RH’s Post

What was your first ‘proper’ job?    We had a great office chat this week about our first ‘proper’ jobs. We all remember our first part-time jobs mostly engrained into fond memories, but what about first ‘proper’ jobs i.e. permanent full-time employment, which is where we started our careers.     It was interesting to find out where we all started and how we’ve landed up with Align People HR today.     With the recruitment market still posing a challenge, it’s important to remember that generally, there are no hard and fast rules defining career paths.      As a tip to employers, try to avoid creating unnecessary barriers when recruiting. As we all know when dealing with human beings, sometimes it’s not the most qualified candidate who ends up being the best appointment.    First jobs for the team on our HR career paths are:    ⭐ HR Assistant  ⭐ Sales & Marketing Assistant  ⭐ Training Officer  ⭐ Records Assistant  ⭐ Waitress....    but can you match the job to the person?!    Credit due to the lovely Susan from Paperdoll Photography – we're incredibly pleased with the new team photos...      👩🏻👩🏻🦳👱🏻♀️👩👩🏽      Align People HR      #hr #smallbusiness #smes #hrconsultancy #hrlifers #recruitment 

HR/Design Principals & Directors - Ever feel like you're in a talent tug-of-war in the architecture and design world? It's a competitive market out there, but don’t worry! Here are some tried-and-true strategies to keep your top talent inspired and engaged: Make your team feel valued with competitive pay and perks that show you appreciate their hard work. Create a culture of continuous learning and development. Think mentorship programs, skills training, and exciting project opportunities. Cultivate a workplace where everyone feels supported, included, and ready to do their best work. A little flexibility and some fun perks never hurt! Don't forget to pat your team on the back for a job well done. Whether it's big wins or small victories, a little recognition goes a long way! Communication is key! Keep those lines open, transparent, and buzzing with ideas. Strong leadership starts with clear direction and plenty of feedback. Let's keep the talent train chugging along and create workplaces where everyone feels like they're thriving! #3pcareers #architecture #interiordesign #designprofessionals #designdirector #hiring #retention #talentwar

Employee Spotlight - Between the Lines At Davey, our teams are synonymous with hard hats and hard work! But each of our team members have their own unique life story, career journey, and Davey tale. You may see our fleet out driving or our people out walking the utility lines…so join us each month to get to know our people working Between the Lines. Feature: Dominic Soccorsi What’s your Davey + Life story? "My first career choice was to be a pastry chef. In high school, I completed a comprehensive career development program in culinary arts and was slated to attend a university to continue in the culinary field. That summer I got a job working in food services. It was demanding work involving long hours and minimal pay, but I loved it. This experience set the tone for my work ethic. The practical experience I received was so extensive that I decided to go directly into the workforce and forgo college. But as time passed, and although my passion for the culinary field continued, it was difficult to maintain a personal life. So I began to explore other careers. When I began this exploration I spoke with a friend, who works for Davey, and he urged me to look into the company. There was a new project starting that had open positions. I didn’t have the background they were looking for, but my friend knew my work ethic and provided a recommendation for me. I began at Davey Resource Group in a hybrid field designer role. My work ethic and desire to learn helped me succeed even though I didn’t have all of the prerequisites that the job called for. I quickly became the design lead for our project, then a primary trainer for new hires. Then I moved into a coordinator role. I shifted over to a construction position when some issues occurred that needed to be developed, eventually taking over that whole segment. From there I moved into management and eventually moved into the Make Ready Pole Loading Engineering Account Manager position. I was able to move through the ranks pretty quickly because I was willing to put myself out there, in combination with the fact that we have a lot of opportunities that pop up here at Davey. We can take anybody that has the aptitude to learn, regardless of their background or experiences, and teach them how to do this work. When I look for potential candidates I look for people who want to learn, can take feedback and apply it, while having a drive to be a part of our company. We have people from diverse backgrounds which shows that we don’t need perfect candidates, we just need good people. A lot of people are successful on their own merits of just learning the work, asking questions, and picking it up. We prefer to develop our people so that we can promote from within. The majority of our staff naturally grow into roles that they probably didn’t expect to be open to them. The opportunities are there...take chances, learn new things!

Advice for #earlycareer folks: don't overlook temporary work. When I was in my 20's, I did so much temp work that my friends called me "the temp." After dropping out of college and moving back in with my parents, I signed up with an administrative staffing agency (OfficeTeam / Robert Half). I got work right away. It wasn't always great work, or work I enjoyed. It wasn't really what I wanted to be earning. But it was work. A few of my gigs included: - Receptionist at an Interior Design firm (maternity leave coverage) - Merchandizing support at the Hotel Del Coronado (summer rush) - Admin Assistant for a Construction Contractor (lots of filing) - Executive Assistant for an Investment Firm (temp to hire, but wasn't the right fit) - Admin Assistant for the Airport Authority. I ended up landing my first full-time job at that last one. Temp work was great for me, because I got to try out a bunch of different employers, use (and expand) key skill sets, and learn about different industries. When you work a temp position, especially a temp-to-hire, you get to try out an employer before you commit. You get a feel for company culture. And we all know that culture is important. Plus, the temp companies do a better job now of offering benefits, paid time off, and other perks that mirror those you'd receive as a full-time employee. AND -- for some companies, getting a temp job with them is the BEST way to be competitive as a candidate for when open positions pop up. They already know you, you've already added value. If you need a job ASAP, and haven't considered the #temp workforce -- do. Also a great strategy if you have no experience, and you need it to get a job. Temp work was my path to my first #qualityjob!

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬��𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫? Hard skills are important because they indicate your proficiency and, therefore, your capability to do a particular job. They set you apart and make you stand out when compared with other candidates. If, for instance, you apply for a graphic design job; you need to be a graphic designer. Human resource managers will rarely consider you for a role that you are not qualified for. At HRTA, growth isn't just a promise, it's a partnership. We empower your journey, every step of the way. #HRTA #Learning #Growth #hr #help #support #employees

I'm always interested in people's career journeys - where they started, where they are now or where they want to be.. If you've studied or not, often people "fall into" careers. I know I did. I thought I'd share my journey as when I was in Asda recently, it took me back to when I used to work on the pizza counter while at college (studying Art and Design) 🎨. I thought about doing Interior Design at university, but circumstances led me to get straight into work. A few admin jobs later, at the age of 19 the bright lights of London called and I "fell into" a career in HR in the legal sector (particularly Graduate Recruitment). It was a career made for me (and made me) which I loved 😊. Mid 30s, I wanted to learn something new and perhaps start a business so I studied wedding and event management in my spare time and got a distinction 😇! But realistically that was going to be more of an interest than a career for me. (Full praise to wedding and event planners 😅). Pursuing my love of recruitment, I sidestepped from graduate recruitment into internal recruitment, still within the legal sector, then moved into agency recruitment. At 40 it was the right time to set up my own business and I've never looked back 🙏. 6 years later I'm full of appreciation for the jobs I've had and the journey I've been on. The best bit is obviously the people I've met and learnt from along the way 😊. I wonder if when I retire my college course will finally come into play and I'll become an artist 🤔😂🎨. Where did you start? Did you study something and end up doing something completely different? #asda #firstjob #careerjourney #thankful #lawfirms #hr #recruitment #graduaterecruitment

HR/Design Directors & Principals - Let’s talk about a key element in operating a thriving company; investing in your people….. This means creating a team that plays a proactive role in driving growth and innovation. Let's explore why this is so important and the benefits it can bring to your firm….. Building a Strong Team: Investing in the right talent means strategically hiring and nurturing individuals who possess the skills, creativity, and dedication needed to propel your company forward…… Enhanced Creativity and Innovation: Bringing in diverse talent enriches a firm by fostering innovation through varied perspectives and problem-solving approaches. It expands skill sets, improves decision-making, and enhances understanding of diverse customer needs….. Improving Project Quality and Efficiency: Hiring skilled professionals strengthens your firm's capabilities, enhances performance and innovation, fosters client satisfaction, and contributes to your overall success and industry reputation…….. Reduced Turnover Costs: Investing in your team’s growth and well-being, fostering a positive work environment, providing professional development opportunities, and cultivating a loyal, high-performing team can reduce turnover costs…….. Enhanced Reputation and Employer Brand: Being known as a firm that values its people attracts top talent. A strong employer brand could set you apart from competitors…….. In conclusion, talent acquisition is the foundation of any firm’s success…… Prioritize in investing in your people, nurturing their potential, and watch your firm achieve new heights! #3pcareers #civilengineering #interiordesign #architecture #hiring #humanresources #hr #team

This is really hard to accept.. 🙂 I am a designer or I work in this field and I have ideas on how to use colors and fronts, layouts. But almost all clients either don't like the way I work at first or they absolutely need to change. They always like the use of lots of colors and over saturated colors that don't fit the standard these days but what can I do? We have to follow their instructions to make them happy. Because of this, it is not really possible to give proper creativity. #humanresources #hr #jobinterviews #hiringandpromotion #jobalert #nowhiring, #job #gethired #jobopening #jobfair #recruiting #jobopening, #hiring, #joinourteam, #jobs #jobhirin, #remotework #jobsearch #jobsearching #jobseekers #workingathome #hire #clientsatisfaction #client #designcommunity #design #designcareer

This isn’t only important for personal perspective as a professional but it should be taken into consideration by executives and managers who simply always think they can pass the project along. Take a look at what your team already has on their plate and learn to say NO when you need to! Your team will appreciate and respect you so much more! The very last sentence says it all!!! #hr #perspective #selfaware #teamawareness #respect

NEW BLOG POST 👇 Last month, after the introduction of LUXE Temps, we discussed the rise of temporary recruitment and the benefits for businesses. This month, Lisa Rogers dives into the candidate perspective and breaks down some key points to help you decide if temping is the right choice for you! Have a read below 🙂 #weareluxerecruitment #temping #tempwork #tempjobs