LEGO Hot Jobs

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Euro London

Another year has passed and it’s summer again which can only mean one thing – LEGO hot jobs have arrived! LEGO’s success spans almost 100 years, growing from making small wooden play toys in the early 20th century to the vast market of plastic building bricks that has been dominating the world markets for decades.

Once again Euro London will be working with the giant toy manufacturer in order to fill various Customer Service Advisor positions. Our temps division are currently working on recruiting a number of fluent Italian, Spanish, French and German speakers from now until October for the roles. All contract positions will run throughout the summer months and will finish just after the busy Christmas period.

Take a look at the job description here:

HOURS: Full-Time 37.5 hours per week

SHIFT HOURS: 7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week. Some weeks will include a weekend day (those weeks you can choose to take a day off the following week or receive additional pay). Your shift will be scheduled sometime between the hours of 7am to 8pm GMT.

TASKS: The Lego Consumer Service Advisors are the first point of contact for consumers right the way across Europe. We are an inbound call centre, which means we only speak to our consumers when they contact us. Consumers mainly contact us in two ways – by phone (50%) or by email/letter (50%).

BENEFITS: Staff discount, free on-site gym, free shuttle to bus station, pension scheme (5% company contribution), social events calendar, subsidised staff restaurant, and more.

Comprehensive training will be provided by LEGO for this opportunity!

How to apply: Please send your CV with a cover letter to v.mcguinness@eurolondon.com
LEGO customer service advisors have a duty to provide a premium experience to LEGO consumers at all costs. Therefore it is vital that you are enthusiastic, friendly and are natural rapport builders. The company strongly pride themselves on being a “premium brand toy company, where fun and creativity play a part in our everyday working lives.”

Does this sound like a perfect position for you? If you think you are fit to work with a well known worldwide brand and provide an excellent customer service then get in touch today!

Euro London And The Crisis Square Mile Run 2013

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Euro London

The Crisis Square Mile Run series returns for its 21st year and Euro London joins in! Every year since 1997 Euro London Appointments has participated in the annual charity run in order to support the homeless charity, Crisis.

Crisis was founded in 1967 in response to the shocking Ken Loach film Cathy Come Home shown the previous year, and a publicity campaign led by reforming Conservatives William Shearman and Ian Macleod highlighting the plight of homeless people. [1] Since then Crisis has made an objective to change the lives of single homeless people and continues their word to this day across the UK.

The 6k race will take a scenic route through the Blackfriars and Westminster region of London seeing some of the beautiful sights that the city has to offer. The flock of runners including the team from Euro London will run along the Thames, crossing the river at Blackfriars Bridge and passing the Millennium Wheel, the South Bank Centre and the Oxo Tower. Other attractions include the Tate modern and finishing the 3.75 mile run at the Millennium Bridge. Last years fastest runner from Euro London was consultant Oliver Astington who ran an impressive 29.19 minutes.

In 2012, Euro London raised over £600 for the charity so please support us and the foundation – all donations are welcomed. Together, we can come one step closer to ending homelessness for good.

Visit our company donation page here:
http://support.crisis.org.uk/event/eurolondon-smr13

[1] http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/about-us.html

The Future Is Bright For Britain.

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Euro London

Things could finally be looking up for Britain. Not only is the weather looking up for the UK after a disastrous and coldest winter for over 50 years, but the job industry (particularly in London) seems to be getting brighter too! Although job markets are set to pick up, it will be a marathon and not a sprint in terms of recovery.

The economy is set to grow at a steady rate over the next five years; one in every four jobs created will be generated in London. The main markets set to boom with over 300,000 jobs in professional services, law firms, accountant positions as well as hospitality.

The UK economy has avoided falling back into a recession after recording faster-than-expected growth in the first three months of the year. The Office for National Statistics said its first estimate for gross domestic product (GDP) showed the economy grew 0.3% during the first quarter of 2013. [1] Chancellor George Osborne sees this as an encouraging sign for the UK. Nevertheless, Britain’s growth will remain sluggish throughout 2013 due to the continued Eurozone recession and general uncertainty with the economic crisis. But looking ahead to 2014 Britain’s financial services alongside business services are set to help London’s economy bounce back. This should ideally result in a growth of 3-4% within 5 years.

Mark Boleat, policy chairman at the City of London, said: London’s position as a world leading financial centre is crucial to driving jobs and growth across the UK. Although parts of the City are downscaling, other parts including professional services are expanding rapidly. The capital is estimated to have grown almost twice as fast as the rest of the UK.

Dmitriy Gruzinov, an economist at Oxford Economics predicted that industries are most likely to have recovered satisfactorily by 2018.

Keep an eye out for Euro London Appointments Hiring Trends Report 2013 coming soon!

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22290407

Where Do Our Career Choices Originate?

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Euro London

Choosing a career is a decision that is somewhat time consuming with the process for many beginning at such a young age. Many decisions may be slightly farfetched from ‘Superman’ to the more attainable career path of a police officer, a doctor or a nurse. But where do these career choices or decision originate from throughout our lives?

Some are simply dreams of course from childhood imagination, (no one can really be Superman, can they?) but others are passed onto them from parents or even grandparents. Choosing a career path that your parents are in is typically an old age tradition which still continues today. But why has the tradition continued over so many years?

First of all there are a number of positives when it comes to inheriting a career path, particularly in the current economic climate. For instance, a parent can be an asset for your career path especially if it is in the same field as theirs. Having access to an expert within an area that you are looking to go into is invaluable; it allows a strong possibility that an opportunity into a company is achievable.

In some cases this is not always attainable, but there are still fantastic opportunities for you to get some great networking opportunities to those that work within the industry. Remember the saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?” Therefore it could be argued that having someone as a source of knowledge and expertise, as well as someone who can open doors, is the main reason for children following in the footsteps of their parents. With the recession still lurking around every corner in the European Union and its effect of certain markets it has become an incentive to seek opportunities that are closer to home.

On the other hand what a number of young adults forget is that the world is forever changing and skills, qualifications and what is needed in todays economy is diverse to what some parents grew up with. Multilingual jobs are all over the job market and continue to grow across every continent in the world and in sectors other than teaching and translating.

Language skills can be useful in many different fields including IT roles, support roles, sales and marketing, just to name a few. Businesses are branching out vastly across the world and are seeking language speakers to assist them in traditional roles. So even if you follow in the footsteps of a member of your family – why not add something new to the table and keep up with the world by learning a language?

Overlooking Temporary Positions? Don’t!

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Euro London

The job market over the last few years due to the financial crisis has been somewhat, unreliable. Europe has witnessed first hand some of the highest unemployment figures it has ever seen accompanied, every so often, by shiny glimmers of hope as the job market rises. So why is it that a number of job seekers seem to be letting countless, (perfectly good might we add) jobs slip through their fingers when it comes to temporary roles?

Now we’re not on a different planet and we do in fact understand why a number of people tend to overlook temporary positions; one of the main reasons usually being the lack of stability due to short term contracts. However, by skimming over these positions you could actually be missing out on some fantastic opportunities within your career and here’s why…

Whether you’re in-between jobs trying to find a new career path or job or even a student looking for a foot in the door, temporary job positions allow you to gain some valuable work experience. A temporary job can range from any time frame from 1 day to 6 months. It is important to remember that at the end of the job you will be able to add a new set of skills to your resume and build upon your employment which can ultimately help shape, or even change your career path.

Not only can you gain experience from working in temporary positions but you are able to network within the industry you are in. Meeting, working and even socialising with professionals within work can generate references for the future or further networking connections or opportunities when you’ve found a more permanent job.

Due to todays current economic crisis many companies take on temporary recruitment in order to test the water in order to see how well the job can be done. Always go into a new temp job with an open mind set as it is a possibility that you can be called back if another job becomes available again or even offered a permanent position within the company! Even if the company doesn’t have a position that is available immediately, if you prove yourself to be a hardworking individual it is possible the company would think of you straight away once a position becomes open.

When it comes to employment (and your CV for that matter) there is nothing worse for an employer to see than long periods of time where you have been out of a job. As a result temporary positions can be a brilliant way of filling gaps between you trying to find a more permanent position. Temp jobs show other potential employers that you are actively seeking a new position. It also helps keep your skills up to date so you are ready for the next opportunity.

Temp jobs can keep your perm job hunt alive as finding permanent positions for some, can slightly more difficult than others. It can also keep your interpersonal skills alive – being in a working environment and mind frame instead of being at home watching mind numbingly dull afternoon TV is a far better situation (although some may still disagree).

So, remember to keep the focus on the job and not keep the emphasis on the temporary. Whether or not it is temporary or permanent, in some form or another whether it is getting out of the house or having some form of an income, it is aiding you.

How To Get Ahead In The Global Market

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Euro London

So, how do you get ahead in the global market? In one word – languages. The world is becoming smaller (hypothetically speaking of course) therefore it is becoming increasingly costly, in a number of ways, to remain monolingual. Learning languages is now vastly becoming an obligation in today’s business markets.

It is thought that those who grow up learning multiple languages have a distinct advantage over only English speakers. This follows the census that shows 22.1 per cent of Londoners (roughly 1.7 million) have another language besides English as their main language. London is increasingly a city of polyglots, where some households speak more than three languages. There has also been a large shift on focus in the last few years on getting England to become a more multilingual country. This focus has been on schools in particular as learning a foreign language has not been compulsory in British schools since 2004 but the Government is consulting on reinstating them from primary age.

So just how much can learning a foreign language assist you in overcoming the challenges we face today?

- Languages allow you to expand your view of the world which encourages reflection on the relationship between language and culture. This is something that can be crucial in a global business market.

- Further to this, language also allows you to develop your intellect, memory, and learning habits.

- Knowing and understanding a different language can expose you to modes of thought and viewpoints that are available only in the foreign language and its culture.

- Language can teach and encourage respect for other ethnic groups.

- Not only this but they can contribute to the achievement of national goals, such as economic development or national security

All of the above can all be advantageous in the global markets and they are all beneficial due to languages.

Dr Sharma senior lecturer in linguistics at Queen Mary, University of London said: “Multilingualism is excellent for job prospects. These London kids who are bilingually proficient could find a great advantage the more Britain looks to these regions for business partnerships. At the moment the situation is quite dire in Britain in terms of foreign language learning.” So what is the delay in language learning? Help your future or the younger generations future and encourage language learning today! [1]

[1] http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/multilingual-children-are-best-equipped-for-global-jobs-market-8529012.html

The Importance Of LinkedIn – Students And Graduates

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Euro London

Euro London is calling all students, and those who have just graduated to start utilising LinkedIn. As we are aware the job market is as fierce as ever, and with the use of online recruitment soaring now is the time to get your social profile out there.

Many students and even graduates delay in getting their professional online profile started, as they think that they only need to start this process once they have completed their studies and are looking for a full time position. This should not be the case. An online professional profile needs to be built up in time for your job search so that potential employers can see your past experience and qualifications. This is also the case for all job seekers.

Here are some reasons why you should start building upon your social profile:

Global Markets and Network – There are currently over 200 million LinkedIn users across the world. Not only can you search for jobs globally with ease, there are many companies sourcing candidates across the world to work within their company. You may connect and build upon your network whether they are friends who can provide you with other contacts within industries, or new connections that are seeking opportunities. These include direct engagement, sharing and following group content, and much more. Bottom line is – there are countless opportunities out there just waiting to be stumbled upon. However it is key to maintain professionalism so keep business life and your social life separate.

You are your own brand – Promote, promote, promote! You need to act as though you are a product of your own brand. Therefore it is necessary to share the correct information that is credible; this will consequently attract the right attention to you in order to get employed. With students it is a good idea to share part time job information that allows you to show transferable skills which could be used for future employment and it is also good to share internship details. This shows employers that you’ve gone the extra mile for career experience. Your skills can also be endorsed by past employers or people you worked with on projects at university in order to highlight skills and attributes that were used.

Job Recommendations – LinkedIn also provides job recommendations. This is based on your interests and education therefore matches jobs that you could potentially be interested in. This information is then sent to you via email, making your job search a thousand times easier.

These are just a few reasons why you should get online professionally. So, don’t leave it until tomorrow; get started today, in fact, why not right now?

Why Are Career Events Important?

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Euro London

Euro London values career fairs immensely as we believe them to be of high importance, not only us as a company but they are advantageous for candidates in regards to their future and career.

On Thursday 20^th February Euro London Appointments attended a Careers Fair hosted by Hult International Business School – The World’s Most International Business School with seven campuses scattered around the world. We were lucky enough to exhibit alongside large multi-national organisations (such as Apple and Allianz) and also to meet a number of Hult’s multi-national students. With approximately 90% of Hult’s 2,200 students speaking at least two languages this was an excellent chance to meet future banking, sales, marketing and IT professionals among others. It was a great experience to speak with current MBA students who have already experienced full-time working life all across the globe and who at the Careers Fair took the time to ask our Consultants for advice on the next steps in their careers. Overall it was an excellent experience for Euro London to partner up with Hult due to the multi-national and multi-cultural element that both parties are proud to possess.

At Euro London we see everything as an opportunity and so should you. Here are just some of the reasons why:

-For candidates, it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet a number of potential employers under the same roof, all in a short amount of time. This is also the same case for recruiters, it allows us to meet hundreds of candidates in a day, speak and advise candidates about roles we have.

-Many people tend to look at the negatives of job fairs, especially at the likelihood that they won’t get a job offer right then and there. However what people tend to forget is that job fairs allows you to gain contacts, something that is so valuable in the job market as these contacts can come in handy in future job searches.

-Job fairs introduce you to the reality of job searches. When you’re standing in a room full of candidates it suddenly dawns on you what you’re up against. As a result it should make you more determined and focused on a job search.

-When you’re at a job fair you might speak to employers in a sector that you had never thought about a career in before. It opens up opportunities that never crossed your mind, adding another possible prospect to your job search.

-Face to face networking can be crucial in such a competitive job market! Even if you’ve sent out hundreds of emails and resumes just speaking (even for a short amount of time) to an employer can be extremely beneficial.

When was the last time you attended a jobs fair and what did you find useful about it?

A special thanks to Michael Classen and Mary Ann for attending the Hult Business School Careers Fair on behalf of Euro London Appointments

How To Ruin Your CV…

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Euro London

As a recruitment consultancy we have come across a number of CV’s, some of which have been rather peculiar (we’re sure active employee seekers can relate to this too). With so many factors which go into making “the perfect CV” it can be a hard project to get correct. Some people either try too hard or simply not enough, both of which can be frustrating. So here are a couple of tips to avoid unless you want to completely ruin your CV!

First of all standing out from a pile of CV’s is great because let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to get noticed? But make sure it’s for the correct reasons. We’ve stumbled upon some examples of some rather extremely over the top inflated job titles which included, ‘Digital Overlord’ and ‘Retail Jedi’. Now we’re fully aware that over the years job titles have been inflated but this is simply taking it too far. If you want to be taken seriously, avoid the Star Wars job titles.

Positivity counts for a lot in a job search so avoid any negative phrases within your CV these can even include ‘salary negotiable’ and ‘willing to do any work’.

Try to also avoid mixing dates up. Now it’s not the end of the world but it is important to pay attention to detail. Therefore it’s imperative you double check dates such as employment dates and your year of graduation.

Finally, unless you want to ruin your CV then try to avoid phrases such as ‘I like a fast paced environment’. Even though this isn’t in itself a negative thing it’s more or less expected by bosses and companies these days. Due to the economic situation which has spanned over the past few years companies have had to and still are cutting staff numbers so when it does come to recruiting they almost expect individuals to work harder and in a fast paced environment.

So if you’re looking to get your CV to the top of the pile make sure you’re avoiding all of the above and more. A CV is your passageway to the door of success so use it wisely!

Top Languages Used In Business And The Benefits Of It

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Euro London

Have you ever wondered how in demand a language could be? This could possibly be a language you already know or a language you’re thinking of learning in order to help you in the world of business. According to data taken in the UK in July 2012, it reveals which foreign languages can apparently make you most employable, alongside the regions and industries where you’ll find the greatest demand for foreign language skills.

Apparently statistics show that the East Midlands, West Midlands, Scotland, Yorkshire, Northern Ireland and of course the capital, London are the top places to be hired if you possess a language skill. Further to this the most desired languages in the UK consist of French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Norwegian, Flemish, Danish, Italian and Swedish.

However there are still a number of companies out there that despite the benefits of having multilingual employees still almost refuse to move forward and benefit their business. According to the ELAN Study there were almost a shocking 200 companies that lost potential contracts for lack of foreign languages. Out of the 200 companies, 37 valued the lost business at between €8 million and €13.5 million. On top of this a further 54 companies had lost contracts between €16.5 million and €25.3 million, and 10 had lost contracts worth over €1 million. [1] Cultural differences can also be another cost for businesses as it causes communication barriers, a reported one in five European companies have reported problems.

It is important not to underestimate the importance of diverse languages in an expanding business world missed opportunities can cost your business in the current economic climate.

What do you think the most valued language is in the UK job market besides English, of course and how have you as a different language speaker helped a company?

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/languages/languages-mean-business/files/language-guide-for-european-business_en.pdf

Get Visible Online Today.

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Euro London

As we’ve mentioned time and time again social media has fast become the new tool to help your job search. Many businesses are taking their recruiting online so now is the time to start utilising this opportunity. Therefore if you’re still unsure on how to go about this here are some great tips for you.

First of all we have Twitter with over a staggering 500 million registered users and over 340 million tweets sent daily. Incorporating twitter into your job search will be extremely beneficial, but it can become quite overwhelming, so before those feelings kick in – manage your tweets! Social media managing sites such as Tweetdeck and Hootsuite can be great for managing your online Twitter job search by allowing you to track keywords used in tweets. Alternatively if you just searched for keywords on Twitter itself such as ‘sales jobs’ or ‘marketing in London’ this alone can generate a great result. Being active and engaging (but not over the top) with companies of their Twitter posts can help boost your visibility within that company.

Now it would be incompetent to ignore LinkedIn if you’re in search for a new job so here are a few tips on how to utilise it. First of all uploading an updated version of your CV onto your profile can come in handy for recruiters if they’re actively seeking people in particular fields. Also adding key words to your profile will consequently boost your profile appearance and visibility in external searches made by recruiters. It is important to make sure you’re setting the correct tone with your profile picture, don’t choose a picture that is too personal or of you lounging about on a beach – keep it professional. Further to this join some relevant groups to the industry you’re looking to be placed and once again get active – comment on posts or start a new interesting or diverse discussion.

Another great place to help with a job search is Facebook although some may argue otherwise. Out of all social media sites Facebook is considered to be the most personal to a high volume of people but it can still be used as a great tool in a job search. Facebook ‘like’ pages gives people more opportunities to engage with the brand which are useful for job seekers interact with a company. Facebook is also a great way to build your network by finding people with shared career interests or common goals.

The web is a powerful tool and there are a number of ways to be innovative in order to help your job search. Why not boost your online visibility by getting creative with a blog or expressing your views via videos on YouTube. Always remember it’s important that if you’re going to apply to jobs via any online platform and your profile is public please make sure that the content shared is appropriate! (See our ‘Are you aware of what you’re posting online?’ blog)

Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and even some discussion groups that we’re involved in:.

Twitter – https://jp.twitter.com/Eurolondon
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/EuroLondon
LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/company/euro-london-appointments?trk=hb_tab_compy_id_16427
LinkedIn Group Discussions – http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=3677564&item=141043506&type=member&commentID=114266499&trk=hb_ntf_COMMENTED_ON_GROUP_DISCUSSION_YOU_COMMENTED_ON#commentID_114266499

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1798622&goback=%2Enpv_205875461_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1&trk=prof-groups-membership-name

A Rise In The Job Market for 2013 Graduates!

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Euro London

With the crisis that hit the worldwide economy over the past few years slowly getting better and the rise in student grades increasing, many employers have positively changed their perception when it comes to hiring. This positive change is to benefit fresh graduates from university.

In 2012 the number of graduates leaving with university with Firsts soared. According to figures, a staggering 64 per cent of students proudly graduated either a first or 2:1. However, this has caused some controversy as students now fear that their grades alone will not help them stand out from the crowd in the fiercely competitive job market. As a result students are now urgently seeking work experience.

There are a number of positive skills and career building attributes you can learn from an internship/work experience that will prepare you for the working world, these include: demonstrating effective critical thinking skills, demonstrating higher-order thinking skills, adapting to writing for different audiences in an effective manner, applying information and skills learned in the classroom to workplace situations, deciding whether a career in a given area is right for you in the long term, and developing project management, time management, and decision-making skills

Regardless of this news, there is some positive news for graduates in 2013 as employers are set to hire more graduates. According to High Fliers research graduate vacancies are set to rise by 2.7 per cent this year, compared to last. [1] This is brilliant news for graduates in the upcoming year.

Either as an employer or a student how much do you think internships can benefit students before contracted employment?

[1] http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/jobs-boost-for-graduates-8450281.html

Say Goodbye To The Euro Zone Crisis in 2013?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Euro London

In 2008 a global financial crisis hit the world, a crisis that is considered to be the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930’s. As many of us know this resulted in great damages including the collapse of financial institutions, the bailout of banks by national governments, housing markets suffering which consequently lead to thousands of evictions and also the worst unemployment figures witnessed in decades. Millions were declared as unemployed across not only Europe but the world.

However in 2012 some good news began to surface across Europe as not only did unemployment rates decease in selected countries but we could also be waving goodbye (and good riddance) to the Euro zone crisis – at long last! Towards the last quarter of 2012 unemployment in the UK fell by a staggering 82,000 – the largest decrease seen since 2001. Similarly Spanish unemployment also fell by almost 60,000 in December 2012. Both results provide optimism to emerge from the recession in 2013.

Optimism is further strengthened to separate from recession as Japan has proposed to buy foreign exchange reserves in order to help Europe in the current recession. It is in Japans best interest to provide this assistance in order to boost the European economy. As Europe is the world’s third largest economy it therefore has had an impact on the Japanese economy. Mr Aso, Japans’ new finance minister said “Stabilising Europe’s financial crisis will eventually contribute to the stability of currency including the yen, and so we plan to keep purchasing ESM bonds using foreign reserves.” [1] Some fantastic news to finally hit us at the beginning of a new year.

So if you’re looking for a career change or even new job opportunities to better the unemployment figures then please keep checking for our regular job updates found either on our website or any of our social media sites: LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9787987/Japan-to-buy-EU-bailout-bonds-to-ease-eurozone-crisis.html

The Rise In Social Media As A Recruiting Tool

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Euro London

When social media sites are mentioned, such as Facebook and Twitter a number of people may automatically think of the sites and how they are used recreationally. A few things may instantly pop into your mind such as; sharing pictures from the latest party you attended, or updating your status to the new and exciting things you’ve embarked on recently, to even ‘checking-in’ at your local restaurant when you think of these particular social sites. However in recent years social media has become something much more than just a place to reconnect with old friends and is now being used as a recruiting tool.

As of late 2012 there were 1 billion monthly active users on Facebook, Linked in has over 187 million members in over 200 countries and over 510 million users are on Twitter. [1] However, the most used social media site when searching for career opportunities is LinkedIn – the social network that is utilised by both job seekers and employers. This year a staggering 89% of businesses in the US made a hire via LinkedIn, 26% of hired employees were made via Facebook and a further 15% via twitter.

Some recommendations when it comes to social media (particularly on LinkedIn) – keep professional profiles up to date and complete in order to maximise your search ability, engage in online communities which can reflect the types of topics you as a candidate are interested in and passionate about, and last but not least connect and network with professionals.

Social media is now therefore considered to be a medium not only for playful purposes but one that can be advantageous to job searches. Euro London maximises social media as a recruiting tool, we seek candidates who we believe could fit roles we are recruiting for and have a vast number of candidates that maximise the potential of social media too. Are you using social media to maximise your chances of finding your dream job? If not start today!

Find Euro London online on Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Xing and Twitter today.

[1] http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/40-amazing-social-media-statistics-every-recruiter-should-know

The Trouble With A Lack Of Communication…

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Euro London

Have you ever had such a strong connection with some one, perhaps a partner, a relative or even a best friend, one so close that you are able to instantly understand what they are saying even with minimum communication? This could be via a simple glance, or even an exchange of a few words. Well this is the type of communication that is regularly practiced in Japan.

In Japan there is a saying about words – “hear one, understand ten.”[1] This phrase is pretty self explanatory; meaning that the Japanese do not deem it necessary to have long winded conversations in order to understand what is being said. This is practiced in both social and business orientated situations. The idea behind this is that two people working together should be so in tune with each other that wordy explanations are not necessary.

The Japanese believe that a direct statement that is said should hold a minimal 10% of the message; the further 90% understanding should come from the other person. This type of communication for Japanese people is meant to prove the strength between two people, either through a long period of working together, through having soaked up the same corporate culture, or simply by virtue of sharing the Japanese culture. This is similar to the strong connection of relatives or best friends, as mentioned earlier.

However this can cause problems when it comes to international business and negotiation. For example, other nationalities (e.g. Americans) expect business deals to feel 100% transparent but with the way other cultures and countries (e.g. Japanese) communicate this is not always the outcome. This is due to the lack of understanding between cultures and their communication as Americans can find the way Japanese people to communicate in a way that perceives them to be almost narrow minded and seem like they don’t want to share their opinions.

Have you ever studied a language or are you from a culture that abbreviates words or has a lack of communication between two people, but is still perfectly understood or on the other hand people find untrusting? If so what have you done to overcome this?

[1] http://www.japanintercultural.com/en/news/default.aspx?newsid=204

Bilingualism At Work

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Euro London

Apparently workers who speak more than one language are in greater demand in the job market. Communication is a necessary component in any workplace whether it is with colleagues or clients. Multilingual employees are vastly becoming more and more popular with employers as they offer advances on communicative skills by possessing another language. Being bilingual can be beneficial to both the multi-lingual’s career as well as the future for the company.

Here are some advantages of being bilingual when it comes to the workplace and careers.

Expanding Markets – Companies cherish bilingual speakers if they are in expanding markets. Having employees that are from the countries that a company is trying to reach gives them a number of advantages, one offering your language skills to a client that may only speak one language – bilingual employees can open up opportunities for the company to expand simply by being bilingual. In addition to helping the company reach its organizational goals, bilinguals can develop their own career opportunities. More Career

Opportunities And Money – Job seekers who are looking for opportunities to use their language skills may have more career choices than those who speak one language.

Workforce Demographics – The demographics within the workforce are changing with more employees coming from various backgrounds, therefore have different cultures and speak various languages. A recruiter is more likely to hire a diverse applicant, therefore meaning if they have a second language.

Improve Performance – According to research conducted by York University psychologist Ellen Bialystok people who are bilingual are smarter than those who are monolingual. She stated from her findings that “Bilingual speakers have been shown to perform better on a variety of cognitive tasks”, and in one study, Bialystok found that dementia set in four to five years later in people who spent their lives speaking two languages instead of one. [1] Therefore if this is true, having a bilingual employee who can perform better can help to generate even greater success for employers.

A number of people are now taking the plunge in boosting their career opportunities by taking on a new language, so why don’t you take up a language today and heighten your opportunities?

[1] http://m.npr.org/news/front/135043787?singlePage=false

US Elections Offer Body Language Tips

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Euro London

With the American elections just finished, Euro London takes a look at what advice the running candidates, Obama and Romney, can provide us when maintaining composure when it comes to body language.

In 2012, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney went head to head for the top job in the USA, providing the world with some useful body language tips. Politicians are more than aware that not only are they judged on their verbal messages and what they propose to better a nation, but just as importantly they are judged on their non verbal communication. Non verbal communication can be the deciding vote on whether the public votes for one politician or another. Suggestions said that Obama was elected as he made a stronger emotional connection with the audience, [2] which was assisted via his body language.

Research has suggested that between 60 and 70 per cent of all meaning is derived from non-verbal behaviour. [1] The body language tips from the 2012 US election can be useful for those attending interviews in the future as first impressions count for a lot. Within a small time-frame as little as 30 seconds someone can generate a perception just based on body language.

Body language can be judged on eye contact, handshakes and even the way a person is sitting. Indications show that body language can be responsible for as much as 90% [3] on a person’s first impression of another person.

We’ve related some useful body language tips from the election to keep in mind when it comes to interviews:

Smile - This assures the interviewer that you understand what is being asked, as well as during your responses. This generates confidence.
38% of employers cite a lack of smile as a key interviewee mistake. [4]

Eyes – Averting your gaze makes you seem less certain, trustworthy and truthful.
67% of bosses cite that a failure to make eye contact is a common non-verbal mistake. [4]

Posture – Keep your back straight, head up and with your arms at your side or hands clasped below your waist.
33% of interviewers cite that bad posture is a key interviewee mistake. [4]

Focus - If part of the interview is conducted while walking and talking or standing, be careful not to shift your weight or rock.
33% state that fidgeting too much is a common interview mistake. [4]

[1] http://www.bodylanguageexpert.co.uk/bodylanguageandfirstimpressions.html
[2] http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/facial-recognition-technology-shows-president-obama-better-in-second-debate
[3] Engleberg, Isa N Working in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies. My Communication Kit Serioes, 2006. Page 133.
[4] http://thecareercafe.co.uk/blog/?p=3922

Invest in Your Future Career By Using A CV Clinic

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Euro London

Do you realise 53.7% of CVs are tossed straight into the bin without more than a 30 second glance from recruiters? Your CV should be your marketing tool that showcases your relevant skills, abilities, and accomplishments, expressing your credentials in a way that allows employers to truly notice you. The professional job market is highly competitive hence why you should refrain from using CV templates as it’s unlikely to help you in your application. Some may argue that CV templates are a good idea but why you would want to have a document that looks exactly like everyone else’s is beyond us.

The negatives of using a CV template can include:
Your CV will not be unique enough as hundreds of people have access to the same template. A unique and individuality needs to be expressed via your CV as it is the first impression an employer will receive of you.

By using a template it simply communicates to a potential employer that you are unable to format a document yourself which in many cases will not work in your favour as it may imply that you have a poor work ethic.

There are a few websites that offer help when it comes to writing up a CV that offer their own qualifications. For example if you are a bilingual speaker they rate the level of your language. Now when you hear this you may think ‘What a brilliant idea’ however this is not the case as employers do not know the marking criteria or what each level even truly means which can be off putting and time wasting.

However it’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to CV templates, they do offer the absolute basics when it comes to writing a CV – something which might be a lot of help to people. On the other hand we highly suggest CV clinics are used. CV clinics can indeed be the better option when it comes to your CV. Not only are clinics better than a generic template but they offer a personal touch, an opportunity that allows the clinic to see the type of person you really are when it comes to the working world and are able to put this across via your CV.

Euro London Appointments is attending the language live show from the 19^th October until the 21^st October [1] where we will be holding our very own CV clinic for language candidates. So why not come and join us – it’s free!

[1] http://www.languageshowconnect.co.uk/Content/Welcome-LS-LIVE-Homepage

Why A Recruitment Consultancy Is Better Than Flying Solo.

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Euro London

Technology VS Human Interaction.

Technology, what would we do without it? The vast development of technology has enabled businesses to accomplish what was once considered unthinkable. With travelling being more accessible than it’s ever been, to the invention of the internet; the rise in global technology is allowing businesses to connect at an easier rate than ever. Nevertheless, the power of technology can be lost in value almost instantly in virtual space if you aren’t articulating human interaction alongside it.

As a multilingual recruitment consultancy we liaise with candidates and clients across the world so technology is something we value greatly. However, in saying this it does not detract our attention from having real human interaction. Whether communication is over the telephone, via email or face to face meetings with clients or candidates we as a consultancy can provide it.

There are further downfalls with the rise of technology which is automated services; having to speak to a robot like voice rather than a real person. Recent research from our candidate’s shows that they believe the ‘human touch’ is a necessity in today’s job market rather than CV’s collecting dust virtually online. If recruitment consultancies articulate the balance of technology and human interaction everyone (businesses and applicants) can benefit. Further to this consultancies can (particularly in the on going economic crisis) be a great asset to companies and candidates looking for the right person to hire. In August 2012 Eurostat estimates that 25.466 million men and women in the EU-27, of whom 18.196 million in the euro area (EA-17), were unemployed. [1] With the current economic crisis employment rates are at their highest in Europe making it very difficult to find a job. It could be argued that with the help of consultancies unemployment rates could drop as recruiters can filter the right candidates with the skills and attributes needed for job positions while the business hiring can focus on the interview process.

Top tips when working with a recruitment consultancy; be truthful about your experiences, credentials, income, career goals and reasons for leaving your prior employment.

[1] http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Unemployment_statistics

Survival Of The Fittest Language

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Euro London

According to researchers one language dies every two weeks, washed away like writing in the sand – a somewhat disturbing revelation. Now, as we are all aware (from our own back ground) a single language holds depth such as history and culture which helps us understand where we came from and consequently shapes our future. What could this mean for the future of languages and the population of the world?

With there being 7,000 languages that exist today and languages dying every two weeks it’s hard to determine which languages will conquer. Could languages face what evolution faced with a battle of survival of the fittest? If this is the case at present, the English language is leading the race, particularly in the world of business.

At present the English language is considered to be symbolic of modernity, work, higher education, business, economics and science and technology. Historically speaking, it has also always been a language that is the most successful as it is spoken on every continent around the world.

However this may not always be the case particularly due to the rapid loss of languages. It is easy to say that English as a language will not completely disappear, yet it may not be the predominant language of the future. Languages such as German could be in the running for the future language as Germany is a leading power for technology, medicine and science. Mandarin is also in the limelight as the Chinese are becoming a major economic power and growing more each and every day. Other possible contenders for language of the future include Spanish, Hindi-Urdu of India and Arabic could be among the most popular languages of the future.

Top 10 disappearing languages:

10. Chamicuro (Chamekolo, Chamicolo, Chamicura)

9. Dumi (Dumi Bo’o, Dumi Bro, Lsi Rai, Ro’do Bo’, Sotmali)

8. Ongota/Birale

7. Liki (Moar)

6. Tanema (Tanima, Tetawo)

5. Njerep

4. Chemehuevi

3. Lemerig (Pak, Bek, Sasar, Leon, Lem)

2. Kaixana (Caixana)

1. Taushiro (Pinche/Pinchi)

What do you think the language of the future could be and why?

Think You’re Smarter Than A Baby… Think Again

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Euro London

Knowing different languages offers untold opportunities and has the ability to banish narrow mindedness in life. There are countless benefits of knowing different languages including improving cognitive behaviour, having an advantage edge in global communication and economy (therefore valuable when applying to a job), and simply having cultural superiority when you’re travelling. The use and understanding of another language will always help to prevail in life. So why not start learning a new language before its too late?

According to previous researchers hypotheses there is a time frame in which second language acquisition skills are at their peak; usually at the age of 6-7 years old. This contradicts what Oscar Wilde famously said ‘with age comes wisdom’ suggesting that the older we get the wiser we become. However this is not always the case, according to recent research babies as young as three months were capable of out performing adults in reference to the skills it takes when learning a new language.

The research was conducted by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig with an outcome that would not be assumed by many [1]. The findings showed how children manage to learn language at a faster rate during the early stages of development as well as a strong link between very basic auditory skills and sophisticated rule learning abilities. Perhaps it is therefore time to get the future generations learning and continue evolving our planet.

How old were you when you first started learning a language?

Do you think those that learn language from a younger age have a greater advantage over those that learnt at an older age?

[1] http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/09/11/116-Babies-better-at-detecting-and-learning-complex-languages-than-adults.html

Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Successful Recruitment Consultant?

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Euro London

Here at Euro London Appointments we are always looking for brilliant new Consultants to fill positions throughout our European offices. So what makes a good Recruitment Consultant? We’ve outlined 10 characteristics.

You are enthusiastic and positive – Your ability to stay positive and enthusiastic as a Recruitment Consultant will be what makes you successful, a positive mental attitude will be indispensable to the route of your success.

You keep your word – In recruiting you’re only as good as your last placement, if you’ve gone back on your word it won’t only give you a bad name but also that of your company. If you can’t do something, don’t promise that you can.

You have a competitive nature – Recruitment Consultants generally have a competitive nature and want to be at the top of their field, your drive and determination will be what makes you successful.

You have a friendly manner – Don’t let your competitive nature override your friendly manner either on the phone or face to face, arrogance is best left at home as you connect with people all over Europe and around the world.

You are organised – If you don’t know who you’re calling, who you’re currently interviewing or who you’re currently working with you are probably in the wrong position! Recruitment Consultants aren’t only organised, they’re efficient and great multitaskers who look to be as productive with their time as possible.

You have excellent listening skills – What is the Client asking you for? What skills, experience and qualifications will be necessary to find them their perfect Candidate? It’s important to act on what the Client has asked for without making assumptions, to fill the role with the perfect Candidate.

You care – The art of being a good business man is being a good middleman! As a Recruitment Consultant you will be working with both Candidates and Clients to fill job placements around Europe. What differentiates you from another Consultant will be your ability to treat people with kindness and courtesy

You have great language skills – Here at Euro London we are very proud to focus on multilingual roles, this means that our Consultants not only have excellent English skills but can also speak a second, third or fourth language.

You never give up – Recruitment isn’t an easy job, if it was everyone would be doing it! Your determination, enthusiasm, positivity and competitiveness will all drive you to success as a Recruitment Consultant.

You go the extra mile – The extra mile to us is ‘going above and beyond’ your daily activities. Your commitment to both Clients and Candidates will be what determines if you make a successful Recruitment Consultant.

Do you feel you have what it takes to become a Euro London Recruitment Consultant? If so why not send your CV to recruitmentconsultant@eurolondon.com to apply.

Body Language – The Language We All Speak

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Euro London

Our perception of language is mainly focused on the spoken word or the written text, but there is another language we speak that we often pay less attention to; Body language, the language that we all speak.

Experts have estimated that body language accounts for around 60% of human communication with a further 10 % through the tone of our voice, this means that 70% of what you’re saying isn’t actually coming out of your mouth. So how can you use this to your advantage in circumstances such as job interviews and networking events to help you stand out and make a great first impression? We’ve thought of some tips that may help improve your body language.

Firstly, to change your body language you must be aware of your body language. Take notice of how you stand, how you sit and what you do whilst talking to someone. You can practice this in front of a mirror, it may feel a bit stupid at first but no one is watching you and it’s a great way to assess how you express yourself in conversation. Watch friends, role models and film stars who you feel have good body language and try to take note of what they do that you may not and how you may use this to your advantage an interview.

One of the simplest forms of body language is smiling; it reassures the person you are speaking with that you are actively engaging with them and actually find what they are saying interesting. In an interview smile and nod your head once in a while to signal that you understand what the interviewer is talking about, however don’t over do it, you don’t want to look like woody woodpecker.

Engage in eye contact, this is a great way to convey confidence. It’s possible to that at an interview there will be more than one interviewer so make sure you switch your gaze between them when they are speaking. Be careful though keeping eye contact to long though may make people feel uncomfortable but not making any eye contact at all may make you seem insecure, it’s a fine line.

Mirroring is one of the most often used types of body language between people who are talking; often controlled by our subconscious. At interview you can use this to your advantage in what is called proactive mirroring. If they place their hands on their hips you may want to put your hands on your hips, if they are sitting a certain way it may be a good idea for you to follow suit. However it’s important that you don’t react instantly and don’t react to everything, otherwise it may just get awkward.

Body language like language itself is a fine art that takes practice, but like language it can be an invaluable tool in your career, relationships and life itself if you know how to use it.

The Rise Of Inflated Job Titles

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Euro London

Job titles given to us by our employers almost always describe the tasks we accomplish whilst working. However, in recent years we’ve seen the rise of what is being called inflated job titles; this is where employers look to bestow extra-ordinary job titles to what can sometimes be nothing more than a normal job. Employers dig into their thesaurus to find as many adjectives as possible to make a job sound grander. We thought we’d take a look at a few examples which have been used instead of ordinary job titles to make roles sound more important than they actually are.

Inflated job titles within corporate culture have been used for years, Subway like to call their customer facing staff, “Sandwich Artists” and Ikea once had a job listed as “Front of house display supervisor” with a job description which was surprisingly similar to that of a cleaner. But Jobs in the Public Sector as well as Private sector are now becoming equally creative with their names, these are a few of our favourites.

Location change management specialists – Removal man/woman

Canine relocation specialist – Dog catcher

Wet leisure assistant – Lifeguard

Waste management and disposal technician – Bin man/woman

Coordinator of interpretive teaching – museum guide

Recruitment consultants are no exception to this rule, here at Euro London we like to call our colleagues “consultants”, but there are examples within our industry where others have been creative with their job titles which have included “talent acquisition supervisors”.

So why does this happen? Some attribute the occurrence to occupations outgrowing languages themselves. In the last 20 years industries around the world have been transformed, leaving many languages struggling to develop new names for their new roles; instead, using a number of adjectives and nouns to describe a role in a new way.

Employers may also inflate job titles for several reasons. For lower level positions it can help boost people’s esteem, for managers it can sometimes allow them to give employees more tasks as their job title isn’t pigeon holed and when it’s time to move on it can also look good on a CV.

So does it actually do any harm to have an inflated job title? What’s the strangest job title you’ve seen?

The British Relationship With Foreign Languages

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Euro London

This week Michael Gove, the British Education Minister, announced that children will have to learn a second language from the age of seven. These include traditional modern languages such as French, German and Spanish as well as emerging languages including Mandarin, Hindi and Russian.

The move is part of broader reforms within the British schooling system but the debate over whether British children should or need to learn another language from the age of seven has been the main headline.

It may surprise some of you from outside the UK that British schools currently only require students to learn a language from 11-14, at which age students in the UK pick which subjects they’d like to continue studying . Unfortunately a foreign language is often not picked. Government ministers hope that the decision to make learning a language compulsory at a young age will see a higher continuation of language learning when students pick which subjects they are going to study further, leaving them better equipped to compete in the global economy.

There have been two schools of thought emerging when debating the subject of teaching children a second language (I think you may be able to guess which side we fall into).

One side argues that teaching children English needs to come first, an argument I’m sure that resonates around Europe with each country and their own language, but this leaves me wondering how some countries equip their students with a second, third and even fourth language whilst the UK seems to focus on only one? This argument also usually comes with the assumption of “we don’t need to learn a second language as most people speak English anyway”; a statement that isn’t actually that true now and with the emergence of the BRIC countries will see it become less and less true in the future.

We support the school of thought that learning a second language as a child can give you the best possible opportunity starting in life and that in a difficult jobs market can differentiate you from the crowd. As we’ve highlighted before [1], languages are not just extremely useful in the workplace, but also in your personal and private life and to learn a language as a child will give you a great head start in life.

Here in the UK, around one in ten primary schools offer no language classes at all with a further 20% only offering them to specific year groups, so one thing is for sure; Michael Gove will have a lot of work on his hands with these reforms.

[1] http://www.eurolondon.com/blog/en/12-reasons-to-be-proud-of-knowing-a-second-language/

10 German Loanwords Used In Everyday English

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Euro London

Many words used in languages throughout the world can find their roots in other languages, either evolving from an older language or from being loaned from another language. So we thought we’d take a look at which German words are being used in the English language on a daily basis.

1. A Doppelganger is an identical double of an individual person with no relation to each other. Doppelganger is German for ‘double walker’ which in folklore is the paranormal double of a living person; in English it literally maintains its meaning without the folklore.

2. Wanderlust is a German loanword adopted into English in1902 meaning ‘yearn to travel’, the term originates from “wandern” (to hike) and “Lust” (Desire) a modern German equivalent for wanderlust is “Fernweh” meaning ‘crave for travel’.

3. Neanderthals is the term used to describe our ancestors who used to inhabit Europe and Eastern Asia. The Species is named after the site of their discovery just east of Düsseldorf in Dussel’s Neander Valley, ‘Thal’ was then added the German word for valley.

4. The word rucksack is again a German loanword, combining the German ‘der Rücken’ meaning the back part of the body and ‘sack’ from the Middle English meaning bag.

5. Lager originates from the German “lagerbier” meaning ‘beer brewed for keeping’; originally this was directly translated to English ‘lager beer’, but was shortened to lager in the 1850’s.

6. The fuel Diesel is derived from the German ‘Dieselmotor’ named after its German inventor in 1892, Diesel would then go on to power much of the worlds transport including cars and trains.

7. Zeitgeist is another German loanword combined from the German for Zeit (time) and Geist (spirit) translating into the “spirit of the time”.

8. The Glockenspiel is the word you may associate most with having German origins literally meaning ‘play of bells’ from “Glock” (bell) and “Spiel” (play), the instrument may not be found often in modern music but is still used in the massed bands.

9. Kindergarten is literally translated from German into “Children’s Garden” first coming into use in the early 19^th century as a social experience for children moving from the home into education.

10. Hamburger may be the best known German loanword to the English language in the world. Hamburger comes directly from Germany’s second city of Hamburg where in the beginning of the 19^th centaury 1000’s of Germans emigrated to the USA, taking food delicacies with them including the Hamburg steak, later becoming known as the hamburger.

Lego Hot Jobs

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Euro London

This summer we’re working with the giant toy manufacturer Lego to fill various positions during the summer months and on the run up to the Christmas period.

Lego began business in 1932 producing wooden toys before expanding their toy base and starting production of their world famous interlocking plastic bricks in 1949. Today, Lego entertains families in over 130 countries worldwide.

We’re working closely with Lego to recruit 72 candidates to fill fixed term contracts over the Christmas period, starting as early as July until January the 31^st – with various start dates during July, August, September and October. Prospective candidates need to be able to speak Native level German, Native level Dutch or be Trilingual in Italian or French to fill this contract. There will also be some Nordic language roles available.

The location based in Slough offers excellent access opportunities to Central London, without paying London prices; (20 minutes from Paddington station). This is a great opportunity for candidates to gain experience in a market where current employers are looking to fill their roles with experienced candidates.

Job description:

Shift Hours: 7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week. Some weeks will include a weekend day (those weeks you can choose to take a day off the following week or receive additional pay). Your shift will be scheduled sometime between the hours of 7am – 8pm GMT.

Salary: £18 000 p. annum, paid monthly / 9.23 per hour.

Benefits: Staff discount, free on-site gym, free shuttle to bus station, pension scheme (5% company contribution), social events calendar, subsidised staff restaurant, and more.

Tasks: The Lego Consumer Service Advisors are the first point of contact for consumers right the way across Europe. We are an inbound call centre, which means we only speak to our consumers when they contact us. Consumers mainly contact us in two ways – by phone (50%) or by email/letter (50%).

Comprehensive training will be provided by Lego for this opportunity!

How to apply: Please send your CV with a cover letter to lego@eurolondon.com

Proofreading Your CV

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Euro London

Your CV is one of the most important documents you will ever produce! You will therefore need to write cohesively and accurately and make sure there are no spelling mistakes which may see your sparkling experience and well written personal statement dismissed in a heartbeat.

Communication has always been vital and in today’s world it’s easier and more important than ever. Emails, instant messaging and social networking have meant that being able to string a written sentence together is crucial. Documents littered with typos can be embarrassing for the author and can lose you an interview you really want. We thought we’d put on our thinking caps and put together a list of our top tips we think will help you not to include a spelling mistake on your CV.

First of all, don’t proofread it – not right away at least; wait for a couple of hours after you’ve written it. This will enable your eyes to take a break from what you’ve written and allow your brain to read what’s actually on the paper and not what you think you’ve written.

Review a hard copy – If possible print out a copy of your text to look over instead of viewing it on a screen. Review the different factors involved in your CV looking at the sentence structure, wording, grammar and punctuation.

Read aloud – this can help not only catch out any spelling and grammar mistakes but also make sure your words have the correct meaning. Make sure you are using the correct spelling and meaning of a word that may be a homophone; words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings, something a spell checker won’t catch. I.e. their, there and they’re.

Lastly, make sure you get a second pair of eyes to look over it – a new set of eyes can usually pick up errors you may have missed or are been unsure about.

The CV is the first thing a hiring manager will see about you and it’s important to make a good first impression so make sure you have proofread your CV to the best of your ability and give yourself a head start in the job hunt.

Multilingual Football Managers

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Euro London

International management is a major factor of corporate business in the globalised world we live in today and one of the best examples of global management is a football club. It can be owned by a an investor from one side of the world, managed by a tactician from the other side of the world and made up of players from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities; not to mention the training staff and support team. So when Roy Hodgson was appointed to be the manager of the England national team we were surprised to find out that he spoke other languages, seven to be precise. Aside from speaking English, Roy Hodgson speaks fluent Norwegian, Swedish, German and Italian as well as some Danish, French and Finnish [1]. We wondered to ourselves why we’d only just heard about his multilingual capacity and set about looking for other European managers and Footballers who can speak several languages.

Arsène Wenger has not only had a successful career managing Arsenal football club, he’s also fluent in French, German and English as well as having a grasp of Italian, Spanish and Japanese. If that’s not enough, he also holds a masters degree from the University of Strasbourg, which he completed whilst continuing his professional football career before moving into management.

The self professed “special one”, José Mourinho, is not only a master tactician; he’s also a master linguist. José can speak 5 languages fluently which include Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and English as well as knowing some Catalonian; sounds like he’s practically perfect in every way.

Alex Ferguson is reported to have picked up intermediate use of some languages during his highly successful time managing Manchester United including French and Portuguese which he learnt from his French and Brazilian players.

It’s not only managers who are great linguists; several footballers not only know how to play the beautiful game but also to speak some beautiful languages too.

Ask Thierry Henry what’s French for “Va Va Voom” and he’ll be able to tell you the answer in 5 different languages including French, English, Italian and Spanish as well as a Creole language, (a stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages [2]).

Clarence Seedorf has not only won the Champions League title 4 times with three different clubs, he also has a lively ability with languages. Not only can the Dutch international speak Dutch, he can also speak English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

Aside from being one of the best players ever, Zinadine Zidane can also speak 6 languages. His language knowledge includes Berber, Algerian, Arabic, French, English and Italian. Zidane may unfortunately be remembered for his actions during the 2010 world cup instead of his footballing prowess or his knowledge of languages though.

Do you know any Football managers or players who can speak several languages? Let us know.

[1] http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/roy-hodgson-inside-the-mind-of-englands-814842

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creole_language

Would You Give Employers Your Facebook Password?

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Euro London

Over the last few months a worrying workplace trend has been highlighted by the news, some hiring managers have been asking for access to a candidate’s personal Facebook profiles as well as other social media accounts.

We’ve already seen a common trend for hiring managers to search candidate’s social media before offering them a position in their company. In 2008, 34% of employers checked social media to research a candidate [1], by 2011 this figure had risen substantially to 91%, with 69% of those organisations saying they had rejected a candidate due to what they had seen on the candidate profile, although 68% conversely also said they hired someone due to what they had seen on a candidate profile [2].

In the USA, where this trend is thought to of started, there has been an outcry. Several Senators have urged the US Department of Justice to launch investigations into the legality of the practise, citing that employers may be able to see personal groups, which can lead to discrimination [3]. However, whereas you can personally change the settings of your Facebook profile, something we recommend you do; a hiring manager asking to see your personal details through your personal Facebook account can put you in a precarious position. On the one hand it is your right to refuse the hiring managers request to see your Facebook profile, what you may do in your personal life may have no bearing on your professional competency and capacity. But on the other hand what would be the repercussions if you decline, will the hiring managers look less favourably on your application.

In most developed countries and many developing countries there are laws against asking personal questions on the grounds of discrimination, these can include questions which directly relate to a candidates Gender, Age, Religion and other personal information. The fear now is that although asking such questions are illegal, this information could be extracted from a personal Facebook account which could be used to potentially discriminate.

In a social age, are there new expectations of openness and transparency from hiring managers? Are social networks just considered an extension of your personality or does asking to access your personal information go a step too far? After all what you do in your personal life, probably won’t impact on your professional life.

Would you feel comfortable allowing a hiring manager to view your Facebook account?

[1]http://www.careerbuilder.co.uk/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=pr459&sd=9%2F10%2F2008&ed=12%2F31%2F2008

[2] http://mashable.com/2011/10/23/how-recruiters-use-social-networks-to-screen-candidates-infographic/

[3] http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/26/employers-warned-facebook-login-details

Easy Answers To Tough Questions

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Euro London

Interviews vary from sector to sector, department to department in companies, however some questions keep being asked. At face value these open ended questions seem easily answered however sometimes they can catch you out. So how do you answer them?

“Tell me about yourself?” This is one of the most open ended questions you can be asked. You may think the question includes subjects such as your favourite film, your favourite sport, previous relationships and whether or not you play the lottery; but does the interviewer want to know most of that? Not really. Not only is it usually irrelevant but it’s also pretty mundane, they’re not going to employ you because you love line dancing on a Saturday night, they’re going to employ you because you’re the right person for the job. Make sure when you are telling the interviewer about yourself that you keep your answers relevant and in context.

“What are your weaknesses?” Why they ever started asking this in the first place confuses me, luckily it is becoming less common to ask this question. If you do get this question, be careful not to state a weakness that you cannot make a comment on what you are doing to improve.

There are several ways to answer this question. You can say a false negative, i.e. “I strive for perfection, which can lead me to focus too much”, it may seem bad but actually it’s good. Alternately you could answer with a weakness you know you have (after all no one is perfect) but making sure that you include that you are actively working on it and adapting to change i.e. “I tend to pay a lot of attention to detail and this can lead me to focus too much on a specific detail, however I am working on this and by taking a different approach am enabling myself to see the bigger picture”.

Some interviews now include questions that require you to think outside the box. Questions such as; “How many people are on Facebook in San Francisco on Friday at 2.30pm?” Asked by Google and; “If you were a Microsoft program, which one would you be?”, Asked by Summit Racing Equipment, are increasingly being used in the design and technology sectors [1]. The object of these questions isn’t for you to give a definitive answer but to compose an answer using your creative and reasoning skills. As long as you can back up your answers with reason, you won’t/can’t be proved wrong. Take your time; think about not only your answer but also your reasoning behind your answer.

[1] http://mashable.com/2011/12/27/glassdoor-interview-questions-2011/

Researching Potential Employers

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Euro London

Being interviewed for a new job is a strange experience; no matter how many interviews you have been to before, it can be both nerve racking and exhilarating at the same time, so you’ll need to keep a level head.

Getting the right job can determine a lot of your life circumstances including the amount of personal time you have, where you live and of course how much money you bring home at the end of the day, not a lot of pressure then. The best thing you can do is practise and research.

Research your role – Read the job description and skills and attributes required in detail, make sure you can then think of what you can link this to in your life events. If the job description requires a good communicator, think of an example where you have had to communicate at your previous job and explain what the outcome was, (please don’t say I’m a good communicator at the pub). Use the CAR response: Context, what was the situation? Action, what action did you take? Response, what was the overall outcome? Researching the role will also give you an opportunity to think of questions to ask at the end of your interview, the interview process is a two way process after all.

Research the company – A good company will want to know that they are more than just a job to you; they will want you to know about their history, their brand and their services. Whether you know a lot or a little about the company you are interviewing with it is always a good idea to brush up on your knowledge before a big interview. This can by done through a variety of mediums but the most obvious and smartest choice is the internet, “Google it”! Companies big and small have websites nowadays; corporate websites usually show information and history of the company, useful to research the company and their culture. As well as Google search use Google news to find up to date news articles on the company and use the professional network of LinkedIn where you’ll be able to see new hires and company statistics. Ask your Recruitment Consultant for some information on the company if possible.

Research the selection process – will it involve any tests or exams? Do you have to prepare anything or bring something to the exam? Don’t get caught out by a test you weren’t expecting or a presentation you were supposed to bring.

All of this research will prove invaluable in the hiring process and should allow you a great chance of landing the role with knowledge of what’s coming and enabling you to keep a level head.

Do You Make Your Own Luck?

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Euro London

Have you ever considered yourself lucky? Perhaps you have a lucky piece of clothing, a lucky way to start the day or a lucky charm; bracelets, rabbit’s feet, horse shoes etc.

Do you believe in luck at all? Perhaps you believe in fate, that we all have a path we’re destined to follow and nothing can change that; or maybe you believe in random chance and that we actually have very little control over what occurs.

Is luck random? Or do you make your own luck? Let’s face it there isn’t a science to luck, it’s unpredictable but there are a few tips to enhance your own luck.

Be humble – to create your own luck you need a bit of influence and many say that the best way to increase this is to be humble. Many perceive humility as a weakness, however contrary to that belief it can be your biggest strength. You can meet, interact and befriend more people by being interested in them than you can by trying to get people interested in you.

Maximise your chance opportunities – Yes there is an element of chance to all of our lives; at first glance this seems like it is not controllable. However, if you look again through how you reacted to past situations you will see that it is actually you who produced the outcome and enabled you to make your own luck. This could have been a chance meeting with someone you now call your friend or a good deed that didn’t go unrewarded, chance plays a role in much of everyday life – but it doesn’t control it.

Simply believe you are lucky – Much like having a positive attitude, thinking you’re lucky can lead to much the same effect. A recent study, found that those who believe they are lucky can create positive outcomes [1]. The study took two groups of people, one group believed they were lucky and the other believed they were unlucky. They were asked to count how many photos were in a newspaper presented to both groups. Those who considered themselves lucky returned with the answer quicker than the unlucky group; why? Because on the second page of the paper there was an advert saying “stop counting, there are 43 pictures in this paper” the results of the test concluded that – “Unlucky people miss chance opportunities because they are too focused on looking for something else. They go to parties intent on finding their perfect partner, and so miss opportunities to make good friends. They look through the newspaper determined to find certain job advertisements and, as a result, miss other types of jobs. Lucky people are more relaxed and open, and therefore see what is there, rather than just what they are looking for.”

Are you making your own luck in the job seeking market? Like the great South African golfer Gary Player once said – “The harder I practise the luckier I get”.

If you find a job are you lucky or have you made your own luck through perseverance, effort and having the right attitude?

[1] http://www.jonathanfields.com/blog/what-lucky-people-do-differently/

St Patrick’s Day

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Euro London

Around the world, Saturday 17^th of March will be celebrated as the national day of Ireland, St Patrick’s Day.

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated more than most cultural and national holidays around the globe! Cities close entire streets to hold national parades and landmarks are painted, dyed and illuminated in the colour green, a practise

not surprisingly known as “greening”. In the city of Chicago, USA an eco friendly green dye is released into the rivers, in London, UK, Trafalgar Square’s water fountains are dyed green and the parade usually finishes there and this year even Italy’s leaning tower of Pisa is being lit up green to celebrate the day for the first time.

One of the main reasons for the near global appreciation and celebration of St Patricks day is due to migration. In the 19^th and early 20^th century the industrial revolution changed the world. Communities began to move in the search for work and when they did they’d not only bring their culture but also their identities. Communities were set up in towns and cities around the world, Chinatowns and other neighbourhoods began to form as communities looked to support each other.

Just like other nationalities the Irish began to move, not only because of choice but because of necessity. The Irish emigrated all over the globe, from Europe to America, Asia to Australia, taking their culture and traditions with them.

Nowadays, St Patricks Day is celebrated around the world, by the Irish and non Irish alike, different nationalities, cultures and religions come together to celebrate a day of integration and celebration.

For the last century people have been relocating to find work, from country to country and continent to continent. This has been made ever easier by not only the globalised economy but the technology to support it as well. What would have taken a 10 day journey to cross the Atlantic now takes 10 hours (+ the delay in the flight lounge that we all come to expect), a letter that would have taken weeks to deliver and respond to has now transformed into interaction at a click of a button with email, Facebook and Skype . With a wide array of support from sources such as the Internet, Libraries and Consulates on the subject of migrating, there has never been an easier time to relocate.

Take The Plunge For Your New Career

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Euro London

Are you craving a new challenge? Perhaps you’ve been working at the same company for 10 years or in the same sector for what seems like an eternity. You wonder to yourself what happened to those childhood dreams? Ok, being an astronaut was a big ask, but what about the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day and the knowledge that when you’ve finished for the week, you won’t be dreading going back to work on Monday. Sound like you? Only you can change it.

Starting out in a new career can be daunting; there is no hiding from that fact. New people, new responsibilities, new work schedule, new work culture but aside from being daunting it can also be exhilarating and thrilling. So how can you take control of all these emotions and take control of your job hunt. We’ve put some tips together to help you find that new job.

Firstly decide whether on not to swap: It may seem like an obvious option but moving job or starting a new career can be a big step. It’s not something we’d recommend you do half heartedly; It’s therefore highly advisable that you think through your options, your financial stability and your social mobility etc. (i.e. can you move to a new area easily).

Analyze market trends: How is your job sector performing in the current climate? Are the jobs moving abroad? If your career sector is on the up it may be easier to find a new job than if the jobs are disappearing. I say “may” as it is currently a very tough climate for jobs across nearly all sectors in much of the world; however we are seeing a small recovery in the economy in 2012 so if you have decided to swap jobs, now maybe the perfect time.

Find a career; consider a niche: Once you’ve decided on a new job or career path, analyze what your strengths are and use them to your advantage. A niche is a great advantage if you’re an expert in a particular field, it usually comes with more autonomy and responsibilities in a role; however, once you have started working within a niche role it can be very hard to change career paths later on, something definitely worth remembering.

Find a way in: Once you know what kind of job you’d like to move into you need to find a way to get yourself there. You may not even have to change organisations. If you currently work for a large company and you’d like to change departments why not have a word with your HR department about job availabilities. Use social media as well to keep an eye on current vacancies through sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter.

You can use recruitment agencies such as Euro London Appointments to find current jobs, quickly. Not only will we keep you up to date with the latest roles, we can also give you access to a wide array of roles and some tips on interviewing and etiquette.

Changing your job is never easy, changing your career can be a whole new experience with a totally new role to aspect of business to learn quickly, but if you feel you’d like a new experience and challenge, get in contact today.

Need A Great Reason To Work In Germany?

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Euro London

Have you ever thought about living and working in Germany? Well you’ve picked an excellent country to live in. Not only is Germany riding the economic wave with a stable economy and a rigid job market (our offices in Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf can vouch for that) but there is also the emerging story of an enormous act of selflessness.

The mention of the town of Braunschweig wouldn’t mean much to many people, it’s a medium size town located 145 miles west of Berlin in lower Saxony and has a population of just under a quarter of a million. However recently it has gained the attention of much of the world’s media as residents are being left perplexed by a spate of altruism.

Around the town people are finding white envelopes full of cash hidden in the most unusual places including behind the hymn books of the local church, under the doormats of houses or organisations and anonymously hand delivered to the local newspapers; however there is always one constant, no one ever knows who has donated the money. Residents of the town don’t know if the philanthropist is an individual or a group of people and they aren’t sure on the reason for such generosity. Some think that the gifts are being left by a wealthy resident who may not have family to pass the money on to, others think it is being left by a Robin Hood figure who redistributes the money from the rich to the poor, there are also theories on a person who has just won the lottery and is trying to help good causes.

Although the identity of this generous individual or group is a secret, the amount left so far is staggering, €190,000 has already been found and due to the unusual places where the money is often hidden, that figure may yet go up! So far donations have included churches, nurseries/kindergartens and hospices as well as the family of a 14 year old boy who became disabled after a swimming accident.

What ever the reason for giving such vast amounts of money away, there is no denying the individual or group is doing a lot of good for their town and community. Would you like to live and work in Germany? If so, why not get in contact with one of our regional offices located in Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.

Staying Motivated In Your Job Hunt

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Euro London

We all have days where we seem to be stuck, our brain doesn’t want to function and morale is low. This can occur at almost any time, so how can you try to avoid them when you are searching for a job?

We know this can be a frustrating time for you, but there are several tips we can give you to not only increase your levels of motivation but also your chances of getting a job.

First of all clarify your goals: What role are you looking for? Which country would you like to live in? What salary would you aspire to earn? If someone offered you a job that didn’t meet your first choice – would you take it? More importantly would you like it? These are long term questions you have to know the answers to before you start your job hunt. Of course you can be flexible in your ambitions but we know from experience that if you don’t enjoy your job and it’s not what you actually want to do, you probably won’t want to stick around too long and that won’t help you or your employer.

Once you have clarified your goals you can start your job search. A lot of people apply to vacant positions speculatively without properly reading what the company is looking for. You may be sending out 20 CV’s a day and hear back from only one or two, not only does this negatively impact on your motivation levels but it also impedes you’re your job search. Instead set yourself a daily target of three or four jobs you think you are well qualified for and tailor your application to those roles. Read the job description in-depth to analyse who they are looking for and what skills you will need to bring to the roles. All too often people think of their CV as a solid life document; however it should be altered to each job accordingly to show off your attributes to the specific role you are applying for. Make sure you keep an eye on who you are applying to as well, if you are sending out 10 or 20 CV’s in a day to what you can only see as email addresses it can be easy to lose track of what you’ve actually applied for. Make a note of who you have applied to and then you can follow up your applications either through email, telephone call or social media, which most companies have now as another way to interact with you. If you follow up these roles and they do unfortunately get filled by someone other than yourself at least you will know and can therefore tick it off your list and move on instead of waiting by the phone for it to ring all day; which can be highly de-motivating.

Most of all keep a positive attitude.

Five questions it’s definitely worth asking at an interview

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Euro London

Congratulations, you’ve reached the interview stage! All that hard work you have put into your CV, cover letter and possible pre screen phone interview has now paid off. Previously I’ve covered aspects of the general interview approach such as interview etiquette and how you should dress, but we’ve also outlined that you should always ask questions at the end of the interview. This opportunity to ask questions not only allows you to find out more about the company but also enables you to engage in conversation with the hiring manager, rather than just answering questions.

But this opportunity often stumps candidates; what should you ask? You don’t want to ask too many or too few questions and you want to make sure they’re relevant. If you are struggling to think of something to ask, why not ask a question that will create a great platform for further conversation? So what questions could you ask?

“What type of growth and advancement opportunities does this position and the company offer?” This type of question not only shows long term vision and commitment to the position you are interviewing for, it shows you are looking for a career not just a pay cheque.

“What would a typical working day be?” The responsibilities will be listed on the job description, but this question allows you to gain a much more in depth view of the exact role you are interviewing for and what tasks you will be asked to complete.

“Why did you join the organisation and what do you enjoy most about it?” This question allows you to gain an insight into what the organisation’s current employees enjoy about their jobs and can allow you to gain an insight into the strengths and opportunities of the company’s corporate culture, it also offers you a chance to create a conversation with the interviewer (but remember to keep the conversation formal).

When you’ve finished asking your questions and the interview is over you should always end with the two questions, “when will I hear from you” enabling you a time frame on when you should start following up if you haven’t heard anything back and “may I get in contact with you if I have any further questions” . This will leave the door open for any further communication.

The recruitment process can be a tricky one to navigate, but with our 22 years of experience we can give you all the advice you require to help you land that dream job.

Using Your Languages In The Workplace

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Euro London

Here at Euro London Appointments we specialise in multilingual and international recruitment, therefore the vast majority of our roles require knowledge of at least one other language.

There is however a common misconception that if you can speak more than one language there are only two careers you can go into; teaching and translating. I can assure you this is not true, the success of Euro London Appointments over the last 22 years can vouch for that.

There are a range of opportunities in the jobs market where knowing a language will be a distinct advantage, if not a necessity for your career.

Over the last 22 years we’ve not only opened offices around Europe, but also new departments to deal with the demand in multilingual job opportunities as well. We currently have ten departments covering different work sectors around Europe and other parts of the world.

Whether you’d like to work in the public or private sector, being multilingual will certainly open doors.

Knowledge of a second language in the public sector offers you opportunities to gain employment in Government departments, Diplomatic positions and working directly within the European Union itself.

In the private sector there are a much wider range of job opportunities involving languages; multinational companies are embracing the use of languages to help improve their business forward through increased communication. Nowadays a car may be made from parts from one side of the world and those parts built from raw materials sourced from another side of the world; businesses need communication to survive, function and thrive in this ever globalised world we live in, something that multilingualism plays a vital role in.

You will find roles for all types of jobs through our various departments whether you’re looking for work in Banking and Finance, Sales and Marketing, Engineering, Human Resources, Accountancy and Law, Betting and iGaming, IT and Telecoms, Call Centre and Customer Service, Secretarial and Support, Interim and Executive Management.

The knowledge of a second, third or fourth language will unlock a wealth of opportunity for you and your career.

Network Your Way To The Perfect Job

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Euro London

Since the beginning of time, humanity has strived to communicate with each other. This was initially done through grunts, gestures and body language, before becoming more civilised; forming words, sentences and the written language. Then came international interaction; tribes became allies and these allies formed countries, trade routes sprouted as empires formed and expanded. The wish to trade goods formed, as did a need to communicate with each other. This saw the initial need to learn a second language and translation take place, a lesson not lost on our part today. Over the last century, International cooperation and increased technological innovation has led to the biggest increase in breaking down barriers in human history. Boats became trains; trains became planes and in the last 20 years the biggest innovation since… well, what do you think the most important inventions of history have been? No matter what preceded the Internet as the latest important technological breakthrough, you can’t deny it has been the defining invention of the last 20 years! Since you are reading this you will almost definitely have some kind of access to the Internet, undoubtedly the biggest communication network ever created. It’s changed the way you hear the latest news, read the latest articles and share the latest information with your friends. Through this mass communication ability, a whole new ability to interact has sprung up, labelled the social networks. The undoubted kings of these are Facebook, the micro-blogging service of Twitter and the professional network of LinkedIn. Here for the first time in history we now have the ability to communicate with people or companies around the world in just a matter of seconds. Many international corporations have Facebook and Twitter pages you can like and follow; Starbucks has 29 million likes on Facebook alone. If you have access to any of these channels you can take a proactive position to look for a job! Joining professional networks to interact with possible contacts, making sure you keep up to date with latest industry news and developments within your field can really show your commitment to any potential employer.

Like many of these companies, we also have our own Social Media channels we communicate through to try and help you. So if you have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or Google+, follow these links and let us know what you think!

You Know The Language, But Do You Know The Culture?

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Euro London

Throughout the world we all speak different languages and live by different cultural norms. To this end, it is not only important for us to learn the language of the country we are visiting, but also taking into account their way of interaction.

There are various social norms upon first meeting and greeting someone within a business or social environment. In much of the West a handshake is the culturally acceptable normality upon meeting someone, however even here there can be differences. In Northern Europe, a quick handshake of only a few seconds would be considered normal, whereas, in Southern Europe and Latin America, a longer warmer embrace will take place and cheek kissing may also occur as a welcome. In Africa, the normality is that handshakes vary on time, but the strength of the grip is usually softer and in Japan the greeting is normally a bow.

You may also want to check what the normal amount of eye contact should be. In Europe and North America showing eye contact is important! Whether it’s intermittent or continuous; it’s important at conveying your attention and interest to the recipient of your conversation. However, in many African, Asian and Latin American cultures it is traditionally considered that continuous and extended eye contact is rude and that it should be kept brief; the opposite of what can be considered of the Middle East where holding each others gaze conveys trust and sincerity.

Taking note of the different gestures in cultures should save you risking offending someone or misinterpreting what they are saying! Nodding your head may be seen as acknowledgement, acceptance and agreement in most countries; however, in Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey it often means the opposite. What you consider harmless may be considered rude by certain cultures. Making a circle with your thumb and forefinger, widely acceptable in Europe and North America, indicating the “O.K” gesture means something totally different in Brazil, where it can be considered on a par with giving the middle finger, from a European point of view.

Most importantly remember that interaction varies from country to country, continent to continent and culture to culture, so reading up on different cultures before a visit is advisable; don’t risk offending someone unintentionally. If you are not sure on how to act, let the other person lead the interaction and follow their lead.

Time and Transition

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Euro London

Time is continuous not incremental, sometimes you don’t notice how much things have changed until you look back and remember how things used to be.

Look at technology! 10 years ago Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook didn’t exist, the latter of which has been discussing an IPO (initial public offering) this week which sees the company valued around $100 billion. Dial up internet was the norm (remember the dial up ringtone! It still gives me shivers), any sniff of wireless or 3G was considered futuristic and too far off to contemplate. Mobile phones only had the game “Snake” available rather than a huge variety of apps you can get now. Smart phones can browse the internet, hold your music library, take pictures and record videos; the list goes on and on.

Unlike time, transition happens in stages. The two are however inextricably linked by the fact you will always be affected by time, but transition is something you chose to do. You can choose to upgrade your mobile, you can choose to move house and can choose to make the transition from one job to another. Whether you choose to is up to you, yet time will always keep moving! Perhaps you feel that the economy is too unstable to consider change, perhaps you are hesitant to the idea of change itself, it is only natural. However what we are seeing now is a slow rebound in the economy, there are jobs out there, you just have to stand out from the crowd! If you have the skills, the experience and are considering a change of jobs, being multilingual is a great way to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Are you considering a move? Have you got the skills and experience for a new job? Don’t let time pass you by!

The Bucket List

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Euro London

I recently read a blog about kicking the bucket, a phrase that is widely known around the world due to its use in popular culture. It got me thinking about what most people’s ambitions in life are and what we sometimes say but sadly never accomplish. For those of you who may not know what a bucket list is, it’s a list you compile of things you’d like to do before you die, or kick the bucket. Many people’s ambitions and dreams are fulfilled by making sure that they know what they want out of life, they have a target they aim for and they go for it.

This could be a whole multitude of activities and ambitions, from doing something thrill seeking to doing something self enhancing.

Bucket lists are like New Years resolutions, we make them so we make sure we have an impetus to act on something, it gives us the little kick necessary to strive to better ourselves.

Activities on the peoples bucket lists range from Skydiving to travelling to a certain place on the planet or swimming with sharks and learning a second language (something most of you reading this will have already accomplished). But these are often pleasure and not business, with people often leaving their career to grow naturally instead of chasing opportunities. The use of languages in the workplace is on the up and up. The realisation of what a multilingual person can bring to an international company is growing everyday! So why not look to progress your career through opportunity? Here at Euro London Appointments we get jobs in everyday we look to fill with the best possible candidate, do you feel this is your chance?

What activities would you like to accomplish in life?

Happy New Year

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Euro London

Last week we celebrated Christmas, now it’s time to conclude the festive season! After eating all the food, opening all the presents and drinking all the champagne, it’s now time to welcome the New Year!

So let’s celebrate what we’ve accomplished and plan for what we want to achieve. The New Year is synonymous with doing something new. Resolutions; be it joining the gym, giving up a bad habit or taking up something new, are made around the world.

What do you want to achieve? Perhaps one of the options above, perhaps you’d like to shed a few kilos or perhaps you’d like to start a new job or career path and if you do, we’re here for you.

Wherever you are in the world on New Years Eve, have fun celebrating the start of the 2012!

These are some spectacular scenes from around the world last New Year! Where is the best place you have spent new years?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2WNK0_mbCc&w=560&h=315]

It’s The Season To Be Jolly

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Euro London

It’s that time of year again!

The time of year when you wake up hoping today’s the day, the time of the year that it’s socially acceptable to wear the jumper your auntie got you four years ago, the time of year when the airwaves are filled with those songs that get everyone singing along and evoke the memories of your childhood.

That’s right, as the great Noddy Holder would say; “It’s Christmas!”

So hang up your stockings, write your Christmas cards and enjoy the Christmas markets. The last two months of planning and preparations have come together for this day! This one day; where the family get together, Christmas crackers are pulled and the Christmas dinner is carved. So enjoy it! For this day comes but once a year. So from Euro London Appointments Joyeux Noel, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

We’ll be asking what your new year’s resolutions are going to be next week. So put your thinking camps on and ponder what you’re going to change next year! Whether it’s losing a few kilos or finding a new job we want to know what you’re going to do differently.

Merry Christmas!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG4BPNvayWo&w=420&h=315]

What Impact Is Social Media Having On Your Job Hunt?

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Euro London

If you look back at the last few years, there has been a growing buzzword used by businesses, organisations and individuals situated all over the world. This word is Social Media! The amalgamation of two very different words, social media was born out of the World Wide Web.

It has the ability to report the news to you, live and uncensored, the ability to bring down governments and the ability to get you a job!

In a recent survey of employers, 90% would check a social media network before or during a candidate’s interview process. These include Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so if you’re on any of these networks, which statistically you probably will be; you’ve been warned!

Tweets on Twitter, Photos uploaded on Facebook and updates posted on LinkedIn may not be as private as you think and could unfortunately damage your job hunting opportunities and career prospects.

However, if you manage your social media networks right, far from being damaging, they can enhance your job hunting opportunities and it’s not as if it’s hard to do, you do it on a daily basis after all.

Check your privacy settings and what groups or pages you may like! More often than not you may have set your photos to private, but not any groups you may be a part of and these can show up on your flashcard page. If you don’t want recruiters/employers to see this, either leave the group or look to change your privacy settings.

Be careful what you say and to whom, Twitter is a prime suspect for this point. Twitter can turn from a friendly micro-blogging device into a disaster for your career opportunities very quickly, with one rash tweet.

Apart from taking care of your social media in a reactive role, you can also take a proactive position! Joining professional networks to interact with possible contacts, making sure you keep up to date with latest industry news and developments within your field can really show your commitment to any potential employer to your ambition and commitment to any career.

Social media is the new kid on the block and it’s got lots of friends in high places, be aware that recruiters no longer rely on just the interview to hire someone anymore.

First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Euro London

Whether you are going to an interview or starting your first day at work, it’s important to make a great first impression! Of course, you’ve heard it all before, but how can you be sure your first impression is a positive one? Studies show that a lasting impression will be formed of you within 30 seconds to ten minutes of meeting you, and this impression will last!

So what are the tricks, tips and all the good bits that can be shown off about your personality in these ten minuets to make a great lasting first impression?

Firstly let’s get rid of the clichés in this scenario! The strong handshake and not arriving late are the bear basics of the first impression and hopefully you know them already!

Your body language is the most important part to the art of a good impression! Studies show that 70 % of what you say is conveyed by your body language and a further 10% by the tone of your voice. This means that 80% of what you’re actually saying isn’t the words you are speaking at all. Standing tall, not slouching and making good eye contact is a great place to start when meeting someone new, as this will convey confidence and ability. If you are sitting down, don’t fold your arms or create what is called a unconscious barrier to you. Sit with your hands out and have an open, welcoming posture; smile and listen – we were given one mouth and two ears for a reason! This will lead you onto the second part to help develop a great first impression.

Making good conversation! You may have already accounted for 80% of a conversation, but you’ve still got 20% to fill. This is a virtuous circle, the more conversation you make, the better you get at it and the more you will converse, so everyone is a winner, but remember that there’s a difference between good conversation and small talk! It’s very easy to spot small talk, it’s irrelevant and forgettable, an engaging conversation will leave a positive lasting impression.

Whether it’s a job you are going for or your first day; Research the company! Know what they do, how big they are, where they have offices etc, you don’t want to be left looking dumbfounded if someone asks you a question about the company. It takes 10 minutes to look into a company’s profile and shows that you are committed to the company from an early stage.

No matter how advanced our technology may be getting, it will always be important to make a personable good first impression! So make sure you’re prepared for your first interview and your first day.

Cover yourself with your Cover Letter

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Euro London

Over the last few months we’ve given you some of our best advice on how to land that dream job of yours. We’ve given you great advice (well we think anyway) on how to write a CV, but what was missing from that advice is the obligatory Cover letter you need to send in with that brilliant CV of yours.

Cover letters are short articles, no more than one A4 piece of paper long, you write about yourself to send in with your CV. They don’t need to be long, they don’t have to be fancy, but they do have to explain why you are perfectly suited to the job. This means tailoring each and every cover letter to the job you are applying for. Whilst the jobs you apply for may not be that different to each other and you may not feel the need to change your cover letter, every hiring manager; no matter how similar the role, will have a different idea, a different set of attributes they will be looking for. It will therefore be up to you to demonstrate these indirectly through your actions written out in both your CV and your cover letter. Do your research on who they are looking for.

You may have heard the famous John Kennedy quote: “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”, the same can be said about going through the interview stages of an organisation. Incorporate the research you have done for the position into this covering letter and emphasis what you can do for the company.

Often if you are emailing or sending a CV to a recruiter the covering letter will be the first information they see about you, it’s so important to make a good first impression! Like previously stated in our blog on how to write a great CV, check for spelling and punctuation mistakes, make sure what you are sending out is literally perfect.

Overall cover letters should complement not duplicate your CV, if you find you’ve repeated the same points on both your CV and your cover letter, have a second look at what you’ve written.

Relocation, Relocation, Relocation

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Euro London

The UK jobs market has seen one of the biggest squeezes in recent times with the decline in the availability of jobs, which is being matched around Europe. Even Germany, seen as the steady ship of Europe, is seeing a contraction in the number of jobs available and a rise in the number of people who are unemployed.

Being a multilingual recruitment agency, we often place people of various nationalities from around Europe into another country in Europe for a role, most are happy to relocate.

But it seems that in the UK, this option is extremely limited by the lack of ability to learn or even try and learn another language. A report out last week [1] states that two in three Brits can’t speak a single foreign word! We think that the report may be over exaggerated, but we know that other points were re-iterating what we have always known; that the majority of the British public’s attitude to want to learn a language is abysmal.

Without the possibility of relocating abroad to work, apart from the obvious British tourist hot spots, there is a very slim chance of finding work in a non English speaking country, vastly narrowing the number of job opportunities.

We often find that many of the companies we are working with to place staff, here and elsewhere around Europe, desire English speakers. But native English speakers more often than not, are not able to speak another language.

It’s not only the lack of experience and language ability that can hold someone’s job search back, but the lack of will to relocate or commute to any job that is not located on their back door.

It’s a global world; it’s time we all started thinking global.

Have a nice day! Goodbye! Au revoir! Auf Wiedersehen! Arrivederci! ¡Adiós! Ok, you get the point.

[1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062982/Two-Britons-speak-SINGLE-foreign-word.html

Equality – Is it just a word?

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Euro London

It’s been decades since most states within the European Union developed legislation that protect men and women from discrimination in the workplace on matters such as pay and promotion. However, this week new statistics out have showed a worrying trend. All three of the top stock exchanges of Europe; London’s FTSE, Frankfurt’s DAX and Paris’s CAC, have Less than 20% of the seats on the board of directors occupied by women[1]. This week, Theresa May, the United Kingdom’s home secretary, stated that she thinks the UK alone is missing out on £21 billion a year in growth in the markets through a lack of female leaders and a further £42 billion a year would be produced if there were as many female entrepreneurs ran businesses as men [2].

So why is there still the fabled “glass ceiling” for so many women, when not only is there legislation to prevent discrimination, but also groups set up to help, such as the 30% club on the FTSE which hopes to see 30% of the number of the seats on boards taken by females. (I’m not sure why it’s not 50% to be honest, if you’re going to aim to make a difference, why not aim for equality?). There is also a general consensus that female board members are greatly beneficial, bringing a type of process and calculation to situations where a man’s pride may have taken over in a male dominated environment.

So is it a lack of ambition? Perhaps; But the world has turned into the most equal it has ever been! Where before the norm would have been for a daughter to cook and clean, to be the doting wife to the husband who would go out to work, nowadays a daughter is just as encouraged and supported as a son to go out and aspire to be all they can be.

Perhaps then women don’t want to fall into the stereotypes of a leading woman “conniving…ice queens…single…a token…a cheerleader”, but are these stereotypes still relevant today? Were they ever truly relevant at all…apart from in the films? The female leaders of some of the worlds biggest companies, such as Indra Nooyi, the chief executive of PepsiCo, has never lived up to any of the previously stated stereotypes.

So why do you believe there is still a disproportionate amount of men in positions of leadership? Especially in industry, the lucrative banking and petroleum companies etc. When do you think we will be equal? Will we ever?

[1]http://www.corpgov.deloitte.com/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/USEng/Documents/Nominating-Corporate%20Governance%20Committee/Board%20Composition%20and%20Recruitment/Women%20in%20the%20Boardroom_Deloitte_012011.pdf

[2] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2057723/Theresa-May-Female-talent-boost-economy-60bn.html

How Much Trouble Is Europe In?

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Euro London

This week has seen a culmination of the troubles that have been brewing for months within the economy of Europe. All current decisions made now, are being made to avert what would only be described as financial recession; it seems that the future of Europe is hanging on a knife edge.

There have been some quite considerable changes within EU member states; Italy and Greece have both appointed new leaders to try and stem the flow of ever growing worries within their economies, whilst Spain appears to be heading for a change of leadership.

Interest charged on government backed bonds is hitting unprecedented levels; these rates indicate the risk perceived on the ability of the country to pay it back, the higher the interest, the higher the risk. Earlier this week Greece was faced with having to pay back 22% on top of what it initially borrows over the course of 10 years, and there is a very high fear that Greece won’t be able to meet its commitments and that is worrying the financial markets. To put that 22% in perspective, Germany’s interest on a 10 year bond is just over 2%.

However, positive news can be found in the consolation that the economy of the 17-nation Euro Zone grew by 0.2%, between July and September, not much but at least it has grown, kept buoyant primarily by the German and French economies after several other countries including Greece’s economy shrunk.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has described the ongoing Euro Zone situation as the continents toughest hour since World War Two, a highly charged use of words that was sure to grab the headlines across Europe and highlight how serious the predicament we are faced with.

What are your views on the current situation around Europe? Have the EU leaders got it right?

The complete guide to INTERVIEWS

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Euro London

A potential Ikea interview?

An important part of the service at Euro London is preparing our candidates for the interview process – a prospect that strikes fear into many and leaves others running for the door! By talking candidates through possible interview questions, as well as giving them tips on how to make a positive impression, we aim to make our candidates feel confident to tackle the real thing.

After all, interviews should be viewed as the perfect opportunity to show off your personality and make a positive impact.

Follow these simple tips and you may be one step closer to bagging your dream job…

Appearance – You’ve heard it all before, but it’s true! First impressions count. So, make sure to dress professionally. If you are unsure about the company’s dress code, always verge on the side of caution. After all, it is better to be too smart rather than too casual.

Timing – Set that alarm and find that watch, because being on time is essential. It may sound simple but lateness is the quickest way into the interviewer’s bad books. Plan your journey and familiarise yourself with the location to ensure that you arrive promptly. If a situation arises in which being late is inevitable, remember to keep the interviewer informed.

Research – Just like the well known Scout motto, always be prepared. Take time before the interview to research the company as much as possible. Information can range from the business’s main competitors to their core company values. The more clued up you are the better. Doing your homework will also highlight your enthusiasm and interest in the company, which can only be a good thing.

Mobile – Turn off your phone. It may seem simple but here at Euro London we’ve come across our fair share of interviews interrupted by bleeping mobiles.

Listen – Take time to consider your answers. Pacing yourself demonstrates thought and control, qualities the interviewer will value over rushed and confused answers. Keep information relevant and ask if you do not understand the question – this is particularly applicable if not being interviewed in your mother tongue.

Questions – Always ask questions. An interview is a two way process; not only is it an opportunity for the interviewer to find out about you but also for you to gain information about them and the available role. Being inquisitive demonstrates a thirst for knowledge as well as an interest in the role.

Finally, remember to stay positive and do your best!

Boosting the value of your language degree!

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Euro London

Graduate employment has been hit hard by the recession, with students finding it increasingly difficult to find a job following graduation. Although there is a reported 2.6% rise in graduate opportunities this year, finding employment is still a daunting prospect for many students.

At Euro London, we meet language graduates who are finding it difficult to find their niche in the world of work, leaving them feeling despondent about their job prospects and overlooked in favour of their European counterparts. They often find that although speaking a language can lead to certain opportunities, if not combined with relative work experience it can be difficult to find employment.

The year abroad, that is a mandatory requirement for many language degrees, offers you the chance to demonstrate your ability to adapt to a foreign environment and interact with people from different cultures. This is an invaluable skill in the workplace and makes you an appealing candidate if a job involves travel.

However, at Euro London we also actively encourage language students to support their language skill with extra activities such as internships, holiday jobs and work experience. Seeking experience in the fields that you enjoy is just one way to increase your chances of standing out from the crowd. In addition, work experience can be an excellent opportunity to test out different job sectors and discover which one suits you best.

Combining your language skill with other experience and qualifications ensures that you have a varied and well-rounded CV that increases your value to any employer.

Do you feel your language skill is valued by employers? We would love to hear your opinions and experiences, so leave your comment below.

What could your language degree do for you?

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Euro London

This article will be part of a series of blogs focusing on language graduate employment.

Here at Euro London, we often encounter students who are unaware of the career opportunities available to language graduates – with many perceiving translation or teaching as the only options to utilise their language skill. We aim to dispell this myth!

Although a career in translation is a viable option for many multilingual individuals, it only represents a small minority of the employment opportunities available. We deal with companies that want multilingual individuals for a diverse range of sectors, recruiting professionals with languages into banking, office support, igaming, HR, marketing, sales, IT and customer service – proof that languages are a valuable commodity within a wide range of careers!

While a language will not always be advertised as essential to a role, it can be advantageous to an employer. In particular, languages provide an important means of communication to businesses with overseas clients. Within international businesses it is also increasingly expected to trade in the buyer’s language, therefore fueling the need for those with language skills.

So whether you wish to to be in HR or PR, an accountant or an actuary, your language may have a niche value. Taking a look at these broader options will enlighten you to the alternative career choices that your language degree could hold!

Don’t forget to check out next week’s blog for ways that you can add value to your language degree…

So you want to be a…?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Euro London

You don't have to be a teacher!

At Euro London, every day we’re recruiting for a wide range of jobs involving languages. Yet we’re often surprised at the fact that many people don’t really know what opportunities are out there. Time and time again, we hear that people think their only option is to become a translator or teacher. We have run workshops with school students who didn’t realise what great jobs they could do if they continued to study languages and this proved to be one of the most popular discussion points among graduates at the Language Show, which we recently attended. Plus in our recent poll you told us what you wanted to hear about most was what jobs you could do with languages.

If there was more awareness about what exciting jobs multilingual people can do, in which you can really make a difference and more importantly earn good money, would it encourage more young people to learn languages? Well, we hope so, which is why we’re starting a series of blogs profiling some of the interesting jobs we’ve recruited for. If there are any you have in mind and would like more information on, just leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to cover it!

Look out for the “so you want to be a…” posts coming soon. We’ll also be posting links to the blogs on Twitter and Facebook to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Job of the week!

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Euro London

Are you multilingual? Do you fancy a career in PR? Then check out our job of the week:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxj5jgEUUuE]

EU backs linguist recruitment drive

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Euro London

I was pleased to see an article in EurActiv about the European Commission taking steps to promote language learning in school – a topic we have blogged about before and one that I feel strongly about.

According to the article, the European Commission has teamed up with several other international organisations to call for proper funding to be made available to schools for their language departments. Furthermore, they call for better funding and career prospects for professions like translators and interpreters which are currently facing a shortage and will continue to do so over the next 5 to 10 years. Continue reading →

British Companies still not getting the language message

Posted on June 15, 2010 by Euro London

We recently carried out a survey where we phoned up 116 companies in the UK, France and Germany to see how well their front line staff would cope when confronted with questions in a foreign language. The question? What their postal address was. You may have read about this is various publications over the last week. If not then here is what happened.

When we phoned companies in the UK the results were shocking – only 4 companies were able to answer straight away in the caller’s langauge, 12 put the caller on hold and found someone who did speak the language and shockingly 17 companies simply hung up! Of those that stayed on the line comments included “we only speak English here!”, “oh for gods sake!” and “if you can’t speak English I just can’t help you!”. Continue reading →

Top fliers – languages & understanding cultural differences

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Euro London

We recently wrote an article which was featured in Changeboard discussing the lack of UK nationals with the necessary linguistic skills to fill the amount of roles available, why this is the case and importantly what the implications are for the future.

To view the article in full click here but we have also put some of the key issues below:

The UK has become increasingly tied into one worldwide system and there is more demand for business professionals across the globe. As a result professionals need to be equipped with foreign langauge skills but also a cultural awareness of different markets.
The rapid growth of many foreign economies and markets, especially in Asia has seen an increase in demand for languages like Russian, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Having an understanding of the local languages of your customers base gives tremendous advantages in day-to-day business meetings, negotiations and in building relationships with clients.
Languages also allow valuable insight into emerging markets, having people on your team who are multilingual can offer useful marketing and business development skills.
More effort needs to be made to encourage language learning in schools – only 75% of the highest achievers take a language at GCSE. If this does not increase, the pipeline of linguistic talent will continue to shrink.
There is a perception that the only roles available to linguistically skilled candidates is either as a teacher or an interpreter – this just isn’t the case!
A survey we carried out revealed that 86% of employers viewed languages as an important skill and the majority believed that in the future those who are not multilingual will struggle in the employment market.

We hope you enjoy reading the full article!

Bad things to say at a job interview

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Euro London

I recently came across a funny video that someone had posted on Twitter about bad things said at job interviews. It certainly amused me and put a smile on my face at the end of what was a busy day.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DlR3AkCAd8]

Here at Euro London we spend a lot of time with our candidates going through possible interview questions and provide them with an interview guide so they are as ready as they can be when they come to the actual interview. This puts them in a good position for their interview – which – as we all know can be pretty daunting. Here are our top tips for success at an interview:

First Impressions Count – Dress professionally even if you know the company has a casual dress code. After all it is better to be too smart than too causal!
Time Keeping – Never arrive at an interview late, it is advisable to enter the building about 10 minutes before the interview.
Research - Ensure you know as much about the company as possible – it is inevitable that you will be asked. The more you know the better your chance of success.
Show Enthusiasm – ensure you smile and make plenty of eye contact with your interviewer and always speak clearly and in a confident voice, no matter how nervous you may be.
Body language – Sit up straight, avoid slouching and try not to fidget too much – this will make you appear nervous and distract the interviewer from what you are actually saying.
Listen – This is often forgotten as candidates are too worried about selling themselves. Make sure you listen carefully to the questions asked and don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat the question.
Ask Questions – many candidates fail to ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out valuable information about the company. Prepare some questions in advance – the questions you ask indicate your interest in the company or job.

I hope these tips are useful and although they may seem obvious it is surprising how many candidates don’t get the basics right!

Jobs market improves for linguists

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Euro London

Towards the end of 2009 Euro London was busy putting together its biannual ‘European Hiring Trends Report’ - a survey of employment markets across the areas we operate in (London, Windsor and Manchester in the UK and Paris, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Munich, Luxembourg and Zurich across mainland Europe.)

The results? Overall the message was positive – conditions are improving slowly but surely and the jobs market looks set to improve throughout 2010.

Here’s a summary of what we found in the UK:

French and German remain the most popular languages, although there has also been a strong demand for Dutch and Scandinavian languages
Most sectors improving slowly
Demand has grown for sales and marketing professionals, especially in the digital marketing arena and inbanking and finance
iGaming and betting remains buoyant
Continued lack of high quality candidates but bigger pool of talent has led to employers being less flexible
Increased confidence about the year ahead

Elsewhere, Germany has been experiencing stronger growth, especially in IT. Along with France it has also seen a boost in sales and marketing, and accountancy remains quite strong. Most countries also found that the decision making process was a long one when it came to hiring new staff, often leading to businesses losing out on the best candidates.

The full report contains details of recruitment trends in each region – for your free copy just click here: http://bit.ly/85FRbI.

Customer Service

Posted on December 9, 2009 by Euro London

I recently popped into a popular French-name sandwich shop in London (I’m sure you can guess which!) to buy some lunch. In the hustle and bustle that is London at lunch time, and most other times, I appreciate that staff have it tough sometimes. But the service was slow, and I didn’t even get a smile! Customer service is one of those things – when it’s good people may not appreciate it, but when it’s bad customers definitely notice it! And it can make a big difference to their experience and their chances of using that service again.

This goes for any service – a shop or a recruitment consultancy. At Euro London, we know that if our consultants aren’t helpful, friendly and efficient – i.e. if we don’t offer a great customer service – our clients won’t want to use us again. This in turn affects our reputation and our business. Strong customer service is something we therefore pride ourselves on at Euro London – here are our top methods of offering our customers the best possible service:

We’re specialists in our field. When we put forward a candidate, we will not only have interviewed them to make sure they’re suitable for the role, but one of our multilingual consultants will have tested their language skills to ensure they are good enough
Our consultants not only have language skills, they have cultural knowledge as they have also lived or worked in that country. That means they can advise clients on things like foreign qualifications, education and other cultural differences. They can also help candidates with relocating – from setting up bank accounts to advising where the best schools are located.
It’s a cliché, but we do go the extra mile! We source candidates from all over the world, we’ve met candidates at weekends and we’ve stayed late to talk to clients in different countries. Because it’s our job to keep you happy.
We invest in our staff. Using expertise from Lander Associates we make sure our recruiters are fully equipped to deliver the most professional and effective service possible
Communication – we’re always keeping in touch with clients and candidates, and sharing ideas through our blog and our tweets (follow us @eurolondon).

Sometimes we just need to stop and put ourselves in the customer’s shoes, so to speak! But if all else fails, remember to smile – a little can go a long way.

WHERE WE GO NEXT COULD BE DOWN TO YOU

Posted on October 30, 2009 by Euro London

I’d like to think that things are looking up but just when you think there is some light at the end of the tunnel, a piece of news hits you between the eyes and tells you the opposite. This week it was from Recruiter Magazine telling us that things were tough for recruitment consultancies. The article cited research from the REC which revealed that 42% of consultancies have made redundancies and that 39% had recruitment freezes. And even more telling – that 38% of recruiters feel insecure in their jobs.

The really good news is that in some ways that article excited me – because we are in the top 19% who are definitely not in any of those categories - and we are hiring! So if you are insecure, redundant or just want to find out more about a career with an international recruitment consultancy then why not check out our career pages on our website?

Twitter gags

Posted on October 23, 2009 by Euro London

Twitter has become huge over the last year, with celebrities, businesses and lots of other people using it as a way to share what they’re doing and what is happening in the world. (Follow Euro London here!) It has become so popular that it has even influenced the law and advertising in one of the UK’s biggest newspapers – and that’s just this month!

The latest news in the world of Twitter is the story of Twitter gags – not social media jokes – but gagging clauses. Hollywood execs have realised the power of Twitter and Facebook, and introduced clauses to the contracts of its people to ban them from leaking film secrets through their tweets.

According to the Press Association, the contracts for the next instalment of Shrek “caution writers not to jump the gun on studio press releases via ‘a social networking site, blog or other internet-type site’” and a recent contract from Disney had a similar clause, forbidding breaches of confidentiality through the use of “interactive media such as Facebook, Twitter, or any other interactive social network or personal blog”.

This got me thinking – could Twitter clauses spread to the business world? There have been plenty of stories about disgruntled employees making damaging remarks about their employers over the internet but I’m sure they’d think twice if they knew they could be held liable. As far as the recruitment industry is concerned, consultants could be giving away company secrets and contacts to competitors by sharing too much information with their networks or make comments that reflect badly on their company. Is it time we put stricter controls on this? Or is it taking things too far?

From skyscraper to sausages

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Euro London

_46402711_sausage-man The recession – it has affected different people in different ways. For some it’s been an opportunity to buy a house at a great price. But for others it has meant losing their jobs, and that’s what happened to Thomas Brause, an ex-trader from Frankfurt. We recently came across this story and thought we’d share it – it’s not your everyday career move!

When he was made redundant from his six figure salary job in December of last year, instead of harnessing his skills in a job paying around half his previous salary, Mr Brause decided to make a radical career change. He now sells Bratwurst on the street near his old office, from a converted bus he bought online. According to the BBC he said, “These are real things, not abstract things. You can touch them. I deliver something and I get something in return. It’s more satisfying…As soon as people get to management level they dream of this, and this was a dream of mine for a while because I was pretty fed up with my job too. The office politics was terrible.”

So it seems that this career move was a good one for Mr Brause – although he admits that he’s still stressed and works 14 hour days! So, if you’re not happy in your job or find yourself a victim of the downturn, be reassured that there is always another option.

However we can’t help but think that if he’d have used a recruiter he could have got some career advice and perhaps taken a slightly less drastic change in direction. If you’re job hunting but don’t like the idea of selling sausages, come and speak to Euro London!

Only in America

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Euro London

The credit crunch has caused a wide range of problems – but some are more obscure than others. A graduate from Monroe College in New York is suing the University, because like many graduates and experienced professionals worldwide, she hasn’t been able to find a job in the four months since finishing her degree.

Trina Thompson said that the University’s careers service had promised contacts and advice for job hunting but not provided them. She’s therefore asking for her tuition fees to be re-paid – all $70,000 of them.

This got us thinking – could we see similar lawsuits against recruiters?! Hopefully not – recruiting professionals will always be able to find positions for candidates, even during the tough times. It’s just a bit harder. But whether we can help or not, customer care should remain at a high level. If you’re looking for a job with languages, take a look at our latest positions here.

Another glass ceiling?

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Euro London

We often hear about glass ceilings for women but a recent government report has concluded that top professions have become increasingly exclusive, making it harder for individuals from poorer backgrounds to break into careers in law, medicine and accountancy. In many occupations it has also become harder to ‘work your way up’.

Barriers cited include internships, with former Health Secretary Alan Milburn saying that securing one often relies on knowing the right people. He is calling for career advice to start much earlier – in primary school – and more action by schools, parents and companies. He said: “There is a chasm between where we are and where we need to be if Britain is to realise the social and economic benefits of huge potential growth in professional employment. We need a new recognition: that a closed-shop mentality in our country means that too many people from middle-income as well as low-income families encounter doors that are shut to their talents.”

It’s an interesting argument – as recruiters we know that there is a lot of legislation surrounding equality and a lot of work that goes towards providing opportunities for a wide range of people. But on the other hand, without a good education and the necessary support and encouragement, many people will not be able to maximise on their potential talent and grab these offers. What do you think – are there closed doors? And what can businesses do to help this situation?