.

Written by Sam Heraghty, Resourcing Consultant for Legal Roles across the North West, Wales, and South West.

"Amy has been fantastic throughout the recruitment process from presenting the candidate initially through to the offer and acceptance stage. Very professional and genuinely wants the best for the candidate but also looking for a good fit with the employer."

Ed, Law Firm Hiring Manager

26May

Employee Attitudes and Work Trends Annual Survey 2023

Employee Attitudes and Work Trends Survey

Our Annual Work Trends Survey Is Back – Have Your Say!

We would like to invite you to take part in our annual survey. It is themed around your views and attitudes towards working environments, employee benefits, work-life balance and career progression. This research will enable us to continue to advocate for you, across all these areas, making positive changes to workplaces for your benefit.

Our consultants advise organisations on how to create positive working environments and company cultures, ensuring you are rewarded, satisfied and fulfilled at work. We constantly champion making improvements to employee benefits and reward structures, and your insights are integral to making this possible. We want to know what is important to you!

Can you spare 5 minutes of your time?

The survey is easy to navigate and will take 5 minutes to complete. Your answers will remain confidential. We will never share your answers directly with anyone and your response can remain anonymous if you wish. The general themes from all the responses will be used in our research and to campaign for improved employee benefits and working conditions in the Legal, Finance, Accountancy and HR sectors.

Survey Prize Draw

As a thank you for your input, you will be entered into a prize draw to win a Fortnum & Mason Hamper. To qualify for the prize draw you need to leave your name and contact details (so we can contact you if you win!). If you would prefer to keep your response anonymous, that is completely fine, just leave the contact information blank at the end of the survey and just press submit.

To complete the survey please visit https://survey.zohopublic.eu/zs/iwDH9X.

Thank you again for participating. We look forward to hearing your views.

"My thanks to Eventus for reaching out. You introduced me to a fascinating high-calibre opportunity, and managed the process thereafter like old friends. It really was a pleasure to work with both Nikki and Siobhan, and I have good reason to be grateful for their calm, quiet competence, and their understanding of their market, and their clients’ needs."

Dominic, Solicitor.

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