Ask the Recruitment Consultant Anything

Astar1809

Brit_Abroad wrote: »

Astar1809 a recruiter talking openly I've been waiting for this day for a long time

Where to begin.

1. In certain parts of the world, you are required to put a passport size mugshot on the top right of your CV. Admittedly this is in a part of the world where you don't have equal opportunities hiring. Where they will, for instance, actually ask for a white woman in a job relating to say teaching English to kindergarteners. Although employers can't ask for a photo on your CV in the UK as a white male, will it help me to put one on my CV? Or do employers/agency staff in the UK have to reject CV's with photos on them? I am not a fan of Pictures on CV's, no need or want for it on my side, the photo as well as other details (contact and reference details for example) before the cv is forwarded to a client. The only benefit will come when an employer directly expresses they only employ a certain type of person (based on race) and do you really want to make yourself more attractive to a company who are openly racist? All i can say it having a picture on the CV only makes my job of preparing your CV a tad harder, nothing else.

2. I've worked abroad a lot mostly on 3rd world countries and downright lawless parts of the world. (Fun fact I'm currently in a country which was ranked in 2019 second from bottom in rule of law ranking). Will working in countries like these affect my job prospects if i want to return to the UK, as my CV is unaccountable and patchy at best. How many companies are going to check up on a reference when English is not their first language. You are right about the reference checks, you will be unemployable by certain companies simply due to not having a 5 year checkable history (Any role that requires you to pass a security check like the airport, companies who work with certain type of government contract etc.) Also in other cases the lack of references can be a stumbling block. Best advice I can give you is to keep payslips or records of payments prove employment and if possible request a written reference (even if you type it, explain what it is and ask them to sign it if English not so great) then this way you do have reference. I have used foreign written references a few times to satisfy the companies strict refernce rules.

3. Are employment agencies in the UK really as sketchy as they appear to be? I do quite a bit of penetration testing and offensive cybersecurity I've been asked on two separate occasions to test the security procedures of two different UK employment agencies and both times they haven't provided proof of authorisation from that company. (I refused I'd quite like to return to the UK at some point (Not in handcuffs)) Like in any industry there will be good an bad, I have worked in a decent range from shady to squeaky clean, I would think this would be true for any sector where sales or sales environment the core of the business as the lure of "bending" the rles to earn more money will always attract people. From my personal experience I have worked with and met with or know of more good companies that bad ones but it only takes one individual to skirt the law to ruin the reputation of the whole business so its a hard one to judge.

4. Why can't tech recruiters at least look up the difference between java and javascript? Recruiters are seen as a scourge in the tech industry. They're looked down at somewhere between !!!!!philes and Journalists. I have never touched IT recruitment (my daughter has been shocked at how I use a computer since she was 5 and is to some extend my IT support at home now and she is 9) I do work in a sector where technical knowledge is critical and hear similar complaints from candidates who almost seem shocked I have a good idea of the systems they use, effect they have a business and even the different ways they can produce the results they are employed to get, this comes from years of experience though and when I started specialising in this linear market I would have been asking question that would make me cringe now. If you are on the look out seek out recruiters who have at least a few years experience, don't be afraid to test their market knowledge either as at the end of the day if they do not have a strong understanding of the value you can add to a business or project then they are unlikely to get you a role that suits and remunerates you as best possible.
If you are getting calls from recruiters trying to talking you into a role that is not suitable I understand its annoying but essentially these are unlikely to be experienced recruiters and while learning the ropes are throwing mud at the wall and hoping they get lucky speaking to the right person. Try and treat it that if they do happen to have the ideal role then its worth doing a bit of educating with them about what you do, if they don't politely move on, if you are actively looking then partner up with an experienced one.

5. I'm looking at changing my career focus in 2020 to move away from what I'm currently doing in tech and more into business automation (ideally while still working remotely). I've seen a lot of data entry jobs which I could pretty much entirely automate. Would employment agencies be open to persuading a client to hire a remote temp? The plan being that if I could pick up 15 or 20 £10 an hour full time year-long fixed-term contract data entry jobs, I'd be making about what I'm on now with far less workload.

In my sector I have employed someone who had developed a program to essentially do a similar thing but in finance, it did take a far longer process and it was only possible because I had a strong relationship with the client, so I can imagine lot of recruiters not seeing this as the best way for them to go but some will be open to it. have you considered cutting out the agency and offering this service direct? I am no expert in data entry style roles but if the system you have is as good as you say operating as an independent subcontractor may yield more.

Brit_Abroad

Fantastic thank you @Astar1809 the points on the CV photo and the CV gaps were what I assumed the answers would be.

Yeah, I probably will end up going direct to companies just thought I may be able to get an agency involved so I didn't have to travel half way around the world to blighty to pitch it to companies.