Tag: Recruitment

East meets West: Solving the Chef Crisis

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Many people within the hospitality industry lament the lack of chefs in Ireland, with everyone having their own opinions and perceptions on the reason behind the low, and falling, number of chefs working in Ireland.

I myself have spoken and written about the issue many times, but as the problem reaches epidemic levels- who is actually doing anything constructive in order to try and resolve the issues?

As a proud and active member of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, I was delighted to get the call from Adrian Cummins to assist them with their latest recruitment drive. I have travelled to Korea to attend the World Job+ Recruitment Fair at the Seoul International Travel Mart 2018 (SITM) to meet and interview prospective Chefs who are interested in coming to Ireland on the new Chef Work Permit scheme, announced earlier this year. The new regulations came into effect in March this year, removing some chef grades from the ineligible occupations list and making it easier to recruit chefs from outside the EU. The is an overall quota of 610 employment permits available.

Even though it’s been a few years since I was last in my whites on a full-time basis, the Chef inside me was really excited to come to this corner of Asia. As my only previous experience of Korean cuisine came from eating on Dublin’s Parnell Street, I was excited by the prospect of trying as much of the local cuisine as possible and I have to say I was not disappointed in the slightest. The bustling but pristine streets are filled with the amazing aromas coming from street food stalls, fresh produce on display and live prawns and octopus in the tanks, a stark contrast to the mammoth New York-style skyscrapers y towering above and the familiar four and five star hotel chains that you would expect to see in Paris, London or Dublin.

And what of the Chefs?

Koreans by their nature are extremely hard working, knowledgeable, diligent and creative and this really comes across when you talk to the chefs. They are connected with food and take great pride in the skills that they gain in Culinary College and their careers, most of the Chefs have a good level of English and the main reason for wanting to come to Ireland seems to be to further that knowledge. I have met with a considerable amount of Chefs and there is great interest amongst them in coming to Ireland. Although the initial permit will be for two years, most of them are already planning to extend this further as even though there are countless restaurants in Seoul it can be difficult gaining employment opportunities and advancement in a city with over 10 million people.

If you are struggling to hire Chefs or retain them for long periods and want to find out about how Excel Recruitment can help you through the work permit process please do not hesitate to contact me for more details.

Barry Whelan Excel Recruitment

The Counter Offer Conundrum

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Here at Excel Recruitment, we’re seeing counter offers becoming more and more common as companies have to try harder to attract and retain top talent. CEO Barry Whelan tells us why the counter-offer can often create more problems than it can solve….

I first wrote about counter offers for Shelflife magazine in 2012, but the current economic climate means it is well and truly a candidate’s market and counter-offers are becoming increasingly common. It takes a lot of time and money for a company to find and replace valuable staff and employers are becoming even more reluctant to let quality employees go. While most think of ‘counter-offers’ as matching or improving on an offered package, savvy employers will do their homework on the why behind an employee making a move and will try to ‘counter’ this reason for leaving.

As recruiters, we make it our mission to understand why a person wants a change. It takes time and effort for a person to do up their CV, research the market and come into meet us and in my experience it’s rarely just the number on their payslip that’s motivating them. Getting to the root of their reason for leaving is vital information when searching for a new job for them.

So, is accepting a counter-offer ever a good idea? My team and I have found that over the years, the answer is overwhelmingly No. Here are a few reasons why you should think twice before accepting a counter-offer from the employer you were determined to leave in the first place.

1.You had a good reason to leave, that probably hasn’t changed

Like I said earlier, it takes a lot of effort to start looking for jobs and you likely had a very good reason for wanting to leave. Unless it was solely pay, it’s highly unlikely this reason has changed. There’s a high probability that you’ll be looking for a new role again in no time at all, and this time you may not be in as good a position to find a new job.

 

2.They’ll question your loyalty

By telling your employer you’ve either been offered or accepted another position, you’re essentially saying you’ve been unhappy. So even if your company does counter, how can they trust that you won’t eventually stray again?

The bond of trust has been broken, you will leave the company at some stage, but perhaps now you have shown your cards it will be on their terms, not yours. When you are no longer perceived as part of the long-term future, you may find yourself passed up for promotion

3.You’ll burn bridges

Another company has invested their time, money and faith in you through the selection process and decided that you’re the right person for their role so losing you to a counter-offer isn’t something they will take lightly. By accepting a counter offer you will have burnt a bridge with the company looking to employ you. Some companies view this very dimly and if you find your circumstances changing they will not entertain your application again

4.You could hurt your future progression

There’s a chance your employer has given you a counter offer made up of a promotion or the pay rise that was coming your way anyway. By accepting their offer, you’re sending the message that your now satisfied with x amount and could be inadvertently moving any chance of progressing through the business even further down the line.

 

 

Tackling the Chef Crisis: Eimhear O’Dalaigh

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

In Part 2 of our Tackling the Chef Crisis series, consultant Eimhear O’Dalaigh discusses how she has seen the problem progress throughout her career as both a Chef and in recruitment…

The Chef crisis is not new, but have you seen the problem change and/or worsen in recent years?

Throughout my career as a Chef the shortage of chefs was always omnipresent but yes, the problem is definitely getting worse. We see it on a day-to-day basis in recruitment, there are definitely fewer chefs answering ads, responding to emails or willing to continue pursuing a career in the industry.

What, in your opinion, is the main cause of the chef shortage?

The job itself is quite hard and requires a lot of dedication and drive to remain in the industry long-term. The fall-out rate is very high in the industry. When I trained there were 30 in my class and out of this, only one is still working as a chef. Personally, I feel the hours are the predominant problem.

Is the problem industry-wide or worse depending on location, restaurant vs hotel or star rating?

I feel the problem is affecting restaurants, hotels and catering facilities of all levels across the board but it does seem that both the lower and higher end [Michelin and Five Star] of the spectrum seem to be having an easier time of it in terms of attracting and retaining quality Chefs.

What in your opinion is the solution(s) to the problem?

From the government’s side of things, I think a comprehensive training programme needs to be reinstated [like Cert] with proper work placements and from the industry side, the weekly hours need to be capped at 45. Often businesses are just shooting themselves in the foot by overworking their staff so they leave the industry and then don’t learn from their mistakes.All sides need to sit down and look at the problem and the potential solutions. They should get ideas from chefs, restaurants, educators, hoteliers, students and the people who have left the industry. The Government should also look at a program, similar to the one they use for nurses as there is a large pool of highly trained and experienced chefs in the states and the middle east that could be enticed over here if a visa programme were available
Do you think that there is a lack of incentives to work in the industry? What can be done to attract people to careers in the industry?

That is a difficult one to answer. Comprehensive training programs, treating it as a profession and not as a trade, trying to be a little better with work/life balance.

Barry Whelan Excel Recruitment

Questions you should ask in an interview by CEO of Excel Recruitment Barry Whelan

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

With the unemployment rate currently at 6.3% and predicted to fall even lower (RTÉ, July 2017), it’s truly a candidate’s market when it comes to looking for jobs. With this in mind, the questions you ask a potential employer in your interview become even more important to ensure you’re not wasting your time, or the interviewer’s. CEO of Excel Recruitment, Barry Whelan shares his top tips on the questions you should ask your interviewer….

Often candidates going for an interview find it difficult to ask questions of the employer- they agonize over a question to ask and either don’t ask one or ask something irrelevant. In today’s job market it is crucial when at interview to engage with the prospective employer and the only way to do that is to ask questions during the job interview.

At most interviews, you will be invited to ask questions of your interviewer. This is an important opportunity for you to learn more about the employer, and for the interviewer to further evaluate you as a job candidate. It requires some advance preparation on your part.

A job interview is an opportunity for you to learn more about a potential employer. Indeed, what you learn from an interview may determine whether or not you want the job you’re interviewing for.

Here are some guidelines for asking questions:

  • Prepare five good questions.
  • Understand that you may not have time to ask them all. Ask questions concerning the job, the company, and the industry
  • Your questions should indicate your interest in these subjects and that you have read and thought about them.

Don’t ask questions that raise warning flags- For example, asking “Would I really have to work weekends?” implies that you are not available for weekend assignments. If you are available, rephrase your question. Also, avoid initiating questions about compensation (pay, vacations, etc.) or education reimbursements. You might seem more interested in cash or time-off than the actual job.

Don’t ask questions about only one topic- People who ask about only one topic are often perceived as one dimensional.

Clarify- It’s OK to ask a question to clarify something the interviewer said. Just make sure you are listening. Asking someone to clarify a specific point makes sense. Asking someone to re-explain an entire subject gives the impression that you have problems listening or comprehending. For example, you can preface a clarifying question by saying: “You mentioned that ABC Company does …. Can you tell me how that works in practice?”

Questions to Ask During a Job Interview

The following are examples of the types of questions you might ask at your job interview-

“Can you describe for me what a work week is really like as a salesperson?”

“What career paths have others generally followed after completing the program?”

“What is a typical day (assignment) [for a position you are applying for] in your company?”

“Does the position offer exposure to other facets of your organization?”

“What other positions and/or departments will I interact with most?”

“To whom does this position report?”

“How much decision-making authority and autonomy are given to new employees?”

“How will my performance be evaluated and how often?”

“What are the opportunities for advancement?”

“Does your organization encourage its employees to pursue additional education?”

“How would you describe the organization’s culture/environment?”

“What makes your organization different from its competitors?”

“What industry-wide trends are likely to affect your organization’s strengths and weaknesses?”

Asking Questions shows an interest and engages the interviewer. It is an important part of the interview process and you shouldn’t try to wing it on the day. Most importantly, ask the questions you want to know the answer to and will help determine whether this is the job for you. Good luck!

Advice for Employers: How to Conduct an Interview

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

A new hire is one of the most significant business decisions you can make and a face to face interview is hands down the best way to decide on the right candidate but are you making the most of it? We take you through the best questions to ask a potential employee to gain the most knowledge possible about the person behind the CV.

We at Excel do the leg work in terms of finding exceptional candidates that have the right experience, qualifications and skills match your specifications and we ensure the candidates we present to you are the best of the best but ultimately, the final decision is yours.

By the time you’ve decided to interview someone we, and you, will have screened their CV thoroughly and decided that their experience and qualifications are suitable for the role, but is their personality and style? You know best the type of person that would be the most successful fit in your business.

The best interview questions tell you about the person rather than the CV and gain an insight into the candidate’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, skills and abilities. The most successful questions benefit the candidate and give them opportunity to speak to details that might not fit on a standard CV.

Tell me about yourself.

This question is probably the most obvious on the list, but with good reason. This question is a great way to start your interview and put your candidate at ease, as they will obviously know a lot about themselves. It gives you an opportunity to see their communication skills, confidence and personality from the get go.

From everything you’ve learned about this role, me and the company, tell me how you feel you could contribute to the business?

This question sorts out those that are serious about the role from those just chancing their arm. Those who have really prepared and want to work with you will be delighted to have a chance to show it. Those who don’t really want the job or those who are simply too lazy to Google you will either try and bluff and fail or falter completely.

Describe a time when something went wrong at work and how you dealt with it.

This question is ideal for learning about how your potential hire will handle the pressures of life and conflict in your office. The candidates answer will demonstrate their interpersonal and problem solving skills and help you determine whether they would fit well into the culture of your business.

Why should we hire you?

As we said earlier by the time you meet a candidate for interview, we at Excel have already established that on paper, they are right for the job but this question can help you hugely when deciding if they’re right for your business. Realistically you’re interviewing a number of candidates, all with similar qualifications. This question asks the candidates to define what sets them apart from the rest. An interviewee who does a great job explaining how her unique experience, education, industry credentials, and personal interests will power your business will do the same thing for your company once hired.

How would your boss/ coworkers describe you?

This question essentially ask what are your greatest strengths/weaknesses in a way that can cause interviewees to be more reflective in their answer. A good candidate will know there is no point in spoofing and will use real-life examples or quotes from their boss/ performance reviews that reflect the attributes they’ve already mentioned in the interview.

What kind of manager and colleagues have you had the most and least success with, and why?

This is a great question to ascertain the personality type of the candidate sitting in front of you. By asking this you’ll be able to figure out how they work best, and whether this fits in with how your team works best, or whether they seem to have a lot of conflicts with people or personality types.

online shopping

How to Get the Job: Most Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Excel Recruitment are EXPERTS in recruitment, if we do say so ourselves, and we see hundreds of cover letters everyday. Below are the biggest and most common mistakes we see.

 

To Whom It May Concern

The next point covers the importance of not submitting a generic cover letter, but ‘To whom it may concern’ is SOO overused it needs to be discussed in its own right.( This point also applies to Dear Sir/Madam). If the job ad doesn’t give the name of the person recruiting or your sending in your CV speculatively, Google it. Here at Excel, we’ve made it really easy for you to find out who recruits what jobs. If you’re not completely confident who is, use the head of the department for the position you’re applying for. At the end of the day, no one will be mad for addressing the letter higher up than necessary. At the very least, it’s better than your cover letter only being skimmed.

Same Old, Same Old

Excel Recruitment consultants see hundreds of cover letters a day and a shocking number are generic, full of tired, overused clichés and put simply, quite boring. Boring is the last thing you want to be, especially when trying to get a recruiter’s attention. Tailor your cover letter to suit each individual job you’re applying for. Don’t say ‘I would be an asset to any company’ explain why you would be an asset to THIS company. Do your research and illustrate how your skills match the specific company’s needs. Also, it’s all well and good discussing your amazing skills at this and that but if they’re not relevant to the job at hand, don’t waste the space. Again, the aim is to let the consultant/ hiring manager know you want this job, not just any job.

Putting your CV into sentences

Another mistake people make when putting together their cover letter is to simply turn their CV into a short essay or just regurgitate the same information already in their CV. Remember in first class when your teacher would give out for writing stories that go- and then this, and then that, and then we? Anything written this way is boring, never mind a job application in a very large pile of job applications. A cover letter is a much more personable way of describing your experience, your skills and goals not a longhand list of where you’ve worked. Use your cover letter to introduce yourself to the person hiring, let them know why you’ve applied and get your personality across.

Doing it for the Sake of it

So many people throw a cover letter together because they feel like they have to but that’s a waste of a vital tool. Any career breaks or gaps in employment? Using your cover letter to address them is the easiest way to explain while stressing your skills and eagerness to get back to work.

Ultimately, stop thinking of a cover letter as something you have to do and instead view it as the excellent opportunity it is. A concise, specific, well written cove letter ensures you make the best possible impression in a pile of applications and can help you make the first step.

Now that you have all the knowledge you need to write a fabulous cover letter, have a look at all our live roles and get sending!

Aislinn Lea, Head of Fashion & Non-Food, Excel Recruitment

My Journey Into Recruitment – Aislinn Lea

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

What titles did you hold while working in Retail?

Retail Store Manager

Area Merchandising Manager

How does it compare going from working in Retail to a Recruitment environment?

Retail and Recruitment are very different industries. With Recruitment, you are confined to the one spot in an office, it is a very administrative business and you are only really measured on your sales which is driven through your relationships with your Clients and your Candidates

With Retail, you have a wide range of duties and accountabilities, it is far more creative and commercial where you are constantly looking to drive business through a variety of areas, People, Product, Merchandising, Standards and Costs. However once you have loved retail, recruitment taps in on this as you will thoroughly enjoy learning about a company, understanding their business requirements and passing this knowledge and understanding of a business to your candidate.

What was your favourite part about working in retail?

Visual Merchandising and Commercial success

What is your favourite aspect of working in Recruitment?

My favourite aspect of Recruitment is when I found myself really busy with a lot of live roles. I love filling roles and achieving that goal of finding the right candidate for the client.

Are you seeing any difference in applications over the last 12 months?

Yes, there is a lot more quality candidates however there is also a lot more jobs therefore I am finding that candidates are often out for 2/3 interviews at one time.

What do you favour most when a CV comes into your inbox? What must haves does a candidate need in order to be considered?

Not too many jumps on their c.v is the main thing I would be conscious off.

 

What has been your most favoured candidate placement and why?

I have had a few great placement that I would consider memorable for a variety of reasons.

Gary. I placed as a Territory Sales Manager with a relatively new client. Why, because he listened to all my feedback and took everything on board, he researched, practised and proved to our client that what he didn’t have in experience he had in enthusiasm, energy and ambition.

Fran. I placed Fran as Regional Manager with one of the largest mobile telecomm. operators in Ireland. I spent 6 months on this placement and was up against 3 other agencies. Fran was fantastic, she showed her enthusiasm and energy time and time again through each assignment asked of her throughout the interview process

Mari. I placed Mari as Department Manager with the a luxury Irish retail group. Mari has being trying so hard to get into the Retail Fashion Industry. She is an award winning grocery retailer however was finding it very difficult to get an interview with any Fashion house, that is until the our client group offered her an interview and ultimately loved her and offered her the position.

A young sales assistant aspires to be a Retail/Area Manager – Buyer/Senior Buyer. Describe what they should do in 4 sentences?

I think for a Young Sales Assistant looking to progress to Retail Area Management I would suggest you put in the work, studies, long hours and be as flexible as you can with regards to location when you are young and energetic therefore availing of all the opportunities and training afforded to you at the beginning of your career.

Listen and take on board any criticism, compliments and training offered and always be looking to improve yourself and let your employer know where you see yourself down the road.

My Journey Into Recruitment – Sarah Hurley

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Sarah Hurley oversees Head office and Buying roles. Below, Sarah takes us through how she got into recruitment.

What titles did you hold while working in Retail?

Trainee Buyer, Assistant Buyer, Senior Assistant Buyer, Junior Buyer.

 

How does it compare going from working in Retail to a Recruitment environment?

Coming from a buying perspective it’s not as fast paced and probably more service focused.

 

What was your favourite part about working in retail?

Developing product and analysing sales performance were my favourite.

 

What is your favourite aspect of working in Recruitment?

Keeping candidates and clients mutually happy.

 

Are you seeing any difference in applications over the last 12 months?

Perhaps more Ecommerce candidates are applying and also more Ecommerce jobs are being registered with us.

 

What do you favour most when a CV comes into your inbox? What must haves does a candidate need in order to be considered?

Keep it simple/ My ideal CV has a short personal profile that sums the candidate up and describes main objective for their career, followed by career summary, education, IT skills (computer programs and systems you can use well) and then any relevant interests. CV’s on Word are preferred as PDF’s can often at time be difficult to format if we need to.

What has been your most favoured candidate placement and why?

One candidate we worked with wanted to get into a trainee merchandiser role. She had great experience but was struggling with nerves at interview and her relevant skills and knowledge weren’t getting across. We spent time with her going through her CV, practising interview questions and any potential difficulties she might come across. Long story short – she got the job and we’re all delighted for her!

 

A young sales assistant aspires to be a Retail/Area Manager – Buyer/Senior Buyer. Describe what they should do in 4 sentences?

If the company they work for has a head office here in Ireland then it would make sense to see if they offer any entry level buying or merchandising schemes depending on which function you wish to get into. For any head office roles, it is pretty imperative to gain some office experience so you can brush up on your IT skills and work in a fast paced environment.

My Journey Into Recruitment – Sean Thomas

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

What types of jobs did you work at in grocery retail?

I started as a sales assistant in Supervalu Hartstown then joined my local Dunnes Stores for 4 years. I re-joined my old Supervalu as a Trainee Manager when I was 19, which had turned into a Eurospar by then. I became an Assistant Manager for Eurospar for 3 years and then later join Superquinn as a department manager.

 

How does it compare going from working in grocery to a recruitment environment?

Not much has changed, it both requires a passion for what we do and strong inter personal skills.

 

What was your favourite part about working in retail?

I enjoy the fast paced atmosphere, the customers and the sense of achievement when completing my job.

 

What is your favourite aspect of working in recruitment?

I enjoy the pressure! We’re constantly striving to go above and beyond, keeping up the high expectation of candidates we send out and preparing candidates for interviews.

 

Are you seeing any difference in applications over the last 12 months?

I’m seeing excellent candidates come through, with excellent level of management experience with good education backgrounds behind them. More than ever, I’ve noticed that this year.

 

What do you favour most when a CV comes into your inbox? What must haves does a candidate need in order to be considered?

  • Good longevity
  • Career progression with good company brand names such as Eurospar and Supervalu etc.

 

What has been your most favoured candidate placement and why?

I had a candidate who had been made redundant by his local Supermarket, like many others. He was an experienced manager, had excellent references and a qualified butcher, with good length of service in each job. Due to not having a brand named supermarket behind him we initially found it hard to place him. But due to us having good relationships with our clients, he was given the chance to become a fresh food manager with this large branded supermarket and has been in this store the last 7 months. I have been in touch with him quite recently and he stated that he can’t believe he did not find this place sooner, as the professionalism and store set up is much far advanced as to what he dealt with in the past and is loving his new role. There is a big sense of satisfaction when you know you get the right fit for both parties!

A young sales assistant aspires to be a retail/area manager. Describe what they should do in 4 sentences?

  • Get a Degree in some related business course
  • Get on the job management experience in a large fast paced environment
  • Always be professional in everything you do.
  • Be nice, it’s nice to be nice!