Job Hunting or watching sport?

For those of you who know me you'll know that I'd probably sit in front of the TV all day and night watching football, golf or darts or actually most sports till the cows come home (including snails competing for Olympic glory in their marathon!!!). But that doesnt help when you're job seeking.

I have reflected previously on how job seeking was pretty much a war - it has to be rigorously planned and timetable yourself into when you will search and when you will contact people and so on. When there are other distractions on such as sport or whatever you would prefer to be doing then there is a solution.

Just amend your timetable and do things differently. It might mean getting up in the morning half an hour earlier or doing something later in the evening or doing something at the weekend. Importantly you do need to do it. Then reward yourself with the time on the settee with a glass of wine or a beer and some crisps. You deserve the reward.

It goes without saying which team I do not want to win, so I won't say it!!! I don't want to upset anybody out there who might have a job, permanent or interim, for me so I will maintain my radio silence on that one and plead the Fifth.

Generally though the recruitment market is still quiet with few roles around and sector specific experience still being asked for by clients. A very frustrating element in the respect that for many years, if not always, we in HR roles prided ourself on being able to transfer from role to role and business to business. My recent marketing blitz seemed to reinforce that. Hey, onwards and upwards and something will come along.

It is really good to hear and see that my blogging is having such a positive impact. I'm constantly getting positive feedback from fellow job seekers but also recruiters who remember me and keep me on their radar. It convinces me that a far reaching job seeking strategy is now needed by somebody when looking for a role. No longer can you rely on one strand of a search. 

At the end of the day, it will come down to right place and right time. I am sure of that.

In the meantime, I'm working well at the current 3 day per week interim role and getting down now to the real nitty gritty elements of the change programme and people will start to see and feel the impact of the proposals. This is not the place to explain them, but for me it's good to be working.

Still though, I'm on the look out for a full time, permanent or interim, generalist Senior HR role. Please review my LinkedIn Profile and if you want to discuss opportunities then contact me via this Blog or via LinkedIN or call me on 07722447847. 

Where does the time go?

Its been three weeks since I started my interim part time role and I've been very remiss in not blogging and keeping myself in your mind. And more importantly, I've taken my eye off the ball in terms of job seeking.

Naughty, Naughty Iain!!!!

When job hunting it is such a relief to get back into the rigmarole of work and getting up in the morning and climbing into the car to go and earn some money. It's certainly a much better feeling than sitting at home, looking at a PC screen searching job boards and waiting for phone calls to be returned.

And yet I have slowed down my job search, and not kept in contact as much as I should with connections. But I know that my current role only has a certain shelf life and I'll be back to the market full time - quicker than you can drink your beer when the British weather is too hot.

So I have to get back to my regime of job seeking and work it around my current part time work commitments. The investment is in me and my family and I cannot not do anything and expect things to drop on to my plate. 

And I'll be more religious about doing as a minimum a twice weekly update for the Blog readers who are displaying withdrawal symptoms. I have had several people ask me when the next edition is coming - they need their fix!!!

Job searching is such a frustrating task so it is all the more rewarding to share experiences with others, both those in the same boat and those who just want to help. I have found LinkedIn to be very valuable. Indeed, my belief in the human spirit has been raised by the way that others have reacted to my predicament. 

Recently, I did a marketing blitz. It worked and revived my spirit and also reminded recruiters of me. A lot more contacts and connections were made and I remain convinced that the full time, permanent role that I want is out there just waiting for me. I know it is - another important thing in job hunting is to remain forever optimistic.

You may remember that my last full time interim role finished rather abruptly when the business went into administration. Its great to report that more and more of those folks are getting back in to work, but also depressing to see that there are still some of those folks struggling in the current job climate. I wish them well. If you have a role that you need filling then maybe they are in my list of connections. Check them out.

As always, I ask you to share this Blog with your connections, make comments and review my LinkedIn profile. And remember if you need a fantastically experienced senior HR professional just get in contact via LinkedIN or my mobile on 07722 447847. Look forward to speaking to you soon and blogging for you soon as well.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

Marketing Blitz Update

There is absolutely no doubt that anybody who is unemployed cannot just sit and wait for a job to be delivered on a plate. It just doesn't work like that.

The reality in the current economic climate is very much a case of get out there and be active and then be even more active and seek out the diamond that is your next job. Otherwise it'll be a long time sitting on the sofa staring at the latest version of Countdown or Deal or No Deal and worrying about how to pay bills and keep afloat.

I have recently been on the job search market (and still remain on the search for a full time role either permanent or interim) and felt that I had to do more to get myself noticed. Over the past few months since I finished a role I have taken the following actions:-

1. Updated my Curriculum Vitae and circulated to multitudes of recruiters AND religiously refreshed the CV so it got to the top of the virtual inbox that recruiters review.
2. Registered on job boards and with recruitment agencies and set up email alerts.
3. Spoke directly to recruiters.
4. Added many contacts on LinkedIn
5. Received leads from friends and connections and always followed up.
6. Attended interviews and assessment centres.
7. Wrote a blog on my trials and tribulations as a job seeker - a cathartic exercise.

All of these were great in their own way and together and is to be highly commended. I am sure that they raised my profile and indeed many people commented on my Blog which has surely been a fantastic reward for me.

And its the context and content of that Blog which had an instrumental impact when I went on a massive LinkedIn self marketing blitz.As well as launching my own business - ABespokeCV - a CV writing and job search and support business - I also individually emailed my recruiter connections and reminded them of my latest updated CV and that I was still around. 

Almost immediately I had email responses, meetings arranged and telephone calls. The response rate was staggeringly high. I was surprised but I was being proactive and  getting results. Recruiters needed reminding of what Iain Williamson brings to the HR profession. No they hadn't forgotten me but needed a reminder.

Then I had an offer for an interim part time role arrive. I've taken it because it will keep me busy and in the professional loop but also give me time to continue the search for a full time role. 

The message is yes - marketing works - but keep it up and FOLLOW IT UP. Don't do it once and let the dust settle. It doesn't take a second for somebody else to overtake you so keep up the pressure and the gruelling hard work of doing all the things in the list above. Success is only a matter of time.

As always, keep sharing and circulating my blog as widely as possible and comment as well. And review and share my LinkedIn profile widely as well. 

You can contact me by email at iain.williamson24@yahoo.co.uk or on my mobile at 07722 447847

Thanks for all your support and help so far. Please continue your efforts.

What to do?

Its been a while now since my last interim role finished rather abruptly when the business went into administration but now slowly but surely these folks are getting back into the job world. Obviously it has been a difficult time for them and even more so when it appears that as yet they have not received their due payments from the Administrators.

But the good news is that they are getting back into work. Congratulations to them and with a good following wind let's hope that it's not too long before the rest get some result.

I was in a slightly different situation from them in that I was not an employee, operating as the Interim HR Manager - their best ever, I'm told - so was not embroiled in any of the fall out regarding payments from the administrator. You may recall that I had some difficulties getting payments from the agency but these were happily resolved, apart from payments being made over a 4 months period. But at least I will get it.

Recruiters are continuing to tell me that the market is not as good as they would like it. Imagine how I feel about matters!!! And now I am at the point of reconsidering and reviewing my options around salary levels. Thereby lies the conundrum.

If I apply for a role that pays at a level lower than I have worked at before how do I convince the recruiter/business that I won't leave the minute that a better offer comes along? And I am sure that recruiters/businesses automatically reject me for roles when they perceive that I have clearly operated at a higher level previously. Indeed, i had one business recently who told me that I would be bored with the job because I'd been involved with so much in roles prior to that. And so I was unsuccessful for that appointment.

Surely the fact that I'm sitting in front of them, surely the fact that I've done a round trip of 150 miles and prepared a 10 minutes presentation is more than enough evidence to confirm that I have considered all the issues and still considered the role as appropriate at this point.?

Of course, I don't particularly want to take a reduced salary level but  believe me that it is more than you get when you are signing on as unemployed!!!

But even so I am still positive that I will find the right role at the right level at the right business when the time is right. All job seekers go through ups and downs and it it important to keep strong and be positive.

MESSAGE for Recruiters and businesses - if you need a fantastic senior HR professional with an operational and strategic background from both private and public sector organisations then please contact me. My LinkedIN profile can be viewed through this link. Go there and contact me. It will do you and me no harm to have a discussion, in confidence about what value I can add.

Coconut Days Job Search

Have you ever thought that opening a coconut is like looking for a job? Bear with me I've not gone mad.

My wife said to me this morning, "Iain, how do I open this hairy monster? What's inside?"

I then had to find a hammer and open it wide for her to see its contents - by the way, for the uninitiated it tastes nothing like the chocolate bar Bounty.

And for me it resonated with my job search and how it is going. I have to keep going, making contacts, applying for roles, attending interviews, etc and at some point it will all come together and Yippee the "coconut" will open and there will be my job.

The coconut describes very well a job search. It's hard on the outside but inside it is full of delight. But then you can take the description even further, in the respect that within the coconut are different strands of the job, some will be of interest and some not so enticing, but nevertheless overall cracking the coconut you meet and achieve your goal.

I hope that very soon I can announce that I have achieved my goal. Fingers crossed.

Its been a while since my last blog because I've been busy trying to get ABespokeCV up and running. A hard task my followers but I will stick with it. If you know anybody who needs support on CV writing, job search support or even managing interviews then point them in our direction at http://www.abespokecv.co.uk/ The more the merrier and we promise excellent customer service.

As always though I'd be happy for you to share my Blog with your connections far and wide and share my LinkedIN profile with many people as well.

I hope you like the Coconut blog and I promise more delights to come.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

New Business - ABespokeCV - Delivering Your Future

Today me and my wife launched our new business - http://www.abespokecv.co.uk  Please look at our website and share it far and wide with friends and family. We are also on Twitter at @ABespokeCV

It is our joint venture and we know that we will provide a fantastic service to our customers. 

I have a long history of working in the Human Resources profession in roles in both the private and public sector and have been writing CVs for over five years now and wanted to develop this opportunity for us.

In my career, I have recruited to all levels of an organisation, up to and including Board Level appointments, and have worked with recruitment agencies, internal recruiters and headhunters and clearly know the important content for CV's.

I have extensive knowledge of how to manage the interview from the side of the interviewee, having knowledge of what is being looked for by the interviewer and want to share that with our clients. 

Our offer is as follows:-

• CV writing
• Job search advice
• Interview preparation
• Outplacement

We will be happy to discuss with you on an individual basis how best we can support you. We know that this is a competitive industry and that you might find cheaper offers around. Our strong message to you is that cheap  is not necessarily equivalent to quality. And remember this is an investment in you!!! Getting a new job and a higher salary and with a better future will repay that investment many times over and over. 

We have a history of providing high quality CVs and support to job seekers and want to share that with you. 

Please feel free to contact us via the website - email sales@abespokecv.co.uk or call on 07722 447847.

This is an exciting time for us as we launch our business but me and Roksolana would like to thank you in advance for your support.

Now I'm a "Twit" or "Twittee"!!!

It's been a few days since my last publication and it seems that quite a few of you are suffering anxiety attacks at not reading my instalments so much so that emails have been flying into my inbox asking for me to come back.

I've not been away. It's just that I've been busy developing a website further for a business that I'm going to launch after the bank holiday and I've also had a couple of interviews for jobs - telephone and face to face - so, entirely reasonably, I've been concentrating on preparing for them. Unfortunately neither was successful although I had some very positive feedback from one of them which indicated that it was a close thing. 

Sometimes feedback like that can feel hollow and just "matter of fact" but I honestly believe that the person giving that feedback was being honest and truthful. Therefore, although I was obviously disappointed it was still a fillip for me to get the positive responses in regard to my performance and presentation of myself at interview.

At this moment, the detail of my business launch is embargoed until next week - so you'll have to wait a wee bit longer. Just wait and you will see.

I've just launched myself on Twitter as well - https://twitter.com/#!/IainWilliamson2  Try it now and please follow me.I've put a link to me at the top right hand side of the blog. I'd also like suggestions or recommendations as to which recruitment job sites and job boards I should follow. 

It's not that I particularly think that I'll be tweeting a lot but I just want to make sure that I will be getting as many vacancies as possible into my inbox. Remember that at the end of the day all of this job seeking exercise is a numbers game.

We are seeing a massive increase in the use of social media in recruitment so it would be remiss of me not to give myself as big an opportunity as possible to find my next employment role. Nobody can argue with that!!!

As always please share this blog with others and share my LinkedIn profile with your connections.

Remember you or your company can engage a highly competent Senior HR professional - strategic and operational and commercially focussed - and experienced in both the private and public sectors.

I would also like to thank my wife, Roksolana for her continuing support to me in my job search. She is great.

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