PPS' Recruitment Blog

January 16, 2012

We’re hiring! Graduate and Industrial Placement opportunties!

Filed under: Graduates and Industrial Placement, Recruitment, Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — ppsworks @ 3:10 pm

PPS are hiring, and we are looking for an incredible bunch of fresh, talented and passionate graduates and Industrial Placements students to join our growing (and pretty cool) team.

We have got fantastic opportunities in I.T, Marketing and Recruitment - this is our tenth year of taking on new recruits and we’ve developed a well-structured scheme that develops and supports you during your time with us.

I.T – More specifically, our Graduate I.T role revolves around applications development, PHP, SQL and good old Web and Systems design. From database to front-end product, you will be involved in all aspects of our in-house web-based recruitment applications, with our lead developers guiding you every step of the way. Interested? Apply now: http://www.ppsworks.com/careers_apply.php

Closing date: 24th February 2012

Marketing: Our graduate marketing role encompasses broad aspects of professional services marketing – from social media to more traditional forms of marketing. From blogs to Twitter, to client and in-house newsletters to pay-per-click campaigns, this role gifts you with real experience and responsibility with a melting pot of elements that make up marketing at PPS. Interested? Apply now: http://www.ppsworks.com/careers_apply.php.

Closing date: 30th January 2012

Recruitment: Our industrial placement is a Recruitment Administrator role, which we have had great success with over the years. So much so, that a majority of our previous industrial placement students have returned to PPS and are now performing key roles across the organisation. With us, you’ll get insights into every aspect of a client’s and candidate’s recruitment journey – from sourcing to advertising, to screening to assessment centres. With full training and opportunities to be at the frontline of our recruitment services, you’ll return to University with a bag of skills and confidence. Ready to take that next step? Apply now: http://www.ppsworks.com/careers_apply.php.

Closing date: 31st March 2012

To get a greater feel for PPS as an organisation, feel free to browse through our site using the links above, and for more insight into working at PPS, click here.

If and when you are ready, we would like to hear from you. You can apply online here.

January 10, 2012

Apprenticeships: getting it right.

Filed under: Recruitment — Tags: , , , , , — ppsworks @ 11:51 am

During the past few months I have uncovered a great deal of uncertainty around what an Apprentice is and what is expected of them.  Certainly the beloved BBC programme does little to shed much light with its demands for candidates who have done nothing less than set up a million pound turnover business by the age of 17.   At the other extreme,  there are examples of organisations looking to jump on the apprentice bandwagon but who have done little to erase the common prejudice among line managers, expected to manage and train them, that all 16 year olds are capable of little more than Facebook profile management.

For many, apprenticeships are the building blocks to a career

Announcements over the past year that the government would provide extra funding for businesses willing to createmore apprenticeships has, in these tough economic times, seen a surge in interest and calls from the boardroom to create them.   With the aftermath of university education too looking so bleak, there is also increased interest from young people in alternatives to a degree and more vocational training.

Click here to read more of Amy’s views on getting apprenticeships right

December 20, 2011

Would you pay £200 a day to gain work experience?

Filed under: Graduates and Industrial Placement, Recruitment, Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — ppsworks @ 9:34 am

A recent article on Recruiter detailed a company which coordinates arrangements for interns to pay employers a fee of up to £200 a day for work experience. Within the article, paying for an internship, which offers the possibility of future employment after, is illustrated as an attractive alternative to the years of debt graduates face after university.

In some ways I can see the comparison; many attend university as a way to develop the skills and knowledge they hope will benefit their career progression in the future. For those who do not attend, the financial costs may simply outweigh any perceived benefit. They might be willing to pay for work experience instead, which is another way of gaining such skills and knowledge, to support their standing in an ever competitive labour market.

However, I personally feel that there is no comparison between paying for work experience and paying for a university education. And should paying for work experience become widespread, it could cause many potential issues.

Students can take out loans to cover the cost of going to university; loans which carry a low-interest rate and a fair repayment scheme. As the article does not mention how interns pay for the work experience, I assume it is paid straight away. This is the biggest difference I see, and I feel this could contribute to inequality.

If companies were to charge £200 for a day of work experience, there would be many potential employees who would miss out. Those in the lower-income bracket would be cut off from obtaining work experience that could lead to a job.

I also struggle to see why a company would want to restrict their talent pool of applicants to only those who can afford to pay for a day’s work experience. The article highlights that with a financial transaction in place, individuals are motivated to make the most of their work experience.

It seems as though in the company’s mind, coughing up the cash indicates motivation. I tend to disagree. I could be a highly motivated individual with the ability to do a really great job however, if there was no way of funding my work experience, the company would lose out on a potentially highly valuable candidate out of their talent pool. This is without considering the  negative impact such an experience may have on my view (and those in a similar position) of the company. Or the potential long-term harm it could do to the company’s ability to hire in the future.

Overall I personally feel it is a step too far, especially in today’s current climate, to allow employers to make money out of job seekers’ desires to find work. What do you think?

Written by Loretta Snape, at PPS.

December 14, 2011

The future of recruitment?

Filed under: Job applicants, Recruitment, Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — ppsworks @ 12:56 pm

The world of recruitment is ever-changing. With tough times in today’s employment market, job-seekers and employers are often both on the hunt for the ‘perfect fit’ for many months. With employers beginning to introduce alternative and innovative ways to recruit future leaders into their businesses, what does the future of recruitment look like for those seeking employment?

One recent trend is the video resume. Job applicants are choosing to record themselves discussing their qualifications and sending their video to employers instead of or as a compliment to a traditional paper resume.  Recording a video resume allows you make a human connection with a hiring manager before you have even been invited in for an interview. 

And in today’s tough job market, adding a personal touch to your skills and capabilities is an important way of distinguishing yourself from the competition. Businesses are also tapping into this new venture. A company called ‘Meet the Real ME’ is looking to put 28 video booths into 28 UK Universities for students to make their videos for employers. The video resume however, may not work as well for some professional services such as accountancy or banking as it would for creative industries such as marketing or web design. Consequently, there may still be a few years before it becomes a regular part of the recruitment process.

Twitter and Facebook are becoming more and more popular outlets to engage with your potential future employer. For candidates in the selection processes for companies such as Halfords or Reckitt Benckiser can receive updates and tips on how their graduate programmes are progressing.

It is not only the sourcing aspect of the recruitment process that is undergoing a change. One of our clients is just about to embark on a campaign for 27 graduates and as part of the process on their assessment day they will be asking candidates to do a short 3 minute recorded presentation on themselves as to why they are the best person for the job. The presentations will then be watched by all the assessors on the day as part of the selection process.

So the recruitment world is changing and gathering momentum, it’s becoming more interactive, there’s a greater focus on the ‘social’ side of a recruitment process. So when applying for jobs, take a moment to consider the changes in the world of recruitment. How can you use these changes to your advantage? How can you make your application stand out? How can you make the most of the information available?

By Bernie Doody, Key Accounts Director at PPS.

November 23, 2011

Can recruitment tools be used for Volunteers?

Filed under: Recruitment, Temporary recruitment, Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — ppsworks @ 10:23 am

Volunteering is rewarding and socially beneficial. It’s rewarding for people who want to use their professional skills and knowledge to benefit others, to give back to an organisation that has positively impacted on their life, either directly or indirectly or make a difference to the lives of others less fortunate. Socially, it can also be a great way to meet new people, make new friends and get to know your local community.

However the wider sociological and economic impact of volunteering can’t be ignored.  With the highest youth unemployment in decades – volunteering is also a great way of gaining new skills, knowledge and experience, enhancing a CV and improving one’s employment prospects.

Volunteering can be rewarding and socially beneficial.

As an ageing UK population volunteering also offers opportunities for older people who are now working longer, who have valuable skills and experience.
It is also for many organisations an important route to other types of engagement with the organisation, such as part time or full time working.

Click here to read more of PPS’ Managing Director, Amanda Marques’ thoughts on recruiting volunteers

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