Hundreds of businesses closing on a daily basis, thousands of job losses and a major downturn in hiring. That’s the current situation in the UK, as the majority of the population endures its second month of lockdown in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Yet for Emma Robinson, the founder and managing director of Red Diamond Executive Headhunters, her clients in industries such as pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, are going stronger than ever before – and demanding the best senior figures to lead them through the most challenging time in decades.
With competition higher than ever before for these roles, Emma offers her advice on how candidates can impress and to rise to the top to secure a dream job offer in the current climate.
Less Roles, More Competition
The most significant impact of the coronavirus pandemic that myself and the team have observed over the last two months, is the enormous surge in senior level candidates looking for work.
Not just in the UK, but internationally. The competition is incredibly tough for the small number of roles available and candidates are having to work their socks off to be in with a chance of success.
That’s how it should always be, right? A motto of mine is ‘you get out what you put in’ and it’s never been more valid.
Be Selective And Relevant
It’s really important that candidates pitching themselves to recruiters ensure they are relevant for the role they are applying for. This includes tailoring their CV’s to mirror job the descriptions for the role.
This is always good practice, but has now become more crucial than ever with so much solid competition and hundreds of applications for every role.
Candidates not only need to stand out, but also appreciate what recruiters are looking for, being realistic about their skills and make it crystal clear what they have to offer so they don’t fall at the first hurdle.
If candidates are not realistic about the roles they’re applying for, it’s a waste of time all round.
Do Your Research
Candidates we’ve placed in senior level roles over the past month have been the ones to go above and beyond to impress.
Last week, a superb offer was made to a candidate purely because the presentation she was asked to give was so detailed. It was so evident how much time and effort had been spent on researching the company and key stakeholders that they couldn’t see anyone else in the role.
There’s no excuse for not being well prepared at the moment, particularly for those who are currently out of work.
Candidates that go above and beyond, carrying out thorough research on the company, its competitors, customers and industry, will have the best chance at getting an offer.
Make A Good Impression
Video conferencing is one of the hardest types of interviews to get through. We have recently seen senior level candidates fail at the final hurdle, who have been perfect on paper, due to not making enough effort.
Candidates should treat virtual interviews with the same preparation and effort as they would face-to-face, if they were driving to the recruiter’s office. In some cases this will mean sitting at the kitchen table in a full suit, which might feel strange but it’s crucial.
Those who show pure professionalism and enthusiasm during this unprecedented time will undoubtedly reap the rewards in the months ahead.
Good luck!
Bio
Based in Yorkshire, UK, Emma Robinson has almost 20 years recruitment experience. She began her career at Hays on the graduate trainee programme and rapidly climbed the ladder. She launched Red Diamond Executive Headhunters around 10 years ago to help place senior level candidates in roles across the globe.
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