Meet The Real Me Shortlisted For ‘Best Newcomer’ At OnRec Awards

Meet The Real Me has been selected as a finalist at the online recruitment industry’s prestigious OnRec Awards 2011, in the ‘Best Newcomer’ category. The awards, which are judged by a panel of leading industry experts, celebrate the innovation, talent and achievements in online recruitment, and will take place on 23^rd March at The Grange City Hotel in London.

 Company director Brian Michael said: “We are thrilled that Meet The Real Me has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Newcomer’ award, as it is a clear indication that the industry has acknowledged the benefits of video CVs, both for jobseekers looking to stand out in the crowded job market, as well as employers wanting to assess a candidate’s personality alongside their qualifications.

 “At a time when unemployment is at an all time high, Meet The Real Me is challenging traditional recruitment methods. We allow entry-level candidates to showcase the unique qualities that set them apart in a sea of applicants. For employers, video recruitment provides a quick, cost effective and efficient solution to finding the right person for the job. It allows them to judge candidates’ presentation and communication skills as well as qualifications and experience.”

The nomination for ‘Best Newcomer’ comes after a fantastic first year for the company, which has seen the opening of a second office in Manchester, and the roll out of its University Partnerships Service, which is installing video CV technology in careers departments across the UK.

 At MeetTheRealMe.com subscribing employers can:

• Access thousands of potential candidates, with full personal profiles including Video CVs, qualifications, and employment history
• Pose a set of three core questions to chosen candidates, allowing a consistent platform for comparison without calling candidates to interview at the earliest stage
• Assess candidates’ communication skills and other non-quantifiable assets such as enthusiasm and charisma: essential attributes for customer-facing roles, which cannot be conveyed sufficiently on paper
• Post specific jobs for response, in addition to searching the full database of candidates
• Create saved searches of candidate profiles for later assessment
• Reach suitable candidates earlier in the recruitment process, supplementing paper CVs with a flavour of candidate personality – saving time and therefore money
• Meet The Real Me also lends its video recruitment expertise to direct recruitment and managed campaigns: visit www.MeetTheRealMe.com for more information

Meet The Real Me are the only recruitment agency in the UK to use video central to its recruitment process. Video CVs allow our clients to see and hear candidates before deciding who to bring in for a face-to-face interview.  Search for latest media sales jobs, graduate sales jobs and Graduate Sales Executive

Apprenticeships can be more useful than hiring Graduates

According to City and Guilds, which awards apprentices, surveyed 500 employers and found that employers value apprenticeships more than university graduates. This poll took into account 500 employers and found that half had hired apprentices, and 52% found them to be more productive than graduates, and can be more affective when filling that ‘graduate job’.

Apprenticeships allow students to gain experience and start earning earlier meaning they have no graduate debt. However if you put a graduate and an apprentice in the same role, 9 times out of 10 the graduate will out perform the apprentice. This is because the graduate has been trained in project work, theory, working to deadlines. The benefit of an apprentice is that they come a lot cheaper at the start.

Usually people who perform apprenticeships do so because they haven’t achieved the required grades to attend university, or they don’t have enough money to fund themselves on a degree course. More likely now tuition fees have been increased, which has meant that there is an increase in apprenticeship applications.

Does this mean that university is going to become a less likely choice, with so many graduates unemployed and rising tuition fees, the benefits of an apprenticeship far outweigh taking a degree. Yet apprenticeships are often just a way of training someone in a single role, whereas university can bring out the talent and potential in peoples ability.

 Meet The Real Me are the only recruitment agency in the UK to use video central to its recruitment process. Video CVs allow our clients to see and hear candidates before deciding who to bring in for a face-to-face interview.  Search for latest media sales jobs, graduate sales jobs and Graduate Sales Executive

Meet The Real Me Expands Student Recruitment Service

The pioneering University Partnerships Service from video recruitment specialist Meet The Real Me has expanded, adding several new partner universities to its scheme. The online service, which provides employers with access to a wealth of students looking to get ahead in the employment race, has now been installed on campus at Britain’s largest single-site university, The University of Manchester, and Canterbury Christ Church University.

Manchester and Canterbury Christ Church join a number of other universities already using the service, such as the University of Wales, Newport, the European School of Economics and Hult International Business School. Hot on the heels of the partner universities, further education colleges Swindon and Stratford London are among the latest institutions to sign up for the scheme.

The Partnership Service, launched in September, offers students an innovative and free platform to launch their job campaign before finishing their education. Webcam technology installed on campus, paired with Meet The Real Me’s online service, provide students with a platform to showcase their individuality and charisma alongside traditional qualifications and a written CV.

Martin Patrick, University Partnerships Manager at Meet The Real Me, says: “Our careers team has more than 20 years’ experience working with students on employability issues, and we are delighted to welcome our newest partners. Student employability remains high on the agenda in both further and higher education, and our latest installations prove education establishments are embracing new initiatives such as ours to help give their students the best possible start in the world of work.”

With online communication such an important part of everyday life, video is the perfect way for students to make the most of familiar online tools in their job hunt. The Meet The Real Me service not only allows employers to ‘meet’ candidates and assess them from the comfort of their own desk, but means hirers can connect with students from specific institutions or courses prior to graduation.

Students are able to launch and manage their job campaign at MeetTheRealMe.com with a secure login, creating a V.I.P (Video Interview Profile). This combines a guided video CV  with a detailed personal profile including qualifications, skills, experience, and an accompanying written CV.

Subscribing employers can view and compare candidate profiles, post specific job roles on the site, and pose bespoke questions  to identify the most desirable candidates early on in the process.

Brian Michael, company director, says: “In today’s competitive market, entry-level jobs remain extremely sought-after and competition for roles is at an all-time high. We look forward to working with existing partners and more education institutions in 2011 to provide students and employers with an original solution to the challenges of entry-level recruitment.”

Female Employees working in private sector Jobs are typically more loyal to their Employers!

New research has shown that female employees working in private sector jobs are typically more loyal to their employers than their male counterparts, reports HR Magazine.

An industry body undertook the study, named the “Workplace Loyalty Index”, which showed 56 percent of females describing themselves as “very loyal to their employer”, whilst only 42 percent of males cited the same feeling. The industries with the greatest level of employee loyalty are reportedly the leisure, travel and media sectors, according to EmployeeBenefits.co.uk.

The data also showed that employees aged below the age of 50 felt least the loyality to their employers. However those employees of this age were asked how their loyalty levels would change should they receive some form of employee share plan – upon which the age group became the second most loyal.

The employees most likely to be loyal without a share plan were found in the retail, materials and construction sectors, and around one in four female employees said they were “somewhat loyal”, compared to 29 percent of men. HR professional, Wayne Story, said “We were surprised at some of the findings in our latest research that looked into the levels and drivers of workplace loyalty.”

“Our research shows that levels of workplace loyalty are actually the highest amongst those people up to age 60, with 49.5 percent of Generation Ys [adults aged 30 and below] stating they were very loyal to their workplace. Our figures showed also their average levels of workplace loyalty were further boosted when they were able to access an employee share plan,” Story concluded.

Free video CV service for graduates

Video CVs are a growing trend – not so much replacing the traditional paper CVs, but by supplementing them. A video CV gives you another opportunity to enhance your online presence and personal brand.

MeettheRealMe.co.uk is designed specifically for graduates without extensive work experience, and for those interested in customer-facing roles, where confident communication skills are important.

Meet The Real Me - Recruitment Agency

To give focus and interest to the video CV, candidate give answers to three questions:

- What do you like to do outside work or study and what you get out of it?

- Tell us about your work experience so far or, if you are just starting a career, tell us about your studies, qualifications and jobs you’ve had.

- Why should someone employ you? What gives you the edge over candidates? What skills and personal attributes you have that makes you stand out from the rest?

Here are some tips for making your video CV stand out.

Avoid fluffy statements
Don’t make a statement like “I am a creative person who is extremely committed to the things I’m passionate about. I have a strong drive to accomplish every challenge.” It tells a potential employer precisely zero about you, or the value you might bring.

Be specific, eliminate buzzwords, and find real examples of your achievements.

Give them a reason to watch
If paper CVs get ten seconds’ reading time, a video resume  has even less chance of being viewed, unless you can make a strong, initial impact.

Tell a story of how you made or saved money, a project you accomplished and where you got great results, an initiative you got off the ground… something that appeals because it demonstrates commercial savvy, team-work, initiative or tenacity. Use a hook to reel in your audience, then tell your story without waffling.

What’s in it for me?
Whatever you say has to answer this basic question. Remember, you’re selling yourself to an employer. What have you got that they might want? Spell out how you can add value – don’t assume that your first class honours degree is going to ring bells all on its own.

Why did you choose your degree subject? What skills did it teach you? How might these be of interest to an employer? The fact that my French degree enables me to translate a line of Balzac in five seconds flat is not of much interest. But because I’m fluent in French, I can spot BS from a French supplier from five yards, or I can make a French-speaking visitor and potential client comfortable when she’s visiting your factory – these are skills which have business value.

Inject personality into your video
Write and rehearse your script. But your aim is also to persuade and entertain. Smile, speak naturally so you get some intonation in your voice, and avoid a corporate bland style. Try to find ways to express your enthusiasm and personality as well as showing exactly how you can make a difference to the bottom line of a company.

Even if your CV isn’t Overwhelmingly Impressive, At least do Yourself the favour of keeping it Honest

You’ve heard the rumours. Heard the frightened whispers of those embarking on a year abroad, seen out of the corner of your eye the knowing glances passed between lecturers. And sadly, your worst suspicions are correct. Outside of the University of Nottingham, the real world continues to exist. 

During an average three year stay at our university, careers advice is in bountiful supply for any UoN student. But many will spurn said advice for at least the first two years of their higher education experience. The beginning of year three however – with the very real prospect of unemployment at its end – is something like crunch time in terms of making decisions about ones professional future.

And with 2.5 million unemployed in Britain today, never has the masquerade been more essential. The statistics alone are enough to give the average student stomach cramps: currently, according to graduate recruitment specialists MeettheRealMe.com, 69 candidates are applying for every UK graduate job going. Put another way, that means that there 68 other ex-students to prove yourself better than every time you send off a CV. And if you’re lucky enough to secure an interview facing those odds, the pressure to then secure the job is palpable.

First, the all-important prep: “It may seem a cliché but when it comes to securing that all important second interview, failing to prepare really is preparing to fail” says Mark Fels, director of Meet the Real Me. “A CV can tick all the right boxes, but if the candidate doesn’t make the right impression, the first meeting will spell the end of their success.” Even if your CV isn’t overwhelmingly impressive, at least do yourself the favour of keeping it honest. Instead of embellishing the truth with the odd few fibs, talk up and emphasize the interesting, relevant things you have done, even if they’re in short supply.

Striking the right conversational tone in an interview is a difficult skill to master, but one that’s probably better practiced and perfected sooner rather during the interview in question. “Make the interview more of a conversation,” say the CCD. “It’s an opportunity for you to find out about the company, so don’t be afraid of asking questions yourself.” But take care not to get too comfortable: a one-to-one conversation with an employer whose trust and money you wish to secure can be dangerous territory for the student who has been conditioned to fire off ‘banterous’ responses to the simplest of statements. Even the most offhand use of a singular word can be a sticking point for potential employers. Daft as it may sound, calling the interviewer ‘mate’ is cited by Mark Fels of Meet the Real Me as one of the top ten most common mistakes that graduates make during an interview; yes, despite casually using the term to refer to everyone and their auntie during three or more years of university, the interviewer is in actuality rarely their interviewee’s mate, and thus will baulk at being referred to as such. The wider world is seemingly a far more literal place than a student might suspect.

Meet The Real Me are the only recruitment agency in the UK to use video central to its recruitment process. Video CVs allow our clients to see and hear candidates before deciding who to bring in for a face-to-face interview.  Search for latest media sales jobs, graduate sales jobs and Sale Opportunities

Employers wasting up to 80% on Graduate Placement Fees

When it comes to recruiting graduates, employers failing to make the most of the latest innovations could be paying five times too much and wasting 75% of their time in the process – according to video recruitment specialist Meet The Real Me.

With entry-level recruitment typically a time-consuming, costly affair, employers are being urged to re-assess their employment strategy and explore alternative solutions to traditional graduate recruitment agencies.

Comments Meet The Real Me company director Marc Fels: “Graduate recruitment agencies normally charge thousands of pounds in placement fees, yet do not provide the tailored service that most companies need. As an alternative, hirers often turn to direct recruitment via jobs boards, which can be a lengthy process with little return on time investment. Online innovations such as video profiling not only allow employers to ‘meet’ candidates and assess them from the comfort of their own desk, but deliver results for around 20% of the price – and a quarter of the time.”

The current job market is such that entry-level vacancies remain extremely sought-after and competition for roles is at an all-time high. As a result, employers are dealing with mounting application numbers and are paying the price in time and placement fees.

Continues Marc Fels: “Recruiters do not need to break the bank to find the right entry-level candidate and they certainly do not need to waste precious time searching for and meeting job seekers who simply do not fit their roles. Online video recruitment represents a quick, cost-effective and efficient solution to find the right people for the job.”

National research by Meet The Real Me shows that one in six people have lied on their CV, and more than 40% have gone to an interview just to gain experience. Therefore, it is difficult for employers to rely solely on a candidate’s CV as an accurate indication of their potential. Using a service such as MeetTheRealMe.com allows employers to access a database of more than 2,500 candidates, combining a guided video CV with qualifications, skills, experience, and an accompanying written CV. This means subscribers can truly gauge a candidate’s personality and communication skills alongside other achievements.

Employers can also post specific job roles on the site along with bespoke questions to identify the most desirable candidates early on in the process. Friendly staff are on hand in the London and Manchester offices to help with managed campaigns, delivering a guaranteed, tailored response to specific vacancies.

Meet The Real Me are the only recruitment agency in the UK to use video central to its recruitment process. Video CVs allow our clients to see and hear candidates before deciding who to bring in for a face-to-face interview.  Search for latest media sales jobs, graduate sales jobs and Sale Opportunities.

Video CVs Perfect Way to show Employers the Personality and Communication skills to Impress at an Interview

With today’s high unemployment levels, brushing up on your interview skills can be the fine line between endless job-seeking and job success. In today’s competitive market, why are so many candidates still failing to grasp the basics? Marc Fels, director at video recruitment specialist Meet The Real Me, shares his experience of interview horrors during his years of prepping candidates.

Meet The Real Me’s Top 10 Interview Faux Pas

1.   A complete lack of knowledge about the company and/or job

2.   Lying on your CV

3.   Arriving late

4.   Calling the interviewer ‘mate’

5.   Asking the interviewer out for a drink (yes – this has happened!)

6.   Wearing too many piercings (only the visible ones of course!), or a general untidy appearance

7.   Excessive body odour, or smelling of cigarettes and/or last night’s alcohol

8.   Giving vague, non-descript answers

9.   Showing a lack of enthusiasm for the role

10. Arrogance – some candidates appear to think they are far above the positions they’re applying for…

Amid national job cuts and reports that 69 candidates are chasing every graduate job, today’s employers are increasingly ruthless. If a candidate fails to impress at interview, they won’t be called for a second meeting, no matter how perfect they might seem on paper. No matter the qualifications, high job competition at all levels means the value of communication skills, passion and personality should never be underestimated.

Marc Fels comments: “Over the last 10 years of working closely with leading employers I have heard some shocking stories. As a video recruitment specialist, it’s very rewarding now to be able to show candidates exactly where they’re going wrong and work to improve interview technique, preparing for success.

“It may seem a cliché, but when it comes to securing that all-important second interview, failing to prepare really is preparing to fail. A CV can tick all the right boxes, but if the candidate doesn’t make the right impression, the first meeting will spell the end of their success.”

Video CV is the perfect way to show employers the personality and communication skills that impress at an interview. Companies working with this technology report that having a way to assess communication skills alongside qualifications impacts hugely on the whole recruitment process.

Lesley Kemp, personnel and development representative from Admedia, says that video CVs have “evolved Admedia’s recruitment process”. She explains: “As well as matching a certain skills base, we have identified five key attributes that our people must have. With energy and straightforwardness being two of those qualities, without the Meet The Real Me approach it would be near-on impossible to measure our candidates.

Meet The Real Me are the only recruitment agency in the UK to use video central to its recruitment process. Video CVs allow our clients to see and hear candidates before deciding who to bring in for a face-to-face interview.  Search for latest media sales jobs, graduate sales jobs and more

University applications soar after planned fee increase

News Source : www.meettherealme.co.uk

With news of an expected rise in university tuition fees hitting the headlines, students are rushing to apply before the increase, planned for 2012. The latest figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show that more than 74,000 candidates have completed applications for courses starting next autumn, meaning that a record of up to 220,000 applicants could be left without a place following this summer’s exam results.

An increase in applications will undoubtedly leave many disappointed, but there are options for those school leavers left without a place. “The important thing for those who find themselves in this situation is to be proactive,” says Meet The Real Me’s University Partnerships Manager Martin Patrick. “It’s all about managing the situation and turning a disappointment into a worthwhile opportunity. Missing out on a place this summer may give prospective undergraduates the chance to build on valuable work experience before university, or the opportunity to embark on a career immediately.

“Any experience within the world of work will provide candidates with transferable skills that become real assets as they prepare themselves for the current competitive job market. School leavers taking a gap year before re-applying, or wishing to begin a career straight away, will be in a prime position to begin developing the professional attitude that ultimately sets a desirable candidate apart from an unsuccessful one. Be they on a gap year, a graduate, or a school leaver looking to find employment for the first time, we at Meet The Real Me offer candidates the right tools to make the transition from candidate to employee.”

Video CVs put job hunters ahead of the game

Video recruitment specialist Meet The Real Me has opened new offices in Manchester.

As of September, jobseekers in Salford and surrounding areas can benefit from Meet The Real Me’s signature video CVs, interview preparation tips and recruitment services at its new office, located in the heart of Manchester’s city centre.

Candidates can visit the new welcoming office to record a video CV, which will help them stand out in the crowded job market and showcase qualities that are hard to convey on traditional paper CVs, such as communication skills and strength of character.

There are more than 20 universities within easy reach of the new office, making it the perfect place for graduates to secure that all-important job.

The in-house service allows jobseekers to use cutting-edge technology and work with experienced recruiters to prepare for and record their own video CVs.

Andrew Smith, manager of the new Manchester branch, says: “As a city resident I understand the obstacles facing local graduates in this competitive market. Using video provides jobseekers with a platform to exhibit personality alongside the qualifications and experience on their CV.

“For certain jobs, such as customer-facing or sales roles, finding a way to express communication skills and charisma can set a successful candidate apart from an unsuccessful one.

Video technology changes the way job hunters communicate with employers, and the team is here to kickstart a recruitment revolution in Salford.”

The move marks an important development for the company and follows two years of piloting its pioneering video technology, the success of its flagship London office and the launch of MeetTheRealMe.com.

Director Brian Michael says: “Meet The Real Me is delighted be expanding the reach of its bespoke services by opening its doors to northern candidates.”

To discuss your options, call Andrew Smith and the Meet The Real Me Manchester team on 0161 212 1760 or email andrew@meettherealme.com.