2020 is around the corner and our Commercial Recruitment team are preparing for the New Year. What do they think the year will have in store for office, HR, marketing and administrative job seekers?

James Tuckett, Commercial Manager:

“Job seeking in 2020 will be worlds apart from how job seeking has been for the last couple of years – with an election and Brexit pending there are a lot of unknowns – but the new year is always a chance for someone looking for a new job to take stock, research their field and get their CV in the best shape possible. Remember the basics! Add detail to your roles, be positive and always add a personal profile so employers can see what you work for”.

“For us at One Step, we’ll be making changes in how we register candidates – with so many people in work, it’s often hard for candidates to step away from work to meet us in our offices. So in 2020 we’ll be doing more registration away days to towns and villages around Somerset and into Devon, Dorset and Gloucester, so it’s easier for candidates to meet our consultants and see how we work and what we do”.

Ellie Berry-Roper, Senior Commercial Consultant Taunton

“My advice for all job seekers is no matter what role you’re going for, talk about your success stories – go into detail with every role you’ve had and talk about the positives: what you learned, how you gained that promotion or what skills you developed while doing it. Employers want to see how you adapt and grow in a role, so how you communicate this, and the passion you show as you tell it, shows such strength in personality it’s often the difference between you and another candidate”.

“There will be shortages, like this past year, in a few key industries – specialist STEM roles, legal and medical – but remember how important first impressions are. In a highly digital world, your first impressions mean even more than they once did – so do your research, dress to impress and above all be positive”.

Yasmin Collins, Senior Commercial Consultant Yeovil

“The rise in the “counter offer” has meant candidates often find their reasons for leaving a role come down to expectations – so next year, with high employment and shortages in key roles in the Legal profession for instance, managing the counter offer will become even more important in the recruitment journey. My advice for candidates is, if the reason you’re leaving a role is money alone, make sure you’ve discussed this with your employer before you hit the job market – be open and honest and if your expectations are not met, you can start your job search with more confidence and be assured you’re doing the right thing!”

“Similar to Ellie and James, the art of the interview is so important – find the strongest way of communicating your work ethic, and don’t rely on your CV to tell the whole story but get as much detail down as possible. Be confident in your work history, and show the best side of yourself. No matter the changes to the jobs market in 2020, the basics still count and first impressions always matter!”