Latest News | Royall Appointments

The best recruitment partner is the one that genuinely reflects your values, professionalism and work ethic.

Presenting yourself….

The Best Way to Present Yourself – Skills, Values and Competencies

Competency Based Interviews

It’s vital that you’re able to prove you’re up to the job. That’s why employers will test your key competencies at interview. You might be asked to give examples of times when you’ve used your abilities to solve problems, work as part of a team, impress a client or help others to grow.

We’re all familiar with the standard interview questions.

But that doesn’t mean you have to give standard, by-the-book answers. These familiar questions aren’t just a test of your competency. They’re an essential way of demonstrating your values and skills as well.

We’ve come up with a list of core competencies you might be questioned on:

Adaptability, Client Focus, Communication, Organisational Awareness, Problem Solving and Judgment, Results Orientation, Teamwork, Developing Others, Impact and Influence, Innovation, Leadership, Relationship Building, Resource Management, Self-Management, Strategic Thinking .

But where do values and skills fit in? Come to think of it, how are they different from ‘competencies’? They’re all linked, but there’s a clear order of importance that helps to define the way we work – starting with values.

Values

Values are qualities that embody your best ways of working. They’re how you do business. They’re how you communicate. They define you as a person. By giving future employers a hint at what you value the most, you’re giving them a clear insight into how you solve problems and communicate with other people, enabling them to get a better idea about how you might fit into their organisation.

For example, at Royall Appointments, our key values are:

Honesty, Professionalism, Joy, Positivity

We place these things at the heart of what we do. So essentially while our competencies describe how we accomplish tasks, our values explain why. For example, leadership and teamwork abilities are ‘competencies’ — they relate to our ability to get things done. But we value things like fun, money, learning, autonomy, variety and challenge. It’s how we apply these values to our day-to-day tasks that really explains who we are.

Our values define us. Our competencies demonstrate our values in action.

We do something because we place value on it — we carry out a task in a certain way because our values give meaning to our goals. Being able to explain these values, and explain how we apply them to our day-to-day tasks gives potential employers a way to measure our drive and determination. In short, an ability to articulate your values will make you appear confident and forthright. In other words, you’ll be demonstrating yourself at your very best.

Skills

Competencies can be taught. Values are acquired through experience. So they’re clearly two different things. But what’s the difference between a competency and a skill? Sure, they’re both ways of explaining your ability to get the job done. But there’s one important difference. It’s possible to know how to do something and still feel unable or unwilling to do it. You might, for example, know how to skydive. But that’s not the same thing as being able to jump out of the plane.

Competence, therefore, is the mixture of having the skill and the ability to use it. It’s this that employers are looking for. It’s not as easy as simply reeling off a list. Employers don’t want to hear you tell them what you’re capable of. They want to see evidence that you’re able to apply those skills to real life situations.

For example, you might be asked a competency based question to determine your leadership skills:

What has been the biggest challenge to your leadership skills? How does this relate to leadership? What impact did this have on your leadership skills?

This is your chance to really shine. With a question like this, it’s easy to incorporate your values into your answer, Start by explaining the why before you get onto the how. Once you’ve explained your way of doing things, make sure your employer knows that your way get results. After all, that’s what you’ll be measured by.

Skills are the technical side of getting things done. They’re things like computer literacy or budget management. Naturally, they’re best explained by example. But if you can apply your values to how you get there, you’ll be giving your employer even more insight into how your personality makes you suitable for the job.

The best way to present yourself

Naturally, employers are looking for competence. But if you’ve got a good grasp of the underlying values, of the reasons why you work in a certain way, you’ll be able to better present yourself as a well-rounded, self-aware candidate with clearly defined goals, ambitions and personality.

The best way to get in touch with your values is to write them down when you’re going over your CV. What are your goals in life? What are your values in life at home and at work? Beside all the key competencies you’ll need to demonstrate for the job, write down your underlying motivation behind the development of your skills. Why is being able to communicate well important to you? Do you get a sense of satisfaction from working with a team? You’ll quickly find that you’ve got a set of values which you’ve been using in your day-to-day life every day.

Once you’ve got a better grasp of who you are and why you do what you do, you’ll be a much more confident and outgoing person. And that’s a skill that’ll last you through your entire career, not just at interview.

1 June 2010, 11:38 am

CV Tips

Have you honestly got the best CV you can have?

A nationwide survey of HR Directors and Managers has concluded that CVs are failing to make the grade. The survey, designed and carried out by CMC and Senior Associate John Lees, produced some thought-provoking results which we thought to share with you:

- 46% of employers believe that 1 in 10 people lie about qualifications in their CV;
- 1 in 10 employers believe that 40% of people lie generally

CMC’s Managing Director, Robin Wood, comments:

“We’ve discovered that there are still too many unfocused, distracted and off-putting CVs hitting employers’ desks, and a great many CVs that do not entirely tell the truth.”

Royall Appointments specialises in providing talent for all levels of recruitment requirements and is extremely well placed to advise those looking for new roles as to what works, and what doesn’t. If you are unsure just get in touch and ask!

The survey’s author John Lees says:

“Even good CVs often fail to communicate the right message and ensure that people are presenting themselves in person as they do on paper. Consistency is key! This survey shows there is an art to getting through that first ’sift’. More than anything else it’s about two things: the initial impact on page one of your CV, and making a short but credible claim that you match the key requirements of the job.”

Some key results:

• 88% of employers prefer to see a short profile or summary on page one of a CV
• 85% of employers do NOT want a photograph with a CV
• Of those who expressed a view, 96% dislike CVs written by professional CV writing services
• Two thirds of HR specialists believe that a CV should be no more than two pages long

Feel free to Get in Touch >> to have yours checked over, you will be amazed at the difference..

1 May 2010, 11:44 am

Cold weather got you down? It’s time to get your life out of the BIG freeze…read our latest blog!!

Winter isn’t much fun when you’re a grown up. When you’re a kid, snow means snowball fights and days off school. But once you’re older, it’s just traffic chaos and broken boilers. And even when the weather’s better, the nights can still be dark and depressing.

Here’s the good news. With the recession affecting everybody, 2009 was a hard year. Luckily, spring — and economic recovery — is just around the corner. But what do you do if you’re still stuck in winter mode, miserable at the thought of having to get up for the long commute to work, or worse, another hard day job-searching in a difficult climate?

Don’t let the days get you down. Here are Royall Appointments’ top tips for beating the mid-winter blues and putting yourself back in the game, so you’re ready to grab every opportunity when it comes along. The recession’s almost over. It’s time to get back to work or time to grab that new job!

Set targets. Beat them.

Maybe you joined a gym in January. Keep going. If you’ve stopped, that’s no reason not to start again. You don’t have to make your resolutions on January 1st. You’ve got another 364 days every year you can use to restart your life.

Healthy body, healthy mind. Scientists are convinced about the benefits of exercise in beating depression, and we are too. Even a short fifteen minute run can help you kick start your day. And imagine how exhilarating it’ll be when you feel you can go on to twenty minutes, half an hour, or start beating your best time.

The important thing is that you set yourself a challenge, and then achieve it. Every victory is a vital boost to your self-esteem. You could challenge yourself to beat your best score at your favourite sport (yes, bowling and snooker are sports, if you don’t want to get cold and tired!) or finally finish that book you’ve been meaning to read. Maintain an active, positive attitude, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it can make.

I’m okay, how are you?

When someone asks you how you are, you probably say “okay, fine, good.” But think of the positive reaction you’d get if you said “I’m brilliant” instead. Not only is it a confident statement about yourself, it’s a great conversation opener. Tell your friend, your boss, your interviewer, about something that’s happened recently to make you smile. Being positive makes people more likely to want to work with you. Try it. You might be surprised!

Don’t be passive.

People are like emotional banks. Some people, like your friend who always wants to talk about his problems, make withdrawals. Be the sort of person who makes deposits. Ask yourself: do you inspire people? Can you make them laugh? A positive attitude is infectious, the more you lend it out, the more interest you’ll get back!

Stay on top of your game.

Been meaning to tidy your house, your office, your desk? Do it. Make a fresh start. These simple changes can help you get your groove back:

• Bored of your commute? Get off earlier, walk, run or cycle to work.
• Exercise regime becomes a dictatorship? Try something new, like yoga or pilates.
• Treat yourself to some you time. Why not? You deserve it.
• Relax in the sauna or jacuzzi.
• Alcohol. It doesn’t make you feel better. If you’re down, avoid it.
• Invite people over to your place. Make sure you tidy up first!
• You are what you eat. If you want to look and be healthy, eat healthy.
• Never stop learning. No matter how small, make sure you try or learn something new.

Try just a few of these things and we’re sure you’ll soon be on your way back to your happy, summertime self — just go easy on the fake tan. It’s winter! Everybody knows, you know!

27 January 2010, 5:09 pm

Have you got the perfect CV? R…

Have you got the perfect CV? Read today’s blog for latest news. We don’t advertise ALL our jobs so its always worthwhile getting in touch!

7 December 2009, 2:45 pm

Have you honestly got the perf…

Have you honestly got the perfect CV? Read today’s blog for latest news. We don’t advertise ALL our jobs for sensitivity reasons so always worthwhile getting in touch!

7 December 2009, 11:58 am

Welcome to the festive season;…

Welcome to the festive season; counting down to Christmas, how very exciting! Please keep an eye out, our site will be refreshed next week..!

2 December 2009, 12:52 pm

Royall Appointments is updatin…

Royall Appointments is updating the website, keep a look out for our new jobs section next week….

30 November 2009, 10:50 am

Read our CV Tip of the week on…

Read our CV Tip of the week on http://tinyurl.com/ykyever

22 November 2009, 12:52 pm

CV Tip

Don’t just list your ‘Responsibilities’ on your CV. List your “Achievements”.

For example: if you are looking for jobs in Event Management or as an Event Organiser; Venue Search, Budget Management are day to day “Responsibilties”. People reading your CV expect to see these items if you are an Event Manager. You should write in more detail; Numbers are as important as Words. How much were the budgets? How many events have you managed at one time? How many people or suppliers are you managing?

Most important in these times, with 2.5 million people unemployed, is, to make sure you STAND OUT from every other CV that competes with yours!! You need to list “Career Achievements” these are what SET YOU ASIDE from the pile.

For example: Principle Achievement

As an Event Manager, I am not responsible for New Business or Account Management; however, I generated £10,000 in Account Management event revenue from cold calling a lapsed client, and £15,000 from attending a networking event and prosecting a brand new client.

21 November 2009, 11:59 am

Celebrating MISFITS AMAZING ne…

Celebrating MISFITS AMAZING new series produced by amazing friend Kate Crowe, what a genius, get watching, get stuck in fabulously mental!

17 November 2009, 1:17 pm