Mia Wagner Harris

Contract or Permanent role- which one to go for?

I did not set out to be a contractor but when I got made redundant from my first permanent role, times were tough in financial services. There were not many jobs around. I needed money and experience so I decided to take a 6 month contract role when it finally came my way. My friends tried to talk me out of it. They thought once I start contracting I will pigeonhole myself and it will be much harder to get a permanent job which in those days meant security.

It is true, companies looking for permanent staff often think that someone who has been contracting for a long time might not stay in a permanent role and is therefore not worth the financial risk of hiring.

When deciding which route to take, consider the current situation in the job market. The world is changing and with it the recruitment mindset. With the global pandemic affecting the economy and bringing more and more redundancies, it will be unrealistic for companies to expect everyone to have 5 years or more experience in each role. Having a job and learning a skill should be more beneficial to a company than sitting at home and waiting for the perfect job because the employee is worried about ruining their CV. It doesn’t matter if you were in the role for 10 years or 10 months, you have skills to offer so make sure you emphasise them.

If you are a contractor looking for a permanent role, make sure you’re clear about this from the start. Update your personal profile and let your recruiter know so you’re both on the same page. When you get an interview, explain why you want a permanent role and the reasons for your contract roles. Remember contracting taught you important skills e.g. dealing with change, adapting to new processes, environments and learning new systems. Make sure you sell the benefits to the company.

If you have always had permanent roles and are seeking another permanent role, a short term contract to tide you over financially could be an option. However before you go down this route, there are a number of things you might want to consider. Maybe a contract role is worrying for you. You are used to the structure a permanent job offers, you like knowing what is expected from you and what you need to do to get to the next level of your career. You like the stable income and security of a permanent role. Contracting can seem scary and uncertain and you may feel it could affect your CV by making you look indecisive when it comes to your career.

You have to decide what is more important to you. Do you need income and experience a contract can offer or do you want to wait for your perfect permanent role which might take a while. 

And remember that times have changed. Having a permanent role does not automatically guarantee job security anymore. It is becoming more common for companies to hire contractors on project basis in this uncertain job market. Therefore employers are looking for well-rounded employees with strong emotional intelligence, agile skill set who can lead and adapt to the uncertain and always changing environments.

Here are few pros and cons you can take into consideration whilst making a decision.

It looks like both contact and permanent employment choices have their advantages and disadvantages. Hopefully this article gave you a bit of a clarity on what is a better choice for you. If you want more information about job searching please see here.

What you need to know before deciding whether to apply for a job?

It can be quite easy to panic and apply for every job that appears on the job search platform when you are desperately looking for a new role. It is understandable that you want to increase your chances of getting a job. Why not being smart about it? By setting a job search strategy early on in your job search will not only produce quicker results of getting the job you want but will also save you time and energy.

Whether you are using a recruitment agency or applying directly, make sure you are aware of these six tips before you decide if the role is suitable for you. It is better for both parties to know in advance so there are no disappointments for either party later down the line.

JOB DESCRIPTION

It might seem the job is suitable by giving it a quick glance or looking at the job title but applying for unsuitable jobs will only waste your own time. Read the job description and only apply for jobs you know you want to do. Make sure you update your CV according to the job description to increase your chances of getting an interview. Candidates often waste their own time and time of the company by applying for jobs they don’t want to do because they didn’t take a few seconds to properly read the job description.

SALARY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE

If the salary is not on the job advert ask the recruiter to confirm the package at the earliest opportunity. You do not want to waste their or your time by applying for a role which is not in the salary range you are comfortable with. It is too late to get upset at the offer stage because you thought the role paid much more than it does.

LOCATION

Unless you are willing to relocate there is no point applying for a role in a city you are unable to comfortably commute to. You might think the role is perfect but if you spend 6 hours getting to and from work every day even the perfect job will soon lose its appeal.

START DATE

If the company is looking for someone to start immediately but you have a 6 month notice period it is very unlikely they will wait for you even if your CV is a perfect match for the role. Make sure you check your notice period and know if your company will let you negotiate a shorter notice when you decide to leave.

TRAVEL

It might not be a concern now with the world working remotely but if your role normally requires extensive travel and you are not comfortable with it or are unable to commit to a long time away from home, it might not be a good idea to apply for the role.

ANYTHING IMPORTANT TO YOU IN A NEW ROLE

Most of us have non-negotiables when it comes to work. If there is anything you can’t accept such as non-flexible working hours it is better to find out before you start the interview process.

For more job search tips click here.

Agency or applying direct -what is more effective in this job market?

Your CV is updated and ready to go.  What do you do next? Where do you start? Traditionally there are two routes you can take to apply for a job;  directly or via a recruitment agency. Here are few things to bear in mind when deciding which route to take.

Applying Directly

You can apply for roles directly via company’s website, LinkedIn or via job search platforms. My favourite job search platforms are Indeed, CV Library and Totaljobs. Once you find a job you are interested in, submit your CV via the link provided or complete an application form for the role you are interested in.

 Some application forms are lengthy and most of them ask for a similar information. Write your answers in a word document and save them to reuse later. This will not only save you time but also a will to live when you are asked for the fifth time to write about your strength and weaknesses.

 Most of the job search platforms will allow you to create a profile and save an up to date CV you can use to apply for jobs on the go. This is a good time saving tip if you are using same CV to apply for all new jobs.  If you need to change your CV when applying for jobs, make sure you check you have attached the most relevant CV to the job you are applying for.

Applying via recruitment Agency

You can sign up with a recruitment agency to help you find a job. If you are not sure which agency to use, you can do an online search to find an agency which covers your line of expertise and upload your CV to their website.

The quickest way is to either call or email the agency and ask to speak to a recruiter who looks after the roles you are interested in. Most agency recruiters focus on a business area, for example technology. There might be a separate recruiter covering contract roles and permanent roles. Recruiters can specialise in particular regions or countries so make sure you speak to the right person.

Once you find the right recruiter,  they will ask you questions about your CV, your salary expectations, your availability, work location and anything else they might need to know to qualify you for the right job. The recruiter will then let you know if they have any suitable vacancies or give you an update on the current job market. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Recruiters are industry experts and can provide you with a useful overview of the industry you’re looking to apply to. Make sure you stay in regular contact with your recruiter.  You want to stay fresh in their minds but remember to avoid being too pushy.

If the recruiter has a role you might be suitable for, they will ask you to sign a disclaimer stating you are willing to be represented by their agency. This is to protect the recruitment agency in case another agency submits your CV to the same client without your consent. Your agency will be able to prove they are representing you and will get the fee if they place you in the role.

The benefit of applying via an agency

You have an agent working on your behalf trying to find you a job. This might give you a better chance to get your CV in front of more companies.

Having a good recruitment agency and agent is a game changer. I would advise you to build a good relationship with your recruiter, once you have found the right one.

Things to watch out for when applying via recruitment agency

The agency might format your original CV to make it consistent with their branding without informing you. If you are offered an interview, make sure you ask to see your CV so you and the hiring manager have the same copy. It can be embarrassing if the hiring manager asks you questions about your CV you are not aware of because your recruitment agency updated it wrongly. It happens more often that you think.

If you are approached for the same role by more than one agency, be upfront and tell then you are already being represented by a different recruiter. You don’t want your CV to get submitted for the same role three times by three different agents. It makes the agency look as if they don’t have a candidate control. It makes you come across as a less credible candidate who doesn’t care what role they are applying for.

The difference between applying for a role via an agency and going directly

The main difference is the cost to the business. If you have been submitted for a role via an agency and you accept the role and start, the company will pay a fee to the agency. The fee is a percentage of your base salary and varies. If you apply directly and accept the role, there is no cost associated with your hire.  Don’t let this put you off applying via an agency. The company using an agency will have the budget approved upfront and it will not affect you as a candidate.

Conclusion

In the current market some companies might try to recruit directly and some will still use agencies to find the right candidates to save time. Some companies will focus on saving cost and direct route will be their preferred option. Some companies will use a mixture of both methods. My advice to you as a candidate is to use both routes. Apply for jobs directly but also use agencies to cover every available role on the market. Build your personal network on LinkedIn. Post about your job search experience, ask your network to share your profile. Be brave and be ready for that call to an interview.

To find out more about job search strategies read more articles here.

Tips on how to tackle competency interview anxiety

I can hear the panic in Tom’s voice. He is my new client and he is asking me for help with preparing for a competency interview. Tom secured an interview with a consulting firm ( very exciting news) but they want to do a competency interview (not so exciting news in his opinion). Tom is a Senior Manager, great at his job, confident, smart and people person but he hates interviews. And he hates competency interviews even more.

I know that Tom is not the only one. There are so many successful people who fall apart during the interview process. It is OK to be nervous, it is completely normal but you don’t want to be so nervous that you mess up the interview and lose the chance to get the job. Here are few tips to help you. If you need more help feel free to reach out and have a chat here.

First thing- Don’t panic! Having to interview can be scary for most of people. Especially if your financial security depends on getting the job, or if this is your dream job and you really want it. Stakes are high and you don’t want to mess it up. 

You might have been in your job for years and have not interviewed for a long time. Going back to interviewing can be daunting. You are out of practice and although you know you are great at your job,  you might not know how to sell yourself.  Alternatively you don’t have much work experience, you are shy, or you don’t feel you have strong communication skills.  Whatever your situation, level of seniority or length of time in your job the only way to overcome the fear is to prepare! Every interview is different and there always will be the unknown so preparation is the key.

Remember an interview is a two way street. Although the company has a choice of choosing the right candidate, you have a choice of choosing the right company. As much as you might need the role, you have the skills to offer so know your worth! Don’t let the stress of an interview intimidate you! Instead get excited to tell them all about you. They called you for an interview because they think you can do the role. From all the applicants, they chose you so focus on that.

If you are still worried, ask yourself;

• What is making me nervous?
• Is it the fear of speaking?
• Is it the formal set up?
• Is it the fear of not knowing how to answer the questions they ask you, or not knowing what questions to ask at the end?

Whatever it is, pin point the problem and start working on it by practising.

What are competency interviews?

These type of interviews will test your understanding of the role and level you can perform the role at. You will be asked specifically designed questions focusing on a competency required to perform the role.

These interviews can be scary for many people but once you understand how to answer them, you will tackle them easily.

Always talk about your involvement in the situation you’re being asked about. Focus on your role and what YOU did, not your wider team.

Start with the brief description of the scenario or a problem. State your involvement in the situation and what steps you took to resolved it. Highlight the outcome and what you learnt from the situation.

My Tip- Do not over complicate things

Think of your day to day duties. I am sure you experienced challenges, difficult decisions, conflicts or improvements you made in your most recent role.

Remember: choose a scenario that has already happened and you know the outcome. If you are giving an example of project you are currently working on, you won’t be able to talk about the outcome and close of the question.

Remember: choose an example relatable to the role you are applying for. Unless you are new on the career ladder, using examples from your personal or university life is not recommended. You want to demonstrate that you understand the question.

If you want practical examples of competency interviews check out here. I have a full chapter dedicated to interview strategies.