Frequently Asked Questions
There are quite a few questions that we get asked. A lot. So to help you (and us a little bit), we thought we’d gather up some of the key questions, with some answers, and share them with you.
What’s the market like?
That’s an open question if ever we heard one! At the moment (March 2022), the market is very candidate driven. That means that talented, active candidates have their pick of roles.
If you’re recruiting, it’s a tough market to operate in. Making sure you have benchmarked the role correctly and the salary package is competitive is critical. But it’s more than that. You have to make sure the proposition is right. Why should someone join your business over another one? What can you offer in terms of culture, opportunity, progression? Never over-sell (obviously) but equally, you’ll need to compete for the candidate you want.
Does that mean it’s a walk in the part to get a job? No, it doesn’t. Our clients are specific around what they need in a candidate and will wait for the right person before making an offer.
This market is about pace. Responding to CVs and consequently interview requests is vital. And if you can amange it, make the process as streamlined as possible. We're seeing candidates snapped up by employers willing to move diaries and agendas to hold interviews at short notice. Making yourselves available to meet quickly can make all the difference and the appetite from both parties to do this will aid the process.
What's happening with regards to Hybrid working?
It's certainly here to stay. But the extent to which employers are able to offer this varies. In our markets, many people lead factory based teams, so they're more likely to have to spend the majority, if not all, their time on site. But those who can be more office based are asking for details of home-office split. In fact, it's one of the first questions we're now asked by candidates.
If you're recruiting for a role where someone could be part home based, be clear on what the expectation is, and stick to it. If you're seeking a new role, you might have to change your current pattern of work. Make sure you've thought through what your tolerances are, and how you can flex to fit with the working practices of a new business. The more you can manoevre your working week, the better your chances of finding a role that will offer the opportunity you're seeking.
What’s happening with regards to IR35?
Well, it came and it’s here to stay. The impact on the market (as of July 2021) has been a slight reduction in contracts as contractors seek ‘outside IR35’ contracts, and internal teams, in our markets, familiarise themselves on how to generate the SDS document. In fact, according to JSA, over half of status determinations are deemed ‘outside’ and combined with the number of contractors working for small business (for whom the rules don’t apply), around 75% of contractors are working legitimately outside IR35.
For roles falling inside IR35, contractors are being engaged on an FTC or via an umbrella business. Any other option leaves the worker without any employment rights, but paying tax as though they were an employee. We’ve seen an increase in FTC requests by clients, favouring payrolling staff themselves.
But there are still contracts available, and we have multiple contractors working. IR35 didn’t quite kill off the interim market!
One key knock on effect for inside contracts is the increase in cost for the employer. Contractors wanting to still achieve the same earnings raises daily rates. We always thought this would be the case and there’ll be a point down the line when a mid-point is reached we think.
My CV is out of date, I need to update it….
That’s a question – will you help me? Of course we will. Our role isn’t to write CVsfor people, and if you work with us you’ll know that we don’t reformat them. But your CV is your door opener, and if it doesn’t reflect what the client is looking for, or it’s badly written, the door will remain closed.
We have lots of resources to share with you to help. We’ll critique your CV, we have a template you can use, and tips on all sorts of things such as how to create impact with your CV and how to navigate through ATS platforms.
Have a chat with your Expion contact for our resources or drop us a message and we’ll get straight back to you.
Where’s the best place to look for roles?
The best advice we could give would be to have a strategy. Think about what you’re looking for and how you can find it. Some roles are likely to be advertised on LinkedIn, others on job boards, and some won’t even appear externally to the business recruiting. Recruiters often fill these roles so pick a couple of businesses that operate in your sector, connect with them and build a relationship.
It’s very easy to apply on a job board. Sometimes too easy to the extent that people apply for a lot of roles, and then can’t recall to which job they sent which version of their CV.
Sounds obvious but keep a log. And follow up if you don’t hear back. Sadly, it’s an all too familiar problem we hear from candidates – that they never hear back from a role or business they’ve applied to.
You have my CV, yet you haven’t rung me about a role I’ve seen
Hmmm. This could be for any number of reasons. It’s likely that there’s something not aligned. It could be salary, location, culture, your experience. Please don’t be offended. But if we’ve not spoken recently, give us a call. Your circumstances might have changed and we just weren’t aware. And we’re also human. CVs can be ambiguous and what’s obvious to you might just not have been picked up by us.
Build a relationship with us and we’ll support in whichever way we can. And if we can’t we’ll let you know.