Food Job Blog: The inside track on Food Recruitment and Careers

I'm more and more aware that the number of vacancies in the UK Food and Drink industry is increasing.

Indeed at a recently attended dinner so many of those munching a reasonable lamb fillet said they just couldn't recruit the numbers of staff they needed. There's a few key issues that I took in during the dinner:

• Talent - there is a limited supply
• Desire to relocate - is a significant issue and reduces numbers of suitable candidates
• The right to work in the UK - an enormous issue.

I must say we reject several hundred applicants a week as they can't work in the UK… they still send in a CV though (hint, please don't).

What is interesting to me though is that I am British and do have the right to work in the UK, but I have only just passed the British Citizen test. So many people I have tried it on have failed with equally strong credentials to be British.

Incidentally I passed the US and Australian Citizen tests with little difficulty, but do we all know the answers to these questions? (Answers at the bottom.)

Questions

1. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? 'In the 1980s, the largest immigrant groups were from the West Indies, Ireland, India and Pakistan"
2. Which TWO of these are names for the Church of England? A - Methodist, B - Episcopal, C - Anglican, D - Presbyterian
3. How many parliamentary constituencies are there? 464, 564, 646, 664
4. Many job applications will require a covering letter and A - a doc showing proof of identity, B - your NI number, C - a CV, D - a signed Photo

No prizes for these four simpler test questions… but did you get them right?

Answers

1. The correct answer is False. In the 1980s, the largest immigrant groups were from the United States, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand
2. The correct answers are B Episcopal and C Anglican. The Church of England is called the Anglican Church in other countries and the Episcopal Church in Scotland
3. 646
4. C a CV

What do you think about the right to work in the UK and the issues that face the UK?

"I got really drunk last night, had a kebab and woke up with a really bad head and sore stomach - must have been the kebab - I'm off work again"

Obviously this quote doesn't apply to me - it's a statement we see time and time again when looking at candidates on their social network profiles. Besides, I don't drink through the period of Lent after losing a bet with my daughter, who gives up crisps and chocolate for the same period, and my wife who gives up "unnecessary" cheese (I can explain but it would take the rest of the day).

The above statement is the line that many choose to cross - mixing work with social networking. Now because I am sensible and realise the implications of writing such detrimental information about myself on any social network (or the entire web for that matter), I would never publish it. It would appear however, that many do.

As recruiters, what do we do when we receive applications from candidates? Look at their social media profiles - LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest… and we use these to make a judgment on the suitability of that candidate.

When are job seekers going to realise the risk documenting such personal information can potentially bring to their careers? When will candidates realise that recruiters and employers are looking for them, and they are reading their posts?

I am minded that many digital natives really don't care what they say or how invasive their postings are - but as a digital immigrant - I do, as do many digital immigrants who are hiring managers in the food and drink sector.

Food for thought?

As the government continues to make savings across public sector employment, thousands of ex-public sector people become job seekers.

The government is hoping that a boom in the private sector that will employ many of the staff previously working in the public sector, but is that the only issue? Are people who have previously worked in the public sector ready for a jump to private sector?

Deborah Meaden, entrepreneur and Dragon's Den star, is one of the business people helping ex-public sector employees find employment in the private sector.

Tip #1: DON'T DELAY

Following redundancy, many people will tend to delay job hunting, wallowing on the past. This should be avoided - it is bad for you and is bad for your CV.

Be proactive, plan ahead, and get moving.

Tip #2: TAILOR YOUR EFFORTS

Invest time and effort into your CV. It might be a while since you last used it - you may not even have a CV, but it needs every ounce of your effort. If your CV isn't perfect, you're giving yourself a disadvantage from the off.

Realise that you are applying for jobs in the private sector now, and tailor your CV for that sector.

Don't dwell on the past, don't dwell on the public sector. Revamp your CV, apply your skills and illustrate how you can apply them to the private sector too, and you'll stand a much better chance of getting an interview.

Tip #3: BE FLEXIBLE

Your first job in the private sector might not be your dream job. It takes time to find the right job, and to move into a position, which is ideal for you. Your first role might not be perfect, but get used to this as if you manage to secure a private sector job, you'll be a lot better off than many who still won't have any employment or income.

Getting straight into a new job, even if it's not ideal, prevents you from getting stuck into a routine of not working - which can have disastrous affects for any future employment.

Any form of work looks better than no work - and employers will recognise this and will see your desire to work and your ability to be flexible.

Tip #4: GET TALKING

Talking, networking - call it what you will but you'll be surprised at how many people secure new roles and opportunities through networking with peers, friends, and colleagues.

Don't be afraid to recognise your strengths - if you're good at something, tell people that you are - be careful not to be arrogant about it though. Just be aware of your strengths and if you see an opportunity where you can add value through your skills, don't hesitate to put your name forward.

Tip #5: ATTITUDE MATTERS MORE THAN AGE

Ensure your attitude gives off the correct image - you're a passionate individual, who wants to continue their career into the future. You want an opportunity with career prospects that will allow you to progress. You don't want a job that will see you through the next year until you can retire - employers will not be attracted to job seekers who exhibit this attitude.

Tip #6: RISE TO THE CHALLENGE

So you've been made redundant. If ever there was cause to take a deep breath and throw everything you've got at getting a new job, it was that. You never know, it might be the lucky break you were looking for, and being made redundant could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

You've got nothing to loose, so give it your all.

 

You've been thinking about a job in the food industry for a while - read a few articles, taken advice from friends and colleagues, and now you think you're ready to take the leap into the food industry. If that sounds like you - I've got just the website. Focus Management has been the leading food industry recruiter since its creation in 1990 after being set up by Stephen Jones and Michael Staniland. Focus Management's experience, knowledge and industry contacts mean it is capable of connecting job seekers to the very best food jobs the industry has to offer.

Not only this, the website has a number of other features that are likely to be of interest to job seekers.

The site has a heavily integration with social media, and you'll find videos job adverts and audio job adverts across the whole site, giving you a better insight into what you can expect from each job.

The vacancies on the site are located widely across the UK and internationally (including Australia, Nigeria and Europe), and encompass various roles from NPD Chefs to Finance Controllers and Marketing Managers to Managing Directors.

Searching the website is completely free as is signing up to the Candidate Zone, where you can save searches, add jobs to a shortlist, amongst other features (some of which are under development and due to be released over the coming weeks).

So if you're looking for a new food job, don't hesitate to visit the Focus Management website for the very latest opportunities!

This has nothing to do with the largest selling 12 inch record of all time, it is a reference to the state of the food industry on a Monday when we receive proportionately the largest number of visits to our sites in a week.

What is really interesting is that visitors looking for food jobs drop over a weekend  - when you would think you could take your time and do the searching in the privacy of your own home.  The largest search day is a Monday - when we get back to work and feel like Bob Geldoff.

When do you find time to search for a new job?

I have just surveyed the last 100 cvs to come into our business as applications for an array of food jobs we are recruiting for - and over 10% have mistakes in them. From typos to the wrong telephone number through to mistakes as simple as 'deer' instead of 'dear'.

What is really disheartening is the largest majority of mistakes are on CV's from under graduates or recent degree holders. Is this a consequence of education, or a world now dominated by blogs, twitter and texts? All have their place and are key - but should a CV be grammatically correct?

We would probably reject a candidate who had typos and spelling mistakes on their CV - so why take the chance when a simple spell check would alleviate a significant number of the issues?

Talking to a friend of mine about moving house it seems increasingly difficult to rationalise the cost of relocating - with stamp duty, removal costs and legal fees - let alone the first step of getting a reasonable offer. So how does this effect the food recruitment sector?

The reality is we are seeing more and more candidates living away - a trend that is not ideal for family or social life but might just be a more regular outcome.  In the past - and we are probably talking two to 5 years ago - this lack of relocation would have been linked to a lack of commitment or faith - now it is just a fact of life that on the Sunday evening - the blouses or shirts are hung in the back of the car and the trip to the flat or B&B starts.

Will it change?  I guess when the economy improves and houses start selling more rapidly than the current situation you may well see a bit more movement - but I think the days of people living close to their employer may have gone for ever.

What conclusion do you draw when a first class honours graduate with sparkling A level results bombs when completing Verbal and Numerical tests - that they are not bright? Or they didn't practice enough maybe? What happens when a candidate with low qualifications passes with flying colours? What conclusion do we draw then? Possibly their mate did the test for them? Or had they done the tests lots of times?

I for one believe in testing, and I also believe that there is always a need for bright, numerate and articulate individuals in my business or in our client's operations.

I do question though the high level of inflexibility concerning scores. How many candidates's careers have been adversely affected by missing out by 1 or 2 percentile on tests?

Maybe acceptable ..but only last week I spoke to a very dynamic Operations Dircetor who has reached this level at a very early stage in his career, who said they had failed tests at a company and been rejected - and the following week passed the same tests to accept his current role. Who lost out and how can this be right?

I think the businesses who run the tests should offer more help and assistance and perhaps be held more to count by candidates who need to get through their tests.

Because even though the tests are often seen as a key influencer in the decision making process, they should only be used as part of a selection process and frequently they seem to become the defining criteria. As a result, are strong candidates slipping through the net?

Wrong or right?

You would think wouldn't you that the first really obvious part to get right would be your name? Wrong! It's amazing how many candidates send in their cv either with their name spelt incorrectly or without a name altogether - thank goodness for email addresses, because they are usually a dead giveaway. Another particularly prevalent omission is an actual address complete with postcode - basic I hear you cry, well you'd think so wouldn't you.

I think that one of the problems is that people prepare a cv for themselves and then let it sit and fester on their computers until they decide to apply for a new job - but what they forget to do is to check that all their details are still correct. For instance, are they still at that address with the same contact details and are they still with the same employer? Also, are they actually elligible to work in the UK? We have literally hundreds of applicants every month who don't have the right to work here and even though it's stated quite clearly on the website that they need not apply, they still do. The lesson here for all is - always read the advert properly to judge whether you are a suitable applicant.

Actually, composing a good cv is very easy if you follow the golden rules - Check that your name and contact details are complete and correct; Always put your current/last employer first - company name and position; If you are/were employed by a multi-site company, please remember to indicate what that site did, its products, services and customers etc.
All this information is really essential to us in order to help you.

All of the above makes it an absolute dream to process a cv - new or old - and we do have many thousands on the database just like that. However, it's worrying to see how many people can't spell or use correct grammar - even those just coming out of education - in fact, they may be the worst culprits. Now that's depressing! Bear in mind that your cv is your initial selling tool and prepare it accordingly.

Everyone who works for Focus Management really wants to help candidates to find their ideal career paths, and we'll do everything we can to get a successful outcome, so help us to help you by reading your cv again before pressing the 'send' button and bring a smile to someone's face - mine as Database Manager!

Yes this old topic is rearing it's head again. A small number of our clients have been asking for candidates to work on a pro rata basis rather than their normal daily rate so we thought it was worth stirring the pot and just explaing why that is not the best plan.

If a client is only prepared to pay a lower pro rata rate, and in some instances no expenses, then they are narrowing their audience down to the local unemployed community. That's perfect if you have a Technical Manager who lives 5 miles away who just happens to have worked in chilled food manufacturing, who has good contacts with the major retailers and has led sites through successful retailer and BRC audits. Not to mention they recently won the lottery and don't need to pay their mortgage and they only go to work for the enjoyment of it. Don't let it put you off that they turn up on site in a Bentley! Is anyone getting the point yet? Exactly, a very unrealistic scenario.

If you need a professional interim management specialist who can drop in to your business, make an impact from day one and look after a major function then they need to be rewarded accordingly.

Professional interim managers pay their own NI and don't get paid for holidays. They pay their own professional indemnity insurance and they are away from home every week. They take the risk of finding the next contract and often have to cover themselves financially for breaks in between contracts.

It's not all doom and gloom because they enjoy the variety of working for different businesses, they don't get bogged down in internal politics and they have fresh challenges which can be extremely motivating; which is why the professional interims are not clock watchers and they regularly put in extremely long days.

So, all in all, a benefit for both sides of the party can be had but as the old saying goes, if you pay peanuts... whose that scratching their armpit over there swinging off the coat rack?

Recent studies have shown that many employers desire candidates that speak a second language. This skill comes a close second to IT skills, which hits the top spot - unsurprisingly.

Whilst most if not all students will study a language throughout high school, many choose not to take this further into A Levels and even further into a degree (or part of a degree). Many courses offer an international 'version', which includes modules in languages from French to Japanese and Spanish to Chinese.

The benefits of having a second language are obvious - and are clearly a key quality if you are applying to work internationally or to work in a company that has offices or customers in a particular country.

From a food industry perspective, most employers have ties with suppliers in all continents of the world, with many having international offices too. Speaking a language could be the foot-in-the-door for some candidates wishing to enter the food industry. It is, however, not the be-all and end-all - many factors are considered in a job application including experience, personality, ability, education, character plus many more - if you don't have a language and don't intend to learn one, it doesn't mean you wont get a job!

But what if you don't speak a second language, want to learn one and have already graduated? Don't worry - there is avenue after avenue of facilities available for people to learn a language.

Are you a graduate who studied a language at degree level - what benefits has it brought to your employment?

Due to an increasingly competitive market for food jobs, and the fast-paced and rapidly expanding nature of the food industry, employers are now starting to look for a certain set of key skills.

Recent research has revealed that one in six UK employers have or are experiencing a skills gap in their workforce. This means that an average company with around 50 employees will lose approximately £160,000 in revenue per year, and will ultimately cost the UK economy a total figure of £10 billion per year. So you can see why skilled and highly trained employees are essential to food job employers.

What are these employable skills?
There are many essential skills needed in food jobs, particularly with more technical and specialist roles, but the following are what most employers will be looking for first:

• Oral and written communication
• Team working
• Customer -handling
• General IT skills
• Organisation and time management
• Literacy and numeracy skills
• Problem solving

Food job employers use this set of employable skills initially as an outline for the job description of a particular vacancy, and they then use it to measure each applicant against. These key skills, with the addition of relevant qualifications, experience and training, are exactly what employers are looking for.

Interviews for foods jobs are much the same as any other type of job interview. In order to make the best possible impression, there are a number of things you can do in advance, on the day and most importantly, during the interview.

Here are a few simple tips to help you get your dream food job:

Preparation
This is the most important part of the whole process, and it could make the difference between you getting the job or losing out to the next person. You need to do the following:

• Research the company thoroughly, and understand completely what they do
• Research the market sector you will be working within
• Consider questions they may ask you and prepare some answers via easy-to-remember lists or bullet points
• Plan your travel to the interview

Present yourself well
You need to wear something appropriately smart and don't worry about dressing too formal in these kinds of situations. And, most importantly for food jobs, make sure that your nails, hair and general appearance is clean and tidy. Finally, be confident in both your manner and what you say, even if you have to fake it.

During the interview
Even if you're nervous, do your best to be as friendly and approachable as possible, but still remember that this is a formal situation. Listen carefully to questions, ask for them to be repeated if necessary, and think for a moment before you answer. Last of all; don't be afraid to ask questions!

The very best of luck for your food job interview.

A new set of qualification options has been designed by skills council Improve, aiming to not only help those looking for food jobs make their way into the industry, but also to improve the standard of food job applicants for employers.

Out of the new Improve Proficiency Qualifications (IPQs), designed for those with food jobs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, comes the 'Achieving Food Manufacturing Excellence' qualification. This qualification has two main components:

• Leadership, management, and strategy
• Tools, techniques and approaches relating to sustainable business strategies and lean management techniques

This qualification will also focus on the application of the above components to the food industry, enabling employees to improve performance in whatever level they are at or food sector they work within, and also helping to improve performance, production, efficiency and standards within the food manufacturing industry as a whole.

The development direct at Improve, Derek Williams, has explained that because the new qualification options are focused on continuous improvement and tailored to the specific needs of food employers, they should help those in food jobs to take the industry.